Art With Art

Female Anna's Hummingbird

Here's the female Anna's Hummingbird.  It may be "winter" in Arizona but these year long residents visit our feeders often in Tucson.

If life imitates art, then perhaps this is a perfect example.

I was chatting with Kathie and waiting for her to get her tea all prepped for our trip.  And while she was getting everything all together, I saw her hummingbird feeder busy with activity.

It was surprising because I can never get the hummers to come to these glamorous feeders.  They tend to like the cheap ones, but the key here was that this was in the shade.  And that made all the difference in the world.

Get ready for some incredible fun coming up on Las Aventuras. Let's have a kiki!  December is just warming up. Let the festivities begin.....

Amar Es Compartir

I always have my camera ready near the birdfeeders because you never know what will go down on a day to day basis:)  Today I was finally able to capture the Verdin and Anna's Hummer together on the feeder!!!  Last time I tried to do this, there wasn't any memory card!  PS.  I'm still catching up with everyone, and I promise I'll be stopping by soon.  Love all your stories and pics but I have to give the eyes a rest each night and time to absorb all your experiences.

The Verdin flies in first.  And then several of our hummers see this guy and say, "Oooh heck no!"  But wait, "He's not a hummer.  I can't chase him off!"

And so "Sharing is loving."  or "Loving is sharing."  Either way, they were so cute on the feeder together.

And of course, lots more to come.  Until next time.....

The Usual Suspects

Broad Billed Hummingbird

One of the things I try to be while I blog is honest.  It's important to be truthful about the experience and I gotta tell you all......today was just meh!  Oh I'm sure the photos will do, but I try to push myself on every outing....and on every outing, I've always come home happy.  But today....on this very hot hot day.....I didn't get anything new.  (Written on June 2nd)

Magnificent Hummingbird

To make matters worse, my allergies were terrible.  There was a huge fire coming coming in from New Mexico that created this terrible haze.  I don't know how I will bird in this heat.  I made time for it and could only sqeeze in a couple hours looking for the Lucifer Hummingbird!  He eludes me still.

It's not to say that I didn't see a lot of wildlife because I did achieve this objective.  But I missed the Blue Grosbeak which would have been a first for me and this blog.  Ugh!!!  I saw it but wasn't quick enough with my camera!

Acorn Woodpecker

I think what I need most is a break from the desert heat until monsoon comes.  It really isn't nice at all to do.  Hats off to the people who get up super early to snap shots of all those amazing birds. I'll do more of it when July hits again.  The humidity is of course terrible during that time but there is always hope for much needed rain everyday.

Black Chinned Hummingbird

Maybe it's frustration I want to convey on this post.  People always wonder what we desert rats do during the summer and the answer is.....stay indoors during the afternoon like people do during the winter in the colder regions.  Evenings are great, but I'm out watering plants.  Mornings are great but I'm usually sleeping:)

But you also gotta feel for the birds around the area.  Our hummingbird feeders are attacked regularly by the large and heavy woodpeckers.  They are very awkward looking as they hang and swing from the feeders.  Let me just say that they spill lots!!!  Their "tongue" is similiar to that of a hummingbird and therefore love to visit our feeders as well.  Today in the canyon it was 98 degrees!!!  I had plenty of water but still.....

I wore my hat and hid in the shade as much as I could.  There is a lot to see if you can withstand the temps.  It reminded me of Panama last summer but with all the humidity involved!!!  So much wildlife out and about at all times of the days around the canyon areas.  In the desert, you'll find it very very quiet during the afternoon unless you are looking for lizards.

So it's great to go to cooler locals if it's possible.   The problem is that some of them are 45 minutes to an hour away.  For example, heading up to Mt. Lemmon is ideal, but the trip will take you an 1 and some minutes to rise the 20 some odd miles to the top.  Or if you are heading to Carr Canyon, the dirt roads can be difficult to navigate if you have a regular car like I do.  Good tires are the key:) More tomorrow...


Gerbera Daisy

Verdin Love

I enjoy birders from outside of Arizona.  They come with hopes of capturing many birds from around our state.  They usually have a list of places they need to go.  Generally, most will find more birds than they had ever hoped for:) And so my story begins with this tiny little Verdin:)

My hummingbird feeder has been losing liquid for quite some time now.  Another nest has been built near a hummer's nest and quite interesting enough, our hummingbird feeders have been popular with the Gila Woodpecker, Verdins, and Anna's Hummingbirds! The problem with these Verdins and Gila Woodpeckers?  They sure like to move the feeders and pour out some juice for their own needs:)

These pictures were taken from my dining room window(my cat's "Plasma TV").  I've been frustrated that quite a bit of the liquid gets all over the sidewalk!  But I rinse it off with a hose and have extra hummingbird juice in the fridge to fill up during the week.

I don't know why but I do enjoy the antics of the Verdin.  They are skittish little creatures and move quickly at the slightest scare.

Now for the out of town birders.  It makes me smile while I'm on a birding mission searching for that rare bird to find others searching for the birds that I take for granted everyday.  For example, the Verdin.  3 men from California were on a bridge with their photo equipment set up excited about some bird off in the distance.  When I see a cluster of people, I become excited myself and move quickly and quietly to the location to check out the action.

They are smiling and laughing like little kids and so I ask, "What do you guys see?"  They excitedly respond, "A VERDIN!!  A VERDIN!!"  I smile to myself and say, "Have fun guys.  Hope you find lots of birds."  I give them some tips to help locate other birds that are nesting etc.  And then I think, maybe I am beginning to cross the line from amateur to something else....?  It's one thing to see a bird, but now I am using my voice and ears to locate calls from various birds.  I didn't think I would get to that stage ever, but it's happening. 

Before going on a search, I now research the bird online and listen to the calls.  I have begun to do this with the Elegant Trogon. This is yet another challenge for myself this summer as they are nesting in Madera Canyon.

But back to the Verdin.  I remember my first time hearing a different voice in my bird garden this spring.  I have gotten used to the sparrows, hummingbirds, mourning doves, thrashers, cardinals and house finches along with their calls.  When I heard the Verdin's voice for the first time, it was distinct and made me focus to attention. That was the first time I understood the value of listening.

Another post is coming up where I used only sound to help located the Yellow Warbler but more on that later.  I don't mind this Verdin messing up the sidewalk because it's a real treat to have a diverse population of birds on the grounds at El Presidio. More tomorrow....

A Snowman for the Garden

A gift from my mom, this feeder holds Black Oil Sunflower Seeds for larger birds.

This is for my dear blogger friends who love to garden, plants and enjoy landscaping.  I will have a lot to report on the El Presidio Gardens soon but because it's winter, I'm working on small projects around the property.  In March, I begin putting in the new transplants, pruning and fertilizing around our place.  I know my blog has done a lot on the wildlife so far this year along with the travel, but I wanted to let you know that I'll be back in the garden again soon.  We always hope that the plants will grow and succeed.....and when they do, they create a lush environment safe for all creatures great and small. I think what many of you are witnessing with me is that transformation of our garden space here. Many of the plants are maturing nicely and with it comes the new visitors.

So I'm going to pull this set of 3 pics further back and describe to you what it is that I'm doing. This holiday, my mother gave me a large seed birdfeeder.  Although I already have a regular bird seed feeder which feeds the smaller finches, thrashers, morning doves and sparrows, it doesn't cover the larger birds like the desert cardinal. We have desert cardinals here in the neighborhood and they rarely stop by our garden.  However, I'd like to make this place a permanent stop on their daily routine.  In the photo, from left to right, you'll notice the Desert Fern, San Pedro Cactus, Oleander, and the tiny leaves of the Jacaranda to the far right corner.  The Desert Willow during this time of year is dormant, therefore I hang the birders on it so we can see the birds clearly.  While the Snowman may seem out of place it adds a bit of oddity to the garden.  You'll see me doing this over the course of the year around the grounds.  I'll be adding strange tiny little art forms here and there to make the spaces POP and yet serve as functional pieces for wildlife.  I am now towards the end of Phase 3(establishing plants) and will begin Phase 4 this year.  Color and art.  Phase 1 was fixing up old systems, pruning and assessing the grounds.  Phase 2 was the removal of all plants inappropriately placed around the buildings.  Phase 3 was the creation of the gardens(this is the longest phase).  But the fun comes this year with the addition of our new fountain and colorful pots, etc.

The fern garden at El Presidio so called for the ferny like foliage on the trees.  Very few fern species can grow here in the desert...the Aspargus Fern is fun but it doesn't look like a fern to me:) For my desert garden friends, notice how I use a tree that is deciduous and give it a makeover for the winter. This Desert Willow serves as the central spot in front of our window while providing beautiful flowers in spring and providing food for our hummingbird populations. Just a side note.  When I first began this blog, everything was so innocent and cute.  I look back at those pics with fond regard. So much has changed since then.  My older Desert Willow post reminds me of a better tomorrow that holds promise.  It was during a time that I had doubts about what it was I was doing, but today, I see it all happening before my very eyes...and it makes me proud.