Wordless Wednesday

Photos by me, at Mesa Electric Park.

Wordless Wednesday

 Photos taken by my evil twin ;-)

Backyard Birding Bliss

Our Sonoran Desert put out a fairly abundant display of wildflowers this year and I found myself consumed with chasing after them. Birding somehow got put on the backburner. Yes, I said it.  I put wildflowers before birds, blasphemous, I know! First it was poppies, lupines and fiddlenecks. Then came the pentstemon, hedgehog, globe mallow, and brittlebush.  I just couldn't get enough of them.

But then suddenly the jasmine in my own backyard came into a full and gloriolusly fragrant bloom. The smell was just intoxicating. Soon after, an unexpected crop of sunflowers emerged in my planter box.  I just couldn't take my eyes off of them. The Palo Verde also came into full bloom and before long I started hearing some very unfamiliar chirping, tweeting, and soulful singing. I found myself just sitting for hours on end and enjoying all the new sights, scents, and sounds enveloping my back patio.  So I just kicked back and watched, and a whole parade of new visitors came calling...

 First the Rosy-faced Lovebirds arrived!  They just couldn't|
stay away from all the sunflowers.

Even the usually more sedate House Finches perked up
and did a cute little sunflower-happy-dance.

 As did the Lesser Goldfinches.

The Lesser Goldfinch parents loved munching on the sunflower leaves,
and feeding their very hungry babies.

A Yellow Warbler even stopped by, trying hard to blend in with the
yellow blossoms encompassing the palo verde.

Then this guy snuck in to steal the show - an Empidonax Flycatcher
of some sort - possibly a Pacific-slope? 
Certainly a a yard-bird list first for me!

My Rock Squirrel even popped up to see what all the fuss was about.

Of course the Gila Woodpecker could have cared less about all of the

magnificent yellow blossoms on the palo verde. It was the sappy,
ant-laden older branches that he went after.

Sadly now the jasmine's sweet scent has faded, the sunflowers
are spent, and the dreaded White-winged Doves have returned.

So off I go to Desert Botanical Garden, Gilbert Water Ranch,
and Boyce Thompson Arboretum.  See you in the field.
This birder is BACK!

Please help spread the word - Birding Without Barriers is back online
at a NEW URL  - www.birdingwithoutbarriers.COM