We had read that the Raptor flight show at the Sonoran Desert Wildlife Museum was scheduled to end on April 11. So Friday morning we decided to go to the museum especially for the flight show. Not even thinking that it was "Good Friday" away we went. Well let me tell you it was crowded, but the flowers were in bloom and the flight show was great so crowded or not it was worth the trip. (note: you can double click on the pictures to enlarge them)
The flower below is Parry Penstemon. The Hummingbirds and Butterflies love these.
We got there early so we headed straight for the Hummingbird Aviary. What a treat! Below is a Mama Costa's sitting on the nest. You can just barely see one of the two babies.
Mama left to get more food so I could get a picture of two little beaks sticking up. They are so little and the nests are so tiny!
This was a Mama Broad-billed sitting on the nest. A Docent told us that one of the two eggs had hatched that morning.
Below is the Baja Fairyduster.
and the Soaptree Yucca were in bloom.
When we got to the flight show we had great views of the Harris's Hawk
and the Great Horned Owl.
Below is a Pipe Organ cactus with Parry Penstemon and Desert Marigold growing all around it.
These yellow flowers are Brittlebrush and they are blooming everywhere right now.
The Cactus Wrens build their nest in the most prickly places. Below see the opening of a nest in a Teddybear Cholla. You can see why predators won't bother this nest.
These are Mexican Poppies growing in front of a Mexican Fence-post cactus. Flowers will grow anywhere in the desert! Think of it as beauty and the beast.
My favorite picture of the day! A Docent was showing off this little female Kestrel in front of a bunch of Mexican Sunflowers. Isn't she striking.
We were taking a break having a diet coke and looking out at this beautiful view of the Avra Valley and the Tucson Mountains.
The cactus are just beginning to bloom.
After we left the museum, we stopped to have a picnic in a picnic area on the road back to Tucson.
As always we loved going to the Desert Museum. The flight shows will begin again in October as the snowbirds start returning and the weather cools. And we'll make a few more trips there as it is one of our favorite places around Tucson.
The flower below is Parry Penstemon. The Hummingbirds and Butterflies love these.
We got there early so we headed straight for the Hummingbird Aviary. What a treat! Below is a Mama Costa's sitting on the nest. You can just barely see one of the two babies.
Mama left to get more food so I could get a picture of two little beaks sticking up. They are so little and the nests are so tiny!
This was a Mama Broad-billed sitting on the nest. A Docent told us that one of the two eggs had hatched that morning.
Below is the Baja Fairyduster.
and the Soaptree Yucca were in bloom.
When we got to the flight show we had great views of the Harris's Hawk
and the Great Horned Owl.
Below is a Pipe Organ cactus with Parry Penstemon and Desert Marigold growing all around it.
These yellow flowers are Brittlebrush and they are blooming everywhere right now.
The Cactus Wrens build their nest in the most prickly places. Below see the opening of a nest in a Teddybear Cholla. You can see why predators won't bother this nest.
These are Mexican Poppies growing in front of a Mexican Fence-post cactus. Flowers will grow anywhere in the desert! Think of it as beauty and the beast.
My favorite picture of the day! A Docent was showing off this little female Kestrel in front of a bunch of Mexican Sunflowers. Isn't she striking.
We were taking a break having a diet coke and looking out at this beautiful view of the Avra Valley and the Tucson Mountains.
The cactus are just beginning to bloom.
After we left the museum, we stopped to have a picnic in a picnic area on the road back to Tucson.
As always we loved going to the Desert Museum. The flight shows will begin again in October as the snowbirds start returning and the weather cools. And we'll make a few more trips there as it is one of our favorite places around Tucson.
1 comment:
great pictures!
love the one of the Kestrel.
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