Arizona Birds, Bees, and Butterflies
Arizona has become our home base and we have spent almost a year here while our new house was being finished and we moved in. All of these critters, except one, were found within an hour drive of downtown Phoenix.
Tonto National Forest
At nearly 3 million acres, Tonto National Forest is located east and northeast of the Phoenix metro area. These critters were all found in the Sonoran Desert portion of the national forest. We never had to drive more than 30 minutes to reach any of these destinations.
Road Runner (meep meep)
Phainopepla, or "bad hair day" bird
Black Throated Sparrow
Cactus Wrens
Purple Finch
Africanized Honey Bee
Incoming Africanized Honey Bee
Arizona Cardinal, looking sad after a loss to the Packers!
Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch
About 15 minutes from our new home is the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch, which is 110 acres of various water habitats and hiking trails where 100% of the effluent water from the Town of Gilbert is released to recharge the aquifers. The preserve hosts a varied population of birds (both migratory and resident) and other Sonoran Desert animals.
Gambel's Quail
Black Chinned Hummingbird
Black Chinned Hummingibrd
Black Chinned hummingbird getting a sip of nectar
Anna's Hummingbird
Anna's Hummingbird
Anna's Hummingbird
Clouded Sulfur Butterfly
Clouded Sulfur Butterfly
Burrowing Owl
Mexican Amberwing
American White Pelicans
Ring necked duck taking off.
Great egret
Chiricahua National Monument
We'll post more about this remote national monument when we return to it. During our visit we were unable to see its best features due to heavy snow. It is found in southeast Arizona near Wilcox.
Mexican Jay