I'm still in Phoenix, after driving here to attend Cousin Dovin's 60th birthday celebration, and visit with the family. Many left after the party on Saturday, but I stayed over to visit for a bit. I also wanted to spend some time with my Cousin Eddie (younger brother to Dovin). Eddie said he wanted to go birding with me, so we headed over to the Phoenix Botanical Garden, my first visit there.
The drive itself to the gardens was fun as well as exciting. That's because Eddie's car is a gleaming white limo. Why does Eddie drive a limo? Just because! He loves it and spend time shining it up before we headed out, so viewing the scenery out the limo windows was new & different. Also different as finding a spot big enough to handle the extended length of gleaming auto! My first ever limo ride so I guess I've made the big time!
The 'suspicious' spot
We arrived at the Gardens in a state of HUNGRY. Our first stop therefore was Patio Cafe. As we headed for the cafe, we meandered by a suspicious spot. There, some people were looking up into a mesquite tree by a low wall. I walked over and looking up myself, the next words out of my mouth were "HOLY @$!%!!!"
In the branches of the tree was the last thing I thought I'd see today. A calm, beautiful & wide awake, Long-eared Owl.
A Long-eared Owls awake and missing its beauty sleep
I'm sure Eddie must have thought I'd spotted terrorists up the tree what with all my excited swearing. I don't get to see Long-eared Owls every year so I was excited, and when I'm excited sometimes I can't seem to shut up.
The bird was obviously wondering why the humans were acting so weird
It took a while to coax me from the beauty up in the tree, but eventually we made it to the Patio Cafe.Eddie & I bought nice salads and cold drinks, then set down to eat. I was excited when the patio's 'Floor Show' began.
Up on the table top searching for tidbits
A flock of Gambel's Quails marched onto the patio and began a search for dropped tidbits while the seated humans watched.
The quail were thoroughly entertaining but wait folks, that's not all! There were other species looking to get in on the free eats too.
Psst. Lady. Got any birdseed?
Got any birdseed?
Got any dead lizards?
There were other birds, too busy to pay attention to the humans.
Great Gila Woodpecker (no relation to Gila Monsters)
Dignified looking Cactus Wren
And one mammal - a crumb raiding Harris Ground Squirrel
Eddie & me were on the Cafe Patio for a long time. I photographed birdies & such to my heart's delight. I don't get to have desert animals for 'dessert' very often. But I finally had enough and we strolled off.
There are some BIG ole Saguaro cacti at the gardens
We took a stroll in the semi heat, being warm enough to tolerate, but not warm enough to just lie down and die. We strolled around - from spot of shade, to spot of shade - and enjoyed the scenery.
This interesting saguaro cactus frankly gives me the creeps
I'll balance the uggo cactus with this pretty Queen Butterfly
Eddie chilling at the Desert Oasis
Prickly Pear with oodles of yummy, albiet spiny fruit
We decided to hike the Sonoran Desert Loop Trail. Below is a Vatto - a shelter under which the local indians would have slept, cooked and ate.
The Vatto looked pretty sturdy
A 'Round House' aka Olas Kih constructed from Willow sapplings and thatched with arrow-weed
Inside the Round House
Classic desert view on the Sonoran
There were plenty of birds for me to enjoy on the trail, which is what we were visiting the gardens for after all.
I was happy to find a little Gnatcatcher, that was very secretive.
Still, the imp allowed me a photo of under its tail, cinching its ID as a Black-tailed Gnatcatcher. Huzzah!
I was hopeful that I would be able to take shots of a Costa's Hummingbird, and I did get several. The lighting sucked big time, so the Costa's bright purple throat and cap look black.
I think this bird's formal name is 'Count Orlov the Angry'
Spring-ish area at the gardens
Put out sunflowers or just the seed & it's a banquet for goldfinches
Totally enjoyed the rare treat of birding a bit with Eddie. He was v. sweet to make sure we got to enjoy some prime-time together, in some beautiful desert scenery. Thanks Eddie!
I just drove down from Sacramento to take part in surprising my cousin Dovin (pronounced 'DOUGH-vin') for his big 'Six Oh' birthday. His Sixtieth!
I have fond memories of baby Dovin back when we all lived in the Bronx. I have many baby & toddler Dovin stories to share but will spare you just now. The surprise party was given by Dovin's sweetie, Rosa. The party happened at the home of his parents, my Aunt Arna & Uncle Matt - in Phoenix, Arizona. So that's where I am.
As the party was a surprise for Dovin, his girlfriend Rosa blindfolded him. Then she drove him to the 'unknown location' for the 'unknown event'. Dovin was thoroughly dazzled when his blindfold was removed and everyone gleefully shouted Surprise at him - his whole gang was there: Dovin's kids in from out of town (Matthew, Timothy & Marissa), parents (Matt & Arna), his grandmother Hilda, a passel of out-of-town cousins, seemingly all of Rosa's family and many of Dovin's friends from 'back in the day'. It truly was a full house, loaded with oodles of birthday well wishers. SURPRISE!
Dovin digging into a prezzie from loving well-wishers
Dovin enjoying a swig of some
homemade moonshine he got for his birthday. He was generous enough to let me take a swig. Wow, that was some smooth sipping white Lightning!
The two young men in the next photo are Dovin's son's Timothy (left) and Matt (right).
I must laugh at myself, because despite the photos & videos I took, I was totally unaware of Tim's presence at the party. Tim was in his work clothing, just having left his job at a veterinary clinic and I enjoyed chatting with him about his work. Did I know I was speaking to Dovin's youngest? Uh..., that would be a firm 'no'. Yeah, I have my 'clueless' days alright.
Rosa, the party hostess, in flowered blouse
Rosa hired a Mexican food caterer, so the food was both fresh, authentic & delish. My only excuse for not having photographed the excellent chow is I was too busy eating it, a theme that was to repeat itself later in the evening. Hey, you would have done the same.
The photo below is one of the few I took on the back patio where the party dining took place. I don't recall the name of the friendly guy at the left who is one of Dovin's friends. The young lady in the stripped shirt with the phone is Dovin's daughter Marissa. That's Jonniann in the black top and then 'young' Matthew (so as not to confuse him with his grandfather Matt).
'Young Matt' is also known as Mathew Jones the third
Matt and David conversing
Now with all the people present for this grand party, you'd think one of us would have remembered to get a grand photo of everyone. Well, nope. None of us thought of it until half the guests had departed, which includes cousins David & Tom, Uncle Matt's mom Hilda. I can kick myself for botching the chance of getting a decent Pop-up Reunion group photo. We did get a photo, but it is not as 'full' as it ought to have been.
In the pic, left to right are Jonniann, Charlaine, Matthew III, a high school buddy of Dovin's, Marissa, Birthday Boy Dovin, Rosa and front & center looking gorgeous in gold & beautiful inside & out, Aunt Arna.
Must tell you that after the group photos were taken, Dovin opened his prezzie from his Denver Cousin's David & Tom. Homemade-by-David coconut breads, two different ones, using different recipes. This was a hallmark moment as Coconut bread - so sweet it correctly ought to be called Coconut Cake - is a hallmark treat for the Carter Clan. Coconut Bread had been my mother's speciality and she would make it often for various occasions and non-occasions. David dutifully has taken on the role of family Coconut Bread baker and I know my Mom would approve. Dovin was given two different recipes of David-made bread and all of us had samples from both. Everyone had their favorites but the clear winning bread was delightfully moist and its coconut tasted 100% fresh, although David says he used coconut flakes that he reconstituted. If Dovin thought HIS birthday Coconut Bread was all going into his stomach, he was sadly mistaken.
Thanks for sharing with us Dovin, and thanks David for baking the treats!
HOW DID I NOT TAKE PHOTOS OF THE COCONUT BREAD TASTING! UHG! Geez, but I fell down on this, again because I was too busy stuffing my face to take proper note of the significance of the event. Oh. Well.
At right are a pair of professional Coconut Breads that hire themselves out for occasions such as this, where they pretend to be the confections in question. I'm believing this... I'm inhaling that delicate scent of baked love... Yeah, I'm drooling here.
[UPDATE: So on a recent visit with Arna & Matt, it was pointed out to me the young man who worked at the vet office that I chatted with is not Timmy. Yes, Timmy was at Dovin's party, but I'm at a loss to point him out. I am sooo confused & deficient in my face ID skills. ]
Ever stand in a forest, feeling maybe you're being watched?
Today was interesting, I'll say that for it! I started off fairly early - for me - driving far up into the tundra trail, or whatever they are calling it these days. It is at about 12,000 feet plus in altitude, so I brought put on my oxygen backpack (yes... I have an oxygen back pack) but I never had to use it. I come to this trail whenever in the park to search for the 'ever elusive', i.e., $@#! White-tailed Ptarmigan.
But even before I could get up very far, I was stymied by adorable little Pikas, running hither and yon. I never saw any Pikas on on this trail before.
The tubby little hamsteroids are so flippin' cute. I watched a few of them gathering greens then running off to store it all under boulders and rocks, literally making 'hay' that will keep them fed come winter.
Climbing up the high altitude slope, I panted a lot, but I am thrilled to say, that after last year's 'My Big Sick' I felt neither light-headed, dizzy or in need of the oxygen tank in my backpack. HURRAH for MOI!
"DANGER! DANGER!"
Then things got more interesting. The video gods were with me, as a coyote downhill from me, trotted up hill until it was parallel to me. The whole of the time a fat marmot, constantly & never-endingly (is that a word?) - barked its alarm call. I was ecstatic! As I stood 'on watch' other park visitors tromped up hill, and I waited to hear their response to the coyote, only there was none.
"You frickin' little loud mouth, if I get my teeth in you we'll see who's barking..."
The coyote, in the open but among granite rocks, was in plain sight, and yet invisible at the same time. I made it my busy-body duty to point out the coyote to folks. I'd say 3/4 of those passing by did not see the beast. I really thought the constant cries of the Marmot would have been a great tip off. But nope, the incessant barking - echoed by still more barking marmots off in the distance - went unnoticed.
I totally enjoyed, to use birder's lingo, putting visitors 'on' the coyote, that was truly difficult for many to spot.
Let's play, 'Find the Coyote'
A small crowd enjoyed watching as the coyote, that stood still for perhaps 20 minutes, finally, with an air of 'I, an apex predator, and I don't care if you bark, 'cause your butt is mine' fuzzy face meandered ever so slowly toward the barking arsehole of a marmot. HEY! I didn't call the marmot an arsehole, the coyote did! Then the coyote made one desperate lunge at the barking bugger, and... and... missed. Damitalltohell! Frustrated, the coyote then loped off dejectedly into the horizon. I hope it found something else for its breakfast.
And if you are wondering if I had luck finding White-tailed Ptarmigan... ah... never mind that. How about seeing the lovely video I shot on the alpine trail?
Post coyote adventure, I headed down the eastern side of the mountain. On the lower park road I spotted a big ole treat - a girlie Moose. She wore a telemetry collar, so her meanderings are being tracked by wildlife biologists.
The moose walked parallel to the same road that leads out of the southwestern park exit. So our girl caused quite the wildlife traffic snag. I'm beyond grateful that I got to see a moose on this trip.
Her K6 signature jewelry is just darling
I so loved seeing that grand moose!
Post 'moose adventure' I headed south, out of the park's east entrance and drove around the sleepy little town of Grand Lake.
Grand Lake
I stopped between Grand Lake and Shadow Mountain Lake to spot a few birds that deemed to show themselves. Then I headed back into the town of Grand Lake, parking in front of a small cafe. Why? was I hungry? Nope, the shop had what my soul needed more than food - hummingbirds!
Girlie & juvenile Broadbills at the snack bar
A few days ago at Aunt Judy's ranch I saw lots of hummingbirds, all being Rufous, which I can also see in California. So I am positively joyous getting to see what I cannot see in California: Broad-billed Hummingbirds.
'Himself' in for a meal
Enjoyable doesn't quite describe the thrill of watching flying jewels sucking down the nectar like bedazzled piglets.
While filming the Hummers, I got a phone call from my birder buddy Don back in California. He told me of a cute hotel near Estes Park that had bird feeders. There, he said I might be able to see my long-sought Rosy Finches. Shortly thereafter I headed back into the park and into Estes Park. Sadly the hotel was a bust. There was new, short-sighted management that took down all the bird feeders. BOOOOO!
The remainder of the day I spent wondering WTF were all the elk & enjoying that pristine Rocky Mountain scenery.
View from Alpine Visitor Center
Yeah... my fourth visit to Rocky Mountain National Park was no luckier at finding White-tailed Ptarmigan, Rosy Finches or Dusky Grouse. And what does that mean? I'll have to return another day, and that's not sad thought, is it?
Last thing. The topmost photo of this post was both the 2nd and the last elk I saw for this trip. Here's a super-quickie video of the bull elk, in the shrubbery where it laid itself down. It had an audience of myself and several other happy campers.
Got any birdseed?
