The last few days have been spent just meandering around the Phoenix area exploring new places and old. Even waiting until after rush hour was over, it was a brutal drive across the city to the thrasher place out past Buckeye. The thrashers were no where to be found in my limited time wandering through the creosote and the recently reported Tundra Swans were also MIA. I did manage to find a few Loggerhead Shrikes, however.
I next explored an area I'd never visited and took Old Hwy. 80 to Gila Bend where I saw a huge solar generating station, looped around back through the Sonoran Desert National Monument, through the town of Maricopa, and back to Mesa. Since the afternoon was still far from dusk, I rode up to Canyon Lake. It's just so pretty up there.
On Saturday I spent quite a bit of time wandering around Boyce-Thompson Arboretum, always one of my favorite places to visit. The birding wasn't great but how can you not enjoy hearing a Canyon Wren sing from the cliff side?
I thought this guy was pretty entertaining. When a guy's in the desert and thirsty, you just have to find water wherever you can!
Tonight I get to celebrate Kurt's birthday with him for the first time since he left for college oh so many years ago!