In mid-March, an interesting thing happened in our back yard (well, interesting things happen there regularly, but this was REALLY interesting). I looked out the window, and a Cooper's Hawk landed at our birdbath. Initially, he was facing the house, but before I could get the camera and take a shot, he hopped around and faced mostly away. He sat there for quite a long time, long enough that I was able to ease the sliding glass door and screen open and get better shots. Anyway, he looked back and forth, while I took more than 20 pictures. Then, I was lucky enough to get a shot of him heading out.

On March 25 we decided to take a long-delayed trip out to Sabino Canyon, in northeast Tucson (no roads go from SW to NE in Tucson, maybe that is why). Anyway, it is a beautiful place. Here is a shot of the saguaro and clouds, and the creek, which this year ran strong enough to silt in all of the culverts over the upper road crossings, so the bus could only go around halfway up the canyon. We walked back down, getting some wonderful views of the canyon in different directions. We finally got down to a spot (a silted in dam) where Amelia could cool her feet. Further down we sighted a new bird (for us) a Silky Flycatcher, or Phainopepla. Finally, there were a lot of flowers coming out.

Becky came the week before Easter, and Hailey came for Easter weekend. We picked up Hailey at the Tucson airport on Good Friday morning and headed out for the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. First stop was the Hummingbird aviary. I got a few nice shots. Here's one sitting on a nest, while this one is taking it easy on a branch. Here's one hovering while it feeds, and another just hanging out. There were lots of nesting birds. There were some lovely desert flowers, including cactus. This saguaro has some kind of congenital problem, but I've forgotten what it is called (tell me, someone, I'll correct that). I caught Hailey in my favorite New Zealand cap in front of an ocotillo. Then we headed to the aviary, where we spotted this Cardinal, a Western Tanager, another Cardinal (well, I think - It has a kind of Pyrrhuloxia shaped bill, but it is red-orange like a Cardinal), and a Grosbeak. Then there were more cactus. Here's a cloud picture, with four A-10s from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. The mountain lion was enjoying his lair, and the prairie dog his. The ocotillo have interesting flowers (and shapes, in general). Finally, tired out after long hours at the Museum, Amelia, Hailey, and Becky take a little break.