Arizona Birding

If you’ve been following this blog, you already know that we encountered some wintry conditions on our trip through the southwest.  However, we did have some nice weather in the Phoenix area for a couple days before heading into the weather.  I spent a few hours at the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch in Gilbert, and the following day Alesia joined me for a day at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix.  As was the case last year, both locations were teeming with wildlife, particularly of the avian variety.  I had a couple birds on my wishlist, wanting to get better images than I made the previous year; Northern Cardinals and Phainopepla were at the top of my list.

Click on the thumbnails below for larger images:

Green Heron at the Riparian Preserve

Northern Mockingbird at the Riparian Preserve

Female Phainopepla at the Desert Botanical Garden

Pair of Curve-billed Thrashers

Abert’s Towhee at the Riparian Preserve

Black-necked Stilt at the Riparian Preserve

Gila Woodpecker at the Riparian Preserve

Northern Cardinal at the Desert Botanical Garden

Inca Dove at the Riparian Preserve

Greater Roadrunner at the Desert Botanical Garden

Gambel’s Quail at the Desert Botanical Garden

Lesser Goldfinch at the Desert Botanical Garden

I hope you enjoy the awesome beauty of these wonderful works of the Lord’s creative power.  You can see some of last years pictures in The Rejoicing Desert gallery or at The Desert Shall Rejoice and Blossom, from May 2011.

Related articles

• Arizona Wildflower Update 4/11/12 (naturalhistorywanderings.com)
• Serenaded by a Northern Cardinal (maggiephotgraphy.wordpress.com)