Oro Valley Area, AZ ~ WOW Arizona

My stay for the past few days has been at the WOW Arizona Bed and Breakfast booked through AirBnB.  CJ and Mary Ellen have lived on this property for more than 30 years.  When they bought it, the property was all rocks and desert but slowly over time they transformed it into the wonderful nature preserve that it is today.  They have done an incredible job and CJ maintains it on a daily basis.  His days are busy changing out feeders, watering different areas, racking the paths, weeding and a myriad of other jobs that a property of this size entails.  It's a labor of love for them and it shows. It is well worth a visit if you are in the area.  He has numerous hummingbird feeders, seed and suet feeders and some of the birds come to him for food.  I saw 28 species of birds here, lots of butterflies, javelina and more.  I had my best looks of a Zone-tailed Hawk here.  There were some birds here that I heard that would have been life birds for me but I only count them if I actually see them.  Another plus for me was that it was close to Tohono Chul and several quilt shops that I wanted to visit.

The view from the upper patio outside my window.

More of the view outside. 

Black-chinned Hummingbirds came multiple times per day.

This Costa's Hummingbird was also a frequent visitor

The Verdin were everywhere and this one was building a nest.

Verdin make several nests and use a main one for raising their young but others for roosting overnight.

Pyrrhuloxia

Five Javelina came up near the house to eat.

Large Desert Spiny Lizard was a cool creature I saw there.

Palm Desert, CA

Every morning when I walk I marvel at the planting around the grounds.  I can see they are not as lush as prior years as the drought takes a deeper hold on CA but they manage to work with drought tolerant species that flower and look good.  We have also noticed that there are not as many rabbits around the grounds and wonder if they have been "relocated."

 The Greater Roadrunner  has come to visit numerous times since we arrived.

Verdin are enjoying the ripe Date Palm fruit.

CA ~ Afternoons at Desert Willow

Greater Roadrunner

Some images taken on today's walk around the grounds.

Verdin

Cabo ~ Last evening at Paloma Village

Behind on the the house's at the village was a Verdin's nest with Papa Verdin bringing food into Mama Verdin who must be sitting on eggs as I heard no chirping from the nest.  Papa goes into a tunnel to take the food to Mama.  Really neat to watch the process.

Sunset over Cabo looking from Kathy and Jack's roof.

Cabo ~ Birding Village Paloma

This morning I decided to start later and bird just around the community where I was staying.  I'd already met several people who were happy to have me visit the grounds around their houses.  These pictures were taken by the pool.  I was sitting watch the iguana when the Verdin flew in to see on these flowers.

Palm Desert, CA ~ Day 1

What a beautiful sight that greeted my eyes when I walked out my door at 6:45AM.  The desert is absolutely beautiful in it's sparseness! The sun was coming up as Dawn and I walked around the property.  I saw 4 new life birds - Greater Roadrunner, Verdin. Pied-billed Grebe and both Anna's and Costa's Hummingbirds along with 15 other species.  There were Jack Rabbits along the paths and some beautiful flowers.

Verdin

Pied-billed Grebe