Birds In My Yard

For Bird d'Pot today.  Join in with Anni!--The Gambel Quail and I have an ongoing battle...I want good photos and they don't want me to get them!

From across the street...

In my yard, but.....

good grief!

Had to crop it, but it's not TOOO bad!

House Sparrow in the Texas Sage.

White-Winged Dove on the shepherd's crook.

White-winged dove, House Sparrow and female House Finch (is the sparrow giving the house finch what-for?)

White-winged dove and female House finch

Take off!

Little Anna's in the bougainvillea

So cute!

Feeding at the Hummingbird Window

A view of the Hummingbird Window from my sewing room.

The Hummingbird Window with stained glass piece from my daughter...bougainvillea outside. I sit and sew and enjoy the view!

Wingfoot Celebrity Golf Challenge

There are two things that I wish to recognize about June 16th.  This first is of deep personal importance.

(June 16, 2014) Mamaroneck, NY. -- The Sixteenth Annual Winged Foot Celebrity Golf Challenge is being held today at Winged Foot Golf Club. The Autism Speaks Celebrity Golf Challenge was created by Susan and Kevin Murray after their son, Owen, was diagnosed with autism. Since it's inception, the event has raised more than $10 million for autism research, advocacy and family services, and has lent a helping hand to children and families across the country who deal with the challenges associated with autism every day.

Above is from the online piece about this year's event.  Susan Murray is my sister, and Kevin my brother-in-law.  Owen is my wonderful nephew.  Can you say PRIDE!!!!  Here are some shots I got off the online piece, and a few others:

Star of Real Housewives of NY with Susan & Kevin's  oldest son, my other wonderful nephew Griffin (who helps out a lot at the Challenge) and my sister Susan

Susan with a Giants football star, I think (sorry if wrong-- not into football!)

Kevin on the course

Kevin & Susan speaking at the event

Susan with other celebs and one of the co-directors of Autism Speaks

Susan at last year's event

Susan and my nephew Owen

There are three sons...Somehow I didn't locate the shot of Kevin with their little one taken at last year's event, so I could post it.  I am proud of them all.  This family has done so much for Autism research and awareness and they are ever in my prayers!

Desert Summers

Going into my archives for a few photos from past Summers.  Joining Today's Flowers.  Thanks Pupo, Sandy & Denise!

A desert summer sky.

A lovely garden I admire at a stucco home

Cactus flower at the library

 

These are known as bird of paradise and are found all over Tucson every summer

Closeup of bird of paradise--not the same flower found in the tropics

Unidentified but I love this!

Cholla cactus

Crown of thorns

Ocotillo in what used to be our daughter's yard

Yucca

Learning to Bird--Trip to Mt. Lemmon

I am going to take a second break from the Chuparosa Inn birds we saw at Madera Canyon (yes, there is more! :-) ) to show you the birding we did a month ago with our grandson.  The heat is unrelenting here now, and we drove up to Mt. Lemmon to try to have some "outside time" in the afternoon at a higher elevation.  We also wanted to try a little birding there to see if we would have any success...and teach our grandson some of the basics (even though we are also just learning, ourselves). For Wild Bird Wednesday.

Heading up Mt. Lemmon on this sunny AZ day...

We stopped at a picnic area only about a third of the way up the mountain, and walked around the wooded area.  We were soon rewarded with some Mexican Jays. Audubon site says:

Habitat

Oak forests and wooded canyons.

Range

Resident from southern Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas southward.

 

Our grandson is good at spotting the birds and moving forward quietly to show me where. 

Audubon site also says:  11 1/2 -13" (29-33 cm). Similar to scrub-jays but larger and more muted, without white markings on throat or above eyes. Dull blue head, rump, wings, and tail; gray back and dusky ear patch. Formerly known as the Gray-breasted Jay.

I tend to get too excited, afraid the birds will fly away before I get the picture, so I'm not framing my photos well.:-(

What an awesome shot...if I just hadn't cut his tail off!

I did get one photo of a spotted towhee!

a dying tree

being a boy for a few minutes :-)

Mexican Jays, Female Hummers & a Little Surprise

I have another post about Mexican Jays I will be sharing in a few days.  These are the Mexican Jays we observed at Madera Canyon. Joining in with Bird d'Pot!

We saw many female hummingbirds also at Chuparosa Inn, but I am NO GOOD at identifying the type of hummer they are!

On our way home when we stopped in Sonoita for a bite to eat, we saw this Barn Swallow fly to her nest.  Alas, I could only get a shot of her nest with the top of her head and the end of her long pointed tail.