The drive to the museum was also well worth the time to stop and enjoy. It was beautiful and filled with Saguaro cacti!
We had a wonderful time at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum! Their exhibits showcase different habitats and include large cats, wolves, coyotes, bears, birds, otters, beavers, reptiles, tortoises, plants, geology, and much more! Most of the exhibits have unobstructed views of the animals (no glass or fencing), so it's a good opportunity to get some great pictures. In addition to the exhibits, there was plenty of other wildlife. Be sure to keep your eyes open, as we walked the paths from exhibit to exhibit we saw lizards, a snake, and several species of birds, including woodpeckers and Hooded Orioles. We visited in early July and it was hot. Be sure to drink plenty of water and use sunscreen. There was so much to see that we had to skip all but the bottom edge of the Desert Loop Trail, so plan to spend the day here if you want to see everything. We learned that bobcats have the white spots on the back of their ears so that their young can follow them on dark nights (pictured below). Ocelot (below). Beautiful! Mountain Lion (below). Mexican Wolf (below). Common Chuckwalla (below) (identified by Wendy McCrady - thanks, Wendy!). These guys were all over the place! Tortoise (below). I had a lot of fun at the bird exhibits. There was lots to see including a Kestrel, Stellar's Jays, a Greater Roadrunner (first picture below), and one that I never thought I would get to see, an Elf Owl! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a really good picture of the owl, but you can see it pretty well in the picture below the roadrunner. The Elf Owl is our smallest owl (about 6" tall) and had surprisingly heavily feathered feet! My favorite exhibit was the hummingbirds. I have never seen anything like it! As you enter, but sure not to let any of the hummingbirds out. Once you are inside, you are surrounded by several species. You can watch them fly about, preen, and chatter away. I had never heard a hummingbird before and was surprised when I did hear them sing and call. It is not like a normal bird's song, and for me, was very distinctive. Instead, it was kind of a raspy chatter. Not all species of hummingbirds may sound like this, but the ones' we heard here did. This was all new for me! I have never been this close to a hummingbird before and was amazed at all that I learned. It was a wonderful opportunity to watch them up close. Likely a female Costa's Hummingbird (below). Females are more difficult to tell apart than the males. Male Costa's Hummingbird (below). Male Anna's Hummingbird (below). Male Broad-tailed Hummingbird (below). I will definitely be back to see everything again and finish the Desert Loop Trail. To plan your trip and learn more about the museum: http://www.desertmuseum.org/
The drive to the museum was also well worth the time to stop and enjoy. It was beautiful and filled with Saguaro cacti!
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September 2022
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