Arizona 2024

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Who knew that Arizona could be so wet and cold? We flew into Phoenix on Thursday January 18th, as the national board meeting for Lutheran
Marriage Encounter started that evening. But first….

After renting the car (a very low slung Corolla) we drove to Mesa for lunch at a Chihuahuan Mexican restaurant we’d seen described on 3Ds
show. We passed on the trip and cow cheek tacos, but the calabazas tacos were amazing, David’s 2 varieties of pork and another very yummy, and the street
corn the best we’ve ever had (haven’t had many, admittedly).

Then drove maybe another 20 mins to the Gilbert Riparian Reserve, where we observed just under 40 species of birds. It was lovely weather, sunny, and in fact too hot for me in my jeans and long sleeved turtleneck. We had our second Mexican meal in one day that evening, but it was tasty too.

The meetings were productive and filled with encouragement and fellowship, and we pulled away on Saturday after lunch. It took about 2 hours to get to the Santa Cruz
Flats, the site of David’s first “episode” of syncope last year. Two new birds: Ferruginous Hawk and Bendyre’s Thrasher. Still no elusive Mountain Plover.
Another 2 hours to here, which is south of Tucson, stopping first at the local Fry’s for provisions. It was a little tricky finding our address, which was a
road off a road off a road, and the final entry being onto sandy driveway, and then to light up the key box and unlock the gate, but what a lovely place it
is. The building is connected to another by one doorway, but other than that is circular on one floor. Half of the circle is the kitchen, a long island
separating that from the living room and dining room areas, and then in the second half are 2 bedrooms. Ours is big enough for a very comfortable king bed;
the other only a double. So 2 couples would have found it tough. One bath has a nice shower, the main one a beautiful soaker tub. Ahhhhhh, what a joy.

On Sunday we went to church in Sahuarita at a church we swore we’d attended before, but that then looked completely new. But great
music and marvelous sermon. It’s not quite a mega church, but full, and as usual no one says hi. Oh well. As the weather was threatening to worsen later
in the day, we headed up into the Madera Canyon area, home to the famous Santa Rita Lodge and the wonderful birdfeeders that attract all sorts of things, from
9 turkeys to one Magnificent Hummingbird (yep, that’s his name). Things we don’t get to see in Ohio: bridled titmouse; dark eyed juncos (a different look)
and their cousins the YELLOW EYED juncos. It got cold and drizzly so the latte at the Lodge store was most welcome.

On Monday we went into the Canyon again, with a bit of a late start. About 20 birds that day and a chance to chat with some very nice
people, mostly from Washington State, Idaho, and MN. Our hike produced 2 little deer – supposedly white tailed but very small (and without spots). We also
stopped at the Historic Canoa Ranch just up the road from this house – part of a “wagontrain” expedition from Mexico to San Francisco along the Anza Trail – like 1300 miles! Over 240 soldiers and civilians made the trek that started in spring of 1775. It started the first non-native settlement in the Bay Area. For a large part of
the trek they followed the Santa Cruz River, which hardly has any water in it normally south of Tucson.

We learned an interesting fact – we should have come down here last August after the dreadfully hot meeting in Phoenix. Evidently this
area is lush and green and full of birds then!!! The other interesting fact we remembered from the first time we came – US 19 south from Tucson is in
KILOMETERS. Evidently congress was all set to change all our signs to km, but then changed its mind. Locals liked it and kept it. The only other stretch of road in KM is near Louisville KY.

We haven’t seen any javelina but did see a COYOTE in the Santa Cruz Flats. And 3 road runners. Some of the warblers that will end up in Ohio by April/May are here now: black & white, yellow, yellow-rumped. Many people have heard of Magee Marsh near Port Clinton and are envious of us being so nearby when the warblers migrate north.

So, today is Tuesday the 23rd and it is due to be clear until later afternoon, so we headed off north to Tucson and the “Sweetwater” reclaimed water area. Met Joanne, another keen birder, and our big finds were a Vermilion Flycatcher and a very big sleepy Great Horned Owl. No sighting of the red-naped sapsucker we seek. Because it started to rain we took Joanne’s recommendation of driving into Tucson (barely off our route though) to a famous Mexican Restaurant, El Charro. Very yummy shrimp poblano and chile rellenos. Turns out it claims to be the oldest Mexican restaurant in the US with continuous owners, 1922.

After that we headed south, and stopped at the San Xavier del Bac Mission. It was established in 1692, built from then until 1797, and is so very ornate. Unbelievably bright colors. Some restoration in the 90s. It was quite a pilgrimage site. This is the closest we’ll get the Camino. The souvenir shop carried the dainty weavings
of the local Oodom Indians. Quite pricey, understandably. Quite a large amount of land south and west of Tucson and Rt 19 is Reservation. There is a casino S
of Tucson too, but we won’t bother to visit. Back to the history. When Mexico became independent from Spain in 1821, this area was part of it. US purchased this land in 1854. It is an active church now, and runs a school too.

(if you look at the photos after the Mission you'll see one of the resident goats here.)

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