Last Day in Tucson

We ended our week at the Tucson Escapees Hangout going to the Sonora Desert Park. The day started out cold and windy, but by the time we got to the park the wind died, and it reached the 60’s.

our first stop was at the raptor exhibit. The birds flew right over us, I mean, one touched my hat, and another touched Jan’s hair! They were close! As they flew and perched near us, the ranger narrator told us about each bird, their habitat, what they hunted, and how well they have adapted to current conditions. I took these photos with my phone, so you can see how close they were to us. The first bird is a hawk. They are not native to this part of Arizona, but they moved north and have a unique way of adapting to the area and people. They form families of 5-10 birds, and, unusual for a hawk, they hunt as a group, which allows them to go after much larger animals, like large rabbits. Their method is to attack from multiple directions, confusing the prey, and giving them the opportunity to strike. In previous territories they are always alone.

after the raptors we spent several hours walking throughout the park. There are dozens of exhibits to see, so it’s a really great park to visit. We saw a desert fox, ocelot, mountain sheep, and a bobcat. There several bird exhibits, including one dedicated to hummingbirds. Not many in residence this time of the year, but we did catch sight of four varieties.

On the last day we skipped the Escapee activities to visit with my nephew, and namesake, Shep, his wife Lynnette who we met for the first time, and my sister-in-law Janice. We hadn’t seen them in quite a while, so had the opportunity to spend the evening with them and go out to dinner. I totally forgot to take photos, so I’ll make up for that the next time we visit.