Phainopepla With A White Crest-1
Ned Harris's Nature Walk in Sabino Canyon in the Coronado National Forest in Tucson, Arizona, happens every Wednesday morning except for Christmas and New Year's. The Nature Walk leaves the Visitor Center (just off the parking lot) at 8:30am.
On Wednesday morning, I went on the Nature Walk with Ned Harris, a number of Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists, and regulars. It was fabulous. I am so happy I went with these delightful people! They were friendly, and patient, and very helpful! I learned so much, and I saw things I had never seen before and never expected to see. It was a wonderful learning experience.
The first objective was to see a particular crested bird, the Phainopepla.The name means "shining robe." It's an 8 inch glossy black bird that resembles a cardinal. Most of these birds have a black crest matching the rest of their plumage. We were seeking a particular male with an unusual white crest that had been spotted by others.
The first Phainopepla we spotted, not far to our left, had the usual black crest. The second one, with a white crest was spotted quite a distance away on a power or telephone line to our right, by my caregiver, Heather. Kudos to Heather!!
This shot has been cropped a lot to make visible the white crested Phainopepla...
Anne Green, who was on the walk, writes an excellent blog about it all.
sabinocanyonnaturalist.blogspot.com
Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists
Here's a helpful guide for hikers:
www.sabinocanyon.org/index.htm
IMG_2211 Version-2
Phainopepla With A White Crest-1
Ned Harris's Nature Walk in Sabino Canyon in the Coronado National Forest in Tucson, Arizona, happens every Wednesday morning except for Christmas and New Year's. The Nature Walk leaves the Visitor Center (just off the parking lot) at 8:30am.
On Wednesday morning, I went on the Nature Walk with Ned Harris, a number of Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists, and regulars. It was fabulous. I am so happy I went with these delightful people! They were friendly, and patient, and very helpful! I learned so much, and I saw things I had never seen before and never expected to see. It was a wonderful learning experience.
The first objective was to see a particular crested bird, the Phainopepla.The name means "shining robe." It's an 8 inch glossy black bird that resembles a cardinal. Most of these birds have a black crest matching the rest of their plumage. We were seeking a particular male with an unusual white crest that had been spotted by others.
The first Phainopepla we spotted, not far to our left, had the usual black crest. The second one, with a white crest was spotted quite a distance away on a power or telephone line to our right, by my caregiver, Heather. Kudos to Heather!!
This shot has been cropped a lot to make visible the white crested Phainopepla...
Anne Green, who was on the walk, writes an excellent blog about it all.
sabinocanyonnaturalist.blogspot.com
Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists
Here's a helpful guide for hikers:
www.sabinocanyon.org/index.htm
IMG_2211 Version-2