lAZy crAZy dAZe in AZ: December 2019

Sunday, December 29, 2019

Chillin' in Arizona!

Literally!

The thermometer touched 36F/ 2C this morning - brrr!

It's a dry cold - sunny, clear & calm.

In the Afternoon....

What we saw on our walk in the desert

when the temperatures warmed up to 50F/10C!

A bird we have never seen (or heard of) before

(and we can't pronounce its name!)

Just checked and phainopepla is pronounced FAY-noh-PEP-la.

It's from classical Greek translating to “shining robe”,

alluding to the shiny male feathers.

Snow on the Mazatzal Mountains northeast of Apache Junction

Panoramic view of the Superstition Mountains

east of Apache Junction (no snow!)

Saturday, December 28, 2019

During our walk on Christmas Day we spotted a flock of 8-10 colourful small parrots in a local neighbourhood. We went back today to find them again and take pictures to see if we could identify them. Wondered if they are native? or escaped pet birds?

Here's what we found:

The Rosy-faced Lovebird (Agapornis roseicollis) is a small (6"), colourful parrot which is a popular cage bird in the U.S. and elsewhere. Since at least the mid-1980s, feral flocks of this species have been reported breeding in residential neighborhoods of the greater Phoenix area. Most exotic species that escape do not survive long in the wild and fewer still establish breeding populations in non-native habitats. However, over the past decades, populations of these lovebirds have increased and expanded and they have become regular city park and backyard visitors in this part of the world.

In this photo you can see the group in their colourful plumage

- even glimpses of the bright blue on their backs under their wings!

What you can't hear is their noisy chattering that attracted us

to their presence in the first place!

P.S. There is one surviving (of two) native Arizona parrot

Image result for native arizona parrot

Thick-billed Parrot

Thursday, December 26, 2019

A Holiday Message from ADOT*

I Find Your Lack of Turn Signals Disturbing

(seen recently on electronic freeway signs in the Phoenix area)

* Arizona Department of Transportation

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Smörgåsbord of Food and Weather for Christmas

Our neighbours Joy & Spencer joined us for a blueberry french toast casserole breakfast and a cribbage game. Here are some goofy pics...

We participated in the Park's 3pm Christmas dinner at the main hall. The Park provides a ham (no turkey!) for each "family" of 16; each group then brings the fixin's for their tables such as scalloped potatoes and pumpkin pie (a very American tradition for Christmas as well as Thanksgiving) and other delights. We didn't go hungry!

Each banquet table was covered with a paper gift wrap "tablecloth" giving a very festive appearance to the crowded event.

The weather was full of "treats" too! The morning was showery with occasional downpours; at one point the rain arrived with sleet pellets (not really quite hail). By the afternoon, the rain stopped and the sky lightened up allowing us to walk off some of our earlier indulgences.