It's been a busy week in our yard near Fort Lowell Park.
On Sunday afternoon, October 27th, an Olive Warbler visited our yard
briefly! It first tried to land around the little waterfall near our
pond, but then flew off to one of the agave stalks we have in the yard for
bird landing spots - in full afternoon sunlight. Then it ducked into the
thicker foliage below (Texas sage, Cape Honeysuckle, etc). We never saw it
again, but it could easily have hopped over to the Texas Mountain Laurel
that gives lots of cover, with other exit spots from there.
That amazing (and totally unexpected!) yard bird encouraged Jim to spend a
lot of time outside looking this week. On Monday, Oct 28, we had a Summer
Tanager (new yard bird) and a Townsend's Warbler. Tuesday, Oct 29, we had
a Hermit Warbler (yet another new yard bird - we had one appear at our old
location in southwest Tucson many years ago). Today, October 30, we had a
Pine Siskin (not that unusual, but we don't get them often, some winters
not at all).
This morning, a Great Blue Heron was wading in our pond. We have placed
potential barriers to their entry to deter them, but they only serve to
slow them down a bit. Amazingly, our goldfish seemed to have escaped that
fiersome bill!
And last evening, our neighbors saw a "big, healthy bobcat" going down our
alley.
