Catalina State Park: Heat of the Day

Alison and I took David, on his first trip to the southwest, to Catalina State Park this afternoon: yes, afternoon, when the temperature was 104 and, at first glance, little was stirring.

But a dripping hydrant at the picnic area was irresistible to Canyon Towhees and a male Vermilion Flycatcher, and nothing seems to keep the Greater Roadrunners and Cactus Wrens from their appointed rounds at the horse stables. Gambel’s Quail were pottering about on the roadsides, joined at one point by four Rufous-winged Sparrows, exquisite close-ups of a life bird for David (and still favorites for us, no matter how familiar they are).

My favorite sighting of the afternoon, though, was a male Black-tailed Gnatcatcher feeding its charge: a great hulking Brown-headed Cowbird juvenile, whining and fluttering in a mesquite as its harried foster parent brought morsel after morsel. Summertime, and the livin’ is….