5-1-08 Gwen and I went to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum
This gal is holding a screech owl. We asked her if it were male or female and how could you tell. It's a male. We asked a few more questions... very very nice lady. Later on we ran into her again holding a type of falcon. I told her Gwen knew a lot about birds, so she asked Gwen if she knew if this one was a female or male. Gwen thought a minute and said male. She was really impressed. I asked Gwen how she knew and she said he had a bit of blue color on his back, females didn't have that. The lady tried to convince Gwen to volunteer.. heh heh heh. We ran into another lady holding another bird. Gwen said "oh a Harris Hawk" to me. So when we got closer I said "Is that a Harris Hawk?" and the lady says "very good!" and I point to Gwen, "I didn't guess it, she did." People chuckled. It is important for a mom with an introverted scientific child to take every opportunity to embarrass her, but these days she is a little old to be embarrased and just likes the attention I think!
I went to take our pics myself, but a nice older gentlemen asked if we would like him to do it. Don't you just love nice people?
There were a few displays having to do with fossils. This was pretty cool. Stand Gwen next to a Sonorasaurus leg bone, and you don't even have to remind her to smile... she needs to save up, and go out on some digs. I'm sure she would find something exciting...
There are some animals here, like a small zoo of desert animals; cougar, deer, prairie dogs, and other assorted critters...
The Mexican Wolf. I was taking a pic of the one laying down and just as I snapped, two others walked quickly by. Cool, 3 for the price of 1!
There are a few water-related fish/beaver/frog areas also.
AHHH my favorite, the bird aviaries.. Gwen loves doves. If she could, she would have a few inca doves. We stayed here quite a bit, listening, following sounds to see who was making them... we both love birds. Birdies were flying between our heads, landing on branches right beside us.. it was sweet! and all the sounds, cooing, trilling... were awesome.. like paradise.
This little quail was trying really hard to impress a lady dove.. She didn't seem too interested so he went and sulked on a rock. Too cute!!!
In the hummingbird aviary, we walked about and looked and the birds just are not afraid of you and land nearby, fly around you.. we probably said the word "cute" about a dozen times.. We were sitting observing, and noticed that a little mother was building her nest a few feet above our heads, so I snapped a shot.. looks like I caught her tucking or preening... so again I say "cute!"
