Change of Scenery

There really is more here in southern Arizona than RV resorts, a new house and furniture shopping. Today we finally had a change of scenery, going to the Gilbert Water Ranch and Riparian Area for our morning walk. In an effort to recharge the underground aquifers, the town of Gilbert has created a number of ponds which attract numerous birds and encourage lots of plants to grow in this desert area. This a view of one of the paths.

At times, one or more ponds are dry.

But all you have to do is add water and the birds come.

We saw great egrets

There were cormorants and what I think are snowy egrets feeding together. There must have been a school of fish and the birds followed each other from one place to another.

There were mallard ducks

and northern pintails

There wasn't too much water. Obviously, it wasn't even 3 feet deep.

We also saw spotting scopes (and a group of bird watchers nearby).

 And lots of people walking with their children or their dogs, horseback riders and a few bike riders.

Note to self: go there mid-week, not on the weekend.