Yesterday we took the scenic drive through the Sonoran desert outside of Tuscon. We spent the day at the Tuscon Museum of the Desert and the Saguaro National park.
The giant "armed" cactus, or Saguaro, is the symbol of the American southwest. They have a lifespan of 200 years and range in height from 18-75 feet.
The weather has been great! 80's during the day with a nice breeze and cold in the 40's at night.
We walked the trails through the museum of the desert
There was only one roadrunner in the Aviary; however, they are running everywhere at our campsite tonight at Cave Creek!
Bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, and lots of other species inhabit the desert museum. The only snakes that we saw were behind glass in the reptile pavilion.
Russell on the museum path.
Woodpeckers are everywhere! They poke holes in the cacti, sometimes knocking off an arm or a storm will blow one off creating a hole. The cacti will cork the wound with strong bark like scar tissue and create a cavity called a "boot". This hollow enclosed cavity becomes a shelter to desert wildlife. I was told that snakes will climb the cactus searching for something within the "boot" to eat.
This is our backyard for the next week!
Home sweet home!
Beautiful sunset tonight.
The moon at sunrise