Arizona Parrots...Say What?

One day about seven years ago we heard an unusual sound coming from the backyard. While we thought it was probably a bird it didn't sound at all familiar. A few days later we saw a flash of green in our big African Sumac tree—it was a small green bird with a peach colored face. It turned out to be a Peach Faced Parrot, also called a Peach Faced Lovebird and other similar names. They were casual occasional visitors to our place for about a year. We then added a pair of fountains to the patio—one close to the tree and a wall fountain on the west wall. The fountains did the trick and soon we had parrots most of the time, with many more showing up in the summer months, especially drawn to the fountains.


Peach Faced parrots are native to an area of southwest Africa that is hot and arid. There they tend to congregate near water. They were brought to this country as pets, and inevitably some escaped. The ones that escaped in the Phoenix area said “Hot damn! We've died and gone to heaven! It's hot, looks like there's food and look at all that water! Swimming pools, canals, sprinklers, bird baths and FOUNTAINS! Wow!”



The first sighting of escapees in the Phoenix area that I have found reference to were by an ASU biology professor along the Mesa-Apache Junction border in 1986 or 1987. In the ensuing 25 or so years they have spread all over the valley. There is no doubt that they are breeding rather successfully. They are cavity nesters and some people were afraid they were going to displace native species, but that doesn't seem to be the case. The Arizona Fish and Insane Department gave them their official blessing last year, saying they would let them stay. Like there was anything they could do about it. They like to roost and make nests in the type of palm tree shown here. Other birds, such as pigeons and barn owls, also like these trees, which creates some interesting situations.



Overheard in Apartment 14B: “Marge, want to eat out tonight?” “No, I'm tired. The parrots got up early this morning and have been squawking all day. Let's stay home and have squab. There's some downstairs in 12A that are about ready.”


The layout of our back yard re birds is shown in the photo above. The African Sumac provides shade as well as some protection from predators. In the winter we have a Cooper's hawk in the neighborhood who makes life a challenge for the smaller birds, so the cover is necessary. The fountain that the birds like best is on the right. There are four feeders made from coconuts hanging in the Sumac and one pan feeder with a wire basket over it to keep out the doves.

The photo below shows an adult parrot with an adult house finch for scale. Incidentally, the finches love the oranges but the parrots completely ignore the oranges and any other fruit we have tried. They seem to be strictly seed eaters.



Below are photos of an adult parrot eating seed from one of the coconuts in approved parrot fashion. The hats on the coconut are there to prevent doves, particularly white wings, from hanging on and getting or trying to get seed.





The parrots also like to eat from the pan, as you can see here.



The photo below shows all the feeders in action, with the far right feeder barely visible. This photo was taken in September. I believe the most parrots we have had at one time is about 30.



The fountain is the big attraction. In the hottest part of the summer the word seems to be out that the parrot bar is open, and happy hour starts about 5:00 pm. They come in straight to the fountain without bothering with food. They will sit their and chatter and drink and may sit there for a number of minutes without going anywhere. Below are photos of this action.









I apologize that this last photo is not as sharp as it should be. I think we counted about 30 parrots on the fountain at one time.

The photo below shows a juvenile. Juveniles have black on the portion of their bill closest to their head. Juveniles are hilarious to watch when they first come to our yard. They have trouble figuring out how to get in and out of the feeder with the basket on it, are a little intimidated by the fountain, and have trouble learning how to hang on to the coconuts and eat at the same time. Great fun.



If someone says to you that there are no parrots in Arizona, you can smile knowingly and say "Oh yes there are."

Gothic of Various Types and Locations

Grant Wood first exhibited his iconic painting, American Gothic, in 1930. Ridiculed by some critics at first showing, it is now one of the most widely recognized paintings in the world. A sculptor, J. Seward Johnson, in 2007 completed a sculpture entitled God Bless America based on the Wood painting. The statue is currently on display in downtown Mesa, Arizona. Mesa has a tradition of displaying sculptures on Main street during the winter, purchasing some for permanent display.





The statue is owned by the Sculpture Foundation of California. It is 25 feet tall, made of a styrofoam resin and sort of hung on a steel rod running through it. It weighs 8,000 pounds.



There are several differences between this sculpture and the painting. The painting stops at the waist, while the sculpture shows the couple standing on the ground. There is no house in the background of the sculpture and there is a travel sticker covered suitcase with the couple as part of the sculpture.







This is a BIG sculpture. As you can see it dominates the corner of MacDonald and Main.



Grant Wood's painting has had influence in various and sundry places, some of them rather unexpected. A bride and groom were inspired to pose for the photograph below entitled "Cache Valley Gothic". As far as I know the couple is much happier than their gothic expression would leave one to believe. Do you know of other influences of Wood's painting?

Easter: Bunnies, Kiddie-Boos, Eggs and Bones

We hosted an Easter gathering on Easter(fancy that) in our back yard this year. The festivities included turkey cooked on the grill, roast veggies, etc. Plus a visit from three of the Easter Bunny's helpers. The Easter Bunny and his helpers are hard to catch but I managed to get a few pictures of the helpers in action. The kids thought they were Grandma, Auntie and Momma but of course we know better.



Below is one of the Easter Bunny helpers with Little Bit.



Below EJ is gathering eggs.



Here is Lucy with some of her haul.



Prince Hal scarfing down the goodies. Each plastic egg contained either a chocolate bunny or M&Ms.



This is Little Bit with one of the helpers.



Little Bit taking time out to smell the Tombstone roses.



The remains of the day. All the eggs have been opened and contents eaten, the drinks have been drunk and the turkey eaten. The pile of bones was collected by EJ in order to reconstruct the turkey's skeleton. A good time was had by one and all.

San Xavier del Bac--"The White Dove of the Desert"

San Xavier is an old Spanish mission located a few miles south of Tucson, just off the Nogales highway, on the Tono o'Odham reservation. I'm sure the highway has a number but having grown up in Tucson it's just the Nogales highway. I have been visiting San Xavier ever since I was a wee lad. For me this remains one of the favorite places that I have ever seen.

San Xavier was established in 1699 by Father Eusebio Kino, a Jesuit who established a string of missions in northern Mexico and southern Arizona. The original mission was about two miles north of the current building, and was destroyed by the Apaches in 1770. In 1775 a Presidio was established at Tucson which provided military protection. The current building was constructed by Franciscans with Tono o'Odham labor between 1783 and 1797. It came under the Mexican government in 1822. In 1828 the Mexicans ordered the expulsion of all Spanish born priests, which included the priest at San Xavier. The Tono o'Odham people attempted to keep the building in repair until it came under US jurisdiction in 1853 with the Gadsden Purchase. In 1859 the Archbishop of Santa Fe assumed ecclesiastical jurisdiction, sent a priest and diocesan money for restoration. It has had priests ever since.

Bac means "place where the water flows". Water from the Santa Cruz river bubbles to the surface near here, hence the name. The photo at the top of this blog looks to me like what it may have looked to a weary traveler approaching through the desert from the south, perhaps coming from Nogales or the mission at Tumacacori. This would have been a very dangerous trip. The Apaches forced abandonment of the mission at Tumacacori. The trail was called "From Tucson to Tumacacori to Hell" for good reason.
The mission appeared on the horizon like a white dove to give safety and comfort.



The photo above was taken from a small hill just east of the mission.This was taken about sunrise, before the sun had touched the building. The mission has been undergoing restoration/maintenance. Sometime in the past the white exterior plaster had been replaced with concrete based stucco, which turned out to be bad for the building because it trapped moisture. It is being replaced by mud plaster using the traditional Tono o'Odham recipe which includes cactus pulp. Most of the exterior is now finished except the east bell tower, as you can see by its dirty appearance, and the facade. This tower was never finished off with a cupola. The photo below is taken from the same vantage point about 20 minutes later.



The architect is unknown. The style is Moorish, Byzantine and late Mexican renaissance. The photo below is taken about 45 minutes after sunrise from a more southerly vantage point.



The photos below show restored and unrestored windows, on the west and east bell towers, respectively.





When I first visited San Xavier the interior was very dark and dingy. Two centuries of candles, probably torches for light, heat and time had a major effect on the decorations, statues, paintings etc. In the mid 1990's a major interior restoration effort was undertaken. Artisans were brought from Italy, who had worked on restorations of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, etc. The restoration is now complete, but about two months of every year they do maintenance/restoration where needed. Below are some photos of the interior.

This photo is just inside the door looking toward the apse and main altar.



This angel is on a pillar at the crossing.




The pastoral painting below is above the arch near the altar.



The choir loft is shown in the photo below.



This angel, painted on the corner of an arch, has the look of a Mexican peasant woman or possibly a Native American. A favorite image of mine.



Main entrance door, made of mesquite wood.

Miami, Az..Sorry, No Beach Front Property

Miami is an old mining town in the Pinaleno mountains about 55 miles east of Mesa. It was started in the 1870s in response to silver and gold mining activities. There were large deposits of copper in the area, so when the price of copper went up the mines became largely copper mines. It is about 5 miles west of its larger neighbor, Globe. In addition to the mines there were smelter/concemtrators built here. I believe the mines are pretty much shut now, so much of the old business district is also shut. Some buildings are in disrepair, some have been converted to other things such as antique shops and others are being renovated. It makes for some good photo ops.

The photo at the top is a shot showing part of the old main shopping street. The Edlen's shoe store still has the old neon sign advertising Jarman shoes.

The photo below is across the street showing a building undergoing renovation.



This old Dodge bus is sitting in a vacant lot. I have no idea how old it is. I wonder if it was used to take men to the mine for work--speculation on my part.



The Real Market is closed, but the gold lettered sign on the window continues.





The door shown below is the entrance to a boarded up hotel, also shown below,





The folks that occupied this building have been gone for quite sometime.



This church, like the last photo, is on the street north of the old main street. As you can see, it's on the corner of Inspiration Street. Very appropo but you have to remember the name of the mining company was Inspiration Copper.



These old houses remind me of Bisbee, another old mining town south-east of Tucson.



I'm not sure whether these are viable businesses or not. I think the rock shop probably is, but not sure about the other one.



Sorry folks, no green chili burros today.