Sabino Canyon Shines in the Sun

We are now tending to walk in Tucson's Sabino Canyon at least three days a week. Each time we set out there is something new or different to see.  Today's ramble took us down the Bear Canyon road as far as the flooded bridge and then along the rain swollen creek to the dam.  Some folks were brave enough to wade on through.

As we approached the dam you could hear the water thundering as it poured over the top.

Just upstream of the dam we saw a Cooper's Hawk nest that has been there for quite a while according to our guide.



Then one of group members spied a Great Horned Owl sitting in a tree and staring over at the nest about 50 yards away.

 

 

Shortly after that a Cooper's hawk landed in the same tree and started kicking up a commotion.

 

 

 

For the next twenty minutes the owl sat as still as a stone while the hawk sputtered angrily while moving to various spots around him. At some points they could not have been more than five feet apart. It was still a noisy standoff when we started back to the Visitor Center.

On the walk back we found some tantalizing signs of early flower blooms like this little red Globe Mallow

 

 

and a single tiny pinkish  Filaree.  

 

Some Fairy Dusters also put in an appearance.

 

 

Even some of the deathly looking stick-like Ocotillo are starting to sprout a few leaves.

 

 

 

It was truly a day to remember at Sabino Canyon.