~December, 2022 Catalina State Park, Oro Valley, AZ
~Nature at its best – an Anna’s Hummingbird
~December, 2022 Catalina State Park, Oro Valley, AZ
Tag Archives: Oro Valley
~Catalina State Park
~Catalina State Park in Oro Valley, AZ – End of 2022
I don’t believe there is anything negative I could say about this park. It is a “gem” of an Arizona state park. It is so well loved that it is hard to get reservations during the winter months.
Catalina State Park is located at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains. It is home to nearly 5,000 saguaros and desert plants. There are 5,500 acres of foothills and canyons that offer opportunities for camping, hiking, and bird watching. The park is home to more than 150 species.
If you get tired of bird watching you can ride your horse or your bike. Right outside the park you can connect to the walking/riding trail system called The Loop and ride or walk for miles and miles. I believe The Loop is 131 miles long.
There are restaurants and shopping minutes away. If you get tired of the serenity of the park you can visit some of the other local attractions: https://azstateparks.com/catalina/things-to-do/area-attractions
We have visited this park so many times over the years and it never gets old. It is a favorite destination of ours.
I think I might have a few bird photos to share 😉 along with some beautiful sunset photos. Until next time….
~Sunset over the Catalina Mountains
~December 22, 2018, Catalina State Park, Oro Valley, AZ
A lovely walk, at sunset, on the Romero Ruin Loop Trail.
The Romero Ruin Trail Loop is one of my very favorite trails. The views, from atop this hill of the Catalina Mountains are spectacular, the foliage diverse, and the birding rewarding. At sunset, the scene is peaceful and breathtaking.
Earlier in the day, on the same trail:
A list of all the other birds I observed while visiting Catalina State Park:
Northern Harrier, Cooper’s Hawk(new), Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Prairie Falcon, Mourning Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Anna’s Hummingbird, Gilded Flicker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Gila Woodpecker, Vermilion Flycatcher, Say’s Phoebe, Common Raven, Western Scrub-Jay, White-crowned Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Canyon Towhee, Pyrrhuloxia, House Finch, Cassin’s Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow.
I wish I would have seen more!
~The Moon Sits Atop a Saguaro
December 20, 2018, Catalina State Park, Oro Valley, AZ
A stroll at dusk back a nature trail in Catalina State Park to watch the moon rise over the Catalina Mountains was a lovely way to spend the evening.
The Moon sits atop a cactus.
It was a lovely walk, watching the glow of the setting sun play its magic over the mountains.
On Saturday, December 22nd, the moon will be full and it is also the winter solstice. Winter is here.
~Ducks
December 19, 2018, Oro Valley, AZ
The featured photo of the Pied-billed Grebe and the female Green-winged Teal were taken at Sweetwater Wetlands in Tucson, AZ during the week.
For more information on the Sweetwater Wetlands, you can visit their website: Sweetwater Wetlands
The photos below were taken today at Aqua Caliente Park in Tuscon, AZ. It is a lovely place to enjoy the day.
Things to do include, learning about the history of the area and what it is currently being used for, walking the trails looking for birds or just sitting on one of the park benches relaxing.
For more information on the Aqua Caliente Park, you can visit their website, http://tucsonaudubon.org/about-us/our-locations/745-2/
I loved the reed reflections on the pond and where the duck was snoozing; however, the buoy in the background ruined the photo so I included some with it cropped out.
Wolf Song Blog 