Tag Archives: Verdin

~Next 2022 park visit – Cave Creek Regional Park

April 25, 2023 Sheila 9 Comments

~Cave Creek Regional Park is located in Maricopa County in Cave Creek, AZ.

We have visited this park many, many times over the years. The park is known for camping, hiking, birding and stargazing just to mention a few.

Here is a blurb from the park’s website.

Welcome to Cave Creek Regional Park. The park, which is located north of Phoenix, became part of Maricopa County’s regional park system in 1963. This 2,922-acre park sits in the upper Sonoran Desert and ranges in elevation from 2,000 feet to 3,060 feet. This desert oasis provides any hiker and equestrian majestic views. The Go John Trail loops around a mountain to provide the illusion of being miles away from civilization. In the 1870s, fever stricken gold seekers staked their dreams on the jasper-studded hills. Guided trails to these sites give visitors an opportunity to travel back in time.

If one is so inclined to venture out of the regional park you are within easy access to Cave Creek, Carefree, Phoenix, and Scottsdale. But, truly why would you want to leave the park? You’re there to enjoy nature. Right?

Well, perhaps, to grab a bite to eat. One of my favorite places to eat in Cave Creek is Harold’s. According to their website it has been around since 1935. If you like the feel of an old, western style place serving great food try Harold’s. Here is a bit of their history: https://haroldscorral.com/about/harold-s-history/

If you enjoy watching a sunset and stargazing, Cave Creek is one of the best locations for these activities.

One of my favorite things about this park is the variety of birds that call this area home. And, one of my treasured things to do is to take photos of them. A few from this visit.

Where to next…..

Photos-Birds

~A few bird photos from Cave Creek Regional Park

December 15, 2022 Sheila Leave a comment

~Verdin

A beautiful small bird with a yellow head. They love to feed on Oranges.

~Phainopepla- male

A black bird with red eyes.They like to sit at the top of trees.

~Black-throated Sparrow

Their behavior is true Sparrow. Glad it stayed still for a few seconds!

~Gambel’s Quail

Their feather colors are striking, which blend in with their environment. And, they are always moving.

Happy Birding

On The Road, Photos-Birds

~Birding in Arizona – Verdin

November 20, 2017 Sheila 5 Comments

~Cave Creek Regional Park, Cave Creek, AZ, November 2017

Only 4.5 inches in length it is a tiny little bird. They are tough and thrive in hot desert environments. It is among the most characteristic birds of the desert, and it has one notable distinction: it is not closely related to any other bird in the western hemisphere.

It is not only tiny and tough, but it is beautiful with its bright yellow head and rufous shoulder patches.

The tiny Verdin, a gleaner of small insects and spiders from the foliage of desert vegetation, is most notable for its nest-building behavior. In addition to breeding nests, Verdins also build individual roosting nests whose insulation allows them to survive cold winter nights.

Verdins spend the night in their roosting nests, smaller versions of their breeding nest, but the birds still lose an average of 7% of their body mass during a winter night. Roosting nests may be built any time of the year and the interwoven twig structures may remain attached to a bush or tree for years. (some information taken from various birding web-sites)

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NOTE: Thanks to Gay and her blog at good-times-rollin for mentioning in a blog she wrote about setting out an orange for the Verdins. Thank you Gay! Go to her blog by clicking – Here

The Verdins loved the oranges. Try as I might, I wasn’t able to capture one of these birds in a more natural environment at Cave Creek. Hopefully, I might have one at Catalina State Park. It was so much fun watching the Verdins.