My Home Park

The European Starlings were decorating their cactus the other day at Granada Park, which I am now considering my “home park.” It’s the closest city park with a lake (2 of them) to our house and it also has trails leading out into the desert foothills of Piestewa Peak, part of the Phoenix  Mountain Preserve.

“I refuse to be outdone by those Starlings!”

So it has both desert and water habitats and the resulting wildlife. I go there at least once a week with my camera. A lot of my photos in the last few months were taken there.

There’s a little hidden area where someone keeps the bird feeders stocked. Unfortunately, the birds hear me coming and fly away before I can get any good shots of them.

Northern Mockingbird

Inca Dove

House Finch

Although there are currently migrating Mallards, American Wigeons, American Coots, and Ring-Necked Ducks there, these are some of the year-round regulars that are basically just hybirds and domestic ducks (“City Park Specials”) but I think they are handsome, nevertheless.

I love this guy, above, who looks like he is posing for me. He hangs out with a couple of the big white ducks and geese most of the time.

And a few fun-loving Mallards to finish it off:

*Certain Photoshopped elements courtesy of Obsidian Dawn.