Wetlands

As a continuation of my last post, Gilbert’s Riparian Institute at Water Ranch is a 110 acre park organized into various vegetative zones that range from wetlands to native riparian and upland vegetation areas, not a common landscape in the greater Phoenix area. There are 7 ponds, full of 200 species of water-loving birds, as well as all sorts of other animals.

Cottontails everywhere.

This pond slider is enjoying the sun.

If you want to see birds, this place delivers! Hangin’ with some Canada Geese.

Click to see a lot of grazing birds in the marsh (above).

Black-necked stilts and many other shorebirds abound.

I love this place, so pretty and diverse, an oasis in the midst of a busy urban area. It’s big enough that you see far more animals than people. More photos to come…