A plan coming together

Some birders showed up today wanting their lifer Lucifer Hummingbird. I promptly took them down the arroyo/canyon and located the hummer on his favorite perch. Then, as a bonus, I showed them the roosting Elf Owl. They had seen one before but only as a shadow in the dark. I tried again for a better photo, but no luck. Vegetation too dense and growing denser.

I try not to anthropomorphize wildlife, but I can't see these Black Swallowtails as anything but jumping for joy. That's because I created a mud puddle just to see what butterflies it would attract. Lots.

This spring is the lushest I've ever seen in the Big Bend. I've got Rainbow Cactus all over in places that I had never noticed them before they bloomed. This one is in a crevice on the edge of my big tank.

Note to self: Never do tree pruning during nesting season. 

Today, as I watered trees, I observed that I had planted the Velvet Ash trees too close together and the older of the two was crowding the younger, making it grow crooked. I decided to prune a big limb from the big ash, then tie the smaller ash to another tree so it would grow straighter. As soon as I cut the limb off I saw that I had exposed a hidden Bell's Vireo nest on an adjacent limb. I'll take a photo of it Monday. Forgot today because I needed to finish chores and come to town for some things. The vireo is just a foot from the path at eye level. It doesn't flush from the nest when people walk by. That's the good part. Lots of cowbirds around and it may be afraid the nest will become predated. It's impossible to move in the oasis without disturbing birds, and the Blue Grosbeaks haven't even arrived yet. Almost every tree will have one of their nests in it. I discovered two pair of nesting Elf Owls at the oasis besides one pair at the house in the courtyard. It's a good year so far.