Blue Goose ~ Day 311

April 4, 2015 ~ Tucson, AZ to Albuquerque, NM

Cedar Waxwing near St. David - AZ

Damn...it was Saturday and time to start home. 

We left Tucson early and began driving east on I10. But we had all day so chose one more birding venue from the very helpful guide   (Finding Birds in Southeast Arizona) and decided on Holy Trinity Monastery in St. David's, Arizona.

Holy Trinity Monastery - St. David's - AZ

Is there a more serene zen-like birding venue? What a wonderful way to end the birding part of our trip, with nesting Phainopeplias, Bewick's Wrens, a better look at Lucy's Warbler, Abert's Towhee, Vermilions flying about...Mexican Jays.....a covey of Gambel's Quail....

Gambel's Quail - Holy Trinity Monastery
St. David's - AZ

Even driving on the small country road TO the monastery was birdy, as we spotted several sparrow species (including Lincoln's and Brewer's), a tree full of gorging Cedar Waxwings, a Common Yellowthroat, Yellow and Yellow-rumped Warblers, finches, woodpeckers.....and an Inca Dove.

Resident peacock at Holy Trinity, just hangin' out...

A small store on the grounds had books and local food items and things Catholics buy (excuse my ignorance of what they all were). The room also had the most delectable scent, which was lavender, and DHC bought the last candle right out from under me, so I've been looking for a lavender-scented candle ever since.  It was not at all cloying, just a wonderfully subtle scent. She also found a lovely little unique gourd, decorated by a local artist who apparently no longer does this work....or can't be found, they told us. 

And then she got some local honey and pecans at a roadside stand before we drove out of town. We were laughing at her latent "retail" proclivity which became apparent as the trip wound down.  So, I wasn't surprised when we had to stop at Hatch, NM (after passing through the two-building crossroads of Nutt down the road). Hatch is the "Chili Capital of the World" and she found just a few more things, including very hot chili food items for Jack, the hotter the better for this man! And a cool bright red chili pepper shaker as he loves to spice nearly anything he eats with ground hot chili. 

We then spent the rest of the afternoon driving to Albuquerque where we again stayed in the  welcoming and wonderful Hotel Andaluz, eating again from the tapas menu, and then repacked and organized all our stuff for the train.