The Terrific Trio at the Phoenix Zoo

Just when you were starting to think that there would be no more Suzanne and Daisy photos shared, here I am with our visit to the Phoenix Zoo. Come along with us, no towels needed!

Petting the rays is a lot of fun, although this time, they seemed to love drenching my nieces. That's what I meant about your not needing towels!

These two were having a blast, too.

Nap time for the jaguar.

And the cougar, too.

Prickly pear blossom

Burrowing owls always seem very opinionated.

Three snowy egrets

Wonder if he's related to the AFLAC duck?

Keeping watch over the missus while she sleeps.

Meerkat (Daisy's photo)

The eye of the lion. Now why does that remind me of a song about a tiger?

Daisy feeding the giraffe.

Suzanne feeding the giraffe.

Daisy on camelback.

Suzanne on camelback.

North America's fastest land animal. A pronghorn antelope taking a snooze. (Daisy's photo)

Suzanne at the petting zoo. (Daisy's photo)

Hmmm... there seems to be a ham in this gang of four. He's definitely ready for his closeup!

Thanks for coming along with us on this virtual visit. I hope you enjoyed it!

A February Visit to the Phoenix Zoo

Last Thursday, I boarded the Dial-a-Ride bus and headed for the Phoenix Zoo. Non-medical outings are few and far between, so I was really looking forward to this visit. When a roadrunner ran across the road just before the turn-off to the zoo, I took it as a good omen-- and it was. This may have been a non-medical outing, but it certainly did my body and soul a world of good.

Let me share a few of the photos I took-- maybe even a video or two-- and for those of you who may be sick of winter, there are some flower photos, too. There's always something in bloom here in the Sonoran Desert. 😀

I always head for the Arizona Trail section of the zoo first. 

You don't often see an egret and a vulture on the same tree.

Burrowing owl. These little guys always look so serious. This one needs some sunglasses.

The male jaguar was a bit restless. The enclosure for the jaguars is wonderful-- places to hide, walkways overhead, a swimming pool, etc.

Kudu

A Common Gallinule on the left, and a Guinea fowl on the right. The Guinea fowl looks like it's flat, doesn't it?

The Amur leopard was restless, too. This was the first time I'd seen this guy, so it was a treat.

Brittlebush

I love watching children become acquainted with animals, but if I may be a curmudgeon for a moment, I do not like the new meerkat enclosure. You can't keep the hordes of children from smearing snot and spit all over the glass. This goes for any enclosure where you can only see the animal through glass, but I love meerkats, so this is especially galling. 

If you didn't think I was weird before, you will now. I think Griffon vultures are rather pretty with their lavender head and neck and white ruff.

The girls were snoozing in the sun.

Lioness

Busy bee

African painted dogs are another personal favorite.

Orange jubilee yellow bells, native to Arizona.

I found this quiet spot and did a little communing with nature and a little reading. One of the pelicans kept coming over to check me out.

Faces only a mother could love.

What a quacker jack hairdo!

Egrets love the Phoenix Zoo. On one particular visit, I saw about three dozen of them.

Head thrust forward. Leg raised. Wings back. Tai chi? Or has he watched too many Bruce Lee movies? And I love his little buddies.

Hibiscus

I hope you enjoyed this virtual visit to the Phoenix Zoo. I know I certainly did!

Visiting Caipora at the Phoenix Zoo

Two weeks ago, Denis and I scheduled a trip to the Phoenix Zoo specifically to see their new Big Cats of Arizona exhibit. Unfortunately, Dial-a-Ride was extremely late, and the loud woman complaining about how bad the driver was only made him drive slower. By the time we finally arrived at the zoo, we barely had an hour to explore, but what we did manage to see was choice. Come join us!

There's usually at least one egret hanging out here. Thursday was no exception.

These three javalinas found some shade. That one definitely looks like it's thinking, "What are you lookin' at?"

I went zipping around a corner and almost flattened this gopher squirrel. Didn't seem to bother it a bit because it barely moved.

Denis and I went to the zoo specifically to see its new Big Cats of Arizona Exhibit. It was rather fitting that the first time I saw Caipora the jaguar was when she was pacing overhead.

Caipora was very restless.

She was also very vocal-- and gorgeous!

Canyon Spotted Whiptail lizard

Daisies always make me smile.

I found a very informative YouTube video about the new Big Cats of Arizona exhibit. I couldn't get it to embed properly in this post, so I'm sharing a link to it instead. It's well worth the watch.

I hope you enjoyed your whirlwind visit!

Basking at the Phoenix Zoo

Denis and I boarded the Dial-a-Ride bus and headed to the Phoenix Zoo last Thursday. It was a beautiful day but cold. Get ready to laugh-- it was in the low 60s (16°C) with a biting cold wind. Now I know as well as y'all do that temperatures in the 60s really aren't cold, but they are if you've lived in the desert for years! Remember, I'm the weirdo who's perfectly comfortable sitting in the pool with my book when it's 120° (49°C). I don't do cold. 

But I did Thursday because it was the first time since late last spring that Denis and I had been able to go to one of our favorite places, the Phoenix Zoo. We were hoping to see the two lion cubs, but they were hiding. Instead we saw plenty of other critters, most of whom were snoozing and basking in the sun. Let me share some of the photos I took.

The javalina were one of the few active critters.

There was plenty of action in the prairie dog enclosure.

There were three egrets hanging out with the prairie dogs. You can see how breezy it was by this egret's feathers.

This turkey vulture was also keeping an eye on things.

A face only a mother could love.

It was chilly enough that even the pigeons were finding sunny spots to warm up in.

The Phoenix Zoo participates in the Arabian oryx breeding program and has celebrated 240 births. The Zoo contributed to the first oryx re-introduction effort in the Arabian peninsula.

Even the tortoises were snoozing in the sun.

This mandrill must be having a good dream; he's smiling.

African painted dog

There's always something in bloom in the Sonoran Desert.

One cheetah was strolling in the sun.

While the other was taking a nap.

One of my springtime favorites, the brittlebush.

Please do not disturb the maned wolf.

I wouldn't disturb the jaguar either if I were you.

Do jaguars snore?

Blooming rosemary

This is the first time I've seen a Visayan warty pig.

The zookeepers were keeping a close watch on a pair of rhinoceros hornbills who were billing, cooing, nestbuilding, and doing the deed.

Black swans

The siamangs were the most active, but this one was in a more contemplative mood.

Siamangs grooming each other.

Siamang Swing

Did we enjoy our day out? You'd better believe it! (And I think the smile on Denis' face is proof.) We had some time to wait for Dial-a-Ride, so we took a page from the zoo residents' handbook and found a patch of sun to bask in while we waited. Naturally, I spent my time reading. Like you folks, I'm never without a book!

I hope you enjoyed your little virtual tour of the zoo. Denis and I are already planning our next outing. Just this morning, he asked me, "When are we going to the Desert Botanical Garden?"

Good question!