Arizona - April 5, 2024

 Having caught up with all my medical appointments, I found myself with time for a brief trip and decided to check out the spring wildflower bloom in Anzo-Borrego Desert, California.  To avoid an exhausting trip in one stretch, I've stopped in Yuma for a few days.  My RV park is located on the Colorado River and, more importantly, next door to the West Wetlands Park managed by the city.  This large park is also on the Colorado and runs for several miles.  I've enjoyed walking the park in the past, although I can't walk that far anymore.  Yesterday, I drove all the roads in the park and actually saw a few birds, nothing exotic or even unusual, but still worthy of photos.  The park also has some nice blooming trees and shrubs, as you will see.

Eurasian Collared Dove

Mourning Dove

Gambel's Quail(M)

Gambel's Quail(F)

Greater Roadrunner

Great Egret

Whatchamacallit

Great-tailed Grackle (F)

Great-tailed Grackle (M)

Western Kingbird

Rock Dove (Pigeon)

Rock Dove (Pigeon)

In addition, the park has a very nice memorial to the Army of the West, also known as the Mormon Battalion.  Although not widely known today, this group of 500 volunteers in the U.S. Army marched across much of the country with plans to fight the Mexicans in California.  By the time they reached San Diego, the war was essentially over, so they never fought a battle.  However, they built a road across the country that later served multiple purposes in the settling of the West.  I've seen sections of the road literally cut through rock just inches wider than the wagons they brought through.  I invite you to read more about this historic group at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_Battalion.  The article refers to the Battle of The Bulls, which took place just outside Sierra Vista.  There are markers to the event along the San Pedro river at Highway 90 and at Charleston Road.