140119 Arizona Sonora Desert Museum

A delay in the processing of my application for a visa to South Asia presented an opportunity to enjoy Arizona during the cooler season.  I decided to visit the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum (ASDM) near Tucson.  My daughter went to this place a few years ago and had fun.

My GPS delivered me precisely to the ASDM.  The volunteer at the gate was friendly and very helpful in providing me with a general description as well as specific recommendations based on my personal interests.

Arizona Sonora Desert Museum near Tucson, Arizona.

The Arizona Sonora Desert Museum has a mixture of exhibits of the flora and fauna of the Southwest of North America.  My first stop was the reptiles and invertebrates, followed by the display of cacti.  Most prominent at this display was the saguaro cactus, its dried cross section, and its interactions with the environment.  One of the more interesting stations at the ASDM is the exhibit of minerals, ranging from quartz to gold.

Dried cross section of a saguaro cactus.

Gold mined in Arizona.

Of course, wild animals are an important part of the collection of ASDM.  They range from the cuddly prairie dogs to loveable bobcats.  Their assemblage of birds are also diverse, from the tiny hummingbirds to the fearsome birds of prey.  Indeed, I agree with my daughter that the best show at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum is the Raptor Free Flight.  These birds are magnificent and majestic.

Black-tailed prairie dogs.

Hummingbird.

Bobcats.

Barn owl in flight.

My day at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum near Tucson, Arizona, was a lot of fun.  More pictures taken there are at https://picasaweb.google.com/108013863525571472697/140119ArizonaSonoraDesertMuseum.  I hope you enjoy these photographs and thank you for visiting.

Enjoy.
Paul