Quackery 5

The 2005 ABA annual convention in Tucson provided the chance to visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, a facility about which I'd heard much. Having arrived in "The Old Pueblo" on Sunday (after a hare-brained drive east through the desert without air conditioning), I set out for the desert museum on Monday morning.

The drive west included fun twisty bits on Gates Pass Road and set the tone of the day. After reaching the museum and passing through the entrance turnstile, I saw my first Curve-billed Thrasher (such bright eyes!) and other firsts. Unfortunately, my notes have evaporated and won't facilitate a further recitation of species.

Make sure to visit the hummingbird aviary. I loved seeing and hearing the hummers at such close range.

In addition to the birds, the plants caught my interest. I finally learned that ocotillo (above) is known as coachwhip and is a succulent but not a cactus.