In the morning we have the first chance of enjoying the AirBnB in daylight and we eat a small breakfast before walking into town. Yes, walking, which is a rarity in most US towns. The plan is to walk to Paton Hummingbird Garden and then to explore the downtown shops before returning to the AirBnB to drive to our next wine tasting. Just outside the door we find the first interesting birds, a family of acorn woodpeckers that decided to use electricity poles as storage areas, fun.
We pass next to the visitor center in an old caboose, closed today, and a saloon, also closed, as we make our way towards the hummingbird center.
Last time we were here access via car was almost impossible as there was deep mud at the wash crossing before the center but this time it is nice and dry. We are welcomed by two white-winged doves as we make our way into the parking lot and towards the feeders.
We spend a bit of time in the front area of the center to explore the information panels especially as our relative is not aware of the center and how it was created while we have been here before.
There are also some bird sightings here, nothing special but still always fun to see to Audubon warblers and Ladder-backed woodpeckers as well as many many mourning doves.
At the feeders there are a few hummingbird species including the rarer violet-crowned hummingbirds.
While we hinted there might be a chance of javelinas there are none around. What we have are uncountable Arizona Gray Squirrels and Lesser Goldfinches.
After watching the squirrels and the birds at the feeders we decide to explore a bit the trail towards the Nature Conservancy, a bit further down the road. Before we exit the hummingbird center lands we also catch a glimpse of a few Gambel’s quail, not that unusual and not the Montezuma Quail we were hoping for.
We walk a bit on the road towards the conservancy, surprisingly it is a high traffic road but quite nice when no one is passing by in a car raising clouds of dust.
We find a few birds also on this stretch with the highlight being a Hermit Thrush, a rarity for us in this area.
Afterwards it is time to explore the downtown shops we even eye a beautiful bird metal sculpture but we decide to wait till the next day to buy it. And then we return back towards the AirBnB to pick our car and go to the second wine tasting of the trip near Sonoita.
