One of my favorite things to do is visit botanical gardens in different cities. I love how they highlight the beauty of the area they are located in. Of all the gardens I’ve had the pleasure to visit, the Phoenix gardens are in my top 3. I have visited this garden many times over the years. Their gardeners have done an excellent job of creating a peaceful and beautiful environment. Even the entrance is gorgeous!

I arrived early so as to catch the best light and hopefully see some birds. Even in winter the plants are beautiful.

After enjoying the beautiful morning light, I put my attention to finding birds. There were quite a few out and about, but very shy. Usually when I’m here, they could care less about people. This is the first time I’ve visited in the winter. I guess it’s a quieter time for the wildlife.

To my surprise, the very first bird to photograph was a female Anna’s Hummingbird feeding on one of the few blooms available. I think this is the best hummingbird photo I have ever taken, and I’ve taken a lot!

The light was very low so I couldn’t get a fast enough speed to stop the wing motion. But I think it’s still beautiful with the blurred wings.

The lighting started to improve for bird photography. I saw quite a few birds but had difficulty getting decent photos. Specifically the Verdin. These guys are tiny and fast!

Now the Abert’s Towhee is extremely easy to photograph. They are everywhere and always out and about. I caught this one enjoying the morning sun.

I had a wonderful time exploring all of the different sections of the gardens. I had delicious a breakfast at their cafe. After breakfast I was thrilled to finally photograph a new bird for me. It’s a Costa’s Hummingbird. I’ve been to Arizona many times and never could find one of these guys to photograph. The Anna’s and Costa’s are similar but a big difference is the color of the male’s feathers at his throat. The Anna’s color shines pink while the Costa’s shines purple.

Ending the day with a new lifer bird was perfect. I went back to my RV and made me some supper while I waited for the sun to set and the night’s show to begin.

The show was based on one artist and his metal creations. The geometric shapes with lights inside created a magical atmosphere. The luminarias were lit to show the paths. The temperature was perfect. I didn’t get cold at all. There were speakers, musicians, food vendors etc.

I ended up walking the entire garden twice that day. My legs were so tired at the end of that day. Of course, Maddie being a puppy, she still had energy to spare!

After this post, I will have begun my journey northward. I am ready to leave Tucson and start working my way north. I’m so excited to see and photograph new places. Stay tuned for the start of my adventure north!