Bob Bowers's Blog

Posted by Bob Bowers

Hummingbirds, thought to have originated in Europe, are now only found in the western hemisphere. These little iridescent jewels are probably everyone's favorite, and the number of species found in Arizona, more than any other state, is one of the reasons I moved to Tucson seven years ago. Nine hummingbird feeders in my yard might be overkill, but these birds are aggressively territorial, so more feeders, spaced widely around the yard at least give the more timid ones a fighting chance.

For folks living in the eastern half of the U.S., multiple species is a new concept, since the only hummingbird found there is the Ruby-throated. Arizona is the hummingbird capital of the U.S., with 16 recorded species. In my yard, at 3,400 feet in the Santa Catalina mountains, I have counted 5 species, including Costa's, Anna's, Black-chinned, Broad-billed and Rufous.

My affection for hummingbirds has led to several articles, as well. I spent some time researching different feeders, leading to an article about which type of feeder is best for the birds (and for the people feeding them), and then to another reviewing three of the best feeders. A third article discusses their food, and how to make, store and use hummingbird food, a much cheaper proposition than buying commercial products.

My migrant Rufous hummingbirds have now (late October) moved south to Mexico for the winter, and the Black-chinned will shortly follow them. Last winter, during a stay in La Manzanilla on the west coast of Mexico, we set out two feeders which drew Black-chinned hummingbirds to our back deck. I'm certain I recognized at least two of them from my backyard in Arizona.

Posted by Bob Bowers

An extended road trip last winter led us to a small colonial city in the state of Mexico, some 120 miles south of Mexico City. Malinalco is largely unknown, and rarely on tourists' itineraries, but it is well worth visiting. Included in Oropeza & Sanchez's coffee table book, One Hundred and One Beautiful Small Towns in Mexico, Malinalco offers history, an Aztec warrior initiation site and a setting that will please any photographer.

Its remote location was chosen by the Aztecs who built initiation and sacrificial temples high on a hill overlooking the city. Read about this extraordinary ruin that was started in 1501 in this article.

The photogenic city bursts with flowering Jacaranda and Cacaloxochitl trees in the winter, which help attract the hundreds of migratory and resident birds found here. This article discusses those sights, and includes photographs of both of the trees mentioned above.

Malinalco is off the beaten track, but only 40 miles from the state capital of Toluca. If you plan a trip to central Mexico, consider adding this beautiful little town to your itinerary.

Posted by Bob Bowers

It's interesting that a trip to one place can bring back memories of quite different destinations. I've been on a road trip through California and the Pacific northwest for three weeks, something I like to do at least twice a year. In Oregon, in addition to some time in Portland, we spent two weeks on the coast. Oregon's Highway 101 runs nearly 400 miles along some of the most spectacular scenery in the U.S. The state has taken advantage of this, opening the entire coastline to the public and setting aside 85 state parks and beaches along the way, an average of more than one park every 5 miles! It was natural to write about the beaches and parks along this route, which I did. The time spent there also suggested a number of other articles, which will be forthcoming shortly.

What was not expected was that sights here suggested a series of articles based in faraway Mexico as well. From the sea lion caves in southern Oregon, we spotted two California gray whales, spouting relatively close to shore. This brought back fond memories of two trips to Mexico's Baja California peninsula to see the gray whale nurseries along the western coast. Tourists staying in Guerrero Negro, some 450 miles south of Tijuana, can closely observe as many as 2,000 mother and baby whales in the shallow Laguna de Ojo Liebre. Click here to read the article I wrote about this fascinating migration, and to see five photographs of the whales. Of course, once I started thinking about the trips to Baja, I also remembered the strange, exotic and endemic Boojum trees, which quickly led to another article. Hopefully, I'll get to finish writing about Oregon and California before I forget what I've seen on this trip.