Not a European import, these blackbirds!

What have we here -- it looks like one...

and twenty+ blackbirds waiting for that fabled pie. Except they are not blackbirds, they are great-tailed grackles, our loudest summer visitors from warmer (i.e., Phoenix) climes. This crowd hangs at the cienega at the corner of Whipple, Iron Springs and Willow Creek Roads.

Bro and I happened to be visiting a friend at the hospital immediately adjacent. He noted that there were more than autumn leaves on a nearby couple of trees -- and I lucked out!

Later, looking out the 4th floor window of the hospital, I spotted another collection of the grackles frosting the top of the blue van below.

According to the bird experts at Cornell, for the past century these noisy birds have been migrating north out of Mexico. An Arizona bird book from the mid-60s indicated that the grackles were found as far north as Tucson; today they range north of Prescott! Says the Cornell site, great-tailed Grackles roost together in large numbers outside of the breeding season. In Central America these large, noisy roosts frequently are found in the central plaza of small towns. Sounds like Prescott -- there is a flock that congregates at the Square in the middle of town, despite arts & crafts shows and thousands of tourons. Unlike Firefly Forest (who has a number of good close-ups), I find the grackles' many calls to be reminiscent of jungle movies rather than merely noisy! This past summer I was chased by several lady grackles up near the Whipple/Iron Springs intersection -- must have been egg and/or chick season. I'm very fond of these swaggering birds; my mom has never forgiven the lot of them for the one guy she saw chow down a tiny baby quail in Sun City one day!

Later: I should mention that this evening, bro & I had an absolutely terrific pot roast dinner over at the Gurley Street Grill. Normally, I've found that restaurant (and institutional) pot roast is simply tasteless, sliced roast beef with gravy. Not this. It was POT ROAST as Mom used to make. Yum!!!

Strolling Four, Formerly Five Points

Coffee-and. Breaking my fast after the annual trip to give blood at Bradshaw Mtn. Labs. First stop, the deli at New Frontiers; the key lime pie needed at least three times as much lime.

But, the atmosphere is pleasant; besides I could admire the horse figure up on Savoini's roof. It is one of a pair of roof horses.

Time to head down Iron Springs Road. They just can't let well enough alone! Yet another project tearing up the street and extending into the school yard. I made a point of not stopping by the book department at Hastings,

Instead opting for the desert in bloom at the little landscaped triangle right at the Four, formerly Five, Points intersection. Above, cholla; below, prickly pear...

... and the ubiquitous pink Mexican primrose. Ken Lain claims in his Courier gardening column that the primrose likes it dry and thrives on neglect. My primrose climbed up into the big, well watered strawberry pot, and abandoned the dry soil in the ground below.

The little desert triangle is directly across the street from the hospital swamp -- cienega, if you prefer; there are a number of springs in this area. On the opposite side of the street looking south is a very green, grassy area in front of the Miller Valley School. I hadn't realized what a fine old rock wall stood at the front of the school.

This corner, in case you weren't aware, belongs to a flock of grackles who come up from warmer climes every spring. They usually hang out near wet places. I was headed on my way past the school to the TrueValue hardware store when this lady grackle showed up and began nattering at me. Soon she was joined by another and then another. All told, some six birds shouted at me to shoo! scram! begone! None of the usual, wonderful jungle bird noises from these guys -- just a loud racket.

They followed me til I got within spitting distance of the True Value sign. What this fellow was doing up there, I've no idea. He was still at it when I caught a ride home with the fertilizer I bought for my tomatoes.

Swamp or Cienega? Cienega or Swamp?

You pays your money and you takes your choice. We have one pretty close to the Square. Not quite what you'd expect in this dry country! When I got there to take pictures Tuesday, the summer's cattails had been cut down. Too bad. I had to make do with this unappetizing picture at the sidewalk right behind Hastings. It's where one of the springs empties into the swamp, bog, or cienega over at Four Points, next YRMC's heliport. Let's use the Spanish word, cienega. It's a lot classier -- smacks of that boulevard in LA, named no doubt, for a swamp, bog or cienega over in Lala land.

Most drivers motoring down Willow Creek Road probably aren't even aware that there's a swamp just to the South of that chopper. Believe you me, the boat tailed grackles know. It's one of their favorite hangouts -- in season, of course. They've already gone south.

Take your life in your hands, cross the boulevard, and...

...read the inscription on that stone. You will realize that the corner has been dolled up. I even noted a watering system to take care of the non-indigenous pampas grass and shrubs.

But get close up and there's a surprising amount of water at the lower level. It doesn't show here because it's covered by autumn leaves.

At the right are some of the dried cattails.

The hospital parking lot is visible just beyond this end of the cienega. I recall when contractors were redoing the parking lot a few years ago; they had one Big Problem. Springs. Paving would proceed; next thing they knew, Oops! A spring would pop through the asphalt.

Old-timers will explain that the north side of town, between Granite Creek and the heights, not only is full of springs, but that it used to be called Spring Valley. There is rumored to be a structure, once a neighborhood grocer, that had its spring house cooler inside the main building. And I've heard other tales about springs and seeps that surprised builders of major projects.

The Four Points cienega is on both north and south sides of the Whipple Street Cross Town. The south section isn't as pretty -- no trees to speak of.

Amusingly enough, many of the plants visible on the corners are desert dwellers, including this California poppy still in bloom in mid-November.