Nov 11, 2008, Nature walk at Riparian preserve, Gilbert

Here is one flight of 6 Canadian geese that swept out of the south, over the Riparian Park, headed north and flying low, right over me. I managed to snap this photo.

They are fast and not easy to photograph, at least not with my simple little point and shoot camera, so I was very pleased to get this picture of these birds I so much enjoy seeing!

This photo confirms what I discovered a few days ago, to my great surprise and enjoyment; Canadian geese can be found in Arizona!

We told our Colorado friends, when we served in the Denver area on our Mission, that we had never seen Canadian geese in the wild in Arizona. Wrong!!

Before my walk was completed I observed 5-6 different flights of geese come over this park area, always flying south to north. I could not tell where they were going. They are wonderful flyers!

On this Veterans' Day, I took the opportunity to walk over to the nearby Riparian Park, a wetlands and desert habitat preserve, right in the midst of this City of Gilbert. I hoped to observe some water fowl and I wasn't disappointed.

You have to look closely, but near the center of this photo is a Blue Heron and a White Egret. I attempted to get a closer picture, but they moved off further down the water course where the abundant plant life along the shore allowed for no easy access.

Walking paths go all about this wetlands area. It is a beautiful place. It is located on the south side of Guadalupe Road, between Greenfield and Higley Roads. It is just to the east of the Gilbert City Library and just west of the Gilbert Water Treatment Plant and one of Gilbert's newer fire stations.