The ‘Why’ of Archaeology vs Selling History. - The Armchair Marcaeologist

The ‘Why’ of Archaeology vs Selling History. - The Armchair Marcaeologist

It is up to us to protect and preserve our shared heritage!

An unusual sight!

In all modesty, I am pretty good at spotting birds, no matter the conditions. 

I drove a friend and his son home from school one day last winter when it actually snowed in Tucson. I am not a fan of snow, not anymore at least. One archaeological season working in northern Arizona during the winter of '76 cured me of loving snow forever.

Here I am on my way back home driving near Lakeside Park in the sleet when a large bird cruises across the road ahead about twenty feet up. Instantly my brain says 'osprey'! Then the unlikely nature of this ID hits me and I'm off in the direction the bird went to get a good look. 

One erratic tour of the neighborhood later I see my quarry perched high on antenna in the middle of one of those acre-sized properties.Ever ready I only had my little phone camera with me so the shot you see above is the best I could get in the sleet. Trust me when I say that I got a good enough look to realize I was right again -- it was an osprey wintering in Tucson near Lakeside Park -- I guess it all made sense. 

I bet he was as pissed off as I was about the snow. We both came to Tucson to get away from such nonsense. 

Hot shot bird!

I do love birds.

So yesterday I'm on my way home and driving down Fifth two blocks from home. It's noon and hot -- we have been threatening to hit record highs all week. The monsoon is lurking around, we got a good drenching the night before.

I'm approaching the bridge over the wash, there are railings on either side made from 2inch in diameter pipes. Just before I get there a variegated streak appears before me. She slips between the bars about three feet off the ground gliding like Death herself searching for unsuspecting doves.

I stopped and watched her continue on down the wash away from her nest in a nearby eucalyptus tree. Her parenting is done for this season so all you male Cooper's beware, she wants no sight of interlopers in her hunting territory.

I got the picture shown above off FB from an Audubon posting. It shows a female Cooper's in mid flight but my sighting yesterday was gliding flat like a knife blade through the air.