Mike in the Wild

With temperatures forecasted close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit this week, there's no doubt that spring has arrived in the deserts of Arizona.  Another sure sign of the season's arrival are the palo verde trees' bright yellow blossoms speckling the clear blue skies.  And migrating birds are arriving from points south, with some just passing through the Grand Canyon State and others staying to breed. It's hard to say exactly when this annual ritual begins, but it might start when orioles show up in the southern half of the state like has been happening for almost a month now.  On Easter Sunday, I noticed a black-chinned hummingbird feeding off a fairy duster plant in my Phoenix neighborhood.  He's most likely on his way to the mountains and river valleys in northern Arizona and beyond.   In my own backyard the "who cooks for you" vocalizations of the just-arrived white-winged doves have replaced the softer trills of white-crowned sparrows that have just fl...