Nature notes and other randomness

There were flowers on the big cactus-garden saguaro on Saturday.

As we were coming back from coffee this afternoon, a small raptor of some kind flew out of a tree and up to perch on an overhead cable for a minute, then flew off. I can't identify it; it was a little larger than a pigeon, mostly brownish, with a wide, fanned tail, prominently banded light and dark.

Our travel agent is back from her latest trip, and taking a jaundiced view of the airline industry after having a bad experience on the way home.

I think the olive trees may be putting out pollen again; my allergies seem to be suddenly worse.