Along the Creek in June

Chris and I followed Sabino Creek* from Upper Sabino Canyon, past the dam, to Lower Sabino Canyon. The creek bed was dry except for an occasional shallow pool of water. There is more water at higher elevations. Kevin saw a large bird wading by the 9th bridge yesterday. It was probably a Great Blue Heron.

Instead of the usual babbling brook sounds, we heard birds chirping and cicadas buzzing.

Desert Cicada

Greater Earless Lizards were scampering left and right.

This small pool of water provided relief from the glaring white sand.

This Hooker's Evening Primrose along the creek caught my eye. As the petals age, they change color from yellow to peach.

We found no surface water left in Sabino Lake.

And, no water was spilling over the top of the dam.

But, water was seeping through the dam from the underground stream.

I wondered what kind of plant this was growing in the shade. Some kind of loco melon or a gourd perhaps?

This little guy looked curious. Harris' Antelope Ground Squirrels are similar to chipmunks except that they have no stripes on their faces. They hold their tails curved over their backs for shade like a little parasol.

The skeletal remains of a saguaro cactus stood beside the dry creek. It almost looked like a Wild West scene. Perhaps if a buzzard had perched on it...

Although we could hear lots of birds, we didn't see many. Chris did manage to get this close-up of a roadrunner. If you click to enlarge the photo, you can see the bird's eyelashes.
*Sabino Creek is a perennial canyon stream that can be observed flowing above ground most of the year. But during foresummer, water levels drop to below the surface in some areas. Monsoon rains in July and August will replenish the stream briefly. Then, the creek recedes again during September and October until refilled with fall and winter rainwater.