Sabino Canyon

Yellow thru the Year

2009-12-06T05:55:00.006-07:00

Greetings from the Sonoran Desert!

For Cactus Monday, Mellow Yellow Monday and Mosaic Monday.

Here are yellow things found at Sabino Canyon through the year:

click photo to enlarge

The pieces of the mosaic are not in chronological order but the key below is arranged by month with picture numbers in brackets.

Jan. - Velvet Ash [1]
Feb. - Brittlebush [4]
Mar. - Creosote bush [10]
Apr. - Prickly Pear blossom [7]
May - Palo Verde tree in bloom [8]
June - Golden Dyssodia [9]
July - Prickly Pear Needles [12]
Aug. - Hooker's Evening Primrose [5]
Sep. - Barrel Cactus blossom [11]
Oct. - Barrel fruit [2]
Nov. - Creosote flower and honeybee [6]
Dec. - Cottonwood trees 2008 [3]

Find newer posts by Diane AZ at Desert Colors.

Clouds at Sunrise

2009-11-19T10:26:00.001-07:00

A few mornings ago, the sky was cloudy as I walked in Sabino Canyon.

Clouds were a welcome change from the clear skies usually seen in this area.

It almost looked as if it could rain.

The creek hasn't flowed since July.

Even the tiny pools of stagnant water have dried up.

No rain, the clouds were just teasing. After all, this is the desert.

Wordless Wednesday - Branching Out

2009-11-18T11:16:00.001-07:00

To see more wordless posts, visit Wordless Wednesday.

Coati - Camera Critter

2009-10-24T07:28:00.005-07:00

Here are pictures of the coati we saw on our walk in Sabino Canyon on Monday. From a distance it looked like a monkey of some sort in the tree. The long tail is used for balancing, but it is non-prehensile.
We did the best we could photographing the animal with the bright sun behind it. We watched it for about a half hour. It seemed comfortable being observed by people standing on the paved road.
White-nosed Coatis belong to the raccoon family. The park ranger said this was probably an adult male because it was large and alone. Female and juvenile coatis are usually found in groups of 4 to 25.
We didn't hear any sounds coming from the coati. But they are known to communicate with chirps, snorts and grunts.

The long, slightly upturned snout is flexible, and can be rotated 60 degrees in any direction. Their ankles can rotate beyond 180 degrees.

It was eating these tiny orange berries from the Netleaf Hackberry tree.
Coatis live in wooded areas from southern Arizona and New Mexico, through Mexico and Costa Rica to Columbia.

Here's a short coati video without sound:

This is my first time participating in the Camera Critters meme for people who love animals. For more pictures of critters, please visit Camera Critters.

October Walk

2009-10-20T19:03:00.004-07:00

Chris and I went for a walk in the canyon yesterday morning as it had just rained the night before.
Because of the rain, the accordion-like pleats of the saguaros had expanded, making the cacti look a little plumper than usual.
The leaves of the cottonwood trees along the creek were just starting to turn golden.

We saw a jack rabbit, a Harris's antelope squirrel and some of the usual birds like this cactus wren.

Even though the rain seemed to have cooled off the heat wave, not many visitors were in the park.
The recent rain wasn't enough for the creek to resume flowing.
We only saw pools of standing water here and there.
We didn't encounter any reptiles in the four hours we were at the canyon.
But there were a lot of these dark orange butterflies.
And, at the first bridge past mile two, there was a surprise up in a tree, that drew a small audience...
A coati! This was the first time Chris or I have seen one at the canyon. Coatis belong to the raccoon family. They're also known as Coatimundis, Brazilian aardvarks, hog-nosed coons, and snookum bears.
I'll put up more pictures of the coati in another post here.

Thimble Peak

2009-10-01T18:26:00.001-07:00

Thimble Peak (on the left) stands between Sabino Canyon and Bear Canyon in the Santa Catalina Mountains. I've noticed that viewed from the track, the space between Thimble Peak and Blackett's Ridge (to its right) echos the inverted shape of Thimble Peak, more or less, depending on where I stand.

The first image is from the sunrise skywatch post on my Desert Colors blog. The second picture was taken twelve hours later. The cloud formation looks like a ghost of Thimble Peak.

I found some more pictures of Thimble Peak that I took earlier this year in various lighting and weather.

I'm fascinated by the colors of Thimble Peak and the negative space next to it. I plan snap a picture each time I go to the track over the next few months and post some of the results.

September Walk

2009-09-27T13:55:00.004-07:00

Chris and I went for a walk in the canyon yesterday morning, the first time in weeks. Here's some of what we found.

It still feels like summer at the canyon.
The barrel cacti just have a few blooms left.
Ocotillo stems are covered with green leaves while the red blooms are long gone.
Teddy bear cholla spines glisten in the sunlight.
The orange sign says "Danger! High Mountain Lion Activity - Enter at your own risk." We've never seen a mountain lion but the rangers say new tracks are found each morning.
Most of the saguaros are bare, but one last fruit remains on this one.
Going over the hill...
The cottonwood leaves are still green.
The creek that flows down the hill from the road has receded to just a few small pools of standing water.
The hills look green even without much rain this monsoon season.
Many grasses have turned straw-colored.
This saguaro looks different from the others with so many arm buds on it.

It was a pretty good sized crowd of people at the canyon considering how hot it still is.

Happy Cactus Monday!

For more cactus themed posts, visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

Cactus Monday

2009-09-21T07:40:00.002-07:00

“I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately...

to front only the essential facts of life,
and see if I could not learn what it had to teach...

I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life...

and not when I had come to die discover that I had not lived.”

~Henry David Thoreau

For more nature inspired cactus posts visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

Nectar Lovers

2009-09-09T07:04:00.000-07:00

These are some of the birds spotted at my backyard feeder. For many weeks the only hummers observed had red bills, probably broad-billed hummingbirds. The first one below has a metal band around his left leg.
Lately we've seen hummers with dark bills, but I'm not sure what species they are.

This one that usually comes to the yard at dusk may be a Rufous. Blurry picture, but I think it's cute how he fans out his tail feathers.
Gila woodpeckers love to sip nectar out of the feeder.
And so do verdins. I love this acrobatic pose.
Only a few flowers are blooming in the yard right now. With bats emptying the hummingbird feeder at night, I try to remember to refill it each morning.

Cactus Monday - Shadows II

2009-08-31T05:31:00.003-07:00

Happy Cactus Monday!

This week I experimented with "catching" shadows of plants on paper. It was fun to see how tilting the paper would change the shape of the shadow and it was challenging to keep myself and the camera out of the picture.
I cropped some of the pictures later:

But for most of these I left at least part of the plant in the picture with its shadow.

The next two cacti are both referred to as "jumping" cholla cactus. It is easy to tell the fuzzy Teddy bear apart from the chainfruit cholla just by the shadows.

This old cholla cactus skeleton looks like a dragon to me:

For a switch, here's the shadow of the paper on the cactus pad:
Naturally, after doing these experiments I kept noticing shadows everywhere. I posted more shadows that I found on my other blog, Desert Color s, if you'd like to take a peek.

To see other Cactus Monday posts, mosey on over the Teri's Painted Daisies. Have a great week. :)

Cactus Monday - Shadows

2009-08-24T09:06:00.001-07:00

One advantage to living in a desert which gets more than 300 days of sunshine per year is that shadows are easy to stumble upon. Incredibly, I hadn't paid much attention to shadows, clouds or even reflections until this year when I started blogging and getting ideas from other blogs. Here are some shadows I've found. This first one is simple and bold:
Sometimes shadows are more animated than the objects that cast them.
My favorite shadow of an old cholla cactus skeleton looks like the head of an animal.
Some shadows are huge, but before blogging I wouldn't have noticed them.
Just for fun, I cropped out the real saguaro cacti and just left their shadows behind the desert spoon plants.
This palm tree was at Reid Park and I was actually trying to focus on a duck. The bird got away, but when I saw the palm shadow in my camera's LCD screen, I decided it was a keeper.
When my son showed me his new flowerpot, I "staged" this shadow shot by propping up the back of the pot until I was pleased with the shape of the shadow on the cement walkway.
And, I looked around for other objects to put in the sunlight, such as a small metal patio table.
I hadn't thought about capturing shadows on a portable surface like blank paper, but that's what Warren of Touch the Wind did in his post called, "purposeful shadows." Now I feel inspired to take some paper along with my camera to Sabino Canyon this week to explore different cactus shadows.

For more Cactus Monday posts, visit Teri's Painted Daisies. Have a great week!

Cactus Monday - Barrels

2009-08-17T06:59:00.011-07:00

Fishhook Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus wislizenii) can live to be 50 to 100 years old.

Blooming in August, flower colors range from yellow

to reddish orange.

Flowers are followed by yellow fruit that resemble little pineapples.

Barrel cacti are usually single, but sometimes when damaged,
they can grow multi-headed.

As barrel cacti grow taller they often lean towards the south.
This is why they are sometimes called "Compass Cactus."

They lean south due to faster growth on the shady side.

Some lean so far that they eventually uproot themselves,

while others stand their ground.

Happy Cactus Monday!

More Cactus Monday posts at Teri's Painted Daisies.

Skywatch Friday - Cloudy Morning

2009-08-13T11:20:00.007-07:00

Sunrise 6:00 AM

6:24 AM

Sabino Canyon Visitor Center 9:28 AM

It rained last night, so Chris and I walked to Sabino Canyon this morning to look for gila monsters and to check out the creek. The weather was cool and humid. We didn't notice any large lizards, but we did see a couple of roadrunners. The creek wasn't flowing and the lake was dry. We could use some more rain. Today's weather forecast says 50% chance of rain. We'll see.

To view more skies from around the world visit Skywatch Friday.

Chainfruit Chollas

2009-08-10T07:24:00.002-07:00

Chainfruit Cholla Opuntia fulgida

This cactus gets its name from the long hanging chains of fruit formed when flowers grow on the previous year's fruit. Chains can be up to two feet long.

At Sabino Canyon, chainfruit chollas are found in the lower bajada areas along with prickly pear cacti. Cactus wrens, zebra-tailed lizards and desert cottontails are easily observed in this habitat.

These cacti grow in a tree-like fashion, averaging about six feet tall, often in little forests of clones.

At the school

The Spanish names are velas de coyote (coyote's candle) and brincadora (jumper).

Chainfruits bloom from May to August. I posted a sketch of some chainfruit blossoms on my Desert Colors blog for Cactus Monday.

Skywatch Friday - Sunset

2009-08-06T12:19:00.007-07:00

Greetings from Tucson, Arizona! Here are some of the pictures from our walk in Sabino Canyon Tuesday evening from 7:10pm to 7:44 pm. Later that night we had a good rain first time in about a month.

For more sky pictures from around the world, visit Skywatch Friday.

Cactus Monday - Hugs

2009-08-02T09:33:00.001-07:00

Have you hugged your cactus today?

Mesquite Hug

Palo Verde Hug

Purple Cholla Hug

Group Hug

Happy Cactus Monday!

For more cactus fun, visit Teri's Painted Daisies

USMC at the Canyon

2009-08-01T17:53:00.001-07:00

Today we saw a group of US Marine Corps Reservists finishing a 7.4 mile hike in Sabino Canyon. Notice how they're dressed...in the middle of summer...in the desert! That's what I call intensive training.

Hawks

2009-07-27T12:01:00.001-07:00

This hawk visited our backyard briefly yesterday. The bird looked like it was trying to keep cool by panting and holding its wings away from its body. Air temperature was about 100 degrees. The blue bungee cord hanging from the mesquite tree branch holds our hummingbird feeder. All of the small backyard birds managed to fly out of the yard safely this time.
But last March, when a hawk flew in the yard, a frightened mourning dove crashed into the glass door and fell to the patio floor. My son tried to help the dove but its neck seemed broken. So, he put the bird out onto the lawn and just a minute later, the hawk took it away. After all, hawks do have to eat.
The next picture is kind of sad, but hopefully, not too gross. This was the mark left on the window where the dove collided with the glass. It was just below where we had stuck a bunch of post-it notes to the glass to help prevent birds from flying into to it. The cardboard was just there to make the bird shape easier to see. The distance between wingtips measured ten inches.
I observed the following hawk at Sabino Canyon in January. I don't see hawks very often and they're pretty hard to identify. I think the first two are immature Cooper's hawks and the one in the bottom picture is an adult Cooper's. Perhaps some birders can let me know what they are if they're not Cooper's hawks.

Urban Wildlife

2009-07-21T08:38:00.017-07:00

These are some of the animals I've noticed here and there around Tucson.

Early one morning I saw this Javelina in a driveway,

and two more by the mailboxes.

This colorful bird might be a Western Kingbird.

The Zebra-tailed lizard stopped to wave its black and white tail. It is said that they slowly wave their tails to hypnotize predators before running away.
A big Sonoran Desert toad lounged on the grass field in the center of the track while joggers ran laps around him.

Mockingbirds often perch on this stop sign at the elementary school.

This round-tailed ground squirrel found a place to hide by the shed.

It looked like some type of courtship display was going on. A white-winged dove kept striking this pose over and over.
A bird at the pond at Reid Park looked like it was wearing a hat.

I don't know what kind of birds these are or if that growth is normal.

Here's a Black-crowned Night Heron at Reid Park.

The park is right next to Reid Park Zoo. We once saw a night heron by the flamingos at the zoo.
Zoo admission will be free on August 20th, 2009 in honor of Tucson’s 234th birthday.

Cactus Monday - Desert Colors

2009-07-20T09:15:00.003-07:00

Hi there! This week, I'm doing my Cactus Monday post here on my new Desert Colors blog. I started Desert Colors as a place to put my creative experiments and posts about art.

Reaching Out - Faux Oil Painting in Photoshop

Backyard Critters

2009-07-15T06:00:00.011-07:00

Here are some of the creatures I've seen around our house this month. Some of these small wonders live here all the time while others are just passing through.

Desert Tortoise
House Finch trying to keep cool on the Feather Bush (Lysiloma watsonii)

Sonoran Desert Toad by the dryer vent

Praying Mantis, Desert Tarantula, Wolf Spider, Bark Scorpion

Desert Kingsnake near the water faucet

Lesser Goldfinches brightening up the backyard on a cloudy day

Baby Couch's Spadefoot

Box turtle emerging from the compost pile

Desert Spiny Lizard

Canyon Treefrog

Roadrunner

Old Cat Billy ready for his nap

Broad-billed Hummingbird in the rain at dusk

I never know what I'll find, so I try to watch where I step and keep the camera ready.

Cactus Monday - Around the Visitor Center

2009-07-13T08:42:00.002-07:00

This time of year, Gambel's Quail are common fixtures around the prickly pears outside the visitor center.
Inside the courtyard, Cactus Wren's nests in cholla cacti have been active for the past couple of months. The parents have already raised several broods this year.
Through this opening, I like to peek at what's happening out in the desert east of the courtyard. Often lizards, rabbits or Cardinals are looking for things to eat.
The image below has been Photoshopped. I found that the reflections of the cacti show up better with a watercolor filter and sandstone texture applied.

Behind the visitor center, a puddle of rainwater reflects part of a saguaro. Most of the saguaro flowers and fruit have dried up or been eaten by birds.
The barrel cacti are starting to bloom. Happy Cactus Monday!
Visit more cactus posts via Teri's Painted Daisies.

Monsoon Season

2009-07-09T04:37:00.018-07:00

Monsoon Season is one of my favorites times of year at Sabino Canyon. The creek resumes flowing, animals are more active, plants look lush, and colors are brighter under the cloud cover. As you might guess, the weather is hot and humid, but the canyon beckons me, so I go. These are some of the highlights from walks near the creek in June and July after the rains.

Sabino Dam

Sabino Creek - Lower Sabino Canyon

Cloak Fern on Sabino Lake Trail

Desert Spiny Lizard and Lichens on rocks - Lower Sabino Canyon

Just days ago, Sabino Lake was dry and Chris and I were walking in it.

Mallard in Sabino Lake

Canyon Treefrog by Sabino Creek

Sabino Creek by Bluff Trail

Sonoran Coral Snake - Upper Sabino Canyon

Clark's Spiny Lizard - Upper Sabino Canyon

Western Patch-nosed Snake - Upper Sabino Canyon

Black-throated Sparrow - Upper Sabino Canyon

Sonoran Desert Toad in a creek pool - Upper Sabino Canyon

With the summer storms comes unreliable internet service to this area. We couldn't go online for 15 hours yesterday. Now that it's working, I can catch up on my blog reading. I do enjoy seeing what's happening in the blogosphere community. Have a great day!

Cactus Monday - Purple

2009-07-06T09:00:00.003-07:00

In art, purple is found on the color wheel between magenta and violet. In nature, some plants and flowers are purple, as is amethyst and sometimes mountains and sunsets. My favorite t-shirt happens to be light purple and so are the metal frames of my glasses. For today's Cactus Monday challenge I looked for images that have the color purple as well as something that relates to cactus.

Purple Prickly Pear on Sabino Canyon Nature Loop Trail (March)

New Mexico Thistle on Sabino Lake Trail (March)

Cholla cacti near Visitor Center (April)

Where is the purple in the picture of people boarding a tram?

Looking closer, it appears to be a purple themed wedding at Sabino Canyon. I see a purple bouquet and purple shirts.

(July 4, 2009)

Arizona Vanity License Plates

Purple Saguaro Bus Bench on Sabino Canyon Road

Details in ceramic tile of public artwork at
Tucson Intl Airport and University of Arizona

Purple Peppers in Mitchell Park Desert Dome (June)

Upper Sabino Canyon Road evening and morning (June)

Several of Van Gogh's paintings featured purple irises. And, in the third version of his Bedroom in Arles, he painted the walls pale purple to make the room look bigger and to "give an atmosphere of quiet and dreaming."

Leonardo da Vinci believed that the power of meditation increases ten times when done in a purple light, as in the purple light of stained glass.

Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple said, "I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it."

For more fun Cactus Monday posts, visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

Another purple post: This week at Reach Beyond Limits, Icy BC features purple flowers found growing in her yard.

More vanity license plates at The Vanity Of It All.

Cactus Monday - Desert Dome

2009-06-30T05:50:00.011-07:00

Hi there. I'm a little late for Cactus Monday this week. Chris and I were visiting family in Wisconsin for a few days. While we were exploring Milwaukee, we went inside Mitchell Park Conservatory, also known as "The Domes."
The three beehive-shaped glasshouses are The Arid Dome, The Tropical Dome and the Floral Show Dome. The Arid Dome features cacti from North and South America as well as Africa.
It was hot, bright and sunny inside the Desert Dome. Strolling along the paths felt similar to walking around at home in the Sonoran Desert. Perhaps all that was missing were cactus wren songs, buzzing cicadas and glimpses of lizards darting here and there.

I hope everyone is having a happy Cactus Week. We were without internet on our trip, so it'll probably take me a few days to catch up on visiting all your great blogs.

For more Cactus Monday posts, visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

Along the Creek in June

2009-06-24T13:30:00.002-07:00

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.

Cactus Monday - Pink

2009-06-22T10:40:00.005-07:00

Each of these pictures features something pink. And, since this is for Cactus Monday, you will find some sort of succulents as well.

Pincushion Cactus at Sabino Canyon ( June)

Prickly Pear on Sunrise Drive (March), Aloe in our yard (April)
Hedgehog Cactus (April), Chainfruit Cholla at Sabino (June)

left: Prickly Pear fruit ripening at Sabino Canyon (June)
right: my neighbor's Red Yucca blooming (June)

Tucson, Arizona Summer 1994

Christmas Cactus (January)

Do the rabbit's ears qualify for something pink?

The range of hues that can be considered pink is wide and includes some corals as well as magenta. Here is Wikipedia's Shades of Pink link.

If you like prickly plants or art, check out Cactus Monday posts at Teri's Painted Daisies. Happy Cactus Monday!

Cycling at the Canyon

2009-06-18T07:40:00.003-07:00

I'm not sure why I don't own a bike. Perhaps I enjoy the simplicity and slow pace of walking so much that it just hasn't occurred to me to get a bike yet. I sure do enjoy watching cyclists though, and find it similar to observing wildlife in nature.

People of all ages and walks of life ride bikes in harmony with the desert, each other and pedestrians.
Like wildlife, cyclists sometimes travel in packs. There is a collective name for a bunch of cyclists. A 'peloton' from a French term means "rolled up in a ball."

This sign offers a reminder:

The nine bridges are just wide enough for the trams which might be why bikes and shuttles run at different times.*

Here comes another group, quietly coasting along, effortlessly in single file.

The line of cyclists gracefully follows the curves of the path. Bike parts glimmer in the sunlight like reptile scales. I love it.

The riders' athletic abilities, the colors and patterns of their clothing and bicycles all fascinate me. As with birds, I try to capture their shapes, colors and movements with my camera.
After riding in Sabino Canyon, many people load their bikes onto their own vehicles. Resorts and tour companies like this one also organize cycling trips.
And, many locals just keep on riding, right out of the recreation area. I wholeheartedly embrace the idea of people commuting to work, school or errands by bike rather than car when possible, or just cycling for fun or fitness.
It shouldn't surprise me anymore when I go to the canyon to observe plants and animals and I find myself watching people with great interest. After all, people are a part of nature.

*Current cycling hours at Sabino Canyon Recreation Area: Bicycles are allowed on the paved roads before 9:00AM and after 5:00PM. No bikes are permitted on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Cactus Monday - More Saguaro Fruit

2009-06-15T05:58:00.014-07:00

In the summertime, walks in the desert are most enjoyable early morning or in the evening. Chris and I looked at Sabino Canyon after sundown to see if any bats were feeding on saguaro fruit. The only bats we saw were little brown bats, the common little insect eaters that come out at dusk. Sorry, we didn't get any photos of bats, just the fruit.
But if you like bats, you might enjoy this short 21 second National Geographic video of a fruit bat eating from a saguaro. Click here for video.

Sometimes I bring my camera early in the morning when I go to the nearby track. I like to watch for birds in the natural desert vegetation that surrounds the school. There are no birds in the photo below, but I like how you can see the moon above the building.
There's a hummingbird feeding on the saguaro fruit in the photo below. Hummers in the wild are usually too fast for me to catch in a picture.
One of these house finches is orange colored. The hue looks slightly different from the orange house finch that visits our backyard feeder.
This cute little yellow headed bird is a verdin. It's not much bigger than a hummingbird. Verdins are abundant at the canyon, but they are usually camera shy, preferring to keep hidden among mesquite branches.
I'm not sure what this plain colored bird is that's eating the saguaro fruit. I'm guessing it's a juvenile verdin.
And here's the same bird holding onto the leaf of a desert spoon plant (sotol). Birders, please let me know if this is not a verdin.

Happy Cactus Monday!

For more cactus fun, head on over to Teri's Painted Daisies.

Cute Ground Squirrels

2009-06-10T13:55:00.003-07:00

Here are some of the round-tailed ground squirrels observed at Sabino Canyon over the last two months.

I hope you enjoy looking at the pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them.

"Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of
compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of
nature and its beauty."
~Albert Einstein

Saguaro Fruit Ripen

2009-06-08T07:26:00.006-07:00

Happy Cactus Monday!

Many of the saguaro flowers have dried and ripe fruit are starting to split open revealing their red color.

A few white blossoms are still lingering on some cacti. Here's the crested saguaro on the Nature Loop trail.

Open saguaro fruit resemble red flowers:

The air smells sweet and various birds feast on the fruit all day long.

White-winged Dove

Gila Woodpecker

House Finches

House Sparrows

Traditionally, the fruit is picked off the tops of the cacti with long poles made of saguaro ribs.

Image by David Bygott (Kibuyu)

After the fruit is boiled for syrup, the seeds and pulp are spread out to dry in the sun.

Image by Calc-tufa

Each fruit has about 2000 tiny black poppy like seeds inside. Some say saguaro fruit tastes like figs with a hint of strawberry flavor. Saguaro fruit were once an important food source for the Tohono O'odham (Papago) Native Americans. Now they're mostly enjoyed by birds and bats. Chris and I plan to visit the canyon in the evening to see if we can observe bats feeding on the saguaro fruits.

For more Cactus Monday posts, visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

Seeing Orange

2009-06-03T18:45:00.002-07:00

An orange bird has been visiting our backyard lately. It looks like a typical house finch except his feathers are orange where a house finch's are usually red. I learned that orange is a color variation in house finches and yellow is too. This is the first male house finch I've observed with any color besides red in the 15 years I've lived in Tucson.

Seeing the orange house finch made me realize that besides him and an occasional oriole, orange colored birds aren't very common around here.
However, looking through my pictures, I noticed an abundance of the color orange in other forms. Just for fun, here are some orange or almost-orange subjects:

Animals

neighbor's dog, pet box turtle, horse at Sabino Canyon, our cat Billy

Plants

barrel cactus, red bird of paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)
globe mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), prickly pear cactus buds

Elements

Blackett's Ridge Sabino Canyon, a neighbor's clay roof, Sabino Creek, Sabino sunset

I hadn't thought about the color orange much until that little bird appeared. Now it seems as if I'm seeing orange everywhere!

Sunrise Drive at Sabino Canyon Road

"There is no blue without yellow and without orange."
~ Vincent Van Gogh

Along Sunrise Drive

2009-06-01T05:46:00.022-07:00

Today's Cactus Monday post features some of the public art on Sunrise Drive between Swan Road and Craycroft Road. The sculptures and wall plaques are part of a road widening project completed a couple of years ago. The plan is to continue the road improvements all the way east to Sabino Canyon Road.
All of the steel and ceramic agave plants by Santa Theresa Tileworks are unique. The succulents are in various stages of bloom and the yellow and blue sunrise design tiles are all different.
A cell tower saguaro sits on a hill along Sunrise Drive. It's hard to tell that the rocky canyon wall below and blooming agave are also simulated.
This blooming agave sculpture is about twenty feet tall. It looks as if it just sprouted up among the natural gray Agave americanas.
The ceramic blossoms are a bright greenish yellow color. They resemble the natural ones I saw in bloom at Sabino Canyon the other day.

Each post on this wall is adorned with an agave silhouette plaque.
The plaques look similar but each one is a little different than the others.
It looks as though this rusted rebar ocotillo just sprung out of the cliff wall pocket.
I thought the green saguaro on this cyclist's shirt fitted in with the Cactus Monday theme, so I couldn't resist including it here.
And finally, here's a real live saguaro by Sunrise Drive Elementary School. A Gila woodpecker was busy investigating the holes.
The road work and art installations are so in harmony with the natural desert, that I hadn't paid much attention to them before. But since walking along Sunrise Drive, and taking these pictures, I've been noticing and appreciating art along other roads in the area.

Thanks to Teri's Cactus Monday flickr group, I've been discovering cactus everywhere. Yes, I do happen to live in "cactus country" but it's easy to take things for granted that you're surrounded by.

For more Cactus Monday posts, mosey on over to Teri's Painted Daisies.

New: I recently learned about a blog called Touch the wind... Warren finds all sorts of interesting subjects around Tucson and beyond, and his photos are fantastic. Check out his blog here.

Desert Spiny Lizards

2009-05-29T06:08:00.013-07:00

Sabino Canyon is crawling with reptiles this time of year. One of my favorites is the colorful and smart looking Desert Spiny Lizard. They are often lounging out in the open, soaking up the sun. Even though spiny lizards are rather large, they blend in and aren't easily noticed.

They can change their coloring to match the weather: dark for cool temperatures and lighter coloring to reflect the hot afternoon sun:
Sorry about the blurry photo below. I wanted to catch this male in action, showing off his expanded throat dewlap and blue belly patches as he was doing push-ups. Lizards do push-ups mainly to display strength. I found a very short YouTube clip of a lizard doing push-ups. It looks like it's on our backyard wall, but it's someone else's.
Here is a pair of male and female spiny lizards. The head of the female sometimes turns orange during breeding season, like this one:
Besides basking on top of rocks, these lizards also like to hang out on walls and tree trunks, with head pointing towards the ground, ready to seek shelter.
Like most lizards, Desert Spinies are peaceful creatures, harmless to humans unless picked up. I like having lizards around the yard. Besides being fun to watch, they eat insects that are considered pests.

Cactus Monday - More Bloomin' Saguaros

2009-05-25T05:11:00.015-07:00

Chris and I went to Sabino Canyon on Friday to enjoy the strange rainy May weather. We only meant to be there a little while, but as usual, the canyon drew us in, and we stayed for hours.

Chris took most of these pictures. I had used up my camera batteries on reptiles and round-tailed ground squirrels. Perhaps you'll see some of those small wonders on future blog posts.
In the above photo, I like how Chris included the edge of the saguaro in the foreground and the brooding sky in the background.
Near the creek, we watched this rock squirrel gorging on saguaro blossoms briefly. Then, it scampered away with full cheeks.
I played around with the photo below making it all black and white except for the cactus. The Palo Verde tree in the background was nearly the same green color as the saguaro buds that I wanted to show off.

Follow up: Here's the same saguaro four days later with some blossoms open. For about a month, a few buds bloom each night. Each flower lasts until midday then closes forever.

In June, the saguaro blossoms finish up and fruit will set. Then, the red ripe fruit splits open, resembling flowers. I guess I have it made here with the cactus photo opportunities.

Find more Cactus Monday posts at Teri's Painted Daisies.

Skywatch - Welcoming Weird Weather

2009-05-21T14:46:00.006-07:00

May is typically hot and dry in Tucson. We had some clear triple digit days this week, but then the air cooled, and it's been raining on and off. Like most sky watchers, I find it fascinating to observe clouds as they come and go. The desert smells so good when it rains and all the plants look happy. For sure, a little unexpected moisture is welcome here.

To see what's been happening in the sky in other places, visit Skywatch Friday.

Cell Tower Cacti

2009-05-18T05:07:00.012-07:00

Happy Cactus Monday

Huge fake saguaros have been springing up in the foothills. Not at Sabino Canyon, but along roads. They are cell phone towers disguised as cacti to blend in with the natural desert scenery.

In the photo below, the old telephone poles and wires are more noticeable than the saguaro cell tower (in the middle of the image).

I followed progress on this cell tower camouflage on Sunrise Drive for about a month. Now the structure looks more like part of the Sonoran Desert landscape.
This morning a deer walked right past the cactus impostor without giving it a second glance.
After observing construction on one stealth cell tower, I noticed a couple more phony saguaros nearby, complete with simulated woodpecker nest holes.
For comparison, below are some real saguaros at Sabino Canyon. Granted, the fake cacti do look slightly different from authentic saguaros. But I think the artificial ones succeed in making the cell towers look less obtrusive.
Here are some examples of cell towers camouflaged as trees. Perhaps you've discovered some cell towers in your area cloaked as palm trees, windmills or clock towers. Some disguises can be quite creative.

For more cactus posts, visit Cactus Monday at Teri's Painted Daisies.

Skywatch Friday - Sonoran Desert Skies

2009-05-14T05:53:00.016-07:00

Here is a variety of sky shots from around my area. Thanks to Skywatch Friday, for reminding me to look at and enjoy the sky more often.

Visit Skywatch Friday to view other skies from around the world.

Change is the Only Constant

2009-05-13T05:10:00.023-07:00

"You cannot step into the same river twice." - Heraclitus

We like stepping out to enjoy fresh air and sunshine often. Although we almost always go to the same general location, it looks different depending on time of day, weather and season.

On Saturday, four of us strolled over to Sabino Canyon. As we walked through the parking lot at the recreation area, we noticed relatively few cars, probably because of the hot dry weather.

We followed the paved road to the first bridge where there have been recent sightings of coatis. Coatis are raccoon-like mammals but with longer noses and tails. We didn't observe any this time. In fact, we usually don't find what we're checking for, but are satisfied with whatever what we do see.

It's about 1.5 miles from the parking lot to the first bridge. At 9:00 AM there was little shade left. Just last month we could find more shade here at noon.

Sabino Creek is still flowing but the water level that we can see above ground will continue to decrease until Monsoon season in July.
Kevin noticed this lizard basking on a rock. This was exciting for me because I had not seen one like this before. The lack of black side bars had me confused.

Greater Earless Lizard Thanks, Max!

In case you're wondering, why the water is a golden tea color, it's from traveling through pine and oak forests of Mt. Lemmon before reaching Sabino Canyon.

These little fish swimming in the creek might have been Gila Chubs, the only native fish left in this stream. I don't know much about fish, but I understand that sometimes invasive fish species are also found in this stream.
Trams run every half hour. The cost is now $8.00 for an all-day ticket to ride to the top of the canyon, 3.8 miles. On the way back, visitors can disembark and get back on on the shuttle at any of the nine stops. We're pretty frugal, so we haven't bought tickets since years ago, when the price was only $4.00. But the narrated tour is a great introduction to the canyon and is highly recommended for newcomers.
This bridge is commonly referred to as the first bridge. Sabino Canyon has many bridges and as far as we've gathered, they are not numbered or named. Apparently, they are known in relation to the tram stops, which are numbered. This is the first of nine bridges past tram stop one. Sometime it might be fun to take pictures of the bridges and assign names to them.

Names would make it easier to talk about the canyon. For example, when Kevin runs in the canyon, he often sees coatis at the second bridge past mile two, or is it the forth or fifth bridge past tram stop one? We just randomly named it Vernors Bridge after a brand of ginger ale. But, I digress. Back to the first bridge.
As the weather heats up and the water recedes, it's interesting to frequent the same areas of the creek, when familiar boulders are less submerged underwater. And of course, in hot weather it's hard to resist stepping into the cool water. And thankfully, wading is permitted here.

We lingered by the first bridge for a while. But as the air temperature rose, and the levels in our water bottles decreased, we headed back towards home. This is the last hill to climb. I remember the very first time I trudged up that hill, it felt so steep, and I could barely catch my breath. Now it seems like a breeze, and it's all downhill from there.
As noted by Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, no one ever steps in the same river twice, because it's not the same river and we are always changing. Maybe this is why I resonate with the concept of Travelin' Local. Lisa Newton's blog features stories about how she and others "travel local" and find things that are fascinating about the areas where they live.

Are there places in your area that you like to visit, even though you've been many times before, just to see what's new or changed since last time? Or maybe there are some local spots that you haven't looked into yet or not for a long time. You might be pleasantly surprised by what's in your own backyard, so to speak.

Birds on Saguaros

2009-05-11T04:33:00.013-07:00

Happy Cactus Monday

Greetings from Tucson, Arizona! Here is Arizona's state bird (Cactus Wren) on the state flower (Saguaro Blossom). Birds are active at Sabino Canyon this month. Some of the saguaros are blooming and the pollen and nectar are attracting many bird species, especially White-winged Doves.

White-winged Dove on Saguaro

Gila Woodpecker, Northern Mockingbird, Gila Woodpecker,
Cactus Wren, Curve-billed Thrasher, White-winged Dove

Cactus Wren on Saguaro in Sepia Tone

For more Cactus Monday fun visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

Peaceful Perchers

2009-05-07T06:00:00.001-07:00

Doves and pigeons are found almost everywhere on Earth and for thousands of years have been symbols of peace, love and tranquility. They belong to the Columbidae family and are related to the extinct Dodo.

Mourning Doves Zenaida macroura are common backyard birds. Their gentle "coo-ah, coo-coo-coo" call is familiar to most North Americans. Doves are not picky eaters and can be attracted by most any type of bird seed in standard feeders or on the ground. They also eat weed seeds from the garden which makes them nice to have around.

Mourning doves visit our backyard year round and some of them have metal bands around their ankles. I don't why they're banded. Perhaps they are part of a research project.
This pair of doves looked cozy together on top the block wall. After preening each other feathers they retreated up to the neighbor's lemon tree.
For the next few days, the male dove would walk around our yard looking for suitable twigs or pine needles to take up and offer to the female at the nest building site in the lemon tree.
Considering that doves have a reputation for building flimsy nests, it was surprising how much time and care the dove took to select each particular item to add to the nest. After meticulously searching for a suitable stick, he would bring it up to the top of the 10 foot tall wall.
Then after a minute or so for a final inspection, he would at last carry the stick up to the nest. He followed that routine over and over again for several hours each day.
After three days of intense nest building, the pair rested on top of the wall. That was three weeks ago, and since then, no more dove activity has been observed near the lemon tree. I can't see into the nest from my yard, so I don't know if they are using it.

"And there my little doves did sit.
With feathers softly brown,
And glittering eyes that showed their right
To general Nature's deep delight."
-Elizabeth Barrett Browning

We also have White-winged Doves Zenaida asiatica mearnsii in our yard. They arrived here in April after wintering somewhere south of the U.S. - Mexico border. They are fun to watch and their cooing sounds like "who cooks for you" and "hoo hoo hoo."
Just like the Mourning Doves, the White-wings visit gardens and eat seeds from the ground or from the bird feeder. They will be around Tucson until September when they head south again for the winter.White-winged Doves are very active at Sabino Canyon right now because the saguaro cacti are blooming and the doves like the nectar. They help pollinate the flowers and will enjoy eating the saguaro fruit that ripen next month.
Apparently Tucson artist, Ted DeGrazia, appreciated these types of birds. His painting, La Paloma, is part of the 100 Years, 100 Works retrospective at his Gallery in the sun.
In the courtyard of DeGrazia's Gallery of the Sun, a Mourning Dove peacefully enjoyed the morning sunlight.
And, just outside the gallery, a White-winged Dove perched high up on a dried agave blossom, watched over DeGrazia's grave site.
Here's a Rock Dove (aka Pigeon) on the steps of the Architecture building at the University of Arizona near downtown Tucson, Arizona. Pigeons are common in urban areas around the world and many people find them appealing. Artists Matisse, Monet, and Picasso all loved pigeons. Picasso even named his daughter Paloma, which is Spanish for pigeon.

Rock Dove Columba livia

What types of Pigeons or Doves do you see in your area?

Cactus Monday - Crested Saguaros

2009-05-04T06:22:00.014-07:00

Sometimes cacti or other plants display a quirky growth pattern called cresting or fasciation. Some possible causes include genetic mutation, lightening strike, freeze damage, insect attack and bacterial infection, but scientist don't agree on the reason. Cresting is rare in saguaros, and
usually begins at the top when the plant is several feet tall. Instead of growing in the typical way, the cactus fans out into undulating folds and ribbons.

Here are some of the crested saguaros (Cereus giganteus f. cristate) we've observed around Tucson, Arizona:

Sabino Canyon, Nature Loop Trail - March 2009

Lower Sabino Canyon, near the dam - Jan. 2009

Bear Canyon - February 2008

Tohono Chul Park - March 2009

University of Arizona - April 2009

Near Skyline Drive and Pontatoc Road - July 1994

Check out this cool sketch of a crested saguaro Teri posted for Cactus Monday in February.

For this week's Cactus Monday posts, visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

Backyard Goldfinches

2009-04-29T05:36:00.013-07:00

When we first moved to Tucson, we didn't see many goldfinches in our yard. But as soon as we put a fountain in the garden, goldfinches visited more often. Here's our homemade fountain that I put together years ago from an article in Sunset Magazine. At first we had the fountain in the front yard, but javelinas kept knocking it over at night. So now it safely sits on our patio in our wall-enclosed backyard.
When two finches are on the fountain at once, they seem to take turns getting a drink or bathing while the other one waits.

After getting wet in the fountain, the birds perch in the mesquite tree to dry off, and perhaps grab a snack.
Then, they visit the feeder. I recently hung this thistle sock feeder in the backyard and finches started using it right away. We enjoy hearing their "chee" sounds throughout the day.

Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria

Cactus Monday - Sonoran Desert Art

2009-04-27T05:51:00.012-07:00

Today for Cactus Monday, I'd like to share some of the artwork at Sabino Canyon. Dozens of handpainted mosaic-styled tiles grace the ramadas at the entrance of the canyon. They are whimsically decorated with all sorts of Sonoran Desert cacti and critters that can be found in the recreation area, as well as the names of Sabino Canyon donors.
Here is a random sampling of the ceramic tiles. Perhaps it might be fun someday to make a freehand cut paper collage with playful shapes and colors like these. They sort of remind me of paper cutouts by Henri Matisse. Click picture to enlarge.
When I was taking pictures on Saturday morning, a cactus wren was making noise just outside the ramada. There has been a lot of cactus wren activity lately around the nests in the cholla cactus by the visitor center.
The staghorn cacti with reddish flowers were blooming here and there.
A little pincushion cactus was blooming under a bush, next to the entrance to some animal's burrow.
Here's a Gila monster sketch from my youngest son, Brian's, sketchbook. He's a first year architecture student at the UofA and likes to draw and paint in his spare time.
For more Cactus Monday posts, visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

Gila Monster

2009-04-22T16:46:00.004-07:00

Gila monster sightings are rare. One reason is because these huge lizards spend up to 98% of their time below ground. But urban sprawl has also affected their numbers. They are listed as near threatened and are protected by state laws in Arizona and Nevada.

I have observed Gila monsters only four times in Tucson over the past 15 years. The last time was at Sabino Canyon in July 2008 while it was raining.

My son and I were delighted to see this Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum) the other morning just outside of DeGrazia's Gallery in the Sun. It was about a foot and a half long.

Most Gila monsters are camera shy. The creature did move away from us at first, swinging its head from side to side as it lumbered along. We only briefly saw its black forked tongue.

But then it apparently settled into a comfort zone in the shade where it stayed for at least an hour.
Gila monsters are the largest lizards in the US, and one of only two known venomous lizards in the world. Their venom is as toxic as that of rattlesnakes, but in such small amounts to rarely be fatal to humans. The bite does hurt though, because the lizard clamps on and chews the venom into the victim. If harassed, Gila monsters will gape and hiss before striking. Here's a sound clip of a hissing Gila monster from the Desert Museum.
Since they are slow moving, Gila monsters mostly eat helpless prey such as bird and reptile eggs or newborn rodents. They store fat in their tails and only need to eat five to ten times per year. Females lay eggs in the summer and the eggs incubate over the winter until the next year. Hatchlings are venomous and can bite.
There have been many legends regarding Gila monsters, for example that their breath can kill a man. But there actually is a drug for type 2 diabetes made from a synthetic form of a protein derived from Gila monster saliva.
Gila monster scales appear in shades of either pink, orange or yellow combined with black into intricate patterns. The designs remind me of Native American art.
The beadlike scales are bony plates called osteoderms. Gila monsters are regarded as living fossils as osteoderms of that species from the Pleistocene period have been found. Check out the bumps on the skull pictured below:
Even though they are found in the desert, Gila monsters don't seem to care for arid weather. That might be why they mostly stay underground. They have been observed swimming and wading in the creek and a neighbor reported finding one alive in a swimming pool.
We shared this Sonoran Desert treasure with some other visitors at the gallery and a hummingbird seemed curious about the Gila monster as well. I doubt that I will ever have another opportunity to capture both a hummer and a monster in the same picture. But nature is full of surprises! No matter where in the world one lives, there are all sorts of natural wonders to discover, often just outside the door.

Cactus Monday - DeGrazia

2009-04-20T04:52:00.020-07:00

I recently visited a place that would delight any art, cactus or nature lover. DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun is nestled in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, north of Tucson, Arizona, on Swan Road near Skyline Drive.

My family discovered the gallery shortly after we moved from Southern California to the area in 1994. For several months, we rented a house within walking distance of DeGrazia's place.

Ted DeGrazia (6/14/09 - 7/1/82) was an American impressionistic artist. He had a unique style and worked in many different media including oil paints, watercolors, lithographs, ceramics, and metals. He also designed his own gallery.

Construction of the gallery began with the open air Mission in the Sun in 1951. The Gallery in the Sun was completed in 1965.

The entrance to the gallery is through heavy iron mine-shaft doors, decorated with saguaro cacti and suns, embedded with colored glass marbles.

The inside of the gallery has a comfortable earthy feel to it. DeGrazia used natural materials from the surrounding desert for the adobe walls, cholla cactus floor tiles, rock floors, and saguaro cactus rib doors and trim.
DeGrazia said, "I wanted to build the museum so that my paintings would feel good inside it. "

Saguaro Dancers

The gallery has many rooms, each with a different theme. One can easily sense how nature and native people inspired and influenced him. He said, "As I paint I feel a magic goes into some paintings. I don't talk about it, because people may not understand. But I really feel the magic."

Some of the natural building materials:

Cholla cactus floor tiles, straw and adobe walls, adobe bricks, prickly pear cactus skeletons

The back courtyard is whimsically decorated with all sorts of cacti and surprises at every turn. Musical instruments, cookware, tools, and quirky pottery are among the treasures adorning the garden.

Pathways meander through cactus,

around the fountain, over little bridges,

revealing the playful spirit of the artist. Those are shovels sticking up out of the ground behind the aloes.
The entire property, inside and out, is embellished with cactus in many forms. Cacti and succulents are everywhere one looks.
Here, outside the gallery entrance, is a dried cholla cactus candelabrum. To the right, some of the two dozen potted purple prickly pears.
DeGrazia was a prolific artist. The gallery rotates his collection of over 15,000 pieces of artwork. Admission is free and the gift shop still sells notecards for only $1.

On this visit there was a surprise outside the gallery, on the ground next to the base of this saguaro cactus...something I don't see everyday. It doesn't show up in this picture because it's well camouflaged. Click here to see what we found.

To see more Cactus Monday posts, visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

Skywatch Friday - Clouds

2009-04-16T06:14:00.008-07:00

These are some of my favorite cloud images from the past week. As we were getting ready for a late afternoon walk, Chris noticed these clouds pointing to our rooftop.
It's fun when clouds appear to be relating to a scene. The clouds in the image below seemed to be echoing the mountain and botanical shapes of the desert.
Chris said it looked as if the clouds were showing sounds coming from the bird atop the cactus, reminiscent of Snoopy's friend, Woodstock speaking.
This one looked to me like an owl flying out of Sabino Canyon.
And at dusk, walking towards the visitor center, I imagined a giant crab reaching out from the valley below.

For more sky images from around the world visit Skywatch Friday.

Cactus Monday - Warholized

2009-04-13T08:05:00.022-07:00

After weeks of warm, sunshiny weather and lots of visitors and activity at the recreation area, Sabino Canyon became cold, dreary and quiet.

On Tuesday, I saw something unusual. A rat came running out from under some dead prickly pear cactus and bit this innocent looking rabbit. The cottontail looked surprised and jumped in the air, which seemed to alarm the rat, who also leaped high before returning to its den. I don't know what that commotion was all about.
On Thursday, we saw a group of deer eating leaves from shrubs. It was the first time we observed them since March. In the picture, this deer looks like it was eating the cactus. It wasn't, but it did have cactus needles stuck in its face and ears. Some of the deer looked like they had encountered things other than cacti.
On Friday it was windy and dusty. And on Saturday it rained. Birds were avoiding my feeder, and a tortoise came out of its hiding place in our backyard to get a drink of rainwater from a puddle.
While it was raining, I didn't go outside with my camera. Instead, I looked on my computer and found a Staghorn cholla blossom image from earlier in the week...
and turned it into to a little Warhol-style poster.
This morning things seem back to normal here. The sun is shining, birds are singing and visiting the backyard feeder again. For more Cactus Monday posts visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

Skywatch Friday

2009-04-09T08:58:00.007-07:00

Here are some recent sky pictures from the Sabino Canyon area. The clouds in the middle picture sort of looked like a bird flying to me.

For more skies from around the world visit Skywatch Friday.

Sunset Run

2009-04-07T13:56:00.018-07:00

As the sun set on Saturday, 400 runners ranging in age from 10 to 72, participated in the Southern Arizona Roadrunners Sabino Canyon Sunset Run. The course followed the paved road, along the stream, over nine bridges up to the end the road, and back down again for a total of 7.4 miles. Here are a few of the pictures I took near mile one:

Meanwhile, Chris was taking movies by a bridge. These are some still frames from the videos. Our son, Kevin, is in the first snapshot below:

Robert Seaman - First man to finish
Time 40:45 Pace 5:30/Mile

Paula Morrison- First woman to finish
Time 48:15 Pace 6:31/Mile

For sure, I enjoyed watching the athletes as much as they enjoyed running in the canyon. I am grateful for recreation areas such as Sabino Canyon that provide beautiful settings for people to exercise, enjoy fresh air and sunshine and appreciate nature.

Cactus Monday - Hedgehogs

2009-04-06T08:21:00.009-07:00

Last week, for Cactus Monday, I shared the first cactus blooms that I had found at Sabino Canyon. During the week, I looked high and low for more cacti blooming in the recreation area. I saw just a couple more white saguaro and yellow prickly pear blossoms but no other types of cactus flowers.

Then one morning, out of the blue, a kind stranger approached me to inquire if I had seen the cactus blooming with pretty magenta flowers, just a few yards away. If he hadn't pointed it out, I surely would have missed it. The cactus is just off the side of the little road labeled 629 that leads to the Lowell complex off of the main tram road.

It looked as if some of the petals had been chewed off by wildlife, perhaps rabbits or ground squirrels.
The gentleman also told me where to find another one of these cactus blooming by the visitor center.
There are so few of this kind of cactus at the canyon, I wasn't sure what species it was until I looked it up at home. According to A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert, these Strawberry Hedgehogs usually bloom in the first half of April in Tucson. Right on schedule. If you click on the image below to enlarge it, you will be able to see light green colored aphids on the flowers.

Strawberry Hedgehog Echinocereus fasciculatus

Bonus: A couple of days later, I found one staghorn cactus that was beginning to bloom with bronze colored flowers.

Staghorn Cholla Cylindropuntia versicolor

To see more Cactus Monday posts, visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

Sliding into Summer

2009-04-02T06:35:00.023-07:00

While many people are welcoming signs of spring after a long winter, Sabino Canyon's short and sweet spring is over.

Here, spring only lasts from February to March.

Sabino Canyon is described as having six seasons. A brief fall, winter, and spring followed by seven months of summer. Summer is so long, it's divided into three seasons: fore-summer, monsoon, and after-summer.
A visual aid in the visitor center shows the year divided into six seasons:

Spring: February through March
Fore-summer: April through June
Monsoon Summer: July through Mid-September
After-summer: Late September through October
Fall: November through Mid-December
Winter: Late December through January

Since it's April, according to the chart, we're into fore-summer now. Fore-summer is when most of the cacti, Palo Verde and Mesquite trees bloom while spring wildflowers and grasses turn crisp. April, May, and June weather at Sabino Canyon will be sunny, hot, dry, and as the stream flow slows down, the cicadas will be buzzing.
Most of these pictures were taken the last day of March along the creek trail from the dam up to the first tram stop.

Some girls were having a picnic on a rock in the shallow water. The stream bed looks dry from this view, but the stream was flowing.
This little tree lizard allowed me to get one close-up shot before scurrying away. I like the stripes on its legs and toes.
A newly installed wheelchair accessible picnic table close to the stream near the first tram stop:
This cardinal was camera shy and the picture is blurry, but I wanted to show the contrast of his red feathers and the light green mesquite leaves.
Three birds were flying along the stream, possibly migratory Canadian geese.
We also saw a turkey vulture, hawks, cactus wrens, Gambel's quail, lesser goldfinches, hummingbirds, butterflies, desert cottontails, and round-tailed ground squirrels.

Music in the Canyon

2009-03-31T12:00:00.014-07:00

Sabino Canyon's 14th annual Music in the Canyon outdoor concert took place the evening of Saturday, March 28th from 5:00-9:00PM. It also happened to be the night for Earth Hour, a global event from 8:30-9:30PM to raise awareness about climate change. The three of us wanted to participate in Earth Hour by turning off all the lights and computers in our house. Since we didn't feel like sitting indoors without lights on, we decided to mosey on over to Sabino Canyon. It was a very dark night with just a sliver of moonlight.
The Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association was having a stargazing party near the parking lot. As we were walking away from the astronomers in the darkness, we saw a spectacular shooting star. It was big, colorful and lasted about three seconds.

Pictured below is the Sabino Canyon Visitor Center at night. Sorry about the poor quality of these photos taken in low light. The little orange lanterns on the ground are luminarias.

Luminarias are popular in the Southwestern states of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas for decorating houses on Christmas Eve. They are simply brown paper bags with sand at the bottom and a lit candle inside.
There must have been hundreds of luminarias set up! They lined both sides of the pathway from the visitor center to the Lowell Complex about a third of a mile away. I'm not sure what the Lowell Complex is, but apparently horses live there.

By the time we arrived, we had missed the Fiddlin' Foresters and Smokey the Bear, but we did catch the end of the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus' energetic performance.

Arco, with Dale Clark on the electric violin, and Ken Alexander on guitar, closed the program with two or three Carlos Santana songs, Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers, Time of Your Life by Greenday and Summertime by George Gershwin.
Between 2500 and 3000 people were expected to attend the Music in the Canyon concert with proceeds of the suggested donation of $5 individual and $10 family going to the Friends of Sabino Canyon to help preserve the recreation area. We fully enjoyed the entertainment of the talented musicians at the Music in the Canyon concert and plan on going next year, even if it doesn't coincide with Earth Hour.

Cactus Monday - First Blooms

2009-03-30T05:41:00.009-07:00

At Sabino Canyon, the cacti usually start blooming after the wildflowers. On March 24th, I found a Saguaro cactus blossoming on a sunny hilltop.

Two days later, I noticed that some of the prickly pears were starting to bloom.

I didn't find any cholla cacti blooming, but this one's buds looked about ready to burst.
To see more Cactus Monday posts, visit Teri's Painted Daisies. And here's the Cactus Monday group pool on Flickr. Happy Cactus Monday!

Spring Trees in the Canyon

2009-03-28T10:04:00.019-07:00

In January I posted fall colors, and last month I featured winter trees in Sabino Canyon. Now it's time to show trees with new spring growth. Here's a look at deciduous trees along the stream from different perspectives, beginning near mile marker one, and moving on to the dam.

The first picture below was taken February 21st and all the others were shot in March.

To see all three posts of the trees in different seasons click here.

What do the trees look like in your area?

Here's a delightful response to the above question. Please visit
Sylvan Muse to see some extraordinary tree pictures by Pheonix C.

Skywatch Friday - Ocotillos

2009-03-26T08:34:00.005-07:00

At Sabino Canyon, ocotillos were blooming against clear blue sky.

Visit Skywatch to see sky pictures from around the world.

Travelin' Local at Nature Loop Trail

2009-03-25T06:00:00.004-07:00

Greetings! Today I'm pleased to be doing a guest post at Lisa Newton's blog, Travelin' Local. Lisa explores interesting and famous locations in and around Los Angeles and Southern California, where she lives. Some of her recent posts include: Macarthur Park is going to the Birds and A Los Angeles Scavenger Hunt.

Lisa asked me to show her readers how I travel local where I live in Tucson, Arizona. So I thought Sabino Canyon's Nature Loop Trail would be a great introduction to what nature looks like in the Sonoran Desert. Please join me on a stroll along the bajada Nature Trail via Travelin' Local.

Birds at Tohono Chul

2009-03-23T06:51:00.015-07:00

Verdin, Lesser Goldfinch, House Finch
White-crowned Sparrow, Phainopepla (male), Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
Cardinal, Phainopepla (female), Anna's Hummingbird

These are some of the birds observed at Tohono Chul Park, a Sonoran Desert preserve and botanical garden in Tucson, Arizona.

A thistle sock bird feeder hanging from a palo verde tree attracted numerous lesser goldfinches.
White-crowned sparrows gleaned seeds from the ground below the finch feeder.
This baby sparrow was taking a dust bath under a shrub.
A Pyrrhuloxia was whistling his "what-cheer" song from atop a cactus by the cholla forest.
Hanging onto wildflower stems by his feet, a house finch was enjoying a morning snack.
Way up in a tree, some hawk-like bird sitting in a nest, was making a racket.
In the breeze, a curve-billed thrasher stood upon a saguaro cactus calling "whit-wheet." Also heard but not pictured were Gambel's quail and cactus wrens. Visiting Tohono Chul Park was a wonderful experience and turned out to be a great place to see birds without having to walk far.
I hope you enjoyed this last post in the series of Tohono Chul Park entries. Click here to see all three Tohono Chul posts including wildflowers and garden art from the park.

Art at Tohono Chul

2009-03-20T11:58:00.000-07:00

Here is some of the garden art I found at Tohono Chul Park, a few miles west of Sabino Canyon. I spent a couple of hours at the park enjoying many sights, bird songs and floral fragrances in the gardens and along the meandering paths. There was so much to experience outdoors, I didn't even go inside the museum shop or art galleries.

Some of the sculptures I encountered were a bobcat and kittens, a giant sunflower, a cardinal, a spiny lizard, a javelina and a jack rabbit.

Click on any pictures to enlarge.

From Tohono Chul's website:

"The mission of Tohono Chul Park is to enrich people’s lives by providing them the opportunity to find peace and inspiration in a place of beauty, experience the wonders of the Sonoran Desert, and to gain knowledge of the natural and cultural heritage of this region."

These are some of the many fountains and water features at Tohono Chul Park. The wall behind the blue pot fountain in the Moorish garden has these quotes painted on it:

"Winter is an etching, Spring a watercolor, Summer an oil painting
and Autumn a mosaic of them all."
--Stanley Horowitz

"Nature is not a place to visit, it is home."
--Gary Snyder

"A garden is made up of stories, not things."
--Unknown

Some of the architectural features in and around the Outdoor Living Garden

Demonstration Garden

Exhibit House

Here are some of the park's blooming flowers that I posted on March 17th. Next I will share some of the birds I found during my visit to Tohono Chul Park.

Skywatch Friday - A storm brewing?

2009-03-19T09:16:00.008-07:00

On the way back from spending a couple of hours in the canyon on Saturday, it looked like a storm was brewing. The sky had clouded up and we could see rain starting to fall in the distance. As we were leaving, we saw visitors walking, jogging and boarding the trams to venture deep into the canyon. I wonder if any of them ended up getting rained on. We didn't feel a drop.

To see more sky photos from around the world, visit Skywatch Friday.

What's Blooming at Tohono Chul

2009-03-17T11:07:00.002-07:00

Here's some of what I found blooming at Tohono Chul Park, a desert preserve and botanical garden about nine miles west of Sabino Canyon. Tohono Chul means "desert corner" in the Tohono O'odham language.

Some of the flowers pictured here are native to the area and can also be found growing at Sabino Canyon such as: brittle bush, fairy duster, agave, penstemon, and desert bells. The other specimens are adapted to the southwest climate and grow in cultivated gardens and landscaping in the Sonoran Desert.

Goodding's Verbena

Red Fairy Duster

Dried Agave blossoms

Firecracker Penstemon and Verbena

Verbena and Penstemon

Texas Mountain Laurel aka Mescal Bean

Autumn Sage, Emory Dalea and Calliandra

Citrus blossoms

Parry's Penstemon below a Palo Verde tree

Desert Bluebells

What's blooming in your area? I mainly went to Tohono Chul Park to see what was blooming, but was delighted to find a whole lot more besides flowers. Here is some garden art I found at the park.

The Art of Serendipity

2009-03-15T06:59:00.003-07:00

I like the sound and meaning of the word "serendipity." According to Wikipedia, serendipity is the effect by which one accidentally discovers something fortunate, especially while looking for something else entirely. There are many fascinating examples of serendipity in science and technology.

In a small way, some of my photography attempts end up being serendipitous to me as a beginning naturalist. This probably happens to others as well. Some of the pictures I shoot turn out to be blurry or have other problems. But while trying to focus on one thing, I have unknowingly captured something else that I can learn from.

For example, while walking home from Sabino Canyon one evening, I took this picture of an agave in a front yard, because I liked its shadows.
The next day when analyzing the photo, I was shocked to see the rattlesnake. In the picture below, I colored the snake pink to make it easier to see.

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Crotalus atrox

This is a timely reminder that rattlesnakes are active around here and to be extra careful where we step.

I photographed these globemallow flowers by the parking lot at Sabino Canyon.
When cropping the flower image later, I discovered this spider hiding under the flower. This was an exciting find for me because I had never seen this kind of spider before. Again, the bonus animal is painted pink for visibility.

Flowering Crab Spider or Goldenrod Spider Misumena vatia

Here are some facts I gathered about crab spiders: They are so named because of their long front legs and their ability move sideways like crabs. They will feed on butterflies, flies, and grasshoppers, but bees are their favorite food. The crab spider does not make a web or use silk to catch its prey. It just sits on a flower and waits for the victim. Then it grabs it with its front legs, bites with its fangs to inject immobilizing venom, then sucks the prey dry. The female lays her eggs on a leaf, rolls it up into an ice cream cone shape, and sews it shut with silk. To blend in, the crab spider can change color from white to yellow but it takes 2-3 days. All crab spiders have eight eyes.

The next critter is harder to see, so it has an arrow pointing to it. I originally took this picture to show the orange cape honeysuckle blossoms in my backyard.
Later, looking closer at the picture, I noticed the tree lizard blending in with the mesquite tree bark. The lizard pictured below is highlighted with purple to help it to show up.

Tree Lizard Urosaurus ornatus

I just learned from my Sabino Canyon reptiles book that mesquite trees are the tree lizard's preferred habitat in this area, so now I know where to look for them.

The next photo is of an artist painting at Sabino Canyon. I was surprised later, to see the unusual crested saguaro cactus in the background in plain sight. It's so obvious that it doesn't need highlighting.
It is strange to have walked past that big cactus many times without noticing it, then to view it for the first time on my home computer screen. Someday maybe I'll do a post about crested saguaros now that I have enough examples.

Crested Saguaro Cereus giganteus forma cristata

These were happy discoveries for me that I only became aware of while looking at my computer monitor at home. However, I'd like to notice more of these things while outside in nature. Louis Pasteur, inventor of the process of pasteurization said, "In the fields of observation chance favors only the prepared mind." To heed that advice, perhaps in the future, if I expect to see surprises when looking for one thing, I will be more open to finding something else that might be even more interesting. We'll see what happens.

Skywatch Friday

2009-03-12T08:56:00.009-07:00

Cooper's Hawk?

Here are some sky pictures from Tuesday, March 10th as we walked to Sabino Dam from Bear Canyon Trail. To see more sky photos from around the world visit Skywatch Friday.

Spring Haiku

2009-03-11T05:43:00.009-07:00

cool desert morning

on a low branch in the sun

one quail sleeps in late

Scruffy Deer

2009-03-06T14:56:00.013-07:00

I observed a gang of three disheveled looking deer browsing around eating the vegetation at Sabino Canyon this morning. Their fur appeared to be a little messed up with matted patches. At first I wondered if they could have encountered cacti or a mountain lion. Then, I was concerned they might be sick.

Later, I was relieved to learn that deer molt in the springtime as they shed their thick grayish winter coats and grow reddish brown summer hair. And, it's not uncommon for them to spend more time grooming themselves and each other while molting, which could explain the odd looking tufts sticking out like cowlicks.

For comparison, below is a more sleek looking deer that we were able to snap a photo of two months ago. We don't see deer every time we go to the canyon. Maybe one out of every ten visits includes a deer sighting. It's even less often that we even try photographing them. They tend to shy away from people and seek privacy behind dense thickets.

Arizona White-tailed Deer Odocoileus couesi

What's Blooming at Sabino Canyon

2009-03-05T06:10:00.024-07:00

Here's a roundup of some of the wildflowers and shrubs found blooming at Sabino Canyon the first week of March 2009:

Globemallow Sphaeralcea ambigua

Creosote bush Larrea tridentata

Arizona Lupine Lupinus arizonicus

Parry's Penstemon Penstemon parryi

Golden Dyssodia Dyssodia pentachaeta

Canyon Ragweed Ambrosia ambrosioides

Wild Heliotrope, Scorpionweed Phacelia distans

Popcorn Flower Cryptantha

Fairy Duster Calliandra eriophylla

Bluedicks, Desert Hyacinth Dichelostemma capitatum

Brittlebush Encelia farinosa

Hopbush Dodonaea viscosa (seeds that look like flowers)

Rosary Babybonnets, Samota Coursetia microphylla

Fleabane Daisy Erigeron divergens

Teri C at Teri's Painted Daisies discovered a Mexican Gold poppy blooming at Sabino Canyon on Sunday. Check out her entertaining post A Day Sketching at Sabino Canyon.

Cottontails in the Canyon

2009-03-03T05:51:00.015-07:00

When you find a little rabbit in the Sonoran Desert, it's probably the Desert Cottontail Sylvilagus audubonii aka Audubon's Cottontail. They are common at Sabino Canyon and can been seen during early morning hours or at twilight.

They prefer dense shrubby areas that have lots of hiding places. That's probably why I don't see them in my neighborhood, where most of the yards are sparsely landscaped with gravel and a just a few plants.

This young cottontail is posing like a statue. Does it think I can't see it because it's face is partially hidden behind the bush?

It decides to make a zigzag run and...

then it freezes behind a different shrub. But that shadow is a dead give away.

Finally, it hops away to find a better hiding place. Desert cottontails are an important food source for many animals including birds of prey, snakes and coyotes. Unfortunately, most cottontails don't make it past their first year. Bonus image: Here's a picture of my son running at Sabino Canyon. A cottontail happened to be crossing the road as the photo was snapped.