I hiked out to Marcus Landslide this morning and was delighted to see a Cactus Wren building a nest. I stood long enough to get several photos. Read some fun facts about this Wren by clicking HERE.
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Caterpillar Invasion
Various caterpillars are showing up all over the Preserve. On the fringes where Desert Milkweed might be growing, you can find Queen Caterpillars. I have some at my house and have been fortunate to witness their entire cycle! The images below show the caterpillar eating and then become a Chrysalis and finally emerging! The two images on the right are linked to my videos of these events. Click images below to see full size.
Pictured below is another caterpillar that has come by the thousands to our area. In fact, there are so many, they’ve made local news several times! It is a White Lined Sphinx Moth caterpillar. I’m guessing all the wonderful rain we’ve had has produced a banner crop of plants for them. Click images below to see full size.
Then there is Five-Spotted Sphinx Moth caterpillar which you might see in the Preserve if you come across Datura. It is a plant with enormous white blooms you can’t miss. This caterpillar loves to eat Datura so if you come across this plant, look under the leaves but be careful not to touch the plant and get any oils on your hands because as all parts of this plant are poisonous. I don’t have a photo of the moth but here are a couple of photos of the caterpillar on some Datura. Click images below to see full size.
The last caterpillar you might come across is the Pipevine Swallowtail. Itwill be the most difficult to spot because it only eats the Pipevine plant also known as Dutchman’s Pipe and this plant is VERY difficult to find. I’ve seen the caterpillars at Boyce Thompson Arboretum but thanks to our Botanist expert, Steve Jones, I have now seen them in the Preserve. Below is a caterpillar and a photo of the Butterfly. Click images below to see full size.
Marcus Landslide Trail Construction
Thought you might enjoy seeing before and after construction photos of a portion of the Marcus Landslide Trail. This large boulder decided it did not want to budge even a few feet so the alternative was to move the trail just a little more to the left.
Toms Thumb Trailhead
Several wonderful new trails created around the new Toms Thumb trail head are nearing completion. I think they are some of the most beautiful trails in the Preserve and I feel sure they are going to be very popular! Not only to those who can’t or don’t want to climb the steep trails in this area but also to people like me who enjoy mountain biking but prefer less challenging trails.
I live very close to the trailhead so I hike here almost every morning. The image above was taken early this morning from the Toms Thumb trail. To the left you see the beautiful new Toms Thumb Trailhead building (also nearing completion) and in the foreground on the right is Rock Knob. The mountains in the distance are the Mazatsals (I think). (click images to see full size)
If you haven’t been up to the area since construction started, you are in for a treat! The views are spectacular and if you are an early riser, you’ll be treated to gorgeous sunrises and you are almost guaranteed to see Mule Deer. The other wildlife I see are Jackrabbits and Bobcats.
If you are not an early riser, you can enjoy sunsets! The trail signs are now up so you won’t get lost.
Happy Hiking!
The Queen Finally Arrived!
After over a month of going out every morning before sunrise, my perseverance finally paid off. Near the beginning of my hike this morning, 5 blooms on an Arizona Queen of the Night greeted me! 
I was beginning to think the buds were damaged somehow but Steve Jones, our botany expert, surmised the cactus were probably waiting for some trigger to bloom and I think he was right. We woke up this morning to heavily overcast skies and a strong chance of rain. This obviously made the Queen of the Night very happy 🙂
(click images to see full size)
Camouflage
I hiked in the North Access of the Preserve late afternoon yesterday and on the way back, I almost stepped on a Diamondback! Can you see him? Look to the left about center. Great camouflage! A good lesson to be extra careful in low light because you won’t see them!
I documented all the things needed for the Herp Survey and then left without disturbing him. (Click on photos for full size)
This morning I went back out on the same trail and there he was in the exact same spot! Maybe he had a big meal and needed the rest? Anyway…he was just starting to move so I quickly took some more photos and made note of his length (33 inches). (Click on photos for full size)
The Early Birds get the Mule Deer
I owe this photo to my hiking companions this morning. We were just ending our hike when someone spotted these Mule Deer behind the Palo Verde tree on the right. We stood very still hoping they would come out into the open and Voila! They walked right in front of one of the most recognized rock formations up in the North Preserve. Awesome 🙂
So…besides avoiding the heat, Mule Deer are yet another reason to get out early to hike! (click photo for full size)
The Queen is Calling!
Too hot to hike, you say? Here is a reason to get up very early and head into the desert. The Arizona Queen of the Night are beginning to bloom! (pg 18 Flora Guide)
The rest of the year, this cactus is almost impossible to find because it looks very much like a dead branch but when they bloom, the large white flowers are very easy to spot! Your best bet for finding this cactus is head up to the North Preserve (Toms Thumb area or Browns Ranch) or drive along 118th or 128th street heading South from Dynamite and start looking closely on both sides of the road. The earlier you go, the better. The flowers have already been open all night so they will fade fast. Good luck!
New Trail Preview
Very early this morning….with permit in hand…. I decided to look for snakes on the soon to be finished Marcus Landslide trail and all I can say is WOW! It is a spectacular trail that winds in and around humongous boulders and the views from all points on the trail are also spectacular! This photo shows one of the huge boulders with a hiker close by for scale. Note that the boulder also has a face 🙂 (click photo for full size)
Earlier this week (still looking for snakes), I got a few photos of the guys building the trail. (Click photos for full size).
Spotted in The North Preserve
There are a lot of exciting things going on in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve at the moment! The Tom’s Thumb Trailhead is well on it’s way and is going to be a spectacular starting point to several new trails. I eagerly await the new Marcus Landslide Trail but did you know there is now a new trail to Rock Knob?! In my capacity as a Steward and with my various permits in hand, I hiked it several times last week with hopes of documenting reptiles, flora, mammals and birds. Here is what I found this past week and the weeks since my last post:
REPTILES
My most exciting find was just a few days ago on the Rock Knob Trail when this guy came walking toward me.
BIRDS
Bird photography is my latest passion. I knew it would be difficult but I underestimated just how hard it is to get a clear shot of a bird. Most of the time, birds are too far away but even if they are closer, you have to be very fast or they are gone before you can capture them. I was able to document some, though. Here are my favorites.
