I started off the new year (along with thousands of other bird lovers) taking part in the National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count. I did not know that the Audubon Society has conducted Christmas bird counts since 1900. Volunteers from across North America and beyond take to the field during one calendar day between December 14 and January 5 to record every bird species and individual bird encountered within a designated 15-mile diameter circle. These records now comprise an extensive ornithological database that enables monitoring of winter bird populations and the overall health of the environment.
I was part of the Carefree, Arizona Count (just 15 min from me) and I was excited to take part. I don’t mind admitting, though, walking all day was tiring! However, it was well worth the rewards of added bird knowledge gained from the experts I assisted. Most exciting for me was several occasions where my Canon SX50 provided identification where binoculars could not! One of these was a Loggerhead Shrike which was literally a dot on a tree branch. Not only was it too far away for everyone’s binoculars but we were looking into the sun so it was a silhouette. The image below is a very tight crop but it is clearly a Shrike. The other was a Red-Tailed Hawk. Also just a dot on top of a tower. Another highlight was seeing a Sage Sparrow (a first for me). As it turns out, it is not always spotted so it was a treat for everyone to see.
All in all, a really fun day and I hope to help out again next year. If you love birds, check out your local Audubon Society and become part of your state’s count next year! Here are some images from the day. Click on an image to enlarge. Look for navigation (next/previous) at top right of page.
I’ve been having such fun going to a tank in the Preserve every morning to document what might be visiting. (For those who might not know, a tank is a man made reservoir created in ranching days for watering livestock). We had a good bit of rain in early October which almost filled the tank. Even small bodies of water will entice migrating water birds to stop and I have documented a few species so far. Mallard Ducks, Green-winged Teal Ducks, Least Sandpiper and Killdeer.
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Our last Flying Insect survey of the year (led by Ron Rutowski) was conducted in the evening using Light Trapping. Sangmi Lee, manager, and 3 students (Andrew Jansen, Michael Schillingburg and Naomi Pier) from the Nico Franz entomology lab at ASU led us into the Preserve and set up two locations to trap flying insects. Two different light sources were used. Mercury Vapor and Black Light. It was interesting to learn that each attracted different insects!
It was a slow night for insects but it was so much fun and we did get to observe a few interesting species including a Praying Mantis and a weird looking cricket. The majority of flying visitors were moths and other extremely small flying insects. Some of the moths were scooped into plastic containers easily but the tiny ones were collected using a glass vial aspirator…..a tool I had never seen. We were all given the opportunity to try it and only a few did including a child who came with his parents. I was happy just taking photos 🙂 I quickly learned I didn’t have nearly enough light but I learned from the experience and will be prepared for when we do it again (approx May).
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Melanie Tluczek explains what we will be doing.
Happy volunteers heading out to trap flying insects
Setting up the Mercury Vapor light trap
Waiting for visitors to the Mercury Vapor light trap
Geometrid Moth. This is what an inchworm turns into.
Small Praying Mantis
Small Praying Mantis
Unidentified cricket was our largest visitor
Aspirating insects into a glass vial
A brave little boy aspirating tiny insects into a glass vial.
Bush beating into a net was also used. The majority of insects were hardly visible. Pictured are Melanie Tluczek (L), Michael Schillingburg and Naomi Pier
Waiting for visitors to the black light trap
Andrew Jansen Observing and talking about captured flying insects
Michael Schillingburg and Naomi Pier Observing and Aspirating insects on black light trap
Sangmi Lee and Melanie Tluczec observing flying insects on black light trap
Ron Rutowski observing flying insects on Black Light Trap
The survey for Large Flying Insects continued last evening with volunteers beating on bushes and trees. The hope was something large would come out! It was a really fun afternoon with the biggest surprise being a large amount of water in a tank. Tanks are man made depressions (from cattle ranching days) created for the purpose of capturing and retaining water. The first thing we noticed was a small flock of Mallard Ducks (are you kidding me?!) and then we saw numerous tracks around the tank, including Bobcat and Deer. Melanie, our survey coordinator, was quick to also notice a tiny Red-spotted Toad. CLICK HERE to read how these miniscule creators survive in our desert!
We didn’t encounter as many large flying insects as hoped but it is late in the season so it was understandable. Butterfly sightings included: American Snout, Marine Blue, Reakert’s Blue, Dainty Sulphur, Orange Sulphur (?) and Painted Lady. Also spotted were numerous unidentified tiny bugs and beetles. The largest sighting was a very large Robber Fly eating a Honey Bee and a very large green grasshopper which was new to the list.
Click the first image below to go to manual slideshow. When the page opens, click on an image to go to the next one OR look at the top right of the image for “Next” and “Previous”. Image descriptions are below each photo.
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)
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)
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)
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).
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.
Gila Monster on Rock Knob TrailWestern Patch-NoseDiamondback
4ft Coachwhip 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.
Cactus Wren and Loggerhead ShrikeLoggerhead Shrike and FledgelingsBlack-headed Grossbeak
The Flying Insect Survey got under way officially Saturday, March 24th with Ron Rutowski as our lead investigator. We began with some classroom instruction on what to keep our eyes out for. After class, walked out to the Bajada Nature Trail to get in a little practice. We found a Pallid-winged Grasshopper and a small Yellow and Black Beetle (unidentified). Below in order posted are 1. Classroom at the Gateway 2. Pallid-winged Grasshopper 3. Ornate Checkered beetle on Hedgehog bloom. Click Images to Enlarge. Close window to Return.
On Friday, March 30th, I went out to the Marcus Landslide Trail to look for flying insects. I did find one beetle but also a crab spider. Most exciting, though, was an encounter with not one but two Diamondback Rattlesnakes! Below in order posted are 1. Ornate Checkered beetle 2. Crab Spider on Xanthisma 3. Diamondback . Click Images to Enlarge. Close window to Return.
I went to Marcus Landslide Trail again on Sunday, April 1st with some fellow stewards. We came across a few flying insects including Butterflies but a variety of birds were the hit of the morning. Below (in order posted) are 1. Canyon Towhee 2. Crab Spider feeding on a moth 3. Pallid-winged Grasshopper 4. Bot Fly 5. Reakirt’s Blue Butterfly 6. Phainopepla 7. White Crowned Sparrow 8. Possibly Square Spotted Blue Butterfly 9. Beetle on Delphinium 10. Robin (there was a big flock!) Click Images to Enlarge. Close window to Return.
