Lizards to know: Part 1

Let's begin with some of the lizards found in the 'lower canyon'; basically everything from the visitor center to the dam/Bluff trail 'border'. There's cross over, of course, but this distinction is helpful for some of the lizards, even though they don't necessarily abide by it. (All photos by Ned Harris, click on photo for larger view.)

Side-blotched lizard, male

The Side-blotched Lizard does, in fact, have a blotch on the side. Markings vary from spots to chevrons, but males have the bluish tails and undersides. Apparently the girls like blue.

Side-blotched lizard, regrown tail

This one has regrown its tail after losing it to a predator. Better your tail than your life, but regrowing a tail is not without costs. It seems that dormant stem cells are switched 'on' when the lizard loses its tail. Some interesting research is going on about how to do this in humans so that, say, amputated limbs could be regrown.

Zebra-tailed Lizard

Note the two striped by the armpits. That's your clue you are looking at a Zebra-tailed Lizard. More info at this post.

Regal Horned Lizard

And last (for today), but not least, my personal favorite, the very well-camouflaged (and cute) Regal Horned Lizard. In the interest of science, an unnamed naturalist picked up two to be photographed. (Under the rubric: "do what I say, not what I do"  -  Please don't pick up lizards of any kind unless you are specially trained, like Larry Jones. In most cases, it's not legal to do so.)

Goodbye for now!

No lizards of any kind were harmed in the making of this blog post. 

Sabino's a beach!

Bridge 7 is heaven!

Cool your toes!

Take a stroll to Bridge 7 as soon as possible to enjoy wading in the creek (while there's still water)! There are picnic tables and grills in the shade just past the bridge on the left, too. Great times for young and younger! Thanks to Carol Tornow for immortalizing this family visiting from Colorado.

Desert Fish

Gila Chub, Photo by Ned Harris 

I did some fishing for info on the gila chub, now seemingly plentiful in Sabino Creek. This fish was successfully restored to Sabino Canyon in 2005, according to this press release. But what happened during the flood of 2006? Loads of articles, but they are all too old. Anyone curious enough to do some more fishing?

AZ Star Article

If you didn't see the paper on Sunday (4/17/11), check out the gneiss article on Sabino Canyon here!

Bunny yoga

Photo by Ned Harris, 4/13/11

We saw this desert cottontail on the nature walk last week. S/he must have stretched a dozen times to grab the mesquite branch (for the leaves. Cottontails are herbivores). S/he was amazingly agile on two legs. A good survival skill, I expect, as cottontails are the 'fast food' of the desert for coyotes. You're in luck, though, little bunny. This is the Chinese year of the rabbit.

Bird Show

Cactus Wren, AZ State Bird

Cactus Wren Gymnastics

In Anne's simplified bird world,  males are either much more brightly colored than the females or both sexes look the same.

Cactus wrens fly into the latter category.

Verdin

You guessed it! Both sexes look the same in the verdin. 

Pyrrhuloxia, male

Pyrrhuloxia, female

Pyrrhuloxias, on the other hand, are sexually dimorphic. (That's your word of the day.)

Broad-billed hummingbird, male

Broad-billed hummingbirds also exhibit sexual dimorphism. And, writing of hummingbirds, don't forget to come to a banding session. Next one is Saturday, 30 April, sunrise plus 5 hours. Lots of birds (including some rarely-seen-in-Sabino-Canyon Broad-tailed hummingbirds) and visitors today (April 16). All of these beautiful photos by Ned Harris. 

Darth Vader returns!

Photo by Angie Perryman, 4/13/11

Rustic Sphinx Moths are huge. About the size of your hand! Okay, maybe not that big, but check this out for scale.

Lizard Walks!

I'm going to consider this blog part of the 'news media' today, in order to excerpt the Forest Service's press release about the lizard walks. Here goes: > The Santa Catalina Ranger District, Coronado National Forest announces guided lizard walks in the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area on the first Saturday of each month from May 7 through October 1, 2011.  Participants should meet at the Sabino Canyon Visitor Center at 8:00 a.m.  

“Sabino Canyon is one of the very best venues for lizard-watching in the United States,” said Larry Jones, Assistant wildlife Program Manager on the Forest. “There are at least 16 species of lizards found there, among the highest diversity in the country. Not only is the lizard fauna diverse, but lizards are also extremely abundant in many parts of the canyon. Most species are readily approachable, being accustomed to the 1.5 million annual visitors to the canyon.”

For the last two years, the Coronado National Forest (CNF) and Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists (SCVN) have conducted guided lizard-watching tours for urban youths for Tucson Parks and Recreation Department’s KIDCO program. The tours have been so successful that guided lizard walks will now be offered to the public. SCVN, CNF, and guest herpetologists will join forces to lead the walks.  Attendees should bring water, sensible shoes, a hat, sunscreen, and binoculars if they have them. Options will include observation near the Visitor Center and Nature Trail for those with limited time or walking ability. Those in good physical condition may spend two or more hours looking for as many species as possible throughout the recreation area.

For those that cannot attend the guided walks, information including a photographic checklist [NB: this take a while to download] and route information will be available at the Visitor Center for self-guided lizard walks.  Participants of guided and self-guided lizard walks will receive a two by three foot poster of the lizards of Sabino Canyon at no cost.<

Nesting

Hummingbird in nest, photo by Angie Perryman 4/11/11

Cooper's Hawk in nest, photo by Angie Perryman, 4/11/11

Canyon Tree Frogs, photo by Angie Perryman, 4/11/11

Okay, the frogs aren't nesting, but they are very well ensconced!

Mustard head

photo by Ned Harris, 4/6/11

Kids - young and younger - remember verdins because of their mustard-colored heads.

Another photo by Ned Harris

Verdins like nectar and will often get at it by pecking the bottom of a flower. They get the treat without doing the work of pollinating. I have some persistant verdins trying in vain to get into my hummingbird feeder. They can't hover like hummingbirds, but they have no trouble hanging upside down by one foot.

Snakes just wanna have fun: Part 2

Gopher snake in a tree, photo by Maggie Rathert, 4/3/11

This gopher snake knows how to get a good perch. Gopher snakes are sometimes mistaken for western diamondbacks (not by you, though).

Flying colors

All photos by Ned Harris, 4/8/11 

Who says the desert isn't colorful? The male broad-billed hummingbird above is enjoying some tasty nectar from an ocotillo flower. More leaves should be present on the ocotillos in the canyon after Saturday's rain. Go check them out. You might see some hummingbirds, too!

And another...

Aren't these wonderful?!

Wow!

Bravo, Ned!

Pipevine and other plants

Pipevine, the plant; Ned, the photographer

Desert Chicory

If you haven't already fixed your Guide, see this post for details.

Hedgehog, the cactus, in bloom

Hedgehogs, the critters, are common in Germany, especially in the south, where I lived a few years during my university years/decades.

Eyes wide

Thanks to Ned Harris for again providing the great photos!

I think you've had enough, mister!

Phainopepla hangout, photo by Ned Harris

And for the gold in building a pyramid out of mistletoe seeds, Phaino-poop-la!

Hovercraft

Photo by Carol Tornow, 4/2/11

Although this photo wasn't taken in the canyon, White-lined Sphinx Moths do frequent the flowers there. They are sometimes mistaken for hummingbirds and are often called 'hummingbird moths'. Very cool critters. Here's more info.

Violet-crowned Hummingbird, photo by Ned Harris, 3/30/11

This beauty really is a hummingbird and has been sighted multiple times in the canyon since the first post. S/he wasn't banded, though, during the session on 4/2; we'll hope for a bird in hand on 4/16. 

SPECIAL ALERT!!

On Friday, 4/1/11, an adult mountain lion was seen and photographed on the Esperero Trail just east of where it crosses the road. PLEASE be aware and inform others what to do in the event of a sighting. PLEASE do make the lion afraid by taking the appropriate action; namely: making yourself look big, maintaining eye contact, making lots of noise, throwing things. Yes, really. Mountain lions CANNOT be captured and relocated. There's no place to relocate a lion unafraid of humans. Lions have a huge range. They can be anywhere in the greater canyon area. Let's be diligent and keep everyone safe.

Butterfly kisses

Empress Leilia, upper side of wings

Empress Leilia, underside of wings

Empress Leilia larvas feed on hackberry plants. Amazing how different they look from above and below.

Viceroy, photo by Ned Harris, 4/2/11

Viceroy, too

The Viceroy larvas (look like bird poop and) feed on willows and cottonwoods. Here's a fun fact: The larvas store the salicylic acid from the willow bark in their bodies. Tastes yucky to predators. Good survival strategy. All photos from Ned Harris.

Globs o' life

Not the Loch Ness Monster, photo by Angie Perryman

Angie and friends saw these blobs in abundance on Monday, 4/4/11, on the east side of the creek, between the Dam Bridge and the Bear Bridge, in shallow, still water. David Lazaroff responded to Angie's request for i.d.: "Looks to me like cyanobacteria. Some forms are gelatinous like this, and some colonies take on spherical shapes. Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic bacteria, formerly called blue-green algae. They're a very ancient form of life." Anne says: See this post.

Snakes just wanna have fun!

Black-necked Garter Snake, photo by Ned Harris, 3/30/11

The Black-necked Garter Snake is said to be the most commonly sighted snake in the canyon. Probably because these guys and gals like the creek as much as we humans do. Look for them over the sides of the bridges as well as in the water by the dam. They are non-venomous, so enjoy watching and photographing. 

Swimming by the dam, photo by Ned Harris, 3/30/11

First one to send in a report of a rattlesnake sighting wins an all-expenses-paid* hike with Anne in the canyon. What are you waiting for?! *Expenses start after arrival at the visitor center. 

My sincere thanks to all of the great photographers who continue to keep this blog supplied with their wonderful photos. We all benefit tremendously from your mastery with the camera. 

Suspending the bridges

I'm suspending the last two bridge posts for a while in order to bring you some of the flora and fauna you can see now in the canyon.

Goodding Willow, photo by Ned Harris, 4/2/11

The Gooding Willow is spreading its seeds now. How, you ask? The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind. Look along the creek for this riparian tree.

Bahada Lupine, photo by Ned Harris, 4/2/11

There are several species of lupine in the canyon area; this one can be found in sand along the creek. I noticed a healthy crop in the area downstream from the dam. The Bahada Lupine is quite hairy, but not spiny.

Not a prairie dog

Photo by Ned Harris 3/23/11

When I first saw one of these little guys, I thought it was a prairie dog. Prairie dogs are much larger than round-tailed ground squirrels, although very young prairie dogs are about the size of adult round-tailed ground squirrels. In any case, they are adorable little critters.

Seventh Heaven

Bridge 7, photos by Carol Tornow

Bridge 7, look upstream for the great beach

This is one of the (many) great spots in the canyon for kids of all ages. The 'beach' on the upstream side has soft sand for sitting, sunning, setting up an easel, savoring a picnic. The water is usually shallow; perfect for wading. See page 97 in Lazaroff's Sabino Canyon for a photo of Bridge 7 nearing completion in 1936.

Bridge 6 is gneiss

Bridge 6, Photos by Carol Tornow

In the middle the downstream ledge of bridge 6, you'll notice a big rock that sticks out and up. This is a very nice example of Catalina Gneiss (gneiss pronounced 'nice'). Here's some info. You can remember bridge 6 by remembering that gneiss has 6 letters and/or that at bridge six, the gneiss rock sticks (out). Six rhyming (more or less) with sticks.

View upstream from bridge 6

WPA bridges start with 5

W.P.A. Project G5-2-97, 1936

And again

Bridge 5, all photos by Carol Tornow

As you approach bridge five, look for the WPA plaque on the right 'post'. If you examine it, you'll see the project designation, the first number of which is 5. This is your clue that you are on bridge five. I realize that the WPA project designation is the same for bridges 5 and up, but you aren't going to look for any more WPA plaques on the bridges. (Well, you can look for them, but they aren't your helpful hints.)

Creek Circles

Photo by Ned Harris, 3/23/11

Have you ever wondered about those lines in the creek? Do worms or snakes make 'creek circles'? Thanks to Ned Harris's investigative skills, I can blog with authority that these trails are made by dragonfly nymphs. Really. I'll give you this site for kids (which represents my current level of interest in dragonflies. You can google for more images and info if you want to learn more). Take a look in a shallow area in the creek (as you are peering over the side of a bridge, perhaps) and you are almost certain to find some trails. Now you can impress family, friends, and fellow canyon folks with your knowledge of dragonfly nymphs and what they do for fun.

Metamorphosis

Pipevine Swallowtail, male; photo by Ned Harris, male

Egg, larva, pupa, adult. That's the drill for complete metamorphosis; both types explained here very simply (just the way I like it). Pipevine swallowtail larva (caterpillars) look like this and eat the pipevine plant. Then they pupate and turn into these beauties. Wow. That's metamorphosis for you! Come on a nature walk and Fred can tell you more about this process, and Ned can let you know how he identified the one above as a male. (Alas, it's not stamped on the bottom as I hoped.) Wednesdays, 8.30am, meet in front of the visitor center. Only until the end of April, though (then Ned and co. will lead walks on Mount Lemmon. Details on those to follow).

Violet-Crowned Hummingbird causes stir!

Look closely! Photo by Elissa Fazio-Rhicard, 3/23/11

Fred Heath reported seeing a Violet-Crowned Hummingbird in Sabino Canyon on Tuesday, 3/22/11. Elissa (one of the very few hummingbird banders in the universe) headed out with camera in hand and captured this bird in a bush. (Okay, it looks like a willow.) She writes: I don't think there's ever been a Violet Crowned reported in Sabino before but I couldn't say for sure. It's really a beautiful bird - one of the only hummers that male and female look exactly alike. Even when we band them, unless a female is in breeding condition (swollen abdomen or egg present), we can't tell the sex. It's possible that this species could breed in Sabino but that would mean there would have to be another and odds don't seem good for that.
Anne says: Bandings in Sabino are at sunrise plus 5 hours every other Saturday, through and including October 15th. The next banding session is April 2nd, sunrise is 6:11. This is one of those MUST EXPERIENCE events. So set your alarm and get out there by 7:30 for you best chance of seeing hummingbirds up close and personal.  The easiest way to get to the banding site is to take the road to the Bluff trail, take the Bluff trail to the end, and walk on the wide path until you see Elissa's car and sign.