Beauty and the beast

My morning walk in the desert was like being in paradise, the sound of birds, the smells of Catsclaw Acacia blooms and Palo Verde blossoms filling the air. I am so grateful to live in such a place.

But underneath my happiness lies the truth of what's going on in this country and around the world, the assault on animals. First it was the killing contests here in Tucson and then I heard that the Fish and Game Department is not only condoning these practices but encouraging them. Grizzlies, an animal I thought was protected, are being killed, as well as wolves and other predators. I've sent money, I've sent letters, I've posted on FB, I've tweeted. I am now going to write a letter to Obama and see if I get a response. We have to preserve these creatures for future generations. Without animals this earth would be a bitter place.

I blame the lack of concern or even awareness partially on electronic devices. This morning a man jogged by me with earbuds--listening to music instead of taking in the music of the desert. Kids are no longer allowed to wander the woods and examines the bugs, snakes and creatures who inhabit this planet along with humans. Fear drives everything. Pesticides are being dumped into the environment in the name of food production but in reality they are poisoning the earth and making it harder and harder to raise crops without them. The GMO companies like Monsanto are taking over food production across the globe and there is no entity strong enough to stop them.  Insects, butterflies, bees and frogs and a million other creatures are disappearing quicker than we know. If you can, support your local organic growers--this is the only way to combat big agra.

I have several links to share that can bring you up to speed if you are not aware of what's going on. http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/…/wildlife-services-04-1…this one is horrifying.

http://www.wakingtimes.com/2015/04/11/coyotes-and-the-kill-it-fallacy/ This is an article addressing the pervasive attitudes that need to stop.

Here's a link to an organization dedicated to preserving coyotes: http://www.projectcoyote.org/

There are like minded people out there but in order to stop the government organizations and the attitudes that go along with them we all have to raise out voices.

Thank you for reading.

Humans encroaching!

I moved to the Sonoran desert for several reasons: one was to be in an area with fewer humans where my dog could be off leash without annoying everyone. I also moved here to experience wildlife in a place that was not built up. Two and a half years later the building going on in Oro Valley, and I suppose Marana as well, is absolutely astounding! I don't begrudge anyone the right to live in a beautiful place but without proper water usage regulation, water catchment basins and planning for the influx of people it's very upsetting to witness. (composting toilets maybe??) On my last trip to the zoo I read a sign that said our water table loses 3 to 4 feet every year. Does anyone care? I heard MaCain say we won't turn anyone away.

Oracle road is being widened to accommodate the rising population and telephone lines have appeared where there were none before. An over pass is being built for animal crossing...are you kidding? are they planning to put a sign out for the coyotes, that says 'cross here'? I've been seeing a lot of dead coyotes along the side of the road already. But to be fair at least they're thinking about the animals--maybe there's a way to do it. I'm very glad to live a few miles away
in an area of double wides and manufactured homes and only hope that the state land behind us doesn't suddenly decide to cash in on the housing boom.

Recently I was up visiting a friend in Silver City who has 40 acres on a mountaintop. I've always loved being there because there's so much wildlife. She's even had bears on her property. But this trip was disturbing since the two women who sold her the property have hired a trapper to set traps to catch the critters who are eating their chickens. These are the ones that catch an animal by the leg and maim it. And why in hell they can't enclose her chickens is beyond me! Indiscriminate killing over a few chickens? Give me a break! and yet my friend says that she has no recourse to stop this since there is no law against these inhumane traps.

The world is shrinking around us and wildlife is disappearing as the human population grows. My husband says people want no surprises. They want their lives to be predictable and controllable. I wish they understood the web of life. Without critters we as a species will not survive. I don't understand the mentality that fails to understand what wildlife has to give. I don't want to only see animals in zoos.

On a lighter note the coyotes have been calling at night but their calls are high-pitched and far away. Javelinas have been chowing down on our compost. We bought a fire pit and have had several bonfires in the past weeks. I think the birds are beginning to nest or at least build nests. The desert behind us still retains its magic and the cloud shadows on the Catalina's still mesmerize.

Hi fatties!

Just as I was about to  turn off the outside light and head to bed I heard a distinctive squeal and then a sound that only be described as a grunting oink. I called out the window, "Hi fatties' and then heard all sorts of scuffling as their little hooves raced over the sand, finally diving into the brush behind the hill. I didn't know Javelina's made these sorts of sounds so I was very surprised. Their reputation of not being pigs certainly doesn't follow when it comes to what I heard! In any case they devoured the seed block I'd put out only a few days before, hanging around long enough to eat some of the vegetable matter in the compost.

Meanwhile Buddha was going nuts. 'Can't I go out?' he panted, looking up at me with pleading eyes. 'No, Buddha. I don't what they'd do and besides, I like having them around.' Shortly after that I had to put my dog in the closet. He goes willingly when he can't control himself--all I have to say is 'closet' and in he goes.

The next night two of them came again, snuffling and huffing and again making very pig-like noises. They were smaller than the ones from last year and seemed more gray than brown and I wondered if they were fighting as siblings do.

This is the first javelina visit in many months and I was glad to see them--I'm planning to replace the seed block tomorrow. In the meantime the compost has a lot of delicious rotting lettuce and other wonderful delicacies to whet their appetites.

Fall is here with longer shadows and a sun that feels good on the skin instead of scorching. My walks have been taking me further afield and up into the canyons that lead toward the Catalina Mountains. I no longer have to get up at the crack of dawn to walk. this morning it was close to 8:00 before I left the house. And the nights have been cool, allowing us to shut off the air-conditioning. The fruit bats are still draining the hummingbird feeders every night but more than likely they'll be gone in another week or so. I don't remember them hanging around this long last year, but then again it seems as though the seasons are shifting.

I can't end this blog without mentioning the wonderful monsoons this year. There was no wild lightning, crazy wind or sideways rain, instead it was steady and soaking and there was a lot of it! Anyone living in the desert is excited by this and knows the satisfied feeling that comes after a good rain! This year our rains were enhanced by three hurricane turned tropical storm systems that came up from the Gulf of Mexico. But the funniest part about it was the weather predictions got it all completely wrong! The storm they predicted on the national news to be a gully washer turned out to be nothing  more than a fine mist! But the other two added a lot to our rain count.

This is the time to visit the Sonoran desert if you have any hankering to do so. It's more lush than usual, there are still flowers blooming, and the snowbirds have not yet returned!

Equinox

The days and nights are nearly equal but soon the nights will be longer than the days. We're moving into fall and then winter. I look forward to cooler days and nights! It's still in the high 90's here and now that the hurricanes have gone by, and monsoons seem to be over, no rain on the horizon.

The desert looks amazing after the amount of rain we've had, with a new crop of poppies and morning glories as well as fragrant purple blossoms on the wild sage. Insects are still happy and there are a lot of them! And of course the sunsets continue to be unbelievable.

This monsoon season did not produce the violent wind and lightning storms that we had last year. The rain that's fallen has come quietly and sunk deep into the earth. The tale end of hurricane Norbert did, on the other hand, produce a gully washer that eroded our driveway and the dirt road leading to our house. But I say any rain is good rain when you live in the desert!

We had a resident bufo toad for at least a month. He squished his fat body under the lip of our front wall where a drip released excess water from our air-conditioner. But one day he was gone and when I saw a couple of toads run over on the road I hoped he wasn't one of them.

This year the bats arrived late and are still draining the hummingbird feeders every night. We had no migrating hummingbirds this year, a fact that I find disturbing. I plan to contact Audubon to see if they have any information about this change from last year. I haven't seen a javelina for months but I think they may be coming when I'm not looking. Several times the waterlily in the pot in front has been overturned and leaves chewed. Also our compost mysteriously disappears overnight.

We've installed a new fountain in the back yard after struggling to maintain the cement cactus that looked so cool. In the end the motor gave out due to too much junk in the water. But before that happened the thing was covered in a slimy brown algae that the bees seemed to like. I could probably sell the stuff if I had the proper equipment and training. UGH! The birds haven't discovered the new one yet and I really hope they like it. It has two bowls, one small one at the top with the bubbler and then another bigger one into which the water cascades.I am now armed with algaecide! And it's safe for wildlife.

Before I close I have to add a picture of my dog who has taken up the cause of banned books. He's quite a reader when he isn't exploring the droppings of wild animals!

Summer and monsoons

I haven't written for a while, I guess it's because I've been finishing up my desert story about a shape-shifting coyote! Those of you who enjoy this blog may also enjoy this story that is set here in the Sonoran desert.

 Summer has been very different this year, with less heat and less crazy storms. We've had some good rains but they've mostly come in a soft soaking manner instead of the wild winds that threw around our patio furniture last year. I have to say I've missed the lightning and thunder and the hurricane force winds that swirled around our house, but then again I think all the plants have been VERY happy with how much water they've soaked into their thirsty roots.

Every year we notice differences in what blooms and when, and the kinds of animals and birds who frequent our environs. This year the bats had been oddly absent. I have no idea why although I plan to look into it. The coyotes have yet to roam by with their babies. Still in their dens I suppose. Javelina haven't come to the compost in two months, or if they have, I haven't seen them. I hear the roadrunners and see them in our yard from time to time. I learned about their sad puppy sound when calling a mate and now I'm instantly aware of them. I have seen no snakes and oddly, I miss them. I've been  told that August is the month they are on the move. I've seen one Bufo toad this year--he was hiding under the lip of our house in a cool damp spot during the heat of the day. I fed him a black beetle. But the next day he had moved on.

Wildflowers are in full bloom after the rains, the desert poppies and the blue morning glories mingling to make a beautiful blue and orange patchwork behind our house. The two devil's claw plants that suddenly sprang up in our yard were eaten immediately by rabbits, but I have high hopes for another batch. I pick up their fragrance every so often when I'm hiking the trails behind our house.

I've been enjoying the solitude of this time of year, the lack of traffic and people. Yes, it's hot sometimes--too hot to walk if I don't get out early, but it's still magical. With the clouds the sunsets have been spectacular, and the warm mornings make it possible to sit outside with a cup of coffee in my P.J.'s. And the warm nights offer a time to view the stars. So far I haven't grown tired of the ever-changing light on the mountains, the shifting colors that drift slowly across the sky in the evening. Sometimes I feel like the beauty of what I'm seeing couldn't possibly be real!

Summer approaches the Sonoran desert

The weather has been very windy these past weeks, following an incredibly dry winter that made records! I haven't seen a Gila monster, Javelina or coyote in a very long time, although the coyotes have been active at night. The wind has broken our outside table and a chair and broken off several plants. Can't say I enjoy it--had thought the winds were only this bad during monsoon season.

Walking in the desert I've been astounded by how nature survives these weather changes...just today I saw many blooms on the purple

Chollas, and several wildflowers that were still going strong. This is without a good rain since the beginning of December! And the wind has been  hellacious, sucking any residual moisture right out of the ground.

 The Saguaro's bloomed at least a month early this year, but the white winged doves who come for the blooms have been oddly sparse. When I asked a man at 'Native Seed Search' about this, he told me that the native tribes gear the blooming of the Saguaro's with the ceremony to bring the rains.

Since these incredible cactus usually bloom in late May or early June, it takes until late June or early July for the fruit to ripen. They harvest the fruit and make the wine and then they have their ceremony. He said he wasn't sure if this early bloom meant earlier rains or if it was just an affect of global climate change. It will be interesting to find out.

I've seen only one rattlesnake so far this year, and that one seemed oblivious of me or my dog, lying immobile in the middle of the narrow wash I was walking in. I jumped over him and continued. I miss the snakes, not the rattlers, per se, although I do like them, but the King snakes and the Gopher snakes. The year we moved here they were around, but now they're not. We even had a Gila monster that first year! Perhaps human activity and dogs and cats caused them to change their habits.

We are planning a trip in early June up to cooler climes in the Pacific Northwest, but it will be hard for me to leave. There is something magical about this place even when the temperatures soar. I don't want to miss any of the strange and wondrous insect invasions or the baby quail coming to our feeder...(they've been here but I have yet to see them) But as my friend in New Mexico said: "The best thing about living in the desert is going away and coming back."

Bats and hummingbirds oh me oh my

With the monsoons the summer wildlife has been heading elsewhere for their midnight snacks. All except the fruit bats that are still arriving to drain my three hummingbird feeders every night!

Cute little guy isn't he? Looks like a teddy bear. I LOVE watching them swoop into the feeders in the night--not sure how many come but I would say ten to fifteen...of course now they've discovered their sugar bar they're surely addicted. Last year I think they were gone by mid september but our weather has remained warm, with temps close to 100* in the day, going down to 75* at night--one morning I got up to 61* but that was a fluke it seems.

We've had at least four and I think maybe five different types of hummingbirds. The Costa, which are here all year round, ditto with the Annas. The migrants are the Rufous: feisty little redheads who have completely taken over one of the feeders.

Looks like a little sweetheart, doesn't he? You should see them in action! Loud angry cht cht as they chase every other hummingbird away.

We've had another one that I'm not sure about. Dark oily green back, darker wings with a light colored underbody--the violet crowned below is the closest I can come to what he looks like--unfortunately the one who frequents our feeders doesn't have a red bill! Or if he does I can't see it. Can any of you Tucsonians shed light on this?

I'm missing the nightly visits of the javelina and also the coyotes, who have been strangely absent. Once in a while I hear the yips far in the distance but they haven't been traveling by our house.

The clouds have been outdoing themselves, great billowing masses that send cloud shadows racing across the Catalina Mountains. I have to say that since spending time in Portland in June and July I am even more appreciative of the Sonoran Desert. Not only is it peaceful but the beauty is at times so awe-insiring that I don't have words to describe it!



I am looking forward to the fall when I can open my windows at night again. The only thing bad about that is that my dog smells things and occasionally goes nuts, barking hysterically. He hasn't had to spend the night in the closet for a long while.

Here is a picture of myself and my dog taken outside our house by my husband's very talented second cousin, Sherry VanDyke:

Aren't the clouds amazing?

Bats in the belfry and other places...

We have bats! They come to the hummingbird feeder after dark, a blur of cinnamon brown instead of the darker and smaller ones that I'm used to. This guy to the right is the lesser long nosed bat and is endangered. But I'm not sure if it's this type that drains our feeders every night. The bats seem unusually large but it's hard to focus on them since they take a drink and are off, not like the hummingbirds who drink for several seconds or longer. I took this information off the fish and game website:

The three species of long-nosed, nectar-feeding bats that may be seen in the U.S. are: the Mexican long-tongued bat (Choeronycteris mexicana), the lesser long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris curasoae), and the Mexican long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris nivalis). All three are a little over three inches long and weigh from seven-tenths to four-fifths of an ounce. Although all three species overlap in range in Mexico, the Mexican long-nosed bat is not likely to be found in Arizona since it generally appears in the U.S. only in Texas around the Big Bend area.

So how do I identify these nighttime marauders? Their arrival is normally around 7:30. When I turn on the lights they fly away. I've thought of getting a nighttime video camera to set up but that seems expensive. My neighbor takes her feeders in at night to prevent the bats from draining them. I considered it for a moment and then thought, why not let the little guys have their nectar? It's only sugar water and if it helps them survive I'm all for it. 

In any case it's been an added pleasure of our new found life here in the Sonoran desert. Every day we seem to find out some new and astounding fact about the wildlife here. Now if only the gnats would get eaten by the bats I could once more sit outside in the evening with my glass of wine and contemplate the mountains.