April 2011

“Be still and the earth will speak to you” --- Navajo proverb





Using all our senses we “listen” to nature speaking of spring. We smell the blooming plants, look for migrating birds and hear the mating call of the resident birds.

Well spring has sprung even without the spectacular wildflower show of last year. But there are plenty of other indicators.



Prickly Pear Flowers



Ocotillo Blossom



If we are looking for a flower to herald in spring the Ocotillo will bloom in April, even in the driest of years. The Ocotillo is a resident that can be relied on to bloom annually, even without leafing in particularly dry springs. Other spring blooms in dry years will include the yellow blossoms of the Palo Verde, Cat claw acacias and Mesquite trees. Also look for the blossoms of the Prickly pear and Cholla cactus. Toward the end of the month the blossoms of the Saguaro will appear luring in the White-winged dove.

Try standing quietly in the desert and listen as the Gambel’s quail which have broken up into mating pairs. During the rest of the year these gregarious birds join together in groups known

as coveys, which may total 20 or more individuals in fall and winter. They produce a location or assembly call, "ka-KAA-ka-ka," to locate a mate or other covey members, issuing the call most often in midmorning or late afternoon. They emit a distinct "chip-chip-chip" when alarmed. Once the female is on the nest you will see the male sitting on a perch in the vicinity issuing an “all clear” every 15-30 seconds.



Gambels' Quail



Of course you will hear many other birds staking out their territories, sounding alarms and advertizing for mates. Spring is a noisy time.

Another late April resident that becomes observable is the Round-tailed ground squirrel. First the mother pokes her head up to make sure none of their predators are about, and then the young come out to explore and play



The Round-tailed ground squirrel is most active during mornings and evenings, avoiding the most intense heat by retiring to its burrow at midday or seeking shade under a plant. It will climb into bushes not only to obtain leaves, but also to get out of the sun and off the hot sand. This species hibernates from late September or early October to early January. Its burrows have been found among shrubs, and occasionally in landscaped areas. They communicate using whistles. Their warning is a single whistle and causes the other animals in the area to run to their burrows and then look around.



Round-tailed Ground Squirell



Naturalist View March 2011

Solving mysteries

I am often called upon to identify clues from nature. I remember a few years back when one of the visitors to our Saturday wildlife exhibit at Catalina State Park asked about some strange leathery eggs that they had found while hiking in the desert. They said that they had found several of different colors lying on the ground. Unable to identify them without seeing them the person said they would bring them in the following week. True to their word the following week they showed up clutching their find in a napkin. Now I tried to be diplomatic but it was really hard not to burst out laughing when I discovered the “eggs” were pellets from paintball guns.

Strange Eggs

I recently was asked about some teeth found in the mud around the lake. I had my suspicions but finding the proof was indeed an adventure, in fact my first guess was off, but I eventually found the answer. What was it? I think it would be more fun if you tried to figure it out. Here are the pictures. What kind of creature do you think they came from? E-mail your answers to jecloer@aol.com.



Mystery Teeth

What creature had these teeth

These strange looking teeth belong to the Grass Carp which inhabit the ponds on our golf course.

Naturalist View February 2011

Playing Chicken

Male Bobcat protecting its kill

I got a call from a neighbor a few weeks ago. She said that she was concerned about a large Bobcat that was hanging out by her back wall. Upon investigation I discovered that indeed there was a very large male Bobcat that had taken down a small doe just outside her property. I assured her that the Bobcat was no threat to her as long as it was left alone and that it would probably stay at its kill for several days to protect and feed on its prey. A day or two later I took my camera with telephoto lens to see if I could get a picture. I took a picture of the cat lying next to the kill. Then I decided to approach to see if I could get a closer shot. 

I crept toward the cat about ten feet keeping the Bobcat in my viewfinder. I suddenly noticed that the cat was also creeping forward. I stopped, so did my target. I took a picture thinking that the sound of the camera wound scare off the Bobcat. It didn’t! Surely the cat would turn and run if I got closer! I took several steps forward…so did the Bobcat!

So you want to play chicken

A growl…my pulse speeds up…I take a picture, a step (my last) and then I stand up straight. Ha… I won! The Bobcat turned to the side and disappeared into the brush. Had he taken just one more step, I definitely would have given way. Two nights later he showed up outside my sliding glass door to have his picture taken.

So you want to play again?

The House Guest

Something aroused Frank from his sleep. He glanced at his clock and noticed that it was 3 a.m., a time when he was usually sound asleep. What had wakened him - a noise, a movement or just a sense of some presence nearby? He lay quietly listening and trying to detect a sound or movement. He detected a scratching sound coming from under his bed. A minute or so later he definitely heard  something on his computer desk. Getting out of bed and flipping on the light, he spotted the source of the disturbance - a squirrel-sized animal with black eyes and a white spot on its otherwise black face. As the animal turned to run, Frank grabbed it by the tail. The visitor simply turned and looked at Frank. Frank then decided to let it go and call me in the morning.

When I got the call and listened to Frank’s description, I asked him if it could have been a skunk. Frank said “No, not a skunk. I know what a skunk looks like. Anyway, it ran into the bathroom, and I locked him in.” I called Dan Chase and told him to bring a net; we went to investigate. Upon opening the bathroom door, we were met with Spilogale gracilis or a Western Spotted Skunk. Apparently it had been living in Frank’s house for quite awhile and was not at all concerned about our presence. Trying to net this animal was not an option, since we did not want to get it stressed. Frank’s pet cat had recently died, and the skunk had found the bag of cat food and the water dish that were still out. Frank had even been in the habit of leaving his sliding glass door open during the good weather, so the cat could get in and out - the skunk took advantage of a good opportunity.

The House Guest

I explained to Frank that it was very fortunate that he had grabbed this animal by the tail since this prevented the animal from spraying. When threatened, this skunk will do a handstand and spray the offender from its anal scent glands. The squirrel-sized skunk is the smallest skunk in the southwest and the only one known to climb trees.  It is easily distinguishable from other skunks by its size and unique markings. We were able to use a large live trap and catch and remove it to a new location without incident. He was a beauty!