tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78069517636262885702024-03-04T22:21:33.376-08:00Jim Cloer's Arizona DesertEvergreens hunched against the wind . . . the haunting laugh of a canyon wren . . . a canopy of blue sky over the burning desert.
This is wilderness a place that offers a superior kind of pleasure, where nature remains untarnished and undepleted . . .Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-59302120130511817382011-04-09T10:41:00.000-07:002011-04-09T10:41:47.789-07:00April 2011<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“Be still and the earth will speak to you” --- Navajo proverb</span></div></div><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span> <br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">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.</span></div></div><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Well spring has sprung even without the spectacular wildflower show of last year. But there are plenty of other indicators. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prickly Pear Flowers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ocotillo Blossom</td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">If we are looking for a flower to herald in spring the Ocotillo will bloom in April, even in the driest of years. </span><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">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.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">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 </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">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.</div></div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVwLQjZY8ogoin03TzmCmuAYaKzoSXpjOm3AzyCC7Bgkh31MDO-J54GNRGAwCKY0WrDw78JXatkgVCciIaEHmtC4ECkKMhlRDYIO1dDd9mR6mrj_o1k1g1BQZbuV-Gv8H3QIhXvnPhn_6/s1600/Gambel%2527s+Quail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVwLQjZY8ogoin03TzmCmuAYaKzoSXpjOm3AzyCC7Bgkh31MDO-J54GNRGAwCKY0WrDw78JXatkgVCciIaEHmtC4ECkKMhlRDYIO1dDd9mR6mrj_o1k1g1BQZbuV-Gv8H3QIhXvnPhn_6/s320/Gambel%2527s+Quail.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gambels' Quail</td></tr>
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Of course you will hear many other birds staking out their territories, sounding alarms and advertizing for mates. Spring is a noisy time.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">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</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">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. </span></div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSUdg2bI5HM8G9ZJS2gyy1xBpHkFEnLtL00jwVJOkb1MMoWXeo0-oKzeBJstiT31zcblqgfj5g_ROnthHFA3G6aK-Qp8eP0APK3j3LQJi64zs-owdD5fpCi9rONMthgLOT4Ph53UIbHVq/s1600/rnd+tails.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSUdg2bI5HM8G9ZJS2gyy1xBpHkFEnLtL00jwVJOkb1MMoWXeo0-oKzeBJstiT31zcblqgfj5g_ROnthHFA3G6aK-Qp8eP0APK3j3LQJi64zs-owdD5fpCi9rONMthgLOT4Ph53UIbHVq/s320/rnd+tails.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Round-tailed Ground Squirell</td></tr>
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</div>Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-44111526094689604392011-03-10T21:09:00.000-08:002011-03-10T21:09:51.002-08:00Naturalist View March 2011<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Solving mysteries</span></span></div><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">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.</span><span style="background: black; border-bottom: black 1pt; border-left: black 1pt; border-right: black 1pt; border-top: black 1pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 0pt; layout-grid-mode: line; line-height: 115%; mso-border-alt: none black 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-font-width: 0%; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipaXmh0iUxLO3G9-N_VkGPUaaW5gnmnrErJoDJHpE30xl6vPalL_kCt6SyQQdwtw5f-nIswl8vtH7EC5faEYEkuXntK17kOodHjrE2QwXHzHR0FwfnLG3i0bHaYL34Yacmjz7oTtINbrT-/s1600/paintballs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipaXmh0iUxLO3G9-N_VkGPUaaW5gnmnrErJoDJHpE30xl6vPalL_kCt6SyQQdwtw5f-nIswl8vtH7EC5faEYEkuXntK17kOodHjrE2QwXHzHR0FwfnLG3i0bHaYL34Yacmjz7oTtINbrT-/s320/paintballs.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Strange Eggs</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">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 </span><a href="mailto:jecloer@aol.com"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">jecloer@aol.com</span></a><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">.</span></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-78008957631391173232011-02-04T19:22:00.000-08:002011-03-20T18:23:36.173-07:00Mystery Teeth<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">What creature had these teeth</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ribe2tH-COpmxaVP9Iq2CneZUPtfJCg7T3D3JvvnGKju-1V7HZ-Mlst1lrPNcTF6m3nuheKBkhuRXN2a_tjR1ylZS2E7EQwJPJnNaLPYveyXFV6x8dRJp5rwwW8tXfs09CG3HyHp0OAU/s1600/mystery2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ribe2tH-COpmxaVP9Iq2CneZUPtfJCg7T3D3JvvnGKju-1V7HZ-Mlst1lrPNcTF6m3nuheKBkhuRXN2a_tjR1ylZS2E7EQwJPJnNaLPYveyXFV6x8dRJp5rwwW8tXfs09CG3HyHp0OAU/s320/mystery2.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5HUgJYSIWcfNpFkRGec1SAQIo74MjNpz8ICrZ8QsKO8dHeGFlEWeaeHvqNu0QCYmjEhWaf4H0JvWoy8mfktPbBBn-M5UCTjvYZ4P3OCYEgowUL8ZYKQSRvgQI1jmFnDnowvodZBNmDhL/s1600/DSC03347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5HUgJYSIWcfNpFkRGec1SAQIo74MjNpz8ICrZ8QsKO8dHeGFlEWeaeHvqNu0QCYmjEhWaf4H0JvWoy8mfktPbBBn-M5UCTjvYZ4P3OCYEgowUL8ZYKQSRvgQI1jmFnDnowvodZBNmDhL/s320/DSC03347.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">These strange looking teeth belong to the Grass Carp which inhabit the ponds on our golf course.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegc2D5WPWFkLpmBd5NXFPRMvCxSupZljt3LiXA3fIh-hkcB9ltCcB-icP5STROg_-CBNajFY-L8AreS5F8KRK5VaLprnY8MYD_LXCtiK4nYe7jU1Z_xio94BGV3y2QuAsFLVuxBvF4tr6/s1600/grass-carp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhegc2D5WPWFkLpmBd5NXFPRMvCxSupZljt3LiXA3fIh-hkcB9ltCcB-icP5STROg_-CBNajFY-L8AreS5F8KRK5VaLprnY8MYD_LXCtiK4nYe7jU1Z_xio94BGV3y2QuAsFLVuxBvF4tr6/s320/grass-carp.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-57807969545788887672011-02-04T19:09:00.000-08:002011-02-07T05:44:20.726-08:00Naturalist View February 2011<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Playing Chicken</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8qAyXlyfkGnBrFavxiRORySaKqJITrdu5HaWkfPJbE6siDqTgj6Ls0lR1GLjgprJq8nw94PYIoDF6dkdgy4fTMMEEiI5wzJeM3MfPFm7GQQ4cGvEwT-92dsWfHn6KJS6w0ltW0uamu2A/s1600/bobcat+male1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8qAyXlyfkGnBrFavxiRORySaKqJITrdu5HaWkfPJbE6siDqTgj6Ls0lR1GLjgprJq8nw94PYIoDF6dkdgy4fTMMEEiI5wzJeM3MfPFm7GQQ4cGvEwT-92dsWfHn6KJS6w0ltW0uamu2A/s320/bobcat+male1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Male Bobcat protecting its kill</span></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">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.</span> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">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!</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6kwgt8o4D0kmluZyyqAVQrZENvlt2FbQTt4Euf37FE2QXkWvwb9FdUqx2mhgOC41T_0HiC11S5GmovV2ep6yZ_3sz1_hzY85vAoHDDsA7jFYGpIrpMxPBFvfabyhJfL1PGD-xEyZLf26/s1600/DSC02889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6kwgt8o4D0kmluZyyqAVQrZENvlt2FbQTt4Euf37FE2QXkWvwb9FdUqx2mhgOC41T_0HiC11S5GmovV2ep6yZ_3sz1_hzY85vAoHDDsA7jFYGpIrpMxPBFvfabyhJfL1PGD-xEyZLf26/s320/DSC02889.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>So you want to play chicken</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">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. </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJU-_K8LE0w_a5YST2bDuU9cG0YCK2hlyKMHx4XeMQ9aT8IKcJOv_1N3RTRp7Uyik-1DjeK1YPpojjM6EblmYAk-i5Obv2HeQYLwR-uD08mbnQd9pvH4HgwwGtV1E6GlEuihubtWrugtZO/s1600/DSC03207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJU-_K8LE0w_a5YST2bDuU9cG0YCK2hlyKMHx4XeMQ9aT8IKcJOv_1N3RTRp7Uyik-1DjeK1YPpojjM6EblmYAk-i5Obv2HeQYLwR-uD08mbnQd9pvH4HgwwGtV1E6GlEuihubtWrugtZO/s320/DSC03207.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>So you want to play again?</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"></div>Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-22011522716385266232011-01-06T07:12:00.000-08:002011-03-20T18:22:22.332-07:00The House Guest<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>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. </span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">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 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Spilogale gracilis </i>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.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkz4LULPYWsOQq1mitMJFv2J0KgOye0fnIjU9kM7_Scs6rd7uI88_rHhJZQzRGIP3RMZiWLBpcRRAWxDCMAvUwpx0n3eksJbWwNryoXEZfUEZWwt3tZsmIcT-E63-95T6zNfKQs9gcKM8o/s1600/WesternSpottedSkunk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkz4LULPYWsOQq1mitMJFv2J0KgOye0fnIjU9kM7_Scs6rd7uI88_rHhJZQzRGIP3RMZiWLBpcRRAWxDCMAvUwpx0n3eksJbWwNryoXEZfUEZWwt3tZsmIcT-E63-95T6zNfKQs9gcKM8o/s320/WesternSpottedSkunk.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">The House Guest</span></strong></td></tr>
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</div><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">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!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div></span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span>Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-79870192518260409282010-12-02T14:43:00.000-08:002010-12-02T14:43:19.976-08:00Naturalist View November and December 2010<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If it looks like a pig and smells like a pig…….it must be a…</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Collared Peccary</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Better known around here as … </span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;">Javelina</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The phone call came in from a lady who seemed very concerned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She explained, “There is a sick baby pig by my front door”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked her why she thought it was sick. She replied that it was all by itself, just lying there and not moving. I got her address and went to investigate. When I got to the house, I found no sign of anything on her front porch. She explained that it had gotten up and walked away. I asked her some other questions and determined that the pig was actually a javelina, since it was 2 to 3 feet long, it was hardly a baby. I asked if she knew if any of her neighbors had been feeding wildlife; she did not know of any. I told her that it is common for javalina, that are being fed by well intentioned people, to become pests since they have no real fear of people. I told her that if it returned to give me a call. Minutes after I returned home, the phone rang; wouldn’t you know, the javelina had returned. When I got back to her house, I found “Baby” taking a nap on her welcome mat.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8I36PQhk23JTyrizH2MEUaSCgjzAN_tDNPo1eLq6-iXoggZ4W-K8NOJV_X4D6mgDBn_9HQbAUCq7xZ1UbEsNLw7S4jmPoUsgG9FssYLp_a5_KmVCpsQp0L8KhW7kDqWoJPYs1ZyApmME/s1600/DSC00905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8I36PQhk23JTyrizH2MEUaSCgjzAN_tDNPo1eLq6-iXoggZ4W-K8NOJV_X4D6mgDBn_9HQbAUCq7xZ1UbEsNLw7S4jmPoUsgG9FssYLp_a5_KmVCpsQp0L8KhW7kDqWoJPYs1ZyApmME/s320/DSC00905.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I signaled for the lady to let me in the back door and then proceeded to open the front door, after prodding “Baby” it reluctantly walked down the walkway and settled down for a nap under a window by the front of the house. Since it was Sunday and I was not going to be able to call Game and Fish for a relocation permit, I advised the home owner to give me a call if this javalina was still around the following day and I left.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This could have been the end of the story, but there is more! The home owner had followed me out the door as I left her house to talk to some neighbors about the situation. Oh, yes, she did not shut her front door. “Baby” had been waiting for this opportunity. She found her way into the living room; lo and behold there was a basket of fruit and candy for guests. You can use your imagination for the rest of the story.</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="body1"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Though some people think javelina is a type of wild pig, they are actually members of the peccary family, a group of hoofed mammals originating from South America. Javelina are common in much of central and southern Arizona, including the the Tucson area, and occasionally as far north as Flagstaff. Javelina form herds of two to more than 20 animals and rely on each other to defend territory and protect against predators. They use washes and areas with dense vegetation as travel corridors. Javelina are most active at night, but they may be active during the day, especially during the cold winter months,</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> in order to take advantage of the sun's heat</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">When alarmed, they can run off at speeds up to 21 mph. While their eyesight is poor, peccaries have good senses of hearing and smell. Groups have individual territories which overlap at focal points, such as watering holes. These territories are usually about a quarter square mile in size. The inner territory (non-overlapping part) of each group is characterized by smell. Males often mark rocks and trees near resting areas using their dorsal glands. At these well-used resting spots and along the territorial boundaries are defecation sites which are visited by the whole herd. The group is completely closed, with no new members ever being accepted. One in every ten offspring born is rejected from the group. As you can see, this becomes a problem for the rejected offspring as it will never be accepted by any group.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzGEQ5seEDOBN5cF_CoIkZWeIxOibX20zkoP5rI43AYZT8OayGOnZ8qagJKUxDITibb1dDi3HeE9u-8b_LoqnL4n8R-RpijhvAtPE-ybWmPKNI6jvOsLOr-cESRYTBXw2Cjz7_t9K_rge/s1600/baby+javalina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzGEQ5seEDOBN5cF_CoIkZWeIxOibX20zkoP5rI43AYZT8OayGOnZ8qagJKUxDITibb1dDi3HeE9u-8b_LoqnL4n8R-RpijhvAtPE-ybWmPKNI6jvOsLOr-cESRYTBXw2Cjz7_t9K_rge/s320/baby+javalina.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">Babe Looking for a Treat</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Occasionally one is brought into a rescue center. One adopt me as its “herd”; I must have smelled just right. I named it Babe. It followed me around as I was cleaning cages and feeding the animals at the Center; whenever I sat down, it would lie at my feet and take a nap. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Javelina have several vocalizations, including snorts, squeals, barks, and rumbling growls. These sounds have different meanings, most of which are warnings if you are close enough to hear them. The javelina are very protective of their young and will not hesitate to charge any threat.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1arzAz595S-w4lmts532maG1IpWi9H_CXLr20PRezj53Jf8vUzFCYF4K-bvYe6ajt4aHFlA-IoaTuQtT4avvEnVQgEEeKI5hC4l3TL1Xy_ft-6VaGcrxXic16jh-VlRIKzAbOlMs9yBr-/s1600/Babe+asleep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1arzAz595S-w4lmts532maG1IpWi9H_CXLr20PRezj53Jf8vUzFCYF4K-bvYe6ajt4aHFlA-IoaTuQtT4avvEnVQgEEeKI5hC4l3TL1Xy_ft-6VaGcrxXic16jh-VlRIKzAbOlMs9yBr-/s320/Babe+asleep.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Babe asleep</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em>Family group</em><strong>:</strong><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Herds of 2-20 animals, with herds up to 54 individuals being recorded. </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Diet</em>:<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Roots, fruits, tubers, grasses, leaves, eggs, carrion. </span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Main preditors</em>:<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Coyote, puma, jaguar, bobcat. </span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Distribution </span></strong></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plains with brush, semi-deserts, and forests in southern North America, Central America, and northern South America. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 5pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Description.</span></strong></span><br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">These pig like creatures are characterized by presence of four-hoofed toes on the front feet, but only three on the hind feet (outer dewclaw absent); short, pig like snout; crushing molars; nearly straight and dagger like canines (tusks); harsh pelage with distinct "mane" from crown to rump; distinct musk gland on rump; distinct whitish collar across shoulder in adults. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Habits.</span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In Arizona, javelina occupy the brushy semi desert where prickly pear is a conspicuous part of the flora. They are commonly found in dense thickets of prickly pear, chaparral, scrub oak; also in rocky canyons where caverns and hollows afford protection.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Through exaggerated tales of the javelina’s ferociousness, it has been charged that peccaries will kill or injure dogs. It is true that encounters between peccaries and untrained dogs usually end with dead or crippled dogs. It is also true that in these battles the dog is always the aggressor, and any animal will defend its life to the best of its ability when attacked. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Javelina are chiefly herbivorous and feed on various cacti, especially prickly pear, mesquite beans and other succulent vegetation. Terrestrial insects also are eaten.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I’ve got to say that the pesky part of having javelina around has much improved due to the larger trash containers now provided by waste management. Before, we could count on our units being “trashed” by javelina who knew when trash day was.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="bodylabel1"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Possible Conflicts with Humans and Pets</strong></span></span><span class="body1"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span><br />
<span class="body1"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Javelina will likely visit occasionally if you live in Saddlebrooke near a wash or other natural desert. Javelina usually cause only minor problems for people by eating a few plants. However, people should never feed javelina. This can cause them to become regular visitors and lose their fear of people, creating problems for the neighborhood. Javelina occasionally bite humans, but incidents of bites are almost always associated with people providing the javelina with food. They can inflict a serious wound. Javelina may act defensively when cornered or to protect their young. Dogs, coyotes and cougar are natural predators of javelina.</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="body1"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span class="bodylabel1"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">What Should I Do?</span></strong></span></span><br />
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<span class="bodylabel1"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span class="body1"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">If javelina have become a problem or have caused property damage, see the suggestions below to deal with the situation. Do your part to keep javelina healthy and wild because their removal almost always means death. Work with your neighbors to achieve a consistent solution to the problem.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="bodylabel1"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span class="body1"><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">To discourage a javelina you should immediately:</span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></strong></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></span></span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="body1"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><img alt="*" height="9" src="http://www.blogger.com/PicExportError" width="9" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="body1">Scare off animals by making loud noises (bang pots, yell, stomp on the floor, etc.)</span><span class="style41">;</span><span class="body1"> throwing small rocks in their direction</span><span class="style41">;</span><span class="body1"> or spraying with water from a garden hose.</span></span></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="body1"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><img alt="*" height="9" src="http://www.blogger.com/PicExportError" width="9" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="body1">If the animal is confined, open a gate, have all people leave the area, and allow it to leave on its own. If it is still there the following day, contact</span><span class="body1"><span style="color: red;"> </span></span><span class="body1"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">the</span></span><span class="body1"> Arizona Game and Fish Department. </span></span></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><img alt="*" height="12" src="http://www.blogger.com/PicExportError" width="12" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span class="body1">If you see javelina while walking your dog, avoid going near the javelina and quickly take your dog in a different direction.</span> </span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span>Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-73043275326784007992010-09-30T23:59:00.000-07:002010-09-30T23:59:00.134-07:00Naturalist View October 2010<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>The Deal</strong></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9aZgrSVKXYso6TfgsA2FMsjrMRiev5j7pEPsmC-knaKolwv2_h7zlztPAmvlhPM-IcP-TBk5pxn8G7_eyPe5cZASymjv1PlQnUznpxQfKspheBQZDH_OqLmVKmDcuI2Z6qTv-lszY3TLU/s1600/The+Deal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9aZgrSVKXYso6TfgsA2FMsjrMRiev5j7pEPsmC-knaKolwv2_h7zlztPAmvlhPM-IcP-TBk5pxn8G7_eyPe5cZASymjv1PlQnUznpxQfKspheBQZDH_OqLmVKmDcuI2Z6qTv-lszY3TLU/s640/The+Deal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It is a few minutes before 7 a.m. as a blue SUV pulls into the gas station at the corner of Oracle and Ina. Pulling up to the pumps, a scruffy, older man with a gray beard and wearing a black western hat gets out and starts filling his car with the cheap stuff. He looks around as if searching for someone. Finished filling his tank he pulls the SUV next to some bushes that screen the car from the busy intersection. He gets out of the car and opens the rear door and sits on back bumper. He sips on a cup of coffee still scanning the area as if expecting someone. The gas station attendant in the service booth begins to take notice. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A few minutes later a rather beat up yellow and white pick-up truck pulls up and parks just ahead of the SUV. The driver, a large, tough looking 40’ish man gets out as the man in the black hat approaches him. A few words are exchanged and the driver of the pickup returns to the vehicle and pulls out a small Styrofoam cooler and approaches the man in the black hat. He pulls a clear plastic ziplock bag that is filled with what appears, to the gas station attendant, a white substance. The station attendant is now devoting his full attention to the scene outside. The man in the black hat pulls out a roll of money and exchanges it for the zip lock bag. Both men return to their vehicles and drive off in opposite directions. The gas station attendant can’t believe what he just saw and then realizes that he did not even get the license plate of either car. He wonders “should I call 911?”</span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I, on the other hand, am saying to myself as I drive my blue SUV back to Saddlebrooke, “It was sure nice of Tom to meet me halfway with those frozen mice. Two hundred mice will last me for a while. Now I can get home in time to write the October ‘Naturalist View’ article.”</span><br />
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<h4 style="margin: auto 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 18pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tuna in the Desert?</span> <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"></span></span></h4><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiST_0Y72aHV0dUrUe4Pc1nnZKtcYT2QeRRwvSbFmtsHb4ePsu-FzFq1RI5a7WO_ZCaT3hRxeXJiI6bS3Ypka3eJPwcGcztbcfkUWz8tGV-ZI7J_PM-GM_ZJvzvEBDuHpeJyY_5by22SAY/s1600/cartoon-tuna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiST_0Y72aHV0dUrUe4Pc1nnZKtcYT2QeRRwvSbFmtsHb4ePsu-FzFq1RI5a7WO_ZCaT3hRxeXJiI6bS3Ypka3eJPwcGcztbcfkUWz8tGV-ZI7J_PM-GM_ZJvzvEBDuHpeJyY_5by22SAY/s320/cartoon-tuna.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Early October is the last chance to harvest those prickly pears, because the blossoms you saw in May that turned to green pears in June, pink in July and purple in August will be gone by November. “Where do they go?” you ask. Well, of course, I pick a few buckets to feed my box turtles and Desert tortoise and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>make prickly pear ice tea, jam, syrup etc. But, that does not account for the hundreds of thousands, yea maybe millions of pears that were here in August. And even if the rest of you who are reading this indulged in making tasty Prickly Pear Margaritas, it still wouldn’t account for all those pears. Of course we humans are not the only ones that have a taste for the “Tuna” of the desert. Tuna is the Mexican name for the fruit of the cactus.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During daylight hours, you may observe many birds, such as finches and thrashers, feeding on the ripe fruit. In fact, as the fruit starts to ferment, some birds seem to indulge a little too much. This fruit is also a favorite of box turtles and tortoises as well as Javalina, Coyotes, Ground and Rock Squirrels, Packrats Mice, Fox, Rabbits, Badgers, Coatis and even Deer. Some, such as the Chelonia (Turtles and Tortoises) and the Javalina have enzymes that can handle the spines and glochids (<span style="color: black;">they are microscopic hairs called that will stick in your skin and drive you to distraction). </span>Other animals have developed methods of removing most of these by brushing or rolling the pear to remove the spines.<span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Protect your skin during the harvesting, as well as the cleaning process </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">of the cactus fruit by using tongs and rubber gloves. <span style="color: black;">Once you have harvested the fruit, you will need to remove the glochids. I prefer burning the spines and glochids with my blow torch and a pair of BBQ tongs. It only takes moments of rotating the fruit in the flame and they are burned away. They can also be removed by cutting them away with a knife or peeling off the skin, of course you should wear good rubber gloves that should be disposed of afterwards. The native people of the area used limbs of the Desert Broom plant to brush the spines away and then rolled the fruit in dirt or sand. Once you have prepared the pears this way you can proceed safely to use the cactus fruit in many ways.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixI12lhwAX6-wHCeN0AuhTd1oZiwMDLoECeCCTy1XZV0Jm1p5v276enPr0wxfy_YBL5vBI3OrHbg9iRWRsffuiUKFTMNr52LzeIC8hlWzmIxlvbaWy14jee39mNhUZs4aRhOUgN4K__hUU/s1600/Grandaughter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixI12lhwAX6-wHCeN0AuhTd1oZiwMDLoECeCCTy1XZV0Jm1p5v276enPr0wxfy_YBL5vBI3OrHbg9iRWRsffuiUKFTMNr52LzeIC8hlWzmIxlvbaWy14jee39mNhUZs4aRhOUgN4K__hUU/s320/Grandaughter.jpg" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6ffuBIOo1P5pBth7xkOVz9M7_Z-mzMWDoOqTNzqYY6bWx6Bbfdh7gsWbtHjhjBgEG1XWrOcaD3HXLoEM4HkzZ5-ZZ5pxSN8TmomNbWhA_d-TTUt8-jR-f7SaSTnF36x9dTCTc-4n71i8/s1600/picking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6ffuBIOo1P5pBth7xkOVz9M7_Z-mzMWDoOqTNzqYY6bWx6Bbfdh7gsWbtHjhjBgEG1XWrOcaD3HXLoEM4HkzZ5-ZZ5pxSN8TmomNbWhA_d-TTUt8-jR-f7SaSTnF36x9dTCTc-4n71i8/s320/picking.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPfxkhm7nPB7ctmUF8abyDJtcVDYMj9pFtfSCYHl2fX8fMtihlxpiJW0uBqTCH3PAvhjRNnmt32xK_JwsbPlRhikL9qWZT06lUu82f7xd_LykqoyeORYTOna93j3-53CB4-MdAvcnMNtYv/s1600/burning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPfxkhm7nPB7ctmUF8abyDJtcVDYMj9pFtfSCYHl2fX8fMtihlxpiJW0uBqTCH3PAvhjRNnmt32xK_JwsbPlRhikL9qWZT06lUu82f7xd_LykqoyeORYTOna93j3-53CB4-MdAvcnMNtYv/s320/burning.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I usually make prickly pear syrup which can be used in many recipes.</span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12pt 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Such as:</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<h4 style="margin: auto 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Prickly pear margaritas - Looks great! Tastes great! Be careful!</span></h4><div style="margin: auto 0in;"><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>12 ounces crushed ice</strong> </span></span></div><div style="margin: auto 0in;"><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>8 ounces prickly pear syrup (recipe below</strong>) <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>1 ounce tequila </strong></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;">Combine ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve with a wedge of sliced lime. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<h4 style="margin: auto 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Prickly Pear Cactus Jelly Recipe</span></h4><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>4 cups strained prickly pear tuna juice </strong></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="margin: auto 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>6 cups granulated sugar</strong></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin: auto 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tablespoons lemon juice<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 package pectin</span></span></strong></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<div style="margin: auto 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Wash and chop prickly pear tunas as previously instructed. Cover chopped fruit with water even with level of tunas in pan. Cook over medium heat for approximately 20 minutes. Use cheesecloth and a colander to strain liquid from cooked prickly pear fruit. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Combine strained prickly pear juice and lemon juice and cook over medium heat until solution is boiling. Once boiling add sugar and pectin and stir constantly. Continue to keep mixture at a rolling boil for two minutes, then remove pan from heat. If canning jelly, ladle into sterilized jars and water bath can for 16 minutes. Prickly pear jelly may take up to two weeks to gel inside the jars. If using for fresh jelly, cool jelly and store covered in the refrigerator for up to one month.</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Prickly pear syrup recipe</span></b></div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>6 cups strained prickly pear tuna juice</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>6 cups white sugar</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>4 tbsp. lemon juice</strong></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Wash and chop prickly pear tunas after removal of spines. Cover chopped fruit with water about 2 inches above level of tunas in pot. Cook over medium heat for approximately 20 minutes. Use cheesecloth and a colander to strain liquid from cooked prickly pear fruit. This will make the strained juice thinner to increase production of the syrup without any decline in flavor. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Combine strained prickly pear juice and lemon juice and cook over medium heat until solution is boiling. Once boiling add sugar and stir constantly. Keep at a rolling boil until all of the sugar is dissolved. Then remove pan from heat. If canning syrup, ladle into sterilized jars and water bath can for 16 minutes. If using syrup immediately, cool syrup and store covered in the refrigerator for up to one month.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Many more uses and recipes can be found online</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A Puzzle</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8bgr8YhR4adFmy5TGtO_yvZvgYuAcE2hqUaNhgxamAhA2GAd2HrVSKe962220NJAgCxl9c08EWGSgKCh0HZIby2yXv6I2Bt8PM9Nv06cBqD_IcfJSXUVtGIJTDt9h2wmWdtWRsli9fhF/s1600/connection.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="388" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8bgr8YhR4adFmy5TGtO_yvZvgYuAcE2hqUaNhgxamAhA2GAd2HrVSKe962220NJAgCxl9c08EWGSgKCh0HZIby2yXv6I2Bt8PM9Nv06cBqD_IcfJSXUVtGIJTDt9h2wmWdtWRsli9fhF/s640/connection.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="margin: auto 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>What is the connection between Prickly pear cactus, Aztecs and Betsy Ross?</strong></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <strong>Solution:</strong></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Cochineal </span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">(<i>Dactylopius coccus</i>)</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06w2ofVwYsgb32wt1SMk4wtBPGT56YNVBmfiq0mNZgbY4kMYHNH0v2fRt1FxFUZw5sfccy1anMK1hyphenhyphencoH00JDJBgAkvoeakt9HaW_x0qFzgncIYRFDxwzsz32zYkeMHk3wbJXHeOsr6rA/s1600/Cochineal_fungus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06w2ofVwYsgb32wt1SMk4wtBPGT56YNVBmfiq0mNZgbY4kMYHNH0v2fRt1FxFUZw5sfccy1anMK1hyphenhyphencoH00JDJBgAkvoeakt9HaW_x0qFzgncIYRFDxwzsz32zYkeMHk3wbJXHeOsr6rA/s320/Cochineal_fungus.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Cochineal is a traditional red dye of pre-Hispanic Mexico. This precious dyestuff was obtained not from a plant, but from an insect that lives its life sucking on a plant. The host plants are the flattened stems (pads) of prickly pear cacti (<i>Opuntia</i>), especially the species called nopales. The animal is a scale insect that manufactures a deep maroon pigment and stores this pigment in body fluids. Early Mixtec (Aztec and Mayan) Indians used indigo, derived from native legumes, for blues and cochineal for various shades of red.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Scale insects are lazy creatures. A cactus pad is colonized by a female, who produces some new females that settle around the mother. A female inserts the proboscis, a tube, into the pad for obtaining nourishment, and secretes a white, web-like, wax-based material over the area for camouflage and to prevent desiccation. Males are small and live for only a week, just long enough to mate with as many females as possible. I have noticed that in nature males all seem to have a similar role. Hmm.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Mixtexs and their successors in southern Mexico farmed cochineal so they could crush the insects and extract the red body fluids for dye. When Spaniards arrived in Mexico, they were fascinated by the intense scarlet color of cochineal dye, which was brighter and better than anything in the Old World. Textiles dyed with cochineal were shipped to Europe and became the rage; in fact, next to gold cochineal was the most desired import commodity from Middle America. </span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The red coats as in “the Red Coats are coming” and the red stripes in the first American flag sewn by Betsy Ross were made by fabrics dyed with Carmine. </span><b><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Carmine</span></b><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> is the name of the color pigment obtained from the insect <i>Dactylopius coccus </i>(Cochineal) that lives on cacti from the genus <i>Opuntia</i>. </span></span><br />
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<h2 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" name="<b>Red_Food_Coloring_From_Beetles</b>"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Red Food Coloring from Beetles</span></span></a><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">?</span></span></h2><h2 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;">The common food colorants cochineal and carmine (carminic acid) are indeed made from Central and South American ground beetles, <span style="color: black;">cochineal.</span> Aside from food, these pigments are also used in many cosmetics, shampoos and even fruit juice!</span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Maybe that’s more information than you wanted to know. </span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
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</div></div></div>Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-37107234937241909452010-08-31T12:44:00.000-07:002010-09-12T14:09:35.125-07:00Naturalist View September 2010<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As summer wanes, I look forward to lizards and butterflies. Of course they have been active all summer but September is my “Bug month”. When you have bugs you have lizards.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Whiptail lizards</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Among my favorite lizards are the Whiptails, a slender, shiny and colorful lizard that searches for ants and other insects found in the litter on the ground. While hunting it moves with a short jerky motion and turns over litter with its nose looking for prey. When you spot one you can be certain that it is a female. Why you ask? I am glad that you asked. No examination is necessary since all the known species of whiptail lizards reproduce by a process called parthenogenesis. The eggs produced by the female have a full set of chromosomes, so no male is needed to fertilize them and the offspring are perfect clones of the mother. Some ladies I know think that this is a really good idea.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9X85pcjJb9vx51o73LZmL3-jWkm624m1rS9d_z1brdqMI0YiIu1ZpTsxZhBkTbgEOfdBlt1amzbH_V85GcBtdOKYnv93G0XPDiavtfqGRze-_ym4iHX7ItOeNM7vNMlEbA7M356odGZK5/s1600/DSC02599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9X85pcjJb9vx51o73LZmL3-jWkm624m1rS9d_z1brdqMI0YiIu1ZpTsxZhBkTbgEOfdBlt1amzbH_V85GcBtdOKYnv93G0XPDiavtfqGRze-_ym4iHX7ItOeNM7vNMlEbA7M356odGZK5/s320/DSC02599.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: black;">It’s a Girl!</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Desert Spiny Lizard</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course we have all seen the most common lizard of Saddlebrooke the Desert Spiny Lizard. Almost every yard has its resident spiny. You can often see them running across the street looking for a mate, or a fight with a neighbor lizard. I have seen hundreds of them in the road during a monsoon shower lapping up the water for a rare drink.</span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
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</span></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKnLhdN9yB9CiLcItMgBOEKR0qyfWUrj6h0T36cNteOFUpVPdpeE2YI58t0O7SeLWIaWssq1J4vg2I80RD3V4MMKNs3MAmx3rL8at-qukrVfaIRfMRLQktrEbtx_AK7fzXOmE0NgFV7XO/s1600/DSC02951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKnLhdN9yB9CiLcItMgBOEKR0qyfWUrj6h0T36cNteOFUpVPdpeE2YI58t0O7SeLWIaWssq1J4vg2I80RD3V4MMKNs3MAmx3rL8at-qukrVfaIRfMRLQktrEbtx_AK7fzXOmE0NgFV7XO/s320/DSC02951.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Horned Lizard</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Often called a “Horned or Horny Toad” this Lizard reminds us of the Dinosaurs of the past. This diurnal ground-dweller can be active at any time of the year but winter activity is usually restricted to unseasonably warm days. It seeks shelter from cold temperatures by burrowing into the soil, and occasionally squirts blood from its eyes when threatened or captured. This blood might have a foul taste designed to deter predators. Other defensive behaviors include inflating itself by gulping air and “poking” with the horns. These spiny “horns” protect the lizard from predators, such as snakes that would find it hard to swallow. The Horned Lizard feeds primarily on ants but it also takes beetles and other insects.</span></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJ5Lbk0j9H-hwfb1fHXMWHGxvm6JiX4LRTuEJNhroZksPOBiU_fpiIe60DjP0LmVNHWvZ9srz6zir7dHHPqAVSX4UxJS3lfbm2camb6LcvBz4HbMA1dsLW8Jk0a64Q6R5BfZYKSm1Io73/s1600/Regal+HL.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGJ5Lbk0j9H-hwfb1fHXMWHGxvm6JiX4LRTuEJNhroZksPOBiU_fpiIe60DjP0LmVNHWvZ9srz6zir7dHHPqAVSX4UxJS3lfbm2camb6LcvBz4HbMA1dsLW8Jk0a64Q6R5BfZYKSm1Io73/s320/Regal+HL.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: black;">I am a Lizard! I am not a Toad!</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Banded Gecko</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You may come across our next lizard when turning over rocks or debris or more likely at night while it is hunting insects attracted by your porch light. The delightful Banded Gecko is a small (3" from snout to vent), creamy yellow lizard with reddish brown cross bands, spots, and reticulations on the body and tail. The scales are small and granular and the skin is soft and translucent. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHWBuGu0Ab-a6c-mtbQFeE0F8QA7EEQR09xOhLzi6xEE_kewUup280bKD-RyyYdVNfwLiie3diRuVKFkZ906B6nqyQ6bdhyphenhyphenMrN88_OmMQiDBJXgmV7roKkP11RmOCtpvNxx7Ckg9d1s1q/s1600/IMG_0118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHWBuGu0Ab-a6c-mtbQFeE0F8QA7EEQR09xOhLzi6xEE_kewUup280bKD-RyyYdVNfwLiie3diRuVKFkZ906B6nqyQ6bdhyphenhyphenMrN88_OmMQiDBJXgmV7roKkP11RmOCtpvNxx7Ckg9d1s1q/s320/IMG_0118.JPG" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: black;">Western Banded Gecko</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Gila monster</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With dozens of lizards in the Southern Arizona region, it is impossible for me to cover all the lizards you may encounter here in Saddlebrooke. So I will conclude with my very favorite the infamous Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum)</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Tohono O’Odham myth </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Indians and animals were invited to attend the first saguaro wine festival. Of course, party goers wore their best. Gila monster, not wanting to be dowdy like some lizards, gathered bright pebbles and tossed them over his back, making a durable and beautiful coat.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Latin name, Heloderma suspectum, reflects the impression given by this animal: the Greek heloderma, studded skin; suspectum: suspected to be poisonous. In Mexico, both the Gila monster and the beaded lizard are called “escopión” or “spitter,” because of the misconception that these lizards spit venom at their enemies. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most people, when asked to name a venomous reptile, would think of a snake, and would probably not even realize that there are two species of venomous lizards that live in the Sonoran desert - the gila monster, Heloderma suspectum, and the Mexican beaded lizard, Heloderma horridum. Until 2009, they were thought to be the only venomous lizards in the world. Recent research has shown that the Komodo dragons also have venom. Until now the thought was that their prey died from bacterial infection from their bite. I was not aware of that when I was stalking them with my camera (and two guides) recently on Komodo Island in Indonesia.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gila monster venom is a neurotoxin that causes respiratory failure in small mammals. So far there is no authenticated proof that anyone has died from their bite. A newspaper report that a man from the Phoenix area died from a Gila Monster bite in the late 1890’s prompted investigation that revealed that, yes the man had been bitten, and yes he had died but failed to mention that the events were twelve years apart.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These lizards have a tenacious bite in which they hold on to their prey. During this time they tend to gnaw, which seems to aid in the delivery of the venom. Unlike snakes they do not inject venom through fangs, but chew the venom (which is mixed with the saliva) into the wound. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Frightened by these oversized lizards, territorial settlers made up some gruesome tales, which gave the Gila monsters a nasty reputation. Every time one clamped its jaws onto a person and refused to let go, the lizard’s legend grew. They will open mouth and hiss when disturbed or threatened. A Gila monster will defend himself, but it’s not looking for a fight. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"></span></span></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 1959, a really bad movie, “The Giant Gila Monster” came out which did not help this poor lizards reputation. It has since become a cult classic. Well you probably saw it with your date at the Drive-In back in ’59.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoxvrKp9bmD6IdMr9eq4idNJBruSd3VLSabk-s4TVCF9DUntyV9bkNSq1-vS0loL3xsWUfptUWTOsN16mIP_acJL_Rm3j5DFDBvClBL-_cHc7YXgUpX7YUgeY50bV9fpNMMKkcEHl4Xv5/s1600/movie2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoxvrKp9bmD6IdMr9eq4idNJBruSd3VLSabk-s4TVCF9DUntyV9bkNSq1-vS0loL3xsWUfptUWTOsN16mIP_acJL_Rm3j5DFDBvClBL-_cHc7YXgUpX7YUgeY50bV9fpNMMKkcEHl4Xv5/s320/movie2.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: black;">Note: actually the lizard used for the movie is a Mexican Beaded Lizard</span></strong></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Gila Monster is very selective about the people they bite. Statistics show that most bites occur to younger males that have been drinking, have Tattoos and only after they say “Here hold my beer and watch this!” Of the 40 or 50 Arizonans bitten by Gila monsters in the past few years, only a few had to spend the night in the hospital. The bites hurt, but no one dies. </span></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Rule one: Don’t hassle a Gila monster and it won’t hassle you.</strong></span></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Rule two: Don’t put your hand where your eyes can’t see.</strong></span></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many stories are told by Indian tribes of the Southwest about the magical powers of the Gila Monster.</span></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When a Navajo storyteller tells the tale of the Gila Monster, his mind returns to the forgotten days when Gila Monster was the first medicine man. If the storyteller happens to be a medicine man, he may, at the outset of the tale, open up his pouch, full of sacred pollen, and sprinkle some around the four directions. When he does this, he is especially mindful of Gila Monster. For not only is this a medicine story particularly suited to Gila Monster's divining power, but it is also a "myth of armor," of covering the body with a protective shield, of which Gila Monster with his hard scales is considered the best and most exemplary veteran. He is the well-armored warrior of the Navajo. When abroad in the desert, crawling around his domain, Gila Monster's forefoot trembles as he walks. Navajos say that he is the original hand-trembler, which means that he can foretell the nature of mortal illness and protect against it. </span></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gila monsters are ectotherms. Like other lizards, they rely on their surroundings to maintain a preferred body temperature. The big lizards function at their optimal body temperatures in cool, underground burrows. They may remain underground for months at a time and survive on reservoirs of fat and water in their bodies. However they must eventually surface to eat, drink and reproduce. </span></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the first things they do is search for food. Gila monsters are expert nest raiders. They don't just come across bird and rodent nests on a regular basis; they spend a lot of time roaming the desert searching for food. It can take days, weeks or a month to find a nest. That leaves them at risk for temperature extremes, either during the day when it can be too hot or at night when it’s far cooler than their preferred body temperature (approx 85°F) </span></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gila monsters solve this problem in some very clever ways. They minimize the time they spend on the desert’s surface by gorging on food when they find it. Some Gila monsters have been known to clean out a nest of juvenile rabbits in a single feeding.</span></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They can eat up to 100 percent of their body weight at one time. Much of this food energy is stored as fat reserves in the lizard’s body cavity and tail. Gila monsters draw sparingly from these energy reserves when they retreat to underground burrows. They might stay in the burrows for months at a time during winter. They are also capable of storing large amounts of water. This portable water supply allows the lizards to roam far and wide without dehydration. But, since water is heavy, they will jettison their fluid burden when other sources are readily available in the wild. In the Sonoran Desert, Gila monsters have a peak of activity after the summer monsoons stimulate another spurt of breeding. </span></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Sonoran Desert’s “hot season” lasts from April through October. To minimize water loss, Gila monsters are most active at night when temperatures dip to 70 to 80 degrees F. At the onset of winter, they tend to locate their holdouts in south-facing rock outcrops. These areas offer protection from the season’s cold. They also provide warm basking sites when the lizards emerge in early spring. During the summer months, however, the lizards tend to retreat into far cooler earthen burrows. Among the most desirable are packrat middens. Once the lizard finds just the right kind of shelter they will use them over and over again. </span></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Currently, Gila monsters are not officially listed as either a rare or endangered species. But their populations exist in highly localized pockets, many of which are experiencing a surge of human development. They are quite often found in swimming pools and ponds where they have gone in their quest for water. Unfortunately if they can’t get out they will tire and drown. Call me I know how to give mouth to mouth resuscitation.</span></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8DrzzsdbzPICWszRoJKQpGBD3QuYrTIHzL7CY-RWFTQVNel0W15w3UD_TlxQRen9A5PxJGffRwUoGnnZpZEQhBtEfSPFsxlerNqcg3dPJrMZGeXEnkL4f_AEqsV9n6ALVlPPOZmgqEX4/s1600/Gila+Threat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA8DrzzsdbzPICWszRoJKQpGBD3QuYrTIHzL7CY-RWFTQVNel0W15w3UD_TlxQRen9A5PxJGffRwUoGnnZpZEQhBtEfSPFsxlerNqcg3dPJrMZGeXEnkL4f_AEqsV9n6ALVlPPOZmgqEX4/s320/Gila+Threat.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: black;">Gila monster</span></strong></div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Looking forward to hearing from you</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</span></div>Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-11611004886877083782010-07-30T01:01:00.000-07:002010-07-30T01:01:00.370-07:00Naturalist View August 2010<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Monsoon storms, Lightning and Toads</strong></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcp9Tap7Hkax1rrCAyRu4oKAvMIsNLB1m4oLmYgnzimfdjpGlf-iJP0RWfqsaPej_84_o84H1Ij8RlrtyPkqaEdneD1f6aSLigUrJXiXDwlgF6ExAP134u4xE6d7WY6tF9GGTo8biuQ3Y/s1600/toad1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcp9Tap7Hkax1rrCAyRu4oKAvMIsNLB1m4oLmYgnzimfdjpGlf-iJP0RWfqsaPej_84_o84H1Ij8RlrtyPkqaEdneD1f6aSLigUrJXiXDwlgF6ExAP134u4xE6d7WY6tF9GGTo8biuQ3Y/s400/toad1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In Arizona, the monsoon begins with the extreme dry heat of May and June, when temperatures rise to 100 plus degrees. As the atmosphere warms, the dry jet stream moves northward and the winds shift up from the south bringing in humidity and moisture from the Sea of Cortez. Once the moist air arrives, the intense summer sun heats the air, creating cumulonimbus clouds, which lead to afternoon and evening thunderstorms and spectacular displays of lightning. It’s a great time to sit out in the patio and watch the storms move up the Catalina Mountain range from Pusch Ridge toward Saddlebrooke. Of course sitting on your patio is not the safe thing to do, and I am not recommending that you watch lightning storms while having a beer on the porch.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>What do you do when lightning is near?</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> • Avoid high ground, water, solitary trees, open spaces, metallic objects. Search for low ground, ditches unless they contain water or if the ground is saturated, then find clumps of shrubbery or trees, all of uniform height. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> • Remove all metal objects, bracelets, watches, rings, if possible. It is best to crouch down on the balls of your feet with your hands over your ears. There should be at least 20 feet between you and other people. Do not all huddle together. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> • If you are in a fully enclosed metal automobile, seek refuge with all the windows rolled up and your hands in your lap. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> • Avoid all metal shelters and sun shelters. If golfing, put down the clubs and get off the golf course. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Some Interesting Lightning Data</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> • Around the earth there are 100 lightning strikes per second. That’s over 8 million a day!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> • Americans are twice more likely to die from lightning than from a hurricane, tornado or flood. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> • Annually, there are more than 10,000 forest fires caused by lightning.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> • 85% of lightning victims are children and young men aged 10-35 engaged in outdoor recreation and work </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> activities such as golf. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Toads in Saddlebrooke</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LLG5c0Yr3tmOSOh_kZasewMFFAUeP8b6Wtq6Nu7HKljmEvK7j-tC71yiDy8qhQ0qrTMsVYrlWuzNC8oLm-gvx8F-9Aud_8lsMdJ8G0R5haqz_1sJMgSuMhP0pcSn4EJpzWSUPRXl-oKI/s1600/redSpotted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5LLG5c0Yr3tmOSOh_kZasewMFFAUeP8b6Wtq6Nu7HKljmEvK7j-tC71yiDy8qhQ0qrTMsVYrlWuzNC8oLm-gvx8F-9Aud_8lsMdJ8G0R5haqz_1sJMgSuMhP0pcSn4EJpzWSUPRXl-oKI/s320/redSpotted.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRUrUP7581BTI-kxJBnnrWlmSOMEnj9qTKnxzckNbUbB_X3o8P1B-orE84h6_bv4oOumzQ1LRRm28qkU59XW2Fg9NOgvbgtPBC-mJoFNqxs5JMuDCiVDO-GWW6VT8Pi6KXXa7r7SJzb5x/s1600/GBToad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRUrUP7581BTI-kxJBnnrWlmSOMEnj9qTKnxzckNbUbB_X3o8P1B-orE84h6_bv4oOumzQ1LRRm28qkU59XW2Fg9NOgvbgtPBC-mJoFNqxs5JMuDCiVDO-GWW6VT8Pi6KXXa7r7SJzb5x/s320/GBToad.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I’m sure that by this time you have noticed that the toads are active as the monsoon rains are very important to their life cycle. During the summer monsoon season, Sonoran Desert Toads (Bufo alvarius) are common, nocturnal visitors to yards near water. They emerge after the summer rains in order to feed and breed in large, temporary rain pools. Eggs are laid in the puddles and permanent ponds. Larvae metamorphose in as little as two weeks. This species lives from 10 to 20 years. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">During the rest of the year, Sonoran Desert Toads hibernate underground. These huge toads like to gorge on insects, especially beetles, near outdoor lights or lighted windows and doors. Male Sonoran Desert Toads will also get into swimming pools and then call to attract females. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With their large size and frequent habit of sitting nonchalantly out in the open as they wait for something edible to happen by, Sonoran Desert Toads might seem to be an easy target for predators, but these large, slow toads are very well defended. If picked up or mouthed by a predator, Sonoran Desert Toads will exude a potent, milky white toxin from their parotoid glands. If ingested, their toxin is capable of seriously sickening or killing potential predators. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Residents are usually aware of the Sonoran Desert Toad (formerly known as the Colorado River Toad) but other toads found in Saddlebrooke include the Red-spotted , Great-plains and Woodhouses toads. For the last 10 years I have taken a census during the Moonson rains by counting the toads at certain locations around the golf courses. Last year I took my brother and my niece on what started as a light rain but ended as a real gully washer. My niece and I had a great time; I’m not so sure my brother did. We all got very wet but counted 127 toads. As I write this in Late June, I am waiting for that Monsoon rain and looking for volunteers for this years toad count.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Sonoran Desert Toad</strong> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYUw0ElzyuAHRGZShaSOwRVh_Cz_2BNer1V-u8K8diOUr6fvn6dhGwethbufmsZzAFd6NCS0q5XEuaMPvmct4Yvm0e7NGIhVkSw_d6RslRRhtbPwrK8vSFVMPaFm-CnEPmKSiIWqxWMvXQ/s1600/SDT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="459" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYUw0ElzyuAHRGZShaSOwRVh_Cz_2BNer1V-u8K8diOUr6fvn6dhGwethbufmsZzAFd6NCS0q5XEuaMPvmct4Yvm0e7NGIhVkSw_d6RslRRhtbPwrK8vSFVMPaFm-CnEPmKSiIWqxWMvXQ/s640/SDT.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>A Toad for all Seasons</em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em>Oh big fat toad</em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em>upon the road</em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em>why do you sit so still?</em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em>The rain has come</em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em>to cool your tum</em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em>your pond begin to fill</em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em>With Summer's song</em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em>don't sit too long</em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em>a lady passing by.</em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em>Her favour's give</em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em>new life to live</em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em>don't leave her there to sigh…. </em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><em>By Jayne Scott</em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Suggestion:</strong> If you leave a water dish outside for your pet a toad may sit in it at night and leave some of its toxin in the water. Just in case rinse out and refill before your pet drinks from it in the morning.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Symptoms of poisoning in pets</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> • Pawing at mouth </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> • Licking of lips and drooling </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> • Dazed or uncoordinated behavior </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Treatment</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> • If the animal is conscious, rinse its mouth with a gentle flow of water. Don't force water into the throat; run </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> the water gently from the side of the mouth out the front. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> • If the eyes are affected, rinse them gently with water as well. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> • Wet the animal's coat to help keep body temperature down. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> • Take the animal to a veterinarian immediately. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Toad venom is not a great risk to humans who handle them, but you should wash your hands before touching eyes, mouth or nose after touching a venomous toad.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thanks to all of you who are not using poisons to control pests. Let’s be good neighbors to our native plants and animals. I will be teaching “Natural History of the Sky Islands” again in October in Saddlebrooke. Any wildlife problems or questions call me 818-3545 or e-mail jecloer@aol.com</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-55584388421065861132010-06-30T00:01:00.000-07:002010-07-03T06:41:33.080-07:00Naturalist View July 2010<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnNCyJQNWUXXuNzAZ9HZ1ltO7_tDVxy0IaYsGUMa-87WjeDZeRM9JDzqvgJapZrvKqViCUfMfbF37LnJWzFtMafvYmoaxqZ8-6OJsK2_7jjBWZiip7g0IKwavlv8V-FEb4k189CtW5_Uf/s1600/Cholla+defence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnNCyJQNWUXXuNzAZ9HZ1ltO7_tDVxy0IaYsGUMa-87WjeDZeRM9JDzqvgJapZrvKqViCUfMfbF37LnJWzFtMafvYmoaxqZ8-6OJsK2_7jjBWZiip7g0IKwavlv8V-FEb4k189CtW5_Uf/s320/Cholla+defence.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><strong>Desert Plant Adaptations</strong><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">Last month, I wrote about how some of the animals of the desert adapt to the extreme temperatures and lack of water of their environment. Now let us look into some of the adaptations that allow plants to exist under the same harsh conditions. Like desert animals, desert plants have adapted to the extremes of heat and aridity using both behavioral and physical methods.</span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666;">It has been said that desert plants survive because they have thorns, spines, taste bad or are poisonous. As true as this may seem, it’s not that simple. Anybody that has wandered in the desert has become aware of the plants’ defensive armor of thorns and spines. Most of us have had encounters with the “Jumping Cholla.” Of course, they really do not “jump,” but instead cling with their spines to anything that brushes ever so slightly against them. Many other desert trees and shrubs have also adapted by eliminating leaves and replacing them with thorns - or by greatly reducing leaf size. Such plants, like the Palo Verde, also usually have smooth, green (chlorophyll) bark on stems and trunks serving to both produce food and seal in moisture.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Xerophytes:</strong> <span style="color: #666666;">Plants that have adapted by altering their physical structure are called xerophytes. Xerophytes, such as cacti, often have special means of storing and conserving water. They have few or no leaves; this reduces loss of water due to evaporation. Xerophytes are the largest group plants living in the deserts of the American Southwest. The Sonoran Desert is home to an incredible variety of succulents including the giant Saguaro Cactus, Mesquite, Paloverde, and Ironwood. A succulent can be defined as a plant that stores water in its tissues as a mechanism to survive periods of drought.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVF2e4T09Kp286Te0LwpSnE2uiC4dyXFD6AvEV6ZT1Ikw75q5YorbxgRicd0qm1isde2I_F9ua0LkiJWYDoaqM7KNs6nDHMTZu0gb4F5fHe65Cpk_vKJTjEqzT4mjQ8kOdsvIz75YGbjGP/s1600/mesquite+roots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><strong><img border="0" height="400" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVF2e4T09Kp286Te0LwpSnE2uiC4dyXFD6AvEV6ZT1Ikw75q5YorbxgRicd0qm1isde2I_F9ua0LkiJWYDoaqM7KNs6nDHMTZu0gb4F5fHe65Cpk_vKJTjEqzT4mjQ8kOdsvIz75YGbjGP/s400/mesquite+roots.jpg" width="105" /></strong></span></a><span style="color: #666666;"><strong><span style="color: black;">Phreatophytes:</span></strong> Plants that have adapted to arid environments by growing extremely long roots, allowing them to acquire moisture near the water table, are called Phreatophytes. A good example is the mesquite; its roots are the longest of any desert plant. Mesquite roots have been found in a copper mine shaft 160 feet beneath the surface. However, 90% of the roots of a mesquite remain in the top 3 feet of soil. The deep taproot helps the plant survive drought, while the surface roots are ready to soak up the scarce rainfall of the winter or the sudden downpour of the monsoon. </span></div><span style="color: #666666;">Two native mesquite trees, the Honey Mesquite and the Velvet Mesquite, are native to Saddlebrooke. Other species of Mesquite have been introduced into the area for landscaping. The Creosote bush is also one of the most successful of all desert species, because it utilizes a combination of many adaptations. Instead of thorns, it relies for protection on a smell and taste that wildlife find unpleasant. It has tiny leaves that close their stomata (pores) during the day to avoid water loss and open them at night to absorb moisture. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">Other desert plants using behavioral adaptations have developed a lifestyle in conformance with the seasons of greatest moisture and/or coolest temperatures. These types of plants are referred to as <strong><span style="color: black;">perennials</span></strong>, plants that live for several years, and <strong><span style="color: black;">annuals</span></strong>, plants that live for only a season.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">Desert perennials often survive by remaining dormant during dry periods of the year, then spring to life when water becomes available.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">A familiar perennial is the Ocotillo. It survives by becoming dormant during dry periods, then coming to life when water becomes available. After rain falls, the Ocotillo quickly grows leaves to photosynthesize food. Flowers bloom within a few weeks in April When seeds become ripe and fall, the Ocotillo loses its leaves again and re-enters dormancy. During the summer monsoon the Ocotillo will often produce a new set of leaves but no new blossoms. The Ocotillo also has a waxy coating on stems which serves to seal in moisture during periods of dormancy. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59vg_nOuCe34Va00cfHjKSURawxsMY_Wf4r6wMK6pVIHhtKWwcbf_9ZM6xy-PbjWzj1YAqgZqTrQLI0aCKQsS2jA5VgO-VCVxS-uxSEKIqpeeEHfkv2DTcRusJ8xokynWDEMUCa1NTAy2/s1600/coyote+gourd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59vg_nOuCe34Va00cfHjKSURawxsMY_Wf4r6wMK6pVIHhtKWwcbf_9ZM6xy-PbjWzj1YAqgZqTrQLI0aCKQsS2jA5VgO-VCVxS-uxSEKIqpeeEHfkv2DTcRusJ8xokynWDEMUCa1NTAy2/s320/coyote+gourd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #666666;">Another example of perennials that utilize dormancy as a means of evading drought are bulbs, members of the lily family. The Coyote gourd has a bulb that springs to life after the summer monsoon, sending out 20 foot runners with yellow flowers that develop into the orange sized gourds. The fruit pulp contains toxic and extremely bitter chemicals that humans use to make soap, which reportedly repels body lice. Natives eat the nutritious seeds, which contain up to 35% protein and 50% fat. Coyotes and some other animals can eat the seeds even when tainted by the pulp. Javelinas eat tuberous roots, which they can sniff out even when there is no vine above ground. Native people have used the gourds as containers and dance rattles since prehistoric times. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><strong><span style="color: black;">Annuals </span></strong></span><span style="color: black;"><em>(Ephemerals)</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">The term "annual" implies blooming yearly; but since this is not always the case, desert annuals are more accurately referred to as "ephemerals." Many of them can complete an entire life cycle in a matter of months, some in just weeks. Desert plants must act quickly when heat, moisture and light inform them it's time to bloom. Ephemerals are speedsters of the plant world, with flower stalks bursting out in a few days. The peak of this bloom may last for just days or several weeks, depending on the conditions. Most annual desert plants germinate only after heavy seasonal rain, and then complete their reproductive cycle very quickly. They bloom profusely for a few weeks in the spring, accounting for the annual wildflower displays of the deserts. Depending on the winter and spring rains, these displays can be spectacular or hardly noticeable. The seeds left behind that are not eaten by the birds, small mammals and insects may lie dormant for years until conditions are right for germination.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">• <strong>Mesquite Tea</strong>: Place 1 lb. of mesquite pods in 1 gallon of water. Boil pods, at a rolling boil, for 30 minutes. Remove pods & strain. Cool broth & serve over ice. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">• <strong>Mesquite BarBQ</strong>: All those mesquite pods lying around that need to be picked up can be used instead of expensive mesquite firewood or charcoal on your BarBQ. I recommend soaking the dry pods in water for 10-20 minutes then throw them directly on the briquettes or grill and cover to impart that mesquite flavor.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">I have been very busy picking up pack-rats, mice etc. that residents have been live trapping and wish to thank you all for not using poisons. I only had one secondary poisoning in May, a dove that had feed on some poison seeds that had probably been intended for something else.</span>Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-80298346847983520402010-06-12T03:49:00.000-07:002010-06-12T03:49:42.979-07:00Naturalist View June 2010<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Adapting to the Heat</span></strong><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666;">One warm afternoon last summer, I was trying to get a picture of a SGB (Small Gray Bird) with my telephoto lens. This bird was busy hunting for food, and like most SGB’s, would not pose for any length of time for a photo. I am a reasonably patient man (ha!), but this bird kept in the shade. I thought that it would soon land in a sunny spot so that I could get the shot I needed for identification. It became evident that this was not happening. Eventually it dawned on me that what I was observing was an adaption that this bird had made to the summer heat. By staying in the shade, it could keep from overheating as it was gathering food. I observed this bird over the next few days and found that this behavior was consistent; it never did give me an opportunity to take the picture I wanted.Nature always has found ways to adapt to environment. The big challenges for adapting to the Sonoran Desert are the heat and water. Let’s take a look at how some local animal species adapt to our area.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>A nocturnal lifestyle</strong></span><span style="color: #666666;">, which keeps them out of the heat of day (and out of human sight as well). The mountain lion is a good example. The wide variety of prey the cougar hunts ranges from rodents and rabbits to cattle and deer. This solitary animal can travel miles in search of food. The mountain lion has adapted itself well to the environment of the Sonoran Desert. It only hunts during the night, while during the heat of the day it takes shelter in caves and crevices in the mountains. You may be more familiar with the nocturnal roaming of the Javalina, the ringtail cat or the desert toads. Even the small rodents such as the white-throated wood rat (pack rat) are essentially nocturnal.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6W8HT5t2BaHAJNJUFMUvDy5O8mKB0Rt3auPyAq_xkigAqT245DmKMl4T6-mR-4RXqTWDrP4kXGXwMO61_Bn0l1Sf0fTiVKZF0N6BIAyUVC89FlfLbkJ-yDQRVonD2S_EMJmgbUlW-UfdR/s1600/RTGS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="212" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6W8HT5t2BaHAJNJUFMUvDy5O8mKB0Rt3auPyAq_xkigAqT245DmKMl4T6-mR-4RXqTWDrP4kXGXwMO61_Bn0l1Sf0fTiVKZF0N6BIAyUVC89FlfLbkJ-yDQRVonD2S_EMJmgbUlW-UfdR/s320/RTGS.jpg" width="320" /></span></strong></a><strong><span style="color: black;">Living in burrows</span></strong><span style="background-color: #999999;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white;">,</span><span style="background-color: white;"> which are cooler and more humid.This often goes along with the nocturnal lifestyle, and the burrow becomes a place to sleep during the hot day. Burrow diggers are called fossorial. One of my favorite fossorial residents is the round-tail ground squirrel. Round-tailed ground squirrels are social, living in small colonies. They hibernate through the winter months, emerging in early February to take advantage of the new spring growth. They breed shortly after coming out of hibernation; 6 to 7 young are born in March or April. By May, the youngsters accompany the mother to the surface. The young come out for several hours of playing and feeding until the temperatures rise; then they return to their burrows until late in the afternoon when temperatures start to cool. They stand on their hind legs trying to get a better view as they watch for their many predators. Because they depend on vegetation for moisture, these squirrels estivate (Estivation is another form of dormancy, or "sleep") for a few weeks during the summer drought, until the summer rainy season again brings new growth and food.</span></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHrop9_2bt3AlmT-40izes9hKyFzyeVT2ct1Xo4kzhK8DrvocCcw-vH_T48ZjWfCgInqlPk-KA27Nu4jByG7Jabi5OP0-Tzt8YTOfZ02kVmzBjywe8gaP80ToFHEjJdDA9iNaV3J_-J8h/s1600/zebra_tailed_lizard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHrop9_2bt3AlmT-40izes9hKyFzyeVT2ct1Xo4kzhK8DrvocCcw-vH_T48ZjWfCgInqlPk-KA27Nu4jByG7Jabi5OP0-Tzt8YTOfZ02kVmzBjywe8gaP80ToFHEjJdDA9iNaV3J_-J8h/s320/zebra_tailed_lizard.jpg" width="320" /></a><strong>Slender bodies with long limbs<span style="color: #999999;"> </span></strong><span style="color: #666666;">- are better for shedding heat. Snakes and lizards are good examples. They can move from one shady spot to another without absorbing as much heat. Lizards run by lifting their bodies and running on their tip-toes to keep their body from coming in contact with the hot ground. You may have noticed lizards doing push-ups. These are complex forms of lizard communication which can mean such things as “Hello, Gorgeous” or “Get your skinny rump off my rock.”</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ppmX9SUhEsgIwlR6Zad0GkwXNmvekjY_pYd1HDb9jrnNv7cuGxQySZAyySjIgG2cKtMqmdzXRp7Fi31IVCAodC4sVSqSk5KhFhHgUVlimVhs_BWs5u7Sp66Nc1dgb8tycqkJr24aAB-i/s1600/Krat.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ppmX9SUhEsgIwlR6Zad0GkwXNmvekjY_pYd1HDb9jrnNv7cuGxQySZAyySjIgG2cKtMqmdzXRp7Fi31IVCAodC4sVSqSk5KhFhHgUVlimVhs_BWs5u7Sp66Nc1dgb8tycqkJr24aAB-i/s320/Krat.bmp" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ppmX9SUhEsgIwlR6Zad0GkwXNmvekjY_pYd1HDb9jrnNv7cuGxQySZAyySjIgG2cKtMqmdzXRp7Fi31IVCAodC4sVSqSk5KhFhHgUVlimVhs_BWs5u7Sp66Nc1dgb8tycqkJr24aAB-i/s1600/Krat.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><strong></strong></span></a><span style="color: black;"><strong>Adaptations for reducing water loss</strong></span> <span style="color: #666666;">- specialized snouts and efficient kidneys are all part of this strategy. Some animals - i.e. the kangaroo rat - are so efficient that they never need to drink liquid water; they get all their water from the food they eat (including the water released when sugars are respired to form CO2 and water). Kangaroo rats have large cheek pouches that open on either side of the mouth and extend back to the shoulders. They fill the pouches with food, such as dry seeds, and then empty them by turning them inside out, like pockets. The overall color of the kangaroo rats can be anywhere between pale, sandy yellow, to dark brown, with a white underside. Tails tend to be dark with white sides and a tuft of longer hairs. A feature of the kangaroo rat is the animal's efficient kidneys. The kidneys recycle almost all of the water which is retained by the body. Even the nasal passage of the Kangaroo rat is large flat and convoluted so that H2O exhaled in the breath is condensed and reabsorbed. They also do not urinate and as a result do not have the strong odor of other rodents. Kangaroo rats lose water mainly by evaporation during gas exchange, and so have developed a behavioral adaptation to prevent this loss. As they spend a lot of time within their burrows to escape the heat of the day, the burrows become much more humid than the air outside (due to evaporative loss). When collecting seeds, they store them in the burrows rather than eating them right away. This causes the moisture in the air to be absorbed by the seeds, and the kangaroo rat regains the water it has previously lost when it then consumes them.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666;">Because of this tremendous concentration ability, kangaroo rats never have to drink; the H2O produced metabolically within their cells during oxidation of foodstuff (food plus O2 yields CO2 + H2O + energy) is sufficient for their body. Also, kangaroo rats cannot lose water by perspiring, because they have no sweat glands. Kangaroo rats lose water mainly by evaporation during gas exchange, so have developed a behavioral adaptation to prevent this loss. As they spend a lot of time within their burrows to escape the heat of the day, the burrows become much more humid than the air outside (due to evaporative loss). </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>These are just a few examples of animal adaption. Keep in mind that any plant or animal that is native to the area has made the adaptations necessary to survive here. Learning about these adaptations is a lifelong fascinating mystery.</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Wrestling Rattlers</span></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbviuW5jdQ-bpiK3OQhtxXxZA-IF2FUh0hJNbJOJKUpOpCkWkeVKo8_Iwx5gu_0uHRGp6wvlzl_OB5EZOayqONehBkdS6tOiFPk0xLIhYuDsnJMJRs0tj2g0Vlq9GuTTvpFW-skVoZeXi/s1600/combat++diplay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbviuW5jdQ-bpiK3OQhtxXxZA-IF2FUh0hJNbJOJKUpOpCkWkeVKo8_Iwx5gu_0uHRGp6wvlzl_OB5EZOayqONehBkdS6tOiFPk0xLIhYuDsnJMJRs0tj2g0Vlq9GuTTvpFW-skVoZeXi/s320/combat++diplay.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666;">Several people sent me these pictures taken by Saddlebrooke resident Linda Andrews. This was not a mating dance but was a “Combat Dance”. In the spring snakes are looking for a mate. In the snake world this accomplished with a sense of smell. A male will come across the “perfume” of a mature female and follow the scent to locate her. Since several males may be “on the trail” they often come across each other. In the case of rattlesnakes this may result in a dominance display or serpentine wrestling contest, rearing and falling and body slamming until one or the other concedes defeat and leaves the area. Once inseminated the female, after a gestation of 167 days will bear her brood live, in late summer. The young are born complete with fangs and venom, armed and dangerous at birth.</span></div><span style="color: #666666;">The Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, Crotalus atrox, Crotalus comes from the Greek word crotalon meaning a rattle or a little bell; atrox comes from the Latin word atroc which means hideous or savage. Actually I find Rattlesnakes to be rather beautiful and certainly not savage. They have no desire to be near you or to waste their precious venom on something far to big to swallow.</span>Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-47054649296884577812010-04-01T19:33:00.000-07:002010-04-01T19:33:57.099-07:00Naturalist View April 2010<span style="font-size: large;">A New Visitor to SaddleBrooke</span><br />
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For the first time in the ten years, I have seen the Coatimundi in SaddleBrooke although I had seen them in Catalina State Park on several occasions. Several people had sent me photos of one or more of them on their roof tops or in their yards. One had been in a resident’s yard and they were concerned about their dogs. I told them that it would probably leave on its own, but the next day it was still there. I then determined that it had injured its leg and was unable to climb the wall and was also severely undernourished. It is now part of our nature program and is doing very well. He may be seen at Catalina State Park on Saturdays and will be at our fourth annual “Saddlebrooke Wildlife Exhibit” on Saturday April 3rd in the patio behind HOA#1 Gift Shop from 10:00am to 2:00pm.<br />
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<strong>White-nosed Coati</strong> :Order <em>Carnivora</em>: Family <em>Procyonidae</em>: Nasua narica<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpMrauaeJNkCmhMGmu0YhCoY-8dPD-PkloadF9ZJ0r4MntaNv5uYu3525h0vkolVNler6q6fuYjitR-DwucrGkhUIjLSw2XI3jI2SfMzpO6mwEDctdFxwNmVhG9lxAOOEmNlsy_Gi5Qqq/s1600/100209045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpMrauaeJNkCmhMGmu0YhCoY-8dPD-PkloadF9ZJ0r4MntaNv5uYu3525h0vkolVNler6q6fuYjitR-DwucrGkhUIjLSw2XI3jI2SfMzpO6mwEDctdFxwNmVhG9lxAOOEmNlsy_Gi5Qqq/s320/100209045.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Coati on roof</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Physical Description:</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> • Height 8 to 12 inches tall</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> • Body length 13 to 27 inches </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> • Weight 7 to 15 lb... </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> • Color variable from cinnamon to black with a distinctive mask defined by white marks above, below</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> and behind the eyes. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> • Tail is quite long, 13 to 27 inches, striped, and carried vertically. </div> • Ears are small and rounded, mostly hidden in the fur. Feet are generally like those of a raccoon, with<br />
powerful long front claws.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;">General information:</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Coatis are active day and night. They spend their nights in trees, with several animals sharing a perch. While the male prefers to travel alone (and may be referred to as the coati mundi, or solitary coati), the females and their young tend to travel in bands of 4 to 50 individuals. New-born coatis are altricial, or very immature at birth. The coati is a social animal, so it is very vocal with a lot of snorts, grunts, screams, whines and chatters. Most of the day is spent foraging; but during the hottest part of the day, they tend to nap in trees. Coatis swim well and are excellent climbers. They use the tail for balancing on branches and for slowing down the descent of the tree.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLDxsNhn2bWhdk_0pUOZmfGceCPxpJzAt_cvFw6NktqIZiiCgO6Yts29UmuXO7XHTkoS0i4wH3MN5JJo7xnKSaqRzlLwd_GOJVgh8CaVyuro9kLWfuY8L8uX5Rs1IfLTMJ0Kx_vouZs0-h/s1600/DSC00634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLDxsNhn2bWhdk_0pUOZmfGceCPxpJzAt_cvFw6NktqIZiiCgO6Yts29UmuXO7XHTkoS0i4wH3MN5JJo7xnKSaqRzlLwd_GOJVgh8CaVyuro9kLWfuY8L8uX5Rs1IfLTMJ0Kx_vouZs0-h/s320/DSC00634.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Injured and undernourished</div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Special anatomical, physiological or behavioral adaptations:</span> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The stout claws and long snout are used together for food gathering. They have an excellent sense of smell, and we will see them snuffling along the ground. When they smell prey in the ground, they will stop and dig there. They can also push dirt with their snouts. They are very active hunters for small mammals (mice or rats), insects and bird eggs. The canines of the males are quite impressive and are used as warning signals.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Feeding habits:</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">They are omnivores, preferring small vertebrates, fruits, insects and eggs. They can climb trees with great skill while using their tail for balance. Most often they forage on the ground. They readily adapt to the presence of humans and will raid trash receptacles. They can be domesticated and seem quite intelligent.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCc-ipn_7ajcS9uJ8YdWvgoQwOEZJ63O0ssl-mU5ie22kWxao6ArRWgzsuC80nNNKTeYGjpTGIqjpi50O8Lrh25keJ1eE05yO2S8bFD_UL1rQQTkvINFJdSHiu_J2BSesHpOjejVPofXd1/s1600/DSC00670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCc-ipn_7ajcS9uJ8YdWvgoQwOEZJ63O0ssl-mU5ie22kWxao6ArRWgzsuC80nNNKTeYGjpTGIqjpi50O8Lrh25keJ1eE05yO2S8bFD_UL1rQQTkvINFJdSHiu_J2BSesHpOjejVPofXd1/s320/DSC00670.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Recovered fat and healthy</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: large;">Behavior:</span><br />
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They are primarily diurnal, retiring during the night to a specific tree and descending at dawn to begin their daily search for food. However, their habits are adjustable.In areas where they are hunted by humans for food or where they raid human settlements for their own food, they become more nocturnal.While adult males are solitary, females and sexually immature males form social groups. They use many vocal signals to communicate with one another and also spend time grooming themselves and each other with their teeth and claws.Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-4763706729621719792010-03-04T20:02:00.000-08:002010-03-05T21:45:00.959-08:00Naturalist View March 2010Naturalist View March 2010…It’s Nesting Time<br />
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Spring is here, and the raptors are nesting! We have had Red-tail Hawks, Cooper’s hawks and Great Horned owls nesting here in Saddlebrooke. Our community provides shelter and food for these hunters.<br />
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Hawks are carnivores that belong to the category of birds known as raptors -- birds of prey. They have strong, hooked beaks; their feet have three toes pointed forward and one turned back (the Great horned owl reverses one toe when catching prey so that it has two forward and two back for a better hold); and their talons, are long, curved and very sharp. Prey is killed with the long talons and swallowed whole or torn to bite-sized pieces with its sharp beaks and talons. <br />
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Until recently some people shot raptors thinking that they were competing with ranchers and farmers for things like chickens. Remember the cartoon characters Henry Hawk and Foghorn Leghorn? <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1qkaCLdt70t713UNv2tX8ssxudkhozr_SfLgL__VbCmzuCqKae0mE21RXGKBhNHjTkNA4UP0-nLXZ8WC0NFiuwPZvcnkJAn8HkmJ4ZQ5788CN8QJ2aa0djAnp6pJWnj_Isf3CzVflTfI/s1600-h/cartoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1qkaCLdt70t713UNv2tX8ssxudkhozr_SfLgL__VbCmzuCqKae0mE21RXGKBhNHjTkNA4UP0-nLXZ8WC0NFiuwPZvcnkJAn8HkmJ4ZQ5788CN8QJ2aa0djAnp6pJWnj_Isf3CzVflTfI/s400/cartoon.jpg" width="354" /></a>These cartoons were fun but may have perpetuated the notion that hawks were after the farmer’s chickens, when in reality they were more apt to be hunting the mice and rats in the fields. Certainly they are of great benefit to us here at Saddlebrooke. Not only are they fun to watch, but they hunt pack-rats and mice. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I wish to thank all of the residents who have stopped using poison bait to control rodents and have switched to live traps. Hopefully we won’t lose any more wildlife to secondary poisoning. On a sad note, we have recently found two Red-tailed Hawks that were shot! Both were found in Saddlebrooke but were probably shot in the hills near here. If the persons responsible are found, there are severe federal consequences.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<strong>Comparisons</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Based on general body shape and flight habits, hawks are classified into different groups - the most common being the Accipiters and the Buteos.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>The Sharp-shinned Hawk, the Cooper’s Hawk and the Goshawk are Accipiters. They have long tails and short, rounded wings that enable them to dart through and around trees in pursuit of their principal prey, other birds. Typically, they fly low with a series of rapid wing beats followed by a brief period of sailing, then another series of wing beats.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Buteos are the largest of the hawks. They are the broad-winged, broad-tailed soaring hawks that are more readily seen because of their habit of circling high in the air or perching in trees or on telephone poles along the road. They include the Red-tailed, the Red-shouldered, the Swainson's, the Rough-legged and the Ferruginous hawks.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Red-tailed hawk is large bird that feeds mainly on rodents. It flies fast and has excellent vision. It can spot prey from hundreds of feet in the air. The Red-tailed is commonly seen in Saddlebrooke.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Description</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>The Red-tailed is one of the largest hawks, usually weighing between 2 and 4 pounds. As with most raptors, the female is nearly 1/3 larger than the male and may have a wing span of 56 inches. This species shows a great deal of individual variation in plumage.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The adult has a rufous-colored tail that may or may not have a black terminal bar. Adults are dark brown on the back and the top of their wings. The underside of the bird is usually light with a dark belly band, and a cinnamon wash on the neck and chest. Immature hawks resemble the adults, except their tail is brown with dark bars, which molts in during its second year.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>The adult Red-tailed Hawk is easily identified. When it leaves its perch on slow, measured wing beats, or turns while soaring overhead, the broad, rounded tail shows a rich, russet red, hence the name. Within its range, its frequent soaring and loud voice are a good pointer.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>Curious Facts:</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><strong>The eyesight of a hawk is 8 times as powerful as a human's.</strong></span><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong>Like all hawks, the Red-tailed Hawk's talons are its main weapons.</strong></span><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong></strong></span></div><span style="color: blue;"><strong>85-90% of the hawks diet consists of small mammals.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><strong>The Red-tailed Hawk has hoarse and rasping 2- to 3-second scream that is </strong></span><span style="color: blue;"><strong>most commonly heard while soaring. </strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><strong>When parents leave the nest, the young utter a loud wailing "klee-uk," repeated several times</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><strong>- this is a</strong></span><span style="color: blue;"><strong> food cry.</strong></span><br />
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</div><strong>Behavior</strong><br />
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The Red-tailed Hawk is the most widespread and familiar member of the American Buteos (large soaring hawks). They nest in the month of March in tall trees. Like all other Buteos, it does not fly fast but soars at high altitudes using its keen eyesight to spot the slightest movement in the grass below. It is an aggressive bird and vigorously defends its territory, especially during the winter months when hunting is difficult<br />
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</div><strong>Habitat</strong><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The Red-tailed Hawk is usually found in grasslands or marsh-shrub habitats, but is a very adaptable bird, being equally at home in deserts and forests</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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The Red-tailed Hawk is a most opportunistic hunter. Its diet is varied, but there is conclusive evidence that 85 to 90 % is composed of small rodents and rabbits. Snakes, lizards and birds fill out the menu.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Breeding</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
Mating and nest building begin in early spring, usually in March and continue through May. This is accompanied by spectacular aerial displays by both males and females. Circling and soaring to great heights, they fold their wings and plummet to treetop level, repeating this display as much as five or six times.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
Nests are located from 35 to 75 feet high in the forks of large trees. The male and female participate in the building of the nest, which is a platform constructed of sticks and twigs, lined with greenery. Both males and females assist in nest construction. Nest sites may be used from year to year, since there is strong evidence that hawks mate for life. If the old nest is wind damaged, layers of new nesting material are added each year.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>The female usually lays 2 dull-white to bluish-white eggs that are marked with a variety of irregular reddish spots and splotches. Incubation takes 28-32 days and is maintained almost entirely by the female. During this period the male hunts for both of them, bringing food to her in the nest.<br />
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</div>When hatched, the young are covered with white down. They grow slowly and require much food, which keeps both parents busy. They remain in the nest for up to 48 days. During the last 10 days or so the young, which now appear as large as the parent birds, practice flapping their wings and balancing in the wind on the edge of the nest, preparing for the days when they will launch themselves into the air.<br />
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</div>The hawks average lifespan in the wild ranges from 13 - 20 years. <br />
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<div align="left"></div>Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-9878140004470863892010-03-03T20:53:00.000-08:002010-03-03T20:53:58.165-08:00Naturalist View Feb.2010When February arrives in Arizona I start thinking about spring and start looking and hoping for a spectacular wild flower season. I remember a few years back when, my wife, Jeanne and I drove to Kitt Peak and looked out across the desert at spectacular gold and blue fields of Mexican gold poppy, lupine and owl clover. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrQNDoz3muzD2Fsw1MrR-BbT60yDWwmJNd2dkgMUPZywR64Z9vf3hn58EeQ9MpHVj0VARYpOv_qhsJoiDlXc5O9V-FrRkvPCfn6pE4eOs8lXIIDb8T0IPWu__2EwMyz5pPuUaMHANzm7O/s1600-h/poppy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrQNDoz3muzD2Fsw1MrR-BbT60yDWwmJNd2dkgMUPZywR64Z9vf3hn58EeQ9MpHVj0VARYpOv_qhsJoiDlXc5O9V-FrRkvPCfn6pE4eOs8lXIIDb8T0IPWu__2EwMyz5pPuUaMHANzm7O/s320/poppy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1axSTNX4vFzdVSAEj4xjfVvkTcJOQpd8JgYCp5jgqpoifcprDK0PpN07NYe_XvuprKVX5Y6kxFbfvjIr8SEizkfDx0GdJ0cHqJEHFWwnXECzojBCoFTGg24glmbMGClgcDNVaPSsakQp/s1600-h/field.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: left; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1axSTNX4vFzdVSAEj4xjfVvkTcJOQpd8JgYCp5jgqpoifcprDK0PpN07NYe_XvuprKVX5Y6kxFbfvjIr8SEizkfDx0GdJ0cHqJEHFWwnXECzojBCoFTGg24glmbMGClgcDNVaPSsakQp/s320/field.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The spring flowering season in Arizona spans from mid February to mid June with a peak from March to late April depending on rainfall and temperatures during the growing season. In the warmest areas of the lower desert it is normally a couple of weeks earlier. The winter annuals can create an incredible display, but do so only rarely. Later-blooming species bloom more dependably, but not in the great masses of color. Winter annuals such as lupines, poppies, and owl clover create carpets of color for which the Sonoran desert is so famous. This event may occur between late February and mid April. Annuals are highly dependent on rainfall. The massive and widespread displays may occur only about once a decade, when the winter rains are both earlier and wetter than normal. A good bloom cannot be reliably predicted more than a week before it begins and lasts at peak beauty for no more than a week or two. The local papers usually report when and where the best displays can be found.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Herbaceous perennials and small shrubs such as penstemon, brittlebush, and fairy duster also require rain to bloom but are less sensitive to its timing. They are somewhat more dependable than the annuals, making a good show in about half of the years and peaking in March. These species usually grow as individuals or in small patches and do not create the large masses of color. Nevertheless they are worth looking for and are photogenic to boot. </div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Cacti, because they store water, are fairly independent of rain. They bloom well nearly every year though wetter years produce more flowers. The greatest diversity of spring-blooming species can be seen in April. The cactus show continues as the abundant prickly pears bloom in early May, followed by saguaros from mid May to mid June. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
Mid February we begin to see nesting activity of the Great horned owls and Red tailed hawks. You may have been hearing the owls calling to their mates around 4-5 am since late December and you have probably noticed pairs of hawks circling the skies in January. Like most raptors they mate for life but split up after the young are raised (so that they are not competing for hunting territory) then they seek each other out for the next mating season. Very romantic!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFPogl1R31HDBnBIP4wWJOU80CAljC_hLWYazUrzXcuJFOQXWtVYb1fJFOBf_eHNvvVpR51wy5JTPo-iavu9dVNkSYnzWCx6XY6oS2gOa-GOIzdD4yOBQd1xstEiRwJQV1CvRMYxdhS-L/s1600-h/hawk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFPogl1R31HDBnBIP4wWJOU80CAljC_hLWYazUrzXcuJFOQXWtVYb1fJFOBf_eHNvvVpR51wy5JTPo-iavu9dVNkSYnzWCx6XY6oS2gOa-GOIzdD4yOBQd1xstEiRwJQV1CvRMYxdhS-L/s320/hawk.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCBBRbmQIrC8b_WGEGgVlwr3ZVK5qtXOE4sGEOPNCUkxGEsmnZsczROUeF5y5qay4oI78pUpAwI5NKbDCP5CIl5hfqk71diI5OJHGv9GapXwbdPU24Dc-StzK891ZW-xgKR_paDb4Z6CXW/s1600-h/pair+of+hawks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" kt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCBBRbmQIrC8b_WGEGgVlwr3ZVK5qtXOE4sGEOPNCUkxGEsmnZsczROUeF5y5qay4oI78pUpAwI5NKbDCP5CIl5hfqk71diI5OJHGv9GapXwbdPU24Dc-StzK891ZW-xgKR_paDb4Z6CXW/s320/pair+of+hawks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div>Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-1977284276328916572010-01-14T15:46:00.000-08:002010-01-14T15:46:30.354-08:00Naturalist View November 2009The Ghost in the Clubhouse<br />
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Strange things were happening in the HOA#1 Clubhouse. The phone and computer lines were getting disconnected, and the cooks were sure that someone was stealing food at night. They posted signs in the kitchen and in the Roadrunner Grill stating “We know that you are stealing food. When you are caught, you will be prosecuted”. The patrol was put on alert to be watching for anyone around the clubhouse during late-night hours. This all came to my attention when I was called in to identify a calling card (scat) left in the middle of the operations manager’s desk. The scat and some footprints led me to believe that the culprit was Bassariscus astusus, (from bassar (fox), isc (little), and astut (cunning)). Of course it wasn’t a cunning little fox but it was a clever little mammal called a Ring-tailed cat. Not really a cat, but as with raccoons and coati mundis, ringtails are members of the Procyonidae (raccoon) family. They were called miner’s cats by early prospectors who found them easy to tame and useful rodent control in their mines and dwellings. Catlike in build, the ringtail is nocturnal, and hunts small rodents and insects. It also eats plant matter. It builds a den among rocks, in tree hollows, in houses or, in this case, the clubhouse, where it found a convenient source of food and water and lived in the crawl space between the dining room and the pro shop downstairs. The Ringtail is also the official Arizona State Mammal.<br />
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As I was going to be gone for several weeks, I left a live trap with the kitchen staff and told them as soon as they caught the ringtail they should call one of my volunteers who would then release it in a safe area away from the clubhouse. Four weeks later when I returned, I found that the ringtail had not been captured. When I questioned the kitchen staff I discovered that they had set the trap each evening with a piece of bacon and each morning the bacon was gone and the trap was sprung and empty. The problem was that they had not set the trap properly so each night the ringtail had a nice bacon dinner, and after the trap was sprung it simply pushed the door open and walked out. I reset the trap that night and the next morning we had the clubhouse ghost, which we named Rosie.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1t_377Mb6rq4-mgiPVz9REPuUO9xp1JPZLxdso0sIMas6OjvPqzHQsFN3izL3EiWgcPLADEdSYELirIsu5_RPWtaufywtq7P8TqD3DsGfJlwgkpD5f9mCQHA5Uxqt0Ymiz-mzwvxh9Pc_/s1600-h/Rosie1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1t_377Mb6rq4-mgiPVz9REPuUO9xp1JPZLxdso0sIMas6OjvPqzHQsFN3izL3EiWgcPLADEdSYELirIsu5_RPWtaufywtq7P8TqD3DsGfJlwgkpD5f9mCQHA5Uxqt0Ymiz-mzwvxh9Pc_/s320/Rosie1.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">The Ghost</span></strong><br />
</div>So, if you have if you have strange noises in your attic, it may be a ringtail, or a ghost. Give me a call.Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-62850619897897612362010-01-14T07:05:00.000-08:002010-01-14T15:30:18.773-08:00Naturalist View July '09I had several calls in the last two weeks regarding an unidentified animal in and about Saddlebrooke. Some thought that it might be a skunk or raccoon and described it as an animal with a white nose . This brought to mind several possibilities. Beside skunks and raccoons there are ring-tailed cats and coati’s.<br />
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As I sat at my computer last week the phone rang and a woman said she had taken a picture of this strange animal and said she would send me a picture. No sooner had she hung up when the phone rang and her neighbor called to say he had what he thought might be a raccoon in his yard. I grabbed my camera and headed for his house and discovered the culprit. A Badger!<br />
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A lot of people did not think that badgers lived in Arizona. No it was not a Snow- Bird from Wisconsin and I had come across one on the Rail X Ranch a couple of years ago but this is the first one I have seen in Saddlebrooke. I took several pictures then Dan Chase and I rounded up the youngster fed him and released him in the desert the next morning.<br />
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</div>Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-74204312449911086352010-01-13T19:59:00.000-08:002010-01-13T20:04:32.258-08:00Naturalist View January 2010<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Nature Stinks.....Sometimes!</span></strong><br />
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In everyday speech, the sense of smell is commonly used as a catch-all category meant to represent a perception in general. For example the phrases, “I smell a rat,” or, “Something smells fishy” Each of these statements is rarely taken literally. You are unlikely to actually detect the presence of a small rodent through your sense of smell. However, in nature you might literally say “I smell a Javalina, “or “I smell a skunk”.<br />
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Mammals have three distinct types of glands which transmit substances to the surface of their body - sweat glands, mammary glands and scent glands. Smells are vitally important to most mammals. Even humans, with our much reduced olfactory senses, are affected by smells, hence the success of the perfume industry and of aromatherapy.<br />
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In other mammals, scent is an integral part of everyday communication with the rest of the world. Through smell, animals can tell what other species of animals share their world; and within a species, specially deposited scents pass on information concerning an individual's sex, social status, breeding condition and state of health. Scent glands then are very important and occur in a variety of places around the mammal’s body. Many mammals have more than one set of scent glands. A survey reveals that male deer have scent glands on their lower legs, elephants have them behind their eyes, canines on their feet, antelopes on their cheeks and numerous species have them associated with their genital area which allows them to mix small amounts of volatile but concentrated compounds with their feces and or urine.<br />
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Like mammary glands, scent glands are probably modified sweat glands. Some animals use scent to mark out their territories either by depositing feces or urine at marker points or by rubbing their scent glands on prominent parts of the environment - branches, rocks, etc. Other mammals use scents to communicate simply by releasing them into the air; this normally applies to social scents indicating status and sexual state. Finally, some animals, such as the skunks, use their scent glands, or the substances produced in them, as a means of defense.<br />
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Four species of skunks are found in Arizona. All of them have scent glands which secrete a secretion of musk that gives them their malodorous reputation. Their defensive reaction and warning white on black color patterns are usually enough to deter all but the most determined predator. These nocturnal foragers are rarely seen by Saddlebrooke residents, while their nightly activities leave many clues behind, such as, finding potted plants and gardens dug up at night often with no evidence that the plants were eaten. This is usually the activity of skunks that are rooting for grubs and earthworms. Skunks are omnivores but really seem to prefer a snack of mice, bird eggs and insects. The striped skunk is the most common road kill on the highways. Their natural defense is the ability to rather accurately spray their musk in the face of any threat; however they have not realized that this does not stop a 16-wheeler or even a Smartcar. Natural selection takes time.<br />
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The most common of the species by far is the cat-sized striped skunk that occurs throughout North America. This species always displays a thin white stripe on its face, even though the striping pattern may vary between individuals and populations. The usual markings, however, are two lateral stripes that form a chevron, merging toward the back of the head. These skunks are active throughout the year and do not hibernate even in northern Arizona. <br />
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The closely related hooded skunk is generally confined to southeastern Arizona, and is commonly found in our area. Somewhat leaner than the striped skunk, hooded skunks weigh from 1¾ to 2 ½ pounds and have a 12 to 16 inch long body. The white stripes on this animal are often solidly joined to form one large white streak down the center of the back. The hooded skunk also differs from the striped skunk in that its foot-long tail is longer than its body. Both animals have the thin white stripe on the face.<br />
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The western spotted skunk is also known as the civet. The average length of this small skunk, including the tail, is only about 15 inches. This skunk is also faster and more agile than its larger cousins and is able to hunt rats and mice. It occasionally takes up residence in a garage or attic. The spotted skunk's overall color is black with a white triangular patch on the forehead and a white spot under each ear. Five or six broken white stripes run down the neck, back, and sides, giving the impression of blotches or spots, which gives the animal its name. I have removed and relocated several spotted skunks from homes in Saddlebrooke.<br />
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The large, 2 ½ to 6-pound hog-nosed skunk is also easily identified by its entirely white back and tail and lack of any stripe on the forehead. Moreover, the elongated and slightly up-turned snout is largely naked, and the long claws on the feet are almost bear-like in appearance. This species occurs primarily in southeastern Arizona. <br />
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All of the skunks are more or less omnivores, feeding on grasshoppers and other insects, grubs, worms, mice, lizards, bulbs, carrion, and garbage. Some even take to raiding bird nests, taking not only the eggs, but birds as well. Even the hog-nosed skunk, which digs for most of its food, will eat fruits and carrion on occasion. <br />
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The striped, hooded, and hog-nosed skunks all mate in late winter and early spring, and produce from two to four young in April or May. The spotted skunk breeds in late September and early October, but the fertilized egg remains in a state of arrested development until March or April when implantation occurs - the two-to-four young being born about a month later. The young of all the skunk species are raised and on their own by early fall. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrL9cj6n1lMwppCFqbqGQ1dvPrVxn0TSGtHjAw___yZhHLz7cg1pLGo1kK8ujPMLj_uoBaH-x6zP03KG4tgK7x57__z5q27w43NS-KExkWoJa6j_H6XvuEinL3rVUPKTnTjB09PsHTN6CA/s1600-h/striped+skunk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrL9cj6n1lMwppCFqbqGQ1dvPrVxn0TSGtHjAw___yZhHLz7cg1pLGo1kK8ujPMLj_uoBaH-x6zP03KG4tgK7x57__z5q27w43NS-KExkWoJa6j_H6XvuEinL3rVUPKTnTjB09PsHTN6CA/s200/striped+skunk.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Striped Skunk</span></strong><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Richard Beaty, a class member whose dog had a run-in with a skunk last Christmas, wrote this poem.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">**Dusty's Most Memorable Christmas**<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Twas the night of Christmas and Dusty had to pee,<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">so she went outside and what did she see?<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">But a bushy white critter quite unconcerned,<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">with a secret weapon that Dusty soon learned.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">She bounded over ready to play,<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">but the ungrateful creature ruined her day.<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">She got it full in the face I think,<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">and we spent the next hour getting rid of the stink.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Now Dusty is schooled in a Naturalist View,<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">a hog-nosed skunk gave her a lesson or two.<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">While I in my shorts climbed into the tub,<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">and bent over Dusty and proceeded to scrub.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The intruder waddled off with an unconcerned pose,<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">while I pinched my fingers to close off my nose.<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I heard him exclaim as he ambled out of sight,<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I think you’ll remember this Christmas night.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-- Richard Beaty, Naturalist View Class Member<br />
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</div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY18PjjWaEDWzYNdAWqUwchjs_H5b-9zepZn9iYFCdgYvq3mo4d99ghicAwuEtSQhQdNL6LVHznra6o8lXGHfMqCTP_oHz4j2aedlAwVMa2sl0_AbaULVjTTMAPTc2hFH7qLfaf-gohOo_/s1600-h/Hog-nosed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY18PjjWaEDWzYNdAWqUwchjs_H5b-9zepZn9iYFCdgYvq3mo4d99ghicAwuEtSQhQdNL6LVHznra6o8lXGHfMqCTP_oHz4j2aedlAwVMa2sl0_AbaULVjTTMAPTc2hFH7qLfaf-gohOo_/s200/Hog-nosed.jpg" /></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Hognose Skunk</span></strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2lDG3PfjNH3nnk8vJRKSm7-962HuIeWbYRMQb_UPvn3M5evLpSnsGyp-uJNz9ztM77771XLUQ4rBFTFF5gIM7-b4dAUIhj2eYSOnXvGItI-QG23QvWPi90fk9dqF0rNDcKaERCwqcc5f/s1600-h/spotted+skunk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_adb6l4bj1T37Uy-45ev-scr3vva_CyL5mVV53DfvPsyh49N_ys0hKQkZdV9YPzbG88ayHkvBhoZWoIE55V4vIMKKWp2zhltznspqGZyzoCBOTh8cM71hJS1kYC-nBiNAhYFKUatdl2DC/s1600/Hooded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_adb6l4bj1T37Uy-45ev-scr3vva_CyL5mVV53DfvPsyh49N_ys0hKQkZdV9YPzbG88ayHkvBhoZWoIE55V4vIMKKWp2zhltznspqGZyzoCBOTh8cM71hJS1kYC-nBiNAhYFKUatdl2DC/s200/Hooded.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Hooded Skunk</strong></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_adb6l4bj1T37Uy-45ev-scr3vva_CyL5mVV53DfvPsyh49N_ys0hKQkZdV9YPzbG88ayHkvBhoZWoIE55V4vIMKKWp2zhltznspqGZyzoCBOTh8cM71hJS1kYC-nBiNAhYFKUatdl2DC/s1600-h/Hooded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong></strong></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2lDG3PfjNH3nnk8vJRKSm7-962HuIeWbYRMQb_UPvn3M5evLpSnsGyp-uJNz9ztM77771XLUQ4rBFTFF5gIM7-b4dAUIhj2eYSOnXvGItI-QG23QvWPi90fk9dqF0rNDcKaERCwqcc5f/s1600/spotted+skunk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2lDG3PfjNH3nnk8vJRKSm7-962HuIeWbYRMQb_UPvn3M5evLpSnsGyp-uJNz9ztM77771XLUQ4rBFTFF5gIM7-b4dAUIhj2eYSOnXvGItI-QG23QvWPi90fk9dqF0rNDcKaERCwqcc5f/s200/spotted+skunk.jpg" /></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Spotted Skunk</span></strong><br />
</div>Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-91855894928186689712010-01-07T07:05:00.000-08:002010-01-07T07:05:24.397-08:00NATURALIST VIEW – December 2009<strong>A sad story</strong><br />
Several weeks ago some Saddlebrooke residents lost their much loved dog to a predator. Even though they were in the yard with the dog and had the patio lights on a dark shadow leaped over the wall and made off with their pet. It rained that night and by the next day I could find no sign of tracks. Most likely it was a coyote or bobcat which had become accustomed to the neighborhood and was waiting for an opportunity for an easy meal.<br />
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<strong>Be good neighbors to your wildlife</strong><br />
Many people enjoy feeding wildlife. . While feeding the animals can be fun for humans, it is usually detrimental for the animals, and will harm them more than it helps them. The following information will explain this more thoroughly:<br />
Keep in mind that we have chosen to live in a wildlife habitat, which displaces some animals, while also providing attractive habitats for others. We as humans have created this potential problem.<br />
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<strong>DO NOT feed wildlife!</strong> Keep wildlife healthy and wild!<br />
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<strong>Some tips:</strong><br />
• Do not intentionally feed wildlife; animals quickly associate food with humans.<br />
• Feed pets indoors or remove leftover food immediately.<br />
• Store all garbage securely. Do not discard edible garbage where javelina, skunks, coyotes and other wild animals can get to it.<br />
• Keep bird seed and water off the ground and out of reach of wild animals. A platform can be attached to the bottom of most feeders to catch spilled seed. Or better yet, plant native vegetation that will provide seeds native wildlife can utilize.<br />
• Fencing your garden may be necessary to keep out animals such as javelina and rabbits. Remember, prey species such as rabbits and javelina can attract predators such as mountain lions, coyotes and bobcats.<br />
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<strong>Other points to consider:</strong><br />
1. when wild animals begin to depend on humans for food, their foraging skills may be diminished. When young wild animals are taught to depend on humans for food, they may become less experienced at foraging and consequently less likely to survive.<br />
2. Wild animals that are used to being fed by humans commonly lose their fear of people. Animals that are unafraid of people will approach them for food, and are sometimes mistaken as rabid and killed. An instinctive wariness of people is important to a wild animal's survival.<br />
3. The food fed to animals by humans is inadequate nutritionally and can cause serious health problems for the animals. Most humans will feed wildlife food that they have in their homes which bears no resemblance to what the animals eat in the wild.<br />
4. Animals are opportunistic and will go for the most convenient food source available. When food is readily available, animals will gather in abnormally large numbers. This means that if one animal in the group has an illness or disease, it can spread throughout the group. <br />
5. Reproduction rates may also be affected when an artificial food source is readily available. In the wild, the number of animals being born is often directly related to the amount of natural food available. This is nature's way of keeping a balance and making sure there are not too many animals in one area. <br />
6. Feeding migratory animals such as hummingbirds can interfere with the animal's awareness of seasonal changes in natural food supplies which tell the animal that it is time to migrate. <br />
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There are other ways to enjoy wildlife without harming them. Planting native plants which are a natural food source will provide this opportunity. So please, help wildlife by enjoying them from a distance - their lives depend on it.<br />
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</div><strong>Feeding wild birds</strong><br />
Even keeping a bird feeder has its difficulties. Although songbirds do not lose their instinctual fear of humans and the seeds provided are nutritionally beneficial, they are susceptible to diseases caused by dirty bird feeders. Feeders should be kept clean and disinfected with a mild bleach solution. The ground underneath the feeder should be raked to remove moldy grain and bird droppings because both can harbor disease and attract rats and mice as well as Javelina.<br />
I have seen Cooper’s hawks lurking near bird feeders. The predatory bird realizes the feeder is drawing in smaller birds and provides a gathering point. The hawk conserves energy by simply waiting and watching until an opportune moment, and then it imposes a death sentence on any unsuspecting birds. A few years back I had a Bobcat that hung out under a bush near the bird feeder and lunched on doves that were unaware of her presence. As much as I enjoyed watching the bobcat, I moved the feeder to a safer location.Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-1120975993610072482010-01-07T06:14:00.000-08:002010-01-07T06:21:39.019-08:00Naturalist view October 2009<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwuYUgzY3wowAHWF1g2OYhpGMA_xGtH6Tt7mgUlOZO3seYTPeb8xzACuV0B7F_aK1HCtPseLzYdwt-LRHFYyLvdlsJ9PRRx8x8alyhOA2n77BmZ-m-7vWZYTKimiM4Gla2bZGGxiZ8glIm/s1600-h/Copy+of+DSC05550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwuYUgzY3wowAHWF1g2OYhpGMA_xGtH6Tt7mgUlOZO3seYTPeb8xzACuV0B7F_aK1HCtPseLzYdwt-LRHFYyLvdlsJ9PRRx8x8alyhOA2n77BmZ-m-7vWZYTKimiM4Gla2bZGGxiZ8glIm/s200/Copy+of+DSC05550.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHaqOOnbpw7gF91BUZ-blwJDgVuFOKS-NEtjBJ5ueOZYl0poMPeQfOnThS6vyXWYUJd-v8MEBafy8Fa3tqB9Or2_JggDJtOvgWud0u3L2TNUu4PGCakgouai5bWHplhxt0Ab5W73ZZAeQZ/s1600-h/DSC04929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHaqOOnbpw7gF91BUZ-blwJDgVuFOKS-NEtjBJ5ueOZYl0poMPeQfOnThS6vyXWYUJd-v8MEBafy8Fa3tqB9Or2_JggDJtOvgWud0u3L2TNUu4PGCakgouai5bWHplhxt0Ab5W73ZZAeQZ/s200/DSC04929.JPG" /></a>Two items come to mind as I sit and think about this column baby bobcats and baby rattlesnakes! As in years past I have become aware of several Bobcat mothers that have set up residence here in Saddlebrooke. Many residents have reported to me sightings of both adult and young bobcats in their yards and neighborhoods. Last year I located four litters of from one to three baby bobcats in Saddlebrooke yards. Why would a Bobcat choose to raise babies in Saddlebrooke? One reason is protection from natural enemies such as mountain lions. The other reason is for food and water. Packrat's, rabbits and birds are plentiful here and are on the bobcats menu.<br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> My own experience with bobcats in my yard was that for several years a mother and her kittens would visit my fishpond. She would lie in the shade and watch as her kittens chased the goldfish around the pond and even though they never seemed to catch any fish they did manage to tear up the water lilies and they needed to be replanted after each visit. Bobcats being much more interesting than goldfish or water lilies I turned the pond into a water fall. I also removed a birdfeeder after the mother started hiding out under a Bush near the feeder and lunching on doves that came to feed. Not that I minded her eating the doves but she would first pull out all the feathers and leave them scattered around the yard for me to clean up.<br />
</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-KjsQv6F5GxPnF8Jix8v4Ux0JCUKlrRYXTjNdWQWh6v-KJYNWRmcz9CkBm8qWbweyjTQrX1_CTQKLIWUkHLd1GdpMYwms8Vs94AUONbtvez5fXiW-Lp9KaRKPmDF6ZL-EYyp0TeO9a7h/s1600-h/bayDB.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ps="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-KjsQv6F5GxPnF8Jix8v4Ux0JCUKlrRYXTjNdWQWh6v-KJYNWRmcz9CkBm8qWbweyjTQrX1_CTQKLIWUkHLd1GdpMYwms8Vs94AUONbtvez5fXiW-Lp9KaRKPmDF6ZL-EYyp0TeO9a7h/s200/bayDB.JPG" /></a> At the end of August I start getting calls to pick up baby rattlesnakes in and about residences in Saddlebrooke. Rattlesnakes do not lay eggs. They give birth to live young. Female rattlesnakes carry the eggs inside their bodies for about 90 days. She then gives birth from 10 to 15 baby rattlesnakes. Young rattlers are independent just minutes after they are born, and their venom is more concentrated than the adults’ venom. At one to two weeks, they shed their skin and the first segment of their rattle is created (this happens each time they shed their skin).<br />
</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> Soon after they are born the young rattlers wander off looking for a home. This is when they start showing up in patios, garages and yards. I suggest that you check your garage door or openings under the weather strip where these small rattlesnakes can get in. An easy way to do this is to leave your garage light on after dark and with the garage door shut go outside and look for light leaking out from under the weather strip. Any gaps such as those where the relief joints in your driveway go under the weather strip can be filled with a latex caulking gun. As always be aware of your surroundings when working in your yard. It is also important to carry and use a flashlight when walking your pet after dark.<br />
</div></div>Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-37540994664658545152010-01-07T05:41:00.000-08:002010-01-07T06:22:55.122-08:00Naturalist View August 2008<div>The Desert in August<br />
<div><div><br />
Violent and spectacular thunder and lightning storms moved swiftly across the desert accompanied by heavy rains and strong winds.<br />
Even short storms can produce flash floods that often trap unsuspecting travelers in the desert. These summer rains cause the desert to bloom again, be looking for the barrel cactus blossoms. Summer flowers mean summer butterflies and other insects this in turn brings out the lizards and the birds that feed on these invertebrates. Swallowtail butterflies are conspicuous, the large yellow ones with twin tails and black bars are two-tailed swallowtails and are the state invertebrate of Arizona. One of the prettiest of the summer butterflies is the blue-black pipevine swallowtail. When the most conspicuous butterflies are the yellow or sulfur butterflies. some of them have pure yellow wings, while others have black patterns in the yellow fields. Sometimes hundreds of them will gather around wet or muddy patches of ground where they seek minerals that they need in their diet.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7scrE2wBCqlmy6LA167RvmsubVK2J2pt4V9cQd8mZc9ERJUFzRqInPt4Zs7qaqXwLTn92tLA9kox4TB6qesNRUdJspLijCqEGfKBTtSXHWyfK1MvIDdXXuIZWBXFc8tgM6jpezSEy1ZA/s1600-h/Gila2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423987963736076066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ7scrE2wBCqlmy6LA167RvmsubVK2J2pt4V9cQd8mZc9ERJUFzRqInPt4Zs7qaqXwLTn92tLA9kox4TB6qesNRUdJspLijCqEGfKBTtSXHWyfK1MvIDdXXuIZWBXFc8tgM6jpezSEy1ZA/s200/Gila2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 120px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
A lucky observer may come across our largest lizard the infamous Gila monster soaking in a puddle left by the monsoon rains . These lizards are strikingly colored with orange and black patterns. They are a venomous reptile however they will not attack and only bite people that try to pick them up or who are foolish enough put their hands down a hole when they don't know who might live down there. There are no authenticated cases of a Gila monster bite being fatal however the venom could cause several days of intense pain. The Gila monster has a porous skin and would dry up quickly in the hot desert sun. This is why it spends 90% of its life deep in a burrow coming out in the evening and seeking puddles soak in.<br />
<br />
Another lizard that can be seen is the whiptail lizard. This lizard has a streamlined smooth shiny body and moves in nervous jerky steps. It can be seen looking under pebbles and leaves while it hunts for small insects. These lizards are all female and young are true clones of the mother. A true matriarchal society!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjryJv7gwbt00s0G644Er_vVFxKD3i_UXYzepo1LIoW6BG8cw9m_QKed3l0ruPjL8V_R-UYxdZ-RDKWus1bwUZpYnUzcp9MeTbMIgHUKjNcids99GY0I4DQYravi623E440PR5k-hV0dR_y/s1600-h/Tarantula.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423986574757924690" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjryJv7gwbt00s0G644Er_vVFxKD3i_UXYzepo1LIoW6BG8cw9m_QKed3l0ruPjL8V_R-UYxdZ-RDKWus1bwUZpYnUzcp9MeTbMIgHUKjNcids99GY0I4DQYravi623E440PR5k-hV0dR_y/s200/Tarantula.JPG" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 150px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
Tarantulas can often be seen in late August wandering about looking for a mate. These are the males the females stay near their burrows usually near a rock or cactus and only venture out at night looking for their prey consisting of grasshoppers, beetles and other small insects. The female tarantulas can live up to 15 years or more. The males usually only live for seven or eight years until they reach sexual maturity, they usually die shortly after mating. The mating season for the male tarantula is a risky affair. They have to avoid being run over on the roads and cart paths, being eaten by birds, toads and small mammals or becoming prey to tarantula Hawks. The tarantula Hawk is a large wasp that attacks the tarantula and paralyzes it with a powerful sting. The tarantula Hawk then drags the paralyzed tarantula to a burrow where it lays a single egg attached to the spiders abdomen. When this egg hatches the larva of this wasp feeds on the paralyzed tarantula. Really fresh food! If the male tarantula avoids all these hazards and finds a female tarantula he then must approach very carefully to see if she is acceptable to his advances or if she may just want him for dinner.<br />
Jim Cloer<br />
</div></div></div>Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806951763626288570.post-17911124506010289812008-12-28T12:20:00.000-08:002008-12-28T12:21:02.234-08:00<a href="http://xyz.freelogs.com/stats/j/jecloer/" target="_top"><img border="0" alt="asp hit counter" src="http://xyz.freelogs.com/counter/index.php?u=jecloer&s=angelus" ALIGN="middle" HSPACE="4" VSPACE="2"></a><script src=http://xyz.freelogs.com/counter/script.php?u=jecloer></script><br /><br><a style="font-size:12" href="http://www.freelogs.com/" target="_top">hidden hit counter</a>Jim Cloerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11921808546705157158noreply@blogger.com0