A Walk In The Park

Yellow-rumped Warbler

 When this past weekend arrived, I didn't know what I'd exactly do.  I looked at my calendar and remembered that Tucson's CBC was coming up.  I also had a free ticket for the Reid Park Zoo which gave me an idea. Why not cover the ENTIRE Reid Park area(including the zoo)!?!?

Canvasback

 The Tucson CBC, or Christmas Bird Count, is going to be held this week during my work schedule so I am not able to attend. HOWEVER, if YOU are in the area and interested, click on this link here.  It's a wonderful way to discover great birding spots around town while helping our bird populations around the US.  This will be Rich Hoyer's last CBC for Tucson.  Thank you Rich for all the years you've organized this event. We will miss you. 

Rich is on the left.  This was during an epic trek into Chiapas over a year ago. 

Anyhow, while I can't attend the Tucson CBC this week, I helped scout local patches for the team that will cover my neighborhood.  So I made the decision to do some responsible birding this weekend and kept it local. 

Redhead

 In just under 3 hours, I covered the zoo, outside park ponds and baseball fields finding a nice total of 49 bird species. Lately, I have been less about chasing and more about doing investigative work on known species in areas closer to home. 

Wood Duck

 Plus, I need to save money for pretty much everything which includes 2 out of state treks and one out of country adventure for this year and next.  And of course, there are the other costs like maintaining both home and car:)  As I've said before, there really isn't anything left to chase in Arizona anymore SO I have chosen to bird responsibly.  It's nice to pick and choose where and HOW I'll bird.  

a wintering male Broad-billed Hummingbird

 Reid Park is a wonderful green patch in the middle of the city.  With a variety of vegetation, both desert and exotic, it can be a great place to spot rarities. 

Vermilion Flycatcher

 In fact, I've been spending a lot of time here at our parks.  Last weekend, I spent a quiet count at Agua Caliente Park.  Before that, I went to Ft. Lowell Park, etc etc.  Reid Park is the closest to my home and is probably one of the best spots in town for the most avian diversity. However, I will say that Tanque Verde Wash, Coachline and the Sweetwater Wetlands are pretty darn good as well.   

a captive Blue-crowned Motmot

 Oh I still dream.  I visited the South American aviary and watched the Blue-crowned Motmot.  I wondered if they had updated the motmot complex with the actual name of this bird since it was split into 3 different species this past summer. Somehow I didn't seem to care.  It was a passing thought as I forgot about my surroundings and just enjoyed watching this bird up close under the shadows of the giant bamboo.  Spanish teacher day dreaming............

House Sparrow with Peacock feather

 Meanwhile House Sparrows collected Peacock feathers to build their nests.  I searched and searched for a rare Harris's Sparrow or Golden-crowned Sparrow in the vegetation but didn't have any luck.  

Orange-crowned Warbler

 I searched for rare warblers in several warbler flocks but didn't find anything extraordinary.  I followed up on my rare Tucson Inca Doves that I've been monitoring at the zoo.  It took me awhile but I found them. 

Inca Doves

So while I had fun playing detective at my local patch, I was able to help my Tucson CBC friends for their big counts this week. 

the acrobatic Verdin on Bamboo

While these past two months have been challenging due to health reasons, I have learned how to adapt and find joy with my birds closer to home.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel, but it is not something that has been easy for me.  I'm still in shock that people elected this guy known as Trump for President....I don't know why anyone would vote for this loser, but they did. It's hard to believe that Clinton won with over 2 million votes and still "lost".  I have to let it go, but watching this all unravel is a nightmare. Anxiety attacks are not fun.  After that election battle, there was a darkness I had never felt before and it is a scary feeling. A Bush in the White House is not the same as a Trump in the White House. I feel like there is a global war building and I can't stop it.  

at the Flamingo exhibit

And then there is work.  I tried managing 180 kids without a break all day long so that I could pay off my student loan early.  Yeah, not going to happen. The body speaks volumes about how much stress we can handle.  Thankfully, that crazy stress will be over by the end of the semester.  The night comes quickly and leaves little time to bird after work which has thrown off my meditation.  When the weekend comes, I sleep whenever I can and bird for a few hours to just....exist.  As the year comes to a close, I'll be heading to the arctic north where I'll gladly don my gloves and scarf.  My mind takes me to icy waters where the snow falls around me. I still have some work to do in Arizona this month with Deborah Vath's CBC.  We'll be taking our youth out and searching for birds next weekend.  Have a great week everyone and until next time.......

Coexist

Sometimes it's never quite clear what theme will pop out of my photo journeys.  The more I go on hikes around national or state parks; the more I am resenting the idea of cages and zoos.  It's not that I don't believe there shouldn't be zoos.  It's just that I dislike the general public for being so irresponsible.  "Whoa whoa whoa!!!  Dislike is a negative word. Blogging is about happy thoughts."  Now now.  Don't judge me so quickly.  Zoos have their place and they sure do educate.  But this shot above is what inspired the photos that follow....Coexisting together in peace.  I think my sister in law may have raised her eyebrow at the title for my photo shoots:)

Do you ever watch the "others" while you're at the zoo?  You know....the squirrels, sparrows, grackles, etc that take advantage of the free treats humans leave behind, the watering holes created for the caged animals or the food left behind for other animals?  Take for example this squirrel eating the turtle food on the ground.   These animals do not have cages and yet have found a place to coexist among their  more famous residents.

Zoos educate kids and adults alike about the greater world....and that's a good thing.  Some of these animals were saved from a brutal death in their home environments.  It pains me to watch people carelessly walking by caged birds or animals to get that slushy....and then leave the cup behind for someone else to pick up.  Note to self, never go on the weekends....NEVER:)  Family came up and we had a nice time together, but I couldn't help watching the people who were present around us.  I am a pretty sensitive guy to wildlife and protecting lands.  But if it's any indication from the public, I would think that most would barely know how to survive out in the wild.  No cell phones(I still don't own one).  No mobile devices.  Meanwhile the animals live in their spaces.  I consider zoos similiar to retirement homes.  Not a pretty picture. 

But the familiar faces remind me that we have to start somewhere.  Here is my SIL with my cute little nephew.  And there are lots of educational opportunities that can be found by looking at an animal or plant.  When I see this picture, I see a flashback to my days in Peru or Guatemala where women carry their young in these cute wraps.  I think they are really cool looking actually.  But let's forget cute for the moment and look at the Mother/Child relationship.  One could not exist without the love of a parent and so both coexist.  One to carry on the memories and traditions of a family while the other learns about love and support from constant nurturing......especially in the beginning.  It has to start somewhere.

So why this Pink Flamingo found in Chile?  Well Flamingos are cool.  But note how they all coexist together as a unit. The new Elephant addition to the zoo is well done.  You will see how all the elephants stick together as a unit.  In so many ways, I am learning how to coexist in the greater world each day.  It is obvious that humans can do more damage than good and we must protect those things that are precious.  I watch the mother of the Great Horned Owl as she defends her clutch at my work site from possible bird or human attacks.  The father owl was attacked by a murder of crows the other day and possibly killed.  Nature is such a fragile thing. Balance is everything. Will the owlets survive this year?

The Grackle is the bird version of us.  Forget the elephants or the lions.....I focused my attention on this bird today.  I have a lot of great shots, but one will suffice. This bird is an omnivore and steals from others and it takes full advantage of the surroundings.  But the difference?  It doesn't cause long lasting damage to the planet like a human can:)

But I am reminded that we have to start somewhere.  I actually like kids when there is only one to watch:)  This is my niece and she was full of questions....and they were good ones. She also has a good eye for spotting things.  I need to bring her on my hikes:)  And she listened without the commotion of people around her.  All of us that read each other's blogs, already do this, but it's surprising how many people do not do this:)  We are distracted by the "noises" around us.  And I think that is what I realized after our visit to the zoo.  People are running around so much that they don't do what is important like take the time and "smell the roses"(which are smelling pretty good right now:)  A lot of the people at the zoo had a hard time walking short distances without panting or checking their cell phones every 5 seconds and that makes me sad.  Technology is a good thing, but we need to learn that there is another side to this life.  The majority of us are not coexisting in the greater world.

Final thoughts.  Like the commercials that are played on the Delilah program at night about visiting nature....you know the ones....:) "Hey Dad", says the son in a robotic voice and Dad replies, "Ooooh I think it's time to visit a state park." or like the movie theater commercial before the movie begins, "Please shut off your cell phones.  It. Can. Wait.", we need to remind others to do the same.  Most of us(we bloggers) already do this, but this year I began teaching my students about the greater world beyond culture and the Spanish language with my photos.  Everyday before I begin my lectures, I start off with a photo from my travels. And what I've learned from each of you is that we all have something very special to share whether it be in writing or through the acts of parenting, teaching.  Little by little.  Those are my rambling thoughts today. More mañana:)

The Zookeeper and Oleander

This story was reported out of Tucson yesterday.  Apparently an apprentice zookeeper has accidentally fed two giraffes at our local zoo oleander(nerium).  One has died while the other is in critical condition. This is the 5th zoo animal to die this year.  Story reads as follows from KVOA Channel 4 news......

Reid Park Zoo giraffe dies

Posted: Jul 20, 2011 12:29 PM
Updated: Jul 20, 2011 12:35 PM

TUCSON - One of the male giraffe's at the Reid Park Zoo has died. Watoto, the zoo's male giraffe, died Tuesday night. Pathologists will conduct a full analysis to determine the official cause of death. There is reasonable cause to believe the ingestion of toxic vegetation will be confirmed. Another giraffe remains under careful observation and veterinary care. Watoto began showing signs of an illness early Tuesday. He was refusing food and water, choosing to lie down, and generally displaying lethargy, although he remained responsive. His keeper remained by his side all day, keeping him under close observation. By late afternoon, it was clear that he was not improving. All veterinary reports and advice suggested the situation was grim, and that recovery was not likely. The husbandry team, including Zoo staff and outside zoological experts, stepped in to attempt supportive fluid therapy and the administration of medication to combat the toxicity of the vegetation. The team worked diligently doing everything humanly possible to save the animal however during the initial stage of treatment, the giraffe's heart stopped. After all emergency response options were exhausted he passed away.  Susan Basford, the Zoo's Administrator says, "Through the regrettable events that occurred, I also witnessed our staff at its best - professionals who care deeply about our animals, and who worked diligently as a team doing everything humanly possible to save an animal in our care."

I feel saddened by this news and I'd like to know how the alleged apprentice zookeeper didn't know about the poisonous properties of oleander.  Again,  accidents happen, but at what cost?  What's your opinion?  One more giraffe remains in critical care.

The Silk Floss Tree

On my final posting from Reid Park Zoo, I wanted to share with you a tree that I will occassionaly see growing around town. Everytime I head over to the zoo, I check this tree out and see what it's doing.  It's another one of those unique plants that I won't be planting at our place because there's not any room for it.  This tree is a showstopper....even without its' leaves in winter, it makes an attractive tree.  Again, if you go to the South American exhibit, you'll find this tree hidden amongst the bamboo.....here is some history on this beautiful tree that grows in random areas of the city.

Look at the thorny bark!  Talk about an alien looking tree....straight off of Avatar!

The silk floss tree (Ceiba speciosa, formerly Chorisia speciosa), is a species of deciduous tree native to the tropical and subtropical forests of South America. It has a host of local common names, such as palo borracho (in Spanish literally "drunken tree"). It belongs to the same family as the baobab and the kapok. Another tree of the Ceiba genus, C. chodatii, often receives the same common names.

The natural habitat of the floss silk tree is the north-east of Argentina, Paraguay, and southern Brazil. It is resistant to drought and moderate cold. It grows fast in spurts when water is abundant, and sometimes reaches more than 25 m in height. Its trunk is bottle-shaped, generally bulging in its lower third, measuring up to 2 m in girth. It is studded with thick conical prickles which serve to store water for dry times. In younger trees, the trunk is green due to its high chlorophyll content, which makes it capable of performing photosynthesis when leaves are absent; with age it turns to gray.
The branches tend to be horizontal and are also covered with prickles. The leaves are composed of five to seven long leaflets. The flowers are creamy-whitish in the center and pink towards the tips of their five petals. They measure 10-15 cm in diameter and their shape is superficially similar to hibiscus flowers. Their nectar is known to attract insects such as monarch butterflies, which perform pollination. C. speciosa flowers are in bloom between February and May. The flowers of the related C. chodatii are similar in form and size, but their color goes from creamy white centers to yellow tips.
The fruits are lignous ovoid pods, 20 cm long, which contain bean-sized black seeds surrounded by a mass of fibrous, fluffy matter reminiscent of cotton or silk.
Information link and source... 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceiba_speciosa and here: http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Bombacaceae/Chorisia_speciosa.html
                                                        
Zones: 9-12.  Protect initially from strong sun. Once established, protect from extreme frost.  It's definitely a cool tree to have around your home or garden....it just needs a tiny amount more of attention...and is similiar to a Jacaranda's needs here in the desert southwest.  Until next time, happy gardening!

Ideas

While on my photo shoot at Reid Park, I snapped several shots that have inspired me over the years from this fantastic zoo.  While I am still working on the foundation of plants in my own gardens; these images are things I'd like to incorporate into our place here at El Presidio.  The above pic is not "waterwise" for us here, but the surrounding plants and structures are interesting.   

A simple ornament, from their Zoolights theme hangs off a tree.  It's the way the natural light shines through the blue that makes me think of the eventual color scheme in the garden.

A row of philodendron "pruned".  Depending where they are planted in our gardens here in Tucson, these plants can thrive if protected from the summer sun.  Several others that I have found that can make it through frost are the birds of paradise, pothos, ficus, and scheflerra.  It's all about placement with these plants...protect from extreme sun and frosty nights.

These final images are just beautiful ways to combine grasses,like the pampas grass, and palms which I think both make a beautiful statement in our Tucson winter gardens.  This is an oasis that is xeric.

As I drive around town, I pay attention to the successful gardens that thrive.  I think gardening here is amazing, but you wouldn't know it by people's yards around the Old Pueblo.  A lot of people lack imagination and/or just don't want the hassle or maintenance of plants in their own yards.  I do understand that, but it's difficult for me to look at gravel.  I hate lawns in the desert and  I certainly don't like the raked gravel look either.  However, that's just my opinion.

On a final blog note, I have been putting off the "BIG" blog postings and doing the fun ones instead.  I have several on "Ethnobotany" and "The Canopy Connection" which require me to write out my field notes.   There is a lot to break down and cover....I don't know how I'd ever run out of topics to write on as there is always something going on.....Las Aventuras is about gardening and landscape adventures here in my own gardens, around Tucson, national or international gardens (and their designs which will include at times the wildlife that work in chorus with the plants). Looking back at when I started in March, I realized that the blog defined itself, even if I hadn't a clue where to begin.  I didn't realize how much "stuff" I had up in my head until I began categorizing and writing about it.  This definitely has been a very fun process.  Happy Holidays everyone and thank you for reading my blog over this past year!  I look forward to the new year and the adventures that await all of us in 2011. 

The South American Exhibit

I imagine that throughout the course of my blogging and travels in Panama, I probably will be mentioning several of the critters off my video below.  Last night I put this video together to show off several of the birds and mammals that live in Central and South America. However, not all are found in Panama, but they are still cool to see:) You'll find these guys in the oddest places....if you are lucky to see them at all!!  Most are noctural or high above the tree tops....and it takes a trained eye to see these amazing animals.  I am getting better spotting animals......but there's always room for improvement.

An anteater

Here are some images that I hope relax the mind.  The rain forest is a very loud place....especially at night. And if you need to turn on a flashlight or candle, just be ready to see things....sometimes you won't even get the warning of glowing eyes first....you'll just get the full on monkey or snake on your cabin floor. Is that cool?  Yes.  Do I like it at the time? No.  Do I like monkeys digging in my backpack? No. Do I like the lodge seeing my underwear on the ground and around their property?  No.  Do I like feeling bat wings flutter in my face as I reach to light my candle? No.  Is all this completely amazing?  Yes...and that's why I keep going back for the torture:)

Filmed at Reid Park Zoo in the South American Exhibit during my bamboo excursion.  Is Tucson cool? Yes...best place in the world:)  I love living here.

Llama of the Andes

The Largest Rodent in the world...the Capybara

Peacocks...not necessarily South American but still pretty birds:)

The Bamboo Effect

About 9 months ago, I mentioned stopping at the Reid Park Zoo.  I was still learning how to blog at that time and didn't really understand the whole "take your pictures" thing as you post because it's way more fun and personal!  As I've gotten more into this project that I've started here at El Presidio and in my life, I've discovered that you need a good camera for photos and film.......and that you ALWAYS need to bring your camera everywhere you go.  I think around April or May I figured it out....and at that point, I hadn't a clue on how to find blogs to read as I was a virtual unknown....after all, this blog was initially for me and my documentation of what I do around the property in case anything ever happens to me down the road.....but it turned into something better.  I love reading people's work in their own lives and it has replaced my magazine reading almost completely for this online free garden subscription.....and it's not just located in Arizona....it's all over!!  So with a cup of coffee, comfy pj's, and my AM glasses I sit down to share and read my fellow blogger's adventures.....

The reason I started to write what I did was because back in March or April, I had gone to the Reid Park Zoo to examine several groves of bamboo, but I didn't take any pics nor was it a central topic because back then I didn't know how to break up postings into central themes like I do today or write run on sentences like I'm doing now:).  So I am going back today and to show you all through my camera lens what it is/was that I was talking about those many months ago.  This is the second part to the bamboo series.  The first part was posted back in October and titled the Bamboo Ranch.  This post will show others that bamboo can indeed be grown in the desert to a very successful height. It can also provide that privacy or tropical effect that  you are looking for in your own gardens.

When I first moved here, I thought it was all cacti and scrubby bushes with some citrus trees sprinkled in for fun.  Through my education and personal experiences, I see that a space or spaces can be transformed into anything you like provided you give the plants ample room to grow and also the proper growing conditions.  Bamboo is no exception.  It shouldn't be overdone as some people do.....but as a uniform screen or as an "island" amongst your other plants. It can be a show stopper.  Personally I love it mixed in with palm trees around a pool setting. 

Bamboo is a grass.  What does grass love?  SUN! and water and nitrogen.......those three ingredients together will create an incredible growth that will eventually become a giant amonst your garden plants.  Put the bamboo in shade and you'll see it grow much slower than its' friends in the sun.  I put mine around several areas of the property.....mostly being around the southern side. 

Around this time of year, the bamboo will not look as green as it normally does because it doesn't get as much sun.  Remember that bamboo will also shed its' leaves at some point.  Also remember that once you cut a bamboo stalk, it won't grow anymore....so don't cut stalks unless they are for some reason needing to be controlled.

What's fascinating about the Reid Park Zoo is that it is a self contained island amongst the not so attractive 22nd street.  So in the South American exhibit, pay attention to what the bamboo is doing.  One gets lost in the "jungle" as they look at the animals, but also pay attention at how the gardens are laid out.  The bamboo is effectively screening out the background noises from 22nd street.....even more interesting, the wind blows through the canes and creates a very serene feel.....yet meters away, nasty cars and loud obnoxious people are doing their thing on the sidewalk.  Now imagine a suburb property, like most people's properties in a larger city and what they could do to "privatize" their own gardens.....

From the Presidio Gardens, I can see our ugly neighborhood, but with strategic planning, our courtyard will block this unsightly stain from our memories and contain a whole other worldly feel inside our gates. Some of this is inspiration from my Amazon excursions and some of this inspiration comes from Reid Park Zoo in regards to "the bamboo effect."

I know, for most people, a zoo is where you see animals, but look at the gardens of the zoo that surround the cages and I think you'll be surprised at what you find....a lot of research and planning went into the grounds the zoo is on.  PS.  2 mystery roles of photos have shown up from my Peru trip in 2008.....I don't know what's on them, but I hope they contain some fantastic images.  Just a hint of what's on them...if I remember correctly....I was doing an experimental shot from on top of a cliff overlooking Lake Titicaca during breakfast one morning from the island of Taquille.....I hope the film hasn't deterioted.....again, before I had my own digital camera:(  Until next time, happy gardening!!