This may not sound like a very romantic Valentine’s Day, but for my wife and me, it was exactly the type of day we like. We took a hike in the Agua Fria National Monument in Arizona near Cordes Lakes just 40 miles or so North of Phoenix.
The area is a diverse riparian habitat which has been described as a “perennial river” meaning that there is water flowing in the area nearly all year long even though it is a semi-desert grassland.
This is what the trail looks like at the start. It hadn’t rained in a number of days so the river bed was dry and rocky.
As you can see many other people have been on this trail which follows the river bed and can be quite wet at times so be prepared. There are higher trails alongside most of the riverbed that can offer some drier terrain along parts of the hike if needed.
This was a perfect day for hiking. The weather was cool and the sky was clear and beautiful.
This is a noted birding environment and while we saw some cardinals and a phainopepla, this curve-billed thrasher was the only picture I was able to take of the avian denizens on this day. While this isn’t the most flattering side of the bird, it does show how it got its name.
Along this stretch the stream was more pronounced.
After hiking a bit in an easterly direction, the stream bed opens up to a river area which is more north and south in orientation. The boulders and hills form a picturesque setting even when the foliage of the landscape is not full.
The nearby cliffs create a canyon wall on one side.
On the cliff pictured above, we found this artifact which was probably used to support a cable or pipe of some sort.
After continuing past this point we had to scramble across the boulder fields to continue to seek the path which would appear from amid the rocks at intervals.
One challenge was finding a way to cross the river. People would seek their own “stepping stone” path hoping to make it to the other side.
While crossing the rocky terrain there would be fast running areas where the rocks would create eddys or small waterfalls.
Some of the literature notes that on warm summer days, pools will form where people can take a dip in the shallow water held by the circles of rocks.
There was a group of hikers making their way into the canyon on this pleasant hiking day.
Other visitors took time to sit and enjoy the tranquil setting.
Generally speaking, saguaro cactus do not grow in this area primarily because of the elevation, but this somewhat protected environment was well-enough suited for some to grow on the south-facing hillside.
A number of rocks had curious patterns which I am sure geologists would be able to explain and perhaps find even more interesting than I did.
Butteflies were making their first forays into the field and here we see a slightly tattered Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) upside down most likely looking for a place to lay some eggs.
Here is another picture with the wings slightly closed, but in a more appropriate and customary orientation.
The unusually warm days were probably responsible for this Ashen Milkvetch (Astragalus Tephrodes) to put forth its floral display. I like the detailed leaf formation of this particular plant.
It was time to head home after a super hike!
Click HERE for more information about the Agua Fria
See more JBRish hiking posts here HERE
Picture courtesy of a screen capture from REI’s video linked below
REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.), as part of the ->->Every-Trail-Connects<-<- series presents the video below about the Appalachian Trail and Ponytail Paul (Paul Stiffler) known to those he meets hiking through the woods as the Trail Angel. We all know how special the trail is, but his efforts make it that much more of a gift. Watch the video to find out why!
Quoted from the YouTube video website:
“Many people look to the outdoors to find peace of mind. For Paul Stiffler, better known as Ponytail Paul, the Appalachian Trail and its thru-hikers have been the therapeutic force needed to turn his life around. Paul has taken on a role as “Trail Angel” to help thru-hikers on their 2,186-mile journey and help himself find a new sense of purpose in the process.”
Most of us have enjoyed watching a variety of National Geographic productions and if you are anything like me, you probably have marveled and wondered “How did they get that shot?!” The video below is a look at what it takes to capture photographs of wild animals. Depending upon your perspective, it can be humorous or not! Also realize that many of these animals are residents of zoos and have had some awareness of people. One might thus reason that it would make the animal photography easier because of that exposure (pun intended). Well, you can watch the video and decide for yourself.
Quoted from the YouTube website:
Think taking pictures of your pet is hard? Try an armadillo or a full-grown tiger. It’s all in a day’s work for photographer Joel Sartore, who’s on a mission to create portraits of the world’s 12,000 captive species before they disappear. Sartore must wrangle the unruly, distract the curious, and clean up all the unexpected messes that come with photographing wild animals.
A brief video about the beauty and science of studying birds.
From the YouTube website:
“As we conclude the Cornell Lab’s 100th year of studying and conserving the birds that enrich our lands and our lives, thank you for helping us start 2016 ready to do more for birds and nature. Hear from the Cornell Lab’s Executive Director John W. Fitzpatrick in this video celebrating how birds bring us closer to nature.”
Most of us have had pets when they were young, i.e. puppies and kittens, and even older pets who moved around when they slept. And, many of us, I am sure, wondered:
“What are they thinking or dreaming?”
This cute polar bear cub exhibits those same behaviors. What dreams is this baby having?
From the YouTube Video Website:
“At 5 weeks old, the polar bear cub is doing very well; she weighs a little over 4 pounds and measures 16 inches long! Both eyes have started to open as of yesterday, but they are not fully open yet. The care staff says the sound that she makes in the video is of contentment. Her motor skills are improving each day and she has started trying to stand up on all fours, especially when she’s ready for her next meal! She is on six feedings a day, every four hours. The team has been evaluating her daily needs and provides care 24/7.”
While hiking along the West Fork of the Oak Creek just outside of Sedona, AZ we came across this wall and cliff of fractured red rock highlighted by light and dark colors most likely from minerals in the rock and the effects of running water.
Here’s a closer look. Trees grow along the overhanging shallow shelf above the cliff.
Other walls along the trail had interesting colors and markings as well. This nearly black patch was highlighted by a stream of white reminiscent of a plume of smoke from a cigarette.
We weren’t the only life form enjoying this brisk autumn stroll. A orange and black beetle was weaving in and out of the leaves and appears to be of the Nicrophorus defodiens species which enjoys eating fungus.
A colorful leaf waiting for its close up and I obliged.
On the return trip back to the trailhead, we revisited some of the previous sites this time lit with the afternoon sun.
There were moments when the contrast of the dark and the light was stunning as with the golden-green leaves against the dark browns and grays of the trees
A bit disheartening are scenes like this where someone decided a tree branch needed to be adorned with and old sneaker or shoe.
At the beginning of the trail, not too far from the trailhead, are the remnants of Mayhew Lodge that was opened in 1926. The lodge remained an active retreat until 1968 and is noted for attracting a number of celebrities such as President Herbert Hoover, Walt Disney, Jimmy Stewart and Clark Gable.
Only a few partial walls remain standing, but with a bit of imagination, one can envision the raw beauty and solace that this retreat once promised.
Perhaps President Hoover or Clark Gable gazed out this window to watch native wildlife.
Which celebrities or notables warmed themselves at this hearth?
The short video shows the outbuildings and a few shots of the lodge.
Even more information and pictures HERE:
We had a good day along the West Fork of the Oak Creek. We were damp, cold and tired and welcomed the heated seats and warm air provided by our Subaru Forester as we made our way back to the Valley of the Sun.
If you missed the previous posts about our hike along the West Fork of the Oak Creek, you can find them here:
Trees have always been magical or should I say mystical to me. My first true relationship with a tree was with that of a large chestnut tree in the Bronx, NYC. It was near our elementary school and grew tall alongside a hill we used for sledding in the winter and for rolling down in cardboard boxes in the spring and summer.
I was very young, perhaps seven years old. It was a very large tree as I remember and the chestnuts were a beautiful; a rich dark brown and so very smooth. Each Chestnut pod held two rather large half-domed seeds that were shiny and precious.
I was in further awe of nature when I realized that a huge oak tree could be brought forth from the growth of a small, seemingly innocuous acorn.
I agree with Joyce Kilmer. Trees are very special. The video below is an ode to trees. It ushers forth many of the feelings I have toward these living sentinels who retain their footholds at the behest of man.
NOTE: The reader has an accent which may make it difficult to understand all of the words, but I don’t think words are needed.
The Silent Friends
The Silent Friends from Kauri Multimedia on Vimeo.
NOTE: I first came across this video via an article, The Silent Friends: A Beautiful Short Film Celebrating Our Abiding Bond with Trees, from the brainpickings website. If you are in search of intellectually stimulating and far reaching topics, you might enjoy stopping by.
As noted in previous posts, I live in the desert southwest and one thing we have in our neighborhood is snakes. Yes, we have a good number of snakes. We don’t seem them every day, but every spring and summer we encounter several of them.
Unlike some people, I like snakes. I even like the poisonous snakes because they fulfill an important role of keeping the rodent population in check. I just wish the would have larger appetites so we didn’t see as many rodents in the desert.
One day I peered outside to see a Coachwhip commonly referred to as a Red Racer (Coluber flagellum piceus) because it is very fast. I had to be quick to get these two photos because once the snake decided to take off, it exited a break neck speed.
I think there is a lot of beauty in the coloration of this particular snake. The blurb below from the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum explains the derivation of the name.
This long, slender snake reaches lengths of 3 to 8¼ feet (90-260 cm) long. Quite variable in color, it can be tan, gray, pink, black, reddish-brown, or any combination of these colors. Broad crossbars may be present. The scales are smooth and the eyes large; the head is distinct from the body. Unlike the adults, young may have obvious dark brown or black blotches or bands on a light brown background. This snake receives its name from the braided appearance of its scales which resemble the whip used by stagecoach drivers in earlier days. Quote courtesy of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Read More About the Coachwhip:
Those who have been reading my blog for a while realize that I have a strong personal connection to nature. I am interested in other living things as well as a few that are not quite alive such as rocks. If I had it to do all over again, I would collect rocks. I have a few, but not many. Let me not digress.
As we hike along, I collect (via photographs) a record of the various species of insects, reptiles, birds, plants, etc. that we encounter. Some are new to me and some are found in unanticipated circumstances.
In our spring trip to Las Cruces, NM we encountered several interesting lizards and one snake. By way of sharing my interest in photographing these animals and the joy in the abundance and variety of nature, I am including several pictures below.
Many thanks to the Arizona Herpetological Association – AHA for their warm hospitality and support in helping me identify these specimens. I recommend their website and organization to anyone who is interested in southwest herpitology.*
Lets start with a popular lizard of which we saw many…
The Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail (Aspidoscelis exsanguis)
This fellow was particularly interesting because of his “racing stripes” along his side. Adidas and Nike have nothing on him.
Greater Earless Male (Holbrookia elegans)
This female appeared to be obviously pregnant.
Greater Earless Female (Holbrookia elegans)
At quick glance, this looks like a pretty ho-hum specimen sitting on an ordinary rock, but…
Ornate Tree Lizard (Urosaurus ornatus)
Look at that turquoise-like coloring under his chin and belly!
Ornate Tree Lizard (Urosaurus ornatus)
And let’s not forget a fellow we included in his own post here,
Eastern Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris)
The only snake we encountered was an adventurous, long and thin Patch-nosed Snake.
Patch-nosed Snake (Salvadora hexalepis)
The markings on this specimen were quite nice; two colors of brown, one tan and one near chocolate in shade.
Patch-nosed Snake (Salvadora hexalepis) – close up
*If I have misidentified any of the reptiles in this post, please let me know and I will make the appropriate corrections.
.JBRish.com originally published this post
