snap

Corrales can be seen as being full of things that can snap, sting, bite or generally cause discomfort. As with most things in life, a little knowledge can help turn a fear into a learning experience

This is a common snapper. While they should be left alone, they are fascinating creatures to watch for a few minutes. This tiny guy is just learning the turtle ropes, its bigger grandparents are much more wily. The little turtles use stink glands to prevent predation. The bigger ones use attitude and had few natural predators.

This formidable character is a big warrior beetle. Apparent they make great pets and retail for $24 ! They use the jaws to tear up insects. There is no reason to collect pets from the wild, plus, it's illegal in Corrales Bosque.

Those impressive jaws are used for hunting. It can be called a stag beetle, but that name is also given to many other big beetles. This one is specifically Pasimachus californicus (maybe) and looks to be a female

The more common desert stink beetle defends itself with a noxious fluid and walks around with a sassy attitude but is otherwise pretty innocuous.

here is an awesome picture of the conclusion of a war between a harvester ant (the black one) and a carpenter ant (black and red one). Surprisingly the biggest ants are usually the losers in these turf battles and we are losing diversity rapidly as the smallest sugar ants spread out over the US.

Right now the bosque is being patrolled by a group of four vultures who are flying is an uncharacteristic group. Under tree canopies the smells of carrion are more diffuse, so they cannot fly as high as they would like. Vultures also cannot compete with ravens for the easy road kills up on the city outskirts. They spend a lot of time preening and warming in the morning sun as they are tropical birds at heart. They often look like huge bats on the dead tree snags.

At the other end of the scale are the kingfishers. Highly active and noisy, they are sticking close to the open water areas as they need to be able to see fish to hunt and the azolla and snot weed is covering up the still waters rapidly.

this fish has a cut on the tail likely from a strike of a snapping turtle. The carp are loving the fresh grass food accessible due to the rising waters, and the biggest snapping turtles are surprisingly active hunters.

Usually the bird feeders are ignored as the birds spread out and forage from all sources, but there is still plenty of customers for fresh food and water.

The fire conditions right now are very bad (worst ever since records began for this season according to NM weather service) with dusty, dry conditions and heavy winds. These dust storms along the ditch often form the ditch substrate and affect the fish spawning efforts for the whole year.

This farmed cherry tree is showing signs of gummosis. The discrete spots suggest insect attack, but many Corrales trees suffer from strange infections too.

 

This picture shows that the cultivated trees are generally done with their blossoms already. Its amazing to think the pollinators could have already fertilized all those blooms. Most were likely seen by domestic honey bees though.

Now the acequias are open, the long process of managing flows and clearing blockages begins. This shows the woody debris that collects at the outflow. This temporary dam is likely responsible for the scuzzy ditch containing water all the way from end of Andrews lane up to La Entrada.

Right now the snotweed (middle) and the azolla (rest) are battling for sunlight. The water will slowly become anoxic (no oxygen) as the bacteria digests oxygen along with dead plant material. my money is on the azolla

The water is slowly purified of nitrates and fine sediment along the two miles or so of clear ditch before it reaches the river. Sterile, but non-offensive to the nose or eyes. There is a lot less life on this stretch that you would expect right now.

Here is the outflow from the lateral ditch into the clear ditch. This is a popular fishing hole, along with attendant trash.