fire

 

 

The number of muskrat sightings is high. These mammals are loving the rich supply of cattails that have grown in the last 2 years. The water table is also super high and this has opened far more of scuzzy ditch real estate than is usually available.

The barn swallow population is going to get bigger as new arrivals move in. Their distinctive nests are usually found under the traffic bridges over the river. The can catch their insects on the wing, and because of their long wings, they almost never land on flat ground. Telephone wires and vertical sides of tall buildings are a godsend for these zany birds.

There are over 200 types of mosquito species in the US. about 12 give a bite that could transmit disease. Most people include crane flies in the mosquito category, but they are not even closely related, either genetically or in annoying behaviors. This mosquito could be a vexans species, which can transmit dog heart worm and is found after fields are flooded.

The fire danger is ridiculous high. While water is available locally in the aquifer, acequias, and the river, there is precious little in the air or plants. The fire department is patrolling the bosque right now. But with the fuel load this high, the moisture levels this low; with high winds, the reality is any fire now is likely to just explode and there is not much any fire department would be able to do about it. Prayer is the only contingency plan.

I have begun the yearly tradition of rescuing the younger lizards from the cold irrigation waters. The smarter, older lizards like this fence post lizard are all sporting brilliant blue throats and competing for territory. They perform "push-ups" and flash their size, feisty-ness, and colors at rivals. They usually don't run from people like the whip-tails because that risks them running into a rival lizard's territory. Probably explains all those glares they give the people taking their photos...

 

snakes are usually the last reptiles to make an appearance in the bosque. None of the best snakes will be found anywhere near large numbers of people, but we can see garter snakes, gopher snakes, coachwhips and hognoses. This imprint in the mud looks like a small gopher snake. The chin rested on the left side of the photo. The detail is enough to make out chin scales, but I am also just guessing.

  

This fast moving snake was likely a coachwhip. they are often crushed by car tires. Luckily for this one, it crossed the ditch after the car had passed.

This is a meadow hawk dragonfly. They look a lot like the smaller damselflies and antlions but hold their wings out at right angles to their bodies instead of folded down their abdomen. They are very active right now hunting gnats and mosquitos. Most insects are also mating in preparation of egg laying.

This nest is one of the multitudes that are being prepared right now for egg laying season, that will last until end of August. This one is right over the clear ditch, seems too exposed to me, but I am not a bird architect.

This large common snapping turtle is sporting her big tail. She is unusually exposed in the sun and is probably on the move to find a good place to dug a nest and put down the eggs. Most nests are destroyed by raccoons. In about two weeks, when the nights are darkest, most of these ladies should be very busy digging holes. Probably why she is resting up and sunbathing now.

 

The squirrels are up and about. In the bosque, there are no nuts. So what do they eat? Unfortunately, many of them take a break from robbing bird feeders to eat bird eggs and nestlings. These guys are not as vegetarian as kids books might suggest. Later in the fall, they get very feisty, but right now they seem to just be looking for food. This one is actually a ground squirrel (yup, that's a thing). It is in the tree because of the people and dog watching him. He genuinely seemed to be scared of heights, the ground squirrels tend to have sparse tails, not the huge coifs found on the tree squirrels, even thought they are related

Even thought the birds are hot blooded, they also regulate their temperatures by their behaviors like the cold lizards. This one could be sunning itself, but is more likely spreading the feathers open and cooling itself in the breeze. the thin beak says it is likely a phoebe, a very common bird.

This is a willow that was heavily cropped by an industrial mower. The hardy plant is bouncing back quickly, mostly because it has the place to itself, and also has no other choice, being sessile.

The divesirty of small yellow flowers is impressive. This one thrives in drier areas

These small flowers belong to a scorpionweed. The impressive name is related to a misguided myth that they help with the pain of scorpion stings. Wouldn't recommend it as a medical strategy. There are scorpions around up in thw dry side that might be a problem, but a heck of a lot fewer than what people fear... Most scorpions are mild mannered and not dangerous to anyone.

Many people don't notice the small isolated pools where the aquifer reaches the surface, this usually happens under the elms and olive trees in the scuzzy ditch around target road. These areas are hotspots of animal and plant diversity because of the water availability, safety, shelter and food. This house finch is looking for water, a few insects, and maybe some fruits (Russian olives are not actually related to olives). There is a good chance there should be a lot of nests in those dense branches.

No one is excited by seeing the common sparrow. A pity, because it took one lady; Rachel Carson to notice that the common birds were vanishing in the book "Silent Spring" She noticed the birds were no longer singing, only then did she notice the birds were no longer there. It took much longer before people could put together all the the puzzle pieces that lead to DDT toxicity. Now, the frogs are vanishing; not the tough, ubiquitous bullfrogs, but the other 7,000 species that live in the pristine corners of the world. Without permanent, undisturbed wetlands, the native leopard frogs no longer exist in this area.