moving

 The two weeks of balloon fiesta coming up is always a great reflection about what it is that makes Corrales so special. It certainly seems to attract a lot of people who want to visit! The rainy weather also helps to highlight the rural nature of our "backyard".

 

I am seeing many more bird species that have moved into the trees of this riparian habitat. The birds are also flocking together a lot more than they have been. Flickers, crows, doves, and grackles are the most noticeable, but there are many other more solitary birds around as well. I have yet to be converted into a full fledged birding persona, but it is likely just a matter of time. This Coopers hawk is on high alert, likely hunting.

This Coopers hawk seems so different than the one in the previous picture. This one is fluffed out and is irritable about something, but not scared. I would guess another of its species is too close.

 

 Unlike in the other two pictures, this Coopers hawk is smaller and the colors are muted grey. The red colored eyes also show it is a older male, not breeding. This one was frightened out of the reeds in the clear ditch by a dog walker (me) and is hoping to get back to whatever it was doing in there.

 

These are the northern flickers. Their calls are resounding all through the bosque right now. In a small group like this I hear very different, less strident, sounds. Almost like it was a family group of birds.

I have it on good authority that this is a Perizoma custodiata I don't think it has a common name. It is a different moth than the ones I am used to seeming around the evening lights. Their host plants in this area is the fourwing saltbush. One of my favorite plants as it was the first one I ever learnt to identify. I've come a long way since...

There are many species of darkling beetle and they all look very similar to me. The activities and coming and goings of these beetles is an enigma. But I do know they spend the winter  under the piles of fallen leaves in nursery groups. There were many of these beetles on the stalks of pigweeds (kochia, amaranth, russian thistle) this morning. The plants usually like the same conditions, and often grow together on disturbed ground. If conditions are stable, eventually other plants replace them.

The simple striped eyes of grasshoppers do not do justice to their complex natures. Grasshoppers have a visual reflex where they jump out of the way of an object about to collide with them, in exactly the same way as people jerk their burnt hand away from a hot stove top. The big eye is striped and sees movement, but just above the big eye and to the right of the antennae base in this picture is the "other eye", called an ocelli. Grasshoppers have three of those and help with flight.

the butterflies are very active during dry, hot periods of weather. I have no idea where they hide in the damp, cold mornings. A creature this brightly colored should be pretty visible.
 

This is a different species of darkling beetle. This one is on the ground because it was disturbed by my trying to get a close up picture of it. They drop off their plant to the ground when they sense a threat nearby. Many insects were holding still during the rain we had this morning, but not this one.

 

  This is one of the true bugs. An actual stink bug. That name tends to be given to many different insect species. I think these bugs are breeding right now.

This huge dragonfly is well camouflaged. He was so still I could tap on his back. It would respond by wiggling it's wings once, but otherwise did not want to move. It's body length was about the length of my hand. A common green darner.

A rare species so far this year, this one is a tropical least skipper. The wings seem like they are brand new. The antennae have small clubs on their ends.

This is a damselfly of some sort. It seems a lot bigger than the vivid blue ones that have been around lately.

This one is  a checkered skipper, a medium sized butterfly that is not very active but seems to be around more in colder weather.

 

 This is a hatching of some sort of stink bug species. This is a good example of direct development, when the hatchlings look like the adults, just smaller.

In contrast to the prior picture, this is a picture of a leaf beetle, in a juvenile stage. This is termed Holometabolism when the juvenile looks different to the adult. This insect is feeding on a tamarisk plant. These leaf beetles were imported to try and control the plants, that can be very destructive to riparian habitats. Then things got difficult when a threatened bird species became reliant on the tamarisk....upshot is things have gotten complicated. Biological control is no longer the magic bullet it used to be.

I found an adult leaf beetle, I think... the patterns are very striking. It is a tiny insect and easily overlooked. However they can be present in huge numbers on their preferred host plants.

I often overlook flowers, but many people have asked for more blooms, so here is the bloom of a domestic pea plant. The flower is impressively colored and shaped when you get close to it. The stamens are also protected to improve the chances of successful fertilization of another plant that is not a close relative. Plants have been using insects to transport pollen for around 130 million years and have learnt some neat tricks.

Even the humble domestic tomato has very fancy flowers, the stamen here is also protected from being easily spread to it's neighbors that are likely closely related. These plants seem to used a trick of delayed flower opening by sending cues using plant pheromones. Tomatoes famously use ethylene gas to communicate.

 

Down by the edge of the river, the dense stands of young willows are being successful in smothering the invading Ravenna grasses, for now.

In more open areas along the ditch the Ravenna grass is continuing its relentless advance northwards along the Bosque preserve. This tussock has been de-headed by a good Samaritan already. But it is likely the seeds for next year have already been released on the wind.

 

Tomato and pecans seems to be doing well this year and there will likely be a bumper crop of both. The insects pests have not been very prevalent and the weather was helpful. The roots of the tomatoes do seem to have been attacked by this plant, however. It is a broomrape and parasitic on roots of tomato plants. The flowers seem very familiar, but he stem is white, without any chlorophyll to manufacture it's own sugars.

Many plants in the southwest are facinating when they get to be studies up close. This common weed is demonstrating the trichomes that have collected dew from the cold morning air. Many arid plants use these hairs to harvest water, or reduce water loss. They can also serve many other functions for the plant depending on species. Biology is endlessly complex and interconnected.

Home

The Bosque is many things to many creatures, but it is primarily a home. For others it is a transitory place to rest and recuperate. Balloons land here, people bike here, water birds rest here, the raptors hunt here.

 

This acequia drain is usually a popular fishing hole when the water levels are higher. The fish are now long dead from anoxia and the water quality is likely worse than the odor. But, it is still home even though the recreation value no longer exists for the humans.

Young bullfrogs that were lucky enough to metamorph quickly, need permanent water to survive. Many other amphibian species can burrow, like the woodhouse toads. Water is also how the frogs avoid some predators. A green frog on a brown background shows up too well if it is moving. The white crust on the ground is the residual salts left over after heavy evaporation of alkaline water.

Bullfrogs can change their color slowly. Here is a brown looking frog on a green background. The frogs forage for insects in the cattails and tall plants growing along the borders of the ditches. In the evening the frogs would likely have to disappear into the foliage because the raccoons come out and use their long sensitive fingers to feel for frogs and crayfish in the shallow pools.

It is always a bad idea for many frogs to be in a small area. Mostly because the largest bullfrogs will cannibalize the smallest, but they all seem to be able to made do when water becomes scarce. This concept in Biology is termed refugium. Modern humans likely went through a similar process at some point in the last ice age.

 

The egrets are benefiting from the easy access to fish. While the small mosquito fish can survive in these difficult conditions, all fish have trouble avoiding predation when their movement is restricted.

 

Great blue herons are much better at fishing than egrets, but they are much more shy of people and cannot be out in the open during the day with so much traffic around.

Laker Drive in Corrales ends at a ditch remnant that does not seem to have an official name. This area still have open water that attracts wildlife. The recently arrived ubiquitous mallards have begun feeding here in earnest.

This is a warbler, one of the many small birds that are closely examining the sunflowers as they work out which seeds are easiest to get to each morning.

The newly arrived northern flickers should be with us for the winter. They, and the American thrush are very energetic birds with a lot of presence. This photo shows all the identification features of this bird; long thin beak, a black throat (gorget), the speckled chest, and stiff russet tail feathers.

Above is the wood duck (male) below is a female mallard. The wood ducks are always more likely to fly off, whistling in panic. The red eyes are a common feature of many types of male bird

A rather scruffy looking Coopers hawk is perched on this snag. These raptors are on the small side and often seem ill at ease until they have an established territory to defend.

The insects on the sunflowers are slowly disappearing and the tall plants are all drying out. These sunflowers will be dropping their seeds soon. While the wild flowers are nowhere near as prolific as the domestic sunflowers (cultivars), the high oil content of the many seeds will sustain many birds and more than a few insects throughout the winter.

This is dogbane The northern, open parts of the bosque seem to have fields of this short plant. It is often called toxic and invasive. It produces a bad tasting white sap to deter browsers. It does not seem to live up to its mean reputation, though. It does have impressively tough bast fibers that can be woven into nets, string, etc with a little practice. Natural fiber arts are followed by many people as a hobby.

Currently public enemy number one is this Ravenna grass that is slowly taking over the bosque. It's spread is more easily seen from the river bridges, especially Montgomery/Montano looking north.

A grocery bag's worth of seed heads is about three tussock's worth and takes about an hour to collect. Each tussock, however, takes about three hours to uproot and then the whole mass has to be disposed of...Just removing the seed heads in Corrales Bosque preserve would take about 5 people years. (one person 5 years, or five people 1 year) and that's if none of the plants grew more each year...

This is some sort of potter's wasp. These are caterpillar hunters that are active in the fall. The colors are very striking even for a wasp species. Like mud daubers they protect their eggs in little pots.

Not all caterpillars are going to be an easy meal for a wasp. This tiger moth caterpillar is not only camouflaged to look like a wheat stalk, but also makes it very difficult for a wasp to use it's jaws to eat it. The caterpillar becomes a tiger moth. The larva is often called a yellow woolly bear.

 

Grasshoppers are one of natures weirder creatures. Many people do not know grasshoppers are good swimmers, they do the breaststroke while kicking out with those powerful hind legs. In thick grass they often drop to the ground if pursued. They fly only as a last resort out in the open. Even their wings have bright, contrasting colors, as a form of dazzle camouflage as they escape.

 

Metallic flea beetles do not seem to worry about being hidden. They often congregate in large numbers on a specific plant. In many species, grouping together often is a defense against predation, or in preparation for hibernation or migration.

Obviously, many insects group together because they were born together. There are huge numbers of insect eggs around right now that most people will never get a chance to see. The range of colors and shapes are pretty impressive.

The economy seems to be doing better finally. Small businesses that are nimble and adaptable can thrive when there are lots of customers in a small area. Unfortunately, more people are also willing to take shortcuts. Corrales has a huge and thriving community of lawn care companies. One of those companies removed some vegetation and dumped the bags at the Cabazon trailhead. The area does have a rolling bin service generously donated by Road Runner Waste Service inc, for the public, but this dump is not their responsibility. Eventually, it will be the responsibility of those who call this area home...

Last

The weather is still hot and dry, but the cool and maybe moisture is coming. The shorter days is definitely affecting everything from plant color to animal behavior.

More people are seeing these blister beetles around. While they look very odd, they still have the same basic body shape as a beetle. You can even see the elytra, or wing covers, but they look cartoonishly small next to that huge abdomen. They look more like shoulder pads.

 

 Insects have a way of adapting the size of body parts in absurd ways. Many wasps have large jaws and tiny waists. This species is still a mystery, but is some sort of thread waisted sand wasp.

Not all insects are weird or rare. The pigweeds (Palmar Amaranth and Kochia) seems to be important shelter for these tiny pygmy blues, but the largest numbers are active on the low growing splurge. You can watch small whiptails rushing out to snack on them during the hot sun.

The evenings right now are filled with the sounds of chirps and buzzings. As the cicadas fade away, the katydids are taking their place briefly, but soon the only sound will be the trills of the fields crickets like this one. As the nights get colder, even their voices will fade away.

This is a bold jumping spider AKA Phidippus audax. A ambush hunter with a jack o' lantern on its abdomen and green glitter on the fangs, or chelicerae. They have impressive vision and recognize humans, which most small insects just tune out, like humans do with clouds.

This arachnid is some sort of grass spider. This species build webs as a tent to protect an egg sac inside. Most spiders are not as flashy as the jumping spiders or orb weavers.

A close up of a sulphur and pink colored butterfly shows the Pinocchio snout that gives this genus the name of "dogface". Actually, the males have a silhouette of a poodle on their wings....allegedly. I don't see it myself.

The female grasshoppers are getting huge. There is quite a variety of grasshoppers and they all have a wide variety of colors sizes and shapes. This one is a green valley grasshopper.

I have not seen many ladybugs this year. But the sunflower crop in the bosque is not as impressive as it used to be. With aphids spread out more these hunting beetles are likely more spread out as well.

This little guy is a mining bee, this taxa has about 1300 species in it and are pretty small. The world of bees is pretty complex, not all of them are honey bees.

This one is a 'wanna-bee". A bee fly. The larva are parasites of other insects like wasps. This one is the "sinuous bee fly" or hemipenthes sinuous. That name refers to the wavy line that separates the clear part of the wing from the colored section.

This is a sapsucker with huge calf muscles. More specifically, the species Leptoglossus occidentalis has "characteristically expanded hindleg tibiae". The family is called the "leaf footed bugs" for some bizarre reason a scientist will never understand and a gardener could never explain.

 

 A higher elevations the seasons are shorter, but this weird looking tachnid fly is still able to collect nectar from alpine meadow flowers

In the valleys of the Sandia mountains on the Placitas side there are a large number of fruit trees left over from olden days. Many fruit trees like this plum species are still found and appreciated by the black bears in the area as fall approaches.

It is always hard to figure out a crime afterwards, but likely what happened here is that a young gopher snake was disturbed from a pile of leaves that was being taken to the communal dump. It was hit with a shovel (there is a gash on the neck) and thrown into the street for some unknown reason.

This large garter snake was in the mountain streams in Placitas (a long way away from a shovel) and is warming up on the bank after swimming upstream. He is wary of the photographer but settled down after a few minutes of watching each other. The black patch behind the stout neck suggests it is a Western blacknecked garter snake.

 

The bosque is pretty dry, but rain should be on the way. The drainage channels of the interior drain have worked as designed and the water table is now below the level of the channel. These characteristic hexagonal cracks hold an impressive amount of water and are important habitat for small insects, tiny frogs, and who knows what else?

The foliage has begun change color and the trees are starting to rustle as the winds move through the dried leaves. Hopefully gardeners leave some of them on the ground because there are many species that rely on leaf litter for both safety, and places to find food.