Category: southern nevada

Mesquites hold out until winter then quickly drop leaves

A verdin in a honey mesquite tree at Desert Breeze Park on 11/21/22.

The mesquite trees are down for the season at my local park. It was jarring yesterday to see that they’re barren now. As can be seen by the photo here with the verdin, which I took in late November when I was last there, they were still primarily displaying green.

After doing some quick research on this, I discovered that mesquite leaves can remain on the tree until as late as March during mild winters. That’s according to the Arizona Cooperative Extension.

That’s right on the cusp of sprouting new leaves for spring, which, for mesquites, typically occurs in late March or early April, according to a report published by the extension, titled Mesquite and Palo Verde Trees for the Urban Landscape, by Ursula K Schuch and Jack J. Kelly. Continue reading Mesquites hold out until winter then quickly drop leaves

Peacocks make an appearance during my holiday nature walk

A male peacock takes a walk at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs on Christmas Eve.

Holiday orphan that I am, I spent Christmas Eve meandering at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs. There were a few pleasant surprises during my visit.

A group of three people stopped to chat when they saw me aiming my camera at a perched bird. We got to talking about rabbits, and I got a nice tip from them on where to find black-tailed jackrabbits so I can photograph them. I had been researching this with little to no success, trying to find specific locations within reasonable traveling distance.

Before I left the park, ,I was surprised to see the two male peacocks lounging and roaming on a patch of grass near one of the parking lots. I had already put away my camera, but of course, I scooted back to my car to get it.

A male peacock lounges at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs on Christmas Eve.
A greater roadrunner at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs on Christmas Eve.

During my travels that day at the park, I also spotted a greater roadrunner, which dashed back through the tree litter and into the bushes before too long. And a random person wished me a merry Christmas, which was nice.

Possible beetle eggs and a duck rumpus

A Bewick’s wren searches for insects at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, Dec. 18, 2022.

I think there might be a bounty of insect eggs on the forest floor in a remote spot at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs. I was at the park Sunday morning and spotted what looked as if someone snapped a pearl necklace and the pearls dispersed in the bed of dead leaves, twigs and branches. Maybe it’s the reproductive work of beetles? I’ll take a photo next time and post it here.

Passing by one of the lakes, a squabble broke out among ducks. Always comical to watch these otherwise serene creatures up in arms. There was a sudden din of quacks, and then one duck lunged at another, creating a splash. There were about 5 or 6 of ’em, having it out in this one tiny section of the water, even though the rest of the lake was empty. I saw mallards and American coots involved in the skirmish. Continue reading Possible beetle eggs and a duck rumpus

Rabbit Tricks: Pulling the disappearing act

A desert cottontail at the Clark County Wetlands Park.

Spotted a desert cottontail recently trying to make itself invisible at the Clark County Wetlands Park. Not difficult for it to do, as this creature’s fur matches the landscape perfectly. But its onyx eyes were the giveaway — shiny and expectant.

This was typical behavior, considering my presence. “Sometimes they will freeze when danger lurks and scrunch down to blend into their surroundings,” states the Nevada Department of Wildlife website, “or they slowly try to sneak away to safety.” Which is exactly what this cottontail did: it took off into the brush after less than a minute. I know when I’m not wanted! Continue reading Rabbit Tricks: Pulling the disappearing act

The scene where the story has a made a wonderful turn

Changing leaves were a highlight at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, 12/4/22.

It wasn’t so windy that it prompted thoughts of returning home, but enough to stir up some drama, and the drama was all about the cascade of leaves — the hue of griddle cakes, most of ’em, amassing on the ground in glorious piles after tumbling from high up on Fremont cottonwood trees — older ones, their heights exceeding two-story town homes. The trees also cast their shimmery reflections across the lakes and adorned the ground with what looked like coins and gems from a shipwreck’s treasure chest.

With all that yellow, the sun couldn’t help but look buttery. Dare I use the word “dapple” here to describe how the light scattered its rays about and filtered through the leaves and branches? Continue reading The scene where the story has a made a wonderful turn

Ordinary birds that can class up the place when they visit

Mourning dove — my “gateway bird.”

When I work from home, I take a break and go for a walk around my apartment complex to see what there is and to get some air and sun. This morning, the grackles were in rare form. As you may know, a mere few can create a din — like drunks fresh out of a bar on a Saturday night during the wee hours. If you’ve ever heard their screeching and observed their dive-bombing, you know what I’m getting at.

Overall, we don’t get anything fancy here at the property in terms of feathered visitors. We do see American robins at times, like the few I spotted a couple of months ago, With their debonair appearance and beautiful calls and songs. Lately we’ve seen more mourning doves, which are ordinary, it’s true, but definitely classier than rock pigeons. Mourning doves are low-key and have more refined eating habits, not to mention their lovely 5-syllable calls. Continue reading Ordinary birds that can class up the place when they visit

My need to name things that I come across in the desert

Fourwing saltbush — a shrub found in sandy or gravely soils, or deposit soils (w/ high pH or salt levels, due to rapid evaporation), such as at the Desert National Wildlife Refuge or Clark County Wetlands Park.

I’ve become somewhat obsessed with learning about what I’m looking at when it comes to the desert outdoors. I think it’s the diversity and uniqueness that pique my interest. I mean, that’s the reason (I think) why I started observing and studying birds and their behaviors about six years ago and have since developed a level of expertise. And now there’s this relatively recent offshoot of wanting to delve into other aspects of the natural landscape.

Maybe I’m in a place in life where I have a need to discover more meaning and make more sense of things. Perhaps this is a spillover from trying to figure myself out, which I still haven’t done! Sure, I’m part of the human species. But among species, you have your hybrids, and those can be quite puzzling. But they also make life more interesting and magical.

Anyway, when I hike or go to nature preserves, I invariably carry a camera and zoom. Whereas previously, a pair of binoculars would do just fine. And like I said, my curiosity about what I’m seeing now extends beyond birds. Questions that pop up in my mind in whack-a-mole fashion as I walk through, say, somewhere in the Spring Mountains, include things like: What is that plant? That wildflower? What type of shrub is this? What about that sedimentary rock, or this dry soil? Continue reading My need to name things that I come across in the desert

The vibe near the pond at Sunset Park

Female mallard preening.

If you’re a Sunset Park newbie, just follow the sound of honking ducks to locate the pond. It’s only about 100 yards from the main entrance on Sunset Road.

When it was my first time there, I noted that the pond smelled like the ocean. It was cool and damp by the ledge, as if seaside. In the distance, I even spotted a man fly fishing. Continue reading The vibe near the pond at Sunset Park