Day 8— Saguaro National Park West, Sabino Canyon, Mt Lemmon

Thursday, April 26, 2008

Trying to beat the oppressive heat, we got up early and were in Saguaro NP West by 7:00, wet bandanas around our necks and Tilley hats in place. We birded around the Red Hills Visitor's Center for a bit, marveled at the forest of saguaro cacti marching up the hills, and drove the Scenic Bajada Loop. See map.

At one point on the loop we could see the Avra Valley Wastewater Treatment Facility's vast rectangular settling ponds in the valley. These ponds are listed in our Tucson Audubon's  Finding Birds in Southeast Arizona guide as a birding hotspot and the best places to spot water birds near Tucson. Winter would be the best time to visit the ponds, however, so we passed them up. Several days later, when birding with Jeanine McCabe, we were told that since 2011, entry was restricted and could be difficult. The bird on the cover of our guide, BTW, is a Montezuma Quail. Though we tried, we spotted nary a one. Lots of Gambel's Quail, though.

Even at this early hour, birding was slow, though we saw the usual cactus wrens and woodpeckers. Also several lizards emerged to bask on the
sun-drenched dirt road. But, by this time Cactus Wrens, Gila Woodpeckers, and lizards were old hat. Birding was slow, heat was high, so at 9:38 we decided to drive across the valley to Lower Sabino Canyon Recreation Area and then climb to the coolness of Mt Lemmon again, this time with a sandwich and our bird guide.

At Lower Sabino Canyon we took a tram to Anderson Dam at the ninth and last tram stop. Our tram guide was very knowledgeable. She explained the origins of the rock formations and named the trees, flowers, and cacti we were seeing. Sadly most of these names are lost to my memory. We got off at the last tram stop and walked down several stops, my leg enjoying the downhill and not painful for some reason. Walking along near us was a Hasidic Jewish couple he, a Topol-sized man with hat, payot, beard, and dressed in  traditional black with white shirt. I remember that he was not wearing the traditional black jacket but was in vest and shirtsleeves. His wife was dressed modestly in long sleeves and long dress, her head wrapped turbanlike. I cannot imagine how this couple was enjoying the walk in the searing heat. While we hopped back on the tram at Stop 6 and rode it to Stop 2 at the dam near the Visitor's Center, this couple walked the nearly 4 miles back to the Visitor's Center. When I congratulated the sweaty couple on their feat, he smiled proudly.

Green means water: The green cottonwoods and willow below tell us that there is a stream with water in it

The guide pointed out this Blue Paloverde. Foothill Paloverdes often live for over 100 years and may reach 400 years. In contrast, Blue Paloverdes grow faster and die sooner, rarely reaching the century mark. During their short flowering seasons, both species are clothed with thousands of five-petaled yellow blossoms. They attract numerous pollinators, including beetles, flies and social and solitary bees. The trees can photosynthesize through their green bark, an important adaptation for a tree that drops its leaves during the warm season and in response to fall cooling. Paloverdes also drop stems and branches to combat drought. (Internet explanation)

Water at the dam near the Visitor's Center. Notice the lush green trees in the background.

Prickly Pear cactus blooms along our walk back to the Sabino Canyon Visitor's Center

Obscene saguaro on our walk back to the Visitor's Center

A policeman saguaro waving us on.

One of the few bird photos I took, this one of two Gila
Woodpeckers drinking from saguaro blossoms is backlit unfortunately.

We spent the remainder of our birding day on Mt Lemon, stopping at areas recommended in our guide to try to see birds reported to have been seen at them. This time we drove through Summerhaven and along a small roadside stream to Marshall Gulch, capturing our best sightings of the day: Stellar’s Jay for Deb and Red-faced Warbler for me. Deb had never seen a Stellar's Jay and we had been looking for these normally plentiful and gregarious jays. I had seen many when in the early 70s we lived in Running Springs in California's San Bernardino Mountains. In fact, the Stellar's Jay, a bird that I could not identify at the time, began my years of serious birding. The best sighting for me was the Red-faced Warbler.  I was sitting on a rock watching some finches bathe in the creek when the bird lit on a branch not two feet from my face. I dared not move to take a photo of it but got an excellent look at this small, beautiful  warbler. On the mountain we also saw the Common Raven, Hermit Thrush (Audubonii) and Rock Wren. Deb had been looking for the Rock Wren and got a good photo.

Red-faced Warbler

Rock Wren (Internet)

We also drove to the ski area and to the University of Arizona's Mount Lemmon Sky Center Observatory. The observatory is open to the public and puts on shows, but was closed when we arrived. We parked in a lot below it and could see burned trees on the slopes below. Shortly after our arrival a group of hikers emerged from a hillside trail and then left to be replaced by a group of motorcyclists, one with his service dog riding in the side car. See below.

Helmeted motorcyclist and his goggled service dog, Scott

We walked the trails and birded in this blessedly cool haven, and then headed for home.The sciatic nerve in my left leg, or maybe my hip or knee, is acting up, causing me to be very uncomfortable. I think the pain is exacerbated by the driving I have been doing. Deb does not drive so I serve as the driver/navigator, and u-turn maker when we overshoot an area. 

On the way home, we stopped at Sprouts. I bought a salmon quinoa microwave dinner and some tomatoes and a cuke so that I can use them for in my take-along sandwiches. Deb bought a pound of cashews and a pound of gummy bears and more cheese, I think. She definitely has a caste iron stomach. 

Tomorrow we are going birding with a friend of Nate’s. Her name is Jeanine McCabe and she works at Desert Survivors with Nate. Nate and Amanda gave us her number when we first arrived, and Deb texted and phoned Jeanine to arrange the details. Jeanine is taking us to the Huachuca Mountains.She is picking us up at 5:00 tomorrow morning so we can arrive at daybreak. It will be wonderful to have a day of leisure where I don't need to puzzle out the route or pay attention to the traffic and can enjoy the ride.