Hiking and rehiking familiar areas always turns up new discoveries. This may be because my eyes skim over the most commonly seen phenomena, allowing me to actively search for anything new or anything out of place. Rarely am I disappointed.
A few days ago, we explored one of our favorite hiking areas. Because birds tend to be more secretive this time of year, the best surprise was to hear a black-throated sparrow sweetly singing from his perch atop a cholla skeleton.
Because it’s monsoon season, many plants that bloomed late spring are making a comeback, and are happily spreading throughout the area. So to keep track of how ranges are expanding, I made note of their locations and transferred this information to a simple trail map. I also noted that the most commonly seen flowers were from the composite family …. the sunflowers.
Oh! Couldn’t resist capturing the silhouette of Wile E. Coyote glued to the back end of a dented vehicle in the parking area. That’s was a perfect discovery for the resident roadrunners!
Do you enjoy exploring familiar areas? What surprises have you discovered?
While my mind is on the subject of local wildlife residents (see my long-tailed weasel post just a few days ago), I’ve been wondering a bit about the black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus). Fairly common in our area (and throughout most of New Mexico and the West), it’s always exciting to see one of these swift, long-legged desert “Jacks” bolt and run when spooked. To escape a predator, at the very last moment before discovery, the jackrabbit uses the element of surprise by leaping from his hiding place in the tall grass. The predator, now in hot pursuit, is usually left in the dust as the jackrabbit continues to leap, then leaps/runs until the “Jack” reaches top running speed all the while zig-zagging in an unpredictable manner. And poof! Gone! The predator, now completely baffled, gives up the chase, while the clever jackrabbit lives another day.
So back to my wonderings. Just how fast can a “Jack” actually run? How far can he leap? Doesn’t the jackrabbit get its genus name, Lepus, because they “leap?”
What I learned is the top running speed for a jackrabbit is 35-40 mph (Zoom!) and they can leap 15-20 feet in a single bound (super Jack!). Their top speed + their leaping nature allows them to easily escape most predators. But the name Lepus has nothing to do with leaping. Lepus, as translated from the Latin, means rabbit/hare. And one other thing that was news to me …… a jackrabbit is actually a hare, not a rabbit as the common name would imply! Of course this sparked another wondering. What’s the difference between a hare and a rabbit?
Various sources cleared up the hare vs rabbit conundrum …..
Hares are usually larger than rabbits, have longer ears and black markings on their fur. Hares have 48 chromosomes; rabbits have 44. Hares haven’t been domesticated; rabbits have. Hares live and give birth in shallow depressions in the grass; the young are born fully furred with eyes wide open, able to fend for themselves soon after birth (precocial). Rabbits usually live and give birth in burrows; the young are born blind and hairless and totally dependent on mom (altricial). Hares usually live alone; rabbits live in large communities called warrens.
There’s so much more to learn, but this will have to do to satisfy my curiosity for now. If you have hares living near you, or perhaps you have a pet rabbit, share your experiences and observations of one or both species.
P.S. I had fun drawing this jackrabbit (jackhare???), and did so as a gift for a dear friend who happens to love hares/rabbits. Wonder which one is her favorite? I’ll have to ask!
Such a surprise and total delight to find a long-tailed weasel hunting on our property! Busy probing numerous rodent burrows for an easy meal, he was too occupied to notice us staring in awe. What a beautiful little guy ……. from the white mask markings on his head, to his luxurious sable-colored fur draped over creamy buff-colored underparts; from his ground hugging, long, thin and sleek body, to his equally long or longer tail with a dashing black tip ……. the long-tailed weasel is a sight to behold!
long-tailed weasel tracks
Although their range includes southwest Canada, all of the lower “48,”Mexico, Central America and parts of northwest and southwest South America, seeing a long-tailed weasel is rare. Only one animal occupies a territory roughly 40 acres in size, which boundaries are aggressively maintained by frequent scent marking.
Even though the neighborhood pack rat, mole, squirrel and mice populations might suffer within a long-tailed weasel’s territory, we would enjoy and appreciate seeing more of this ferocious, pint-sized carnivore around our home!
Have you ever seen this or any weasel species? If you’ve seen this weasel (aka ermine) during winter, fully cloaked in brilliant white except for a black-tipped tail, ooooooooo! How lucky! Share your weasel observations please.
Just when I was feeling confident about the morphology of the milkweed family of plants, a new twist on the familiar leaps out shoutin’ “ Hey, lookie here!” Expecting to see a common vine gracefully twirling its way up a desert shrub, I paused ……. searching for the crimson red trumpet-shaped flowers of Ipomoeacristulata (Trans-Pecos morning glory). But instead there was an umbrella of 5 flowers, each with 5 widely spreading greenish-brownish-mauve colored petals crowned in the center of an unmistakable floral corona, a sure fire characteristic of a milkweed! Could it be?
Trans-Pecos Morning glory
Oh Yes!
This unexpected, undeniable discovery had me puzzled though. It’s been two years since I created a detailed post about the Asclepias genus of milkweed (see Summer Botany: Meet the Milkweeds). At that time and throughout the decades prior, my knowledge of milkweeds was limited to Asclepias, and the specific characteristics of that genus.
Spreading petals of Wavyleaf Twinevine
But here was something new-to-me; so worthy of whatever time it might take to learn all about this find in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae), aka the Milkweeds. I quickly confirmed this vine does not belong with the Asclepias species of milkweeds, but is of the genus Funastrum, which is Latin for rope (funis) with twining stems (astrum), commonly referred to as the “twinevines.” And the full name of this plant is Funastrum crispum, commonly called Wavyleaf Twinevine.
Most of what I uncovered about Wavyleaf Twinevine is included on my 2 journal pages, along with some confusing taxonomy involving family and subfamily names, tribe and subtribe names, and how until 2012, this plant was known as Sarcostemmacrispum. Curiosity about the taxonomic history will undoubtedly tempt me to sort through the confusion ……. maybe someday soon!
Have you discovered anything new-to-you in nature lately? What was it, and did it lease to more discoveries?
After years of on-line and email chats, I was delighted when my friend Robin Atkins decided it was finally time we met in person! Bravo!
Robin and her travel buddy Lunnette, drove over 1,800 miles to Tucson to teach a Spirit Doll class to a local beading group. Then after spending 5+ days exploring Tucson and before driving home to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, WA, they took a “short” scenic 450 mile detour …… to Tijeras, NM. This out-of-the way drive would bring them to our doorstep, and our first face-to-face meeting! While in Tijeras, we were able to spend an evening and full day getting to know each other and spent time hiking, nature sketching, and sharing each other’s art.
Robin snapped this photo of me sketching out at Golden Open Space. The beautiful wind sculpted juniper trees growing along the precipices of the windy observation areas are absolutely captivating (and tough). Luna thinks they’re tasty!
Meet Robin
Robin, whom I’ve always thought of as an “extreme creative,” is a fascinating, energetic, curious, passionate and bright-eyed adventurer in her early 80s. Her many interests and skills, in addition to creating uniquely designed, hand sewn and beaded Spirit Dolls, include: quilting (many with bead embellishments), thread embroidery, book making, watercolor painting, Zentangle art, nature journaling, making decorative papers, poetry, weaving, collage, crochet, felting and book author. And she shares her skills and techniques by teaching.
This isn’t an exhaustive list by any means! As someone who seems to thrive on learning and developing new skills, Robin never stops seeking artistic challenges to take on.
Check out Robin’s beautiful webpage and blog (http://robinatkins.com) where you can find photos and posts highlighting her current and past creative projects.
A Short-but-Sweet Visit
We had a wonderful time getting to know each other, and what a delight to have also met Robin’s long-time friend and travel buddy, Lunnette. A retired firefighter in her mid 70s, Lunnette is also a nature journaler, calligrapher, quilter, and according to Robin, “she’s a terrific navigator, who always uses her keen sense of direction and map reading skills to keep us on the “right road,” (in both the literal and figurative sense).”
This is my finished graphite drawing of the twisted juniper I spent 5 minutes sketching.
Parting company was hard, but Robin and Lunnette needed to return home. Along their route they visited both Mesa Verde National Park and Arches National Park, soaking in more of the desert southwest sun and culture before taking on the 1,200 mile journey for Friday Harbor.
Seems like we’ve had tons and tons of snow this winter. And the closer we got to the official date of Spring (the equinox falls on March 19th this year), the more intense the storms became.
So when the forecast called for four straight days of snowstorms and piles of snow, I had an idea. ……. build a Jolly Snow Glob and journal his Life and Tymes.
Jolly Snow Glob, “Glob” for short!
Friday, March 15h was the birth day of the “Glob.” Constructed of freshly fallen snow that was the perfect combination of wet and fluffy, he seemed to hold together beautifully. If the weather forecast was accurate, he might even hold together long enough to witness the arrival of Spring.
Did he? See for yourself!
All four snow days and the 1st day of Spring …… from the beginning to the end of a Jolly Snow Glob
There are a number of different woodpecker and closely related species (sapsuckers and flickers) that frequent our Piñon-Juniper woodlands in the East Mountains of central New Mexico. These include the downy, hairy, Lewis’s, red-naped, Northern flicker, and Williamson’s sapsucker. They are always such a joy to observe, unless they’re drilling a hole in the side of the house. Their stiff tails allow them to ‘walk’ up and down tree trunks and other vertical surfaces that house insects or exude sticky sap. Their sharp bills are ideal for creating nest holes and sapwells in tree trunks. Their sharp calls, drumming, and stiff-winged flight make them easy to recognize as a member of the woodpecker group of birds.
Until mid-March we’ve never seen a Williamson’s sapsucker. Then one morning Roy was trying to catch a glimpse of a strange woodpecker on one of our old growth piñon pines. Immediately recognizing the markings of this bird were unlike any we’ve seen before, he excitedly fetched me from my studio to have a look.
Sure enough! Realizing this was likely a life list sighting for us both, the markings looked just like those illustrated in our numerous field guides. Indubitably, dear Watson! This was a Williamson’s Sapsucker (Sphyrapicusthyroideus) and he was treating us to a visit. We watched him (definitely a male, as females look completely different than the males, which is unusual for woodpecker species) working his way up and down the tree trunk. As he walked and hopped up and down the tree, he would circle the trunk and pause to lick up actively flowing tree sap from rows and rows of sapwells! Why had we never noticed so many sapwells on this tree before? Did this or other Williamson’s sapsuckers drill these shallow sapwells? Maybe another woodpecker species created them and the Williamson’s was stealing the nutritious sap? Are these new sapwells or have woodpeckers been drilling this tree for many years? Countless questions, but this handsome fellow wasn’t giving up his secrets. So we enjoyed his antics for about 30 minutes until he flew off, maybe to another piñon to lap its sap?
The next day, as we were about to pull into the garage, we spotted the Williamson’s again …… again working the sapwells up and down the piñon tree. We sat in the car and watched him while mulling over new questions, like “isn’t this the same time he was here yesterday?” “Why yes!” We closely observed his feeding pattern, beginning at about 5 feet above the ground, walking and hopping up the tree while circling the trunk, and when he reached the needled branches about 25 feet high, he would make a diving flight back down to the 5 foot height and again work his way up. This went on repeatedly for about 5 times before he flew away. Hmmmm! Why did he stop when he did? Had he licked up all the available sap for the day, and had to wait until the sap began flowing again? (I showed up later to see if he returned ….. he didn’t. Maybe my timing was off? Maybe the sap flow still wasn’t worth his trip?).Day 3, and same time/same place. This hungry bird was back lapping sap! Same up and down behaviors; same departure time.
Day 3, and same time/same place. This hungry bird was back lapping sap! Same up and down behaviors; same departure time.
Day 4, ditto
Day 5, ditto
Day 6 ……. We arrived at the same mid-morning time, and waited. And waited. And waited. The Williamson’s sapsucker was a no show. And we haven’t seen him since.
Was he only migrating through, just long enough to stock up on high energy meals? Apparently this species is widespread and fairly common throughout the Rocky Mountain West, but their breeding range begins just north of us and extends into Canada. However, we are well within the Williamson’s sapsucker’s winter range. Hope he returns again next year!
Meanwhile we’ll be watching that old growth piñon to see if the sapwells draw in other hungry birds!
Now, a few fun facts about the Williamson’s sapsucker and sapsuckers in general.
While the male Williamson’s sapsucker is silky black with a cherry-red throat, a brilliant lemon-yellow belly and bright white wing patches, the female looks totally different. This is very unusual for birds in the woodpecker group. The female has a mousy brown head, banded back and small patches of black and yellow on the belly.
The difference is so striking between the male and female, they were originally thought to be different species entirely. It wasn’t until 1873 that ornithologists realized they were the same species. Naturalist Henry Henshaw located a pair at their nest in Colorado and published his observations, thus putting an end to the confusion.
Sapsuckers get their name from their habit of drilling rows of shallow holes in tree bark. The birds come back to these holes to lick the sap that flows from these holes and to eat insects that have become caught in the sticky residue.
Early ornithologists in the West reported seeing Williamson’s Sapsuckers at sapwells in aspen trees; however, in the past 100 years, observers have seen their sapwells only in conifers, never in deciduous trees. The early reports might have been of Williamson’s stealing sap from wells made by Red-naped Sapsuckers.
Here’s a few progress shots I remembered to capture while creating the Williamson’s clinging to the tree
Earliest coloring stages …. Laying down base colors to build up to the Williamson’s silky black back
Adding more base colors, sapwell and tree bark furrowing details
Close to final image. The black was achieved by using purples, browns, blues and greens to achieve the iridescence of his black coloring.
It’s been a few days now, and the scene continues to replay over and over in my mind’s eye. Somehow my sketch of these two birds …. one the victor, the other the victim ….. came easily and quickly, much like the time it took for the event to unfold.
Returning to our house after photographing snow scenes created by an overnight winter storm, I paused at the door, turning to admire the beautiful white landscape. Faster than an eye blink and just as quiet, a sharp-shinned hawk soared by at top speed, obviously intent on capturing one of our feeder birds!
I’ve seen this small hawk fly by a few times over the past several weeks, but the smaller juncos, finches and titmice always managed to duck for cover in the nick of time, foiling the “sharpy’s” chances of a meal. But the hawk, perhaps better skilled in his timing and approach after some practice runs, wasn’t about to miss on this day.
The spotted towhee must’ve been so focused on scratching for buried seeds that all obvious warning calls eluded him. Out in the open eating seed under one of our feeders, the towhee must’ve been too hard to resist for the sharp-shinned hawk, and fell victim to the expert predator.
Having camera already in hand, I was able to take a half dozen photos after the sharpy snatched the towhee with his long piercing talons, pinning him securely to our brick patio. As sad as it was to watch the towhee struggle against the hawk’s sure grip, it was all over for the towhee in 30-45 seconds. Then as fast as the sharp-shinned hawk had attacked, he regripped the lifeless towhee, lifting him effortlessly and flew away into the trees.
The circle of life.
“You can’t imagine anything like nature as we know it without predators.”
-Dale Jamieson
“Every living creature, big or small, plays such an important role in our ecosystem.”
-Mufasa’s memorable speech to Simba (from The Lion King)
Every year, for the past several years, I’ve shared with my most excellent and talented friend and poet, Elaine, the official word prompts used by artists around the world participating in Inktober. Then inspired by these prompts, Elaine creates original poetry, many of which she shares with me.
“Toad” is one of those poems.
Inspired by her words, and my appreciation of this chubby amphibian, here’s how I thought “Toad” might be illustrated. Perhaps this combined effort would be a cute mini bedtime story Elaine could read to her grandson? I wonder!
Arrow shows where to lift next
A full page view, unfolded ….. The inside
A full page view, unfolded
A Toad is not a Frog is not a Toad
The tri-fold card style worked perfectly for the poem, allowing several of the toads to appear more than once. While illustrating the card, it was important to understand the visual characteristics separating a toad from a frog. This challenge led me down both a slippery slope leading to a marsh, and a hidden trail meandering through a nearby grassy meadow. Here’s what I discovered …..
Thanks for sharing the birthday joy!
Elaine received this Toad card in time to celebrate her Leap Year Birthday. I love that we share our creative projects with each other! There’s no finer warm and fuzzy feeling.
Happy “19th” Birthday to you, Elaine, on this year’s February 29th, Leap Year!
Honest …. You can’t make up this stuff! You’ve got to wonder what the person or persons who began the National social media movement, “I Hate Coriander” Day, have against an innocent little herb.
“National I Hate Coriander Day, celebrated annually on February 24th, is a social media movement to express disdain for the herb coriander (also known as cilantro) and its taste and smell.”
“Hate” is such a strong word under any circumstances, but to “hate” an herb? … What do these Coriander “Haters” find offensive about the look of this bright green leafy plant? What is it about the taste and/or smell of Cilantro that elicits such a strong reaction? Now I’m not a Coriander (aka Cilantro) addict ….. a bit now and then as garnish or to flavor a fresh salsa is perfectly fine with me. I’ve even grown Coriander in my garden and marveled at the plant’s growth rate, intense leaf and stem coloring, bouquets of delicate flowers and abundance of seed. So my curiosity was definitely piqued when I came across this peculiar National Day. Just what is it that has and keeps these people all riled up over Coriander?
Coriander – The Plant
Not to be confusing, but Coriander and Cilantro are actually the same thing, Coriandrumsativum. However, in the U.S. we tend to refer to the leaves and stems as Cilantro; the seeds (whole raw or toasted, or ground) as Coriander. But because the National Day is about hating Coriander, I’ve made a leap in assuming they hate the entire plant, including the roots, stems, leaves, flowers and seeds (all of which are edible; all of which are eaten).
The plant is an annual that grows up to 20” tall. The bright green leaves are variable in shape, broadly lobed at the base of the plant, and slender and feathery higher on the stems. Flowers are arranged in umbels (like a wind blown, inside-out umbrella), are white to pale pinkish-mauve. Each asymmetrical flower has longer petals pointing away from the center of the umbel than those pointing inwards. And each flower produces a dry globular fruit (schizocarpic cremocarp) about 1/8 – 3/16” diameter, which splits when mature into 2 mericarps, each mericarp with a single seed.
Coriander – The Seed
The name, Coriander, is the common name used around the world, for the seed of Coriandrumsativum. There are two cultivated varieties of Coriandrum sativum grown around the world. Although the plants of both varieties appears the same, it’s the seed where the visible differences occur. C. s. var microcarpum is the small-seeded variety found in temperate climates, such as in Europe and the U.S. Its seeds are about 3 mm in diameter, round, and very potent as a spice. C. s. var macrocarpum (aka C. s. var vulgare) is the large-seeded variety found in hot, subtropical areas of Asia and India. It’s seeds are 5 mm in diameter, football shaped and have a very delicate flavor.
If you’ve ever grown Coriander from seed, you probably planted one seed at a time, being careful to follow the spacing instructions on the package. Then when your seeds germinated, sending up those first immature leaves (cotyledons), you noticed that for each seed planted there are 2 little plants! “What the heck?” you say. When you sowed the seeds in each well-spaced spot, you obviously planted an entire globular fruit (both mericarps at once) resulting in the germination of both seeds!
Is There a Consensus of Opinions on Leaf Taste and Aroma?
Nope! Opinions are far from consensual. As a matter of fact, they are frequently polar opposites. Coriander has been described as the “Marmite”*****!!! of herbs; either you love it or hate it. This great analogy reflects how strongly people do feel about flavors of their food.
Opinions on leaf taste and aroma: The good – tart, lemon-lime, fragrant, pleasant, distinctive, spicy hot, peppery, aromatic. The bad – bitter, stinky, unpleasant, nasty, fetid. And the bleh – The leaves smell and taste like dish soap!
Is There a Consensus of Opinions on Seed Taste and Aroma?
Again, Nope! But curiously, most of the opinions about seed taste and aroma were fairly positive, provided the correct variety of C. sativum was properly prepared and used. For example, all seeds contain 1% volatile essential oils, but the quality of oils is different between the two varieties. For some reason the smaller European variety seeds (C. s. var microcarpum) have far superior essential oils resulting in far superior flavor and yield when compared to the larger India variety seed (C. s. var macrocarpum). The larger India variety seeds are preferred as a spice, both whole and ground.
Opinions on taste and aroma of fresh or dried seeds: Spicy, earthy, cumin-like, orange peel, aromatic, dried seeds have full flavor, fresh seeds are undesirable.
Opinions on taste and aroma of toasted seeds++, whole or ground: Fruity, Fruit Loops, lemony, floral, mild perfumy, aromatic, bitingly pungent, delightful bouquet, distinctive flavor.
Now it’s your turn! Where do you stand on the issue of Coriander; it’s taste and smell? Are you celebrating today’s National “I Hate Coriander” Day? Or are you a regular Coriander Connoisseur, savoring the taste, smell and texture in all of your favorite dishes, from sauces and marinades, curries, meats and seafood, stews, to pastries and desserts?
***!!! Marmite! Invented, made and sold in England, this stuff is a sticky, dark brown paste made from fermented yeast. It has a very salty and powerful (understatement) flavor, and is frequently slathered on toasted breads like jam. If you haven’t experienced Marmite, perhaps you’ve dared to taste its equally unappetizing knockoff, “Vegemite,” found all over Australia? If you’ve tasted either or both (wow, you’re tough), what was your reaction? If you’ve never had the culinary pleasure, consider this fair warning! Wonder if there’s a social media group that’s declared “International I Hate Marmite (Vegemite) Day?” I would happily eat a bushel basket of cilantro greens, than dare give these yeasty products another go. (No offense to the marmite and/or vegemite lovers of the world.)
++Toasting Coriander Seed: In a non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat, add the seeds. Keeping the skillet in constant circular motion. When the seed’s aroma is released, toasting is complete! Cool completely and grind with mortar/pestle or in a small electric grinder. Store ground coriander in a cool (refrigerated) location, away from light and moisture. It’s best to toast and grind seeds in small amounts, on an as needed basis, to experience the full flavor.
a curious nature 