Bird and Plant Walk March 27, 2018
By Debbie Bird
23 attended today. A little cooler and very pleasant. Plants are coming about despite so little rain. Bear Canyon Road to Dam, up Bluff Trail to Tram Road and then to Visitor’s Center.
Birds: Gambel’s Quail, Turkey Vulture, Cooper’s Hawk, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Greater Roadrunner, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Anna’s Hummingbird, Broad-billed Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, large falcon sp.(Peregrine), Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Gray Flycatcher, Bell’s Vireo, Cassin’s Vireo, Plumbeous Vireo, Common Raven, Verdin, Cactus Wren, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Curve-billed Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird, Phainopepla, Lucy’s Warbler, Rufous-winged Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Abert’s Towhee, Northern Cardinal, House Finch, House Sparrow 33 species
Plants for the day:
PTERIDACEAE -Fern Family
Astrolepis sinuata Wavy Cloak Fern
Myriopteris lindheimeri Fairy Swords, Lindheimer Lipfern
Pellaea truncata Spiny Cliffbrake
EPHEDRACEAE – Joint-Fir Family
Ephedra trifurca Mexican Tea
ACANTHACEAE – Acanthus Family
Anisacanthus thurberi Desert Honeysuckle
Dicliptera resupinata Twin Seed
AMARANTHACEAE – Amaranth Family
Atriplex canescens Four-wing Saltbush
ARISTOLOCHIACEAE – Birthwort Family
Aristolochia watsonii Pipevine
ASTERACEAE – Sunflower Family
Ambrosia ambrosioides Canyon Ragweed
Ambrosia deltoidea Triangleleaf Bursage
Ambrosia salsola var. pentalepis Burro Brush
Artemisia ludoviciana Wormwood
Bahia absinthifolia var. dealbata Bahia
Baileya multiradiata Desert Marigold
Brickellia californica California Brickell Bush
Brickellia coulteri Brickellia, Coulter Brickell Bush
Coreocarpus arizonicus Coreocarpus
Encelia farinosa Brittlebush, Incienso
Encelia frutescens Green Brittle Bush, Rayless Encelia
Porophyllum gracile Odora
Psilostrophe cooperi Paperflower
Rafinesquia neomexicana Desert Chicory
*Sonchus oleraceus (Europe) Annual Sow Thistle
Thymophylla pentachaeta Dogweed
Trixis californica Trixis
Uropappus lindleyi Silverpuffs
Zinnia acerosa Desert Zinnia
BORAGINACEAE – Borage Family
Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia Fiddleneck
Cryptantha angustifolia ? (see Johnstonella)
Cryptantha barbigera ? Bearded Cryptantha
Johnstonella angustifolia Narrow-leaved Cryptantha
Pectocarya recurvata Arch-nutted Comb Bur
Phacelia distans Wild Heliotrope
Plagiobothrys arizonicus Bloodweed
BRASSICACEAE – Mustard Family
Descurainia pinnata var. ochroleuca Tansy Mustard
Lepidium lasiocarpum Sand Peppergrass
*Sisymbrium irio (Europe) London Rocket
Thysanocarpus curvipes Lace Pod Mustard, Fringe Pod
CACTACEAE – Cactus Family
Carnegiea gigantea Saguaro
Cylindropuntia leptocaulis (fruit) Desert Christmas Cactus
Opuntia engelmannii var. engelmannii (buds)
CROSSOSOMATACEAE – Crossosoma Family
Crossosoma bigelovii Bigelow Ragged Rock Flower
FABACEAE – Pea Family
Calliandra eriophylla Fairy Duster
Coursetia glandulosa Baby Bonnets
Dalea pringlei Dalea
Lupinus concinnus Elegant Lupine
Lupinus sparsiflorus Desert Lupine
Marina parryi Marina
FOUQUIERIACEAE – Ocotillo Family
Fouquieria splendens Ocotillo
MALPIGHIACEAE – Malpighia Family
Cottsia (Janusia) gracilis Desert Vine
MALVACEAE – Mallow Family
Abutilon abutiloides Indian Mallow
Abutilon reventum Indian Mallow
Ayenia filiformis Ayenia
Sphaeralcea laxa Caliche Globe Mallow
NYCTAGINACEAE – Four O’Clock Family
Allionia incarnata Trailing Four O’Clock, Trailing Windmills
Commicarpus scandens Bush Spiderling
Mirabilis laevis var. villosa (bigelovii) Wishbone Bush
OLEACEAE – Olive Family
Fraxinus velutina Velvet Ash
ONAGRACEAE – Evening Primrose Family
Camissonia californica Mustard Evening Primrose
Oenothera primiveris Yellow Desert Primrose
PAPAVERACEAE-Poppy Family
Eschscholzia californica ssp. mexicana Mexican Gold Poppy
PHRYMACEAE – Lopseed Family
Erythranthe (Mimulus) guttata Yellow Monkey Flower
PLANTAGINACEAE – Plantain Family
Plantago patagonica Woolly Plantain
Stemodia durantifolia Stemodia
POLEMONIACEAE – Phlox Family
Eriastrum diffusum Miniature Wool Star
SALICACEAE – Willow Family
Salix gooddingii Goodding Willow
SANTALACEAE – Sandalwood Family
Phoradendron californicum Desert Mistletoe
SAPINDACEAE – Soapberry Family
Dodonaea viscosa var. angustifolia Hop Bush
SOLANACEAE – Nightshade Family
Datura wrightii Sacred Datura
Lycium exsertum Wolfberry
Nicotiana glauca (Argentina) Tree Tobacco
URTICACEAE – Nettle Family
Parietaria hespera Pellitory
VERBENACEAE – Verbena Family
Aloysia wrightii Wright Lippia; Oreganillo
ZYGOPHYLLACEAE – Caltrop Family
Larrea divaricata var. tridentata Creosote Bush
ASPARAGACEAE- Asparagus Family
Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. pauciflorum Blue Dicks
POACEAE – Grass Family
Aristida purpurea var. purpurea Purple Three-awn
Bouteloua repens Slender Grama
*Cynodon dactylon (Old World) Bermuda Grass
Dasyochloa pulchella Fluff Grass
*Enneapogon cenchroides Soft Feather Pappusgrass
Heteropogon contortus Tanglehead
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Butterflies: Streaky Skipper, Pipevine Swallowtail, Mourning Cloak, Empress Leila
Bugs: Scoliid Wasps (flying low on ground in dam area. These are males and so don’t bother anyone. We thought they were ground bees, but if they hold still you can see that they are wasps (tiny waist), Robber Fly, Cuckoo Bee (metallic green)
Lizards: Greater Earless, Side-Blotched, Ornate Tree
Mammals: Desert Cottontail, Round-tailed Ground Squirrel
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Photo: Pipevine Flower (Aristolochia watsonii)