Wow! What a Fun Weekend at the Southwestern Research Station!

 The Chiricahua Mountains are known for their beauty and biodiversity, and we drank it in! Bird song surrounded us, as did a multitude of plants, gorgeous views of lichen covered mountains, and the sound of flowing water. If you couldn't join us last weekend, be sure to visit sometime soon!

What were the highlights of our weekend? I'm sure we would all have different answers. Some of mine were the beautiful starlit sky, distant hoots of a Great horned owl in the darkness, waking up to the sound of Scott's orioles singing, looking at a beautiful male Coppery-tailed trogon (Elegant trogon), early morning coffee with friends, and engaging mealtime conversations. But don't worry, I haven't forgotten our educational activities and the wonderful speakers who gave presentations during our stay.

Saturday morning began with a bird walk along the south fork of Cave Creek, led by Gordon and Lori Lam. The goal was to see the trogon, and sure enough, we got good views of one just before breakfast time! It was a "life" (first time seen) bird for Colleen, Sierra, and Whitney! Our volunteer service was weeding and raking out two garden beds, then we carpooled to the beautiful home and garden of Raymond Mendez, otherwise known as "the ant guy". Not only is Ray an expert on ants, but he is also an incredible designer for the movie industry, museums, and zoos. He introduced us to honey pot ants and naked mole rats; very interesting creatures, indeed! After lunch, we learned about and dabbled in nature journaling, and shared our artistic talents. This was followed by a plant walk along the south fork of Cave Creek, focusing primarily on trees. Peg Abbott gave a presentation on the "Geometry of Birds" in the evening, which was well received. The final activity of the day was an owl walk led by Gordon and Lori. After some calling, Western screech owl, a Great horned owl, and a Common poorwill were heard.

Carol Simon gave a presentation on the history of the Southwestern Research Station and the biodiversity of the Chiricahua Mountains. It was very interesting, and eye opening! Once our cars were packed, and good-byes exchanged, we dispersed for further pursuits, with wonderful memories and photos to share.

We'll be back next year!

     

                                   Group photo on Ray's patio overlooking the Chiricahua Mountains

Sierra demonstrates dialing a phone with an elephant trunk on her arm.

Ray showing his magazine article on the naked mole rat 

Clyde holds a naked mole rat.

                                An introduction to honey pot ants.