Nature’s Classroom Homeschool Program

This is my attempt to summarize some of the cool things that happened through the night. Of course, this is just me. If you participated, please feel free to add your own comments. You could even use a web site like flickr or picasa to upload your photos for everyone to enjoy. And, if you didn’t participate but want to comment on the blog, feel free. That is, after all, the advantage of a blog, everyone can contribute!

Wow, what a night we had! Not only was it a ton of fun, but we learned a lot as well.

First, a quick recap of the logistics. On July 22, about 7 homeschool participants (parents and children) joined the Department for a long night of driving the remote roads outside Wickenburg in search of reptiles and other animals that might cross our path. Not only were we joined by Randy Babb, a great biologist and educator with the Department, but we were lucky enough to have Tom Brennan, co-author of A Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles in Arizona, as well. And he even signed copies of his book!

Unfortunately, our first lesson was not fun. In fact, it was tragic. We learned to be incredibly flexible with the timing of these programs, particularly when you are dealing with traffic. Our main route out to Wickenburg (the Carefree Highway) was blocked all night due to a triple fatal accident. Humbling!

In the course of our detour, we learned our second lesson…biologists are great in the field, but they can’t necessarily find their way in the city! Numerous wrong turns and dead ends delayed us even further.

But finally, around 8:30pm we got to the remote stretch of Vulture Mine Road, outside of Wickenburg. Our luck immediately changed. Barely outside the town, we came across a HUGE Sonoran Desert Toad just sitting on the side of the road. Also known as the Colorado River Toad, it is the largest toad found in the country, growing up to 7 inches! Like most toads, it secretes a toxin that can be dangerous to dogs and children.

A short drive down the road we found our next specimen…a juvenile Mohave rattlesnake.  Widely considered to be one of the most aggressive and dangerous rattlesnakes in Arizona, this snake is often confused with the western diamondback. Interestingly, the potency of the venom varies around the state. Check out how well this snake blends in with the desert in the picture!

Next, we stopped to observe a male tarantula. How did we know it was a male? Because they are the ones that leave the nest in search of a mate. Sadly, we were probably seeing this one at the end of its life. Males will begin their search for a mate around 5 years old and will likely not survive another year. Females, on the other hand , may live 4 times longer!! Randy informed us that prehistoric specimens of species have been found that were the size of a basketball. Can you imagine? Anyone have arachnophobia? Randy also turned the animal over to allow us to see its long fangs.

I was in the second car. At the next stop, I saw the lead car stop and a couple of the children fling the door open and jump out. They were running after another animal. Once we stopped and caught up with them, we discovered that they had found a western banded gecko. These are native to this area. Unlike the non-native Mediterranean House geckos, these ones can NOT climb walls. They do not have the toe pads that most of us associate with geckos seen around our houses.

Back in the car for another short drive. This time we came across what I think is one of the coolest animals in the desert…a Couch’s spadefoot toad. These animals have adapted so well to the harsh conditions of the desert. Where most frogs or toads may take months or years to move from egg to tadpole to adult, spadefoot toads can go through their entire metamorphosis in days, if necessary. This is because they reproduce in the small, ephemeral ponds (yeah, look that one up) that are created during the monsoon storms.  The pond may only exist for a few days or weeks before drying up. If the animals are to survive, they have to become toads before that happens. Once they are adult, they can burrow into the ground using a small spade-like projection on their foot (hence their name), and remain there for over a year. How cool is that?!

Cruising down the road with the windows down, we were enjoying the night air. Suddenly we heard a call off on the side. Since we haven’t quite figured out how to use the car-to-car radios in our vehicle, we couldn’t get in touch with the lead car. Oh well. We weren’t going to miss this opportunity. We stopped and turned the car around so we could flash the lights into the desert. The calls continued. Sam, our resident birder, knew instantly what it was. The calls of a barn owl. We search and searched the trees on the side of the road with no luck. So we decided to get out of the car. After a few steps, two barn owls let the branched and flew away. No chance for pictures, but a great experience anyway. Click on the following link to get an idea of the sounds we were hearing: Barn Owl Calling

Now it was time to catch up to Randy and the lead car. Just over a small hill, we saw them stopped and surrounding something. Once we got within range, we learned that they had found a red-spotted toad. Now I have seen many of these before, particularly during my crayfish captures at Spur Cross and Seven Springs. But this one was larger, and better fed! I found out that they can actually get to be about 3 inches long. Randy also informed us that this was a male. Wow, it must be “Guy’s Night Out.” Anyway, apparently, males are the only ones that call, and this one was croaking like crazy.

During the course of this adventure, I was experimenting with our new camera. Check out the cool lighting effect with this same toad. Kinda eerie, huh? Is that light coming from the toad itself? Ahhhhhhh! Nope, just the effect of extended shutter time and Randy’s flashlight.

Continuing on, we saw the impact that roads and human encroachment can have on wildlife. In short order, we found 2 dead zebratail lizards and a dead pocket mouse. Eventually, we would find another dead pocket mouse, a dead regal horned lizard, and even a dead deer. All of these animals had been struck by cars. Unfortunately, this is the reality. Many, many animals are killed accidentally in vehicle collisions. At one of our stops, we were talking to some hobbyists who were out for the same reason. They claimed that some research indicates that populations of rattlesnakes along highways may be decreased by as much as 60%. I haven’t been able to confirm that number. It seems like this might be a great research project for any aspiring wildlife biologists out there…

At least we could learn a little about these animals, so their death wasn’t in vain. Randy showed us the pockets found inside the cheeks of the mouse which are used to store seeds.

 Anyway, let’s bring it back to the living. As you can see already, this adventure led us to so much more than just reptiles. Tarantulas, owls, and our next critter showcase the nocturnal diversity found in Arizona.

It looked like a little stick in the road, but leave it to the Randy’s sharp eyes to see so much more. This little millipede was crossing the road. These animals are quite common in the desert, yet rarely seen because they live in the soil and come out at night. While centipedes have one pair of legs per body segment, millipedes have two pairs. In addition, the legs of millipedes are usually underneath their body while centipedes stick out from the side. Millipedes are NOT venomous and allowed for a great, up-close experience. They almost feel like velcro when you peel them off of your arm!

Eventually, the evening had to come to an end. But we were still miles (and hours) from the office. We decided to turn around and head back down the road we had just come. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as fruitful as the journey out. But we did get one unusual find..a speckled rattlesnake. One of the 13 species of rattlesnakes found in Arizona, and our second species of the night.  Again, notice how it blends in so well with the desert environment. The band-like blotches near the tail are a good identifier of this species.

If you ask some biologists, it was a pretty calm night for animals. However, by my count, we saw quite a few, and it was a great sample of Arizona’s diversity. But what was your take? Again, I ask you to submit your own comments.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Registration has now officially closed for all of the currently scheduled Nature’s Classroom programs. Please check back in the near future to learn about new opportunities. We are busy trying to plan exciting field experiences for the fall and winter!

Let’s get out of the heat and enjoy a nice trip up to high country.

On Wednesday, July 30, (Please note: this is one day later than previously posted. We apologize for the inconvenience.) the Arizona Game and Fish Department will be hosting another Nature’s Classroom event. For the first time, it will be located in Flagstaff! The event is planned from 6:00pm to 10:00pm. Yes, I know it makes for a late night but this gives you an excuse to make an extended trip up north. Why not plan on staying the night. Flagstaff offers many other cool learning (and fishing) opportunities.

This event promises to be a fun night of discovery. Be prepared for hands-on learning. We will explore scientific collecting methods while identifying invertebrates, amphibians, and any other creatures we might encounter. And that’s only the beginning…once the sun goes down, we will be using a special net to collect and identify bats.

So come out and join us while we learn about the important role that all these nocturnal creatures play in our ecosystems.

There is NO deposit or registration fee associated with this particular event. However, space is limited and pre-registration is required. Use the link below (or use the “Events” tab) to register.

Creatures of the Night Registration Form

Two other notes:

1) We still have a few spots available in our Night Herping workshop next Tuesday. We would love to have a full house for this event. The event will run from approximately 6:00pm until 10 or 11. If interested, please register here.

2) For those of you interested in bats, we are holding another urban bat workshop THIS EVENING. Although it is an event open to the public and not exclusively for homeschool families, it is modeled after the urban bat workshop we did last month. The event will run from approximately 7:00pm until 9:00pm in the vicinity of 40th St. and Camelback. Here is location information straight from the Outdoor Calendar found on the Department’s web site:

To attend the workshop, park in the retail parking lot on the southwest corner of 40th Street and Camelback Road, walk north along 40th Street, and then proceed west on the north side of the canal until they reach the Maricopa County Flood Control District tunnel. The tunnel is approximately ½ mile from 40th Street. It will be marked with signage. Plan to arrive a ½ hour prior to sunset: The bats leave at sunset and won’t wait!

First let me tell you that we have a few more spots available for the night herping event scheduled for next Tuesday. If you are interested, please click on the “Events” tab and register. The times have been changed. We won’t meet until around 6pm now. Probably won’t go as late as 11pm either.

Second, we will be adding another event to the calendar TOMORROW. It will be a fun and exciting one that will allow you to escape the heat for a little while. Here is a hint: it will involve searching for the night critters found in Flagstaff!

Finally, I added a new feature to this blog. On the right side you can see some videos that I have collected off of YouTube. Right now, they are two of the videos that were shown at the Eagle Education Evening. As time goes on, I will add additional relevant videos.

We are pleased to announce that the planning for the next series of Nature’s Classroom events is nearly completed, and some of the events are quickly approaching! Since it is the summer and a little hot out, we are mixing things up a little bit. Some of the events will be held at night and others will be held outside the Phoenix metro area. To start, we are opening up our Night Herping workshop. Many of you have heard rumors about this one. It is finally coming to reality.

On the evening of July 22nd (yes, I told you they were coming up quick), we will be loading you into vans and we will be driving to the far outskirts of the valley. Once there, we will cruise the roads looking for reptiles (and other critters) that may cross our paths. You will have the opportunity to learn about the animals we find from our biologists and get some up close views. We will try to find as much wildlife as we can but, as with all of our workshops, we cannot make any guarantees. Whether we find a lot or a little, we do know that it will be a great experience and you will learn a lot. It will be a late night, but a lot of fun! This workshop is restricted to individuals who do not require a car seat or booster seat.

We are also experimenting with a new automated registration system. You will be able to apply online by visiting the registration page under the “Events” along the top. Complete the form and your information will be added. In addition, this workshop will be FREE. However, we are requiring a refundable deposit of $20 per family. When you show up for the event, your deposit will be returned. If you don’t show up, you will lose the deposit. For more information about mailing the deposit, see the registration page for the event.

Please understand that when you submit your electronic registration form, it will put you in the queue. However, your registration is not considered complete until we receive the deposit. In addition, completion of the registration process does not guarantee a spot in the workshop. We will notify everyone at least a week before the event. Those that don’t get into the workshop, will be put on a waiting list for cancellations.

I would also ask that you be patient with this new registration process. It is a trial run. Hopefully, it will go smoothly but there may be some problems. If you encounter difficulties, please feel free to contact Eric Proctor and explain the issue. We will make sure you get registered.

Although this is the only event so far, we expect to be opening another one within the next couple of days. Stay tuned!

Hello, and welcome to the brand new site for the Nature’s Classroom Homeschool Program. We are extremely excited to launch this web site as the main destination for information related to this program.

As new information about the program becomes available, we will add it to this site first. Although you may already be part of our email listserv, I encourage you to subscribe to the RSS feed (at the bottom of this page). This will inform you immediately when changes are made. If you are not on our email listserv, please send me an email at eproctor@azgfd.gov and let me know that you want to be added to the Nature’s Classroom listserv.

It is our intention for this site to not only serve as a way to distribute details about upcoming events. We want it to be educational as well. Therefore, summaries of all prior events will be added as well. These will give you an idea of some of the activities we did but will also provide pictures, video clips, and other facts about the topcis covered. Each summary will be organized by main animal group (i.e., birds, mammals, etc.) and will be put into that appropriate category to the right. If an event covered more than one type of animal or covered basic ecology principles, it will be filed into the category labeled “General Wildlife“. In addition, information pertinent to the management of this site will be posted in “Site Information“.

You will also find the tabs at the right to be extremely useful. The “About” tab will provide some more detailed information about the Nature’s Classroom program, the Arizona Game and Fish Department, and Focus Wild Arizona. Under the “Events” tab you will find a calendar which will show all upcoming Nature’s Classroom activities. In addition, this is where you will find the registration form!

As you navigate around the site, I encourage you to become involved. In the future, there will be discussion boards opened for you to comment or provide feedback. You are also able to leave comments after any of these posts. This is your Nature’s Classroom community!

Thanks, Eric Proctor.