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.
The annual Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Outdoor Expo will be taking place at the end of March. Like last year, we are hosting a Youth Day to take place the day before the Expo opens to the general public. All Homeschool families are encouraged to participate. Here is some additional information:
