Gerry Tietje Ironwood Forest National Monument is located west of the Avra Valley, Marana, and I-10. It was established on June 9, 2000, so this year will be its 25th anniversary. The 190,000-acre preserve contains portions of four mountain ranges, including the Silver Bell Mountain range. Its most prominent peak is Ragged Top Mountain, with…
J im Hoagland The SaddleBrooke Ranch (SBR) Hiking Club and the Birding and Nature group conducted a “seed drive” to support the needs of Oracle State Park. SBR resident Laura Haslett, representing the Hiking Club, and Birdman of SBR Jim Hoagland, representing the Birding and Nature group, recently presented over 125 pounds of nyger seed,…
Jim Hoagland In April, the SaddleBrooke Ranch (SBR) Cuckoos will be conducting the annual Birdathon to raise funds to support the work of the Tucson Bird Alliance (TBA), formerly Tucson Audubon Society. TBA’s mission is “inspiring people to enjoy and protect birds through recreation, education, and restoration of our environment.” In the previous four Birdathons,…
Gerry Tietje Many of us who live in SaddleBrooke Ranch have been startled by seeing a rattlesnake on our patios, pickleball courts, or our Nature Trail. Few, if any, of these encounters resulted in a snakebite and emergency room visit, but it’s good to remember that March is the month when rattlesnakes become more active…
Jim Hoagland December was the start of the annual Christmas Bird Count, a Cornell University citizen science event, which has been conducted since 1900. Volunteers from across North America and beyond took to the field between Dec. 14, 2024, and Jan. 5, 2025, to record every bird species and individual bird encountered within a designated…
Gerry Tietje A bird festival in January? Very few places have bird festivals in January, but there is one called “Wings Over Willcox Birding and Nature Festival” in Cochise County each year. The main “draw” for the festival is Sandhill Cranes, and the best place to see thousands of them is Whitewater Draw, an hour…
James Hoagland When you sit down to your Thanksgiving dinner this year, you might wonder where your domesticated turkey originated. We know there were wild turkeys when the pilgrims arrived, upwards of 11 million wild turkeys roamed the forests of eastern North America. How then did we go from wild turkeys to your Thanksgiving domesticated…
Gerry Tietje The Sept. 22nd equinox ushered in a new season where longer days have given way to longer nights and thankfully much cooler temperatures. Monsoon rains have stopped, burgundy “apples” adorn prickly pear cacti, and pods on Soaptree yucas have dispersed their seeds. As the earth’s axis tilts further away from the sun in…
Jim Hoagland It was another successful year for the SaddleBrooke Ranch (SBR) Cuckoo’s Birdathon event. The SaddleBrooke Ranch Cuckoos, represented by Deb Sandin and Nancy and Ben Eisenstein, recently attended the wrap-up celebration party at Three Canyon Beer and Wine Gardens on a beautiful evening. The SBR Cuckoos, one of 29 teams, took home top…
Gerry Tietje If you have seen a Gila monster in the wild, you are fortunate, because it’s a rare occurrence for most people. I’ve been fortunate to see two of them in the wild, one that was crossing South Reddington Road near San Manuel and the other on a trail in Saguaro National Park East.…