Desert Freaks

Zzyzx

Creative Commons photo by Flickr user slworking2

Yeah that is right.

Not a misspelling.

West coast desert rats know it well.

Or maybe you saw Swingers and or some other Hollywood flick where the protagonists head from LA to Las Vegas. I doubt you saw the misspelled Zyzzyx Road, staring Katherine Heigl, considering its US gross was $30.

Yes 6 people saw this movie in the theaters.

I wish I was one of them, but sadly it was only showing in Texas. Netflix?

Or maybe you saw Zzyzx, the correctly spelled version. Another low-budget thriller set in the Mojave. Yeah, didn't think so.

Zzyzx is a California State University University of California research station in the eastern Mojave desert.



The research center is home to Vermillion Flycatchers in the Summer. I have not seen one mostly because I suck at birding. It is also home to the Mohave Chub, Gila bicolor mohavensis, an endangered fish. I have seen one Mohave Chub in my life. It was in the beak of a Kingfisher. Obviously a Kingfisher that doesn't give one shake about the law. Damn Rebel.

Sometimes in the desert you run into bizarre hippie shrines. Considering Zzyzx used to be a "health spa" it is not surprising that one can find shrines in the area. This one is just north of Zzyzx Rd. You can even see the road in the second photo. We were not looking for shrines but lizards. Sadly it was overcast and very few lizards were out. Though that beats 2010 when it was raining on our last day and we had to call off the Zzyzx portion of Mojave loop.











That is one of the many eponymous Soda Lakes of California. How many are there, does anyone know? Gotta be a handful.











Maybe this Summer I will try and make this a proper panorama shot.

Notice the AWESOME donuts in the dry lake bed.  I hope the guy that did that impressed the girl.

And I hope she gave him herpes.






If you can't tell why this shot is the best of the series then you need to change your priorities.

UPDATE: This is the last of the posts form our 2011 trip

The Battle for Las Gallinas

Las Gallinas used to be the type of creek where you could raise a family in peace.

photo by Joan Robbins

There was always plenty of food to go around for everyone.

photo by Joan Robbins

And it was safe for kids to play out on the branches until the sun came down.
 

Then a new crew came around. When you're off hunting, these yo-yos take over your place and are hooting about squatter's rights.

But at heart they're decent folk too -- just trying to raise a family!

Of course once someone starts to gripe, word spreads quick and folk get murder-crazy.

Photo by Joan Robbins

And when the kiddos want to stand up and stretch their wings...

BAD THINGS HAPPEN

 

The UN comes in, the fighting begins to quell and things return to normal.

 

A year passes and calm remains -- perhaps even harmony?
The Bubos are back at their squat, while the Buteos have built up a modest home. Even the crows tend to their own business. However...

Keeping the watch

 

"Where the offense is, let the great axe fall"

The Buteos struck back this morning, knocking three owlets to the ground. Wildcare is on the case again, with plans to return the owlets to the nest tonight.

Stay tuned for more from the front lines. 

away from their nest, an owl parent looks on

All photos by Christian Naventi unless otherwise noted

Big Ups to

Joan Robbins

William Shakespeare

Wildcare

Viva La Revolucion

I went from looking like this:

To this:

My pup does not trust me any longer without the beard.

Hopefully she figures it out in a little bit of time.

At least it won't be so hot in the desert.

Please be kind reviewer #3, even though I know you won't be.

Thinking Fellers Suburban Studies #7

In order to prepare my class for a camera trapping project with the Felidae Fund, we went out to the small oak-covered rise above our school that separates us from the industrial parks that litter the eastern portion of Terra Linda, San Rafael. Here we were to practice making a set and getting comfortable with the equipment.

The students made observations of animal trails, scat and other possible areas of interest to decide the camera location.

As we were leaving our set, a cry went out with an arm pointing to the trees -- above us, a large raccoon was napping! Truly a treat for the kids to see and even for myself this was a great first time experience. All of the time I have spent looking in trees for birds, while holding onto the hope for a gray fox or 'coon, had resulted in nada up until now.

The camera was in place for five days and all captures came from the first night.

 

gray fox

our napping friend?!

Before checking the cam, we quickly scanned the trees for the napper, but our glimpses discovered nothing. However, after unlocking the cam and then walking halfway out of the oak grove, another cry gathered our attention -- a sharp-eyed student had spotted the masked sleeper once again:

Camera Trapping with the Codger

Simple and straightforward. What RT said. If you have not read his post click through because he said it better than I can.

I will only add that this was an amazing class for all the reasons, RT laid out, but it was also one of those experiences that will change the way you look at natural history.  As great of a professor Chris is, the thing he left me with was his nurturing of your excitement about wildlife. It is so contagious that you will start to dream of small rodents and elusive mustelids even if you would rather not.

But really the most important thing is that you will have a mentor for life. Chris will continue to help you out with your camera trapping for years after the course with advise, encouragement, and questions if my experience is typical and I am sure it is.  I also met RT during the course I took two Summers ago and with him and the Codger I made two great friends for life that I have continued to have adventures with to this day.

I could not recommend this course any more highly and I hope to stop by and see some of you there in the Summer of 2012 for a little alumni reunion.

Flickr images from 2010 course.