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Fortean Arizona

Arizona mountain lion weirdness. I regularly hike by myself (in my jeans) in this county, in heavy bush and riverine areas, usually very early in the morning: all the most likely places and times to run into a mountain lion. Sigh. I will vaguely take precautions such as looking around more (!) but am not likely to stop hiking by myself. If I abruptly quit posting, you will know why.


CLARKDALE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -- Next time you’re hiking through Yavapai County, you’ll want to be extra cautious of your surroundings.

Park rangers at the Tuzigoot National Monument are warning about an increase in mountain lion sightings along one of its trails, and now, they have photographic evidence.

Wildlife officials say trail cameras caught the creature consistently roaming through the Tavasci Marsh trails during the day when visitors are often out wandering. And although it’s uncommon for mountain lions to approach humans, experts say you still need to take caution and even fight back if necessary.

Park rangers warn of increase in mountain lion sightings in Northern Arizona (azfamily.com)

Hawk weirdness in Arizona: Two weeks ago, I saw a large bird of prey I could not identify. It was a leucistic red tailed hawk. The first and likely only one I will see. Solid white - not cream nor tan - with black eyes and a very few black spots on the wrists of the underside wings. Because of the size and the color, at first I thought it was some kind of winter-visiting owl. Yes, it was in Yavapai County, in the backcountry. No, no photograph!
 
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Yesterday, my husband and I drove down to the US-Mexico border. One of our favorite national parks is there (Organ Pipe National Monument) and we wanted to see the desert flowers which would be blooming from all the rain earlier in the week. Plus the mountains. The flowers were amazing!!!! Thousands of square miles of flowers in the different deserts. Where we went is Northern Sonoran desert.

It is still early enough in the year to not be dangerously hot, and so the illegal immigrants from Mexico would be more likely to be attempting to cross. We did not think of this before we went there, because we were focused on the flowers.

We saw one Mexican hiding in the bushes a few miles north of the border. We went on the road to Quitoquabito Springs, which is very close - a few hundred feet - to the border. There we saw multiple US CBP vans and trucks with the agents loading Mexicans into them. About 70 more Mexicans were politely sitting in folding chairs set up in the dirt, with the CBP men handing out water bottles and food. It was all very relaxed. We stopped to take photos, which annoyed the CBP people and amused the Mexicans. We waved, and the Mexicans waved back. We saw other groups which had not yet been picked up by the border patrol.

We wondered how the Mexicans were planning on getting further north. We thought that they had likely scheduled rides from friends already in the US. Uber!

The Mexican side of the border has a main highway very close to it, and lots of restaurants and truck stops. We could smell the delicious barbeque from the outside grills just 500 feet away from us.

Rattlesnake season has started. We saw two in the road, enjoying the sun. At this time of year, the snakes have just emerged from their winter sleep, so they are hungry, horny and cranky! Very reactive and likely to bite. Later in the year, a snake in the road would not respond to anything getting about 6 feet from it. Now, however, they will turn towards you and get ready to strike. Very cranky.

I am glad my husband has finally seen a live, cranky rattlesnake. Up until now, he has thought I was exaggerating the danger of getting bitten hours away from medical attention.
 
Bobcats in the backyard.

Last night, I woke up at 2:30 am, convinced that something or someone was looking at me. My bedroom window looks out to the backyard. Without turning on any lights, I looked out and saw a very large bobcat sitting and staring at my window. When he saw me move, he turned his head away but did not move! About 35 pounds. I am somewhat surprised at how big they get here in the desert. I still think of bobcats as small in the desert and larger in the grasslands and forests.

I hope he gets rid of the rabbits for me.
 
Endlessly Amazed said:
Rattlesnake season has started. We saw two in the road, enjoying the sun. At this time of year, the snakes have just emerged from their winter sleep, so they are hungry, horny and cranky! Very reactive and likely to bite. Later in the year, a snake in the road would not respond to anything getting about 6 feet from it. Now, however, they will turn towards you and get ready to strike. Very cranky.

I am glad my husband has finally seen a live, cranky rattlesnake. Up until now, he has thought I was exaggerating the danger of getting bitten hours away from medical attention.
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Avoidance is the best medicine, but when that doesn’t work, may l suggest a revolver and some shotshells.

maximus otter
 
maximus otter said:
Avoidance is the best medicine, but when that doesn’t work, may l suggest a revolver and some shotshells.

maximus otter
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Avoidance is almost always easier. However.....

Last year, I paid a few hundred dollars to have custom-made screens installed over my garage's airflow vents which are only a few inches above the ground. Rats and snakes could easily enter. I know the rats did because of all the acorns I would find stashed inside. My neighbors think I am quite, er, odd. Oh well.

I would kill any rattlesnake I find on my suburban home property. They are just too dangerous. Some species have neurotoxins approaching cobra toxicity.

Rattlesnakes, like alligators, taste to me like chicken.
 
Endlessly Amazed said:
Yesterday, my husband and I drove down to the US-Mexico border. One of our favorite national parks is there (Organ Pipe National Monument) and we wanted to see the desert flowers which would be blooming from all the rain earlier in the week. Plus the mountains. The flowers were amazing!!!! Thousands of square miles of flowers in the different deserts. Where we went is Northern Sonoran desert.
Click to expand...
Got any photos? And of the desert scenery in general?
 
Ok here are some weird photos of Organ Pipe National Monument at the US-Mexico border in Arizona. These photos were from previous years and seasons.
1. Old homestead track with lupine and creosote bush flowers
2. Early morning fog
3. Later morning fog
4. Dog mausoleum on the Tohono O Odham reservation (I kid you not.)


Old Homestead Road Lupine.JPGMorning Fog Diablo MTNs.JPG


Diablo Fog.JPGDog Mausoleum.JPG
 
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part 2

1. Emergency signal for help and water in 3 languages: English, Spanish, Tohono O Odham. You will die in the daytime from 10 hours exposure from April - October. This is the deadliest crossing on the entire US - Mexico border. The Yaqui, Apache, and Tohono O Odham tribes all are on both sides of the border. What a PIA for them.
2. Blooming palo verde trees west of a steep canyon.

Let me know if you Forteans want to see more. I don't want to bore you or crash the website!


Emergency Instructs 3 Languages.JPGPalo Verde Trees Yellow Flowers.JPG
 
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Kondoru said:
Several Dogs graves (and cemetries) I know of in my area.

Why all the flowers?
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Plastic flowers are frequently found on graves and memorials. The Tohono O Odham are more Christianized than other tribes, and one will find cemeteries, mausoleums, and memorials everywhere. The Navajo would be appalled about this big Ghost Reservation because the Navajo avoid the dead, do not talk about them, and do not memorialize the dead.
 
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1. Cholla cactus with creosote bush flowers and lupine. Note on the ground the fallen off cholla branchlets. Sometimes after a storm, one sees drifts of these discards piled up several feet high. This is one of the ways it propagates. The spines are designed to stick and stay like a fishhook. If an animal gets caught up in this badly enough, it will die. This cactus is a beautiful nightmare.
2. Flowering 50 year old saguaro in months of May-June. I have seen bats, birds, moths, wasps?, and bees all feeding on these at the same time. They are all surprisingly polite and seem to wait in turn or go to the next flower.


Cholla cactus (this is the bad one), lupine, creosote flower.JPGSaguaro Flowers in May June.JPG
 
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