Renegade Ramble: Day 25

By July 31, 2017Uncategorized

RENEGADE RAMBLE. Day 25: 5.5 Miles
Total Mileage Thus Far: 172.3 Miles

I’m seeking $20 donations for each mile, but will accept any amount. ProtectOurPreserve.org/donate

Tom’s Thumb Trailhead. Marcus Landslide Trail. Rosetta Stone Scramble until we felt it was too technical for today. Marcus Landslide Trail Loop back to Trailhead.

My son generously joined me this morning. Hiking with my kids provides hours of stress-free interaction and interesting conversation. Howard Myers, you’re right that family time is one of the great treasures of the Preserve.

Last night, Terry Tempest Williams read to us from a list of words removed from the Oxford (I believe) Children’s Dictionary. Crocus was on the devastating, deplorable docket. 1984 was never more disturbing, and I’ve drawn a portrait of George Orwell.

To combat this insanity, I have determined to teach my students {and children} the flora and fauna of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve this year. Today, we saw an abundance of lizards, so let’s begin with our cold-blooded brethren. Please enjoy the Lizard links below.

For those of you who’re in a hurry {who’s not these days?}, allow me to [poorly] rhyme the highlights.

The chuckwalla gasps air,
Wedges himself into a crack.
If you see an eastern collared lizard pair,
Don’t capture; may attack.

Pattern and color may change
On the long-nosed leopard running on hind legs!
Zebra tailed lizard: southwestern Arizona range
When he curls his striped tail, a chase he begs.

Greater earless lizard on insects feeds:
Moths, beetles, grasshoppers, butterflies and ants
Basking on a creosote tree,
Long-tailed brush lizard also found burrowing in sand.

Schott’s Tree Lizard – couldn’t find much.
Read a book.

Common Chuckwalla
https://www.desertmuseum.org/books/nhsd_chuckwalla.php

Eastern Collared Lizard
http://www.reptilesofaz.org/Lizards-Subpa…/h-c-collaris.html

Long-nosed Leopard Lizard
http://www.reptilesofaz.org/Lizards-Sub…/h-g-wislizenii.html

Zebra-tailed Lizard (prolific)
http://www.reptilesofaz.org/Lizards-Su…/h-c-draconoides.html

Greater Earless Lizard (I’ve seen loads of these too)
http://www.reptilesofaz.org/Lizards-Subpag…/h-c-texanus.html

Schott’s Tree Lizard
http://www.reptilesofaz.org/Lizards-Subpag…/h-u-ornatus.html

Western Long-tailed Brush Lizard (I’ve definitely seen these)
http://www.reptilesofaz.org/Lizards-Subp…/h-u-graciosus.html

Six more lizards tomorrow.

If you’d like to hike a leg with me, or a if you have ideas of how ProtectOurPreserve.org might raise additional funds or awareness, message me today.

 

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