Peregrine Update

Second visit last night.

The female was perched on the same ledge that I suspected was the pair's potential nest site. She sat low on the ledge, suggesting that she was incubating eggs. I sat atop the Mogollon Rim for two and a half hours and never saw the female leave the ledge. I never saw the male either.

I suspect that on my next visit in June, I'll see some nestlings... stay tuned.

Mt. Wrightson via Madera Canyon

Another early morning. You've got to get out there early if you want to beat the heat.

I pulled into the parking lot and got on the trail just as the sun began to illuminate the canyon. I hit the trail and started the climb. And I mean climb. With the exception of Josephine and Baldy saddles, it was a consistent ascent... from 5,420 to 9,453 feet above the sea. The forest was alive with birdsong. Madera Canyon is a hotspot of bird diversity and a popular Sky Island stop for birders from all over the world.

I followed the Old Baldy Trial through a forest of oak trees as I climbed towards Josephine saddle. Along the way I spotted Swainson's thrushes, spotted towhees, and a myriad of difficult to identify warblers flitting through the trees. I had the privilege of being the first person on the trail and that provided me with a great opportunity. As I made my way up the trail, I came upon a black bear skulking through the forest. It was a great treat for me. To make it even better, as I sat on a downed log at Josephine saddle, a wild turkey came right up to me! I just sat still as the old gobbler strutted around me and off into the forest.

The rest of the climb was draining. I slogged it up the mountain side, back and forth along the switchbacks. Luckily I was shielded from the early morning sunshine for most of the climb. A gentle breeze kept me cool all the way until Baldy saddle. On the final ascent I was completely exposed to the sun and it was getting really hot. But it was well worth the discomfort when I hit the peak. Unobstructed views in every direction. I could see all the way north to Picacho Peak and south into Mexico.

It was a great hike and I'll definitely be back.

Great Day in the White Tanks

An early morning and on the trail by 4am. Only 3 miles "as the crow flies", but with the switch backs and elevation gain the hike was closer to 6 miles one-way. Cloud cover helped buffer the sun's intensity and a slight breeze cooled the skin. Just after sunrise, I spotted three mule deer does drinking from a tinaja downslope from the trail. I sat and watched as they made their way upslope - foraging along the way. Then they disappeared over the ridge above. During the course of the hike I also saw:

2 blue-phase speckled rattlesnakes (Crotalus mitchellii)
2 western diamond backs (Crotalus atrox)
1 chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater)
loads of whiptails (Aspidoscelis sp.), side-blotched (Uta stansburiana), and zebra-tailed lizards (Callisaurus draconoides)

Back to the truck by eleven am. A great way to start the day!

Peregrine Falcon Survey Time!

Every three years I look forward to the opportunity to assist with the Peregrine Falcon monitoring here in Arizona. This has to be one of my favorite assignments. Imagine hiking out to some remote cliff face where records exist for a historically occupied Peregrine nest site. You hike in, carrying a pack filled with supplies in case you have to spend the night, and a spotting scope for peeking in on the nest - should you find it. You approach the cliff face, all the while listening and watching for any sign that the falcons are present.

Generally, you're looking for the falcons in flight or perched on a narrow ledge somewhere on the cliff face. The Peregrine falcon has a distinctive dark "helmet" that covers its head and extends to nape of its neck and down side of face where it tapers into dark stripes that almost look like a mustache. These raptors have dark blue-gray plumage on their back, and light breast with variably dark barring. Known for their speed and agility in flight, Peregrines have a distinctive flight profile that will differentiate it from other raptors. The wings are pointed and the tail is short. Wing beats are smooth and powerful.

So anyways, there I was, quickly approaching the nest site with the anticipation of verifying occupancy or, even better, a nest! I reached the edge of the Mogollon Rim and took my position on the ledge where I set up my scope and pulled my field notebook from my pack. Before I could even get my eye to the scope, I heard the whining wail - the “kaak kaak” - of the female Peregrine. I looked through the scope, scanning the cliff face. Then suddenly I saw a falcon fly from a ledge, dropping down into the deep canyon below. The female, still somewhere across the canyon, continued calling. I quickly located her in a tall ponderosa pine snag from her vocal clues. I focused in on the female just in time to see the male fly in and perch right on top of her for a few seconds. Copulation! This was getting interesting.

The male flew off of the perch and disappeared into the canyon a second time. I continued to watch the female falcon, hopeful that she would soon fly to the cliff face where I would then see her nest site. But she stayed perched on the snag with the afternoon sun illuminating her light-colored breast, causing them to stand out against the dark red bluff behind her.

About forty minutes later, she started calling again. Almost immediately, the male reappeared and perched about twenty feet above her in the same snag. Then, he dropped out of the snag and landed on a narrow ledge. He perched momentarily and then the female joined him as if inspecting the nest site that he hoped to convince her to use.

As the sun dropped behind the distant horizon, I smiled to myself, knowing that I'd seen something beautiful and wild. In a couple of weeks I'll return to determine if the pair has successfully nested. I'll let you know how it goes!

April Update: For Lack of a Better Title

Kegged it and enjoyed.

Trying to get more brew time but work has picked up. That's good though. I feel very fortunate to have a job that keeps me busy during these tough times. Summer is right around the corner and spring has been busy since February. Lots of field time, lots of data.

Scored some brewing equipment from a friend and will be stepping it up with a 10 gallon batches and a small kegerator.

Kegging the Scottish and Stout

It's been 6 and 5 weeks since we racked the Scottish Ale and Oatmeal stout, respectively. A buddy of mine told me that I didn't need to wait so long... 3 weeks in secondary is what he recommends. But I'll tell you what, I've used 6 weeks as a standard. As Steve says, "It gives the flavors a chance to blend and mellow."

The Scottish Ale turned out light, as we planned. Even without carbonation it has a crisp smooth start and almost no aftertaste. I have to admit that it's a bit lighter than I had hoped. But next to the stout, anything would seem a bit transparent.

The Abby Road Oatmeal Stout is a winner. This beer is the best we've brewed. A rich brew with toffee and butterscotch undertones, this beer is dark and full bodied and has a high gravity. A day with in the fridge with the CO2 and wha-la!

Abby Road Oatmeal Stout Update

Steve and I racked the stout to secondary today. We measured the gravity at 1.025. Given our original gravity measurement of 1.06, it looks like we're on our way to an oatmeal stout with about 4.8% alcohol by volume. Not bad for the first time around. Here are our first impressions on this new recipe:

Aroma: Mellow, malty aroma.

Taste: Very low bitterness with a sweet (toffee-ish), malty finish.

Appearance: Overall clarity is excellent. Looks like the addition of whirlflock during the last 10 minutes of the boil paid off. Rich, dark coloration almost like blackstrap molasses.

Finish: Sweet, malty aftertaste.

Overall, we're pleased with the progress of the stout. I can't wait to get it in the fridge.

Prost!