Visit to Lytle Ranch Preserve
What a wonderful group we had at Lytle Preserve, and what a fascinating
place! Some of us passed it by, missing the entrance road, to go 10 miles
further, finding ourselves in Arizona. Back-tracking, we finally truly
read the directions and the very small sign.
On the way, one travels through Joshua trees, which had already bloomed
very early this year -- each branch was clustered with many seed pods.
Cholla cactus and the deep blue-purple flowers of indigo bush, plus many
of the golden yellow composites, among them the dainty desert marigold,
some astragalus and the white prickly poppy. Truly a Mojave Desert region
-- until suddenly we dropped down into an oasis of green trees and fields.
The beautiful Fremont Poplar has always been a favorite of mine, a large
tree with so much character. Lytle does have some fields that are
irrigated, for the use of the water depends on some farm use.
The caretaker's home had a wealth of large green trees, two friendly dogs,
and very friendly and helpful people. The concerned hens and their baby
chicks were delightful, very young and a bit older broods. The handsome
but determined rooster began crowing at 2:00 a.m., and every hour thereafter!
Through the night we also heard the Western Screech Owl, who does not screech,
but gives a series of sounds on one pitch with a tremolo at the end.
The catclaw acacia looked dead with its large bunches of mistletoe in every
tree, but on the day we left some were showing tiny composite leaves. The
desert willow did not yet have its fragrant catalpa-like bloom.
Only two phainopeplas were seen, but by now there may be more. In the
large trees at the caretaker's home, the Bewick's wrens sang over and over,
and I finally can recognize their song. The lovely summer tanagers flashed
red as they flew by, their song is rather robin-like, but differing from
the Western tanager.
The Northern Bullock's orioles were much in evidence as were the beautiful
hooded orioles, a first for me. Some of us were lucky enough to get a good
look at a pair of Bullocks and a pair of hooded orioles in the same tree,
as they flew back and forth. The hooded does not have a hood, but a large
black throat patch and an orange head. This one was the most brilliant
orange I have ever seen. The female was a deeper color than the Bullock's,
but both so very beautiful. When we came to the pond, a black-crowned night
heron perched for us and we got a good look. The bullfrogs croaked their
resounding bass song. A group of birdwatchers saw a green heron on
Saturday, but unfortunately we did not see it.
A group from Snow College, collecting insects, told us there were types of
insects there found no other place in Utah -- a beautiful iridescent green
beetle and a huge yellow one. They were an enthusiastic and delightful
group of young people, and we thoroughly enjoyed them. We were very
interested in everything we saw, noting some plants we were not familiar
with, finding a devil's claw pod and dried gourds. The plants are up, but
no blossoms yet.
Some lovely cactus blooms were noted also, and a verdin and its very
interesting nest -- large for such a small bird -- a ball which is entered
from the bottom and placed in a thorny cholla cactus.
Marjorie Paul and Connie Sedlar joined me in my Starcraft Trailer, my
"Wee Balla Machree" which is Irish for "Wee Home of My Heart". Finding
Zion's campgrounds full, we spent a delightful evening and morning with
Dave and Daisy Spafard, long-time UNSS members, who had shared many
wonderful trips with us.
Reaching Lytle, the road was a good dirt one. I put a hummingbird
feeder on a branch next to the window, and one morning a hummer flew
through the door to the window in direct line to the feeder. Back and
forth he flew. We finally zipped up the canvas to he could go out the
door. We saw Broad-tailed, Black-chinned, and the Costa's Hummingbirds.
The Costa's is a southern desert hummer, and the male has a lovely purple
gorget.
We did not see a great number of amphibians and reptiles, but did see
some lizards and the horned lizard we used to call "Horny Toad". The Snow
College group thought they saw a Coral Snake, but Eddie, the caretaker,
believes it was a Milk Snake. Both are striped, but the Coral has "Red and
yellow which can kill a fellow"! Eddie named all the snakes he knew were
there, three types of Rattlers among them, one the Sidewinder with its
interesting side-moving motion of travel.
We had wondered about Janet Williams, another long-time UNSS friend.
Saturday morning, who should arrive but Janet and a friend. We were all
delighted to see her, and they spent the day and evening with us.
We had a scrumptious Pot Luck Dinner Saturday evening in the Pavilion,
and it is amazing that is was so well balanced. Janet's friend serenaded
us with a flute concert as we visited under the stars. Early next morning
there were more walks. Someone saw the lovely Vermillion Flycatcher --
unfortunately we did not all get to see it. One brave soul decided to find
the Screech Owl the night before. Just as she spotted it, her flashlight
batteries went dead! She made an amazing return through a barbed wire fence
with just starlight to guide her.
Birds seen were: two common Black Hawks, with the white band on their
tails (another first), a Red-Tailed Hawk, Kestrel, Coot, Mourning Dove,
Broad-tailed, Black-chinned, and Costa's Hummingbirds, Ash-throated Flycatcher,
Western Kingbird, Verdin, Cactus Wren, Rock Wren, Bewick's Wren, Ruby-crowned
Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Phainopepla, Lucy's, Orange-crowned, Yellow,
and Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warblers, Summer Tanager, Blue Grosbeak,
Green-tailed and Rufous-sided Towhees, Chipping and Black-throated Sparrows,
House Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, House Finch,
American Goldfinch, a delightful close look at a pair of Lesser Goldfinches,
Robin, and some Swallows (not sure of the species).
Those who had seen the video on our pre-camp meeting were hoping they could
obtain one. As I settled with Eddie's family, I found that they had some of
the videos and also T-shirts. Our group bought every video and several of
the shirts. You may see them at future UNSS events. It was a great time
enjoyed by a wonderful group of people. We give thanks to The Nature
Conservancy and to BYU for preserving this lovely and unusual place, and we
hope we may yet save many other places so that our grandchildren in the
future may enjoy and learn from them. We hope to go again, for there is
much we would like to learn about this unique place.
Those present were Marjorie Paul, Connie Sedlar, Barbara and Joe Andrade,
Sharon Coons, Kathy Anderson, Connie Mackay, Marian Young, Leigh and Ralph
Seiler, Dot Platt, Janet Williams, and Darrel Anderson.
Schedule of Future UNSS Activities
Nature Notes -- Thoughts and Observations
Birds and Bees, Flowers and Trees
Projects and Activities to Try
UTAH NATURE STUDY SOCIETY -- HOME PAGE
