Monday, August 6, 2012

Exploring Southern Arizona – Summer 2012

Exploring Southern Arizona – Summer 2012
Here are some images from some of our summer excursions.  I have provided links to learn more about the places visited.  Hope you enjoy!





Colossal Cave Mountain Park
“Our Mission
- To maintain the unique balance of Colossal Cave Mountain Park - the land, its history, and its ecosystems - for this and future generations.”
The photos are from above ground while exploring in and around La Posta Quemada Ranch.  The cave is well worth the trip as well.  








Sabino Canyon
“Welcome to the Santa Catalina Mountains, one of the premier natural areas in southeastern Arizona.  The elevation ranges from 2,724 ft. in Sabino Canyon to 9,157 ft. at the top of Mt. Lemmon.  The lowland desert as well as the high pine forest is managed for many multi-use purposes; hiking, biking, rock climbing, skiing, camping, education and research are among some of the activities.”  A nice escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.




Friends of Sabino Canyon
“In the eastern foothills of the Santa Catalina mountain range, Sabino Canyon is a world of natural beauty. Stunning vistas, the freshness of the morning air, the tranquility of running creek water, and the rugged backdrop of Thimble Peak make this place so unique.”
Tucson Bats
Bat Night is a yearly environmental performance art event produced by The Rillito River Project and held in Tucson Arizona under the Campbell Avenue bridge. This bridge spans the Rillito River, which once had water flowing in it most of the year. Human settlement over the last century has left the river dry, endangering many of the species that relied on the river for their water and habitat.”  It is very cool to watch the bats come out as they depart for a night of dining on insects!

Mexican free-tail bats are common in Tucson. These bats migrate from Mexico to Tucson in April. The bats return to Mexico in October. Mexican free-tail bats are small animals weighing about 13 grams, with a wingspan of 10 inches and a body the size of a human thumb.
The expansion joints of Tucson’s bridges provide a perfect home for these bats. The 1 foot-deep groves give the bats an ideal location for their young because the temperature remains consistent. Five hundred baby free-tail bats can cluster in 1 square foot under the bridges.
There are 4 bridges in Tucson that have big colonies of bats: 
       East Broadway bridge over the Pantano Wash. 
       North Campbell Avenue bridge over the Rillito. 
       East Tanque Verde bridge over the Rillito. 
       Ina Road bridge at the Santa Cruz River.
At sunset the bats fly out from under these bridges. Usually you can see this swarm of bats around 7:30 p.m.
Biosphere 2
“Biosphere 2 is located north of Tucson, Arizona at the base of the stunning Santa Catalina Mountains. This one-of-a-kind facility sits on a ridge at a cool elevation of nearly 4000 feet and is surrounded by a magnificent natural desert preserve. Come experience the remarkable Biosphere 2 which Time Life Books recently named one of the 50 must see "Wonders of the World". See why visitors from around the globe journey here for this unique adventure not found anywhere else. Discover real-time research on the future of our planet as it unfolds in the specially designed mini-world.”  Really enjoyed the visit. 









Reid Park Zoo
“Travel from South America to the Asian rainforest, and then to the African savannah in one day! Explore beautiful habitats housing hundreds of exotic animals from around the world. Reid Park Zoo is a hidden gem, nestled in the center of Tucson, and is the perfect place to enjoy time outside while discovering the wonders of wildlife.”  Nice escape in the middle of Tucson. 















THE END!


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

How does one pick a favorite??....the storm clouds, wonderful insider look at the Biosphere, great ostrich (??) face, tortoise enjoying the water, love the bat shot, wow. Good stuff, great photos.

Joellen

Anonymous said...

Great photos, especially the Zoo pics!

Kelly S.

Anonymous said...

Great pix. The camera must be state of the art. The colors are so vivid.

Shirley

TCB Photo Blog said...

Thanks for all the comments!