Sedona - Red Rock Country

 

Sedona is famous for many things but the red rocks that surround the city are the most obvious.

When you drive into town, unless you've been there numerous times, you will be forced to pull over on the side of the road and start taking photos. They are magnetic.

If you are lucky enough to be with someone who lives here, they can educate you on the names of some of these iconic formations. The formation above is "Coffee Pot". Below, "Shark Tooth" and "Steamboat". Although many have the honor of being named, there are plenty of these beautiful formations that are waiting to be named. The tricky part is that these rocks look different from various places in town so it takes a while to learn their names.

The challenge with living in a beautiful place is that much of the world wants to come to visit. Those of us living in Idyllwild know about that situation. We are proud of our town and love our mountains and we don't mind sharing but when we can't find a parking spot for our own hiking trails or visitors trash the trails or worse, start illegal campfires, we aren't so welcoming. Sedona's situation is magnified.

So how do you cope with the influx of people when you want to get out and enjoy nature? For me, I try to find less-known places to get out. They may not be magnificent like the popular spots, but they are peaceful and rewarding in a different way. During my visit, I was introduced to two special places that have water which is inviting to...birds. Yeah! Dead Horse Ranch State Park and Bubbling Springs are two birding hotspots that are not heavily visited by humans but they have lots of birds.

Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)

This masked warbler found the ponds with surrounding vegetation perfect for him.

Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)

Idyllwild is home to this neotropical migrant in the summer just like Sedona.

Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra)

However, it would be rare for us to see its cousin in our mountains.

I'm hoping to get these lizards identified by someone more knowledgeable than me! Idyllwild and Sedona both share being lizard country. Our backyard in Idyllwild is a haven for four species of lizards. If you haven't spent much time watching lizards, it's really a fun thing to do. They have a lot of personality. Just like with birding, binoculars help you see their details and their behavior.

I'm usually looking for nature spots to explore but visiting museums can be extremely enlightening about a place.

We found this copper art museum in nearby Clarkdale which is a previous copper mining town.

This museum covers lots of information including historical facts like the ones listed above.

There are numerous rooms filled with beautiful pieces. Imagine scuba diving with a copper helmet? Did you know that wine is made with copper?

One of the biggest surprises to me was a room filled with "Trench Artwork". I was surprised at my ignorance about the fact that during WW1, soldiers created artwork while stationed abroad. These beautiful pieces were created from artillery canister shells abandoned on battlefields. This museum has so much to offer. I highly recommend taking a side trip to Clarkdale if you find yourself in Sedona. While you are there, go to Violette's Caboose for lunch. You won't be disappointed!

Happy Memorial Day!

Photos and content by Robin Roberts.

Click on photos to enlarge.

Hurkey Creek - A Postburn Forest

2018 Cranston Wildfire

 When we moved to Idyllwild from the southeast in 2013, wildfires were not part of my life. What an awakening! We evacuated our home in the summer of 2013 as well as 2018 when these destructive fires went through the mountains. I since learned that wildfires are a normal part of our Mediterranean climate but the difference now is that they are occurring much more frequently and severely now than historically. You can name contributing factors – drought, higher temperatures, forest management, and humans. Both of the fires in the San Jacinto Mountains were ignited by humans one of whom is sitting in jail for throwing flares out of his car.

Black-backed Woodpecker

Many of you know about the Black-backed Woodpecker that lives in Sierra Nevada, northern California as well as other western states. However, they do not live in the southern San Jacinto Mountains. These woodpeckers spend their lives in postburn forests. They are a magnet for these birds. Heat sensing wood boring beetles are attracted to the charred trees and deposit larvae in abundance which the woodpeckers feast on. They respond immediately to a forest in crisis.

Woodpeckers are considered keystone species of the forest. Most of them use their nest cavity once which enables a multitude of birds who rely on their carpentry skills to nest in their vacated nest site. Mammals also benefit by these created tree holes. Woodpeckers play a vital role in the renewal of life in a postburn forest.

White-headed Woodpecker

After the 2018 wildfire, I began to do more research and discovered that the White-headed and Hairy Woodpecker, although not strictly associated with postburn forests, are attracted initially for the same reason. Since both of these drillers live in our area, I was thrilled. I began searching for them where ever I could access an impacted area. To me, they represent hope in an otherwise depressing sight.

There truly is a difference in the recovery of a postburn landscape when the wildfire is less severe leaving some standing trees both charred and alive. When a fire is widespread reaching deep into the ground and up into the canopies of the forest, the effects are much more severe. While performing my work as a Tahquitz Peak fire lookout volunteer, I scanned the mountainside for any signs of new growth after the 2018 Cranston fire. The fire in this part of the wilderness was all consuming. The terrain was too steep and structures were not threatened (except for the lookout tower) so the fire blazed relentlessly. Only small black “toothpicks” that were once trees remained on the ash filled slopes. Last year, I saw small signs of green growth but it was far less than other less impacted areas. It will take decades to have any resemblance of a forest.

In contrast, I have hiked along places where the wildfires were less severe like Hurkey Creek. Resilient plants like the scrub oak, red shank, and manzanita are thriving. Beautiful wildflowers that bloom after fires are abundant. Birds that like this new open space for foraging insects have replaced some of the closed forest birds. Flycatchers, Lawrence’s Goldfinches, Lazuli Buntings and Western Bluebirds are a few of the dazzling birds that fill this landscape.

 Hurkey Creek campground was spared from the 2018 fire by the hard work of the firefighters but the forest surrounding it was consumed but not as severely as in the high county near Tahquitz Peak. I recently discovered a trail that runs alongside the flowing creek for about ½ mile. Evidently, the fire has opened up the trail and made it more accessible. The birdsong of dueling Lazuli Buntings and House Wrens caught my attention as did the bright orange Bullock’s Oriole, bright yellow Western Tanagers, Western Kingbirds, and a few migrating warblers. I was overwhelmed by all the gorgeous birds. Spring migration is in progress so they won’t all stay but I do expect the turquoise Lazuli bunting to nest in this area.

If you decide to go hiking or birding, expect to pay a $6 day use fee. Hurkey Creek is located near Lake Hemet off of Hwy 74 heading to Idyllwild.

Spring is an exciting time! Enjoy!

Photos and Content by Robin Roberts, Idyllwild CA