Four-wing Saltbush

Thursday was our now-normal morning of tending to the quails in the flight pens (the "flights") as well as the "display" birds and then going to Arivaca to take water readings for the hydrology study. It was a nice day for both, warm and sunny.

After stopping to eat our sandwiches at Arivaca Creek, we were back to the visitor center by early afternoon. I had planned to work on my computer, writing a program for the hydrology data. Ellen would be back by the roadside gathering White-ball Acacia seeds. We needed to go back to the outpost so I could get my computer and Ellen could grab a hat and more water (hot and thirsty work by the side of the road).

By the time we made it back to the visitor center, plans had changed. Dan asked if we could both go to a part of the refuge where we had not been to locate another seed, Four-wing Saltbush. We went together as it is very isolated and quite a distance away. Programming would have to wait. The saltbush area is nearly 20 miles from the refuge and down a progressively worse dirt road. Ellen had cut a branch from a saltbush near the visitor center so we could identify the plant. As we drove down the dirt road, squinting at all the bushes, Ellen said stop and there they were, Four-wing Saltbush loaded with seeds. Sadly Ellen did not bring her camera or much else as this was not our plan for the afternoon so you won't have saltbush photos unless we get to go back again.

The bushes were loaded with seeds and once we figured out the best way to pick them, we managed to fill most of a large black trash bag. The seeds were ripe for picking and the branches were loaded, unlike the acacia seeds which were tedious to gather. All of these seeds will be used in the production of "seed balls". These look like meatballs (same size and color) and are made of clay mud with the seeds inside. When land is cleared of the hated mesquite, these balls are thrown on the newly turned dirt and hopefully sprout in the spring rains. The two varieties of bush from which we have been collecting seeds are vital to restoring the native habitat and food supply for ... you guessed it ... Masked Bobwhite Quail.

We were late getting back to the refuge and were supposed to stop at Dan's house for Thirsty Thursday, a casual gathering. Because we had to put the truck away, it was getting dark and cold by the time we started cycling to the outpost. Ellen had dropped her backpack in Speedy at midday (as she expected to be nearby along the road) so had no jacket, only a short-sleeved tee shirt. As she was quite cold, she opted to pass up socializing and head back to Speedy as fast as she could cycle while I went to Dan's for a quick visit.