Rare birds showed up, like the white-fronted goose, a white pelican, and plenty of ducks.
The Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch in Gilbert, AZ is a popular location for portrait photography. For me, this was in early April 2009 on my first visit to Tucson.
Learning and playing at the same time, not bad, right? In the 1960’s, a gravel pit was created there to provide material to build Interstate-10.
It will best […]By Janine Spencer-Glasson, Friends of El Rio Preserve The Santa Cruz River serves as an important resource for migrating birds in the southwestern United States.
This has created intermittent habitat for birds that need a site with surface water.
Boy Scouts have volunteered, putting up bee boards and bird boxes for kestrels and brown-crested flycatchers.Improvements at El Rio Preserve have been a collaborative effort. There is currently no water flowing into the Preserve while bank protection is being constructed.
During storm events, invasive weed seeds and huge patches of trash would flow in and settle in the basin.
The Town is coordinating with the Marana Unified School District and classes of students have toured the site and focused on science relevant to their studies.
This preserve was specially created in 1999 to protect ecology and history of the area. Photo by Janine Spencer-Glasson.An Indigo Bunting at the El Rio Preserve. When I walked through the trails, it was easy to forget that city sprawled around the preserve. Migrating birds depend upon riparian habitat more than any other type of … Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch- 2757 E. Guadalupe Road. They have playground for children.
The Preserve is open daily from dawn to dusk.
This is a beautiful lake with camping spots, picnic tables, fishing areas, bird watching areas and perfectly shaded walking trails all around the place. The event entrance is located on the Guadalupe Road parking lot side.
Marana has constructed a viewing deck, a water fountain, toilet, and interpretive signs, and planted native landscapingRaccoon tracks at the El Rio Preserve. Throughout this time, birders knew the spot as the “Coachline Gravel Pit.” Occasionally some interesting avian species would appear, including blue grosbeak, grey hawk, peregrine falcon, white-faced ibis, osprey, belted kingfisher, Bell’s vireo, Inca dove, and hooded orioles, to name a few.It has been wonderful to see so many organizations and volunteers work to create a beautiful spot for people and birds!A big thanks to Laurie Jurs for submitting the slam poem “Animal Planet” below. In Laurie’s words: I have lived in the desert on five acres south of Green Valley since 1987. Several species of birds and waterfowl live in the preserve. Rabbits are everywhere here.
And if you are lucky, then you will get to see the local wildlife too.
5:30-9pm.
Photo By Janine Spencer-Glasson.This fall, Marana will construct a connection to purchase water from the Cortaro-Marana Irrigation District and create a permanent pond approximately 5 acres in size. This prompted the Town of Marana to take a new look at what was now called the El Rio Preserve.Environmental education is an important element of the El Rio Preserve. During a major rainstorm in 2014, the soil berm was breached between the gravel pit and the Santa Cruz River, and water filled the property almost completely, creating a beautiful lake and much buzz among people familiar with the area. Michael Bogan, Professor at the University of Arizona, has led a damselfly and dragonfly viewing and provided information and photos for an interpretive sign at the Preserve. The Fishing Lake is open from dawn to 10 p.m. Pima County Flood Control is in the early stages of constructing bank protection which will cost nearly $1.9 M (nesting bird and archaeological surveys have been completed prior to ground disturbance). The bank protection is designed to allow overflow connectivity with the Santa Cruz River during large rain events. Photo by Janine Spencer-Glasson.When did you fall in love with the Sonoran Desert? She then designed a preliminary landscape plan.