Page 34 - BRN April 2021

neither year was there a “good monsoon”. Not only is the rainfall projected to diminish in the future, but it is going to become more erratic and less predictable from year to year. Plan for the worst and the best will be such a relief!
Temperature
Elevation, aspect (north or south facing slopes), exposure to direct sun or wind, all create microclimates that make a difference in plant growth and shelter for animals. Shade, humidity, and wind protection can all be important, especially for nest building, egg deposition sites, or night roosts. Keeping these in mind can make a big difference to creatures choosing to use your space or the survival of some plant species.
Surface and Groundwater
The riparian zone is the area along creeks, streams, rivers, and springs where the roots of plants, especially those of trees and shrubs, can contact groundwater to supplement precipitation. Often this is also the floodplain for the stream and has naturally richer soils. The main streets of Kingston and Hillsboro follow Percha creek, with the yards of houses adjacent to the creek in the riparian zone. Few trees have roots that will grow much beyond 20 feet deep, although a few will have anchoring tap roots a bit deeper, but most of their roots for water and nutrient uptake are within the top 2-3 feet of soil.
Foothills desert grasslands (Northern Chihuahuan Desert)
Soils in these areas are generally alkaline, rocky and/or clay dominated. Pockets of heavy clay or stony areas created by local erosion patterns can be locally significant because some plants will grow well in those pockets. Groundwater is beyond the reach of all but honey mesquite in most cases, although washes, gullies, and hollows may harvest precipitation and concentrate moisture somewhat. Native juniper species, sumac, ephedra, currants, scrub oaks, wolfberry, apache plume, catclaw, desert willow, buffalo
This is the land for grasses, locoweeds, mustards, milkvetch, thistles, composites, mallow, cacti, yucca, and native shrubs, all of which are important for seeds and insect species. The dense thorny shrubs, larger prickly pear, and junipers provide important nesting sites for several species such as cactus wrens, black-throated sparrows, verdins, and thrashers. The fruit of prickly pears is relished by many species. With a little additional care, other native species such as penstemons, sages, milkweeds, barberry, buckwheat, and poppies can make nice beds in addition to the sunflowers, thistles, and asters.
The bird community attracted to this habitat is dominated by seed eaters – especially those that prefer the seeds of grasses and composites, such as asters, thistles, and sunflowers. There are also a few fruit- or nut-producing shrubs that like this habitat, such as wolfberry, sumac, junipers, scrub oak, and cacti, and these can be encouraged with additional care. Birds that like this habitat include several kinds of sparrows, finches, towhees, pyrrhuloxias, grosbeaks, ravens, raptors, quail, and doves. Many of these species are residents, and most seek dense, prickly, or thorny plants for nest sites protected from predators, sun, and wind, although a few, like nighthawks, nest on the ground. This habitat does have insects, especially large ones like grasshoppers, butterflies, moths, and bees, as the latter are also attracted to the composite’s flowers. Consequently, some birds attracted to larger insects, such as Say’s phoebe and kestrels, are common here. Also present are a few that eat a bit of everything, like wrens and verdins. I recall once in Arizona watching three fledgling verdins trying to manage an Apache cicada nearly as big as they were. Can’t say it went well. There is a reason your momma never fed you cicadas, kids!
Wasps and hornets are interested in this habitat and show up occasionally, as the adults are attracted to sweet fruit and nectar (including hummingbird feeders in dry spells) and so are important pollinators; however they are also predators, since they feed their larvae caterpillars, spiders, and other large insects. Most orchardist like having wasps and hornets around, especially paper wasps, as they do an excellent job of controlling
gourd, and wildflowers rely on precipitation rather than groundwater and may do well especially in pockets with deeper soil or slight runoff catchments. Shade limiting light is not generally a concern but if you want shade or fruit trees you will need to plan on watering them into the future. Fruit trees need to be situated with protection from the wind.
Feral European Honey Bees will nest in both rock alcoves and plant hollows.
several insects injurious to fruit trees. You should treat them with the same calm and respect as you do honeybees. The calmer you stay, the calmer they will be, as they can scent adrenaline very well and their compound eyes are very sensitive to sudden, jerky movements which agitate them. As a reformed beekeeper, who may yet backslide, I consider it good to remind folks that honeybees are not native to the new world, although they
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