What's new on the SuperBlog:
2008-04-08 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\
TCA All Star Cheer & Dance Tryouts www.tucsoncheeracademy.com
320 S Plumer Avenue
770-1860
Tucson Cheer Academy is Tucson's biggest all star cheer and dance program. We are now getting ready for tryouts for the 2008-2009 season. Tryout information is now available at TCA or on our website.
If teams aren't your thing we also have classes ... read more
2008-04-05 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\
Cheerleading Tryouts http://www.tucsoncheeracademy.com
320 S Plumer Ave
770-1860
Tucson Cheer Academy is getting ready to hold tryouts for their national champion cheer and hip hop teams.
Tryouts will begin Saturday, May 10. Got to TCA to pick up the tryout application or download it at www.tucsoncheer.com. Tucson Cheer Academy ... read more
2008-03-21 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\
Cheer Camp and All-Star Cheerleading Tryouts http://www.desertcheer.com
2008 Team Tryouts
Desert Cheer Athletix is holding Team Placement Tryouts for our 2008-2009 Season on Saturday, May 3rd from 2:30 PM to 6:00 PM. Private Audtitions are available by request on dates after May 3rd.
Note: Ages for all teams are ... read more
2008-01-28 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Hiking Trails\
Views from Sentinal Peak in the fog
One day in December we had fog covering the top of 'A' Mountain. We didn't hike much - just drove to the parking lot at the top and walked the short distance to the A for this shot.""
2008-01-28 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Zoo\
Reid Park Zoo : vandalism
visit to the zoo today, someone had broken the thick glass on one of the polar bear upper viewing panes and also the sun bear area. Other notable, Baheem the Tiger was pacing near the fence and vocalizing. Maybe he still misses Rajah. "
2007-11-19 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Parks & Rec Classes\
The Parks & Rec Class Catalog http://www.tucsonaz.gov/parksandrec/prog
Register online for Tucson Parks & Rec classes"
2007-11-13 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Area Parks\
Manzanita Park : [positive comment]
its a very healthy park with no trash and its all well respected by everyone in that comunity."
2007-10-29 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Hiking Trails\
North from Sentinal Ridge Trail parking lot
Another trail heads north around a small hill from the parking lot for Sentintal Ridge Trail (off of Congress about a mile W of I-10).
Nice views of St Mary's hospital after a very short walk past an abandoned mine and small stone building. May also ... read more
2007-10-27 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Zoo\
Reid Park Zoo : contact vs no contact
The Tucson Zoo is a no-contact zoo, in order to preserve the wild behaviour of the animals as much as possible.
However, it seems to me that positive contact is the best available enrichment for many of the animals, especially the elephants. After ... read more
2007-10-25 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Santa Cruz River\
River walk
The Santa Cruz river walk has lower traffic than the Rillito, though bikes and pedestrians share the path in some areas. Excellent views of Sentinal Peak ("A" Mountain) - and the Pima County Jail -from this stretch of walkway between Silverlake and 22nd ... read more
2007-10-25 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Farms and Stables\
Campus Agricultural Center : Horses, horses and colts
We took a walk thru the Ag Center this morning, sleek and friendly horses come up to be petted or for the occasional bit of grass. One pen holds several colts and fillies, my guess is a few months old, all cute and inquisitive. A few goats are in the ... read more
2007-10-20 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Botanical Gardens\
Butterfly Magic at the Gardens http://www.tucsonbotanical.org/special_e
From now thru March 31, 2008, you can come see amazing tropical butterflies up close at the Botanical Gardens. "Butterfly Magic" provides eco-friendly income to butterfly farms around the world, including some in Costa Rica and Malaysia, according to ... read more
2007-10-20 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Kennedy Lake & Park\
Kennedy Park
From the park, you can't even see the lake right over the hill. Its a fun thing to do with kids, to ask them to hike up the small rise for the first time and see what they find.
2007-10-20 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Kennedy Lake & Park\
Healthy ducks
At our most recent visits this summer and now in October 2007, we haven't seen any ducks tangled in fishing line. Kudos to whoever cleaned it up, parks & rec, volunteers or the fisherfolk. The duck that had a hook stuck in its cheek that Animal Experts ... read more
2007-10-20 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Hiking Trails\
Sentinal Ridge Trail
Short, scenic hike within walking distance of downtown. Parking lot is off Congress about a mile W of I-10, just before it curves to the north. After switchbacking around up to the ridge, an uncrowded area with great views of the city, you have to walk ... read more
2007-10-15 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Nature Observations\
Prickly pears can't be picky...
2639 E 5th St
This cactus found an unusual place to take root - its at the corner of 5th St and Sawtelle"
2007-10-15 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Hiking Trails\
On the way to SASI, Orcut Trail
Along the 1/4 mile dirt road on the way to SASI (Southern Arizona Arthropod Institute) I believe is the Orcut trail. You can walk down the road at any time, the gate is open on the 4th Saturday of the month when SASI holds its open house. Look for the ... read more
2007-10-14 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Butterflies by the dozen : Do pipevine swallowtails lay eggs twice a season?
Looking back over these notes from last year, it reminded me that just last week - in early October 2007 - I saw a Pipevine swallowtail laying eggs as well. Do they have two cycles, and how do they overwinter? Are there special plants for the pupae ... read more
2007-10-13 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Botanical Gardens\
Rake your own zen garden
The Japanese Zen garden exhibit (where there are rocks and patterns raked in gravel) has a new addition - a marble (I think?) table with rocks and sand that you can rake in your own patterns. Low enough for little kids to use - my 2-yr old spent a good ... read more
2007-10-12 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Santa Cruz River\
Santa Cruz - wildlife throughfare
Coyotes, toads, cottontails, jackrabbits, lizards, snakes, hawks, kestrels, burrowing owls - all make their homes or travel thru the Santa Cruz. One year the Great Blue Heron that was hanging out at Kennedy Lake even showed up in the wash. Sometimes ... read more
2007-10-12 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Hiking Trails\
: W End of 36th St
I don't know if this trail has a name, but there is a parking area and an short wide trail up to an old stone building on top of a hill. Great views of the city. We try and clean the broken glass up when we visit. I wonder what the history is of this ... read more
2007-10-11 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum : "Pebbles in our shoes"
I read this book many years ago, "Pebbles in our Shoes" about the founding of the Desert Museum. I haven't seen it on sale anymore in the gift shop, but you can probably find it online.
2007-10-10 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Botanical Gardens\
Butterflies Emerging to do their magic
The actual Butterfly Magic greenhouse exhibit will open for the public on Oct 16, but you can already see the beauties emerging from their cocoons most mornings at the Botanical Gardens. The cocoons are hanging in a window just past the greenhouse where ... read more
2007-10-10 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Where are the Horseshoe Crabs? : Mineral Magnifier fixed!
Good to see someone is maintaining the area - the scope that was set wrong is now fixed, and you can see the detailed crystal structure of some beautiful mineral specimens in the underground area connected to the cave. The other place in Tucson to see ... read more
2007-10-10 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Native trees and concrete : It was the scale bugs
Talked to a member of the botany staff yesterday, and he let me know that the big problem with the palo verdes was a huge infestation of scale insects, and that is why they were removed. He also said that the concrete hole type planting is "sub-optimal ... read more
2007-10-08 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Native trees and concrete
The palo verdes at the entrance have been replaced, as we'd been told they would be. Apparently Palo Verdes have a wide shallow root system that is not compatible with the cemented entranceway to the museum. It seems a shame to replace them with more ... read more
2007-08-27 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Where are the Horseshoe Crabs? http://desertmuseum.org/
My 2-yr old loves to go to the Desert Museum so much, we get into the nitty-gritty details. So, in the evolution of life exhibit down in the cave, we noticed that the tank supposed to be showing live Horseshoe Crabs as examples of early sea life, is ... read more
2007-08-14 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Zoo\
The story of Pip the Vulture
On a recent visit to the zoo, we were lucky to catch a vulture encounter and noticed that the young bird was extremely affectionate with its keeper, rubbing its head and neck and asking for scratches. Keeper Leslie told us Pip's story:
The King Vultures ... read more
2007-07-18 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Lizard Friends : Chuckwalla died shortly after this photo
Spoke to a curator at the Desert Museum, it turns out the Chuckwalla (on the bottom of the 'lizard stack' died about 1-2 weeks after this photo was taken.
But, he said that 'stacking' is a nonagressive social behaviour, and the desert iguana in the ... read more
2007-06-30 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Zoo\
Giraffe Feeding Station
From 10AM to 10:45, close encounters with a giraffe will run you just $1 per biscuit.
2007-06-30 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Reptile Room
A few photos...
2007-06-30 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Lizard Friends : Chuckwalla not in the cage today
Perhaps this wasn't so friendly - when we went to the DM last week, the Chuckwalla was no longer in the cage (and he has been there with the desert iguana for years). Will ask a docent if we get a chance.
2007-06-22 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Nature Observations\
: Cliff Swallows nesting under I-10 by Colorado river
We just came back from a driving trip to California, and saw a big colony of birds that built mud nests under the I-10 freeway where it crosses the Colorado. A check in my Sibley's guide looks like they are Cliff Swallows. Its neat to see them all wheeling ... read more
2007-06-03 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Natural History\
About Saguaros http://www.saguaro-juniper.com/i_and_i/c
This is not a Tucson specific site, but an excellent source for the life cycle of the Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea). I thought I knew a bit about them, but here is something new to me - Saguaros may only be able to propagate a few times a century! ... read more
2007-06-03 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Lizard Friends
Check out this photo - the Desert Iguana and Chuckwalla not only share a cage, they seem to enjoy playing lizard stack today.
2007-06-02 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Sabino Canyon\
Streamside
Back in April we took the kids to Sabino Canyon, rode the tram and played in the water. Where else can you find a sandy beach by clean running water in Tucson?
2007-05-04 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\T-Rex Museum\
T-Rex Museum official site http://trexmuseum.org/
Browse calendar of events, sign up for Trex summer camp, take a virtual tour, and learn about preliminary plans for a new museum location!""
2007-04-23 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\
: Summer Class Registration Now http://www.tucsonaz.gov/parksandrec
The Parks & Rec summer class catalog is out. Pick one up at any rec center or visit the website to sign up!
2007-04-20 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Botanical Gardens\
Tucson Botanical Gardens http://www.tucsonbotanical.org/
A 5 1/2 acre shady oasis in central Tucson. From an earlier time when native plants were not the 'thing' to do, TBG is a nice mix of lush gardens, kitchen herbs, children's area with water feature, earthworms and touchable plants, plus native wildflowers ... read more
2007-04-16 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Zoo\
About the Tucson Zoological Society http://tucsonzoo.org/
The official site of the Tucson Zoological Society, complete with map, calendar of special events, conservation info and more."
2007-04-16 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Zoo\
: New Baird's Tapir
The new Tapir in the South American area is quite people-friendly. He swam over to us and when we talked to him, actually climbed up and reached up his nose within about 2 feet from where we were standing! According to the sign he arrived at the zoo ... read more
2007-04-09 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\
: Old Recreation & Nature page http://btucson.com/rec.php
Lots of misc recreational links - hiking, biking, destinations, culture, arts.
2007-03-30 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Santa Cruz River\
: http://www.wnpa.org/Merchant2/merchant.m
This cool little booklet is on sale at the Botanical Gardens. History and ecology of the Santa Cruz, with species lists. Now I know what those little guys are that come out of the mud in my backyard - almost certainly Couch's Spadefoots. For $2.95 ... read more
2007-03-26 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\
: Small Milkweed Bug link http://bugguide.net/node/view/460
Here's a nice link at bugguide.net with photos. These are the little reddish bugs you see running around attached back to back. I've always played with them since I was a kid, but never knew exactly what they were!
2007-03-26 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\
: seed bugs and desert butterfly lifecycles http://sasionline.org
The fourth Saturday of every month, the Sonoran Arthropod Studies Institute (SASI) has an open house. We love to go, the program is different every month and there are lots of chances for kids to have close-up buggy encounters if they like, even take ... read more
2007-03-22 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Parks & Rec Classes\
: Movers and Shakers adds class
If you have a 2-3 year old you don't want to miss this fun class. Basically a large padded running room with soft climbers, tunnels, huge balls, inclines, you name it. Circle time has stretches and movement done in a toddler-friendly way, then they ... read more
2007-03-21 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Zoo\
: Baheem and Raja, Tiger Brothers
As any mother of boys will tell you, brothers sometimes fight, and twin tiger brothers Baheem and Raja are no exception. Born in the Cinncinnati zoo May of 2001 and arriving in Tucson at 5 months of age, our tigers have spent their lives together. ... read more
2007-03-13 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Sabino Canyon\
: Deer tracks & phainopeplas
We took a short hike down the Bear Canyon trail at Sabino Canyon this Sunday - beautiful hiking weather, and good birding. The Phainopeplas have arrived, we saw at least 5 birds on our short walk to the creek. We ate our snack under the shade of some ... read more
2007-02-12 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Birding\
Tucson Audubon Society Birding Resources http://www.tucsonaudubon.org/birding/
All kinds of birding destinations, trips & tips as well as info about bird conservation.
2007-02-12 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Birding\
Sweetwater Sunday http://www.tucsonaudubon.org/birding/swe
Visited the ironically named Sweetwater Wetlands yesterday - its a set of water treatment ponds, but the odor is not bad and the birding quite good from my amateur standpoint. Many verdins and redwing blackbirds, some kind of nesting egret, I think, ... read more
2007-02-09 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Zoo\
Polar Bears Playing
Every zoo visit - and we visit a lot! - we see something new. Today it was Boris and Kobe, the two Polar Bears, wrestling and playing in the water. They looked like two huge dogs, chomping playfully at each other, going under and bear-hugging. Next ... read more
2007-02-09 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Zoo\
Elephant Art Notecards
Another thing we just found out today, you can buy packs of abstract Elephant Art, created by Shaba the African Elephant. We bought an 8-pack of these unique cards for $10 - figured this was a good way to donate to the new elephant habitat.
2007-02-08 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Ecology\
: Win-Win Ecology Part II
Reconciliation Ecology - so what is that, exactly? According to Rosenzweig's book, it is "the science of inventing, establishing, and maintaining new habitates to conserve species diversity in places where people live, work or play". Kind of ecological ... read more
2007-02-05 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Ecology\
: Win-win Ecology Interview
On Friday I had a chance to interview Mike Rosenzweig, author of 'Win-Win Ecology, How the Earth's Species can Survive in the Midst of Human Enterprise". Its a subject I've always been interested in, at least from the perspective of creating backyard ... read more
2007-01-16 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Natural History\
: Fossil Finds in Southern Arizona http://www.safossils.com
website shows fossil photos from all around S Az, including some right near Tucson - see a Branching Bryozoa from a road cut on old Nogales Highway. Also find out about trips and sites."
2007-01-02 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Sonoran Sea Aquarium\
Sonoran Sea Aquarium http://www.tucsonaquarium.com/
official website - has information on the project status of Tucson's future public aquarium, the travelling Desert Waters educational program, Arizona rivers slideshow and much more."
2007-01-02 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Sonoran Sea Aquarium\
Interview - Sonoran Sea Aquarium
We live on the Santa Cruz river, and my daughters love the frog & fish exhibits at the Desert Museum. So we've been following the news on the possibility of a Tucson Aquarium - it would be so cool! This week I had a chance to interview Franklin Lane ... read more
2006-09-19 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Zoo\
Reid Park Zoo http://tucsonzoo.org
See http://TucsonZoo.org, the official Reid Park Zoo website""
2006-09-19 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Nature Observations\
Passion Vines bring Gulf Fritillarys
We planted passion vines in our front yard and within 2-3 weeks the butterflies had found them and we had Gulf Frit caterpillars all over the vine. They will consume most of the leaves, but in return you get these beauties coming out right in your yard ... read more
2006-09-19 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Twice-stabbed ladybird beetles
Right outside the entrance of the Desert Museum - both palo verdes are attacked by scale insects, which are in turn being consumed by a large population of these striking ladybird beetles -Chilocorus stigma, I think
2006-09-19 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Zoo\
Gibbons in the morning
The best time to visit the White-handed Gibbons is in the morning - not only are they vocalizing and swinging, sometimes you can actually catch them in a game of tag! Its a family unit - mom, dad and 6-yr old daughter who have lived together at the zoo ... read more
2006-08-24 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Kennedy Lake & Park\
Down trees
The huge cottonwood tree and several mature palo verdes were knocked down in the storm last night. Such a shame - some of those trees must have been 30 or 50 yrs old (will try to check).
Examining the down cottonwood - many nests, all wrapped up ... read more
2006-08-22 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Butterflies by the dozen
Its butterfly season! Visit the butterfly demonstration gardens and see Queens caterpillars consuming the milkweeds, several other species as well. We saw a black pipevine butterfly laying eggs, and a beautiful but unidentified yellow cater. Queens ... read more
2006-08-15 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Desert Museum\
Dragonflys mating, baby lizards, barrel cactus flowers
There's always something new at the Desert Museum. Today we had closeup views of the Mountain Lion and the Coatis right by their windows. All the small blue and red dragonflys were mating - probably over 50 pairs right upstairs from the river otter ... read more
2006-08-07 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\
Termination Tracks from the Dinosaur age
Visited the T-Rex museum today - where else can you see a 260 million year old story of a spider and a hungry lizard? Amazing that we can see just what happened one day that long ago...
2006-07-31 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Nature Observations\
Horse Lubber Grasshoppers
Big black grasshoppers with yellow stripes. We found them at Desert Survivor's Nursery on 22nd st, look by the Tree Morning Glories. Lots of butterflies as well.
2006-07-14 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Kennedy Lake & Park\
Tangled Geese at Kennedy Lake
Some of the newer, young white geese at the lake have gotton tangled in fishing line. They are fairly easy to catch; Thurs we caught one and cut the line off its leg with a pocket knife. "
2006-07-13 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\
Piano Lessons and more http://www.theredbarntheater.com
Rosemary Snow at the Red Barn Theatre is a marvelous piano teacher! My daughter just started with her, it is a neat and kid-friendly environment and she charges only $ 10 for a half-hour lesson! "
2006-07-10 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\
Tiny tot splash pool at Quincie Douglas
For toddlers, Quincie Douglas pool at 36th & Campbell has the a great splash wading pool - just a few inches of water and lots of fun fountains. The big pool also has a beach feature. "
2006-06-13 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\
Tucson Zoo at http://tucsonzoo.org
now has electric train for kids to ride on out in front of the zoo
2006-05-01 \Tucson\Parks & Rec\Kennedy Lake & Park\
Hummingbirds at Kennedy Lake
At least five hummingbirds are resident in the large cottonwood tree on the South side of Kennedy Lake (on Mission/Ajo). Otherwise mainly muscovy ducks, several geese, a few American coots. """
