Water Ranch
Gilbert, Arizona

Not long ago much of what is now Gilbert, Arizona was devoted to the cultivation of Citrus, Cotton and Cattle. With industry and jobs and the ever expanding metropolis of Phoenix the fields have given way to neighborhood after neighborhood of residential homes. Tens of thousands of people generate millions of gallons of wastewater - which, thanks to modern treatment techniques can be made pure enough to drink. Citizens are still averse to using wastewater for direct human use, but have learned that it is a resource beyond value in this arid desert. The Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch has an urban fishing lake and seven shallow ponds where reclaimed water undergoes final purification by the workings of marsh plants, micoorganisms and solar energy. Part of the water infiltrates the soil to recharge the ground water, but before it does it is available as well to wildlife. Walking paths between the ponds have been discovered by strollers, bird watchers, equestrians, and folks walking their pets as a bit of verdant paradise amid the concrete of urbanscapes. The Gilbert planners whose vision produced this resource from ‘waste water’ and a quarter section of untaxed land should be commended.

With so many fish to eat a gathering of herons and egrets relax afterwards on a mud bank. In this picture there are both Great Egrets (the taller ones) and Snowy Egrets.

From Phoenix drive east on I-10 to US-60, the Superstition Freeway. Exit at Greenfield Rd. in Mesa and drive south about 3 miles to Guadalupe. The water ranch is on the southeast corner behind public library. The parking entrance is off Guadalupe just east of the library. Management of the area is by the Riparian Institute, a function of the City of Gilbert.

Field Trip Reports:
August 23, 2009

It was an oppressively hot and muggy Sunday morning and yet dozens of bird watchers arrived early lugging heavy tripods, long telephoto lenses, binoculars and supplies of cold drinking water. Their quest: to take a look at a juvenile Wood Stork that had arrived and decided to stay a while about 10 days earlier. Word had been passed around via Listserves on the Internet that this magnificent bird, rarely seen in Arizona, was making a show. And there it was, on Pond #6, using its oversized bill to scoop up mini-tilapia fish alternately holding a wing out to shield the bright sunshine and making the water surface more transparent. Wonderful. Observers scarcely noticed the rivulets of perspiration dripping off their faces into the marsh.

Plumage and other traits identified this Wood Stork as a first-year juvenile. Lucky it found this pond as it dispersed too far from its likely nesting spot in northwest Mexico.

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Birds

Here, some of the more likely species are listed. Seasonal occurrence: (S)ummer, (F)all, (W)inter, (Sp)ring

1. Great-Tailed Grackle -- Quiscalus mexicanus -- S,F,W,Sp
2. Abert's Towhee -- Pipilo aberti -- S,F,W,Sp
3. Red-winged Blackbird -- Agelaius phoeniceus -- W, Sp, Su, F -- most common in winter
4. Yellow-headed Blackbird -- Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus -- W,Sp --
5. Anna′s Hummingbird -- Calypte anna -- S,F,W,Sp --
6. Verdin -- Auriparus flaviceps -- S,F,W,Sp
7. Mourning Dove -- Zenaida macroura -- S,F,W,Sp
8. Northern Mockingbird -- Mimus polyglottos -- S,F,W,Sp
9. House Finch -- Carpodacus mexicanus -- S,F,W,Sp --
10. European Starling -- Sturnus vulgaris -- S,F,W,Sp --
11. Curve-billed Thrasher -- Toxostoma curvirostre -- S,F,W,Sp --
12. Killdeer -- Charadrius vociferus -- S,F,W,Sp
13. American Coot -- Fulica americana -- S,F,W,Sp --
14. Black-tailed Gnatcatcher -- Polioptila melanura -- S,F,W,Sp --
15. Ruby-crowned Kinglet -- Regulus calendula -- F,W,Sp
16. Black Phoebe -- Sayornis nigricans -- S,F,W,Sp
17. Say's Phoebe -- Sayornis saya -- Sp,F,W
18. Cactus Wren -- Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus -- S,F,W,Sp
19. Cliff Swallow -- Sp,S
20. Northern Rough-winged Swallow -- Sp,F
21. Common Raven -- Corvus corax -- W --
22. Pied-billed Grebe -- Podilymbus podiceps -- S,F,W,Sp
23. Black-necked Stilt -- Himantopus mexicanus -- S,F,Sp
24. American Avocet -- Salpinctes obsoletus -- S,F,Sp --
25. Double-crested Cormorant -- Phalacrocorax auritus -- S,F,W,Sp --
26. Green Heron -- Butorides virescens -- S,F,W,Sp
27. White-faced Ibis -- Plegadis chihi -- S,F,W,Sp
28. Great Blue Heron -- Ardea herodias -- S,F,W,Sp
29. Turkey Vulture -- Cathartes aura -- S,F,W,Sp -- rare in winter
30. Neotropic Cormorant -- Phalacrocorax brasilianus -- Sp,Su,F
31. Brown-headed Cowbird -- Molothrus ater -- S,F,W,Sp --
32. Peach-faced Lovebird -- Agapornis roseicollis -- S,F,W,Sp
33. Inca Dove -- Columbina inca -- S,F,W,Sp --
34. Rock Pigeon -- Columba livia -- S,F,W,Sp --
35. White-winged Dove -- Zenaida asiatica -- Sp,S
36. Gambel's Quail -- Callipepla gambelii - S,F,W,Sp
37. Gila Woodpecker -- Melanerpes uropygialis - S,F,W,Sp
38. Least Sandpiper -- Calidris minutilla -- S,F,W
39. Long-billed Dowitcher -- Limnodromus scolopaceus -- S,F,W
40. Greater Yellowlegs -- S,F,W
41. Mallard -- Anas platyrhynchos - S,F,W,Sp -
42. American Wigeon -- Anas americana - F,W,Sp -
43. Ring-necked Duck -- Aythyla collaris -- F,W,Sp
44. Canada Goose -- Branta canadensis - S,F,W,Sp - more abundant in winter
45. Ruddy Duck -- Oxyura jamaicensis -- F,W,Sp
46. Northern Pintail -- Anas acuta -- F,W,Sp
47. Northern Shoveler -- F,W,Sp
48. Green-winged Teal -- Anas crecca -- F,W,Sp
49. Cinnamon Teal -- Su,F,Sp
50. Blue-winged Teal -- F,W,Sp
51. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck -- Dendrocygna autumnalis -- Su,F
52. American Kestrel -- Falco sparverius -- S,F,W,Sp
53. Red-tailed Hawk -- Buteo jamaicensis -- S,F,W,Sp
54. Loggerhead Shrike -- Lanius ludovicianus -- F,W,Sp
55. Osprey -- F,W,Sp
56. Great-horned Owl -- S,F,W,Sp
57. Snowy Egret -- Egretta thula -- Sp,S,F
58. Black-crowned Night-Heron -- Nycticorax nycticorax -- S,F,W,Sp --
59. Lesser Goldfinch -- Carduelis psaltria -- S,F,W,Sp --
60. White-crowned Sparrow -- Zonotrichia leucophrys -- F,W,Sp
61. Song Sparrow -- F,W,Sp,S
62. Brewer's Sparrow -- F,W,Sp
63. Chipping Sparrow -- F,W,Sp
64. Western Meadowlark -- F,W,Sp
65. Blue Grosbeak -- Sp,F
66. Great Egret -- Ardea alba -- Sp,S,F
67. Vermilion Flycatcher -- Pyrocephalus rubinus -- W,Sp
68. American Pipit -- Anthus rubescens -- W, Sp
69. Sora -- Porzana carolina -- F,W,Sp
70. Yellow-rumped Warbler -- F,W,Sp
71. Lucy's Warbler -- Vermivora luciae -- Sp,F
72. Orange-crowned Warbler -- F,W,Sp
73. Wilson's Warbler -- F,W,Sp
74. Yellow Warbler -- Dendroica petechia
75. Wilson's Snipe -- F,W,Sp
76. Gadwall -- S,F,W
77. Redhead -- F,W
78. Cattle Egret -- Su,F
79. Red-shafted Flicker -- W, Sp

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Shrubs and Trees

Many desert and riparian plants have been planted and tended at the Water Ranch and many are labled with common or Latin names. Thus a cousin to the Desert Botanical Garden is growing here!

1. Alkali Goldenbush -- Isocoma acradenia -- loaded with goldenrod-like flowers from Sept. to Oct.
2. Brittlebush -- Encelia farinosa
3. Quailbush -- Atriplex lentiformis
4. Allscale -- Atriplex polycarpa
5. Desert Senna -- Senna covesii
6. Desert Willow -- Chilopsis linearis
7. Tamarisk;Salt Cedar -- Tamarix pentandra
8. Fairy Duster -- Calliandra eriophylla
9. Flat-topped Buckwheat -- Eriogonum fasciculatum
10. Tumbleweed;Russian Thistle -- Salsola tragus
11. Prickly Pear -- Opuntia engelmannii
12. Buckhorn Cholla -- Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa
13. Desert Ironwood -- Olneya tesota
14. Desert Globe Mallow -- Sphaeralcia ambigua
15. Fremont Thorn Bush -- Lycium fremontii - flowers visited by hummingbirds and abundant red berries eaten by many birds.
16. Chuparosa -- Justicia californica - also a hummingbird favorite
17. Desert Broom -- Baccharis sarothroides
18. Deer Grass -- Muhlenbergia rigens
19. Desert Hackberry -- Celtis ehrenbergiana
20. Netleaf Hackberry -- Celtis laevigata reticulata
21. Desert Milkweed -- Asclepias subulata
22. Ocotillo -- Fouquieria splendens -- a couple in the desert gardent at northeast corner
23. Desert Lavender -- Hyptis emoryi
24. Banana Yucca -- Yucca baccata
25. Blue Palo Verde -- Parkinsonia florida
26. Four-winged Saltbush -- Atriplex canescens
27. Graythorn -- Ziziphus obtusifolia
28. Desert Straw -- Stephanomeria pauciflora
29. Creosote Bush -- Larrea tridentata - rare because this plant cannot survive flooding or over-wet soil
30. Joint Fir -- Ephedra aspera -
31. Foothills Palo Verde -- Parkinsonia microphylla
32. Triangle-leaf Bursage -- Ambrosia deltoidea -
33. Jerusulem Thorn -- Parkinsonia aculeata
34. Burro Bush -- Hymenoclea salsola -
35. Jojoba -- Simmondsia chinensis
36. Cat-claw Acacia (Acacia greggii) -
37. Fremont Cottonwood -- Populus fremontii - next to water
38. Goodding's Willow -- Salix gooddingii - close to pond edges
39. Velvet Mesquite -- Prosopis velutina
40. Sotol -- Dasylirion wheeleri
41. Western Soapberry -- Sapindus saponaria
42. Sweet Acacia -- Acacia farnesiana
43. Skunkbush -- Rhus trilobata
44. Turpentine Bush -- Ericameria laricifolia
45. Flat-topped Buckwheat -- Eriogonum fasciculatum
46. Engelmann Hedgehog Cactus -- Echinocereus engelmannii

Watercolor of Western Soapberry, Sapindus saponaria, from live specimen found in the Pinal Co., Arizona. Lycid beetles, one illustrated at right, are one group of insects likely to be encountered on the flowers. In addition the leaf shows round and oblong segments cut out by leaf-cutter bees.

Huisache

Desert Marigold

Desert Globe Mallow

Fairy Duster

Blue Palo Verde

Triangle-leaf Bursage

Burrobrush

Velvet Mesquite

Lamb's Quarters

Ocotillo;Coachwhip

Chuparosa

Yellow Sweet Clover

Fremont Thorn Bush

Purple Owl's Clover

Desert Willow

Jerusulem Thorn

Desert Senna

Seep Baccharis

Desert Hackberry

White-thorn Acacia

Screwbean Mesquite