Thrasher Nest Watch and Intro to Chollas

I checked on the thrasher's nest this afternoon.  A curve-billed thrasher has been nesting in a cholla in our front yard every year we've been here.  About a week ago, there were two blue-green, brown-speckled eggs in the nest.  Today, there are two nestlings. 

One of two curve-billed thrasher nestlings in a teddy bear cholla.

Curved-billed thrashers are one of my favorite southwestern birds.  It's not because they are flashy, in fact, they are simply a warm brown in color.   And although they do have melodious voices, there are sparrows and warblers that are far sweeter to the ear.  I just like their calls and the way they interact with one another.  Curved-billed thrashers are mimids, a family that includes northern mockingbirds and catbirds.  We do have mockingbirds here in the Sonoran Desert, but they are not quite as numerous as they are in Virginia.   I miss catbirds; they aren't usual residents of the Sonoran Desert, but Northern Arizona hosts them so at least I can see them when I visit Grand Canyon.

Curved-billed thrashers have a cheerful call note that I always enjoy hearing--it perks up my spirit and makes me smile.  When they interact with one another, they make a soft, pleasant, trilling sound that I call thrasher "purring."  The male will relieve the female on the nest, and I've seen three thrashers take care of the nest in our cholla.  Last year, I startled a sitting adult thrasher who flew from the nest into the path of a peregrine falcon.  I was heartbroken and worried about the nestlings, but at least two other thrashers showed up to care for them.

According to ornithology research I've read, curved-billed thrashers seem to prefer chollas as their nest host.  I can understand why.  Chollas (pronounced choy-uhs) are probably the nastiest cactus in the desert.  Their spines are everywhere, and they have barbed tips that don't like letting go once they're in your skin.  The tubular branches are jointed and sectioned, and the slightest touch can set a section free to cling painfully onto whatever or whoever had the misfortune to encounter it.  I've had run-ins with many a cholla since I've lived in the Sonoran Desert, and I have a healthy respect for them.  I've also learned to pay attention whenever chollas are in the immediate vicinity.  Their sections tend to scatter and I've stepped on many that were several feet from the host plant.   They are the perfect armored home for nesting birds.We have three species of cholla in our yard:  buckhorn, jumping or chain-fruit, and teddy bear.  Despite their lance-like thorns, I think they're pretty and enjoy their varied forms.  They are one of  the Sonoran Desert's trees, with some growing to 12 feet or more. 

When backlit, many cholla can be absolutely beautiful.  Their spines glow silvery-white against a dark trunk and limbs, giving them a soft, fuzzy look.  But don't be deceived!  The teddy bears and jumping both bloom in summer and bear green-yellow and light pink flowers, respectively.   In a couple weeks, I expect we'll see the spring-flowering buckhorns put out their hot pink blooms.

Teddy Bear cholla that hosts our thrasher's nest.

Jumping cholla (tallest) and buckhorn cholla (front, closest to ground)