This article was first published in 2015. Ajo? To my under-educated mind, Ajo was just a little Sonoran Desert burg somewhere way, way west of Tucson. Having spent a weekend there (October 2015), I have a far greater appreciation of this place that Ajo-ites refer to as “A Small Town … Continue reading
The bird walks are not currently being hosted by the Friends of the San Pedro River on Sundays at the Environmental Operations Park in Sierra Vista. But you can go on your own. It is an interesting, educational walk. As we lose the natural habitat provided by the San Pedro … Continue reading
I love the San Pedro River and its environment. This is a long but wonderful video describing the plants that currently inhabit this unique place in Arizona. If you are interested in plants or the natural environment, you will enjoy this video. Thanks to Mike Foster, San Pedro River Videos, … Continue reading
For all you bird watchers out there, spotting the Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo is a real treat. This species is threatened in Arizona, endangered in California and disappearing in other parts of North America. In this lecture, a biologist from the Southern Sierra Research Station goes into great depth about this … Continue reading
In this video get to know your Southern Arizona Arthropods, aka bugs, with Mike Foster and Carl Olsen of the University of Arizona. Here he describes the critters which inhabit the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. Mike Foster, San Pedro River Videos, is an ardent supporter of the Friends … Continue reading
Recently, Jim, Ms. Rosemary and I (Ms. Karen) headed down to Arivaca to explore the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, and the Arivaca Creek Trail, also part of BANWR, where the ruins of the Wilbur-Cruce Ranch are. The Refuge comprises over 171,000 acres of grasslands, cottonwood wetlands, and sycamore canyons. … Continue reading
From Southeastern Arizona to Sonora, Mexico, and the Sea of Cortez, Mike Foster documents the wide variety of birds, both common and rare in his video, Faces of the Landscape. Avid birders, as well as armchair adventurers, will appreciate the large variety of birds that Mike has been able to capture … Continue reading
In the 16 or so years that we have lived in Tucson, we have never been hosts to a family of Screech Owls. What a treat! I have to wonder, “Why Now?” And it would be reasonable to conclude that the pandemic has something to do with it. Wild animals … Continue reading
Like many “Big Deals”, this one started with a “Little Deal”. In this case, the little deal was a flying jewel about 10 cm long and weighed in at about 5 grams. It had feathers, of course. A white underbelly, red beak, and sported a violet crown. It was also … Continue reading
Santa Cruz County is still sparsely populated and remains an excellent destination for bird and wildlife photographers, hikers, ghost town hunters, kayakers, and other outdoor enthusiasts.
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