by Maya Rappaport February 26, 2021 In February, hints of spring begin to arrive in Arizona, bringing faint indications of the start of spring migration. As the weather warms and the air fills once again with birdsong, our excitement for the Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival continues to grow! This year’s festival theme is […]
This Friday, February 12, marks the beginning of the Great Backyard Bird Count! To participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count, birders of all skill levels are encouraged to get out and bird for at least 15 minutes any day during the 4-day weekend, and submit their observations to eBird. As you might have guessed […]
“Stretching 190 miles from the grasslands of Chino Valley to the Sonoran Desert near Phoenix, the Verde is Arizona’s last, best river. The Verde Provides a home to over 200 bird species, 90 mammal species, and 75 native amphibian and reptile species… From the forests to the deserts, elk to rattlesnakes, vineyards to sweet corn, […]
Before my help was recruited, twenty baby cottonwood trees had been planted strategically alongside the river as part of a habitat restoration effort. For an example of what they look like when they are not babies, refer to the image of the tree above that I’m standing beneath. For the past 7 months though, most […]
December 10, 2020 by Jeni O’Callaghan Christmas, a time of beauty. Below are an assortment of Christmas cards that my grandmother created. Grandma Elsa (Burgbacher), as I called her, loved creating living faces. In each of these you can see the brightness of the Season, the glow of love and spirit of youth. There is […]
This December, we are thrilled to announce a thirty thousand dollar matched giving campaign. Our Board of Directors have put $30,000 towards Friends’ first-ever Year End Match Challenge, so in December, every dollar you donate will be doubled: double the impact, double the support, double the holiday love! Your generous support will work twice as hard when you give during December. Together, we […]
by Maya Rappaport November 24, 2020 The Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is a familiar bird of woodlands and open meadows in North America. For those of us who love the mixed composition woodlands that dot the mid- to high-elevation regions of AZ, the sounds of a group of turkeys in the distance brings imagery of […]
by Jeni O’Callaghan November 16, 2020 Noel lived and breathed art. As her daughter, I remember her always having something on the drawing board. Conversely if she got bored (I believe she would be diagnosed with ADD today) she would turn to nature and likely draw it. In my opinion she shined the best with […]
“Upper Verde River Update: A Critical Resource in Danger The upper Verde River is an economic and ecological powerhouse, but can it survive the threat of the ever-increasing groundwater pumping that is diminishing its baseflow?” – Citizens Water Advocacy Group Join the Citizens Water Advocacy Group (CWAG) on November 14 from 10 a.m. – noon […]
by Hudson Keffer October 15, 2020 As a recent transplant to the Verde Valley, I quickly came to realize that Arizona is not entirely the dry and desolate place that it is assumed to be. Sure, the majority of this valley is filled with drought tolerant plants like Creosote bush, Mesquite, and Prickly Pear cactus […]
