October, November 2022

Arizona’s Verde Valley is a beautiful place to be during the fall, especially along the riparian corridors. The colored leaves of the Arizona Sycamore are brilliant with gold, yellow and orange, hanging from massive white branches that curve and drape over the water. Also seen are the Arizona Ash trees mixed in with huge Cottonwoods. And of course the birding is delightful!

7/2022

The Two-tailed Swallowtails will always show up when the zinnias begin to bloom. Of course, they are attracted to all of the flowers! This large western butterfly is the Arizona state butterfly.

5/2022

Our feeders have been busy this month! A first sighting was an Indigo Bunting. He only stayed for a short time but long enough for me to grab my camera. The Lazuli Buntings were plentiful and so were the Black-headed Grosbeaks. And the Abert’s Towhee will be a visitor all summer long.

2/2022

If this Great Horned Owl hadn’t flown up to a rocky ledge that rises above a narrow creek in central Arizona, I would never have seen it. Camouflaged beautifully against the cliff, it watched me for a couple of minutes before it sped off. And to top it off, as it was flying along the rocky wall another one suddenly appeared and together they disappeared in the distance.