Publications
Two excellent books about the San Pedro with great photos were published in 2020 by Cascabel Books.
The Life of the San Pedro River:
A Naturalist’s Account of an Iconic Desert River and its Watershed
A Naturalist’s Account of an Iconic Desert River and its Watershed
Ralph Waldt published The Life of the San Pedro River: A Naturalist’s Account of an Iconic Desert River and its Watershed. Some of his own words provide its best description. “This is a book written by a naturalist—someone who studies nature and teaches others in the field. Within its pages, I hope to offer the reader something as rare as the river itself—tales of the land and its life written from the perspective of a man whose knowledge of nature has been attained by walking—a lot of walking.” In different chapters, he brings insight into its “rich array of flora and fauna that graces its watershed. Birdwatchers consider this small corner of Arizona to be one of their Meccas and nearly half of our country’s birds have been recorded here. A greater diversity of mammals resides here than in any other similar-sized inland landscape in the United States, and an amazing assortment of reptiles call the San Pedro Watershed home. The native flora of the area is dauntingly complex. The river and its watershed form an ecological treasure of international importance; for in terms of their flora and fauna, they are beyond comparison.”
Ralph’s book is available from his website: https://waldt.square.site or from Amazon.
Birds of the Middle San Pedro Valley of Southeast Arizona
Birds of the Middle San Pedro Valley of Southeast Arizona is by Michael Whitt and Barbara Whitt, edited and with a foreword by Ralph Waldt. As Ralph notes in his foreword, compared to the many books, including guidebooks, written about the exceptional birdlife in southeastern Arizona, “This one is different.” After retiring from his practice as a medical doctor Michael wanted to publish a book on the birds that he and his wife, Barbara, had photographed on their property along the San Pedro River and he wanted to “connect bird to human” with his writing. With a sharp eye, excellent observational skills, and the keen intellect characteristic of those in his profession, Michael gives us an intimate portrait of avian life backed by decades of close, astute observations in the outdoors. “The beautifully eloquent lines of poetry that complement the text reveal an author with the insights of a true naturalist and a genuine passion for the birds and the wild lands that they require to survive.”
Michael’s book is available from his website: https://michaelwhitt.square.site or locally for $40 by calling 520-212-3434.
