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YVAS Articles

  • Warm, sunny day highlights Toppenish NWR Christmas Bird Count

    On Saturday December 15th, 22 courageous birders ventured into the field for the Toppenish Christmas bird count. The weather was very pleasant; the sun shone down on us for much of the day, and the temperature got up into the mid 40s. This was certainly the warmest bird count I can remember being a part of, and I think this...

  • Hmm…Did I Just See a Hummingbird?

    Image - Immature Anna's Hummingbird - Cowiche Canyon, Yakima, WA
    Immature Anna's Hummingbird - Cowiche Canyon, Yakima, WA

    Q: It’s fall (or winter) and there are still hummingbirds in my yard - shouldn’t they have migrated by now?

    A: The hummingbirds seen in October thru February/March in the valley are almost...

  • Vredenburgh Bluebird Trail - They did it!! Wait, who did what??

    In 1982, YVAS members put up 57 nest boxes in the Wenas area. The trail was expanded over the years and now has 132 nest boxes along a 14 mile stretch of North Wenas Road between Audubon Road and Durr Road. In 1994, the trail was named in honor of Virginia and Harold Vredenburgh to recognize their years of tireless...

  • Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area Management Plan

    I attended a public meeting on May 31st in Prosser hosted by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) which is developing a new management plan for the Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area in south-central Washington. The wildlife area consists of 17 units that cover more than 20,840 acres in Franklin, Benton, and Yakima counties. Almost half of the acreage...