| Summary: | Bexar Tracks began with Vol. 4, no. 1 (January 1986). It continues Newsletter (Bexar Audubon Society). Vc11-{,( (Ut r h'(-c In an editorial entitled "Congress,' Red in Tooth and Claw," in the July/August issue of Sierra Club rnagazine, Executive Director Carl Pope. asks: "How does one describe what is happening in Washington these days? It certainly isn't conservatism, as it is more interested in upsetting 50 years of complex social arrangements than in actually conserving anything. Annual Planning Meeting Bexar Audubon's Annual Planning Meeting is scheduled for Saturday, August 19, 9:30 am - 3:30 pm. (There is no other general membership meeting or board meeting in August.) Each summer BAS's board members, committee chairs, and other interested members gather to discuss pl!ms and ideas for the coming year and to brainstorm on solutions for challenges the chapter faces either as an organization or as an agent for fostering the culture of conservation in our region. This is considered by many to be the most exciting membership meetingof the year because we develop here the programs and projects that will take us through the next year. This year we have the added advantage of having a newly-adopted strategic plan for National Audubon Society. We will surely spend some time looking at how BAS programs mesh with the NAS plan. The meeting will be held at the home of Susan Hughes, 825 E. Guenther St., in "Baja" King William (south of South Alamo). We will break mid-day for our brown-bag lunches. Beverages · will be provided by the Chapter, so attendees should advise Susan at 523-2332 or by fax to 532-2023 (e-mail is internet: 71634.34@compuserve.com). We hope you will plan to attend. Social Darwinism Rides Again "Some call it revolutionary. (House speaker Newt Gingrich does sound rather like Robespierre as he cheerfully acknowledges that errors will be made in the haste of his .'revolution.') "But the spirit of the times was better described by the cameraman unhooking rny mike after a recent television debate about the War on the Environment now underway in Congress. 'The age of the Robber Barons returns' he muttered." Comparing the current Congress to the Social Darwinists of the last century, Pope cliarge,s that their "perversion of [the] evolutionary theory," of Charles Darwin "legitimized greed and made a virtue of cutthroat competition." Pointing out that to the right-wing think tanks which provide the theory for much of what is going on in Congress, Pope notes "Homo sapiens is the only species that matters." The same think tanks promote the idea that regulations-protecting the environment are anathema because they "they· benefit everyone, including the losers, and by reducing the pain of being a loser, they encourage an unhealthy reliance on govermi1ent." The losers~ r d like to add, are those who. can't afford to buy a Congressperson. Pope points out that many of the so-called regulatory reforms in the Contract on America "would have crippled not only environmental protection but the power of the Federal Aviation Agency to set airline safety standards." He added "For many Barons and Baronettes . any obligation to humanity or nature-regulations preventing them from polluting rivers and destroying wetlands, for example-is 'coercion.' When asl<ed if there were any regulations he would keep, Representative Tom DeLay (R-TX) replied, 'Not that I can think of."' I l !' NEWSLETIER OF THE AUDUBON SOCIETY \bbne XIII. No. 8 Augustl995 Pope stated that the Social Darwinists feel that anyone (who can afford it, that is) concerned about safe drinking water should buy bottled (as many members of Congress do for their offices). Caveat emptor (Let the buyer beware) is the motto of the Social Darwinists. Industry will regulate itself, . apparently, when enough people die and stop buying their products, or flying in their planes. Regardless of what our Congress is telling us, a spate of recent polls reflect the fact that Americans are proud of their national parks, forests, refuges, wildlife sanctuaries, whatever, and feel that it is in their best interest to protect other species. Every time you hear Dole or Gingrich or Gramm or DeLay or Armey or the rest of the herd say "The American People want government off their backs," substitute the words "the Robber Barons" for "The American People" and you'll have a better idea of what is behind legislation attacking environmental protectipns. The power of the people isn't what Congress has in mind, it's the power of the almighty buck. In conclusion, Pope stated, "Their hope is to cripple our democracy before they lose power, to render the government unable to protect its citizens, so that those who want clean air or safe drinking water or wilderness or beauty will be forced to seek these rights as ndivid uals-as winners and losers-because it will no longer be possible to enjoy them together as Americans." I'd like to add that one of the most vocal of the Social Darwinists of the late Nineteenth Century was one William Graham Sumner, whose reply to the question "What do the social classes co11tittued ott page 6 BEXAR AUD~BON SOCIETY P. 0. Box 6084, San Antonio, TX 78209 _ 210-822-4503 Chapter of the National AU<bJbon Society The Chapter•s primary goals are to promote species and habi.tat conservation •. and environmental.education i-n ihe community. · OFFICERS AND BOARD President· -Nice President . · · Treasurer · Secretary . Board Member · Board Member Board Member Board Member · Board Member Board Member Board Member Susiln k. Hughes . Harriet Wiygul · Bill Sain Anita L Reeves . Wa1ter Barfield. Claire brenowatz · Jim Garriott · Patty leslie Pasztor Kaiie Nava-Ragazzi Richard Pipes Bill Woller 532-2332; Jax 53.2-2023 534-7505 408-7731 308-9254 736-{)355 599-4168 695-9520 824-1235 . 804-1226 281-2452 696-3186 COMMITTEE CHAIRS Birdathon . COI)servatiOIJ Education Hospitality Membership Natural Initiatives Outings :Programs Publicity Ways S Means · Bexar Tracks Editor 0 · Marge Lumf,e Richard Pipes Betty Minyard Harriet Wiygul Dan S Kristy Davis Harriet Wiygul Patty leslie Pnsztor Chris Dullnig ·. Susan K. Hughes Bill Saio . Claire Drenowatz 545-1822 281-2452 344-6128 534-7505 . 609-5678 534-7505 824-1235 828-4017 532-2332 408-7731 599-4168; fax599-3545 ComJII:IServe 73232,506 Hawk Migration Held Trip On September 16, we will head south to Hazel Bazemore County Park near Corpus Christi to view the spectacu~ar fall migration of hawks. · Literally ·tens of thousands of hawks, kites, and peregrine falcons can be seen in the sky at this concentration point on their southward n1igration. John Economidy, who presented our July program, and others from around the. state will be on · hand that day to estimate the numbers of these birds. We will travel by fan to the park, and the fee is $16 per perspn, or caxpool on your qwn if you like. We will leave from the Ruble Center parking lot, east side, at 7 am. Bring binoculars, liquids, and lunch. Call Pattie Leslie Pasztor for reservations at 824-1235. August 1995 Beneath the Gavel It's the deep part of summer with temperatures routinely climbing above 100. It's tough making a living in this weather especially if you're a bird or a butterfly a squirrel or a lizard. or most a1iy kind of wildlife, The feeders get heavy use. A source of clean, fresh water iS especially welcome-even critical. Native flowers that somehow continue to thrive in this weather offer energy-rich nectar. Birds that are going to begin migration soon find the bird-feeders' efforts a bo~n. In these final days of summer we anticipate a Texas fall and · i11Qre favorable t~mperatures for venturing out-not only into our own yards, but aiso to parks and natural areas, where we can pause a while to appreciate the wonders of the land with its amazing array of plant life, as well as the creatures who carve from these places their spotS of habitat. _ It is a good time to ~hink about the role Bexar Audubon (BAS) plays in your life. As your local chapter, BAS • pron\otes environmental education in the community and takes the objective of a culture of conservation to a wide r~nge of citizens; . _ • monitors programs and trends and atteq1pts to shape them to ·ensure or . increase environmentally . responsible policies, actions, and outcomes; • encourages the adoption of sustainable practices · in a broad range of resource use and resource management issues, and in formulating the policies and programs that affect them. These are the high-level goals. A lot of people do a lot -of - - work-through phone calls, letters, e-mail, faxes, a~swering machine messages, meetings, and ad hoc conversations-to stay on top of things, to try to understand all the ins and outs of various . situations, and eventually to achieve our myriad objectives . . We hope you will dedicate a few hours on Saturday, August 19th, to join us with your ideas about what we should be doing next year-programs and outings you'd enjoy, changes you'd like to see in e_xisting projects, or new efforts we should undertake. Our Annual Planning Meeting is an event that benefits greatly from the participation ohnembers who, even though theymay not have the time ar wherewithal to be among our regular volunteers, nevertheless care about the' work of the chapter-and are willing to provide some feedback from beyo,nd the board table. Most organizations have about 10 to 20 percent active members and 80 to 90 inactive. The 80 to 90 percent represent in part people who, dedicate their volunteer efforts to other causes. (I know I am a member of a number of other organizations for which I am part of the silent 80 percent.) We ca'n' tall be active everywhere and there are plenty of good causes in the world.lf you are among the silent majority of BAS, please realize that we do appreciate your membership and acknowledge the importance of the partnership. Hope we'll see you August 19. And please complete and return the member survey enclosed. There will be prizes available for those who respond to the questionnaire-just to provide a little extra incentive. Looking forward to autumn. - Susan Hughes 2 Bexar Tracks BAS Gets WWF Award Bexar Audubon Society has received a $1,000 grant from World Wildlife Fund's Innovation Grants program for reconciling protection of natural resources with sustainable development. BAS is one of only 31 award recipients honored this year by WWF for innovative efforts to protect sensitive natural resources through local action. The grant will help BAS in its efforts to educate urban dwellers abut the property rights and "takings" initiatives at state and federal levels, and their potential impacts on our ability to preserve and protect natural resources and envi- . ronmental health. _ BAS is promoting the ideal of environmental equity: citizens sharing equally in environmental costs, risks, and access to benefits. In addition to the grant, BAS will be showcased as a national model for its conservation efforts, as evidenced in the day-long seminar on the takings issue held on April1 of this year. Recycle •Em When you get your new phone books in late August or early September don't trash them. Drop them of at schools for Project Re-Directory. Next month's Bexar Tracks will come out too late, so keep your eyes . peeled for a list of .sites which will be' published in the newspaper. At the end of September Sea World will have a promotion that will exchange a phone book for a $10-off coupon for admission. More details later. Bits The number to report local water waste is 227-6143. The number to report smoking vehicles is 1-800-453-SMOG (license#, date, time & location of sighting are requeste.d). Remember the chapter garage sale in September--details later, but save your stuff! . Bexar Tracks LOCAL NEWS ·REIF Seeking Common Ground What is Rflfl The Rangeland Environmental Issues Forum is an educational program which addt:esses critical issues affecting rangelands in the eastern Edwards Plateau, and promotes understanding and consensus building for effective management. The August meeting is on Tuesday, August 22, 7 ptil, at Northside Activity Center, 7001 Culebra (at Loop 410), San Antonio. Rree and open to the public. For information, call Dirk Aaron, County Extension Agent, 930-3086. Speakers at the August meeting: • Susan K. Hughes, representing Bexar Audubon Society • Jim McMullan, rancher and veterinarian, repres.enting the South Texas Farm and Ranch Club • Larry D. White, professor and extension range specialist, T AMU Department of Rangeland Ecology and Manag~ment The REIF is sponsored by the Department of Rangelahd Ecology and Management of Texas A&M University, Thank-you Note Thank you all so much for your great efforts at conducting this year's Birdathon, and for your designating our office for support. This is an exciting time at Audubon with the strategic plan- , ning and a new focus on chapters. We look forward to being able to work much more closely with you and all of the chapters in, our area to create a "cultm:e of conseJ:Vation." · , Won't it be nice when the day comes when it becomes as unthinkable to destroy wildlife as it is to litter, or smoke in a classroom? By continuing your work to share the wonder of birds and nature, we can together create a culture of conservation. Again, thank you for your hard work to support us through your Bir-dathon. · ' Sincerely Dede Armentrout, Vice Preside11t Sa11dra Skrei, Regio11al .Represmtative Southwest R~gio11al Office 3 Texas Agricultural Extension Service of Bexar County, and the San Antonio Environmental Network, with the participation of many other interested groups and individuals. The three-part program will address perceived conflicts between agricultural and environmental interests and identify shared concerns that form the basis for these groups to work together effectively, including concepts drawn from from "total range management'' programs. h) addition the purpose and functions of the REIF will be explained and its future discussed. Finally, there will be a review of 1995 state legislative actions that affect rangeland interests. Who should attend? Landowners, ranchers, farmers, ecologists, wildlife managers, agency employees, instructors in agricultural and environmental programs, and others interested in rangeland management and wildlife habitat. Students are encouraged to attend. SAEN Meeting The San Antonio Environmental Network will hold its quarterly meeting Tuesday, September 5, 7pn1, at the Witte Museum auditorium . The topic of the program will be su'stai11able buildi11g. Speakers at the meeting will be Bruce Bradsby and Karen Ripley of the San Antonio Sustainable Building Coalition. This meeting is especially timely since the American h1stitute of Architects will hold a national meeting in San Antonio in October on the same topic. Following the program, member organizations will have an opportunity to announce their issues and activities and there will be time for networking among members and guests. The meeting is free and open to the public. Memberships in SAEN are $25 for organizations, $5 for individuals. For more information, contact Jim Garriot at 695-9520, or Susan Hughes at 532- 2332. August 1995 BIRD TALES Introducing Backyard Watch The article on the Black-crested Titmouse is the first of what we hope will be a series of articles on birds seen in and around San Antonio. This is meant to be a member participation portion of this newsletter. We encourage every one of you to submit a short article on a bird which visits your bird feeders, your wildscaped yard, or that you see flying around this area. Relate what you saw and tell what you know about the bird. Pull out your field guides and relay that information also. We will publish as many of the articles as possible. Articles should be submitted directly to Claire Drenowatz or Bill Sain. Contributors are encouraged to use via e-mail, a floppy disk, or double- spaced typewritten pages using at least 12-point type, preferably Courier (the scanner likes it best). Claire's email address is CompuServe 73232,506; fax 210-599-3545. Mischievous Ravens The question a couple of months ago, about ravens tearing up windshield wipers, reminded me of a problem we had in Alaska. I wouldn't be surprised if they tore up the windshield wipers for the same reason-it's fun. The C-119s we were flying had fabric control surfaces (ailerons & rudders). The ravens in the Fort Yukun area (in the A Snowball's Chance . Section 27, Article 1 of the Pennsylva- nia State Constitution: "The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and aesthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania's resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people. - se1tt by Ala1t Gregory, Pelttt State Think we'll ever see something like this in the Texas Constitution? Or the United States Constitution? In honor of the new Texas law aloMJg thecari)Wlg of concealed weapons: "A computer lets you make more mis· takes faster than any invention in human history-with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila." · Mitch Ratcliffe August 19,95 Yukon Flats, north of Fairbanks, where the Yukon and the Porcupine converge) were sheer murder on the fabric. They didn't strip fabric off and take it with them, they just tore it up. It had to be a learned behavior, because only one raven did it in 1978, the first year we noticed the problem (and it is a real problem-YOU try repairing fabric on a wing or tail that's ten or fifteen feet off the ground). A few years later the whole flock was doing it. I know ravens are playful, cuz I've watched their mating and just-plainfooling around flights. I think one day some smart-aleck juvenile started noodling a loose piece of fabric and found out it was fun to make the hole bigger. Then he told his friends, "Hey, this is fun, and watch what happens when the tanker pilots see us! They start hollering and flapping their arms, but what the hey, they can't fly, and they can't throw rocks 'cuz they'll hit the plane!" The fabric sometimes made a sort of booming sound when they tore at it, because it's so tight, and maybe that had something to do with either their getting started or continuing. We had to be serious about chasing them away, but I wasn't the only one who was torn between what I considered a neat thing for birds to do, and knowing I'd have to be up on the wing or up on a ladder with the repair kit. -Claire Drettowatz 4 Backyard Watch Black-Crested Tibnouse A few weeks ago, Deborah came running into the house, calling my name. She had found a young Blackcrested Titmouse sitting on our fence. It had flown to the ground when it saw her and was having trouble getting up into the air again. It was an extremely cute little bird as it looked up at us with its big dark eyes. We watched for a while, trying to decide how to help. An older titmouse, a parent I presume, flew to a nearby tree, calling to the chick on the ground. The chick tried to fly a couple of times but witho_ut much luck. It finally managed to get a foothold on a nearby live oak and proceeded to hop up its sloping trunk. After it got high enough, the chick took off and flew to a tree in a neighbor's yard. Then, for the first time, it started calling. The older bird was in a nearby tree and they continued to chatter to each other. Since that day, I have seen a Black-crested Titmouse in our trees and/or visiting our feeders. The titmouse usually flies to the feeder, grabs a black oil sunflower seed, and then flies to a nearby branch to peck at it. It does this repeatedly until it has eaten its fill. I have yet to see it try any of the various water sources we have in the yard. The Black-crested Titmouse (Pa rus atricristatus) is a sparrow-sized bird. Its back is gray, underparts are white, and it has pale rusty flanks. The most outstanding feature, of course, is the slender black crest adorning its head. Females and young have a crest which is more gray than black. Their call is a "pete-pete" or "hew-hew." They often nest in natural tree cavities or bird boxes on a nest lined with soft plant material. An older field guide, published in 1946, states that snakeskin is often used as nest material. -Bill Sai1t Will BAS's readers see your "backyard watch" story here next month? Bexar Tracks BIRD TALES An Unusual Sighting Cardinals are usually well behaved. Colorful and beautiful, they fill the trees with bright and cheerful song. Why, then, would half a dozen of these pleasant woodland citizens be congregated around a tall multiflora rosebush, noisy, scolding, and greatly agitated? Luther Smith, volunteer naturalist, walking the Long Trail at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center, came across the lively scene and decided to find out. He suspected that a predator was threatening a nest hidden within the prickly branches. The nest w:as there, but the "predator" was more of a surprise to Luther than the threat that it seemed to the cardinals. Higher than his head in the multiflora rose was a large, strange bird. It was mostly hidden, and he spotted its features piecemeal. Its body appeared dark (actually it was a deep purple blue), its forehead looked white (in better light it would have been pale blue), and it had a big, bright red, yellow-tipped bill. Unable to believe his eyes, Luther radioed the Nature Center. Larry Rizzo, naturalist and bird specialist, arrived on the scene quickly and identified the unusual visitor as a purple gallinule. Purple gallinules are birds of water and marsh. Their long yellow toes allow them to walk gracefully and with ease over water lily leaves and other water vegetation, yet they are comfortable on land and actively climb into vines and shrubs and trees. Their beauty has been compared with that of wood ducks. Theyeatsome vegetable matter, but probably more insects, worms and small aquatic animals. The cardinals were rightfully alarmed, for the gallinule would not be above· feasting on a small bird egg. To my knowledge there has never been a purple gallinule reported in our immediate area before. We conjecture that it may have blown in on a weird storm we'd had a few days earlier. -Becky Matthews Missouri An Osprey Far From Home Is Rehabilitated Marcia Quan, a resident of Ladyville, reported to the Belize Audubon Society on March 5 that she had found an injured hawk with a band on its leg. Belize Audubon Vice President Jose Garcia (Pepe) picked up the bird and took it to his home. Pepe found that the bird, an osprey, had burns on the toes and was in a very weak condition. He had to force-feed it with freshlycaught fish at first, but by the third day, it was feeding itself. Soon it was standing on its feet, calling and making attempts to fly. The calls attracted responses from other ospreys in the area. By this time, the osprey was identified as a female by the necklace of dark streaking on the white underparts. The osprey's leg band had the words "U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington" and the number 608- 21251. The Bird Banding Laboratory of the US Fish and Wildlife Service said she was banded as a chick on July 14, 1981, Bexar Tracks at Granby, Colorado, some 2,000 miles from Lad yville as the osprey flies. It was the first time a banded osprey was reported from Belize. The information from USFWS confirmed that the osprey was not a resident bird, but a migrant that may have wintered here for 14 years. Ten days after she was found, the osprey, now fully recovered, was released by her rescuer and nurse. Local television was on hand to record the happy event and BAS members and friends watched as she spread her wings, became airborne, circled, and then flew away, headed in a northerly direction. -from the fattuary-March Newsletter Belize Audub01t Society 5 Spoonbills Returning Roseate Spoonbills-pink of feather, flat of bill-nested in Tampa Bay in the 19th century. They were apparently exterminated from the region (and nearly from Florida) by plume hunters, who sold the wings for use as fans . -==l=::t==~- and otherwise interrupted nesting in their pursuit of egrets in the same colonies. In 1975, 8 pairs nested at our Alafia Banks Sanctuary, the first cortfirmed nesting in Tampa Bay this century. Numbers have slowly increased since, to about 100 pairs in 1994. An additional 5-8 pairs have nested at two other sites in Tampa Bay for the last 3 years. In 1995, numbers at Alafia jumped to 140 pairs. Nesting success was amazing-we counted 275 fledged young at Alafia (plus another 15 at the other two sites), surely the most produced here since at least the 1880s! Spoonbill numbers' statewide have fluctuated a bit in recent decades, but currently fotal about 1000-1100 breeding pairs. They nest in just three areas: • Florida Bay (ca. 900 prs) • Tampa Bay (150) • and Merritt Island NWR (15-25). This is one species that illustrates the importance of Audubon's long-term presence in wildlife and wetlands protection. -Rich Paul, Mattager Tampa Bay Sattctuary, Florida Audubon Forum With so manyofourenvironmental protections under attack, and the local newspaper a little lacking in coverage until it's too late to take action, you want to stay informed if you have a computer and modem. Consider joining the Audubon Forum on CompuServe. Contact me for more information on how to extend your existing CompuServe access or how to start from scratch. - Susatt Hughes 532-2332 71634,34 CompuServe August 1995 ·• .': ' ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES Social Darwinism, cont'd owe each other?" was "Nothing." And he meant absolutely nothing. James Burke probably summed it up best: "For Sumner, Darwin gave proof that what America should be all about was liberty, inequality, survival of the fittest. In other words, the meek should inherit what's left. "For Sumner, the best equipped to win the struggle was the great American businessman, as long as his survival wasn't endangered by evils like taxes, regulations, factory acts, that stuff. Absolute freedom of action was what had made America great. And now [thanks to Darwin] that was a scientific fact. "The struggle for survival was part of the great American tradition that brought all comforts to those who worked for them. The struggle weeded out the weak, the unfit, and the stupid- unless you gave them unfair help with dangerous nonsense like government aid, or welfare, or education. In which case they'd breed more like them and drag the country down." Have you heard anything like that lately? Like maybe in the Contract on America? To take Social Darwinism to one of its worst extremes, in Germany Ernst Heinrich Haeckel was well on his way to codifying the bullbleep that Hitler later fell in love with. Like the radical right's penchant for picking and choosing those parts of the Bible they like, Haeckel and his followers picked the parts of Darwin that suited them. Haeckel did it well. His message, to the accompaniment of music by Wagner, attracted a lot of followers. And one can, draw a straight line from Haeckel to Rimmler to Hitler. Am I paranoid? Maybe. Maybe it's just ablue funk left over from the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Maybe I've read too much history. Maybe I should ignore Santayana: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." I wish the anti-enviros could have heard NAS Director Pete Myers at the convention in Florida last year: "And here we are, piloted by a bunch of guys-usually guys-who refuse to equip their cockpit with modern radar and instead insist on looking out through homemade binoculars fashioned out of rolled-up dollar bills. -People who profess to be conservatives but have forgotten that the most fundamental values of their faith, that of stewardship; who have forgotten that Noah's Ark was the first endangered species act. -People who have forgotten that our relationship with the biosphere is not based on ownership but rather on the privilege of living in God's creation and the obligation to be its caretakers. -People who decry all of you, every one in this room, here as pagan environmentalists but have themselves forgotten that the Bible says that God establishes a covenant with all life." - Cla.ire Dre11owatz Consumers Should Seek Turtle-safe Shrimp From a 7/10 editorial in the Dallas Morning News," title above: "Remember the scene in the movie Forrest Gump? The one in which Forrest dumps his first shrimp catch onto the deck of his boat? It was a merry sight: the successful fisherman, his deck squirming with shrimp, nothing but shrimp. But Hollywood's image varied with real life in a key respect. Shrhnp nets usuallydon'tcapture shrimp alone, but other wildlife too, including endangered sea turtles. August 1995 The editorial noted that last year 426 turtles washed ashore, "h1duding 254 Kemp's ridleys. Marine experts ruefully expect this year's toll to jump once Texas shrimping resumes." The editorial also noted" . marh1e experts estimate that . shrimpers trap, kill and discard up to 10 pounds of 'incidental catch,' or 'trash fish,' for every one pound of shrimp they catch." Thh1k of it! How many "h1cidental" fish were dumped, for the pound of shrimp you bought for supper? 6 Some Good News! Thanks to calls and letters from ornithologists, birders and wildlife enthusiasts, the House of Representatives voted 256-168 to adopt an amendment by Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) that allows the Department of the Interior to continue to admh1ister programs (such as the Breeding Bird Survey), which use non-federal "volunteers" to collect data. This is a great victory and a much needed shot h1 the arm. This stands as our first and only victory h1 the House on anythh1g. It was good for NAS staffers in the DC office to see old friends like George Miller (D-CA), Gerry Studds (D-MA) and John Dingell (D-MI) raising h--again. And it was especially heartwarming to see how articulately and adroitly Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD), who championed this amendment, handled hhnself. We owe him a great debt of thanks. - Co11ttie Maha11, NAS/DC Comments from the Floor Gerry Studds (D-Mass), arguing for volunteers and the Breeding Bird Survey: Mr. Chairman . this has to be one of the silliest debates I have ever had the privilege to be participating in . A citizen . might ask . what are they doing? Have they lost it altogether? We are actually opposh1g the proposition that volunteers ought to be allowed to help us. . . . we are proposing to extinguish the Poh1ts of Light that Republican Pr-esidents used to talk about. Not only that, but . . Mr. Regula] has revealed that in our very midst there are volunteers, on this floor as we speak. My God, there are volunteers. . I know there are Members here who are offended, frightened, and outraged by the thought of volunteers . but the . staff member of this committee . was a volunteer . She was counting whales at a research center on Cape Cod. She concluded, and I thh1k most Members might agree, that you do not need a Ph.D. They are very big. They are not hard to count. That is part of the work that is being done here. Bexar Tracks :'-< . ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES I What•s -wrong :with this Picture? '•'' :More GoOd News · Here's -some .more madness from Congress, dealing with Yellowstone. National Park budget cuts. Take a good look at the nl!mbers. In a inemorandum to t~le ,Field Director of the Inter.mountain Area, the park superi~1tendent noted that budget cuts would tQtal $2A million: · . . • $1.95 'million operating expenses • $450,000 salaries & inflation. The irony is th~t ied~ctior1~ in services,· closures, and other so~ called cost-savingS actions will actually'result in niore revenue being lost than the propo'sed cuts would sav~. - • $1.3 million-short seasons; • 120,500-campground revenue; • 85,000 NorriS closure; · • 2.3 million lost ·concessions at . ·Grant and Canyon Villages; - • 250,000 lost reveti.ue-sharing . from other concessions; • $4.067 total lost revenue. · · · Add to that $10.0 million com- Friday afternoon, July 28, by a vote of 21_2 to . pet1sation to the conc-essioner 206, the House approve~ an amendment which (Ha!11Uton Stores) for faciliti!?s stru<ek down the 17 restrictions placed into an dosed at Cat)ybn and Gnint Vii- . appropri~tions : bill.: The restrictions deClared alllages. · out war-on the EPA, prohibiting the EPA from And then there's impact of the . mforcillg, among other things: _. loss of jobs hi park maint~nance (60 • wetla~ds protections: : reduced work schedules) ;;tnd 65 • l.in~its on sewage dumping · in·t~ rivers, terminations, which would in- streanis, lakes, and bays; . · creaseunemployni.entcostsandre- • lin1its on .the amou11t of arsenic in public suit in loss of traii1ing' a·nd drinkillg water; . -~. . . conthmity of workforce: . ·. ·. • restrictions on carcinogei1ic pesticides on ' To save $2.4 mil,lion tbe Con~ .fruits and vegetables;, and · gressional b~dget cuts wo~ld cost • . lif!litations on air pollution from o,il refineries . . the U. $. taxpayer a total bf $4.067 . ln defending the restrictions; House Majority million in revepue, and $1,0 million Whip Tom DeLay (R-TX) called the EPA the "Ge-to buy out a concession contract. . stapo of government,,. . The superintended n'?ted, The amendment which lifted the restrictions "Moreover, there is no way to re-. on the EPA was pushed through by Sherwood duce park operations of this mag- Boelllert (R-NY) and Lewis Stokes (D-Ohio). · nitude without compromising Inflo01:debate, Wayne Gilchrest(R-MD)said, · ~isitpr safety and increasing the sarcastically~ "I guess the great secret of the 1994 potential tort liablihty bf the us . election was this: our constituents are furious .Savh1g one dollar to lose two in about dean water. Theydon'twanUt1and they're ·revenue doesn't make sense." not going to tolerate cleaner air, either." - info from Ran(iy Williams Vice President Al.Gore said later, "This signals Loess Hills AS , that s01ne ·Republicans · are getting nervous. They're listening to their constituents . saying Why? 'What in the world are you doii1g."' . The bill was pulled, but by tlie time you read this,it may have been voted on before the August Congre_ssional recess. The joy of seeing a flock of cedar waxwings descendi;1g on our trees, . the Golden-fronted woodpecker flitting about the yard, the raccoon peerh~g through our wh1dow and driving the cats crazy . . The roadrunner strolling down our street, ' ' ' "• and tl')e opossum mother carryh1g her family along our fence. · The terror in the faces and voices of fellow San Antonians, l~menting the contamination of their'drmking water, a.ir and soils. Dome d4't, reflnerie.s, waste dumps, and fuel tanks in their backyards and tl1eir schools. Bottled water to drink because of le;;td contamination. , People becomh1g ill when the city digs up the street, . the legacy of fuel leaks from the t1earby Air Force base . .;. The arrogance of those who worship the almighty dollar, who live only for today, damning everyone's tomorrow. Those who put' people first above the environment, never realizh1g that people and the environment are one in the same. That people could share my joys and not have to live the terror, that is my ultimate goal. That people can respect one another for what they are and not pay attention td the color of the skh1 or what religion they practice. That "all people are created equal," "peace and justice for all." . Utopia? Maybe. Necessity? Absolutely! · -Bill Sain Bexar Tracks 7 Call on the limber ·Lobby's Nickel I Internet is wonderful. You can find all sorts of good stuff if you know where to look. . An 800 number was set up by the timber h1dustry for anti-enviros to urge their Senators to vote for bills trashing the environment. . But the line can also be used by callers to voice concerns about ANY piece of legislation. USE IT! . • Dial1-800-444-1555. • A computer will ask you to tell your senator to vote for some bill-hit "1" to skip this spiel; • Then itwillaskyou topunchinyourzip code. • Then it will ask which of your 2 senators you want to speak with. • Then it puts you tluough directly to the senator's DC office. And you get to fake part in our democratic system on the thnber lobby-'s dune. -Eric Resnick Ohio Audubon Member August 1995 SUMMER/FAll PlANNING CALENDAR t Bexar Audubon Event § More Information Inside TCP Texas Conservation Passport or fee AUGUST Weekday tours for members of Mitchell Lake Wetlands Society to learn more about the birds being protected at ML can be arranged by calling Georgina Schwartz at 342-2073. 12 Beginners' Bird Walk, Second Saturday of each month at Alamo Heights nature trail. Georgina Schwartz 34 2- 207 3 for details. I 2 Second Saturday at Friedrich Park. No info on program. I 2 Honey Creek SNA, 9-1 I . Lower Edwards Plateau ecosystem walk. 15 Alamo Group of Sierra Club meeting, Dan Cardenas of SA Solid Waste Department on the Future of Hazardous Waste Disposal in SA, 7pm, Unitarian Church. 19*§ Annual BAS planning meeting (no regular membership meeting). I 9 Honey Creek SNA, geology walk with UT Austin research geologist Chris Caran. Two-mile walk along Honey Creek Canyon with visit to rare basalt dike . 19 Guadalupe River SP Amphitheater, 7 pm, Walt Schumann 5 ethno-herpetology. Snakes as our culture has used them for food, clothing, spiritual symbols, and seasonal predictors. A fascinating program with live reptile friends for hands-on learning. 19 SE New Mexico AS. Trip to the Lincoln National Forest to view mountain wildflowers. Dotti Russell at 505-622-2354 for info. 22*§ REIF meeting. 22 Native Plant Society, Bob Nelson, carnivorous plants, 7pm, Lions Field Clubhouse. INSICE-MEtteERSHIP SUMY RETt.RN YOJ<S TO BE aiGIBLE~PRIZE:S AT THE 5E1'TEIY\BER tYtETit«3! . Printed on acid-free, ._., I 00% post-consumer waste paper. 26 Birding at Mitchell Lake with &nie Rooney. Meet at the wetlands at 8:00am. 2 6 Cibolo Nature Center, Animals of the Night. 8-9:30 pm. Bring a flashlight for a walk in the woods, and find out who's out and about after dark. 26 Honey Creek SNA. 9-1 I am. Children's nature walk to Honey Creek, emphasis on flowers and insects. 27 El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon, Fort Bliss Ponds Tour. Bob Johnson 915- 757-1876 for info. 29-30 TNRCC Ground Water Protection Seminar, North Banquet Hall, SA Convention Center. Questions and info 512-239-4720. SEPTEMBER 6-8 Trail Guide Training at Cibolo Nature Center, 9 to 2. 249-4616 for info. 7-10 7th annual Hummer/Bird Celebration in Rockport/Fulton. 800-242-0071 for info. 8 I I : I 5-12: 15. dedication of Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail and Connie Hagar Cottage Sanctuary. Featured speaker, Roger Tory Peterson. First 5 Church Streets, Rockport. 9 Baton Rouge Audubon. birding on Grand Isle, Louisiana. Dr. Martin Guidry 504-755-1915 for more info. 9 Beginners' Bird Walk, Second Saturday of each month at Alamo Heights nature trail. Georgina Schwartz 34 2- 2073 for details. 9 Second Saturday at Friedrich Park. 9 Volunteer Day at Cibolo Nature Center, 9-noon. Historic re-enacters-step back in time with actors in authentic costumes from the pioneer days. 14* BAS Board meeting. 7:00 16t§ BAS outing. Hawk Watch! Hazel Bazemore County Park, Corpus Christi. Patty Leslie Pasztor for reservations 824-1235. Bexar Audubon Society. Inc. P. 0. Box 6084 San Antonio, TX 78209 Address Correction Requested 21 * BAS General Meeting. Ruble Center. 22-23 TNRCC 5-state conference, lnfomart in Dallas, Building a Shared Vision for Enuironmental Education. Invitation only, Jim lsleib 512-239-00 I 0 for invitation packet. 26 Native Plant Society, 7:00, Lion's Field Clubhouse, Christina O'Connell on Beneficial Insects. OCTOBER 7-8 Audubon Council of Texas meeting in Houston. NOVEMBER 9-12 2nd annual Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival. 800-5 31-7 346 for more information. ONGOING ACTIVITIES Bexar Audubon Society general meetings are held on 3rd Thursdays at 7:30pm. at the Ruble Center, 419 East Magnolia; board meetings usually 2nd Titursdays at 7 :00; outings usually the Saturday following general meetings. Introductory memberships to NAS, including AUDUBON Magazine, cost only $20. Great gift. Send check to BAS (payable to NAS) at P. 0. below. Note chapter code W 19, and name address, and phone number of new member. Other conservation organizations: please add Bexar Audubon to your mailing list if we're not already on it, and we'll be glad to include your events in our calendar each month. We welcome contributions to Bexar Tracks. Next paper (hard copy. fax) deadline 8/26, electronic (diskette, email) deadline 9/0 I . Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offers many nature activities for annual Texas Conservation Passport Holders($ 2 5 per year). Call for event listings: 800-937-9393. Non-profit Organization U. S. Postage Paid San Antonio. TX Permit #590
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