Bexar tracks : the newsletter of the Bexar Audubon Society, Vol. 14, No. 07

• Main Author: Bexar Audubon Society
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: San Antonio, Tex. : Bexar Audubon Society, 1996
• Subjects: Birds > Conservation > Texas > Periodicals.; Ornithology > Texas > Periodicals.; Nature conservation > Texas > Periodicals; Clubs and Organizations; Science and Technology; American River; Arctic; Austin; Beck; Buff; Chica; Fazio; Grande Valley; Hummer; Kerr; Lynch; Marvel; McIntyre; Nes; Nes’; North Star; O'Connor; Protector; San Jose; San Juan; Brooks Range; Global warming; Alaska
• Online Access: http://digital.utsa.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15125coll10/id/7980

Bexar Tracks began with Vol. 4, no. 1 (January 1986). It continues Newsletter (Bexar Audubon Society). ! ! I f ! I ) ! f ! l ~ SP~C .cow.v LJNCAT Just when we thought the dol­phins were safe from the tuna fisher­man, Congress is considering legislation to severely weaken our law that ensures that the tuna we buy has not been caught in ways that kill dol­phins. Before the "dolphin-safe'' tuna law was adopted, over seven million dolphins had been drowned in tuna nets between 1960 and 1990 as a result . of dolphin-unsafe fishing techniques. In response to this incredible loss, Congress banned the sale of tuna c;J.ught by methods that are known to kill dolphins. Reported dolphin rpor­talities have decreased by over 90 per­cent since the 1990 law went into effect. Due to pressure from some Latin American countries who claim that our embargo is an unfair trade prac­tice, the Congress is considering legis­lation- with support from the Clinton administration-that would weaken the federal definition 6f·dolphin-safe tuna to allow chasing, harassing, injur- · ing and encircling dolphins in the . pursuit of tuna-the same practices that were banned in 1990 to protect the dol­phins. , U.S. en­vironmental standards must not be weakened for the sake of free trade. Clinton and Con-gress should fight to preserve each na­tion's right and duty to take appropri­ate ~nilateral measures to protect the Deadly Tuna Bill Advances glopal commons from unreasonable exploitation. But that's nbt what's happening. • The Senate Commerce Committee gave its approval June 14 to allow the dolphin-safe tuna label to be ,. applied to 'tuna that has not been caught in a manner that would protect' dolphins. . • H.R. 2823 (Gilchrest R-MD, Cun­ningham R-CA) in the Hquse has been approved by the Resources Committee and has been referred to the Ways and Means committee. , This bill could be ready for a House floor vote very soon. The Senate blll will wait until after the House floor vote, We should all strongly oppose )eg­ ·islation to undermine present U.S. pol­icy that has reduced dolphin,,deaths by 95%. Support the Boxer-Biden com- , proinise bill (S.l460) in the Senate . which would protect the dolphin-safe label and require re­search' on bycatch and effects of en­circlement on dol­phins by tuna fishers. , Dolphin-dead , ly legislation (H.R. 2823 Gilchrest-Cun­ningham and S. 1420 Stevens-Breaux) would repeal provisions in US ,la,w that prohibit 1>ale of dolphin-,unsafe tuna in the US and alter the definition of dolphin-safe to ' '·1 permit the chase, encirclement, cap-ture, and injury ~f dolphins so long as BEXAR AUDUBON SOCIETY San Antonio Texas no dolphins were "observed" dead in nets.,.,-unlikely in nets more fhan one mile long! If we are to continue to protect the dolphins our Senators need to know of your opposition to Senator Steven's bill (S. 1420). Urge them to oppose changing the dolphin-safe · label by supporting Senator Boxer's bill (S. 1460) in the Senate. How can you help? . • Participate in the NATIONAL DOLPHIN CALL-IN WEEK, · June 17-21 to lobby against Dol­phin- Deadly Legislation in Con­gre; s! • Urge your Representative to op­pose H.R. 2823 in the House, your Senators to sign the Boxer-Biden­Smith "Dear Colleague" letter supporting S. 1460 Boxer-Biden dolphin-safe bill. • Call the White House public com­ment line at 202-456-1111 and ex­press your horror that President . Clinton would support Dolphin­Deadly legislation (he checks fre­quently on message issue totals!) • Write a letter to your newspaper alerting your community to this new threat to dolphins. lf you have access to a fax machine you can receive a two-page factsheet on ·this legislation by calling the Sierra Club's new "Fax-Ba·ck" service at 800- and the fact sheet is also available on their WEB site. - Compiled from info from the Sierra Club and GrassRoots Environinental Effectiveness Network ' BEXAR AUDUBON SOCIETY P. 0. Box 6084, San Antonio, TX. 78209 210-822-4503 Chapter of the National Audubon Society The Chapter's primary goals are to pro­mote species and habitat conservation, and environmental education in the community. OFFICERS AND BOARD President Vice President Treasurer Secretary Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Past President Harriet Wiygul 534-7505: fax [phone] Katie Nava-Ragazzi 804-1216 Bill Sa in 408-77 31 JoycePipes 281-2452 Claire Drenowatz 5 99-4168 Chris Dullnig 82 8-40 I 7 Genevieve Kerr 82 4-62 41 John Langan 491 -0692 Richard Pipes 2 81 -2 452 Bill Woller 696-31 86 Susan K. Hughes 532-2332 : fax [phone] COMMITTEE CHAIRS Adopt-a-Park Bill Woller 213-3::1 S I Audo Adventures Betty Minyard 344-6128 Birdathon Kim Fluetsch 655-0543 Conservation Richard Pipes 281 -2452 Earth Day Dana Bohne 738-1342 Education Katie Nava-Ragazzi 804-1216 Hospitality Nancy Johnson 655-1338 Membership Susan Hughes 5 3::1 -213::1 Natural Initiatives Harriet Wiygul 534-7505 Outings Patty leslie Pasztor 814-1135 Programs Chris Dullnig 82 8-40 I 7 Publicity Susan K. Hughes 532-::133::1 SAEN Coordinator Russell Smith 73 4-71 84x I I 5o 0 Ways 6 Means Bill Sain 408-7731 Rexar Tracks Editor Claire Drenowatz 599-4168: fax[phone] [e-mail] Bexar Tracks is your newsletter. We welcome your contributions. Next paper (hard copy, fax) deadline 7/22, electronic (diskette, email) deadline 7/26. Please send fax or email to Claire Drenowatz, as above; diskettes and hard copy should be sent to Claire at 16407 Crested Butte, San Antonio, TX 78247. Bexar Audubon Society general meetings are held on 3rd Thursdays at 7:30 pm, at the Ruble Center, 419 East Magnolia; board meetings usually 2nd Thursdays at 7:00. Introductory memberships to NAS, includ­ing AUDUBON Magazine, cost only $20. Send check to BAS (payable to NAS) at ad­dress above. Note chapter code W19, and name, address, and phone number of new member. USEFUL NUMBERS: 210-733-8306 Rare bird alert number. 210-698-1709 Wildlife Rescue 210-227-6143 To report local water waste. 800-453-SMOG To report smoking vehicles July Meeting: Natural Initiatives Like to see more wildlife out your kitchen window? Think birds and butterflies might add a little color to your life? Want to improve your landscaping and save water in the bargain? Landscaping for wildlife not only has the obvious direct benefit of creating habitat for birds and butterflies, but it also helps reduce water and pesticide use; can virtually eliminate mowing, thus minimizing fuel use, emissions, and biomass waste; can increase communication and a sense of neighborhood; enhances beauty, interest in learning, and under­standing of nature; and enriches biodiversity in your own personal ecosystem. The Natural Initiatives program-now two years old-has been helping San Antonians learn how to design water-saving landscapes that attract a variety of birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. This successful environmental public awareness program sponsors workshops, consults with the developer and landscape communities, and has provided an award-winning landscape for a home in the Eastside Parade of Homes with volunteer labor. BAS president Harriet Wiygul, who has served as coordinator for the Natural Initiatives program this past year, will show you the difference wildscaping can make in a typical San Antonio yard and preview some of the exciting projects underway this summer and fall, for example, a 40-home "Wildscape" extravaganza with Habitat for Humanity and publication of a "Wildscape" plan to be available free in selected local nurseries and other outlets. This program is really moving! Natural Initiatives is a program of the Bexar Audubon Society, Bexar County Master Gardeners, Native Plant Society, San Antonio Botanical Gardens, San Antonio Coalition of Neighborhood Associations, San Antonio Water System, and Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Who Should Attend? Those interested in urban wildlife, habitat protection and restoration, backyard birding, butterflies, native plants, and living healthy. · Meeting Specifics: Monthly meeting of Bexar Audubon Society, Thursday, July 18, 7:30pm. Free and open to the public. Refreshments available prior to the meeting, at 7:00pm. Come early to socialize. For more information, call822-4503. Location: Ruble Center, 419 E. Magnolia (between McCullough and Highway 281). Nearest freeway exit is N. St. Mary's off 281. Public Transportation: VIA Route 5 (St. Mary's-McCullough-North Star Mall) to Magnolia St. July Outing: Mission Trail Bird Walk Espada Dam & San Juan Nature Trail Saturday, July 20- 7:30- 11:00 Join us for an early morning stroll along part of San Antonio's historic Mission Trail. We will begin at Espada Dam for a walk along the shady pecan bottomland and have a look at some of the bird species that make their home near this region of the San Antonio River. We will then head over to San Juan Mission to walk on the wooded San Juan Trail-. This is a short, easy walk. Following the walk, we may have lunch at a local restaurant (Taqueria Guadalajara). Don't forget to bring water, binoculars, and a hat. For carpooling, we will meet at the Ruble Center parking lot (on east side of building) at 7:30am. Call Patty Leslie Pasztor at 824-1235 for information and reservations at 824-1235. 2 Bt?xar Tracks LOCAL NEWS Perambulations Current demographics show that For whatever _reason, she. had cho-most Texans are urban dwellers, sur- . sen my front porch as the site for her rounded by noise, asphalt, concrete, web.Jt was a marvel' of engineering and and contrived green spaces. Distanced exquisite architecture. She had covered from initimate contact with the my small porch with this work of art, rhythms and mysteries of Nature, most and. for a moment, I ·'considered the of us are oblivious to the lives of the destruction of thi~ beauty so the front animals and insects that share our door woul~ be accessible. world. What little we do know. is I watched her ride the gently sway­couched in terms of competition, but . 'ing web, and I realized some 'food sup­there is an extraordinary amount of co- ply had drawn her to' this spot. J was· operation between all of us, a fact I came ' willing to letht;r stay. Besides, based on to know first hand the summer a mag- · recent experience, I expected her to va­nificent yellow and black garden spider ~ cate the premises in a couple of weeks'. lived in my garden. If turned out her. quarry. was the Prior to her arrival, a pitched battle young wasps emerging from the nest by was fought 'every summer between the front door . . Evidently, there was grasshoppers and myself over iris enough to food from the wasp nest, leaves. I was, and still am, of the opinion supplemented by occasional grasshop­Briefs Audubon Magazine Check out the new issue Guly­August 1996), for two items featuring Texas: Natural Initiatives, San Anto­nio's well-received program to lessen our dependence on turf grasses and attract wildlife, and in Lake Jackson, opposition by Houston Audubon to yet a not her golf cou.rse in the Colum­bia Bottomlands. ' Express-News Natural Initiatives also received good press back in June, when the Northeast Sun devoted· several pages to it, including a great picture of Susan Hughes' front yard (well, Susan, too). it is extravagant in the extreme for pers, the.pitched battle still raged in the Environmentalist to Speak grasshoppers to eat iris 'leaves to the back,yard, to enqmrage her to stay for On Wednesday, July 24, at 7pm, ground; they disagree. the rest of the summer. · Dr. Peter Illyn, founder and executive When I discovered the yellow ~nd A serendipitous benefit of our rela- . director of Christians for Environ-black beauty, in all her inscrutable tionship· beqme apparent the day I mental Stewardship, will speak at arachnid glory, hanging between two heard the reaction of an unsolicited _Harvest Fellowship, 1270 North Loop iris, I knew the seasonal battle had just sales person to my spider friend. It be- 1604 East, in San Antonio. The public shifted in my favor. I had come to know · c.ame clea~ the spider was providing a is invited to attend. these delightful creatures as a child and much greater service than insect con- "Christians for Environmental knew grasshoppers were a favored food trol-she kept unwanted human pests Stewards.hip is dedicated to reaching source~ I welcomed her to the garden, un'der control. She performed this of- · the Evangelical and Conservative fed her a grasshopper as a settling in fice with quiet dignity, without the Christian churches with a scriptural. gift, and rejoice!f in my good fortune. · noise and upkeep of a dog, ~nd I was rpessage of environmental steward- We lived in this happy symbiosis especially grateful. · ship. They measure their steward-for a couple ofweeks. She hung among · In late Septemher, she disappeared ship 'by healthy ecosystems and the iris, the grasshoppers abated, and 'from the porch. I searched for her and sustainable, responsible lifestyles" I visited every couple of days, found ins'te:id her egg sack nes- writes lllyn. smug in the knowledge this . tied again~t the electric me- Contact Christians for Environ-magnificent spider h~d taken ter box a few yards from mental Stewardship at 360-574-8230. up residence in my gard~n; the. porch. That winter I I was understandably dis- watched over her gift · to mayed the afternoon she Was - the future, figuring it was absent from her web. She the least I coulq· do in ex-wasn't anywhere in the. yard, . change for her services dur-and I was bereft at her disap- ing the summer. pearance. , . Overall, I suppose the Two mornings later I opened my · relationship was weighted in my favor, front door and came eyeball-to-eyeball . but the lady arachnid'artd I depended with my arachnid colle'ague.' Initially, op each other's contribution. She was a my reptilian brain kicked ln. I slammed welcome addition to my yard and the door so hard the house shook. Once porch. the adrenaline surge was past and I hope one day I'm fortunate higher brain functions returne,d, I enough to have another yel1ow and walked around the house for a closer . black beauty visit for the summer. look. ' - Hal'l'iet Wiygul, Pl'esident Bexar Tracks Pelagic Trips Birds spotted 6/29: magnificent ' frigate bird, unidentified large shear­w'ater, band-rumped storm petrel, Audubon's shearwater, Leach's storm-petrel, bridled tern, sooty tern. .A highlight was 4 sperm whales, including a cow and calf rafting on the surface 100-200 yards from the boat. Spots have opened up for the July 27trip and spaces are available for the 8/24 and 9/21 trips. For more info, or to reserve space, contact Dwight Peake, [e-mail], 409-740-4621. IN OUR BACK YARDS Spring Flowers and Fall Color Prunus mexicanus The Mexican plum is a small, at­tractive deciduous tree found from the Edwards Plateau east and north almost to the border of the Texas. It prefers slopes, canyons, fence rows, moist woods, and creek bottoms. In the early spring, before or con-current with first leaves, the Mexican plum dis­plays a cloud ofwhite flow­ers up to 1 inch in diame­ter, with many stamens. The relatively small, reddish-purple fruits mature in mid-summer to early fall and have a thick, juicy, edible flesh, enjoyed in the wild by foxes, ring-tailed cats, and songbirds. In the fall, the leaves turn yellow for a colorful display. The Mexican plum does not tend to sucker and is relatively drought tol­erant. It will survive nicely 'in the caliche soils of northwest Bexar county. They do not transplant well, but native nurseries now offer this interesting addition to the landscape. A very large Mexican plum can be seen at Friedrich Wilderness Park, clinging to a hillside and full of blooms in the early spring. Reprinted with pennissionfrom the July 1994 San Antonio Gardener. Illustration adapted with permission from drawing by Kathy Brown in Jill Nokes's Hmv to Grow Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest. Text adapted from Nokes, Texas Monthly Press, 1986, and Paul Cox & Patty Leslie, Texas Trees: A Friendly Guide, Corona, 1988. New Checklist Brad McKinney has offered birders a new checklist to the birds of the lower Rio Grande Valley that I think is of interest to all birders. Other birders know Brad as one of the top-notch birders of the Valley and his insights on the occurrence of birds in the Valley are very relevant to anyone planning a trip there. This current 43-page edition is available from Brad for 2.75 plus .85 cents postage (3.60 total). It covers the prime areas from Falcon Lake to Boca Chica and Laguna Atascosa. You can get a copy of this handy and up-to-date checklist by enclosing the above per copy and sending a note to Brad McKinney 65 Cortez Rancho Viejo, TX 78575-9629. - Brush Freeman Elgin Birding Belize Bird Brains Indeed! Recently, David Sarkozi posted a message seeking others who might be interested in a non-commercially led birding trip to Belize. I have joined him in trying to put such a trip together. We would like to have a few others (actually, it could be more than a "few" with one or more additional rental 4WD's). We are considering emphasiz­ing the southern half of the country, including the Maya Mountains, the southern forest and savannahs. We might go to a caye for a day. We are tentatively planning for No­vember, and expect expenses out of Houston to be less than $800. If you are interested, contact me or David. - Nick M. Jackson [e-mail] . - David Sarkozi dsarkozi@infocom. net/ -dsarkozi/ Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul. - Edward Abbey Author of The Monkey Wrench Gang I spent about fifteen minutes one morning watching a white-wing dove try to get at the seed in a tube feeder. I'd intentionally shortened the dowel rods on it so that the smaller birds would have a better chance (there's also a tray feeder for the doves, the supposed "ground feeders"). S/he went thru various gyrations, trying to get both feet around it. No way. She tried the foot closest to the feeder, but it left her unbalanced so that she had to keep flapping her wings while she tried to get some seed off the tray. Not much luck. Tried again, this time with the inside foot angled back around the side of the feeder, her outside foot on the dowel. Success, for a few seconds, until she overbalanced and had to drop off. But she kept at it, and finally got the hang of it. I was trying to decide whether the bird was bright (for trying something new) or dumb (for ignoring the seed in the tray not twenty feet away), when I realized I might be watching evolution in action. When I was a kid inN ew Braunfels, doves were birds that people saw when they went out into dove country to hunt. They did not live in towns and cities. They most certainly did not come to backyard feeders. Most people I know think they're among the dumbest of birds (especially hunters, who used to talk about how easy it was to kill a whole flock), but I wonder. Their na­tive Rio Grande Valley has be-come very inhospitable to them, with pesticides and de-struction of habitat for farming. WWDs have been moving north for some time, and also mov~ng into cities, and back yards. They're safe from hunters, and the food is plentiful. They've also become year-round birds-at least they are in my yard! As the dove w.ho. was challenging the feeder that morning may have been proving, maybe they're smarter -than we give them credit for. -Claire Drenowatz Bexar Tracks IN OUR BACK YARDS - lick Talk Snakes· and Birds and· . . . " At the June meeting ofBAS Dr. Ray· Kutzman, a toxicologist with a graduate degree in l?arasitology and some first­hand knowledge of Lyme disease, fasci- . nat~d his audience with information about the life cycle of ticks and some of the diseases they can transmit to hu:. mans in North America. · ·His intent was .not to frighten out­doors people from their activities, but to inform them of the early symptoms of these diseases, which 'gene.rally are easiiy treated if diagnosed early. Hfs presentation was aimed at such ear~y diagnosis. First, correcting some informati~n in the June meeting announcement: ·there are two families of.ticks. The an­nouncement identified the Ixodidae, or hard-bodied ticks; and the accompany­ing graphic was bf the ·Argasidae, or I>Oft~bodied ticks. Kutzman discussed both . Second, he defined some t~ms. "Hosts" are any creatures from which ticks get their blood meals. "Re_servoir · hosts" are those that can maintain the Maybe ten to fifteen times since' I moved here in late 1973, the self-ap­pointed guardians of our yard area . (Car'olina wrens, white-eyed V.~reos, tufted titmice and fox squirrels) raised a ruckus in a certa.in ton.e of voice. I · have learned it means, ''A snake·'~ , in the yard! Everybody coq~.e!" And many birds in hear­ing range will, indeed, come see. Each cine speaks its own language, and everybody talks .:n once. It alway); re7 · minds me of the crowds (and· eye-witne'ss · ac­counts) that material­ize, when peop,le have traffic accidents. 'The oirds are ambulai)Ce . chasers, too. The odd thing is tha~ once they have all ~een it and know where the s~ake is; they quick'ly go back to whatever it was they were doing pre­viously. Sometimes, they will even feed or bathe within what I call an uncom­fortably close distan~e to the reptile. ' . infectious pathogens in their systems, Depending on the time ofyear(and thus providing a source of patho'gens my memory), the crowd has inchid.ed for the tick population. The "'incuba- various woodpecker speci'es, wat'bler tion period" is the period between the species, cardina.\s, Carolina chickadees bite and the onset of disease symptoms. and blue jays. The most unusual visitor Tick Biology ~ " was only last week. A white-eyed vireo h~d found what I'm 99% positive was a snake in 'a large ravine near out'hou.se. It is full of extremely dense vegetation, and .I didn't have boots 'on, so I did not get too close.· · Ticlis are virtually all body and no · head. The appendages we see at the "head" end of the tick are its mouth parts. Many ticks are blind and have no eyes of note. A pad on the end of each , front foot (tarsus) senses carbon diox­ide and, as a tick hangs by its· hind feet on a tree, for example, it can sen~e carb­on dioxide or motion and drop onto a · passing host. . . To determine if there are ticks in an area of interest to you, place a cup-sized block ~f dry ice in the middle of a bed sheet and see what shows up. Soft-bodied ticks tend to feed on resting . h9st~, and 'they. infest places such as lairs and dens of animals and old barns. Their stru~ture is something like a bag on top of the body, wlth mouth parts hiddel\ under "the bag." Bexarlrac~ However, aside .from the vireo, I did see three male cardinals and one . buff-bellied hummer. The latter was al­ternately darting around 'and hovering, Life Cycle It takes about two to three years for most ticks to ref!ch maturity. A tick' will feed only 'three times in several years. They are extremely' resistant to , drought, wet, cold, heat~ and other ad· , verse conditions. Experiments have shown that they can survive amazingly harsh environmental conditions and .emerge to co'ntiriue their life cycle. When ti~k eggs (which are Often bril- , ' 5 making its very agitated, fussipg noises. The wrens (who always join in) defi­nitely would have been there, .too, ex­cept for the fact they were way out in the woods trying to keep up with the · wrenlets who fledged the day be-fore! ' One last . thing on the ·subject. I spent untold hours of the first spring and· summer of living in the country in pursuit of what I dubbed the "no" bird. It always said "no" in a drawn-out, fairly high-pitched voice, with an ascending . inflection. And it kept repeating the call about 15-30 . seconds apart for, sometimes, extended periods oftime. I almost got hickies on'my hands from "kis.sing" them trying to squeak it out-and qid get chiggers, ticks and poison ivy w:Hkingthrough tall grasses and other dense vegetation trying to flush it. out. It was driving me crazy! Neither the field guides, nor.my bird watching friends were of the slightest help. . Finally, I happened to meet up with a naturalist friend who lived several miles away and asked him if he _knew anything about my elusive "no" bird. He certainly did- and it truly was NO BIRD. What I had been hearing was the sound frogs ma·ke when they are being swallowed feet first by a snake! - .Gerry Green Nursery, Texas liantly colored and look something like masses of fungus) hatch, the emerging · young are very tiny, and have only six legs and no reproductive organs. These larval ticks will find it host, get a blood meal, and drop off, remaining dormant untihhey emerge as nymphs. - Susan Hughes . -Continued in August (Sorry, but there's just no room) Boondoggle Defeated Good news! Auburn dam defeated! On June 28, in a stunning victory, the House Committee on Transporta­tion and Infrastructure defeated an amendment calling for the construc­tion of the boondoggle 508-foot-high Auburn Dam on the American River in California. The Auburn dam project has been rejected by the Congress before, most recently in 1992. But California representatives Doolittle, Fazio and Matsui insist on pushing ahead on this disas-ter. However, the T & I Com­mittee rejected an amendment by Rep. Don Young (R-AK) to build the dam 35-28! Better still, the President's alter­native proposal, $57 million fo~ flood control improvements to levees in Sacramento passed 36-16. Backers of Auburn Dam claim that the purpose is flood control, so this alterna1ive should put that argument to rest. As the Washington Post put l.t, "Crit­ics suggest that the real purpose is to facilitate commercial development of the flood plain while adding to the fu­ture water supply that the development would require." The issue may come back when the Water Resources Development Act hits the House floor, but Doolittle told the press, "the odds are not good . we'll have to wait for a calmer environment." Construction of the dam started in 1967, but was halted in 1977 when a 5.7-magnitude earthquake shook the area. Not too surprising, when you con­sider there are 15 earthquake faults run­ning through the proposed construction area. =:;;jij-. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES Texa~ ·Delegation Voting Records This month's voting record report is on Representative Henry Bonilla. Like most of the San Antonio delegation, he coul~n't rate any lower than 0, which is how the League of Conservation Voters scored him on his votes in 1995. On every key environmental vote, Bonilla voted against the interests of his constituents and for dismantling the EPA, giving away Alaskan timber and mining resources, closing national parks, logging without laws, and other envi­ronmentally unfriendly legislation. Bonilla voted to overturn President Clinton's veto of the Interior Appropria­tions Bill, and to retain the 17 environmental-disaster riders attached to it. According to Project Vote Smart, in October of95, on a particularly obnoxious bill, the so-called Omnibus Civilian Science Authorization, Bonilla voted to prohibit EPA ·from conducting indoor air pollution research and investigating global warming . In February, Bonilla did ·vote to reauthorize the Con.servation Reserve Pro­gram and the Wetlands Reserve Program, and appropriate $210 million for acquiring land in the Florida Everglades for environmental restoration purposes. Bonilla voted for the Clean Water Act amendments of 1995, which would have relaxed po_llution controls, eased development restrictions on wetlands, give states. more control over water issues, and increase consideration of economic impacts of water quality standards. On an effort to recommit the Vote to add language to restore protection to current standards, Bonilla voted No. Bonilla is also ranked at 0 by the Fund for Animals. He's rated at 100% by the League of Private Property Voters, the National Rifle Association, and construc­tion and business groups, according to Project Vote Smart. As we reported in February, Physicians for Social Responsibility scored his record as an R Current information on campaign contributions was not available. National Wildlife Refuge to Be Named for Mollie Beattie On June 27, 1996, Mollie Beattie died after a year-long struggle against brain cancer. Beattie was director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service from Sep­tember 10,1993, until June 5, 1996. She was the first woman ever to head the agency, and her goals as direc­tor were to make the Service the strong­est protector of America's wild creatures and the finest steward over America's . National Wildlife Refuges. In the process, she sought to prove that the Endangered Species Act could work well for this country, according to Secretary of the Interior, Bruce Babbitt. "It is in these creatures she loved so much where I believe we will sense her spirit with us. In the fierce, proud eyes of the wo If packs at Yellowstone that she personally helped to return. In the distant plumes of grey whales migrat- . ing along their ancient routes from the equator to the Arctic. In the soaring flight of bald eagles returning from the 6 brink of extinction to waters where they have not been ~een in decades. In the sound of the grizzlies returning to forests they had long abandoned. In every place where wild creatures have a place to feed and raise their young," said Babbitt. Congressman Don Young of Alaska introduced legislation in the Hou!le of Representatives to name one of the . most awe-inspiring wilderness areas in the U.S. after. Mollie Beattie, an area that spans the heights of the majestic Brooks Range and towers over the sea­sonal pageant of migrating wildlife along the Arctic coastal plain in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In remembering Mollie Beattie we recognize all the public servants who dedicate their talents and their energies to protecting the natural world we hold dear. Let us work together with them to conserve a legacy for the future. - Susan Hughes Bexar Tracks Gingrich Still Greenscamming House Speaker Newt Gingrich told 400 member~ of the so-called wise-use group Alliance for America on June 18 that Republicans don't have enough votes in Congress to-re­write the ESA, the AP reports. "If 'property rights' becomes in the popular media a synonym for 'anti- environment,' we can't win the fight . Now, I think 'pro-small busi­ness' works. I think 'pro-family farm' works. 'Pro family ranch' works. The objective fact is that there are not enough ranchers and miners and for­esters in Congress by themselves to win a vote in the House," Gingrich said. "We've got to firtd a way. to build a bigger coalition." Gingrich said the key will be the ability of Western and rural Republi­cans to make their case with Eastern and moderate Republicans. "Until we finish cornrnuniqting what we mean by the new environmentalism and un­til we convince people this is not just a hokey set of code words to allow us to wipe out species . I'm not willing to pass a bill you can't live with," Gingrich told the group. Funds "Siphoned Away" Congress is raiding the nation's largest source of federal funding for conservation land purchases ''with almost no public awareness," says im article in the San Jose Mercury News. The article explains that $900 million a year is taken in from offshore oil-drill­ing royalties and is supposed to be used through the La.ndand Water Conserva­tion Fund for buying parklands. "But since the early 1980's, Con­gress has raided it like bears at a picnic, taking three of every four dollars in­tep. ded for parks and spending the money on other things." This ye~r, Congress voted to spend $138 million on parks, the smallest amount since 1974, with the remainder of the $900 million going into the general fund. More Advisories "Fish eaters beware," says the Washington Post in an article reporting an increase of209 advisories from a year Bexar Tracks ENVIRONMENTAL BRIEFS ago urging consumers to avoid or re­duce consu rnption of trout, salmon, or other species because of toxic contami­nation. Mercury accounted for 1308 ofth~ ;advisories, found in 35 states; PCB ad­visories totalled 438. The statistics were re,leased in an EPA report, which says that ·advisories were issued for a total of 1740 lakes and streams in 47 states. Lott Is New Republican Leader On June 12, Senate Republicans elected Mississippi Senator and current Majority 'Whip Trent Lott as thenew­rnajority Leader. Lott said at a news cop.ference, "Our agenda will be the same as Bob Dole laid out for us. We do want to control the size and scope of government.: . " · Lott forgot to mention that he and Dole share another goal, reduction of environmental protections. They both scored 0% on the 1995 League of Con­servation Voters scorecard. Stealth Attack Revisited Sleazy riders,' funding cuts to en vi- 'r onrnental progra,ms-sound familia' r? . We are all headed that way again. You would think that the extremists in Congress would learn. And in fact they have. This year the budget stealth at­tacks are a lot stealthier. There are no 25% across-the-board cuts to funding for the EPA, but thereis a $50 million cut from last year's level for the safe drinking water revolving fund, and that is a whopping $100 million below what the President requested. The Budget again calls for opening · the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil development. No matter how many times we beat back proposals to open up the Arctic coastal plain, it keeps corning back. President Clinton may once again be all that is standing between the Arc­tic Refuge and the oil rigs. Luckily, he ·has been sending the message that pro­posals to drill the Arctic are veto bait. Corporate Welfare . Citizens forTaxJustice·has detailed 122 "tax expenditures" totaling $3.7 trillion over the next 7 years in a new report entitled ''The Hidden Entitle- 7 ments." Included are $10 billion in tax breaks for timber, agriculture, and min­erals, and $21 billion for tax breaks for oil, gas, and energy. "Many of these programs are tar­geted to the industries with lots of po­litical clout," says Bob Mcintyre of CTJ. Call CTJ at 202-626-3780 for a copy of the report. WTO At it Again-Hold ori to your Ecolabels On July 24, the United States Trade Representative plans to ask the World Trade Organization at a meeting in Ge­neva to adopt a long list of industry­drafted ecolabeling principles. These principles would deny the American people the information they need to be responsible consumers in today's global marketplace. Adoption of the principles would set a dangerous precedent by giving the WTO power to review the operation of important voluntary, market-based en­vironmental programs. The same type of principles could eventually be applied to labels that identify products made with good labor practices. The result? Consumers might not know about the pesticides used to put food on their table or whether the rug they bought was pro­duced with child labor. Drafted in secret by industry with­out the input of environmentalists or public health experts, the proposed principles are · flawed. The criteria would give decision-making power to WTO dispute panels that have no ex­pertise on environmental issues. The Clinton Administration as­sured Americans that the WTO and the NAFfA would not compromise envi­ronmental protection. It is about to badly disappoint those hopes. - From Sierra Club Legislative Office. · To subscribe: one-line message to [e-mail] subscribe sc-action. -From the GrassRoots Environmental Effectiveness Network. To subscribe: one line message to [e-mail] Subscribe Actgreen Your Name Bexar Audubon Society. Inc. P. 0. Box 6084 San Antonio, TX 7 8209 Address Correction Requested INSIDE TRACKS Deadly Tuna Bill . I July Meeting . ~ . 2 June Outing . 2 Perambulations . 3 Local News Briefs . 3 Prunus mexic"nus . .4 New Checklist . .4 Birding Belize . .4 Bird Brains . 4 Tick Talk . s Snakes and Birds and . 5 Boondoggle Defeated . 6 Texas Delegation Records . 6 Mollie Beattie NWR . 6 Environmental Briefs . 7 Calendar . 8 0 Printed on acid-free. 50o/o post-consumer waste paper. Non-profit Organization U. S. Postag~ Paid San Antonio, TX P~rmlt #590 SUMMER/FALL PLANNING CALENDAR t Bexar Audubon Event § More Information Inside CONTACTS FOR RECURRING EVENTS First Saturday at Friedrich Park. guided gen­eral natural history hike. free. 698-1057 for reservations. Second Saturday at Friedrich Park sponsored by Bexar Audubon. $2 donation requested. 698-105 7 for reservations. Second Saturday: Beginners Bird Walk at Alamo Heights Nature Trail. Georgina Schwartz of SA Audubon Society 342-207 3. Fourth Saturday: Birding morning at Mitchell Lake with Ernie Roney. SMS. Meet at ML at 8 am. 7 3 3-8 306 for more info. JULY I I BAS Board Meeting. 7 pm. ISM BAS General Meeting. 7:30pm. Ru­ble Center. Natural Initiatives. 2 3 7pm. San Antonio Sustainable Build­ing Coalition. First Unitarian Univer­salist Church. 71 50 IH I 0 W. Mal­c~ lm Beck. Garden-Ville. Get thru drought successfully. $2 donation. 24§ Dr. Peter lllyn. founder of Christians for Environmental Stewardship. 7pm. Harvest Fellowship. 1270 N. loop 1604 East. 27 Pelagic birding trip. Dwight Peake, 409-740-4621 evenings. AUGUST 3 First Saturday <1i Friedrich Park. I O:j: Second Saturday at Friedrich Park. Wise Words on Wildlife. What to do about raccoons in your chimney or deer in your garden. Marcy Lynch, Wildlife Rescue f, Rehabilitation. 2 7 Native Plant Society. Judit Gowen. TPWD urban biologist. on building ponds. lion's Field Clubhouse, 2809 Broadway at•Mulberry. 7-9 pm, free. SEPTEMBER 3 7pm. San Antonio Environmental Net­work. Witte Museum Auditorium. 7 First Saturday at Friedrich Park. 7 Friedrich Interpretive Guide Training. every Saturday thru Oct 12, 9-noon. 698-1057 to enroll. 12 BAS Board meeting, 7 pm. 14 Star Party at Friedrich Park. Gaze at the heavens with the SA Astronomi­cal Assn. Telescopes provided. Bring a flashlight. 8- I 0 pm. 19 BAS General meeting. 7:30pm. 2 I Pelagic birding trip. from Port O'Connor, Dwight Peake. 409-740-4621 evenings. NOVEMBER 6-10 Rio Grande Tropical Birding Festival: Tropical Birds of the Border. Info. C of C. 311. E. Tyler. Harlingen, TX 78550.800-531-7346. 8-10 Green Impact Conference G Building Tour. Austin Convention Center. Info www .greenbuilder .com/ con terence/ 14-1 5 Natural Resource and Environmental Policy for the 21st Century: Shaping the Vision (Texas AJ:ricultural and Natural Resources Summit Ill). YO Holiday Inn, Kerrville. 409-845- 8484 for registration information. 14-1 7 Festival of the Cranes, Bosque del Apache NWR, Socorro. NM. Info 505-835-0424. Other conservation organizations: please add Bexar Audubon to your mailing list if we're not already on it, and we'll be glad to include your events in our calendar each month. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offers many nature activities for ann~1al Texas Con­servation Passport Holders($ 50 per year). Call for event listings: 800-937-9393. I