Bexar tracks : the newsletter of the Bexar Audubon Society, Vol. 16, No. 03

• Main Author: Bexar Audubon Society
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: San Antonio, Tex. : Bexar Audubon Society, 1998
• Subjects: Birds > Conservation > Texas > Periodicals.; Ornithology > Texas > Periodicals.; Nature conservation > Texas > Periodicals; Clubs and Organizations; Science and Technology; Austin; Compass Island; Dominguez; Finch; Fulcrum; Grande Valley; High Island; Hoskins; Kathleen; Knowles; Lone; North Star; Pomona; Sullivan; Watchers; Beluga; Beluga*; Kachemak; Alaska
• Online Access: http://digital.utsa.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15125coll10/id/7999

Bexar Tracks began with Vol. 4, no. 1 (January 1986). It continues Newsletter (Bexar Audubon Society). I .SPec 09L -~o lro QL ila~ · BEXAR AUDUBON SOCIETY SAN ANTONIO TEXAS Co2lf ·TY 691' 81~A&S Thursday, March 19, 1998- Chapter Meeting A Problem Most Rare Snow Geese-We've Got Too Many 7 p.m. - Free and open to the public Ruble Center, 419 E. Magnolia (east of McCullough; take Mulberry exit off 281) For VIA public transportation, take Route 5 (St. Mary's/McCullough/North Star Mall) to Magnolia Just when you were beginning to believe that every bird you knew about, with the exception of the house sparrow, was headed toward extinction, wildlife biologists are telling everyone that the North American population of snow geese has grown too large for the continent to handle. r ' One such biologist is Brian Sullivan, program leader in the Texas Parks ~nd Wildlife Department's Wildlife Division. Sullivan will be the speaker at our March meeting. His presentation, which includes both slides and video, will detail how and why the snow goose population has grown, what the present goose demographic trends are, and what the impacts of snow goose overpopulation are on other nongame birds. Sullivan, who has worked as a waterfowl biologist in Texas and two other states in the Central and Mississippi Flyways, will outline proposed solutions to the problems, the importance of Texas to the problem and how Audubon members can be involved. Sunday, March 29, 1998 Chapter Outing Rescheduled Brush Country Birding Due to the predicted severity of thunderstorms for Saturday, Feb. 21st, the Pipes and I decided to cancel the outing to their ranch in Pleasanton. Not to worry though, Dick and Joyce Pipes have offered to reschedule the outing. All details remain the same, only the date has changed. Come on down! Bring drinks for the walk. Our hosts will provide a light snack after we bird. We'll meet at the Ruble center on Sunday, March 29th, at 7:45a.m. to carpool or caravan and arrive at the ranch at 9:00. Should be back in San Antonio by 2:00 p.m. To join the fun, contact Dawn Garcia at 210-226-3807 or [e-mail]. Help Bexar Audubon Spread the Word Spring is here and with it come purple martins and spring festivals. Our Society usually has a booth and/or table at many of these festivals where we meet and greet passersby and provide them with useful literature on the Society and on a variety of .environmental concerns and opportunities. · Helping to man (person?) a booth or table is a heart-warming experience and the chance to meet like-minded citizens and curious kids while helping BAS put forward its message of support for the environment and providing opportunities for others to join us. We need help at the following events: Apri14&5 April18 April18 VIVA BOTANICA . Sari Anton;o Botan;cat Gardens I San Antonio Earth Day 1998 . Woodlawn Lake Park Texas Children's Festival . lnstitute of Texan Cultures ~ No special expertise is needed and you can help for just a few hours or all day. No heavy lifting. Since two events are being held on the same day, April 18, we will need more people than usual. If you can help-:-a there is a money back guarantee that you will enjoy it-please call Tom Wilson at 210-492·4799. ' BEXAR AUDUBON ELECTION TIME See Page 7 for Slate of Nominees BEXAR AUDUBON SOCIETY Chapter of the National Audubon Society P. 0. Box 6084, San Antonio, TX 78209 21 0-822-4503 GOALS The .Chapter's primary goals are to promote species and habitat conservation and environmental education in the community. President Vice Pres. Treasurer Secretary Bd. Memb. Bd. Memb. Bd. Memb. Bd. Memb. Bd. Memb. Bd. Memb. Past Pres. OFFICERS AND BOARD Bill Sain ([e-mail]) . 408-7731 Richard Pipes . Qpipes@flash .net) . . . . 281 -2452 Betty Minyard . ([e-mail]) . . . . 344-6128 Deborah Robinson (=Bill Sain's) . . 493-4663 Chris Dullnig . ([e-mail]) . 830-980-8156 Kim Hoskins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 696-3780 John Langan . . (luby491 @aol.com) . . 491-0692 Mike Mecke . . ([e-mail]) . . . 520-6252 Katie Nava-Ragazzi . . . . . . . 804-1226 " . (72703.411 @compuserve.com) Harry Noyes . . . . . . . . 490-3124 Harriet Wiygul . ([e-mail]) . 534-7505 COMMITTEE CHAIRS Adopt-a-Park Bill Woller. . . 223-3281 Aud. Adven. Betty Minyard . ([e-mail]) . 344-61"28 Birdathon Bill Sain ([e-mail]) . 408-7731 Conserv. Richard Pipes . Opipes@flash .net) . 281-2452 Education Katie Nava-Ragazzi . (see above) . 804-1226 Hospitality Nancy Johnson . . . 655-1338 Memb. Susan Hughes . . . . . 532-2332 " . ([e-mail]) Natural I nit. Tom Wilson . (twilsond@ AOL.com) . 492-4799 Outings Dawn Garcia/Mel Richardson . . 226-3807 " . . . . . . ([e-mail]) Programs Chris Dullnig . ([e-mail]) . 830-980-8156 Publicity Rita Heck . . . . . . 21 2-8031 SAEN Coord. Bill Sain . (see above) . . . . 408-7721 Ways & Means Bill Sain . . (see above) . 408-7721 Bexar Tracks Tom Wilson . . ([e-mail]) . 492-4799 Editors Jill Sandeen . 830-980-3277 [e-mail]) . Fax: [phone] Bexar Tracks is your newsletter. We welcome your contributions. Next deadline: Mar. 20, 1997 Please fax Jill or email Tom as above; diskettes and hard copy should be sent to Tom Wilson, 13227 Hunters Spring, San Antonio, TX 78230. Printed with soy ink on recycled paper. March 1998 Thank you . Susan Hughes for allowing us to utilize her dining room table for a newsletter mailing party and a board meeting. Susan Hughes and (you know who you are) for participating in the fun of a newsletter mailing party. Katie Nava-Ragazzi, Harry Noyes, Dick Pipes, Kim Hoskins, Chris Dullnig, and Mike Mecke for working to organize the March SAEN meeting. Bill Woller, Katie Nava-Ragazzi, and Susan Hughes for serving on this year's Nominating Committee. To all Officers, at-large Board Members, and Committee Chairs for your continued dedication to BAS. Spring is almost upon us. I can tell by the weather outside, the singing and migrating birds, and the rising level of activities in which your chapter is invited to participate. March through May is always the busiest time of the year for us. Not only are there numerous migrating birds and wildflowers popping up all around us, but we also have numerous events like Viva Botanica, Earth Day, and the Institute of Texan Culture's Children's Festival. The Basura Bash, Master Naturalist Awards Banquet, the Texas Citizen's Summit, and the Great Texas Bi rding Classic also vie for our attention. March is also a bit of a milestone for BAS. The first chapter meeting of the newly organized National Audubon Chapter was March 1983. The past 15 years have seen BAS deeply involved in making our community a better place to live. We have played a major role in the creation of a number of natural areas, organizations and programs such as Friedrich Park and the Friends of Friedrich Park, the Mitchell Lake Wetlands Society, the Earth Day Fiesta Celebration, . Government Canyon State Natural Area, Natural Initiatives, and the Master Naturalist program. We have provided environmental education to thousands of elementary school children through our support the Audubon Adventures program. We plan to celebrate this anniversary later in the year. -Bill Sain CHAPTER NEWS No April Outings and Fare Thee Well Due to the bounty of April birding adventures, there will be no organized outing for Bexar Audubon in April. Take this time to be a team member for Bird-a-thon or the Great Texas Birding Trail competition. Join up with the SA Audubon outings, take a pelagic trip, a visit to High Island, or just do some backyard birding to see what migration brings your way. I will be moving to Seattle, WAin May, and joining up with the Audubon group up there. Bexar Audubon needs a new Outings Chair! Those of you interested in leading and organizing tours can get in touch with Bill Sain. I've enjoyed meeting y'all! Happy birding, happy spring -Dawn Garcia Upcoming Chapter Meeting: Apr 19- Christina McCain: Hummingbird Round-Up 2 Bexar Tracks ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS Two Species Endemic To Our Neighborhood Mesquite and red-berry juniper, the two species of which I know something of their local history, have been in their present ranges in Texas for a long, long time (thousands of years is likely). Juan Dominguez de Mendoza who traveled through the Concho Valley in 1683 encountered "mezquite" in sufficient abundance in certain locales to impede the travel of his wooden carts. Randolph Marcy who traveled through the southern plains in 1852 (I think that was the year, it was early 1850's) encountered mesquite in stands that , reminded him of fruit orchards. The species was here well .before the advent of the ranching industry out here in the 1860's. The genus Prosopis is of neotropical origin, and so P. glandulosa certainly spread northward, but the evidence is compelling that the spread began with warming since the last ice age. What did happen here, with the overgrazing from early intense ranching, was the local spread of mesquite and . increase in its density on range sites that formerly were fairly open. It seems quite apparent that fire once had a controlling force on the species. There is a painting by Chester Loomis ("The Antelope Hunters") painted on the grass plains east of San Angelo in the 1880's. Two men are skinning a pronghorn below a large mesquite tree. Off in the distance stands another lone mesquite tree. The aspect is one of a very open mesquite savannah as opposed to that seen there today of a mesquite woodland. That _is how it has changed. Mesquite was not introduced to Texas with the advent of ranching. Out here, red-berry juniper apparently occurred geographically where it does today, but as with mesquite, _it has spread dramatically into new ecological range sites. Before, it was confined to rim rocks at the tops of mesas and to ro.cky draws coming down slope. In those sites, soil was thinnest and grass (fuel for fire) was sparsest. Therefore fire was unsuccessful at controlling the juniper. With overgrazing (removal of fire fuel) and suppression of fire, the juniper has moved down slope and covered the shallow soils much more expansively. It is not introduced. I have little question that both these woody plant species have been here for thousands of years. -Terry Maxwell Editor's note: Maxwell's comments on red-berry juniper generally apply to Ash juniper as well. Good News from Alaska Every once in a while an issue comes along that just makes sense. The purchase from willing sellers of over 1 00 acres of important shorebird habitat on the Homer Spit and Beluga Slough with Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Restoration funds was that kind of project. With strong support from Audubon, the City of Homer, the Kachemak Bay Heritage Land Trust, the Trust for Public Lands, and many Alaskans from Homer, the Kenai Peninsula, and throughout the state, the project was poised for completion in early January. However, much to everyone's surprise, the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee declined to support the project, even though there was no cost to the state and strong support from many local groups. Thankfully, Governor Knowles stepped in on January 22 ana gave the go ahead to purchase these critical habitats. This is good news indeed. We owe the Governor and his staff a big thanks for their responsible actions in support of the public interest. -Bucky Dennerlein Alaska Office, National Audubon Soc. Nature Tourism Money Doesn't Grow on Trees By Steve Hill, Texas A & M University COLLEGE STATION-Recently released national figures show Texas communities shouldn't expect birdwatching and other wildlife viewing to bring a nature tourism boom, a Texas A&M University expert says. However, because birdwatchers and other wildlife observers are a large segment of the population, there are ways that communities can profit from an interest in wildlife. "Most birders are novices or casual birders, and they're likely to want to do things other than birdwatching," said Dr. David Scott, an assistant professor of recreation, park and tourism sciences at Texas A&M whoJracks birding trends. "They might want to combine birding with shopping. They might visit small towns for their heritage and history, or take part in other forms of outdoor recreation. Many like to eat in nice restaurants and stay in hotels." March 1998 To draw his conclusions about the size of the birding and wild life viewing markets, Scott analyzed both the .latest statistical information available from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and data collected by him and his colleagues at Texas birding festivals. The Fish and Wild life Service Service period ically conducts its National Survey on Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated recreation and released a preliminary report on its 1997 findings in July. Scott used the initial findings for his analysis, and the service's final report was issued in November. The service's last national survey was conducted in 1991. High hopes for wildlife tourism come partly from estimates of the number of people who observe, feed or photograph wildlife, Scott said. The agency's numbers indicate almost 63 million people took part and spent $31 billion in those activities. 3 However, only 22.9 million do so away from home, which is one of the reasons Scott says communities must temper their economic hopes. In addition, 54 percent of that $31 billion was spent on equipment for observing, feeding and photographing wildlife, while only 9 percent was spent for transportation, 11 percent for food, 6 percent for lodging, 4 percent for other trip costs and 16 percent for other expenditures. ''I'm a firm believer that we're distorting the impacts of these activities. There are people who believe there is more money out there than there actually is," he said. "The market is big, but it's not spending as much as people in some communities would like. The average wildlife watcher spent less than $500 in 1996, and most of that, remember, was spent on equipment." Bexar Tracks CONSERVATION NEWS Sustainability and Higher Education On college and university campuses around the country, a movement has emerged to incorporate environmental principles into curricula and facility operations. This approach extends beyond the creation of new academic departments and programs to the "greening" of campuses and efforts to ensure that every student-regardless of major-graduates with a greater awareness of environmental issues and their importance. These initiatives often include "environmental audits" that examine the environmental impacts of university operations in solid waste, water, energy, and transportation. Similar inventories are also informing curriculum development, in which groups of faculty are systematically reviewing courses and their content to identify areas in which concepts of sustainability can be introduced. At Brown University, the Brown Is Green program combines student research, education, and administrative efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of specific operations, including water and electrical consumption and solid waste management. The Center for Regenerative Studies at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona will employ solar energy and natural sewage treatment to support housing, classroom, and research facilities for 90 students, faculty, and staff. At the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Center for Sustainable Technology is introducing ecological principles into the design of new buildings and existing operations, in addition to reviewing existing courses and creating new curricula that address and incorporate environmental themes. And in the country's first statewide partnership, South Carolina's three research universities-Clemson University, the University of South Carolina, and the Mediqal University of South Carolina-are creating a collaborative sustainability initiative that will also involve representatives from state agencies and other participants. There are many obstacles to the "greening" of campuses and curricula. In the area of operations, it is very difficult to make progress without serious commitment at the very highest levels of administration . In developing new curricula, tenure pressures and other factors provide daunting barriers to interdisciplinary collaboration. Nevertheless, there are a variety emerging success stories, many of which are referenced through a handful of excellent Websites. You can access Eco-Compass at www.islandpress.org which provides links to on-line resources for "greening" campus operations and curricula, pollution prevention, and other topics. -Eco-Compass Island Press The Environmental Publisher info@ islandpress. org Radio Series Bring Outdoors to the Classroom AUSTIN-Thanks to the Internet and ReaiAudio technology, PASSPORT TO TEXAS, a weekday 90-second radio series from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), can now be heard anytime at home or in the classroom. To make the program's information more accessible to parents, teachers and students, the series recently established a new Internet home page: www.passporttotexas.com, featuring more than 400 audio programs organized by topic. (Ed. Note: be sure to download a recent version of ReaiAudioPiayer.) "The new Audio Library has transformed our daily program into a permanent educational resource that helps children and adults learn about more the Texas Outdoors," said producer Kathleen Jenkins of Austin. Hosted by Joel Block, PASSPORT TO TEXAS features interviews with TPWD personnel and special guests, and focuses on state parks, recreation, fish, wildlife, and nature conservation. Funding for the radio series presently comes from The Dow Chemical Company and a grant from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program in Texas. Affiliate radio stations and broadcast times can be found on the website and in "Texas Parks & Wildlife' magazine. For more information, write Jenkins at P.O. Box 5966, Austin, Texas 78763, call512-454-1922, or email to [e-mail]. March 1998 4 Help Needed to Protect South Padre Woodlots Hi, Texbirders! I hope that by now you have all heard about the big project by the Valley's conservation groups to protect woodlots on South Padre Island. Anyone who has been on the island for a fallout can attest to the importance of these lots. Our goal is to purchase several of them, improve the habitat, and establish neighborhood nature sanctuaries for birds and birders. The principal partners are the Valley Land Fund, the Rio Grande Valley Bird Observatory, the South Padre Island Nature Center, and the South Padre Island Area Fund. We are seeking your help for this project in several ways: 1. We wish to document the occurrence and abundance of birds on these lots. We request that birders record notes on their sightings this Spring and report them to the Rio Grande Valley Bird Observatory. www.geocities.com/ RainForest/2240/ If you have notes from previous years please include them as well. In the interest of efficiency please report only on your sightings within the brushy woodlots on the island itself. (We will target other brush areas on the mainland later.) 2. We are planning to offer guided tours of the woodlots during part of the Spring migration season (April). Any of you that plan to visit the Valley and would like to lead a tour are encouraged to contact the bird observatory, or me directly, as soon as you can. No special qualifications are needed except an infectious enthusiasm for birding! 3. Spread the word. When you visit the Valley let everybody you have business dealings with know that you are ecotourists and that ecotourism is good for both the environment and the economy. If you have contacts with a local conservation group ask them to contact us and become partners in this project. The more the merrier! 4. Finally, please support this project directly with your donations to the Woodlots Project, Rio Grande Valley Bird Observatory, P.O. Box 8125, Weslaco, TX 78599-8125. -Michael Delesantro Director Rio Grande Valley Bird Observatory Bexar Tracks BIRD TALES What's Going On Here? Startling Trend In Feeder Habits Editor's note: The following excerpts from TEXBIRDS, Audubon's birding listserv, illustrates what may be a new trend in bird habits showing adaptation to the opportunities presented to some species by an urban environment. So far, no accounts of this kind of activity in the San Antonio area. 1 have been feeding birds at this location for almost 17 years, but it was only last February that I became aware of the presence of Merlins. After hearing something "attack" the honeysuckle on a lattice outside my bedroom three times in short succession, I looked out just in time to observe a Merlin on the ground, adjusting its grip on a sparrow it held Jn its talons. It saw me staring at it through the glass, less than 10 feet distant, and froze, .returning my 9tare as if to evaluate whether 1 posed any danger. It was then, looking directly into the large brown eyes, that I realized .I was not looking at a hawk but rather a falcon. After what seemed minutes but was probably only seconds, it broke the gaze and, now clutching the sparrow firmly, flew away. This was certainly the most thrilling sighting I have ever experienced in my yard, and I duly r.10ted it on my yard list (now at 80 species). So last Monday morning, Feb. 9, you can imagine my excitement as I .1 heard the sound of something hitting my honeysuckle lattice once again. , This time I immediately rushed out the front door to get a better look at the ~ lattice around the side of the house. Before I could get down the front steps. 1 saw the (same?) Merlin flying fast and low across my front yard, headmg toward the lattice. By the time I got to the side yard where I could see the honeysu~kle, the Merlin was gone, but there we.reat least a dozen house sparrows huddled deep in the tangle of vines. 1 looked around for the Merlin, but after only a couple of moments the sparrows moved to more exposed privet near the feeder area as if the danger were over. That made me wonder if the Merlin's pass was successful and the sparrows knew it would not.be back soon., Anyway, it confirmed .to me that the incident last year was not a fluke-twas indeed a hunting strategy that was repeated. Since I am not home most days, this may occur often and I am just not there to observe it. None of my immediate neighbors put out food, so my house would be the obvious target in that area. For what it's worth . -Linda Cooke, Dallas, TX Sharpies (sharp-shinned hawks) "love" to eat their food just. as we "love" ours. I have a bird feeder on a post near my bedroom window. Every morning I open the blinds and watch the little birds. Every now and then there is a flying flurry as they try to escape. Soon after, unless it's caught one, a sharpie sits atop the feeder, about 5 feet from the window at eye level, and eyes the escape shrubs and grasses around _it. Sometimes it flies into a shrub (though it's very careful about the one that's a rose bush!) to try and flush a bird. Usually, if it has to perch on the feeder, it doesn't succeed in getting a meal and flie.s off, presumably in disgust, after about 5-10 minutes. Unfortunately, in my observations, if it catches a bird, it's a house finch, not a house sparrow. 1 believe the house sparrows are great survivors partially because they are extremely antsy when not in cover and fly up and away every few minutes, whether or not there's a threat. · -Bette Reincke, Sierra Vista, AZ This morning (2/22/98; 1 0 am) my wife called to me to come look at this bird that had caught another bird. By the time I got there it was in the tree eating either a red­winged blackbird or a cow bird. The hawk was identified as a Sharp Shinned Hawk. Was able to walk within 10 yards of it to capture it on the camcorder. We'll no doubt see more of this hawk as they do love to eat other birds. -Walter Bauer, Sugar Land, Texas Teen Bird Chat Line Does Ex·ist Our Texbird contact, Peter Gottschling of Friendswood, Tx., has furnished this information for birding teens, also defined as rare and mysterious beings. The Teen Bird Chat is at www.nbhc.com/birdw02alweeknn2a.htm. March 1998 5 And You Thought Birding Was Dull Editor's note: the following was reported on TEXBIRDS, Audobon's birding listserv by the Rio Brazos (College Station) Audubon Society Actually, the birds weren't great, probably because it was very windy. However, Mark Shavers saved a man who was drowning. Have you heard the story already? He was truly heroic. The guy had fallen out of his boat, and Mark and Jim Anding and a young man who was fishing caught the boat, drove it out to the man, and then, when it was clear that the man was too far gone to· help himself, Mark dove into the lake, got the man in a lifeguard carry, and hauled him back to the boat. Marcia had blankets in her car, and a man who has just moved here from Oregon and came along on the trip turned out to be a I doctor and ministered to the nian until the ambulance came. Markwas cold and had pulled his shoulder, but was okay. Absolutely no doubt that he saved the man's life: the man was .hypothermic, and had taken in a lot of water. Hooray for Audubon field trips · -Ellen Ratoosh Editor's Postscript: True to the code, this account was preceeded and followed by a complete listing of birds seen that day Wild Neighbors Book Offers Hints on Dealing With Wildlife Out of Place "A nuisance" is what some people consider the wildlife some of us try to attract to our wildscapes. And sometimes, because people know we love wildlife, others will ask us how to deal with "problems". This little book may be of help in particular circumstances. The 1991 version, which I have, offers humane ways to deal with everything from armadillos to woodpeckers, and includes information ori health concerns in working with wildlife, various wildlife-borne diseases, and physical trauma, as well as sources of products for wildlife-damage control. Wild Neighbors : The Humane Approach to Living With Wildlife by J. Hadidian, G.R. Hodge, and J. W. Grandy (Editors) $16.95. Fulcrum Pub. ISBN: 1555913091. -Susan Hughes Bexar Tracks It Ain't Necessarily So Many Bird Myths Persevere In the Face of Common Sense Birders, like their quarry, are a gregarious lot. They get together and exchange a lot of information about how to tell one bird from another and how the one that was positively identified just before the sun set. They also exchange stories, some funny, some occasionally ribald and many that are very interesting but untrue. Eirik A. T. Blom, writing in a recent issue of Birdwatcher's Digest, performs a useful public service by exposing some of these birding myths. Among the myths: 1 . The rice thrown at the bride and groom will be eaten by various birds and then will swell in their little stomachs killing them. If this were true, says Blom, the air over Louisiana rice fields would resemble a Fourth of July celebration since many birds-to the consternation oJ the farmers­eat lots of rice which they digest quite nicely. Thrown birdseed is great, especially if the couple are birders, but rice won't hurt birds. 2. Better take down your feeder in the fall or you will encourage the bird to hang around rather than migrate and they will freeze in the cold weather. Birds head for the tropics, Blom says, for genetic or environmental reasons. Those that stay are often sick or injured or have a glitch in their genetic makeup. "The hard truth is that the vast majority of the birds that fail to migrate die . Feeders probably extend, briefly, the life of a few of them. So keep those feeder up if you enjoy watching the birds. You are not 'seducing' any bird to linger beyond its time." (Ed . note: many birds at South Texas feeders are in their traditional winter homes.) 3. Red dye in hummingbird nectar kills the little critters. This had been a- long and often. heated 'Controversy, Blom says. While debaters cite various studies, there are "absolutely" no such studies on record and no proof the dye causes any problems. 4. Purple martins eat 2,000 mosquitoes a day. Not. . So what should a conscientious birder do when a great bird story is heard? According to Blom it is not easy to separate myth from reality. "There are extraordinary and improbable stories about birds that are entirely true. The trick is to develop a silent alarm system, a little buzzer that goes off when the story is too good, too weird, too improbable. Don't reject it out of hand, but investigate. Ask other bird watchers. Post a questions on the Internet. Go to the library. -Tom Wilson March 1998 BIRD TALES Texas Spring Bird Migration Calendar Now Available Hot-off-the-press is the "1998 Spring Migration Calendar'' for the entire Texas coast. Listed are over 80 events happening in the 43 county area of the Coastal Birding Trail. Wow! There are field trips, lectures, workshops, festivals, and conventions sponsored by communities, agencies, parks, ranches, organizations, and clubs. Too many to list here; most of the events are free and open to the public. The idea was to compile all bird-related events on one large, full color fold-out calendar. They are free and I STRONGLY encourage everyone to order a free copy. These calendars were compiled and printed by the Birding Classic staff at Texas Parks and Wildlife along with Texas Partners In Flight and Texas Audubon Society . your friendly neighbors accelerating in the nongame bird world. Send your request to Ms. Robin Gose <[e-mail]> or 512-389-4427. · -Cliff Shackelford Supervisor, The Great Texas Birding Classic A Message From Baytown If you are ever in the Baytown area (Southeast of Houston), check out the new Goose Creek Wetlands Center located across the street from Robert E. Lee high school. We are in the process of completing the Goose Creek Green Belt Trail and the Baytown Nature Center which is included in The Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail. -Sallie Sherman lovebird_98@ hotmail. com Texas League of Women Voters Natural Resources State-wide issues Conference on County Regulatory Authority in Texas will be held Saturday, March 21, 1998, from 9 am to 3 pm at Tree Tops Restaurant, 444 E. San Antonio St, New Braunfels, TX. Admission is free and open to the public, but lunch will cost $12 per person. Register by March 16. Call 512-472-1100 or email eash@ gvtc.com for info. Come and learn what options citizens have in dealing with growth and development in rural areas and what new authority is provided for counties by SB1. 6 Texbirds Book Review For All Seasons, A Big Bend Journal By Ro Wauer "For All Seasons, A Big Bend Journal," by Ro Wauer, is required reading for students of Texas birds because it provides a critical link between myth, legend and science. Wauer was the chief Park Naturalist from 1966-72 and has visited the park frequently since. Wauer has meticulously documented his Big Bend experiences, sorting them by month and date, and the result is presented by University of Texas Press ($19.95; 800-252-3206). Trans-Pecos birds get but snapshot glimpses from most birders' 2-4 day irregular visits to this unique corner of Texas." Seasons' paints a continuous panorama of habitats changing according to season in ways the casual visitor has neither the time or the knowledge to interpret. The artwork is by a familiar artist: Nancy McG.owan. A II the Big Bend regulars that you would expect are treated in the Journal: flammulated owl; blue-throated, lucifer, & magnificent ·hummingbirds; gray, black-capped & Hutton's vireos; Colima warbler; lazuli and varied buntings. But if you want to get the straight BBNP skinny on species like aplomado falcon; Montezuma quail (unsuccessfully reintroduced); Allen's, Anna's, broad-billed, calliope, and white-eared hummingbirds; Williamson's sapsucker; dusky, cordilleran, and sulfur-bellied flycatchers; tropical and thick-billed kingbirds; rufous-backed robin'; Grace's & rufous-capped warblers, then you need this book. As anyone who has sorted and reviewed 30 years of slides from a single location will tell you, what makes the effort meaningful is the changes. The tugs that humans had made on this natural area are in many directions at once-in a region that once knew only geologic and climactic change, overgrazing has come and gone, lowering the water table and converting topsoil to Rio Grande mud in the blink of an eye. Horse concessions, candellilla, mining, ranching, sewage lagoons, over­visitation, even air quality have brought changes to this once insurmountable­now fragile-wilderness. -Reviewed by Mark Elwonger Bexar Tracks . t Veteran Slate ·Proposed For 1998-99 Bexar Audubon Society Officers The BAS Nominating Committee, consisting of Bill Woller, Katie Nava-Ragazzi, and Susan Hughes, has proposed a well-rounded slate of experienced environmentalists for the 1998-1999 term. The election will take place at the BAS general meeting on Thursday, April 16, 1998 at 7:00 p.m. Please come and participate in the future of BAS. If you cannot attend the meeting, but wish to vote by mail ballot, please mark and cut out the ballot and mail it in time to be received by April 15th. Those who have agreed to stand for another term in their present positions include President Bill Sain, Secretary Deborah Robinson, Treasurer Betty Minyard and Board Member Chris Dullnig. Board Member Mike Mecke was nominated for Vice-President. Libby Beckhelm, co-owner with husband Phil of the Wild Bird Center, has been nominated for one of the 2-year Board Member positions. Maria Elizalde, a teacher, has been nominated for the other 2-year Board Member position. The nominee to finish out the final year of Mik~ Mecke's unfinished 2-year Board Member term will be announced next month. The 2-year Board positions, held by Harry Noyes and Kim Hoskins, will be up for election next year. You are encouraged to write in your own candidate for any postion. Write-in candidates must be current members of BAS. Ballots with write-ins must be accompanied by a statement signed by the candidate indicating willingness to serve if elected. Your name and address as it appears on your newsletter label (on the back of this page) must be clearly marked on the outside of your mailing envelope in order to validate your vote. To protect your ~r~h.2,w,.2~r,U'~ .!!'~ ,.2~1~2.Y.2,U,!. ~1!,2t~ ~n,.2t~!.e!!.v~i~ .l:'.o~r.!!'~l!!!~2!,o.E,e.;. _"I BEXAR AUDUBON SOCIETY BALLOT 1998 ELECTION Circle proposed candidates or write in your own: President. . Bill Sain Write-in Vice President. . Mike Mecke Write-in Secretary . Deborah Robinson Write-in Treasurer . Betty Minyard Write-in Board Member-2 year . Chris Dullnig Write-in Board Member-2 year . Libby Beckhelm Write-in Board Member-2 year . Maria Elizalde Write-in Board Member-1 year . To be announced Write-in Mail Ballot to BAS Elections, PO Box 6084, San Antonio, TX 78209 . ~ --- ~ March 1998 7 Bexar Tracks Bexar Audubon Society, Inc. P. 0. Box 6084 San Antonio, TX 78209 Address Service Requested Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid San Antonio Permit #590 r --- ., 11ntroductory Membership 1 RECURRING EVENTS 1 National Audubon Society 1 Bexar AudubonSociety I I Second Thursday of Each Bexar Audubon Society Board Meetings. I (Chapter Code W19) I Month . Call408-7731 for more info. Members welcome I New memberships tol Third Thursday of Each Month Bexar Audubon Society General Meetings, Open I National Audubon Society, including I (except Aug) Call 822-4503 for info. to the public, Ruble Center, 419 E. Magnolia,? pm I a subscription to Audubon magazine, I First Saturday of Each Month. Friedrich Wilderness Park offers a free guided lare $20 ($15 for seniors or full-timel I students). This includes membership I Call698-1057 for more info. general natural history hike ·I in Bexar Audubon and a subscription Second Saturday of Each Month. Bexar Audubon sponsors the "Second Ito Bexar Tracks,as well. For information and reservations, Saturday" program at Friedrich Park I Makes a great gift! call 698-1 057 $2 donation requested I Name Fourth Saturday of Each Month. Birding morning at Mitchell Lake - meet at 8 am I Address Call 308-6788 for more information Led by Ernie Roney (656-4239; I city San Antonio Audubon Soc.) I state Zip First Tuesday of Each Quarter San Antonio Environmental Network meets at I March, June, September, December. the Witte Museum auditorium, 7 pm. Free and IPhone: ( ) Call 822-4503 for more info open to the public :Mail this coupon and your check- Visit Bexar Audubon's New Web Site: payable to "National Audubon I Society" to: http://www.audubon.org/chapter/tx/bexar/ I Bexar Audubon Society I P. 0 . Box 6084 Suggestions and contributions are welcome. Please contact Jill Sandeen at I. ___Sa_n Antonio, TX 78209 jsondeen@ netxpress.com . _______ . March 1998 8 Bexar Tracks I I I.