| Summary: | Bexar Tracks began with Vol. 4, no. 1 (January 1986). It continues Newsletter (Bexar Audubon Society). Bexar Audubon Society is a chapter of the National Audubon Society. Its primary goals are to promote species and habitat conservation and environmental education in the community. In 1999 Audubon Texas took its concern about the decline of quail populations in the US to the National Audubon Society Board. This sparked several initiatives, key among them the first Farm & Range Fo-rum, held in 2000 in San Antonio. That forum focused on quail in South Texas and their relation to other wildlife. Following a seminar attracting leading investigators in the field of quail ecology, the forum also looked at habitat management techniques that would beneficially affect not only quail, but also other species that share quail habitat. Bexar Audubon joined forces with sev-eral other organizations to organize and host this forum, which also recognized the economic impacts of nurturing quail and their habitats, since making a living on the land was becoming harder and harder to do, and diversification of income sources was of increasing importance for landown-ers. Managed hunting and nature tourism were two ways landowners could diversify, and they were directly tied to healthy wild-life habitat. Further, there were many new landowners — often holding small acreage — who wanted to know how they could implement good management practices to improve or sustain the quality of their prop-erties. Why was Bexar Audubon interested in promoting these issues? The interest in quail as a keystone species was, perhaps, obvious. Further, the quail is Bexar Audu-bon’s bird of choice for its logo. But more than that, for many people quail are em-blematic of bird life in South Texas. Today quail continue to endure critical threats due to factors including habitat loss, com-petition, and disease. There’s a more important reason, though, for an urban Audubon chapter to engage in the protection of healthy habi-tats in rural areas. Our statement of pur-pose in 2000 was this: “Wildlife need habitat. Humans need eco-system services. In Texas, about 97 per-cent of land is held privately. Therefore, if habitat and ecosystem services are to be preserved in Texas, the private landowner must be engaged in conservation. “We believe the preservation of family farming and ranching is key to the develop-ment of sustainable agriculture in this state and to the ecosystem services and habitat preservation that are a part of our vision of a biologically and economically healthy Texas.” With 80 percent of Texas voters living in urban areas, public policy decisions that affect Texas open space are made by peo-ple who have little opportunity for dialog with landowners and little opportunity to witness the effects of urbanization, sprawl, fragmentation, and habitat degradation. The Farm & Range Forum aims to foster that dialog and mutual understanding, so informed urban conservationists are pre-pared to help conscientious landowners sustain their presence on the land and, therefore, sustain habitat for the wildlife to which we all are committed. This year’s forum focuses on the Texas Hill Country and examines the intense pressures that are changing the face and function of this beloved landscape at a breakneck pace. I invite and urge you to attend this year’s forum — reinvigorated with both old and new partners after a four-year hiatus. Our issues are as vital today as they were in 2000, and your involvement really can make a differ-ence. - Susan Hughes Registration/more information, pages 5-6 Bexar Tracks Volume XXVI, No. 9 For the latest news and updates, see www.bexaraudubon.org and www.sa-naturecenter.org. Inside this issue: TPWD Geocaching 2 Great Backyard Bird Count 3 BAS Elections 4 Farm & Range Insert 5-6 Community Events 7-8 January-February 2010 The Farm & Range Forum: Why Is This Important for Urban Conservationists? No meetings at Trinity during the winter months of January & February! Join us Saturday, January 16th Bexar Audubon Annual Meeting/ Elections/Tour at Mitchell Lake Audubon Center 1 PM Join us at this won-derful place for election of officers / board members and other annual meeting business. Following meet-ing, participate in a guided tour of Mitchell Lake. Bring binoculars! Reser-vations required for tour in order for staff to plan accordingly. Brown bag your lunch and arrive at 12:30 if you wish to eat lunch and visit before the meeting! All are welcome. 2-4 PM, Tour Mitchell Lake/Bird Outing Tour Mitchell Lake and see some great birds following the BAS annual meeting. Reservations required, 210.837.057 or pasztor@ ix.netcom.com. Let us know Continued on page 4 Page 2 January-February 2010 Bexar Tracks Updated Texas Wildscapes Guide to Native Plant Gardening Whether you have an apartment balcony or a multi-acre ranch, the Texas Wildscapes™ program gives you the tools you need to make a home for all the animals that will thrive in the native habitat you create. Texas Wildscapes™ is a habitat restoration and conservation plan for rural and urban areas that enables Texans to develop wildlife habitats where they live, work and play. For the thousands of people already familiar with the pre-vious edition of the Texas Wildscapes book, the Texas A&M Nature Guides Edition and accompanying interactive DVD will be a welcome supplement, providing a wealth of plant and animal lists, tables, photos, video, and other detailed information in a fully searchable format. If you are just learning how to enjoy wildlife in a backyard setting, Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife, the Texas A&M Nature Guides Edition provides the essential ingredients for a variety of wildlife: food, water and shelter. It then coaches you in designing and planting your yard or garden to best provide these requirements for the many birds, mammals, reptiles, am-phibians, and invertebrates you will attract. Author Kelly Conrad Bender is urban wildlife biologist for Central Texas with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The former coordinator of the Texas Wildscapes™ program, she is currently based in Bastrop, where she conducts research and workshops and manages public outreach projects. The book can be purchased online through the Texas A&M Press website, by phone at 800.826.8911, or at major booksellers across the state. For more information: www.tamupress.com or www.tpwd.state.tx.us/wildscapes Treasure Hunt! A new program at 12 Texas state parks aims to use technology to draw visitors into the outdoors. The Texas Geocache Challenge which began Nov. 1, 2009 runs through Jan. 31, 2010, challenging state park visitors to use Global Positioning System technology to find a cache of hidden rewards in each park. Participating central and southeast central parks are Bastrop, Buescher, Government Canyon, Guadalupe River, Huntsville, Lake Somerville- Birch Creek, Lake Somerville-Nails Creek, Lockhart, McKinney Falls, Monument Hill-Kreische Brewery, Palmetto and Washington-on-the- Brazos. "It’s a good, healthy way to get out on the trails of state parks," said Chris Holmes, outdoor education co-ordinator for Texas State Parks. "We think it will be appealing to families, a really fun thing to do in a state park." Participants can download a Texas Geocache Passport, as well as the coordinates of each of the caches, at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/geocaching. In each of the 12 parks a hidden box will contain small prizes, information about the park, a logbook for cachers to record their visit, and a paper punch unique to the park. Geocach-ers can use their GPS units to find the containers and then use the punch to mark their passports to ver-ify their visit. When geocachers have found all 12 boxes, they can mail the passport to TPWD, and the first 100 people to send in their passports will receive a commemorative geocoin. Other par-ticipants who finish will qualify for other prizes, such as a map of all 12 parks, Texas Geocache Challenge stickers and a certificate of comple-tion. This pilot program will be evalu-ated and possibly go statewide. Bird Watching Answer Book Author responds to real questions from real birders Why is a cardinal attacking my windows? (p.87) Will birds explode if they eat rice thrown after a wedding? (p.17) How can I keep squirrels out of my bird feeders? (p.37) Do birds play? (p.268) Why don’t birds fall off branches as they sleep? (p. 305) For years, bird expert and Cornell Lab of Ornithology science editor Laura Erickson has heard questions like these and hun-dreds more. Now, drawing on questions that come to the Cor-nell Lab, she’s compiled answers to more than 200 common and not-so-common bird questions in a handy pocket-sized book that reads like a conversation with your friendly neighborhood “bird lady.” The Bird Watching Answer Book is organized into three sections: watching and feeding birds, bird behavior, and bird biology. In addition to down-to-earth scientific answers, readers will find plenty of quirky stories and interesting asides like these: • Turkey Vultures have been used to detect gas pipeline leaks because of their great sense of smell. • American Crows can remember human faces. • The Brown Thrasher holds the record for knowing the most songs: 2,000. • The largest individual bird nest on record weighed nearly three tons. More information at www.birds.cornell.edu. Page 3 January-February 2010 Bexar Tracks Become a Master Naturalist Join our 2010 Spring Class! Learn from leading experts in Texas: Bio-diversity ● Hydrology/Edwards Aquifer ● Interpretive Hikes ● Native Plants Urban Systems/Forestry ● Reptiles/Amphibians ● Aquatic Ecosystems ● Soils Wildlife Management ● Archaeology ● Plant Taxonomy ● Geology ● Birds Ethnobotany ● Schoolyard Habitat ● Plant Ecology ● Impact of Man ● Mammals Insects Ecology ● Threat-ened/ Endangered Species ● Laws/Ethics Classes held Thursdays, Feb. 25–Apr. 29, 5–9 PM at the Texas AgriLife Building, 3355 Cherry Ridge Drive (Room 208), San Antonio. Plus four morning field trips, including graduation on May 1. Applications and Information: www.alamomaster naturalist.org. E-mail applications to pball12@ satx.rr.com. Application deadline Feb. 9th. Class tuition & books $125.00. Scholarships available. Mid-Winter Nature Break with the Great Backyard Bird Count February 12-15, 2010 Bird watchers coast to coast are invited to take part in the 13th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), Friday through Monday, February 12-15, 2010. Participants in the free event will join tens of thousands of volunteers of all levels of birding experience to count birds in their own backyards, local parks or wildlife refuges. The GBBC is led by the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and provides an opportunity for people of all ages to learn about birds and the environment we share. Each checklist submitted by "citizen scientists" helps researchers learn more about how the birds are doing—and how to protect them. Last year, participants turned in more than 93,600 checklists online, creating the continent's largest instantaneous snapshot of bird popu-lations ever recorded. “Taking part in the Great Backyard Bird Count is a great way to get outside with family and friends, have fun, and help birds—all at the same time. Anyone who can identify even a few species can provide important information that enables scientists to learn more about how the environment is changing and how that affects our conservation priorities,” said Audubon Edu-cation Vice President, Judy Braus. Anyone can take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count, from novice bird watchers to experts. Participants count birds for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more days of the event and report their sightings online at www.birdcount.org. For more information about the GBBC: www.birdcount.org, or contact the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at 800.843.2473 or gbbc@cornell.edu, or Audubon at citizenscience@audubon.org or 215.355.9588, ext 16. SEP-HCP Update The Southern Edwards Plateau Habitat Conserva-tion Plan (SEP-HCP) has a new website up and run-ning! The website will be the primary portal for infor-mation about the status of the project, including pro-ject updates, meeting announcements and materials, draft documents, and other information. The website also includes contact information for the project team and a form to sign up for email notices of important SEP-HCP events. Visit www.sephcp.com and check back frequently for updates and new information. Black Capped Chickadee Rodney Smith, WA Disease may be playing a role in the demise of Texas quail. Exactly what disease might be behind the drop in quail populations is currently unknown. Potential threats include West Nile virus, avian influenza, avian cholera, and aviantuberculosis. Sick quail don’t last long before some-thing eats them, so disease surveillance in wild quail is a tough proposition, according to Dr. Dale Rollins, Texas AgriLife Extension Service wildlife specialist at San An-gelo. The birds offer a perfect biological fuse for disease spread among the popula-tion. They are social birds, and when a covey dwindles to less than about six birds, they go join another covey. Rollins asks quail hunters to be on the lookout for sick quail. If disease is suspected, place the bird in a plastic zip-per type bag, refrigerate it and call him as soon as possible at 325.653.4576 or 325.776. 2615. Rollins is also the director of the 4,700-acre Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch at Roby, where they are cur-rently live-trapping quail for leg-banding to support a ra-dio telemetry project, as well as collecting samples for dis-ease and parasite testing. “At the research ranch, we’re seeking to unravel just what’s happened to bob-whites and blue quail across much of the Rolling Plains. So, we’re investigating some heretofore overlooked agents, namely disease and parasites, to see if they pos-sibly are playing a more than minor role in the demise of Texas quail.” Excerpted from agnews.tamu.edu; by Steve Byrns, 325.653.4576, s-byrns@ tamu.edu. Quail Decline Page 4 January-February 2010 Bexar Tracks Mitchell Lake Audubon Center New Year’s Resolution: Give back to the commu-nity and participate in con-servation activities— become a Mitchell Lake Audubon Center Docent. Our next docent training class begins Jan. 16th Docent training is an 8- week course held Satur-days at 9 AM. Each ses-sion lasts 3 hours and in-cludes the history of Mitchell Lake, bird & plant identification, wildlife man-agement, nature center procedures, and educa-tional nature interpretation. Class $35; includes train-ing & materials. More infor-mation at 210.628.1639. BAS Elections Elections will be held for the Bexar Audubon Board at the annual meeting at Mitchell Lake Audubon Center on Jan. 16, 2010. A nominating committee was appointed by Anita Anderson; they identified the following and obtained acceptance from each of the nominees, and the fol-lowing slate of officers has been approved: Tony Wood, President Anita Anderson, Vice-Pres. Caryl Swann, Treasurer Susan Hughes, Secretary At-Large Board Members: Bill Hurley, Greg Pazstor, Harry Noyes If any member wishes to submit an additional nomi-nation or nominations, please contact Susan Hughes with the nominating committee for information on the pro-cedure to follow, 210.532.2032. About Mitchell Lake mitchelllakeaudubon.org Just south of downtown San Antonio, the Mitchell Lake Audubon Center is located on a 1,200-acre natural area. This unique and beautiful bird haven consists of the 600-acre Mitchell Lake, 215 acres of wetlands and ponds and 385 acres of upland habi-tat. Audubon Texas has partnered with the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) to showcase this wonderful natural area and welcomes nature enthusi-asts, schoolchildren and families. (Continued from page 1) if you would like to carpool down there. Directions to Mitchell Lake Audubon Center: Mitchell Lake is located at 10750 Pleasanton Road on the south side of San Antonio. Take 281 south to Loop 410. Take a right on Loop 410 heading west. Exit 46, Moursund Blvd. Take a left there or south on Moursund Blvd. White-nose Syndrome Update Your calls and letters made a difference for bats! Thanks to all of you who contacted your Senators and Representatives re-questing funding for White-nose Syndrome. We did it! Congress approved $1.9 million for WNS research and prevention. The bill awaits only President Obama's signature to be-come law. Originally, the House bill contained zero funding and the Senate bill had only $500,000—and that was for monitoring, not research. Your calls and letters helped obtain four times the amount planned. Senator Lauten-burg of New Jersey was instrumental in making this happen. “Everyone who wrote and called helped pave the way for this,” the Senator's office said. Great job everyone! Thanks for your help! From Bat Conservation International www.batcon.org for .7 miles to the entrance gate on left. NO FEBRUARY CHAPTER MEETING But join us for a South Texas ranch field trip, a bird walk at the Botanical Gardens, and the Farm & Range Forum in Freder-icksburg! Saturday, February 6 Field trip to a South Texas Ranch near Bates-ville. Call 210.824.1235 for details and reservations. Environmental Crimes Prosecutor Appointed From the Austin American- Statesman: Travis County District A t t o r n e y Rosemar y Lehmberg announced the appointment of the agency's first full-time envi-ronmental crimes prosecu-tor, a position made possi-ble through a grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Lehmberg has named Patty Robertson, an experi-e n c e d wh i t e - c o l l a r crime prosecutor, to the position. Robertson will be based in Travis County but will prosecute cases throughout the state. The Travis County District Attor-ney's Office has statewide venue on most environ-mental crimes under Texas law, officials said. “We are all responsible for the safe-keeping of our natural re-sources," Lehmberg said. "Each of us is a victim when individual and corpo-rate polluters disregard that responsibility." We’ll look for birds and other wildlife. There's a chance we'll see geese and Sandhill Cranes on the stock tanks. Meet early to carpool. Bring water and a lunch for an all-day trip. Saturday, February 20 Birding Tour at the San Antonio Botanical Gar-dens, 9 AM. Call for de-tails at 210.837.0577. En-trance fee to the gardens. Maybe a sneak peak at the new bird watch area! Mitchell Lake Audubon Center 10750 Pleasanton Rd. San Antonio TX 78221 210.628.1639 Bexar Audubon January & February gatherings. Special Insert FARM AND RANGE FORUM “Sustaining the Hill Country — Now and for Future Generations” Friday, February 26, 2010 — Tour at 4:30 p.m. — Reception at 5:30 p.m. — Becker Vineyard, Stonewall Reception honoring David K. Langford & Presentation of the Inaugural Keystone Award Join us for wine and hors d’oeuvres as we honor David K. Langford of Comfort, Texas, for his years of dedication to the conservation of wildlife and wildlife habitat and his championship of the Hill Country. ‡‡‡ Saturday, February 27, 2010 — 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. — Fredericksburg Inn & Suites, Fredericksburg What Do We Love about the Hill Country? — Robert Potts, Dixon Water Foundation Hill Country Natural History: Myths, Legends, and the Record — Eric Lautzenheiser, San Antonio Parks & Recreation Nature Areas State of the Hill Country Today: a panel • Land Trends and Fragmentation —Neal Wilkins, Texas A&M University Institute of Renewable Natural Resources • Water Resources for the Future — Robert Mace, Texas Water Development Board, retired • Wildlife and Habitat — Bill Armstrong, Texas Parks & Wildlife, retired • Riparian Systems — Steve Nelle, USDA—Natural Resources Conservation Service Land Stewardship and Public Policy: a panel • Valuing Open Space: Public Benefits of Private Lands — David K. Langford, Texas Wildlife Association • Incentives for Good Stewardship: Department of Agriculture and NRCS Programs — Phillip Wright, USDA— Natural Resources Conservation Service • Food Systems and the Role of Private Landowners — Richard de los Santos, Texas Department of Agriculture (invited) Luncheon Keynote The Changing Face of Texas: 95 Percent Privately Owned and 80 Percent Urban — Carter Smith, Texas Parks & Wildlife It’s Your Home! Stewardship for Living: a panel • Landscaping for Wildlife — Rufus Stephens, Texas Parks & Wildlife (invited) • Wildlife Pests?: White Tail Deer, Feral Hogs, Fire Ants, and Exotics — Kory Perlichek, Texas Parks & Wildlife (invited) • Brush Management Practices and Benefits — Mark Moseley, USDA—Natural Resources Conservation Service • Habitat Conservation Plans — Robert Gully, Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program Broadening Options and Securing Goals: a panel • Wildlife Valuation and Management Responsibilities — Ken Thigpen, Plateau Management • Conservation Easements — Thomas Hall, Braun & Associates • Nature Tourism, Agri-Tourism, and Hunting — Stan Meador, X Bar Ranch (invited) Wrap-up and Q&A — Dean Bibles, Green Spaces Alliance, moderator Page 5 January-February 2010 Bexar Tracks FARM AND RANGE FORUM REGISTRATION FORM 2010 Farm & Range Forum Stonewall & Fredericksburg, Texas • February 26-27 Please print — NAME: ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS/CITY/ST/ZIP: ____________________________________________________________________________________________ E-MAIL: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ AREA CODE/PHONE: ____________________________________________ FAX:_____________________________________________ FARM/RANCH NAME and/or ORGANIZATION (if applicable): ______________________________________________________________ FRIDAY ONLY: ____ $50 (Will you attend the winery tour? _____yes _____no) SATURDAY FORUM ONLY: ____ $40 BOTH DAYS: ____ $75 TOTAL AMOUNT for Friday Reception and/or Saturday Forum $__________ Form of payment: _____ Check ____ Credit Card Name on credit card: ________________________________ Credit card number: _____________________________________________ Exp Date: ______/20____ Security Code: ________________ Make checks or money orders payable to: “Texas Wildlife Assoc.” By mail to:????????TWA, ATTN:????????FRF, 2800 NE Loop 410, Ste 105, San Antonio TX 78218 Send credit card charges by fax to: 210. 826.4933 Or by phone to: 210.826.2904 or 800.839.9453 How did you learn about this year’s Farm & Range Forum? ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ What are your reasons for attending this forum? What are your expectations? ________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Check areas of business or interest: ___ farming ___ ranching ___ organic production ___ nature tourism ___ wildlife management ___ hunting ___ wildlife viewing ___ education ___ ag-related industry ___ conservancy ___ sustainable living ___ government ___ water ___ land development ___ open space ___ food security other _______________________________________ Please briefly describe your farming/ranching operation: _________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Would you want to receive CEUs for Pesticide Applicator’s License? YES NO CEUs for Certified Professional in Rangeland Management? YES NO For more information contact Helen Holdsworth at 210. 826.2904 or 800. 839.9453. Page 6 January-February 2010 Bexar Tracks Community Events January Wildlife Tax Valuation Seminar Saturdays, January 9, 16, 23 Session 1: Overview & Property In-ventory Jan 9, 9 AM—1 PM Session 2: Management Practices & Habitat Assessment Jan 16, 9 AM—2:30 PM Session 3: WTV History and Update on the Law, Application Procedures, & Putting It All Together Jan 23, 9 AM—1 PM Limit 35. Do you have an agriculture tax valuation on your land? Interested in manag-ing for wildlife? Especially for owners of less than 500 acres, emphasis on wildlife manage-ment for songbirds. Gain land management knowledge, understand the history of this Texas law and fulfill requirements to qualify for a wildlife management tax valuation. Boerne Birders / Boerne Lake January 16, 8-10 AM Donations welcome. For free entry with the Boerne Birder group, meet at entrance gate 7:45—8 AM. Census of Boerne Lake. Prime time for ducks, grebe, osprey, king-fisher and maybe a bald eagle! Also wintering songbirds. Information: Jerry 210.710.3981 or Delmar 830.230.5551. Tree Selection/Planting/Watering February 6, 9 AM—Noon Presenter: Mark Peterson, tree & water con-servation expert. Features SAWS presenta-tion of Texas Hill Country trees and their care. Special focus on most efficient and effective ways to water trees from planting to old age. Includes tree planting demonstration. February WTV General Update Seminar Friday, February 12, 9AM—12:30 PM Limited to land owners with an existing wild-life tax valuation, this seminar will help you keep your management plan current. Rufus Stephens, TPWD biologist, will go over updat-ing and evaluating your wildlife management plan and make specific suggestions on land owner resources and record keeping. Rainwater Harvest Workshop February 13, 9 AM—Noon CNC auditorium and Kight installation Limit 30. John Kight, engineer and rainwater catchment owner, gives the latest technologi-cal information and the most practical advice. Learn about design and materials from some-one who has done it himself! Cedar Biology and Management February 20, 8:30 AM—12: 30 PM Carpool from CNC promptly at 8:30. Limit 30. Presenters: Ranch owner Darwin Ressel, TPWD wildlife biologist Rufus Stephens, Hoyt Seidensticker with KC Conservation District. Workshop presents methods, equipment and choices for cedar clearing recommended by Forest Service, Parks & Wildlife, & Coopera-tive Ext. Service. 3 demonstration areas on western Comal County ranch show range improvement, forest ecology & wildlife con-servation. See cedar management in action. Boerne Birders/CNC Great Backyard Bird Count February 20, 8-10 AM Donations welcome. Meet at CNC pavilion. Bird the 100-acre Nature Center property that includes marsh, prairie, woodland and Cibolo Creek. Bring binoculars, bird book. Info: Jerry 210.710.3981 or Delmar 830.230.5551. Attracting Birds Workshop Part 1 Bird Boxes, Seed, Feeders, Water and Habitat Enhancement February 27, 9 AM—Noon Old Daley Ranch; carpool from CNC parking lot promptly at 9 AM. Limited 30. Dick Park, local birder and land owner, will show us how he attracts nesting, migrant and wintering birds to his land. Learn the techniques that have resulted in over 180 species of birds recorded there. Nest boxes on Parks’ prop-erty produced over 140 young birds in 2009! Page 7 January-February 2010 Bexar Tracks CIBOLO NATURE CENTER All listings are on Saturdays unless otherwise indicated CNC: 140 City Park Dr., Boerne. For more information visit www.cibolo.org/ calendar. Pre-registration for workshops, 830.249.4616 or nature@cibolo.org. Except where noted, workshops/seminars on Saturdays, varying fees. MEDINA RIVER NATURAL AREA (MRNA) 15890 Highway 16 South San Antonio TX 78264 MRNA located approx. 4½ miles south of Loop 410 on SH 16 South Reservations requested for all MRNA events. Information or RSVP for any event in the MRNA call 210.624.2575. SECOND SATURDAY PROGRAMS Peregrine Falcons and the Art of Falconry January 9, 2010, 9—11 AM Matt Reidy, Wildlife Biologist for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, will provide information on the peregrine falcon and their adaptations for survival, the natural history of the peregrine falcon, the endangered species act and why the peregrine falcon was in trou-ble, and information on the sport of falconry. Star Party February 6, 2010, 6—8 PM With the San Antonio Astronomical Association; FIRST SATURDAY Join the San Antonio Astronomical Associa-tion to view the early evening stars with high tech telescopes and see what is up in the winter sky. Bring a folding chair and a flash-light covered with red cellophane. Solar Cooking for Spring March 13, 2010, 9—11 AM With Monika Salyer, Solar Cooking Interna-tional. Solar cooking is the simplest, safest, most convenient way to cook food without consuming fuels or heating up the kitchen. Many people choose to solar cook for these reasons. For some in the world it is a life saving skill to have safe drinking water. Learn different methods and types of solar cookers. Make a mini solar cooker to take home. www.sanaturalareas.org Suggested donation for each program is $3/person or $5/family Second Saturday Beginners’ Walks Join San Antonio Audubon Society on the second Saturday of the month; start at 8 AM, meet at the Judson Nature Trails next to the Alamo Heights swimming pool, on Viesca street. More information, call 210.342.2073. Newbies Welcome! Page 8 January-February 2010 Bexar Tracks SAN ANTONIO NATURAL AREAS For more information on listings below, visit www.sanaturalareas.org or www.bexaraudubon.org. First Saturday Walks Interpretive Nature Walks Participants limited to 15 per hike. Meet near restrooms. Suggested donation $2/hike. Not for groups; please call to schedule a separate hike. JANUARY Crownridge Canyon Natural Area 7222 Luskey Blvd. January 2, 9–11 AM Join us for a natural history interpre-tive walk at Crown-ridge Canyon. Get some exercise after the holiday feasts and learn about this great Natural Area at the same time! Nature is not sleep-ing in the winter—come see what’s going on! Reservations suggested, 210.564.6400; hikes occasionally change. Log on to find out what’s coming up in February and March as we transi-tion toward Spring! Sponsored by San Antonio Natural Areas, sanaturalareas.org FIRST SATURDAY WALKS & SECOND SATURDAY PROGRAMS Reservations recommended for 1st Saturday Walks & 2nd Saturday Programs; call 210.564.6202 or 210.372.9124 for de-tails, directions, reservations. Email peggy.spring@sanantonio.gov. Suggested donation $3/individual, $5/family for pro-grams, $2/person for hikes. Unless otherwise listed, Second Saturday programs are held at Eisenhower Park. 2010 Nature Discovery Series Wednesday, Jan.27, 6:30—7:30 PM Terry Doyle will present ‘Spring Butter-flies in Bexar County” Wednesday, Feb. 24, 6:30—7:30 PM Patty Leslie Pasztor will discuss the “Ethnobotany of Texas Native Plants” Tuesday, March 23, 6:30—7:30 PM Molly Keck presents “Ants in Your Plants" Presentations will be in the Friedrich Wilderness Park Indoor Classroom. Free to Friends of Friedrich member-ship; small donation requested for non-members. Limited space; call 210.372.9124. JANUARY Bare Branches! Eisenhower Park January 9, 10 AM–12 Noon Come join us for a walk with city for-ester, Michael Nentwich, to explore our trees in winter. Learn how they can be used in urban situations and begin to think about trees you may want to plant in your yard this year. Free tree to the first 20 families! Eisenhower Park, 19399 NW Military. Take FM 1535/Military Hwy/Shavano Park exit off Loop 1604 on the city’s northwest side. Go north 2 miles. Park entrance on left, just before Camp Bullis. Pro-gram is in large gated pavilion. Gates open 9:30 AM. www.sanaturalareas.org www.bexaraudubon.org Second Saturday Program Co-sponsored by Bexar Audubon Society and City of San Antonio Friends of Friedrich Nature Discovery Series State-Fish Art Expo Coming to Texas The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) in Athens, Texas will host the 2010 national State-Fish Art expo next July. For the past three years TFFC has managed the Texas division of the national conservation art contest, and during that time Texas has led the country in the number of entries. Last year 624 Texas stu-dents in grades 4—12 submitted entries, a fourth of all the entries nationwide. The State-Fish Art contest is open to all students in public, private or home schools and requires submission of a one-page essay and a drawing of an officially recognized state fish. Entry deadline is March 31 each year. Contest rules, guidelines and entry information can be found at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishart. More information from the coordinator of the Texas division, Zoe Ann Stinchcomb, at 903.670.2239 or zoeann.stinchcomb@tpwd.state.tx.us. Support for the Texas division of the contest and the expo are provided by the Toyota Texas Bass Classic, which makes it possible for the top three Texas entries in each grade level to win cash prizes. First place in grades 10—12 wins $1,000; second place $750; third place $500. Prizes in the 4—6 and 7—9 grade levels are $100 for first; $75 for second; $50 for third. Grade 10-12 winning entry, Margaret Sone © Wildlife Forever Bexar Audubon Society Contacts President: Anita Anderson—210.533.8726; ajandrsn@sbcglobal.net Vice President: Tony Wood—210.867.2363; tonywood@sbcglobal.net Treasurer: Caryl Swann—210.653.2860; c.swann@att.net Secretary: Susan Hughes—210.532.2032; susan@wordwright.com At-Large: Amy L. Whitley—210.340.0114; nueces66@yahoo.com At-Large: Bill Hurley—210.823.1023, billhurley@satx.rr.com At-Large: Greg Pasztor—210.824.1235, gpasztor@ix.netcom.com Webmaster & At-Large: Harry Noyes—210.490.3124; harrynoyes@satx.rr.com Programs/Outings: Patty Pasztor—210.824.1235; pasztor@ix.netcom.com Editor: Michele Wood—210.492.4684, editor@bexaraudubon.org Page 9 January-February 2010 Bexar Tracks Earth Share of Texas raises money for environmental and conservation organizations through workplace giving. If your employer participates in such programs, please ask them to add Earth Share to your giving op-tions. By designating the Audubon Foundation of Texas (AFT), Bexar Audubon Society can benefit. BAS receives credit for our support and receives funding annually form AFT. For more information, call, email or log on: 800.GREENTX, ESTX@earthshare-texas.org, or www.earthshare-texas. org. Application helps bird watchers see more birds BirdsEye is the best invention for birding since binoculars,” says Kenn Kaufman, renowned birder, author of the Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America and team member of a partnership that has created BirdsEye, a new birding app for the iPhone® and iPod touch®. “It’s like having thousands of local birding experts in your pocket,” Kaufman says. If you are in search of a par-ticular bird, BirdsEye will show you where it has been ob-served, and even give you di-rections. If you are new to bird-ing or an experienced birder who is on the road, BirdsEye will give you a list of birds seen nearby and a map of birding hotspots for any location in North America (the contiguous 48 states, Canada, and Alaska). The application in-cludes images and audio for the 470 species most frequently observed in North America. Additional content is available for more elusive birds—for a total of 847 species. Bird sounds come from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s archive, the largest collection of bird and animal sounds in the world. Images are from the Academy of Natural Sciences. Acclaimed birder and author Kenn Kauf-man wrote text for each spe-cies account—with a specific goal in mind. “Even when you're in the right location, it helps to know some-thing about the bird's behavior and habitat in order to find it,” says Kaufman. “Will you find this bird in flocks up in the tree-tops, or solitary individuals lurking in the thickets? Are you likely to hear it before you see it? I wrote each of these short accounts as if I were giving advice to a friend who was hoping to see this bird for the first time." Portions of BirdsEye sales go back to the Cor-nell Lab of Ornithology to help support its re-search, education, and citizen science projects focused on birds, and to the Academy of Natural Sciences to support VIREO, the world’s largest collection of bird photographs. More information: BirdsEye: www.getbirdseye. com; iTunes App Store: itunes.com/app/birds eye; Cornell Lab of Ornithology: www.birds.cornell.edu; eBird: www.ebird.org "BirdsEye" Guides You to the Birds International Birding with Lifers & Twitchers For those of us looking for something a little more exotic. Lifers & Twitchers has just released the inau-gural issue of our e-zine, The Birder, a magazine dedicated to birds and birding in South Africa. Read in-teresting articles about our birds, find out about our rare bird reports, birds facing conserva-tion problems, as well as a host of beautiful bird pictures for you to view. Download the maga-zine by following this link: www.lifers-birding. com/monthly-e-zine/ Bronwyn Howard & Jock Tame Lifers & Twitchers—Southern Africa Bird Tours E-mail: bronwynh@wol.co.za What’s a GRP? A Green Roof Professional! Log on at www.greenroofs.org for more information. South African Crowned Crane Bexar Tracks is the official newsletter of the Bexar Audubon Society, a Chapter of the National Audu-bon Society. The Chapter’s primary goals are to promote species and habitat conservation and environmental education in the community. Your membership includes National Audubon and Bexar Audubon and subscriptions to both Audubon and Bexar Tracks. www.bexaraudubon.org Membership and Support for Your Environmental Voice in Our Community Bexar Audubon welcomes new members to join Audubon through the chapter. This brings 100 percent of the first year’s dues directly back to support local work. The same applies to gift memberships placed through the chapter. Your additional tax deducti-ble donation is greatly appreciated. Bexar Audubon receives only a few thousand dollars each year from National Audubon Soci-ety as dues share. The rest we must raise ourselves. Your help is needed, and your donations will be put to good use right here in South Central Texas to provide environmental news and education to the community, including the newsletter, programs, San Antonio Environmental Network Issues Forum, Second Saturday programs, and other activities you may or may not hear about. Individual introductory memberships are $20; seniors and students join for $15. Please provide the following information for each personal subscription or gift: Name: ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Mailing Address with Zip Code: _______________________________________________________________________ Phone w/Area Code: _________________________________ e-mail ________________________________________ Do you wish to opt out of other mailings by Audubon or those with whom it shares lists? ____ yes ____ no Make checks payable to “Bexar Audubon Society” and mail to the address above. Enclosed: $__________ for subscription(s) $_________ additional donation NOTE: Renewals should be sent directly to National Audubon Society. NOTE: If you change address or cancel membership, you do NOT need to contact Bexar Audubon but MUST contact National Audubon (and we will automatically get that change when we download labels). Save time and energy by mailing your change of address information to National Audu-bon Society Membership Data Center, PO Box 52529, Boulder CO 80322-2529; phoning 800.274.4201; or e-mailing CHADD@audubon.org. For the latest information on environ-mental events and happenings through-out the San Antonio community and surrounding areas, check out www.bexaraudubon.org and www.sa-naturecenter.org. Non-Profit Organization US Postage Paid San Antonio TX Permit #1527 Bexar Audubon Society PO Box 6084 San Antonio TX 78209-0084 Bexar Tracks Jan-Feb 2010
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