| Summary: | Bexar Tracks began with Vol. 4, no. 1 (January 1986). It continues Newsletter (Bexar Audubon Society). gTacis VOLUME VII No. 7 July, 1989 THE CHAPTER'S PRIMARY GOALS ARE TO PROMOTE SPECIES AND HABITAT CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN THE COMMUNITY. SUPPORT THESE GOALS! PRESIDENT'S LETTER Happy Fourth of July! It's summertime and time to slow down a bit. June had some good news and some bad news--actually June had some really great news--a number of Black-capped Vireos have been located at Camp Bullis! (See related article elsewhere in this newsletter.) The bad news was legislative. The Rivers Protection Bill was killed in the Calendars Committee, regulatory authority over pesticides has been diluted, and Austin did not get its Endangered Species ordinance. While the state legislative outcome was somewhat discouraging, I am heartened that President Bush is apparently really going to back some environmental issues beginning with Clean Air. The Cibolo Wilderness Trail in Boerne had its Grand Opening June 3. What a treasure! It is a wonderful example of what can be done with city j private interest cooperation. Susan Rust gave an excellent and entertaining lecture on beginning birding as the first spot on the program. Our thanks and congratulations to Carolyn ChipmaQ-Evans on spearheading this effort. Birdathon results are in, and we exceeded our goal by nearly $1,000! We raised over $3,100 with a few dollars still outstanding. Thanks to all who participated in this major fund-raising effort. At our July meeting we will be recognizing one student and two teachers who have made significant contributions in education or conservation. Plan to attend the meeting and encourage those whose achievements have such a positive effect on our environment. July will also bring one of our favorite outings to the Hill Country when we go to the Leslie Ranch for our annual Bats and Botanizing outing. Once again, if you have any suggestions on any changes you would like to see in the way of programs or outings, etc., August will be the time to give your input at our annual planning meeting. If you don't have time to attend the meeting, write your ideas down and pass them on to any board member or committee chairman. BAS GENERAL MEETING "Coastal Ecological Problems" Ruble Center, 419 East Magnolia July 20, 1989; 7:30 p.m. The Texas Gulf Coast is often lauded as the "Riviera of the United States". Along with this honor comes numerous problems that threaten the very existence of those features that led to this pronouncement. This month we have a presentation about the ecology of the "third coast" with a discussion to include barrier island development, when and where to build a fish pass, Homeport, and marine education themes. Our speaker this month, Bill Slingerland, is well suited to this task, being a native of the coast and having lived a long time in Port Aransas while working at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute. During that time, Bill assisted in many oceanographic cruises and the marine science education program. He is now a teacher in the Northside I.S .D. and this year was presented the "Rookie Teacher of theY ear" a ward from the N.I.S.D. Come hear first-hand about the issues that threaten our own "Riviera". BLACK-CAPPED VIREOS AT CAMP BULLIS! Following a great tour of Camp Bullis during the Black-capped Vireo Conference on March 10, we began planning a field trip to also see the Goldencheeked Warbler population nesting there . Meanwhile, a Black-capped Vireo survey was being conducted; and, as we had hoped, a number of pairs have been located. The field trip which took place in June happily included an opportunity to visit some of the newly discovered BCV's as well as the Golden Cheeks. While it was a little late in the season for the males to be actively defending their territory, a number of the dozen or so birders were able to see the birds, and we all heard the calls. Our sincere thanks to Dusty Bruns, Land Manager at Bullis, for guiding us on a well organized and thoroughly enjoyable field trip. Our thanks also go to the Environmental Management Office at Fort Sam Houston and the U.S. Army for permitting us access to the bird sites. Final results of the BCV survey should be available in a couple of months. CONSERVATION UPDATES . . . A reservoir backing up behind the soon-to-becompleted Stacy Dam on the Colorado River in Texas threatens the habitat of the Concho water snake, a threatened species. The Fish and Wildlife Service has been warned that they must designate critical habitat for the snake and take steps to ensure that the reservoir doesn't jeopardize its chance to survive and recover. . The Sierra Club and Frontera Audubon Society have warned the United States section of the International Boundary and Water Commission that the agency--a binational body responsible for the Rio Grande--is violating the Endangered Species Act and will be sued if it doesn't mend its ways. The problem is a brush-clearing program the IBW A conducts on both sides of the river for flood control. This brush clearing destroys habitat critical to the survival of several endangered species, including the bald eagle, piping plover, black-capped vireo, ocelot, and jaguarundi. . Each year during May and June, deer fawns are "adopted" by well-meaning Texans who feel the fawns have been abandoned by their mothers. According to the TPWD, this is almost never the case; female deer often leave their fawns unattended, but are usually close by. Adopting a fawn is usually counterproductive, because deer become difficult to provide for and can be dangerous. It is also a violation of state law. Anyone discovering a newborn fawn in the woods should move quietly away without handling or further disturbing the animal. The best policy is to have domesticated animals for pets and leave wildlife in the wild! MORE ON VALDEZ . You may have heard that S406, the Senate bill that would open the Arctic Wildlife Refuge to oil development, has been shelved. The truth is, it has only temporarily been put on hold. Senator Johnston, the chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, has made it clear he intends to resurrect S406, with the oil lobby's blessings. A major question we all need to ask ourselves is, "Do we really need the oil?" Even the Interior Department admits that there is a one-in-five chance of even finding oil on the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, and a smaller chance still of finding it in large enough quantities to make drilling profitable. Nevertheless, industry states it is necessary to develop the plain to avoid dependence on foreign oil imports. Audubon believes that these arguments ignore some important facts: 94% of all the potential oil-bearing land in Alaska and 90% of Alaska's arctic coast are already open to the oil industry. These lands should be explored first. -- Sensible energy alternatives that do not threaten to destroy the coastal plain exist. For example, better fuel efficiency for cars: it is estimated that a mere 1. 7 mile-per-gallon improvement in fuel efficiency standard for cars would save more oil than drilling iJ;l the refuge could ever produce. National Audubon Society announced a six-point plan of action in response to the Valdez oil ~pill. The plan, intended to help protect the Alaska env1ron~ent from further risk taking and unnecessary ecolog1cal damage from oil and gas exploration, development and transportation, includes: 1. Requiring a thorough examination of the entire Alaska oil delivery system; 2. Developing a comprehensive protection plan for Alaska's marine environment; 3. Establishing a Joint Federai; State Oil and Gas Monitoring Team; 4. Classifying all toxic and hazardous wastes in Alaska oil fields under the Resources Conservation and Recovery Act; 5. Requiring construction of state-of-the-art recycling and incineration facilities on Alaska's North Slope; and 6. Requiring updated oil spill contingency plans with penalties for non-compliance. NAS feels the most useful thing Audubon members can do is write to their representatives and President Bush, protesting the administration's continued support of oil exploration on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Please write a personal letter to Senators Phil Gramm and Lloyd Bentsen (United States Senate, The Capitol, Washington, D.C. 20510) telling them: -- that you oppose Senator Johnston's legislation( that would open the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil development; -- that you favor legislation to conserve energy, particularly more stringent fuel economy standards for cars; and -- that you support Audubon's six-point action plan to prevent another disaster like the Prince William Sound oil spill. AN END TO ILLEGAL TRADE IN AFRICAN ELEPHANT IVORY? Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan, Jr., announced that the United States is seriously considering additional trade restrictions to halt the importation of African elephant ivory. He said the Department of the Interior is extending the import ban on specific countries and working with the Departments of Commerce and State to seek international cooperation in an effort to protect the species. According to current available information, African elephant numbers have declined drastically in the last decade, from an estimated 1.5 million in 1978 to perhaps 700,000 currently. Poaching for the illegal ivory trade is the major cause of the decline. On May 9, Lujan announced that the United States will support the international ban on commercial trade ( in African elephant ivory at the October meeting of the 101-member-nation Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). CALENDAR JULY 8 2nd Saturday, Friedrich Park, "Texas Reptiles and Other Creatures", Diana Sarratt of the San Antonio Herpetological Society, 8:00p.m. Brown bag picnic at 7:00p.m. Diana will bring some live animals to join us! 13 BAS board meeting, 9829 Cash Mountain Road, Helotes, 7:30 p.m. Call 695-2646 for directions. 20 BAS general meeting, "Coastal Ecological Problems", Ruble Center, 7:30 p.m. 22 Outing to Leslie Ranch, 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Call Caryl Swann for details, 653-2860. AUGUST 12 2~d Saturday, Friedrich Park, "Star Gazing", wtth Larry Lewis, San Antonio Astronomy Club 9:00 p.m. (picnic at 8:00 p.m.). Bring you; telescope if you have one! 19 Annual planning meeting to be held at Bamberger Ranch. All interested BAS members are invited. If you have never visited this Hill Country retreat, you have a treat in store for you! Watch for more information next month, or call Marge Flandermeyer for details, 684-2668. PAST OUTINGS . On June 3 we were treated to an informative safari through the San Antonio Zoo by Russell Smith, General Curator. As we strolled through exhibits of endangered species, we were given greater ~pprecia~ion of the critical role that zoos currently play m . creatmg long-term self-sustaining populations w~tch serve the basis for opportunities to release ammals back to the wild. Coordination of breeding between all zoos and intricate computer databases are key factors in ensuring adequate genetic diversity in a w?rld where _habitat destruction is swiftly eliminating wtld populatwns. Many thanks to Russell for sharing his time and knowledge with us . . . . On June 24, we were led by Luke Thompson on a tour of Honey Creek State Natural Area. We spent about three hours exploring the peaceful meadows, woodlands and creek banks while learning the history. eco.log~ _and current problems in restoring and mat~tammg the natural habitat. The only sounds outstde of our own were the calming ones of bird songs and bub_bling creek. Many thanks to Luke Thompson for _shanng the beauty of Honey Creek with us, both dunng the June general meeting and on our subsequent visit to this enchanting area. MUSINGS OF A BIRDATHON COUNTER Perhaps you've wondered what it is like to be a Birdathon counter, and what is involved with this annual important fund-raising event. One of our most enthusiastic volunteers each year is Nancy Kent and she describes it thusly: ' "If y~u have _doubts. abo_ut identifying 69 birds (or another s 153~ m the fteld m a 24-hour period, don't feel alone. I sttll feel that way each time I start with No. 1 . with a long, then sometime seemingly short 24- hour period before me. ' According to my older, much used A Field Guide to the Bird~ of Texas by Roger Tory Peterson, 'more than 540 ~pectes _have. been recorded not including extinct spectes (C~hfo~ma runs a poor second with roughly 80 fewer spectes). Suddenly my 69 birds seem so few. Birdi_ng is challenging, enjoyable, lots of fun (most of the tlme), and then many times nerve-racking. Some people compare it to gambling . you never know what may surprise you during migration . and some of them look sooooo much alike! Birding during a fast-paced Christmas bird count Big-Day or Birdathon fundraiser is a challenge and i~ fun, but it is mostly a tremendous amount of work. ~orne die-hards spend the whole 24-hour day in the ftel~. I, so far, take a sleep break, but that time is gettmg shorter as the years go by and the need for the fund raisers increase. Near the end of your 24 hours of trying to sort information, you are just plain exhausted ~nd you stil! wish for n:ore time so you can add to your tmportant hst. One mmute you could care less if you never saw another wing bar, tail feather, eye ring or whatever type song, habitat, etc., and the next minute you are trying to identify a new guy on the block! For several reasons I have always shared Birdathon with someone. First of all, I am not always that sure abo~t ~?me species and several pairs of eyes lend to the cr~dtbthty _of the fundraiser. The extra eyes help when mu~e are t1r~d, then again I enjoy being able to share seemg anythmg I see for the first time with someone. I am. ~ot .~ 'h~rd,-cor~' birder, and I have never kept an offtctal hfe hst of btrds, but if I did I think I could now add the gr~y-cheeked thrush. I never tire of seeing ~ore anythmg . : even when involved in a fast-paced btrd outmg, I notlce and enjoy the world around me. Birding just gets me to look a little closer." Well_done, ~ancy, and many thanks to you and all the dedtcated btrders who worked so hard to make this · year's Birdathon such a whooping success! RECYCLING NEWS The Recycling Coalition of Texas, affiliated with the National Recycling Coalition, will enable individuals industry, environmental groups and state and locai governments to work together to promote the reduction of waste, the recycling and reuse of secondary materials and surplus goods, and the use of recycled and recovered products. If you are interested in becoming a member of this important organization, please call Walter Barfield, 736-0355, for additional information. Audubon Specials Return to PBS This Summer PBS will be airing eight Audubon Television Specials this summer on Sunday nights at 8:00. Check your local listings for details. July 9 Greed, Guns, and Wildlife July 16 Grizzly and Man: Uneasy Truce* July 23 Whales July 30 Crane River Aug. 6 Wood Stork: Barometer ofthe Everglades Aug. 13 Messages from the Birds Aug. 20 Sharks Aug. 27 Sea Turtles *First place winner, 1989 North American Outdoor Film/ Video Awards, Outdoor Writers Association of America. Audubon Television now keeps you up-to-date on all its programs, videos, computer software, and myriad other educational and environmental projects with its new Audubon TV News Bulletin. The Spring 1989 issue is now available. To be placed on the mailing list to receive this quarterly newsletter, simply drop a note with your name and address to Audubon Television, 801 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E., Suite 301, Washington, D.C. 20003. ~ ~ NON-GAME STAMP PRINT DEADLINE The deadline for ordering theN on-game stamp print for 1989 is July 31. The June newsletter included the brochure and form for ordering. If you wish to order and no longer have that information, please contact Marge Flandermeyer, 684-2668. (;.~}J:e· I ·~" ~vrtl tp. "\ ~ 1\'>. JvJJp' . u J ~ ,J)It BEXAR e, /)iw AUDUBON SOCIETY P.O. BOX 6084 • SAN ANTONIO, TX 78209 ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED UPCOMING OUTINGS r-- One of our most popular, eagerly awaited outings eacJ year is to the Leslie Ranch near Comfort, Texas. Every summer a group of BAS members and guests venture to the ranch for a day of hiking, botanizing, socializing and picnicing in the beautiful Hill Country surroundings. And, you can even cool your toes in the creek before our picnic supper! After dusk, we all head to the abandoned railroad tunnel several miles away to watch the emergence of thousands of Mexican freetailed bats on their nightly forage for food. Join us on Saturday, July 22, at I :00 p.m. in the parking lot near Pen Foods at Callaghan and IH-10, where we will carpool to the ranch. Bring a picnic supper and plan on spending the day! For more information, call Caryl Swann, 653-2860. ·-·································~·········-· BEXAR AUDUBON SOCIETY OFFICERS AND BOARD Marge Flandermeyer, President . . . . . . . . . . . 684-2668 Betty Minyard, Vice President . . . . . . . . . 344-6128 Betty Hughes, Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . 824-5375 Walter Barfield, Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . 736-0355 Russell Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 734-7184 Nathan Ratner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 732-3580 Pat Honsberger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 695-8254 ( Caryl Swann . _. . . . . . 653-2860 Mary Anne Moses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 826-6562 Committee Chairmen Conservation, Susan Rust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 826-4698 Education, Betty Minyard . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344-6128 Finance, Mary Anne Moses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 826-6562 Membership, Thelma Nungesser . . . . . 824-8199 Newsletter Editor, Pat Honsber2er . . . . . . . . 695-8254 Outings, Caryl Swann . . . . . . . 653-2860 Programs, Stu and Nettie Birnbaum . . . . . . . . . 695-2646 Publicity, Harry Maiberger . . . . 337-4851 - A~ 'l 6.·.&.tt ·~0~ . '3(/1 !? I 3) NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U. S. POST AGE PAID SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS Permit No. 590
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