aug-oct 2010 bexar tracks bexar audubon society

8/9/2019 Aug-Oct 2010 Bexar Tracks Bexar Audubon Society

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Bexar Audubon Societyis a chapter of the NationalAudubon Society. Its primarygoals are to promote speciesand habitat conservation andenvironmental education in thecommunity.exar Tracks

Volume XXVI, No. 12

For the latest news and updates, see www.bexaraudubon.org and www.sa-naturecenter.org. Inside this issue:

Audubon &The Gulf Oil Spill

2

LHI ReportMedDropSA

3

Commentary:The Costs of Energy

4

MLACCommunity Events

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August-October 2010

The Headwaters at IncarnateWord: The Spiritual Reach

of the San Antonio River?September 9, 2010

The Headwaters Coalition recentlyhosted a visioning workshop on the BlueHole, surrounding acreage, and San An-tonio River north of Hildebrand andBrackenridge Park: in other words, theiconic Head of the River and that partof the San Antonio River that flows fromthe Blue Hole down through IncarnateWord to the Park. Helen Ballew will pre-sent an overview of the historic Headwa-ters at Incarnate Word as well as high-light current activities and developments

in this complex project to protect, re-store, honor and share this sacred placein the heart of San Antonio.

Helen Ballew shares a passion for na-ture and the outdoors, for learning andteaching, and for experiences that helphumanity stay connected to Mother

Earth. Ms. Ballew, a native Texan and agraduate of Middlebury College in Ver-mont and the Yale School of Forestryand Environmental Studies, is a profes-sional conservationist and a communityvolunteer in education and environ-mental organizations, including the Bam-berger Ranch Preserve and the BrackenridgePark Conservancy. She is married toDavid Ribble, chair of Biology at Trinity,and mother to three spirited little women:

Programs: San Antonio River, Habitat Conservation

Bexar Audubon Society Meetings

Thursdays, September 9 & October 14, 2010Trinity University, Cowles Life Science Bldg., Room 149 (map on pg. 8)

Announcements at 6:45 PM, Program begins at 7 PM. Everyone Welcome!

Habitat Conservation Planningfor Endangered Songbirds

October 14, 2010

Richard Heilbrun, Urban Wildlife Biologistwith Texas Parks & Wildlife Department willpresent an update on the Habitat Conserva-tion Plan for the Southern Edwards Plateau.The ongoing HCP process will provide theframework for amulti-county pre-serve system fort h e G o l d e n -cheeked Warbler,B l a c k - c a p p e dVireo and severalcave inverte-brates. Mr. Heil-brun will discussthe origins of the program, the goals, theconservation priorities, and public input op-portunities.

Mr. Heilbrun is an urban wildlife biologistwith Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Heholds a BS and a Masters in Wildlife Ecol-ogy from Texas A&M. He provides technicalguidance to landowners around San Anto-nio and also provides assistance tocity officials in creating wildlife-friendly cityordinances and in protecting wildlife habitat.

Mr. Heilbrun is currently the chairman of theBiological Advisory Team developing theHabitat Conservation Plan for the SouthernEdwards Plateau.

Elena, 9; Olivia, 11; and Natalie, 13. Ms.Ballew is the new director of the HeadwatersCoalition and feels honored and blessed tobe a part of the Headwaters project.Read more about the Headwaters Coalition:www.headwaterscoalition.org.

Will the Gulf Oil SpillAffect

Backyard Birds?Scientists ask bird

watchers to monitor nestsAs oil washes ashore

along the Gulf Coast,the Cornell Lab of Ornithol-ogy is asking birders to keepan eye on nesting birds-not

just near water, but hundreds of miles inland.

Anyone with an interest inbirds can learn how to findand monitor nests as part ofthe Cornell Lab's NestWatchproject. It involves visiting anest for a few minutes, twiceper week, and recording in-formation such as how manyeggs it contains, how manychicks hatch, and how manyleave the nest.

To help the effort, visitwww.nestwatch.org. In addi-

tion to accepting observa-tions from the general public,NestWatch is available as adata repository for wildlifeagencies and scientific or-ganizations to support theirresearch on the impacts ofthe oil spill.

Visit the Cornell Labs web site at

http://www.birds.cornell.edu.

Black-Capped VireoPicture courtesy TPWD


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As these words are written, deadly crude continuesto spew from a mile beneath the Gulf of Mexico. Amidthe horror of the Gulf disaster, images of birds againserve as the most visible indicators of damage to ourenvironment and of hope for the future.

Once again, a crisis for people, for wildlife and forbirds demands all the commitment and expertise wecan muster. And again, the Audubon network is deliv-ering. As the crisis mounted, Audubon chapters acrossthe Gulf coast took action. In Louisiana, Baton RougeAudubon helped develop a protocol for reporting onoiled birds, while also assessing protection needs atnearby sanctuaries. hey, along with Orleans Audubon,began reporting on birds status as the oil moved in.

Meanwhile, in Alabama the Mobile Bay AudubonSociety deployed teams of trained volunteers to moni-tor impacts on birds and beaches along that statescoastline. Chapters of the Suncoast Shorebird Partner-ship, along with the Francis M. Weston Audubon Soci-ety, Collier County Audubon and the Coastal IslandSanctuaries, all came together to provide informationon vital bird habitats to aid Floridas Fish and WildlifeCommission in establishing protection priorities.

They were not alone. State and National Audubonstaff immediately launched efforts to help coordinateon-the-scene volunteer support for emergency re-

sponse crews across the region. Though the disasterwas unfolding in slow motion, they anticipated theneed for far more volunteer help. Now, a fully-functioning Audubon Volunteer Response Center isoperating in Moss Point, Mississippi. More than 30,000people nationwide have registered to lend a hand. Andthere is plenty to be done.

Opposing images from the Gulf help to tell the story.We are all too familiar with sickening pictures of oiledand dying birds, among them Brown Pelicans, onlyrecently removed from the Endangered Species List. Yetwhen I travelled to the Gulf just weeks ago, I sawscores of thriving pelicans nesting on an island in Mo-

bile Bay awaiting the arrival of their next generation.

We cant yet know how many of that new generationhatched in the Gulf will survive and how many will die.As southbound migrating sandpipers arrive in earlysummer, it is likely that many will never continue their

journeys. What will become of the Reddish Egrets,Least Terns, Mottled Ducks or Seaside Sparrows thathave been trying to nest along the shores? Without adoubt, the future health of countless birds and habitatsdepends, in part, on us. We will fight to restore the

health of Important Bird Areas fouled by the spill. But our ef-forts must extend further.

Audubons unique network can show Americans how birdsconnect us all to the Gulf, and how we can help them. Con-servation and citizen science efforts will provide new insightsinto the spills impacts on populations in the Gulf and beyond.Habitat and IBA protection will take on greater significancenationwide.

Though not everyone can take direct action to save a peli-can or an oiled habitat, we can all protect vital flyways andhealthy populations to benefit species impacted by the disas-terfrom Common Loons in the Great Lakes to Ospreys in amountain lake in Montana. Together, we can empower volun-teers flocking to respond to the spill to make vital contribu-

tions that will make a difference, while still working closer tohome.

Our collective responses must include redoubling our ef-forts to secure saner policies to protect fragile resources fromrisky energy extraction wherever it might occur. The ArcticSea was given only a short-term reprieve from misguideddeepwater drilling in the wake of the disasterwe must makeit permanent. We need stricter regulation of deepwater drillingto make sure that accidents like the Gulf spill never happenagain. And we can use the grim realities of the spill to furtherstrengthen our push for a cleaner, safer and renewable en-ergy future.

The Gulf disaster is truly Americas crisis and it demandsour unified response. It is hard to say how long it will take torestore the well-being of the birds, other wildlife and commu-nities that depend on the Gulf. But Audubon is in it for thelong haul to ensure not just emergency relief, but long-termrestoration of the environment and of hope. Along the way,our combined conservation efforts can benefit birds, habitatsand communities across America.

Click onwww.audubon.orgfor updated news.

Deepwater Horizon Unified Command Website

The link below leads to the official website for the Deepwa-ter Horizon Unified Command and includes continually up-dated and comprehensive information from all agencies,state, federal, and others, involved in the overall US re-sponse. For specific information updated daily from US Fish& Wildlife Service on wildlife impacted, where, and status,click on the Current Opsbutton at the top bar and select Fishand Wildlife Report from the dropdown menu. USF&WS re-ports include avian, mammalian, and herptile records.

http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/site/2931/

What is Audubon Doing to Help in the Gulf Oil Spill?Audubon Chapter Networker - Volume XIV, No. 2, Summer 2010

A message from Frank Gill, Audubon President

Page 2 Bexar TracksAugust-October 2010


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Keeping MedicationOut of Our Water Supply

San Antonio Water System helped collect more than1,300 pounds of unwanted or expired medications as partof its initial MedDropSA pro-gram. MedDropSA is a part-nership between San AntonioWater System, the San Anto-nio Police Department and the City of San Antonio SolidWaste Management Department. Through this program,local residents can properly dispose of the medicationscollecting dust in their medicine cabinets, and keep medi-cines that might otherwise get flushed down the drain outof our water supply.

MedDropSA will host a series of collection eventswhereby residents can drop off old medicines. San Anto-nio police officers collect the medications, remove allidentifying information and ensure that they are disposed

of safely.The next scheduled event will be September 11

that

the Alamodome. Information: www.MedDropSA.com.

Land Heritage Institute ReportBy Bill Hurley

On a Saturday in May, many from Bexar Audubon metat the Land Heritage Institute (Old Applewhite Property)on the Medina River for an enjoyable morning field trip.Over 20 people took a hayride to the historical homestead

where LHI President Mark Oppelt and wife Peggy, also onthe board of directors, gave us a very interesting look ofthis place. Theres 1,200 acres out there right beside theMedina River State Natural Area. Its truly a treasure!

Archaeology, environ-ment and the beautifulMedina River overlookswere the order of theday and revealed SanAntonios many-layeredhistory of this region. Welearned how archeolo-

gists have unearthedevidence of occupancy by ancient hunter-gatherers12,500 years ago on the banks of the Medina River. Inthe 19th century the Presnall-Watson families settledthere and built a house with numerous barns. San Anto-nio recently named the Presnall-Watson Farmstead oneof the historic farms in the area. Longhorns were oncegathered here to begin the travel up the Chisholm andGreat Western trails.

Today, visitors will also get tosee and use the brand new hikeand bike trail that winds through

the property. As soon as reno-vation of another on-site struc-ture is complete, and properattendant organizations are

selected, a future nature center will soon appear. Cer-tainly an exciting and worthwhile development of anecosystem with history in San Antonio thats sure to getmore attention. And we got a preview!

Ghost BirdSan Antonio Audubon Society invites everyone to a

special screening of Ghost Bird on Thursday, Sept. 2nd,

7 PM, Lions Field Community Center, 2809 Broadway,San Antonio. Ghost Bird is a feature length documentaryabout an extinct giant woodpecker, a small town in Arkan-sas hoping to reverse it misfortunes, and the tireless od-yssey of the bird-watchers and scientists searching for theHoly Grail of birds, the elusive Ivory-billed woodpecker.Tickets are $5/person, presold and also available at thedoor as space is available. To purchase an advancedticket, contact Patsy Inglet at [email protected] withGhost Birdin the subject line.

Rainwater Harvesting Training CampAug.16-20 in Junction

Educational camp will provide hands-on experience

A new statewide Rainwater Harvesting Training Camphas been set for Aug. 16-20 on the TexasTech University campus in Junction. Thecourse is sponsored by the Texas AgriLife

Extension Service and Texas Tech Uni-versity in Junction.

The course will include tours of rain-water harvesting systems ranging in sizefrom 50 to 250,000 gallons, 12 hours ofhands-on construction experience and 20 hours of 300-level American Rainwater Catchment Systems Associa-tion classes. For more information on the program: http://rainwaterharvesting.tamu.edu or contact Brent Clayton,979.845.4116 [email protected].

MRNALHI 10K RaceOctober 16, 2010

This is NOT a fun run, but a serious 10K race betweenthe Medina River Natural Area and the Land HeritageInstitute properties. Race starts at 8 AM near the MRNAentrance on Hwy. 16. MRNA's Fall Fest will also be heldthis Saturday. Watch for more information on Land Heri-tage Day at LHI, with nature and heritage events. Look

for more info at bexaraudubon.org, saaudubon.org, land-heritageinstitute.org, or sanaturalareas.org; or call MRNAat 210.624.2575.


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The Costs of Energy

jor by-product of the extraction proc-essa single methane bore discharg-ing...approximately 25,000 gal perday." Source: http://www.rangemagazine.com/archives/stories/fall00/waterworld.htm.)

Ever see an aerial photo of oil andgas fields? Looks like a war bombingsite. How many hundreds of thou-sands of surface acres of land hasbeen permanently ruined from welldrilling and roadsor from surfacemining? Nothing is free or all good.We have to be careful, thoughtfuland do the best we can for the re-

sources, wildlife and people. As westrive to replace expensive/unfriendlyoverseas oil and become USA en-ergy sufficient we must select theleast damaging energy or mineralsources and the best methods ofproduction and transporting to mar-kets. We must each use less energyand water in order to put less stresson our environmentconserving itfor nature and our children.

Comment Re: Pelican Article: Theloss of a single pelican or a hundredwe hope is an isolated or rare case.No one wants to see a bird or otherwildlife die needlessly. Certainly notAuduboners!

But issues occur with a new in-dustry, even a green oneprobablya few birds have been hurt on solarpanels, too; we know eagles andhawks die on electric towers. Noenergy source is going to be totally100% safe or "green".

Many thousands of birds, mainlywaterfowl, have been lost in petro-leum "ponds"not well known. Nodoubt birds have flown into well rigsat night or in storms. Or into radio,TV and cell phone towers? No tell-ing how much valuable freshgroundwater has been ruined bysalt water inject ion of oi lwells. Rangeland habitat and freshwater has been ruined or wasteddue to coal bed methane gas ex-traction. ("Water, in fact, is the ma-

This excerpt is from an email sent in June to

Mike Mecke from David Newstead, Presi-

dent of the Coastal Bend Audubon Society,

re White pelican struck by turbine on

Kenedy Ranch:This morning I went down the LagunaMadre to the Land Cut, doing somemonitoring of breeding skimmers andterns, and foraging egrets. In the LandCut area, we observed a flock of aroundfifteen American White Pelicans kettlingfrom some wetlands west of the brushyedge of the Kenedy Ranch shoreline.After a couple minutes they turned andheaded on a northerly trajectory. Wewatched as the pelicans continued soar-ing between us and the turbines. It ap-peared that they were getting closer andcloser to the next turbine, but it washard to get a handle on how close theyactually were. Finally, they were ap-proaching one of the most easterly tur-bines in that particular string, and wewatched as the last bird in the groupwas struck and literally erased fromthe air (a blade is about the width of acity bus, and moving about 180 mph). Itwas flying at or just below hub height,and was hit on the downstroke.

Excerpted from e-Quail Newsletter, Vol. II, No. VII (July 2010)

A Bird Nest on the Groundby Dr. Dale Rollins

The saying "a bird nest on the ground" implies a windfall, a stroke of goodluck, indeed a bonanza. For over a dozen species of Texas animals thatprey upon quail nests, the phrase is an appropriate one. But for quail, orother birds that nest on the ground, the saying portends a challenge, if not

an omen.Consider this: If 100 quail eggs are laid in June, how many adult quail

would you expect to result from them a year from now? Forty? Twenty?How about five! Heres the math. Average hatch rate across the range ofbobwhites is about 30 percent, so we have 30 chicks hatched. Chick mortal-ity is high, so perhaps 40 percent of those (or 12 birds) live to September.Survival through the winter months might be about 40 percent, so now wehave five birds alive come May. And you think you have a tough row tohoe?

Read the full story: www.quailresearch.org; click on Publications, Vol. 2, Issue 7.

No Energy Source is Totally Free of Costs orAll Green!Commentary by Mike Mecke

Former BAS President

From Philanthropy News Digest:

American Bird Conservancy Receives Grant From Leon Levy FoundationThe three-year, $743,130 grant will support a campaign to encourage the use of techniques designed to eliminate birdcollisions with wind turbines and promote the selection of safe sites for wind farms. Read more about it athttp://foundation center.org/pnd/news/story.jhtml?id=294400025.

The Tale of theBar-Tailed GodwitSCIENCE | May 25, 2010

7,000 Miles Nonstop,and No Pretzels

By Carl Zimmer

Tiny transmitters and even smaller

geolocators make it possible to track thebar-tailed godwit and other species ontheir travels. Read more about this littlebird and the longest non-stop flightever recorded at http:// www.ny times.com/2010/05/25/science/25migrate.html?emc=eta1Copyright 2010 The New York Times Company | Privacy Policy


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From Conservation International: www.conservation.org

Our oceans are facing unprecedented threats. It doesnt take toomuch work to crunch these numbers. Take a look for yourselfand then pass them along to friends and family to see how muchthey know about the biggest blue spaces on our planet.

70 Percent of the earths surface is covered by oceans.

1 Percent of the earths oceans are protected.

1 billion People worldwide depend on the ocean as their mainsource of protein.

52 Percent of the worlds fisheries are fully exploited. Another 20percent are moderately exploited, and 19 percent are over-exploited.

3/4Of tropical commercial fish depend on mangrove forests forfood, habitat, breeding or nursery grounds.

Up to 35Percent of the world's mangrove forests have beendestroyed in the last 30 years.

1,400Poundspotential weight of a northern bluefin tuna. Toppredators like this one are vital to the ocean food chain.

90 Percent of large predatory fish populationsincluding cod,shark and bluefin tunathat have disappeared worldwide due tounsustainable fishing practices.

1 in 4Of all marine species live in coral reef ecosystems. (Itsno wonder reefs are often called "the tropical rainforests of theocean.)

20 Percent of the worlds coral reefs have been lost to date. An-other 20 percent are degraded.

70-80Percent of the oxygen we breathe is produced by theocean.

150,000+ Is the combined size in square miles of pollution-caused "dead zones"marine habitats that no longer support oxy-gen-using species. Thats larger than the state of Montana.

97 Percent of all water on earth is located in the planets oceans.

1 The number of "blue planets" called Earth.Now that you have the facts, take the quiz:http://getinvolved.conservation.org/site/PageServer?


Feral Hog WorkshopThe Texas AgriLife Extension Service and partnering

organizations will be presenting a Feral Hog Workshopfrom 9 AM3:30 PM, Aug. 24 at the 4-H building inHelotes, located at 12132 Leslie Rd.

Workshop presentations will be provided by expertsfrom AgriLife Extension, U.S. Department of AgricultureAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service, TexasParks & Wildlife Department, Texas Department of Agri-culture and Texas Animal Health Commission, as wellas a professional feral hog trapper. Topics will include aferal hog overview, tips on reducing watershed pollution,potential feral hog problems and damage, brucellosisand other diseases, laws and regulations, and the hunt-ing and trapping of the invasive species. More info athttp://www.alamorcd.org.

EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITYDistinguished Lecturer Series

Understanding Karst Characteristics and the Transportand Storage of Contaminants Within Them

Featuring: Dr. Ralph O. EwersEwers Water Consultants, Richmond, Kentucky

Friday, September 17, 2010Southwest Research Institute

San Antonio, Texas9 AM4:30 PM

Cost: $20 for the day; includes lunch and supportingmaterials. $10 for students. Payable at the door bycash or check. Registration deadline is Tuesday, Sep-tember 14; contact Elida Bocanegra at 210.222.2204;800.292.1047; or [email protected].

Dr. Ralph O. Ewers will present a one-day workshopon karst aquifers, discussing the means by which we

can understand their characteristics and the transportand storage of contaminants within them. Discussionswill focus on:

karst aquifers, a few fundamental ideas; the problem of prediction-contaminants, models,

assumptions, and authority; wells, tracers, and electronics, and what they

can tell us; the behavior of floating and sinking hydrocar-

bons in karst aquifers; and

how not to diagnose contaminant problems inkarst.

About the Presenter

Dr. Ewers obtained his bachelors and masters de-grees from the University of Cincinnati, and his doctoraldegree from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada.He served as professor of geology and hydrogeology atEastern Kentucky University, where he is emeritus pro-fessor, and at the University of Kentucky.


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Mitchell Lake Audubon Centerto prevent, tolerate, andmanage the bugs that bugyou! RSVP; program fee,free for members.

October

Free Family ProgramWon-derful World of InsectsOct. 2, 911 AMGet immersed in the world ofinsects with this 30 minuteEntomology lesson for kidsof all ages. Learn whatmakes an insect an insect,where they live, which onesare good, and more. Liveand preserved insects will beavailable as well! Stickaround after the lesson to doan activity on insects.

MLAC Fall WildlifeFestival & Plant SaleOct. 23, 9 AM4 PMMLACs annual fall celebra-tion of nature features plantsales, hayrides, a raptorshow, exhibit booths, kidsactivities, SAWS AutumnBloom Giveaway and more. Free.

SeptemberBasic Birding for AdultsSept. 4, 8:3011:30 AMDo you enjoy watching birds &find birds interesting andbeautiful? MLAC Docents Tom& Patsy Inglet share tools,tips, & techniques for you tobuild your birding skills. 1.5hours of instruction and 1.5hours in the field. Bring bin-oculars & a bird field guide; wealso have some to loan. Dressfor a bird walk: long pants, dullcolors, walking shoes, & a hat.RSVP. Program fee.

Organic Pest Controlwith Molly KeckSept. 18, 911 AMMany ways to manage pestswithout using pesticides, andmany organic options to helppreserve our beneficial in-sects and environment. Pres-entation will cover cultural &mechanical control methods

Monthly Birding Tours

No reservation necessaryEvery 2nd Tuesday, 2ndSunday, and 3rd Sunday,all at 7:30 AM.Bird Count/Survey: Every4th Saturday, 8 AM.Birding Tour Fee: $5 fornonmembers, $3 mem-bers. More info, email orcall 210.628.1639.

Phil Hardberger Park13203 Blanco Rd

Hardberger Park encompasses 311 acres of former Voelcker Farm property located between Blanco Road and NWMilitary. The first phase of the park features a 1.5-mile loop trail, a playground, a 1.8 acre dog park and parking locatedat 13203 Blanco Rd. Other future amenities will include additional trails, two play fields, picnic areas, childrens play-ground, urban ecology center, restored oak savanna, Salado Creek overlook and a classroom pavilion.

Phil Hardberger Park Monthly Education Programs

Arachnids!Sept. 4, 911 AMExplore the interesting & fascinating world of spiders.Walk through the park looking for spiders in various habi-tats and enjoy a kid friendly activity. Presenter: Dr. CaryGuffey, Our Lady of the Lake University.Birds & Fall MigrationOct. 2, 810 AMTake a birding walk and discover which birds are normallyfound in the park and which birds are migrating through.

Enjoy a kid friendly activity. Presenters: Tom & Patsy In-glet, Birding Experts.Wild About Turkeys!Nov. 6, 911 AMLearn many things about our national bird including howto call for it, its typical habitat, and how different the wildbird is from the one on our Thanksgiving table. Enjoy a kidfriendly activity. Presenter: Phil Stratton, National WildTurkey Federation.

Info:www.sanantonio.govorwww.sanaturalareas.org

MLAC10750 Pleasanton Rd.

San Antonio TX 78221

210.628.1639

www.mitchelllakeaudubon.org

Susan Albert

Center Director

Bats, Bees and Butterflies at the Witte Museum

Sunday, November 5

th,

1:303:30 PM, the Witte Museum will host a workshop on attracting bats, bees, butterflies,and other pollinators to your backyard. The workshop will feature Kim Hoskins, whose affiliations include Bat Conserva-tion International, and a TPWD representative. Each workshop participant will receive a bat house kit and lots of take-home information. The workshop will be held in the Wittes Memorial Auditorium and (weather permitting) on the Wittegrounds. Attendance is limited. Reservations, call 210.357.1910, or for information, [email protected].

About Mitchell LakeJust south of downtownSan Antonio, MitchellLake Audubon Center islocated on a 1200-acrenatural area. This unique

and beautiful bird havenconsists of the 600-acreMitchell Lake, 215 acresof wetlands and pondsand 385 acres of uplandhabitat. Audubon Texashas partnered with theSan Antonio Water Sys-tem (SAWS) to showcasethis wonderful naturalarea and welcomes na-ture enthusiasts, school-children and families.

MLAC programs are held onSaturdays unless otherwisenoted. Limited space, RSVPrequired for many programs.Some programs have fees.Info/RSVP: [email protected], 210.628.1639.


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Community Events

First SaturdayNature Walks

Reservations are suggested; walksoccasionally change. 210.372.9124or [email protected] limited to 15 per hike.Donation of $2/person, max $6/familysuggested. Not for groups; contact usto schedule a walk for your group.

Eisenhower Park19399 NW Military

Aug. 7, 1011:30 AMBring your family, especially thosewith young children, on a nature walkdesigned especially for families. Pacewill accommodate the group; this willbe shorter than our regular naturewalks. At the end, look at the insideof trees and make a tree cookie.Remember to bring water!!

Friedrich Wilderness Park21395 MilsaSept. 4, 10 AMNoon

This walk will begin with a display inour classroom of limestone and fos-sils from this area and others. Thenas we hike the trails well explore thelegacy that the limestone has createdfor us in Friedrich Park. Remember tobring water for the hike!! Haventbeen to Friedrich Park lately? Thingshave changed. See the website fordirections.

Nature Walk with the Artist

Walker Ranch Park

12603 West Ave.Oct. 2, 10 AMNoonJoin local artist and Master Naturalist

Joy Hein for a naturewalk at this great Natu-ral Area. Joy is respon-sible for the wonderful

artwork on the interpretive panels atthe park; youll want to hear her storyof how she painted them!

Wild! WednesdaysExtraordinary Experiences in Nature!

Friedrich Wilderness Park21395 MilsaAug. 4, 9:3011:30 AMWater Water Everywhere: Hike toour windmill; study a model of astream; take home a test tube withan oil/water demo.

Aug. 11, 9:3011:30 AMRoaches to Go: Explore the lives ofinsects with Holly Cameros six-legger critters. Make an insect habi-tat. Family oriented; target ages: 711 years. $5/class, max $10/family.

www.sanaturalareas.org

Friends of Friedrich Wilderness Park

Nature Discovery Series

Karst CrittersFriedrich Park Classroom21395 MilsaWednesday, Aug. 25, 78 PMCome hear Dr. Andy Gluesenkamp,TPWD herpetologist and one of themost knowledgeable biologists aboutthe rare and unique animals that livein the limestone caves in this part ofthe Hill Country. Free for members;small donation from nonmembers.Reservations for all programs callNatural Areas 210.372.9124; limitedspace available. Map at http://www.fofriedrichpark.org/Information/Maps/Directions.html.

Second SaturdayBeginners W alks

Join San Antonio Audubon Soci-ety on the second Saturday of themonth; start at 8 AM, meet at theJudson Nature Trails next to theAlamo Heights swimming pool, onViesca street. More information, call210.342.2073. Newbies Welcome!


All listings are on Saturdays

unless otherwise indicated

First Saturday Nature Walks sponsored bySan Antonio Natural Areas: sanaturalareas.org

MEDINA RIVER NATURAL AREA(MRNA)

15890 Highway 16 SouthSan Antonio TX 78264MRNA located approx. 4 milessouth of Loop 410 on SH 16 South

Reservations requested for all MRNAevents. Information or RSVP for anyevent in theMRNA call 210.624.2575.

Fishing Fridays ClinicAug. 13 and 27, 810 AMJoin Matthew Driffill fromthe San Antonio River Au-thority for a kid-friendlyFishing Clinic. Learn howto bait your own hook andcast. Bring your own fishing poles;may have extras to share. Bait pro-vided. No fishing license required forchildren under 17. For children ages4-10. Very popular event! Limited to20 so reserve your spot early.

SECOND SATURDAY PROGRAMS

Bicycle Safety on TrailsAug, 14, 911 AMPark Police Officers willconduct a clinic about bicy-cle maintenance, its parts and trailriding safety. Bring your own bike andride with the SA Park Police Officers.

Program appropriate for ages 5-12.Free bicycle safety booklets and wa-ter bottles included for each child.

Native Plants of theSouth Texas BrushlandsSept. 11, 911 AMHike with author and local botanistPatty Leslie Pasztor as she talksabout edible and native plant uses.

6th

Annual Fall FestOct. 16, 8 AMNoon (3rd Saturday)

Bring the whole family for a fun filledthird Saturday morning of activitiessuch as Art in the Park, Fly Fishing,Texas Mammal Skins and Skulls,Flint Knapping, Native American Arti-facts, Falconry, Snakes and Search& Rescue Dogs.

www.sanaturalareas.org

Suggested donation for eachprogram is $3/person or $5/family.


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SAN ANTONIO NATURAL AREAS

For more information on listings below, visit www.sanaturalareas.org or www.bexaraudubon.org

WELCOMETO MY WEBPresented by

Dr. Cary Guffey, OLLUOct. 9, 79 PM

Enjoy this lively investigation of spiderswith a brief presentation and a flashlightwalk to look for them and their webs along the trail.

When you have questions about visiting a Natural Area orparticipating in a Natural Areas program, please call210.372.9124.

ROACHESTO GO!Presented by

Holly Camero, Master NaturalistAug. 14, 10 AM12 Noon

We all love those creeping and crawling bugs. Holly Cam-ero leads our exploration into the world of the six-legged.Lots of live critters and specimens to observe/examine!

ANIMAL TRACKINGPresented by

Richard Heilbrun, Wildlife BiologistSept. 11, 10 AMNoonJoin Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. wildlife biologist Rich-ard Heilbrun for an interactive workshop to explore wildlifetracks of central Texas. Gates open at 9:30 AM.

Second Saturday ProgramsCo-sponsored by Bexar Audubon Society and City of San Antonio

Reservations recommended: 210.372.9124 or email [email protected] donation $3/individual or $5/family.

Because of some extreme terrains, Natural Areas parks have elements that will be challenging or limiting for accessibil-ity, physical strength and endurance. Second Saturday Programslisted below are all held in the large gated pavilion.

Cowles is just uphill from Laurie Auditorium &between Library and Chapman Graduate Center.Park by Laurie or in lots or on streets to the west.Handicapped parking across from Cowles. Enterfrom Oakmont or Rosewood. Call Patty for addi-tional directions, 210.824.1235 or see additionalmap at bexaraudubon.org/map.jpg.

LaurieLibrary

Chapman

Cowles

BAS Programs at Trinity University

Room 149, Cowles Life Science Building

Digital Bird Watcher's Digest!There is now an electronic edition of Bird

Watcher's Digest (eBWD). Get all the great

content you've come to expect from BWD indigital format, available anywhere you have anInternet connection, a FREE bonus to our printsubscribers!

Great for quickly finding information on yourfavorite birding topics! If you run into problemsand all else fails, real humans stand ready toassist you! Call 800.879.2473 or e-mail us [email protected]; more infoat www.birdwatchersdigest.com.

South African BirdsThe July 2010 issue of "The Birder" has been

uploaded onto our web site. Read about birds'feeding strategies & adaptations, how vulturesare being impacted by the Soccer World Cup inSouth Africa, conservation news, Bird & WildAnimal of the Month and more...FREE down-load. Check this link to receive your copy:www.lifers-birding.com/monthly-e-zine/

Carry a Tune with Digital Warbler Songs

A compilation of 310 songs and calls for 57 species of war-blers is now available from the Cornell Lab of OrnithologysMacaulay Library, the largest archive of wildlife sounds inthe world. The newly digitized version can be used on any

device that plays MP3 files and is $14.99 atwww.macaulaylibrary.org.


9/10

Bexar Audubon Society ContactsPresident: Tony Wood210.867.2363; [email protected] President: Anita Anderson210.533.8726; [email protected]: Caryl Swann210.653.2860; [email protected]: Susan Hughes210.532.2032; [email protected]: Bill Hurley210.823.1023, [email protected]: Greg Pasztor210.824.1235, [email protected] & At-Large: Harry Noyes210.490.3124; [email protected]/Outings: Patty Pasztor210.824.1235; [email protected] Chairperson: Mary [email protected]: Michele Wood210.492.4684, [email protected]


Earth Share of Texas raises money for environmental and conservation or-ganizations through workplace giving. If your employer participates in suchprograms, please ask them to add Earth Share to your giving options. By des-ignating the Audubon Foundation of Texas (AFT), Bexar Audubon Society canbenefit. BAS receives credit for our support and receives funding annuallyform AFT. For more information, call, email or log on: 800.GREENTX,[email protected], or www.earthshare-texas.org.

Montana wildlife regulatorsset this year's wolf-hunt quota

at 186, more than doubling2009's quota, with theaim of reducing thestate's wolf populationfor the first time sincethey were reintroducedto the Northern Rockiesin 1995. Advocates forthe wolf hunt hailed thedecision, although somesaid they would still liketo see a bigger number.

But whether a hunting seasonactually happens may be in thehands of a federal judge, ex-

pected to make a ruling afterhearing arguments in June in a

lawsuit brought by environ-mental groups seek-ing to restore Endan-gered Species Actp r o t ec t i ons f o rwolves in Montanaand Idaho. Oppo-nents of the wolfhunt argued the FishWildlife & ParksCommission shouldend the hunt beforethe courts act.

Read more about it:www.defenders.org

Fall Alamo AreaMaster Naturalist Training ProgramAAMNs root out invasive shrubs, educate hik-

ers along city park trails, and work with other vol-unteers to improve city parks and natural areas.Become a Master Naturalist! Classes will be heldevery Thursday for 10 weeks beginning Sept. 9,plus four field trips. If learning about this areasunique natural systems interests you, downloadan application at www.alamomaster naturalist.organd email it along with any questions [email protected]. Application deadline Aug.23rd; some scholarships available.

Join the NABA Count!

North American Butterfly Asso-ciation counts are conducted fromMarch to October in nearly everystate. For more information about

the Count Program in general, visitwww.naba.org, email [email protected], or callNABAs national headquarters at 973.285.0907.Location of counts and contact information fortheir compilers can be found on the NABA web-site at www.naba.org/counts/maps08.html.

About NABA:The North American Butterfly Association, Inc.

(NABA), a non-profit organization, was formed topromote public enjoyment and conservation ofbutterflies. In addition to running the ButterflyCount Program, NABA publishes two maga-zines, American Butterflies and Butterfly Gar-dener, works to conserve butterflies throughoutNorth America, and operates the National But-terfly Center in Mission, Texas. Membership inNABA is open to all those who share our pur-pose. Visit www.naba.org.

Test Case for Endangered Species?By Matt Volz and Matt Gouras, Associated Press

from a greatfallstribune.com posting 7/9/10

Native Plant Society of Texas

The Native Plant Society of Texas promotesconservation, research, and utilization of the na-tive plants and plant habitat of Texas, througheducation, outreach and example. Find out moreabout NPSOT in this recent issue of Bexar

Roots, the newsletter of the San Antonio Chapterof NPSOT: http://tinyurl.com/BexarRoots-MayJune-2010.

Texas Residential IncentivesCheck out this list of incentives, rebates andloans to help us all go green, right in our ownbackyard: http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/homeowner.cfm?state=TX&re=1&ee=1


10/10

Bexar Tracks is the official newsletter of the Bexar Audubon Society, a Chapter of the National Audu-

bon Society. The Chapters primary goals are topromote species and habitat conservation andenvironmental education in the community.Your membership includes National Audubon andBexar Audubon and subscriptions to both AudubonandBexar 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 years dues di-rectly back to support local work. The same applies to gift memberships placed through the chapter. Your additional tax deductibledonation is greatly appreciated. Bexar Audubon receives only a few thousand dollars each year from National Audubon Society asdues share. The rest we must raise ourselves. Your help is needed, and your donations will be put to good use right here in SouthCentral Texas to provide environmental news and education to the community, including the newsletter, programs, San Antonio En-vironmental Network Issues Forum, Second Saturday programs, and other activities you may or may not hear about. Individual intro-ductory memberships are $20; seniors and students join for $15. Please provide the following information for each personal subscrip-tion 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 ____ noMake checks payable to Bexar Audubon Society and mail to the address above.Enclosed: $__________ for subscription(s) $_________ additional donationNOTE: 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 willautomatically get that change when we download labels). Save time and energy by mailing your change of address information to National Audubon Soci-

ety Membership Data Center, PO Box 52529, Boulder CO 80322-2529; phoning 800.274.4201; or e-mailing [email protected].

For the latest information on environmentalevents and happenings throughout the San Anto-nio community and surrounding areas, check outwww.bexaraudubon.org andwww.sa-naturecenter.org

Non-ProfitOrganization

US Postage PaidSan Antonio TXPermit #1527

Bexar Audubon SocietyPO Box 6084San Antonio TX 78209-0084

Bexar Tracks August-October 2010

It is time to VOTE AGAIN for Audubon at the American Express Members Project

Audubon can receive a $200,000 donation for our Gulf of Mexico response by getting the most votes in the Environ-ment/Wildlife category of the American Express Members project. Simply go to http://www.takepart.com/members

project/vote. You can vote ONCE A WEEK through August 22nd

!!

aug-oct 2010 bexar tracks bexar audubon society

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