For Second Saturday, September 8

In the spring of 2007 a new program was offered at the Refuge, by the Friends of Hagerman – Second Saturday.  Getting the word out was a challenge and for the first year or so attendance did not set any records, to say the least!  But gradually a lot of people found out about this great resource for nature information and you could say that Second Saturday had arrived.

Month by month a wonderful variety of program topics have been presented by interesting and knowledgeable speakers, many willing to come again and again to share their expertise and experiences with us.  Especially heavy hitters have been Dr. Wayne Meyer and his colleagues in the Austin College Biology Department.  And for September, Wayne has been instrumental in arranging for a “homecoming” for Second Saturday.

Dr. Charles R. Brown, Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Tulsa, will present Social Behavior of Cliff Swallows: Insights from a 30-Year Study.  Brown is a native of Sherman, and became interested in birds at age 11 when he began studying Purple Martins.  He birded extensively at Hagerman through junior high, high school, and college.  Long-time residents may recall a bird column in the then Sherman Democrat, penned by Brown as a youngster.

Brown received a B.A. in biology from Austin College and a Ph.D. in biology from Princeton University.  He was on the faculty at Yale University before joining the University of Tulsa in 1994.  Brown has been doing a long-term study of cliff swallow social behavior and ecology in western Nebraska since 1982.  He is the recipient of the American Ornithologists’ Union’s Elliot Coues Award in 2009 and the Animal Behavior Society’s Exemplar Award in 2011.

Also set for September 8:

Second Saturday for Youth program, Learn About Fish, for ages 4 – 10, from 10 – 11:30 am, offering hands-on nature crafts and games.  Children under age 6 must be accompanied by a parent or other responsible adult.  Please make a reservation for each child by calling the refuge at 903-786-2826 by 3 pm Friday, September 7, or  by using  Contact on  the Friends website.

The Friends of Hagerman Nature Photography Club will meet at 12:30 pm, Audio/Visual Classroom, FOH Center, with a program by Sally Papin on using layers to create art from photos.  The theme for sharing is “Landscapes,” with the option of using HDR for your image.  

Thanks to our gracious volunteer presenters and to Friends memberships and donations, all Second Saturday activities are free of charge and open to the public.  Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge is located on the Big Mineral Arm of Lake Texoma. 

For more information, call the refuge or visit www.friendsofhagerman.com.

Click Second Saturday to see a complete list of programs through the years.