Twelve Days of Winter at Hagerman NWR

On the first day of winter, at Hagerman we see – a jolly red tram touring merrily.

On the second day of winter, at Hagerman we see - two Eagles soaring and a jolly red tram touring merrily.

On the third day of winter, at Hagerman we see - three Harriers harrying, two Eagles soaring and a jolly red tram touring merrily.

On the fourth day of winter, at Hagerman we see - four leaping White-tails, three Harriers harrying, two Eagles soaring and a jolly red tram touring merrily.

On the fifth day of winter, at Hagerman we see - five hiking trails, four leaping White-tails, three Harriers harrying, two Eagles soaring and a jolly red tram touring merrily.

On the sixth day of winter, at Hagerman we see - six birders birding, five hiking trails, four leaping White-tails, three Harriers harrying, two Eagles soaring and a jolly red tram touring merrily.

On the seventh day of winter, at Hagerman we see - seven Shovelers shoveling, -six birders birding, five hiking trails, four leaping White-tails, three Harriers harrying, two Eagles soaring and a jolly red tram touring merrily.

On the eighth day of winter, at Hagerman we see - eight Coots a-bobbing, seven Shovelers shoveling,  six birders birding, five hiking trails, four leaping White-tails, three Harriers harrying, two Eagles soaring and a jolly red tram touring merrily.

On the ninth day of winter, at Hagerman we see – nine nodding pumpjacks, eight Coots a-bobbing, seven Shovelers shoveling, six birders birding, five hiking trails, four leaping White-tails, three Harriers harrying, two Eagles soaring and a jolly red tram touring merrily.

On the tenth day of winter, at Hagerman we see - ten pintails dabbling, nine nodding pumpjacks, eight Coots a-bobbing, seven Shovelers shoveling, six birders birding, five hiking trails, four leaping White-tails, three Harriers harrying, two Eagles soaring and a jolly red tram touring merrily.

On the eleventh day of winter, at Hagerman we see - eleven geese-a-browsing, ten pintails dabbling,  nine nodding pumpjacks, eight Coots a-bobbing, seven Shovelers shoveling, six birders birding, five hiking trails, four leaping White-tails, three Harriers harrying, two Eagles soaring and a jolly red tram touring merrily.

On the twelfth day of winter, at Hagerman we see - twelve bluebird boxes, eleven geese-a-browsing, ten pintails dabbling. nine nodding pumpjacks, eight Coots a-bobbing, seven Shovelers shoveling, six birders birding, five hiking trails, four leaping White-tails, three Harriers harrying, two Eagles soaring and a jolly red tram touring merrily.

Happy Holidays to all!

Migratory Bird Conservation Commission Champion Retires

From the National Wildlife Refuge Association e-Newsletter, December 2014

This month, Refuge System champion and conservation hero, Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) participated in his last meeting of the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission as he is retiring in January. He is the longest serving member of the Commission, having begun his tenure 45 years ago in 1969.

The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission authorizes and approves areas of land and/or water recommended by the Secretary of the Interior for purchase or easement by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They also fix the price or prices at which such areas may be acquired. Most importantly for conservation, the Commission considers the establishment of new waterfowl refuges.

Congressman Dingell enjoying his cake | Desiree Sorenson-Groves

Established on February 18, 1929 by the passage of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act, the Commission typically convenes three times per year in March, June, and September, as needed, or in this case November. The Division of Realty within the Service produces an annual report that summarizes the operations of the Commission.

Since the Commission was established, over 5.5 million acres have been acquired by the Service via fee purchase, easement, or lease. These purchases are funded by the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund which draws funds mostly from the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (also known as the Duck Stamp), but also from appropriations authorized by the Wetlands Loan Act of October 4, 1961 as amended, important duties collected on arms and ammunition, and receipts from the sale of refuge admission permits as provided for by the Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986. The Fund is further supplemented by receipts from the sale of products from rights-of-way across national wildlife refuges, disposals of refuge land, and reverted Federal Aid funds.

In 1989, the Commission earned the additional responsibility to approve project funding under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). The North American Wetlands Conservation Council, which was created by NAWCA, submits project recommendations to the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission for funding approval, and thus far all have been approved for funding representing $1 billion for the protection of wetland habitat.

This particular meeting was particularly meaningful because two of the Congressional members of the Committee will not be back in 2015.  Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR) was defeated in his re-election bid and Congressman Dingell is retiring. As the longest serving member of the Commission, and indeed, the longest serving member of either the House or Senate in our country’s history, Representative Dingell has been a longtime champion of the National Wildlife Refuge System and talked about the importance of the System in remarks to the Committee. Dingell established the first International Wildlife Refuge and endorsed the development of many others protecting critical breeding and wintering habitat for hundreds of species of fish and wildlife. Since he came on the Commission in 1969, 3300 tracts of land totalling over 700,000 acres have been added to the Refuge System.  As his long time former staffer, and now Director of Government Affairs for Ducks Unlimited remarked, “Congressman Dingell is second only to Theodore Roosevelt when it comes to conservation in America.”

Below is the list of approved projects for national wildlife refuges. NAWCA projects were approved, but await funding from the Fiscal Year 2015 spending bill currently being debated by Congress:

Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge, Texas – 475.93 acres for $606,800

Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana – 804 acres for $2,010,350

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Maryland – 153.6 acres for $490,000

Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, Washington – 303 acres for $455,000

Tags: Congressman Dingell, Dingell, Migratory Bird Conservation Commission,

Bobwhite Quail

Jason Hardin, Upland Game Bird Specialist with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, will be the presenter for Second Saturday at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, on December 13, at 10 am. 

Hardin's topic will be "The Bobwhite Quail".

Hardin, who earned his undergraduate in Forest Wildlife Management at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, and master’s degree in Range and Wildlife Management at Texas A&M University – Kingsville, has also worked as Coordinator for the Audubon Texas Quail and Grassland Birds Initiative.  His graduate work focused on empirical testing of Dr. Fred Guthery’s “Hunter-Covey Interface Theory”, and he served as Coordinator of the Quail Associates Program for the first two years of the project.   

According to state biologists, the Bobwhite Quail population has decreased 75% over the past 30 years, due to disappearing grasslands across Texas.  Last year Texas lawmakers earmarked funds for restoring prime quail habitat, and expanding research and education about the species.  Hardin will address the present status of quail and restoration efforts in his talk.

Second Saturday programs are open to the public, free of charge, and are held in the Visitor Center Meeting Room.  Hagerman NWR is located at 6465 Refuge Road, Sherman, 75092.  For more information, contact the Refuge, 903 786 2826, or see friendsofhagerman.com/.

Waterfowl Trivia

Youth FIRST goose-craft!

Youth FIRST will meet at 10 am, Saturday, December 6, at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, to learn about the geese that are wintering at the Refuge.  Here are some fast facts about geese for our readers.

Why do geese fly in a “V” formation? It would be too hard to fly in an “S”... Actually, it conserves energy and makes it easier to keep track of each other.

What is a gaggle? A group of geese on the ground is called a gaggle or flock. A skein is a group in flight, and if flying in a “V” formation, they are called a wedge.

A nickname for the Canada goose is “the honker”.

A Blue Goose is a dark morph Snow Goose, with a white face, dark brown body, and white under the tail.    The Blue Goose mascot for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife is named Puddles and is bright blue!

Love to hear the geese call?  Listen here.  

Have your ducks in a row? You might have a

Brace of ducks - a pair; Flock of ducks – on the ground; Flush of ducks – taking flight; Paddling of ducks or raft of ducks - group swimming; Team of ducks – group in flight

If you've heard one quack…you haven’t heard them all – most species have their own quack and male and females may have different quacks.

A goose or duck by any other name:   Baby ducks - ducklings; Baby geese - goslings; Male ducks - drakes; Male geese - ganders

Eggs laid are called a clutch – there may be 10 – 20 in a clutch

Certified swimmers – goslings and ducklings can swim as soon as they ready to fledge.

Diving ducks are found on oceans, seas and inland water; dabblers are found on creeks and inland pools.

The lowdown on “down” – the small, soft feathers that provide insulation for birds, and when collected, for man. Down from Eider ducks is believed to be superior.