Butterfly Garden Update

Have you been to Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge recently, and did you visit the Butterfly Garden?

We are adding plants regularly and cataloging and enjoying those coming back from last year.  Here are just some of the plants currently in bloom:  Bluebonnet, Winecup, Sundrops, Lyre-leaf Sage, Verbena, Mealy Blue Sage (in the photo below), Coreopsis, Huisache and Englemans’s Daisy, Gaura, and Coral Honeysuckle.  A Ruby-throated hummingbird was enjoying the honeysuckle this week.

Milkweed and Passion Vine are returning and we found a Gulf Fritillary caterpillar on one of the vines last week! An informal census last week yielded Cloudless Sulphur, Dainty Sulphur, Orange Sulphur, Little Yellow, Clouded Sulphur, Monarch, and Black Swallowtail.  Plus – a number of Painted Ladies were released into the garden by Sherman ISD pre-schoolers, who raised them from caterpillars in their classrooms.  Each day, Monday through Thursday last week, two classes brought their little mesh cages to the garden to free the butterflies, and then stayed to learn more about them through games, stories and songs.

A trip to the Heard Museum native plant sale earlier in April yielded more milkweed, an Aromatic Sumac, another Mexican Buckeye, this one red; Prairie Verbena, Wright’s Skullcap and more.  We have also been the lucky recipients of native plants on our list that were dug at various Metroplex locations in a Plant Rescue program.  Our fall seed sowing has produced a good crop of Standing Cypress and Goldenrod, but we have not been so lucky with seeding coneflowers. 

Some uninvited visitors to the garden are Cedar Elm seedlings by the million, thanks to two mature Cedar Elms adjacent to the garden.  Feel free to pull a few whenever you visit!

We thought we had Wind Anemones but they turned out to be Geranium carolinianum, Carolina Geranium, very large and prolific, so out they went with the exception of one or two for the bees. Another take-over plant is Swamp Fleabane, attractive, but enough is enough.

The trees planted as a screen behind the garden have all survived except one small Mexican Buckeye. Another tree note, last week Cedar Waxwings gorged on the Soapberries, from the one tree in the garden and one in the parking area landscape.

Thanks to the generosity of garden sponsors and donors and to the hard work of the garden volunteers, we have been able to use the garden as an outdoor classroom for hundreds of school children this spring, with more to come in May.

For the general public, the garden is open the same hours as the Refuge, and Garden Walks, with docents on hand to help identify native plants and visiting butterflies, are planned for the third Saturday of each month through October, from 10 – 11 am, and on Mother’s Day, May 8, 2 – 3:30 pm, all – weather permitting.

Raasch Trail at Hagerman NWR

 By Doug Raasch

             

Take this trail to explore the area northeast of the Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. The old rail bed provides access to excellent birding and wildlife viewing. The hike will be three miles round trip plus some suggestions for side trails. 

Park your car at the gate at the east end of Wildlife Drive, and follow the old rail bed. The trail crosses Myers Branch creek on a sturdy, relatively modern bridge. For the next ¼ mile the trees are often rich with songbirds. As you leave the trees the rail bed/trail bisects a large field. The south side is planted each fall with winter wheat for migratory geese and native wildlife while the north side is a field full of blooming sunflowers during summer months and attractive to deer and turkey. 

Soon after re-entering the trees, a mile into the hike, you will have the opportunity to turn left and follow the fence north, but your time will likely be better spent if you continue straight ahead on the road to Terry Lane. The gate at Terry Lane is the turn-around point for a three-mile walk ending back at where you parked. 

The paved, county road “Terry Lane” runs north and south here, cutting through the eastern side of the Refuge Myers Unit. The section of the Refuge east of Terry Lane is a relatively undisturbed area that, you guessed it, can best be seen from the old rail bed. For an additional 2/3 mile hike, hop the gate and walk through the trees looking for deer. This area* does not see many visitors, so the deer don’t seem to mind hikers gawking at them. The rail bed has several bridges that mark the date of construction as 1926. After about 1/3 mile the trail comes to a fence that marks the turn-around point. Returning to the gate will provide a four-mile hike.

NOTE: Raasch Trail was formerly called Old Trains and Terry Lane.  In October of 2011, the trail was renamed to honor Doug Raasch, and a newly created trail sign was presented to Doug, shown at right, below, and his wife, Sue:

 Doug, who passed away last month, wrote a trail guide series for the Friends of Hagerman newsletter, Featherless Flyer in 2008, with the first installment published in the August, 2008 edition; later the trail guides were published independently to hand out to visitors to Hagerman NWR. They were last updated in November, 2013. We have been publishing one each week in our blog, honoring his memory and love for the Refuge.  Raasch Trail is the last in the series.

*Area is not maintained for public use.

Meadow Pond Trail

By Doug Raasch

If we ever have an election to pick our favorite Hagerman walks, Meadow Pond Trail will be, without a doubt, chosen “best all around.”  Meadow Pond walk is everything that Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge has to offer in one place.

              

First, realize that the full adventure is over six miles.  That would be three miles in and three out, plus a few short side trips.  The full trek is recommended because the trail gets more interesting as you progress towards the end.

To reach the trail,  from the Visitor Center, turn right as you exit the driveway and then left onto Wildlife Drive and continue about 2 miles until the road T’s.  You will be looking straight down Meadow Pond trail as you approach the “T.”  You can park at the trailhead or in the day use area on the right.  A restroom is available.

After passing through the turnstile, you will be walking down a cool, shady lane with trees on both sides.  This is an excellent place to see and hear song birds.  The trail is perfectly flat the entire way because we are following the rail bed that once was the lifeblood of the town of Hagerman. The berms that occasionally shelter the trail are left over from rail bed construction.  The track basically follows Mineral Creek on the north which adds variety to the wildlife habitat.  You will notice short little trails that lead to photo opportunities.  Nesting boxes along the trail attract bluebirds, wrens, titmice, chickadees and Prothonotary warblers each spring and summer.

Walking less than ½ mile from the starting point, the view opens up on the left and Deaver Pond will reliably harbor a few wading birds for you to watch.  A bench built as an Eagle Scout project offers an opportunity for a rest stop.  And by the way, Deaver is not a typo for Beaver, it is the name of a previous landowner.

Walking on, the trees return and the sheltered trail seems to provide a byway for wildlife.  Deer and turkeys are willing to share this man-made lane and don’t seem overly concerned by hikers.  Open fields on the south side of the trail  along the way often provide a glimpse the two species out foraging on green vegetation.  Also, be on the lookout for roadrunners along the path.

If you notice the concrete barriers that cap each end of the old water control structures near the bridges, check out the stamp on the outside.  Each culvert has a large 1913 date impressed into the concrete.  Let your imagination take over and think of the men who built this track with a pick and shovel in hot Texas weather about 100 years ago. In your reverie, don’t be shocked if the ground begins to shake with train noises.  The modern day Union Pacific track runs just south of the  trail and still carries trains throughout the day.

The two-mile marker is the namesake Meadow Pond.  Expect to view raptors, wading birds, vultures, and possibly wild hogs as well as  American Lotus which take over the pond in summer months.  Some will turn back, but the real explorers will trudge on to the somewhat symbolic spot where the old and new tracks come together just ahead. The path makes a small loop down to Mineral Creek and back to the trail.  The loop is at the three-mile mark.  Explore the creek before turning back. 

Enjoy your three-mile walk back !  Looking for birds on both sides of the trail will keep you busy and help pass the time.  You won’t be disappointed.

NOTE: Doug Raasch, who passed away last month, wrote a trail guide series for the Friends of Hagerman newsletter, Featherless Flyer in 2008, with the first installment published in the August, 2008 edition; later the trail guides were published independently to hand out to visitors to Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge. They were last updated in November, 2013. We have been publishing one each week in our blog, honoring his memory and love for the Refuge.  Next week, Raasch Trail.

SHORT AND SHADY CROW HILL WALK

NOTE: Doug Raasch, who passed away last month, wrote a trail guide series for the Friends of Hagerman newsletter, Featherless Flyer in 2008, with the first installment published in the August, 2008 edition; later the trail guides were published independently to hand out to visitors to Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge. They were last updated in November, 2013. We will be publishing one each week in our blog, honoring his memory and love for the Refuge.

By Doug Raasch

Take Refuge Road to Wildlife Drive. Traveling southwest on Wildlife Drive, turn left at the first opportunity, Silliman Road, then follow the gravel road to the right before the gated cattle crossing. For you old timers, the parking area has been moved from the old site. The bad news is the rustic old stick gate with “CROW HILL” artistically spelled out with stick letters is missing. Whoever took it down should be given two lashes with a Crow Hill switch. However, the good news is we have a nice, new parking area that is easily seen by visitors coming in.

Walk up the road about 300 yards (think 3 football fields) and take the path on the left into the trees. When the path approaches the main circle trail, go right and enjoy the shade. There is a bench if you want to sit for a while and look for birds or maybe just contemplate. The trail circles Crow Hill and gives you the opportunity to look for the common songbirds that are plentiful in the trees along the trail. From spring to fall the scenic prairie meadow is full of wildflowers, and butterflies and other insects abound. There are placards identifying many of the native trees. The largest turkey gobbler I have ever seen anywhere was at the base of Crow Hill.

There used to be an old tower at the top of the hill, but it was removed for safety reasons. Now you will find a bench for resting and taking in the sounds of nature. Sometimes you can see the former town of Hagerman from parts of the trail—off to the northeast. The founder of Hagerman, J.P. Smith, called his town “the little village in the valley between two hills.” From our little observation spot on a hill, we can imagine a community with three churches, a train depot, cotton gin, lumber business, a brick school, bank, grocery, drug store, and ten additional stores. The school, by the way, was the first brick school in Texas. It closed in 1942.

Looking out over Texoma, be aware of the size of this lake project, started in 1939. The shoreline covers parts of two states and six counties. It has one of the largest watersheds of any area in the United States, covering more than 39,000 square miles.

Descend down the hill and continue the trail back to the parking area. Amazingly, this little adventure is only a 3/4 mile walk.