Gull Excitement at Hagerman NWR

Text and photos by Laurie Sheppard

In early spring, Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge attracts large numbers of gulls, as many preparing for migration join those that wintered here. Most are Ring-billed Gulls, but it’s worthwhile to look closely through the large flocks because frequently you will find a few Herring Gulls, Franklin’s Gulls, or other species migrating through. This week, though, we have had a very unusual visitor – a Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) has landed in our midst. Jack Chiles reports that this is the first time one has been seen at Hagerman NWR and many birders have rushed to the refuge to get that rare sighting.

Glaucous Gulls are very large, with some approaching 28 inches, compared to the Ring-billed Gulls’ mere 17-21 inches. The Glaucous Gulls’ typical wingspan is nearly five feet, which rivals that of the familiar Turkey Vulture, and the gulls can exhibit bursts of speed of up to 40 mph. They are said to be the second largest gull species, behind only the east coast’s Great Black-backed Gull. They are strikingly pale and have been described as “ghostly”. Adult Glaucous Gulls have a yellow bill and both adults and juveniles have dark pink legs and feet. In any group of gulls, the refuge’s visitor will appear much bigger and lighter than others nearby, particularly because of its white wing tips. Most other gull species found in north Texas have dark wing tips.

Note the differences in size and coloring between the larger Glaucous Gull and the smaller, more common Ring-billed Gull.

Glaucous Gulls breed in the Arctic, along marine and freshwater coasts, or on nearby tundra, cliffs, or ice edges. Both sexes build their nest which is little more than a shallow depression in a mound of grass, moss, twigs, and occasionally feathers with little or no lining. These might be at the water’s edge or in grassy areas atop cliffs, on the cliff’s ledges, or in the rocky scree at the base of the cliff. Both parents tend the eggs and care for the young until they become independent. It takes four years for a Glaucous Gull to fully reach maturity and their lifespan in the wild may be ten years or more.

Glaucous Gull shows its pale feathers and pink feet as it prepares to land.

 Like most gulls, Glaucous Gulls are omnivores with a varied diet. They will eat fish, berries, mollusks, small birds or mammals, eggs and chicks of other birds, and vegetation. They will also scavenge dead fish, carrion, and human refuse, and will attempt to steal food from other gulls and terns. They often forage while walking or swimming. The gull at the refuge has frequently been seen in the vicinity of other gulls, especially in the shallow water near Harris Creek or the exposed area off J Pad.

Glaucous Gull feeding on a dead fish.

During the winter, Glaucous Gulls migrate south along the coastal edges of the continent, but most adults remain north of Virginia in the east and California in the west. Occasionally, some birds migrate further south, but nearly all of those are immature Glaucous Gulls. This appears to be the case with the one seen on the refuge, which has the black-tipped bill and occasional brown freckling of a third winter bird. Migrating Glaucous Gulls are rarely found very far inland, which makes our visitor unusual.

Markings of an immature gull include the black-tipped pink bill bordered by brown feathers and slight brown freckling on the chest and wings.

The Great Gar Adventure

By Courtney Anderson

Growing up with a fisheries background has followed me to apply it at every internship I have had the pleasure of serving. It has been a constant theme, through my schooling and budding career. Most people don’t care about fish, unless it’s a game fish that can be “Fried up good!” And honestly, it drives me crazy. We should care about the planet as a WHOLE: from deer to songbirds, dragonflies to algae, humans to mosquito fish, because our planet works as such. A whole. And every part is unique and important.  That’s why I helped save about 60 Gar last Friday.

The Discovery

Deaver Pond at Hagerman NWR had an unfortunate accident with its’ culvert that led to a drainage of almost every last drop of water. I heard that the pond was a mess and stunk of dead fish, needless to say I was intrigued enough to check it out myself. Plus I had the opportunity to add a skull to the interpretation collection here at Hagerman. I was shocked to discover that there was still some water in the pond; A couple of pools here and there. So, I climbed on down to grab a perished carp when… SLOSH! My foot sunk all the way to my calf, so much for those nice pair of pants. After looking around I discovered some commotion in a small section (About 5ft in diameter) of water. Knowing I had already trashed my outfit I went to investigate. Lo and behold there were still fish! And I mean a lot of fish, hanging out in this small area. Clearly they were gar, which means the potential for Alligator Gar.  We have all four species of gar on the refuge (Shortnose, Longnose, Spotted, and Alligator).  There is concern for the long term survival of the Alligator Gar because their numbers have declined significantly in the past few years. With this in mind, I knew we needed to do something.

The Rescue

After discussion with Kathy Whaley, the Refuge Manager, she agreed that we couldn’t sit back with the potential for a species whose population status is in question, dying. So I recruited Deputy Manager Rick Cantu and Maintenance Worker Russell “Rusty” Daniel and headed to the pond. Now fishing is never easy, and fishing for gar is definitely not easy. We all loaded up with waders and braved the mud to the little pond where the gars were. I didn’t get but about 5 feet into the mud when my hip waders were so buried, I had no other choice. I slipped out of them and took on the mud like any woman who’s not afraid to get dirty. Rusty used a noose to catch the fish under their fins, handed them to me, and I passed them off to Rick. And we continued to do this. I began to hand catch the gar, which was easier than I thought because of the high number of them in such a small space! However, this is also why I was the only one of the three of us who had mud up to my ears (see photo!)

The Relief

With two very large coolers full of fish, we drove down the road a bit to Big Mineral Creek. The looks on both Rusty and Rick’s faces were priceless, being that they were exhausted and covered in mud like myself. After unloading the fish into the water and gleefully watching them swim away I couldn’t help but remember the wise words of the great philosopher, Dr. Seuss, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” And saving those fish’s lives may not have made a difference to the world, but it most certainly made a world of difference to me.

The Coyote

"The Coyote" will be the topic for Second Saturday at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge on April 11, 2015,  with speaker, Dr. Jessica Healy.  The program will begin at 10 am in the Visitor Center Meeting room at the Refuge.

Texas Master Naturalist Jack Chiles will lead a guided bird walk earlier that morning, at 8 am, weather permitting.  Participants will meet at the Refuge Visitor Center and will return in time for Dr. Healy’s program.  Loaner binoculars are provided by the Friends of Hagerman if needed.

Dr. Healy joined the sciences faculty at Austin College as Assistant Professor of Biology in 2012.  After serving as a postdoctoral research associate at University of Arizona College of Medicine in Phoenix. She earned a Ph.D. in zoology at Colorado State University, concentrating in ecological physiology, and completed her bachelor’s degree in biology at Central College in Iowa.

According to National Geographic, “The coyote appears often in the tales and traditions of Native Americans—usually as a very savvy and clever beast. Modern coyotes have displayed their cleverness by adapting to the changing American landscape. These members of the dog family once lived primarily in open prairies and deserts, but now roam the continent's forests and mountains. They have even colonized cities like Los Angeles, and are now found over most of North America....[Omnivorous mammals, the coyote may live to be to 14 years of age in the wild.]”

On Wikipedia we found this account of a coyote sighting from the journal of Meriwether Lewis, said to encounter the species a number of times during the  Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Lewis, writing on May 5, 1805, in northeastern Montana, described the coyote as follows:

Toltec pictograph of coyote from Wikipedia

"the small woolf or burrowing dog of the prairies are the inhabitants almost invariably of the open plains; they usually ascociate in bands of ten or twelve sometimes more and burrow near some pass or place much frequented by game; not being able alone to take deer or goat they are rarely ever found alone but hunt in bands; they frequently watch and seize their prey near their burrows; in these burrows they raise their young and to them they also resort when pursued; when a person approaches them they frequently bark, their note being precisely that of the small dog. they are of an intermediate size between that of the fox and dog, very active fleet and delicately formed; the ears large erect and pointed the head long and pointed more like that of the fox; tale long; . . . the hair and fur also resembles the fox tho' is much coarser and inferior. they are of a pale redish brown colour. the eye of a deep sea green colour small and piercing. their tallons [claws] are reather longer than those of the ordinary wolf or that common to the atlantic states, none of which are to be found in this quarter, nor I believe above the river Plat."

Second Saturday programs are free and open to the public.  Reservations are not needed.  Come and learn!

Hagerman NWR is located at 6465 Refuge Road, Sherman.  The phone number for the Refuge is 903 786 2826.  Refuge lands are open daily from sunrise to sunset, with no charge for admission. Directions and hours for the Refuge Office and Visitor Center are posted at friendsofhagerman.com/About.

Behold the Pelican!

American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) breed in the Northern Plains and in Canada, according to Lives of North American Birds, by Kenn Kaufman, and winter along the California and US Gulf of Mexico coasts. Their large size (wingspan is 9’), notable in the above photo by Dick Malnory,  and distinctive bill make them easy to recognize and the subject of cartoons and parodies such as this one by Dixon Lanier Merritt:


“A wonderful bird is the pelican, His mouth can hold more than his belly can,
He can hold in his beak
Enough food for a week.
I’m damned if I know how the hell he can!”


That famous bill has some interesting characteristics. It allows for catching and storing fish and is sufficiently sensitive that the birds can locate fish at night by touch. The bill allows water to be drained before the fish is swallowed. According to The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior, pelicans exercise the pouch to maintain elasticity. And during breeding season the pouch become brightly colored.   

Pelican "Poucher-cize" by Eileen Sullivan

The next photo, taken by Jack Chiles, shows one of the American White Pelicans seen at  Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge this week during the bird census.  Jack notes that the bird is showing the horny knob on the upper mandible displayed by both sexes during the breeding season.  These knobs are believed to be a target for other adults when they arrive at the communal breeding grounds and fight for territories, Once eggs are laid, the knobs fall off.

Another interesting aspect of the American White Pelican is their coordinated fishing. They can be seen swimming in one or more lines, “herding” fish into the shallows for an easy catch. Most often found in fresh water, they eat primarily fish and crayfish.

These magnificent birds will be passing through HNWR during the next few weeks on their way to their breeding grounds.  Be sure to visit the Refuge this spring to see the American White Pelican!

OWLS Topic for Second Saturday

Barred Owl at HNWR, by Monica Muil

This Saturday, March 14, 2015,  Dr. Wayne Meyer, Associate Professor of Biology at Austin College will speak on “Owls” at 10 am in the Visitor Center at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, and in the evening at 7 pm he will lead an Owl Walk, that will depart from the Big Mineral Picnic Area at the Refuge.

With a nod to Dr. Meyer’s topic, here is some owl trivia gathered on the worldwide web:

To watch a nest of Great Horned Owls, here is a link to a webcam site belonging to Cornell Lab of Ornithology.  

Interesting facts about owls, from Texas Parks &Wildlife include:

• Most owls are active primarily at twilight and by night.
• Owl flight is silent, thanks to the combination of large wings, small bodies and special fringed and velvet textured feathers which deaden sound.
• Owls have superb eyesight, between 35 and 100 times the sensitivity of the human eye, and excellent night vision.
• Owl vision is binocular and while, unlike humans, the owl cannot rotate its eyeballs, it can rotate its neck from 180 degrees up to 270 degrees.
• Owls have excellent hearing, with ear openings concealed behind the edges of the facial eye disks, which can be moved to listen in different directions.  Their hearing is especially tuned to detect high frequency sounds made by prey.
• Ear tufts do not play a part in the owl’s hearing; birds do not have protruding external ears.

The website, Journey North  offers a menu of audio clips for listening to owls.  You are sure to learn more from Dr. Meyer at Second Saturday!

Note - Second Saturday programs at held year around at Hagerman NWR, sponsored by the Refuge and the Friends of Hagerman,  and are free and open to the public.

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/.

Wilson's Phalaropes

Wilson’s Phalarope Facts

A large flock of Wilson’s Phalaropes has been at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge for several weeks, to the enjoyment of the Refuge visitors.  Here are some facts about Wilson’s Phalarope, from Audubon  and the NationalZoo/Smithsonian Park websites:

Wilson’s Phalarope, Phalaropus tricolor,  is named after the great early American ornithologist, Alexander Wilson , and is the only one of the three phalarope species confined to the New World.

Wilson's Phalarope  is a slender, delicately built shorebird with a small head, and thin, pointed bill; medium-sized shorebird averaging 2.1 ounces in weight and 8.5 inches in length, with pointed wings that span 17 inches.

Females are substantially larger and can weigh as much as 40% more than males.

In winter, both sexes have grey-white plumage.

Breeding females (photo below) -  colorful, with a gray cap, white eyebrow, and dark crimson mask that extends from the bill to the back of the head and then swoops down the nape toward the back. The throat is white; a rusty wash colors the neck and chest, otherwise whitish below and grey above.

Breeding males (photo below) - pale grey above and whitish below, with a light rusty wash on the nape of the neck.

Winter range – from Peru  to the tip of South America

Breeding range -  Great Plains of North America

Feeding – a number of Refuge visitors have commented on the Phalarope’s spinning behavior during feeding.  Note circular ripples in the photo of the female phalarope.  “Like other phalaropes, the Wilson's often spins in the water, at speeds of up to 60 turns per minute. The purpose of this whirling behavior may be to churn the muddy bottom, excite small aquatic creatures, and condense them in the swirls, where they can be picked off the surface. Wilson's phalaropes consume flies, beetles, brine shrimp, and other tiny marine creatures."

Reproduction – sexual roles are reversed with the female displaying bright plumage and aggressively  courting males They often mate with more than one male, have more than one nest and, after egg-laying, they leave their families to the sole care of the males.

The female lays four eggs; incubation time is 18 – 27 days. The young are fully feathered and  can walk, swim, and feed independently within an hour after hatching, but require brooding to keep them warm.

After the breeding season , Wilson’s Phalaropes are one of the few birds to undergo a post-breeding, molt migration, traveling to large western lakes in the US to molt and build up fat reserves for the 54 hours flight to South America.   According to  The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior, they can gain up to 55% of their body mass at this time; some become too fat to walk, and have to "take off" swimming.  

Blog originally published May 23, 2013.  Photos taken at Hagerman NWR by Dick Malnory

Texoma Earth Day

Since the first Earth Day celebration in 1970, Earth Day events have been held annually, in communities, schools  and other settings,  first in the United States and then expanding around the world  in the 1990’s, to promote protection of our environment.

Sunset Reflection by Lee Hatfield

The Friends of Hagerman will participate in Texoma Earth Day on Saturday, April 26, on the Municipal Lawn in Sherman, Texas.  The Friends will display photos of wildlife at the Refuge, distribute Refuge literature and host nature themed craft activities for children, with the help of the Bluestem Chapter, Texas Master Naturalists.

Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge is all about protecting the environment, working to provide and conserve a natural habitat for wildlife.  Refuge management practices are carried out in ways that are environmentally safe.  The Visitor Center design incorporates many green features and received Silver level LEED certification – Leadership in energy and Environmental  Design.  

Visitors are encouraged to avoid bringing or leaving items that are destructive to plants and animals, and to leave the Refuge without “souvenirs” other than photos and memories.

At Texoma Earth Day visitors can learn more about building green, about environmentally-friendly products, and can recycle paper, unused prescriptions medications, electrical appliances and more  - in addition there will be a variety of vendors and musical entertainment.  

In addition to participating in Earth Day celebrations, here are some tips for things you can do to protect our environment:

• Learn the energy use of appliances, how landscaping and home design can reduce energy use and more at this website:  http://energy.gov/energysaver/energy-saver
• For heating and cooling efficiency, http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/publications/pubdocs/HeatingCoolingGuide%20FINAL_9-4-09.pdf?87fc-711f
• Improving vehicle fuel economy, http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.jsp and http://blog.epa.gov/blog/2014/04/earth-month-tips-check-your-tire-pressure/
• Use water-wise gardening practices in your home landscape as described at    http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/southerngarden/Ethnecot.html

Finally – who knew – a consultant recently told me that to go green when printing, use “Garamond” font, because it uses the least amount of ink or toner when printing.  You can check it out at this website - next up is “Courier”, available on our blog format, just in case you want to print this timeless article!

Second Saturday Ahead

Wondering what the plans are for Second Saturday this month at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge?  Dr. Wayne Meyer, Associate Professor of Biology at Austin College, will speak on “Birding by Ear” for the Second Saturday program, at 10 am on Saturday, April 12.

According to Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “When a bird sings, it is telling you what it is and where it is.”  Learning bird calls adds a new dimension to birding and helps identify birds that may not be seen or seen clearly.

On the website, About.com/Birding/Wild Birds we read

Many birders focus primarily on learning to identify birds by sight based on plumage, colors and field markings. Learning to identify birds by sound, however, can help birders identify many birds whose songs and calls are more distinctive than their coloration. Tuning your ear to a bird’s song can also help you locate birds more easily instead of relying on brief flickers of moment through dense trees and brush, and birders who recognize birds’ songs can also enjoy birding when low light levels and poor visibility may restrict visual birding. Most important, however, is the fact that a bird’s song is yet one more clear field mark for its positive identification, and combining a knowledge of bird sounds with visual sightings can help you better appreciate the diversity of avian life you see.

Meyer will also lead a birding walk that morning at 8 am, weather permitting; participants will meet at the Visitor Center at the Refuge.  Second Saturday nature programs at the Refuge are free and open to the public.

A Look Back, Then Ready to Move Forward - Friends of Hagerman NWR

On Saturday, March 22, Friends members will gather at the Refuge to celebrate the accomplishments of the past year and hear the 'State of the Refuge” from Refuge management.

The present-day Friends of Hagerman NWR was organized in 2005, with this mission:

 … to instill reverence, respect and conservation of our wild creatures and habitats through supporting environmental education, recreational activities, and programs of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, Sherman, Texas, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

An earlier  Friends organization operated in support of  Hagerman NWR for a number of years but later went of existence.  In 2005, the newly constituted group grew from the steering committee responsible for organizing the first Red River Valley Birding and Nature Festival, held that spring, and  the Friends have continued to grow in number, in programs offered at the Refuge, and in support of Hagerman NWR ever since. 

Here is a recap of Friends history in general directly from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service website:

The first Refuge Friends organizations started in the 1980s.  Today, about 220 private, independent, nonprofit organizations build links between communities and their national wildlife refuges and fish hatcheries.

Friends organizations partner with national wildlife refuges to conduct public events, teach the community about conservation, restore habitat, maintain trails, coordinate volunteers, operate nature stores and raise funds.   ( http://www.fws.gov/refuges/Friends/about.html )

From its start in 1903, the National Wildlife Refuge System has owed its very existence to concerned citizens eager to protect America's natural resources. There are now more than 200 Friends groups, with about 10 new organizations created each year. Some support a single refuge while others are connected to a refuge complex or an entire state.

Friends organizations are crucial to the collective mission of the Refuge System to conserve and protect the wildlife of this great nation. Friends organizations are essential to helping millions of Americans understand that their actions today determine the legacy we leave for tomorrow.  ( http://www.fws.gov/refuges/Friends/ )

In 1937, the Department of the Interior Appropriations Act recognized the legal status of cooperating associations but it wasn't until the 1980s that such associations began to support National Wildlife Refuges. Cooperating associations were authorized by Congress to support the education, interpretation and research activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society formed in 1982 in Florida followed by the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society in 1987. 

In 1994, the Service and "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society hosted the first training sessions for cooperating associations in Tampa, Florida. The following year, President Bill Clinton signed an Executive Order on the "Management and General Public Use of the National Wildlife Refuge System." During a workshop sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – "From Executive Order to Collective Action" – participants listed Friends organizations as the top priority for strengthening the Refuge System. 

The Service joined the National Wildlife Refuge Association, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the National Audubon Society in a partnership called the Friends Initiative to jump start the creation of more refuge support organizations. The National Audubon Society began its Audubon Refuge Keepers (ARK) program to stimulate citizen action on refuges through local Audubon chapters. 

Bn 2008, there were more than 200 nonprofit Refuge Friends organizations with more than 50,000 members nationwide working on behalf of the National Wildlife Refuge System.  ( http://www.fws.gov/refuges/Friends/history.html )

Here are additional resources for learning more about specific Friends groups:

Directory of Friends Facebook Pages:

http://www.fws.gov/refuges/Friends/friendsFBpages.html

Find a Friends organization:

http://www.fws.gov/refuges/Friends/find.html

Hagerman NWR can always use another Friend, so here's how to join up now!

Spring Break at HNWR

Stitch a Chick.

Spring Break Family Fun is underway at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge this week and we thought you might like to see a few pix of the activities so far this week:

Monday, March 10  - began a series of guided hikes  led by Texas Master Naturalists Gerry Shehan, Sue Abernathy and Ginger Mynatt, and long-time volunteer Kay Bynum.

Nature videos are being shown daily.

Two-a-day Tram tours offer young visitors and their families a close-up of deer, birds and more along Wildlife Drive.  Thanks to volunteer drivers, Cathy Van Bebber, Carl Hill, Kathy Whaley and Dick Malnory.

Afternoon nature craft sessions have included  Fossil Fun, with Cindy Steele; Stitch a Chick, with Fran King, Bird Topography with David Palmer, and still to come - Butterfly Flutterby on Thursday, with Maegan and Catie Flood, and Bob & Weave Yarn Art, with Sue Malnory and Barbara Pent.

In addition families have been bicycling, fishing, picnicking and hiking and exploring  on their own. AND - it's not too late to enjoy Spring Break at the Refuge!

Checking out binoculars for the hike.

On Harris Creek Trail. (Photo by Cathy Van Bebber)

Pond-view. (Photo by Cathy Van Bebber)

All aboard the C&E Cardinal Express!

Bird topography.

Fossil "excavation".

Hotfoot It to Hagerman!

After still another blast of winter, it’s time to at least THINK spring at Second Saturday at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge on March 8, when Mark Klym will speak on Hummingbirds - Myth, Magic and Mystery.   Klym will focus on urban myths about hummingbirds, where they might have come from and what mysteries remain surrounding those myths.  The program will begin at 10 am in the Visitor Center at the Refuge.

Klym is both coordinator of the Texas Wildscapes and Texas hummingbird Roundup programs at Texas Parks and Wildlife and Information Specialist for Wildlife Diversity.  He is coauthor of “Hummingbirds of Texas”, editor and publisher of the “Texas Hummer” and the “Eye on Nature” newsletters and editor/author of many other brochures and booklets published by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.   He  will sign books for sale following his program.

THEN - the Nature Photo Club will meet at the Refuge at 12:30 pm, in the Audio Visual Classroom of the FOH Center.  John S. Mead, Blue Lion Photography, will give a presentation on using the popular photo-editing software, Adobe Lightroom.  Visitors are welcome; the club is open to any photographer interested in nature photography, regardless of experience or type of photo equipment, and dues are nominal.  Those who wish to may bring a brown-bag lunch to enjoy during the meeting; drinks and cookies are provided.  Those attending will be asked to complete a short survey related to a Nature Photography Workshops to be given by Trey Neal and scheduled for May 17( there is a $10. fee for this event). For meeting details, contact fohphotoclub@gmail.com. 

• AND – next week – SPRING BREAK  Family Fun!  

• Guided walks, nature videos, twice-daily tram tours, drop-in for nature crafts!  

• See the Friends web calendar for schedule of activities each day, March 10 - 14.  

• A guided walk led by Texas Master Naturalist Jack Chiles is set for 9 am Saturday, March 15, and there will be the regular Saturday and Sunday tram tours, at 2 pm.

These programs are sponsored by Hagerman NWR and the Friends of Hagerman.  They are free of charge, and open to the public.  The Refuge is located at 6465 Refuge Road, Sherman, Texas, 75092.   For more information call the Refuge or see www.friendsofhagerman.com.

Welcome to the Visitor Center

Did you ever stop to think about the hours that the Visitor Center is open?  We understand that many years ago the Visitor Center at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge had been manned by volunteers on weekends, but somewhere along the way that effort ended.  Then, in 2004 then Refuge Manager Johnny Beall held a meeting to recruit volunteers for starting up again.  The new weekend hours were 9 am – Noon on Saturdays and 1 - 4 pm on Sundays.

Volunteers hoisted the OPEN flag each weekend at the old Visitor Center.

This schedule continued until early in 2009, when the Saturday hours were extended – 9 am – 3 pm.  Sunday hours remained the same at that time.

The Temporary Refuge Office was open on weekends, thanks to volunteers, during construction of the new Visitor Center/ Refuge Office

Now, fast forward to September, 2011 and the opening of the new Visitor Center and Refuge Office.  Volunteers not only manned the new Visitor Center on weekends, but the weekend hours were extended, becoming 9 am – 4pm on Saturdays, and 1 – 5 pm on Sundays.

2011 - Brand new Visitor Center/Refuge Office; photo by Ken Day

AND – volunteers started the Nature Nook book and gift shop also, with weekday hours - Monday through Friday, from 10 am – 3 pm.  The Visitor Center and Nature Nook has remained open year around since except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, “iced-in days” and during the government shutdown.*

SOON – volunteers will be there to serve visitors and assist the staff even longer hours during the week, from 9 am – 4 pm, Monday through Friday, beginning on March 10.

This would not be possible without the large team of over 50 individuals - friendly and capable volunteers who agree to work one or more shifts each month at the Refuge.  These folks prepare by becoming familiar Refuge rules and regulations, location of points on the Refuge of interest to visitors, Refuge history and more.  In addition they become proficient in the sales process and operating the gift shop.

Please remember to give the volunteers on duty at the time of your next visit special thanks, and if you would like to join their ranks, contact us  and we will add you to the list for the next Volunteer Orientation and Training event.

*The Nature Nook will be closed for inventory on Friday, February 28; the Visitor Center will be open usual hours.

The Martins Are Coming

The Martins Are Coming!

      

All the way from South America!  Yes, our largest common North American swallow, according to Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Purple Martins should be arriving in North Texas neighborhoods any day now, for the summer breeding season.  You can follow their migration progress on the Purple Martin Conservation Association site’s 2014 Scout Arrival Page.

For the third year, the welcome mat is out at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge for Purple Martins, at the big Martin house just outside the Visitor Center at the Refuge, purchased by the Friends of Hagerman and installed by Refuge staff and volunteers.

Jack, Kevin and Rusty installing Martin house at HNWR, 2012

Some “Cool Facts” about Purple Martins, from Cornell Lab of Ornithology  include:

·        Native Americans hung up empty gourds for the Purple Martin before Europeans arrived in North America. Purple Martins in eastern North America now nest almost exclusively in birdhouses, but those in the West use mostly natural cavities.
·        European Starlings and House Sparrows often push Purple Martins out of local areas by taking over all of the nest sites, including houses that people put up specifically for the martins.
·        Purple Martins roost together by the thousands in late summer, as soon as the chicks leave the nest. They form such dense gatherings that you can easily see them on weather radar. It’s particularly noticeable in the early morning as the birds leave their roosts for the day, and looks like an expanding donut on the radar map.
·        Despite the term "scout" used for the first returning Purple Martins, the first arriving individuals are not checking out the area to make sure it is safe for the rest of the group. They are the older martins returning to areas where they nested before. Martins returning north to breed for their first time come back several weeks later. The earlier return of older individuals is a common occurrence in species of migratory birds.
·        The Purple Martin not only gets all its food in flight, it gets all its water that way too. It skims the surface of a pond and scoops up the water with its lower bill.
 

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology Macauley Library offers a variety of recorded songs and calls for birds; hear a sample song of the Purple Martin:  http://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/176246/autoplay  In addition the library offers videos; here is one selected for the demonstration of  the Purple Martins’  flight, described as a mixture of flapping and gliding:  http://macaulaylibrary.org/video/403105/autoplay.

Another resource for those who would like to host a Martin colony is The Purple Martin Society of North America, which, with a wealth of information  on  Martins and Martin houses,  is “dedicated to Purple Martin landlords.

Finally, are Purple Martins “skeeter eaters”?  Here is the definitive answer, from the the Purple Martin Conservation Association:

“Martins, like all swallows, are aerial insectivores. They eat only flying insects, which they catch in flight. Their diet is diverse, including dragonflies, damselflies, flies, midges, mayflies, stinkbugs, leafhoppers, Japanese beetles, June bugs, butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, cicadas, bees, wasps, flying ants, and ballooning spiders. Martins are not, however, prodigious consumers of mosquitoes as is so often claimed by companies that manufacture martin housing. An intensive 7-year diet study conducted at PMCA headquarters in Edinboro, PA, failed to find a single mosquito among the 500 diet samples collected from parent martins bringing beakfuls of insects to their young. The samples were collected from martins during all hours of the day, all season long, and in numerous habitats, including mosquito-infested ones. Purple Martins and freshwater mosquitoes rarely ever cross paths. Martins are daytime feeders, and feed high in the sky; mosquitoes, on the other hand, stay low in damp places during daylight hours, or only come out at night. Since Purple Martins feed only on flying insects, they are extremely vulnerable to starvation during extended periods of cool and/or rainy weather.”

Great Backyard Bird Count this Weekend

The Great Backyard Bird Count, a nationwide citizen science project set this year for February 14-17 will be observed at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge with a guided bird walk on Sunday afternoon, February 16, at 1 pm.   Dr. Wayne Meyer, Associate Professor of Biology at Austin College, will lead the  walk at the Refuge, along one of the five trails at the Refuge, and bird sightings will be reported to the Great Backyard Bird Count.

Bewick's Wren by Dick Malnory

The first Great Backyard Bird Count was held in 1998 and since then Cornell Lab of Ornithology reports "more than 100,000 people of all ages and walks of life have joined the four-day count each February to create an annual snapshot of the distribution and abundance of birds". 

Participants will meet at the Hagerman NWR Visitor Center.  There is no charge for participation, but walkers should dress for the weather and bring binoculars, etc.  Some binoculars are available for loan, at the refuge.  

In keeping with the GBBC, Hagerman NWR will also offer the opportunity  to learn more about the birds that are coming to your backyard feeder, as well as considerations for purchasing a bird field guide or a pair of binoculars.  The Refuge will offer Begin to Bird, a free class for beginning birders, starting on Saturday, February 15, from 10 am – Noon, and finishing on Saturday, February 22, again from 10 am – Noon.

Led by long-time birder Dick Malnory, the class is recommended for adults and teens.  Malnory will address strategies for learning to identify a number of songbirds.  Participants may register online at friendsofhagerman.com/Activities, by calling the Refuge, 903 786 2826, or at the door, on February 15.  The class will meet in the Multi-purpose Room in the Visitor Center at the Refuge, which is located at 6465 Refuge Road, Sherman 75092.  

For additional information about Hagerman NWR and activities of the Friends of Hagerman, visit www.friendsofhagerman.com.