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.

Preview BirdFest Texoma Events for Friday, May 3, 2013

     

Whether you are looking for a field trip, a nature talk, exhibit or more, you will find it at BirdFest Texoma, set for May 3 - 5, at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge.  In this week’s post you will find details of events and activities planned for Day One of the festival.  You can register online, at birdfesttexoma.org, OR by downloading and printing a paper form to complete and mail, OR pick up a form in the Nature Nook at the Refuge.  We are encouraging registration for the free events, as well as for paid events, to guarantee a place in the events of your choice.

Start the day at  the 7:30 - 9 am - Bird Banding, with Dr. Doug Wood.  Get to see songbirds up close and personal!  Dr. Wood and his assistants will measure, weigh and record pertinent statistics on birds before applying the identification band and releasing them, at the Refuge.  You may even get to listen to a bird's heartbeats! Great for close-up photos!  No registration needed for this free come and go event.

Enjoy a morning walk or hike on one of these field trips:

8 am - Noon- Birding Hagerman NWR (A) -   Bird one of the trails at Hagerman NWR with Master Naturalist  Jack Chiles.  Hagerman NWR has a variety of habitat types that are used by over 270 species of birds.  While the auto tour route provides ready access to several of these habitats, woodland birds are not well represented on the tour route.  Caravan will depart from Visitor Center for designated trail.  Pick up an HNWR Bird Check List to take along. This walk will visit areas not accessible by car, focusing on woodland and prairie birds.  Exact location(s) to be visited will depend on weather and on the birds found on the refuge in the previous few days.  Walking on well-maintained trails with only moderate change in elevation, about 2 miles total distance.  Cost of field trip, $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members); advance registration required; limited to 12 participants.

8 am - Noon - Birding Denison Dam, with Sandy Beach, local birding expert.  Caravan will depart from the Visitor Center at 8:00 am and return to the Center by 12:00 noon. As some hiking will be on loose rocks down by the creek, good hiking shoes or boots are recommended; bring water and binoculars. Should see gulls and terns below the dam, and possibly Osprey and Bald Eagles will still be feeding there although it may be too late in spring. Baltimore Orioles, Orchard Orioles, and Warbling Vireos should be beginning to nest in the picnic area; expect Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Western Kingbirds, and Eastern Kingbirds, and we may see Red-headed Woodpeckers and Pileated Woodpeckers too.  Migrant Warblers and Vireos are often in the trees in the campground.  Cost of field trip - $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members); advance registration required; limited to 12 participants.

9 – 10 am - Wildflower Walk with Dr. Hugh Garnett, wildflower enthusiast and amateur expert.  Enjoy a leisurely stroll along roadsides and or trail at the Refuge to view the spring show of North Texas wildflowers in bloom, as well as any wildlife attracted to them!  Walkers will meet at the Visitor Center.  Sturdy shoes, water, and sun hats are recommended for this easy walk. May want to bring cameras and pocket field guide.  Cost of field trip - $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members); advance registration required; limited to 12 participants.

9:30 – 10:30 am - Roll and Stroll Harris Creek Trail - Explore the newly completed handicapped-accessible trail, a loop of Harris Creek Trail, with Gailon Brehm, expert amateur birder and naturalist. Expect to see woodland birds, native trees and wildflowers along the trail. A photo blind is adjacent to the trail for camera enthusiasts.  Meet at the Visitor Center and walk to the trail-head; participants who are mobility-impaired may park at the trail head and join the group there. Cost of field trip - $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members); advance registration required; limited to 12 participants

OR – get aboard the Refuge van or the C&E Express Tram for a tour:

10 am - Noon - Refuge Tour by Van, with Refuge Manager, Kathy Whaley.  Learn history of the Refuge and of the area, Refuge operations and view wildlife as you travel into areas of Refuge closed to private vehicles on this two hour tour.  Binoculars welcome. Free; advance registration required due to limited seating – maximum 12 participants.

11 am – 12:30 pm AND 2 – 3:30 pm - Shorebird Tram Tour, with Rick Cantu Refuge Assistant Manager.  Enjoy a clear view with binoculars or camera on this open, all electric tram as you glide along Wildlife Drive and the Pad roads to view the shorebirds migrating through the Refuge.  Dress for the weather. Free, advance registration required due to limited seating – maximum 9 participants.

Look, Listen and Learn!  Seminars, talks and workshop:

9:30 am - Noon - Beginning Birding, with Dick Malnory, local birder.  Learn key bird identification tips, how to choose and use optics and field guides, and more.  Free; advance registration requested. Meet in the Audio/Visual Classroom, FOH Center – maximum 30 participants.

10 am - Noon Rainwater Harvesting, with Dotty Woodson.  Texas Agrilife water expert Woodson will teach practical ways to save and use this valuable resource as well as cover the why's and how's of wise water use for the home landscape.  Visitor Center; Meeting Room B.  Free; advance registration requested – maximum 50 participants.

1 pm - Bird Diversity, with Mark Klym,  Texas Parks and Wildlife Information Specialist for Wildlife Diversity  and coordinator of Texas Wildscapes and the Texas Hummingbird Roundup for TPWD.  Visitor Center; Meeting Room A.  Free; advance registration requested - maximum 50 participants.

2:30 pm - Attracting Birds & Butterflies, with Gary Clark, nature columnist.  Just in time for spring and summer, ways to make your home landscape attractive to these winged visitors with bird-friendly plants, water features and more.  Visitor Center Meeting Room A.  Free; advance registration requested – maximum 50 participants.

1 - 4 pm - Advanced Nature Photography Workshop with Kathy Adams Clark.  Take the next step in your photography with this workshop led by former president of NANPA.  Kathy will also lead a field trip on Saturday, May 4 (requires additional registration).  Bring your camera, manual and your questions!  Cost of workshop - $30 (FOH members)/$35 (non- members). Visitor Center Meeting Room B, advance registration required – maximum 50 participants.

Showtime from 1 - 4 pm! Nature Videos - continuous showing of selected films, free; Audio Visual Classroom. 

PLUS – Food and shopping!  Nature-themed merchandise from retail vendors, 9 am – 4 pm; food vendor hours 7 am – 4 pm.  Free coffee in the FOH Center all day.

And that’s just the events for Day One of BirdFest Texoma – next week – Saturday, May 4 event details – stay tuned!

Get Set for Second Saturday at Hagerman NWR - March 10

· 8 am, Nature Walk with Dr. Wayne Meyer on one of the trails at the Refuge, weather permitting. Meet at the FOH Center. You may want to bring binoculars, camera, field guides, and dress for the weather.

· 9:30 am - Noon, Red River Seed Bombs owner Carolyn Grissom will be in the Nature Nook in the Visitor Center to teach you how to “guerilla garden”! Seed bombs will be for sale in the Nature Nook.

· 10 am - Noon, Hummingbirds with Mark Klym, Visitor Center. Mark is the coordinator for the Texas Parks and Wildlife hummingbird programs and can help you get ready for the “jewels of the air”. Mark is co-author of Hummingbirds of Texas and will be selling and signing books following his presentation.

· 10 – 11:30 am, the Second Saturday for Youth topic is also Hummingbirds. Reservations are needed for the children’s program; please call the Refuge, 903 786 2826 to make sure there is still space for your child. For ages 4 – 10, with parents accompanying those 6 and under.

· 12:30 pm – Friends of Hagerman Nature Photo Club meeting, in the Classroom of the FOH Center. There will be a presentation on photographing wildflowers, and photo sharing. Bring a bag lunch and make it a day at the Refuge!

Programs listed are free and open to the public, sponsored by Hagerman NWR and the Friends of Hagerman. There are nominal dues for photo club but no charge for visitors.

AND – we need your help! We are collecting empty (and clean) margarine tubs, yogurt cups and similar containers to use to hold the fish-bait we will be distributing at Fishing with Kids, at the Refuge, 9 am –Noon, March 31. When you visit the Refuge between now and March 31, if you can, please bring these items, even one or two from enough people will do the job, and THANKS!! See you at the Refuge.

Photo: Mark Klym at Hummingbird Festival (courtesy photo).