Reserve Your Spot NOW for Evening with David Allen Sibley

Join us at BirdFest Texoma for this marvelous opportunity to observe the creative process at work, at Evening with David Allen Sibley, on Saturday, May 4.  David Sibley, America’s leading ornithologist/artist/author will create a painting as we watch,  just as he does for the illustrations in his popular field guides. Everyone will have a great view, thanks to state of the art video equipment, and comfortable  auditorium seating, and  Sibley has promised to portray the much-loved Painted Bunting in the art-piece, which will be up for auction at the end of the evening.

David Allen Sibley (Photo by Erinn Hartman)

Sibley began painting birds when he was seven years old and has continued painting them for over three decades - The Sibley Guide to Birds, with over 6,600 original illustrations by Sibley, was published in the year 2000, and was the realization of a lifelong dream for him.

According to Random House Inc., The Sibley Guide to Birds became the fastest selling bird book in history, earning author Sibley the moniker the Beatle of birding among the press. Stories about Sibley have run in The New York Times, Audubon, Time, and Science, and the author has appeared on ABC World News Tonight and on NPR’s Science Friday and The Connection. David Allen Sibley has been called the heir apparent to John James Audubon and Roger Tory Peterson, and his long awaited guidebook immediately became the gold standard for bird identification when it was published.

Other Sibley books include The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior (2009),The Sibley Guide to Trees (2009),  Sibley Field Guide:  Birds West (2003), The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America (2003),  and  Sibley's Birding Basics (2002).

Evening with David Allen Sibley will begin at 6:30 pm, and will be preceded by a wine social at 6 pm,  all in the  Workforce Auditorium, Grayson College.  Don’t miss out!  Advance reservations are required for Evening with David Sibley and for the  social (registrants for the social must be age 21 or older); registration is available online at birdfesttexoma.org or in person at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, 6465 Refuge Road, Sherman.  There will be a book signing following Sibley’s presentation.

For more information about events at BirdFest Texoma, sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman and Hagerman NWR, please see birdfesttexoma.org.

FOH Receives First Southwest Region Friends Award

The Friends of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge have received the U. S. Fish and Wildlife's first Southwest Region's Friends Award.  Dr. Benjamin Tuggle, Regional Director for the Southwest Region, recognized the Friends for their significant contribution to environmental education and outreach benefiting Hagerman NWR, and said "At a time when partnerships are paramount, organizations like the Friends of Hagerman are one of the most important allies in the National Wildlife Refuge System's conservation effort."

The all-volunteer organization was recognized for significant accomplishments in the past year including:

• Providing environmental education programs for more that 1000 children and 400 adults. 
• Conducting free tram tours at the Refuge giving visitors an opportunity to see and identify wildlife.
• Aiding in the establishment of  Bluestem Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists. 
• Managing the Nature Nook book and gift shop in the Visitor Center, with proceeds going to refuge activities and projects.
• Staffing the Visitor Center year around with volunteers.
• Hosting a Nature Photography Club which offers numerous programs and opportunities for photographers.
• Creating BirdFest Texoma, set for May 3 -5, 2013.

The Friends of Hagerman are just one of several Friends organizations established to support the 22 national wildlife refuges of the Southwest Region, which includes Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona.

All Friends members and those interested in membership are invited to celebrate these achievements and to learn more about the Friends of Hagerman at the Annual Meeting set for 10 am, Saturday,March 23, in the Audio/Visual Classroom, FOH Center, at the Refuge.  

The Bad Boys of the Owl World

Post by Skeeter & Marolyn Lasuzzo

Photography by Skeeter Lasuzzo

The Great Horned Owl is more elusive than both the Barred and Great Gray Owl.  The Great Horned usually hunts at night and is usually only visible after sunset.  You will understand my surprise when I called a Great Horned Owl to a tree just a few minutes before sunset and he called back to me.

   

Marolyn and I had gone to an area of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge where last year a pair of Great Horned Owls had raised two owlets in a nest near the road.  If you remember from my blog last year, one of these adults was killed by a car.  We first pulled off the road behind an oil lease installation across the road from the old nest site and decided to try my imitation of a Great Horned Owl.  After my first attempt, I heard an owl answer me.  Within seconds the owl flew to a nearby tree to check me out and exchange hoots with me.  Notice the white feathers on the neck of the Great Horned owl.  These feather are only visible when the owl is hooting.  I guess my imitation is better than I thought.  We hooted back and forth a few times as the owl moved from one tree to another before he figured out I was not a threat and flew back into the woods.  

We then looked for the old nest site.  We were surprised to see a second Great Horned Owl checking out the old nest.  The nest had been  mostly destroyed by winter storms.  After determining the nest was unusable, the owl flew off in the direction of its mate.  It was good to see that the surviving owl from last year had found another mate and was back in the same area looking for a nest site.  Great Horned Owls do not build their own nest.  They either use an old hawk nest, find a usable cavity in a tree or steal a nest from a hawk.

The Great Horned Owl is the bad boy of the owl world.  They are the only animal that will regularly feed on skunks.  They are known to kill and eat other owls and birds of prey, like hawks, and will also attack Osprey nestlings.  While rabbits are its preferred prey, the Great Horned Owl will kill squirrels, raccoons, armadillos, porcupines, Great Blue Herons, ducks, swans, and even baby alligators.  They have also been know to attack small domestic dogs and cats.  They are strong enough to carry off prey that is 2 to 3 times their size.

We have since "talked" to this Great Horned Owl on a couple of occasions.  Great Horned Owls live a solitary life except during mating season and raising their young.  Even after the adults separate, they usually stay within a one square mile home area and live around 13 years in the wild.

It is always a pleasure to see and photograph these magnificent owls - the bad boys of the owl world.

Birds in Velvet

Post by Skeeter & Marolyn Lasuzzo

Photography by Skeeter Lasuzzo

Cedar Waxwings are Marolyn's favorite bird.  They have a silky texture to their feathers giving them the look of velvet.  They get their name from the touch of red feathers on their wings resembling drips of red wax.  The red feather tips increase in size and number as the bird matures.  The flight image shows how these tiny feathers look in flight.  Waxwings eat berries such as cedar, holly, mulberry, privet and cherry.  Sometimes, they can be observed passing the berries down to other Waxwings.  They have also been known to eat so many fermented berries that they get drunk and fall out of the tree. 

Waxwings are very social birds and are almost always seen in flocks.  During courtship, males and females hop back and forth from each other, sometimes touching their bills together.  Males will attempt to feed the female fruit, insects or flower petals.  After taking the gift, the female usually hops away, then returns to give the gift back to the male.  This ritual is repeated until the female accepts the gift.  After the pairs form, the female chooses the nest site.  The nest consists of a cup-shaped bundle of moss, twigs and grass.  The nest is usually made in a conifer tree.  Cedar Waxwings are among the latest nesting birds in North America which enables them to take advantage of the abundance of fruit in late summer and early fall.

The highest concentration of wintering Cedar Waxwings occurs in central Texas, Alabama and eastern Mississippi.  The Cedar Waxwing's politeness when feeding and watering is legendary.  Cooperation is amazing for a bird that gathers in flocks.  They eat in shifts, one group feeds first then moves out of the way as the next group comes in.  When watering on a bird bath or small water source, they wait their turn, never crowding in.  They will sometimes hover over a crowded water source, waiting for an opening to land.

Photographing Waxwings can be challenging.  At Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, the Cedar Waxwings are usually seen in groups at the top of many of the fruit bearing trees.  Since these birds are small, getting close is critical.  Finding a small, low berry bush or a water source will give the photographer an opportunity to photograph these beautiful birds up close.

Eagle-mania

The number one request from visitors at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge is "Where can I see an eagle?"  Everyone wants  to see our national symbol with its 6 - 8 foot wingspan, soaring overhead, but only a few are fortunate enough to do so, and the time and place is largely unpredictable.  Eagles do winter at Lake Texoma  as well as below the Denison dam, and year-rounders have been seen in the vicinity of the dam. The eagle shown below was photographed by Joe Blackburn at the Refuge in February, 2013.

The eagle has played a special part in American culture, being chosen as the national symbol in 1782, and then following a sharp decline in population due to loss of habitat, being hunted as a predator on fish and livestock, and finally impacted by DDT, nearly becoming extinct.  In 1940 Congress passed  the Bald Eagle Protection Act, and various laws during the 1960's listed both the Bald Eagle and the Golden Eagle  as endangered or threatened and began providing protection for both species.  Then Rachel Carson's book, Silent Spring, led to the banning of DDT in 1972, and the species began to recover.

A few Bald Eagle facts, from the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service:

• Females are larger than males, weighing about 14 pounds and having an 8 foot wingspan, as opposed to ten pounds and a six foot wingspan for the males.
• Bald eagles are mostly dark brown until they reach 4 -5 years in age.
• They live near rivers, lakes and marshes where they can find their primary food - fish.  they will also eat small animals and carrion.
• Eagles mate for life, building nests ten feet across in the tops of large trees or alternately in cliffs or even on the ground where there are no trees.
• Bald eagles may lay one - three eggs, which hatch in about 35 days; a month after hatching, the young are flying on their own.
• Approximately 70% survive the first year of life, and the eagle lifespan may be as long as 15 - 25 years in the wild.

If your quest is to see an eagle when you visit Hagerman during the cold weather months, keep your eyes to skies!

BirdFest Texoma Sunday. May 5, 2013, Events

Day Three!  Last day for BirdFest Texoma 2013.  The morning programs will begin with a  Bird Photography Field Trip at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge with  professional nature photographer John English; 6 – 10 am; advance registration for this intermediate level photography field trip is required; cost of field trip - $40 (FOH members)/$45 (non-members), limited to 20 participants.

OR – take a short trip over to Fannin County by van to the Caddo National Grasslands, just far enough east to provide woodland habitat required by a variety of warblers, flycatchers and vireos.  Target species for this trip led by Dr. Wayne Meyer include Yellow-throated Warbler, Pine Warbler, Kentucky Warbler and Acadian Flycatcher, all regular breeders, although a variety of other migrants may appear as well.  Yellow-throated Vireos occasionally breed, and Scarlet Tanager has been seen in the area in early May. On arrival, participants will  take several short walks to find  birds.  Trails are irregularly maintained and at least one stop will require some bush-whacking into usually wet and always poison ivy infested woods.  Participants who do not wish to brave the wet woods may bird on their own along the shore of Coffeemill Lake. Advance registration required; cost of field trip - $35 (FOH members)/$40 (non- members), includes transportation. Leave the HNWR Visitor Center a 7 am and return by Noon.  Limited to 20 participants.

Meanwhile, back at the Refuge, two Birding Hagerman  NWR field trips will be offered on Sunday morning, each on one of the five trails at Hagerman NWR.  Hagerman has a variety of habitats that are used by over 270 species of birds.   Caravans will depart from the Visitor Center for trail designated for the particular field trip. Pick up an HNWR Bird Check List to take along with binoculars, scopes, field guides, and water.  Walks will visit areas not accessible by car, focusing on woodland and prairie birds. Exact location to be visited will depend on weather and on the birds found on the refuge in the previous few days.  Walking will be on well-maintained trails with only moderate change in elevation, about two miles total distance.  The following trips on the refuge are offered:  Advance registration is required; cost of each field trip is $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members).  Each of these trips will be limited to 12 participants, your choice of

7:30 – 10:30 am - Birding Hagerman NWR with expert amateur birder, Mike Pease, OR

8 - 11 am - Birding Hagerman NWR with Gary Akin, undergraduate student majoring in fisheries and wildlife.

OR enjoy a leisurely Storybook Walk - for families - free, no registration, read a nature story together as you take a walk along Harris Creek Trail.  Self-guided, 9 am - 4 pm.

Two Shorebird Tram Tours will be offered on Sunday - 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. 9 participants maximum.  10:30 am - Noon AND 2 – 3:30 pm

Jonathan and Susan Wood’s Raptor Project, with 36 live birds of prey, eagles, hawk, owls and falcons has been booked for an additional day and will hold outdoor shows at 1 pm AND 3 pm on Sunday.

Take to the water from 1:30 – 3:30 pm as you kayak or canoe Big Mineral Creek with Refuge Manager Kathy Whaley.  Get a new perspective on the refuge, from the water!   Each person must provide own water craft and PFD; hats, sunscreen, bottled water advised. Anyone under age 18 must be accompanied by parent or responsible adult. Trip will last approximately 1.5 hrs; advance registration required; cost of trip $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members). Registrants will be notified where to meet for launch.  Trip is limited to 12 participants.

Look, Listen and Learn!  Seminars and Talks:

1:30 - 3 pm - Landscaping with Native Plants, with Michael Parkey, Dallas Landscape Architect and designer.  Going native in your home landscape can lead to more gardening success and lower impact on the environment!  Advance registration advised for guaranteed seating; cost of program - free.  Meeting Room A in the Visitor Center, 50 participants maximum.

1:30 – 2:30 pm - Snakes, Snakes, Snakes, with Don Walker, science instructor.  Family friendly free program, advance registration advised to guarantee seating.  You will have a new attitude about snakes after this program!!  Meet in Audio Visual Classroom in the FOH Center - 50 participants maximum.

3 – 4 pm - Nature Writing Workshop, with William B. Hughes.  Choosing topics, tips on getting published and more in this free workshop.  Please register in advance for guaranteed seating.  Library, FOH Center; limited to 12 participants. 

How Sweet it is!   3 – 4 pm - Honey Tasting.  Buzz in and meet a Honey Queen.  Test your tasting skill as you sample honey from various nectar sources, and learn the ABC’s of Bees!  Free –registration not required but will guarantee you get to taste!  Meeting Room B, Visitor Center,  50 participants.

That’s a Wrap until the next BirdFest Texoma!  You'll be glad you came!

Preview - BirdFest Texoma Saturday, May 4, 2013, Events

• On Day Two of BirdFest Texoma, photographers will not want to miss the golden hour and this Advanced Nature Photography Field Trip with Kathy Adams Clark, past president of NANPA; 6 – 10 am;  advance registration required; cost of field trip, $40 (FOH members)/$45 (non-members).    Maximum 20 participants.

• OR Bird one of the five trails at Hagerman NWR.  Hagerman has a variety of habitats that are used by over 270 species of birds.  Caravans will depart from the Visitor Center for trail designated for the particular field trip. Walks will visit areas not accessible by car, focusing on woodland and prairie birds. Exact location to be visited will depend on weather and on the birds found on the refuge in the previous few days.  Walking will be on well-maintained trails with only moderate change in elevation, about two miles total distance.  Choose from the following trips on the refuge: 

7 - 11 am -  Birding Hagerman NWR (B) with Jack Chiles, Master Naturalist who conducts the weekly Hagerman NWR bird census; advance  registration required, cost of field trip $10 FOH  members)/$15 (non-members).  Limited to 12 participants.

7:30 – 11:30 am - Birding Hagerman NWR (C) with Gailon Brehm, expert amateur birder active with Prairie & Timbers Audubon and Connemara Conservancy; advance registration required, cost of field trip $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members).  Limited to 12 participants.

SO sorry –SOLD OUT  for the 8 - 10 am - Birding Hagerman NWR with David Allen Sibley, nationally known ornithologist and author.

8:15 - 10:15 am - Birding Hagerman NWR  (D) with Sam Crowe, digital birding expert and writer; advance registration required; cost of field trip, $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members).  Limited to 12 participants.  Sam will also give a talk on Digital Birding in the afternoon.

• OR – leave the Refuge for a trip to Denison Dam or Eisenhower State Park:

8:15 am – Noon - Birding Denison Dam with Sandy Beach, local birding expert.  Caravan will depart from the Visitor Center at 8 am and return by noon.  Some hiking on loose rocks, hiking shoes or boots are recommended.  Participants should see gulls, terns, possibly Osprey and Bald Eagles if not too late in spring.  Baltimore and Orchard Orioles and Warbling Vireos should be beginning to nest in the picnic area; expect Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Western  and Eastern Kingbirds, and may see Red-headed and Pileated Woodpeckers also. Migrating warblers and vireos are often in the campground area. Cost of field trip, $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non members); advance registration required.  Limited to 12 participants.

8:30 – 10 am - Take a Hike at Ike's Place.  Paul Kisel, Superintendent, Eisenhower State Park will lead a one-hour natural history walk at the neighboring state park, established in 1958, named for the 34th U.S. President, Dwight David Eisenhower. and located northwest of Denison on Lake Texoma.   Caravan from Hagerman NWR Visitor Center to the park. Cost of field trip - $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non members).  Advance registration required, maximum 15 participants.

• Meanwhile, back at the Refuge, your choice of these activities:

9 – 10:30 am - Wildflower Walk at Hagerman NWR with Jim Varnum, Master Naturalist. Enjoy a leisurely walk along the roadsides and trails to view the spring show of North Texas wildflowers and any  wildlife that is attracted to them!  Walkers will meet at the Visitor Center.  Cost of field trip - $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members).  Advance registration required. Limited to 12 participants. 

9 - 11 am - Kayak/canoe Big Mineral Creek with Gerry Shehan, Master Naturalist.  Get a new perspective on the refuge, from the water! Gerry has five single person kayaks to loan and room for another 6 folks who bring their own craft.  Each person must provide own PFD; hats, sunscreen, bottled water advised. Trip will last approximately 1.5 hrs; advance registration required; cost of trip $25, $10 for those FOH members who provide their own craft or $15 for non members who BYOC/K. Registrants will be notified where to meet for launch. Participants under age 18 must be accompanied by parent or other responsible adult – maximum 11 participants for this event.

9 am - 4 pm - Storybook Walk - for families - free, no registration, read a story together as you take a walk along Harris Creek Trail.  Self-guided.

9:15 - 10:15 am - Native Plants and Trees at Hagerman NWR, with Dr. George Diggs, botanist, author, Professor of Biology at Austin College.  Learn survival mechanisms, changes in distribution of trees and tree species through the ages as you walk a trail with Dr. Diggs, who will help you recognized the various trees growing at the Refuge.   Meet at the Visitor Center; cost of field trip - $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members); advance registration required.  Limited to 12 participants.

9:30 - 11 am - Patio Birding with Susan Knowles, Environmental Science teacher. Take a coffee break on the Visitor Center patio and watch for wildlife in the Native Plant Garden and fields adjacent to the building - birds, butterflies and more. Perfect for non-hikers! Binoculars provided or bring your own.   Come and Go event.  Free, no advance registration.

• Prefer a Tour?

Shorebird Tram Tours - 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.   Free, advance registration required due to limited seating – maximum 9 participants per tour.

Choice of three tours:  9:30 - 11 am  OR 11:30 am – 1 pm  OR 2 – 3:30 pm

• Look, Listen and Learn!  Talks and Seminars: 

9 am - Bird Talk - What Do You See? with Gary Clark, nature columnist and Houston professor.  Learn how to really "see" birds and other wildlife at this free presentation, to be held in Visitor Center Meeting Room A.  Advance registration will guarantee you a seat but is not required, 50 participants maximum.

10:30 am - Hummingbirds with Mark Klym, Texas Parks & Wildlife Hummingbird Round-up Coordinator.  Enjoy a presentation on these "flying jewels" as you learn more about them - identification, habitat and more.  Meeting Room A, Visitor Center. Free.  Advance Registration is not required but will guarantee you a seat, 50 participants maximum.

1:30 - 4 pm - Bird Photography and Tips for Photographing Backyard Birds Workshop with Abilene pro photographer, John English -  Bird Photography is geared for the intermediate level photographer; please bring camera, manual, notebook to session.   Learn tips for getting the best bird shots!  Cost of workshop - $30 (FOH members)/$35 (non-members); advance registration required.  Meet in Visitor Center, Meeting Room B, 50 participants maximum.  English will also lead a photo field trip at the Refuge on Sunday morning, May 5, requires additional registration.

1:30 – 3 pm - Wine-tasting  at the T. V. Munson  Viticulture and Enology Program at Grayson College, led by Justin Scheiner, Director, who will cover the history of grapes and wine in Texoma, how to choose a good wine AND the ins and outs of wine tasting!  Must be age 21+ to register for this program.  The story of T. V. Munson is one you won't want to miss.  Meet at the Viticulture Center, located in the North Texas Regional Airport, which is near the Refuge; directions will be in registration packets.  Cost of program  - $10 (FOH members)/$15 (non-members). Advance registration required, up to 50 participants.

1:30 - 3 pm - Digital Birding, with Sam Crowe, web and app publisher.  Sam, who will also be leading a Birding Hagerman Field Trip Saturday morning, will show you how to extend your knowledge, skills  and interest in birding with the latest technology, talk plus hands on time, bring your iPad.  Meet in Visitor Center Meeting Room A for this free program; advance registration is recommended for guaranteed seating, 50 participants maximum.

2:30 – 4 pm - Plant Propagation with Sue Zanne Petersen.  Turn your thumb green at this program as you learn best practices for starting your own plants.  Great for those who want to include hard-to-find native plants in their garden, enjoy sharing plants with friends, develop gardening skills or just save money!  Meet in Audio/Visual Classroom in the FOH Center for this free program; advance registration is recommended for guaranteed seating, 30 participants maximum. 

• Be sure to see the Outdoor Shows: 

9 am - 4 pm - Reptile Exhibit by Jarryd Robison - free, no registration; near Visitor Center. 

10 am, 1 pm AND 3 pm – Jonathan & Susan Woods – The Raptor Project, outdoor show, 36 live birds!! Eagles, hawks, falcons owls displayed in a natural setting!  Free, no registration.

• From BirdFest Texoma, especially for children:

10:30 am - Eensy Weensy Spider, with John Slaughter.  Meet our 8-legged friends in this presentation that will be both fun and educational!  Audio/Visual Classroom in the FOH Center. Free, advance registration recommended, guaranteeing a seat, 25 participants maximum.  

1:00 pm - Leave it to Beaver, with Texas Parks & Wildlife Ranger Kelly Lauderdale.  Meet in the Audio/Visual Classroom of the FOH Center for this fun program about a hardworking mammal!  Program is free but advance registration is recommended to guarantee a seat, 25 participants maximum. 

• Book Signing:

Kathy Adams Clark and Gary Clark, 10:30 – 11:30 am, in the Visitor Center.

David Allen Sibley, 11 am – Noon, in the Visitor Center

Evening Program

An Evening with David Allen Sibley!

Social - Gather at the Grayson College Workforce Auditorium at 6:30 pm for wine and hors d'oeuvres, must be 21+, cost of social - $15; advance registration required.  The college is located approximately 9 miles from the refuge at 6101 Grayson Drive, Denison, TX; directions will be in the registration packets.  

At 7 pm, enjoy watching the creative process at work as David Sibley demonstrates how he illustrates his field guides.  Special tech set-up in this wonderful new conference style auditorium will allow good viewing for all. Sibley will donate the finished art piece to be auctioned off to benefit the Refuge following the demonstration, in a live auction.  Cost of presentation - $50; advance registration required, 200 seats only.

Book signing will follow the presentation.

That's a wrap for Day Two!  Stay tuned for Day Three!