January/February 2011 - Coastal Bend Audubon Society

January/February 2011
The
Brown Pelican
The Newsletter of the Coastal Bend Audubon Society
On the Web at http://www.coastalbendaudubon.org
Monthly Meetings
CBAS Member Fights for Habitat
For years, South Texas Master Naturalist and CBAS member Lillian Gasca has been
documenting the build up of trash in the Egery Flats, where the Aransas River flows
into Copano Bay near Bayside. The estuary is a delicate ecosystem, essential as a
nursery for shrimp and blue crab. Yet it has been abused by motorists, fishermen and
others who have driven onto the flats illegally and left behind truckloads of litter, including such obnoxious substances as
propane tanks and tires.
Lillian Gasca, organizer, and Rhonda
Broughton, from Bayside are among volunteers who helped clean up Egery Flats.
This year Gasca organized a cleanup of
the area, involving more than 100 supporters and volunteers. Estuary Clean Up
Day was held Oct. 30. The event not
only helped improve habitat for migrating waterfowl and other wildlife, but
also helped raise awareness of a serious
trash problem. Corpus Christi television
station KIII-TV covered the story. Plus,
Gasca finally began getting responses
and promises of help from government
agencies.
See Cleanup p. 4
Great Backyard Bird Count
From Feb. 18 through Feb. 21, CBAS members will have an opportunity to participate in a national bird conservation study called the Great Backyard Bird Count
(GBBC), a joint project of the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of
Ornithology with Canadian partner Bird Studies Canada.
The free event is open to bird watchers of all ages and skill levels. Participants
watch birds for any length of time on one or more days and enter their tallies at
www.birdcount.org. Results provide a snapshot of the whereabouts of more than
600 bird species. From reports of rare species to large-scale tracking of bird movements, the GBBC provides insight about bird populations.
See GBBC p. 6
Tuesday, January 4
Speaker: Terry Palmer,
Harte Research Institute
Topic: Human Impacts on
Antarctica (see p. 2)
Tuesday, February 1
Speaker: Terry Rossignol,
Attwater’s Prairie Chicken
National Wildlife Refuge
Topic: Attwater’s Prairie
Chicken Survival (see p. 2)
Location:
Corpus Christi Museum of
Science and History.
1900 N. Chaparral
Corpus Christi, TX
Time: 7 p.m.
All members and the public are
invited! Monthly Meetings are
held on the first Tuesday of the
month at 7 p.m.
Birding Classes
Upcoming Programs
Class for CBAS Members - April 23
Renowned Texas ornithologist Gene Blacklock is offering
a Shorebird Field Trip for CBAS members on April 23.
The highest diversity of shorebirds in the Coastal Bend,
lingering wintering birds as well as long-distance migrant
species, can be viewed at this time of year. The trip will
start at Tule Lake,; the agenda from there will depend on
weather and migration conditions. Look for more details
in the next newsletter.
Advanced Birding Course
Blacklock will be teaching an advanced birding class
through Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s Community Outreach Program at the Carlos Truan Natural Resources
Center.
The Advanced Birding Course is for participants with
previous field experience in bird identification or who
have taken a comparable 101 or ornithology class from a
college or university. Cost is $225 or $195 for seniors.
The class meets on 10 Monday evenings from 6:30 to
8:30 starting Jan. 24 and includes four field trips.
For specific dates and more information, see http://
outreach.tamucc.edu/birding/index.html.
Classes Offered by ABNC
Blacklock is teaching these classes at Rockport Community Education Center through the Aransas Bird and Nature Club (ABNC). Pre-registration required; class sizes
will be limited.
Birding 101 (for new birders): $35/per person
February 8 at 8:30am-?
Field trip: following lunch break
Winter Finches (Winter Sparrows): - $40/person
Class: 1:45-4:00pm Thursday, February 17
Field trip: Friday, February 18
Advanced Birding - similar to course offered through the
TAMU-CC (see above) but meets on Thursday afternoons.
For information or to register for ABNC classes contact:
Bron Rorex; 361-790-9353; [email protected]
Page 2
Jan. 4 - Terry Palmer, Harte Research Institute
Human impacts on Antarctica
Palmer’s presentation will introduce you to life in an extremely cold place and show how humans interact with
this unique environment. McMurdo Station, a U.S. research station in Antarctica, dates back to 1902 when
British explorer Robert Falcon Scott first established a
base nearby. The history of the station is filled with heroic
stories of exploration, advances in scientific knowledge
and, unfortunately, the consequent environmental degradation associated with human habitation. For ten years,
Palmer has been conducting research on the extent of localized contamination and its effects on marine fauna.
Feb. 1 - Terry Rossignol
Attwater’s Prairie Chicken National
Wildlife Refuge
Attwater Prairie Chicken Survival
Rossignol, the director of the Attwater’s Prairie Chicken
National Refuge, will describe the recent successes of the
Attwater’s Prairie Chicken (APC) recovery efforts. This
summer at least 58 wild-hatched chicks were confirmed at
the Attwater’s Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge—the best reproductive effort for the imperiled species on the refuge in at least 16 years.
In the early 1900s, up to one million Attwater’s Prairie
Chickens roamed the coastal prairies of Texas and Louisiana. As of March 2010, only 90 birds were located in
three Texas counties, making the APC one of the most
critically endangered species in North America.
Rossignol will discuss the “head start” program, in which
live insects are caught and fed to each hen and her chicks
several times a day for the first two weeks after hatch, a
particularly critical time for chick survival. He will also
explain probable causes of the species decline, population
fluctuations, encouraging progress, and conservation
goals.
Bird and Plant
Viewing Trip in
the Valley
By Jamie Ritter
CBAS members Sally
Bickley and Jamie Ritter
took a four-day trip to the
Rio Grande Valley in
mid-November, hosted
Peyote Cactus
cactus
by Jamie’s brother and
sister-in-law, Paul and Shelley Bryant. Paul, who volunteers at two Nature Conservancy properties and several
state parks, acted as tour guide.
They visited Frontera Audubon, Valley Nature Center,
Estero Llano Grande State Park, FWS Yturria Tract, the
potholes region, SAP Nature Preserve, Quinta Mazatlan,
and the Edinburg Wetlands and World Birding Center.
They totaled 82 bird species including a female Crimsoncollared Grosbeak and possibly a Yellow-green Vireo.
The Nature Conservancy
properties were highlights.
Paul took the group to Las
Estrellas Preserve near Rio
Grande City, noted for the
endangered Star Cactus. At
Chihuahua Woods, they heard
Paul’s plant walk in conjunction with the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival. At the
two locations, the group talFishhook cactus lied 16 different native cactus
species.
WHAT’S UP AROUND TEXAS
WETLANDS EDUCATION CENTER TOURS
Every Tuesday and Thursday. 10 a.m. Free
University of Texas Marine Science Institute,
Port Aransas.
Guided tours in which visitors learn about the ecological
and economic importance of coastal wetlands and how
plants and animals adapt to life in the salt marsh and
sand dune environments.
Phone: 361-749-6832
Website: www.utmsi.utexas.edu/outreach/wetlandseducation-center.html
LAREDO BIRDING FESTIVAL
Feb. 2 - 5, 2011
Laredo
Nature photographer keynote speaker, starter program
for families and beginning birders, guided birding trips
led by experts, 240 species of birds, nature photography
workshop, kayaking trip, access to private ranches.
Phone: 800-361-3360
Website: http://www.laredobirdingfestival.com/
CHOKE CANYON BIRDING FESTIVAL
Feb. 5, 2011
Three Rivers Park
$38
This annual birding festival is geared to every level of
birder from the beginner to the avid professional. Boat
trips on the lake available. Fee includes admission to the
park, hot rolls and coffee for breakfast, sandwich buffet
lunch, barbecue dinner, guides, lectures, and transportation in the park.
Phone: 888-600-3115
Websites: www.threeriverstx.org
[email protected]
WHOOPING CRANE FESTIVAL
Feb. 24-27, 2011
Port Aransas
Seminars, workshops, speakers for bird lovers. Boat
tours include trips in bay and harbor, trips to view endangered Whooping Cranes, an nature boat excursions
to observe marine life. Guided tours of birding centers,
wetland habitats, art exhibits, trade show and great food.
Phone: 800-45COAST
Websites: http://www.whoopingcranefestival.org/home
Early registration now available online.
Page 3
Another Plover in Trouble?
One trash pile collected on Estuary Clean Up Day
CLEANUP (from p. 1)
“I want to thank Rudy Rivera of TXDOT in Aransas
County for being the first to respond and for helping me
from the start. Migrating birds and ducks are coming back
and the area is much cleaner than a year ago,” Gasca said.
Gasca sent letters and photos to the Governor of Texas,
Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) in Washington, D.C., and the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) in Austin. The EPA
called Gasca immediately with the advice that she was on
the right track, and this area should not be this neglected.
Gasca met with Ray Allen and Jake Herring of Coastal
Bend Bays & Estuaries, and as a result, some educational
signs are being created with the assistance of Kiersten
Madden, stewardship coordinator NERR- UTMSI.
Driving has destroyed grass in heavily littered area
A meeting was also held with TXDOT area engineers
from Sinton, and Corpus Christi. TXDOT immediately
started on a new plan for this area, including an update of
signs. Work will continue into spring and summer of
2011.
Aransas County Environmental Health Department has
gotten involved in litter prevention and trash removal on
Egrey Island Rd. Another positive result—the General
Land Office and the Gulf Foundation plan to sponsor four
cleanups a year. The next cleanup will be on Feb. 12 and
will involve high school students.
Page 4
The US Fish & Wildlife Service is currently looking for
information that can help them understand the population
size and distribution of Mountain Plovers throughout their
range. South Texas is known as a wintering site for the
species, but due to their predilection for "altered landscapes,” such as plowed agricultural fields and sod farms,
their presence can be difficult to detect. David Newstead
is in communication with biologists working on methodology to improve our understanding of the species in
South Texas. Any sighting of these birds can be helpful to
us in designing a study. Please report them to Newstead at
[email protected].
Christmas Bird Counts
By David Newstead, CBAS president
Many thanks to all of you who participate in Christmas
Bird Counts throughout the holiday season. The surveys
provide a quick but valuable snapshot of bird populations
in the area, and when analyzed rangewide can tell us a lot
about trends and the effects of various landscape alterations. And thanks as always to Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program for covering the costs of the Corpus
Christi and Flour Bluff counts.
Call for Mini-Grant Applicants
Deadline Feb. 15, 2011
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s “Celebrate Urban
Birds” project is now accepting applications for minigrants. Grants average $250-$500 and are used to fund
neighborhood events that promote an appreciation for
birds and nature.
Neighborhood events or projects feature activities involving birds, community service, art, greening, and science.
Participants collect simple information about common
birds and report to the Cornell Lab. Celebrate Urban
Birds mini-grants could be used to support a bird-activity
day at a local museum, afterschool program, library, or
community center, or fund art and gardening activities at
your club, business, school, senior center, or neighborhood.
Apply for a mini-grant at www.CelebrateUrbanBirds.org.
Organizations working with underserved communities are
strongly encouraged to apply. No experience with birds is
required.
Contact: Karen Purcell, Project Leader, (607) 254-2455,
[email protected]
A BIG Thank You to
Big Day Silent Auction Donors
Special thanks to these local businesses, organizations, and individuals that helped make Big Day
a big success as a fundraiser by generously donating items and services for the silent auction.
Eagle Optics
Dave and Liz Smith
Artussee Morris
John Moore
Dr. Juan Bahamon
Dr. Roger Pigott
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Hill Country Conservancy
Harte Research Institute
Turner’s Garden Land
Barnes and Noble
Half Price Books
Ray Sutton
Johnny Carinos
Texas State Aquarium
Center for Coastal Studies
Laura Cooper
Kohootz LLC
Fisherman’s Wharf
Woody’s Sports Center
UTMSI
Dr. David McKee
Corpus Christi Hooks
Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce
Stewart Title Co. Port Aransas
Port Aransas South Jetty Newsletter
David Newstead
Thanks Again to Corporate Sponsors:
H-E-B
Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program
Harte Research Institute
November Speaker—Sea Levels and
Erosion on Texas Barrier Islands
Jim Gibeaut, Associate
Research Professor in
Coastal and Marine Geospatial Sciences at the
Harte Research Institute,
shared knowledge of how
the geological character
of barrier islands is
changing at the October 5
Coastal Bend Audubon Society meeting.
Gibeaux explained how sea levels have been rising for
18,000 years. Matagorda, Galveston and Mustang Islands
are eroding from both sides as there is not enough sediment in the system to keep up. Land subsidence on local
barrier islands has been 1.5 feet in 100 years, which has
a huge impact on habitats. Space Shuttle images, topographical mapping and projection models help Gibeaut
predict resulting changes to marsh, tidal flat, beach and
dune habitats. Knowledge of the barrier islands’ changing
topography is used in policy making decisions.
December Speaker—Assessing Toxin
Content in Local Coastal Areas
Dr. Paul Zimba, Director of the Center for
Coastal Studies, spoke
to the members of the
Coastal Bend Audubon
Society on Tuesday,
December 7. He gave
glimpses into the complex world of algae,
their toxins and their
effect on the fresh and
marine environments
around the Coastal Bend.
Dr. Zimba has studied algae for many years, developing
new ways to identify the many types of algae and the toxins they can produce. His lab at the Harte Research Institute is set up to learn more about algal blooms and their
effect on the fish and wildlife of our area. We are fortunate to have Dr. Zimba studying the local algae that produce red tide and brown tide, and the insidious toxins that
may affect animals' reproductive success and ability to
thrive.
Page 5
Purple Martins
A Purple Martin Story
by Leatrice Koch
In 2009, I got interested in Purple Martins and purchased
a house but too late to get it set up. So the next year, I
was determined to erect it. About two weeks after it was
up, two martins appeared, then four, and at one time,
there were six but only three took up permanent residency. Two eggs were laid, and two were hatched. After
a while, David Newstead banded them. For about a week
after they learned to fly, they continued to come back in
late afternoon to spend the night. One afternoon while I
was watching for them and checking for their bands, I
saw one with a yellow band. I called David to ask him
what color band he used on my two babies. I knew it
wasn't yellow. He asked if it had a geolocator on its
back. I was concentrating on its band, not knowing why
yellow was significant.
*******************************
Band Watch
It turns out that yellow is significant because Purple Martins with neon yellow painted bands are carrying geolocators. CBAS has been partnering with Purple Martin Conservation Association (PMCA) on a research project to
learn about the migration and nonbreeding life history of
these amazing birds. This is the second spring that birds
should be returning from South America to our area carrying the small light-detecting devices that can tell us
where the birds have traveled. (See the May/June 2010
Brown Pelican for a sample tracking map).
When purple martins return, look for banded birds. If you
see a neon yellow band, please report the bird to John
Barrow at 852-0007 or David Newstead at
[email protected] so the data can be retrieved. Birds
banded here also wear a purple leg band with "TX"
printed sideways and three numerals followed by a letter
for identification. Only birds equipped with geolocators
have the bright yellow band and their purple band sequence will be TX58_M.
Purple Martins begin returning to our area in mid- to late
January; so get your houses cleaned and ready to put
back up to welcome them back to south Texas. For information on how to be a great Purple Martin landlord, see
PMCA's webpage at www.purplemartin.org.
Page 6
GBBC (from p. 1)
Linda Fuiman, CBAS
education and outreach
director, will be visiting
elementary classrooms
in February to explain
about the Great Backyard Bird Count and to
teach the students how
Red-bellied Woodpecker, Photo by to identify and count
Simon Tan, courtesy of GGBC
birds. Students can
participate in the national count with an adult, a teacher or on their own.
Contact Fuiman for more information about local school
programs at [email protected].
The www.birdcount.org website offers real-time maps
and charts that show what birds others are reporting. The
site also has tips to help identify birds and special materials for educators.
Participants may enter a photo contest by uploading images taken during the count. Many images will be featured in the GBBC website’s photo gallery.
For more information, visit www.birdcount.org. Or contact the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at 800- 843-2473,
[email protected] or Audubon at 202-861- 2242 ext.
3050, [email protected].
Treasurer’s Report
by Leatrice Koch, CBAS Treasurer
Donations Received
Beginning balance…………………………….$19,299.09
Thanks you to those who made generous contributions to
CBAS with their membership dues recently! These will
be used for monthly programs, newsletters, and furthering
the society’s goals of conservation, research, education
and advocacy.
Income. ................................ $5,346.30
Expenses ............................... 2,543.72
Net …………………………………….………...2,802.58
Thanks to Sally Bickley, who donated $500 to the Coastal
Bend Audubon Society's Bird Conservation Research
Award endowment.
Ending balance ................................................. $22,031.67
Environmental Award
Less grants, donations & reserved fund. .............. 4,099.52
In November, local individuals and businesses were recognized with Coastal Bend Conservation and Environmental Stewardship Awards. Leah Pummill, a member of
the CBAS and the Audubon Outdoor Club, was named
Citizen Volunteer for the time and energy she donates for
the preservation of the Coastal Bend Region.
Oct. 1, 2010 - Nov. 30, 2010
Operating fund.................................................. $17,932.15
New or Renewing Membership
Page 7
Non-Profit Org.
U. S. Postage
The Newsletter of the Coastal
Bend Audubon Society
PAID
Permit No. 1080
Corpus Christi, TX
P.O. Box 3604
Corpus Christi, Texas 78463
Phone: 361-885-6203
Email: [email protected]
http://www.coastalbendaudubon.org
Regular CBAS meetings:
First Tuesday of the month, September
through May, 7 p.m. at the CC
Museum of Science and History
The Brown Pelican
Coastal Bend Audubon Society Board of Directors
PRESIDENT
David Newstead
361-885-6203
[email protected]
VICE PRESIDENT
Sally Bickley
[email protected]
SECRETARY
vacant
TREASURER
Leatrice Koch
[email protected]
DIRECTORS
The Coastal Bend Audubon Society is a nonprofit 501c(3) organization dedicated to the conEducation
Linda Fuiman, [email protected]
servation of birds and bird habitat, and to conservation education in the Coastal Bend.
Sanctuary John Keller, [email protected]
The organization is supported by contributions
from local memberships and from the National
Audubon Society.
Conservation
Membership
Newsletter
Your CHAPTER needs you! You can help steer
the course of growth and change in our
community by working together Please contact us
at 361-885-6203 about getting involved!
Scott Large, [email protected]
Laura Cooper, [email protected]
Ellissa Cuevas, [email protected]
At-Large
Gene Blacklock, [email protected]
At-Large
Rosalie Rossi [email protected]
This newsletter is compiled, written and published every other
month. News is gathered from volunteers, contributing authors and
other sources. Please send comments, articles and photos to:
Editor Ellissa Cuevas, at [email protected]
Look for color, web-linked version of newsletter on the web at
www.coastalbendaudubon.org