Dan Brown Rocks/Minerals

Dan Brown
Rocks/Minerals
Dan Brown is the son of a pioneer ranching family and has spent
most of his life living south of San Angelo on his ranch along the
banks of the South Concho River. Upon completion of his high
school studies he attended North Texas State University and earned
a B. A. degree in geography. While attending college, he also served
his country during the Korean War era. Dan combined ranching and
working in the oil patch for 23 years. During this time he also
traveled extensively throughout Mexico as time allowed. Mr.
Brown purchased rock and mineral specimens in Mexico and sold
them at the Dallas Market. The “Lone Star” gemstone facet design
was created by Brown family members in 1974. On May 25, 1977
the “Lone Star” design was adopted as the Texas State Gemstone
Cut in House Concurrent Resolution #97. Since that time Dan and
his wife, Cathy fabricate many varieties of gemstones from rough
materials and then mount them into custom-made rings, pendants
and earrings. The Brown Ranch provides a natural setting of live
oak and pecan timber for numerous bird species including
thousands of tiny hummingbird inhabitants. Driven by his love of
nature and his surroundings Dan began feeding hummingbirds 51
years ago. Because of his willingness to share this West Texas oasis
with other nature enthusiasts Texas Parks & Wildlife specialists
encouraged Dan to launch a nature tourism business. Thus, in 1996,
a guest cottage and an observation room were built and in 2005
two additional guest cottages were completed. Dan’s knowledge of
his ranch and wildlife allow visitors to experience nature at its
finest.
Kelly Bryan
Hummingbirds
Kelly Bryan is a native Texan, born and raised in central Texas. He
became instantly “hooked on birds” as a young teen when he
tagged along on bird hikes at an area Boy Scout camp. After
graduating from Mart High School he attended college in east Texas
at Sam Houston State University (BS77, MS79). His MS Thesis was
“Song Variation in Prothonotary Warblers”. Service as a North
Vietnamese Language Specialist and radio operator in the U.S. Army
Security Agency interrupted college in the early 70s. Then in 1976,
while still at college, he started his career with Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department at Huntsville State Park. He finished that
career with The Department in 2002, having managing three
different state parks (Kickapoo Cavern, Devil’s Sinkhole and Davis
Mountains) and natural resources for Parks Region 1. He is now
retired and resides in Fort Davis, Texas. His interests are
photography, recording bird vocalizations and bird banding. He has
held a Federal Banding Permit since 1969 and is currently studying,
through capture and banding, the status and distribution of the
hummingbirds of the region.
Charles Floyd
Song Birds
Charles Floyd of San Angelo, Texas is a retired school administrator
with a Master of Science degree in Biology, a Master of Education
Degree and Master Personal Permits to band birds issued by the
Federal Department of the Interior and the state of Texas . Charles,
along with Kelly Bryan of Fort Davis, leads West Texas Avian
Research, Inc. This organization is a 501c non-profit organization
created solely for the purpose of expanding scientific bird banding
research in West Texas. His current research projects are centered
at the Hummer House in Christoval. Current projects include a study
of the status and distribution of Hummingbirds in the Concho Valley
of Texas and a study of the distribution and status of migrating and
summer resident songbirds in the Concho Valley. The songbird
study includes a Painted Bunting study, a migrant bird study and
MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) station
along the South Concho River which is part of a national project to
determine the breeding success of resident birds in various parts of
the nation. With the assistance of the Concho Valley Bird Banding
Volunteers, Charles currently conducts dozens of banding
demonstrations and birding information discussions each year for
students and adult interest groups at the Hummer House, and at
other sites throughout West Texas.
Christy Youker
Water Conservation
Christy Youker, PhD is the Education Director for the Upper
Colorado River Authority. She partners with local schools and other
organizations on projects related to local environmental issues.
Christy has worked as a science educator at the San Antonio
Children’s Museum and at the Witte Museum, taught 7th grade
science in San Angelo and was also Outreach Coordinator for the
San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts. She consults on community
education programs as they relate to science and has worked with
the Austin Children’s Museum, Bamberger Ranch Preserve, Fort
Worth Museum of Science and History and the Exploratorium in San
Francisco. In addition, Christy initiated the “Out of the Classroom”
project, a web-based resource for science teachers co-designed by
teachers and museum professionals. She received her MS at the
University of Oklahoma studying endangered burying beetles and
her PhD in science education at the University of Texas at Austin.
Tony Gallucci
Reptiles
Tony Gallucci has resided for long periods in the Rio Grande Valley,
Big Bend, deep East Texas and the Hill Country, and has been in the
Kerrville area since 1986. Tony is a graduate of Texas A&M
University where he did doctoral research on nesting Black Rails on
the upper Texas coast. His master's research centered on the Upper
Big Bend race of the White-winged Dove. He has worked for four
decades compiling the fauna and flora of three Texas counties: Kerr,
Real and Trinity, and has specific research background in Parula and
Vermivora Warblers, the Golden-cheeked Warbler and Blackcapped Vireo, Kingfishers, Falcons, Swallows, Gopher Tortoises,
Map Turtles and Sawbacks, Pine, Gopher and Bull snakes, Sylphs
and Dancers, several families of Montane Snails, Wild Equids,
Vaquita, and Texas endangered plants. Among his discoveries and
co-discoveries are the first Modern Jabiru for the US, the first
Modern Roadside Hawk for the US, the first Snow Bunting for Texas,
the first Black-headed Gull for Texas, the first nesting Lucy's
Warblers in Texas, and four species of Montane Snails new to
science. He works as a media specialist and teaches film and theatre
for the Hill Country Youth Ranch System which includes the Big
Springs Ranch for Children where he will lead Nature Quest field
trips. He also has his own documentary and narrative film
production business, Milk River Film, and co-owns a theatre
production group, The Guadalupe Stage Quartet, which produces
dramatic theatre in hill country regional theatres. Tony has lead
Flora, Fauna & Odonata fieldtrips for Nature Quest since 2006.
Henry Dusek
Texas History
Henry Dusek is a native of the Concho Valley. He is the owner of Old
Friends Taxidermy located in Wall, Texas. He is an avid history
enthusiast and is a member of the Concho Valley Archeological
Society. Henry participates in archeology fairs at Fort Concho, Fort
Chadbourne, and Ben Ficklin. Henry is also an active member of the
San Angelo Coin Club and the Concho Valley Trash and Treasure
Club. Mr. Dusek enjoys sharing his knowledge and love of history
with children of all ages.
Kay Thompson
Native Plants
Kay Thompson is a Concho Valley native. She has been a Registered
Nurse since 1984. Kay became a Master Gardener in 2003. She has
worked with the Wall Junior Master Gardeners since that time.
Kaye helped create the Wall Elementary Enrichment Garden that is
certified as a Wildlife Habitat and is a part of the Monarch Watch
Program. Ms. Thompson specializes in rainwater harvesting and
native plants for landscapes with an emphasis on attracting wildlife.
Additional Helpers
Many other people assisted in various roles at Discovery Camp. We
were fortunate to have Don Connell of Austin and Fred Bassett of
Alabama to assist with songbird and hummingbird bird banding. Both
are federally licensed master bird banders. Donna Bryan, Mae
Simmons and Landa Arthur were kept very busy keeping accurate
records for the banders.