Bexar Audubon Society

is a chapter of the
National Audubon
Society. Its primary
goals are to promote

Bexar Tracks
species and habitat
conservation and envi-
ronmental education
Volume XXIV, No. 3

in the community.
May-July 2006

For the latest news & updates, see http://www.bexaraudubon.org & http://www.sa-naturecenter.org

B e x a r A u d u b on Field Tr i p Thursday, May 11 • 6:30pm gathering; 6:45 announcements; 7:00 program

S a t u r d a y, May 20, 9am-noon
Trinity Univ. Cowles Life Sciences Bldg. Rm. 336 (see map, p. 2) • Free; open to the public
CASTROVILLE REGIONAL PARK
“Butterflies & Plants”
Conservation in the Philippines: A Snapshot
A week isn’t long enough to develop a full picture of the more than seven
thousand islands (at high tide) that comprise the Philippines. But it is
Enjoy a nature walk in this great little
park on the Medina River with leaders
Terry Doyle (amateur lepidopterist) and enough to capture a sense of the spirit of the Filipino people. Their envi-
Patty Leslie Pasztor (co-author of Texas ronmental problems are enormous, but an impressive complex of govern-
mental, NGO, and individual efforts is having an impact on population,
Trees: A Friendly Guide). A great diversi-
health, and the environment (PHE) in this hugely diverse community of
ty of flora includes bald cypress, pecan,
people, plants, and other animals on land and sea.
and sycamore near the river and such
Speer & Warren, Wildflowers of Texas, 1979.
Drawing of cenizo courtesy of RanchGate,

In March, our presenter, Susan Hughes, was a delegate of the National

interesting brush species as
guajilla, cenizo, and guaya-
can in the uplands. The Audubon Society on a study tour that included attendance at the 2nd
Medina Lake irrigation National Conference on PHE held in Cebu City, the Philippines. Drawing
more than 300 delegates from around the globe, the conference was brack-
canal traverses a sec-
eted by site visits to urban communities with integrated PHE programs, as
tion of the park. We
well as remote island communities organizing to protect their marine
will walk the newly
opened trails identifying
butterflies, birds, and plants. resources, diversify their economic base, and improve the health of their
Meet near the entrance park- citizens. An island paradise can be a challenging place to make a living.
ing lot. Bring water and a picnic Susan will brief attendees on the conference and site visits, introduce the
Haribon Foundation (www.haribon.org.ph), the Filipino partner of BirdLife
lunch. Email pasztor@ix.netcom.com or
International, and report on a field day with Haribon staff to Subic Bay,
call 210-824-1235 for reservations and

former site of the U.S. Naval base, now turned industrial park and nature
directions.

Tales from the Wood preserve. View Haribon’s just-published comprehensive, scholarly, but
accessible volume, Philippine Biodiversity: Principles and Practice, youth
publications, a video clip of Subic Bay’s flying foxes, and more.
It is with great relief that I can report to

You’ll surely put the Philippines high on your “places to visit” list and be
the membership of Bexar Audubon Society

inspired by and learn from the efforts of these kind and generous people.
that I have indeed returned to San Antonio
after a year in a hotter, drier, and dustier
place. My year in Iraq was rewarding on
many levels. Our group, working with the
Please note: no regular programs during June, July, & August
Air Force Center for Environmental 7th Annual South Te x as Farm & Range Forum: Soi l Steward sh i p

Get the latest dirt on soil at this workshop geared toward both urban dwellers and
Excellence (AFCEE) based at Brooks City- Thu rs d a y, September 14; Sa turda y, September 16

the farming and ranching community in South Texas. Topics to be covered in the
Base, contracted the evaluation, restora-

Thursday evening program at Palo Alto College include learning how to under-
tion, and/or construction of almost 800

and many security installations including stand soils: their composition, nutritional value, and quality; how to keep soil on
schools, dozens of hospitals and clinics,

your land; how to improve what you have and assistance available to do that; soil
economics; the many ways to compost; and soil’s importance to wildlife.
military, police, and border facilities.

Saturday’s half-day field trip will demonstrate these concepts and provide oppor-
The environment in a desert war zone,

tunities for on-site learning and discussion. Save the dates! For registration info,
even in the cradle of civilization between

contact Helen Holdsworth, 210-884-3712 or await the Aug-Sept Bexar Tracks.

the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, often
While the “6 inches” in this quotation may not apply to all areas of South Texas, bear
made me think of south Texas. In many
in mind: “Despite his artistic pretensions, his sophistication, and many accomplishments, man
ways the environment of Iraq is much like
owes his existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil, and the fact that it rains.” Anon.
Mexico. Every day I thought of the (p.2)

Tales fr om the Wood, cont’d… condition
of the water and air and birds and
wildlife, both here and in Iraq. I had
occasional reports on the regional devel-
opments of the flora and fauna from
friends like Susan Schaezler of Cibolo
(www.warblerwoods.com) and John
McGee of Sandia. I did get homesick a lit-
tle. A year is a long time to be away. On
all counts, I’ll still take south Texas (or
Mexico) any day…over Iraq.
Conservationists and environmentalists
in the US often think that our environ-
ment is on the brink of disaster. It is not.
If you want to see “stressed,” take a trip
to Mexico City and along the way stop off
at Monterrey, San Luis Potosi, and Leon.
Look at the air and smell the water in
those areas. Multiply that several fold and
you will have a hint of what Iraq was like.
The air in our country is stressed in
places, but at least we have laws against
the open burning of trash. The smell of
burning plastic or carcasses does not
assault our nostrils. Our surface waters
Who’s What?
Pres ident, Tony Wood — 210-492-4684 — tonywood@sbcglobal.net
VP & webmaster, Harry Noyes — 210-490-3124 — harrynoyes@satx.rr.com
Tre a s u r er, Caryl Swann — 210-653-2860 — cjswann1@earthlink.net
Se c re ta r y, Jill Sondeen — 830-980-2377 — jls2003@gvtc.com
At -la rge : D ean Bi ble s — 210-698-9264 — dbibles@aol.com
Joe Orr — 210-377-0621 — josephorr@aol.com
Ka r a Ry f — 503-803-2856 — kararyf@hotmail.com
Edi t or, Susan Hughes — 210-862-1150 — editor@bexaraudubon.org
Outings, Pat ty Pa s z t o r — 210-824-1235 — pasztor@ix.netcom.com
Map to Cowles Life S cie nc es Bu il d in g, Tr i n i t y U n i v e r sit y, west of High way 281
Chapman
Library Laurie
Cowles
Cowles is just uphill from the Laurie Auditorium
and adjacent to the Library and the Chapman
Graduate Center. Handicapped parking is across
from Cowles. Park by the Laurie or in lots or on
streets to the west. Call Patty for additional
directions (824-1235) or see additional map at
bexaraudubon.org/map.jpg
May-July 2006
CHAPTER NEWS
are tested and protected and are cleaner
than they have been in 50 years. Good
quality drinking-water is actually piped
under pressure into our homes. We
should try to remember that things are
really good here. The reason it is good in
the US is that a generation ago folks like
Rachel Carson, assisted by teachers, took
up the banner of John James Audubon
and his contemporaries and awakened a
new generation of conservationists.
Things are changing. It’s not just Austin
these days. San Antonio’s environmental
consciousness is starting to awaken. The
interest in the environment of south
Texas is improving. Citizens, voters,
elected officials, church leadership,
ranchers, teachers, the general public,
and even some developers are giving
more attention to the environment. Fuel
prices are causing all of us to think about
transportation conservation issues. The
continuing development of wildlife and
avian migratory corridors along the
region’s waterways is slowly turning into
2 Bexar Tracks
the emerald necklace we have heard tout-
ed for the last 10 years or so.
Lest you think that I’m saying every-
thing’s fine, don’t quit. The effort to pro-
tect our lands, air, and water must
continue with vigilance. Natural threats
like bird flu have arisen. Anthropo-genic
threats from population expansion,
resource overuse, and things like mer-
cury and endocrine disruptors in our
water and food supplies should worry us
all. In time, a reasonable body of scientif-
ic evidence will indicate the degree of
activism that is warranted. I remain con-
cerned that future generations will face
an oil-based recession/depression that
will strain many aspects of our society.
We conservationists must be the voice of
reason. Our efforts must be backed up by
sound science, active citizens, and sound
political leadership. Our cause of a sus-
tainable society must never again take a
second row seat to the economic consid-
erations benefiting a few.
War for whatever reason (and the subse-
quent rebuilding of a country) costs
money…a lot of money. I am very glad I
went to assist with the reconstruction of
Iraq. But I am very glad to be home to
enjoy the environment of this land that I
love. Let’s keep the patriotism in environ-
mentalism. Let’s keep the environmental-
ism in patriotism.
— Tony Wood
Come be part of
&&&
Birdathon 2006 at
Mitchell Lake Audubon Center
Saturday, May 6, 2-5pm
Free family event.
Kenn Kaufman, author of Guía de
Campo Kaufman a las Aves de
Norteamérica, will be signing books
and doing a presentation.
Bring your picnic and chairs.
For more info: Susan Albert, 210-628-
1639 or email salbert@audubon.org.
“Bird with Kenn” deadline is 5/1.
Mitchell Lake Audubon Center
10750 Pleasanton Rd.•San Antonio 78221
Sat. & Sun. 8am-4pm • weekdays by appt.
Regularly scheduled guided birding tours:
2n d Tuesday, 3r d Sunday, and 4th Satur day
o f e a c h m o n th a t 8 a m ;
every Tuesday afternoon.
Call for departure times:
2 10-62 8-163 9

(Additional info. available at www.sa-nature-
center.org/conservation/conservation.html)
Second Saturdays — SA Audubon
Society’s monthly Beginners’ Birdwalk,
7:3 0am June-Aug; 8am all other
months. Visitors welcome. Binoculars to
lend. Meet at Judson Nature Trail next to
Alamo Heights Swimming Pool on
Viesca St. From 5900 blk of Broadway,
turn west on Ogden to Greely St.; turn
left one block, then right again to park-
ing lot on the left. 210-342-2073.
&&&
May 4-6 — 8th Annual Southwest Land
Trust Conf., San Antonio. Land Trust
Alliance & Texas Land Trust Council.
Featuring James Levitt, director, Harvard
Prog. on Conservation Innovation.
http://www.lta.org/training/lct_sw.htm.
May 6 — B I R DATHON at Mitchell Lake
Audub on Center. See info on p.6.
May 6 — 9-11am Friedrich Wilderness
Park. 1st Sat. Interpretive Walk, SA
Natural Areas. RSVP: 210-698-1057.
May 6 — 1st Trans-Texas Quail Count,
see http://teamquail.tamu.edu for addi-
tional information or to participate.
May 6 — Wildflower Field Day. Selah
Bamberger Ranch Preserve. 830-868-
2630 or www.bambergerranch.org for
info on fees and registration.
May 1 0 — Texas Environmental Excel-
lence Awards, TCEQ. 512-239-3150.
Congratulations to J. David & Margaret
Bamberger, receiving the Environmental
Excellence Award for Education.
May 13 — 8-10am. Birding 101: Medina
River Natural Area Second Saturday
program. Bob Doe, Pres. SA Audubon
Society. RSVP: 210-624-2575.
May 13 — WaterFest Family Day. Alamo-
dome. http://www.saws.org/education/
h2o_university/Elementary/WaterFest/.
May 13 — 8am-noon. Walk & Roll Fest.
Maverick Park (Broadway @ Jones Ave.)
Cycling, walking, music, & education
promoting better transportation choices,
health, & air quality. 210-230-6911 or
www.walkandrollSA.com.
May 13 — Hill Country Land Steward-
ship Workshop. Selah Bamberger
Ranch Preserve. 830-868-2630 or
www.bambergerranch.org for info.
Repeats Sept. 16.
May 18 — 7:45am-5pm. Overabundant
white-tailed deer in Texas: Impacts on
people, communities, & land. Texas
Bexar Tracks
MORE EVENTS
State Univ., San Marcos. $50. 800-TEX-
WILD or www.texas-wildlife.org.
May 20 — 8am-1pm. Native Plant
Society of Texas, Big Bend Chapter, trip
to Elephant Mountain Wildlife Mgt. Area.
Carpool from Alpine. Interpretive guides:
Froylan Hernandez, resident biologist;
Dr. Martin Terry, botanist at Sul Ross; &
Bill McLeod, geologist & author. Great
views from 6,225 feet above sea level.
Reservations required. Contact
m.mecke@sbcglobal.net.
May 20 — 10am-evening. Kerr WMA —
Birding Seminar & Field Trip. Ecosystem
approach to range management & con-
servation, wildlife habitat & neo-tropical
migrant songbirds. Reservations
required: 830-238-4483 or
Evelyne.Gray@tpwd.state.tx.us.
May 20 — Water Workshop: How to get
water on your land without drilling a
well. Selah Bamberger Ranch Preserve.
830-868-2630 or www.bamberger-
ranch.org for info. Repeats Oct. 21.
May 21 — 7am-noon. Seasonal Bird
Count. Selah Bamberger Ranch Preserve.
Contact Marsha.Reimer@tpwd.state.tx.us.
May 25-28 — Joint Cullowhee & Lone
Star Regional Native Plant Conf. in
Nacogdoches. http://pnpc.sfasu.edu.
May 27 — Native Trees & Shrubs
Workshop. Selah Bamberger Ranch
Preserve. 830-868-2630 or
www.bambergerranch.org for info.
June Saturdays — Birding 101 for Kids.
Morning birding classes: bird ID, behav-
ior, & habitat. Free at Mitchell Lake
Audubon Center. Call 210-628-1639.
June-August — Observe sea turtle
hatchling releases at Padre Island
National Seashore. Hatchling Hotline:
361-947-7163. Do not touch or take
sea turtles or their eggs as federal and
state laws protect them. If you see nest-
ing turtles or hatchlings, call 1-866-
TURTLE-5; mark and protect the site
until assistance arrives.
June 3 — Walker Ranch. 1st Saturday
Interpretive Walk, SA Natural Areas.
Reservations: 210-698-1057.
June 1 0 — 10am-noon. Creepy Crawly
Critters of South Texas: Gail Dugelby,
Nature Preserve Officer. Medina River
Natural Area Second Saturday program.
June 1 9-23 & 26-3 0 — 8:30-noon.
Ecology day camps for 7-12-year-olds.
Information, registration, & fees: 210-
3 May-July 2006
698-1057. Sponsors: SA Natural Areas
& Friends of Friedrich Wilderness Park.
July 1 — Crownridge Canyon. 1st
Saturday Interpretive Walk, SA Natural
Areas. Reservations: 210-698-1057.
July 8 — Wild about Wetlands. Learn
why wetlands are important, who lives
there, & how to conserve water. Free at
Mitchell Lake AC. Reply:210-628-1639.
July 8 — 10am-noon. CSI for Animals:
Learn to identify animals by their tracks,
scat, & other signs: Medina River Nat-
ural Area Second Saturday program
presented by Judit Green, TPWD Urban
Biologist. RSVP: 210-624-2575.
JulyHeron21-Lake 23State
— Osprey
Park To HaveFestival. Celebrate
First Annual Osprey Festival
theIn 1990,
life aofpioneer
thispair
easy-to-observe
of Ospreys established a nest raptor.
in the Heron Lake
State Park area. Since then, the nesti ng pairs have grown to fifteen. Each
Since
summer a it ispioneer
our pleasure pair established
to witness return and nestingaactivities
e th nestof the
ospreys.
atAsHeron
a first-yearLake
event, it State
is our hopePark
that youin willnorthern
join us and help make the
Festival fun and rewarding for all. you If or your birding group have some-
NM, thingthe nesting
to contribute population
and would participatehas
like to grown
as presenters, vendors
to 15 pairs.educators or volunteers, contact Heron Lake State Park.
Phone 505 Want
588-7470 orto participate
e-mail in any
siscilyk.lederman@state.nm.us
way? Call 505-588-7470 or email
siscilyk.lederman@state.mn.us.
July 3 0 — 2-4pm. Mitchell Lake
Audubon Center hosts an orientation
session for its next Docent Class.
Calling all enthusiastic, energetic people
interested in hands-on education &
nature appreciation. Register at 210-
628-1639 ext.11.
August 2 — Restoration & Management
of Riparian Corridors, 8-hour profession-
al development seminar presented by
the Interagency North Texas Stream
Team. Texas A&M Univ. Laredo campus.
Info & registration: 956-794-1650 or
lbenavides@ci.laredo.tx.us.
August 5— Friedrich Wilderness Park.
1st Sat. Interpretive Walk, SA Natural
Areas. Reservations: 210-698-1057.
September 13-1 5 — Plant Conserva-
tion Conf. Espino Conf. Center, Sul
Ross Univ. Alpine. Registration required.
September 1 4 & September 1 6 — 7th
Annual South Texas Farm & Range
Forum. See page 1.
&&&
 WHAT’S HAPPENED LATELY?
Outing to the Medina River
Natural Area — April 8, 200 6
A few birders and nature lovers gath-
ered at the Medina River Natural Area
for a beautiful walk along the river.
The air was crisp; the sky was clear.
Although the area has been open only
a year, the staff has done a great job of
making the headquarters area welcom-
ing and entertaining. The shape of a
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher has been fash-
ioned in the garden outside the office
building. When you visit, please note
the progress of the garden as the bird
form is filled in with various plantings.
One of the first treats on the walk
was a Summer Tanager that sang for a
time while we tried to identify the call.
It finally revealed itself and we got the
visual I.D. In addition to the usual
Bewick’s Wren, Carolina Wren, White-
eyed Vireo, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina
Chickadee, Ruby-crowned Kinglet,
etc., we saw a Canada Warbler,
although it would not sit very still for
us to watch for long. The best bird for
me came toward the end of our walk,
though none of us could identify the
bird while we were there. After check-
ing the Thayer’s CD for North
American birds upon returning home,
I determined that the bird we heard
and saw was a Warbling Vireo.
Most of the group was introduced to
an attractive plant, the Purple Leather-
flower, which appeared often along
our path.
The Medina River Natural Area is the
only city natural area on the south side
of San Antonio, and it is a jewel for
getting out with nature on easily navi-
gated paths. — M. Lumpe
Mow It or Grow It? Here’s What
Our Panelists Said
On March 9, fifteen audience members
had a lot of questions answered at this
San Antonio Environmental Network
Public Issues Forum. Mark Peterson of
the Texas Forest Service start-
ed off the discussion by
comparing munici-
pal codes. He
noted that 10 to 15
May-July 2006
cities have identical wording in their
codes restricting the maximum height
for weeds and grass on residential lots
to 12 inches. He found no definition of
“brush” except in the San Marcos code,
which stated that vegetation under 7
feet, which was not cultivated or main-
tained, was “brush.” He stated that the
ordinance of Ann Arbor, MI, was espe-
cially good. He opined that on private
property natural succession should be
acceptable, as long as it does not pose
a problem or danger to other people.
Manuel Flores, gardening expert and
broadcaster, told a tale of code enforce-
ment run amok. A woman received a
certified letter requiring that she remove
all vegetation that exceeded the 12-
inch maximum height restriction. Her
vegetation consisted almost entirely of
potted plants selected because they
attracted butterflies and humming-
birds. However, she lived in an upscale
neighborhood and was the only person
on her block who didn’t have a green
lawn. Her water consumption was half
that of her neighbors, and she didn’t
need to use pesticides.
San Antonio City Code Compliance
Department training officer, Steven
Lopez, and assistant director, Ramon
Mendez, explained that they enforced
the code but were not botanists. They
agreed that the example that Flores
gave probably should not have hap-
pened and recommended that if a per-
son has such an incident to be sure to
contact a supervisor to try to resolve it.
Mendez explained the recent “Mow it
– don’t grow it” billboard campaign,
funded by a year’s grant. The top five
calls into the 311 phone line are for
vacant lots, abandoned vehicles, front-
yard parking, storage, and unkempt
property. After the billboards were in
place, the 311 calls plummeted; the
program was considered to be an effec-
tive way to inform citizens of their
responsibilities.
An earlier
observation was
that the
Municipal Code
and the Landscape
Ordinance were not
4 Bexar Tracks
consistent. Mendez explained that the
Code covers private residential proper-
ties while the Landscape Ordinance
pertains only to commercial property.
Lopez then gave some definitions of
words used in the Code. A “weed” is
defined as uncultivated vegetation or a
plant taller than 12-inches that is other
than a tree. A plant is considered
brush, rather than a tree, as long as the
trunk diameter is less than 2 inches.
Lopez said that a majority of a proper-
ty can be wildscaped but must have
compliance for sighting and safety.
Judit Green, Texas Parks and Wildlife
Urban Biologist, presented information
on the Wildscape Program. One of the
resistances to wildscaping is the expec-
tation that natural landscapes are
havens for rats, snakes, and mosqui-
toes. However, in a legal case, City of
New Berlin v. Hagar, it was proven than
a meadow does not attract rats.
Animals are more attracted by pet and
bird food and garbage. Also, since
native vegetation absorbs water more
effectively than typical exotics, a wild-
scape would be much more likely to
reduce mosquitoes than breed them.
Richard Alles, Citizens Tree Coalition,
encouraged adoption of more cohe-
sive, consistent, precisely worded ordi-
nances. For example, differentiate
between rank vegetation (invasive,
unmaintained) and natural native
understory. Wisconsin’s well-written
codes were offered as examples.
This excellent forum brought together
people from opposite ends of the spec-
trum, and it appeared to me that they
were listening to one another as much
the audience was. — Jill Sondeen
February 11 was a blustery, cold day
Second Saturdays
for watching birds, but 9 participants
braved the weather to attend “Winged
Adventures” presented by Patsy and
Tom Inglet. Patsy and Tom captivated
the audience with tales of bird adapta-
tions, several skulls and other resources
to examine, lessons on using binoculars,
and a discussion of responsible bird
feeding. The weather kept most of the
feathered friends away, but everyone
got to see at least a few birds and all
agreed the program was informative.

March 11 found 19 adults and 14 youth
learning about the bands of people
that inhabited central Texas from the
end of the ice age to the present. Lynn
Yakubik, Legacy Program Coordinator
at the Center for Archaeological
Research, led the audience on a virtual
tour of the lifeways of these nomadic
hunter-gatherers. She exhibited
numerous artifacts: arrow and dart
points, stone knives, lechugilla san-
dals, a rabbit stick, and preserved
remains from Columbian mammoths.
A highlight for many was to practice
using an atlatl (pronounce it “ott-lot-
tle”) — a special stick designed to pro-
pel spears. The atlatl was the primary
hunting implement until approximate-
ly 1000 years ago, when the bow and
arrow began to be used in this area.
Lynn’s information about Native
Americans in Central Texas and her
description of an archaeological dig
whetted the appetites of both young
and old amateur archaeologists. —
Thanks to Peggy Spring and our co-
sponsor SAParks & Rec Natural Areas.
&&&
Great Photos from Nature
National Audubon announced winners
of its 2005 Photo Contest. See them at
http://www.audubon.org/newswire/
Newswire_PhotoContest_05.html.
&&&
Texas Wildsc apes info: see
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntw
ild/wild/wildscapes/certification/tx
_wildscapes/#application.
Bexar Tracks
TIDBITS
L o c a l Ec o A l e r t s K ud zu
The cact us moth, an has been found
in Austin, Texas
invasive insect with a
voracious appetite
for all types of
Opuntia cactus,
especially prickly
pear, is expected to
arrive in Texas in 2007. For color pho-
tos of the bright orange and black-
banded larva, go to Google Images
and search “cactus moth.”
Formosan termites from Louisiana?
Check out these websites
for more information on
efforts under way to pre-
vent spread of Formosan
subterranean termites in
mulch from Louisiana fol-
lowing hurricanes Katrina
and Rita:
http://www.agctr.lsu.edu/en/environ-
ment/insects/Termites/formosan_ter-
mites/Efforts+under+way+to+prevent
+spread+of+Formosan+subter-
ranean+termites+in+mulch+from+Lou
isiana+follow.htm AND interesting
discussion at http://www.snopes.com/
inboxer/household/termites.asp.
&&&
Keep Active — Stay Aware
Get action alerts from National
Audubon’s Public Policy department.
Visit audubonaction@audubon.org.
&&&
Co r r e c t io n t o l a st i ssu e ’ s
U s e fu l P ho ne N u mb er s :
21 0-4 03-4 092/403 9 Texas
Commission on Environment al Quality
&&&
For your reading pleasure: rec-
ommendations of Mike Mecke:
• Trees, Shrubs and Vines of the Texas
Hill Country by Jan Wrede (Texas A&M
Press) $23.00. Good photos and info
on Hill Country & North Texas species.
• White-Tailed Deer Habitat: Ecology
and Management on Rangelands by
Timothy Fullbright & Alfonso Ortega-S.
(Texas A&M Press) $27.50. Good infor-
mation on deer biology, nutrition, and
5 May-July 2006
habitat management. Although much
concerning South Texas, info on range-
land management, nutrition, habitat
requirements, and harvest and popula-
tion management applies anywhere.
“Earth Share of Texas: One
environment. One simple
way to care for it.”
Earth Share of Texas represents
the Audubon Foundation of
Texas and the National
Audubon Society in payroll
deduction plans for charitable
giving. For information, call
800-GREENTX or e-mail
estx@earthshare-texas.org.
Th a n k s t o d o n o r s t o E a r t h S h a r e o f
Te xa s, A udubon Tex as , a nd t he
Audubon Founda tion of Te x a s f o r a
ge ner o u s gr a nt t o su p po r t our sec-
o n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l s u m m it m e e ti n g .
&&&
You D on’ t Have to Guess!
How do you know when your land-
scape needs watering?
Visit www.saws.org and
follow the Seasonal
Irrigation
Program
(SIP)
advice.
You can
register
online to receive a weekly e-mail or
phone message with SIP advice per-
sonalized for your grass type, sun
exposure, and watering day.
And remember — convert your turf-
grass to a watersaver, wildlife-friendly
landscape for even more benefits!
SAWS still offers R EBATES for water-
saver landscape conversions.
http://www.saws.org/conservation/h2
ome/landscape/index.shtml
SA VE WATER • SA VE M ON EY
P ROTECT OU R A QU I F ER S & STR E A M S
E L I M I N ATE P ESTICI DES
GIVE W I L D L I F E A H O M E
EN R ICH TH E B E AUT Y OF YOU R
G A R DEN W I T H B I R DS & B UT TER F L I ES
Bexar Tracks is the official newsletter of
the Bexar Audubon Society, a Chapter of
Bexar Audubon Society, Inc. Non-profit
Organization
P.O. Box 6084 U.S. Postage Paid
the National Audubon Society. The San Antonio, TX 78209-0084 San Antonio, TX
Chapter’s primary goals are to promote Permit #590
species and habitat conservation and envi-
ronmental education in the community.
Introductory memberships to National
Audubon Society (NAS), including a sub-
scription to Audubon magazine, are $20.
This includes membership in Bexar
Audubon, as well, and a subscription to
Bexar Tracks.
Please submit your new or gift member-
ship through Bexar Audubon, so your
entire first-year’s dues will benefit your
local chapter: Bexar Audubon.
Separate 100% deductible donations
to Bexar Audubon Society are seriously
needed to support the newsletter and
expenses related to our services to our
community. As the dues share to chapters

?
from National Audubon has been signifi-
cantly curtailed over the past several
years, your individual donations to BAS
are absolutely vital today.

A f e w q u i c k q u e s t i o n s f o r o u r r e a d e r s : The BAS Board seeks options to help bal-

ance our operating budget for Bexar Tra c ks. Please help by replying to this survey by phone: 210-862-1150 (you can
leave your answers on voice mail) or e-mail to editor@bexaraudubon.org. 1. Do you know that Bexar Tra c ks is
already posted on the Bexar Audubon website: www.bexaraudubon.org? 2. Would or could you receive Bexar Tra c ks
electronically as a .pdf file? 3. Would you find it more or less useful to you or no different? 4. If published only on the
website, would you want e-mail notification when a new Bexar Tra c ks is posted? 5. Would you want other information
and/or action alerts by e-mail? 6. Should we seek related advertising or underwriting to help support Bexar Tra c ks?

ACTION ALERT • CONTACT S.A. CITY COUNCIL

BEFORE MAY 11 • SAVE THE TREE PRESERVA-
TION ORDINANCE • PROTECT UNDERSTORY

Please call or e-mail Here’s how to contact

San Antonio’s Mayor and City Council San Antonio City Council
right away. On May 11 Council may
consider revisions that WEAKEN the Mayor’s office: 210-207-7060
Treee Preservation Ordinance. mayor@sanantonio.gov
Attend the Council meeting if you can.
For more information on the ordinance Council offices: 210-207-7040
and proposed amendments, see district##@sanantonio.gov
http://www.treecoalition.org/amend.htm (where ## is the district: 01-10)

MEMBERSHIP & SUPPORT FORM Name:

(list gifts on another sheet, please): Mailing address:
Mail to BAS at the address above. City/State: ZIP CODE:________________
Make your check payable to AC/Phone:
“Bexar Audubon Society” E-mail: Check here to opt out of other mailings______

$20 individual/couple membership - $15 seniors/full-time students: $________ • Your additional support for BAS $_______
May-July 2006 6 Bexar Tracks