Jan-Feb 2008.

qxp:Jul 97 issue 12/10/07 11:39 AM Page 1

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 XXVI, No. 1

in the community.
January-February 2008

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

Thursday, January 10•6:30PM gathering; 6:45 announcements; 7:00 program

Trinity University Cowles Life Sciences Building, Room 149 (see map, p. 4) •Free; open to the public
The Envision Process
Something different: a program less about “what” and
more about “how to.” It will be of special interest to
people who are or wish to become active in conserva-
tion efforts.
Peter Bella, director of the Natural Resources
Department of AACOG (Alamo Area Council of
Governments), will explain how the “Envision” process
can be used to set the course for local conservation
and environmental protection.
The goal of Envision is to bring community stakehold-
ers together in a wide-area visioning process that yields
a clear, citizen-led focus on community needs and
resources. It is a democratic, collaborative process used
around the country. It can embrace a wide array of
quality-of-life indicators, e.g., the economy, employ-
well as culture, recreation, growth, health, social envi-
ronment, natural resources, and the natural environ-
ment. The results can often leverage funding from
public and private sources, too.
Peter has spent nine years with AACOG. As director of
the Natural Resources Department, he provides strate-
gic planning, targeting air-quality improvements within
the AACOG region. He also presents widely before local
elected officials and the general public in order to
familiarize them with the air-quality work of the depart-
ment and the clean-air challenges faced by those living
in the San Antonio region. He also researches legal and
technical aspects of federal and state statutes related
to air quality.
Peter holds a BS in Physics, magna cum laude, and an

Saturday, February 16, 9:30am – 12 noon

ment, education, public safety, and government, as MS in Mathematics, both from UTSA.

Winter Walk at Crownridge Canyon Natural Area

Join Patty Leslie Pasztor for a leisurely hike at this won- the trailhead pavilion. For reservations and questions,
derful Natural Area in Northwest San Antonio. We will call (210)837-0577.
look for birds and animal signs and do some winter Directions: take Interstate Highway 10 west about 1/2
tree I.D. This is San Antonio’s first Natural Area devel- mile past Loop 1604. Take exit 554 for Camp Bullis
oped as part of the Edwards Aquifer Protection initia- Road. Two miles down the access road, take a left onto
tive. The 200-acre preserve has hiking trails through a Camp Bullis Road. Proceed under the interstate and
variety of habitats. Features include a canopy-level continue heading west on Camp Bullis Road. After 1.6
bridge overlook, beautiful forested canyon bottoms, miles, take a right on Luskey Blvd. Crown Ridge Canyon
hillside vistas, and restored grasslands. We will meet at Natural Area is on the right.
There will be no program meeting in February. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Judit Gowen, Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. Urban Biologist, speaks on Wildscaping March 13.
Trinity biologist Dr. Kelly Lyons will speak on exotic/invasive plant species April 10.
May 8 falls during Trinity’s final exams, so our May meeting (the final one until fall)
will be held on Thursday, May 15.
Jan-Feb 2008.qxp:Jul 97 issue 12/10/07 11:40 AM Page 2
The 11th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count
February 15-18, 2008
“Count for Fun; Count for the Future”
The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-
day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in count-
ing birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds
are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from
beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15
minutes. It’s free, fun, and easy — and it helps the birds.
Participants count birds anywhere for as little or as long
as they wish during the four-day period. They tally the high-
est number of birds of each species seen together at any
one time. To report their counts, they fill out an online
checklist at the Great Backyard Bird Count web site.
As the count progresses, anyone with Internet access can
explore what is being reported from their own towns or
anywhere in the United States and Canada. They can also
see how this year's numbers compare with those from pre-
vious years. Participants may also send in photographs of
the birds they see. A selection of images is posted in the
online photo gallery.
In 2007, participants reported a record-breaking 11 million
birds of 616 species. They submitted more than 80,000
checklists, an all-time record for the ten years of the count.
Bexar Tracks
Photo by Ardith Bondi of New York,
who was witness to this confronta-
tion between an immature Red-
tailed Hawk and a gray squirrel.
Both came out of the encounter
unscathed. Winner in the Behavior
category of the 2007 Great
Backyard Bird Count photo contest.
Everything you need to know is on
the GBBC web site:
www.birdsource.org/gbbc/
• How to participate
• What 2007 participants have to say
• A special page for kids
• Science stories
• Gallery of remarkable participant
photos like the one at left
• Online Bird Guide
• Birding Tools
• Bird-Feeding Tips
• Audubon WatchList
• Top 10 Birds for 2007 GBBC
• GBBC Slideshow with Top-10 Birds
Why Count Birds?
Scientists and bird enthusiasts can learn a lot by knowing
where the birds are. Bird populations are dynamic; they are
constantly in flux. No single scientist or team of scientists
could hope to document the complex distribution and
movements of so many species in such a short time.
We nee d y our he lp. Make sure the birds from your com-
munity are well represented in the count. It doesn’t matter
whether you report the 5 species coming to your backyard
feeder or the 75 species you see during a day’s outing to a
wildlife refuge.
The All About Birds web site provides photos, sounds,
maps, and information about birds:
www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/
For help in distinguishing similar-looking species, visit the
GBBC page on tricky IDs:
www.birdsource.org/gbbc/learning/trickyIDs
Want to photograph birds? Get advice from the experts at:
www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/bp
The GBBC is a joint project of the Cornell Laboratory of
Ornithology and Audubon.
2 January-February 2008
Jan-Feb 2008.qxp:Jul 97 issue 12/10/07
News & Information
Birds: Bellwethers of Watershed
Health — Lynne Trulio, PhD from
San Jose State University, is author
of an educational module on this
topic: www.epa.gov/watertrain/birds/
Because they respond to basic
changes in landscape and habitat
condition, birds can be good indi-
cators of watershed health. Birds
are also well-studied and very pop-
ular with the public. This module
introduces how birds respond to
changes in watersheds and how
landscape conditions can be man-
aged to help birds and improve
overall watershed health. Many of
this module’s photos and graphics
were provided courtesy of the
American Bird Conservancy’s mag-
azine Bird Conservation.
It’s excellent information, nicely
presented, and worth your perusal.
Gardening for Birds — For some
interesting ideas, take a look at:
www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_wildlife_bir
ds/article/0,,HGTV_3652_4409419,
00.html
Very Merry Berries for the Birds!
— Many good trees and shrubs pro-
vide pretty and good-eating berries
for wildlife — American beautyberry,
crabapple, pyracanthia, agarita, etc.
Check your local Extension office or
Horticulture websites, and
www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_trees_shrubs
_fruit/article/0,,HGTV_3647_336631
5,00.html
Field Guide to the World’s Birds —
www.flickr.com/groups/birdguide/pool/
Beginning Birding — Involved in
teaching youngsters how to bird or
want to learn more about the
sport? Check out Texas Parks and
Wildlife’s web pages.
www.tpwd.state.tx.us/adv/birding/
beginbird/beginbird.htm
It Could Happen — According to
the New York Times (12/9/07),
2008 may offer a rare spring
bloom in California’s Death Valley,
January-February 2008
11:40 AM Page 3
the result of an unusually wet fall.
Death Valley is home to more than
1,000 species of wildflowers. For a
peek at the last such incident, see:
http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/gu
ides/north-america/united-
states/california/death-valley-
national-park/overview.html
The Yangtze River dolphin, the
baiji, is now considered to be
extinct, according to an article by
Greg Bungo:
www.guardian.co.uk/environment/
2007/aug/08/endangeredspecies.
conservation
“Conservationists described the
extinction as a ‘shocking tragedy’…
caused not by active persecution
but accidentally and carelessly
through a combination of factors
including unsustainable fishing and
mass shipping.” In other words, too
many people were living their lives
on or near the habitat of the baiji.
This is hardly a surprise in badly
overpopulated China. We can cer-
tainly expect more episodes like
this in overpopulated India, as well
as China.
Effective household cleaning
products — A number of “green”
cleansers are available today, made
without the petrochemicals, chlo-
rine, phosphates, and other toxins
in many cleaning products. Go to:
www.newdream.org/consumer/cle
aners.php for a list.
Make your own cleansers with sim-
ple ingredients such as vinegar and
baking soda. Studies have shown
that a 5 percent solution of vinegar
kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 per-
cent of mold, and 80 percent of
germs (viruses). Dissolve 2 table-
spoons of vinegar in 2 cups of
water to create a basic household
cleanser. For more tips see:
http://www.care2.com/greenliving
/make-your-own-non-toxic-clean-
ing-kit.html and search
3 Bexar Tracks
www.care2.com for additional tips.
Children are particularly vulnerable
to the effects of products used in
the home and school. New York
became the first state to institute
green-cleaning legislation requiring
all schools and government agen-
cies to use environmentally benign
cleansers. Read more about this at
www.emsc.nysed.gov/facplan/gree
nclean.htm
Submit questions about consumer
choices and their environmental
effects to cblayer@audubon.org at
“Ask Audubon.”
The Birdhouse Network: A Decade
of Dedication — If you’re looking
for a new way to indulge your pas-
sion for birds, consider joining The
Birdhouse Network, a citizen-sci-
ence project of the Cornell Lab of
Ornithology. Participants put up
nest boxes and record information
once or twice a week about what
the birds are doing. Over the past
10 years, participants have submit-
ted nearly 70,000 records detailing
when birds build their nests, how
many eggs they lay, and when the
fledglings take their first flights.
These efforts have helped expand
scientific knowledge about
Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, House
Wrens, and other cavity-nesters.
People of all ages and skill levels
can be part of The Birdhouse
Network. To sign up or find out
more, visit the project's web site:
www.birds.cornell.edu/birdhouse, or
call (800) 843-2473. The project fee
is $15 ($12 for Lab members).
Purple Martin Time! — It’s time to
think about welcoming Purple
Martins late January or early
Febraury. New colonies may be
started later into the year, too. For
information, housing, tips, and
more, see the Purple Martin
Conservation Association’s website:
www.purplemartin.org/
Jan-Feb 2008.qxp:Jul 97 issue 12/10/07 11:40 AM Page 4

M a p to Cowl es L if e Sci ences Buil ding, Tri ni t y Univ e rs i ty, wes t of Hi ghwa y 281 El Cielo Nature Festival — A sus-
tainable development project in the
Biosphere Reserve — the forest in
the clouds in Northeast Mexico.
Register Online:
www.elcielofestival.com
Come meet the local guides and

Chapman
Library Laurie
help preserve this wonderful area.
Na t ur e Fes t i v al (4th Annual)
Cowles February 28 – March 2, 2008.
Both events will be hosted at
Ciudad Mante, Tamaulipas. All
Cowles is just uphill from the Laurie Auditorium
and between the Library and the Chapman
inclusive festival package trips will
Graduate Center. Park by the Laurie or in be departing from McAllen, Texas.
lots or on streets to the west. Handicapped
parking is across from Cowles. Enter from
Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary will
Oakmont or Rosewood. Call Patty for addition- host a Chapter Workshop, “Taking
al directions (210)824-1235 or see additional
map at bexaraudubon.org/map.jpg
Action for Birds in a Changing
Climate,” March 14, in conjunction
with the 2008 Audubon Rivers and
W h o ’ s W h a t ? a n d h o w t o c o nt a c t t he m Wildlife Celebration in Kearney,
Pr es i dent & W ebmas ter, Harry Noyes — 210-490-3124 —
harrynoyes@satx.rr.com Nebraska. For more information see
Tr ea s u r er, Ca r y l Swa nn — 210-653-2860 — cjswann1@earthlink.net www.audubon.org/local/index.html.
Secr eta r y, A n i ta A n der s on — 210-533-8726 — ajandrsn@sbcglobal.net The Rivers and Wildlife
A t - l a r ge: K a r a R y f — 503-803-2856 — kararyf@hotmail.com Celebration centers on the annual
A my L . W hi t ley — 210-340-0114 — nueces66@yahoo.com Sandhill crane (and Whooping
K at h y Ik er d — kathy@wordwright.com crane) migration — one of the nat-
ural wonders of the world. (Editor’s
Edi t or, Sus a n Hugh es — 210-532-2032 — editor@bexaraudubon.org
note: If you’ve never witnessed it,
Pr o gr a ms /Ou ti n gs , Pa tt y Pas z t o r—210-824-1235 — don’t wait another year!)
pasztor@ix.netcom.com
A new booklet is available, “Bat
Earth Share of Texas raises money for environmen-
Watching Sites of Texas,” produced
tal and conservation organizations through workplace San Antonio by TPWD in partnership with the Bat
giving. If your employer participates in such pro- Audubon Viewing Sites Forum coalition of
grams, please ask them (if they don’t already) to add Beginners partners. The booklet covers basic
Earth Share to your giving options. By designating the Birdwalk — Each information about free-tailed bats,
Audubon Foundation of Texas (AFT), Bexar Audubon Second Saturday of plus bat-watching etiquette for the
Society can benefit. BAS receives credit for our sup- the month at 8am. public. It includes maps and infor-
port — getting the word out and promoting participa- Begins at the Judson mation about 10 established sites
tion. Then BAS receives funding annually from AFT. Nature Trails House across Texas where people can wit-
Want more info? 1-800-GREENTX, ESTX@earthshare- next to the Alamo ness evening bat emergences from
texas.org, or www.earthshare-texas.org Heights Swimming caves, tunnels, and highway bridges.
Pool on Viesca St. The booklet is available for $2 at any
Info at (210)342- of the bat-watching sites, or people
2073. Binoculars can order it by sending a check for
available to lend. $2 made to “Texas Nongame Fund,”
mailed to Wildlife Diversity Program,
Report your bird Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,
sightings to San 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX
Antonio Audubon 78744.
Society’s Birdline at More information about free-tailed
(210)308-6788. bats is on the TPWD web site:
www.saaudubon.org www.tpwd.state.tx.us

Bexar Tracks 4 January-February 2008

Jan-Feb 2008.qxp:Jul 97 issue 12/10/07
First Saturday Walks, 9-11am
The first Saturday of each month,
the San Antonio Natural Areas
Program of the San Antonio Parks
and Recreation Department holds
a natural and cultural history inter-
pretive walk at one of the Natural
Areas. Contact (210)564-6400 for
the schedule, locations, and reser-
vations. $2 per person donation
suggested. Limited to 15 persons
per hike.
J an ua r y 5 — Friedrich Wilderness
Park, 12603 West Ave.
Febr uar y 2 — Eisenhower Park,
19399 NW Military Dr.
Second Saturday Programs at
Eisenhower Park
Co-sponsored by SA Parks and
Recreation Natural Areas Program
and Bexar Audubon. Reservations
required; details occasionally
change. Call (210)564-6400. $3
each or $5 per family donation
suggested.www.sanaturalareas.org
Eisenhower Park, Harris (Mass
Pavilion), 19399 NW Military Hwy.
Take FM 1535/Military Hwy exit off
Loop 1604 on the city’s northwest
side. Go north on FM 1535/Military
Hwy for 2 miles. Park entrance is
on the left, just before Camp
Bullis. Program is in the large
gated pavilion.
January 12 — Bare Branches —
10am-12 noon — Go for a walk with
city forester, Michael Nentwich, to
explore our trees in winter. Learn
how they can be used in urban situ-
ations and begin to think about trees
you may want to plant in your yard
this year.
February 9 — The PEAK, Promoting
Environmental Awareness in Kids,
program — 9am-12 noon (designed
for children 8-12 years) is the result
of a partnership between the Leave
No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics
and REI (Recreation Equipment
Incorporated) and is designed to
January-February 2008
11:40 AM Page 5
Events
educate children about the outdoors
and responsible enjoyment of our
shared public lands. www.lnt.org
Mitchell Lake Audubon Center
10750 Pleasanton Road, San
Antonio, TX 78221, (210)628-1639
www.mitchelllakeaudubon.org
News: BAS Board member Kara Ryf
is the new docent and volunteer
coordinator at Mitchell Lake
Audubon Center.
MLAC has received funding from
the City of San Antonio and the
Kronkosky Charitable Foundation
for the construction of an ADA-
accessible outdoor-education pavil-
ion that will increase capacity to
accommodate more school and
community programs. It will have
covered seating and additional
restrooms. Work is also near com-
pletion on an outdoor amphitheatre
donated by KB Homes that will pro-
vide open-air theatre seating adja-
cent to the visitor center as well as
picnic areas.
2008 Docent Training for the
Mitchell Lake Audubon Center
Come on Saturday, January 5 from
2-4pm for a Docent Orientation
Meeting at the Mitchell Lake
Audubon Center, 10750 Pleasanton
Road (exit 46 from IH-410 Loop).
MLAC is seeking individuals who
are enthusiastic and energetic
about nature and wish to instill this
appreciation through education.
Orientation will provide information
about the MLAC Docent Program
and an opportunity to meet staff
5 Bexar Tracks
and see the site! Refreshments will
be provided.
The Training Program will take place
Saturdays beginning on January 12.
Cost: $35.00 per person. For more
information please contact the
Visitor’s Center (210) 628-1639.
February 14-16 — 4th
International Partners in Flight
Conference — McAllen Convention
Center. Registration information at:
https://pif.secure.mpcstudios.com/
Specials
February14-16 — Texas Chapter
of the Wildlife Society — San
Antonio. February 13 —
Population-estimation workshop.
www.tctws.org
February 14-16 — 8th Annual
Brownsville International Birding
& Nature Festival — Offers birders
and other nature lovers a complete
program of field trips, seminars,
and other events that explore the
biodiversity of South Texas and
Northern Mexico.
www.brownsville.org
February 22-24 — Annual
Celebration of Whooping Cranes
and Other Birds — Port Aransas.
Birding tours by land and sea,
seminars by world-renowned
speakers, free juried nature-related
trade show (completely revamped
this year with a wide selection of
optics, paintings, photography, and
one-of-a-kind gift items for the
nature lover in all of us).
Other activities include tours of the
Animal Rehabilitation Keep at The
University of Texas Maine Science
Institute, photography workshops,
and field trip. the International
Crane Foundation’s International
Children’s Art Exhibit, annual
beach dash, and much more.
www.portaransas.org/cranes.html
March 27-29 — Texas Tropics
Nature Festival — McAllen.
www.mcallencvb.com
May 15-18 — Dragonfly Days —
Weslaco.
www.valleynaturecenter.org
Jan-Feb 2008.qxp:Jul 97 issue 12/10/07 11:40 AM Page 6

The Unexpected President

In my first column, in the November-
December issue, I noted that Bexar
Audubon seeks better ways to create a
“culture of conservation,” i.e., a society
in which conservation is an assumption
rather than an afterthought, in every
governmental and business decision
process.
I also suggested that Bexar Audubon
can best succeed by being a goal-orient-
ed, realistic organization. In short, we
must face obstacles and problems forth-
rightly, not ignore them. At the same
time, we must engage those obstacles
and problems with determination and
intelligence, not surrender to them. And
we must honor our chapter’s reputation
as a moderate, constructive organization.
With those underlying values in mind,
let’s look at what we mean by “finding
better ways.” In briefest terms, we want
to stop chasing after stampeding issues
and instead head them off at the pass.
In other words, let’s be more “strategic.”
We want to minimize exhausting,
never-ending political battles over per-
mits, zonings, ordinances, development
plans, utility lines, etc. Of course, some
such fights are unavoidable. But as a
realistic organization, we know we are
unlikely to win the war for conservation
by fighting endless skirmishes against
determined, well-funded interests. That
will only burn out our people.
What then is the alternative? The alterna-
tive is to be imaginatively goal-oriented,
i.e., to identify creative, win-win ideas the roofs and/or walls of buildings. The
whose results will outweigh all of those gardens help to insulate the buildings,
petty squabbles. cutting utility costs, but also bring wide
Win-win ideas must offer prompt con- benefits to the city as a whole: air
servation benefits for everyone. They purification, tempering the heat-island
must be appealing or at least acceptable effect, etc. (And potentially offering
to business, preferably by creating tourist-luring vistas, roof-top bistros
money-making opportunities. At the and boutiques, etc.) It’s a win-win
very least, their costs must be reason- because business reaps immediate bene-
able and fairly shared. They must gore fits from utility savings and attracting
no one’s sacred oxen. And they should customers. It’s scalable. Whether one
help build a foundation of trust, coop- business or a hundred or a thousand do
eration, and good will between business it, at any level it has some value.
and conservationists/environmentalists. Mayor Phil Hardberger laid a founda-
One example of a win-win strategy is tion for this initiative when he signed
the Prop 1/Prop 3 programs to protect the Sierra Club’s “Cool Cities” procla-
land over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge mation. Now an energetic young leader,
Zone by taxing everyone at a modest Mario Obledo, is organizing a non-
rate and buying the land from willing profit group to foster green roofs. Bexar
sellers. Another is WildFest San Antonio, Audubon plans to work with Mario to
in which the Tourism Council and con- kick-start the program by hosting a
servation groups are cooperating to one-day green-roof workshop for archi-
build a world-class annual festival with tects, builders, government officials, and
both ecotourism and education benefits. business owners. Reflecting the syner-
(See article on page 7.) gism this strategy offers, our workshop
will take place Friday, May 2, as one of
Finally, Bexar Audubon is working on a
the first events in the 2008 edition of
third win-win idea. I like to call it “The
WildFest San Antonio.
Hanging Gardens of Bejar,” to empha-
size the tourism potential. So far that’s Be looking for more information on
not catching on. What does have our workshop in coming months. For
momentum is the underlying idea: now, I urge all BAS members to put
bringing to San Antonio a concept that their thinking caps on and come up
has been very successful in some other with more win-win conservation ideas
cities, such as Chicago, namely the that Bexar Audubon can pursue in
“green-roof/green-wall” concept. future years.
This embodies installing live gardens on — Harry Noyes

Master Naturalist Program Seeks Applicants
Chapters of the Texas Master Naturalist program are
conducting spring training classes for volunteers wanti-
ng to learn about natural resource and conservation
management. With 41 chapters located across the
state, the program aims to develop a corps of well-
informed citizen volunteers who educate their com-
munities about the management of natural resources.
The main qualification needed to become a
Certified Texas Master Naturalist is an interest in
learning and in playing an active part in conserva-
tion. Volunteers receive a minimum of 40 hours
training from educators and specialists from places
such as universities, natural resource agencies,
nature centers, and museums.
Bexar Tracks
Training topics include interpretation and management
of natural resources, ecological concepts, eco-regions
in Texas, and natural systems management. Volunteers
are expected to give 40 hours of service a year in
community education, demonstration, and habitat
enhancement projects and are also expected to pur-
sue a minimum of eight hours of advanced training in
areas of personal interest.
Alamo Area Chapter classes start February 28 with
applications accepted until February 1. For informa-
tion phone (210) 842-7967 or email:
pball0908@earthlink.net
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas
Cooperative Extension co-sponsor the Texas Master
Naturalist Program.
6 January-February 2008
Jan-Feb 2008.qxp:Jul 97 issue 12/10/07
Events & News
Stewardship Earth & Wildfest
San Antonio 2008
We have a special Spring season on
the way, with two major conservation-
related events Bexar Audubon Society
members should be sure to support
and to enjoy. While they may seem
quite different, we encourage you to
think of them as a package and to
“save the date” for both.
First comes Stewardship Earth
Weekend, April 18-20. This is a multi-
faith celebration of God’s creation for
those who believe the environment is
a blessing from God and it is man’s
duty to safeguard that treasure even as If you have friends who want to visit SA cranes were documented on
we benefit from the use of its fruits.
Stewardship Earth 2008 is scheduled
just before Earth Day on April 22.
Throughout the weekend, on their vari- We urge you to see this as a pack-
ous holy days, the many faiths of San
Antonio will pursue a common, con-
centrated focus on the stewardship of
the Earth, through bulletin inserts,
prayers, homilies, and religious-school do the same.
classes to remind their members that
we have a duty to save God’s creation,
the world’s beauty and resources, for
God’s children of the future.
We urge Bexar Audubon members to
participate at their houses of worship.
If you aren’t sure your congregation
will participate, ask. If need be, encour- weekend.
age your leaders to join in and then
work to help them organize the event. Whooping Crane Numbers Break year, so we’re on the right track.”
For more information, visit:
www.solarsanantonio.org/Stewardship
Earth.htm
Just two weeks later comes our com-
munity’s civic celebration of Nature,
WildFest San Antonio, May 2-4.
The first WildFest occurred last May, an
event of historical significance. For the
first time, the San Antonio business
community and the San Antonio envi-
ronmental/conservation community
worked together on a major initiative
to boost nature tourism and nature
education. The roster of events was
world-class, ranging from excursions to
the Bracken Cave bat emergence to
birding tours at Mitchell Lake, seminars
on nature photography, and native
plants. Clearly San Antonio can com-
pete with the country’s best festivals,
as far as activities and leaders.
WildFest combines a nature-tourism
goal and a local nature-education goal.
January-February 2008
11:40 AM Page 7
The events are attractive to both audi- AUSTIN, Texas — Wildlife scientists
ences and the availability of events is reported December 3 that for the
ample to serve both audiences. We fifth year in a row a record-breaking
urge you to put WildFest on your calen- number of whooping cranes —
dar, both as volunteers to lead activities
or to assist with administrative support
257— had completed their winter
migration to the Coastal Bend of
and as participants, to learn from and
enjoy the activities that appeal to you. Texas. The previous record was 237
You can track WildFest plans over the
during last year’s Winter. Experts
coming months by checking out the predicted more were on the way,
WildFest website at raising the estimated flock size to
www.wildfestsanantonio.com 261, according to National Whoop-
Plans are to add online registration to ing Crane Coordinator Tom Stehn.
make it easier to reserve early for Whoopers have also expanded their
one’s preferred activities. range. This year a record-high 82
this year, urge them to come during Matagorda Island, a record 13 on
this special weekend and participate in the Lamar Peninsula, and the 31
WildFest activities. cranes at Welder Flats tie the previ-
ous record high there.
age…be inspired by God’s love for
nature during Stewardship Earth 2008, Whoopers have also settled on pri-
then by nature itself at WildFest. vate lands, such as San Jose Island
Encourage your fellow worshippers to and the Lamar Peninsula, and pri-
vate landowners are also playing a
significant role by providing flock
And by the way, use both of these
events to promote family togetherness. activity updates and observations.
After worshipping together on “We’ve passed the highest number
Stewardship Earth weekend, take your we've seen since counts began in
children or grandchildren to a few of
the many fun and educational events
1937,” said Lee Ann Johnson Linam,
being offered on WildFest San Antonio TPWD wildlife biologist. “The good
— Harry Noyes news is that for the last several
years we’ve set a new record each
Record Fifth Year In A Row Whooping cranes have been on the
endangered species list since
1970, when only 56 birds sur-
vived in the wild in a flock that
wintered in Texas and nested in
Canada. That flock passed the
100-bird mark in 1986 and the
200-bird mark in 2004. Texas
continues to play a key role in
the survival and recovery of this
endangered species, and today
the flock that winters in Texas
continues to be the only self-
sustaining wild population in the
world.
Additional information about
whooping cranes and how to
see them may be found at the
TPWD web site:
www.epa.gov/espp/poster/crane.htm www.tpwd.state.tx.us
7 Bexar Tracks
Jan-Feb 2008.qxp:Jul 97 issue 12/10/07 11:40 AM Page 8

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January-February 2008 8 Bexar Tracks