The

Naturalist Celebrating 40 Years of Conservation

Houston Audubon Celebrates Forty Years in Conservation! September/October 2009 by Gina Donovan, Executive Director

Contents: s I sit in my office looking into the canopy organizational committee’s primary purpose for of water , mulberry, elm, and beyond forming the Audubon Society was “… A New Look for the into the endless blue sky, I ponder what to strengthen the conservation effort in the Gulf Houston Audubon Logo . . . 2. A it must have been like for the astronauts aboard Coast area,” as was stated in a preliminary news the Apollo 11 to walk on the moon. It was forty release dated January 28, 1969. The release also License Plate ...... 2. years ago, July 20, 1969, when Neil Armstrong mentioned, “We need only to consider air and High Island Spring 2009 . . . . . 3. spoke those famous words “…one small water pollution, Galveston Bay, the , step for man…one giant leap for and the plight of the Attwater Prairie Chicken & Bottomlands ...... 3. mankind.” It took visionaries to realize that major conservation issues eight years of hard work surround us.” Young Professionals ...... 4. and determination to With support and cooperation realize that phenomenal from Houston’s Outdoor Nature Species Profile victory – men on the moon. Club, invitations to Houston Audubon’s first Swallow-tailed Kite ...... 5. Roughly two months after NASA put men on organizational meeting were sent far and wide. Bolivar Restoration Projects . . . 6. the moon, another phenomenal victory took Among those responding was U.S. Senator Ralph flight. On September 24, 1969, The Houston W. Yarborough. The Senator wired a telegram on Swift Night Out ...... 7. Audubon Society was formed by a dedicated February 5, 1969, the date of the meeting, wishing group of eighteen men and women who saw success for the initial meeting and continued Fall Education Programs . . . . . 7. the need for environmental education for youth “success in your endeavors toward conservation of and environmental advocacy for wildlife habitat. our vital natural environment.” Like NASA, Houston Audubon is celebrating its continued on page 2 forty-year anniversary! The eighteen member Membership Meetings

Place: United Way Center in this effort. Industry from Dow Chemical to 50 Waugh Drive Reliant Energy has also been supportive. Here is Time: 7:00 p .m . Social an opportunity to see and hear specifically the 7:30 p .m . Meeting details of this habitat/conservation effort. His talk will highlight the importance of the Columbia September 9, 2009 Bottomlands Forest to migratory birds and other The Columbia Bottomlands wildlife as well as the Bottomland Forest’s unique Speaker: Mike Lange features, importance, and the efforts to preserve it. Ospreys: MarkOspreys: Bartosik Michael Lange is October 14, 2009 a Wildlife Biologist with the U.S. Documentary Field Photography: published, and he will include quite a few photos Fish and Wildlife Osprey Quest & Other Bird Behaviors that will show the audience how truly important Service. Mike has Speaker: Mark Bartosik photography is when conducting field research. been the lead Award-winning photographer Mark Bartosik’s He will also present illustrations of unknown for acquisition motto is: ”… In my time, I fill up the space or poorly known bird behaviors. For another of the Columbia around me with beautiful animals’ worlds and opportunity to hear Mark, please note that he will st Bottomlands and try to document both the unusual behavior also be the speaker at the October 21 HANPA pulling together and the natural beauty of the specimens as program (see p. 5). the various groups to help acquire they pass through their time on Earth.” By the Find out more about our speakers and their progams land. Houston Audubon, Gulf Coast Bird time of our meeting, Mark’s paper about Osprey as well as links to resources for further information at Observatory, and the Ornithological behavior (including several unknown behaviors www.houstonaudubon.org Society have been dedicated participants documented in photographs) should be already Vol . 28, No . 5 September/October 2009 Houston Audubon Celebrates 40 Years in Conservation (continued from page 1) Houston Audubon Society is a chapter of the National Audubon Society Senator Yarborough also stated, “Texas with educational, scientific, literary, historical, and BOARD OF DIRECTORS more species of wild birds than any other state charitable purposes; to provide education PRESIDENT Jim Winn in the union particularly needs an organization and instruction in natural science through PAST PRESIDENT Joy Hester of interested persons to give coordination and nature walks, field trips, and seminars, both PRESIDENT-ELECT Mary Carter direction in the fight to preserve these species, to its members and through programs in the CORPORATE SECRETARY Judith Boyce and the other natural resources with which public school system; to create awareness TREASURER Andrew Lopez Texas is blessed.” of conservation problems and to explore DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE solutions for said problems; to promote John Bartos Ginger Coleman The organizational meeting was attended by conservation of wildlife and natural resources Lynn Forster Richard Goldfarb several local and national dignitaries. National through education, maintenance and Kathryn Hale Bernice Hotman Audubon Society’s Executive Vice-President, Ben Hulsey Jeffrey Mills management of sanctuaries and coordinated Charles H. Callison, presented a program on Geoffrey Newton Laurie Williams activity with governmental conservation the purposes, activities, and goals of National Jeffrey Woodman agencies. Audubon Society. Galveston Group A rumble of thunder awakens me from Representative: Alice Anne O’Donell About seven months later, on September 26, my journey back in time and the reality 1969, The Houston Audubon Society became BOARD OF ADVISORS of receiving a much needed rain excites official with the signature of Secretary of Gerard A. Bertrand Sara Bettencourt me. As the pitter patter of rain falls on the State Martin Dies, Jr. on the “Certificate of Peggy Boston Caroline Callery administration building, I reflect again on Claire Caudill Gary W. Clark Incorporation.” The eleven board positions Neil Armstrong’s words “…one small step Fred Collins Scott Davis were held by: Mr. Carl H. Aiken, Mr. Dirk for man…one giant leap for mankind.” If Victor Emanuel Ted Eubanks, Jr. Hagemeyer, Dr. C.E. Hall, Mrs. J.W. “Terry” it weren’t for the visionaries of Houston Julia Garrett Stephen Gast Hershey, Mrs. Norma Oates, Mr. Harvey Patton Audubon forty years ago, where would our Gene Graham Terry Hershey (Chairman), Dr. T.E. Pulley, Mr. W.G. Scheibe, Dr. Ford Hubbard, III Ann Wier Jones environment be? Indeed, one small step for Mary Sears, Dr. Margaret P. Sullivan, and Mr. Mavis P. Kelsey, Jr. Robert McFarlane Houston Audubon’s organizational committee Armand Yramategui. Jeff Mundy Donal C. O’Brien, Jr. and one giant leap for birds and wildlife Heidi Rockecharlie Rob Rowland Today, Houston Audubon operates basically on habitat. Andrew Sansom Steve Smith the same values and purposes established by Kathryn Smyth James R. Stewart, Jr. its founding fathers which were: to promote Lucie Wray Todd John L. Whitmire Lettalou Whittington STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Gina Donovan A New Look for the Houston Audubon Logo SANCTUARY MANAGER Winnie Burkett SR. SANCTUARY STEWARD Flo Hannah SANCTUARY STEWARD Andrew Beck ith this issue of The Naturalist, Houston a preserve, protecting habitat for the Yellow- EDUCATION DIRECTOR Mary Anne Weber WAudubon is happy to unveil our new throated Warbler and many other species. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATOR Vicki Vroble logo. The Yellow-throated Warbler was chosen As we work to protect birds and wildlife COMMUNITY RELATIONS DIRECTOR Robin Leonard in 1988 to be Houston Audubon’s insignia bird. habitat, we currently face new and ongoing COMMUNITY RELATIONS ASSOCIATE Andrea Ritchie Ted Eubanks, who was serving as President, CONTROLLER Barbara Thompson challenges to responsibly regulate wind energy, wrote in his introduction to the logo, “In the OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Juanita Perkins develop long-range sustainability solutions for past the Sycamore Warbler, now known as the the Upper Texas Coast, and many more. The CONTACT INFORMATION Yellow-throated Warbler, commonly nested Yellow-throated Warbler continues to be a very HAS Office 713-932-1639 in the broad expanses of cypress swamp that appropriate symbol for our mission. Education Office 713-640-2407 lined our bayous and bays. These swamps are FAX 713-461-2911 E-mail [email protected] now gone, victims of uncontrolled logging Galveston County Group 409-772-3126 and “reclamation”. The only significant cypress Wetland Conservation swamp that remains in our area, Lake Charlotte, AUDUBON DOCENT GUILD will be destroyed by the construction of the COORDINATOR Bethany Foshée License Plate [email protected] 713-464-4900 Wallisville Reservoir (and with it the Sycamore Warblers that still nest there).” Ducks Unlimited has created a wetland www .houstonaudubon org. conservation license plate for Texas. The proposed Wallisville Dam on the Trinity www .narba .org Proceeds help support Texas Ducks River was Houston Audubon’s first high-profile Unlimited’s efforts to conserve and restore The Naturalist is published bimonthly. advocacy position. We joined a lawsuit in 1971 Editor: Susan Billetdeaux and associated habitats for to stop the dam’s construction. An injunction A full color version of The Naturalist in PDF format wildlife. Ordering information is on our stopped construction of the project in 1973, is available on our website. website, www.houstonaudubon.org. Naturalist E-News is published monthly. but litigation continued for many years until the To receive The Naturalist by e-mail, sign up for injunction was lifted in 1987. It appeared the Naturalist E-News on our website. battle was lost, but then a magnificent pair of Bald Eagles was discovered nesting in the heart The Naturalist is made possible by a generous of the project area. As a result, a much smaller gift from Terry Hershey. reservoir was built, and thousands of acres that had been condemned were designated

2 The Naturalist • September/October 2009 High Island Spring 2009 Some birders thought that because of the hurricane the birds wouldn’t come, but the Birds & Bottomlands by Winnie Burkett, Sanctuary Manager birds didn’t know what happened. They just migrated, and when they reached the Upper Texas Coast, they looked for habitat, and we Join us for Houston Audubon’s fter Hurricane Ike came ashore on had lots of habitat ready. Birds & Bottomlands Benefit September 13, 2008, the calls started October 1, 2009 6:30 p .m . – 9:30 p .m . Spring came, and with it came the birds, coming in to the office. “Are the High at the Omni Houston Hotel A birders, and our wonderful volunteers. This Island sanctuaries still there?” “Will there be birds?” was the second year of Houston Audubon’s partnership with Tropical Birding at High The High Island sanctuaries lost trees but Island, and the partnership has been great not as many as they lost due to Hurricane fun. Tropical Birding guides spent the spring at Humberto on September 13, 2007. Of High Island, leading free bird walks in Houston course, the sanctuaries had fewer trees to Audubon sanctuaries. There were four bird lose. The trees in Boy Scout Woods were walks every day from March 28 to May 3, and hit hardest with water and hackberries they were all well attended. Having the extra down and mulberries cracked and broken. expert birders there seems to result in more

Smith Oaks lost a couple of the big oaks in unusual bird sightings and more birding Duck: Lavaty Greg Wood the picnic area, smaller oaks, and hackberries energy. throughout the woods and some limbs off the big oaks in The last couple of ouston Audubon will be honoring the middle of the years we have HOutstanding Achievement in woods. Smith Pond started the Conservation for two landscape-scale was inundated with spring with conservation projects protecting salt water, killing many consistently bottomland forest habitat in Texas. of the cypresses and strong south Honorees for the Columbia Bottomlands willows that had been winds, which project on the Upper Texas Coast include: planted along the is great for U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Fish & shore. Claybottom migrating birds Wildlife Foundation, Trust for Public Land, Pond, where the but not too good and Lucie, David, and Emily Todd. Honorees Rookery is, lost some for birders, but for the Bottomlands project in trees. Eubanks Woods that was not the include: former U.S. Congressman

and the S.E. Gast Red Joanne KamoPhoto: case this spring. Charlie Wilson, Ellen and Buddy Temple, The Bay Sanctuary lost Several Cape May Warblers were seen Cold fronts Conservation Fund, and Texas Conservation trees. As for the birds, this year at High Island regularly reached Alliance. the coast, bringing well, we didn’t see a lot We hope you will join us for cocktails, hors nice numbers of a good variety of birds. of mortality although undoubtedly there d’oeuvres, desserts, and live jazz music was some. Doves, particularly the big ones, Activity started late in the Rookery, most likely by Jazz Avenue. The silent auction will seemed to have been blown away, but due to the drought that started before Ike hit be open from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with other resident land birds were there after and stretched through the spring. Low water the award ceremony and live auction the storm, and fall migrants showed up levels in Claybottom Pond meant there was beginning at 8:00 p.m. For details about immediately. less nesting habitat, so there were fewer nests. purchasing tickets, sponsoring the event, or Professional tree crews were needed to But those nests produced good numbers of contributing an item to the auctions, please handle the big, complicated tree work at chicks. Low water also attracted a nice variety visit our website at www.houstonaudubon. High Island, and the volunteers cleaned of shorebirds. All spring Stilt Sandpipers were a org. sanctuary regular. up everything else. It was months of chain We offer special thanks to our generous sawing, hauling, and burning. Once we The most unusual bird of the spring was a sponsors: got areas cleaned up, we began replanting. Hooded Oriole that fed in Cape Honeysuckle John P. McGovern Foundation (Bald Eagle Over three hundred trees and shrubs were in a High Island neighbor’s yard. Western level); Temple-Inland (Swallow-tailed planted in the sanctuaries during the winter. Tanagers were seen on and off for several Kite level); Carolyn & Scott Davis, Bonnie Altogether more than 2,300 volunteer hours weeks, and Black-whiskered Vireos were found & Richard Donovan, Lynne & Joe Hudson were spent cleaning up and planting. What on several occasions. (Great Horned Owl level); Claire & John would we do without volunteers? Please We had fewer spring birders than usual, but Caudill, Mary Gwen & Ben Hulsey, Terry visit the High Island section of our website birders came from 45 states and 15 foreign Hershey, Wendy & Mavis Kelsey, Betsy & Jim to find the honor roll of all the High Island countries, and they were not disappointed. Winn, Larry Wright (Pileated Woodpecker Work Day and Kiosk Volunteers. They were Birding was great this spring. The daily reports level); Blaine Adams & Patrick Falcon, Judy magnificent! by our Tropical Birding guides available on our Boyce, Caroline & Charles Callery, Craig As spring approached, the phones website (www.houstonaudubon.org) in the Damuth, Marianna & Rufus Duncan, Ann continued to ring. “Are the sanctuaries still High Island section give a colorful picture of a Wier Jones, Virginia & John Elder, Jenny & there?” “Will there be birds?” Too many wonderful spring. Jim Elkins, Lettalou Whittington (Belted people only saw pictures of the devastation. Kingfisher level). Not surprisingly, the media rarely shows The full High Island Spring Report, including the what survives. High Island trees and shrubs bird and volunteer lists, will be available in the High Sponsors as of July 30, 2009 leafed out providing habitat and food. Island section of the website in September.

www.houstonaudubon.org 3 Young Professionals Bird Counts by Andrea Ritchie, Community Relations

Armand Bayou Survey n keeping with our efforts to reach all a Happy Hour membership drive at Beaver’s Leader: Andrew Hamlett Imembers of the community, Houston restaurant, and is planning birding and kayaking Monthly on the second Saturday Audubon is proud to announce the creation of excursions for the upcoming year. a young professionals group, The Night Owls. Bolivar Bird Count Of particular interest to many young professionals Geared towards introducing birding and area This count is currently being retooled. is the new Houston Audubon Facebook page. conservation efforts to Houstonians in their Please check website for updates. Created in January 2009, the Houston Audubon twenties and thirties, the group is steadily Group on Facebook attracted nearly two hundred Swifts Over Houston generating interest and attracting new members. members during its first month and now boasts Leader: Pam Smolen Many of Houston’s young professionals have over three hundred. Facebook members are Weekly on Tuesday evenings an interest in our natural environment and able to post questions and pictures of birds, conservation efforts, but have little idea of what Swifts Over Dayton learn about Houston Audubon efforts and Houston Audubon is and the important work Leader: Barbara Tilton events, and connect with other local birding and we do Weekly on Thursday evenings conservation enthusiasts. The website message The goal of The Night Owls is to provide a West 11th Street Park Survey board is particularly active with Houstonians forum where Houston Audubon can connect Leader: Mary Dodson seeking advice on how best to protect area with these young professionals, while providing Monthly on the third Tuesday birds and habitat. The Houston Audubon Group fun and relaxed opportunities for learning and is free to alll Facebook members and can be Willow Waterhole Survey networking. The Houston Audubon YP group found at http://www.facebook.com/group. Leader: John Schneider is set to officially launch on September 10 with php?gid=57877237455&ref=ts. Monthly on the third Saturday

Check www.houstonaudubon.org for details and any last minute updates Galveston County Group the company of other birders, have your birding questions answered, and find out the latest in local birding. The meeting presentations begin at Smith Point he Galveston County Group of Houston 7:00 p.m. and last approximately an hour. A field Hawk Watch TAudubon resumes its monthly meeting and trip is normally scheduled the fourth Saturday field trip schedule beginning in September. of every month. Please check the Houston Everyone is invited to participate! Meetings are Audubon website for program speakers and field August 15 – November 15 generally held on the fourth Wednesday at a trip destinations. theater at Moody Gardens. The theater is in the by John Arvin, Research Coordinator at Visitor’s Pyramid across from the ticket counter For more information contact Alice Anne O’Donell the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory and next to the gift shop. Meetings begin at 6:30 at [email protected] or Barbara Rapstein at p.m. with the first half-hour set aside to enjoy [email protected], 409-789-3811. The Gulf Coast Bird Observatory’s Smith Point Hawk Watch is once again open! The tower has been declared sound, and the tower Coastal Volunteers and environs have been cleaned up nicely. Visitors will notice little Please note that we ask volunteers to sign a liability waiver for all work days which they can either sign change from previous years, except and FAX back to us, or sign on site when they arrive. Forms are available on the Outdoor Volunteer that, so far, there is little in the way page of our website. of public facilities such as gasoline or groceries available in Smith Bolivar Flats Beach Cleanup Port Bolivar Planting Work Day Point proper. There is one small Saturday, September 26, 9 a .m . – noon Tuesday, October 27 restaurant which is now open. As always, we encourage visitors seven With summer drawing to a close there is always days a week, and we are especially A planting work day is scheduled for Tuesday, a lot that needs picking up. Your help would be eager for anyone who is interested October 27 at 9 a.m. at the entrance to Fort greatly appreciated. Meet at the vehicular barrier. in volunteering, preferably on a Travis Seashore Park in Port Bolivar. The land Bags, gloves, and water will be provided. Bring regular basis, so we can provide our on either side of the entrance road to the park, sunscreen and mosquito repellant. two official hawk counters with a owned by Houston Audubon, was bulldozed little time off. At the moment heavy during the Hurricane Ike cleanup. Houston High Island Work Day Audubon is partnering with the Natural Resource cleanup activity continues in the Saturday, October 10, 8 a .m . – 2 p .m . area with lots of heavy truck traffic Conservation Service and the Galveston Bay hauling debris, but that should Naturalists, but more volunteers are needed. We work from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., but volunteers Everyone is welcome to participate! diminish with time. are welcome whenever they show up. Houston For more information, please contact Audubon supplies lunch, water, and some tools. Fort Travis Seashore Park is on TX Loop 108, Port John Arvin at [email protected] or see the If you have favorite tools, please bring them Bolivar, TX 77650. To sign up or if you have any GCBO website, www.gcbo.org along. To sign up, please contact Winnie Burkett: questions, please contact Flo Hannah: [email protected] or 713-932-1639. 713-932-1639 or [email protected]

4 The Naturalist • September/October 2009 Species Profile Swallow-tailed Kite HAS Birding Classes

by Glenn Olsen with Glenn Olsen Beginning Birding ithout a doubt the most stunningly October 22 – November 7, 2009 Wbeautiful and graceful raptor in our skies is the Swallow-tailed Kite. The shape of Many people watch birds in their backyards this bird and the color pattern make it easy and enjoy these beautiful creatures. to identify but more importantly, make it McDonald David Photo: Add to your enjoyment by learning to unforgettable. Most often observed flying, Swallow-tailed Kite – Elanoides forficatus identify them. In this class learn the basics the visual image of the shape is that of long , etc. from trees, shrubs, or off the ground. of how to identify birds by family grouping pointed wings typical of kites, and a long, and by individual species. The principles of deeply forked tail that looks like an open Insects, , and amphibians compose most of their diet. identification learned will apply to all birds pair of scissors. The color pattern is an all not just those in our backyards. This class white under body, white axillaries, and white This kite may be seen in conjunction with consists of two informal classroom meetings underwing coverts contrasted against a blue- Mississippi Kites or Ospreys that also frequent and two field trips. black tail and blue-black primaries and trailing parts of the same habitat. When compared to edge of the secondaries. the Mississippi Kite, the Swallow-tailed Kite looks Details and Registration Form at www.houstonaudubon.org This species forages on insects on the wing: huge. It is noticeably smaller than the osprey, gliding gracefully, turning majestically, evidenced primarily in the shape of the wings. diving swiftly, catching insects in its talons, This Neotropical migrant spends the months of Georgia, and South Carolina on the Atlantic and eating in flight. During these feeding our winter as far south as . They coast. Preferred habitat seems to be swamps, maneuvers you’ll have the opportunity to begin arriving in our area in March. The historical river bottomlands, and pine fringes along flood see that the upper body and wings are all breeding range extended up the Mississippi plains. A.C. Bent reports that nests are located blue-black and only the head is a snow white. River as far north as Minnesota. Current near the tops of tall pines, cottonwoods, What a truly stunning sight! You may also see breeding range appears to be limited to the sycamores, cypresses, and a few others. these birds deftly extracting insects, lizards, states bordering the Gulf, including east Texas, Estimates range from 800 to 1,200 breeding pairs in North America with about 65% of these breeding in . So this species is not common in our area. Houston Audubon Field Trips July through early October is a good time to observe this species during its fall migration Reservations are required for all Houston Audubon field trips. Sign up at the HAS Membership southward. Areas around the , the Meeting or contact Skip Almoney ([email protected]) at 713-524-4285. Remember to bring your Wallisville Lake Project, and Anahuac National binoculars, scope, camera, sunscreen, insect protection, sturdy shoes, hat, raingear, water, and Wildlife Refuge are all good places to look for snacks or a lunch if you want to bird into the afternoon. For more information about the field trips this bird. I promise you, if you see one, you will and resource links, see the description in the Birding section of our website. Participants, please not forget the sight and experience!! check the website for any last minute updates. Find this profile in the Bird Gallery of our website: www.houstonaudubon.org Bolivar Peninsula Saturday, September 26, 8:00 a .m . Saturday, October 24, 8:00 a .m .

he Baytown Nature Center is two om Kihn will lead the field trip across HANPA Tconnected peninsulas, surrounded Tthe Bolivar Peninsula, beginning at the by three bays, located on the west side of ferry landing with possible morning stops at The Houston Audubon Nature Baytown. The 450 acres of land will provide Frenchtown Road, Lighthouse Ponds, North Jetty, Photography Association (HANPA) is an a variety of habitat including wetlands, Bolivar Flats, Port Bolivar, Loop 108, Yacht Basin informal photo club open to all nature woodlands, and prairie. Our guide will be Road, and other locations recovering from the photographers, whether novice or pro. John Mason, naturalist for the Center, and we previous hurricanes. We will remain flexible, and Meetings are held September – May on will find migrating birds along with resident our focus will be on shorebirds in the morning the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 shorebirds. After lunch, we may finish the trip and migrants in the afternoon at the High Island p.m. in the Edith L. Moore Sanctuary library. with a stop at the San Jacinto Park to look for sanctuaries. Tom Kihn has led the monthly bird Cost is $5.00 at the door. early arrival duck species. count on Bolivar Flats and has unique knowledge Upcoming Meetings: of the habitats on Bolivar Peninsula. Directions: From the west (Houston) via Focus on Composition with Laszlo Perlaky Interstate 10: Take I-10 East to Baytown Spur Directions: We will meet at the Bolivar side of on September 16 330 (Decker Dr.) exit. This is the second exit the ferry on the south side of highway TX 87. after crossing the San Jacinto River Bridge. Traveling from Houston, go south on I-45 through Photographing Bird Behavior with Mark Take the Bayway Drive exit off of Spur 330 Galveston to the Bolivar Ferry. After crossing Bartosik on October 21 and turn right on Bayway Drive. Proceed on Galveston Bay on the ferry, look for the parking Bayway Drive for approximately two miles to area on the right side of the road past the ferry HANPA website: the entrance to the Baytown Nature Center landing. Please make every effort to car pool to http://groups.google.com/group/HANPA on the right. this event.

www.houstonaudubon.org 5 Houston Audubon Receives Grants to Help Our ­­­­ In Memoriam Restoration Efforts on the Bolivar Peninsula Ellen R . Red he work of restoring habitat on We’d like to extend special thanks to The On July 16 Houston Audubon lost one of Tsanctuaries affected by Hurricane Ike is a Hooker Company and owner Gary Hooker, our HAS Heroes. Ellen Red served Houston long-term challenge that Houston Audubon who despite being given an extremely Audubon over the years as a volunteer, board is committed to pursue. We are very grateful tight and limited time to do the work, did member, and trusted advisor. She was also an for the grants provided by the SeaWorld their utmost to respect habitat and wildlife accomplished writer and author. In the 1990s & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, the concerns. she prepared a presentation about John James Madeline & William Smith Foundation, and Audubon’s 19th century visit to Texas which the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund to was enthusiastically received over the years by assist our efforts. many organizations. Ellen was an avid birder, served as President of the Outdoor Nature In July, Ducks Unlimited provided us with Club and annually participated in several generous and expedited assistance through Christmas Bird Counts. The consummate funds made available from Houston mentor to a younger generation of birders and Endowment. We were then able to hire The environmentalists, Ellen will be greatly missed Hooker Company to remove a large amount The Hooker Company placed orange by all her friends at Houston Audubon. of building debris which had been deposited in Horseshoe Marsh. warning markers around a Killdeer which was nesting on a right-of-way .

Thanks to Houston Audubon’s Generous Donors!

$5,000+ Bonnie & Richard Donovan • Gene Graham • John P. McGovern Foundation • William A. & Madeline Welder Smith Foundation $2,500-$5,000 Claire & John Caudill • Mary Gwen & Ben Hulsey • Terry Hershey • Wendy & Mavis Kelsey • TAMUG WildBirders • Betsy & Jim Winn The Wortham Foundation, Inc. • Larry Wright $1,000-$2,499 Linda Brooks & James Hall • Marianna & Rufus Duncan • Virginia & John Elder • Jenny & Jim Elkins • Garden Club of Houston • Ann Wier Jones John Whitmire • Lettalou Whittington $500-$999 Audubon Foundation of Texas • Baker Hughes Environmental Affairs • Halina & Joseph Caravello • Patricia Cravens • Marian Harrison • James Neel $100-$499 Baker Hughes Foundation • Eleanor & Bob Borda • Kristin & Jason Bonilla • Craig Bourgeois • BP Foundation • Carolyn Breslin • Anne Bushman Georgia Carter • Chevron Humankind Matching Gift • Eric Cioti • Carol Coleman • Ginger Coleman • Brit Davis • William Dirks James Doyle • Cynthia Dunigan • Christopher Eckert • Becky & Bill Edmondson • El Paso Corporation • Samuel Febba • Laurie Foss • Don Gray Kathy Greer • William Gouldin • Halliburton • John Hannah • Wendy & Mavis Kelsey • David Kring • Kroger • Richard Letourneau Bill Lindemann • Sarah Mason & Caleb Crow • E.A. MacNaughton • John McCreary • Paulette & Andrew McCullough • Celia Morgan Shannon Morrison • Brent Ocker • Don Quaintance • Anne Runge • Norma & Sandy Rubin • Tom Scarsella • Martha Sloan • Evelyn Smith Kathryn Smyth • Lisa Stone • Strabo International Tour Co. • Terri Thomas • Melanie Wiggins $1-$99 Lee Abrams • Ed Allday • Jennifer Backo • Sandra Balkema • Mary Baker • Brett Banfield • Nancy & Ed Beck • Philip & Karen Beekman Marc Bik & Nina Rach • Beth & David Black • John Bolen • Winnie Burkett • Susan Bretz • Anne Bunting • Caroline & Charles Callery • Mary Carter Curtis Chin • Molly Christie • Eric Cioti • Susan Clark • Rebecca Clearman • Lynn Cole • Marie & Frank Coleman • Jesse Couch • Tim Donoughue Allyn & Clifford Dukes • Suzanne Elliott • Linda Ercole-Musso • Lillian Finnell • Nancy Fisher • Gregory Folkes • Placido Garay • Kathleen Gibson Maureen Goode • Julie Gold • Donald Gray • Bill Godley • George Goloby • Martha Grambau • Elizabeth Gresser • Joan Grimma Patricia Gutierrez • Veda Hackell • Mr. & Mrs. William Hamilton • Flo Hannah • Margaret Harger-Allen • Eileen Harris • Ginny Hartman Hollie Harton • William Harwell • Lillian Holt • Maggie & Bob Honig • Gregg Howsmon • Mr. & Mrs. John Hruska • Brenda Jackson Jessica Jenner • Eric Jorgeson • Jeffrey Kacos • James Kearley • Nancy Kerby • Geni Kirschner • Heather Kopecky • William Kuchar Kathy Kukura • Rita Lacaria • Melinda Lamoreaux • Carol Lee • Linda & Ed Lindsay • Kaye Lindsey • Carol & David Lowrey • Dixie Lum JoAnn Malague • Allyson Marceau • Ronald Marek • LaVerne Martin • Pattie McBride • Elizabeth McCarty • Mary McGuire Gwen & Neill McKinney • Margaret McNealy • Suzanne Miller • Timothy Miller • Kathryn Neuhaus • Virginia & Roger Norton • Robert Ohmart John O’Neill • Robert Parker • Caroline Parks • Charles Pearson • Mary & Jerry Perciful • Bonita Pernell • Lynn & Sam Philpot • John Pike Patricia Poltrack • Sierra Rambo • Suzanne & Fred Rhodes • Robert Righter • Linda Roche • Bobby Sager • Patricia Salber • Carol & James Saxon Sarah Shuffield • Katherine Smart • Evelyn Smith • Loy Spargo • Michael Stavinoka • Carol Stelling • Mariann Thornton • Barbara Tilton Alison Tyler • Miriam Vyles • John Walsh • Christina West • Kennard West • Douglas Wetzel • Bernard White • Betty Williams Juliann & Keith Wohlford • Betty Wyatt • Tootsie Zeis *Donations received and processed by July 16, 2009

6 The Naturalist • September/October 2009 Soaring to New Heights, One Wing Flap at a Time

by Mary Anne Weber, Education Director

he past year brought great challenges and reschedule others. This pushed our calendar Tchanges to the Houston Audubon Education to the overflowing point. This year we are Department. We are still making Hurricane Ike again strongly urging all educators, community repairs and restoration while looking to the future group leaders, girl scout troop leaders, home with high hopes and anticipation. school families, etc., to call us soon, even if you are scheduling into the fall of 2010. We have Despite the storm, we launched our Family many programs already on the calendar. Don’t Nature Explore Club with great success. Families miss this opportunity! from near and far gathered once a month Scooter Wants You! to learn together and recreate together. It Come and meet our amazing education was so wonderful to watch grandparents, team at the following events: Camp Allen in Scooter has many fans. Folks even blog parents, children, grandchildren, all together, all Navasota (the weekend of September 5-6), about Scooter. He has his own blog. experiencing the natural world, all enjoying the Swift Night Out in Bellaire (September 1, 11), Scooter along with all the education great outdoors that Texas offers us every day. and Museum of East Texas in Lufkin (October animals need your help. Please visit our September 19 marks the start of the Family Nature 24). We have traveled many thousands of miles website for the new adoption forms. Explore Club gatherings for this year. Don’t miss over the past year, and we are excited about Please consider “adopting” one of our out! Call us at the Sims Bayou Urban Nature spreading our wings and our bird conservation hard-working education animals. Your Center to register and get more information. message to new schools, new groups, and new name will be proudly displayed on their families in the future. On December 5 we will enclosure during the length of your The storm also brought changes to the grounds celebrate our 5th annual “Holiday at the Cabin”. adoption. These amazing animals bring of the nature center. We lost many trees, but we Mark your calendars! Scooter will have his tree learning and joy to all. Please consider are fortunate to have so many micro-habitats at up, and the line will be long for pictures. We helping to fund their care! the center that school groups, summer campers, will have a movie on the big screen outside and visiting families still find lots to discover. The again and lots of treats and great “natural” crafts www.houstonaudubon.org area-wide power outages closed many schools for the kids. You don’t want to miss this special and forced us to cancel some programs and event!

Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary Fall Family Programs offered by the Audubon Docent Guild

ow that the summer camp season has at the Moore Log Cabin. Then we take owl Ncome to a close, Houston Audubon’s Edith recordings out onto the ELMS wooded trails L Moore Nature Sanctuary (ELMS) is once again in hopes of attracting our resident owls who offering our environmental education programs are busy setting up their nesting territories. for children and families. The 18-acre preserve Owl Prowls are scheduled on November 20, Join Us for Swift Awareness Events! provides a special place to experience nature in December 18, January 29, and February 26. our city, and we hope you’ll join us for outdoor Afterschool Nature Explorers Club Dayton: Thursday, August 27 family fun this fall. Whole Foods: Tuesday, September 1 Nature Explorers Club is designed for school- St . Paul’s: Friday, September 11 Preschool Story Hour: Titmouse Club age children who are interested in investigating Titmouse Club is our preschool program for the natural world. Each month, we’ll explore a Swift Night Out at Whole Foods Market is children ages 2½ to 5 years. Through stories, different ecology topic, focusing on our own co-sponsored by the Nature Discovery crafts, hands-on activities, and nature walks native plants and animals. We’ll make a craft to Center and Whole Foods Market. your children will be inspired with a deeper take home, go on a nature hike, dip-net in the understanding and appreciation for the natural ponds, and get to know the plants and animals Visit the Swifts Over Houston section of our world around them. Resuming on September 15, of the Bayou City! Nature Explorers Club begins website for details on all events. Titmouse Club meets on Tuesday and Wednesday on Thursday, September 17. mornings through mid-May, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Halloween Night Hikes our education animals. Moore Log Cabin: Saturday Open Houses Get ready for a night of adventure as we learn Children’s Birthday Parties Built in 1932, the Moore Log Cabin is a State about life after dark in the ELMS woods! Wear Historic Landmark and home to Houston your costume and stop by the cabin for candy, Available for children ages 4-10, docent-led Audubon’s ELMS education programs. At our crafts, guided hikes, and nighttime nature birthday programs feature private use of Open Houses, families can explore the cabin and activities! This year’s Halloween Hikes program the log cabin for your child’s party, a guided learn about the fascinating history and ecology of will take place on Friday, October 30, 2009. hike in the woods, pond dip-netting, nature games, and crafts. ELMS. Join us for our first Open House of the fall Guided Tours on Saturday, September 26, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. We offer guided natural history tours of ELMS Details at www.houstonaudubon.org Owl Prowls for all interested groups. Tour programs or contact Docent Guild Coordinator Owl Prowls begin with a lively program on these include: a guided walk in the woods, lessons Bethany Foshée at 713-464-4900, fascinating nighttime hunters, including a chance on native flora and fauna, pond dip-netting, a [email protected]. to meet the Houston Audubon rehabilitated owls tour of the cabin, and an opportunity to meet

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Mission Statement Houston Audubon Society promotes the conservation and appreciation of birds and wildlife habitat.

Bulletin Board August 26 HAS Field Trip: Baytown Nature Center & Wetlands (see p. 5) 27 Swift Night Out in Dayton (see website for details) 26 Galveston County Group Field Trip (see p. 4) September 26 Log Cabin Open House, ELMS (see p. 7) Weekly Pershing/Whole Foods Market Swift Count on Tuesdays October Weekly Dayton Swift Count on Thursdays 1 Birds & Bottomlands Benefit, 6:30 p.m. (see p. 3) Weekly Bayou Buddies on Friday, Sims Nature Center 10 High Island Work Day (see p. 4) Weekly Titmouse Club on Tuesday & Wednesday, ELMS 10 Armand Bayou Nature Center Survey 1 Swift Night Out at Whole Foods Market (see website for details) 14 Membership Meeting: Documentary Field Photography: Osprey Quest & Other Bird Behaviors (see p. 1) 9 Membership Meeting: Columbia Bottomlands: Progress & Goals (see p. 1) 17 Family Nature Explore Club: 10 Launch of Houston Audubon YP Group (see p. 4) 17 Willow Waterhole Survey 10 Hawk Migration Class with Glenn Olsen, ELMS 20 W. 11th St. Park Bird Survey 11 Swift Night Out at St. Paul’s (see website for details) 21 HANPA, ELMS (see p. 5) 12 Hawk Migration Field Trip with Glenn Olsen 21 Galveston County Group Meeting 12 Armand Bayou Nature Center Survey 22 Beginning Birding Class with Glenn Olsen, ELMS 15 W. 11th St. Park Bird Survey 24 Beginning Birding Field Trip 16 HANPA, ELMS (see p. 5) 24 HAS Field Trip: Bolivar Peninsula 17 Afterschool Nature Explorers Club, ELMS (see p. 7) 24 Galveston Group Field Trip 19 Family Nature Explore Club, Sims Nature Center 27 Port Bolivar Planting Day (see p. 4) Audubon Foundation 30 Halloween Night Hikes, ELMS (see p. 7) of Texas represents 19 Willow Waterhole Survey Houston Audubon in 23 Galveston County Group Meeting (see p. 4) the Earth Share of Texas payroll deduction plan 26 Bolivar Flats Beach Cleanup (see p. 4) for charitable giving.

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