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January Program Whooping Cranes Re-scheduled

University of Texas Professor of Geography Robin Meetings are held at the First National Bank Bldg., Hasler Blvd. @ H. 71w in Bastrop, 2nd floor, on third W. Doughty, who had to cancel his Tuesdays, each month September through June. at lecture in November, will join us on January 18 for his program “Saving the 7:00 p.m. The meeting is free and open to the Whooping Crane: Trends and Prospects.” public. Refreshments served. Doors open at 6:30. The Texas whoopers are the only remaining migratory wild whoopers. Nesting in the Bastrop County CBC: Early Report Wood Buffalo National Park in Alberta, Birders once again met early on New Yearʼs Day at the Canada, the birds spend November to April Texas Grill in Bastrop for the Christmas Bird Count for at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Bastrop County. David Mitchell, chairman, welcomed participants with map assignments and led the tally results The flock grew steadily in recent years, but last season was at sunset back at the restaurant. disastrous for the numbers when 23 birds were lost over the winter, due to drought and the increased draw of water by Besides Bastropians, birders traveled from Austin, Killeen, cities upstream on the Guadalupe and San Antonio Rivers. San Marcos, DelValle, and even Washington State, hoping to spot our specialties. The January 18, 2010 census of the wild birds stood at 264 Mitchell recently remarked that he was “expecting an individuals. The latest count December 9 was 268 {223 interesting count this year because of unusual sightings in adults and 45 young}. This season, so far, Doughty our area.” The most unusual find for the day was the observes, "The habitat looks great for the returning cranes American Bittern. with blue crabs abundant, wolfberries available, and marsh BCAS sponsored the Count by contributing the fee for the salinities relatively low." 25 or so participants, plus providing a lunch at noon at the Tahitian Village Water District Office. This was the 111th As a geographer, Doughty will probe the natural annual National Audubon Christmas Bird Count. environment/human/Whooping Crane relationship. He was intrigued by the dramatic history of Americaʼs tallest bird More Citizen Science which had slipped almost to extinction with 15 individuals both wild and captive in 1941. 2011 GBBC takes place Friday, February 18, through Monday, February 21. With 40 years at UT, Dr. Doughty has become well-known as The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event a leader in conservation in the state. He has published 10 that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to books, among them Return of the Whooping Crane (1989). create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across Doughty last spoke to Bastrop County Audubon members the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird seven years ago on Americaʼs fondness for the Purple watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one Martin (book:The Purple Martin, with Rob Fergus). His latest day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of book is Saving the Albatross. the event. Itʼs free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds. Flocks introduced by conservationists mostly in Florida has Visit www.birdsource.org/gbbc for fascinating articles, swelled the total number of individuals to over 500. The San photos, and statistics. Antonio Zoo is prestigious for having seven captive adults, with one nesting pair. 2 Field Report: What Winter Birds Eat: November 6: The following is a short list of migrants for the winter with their dietary Yegua Knobbs preferences among plants common to our area. Plant parts eaten are mostly seeds, fruits, and nuts, but may include buds. An asterisk (*) indicates most of the birdʼs dietary needs come from this category.

Lee County--It was a beautiful clear and American Goldfinch calm fall day with temperatures ranging from Insects - Aphids, caterpillars 35 to 60 degrees F. The strong north winds Plants* - Ragweed, thistle, shepherdʼs-purse, of the previous week blew in some welcome sweetgum winter migrants. We noted “first of the season” sparrows: Field (17), Song, Bluebirds Chipping, White-throated, White-crowned Insects* - Beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, (3), and Lincolnʼs Sparrows caterpillars Plants - Fleshy fruits of various plants Yellow-rumped Warblers (37) and American Cedar Waxwings Robins (3) were fun to see. Also Eastern Insects - Beetles, ants, flies, bugs, caterpillars Phoebes (8). and Meadowlarks sp. (15). Plants* - Cedar, cherry , mistletoe, privet, persimmon, grape, holly We feasted on the seeds of a large Dark-eyed Junco Farkleberry shrub and enjoyed seeing the Insects - Caterpillars, beetles, and ants . Bluejack Oak trees, and Wax Myrtle shrubs. Plants - Ragweed, dropseed grass, berries The seeds of the Little Bluestem were Robins dropseed grass beautiful in the sunlight. Insects - Caterpillars, beetles, earthworms most common. Plants - Chinaberry, hackberry, greenbrier, holly, grape, red cedar A total of 21 species of birds were counted by Travis Brown, Marjory Glowko, Priscilla Hermit Thrush Jarvis, Cindy Pellusch, Roy Smallwood, and. Insects - Beetles, ants, caterpillars, flies, bugs and Stan Wellso. Plants - Holly, greenbrier, grape Kinglets Mark your calendar for the field trip, Insects* - Wasps, bugs, flies, beetles, insect eggs Saturday, January 8. Meet at the bank: 8:00 Plants - Poison oak, elderberry, galls a.m. Pine Siskins Insects - Caterpillars, aphids, spiders, bugs, fly larvae Stan Wellso Field Trips Chair. Plants* - Pine, alder, “weed seeds” Vesper Sparrow Insects* - Beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, bugs, ants Plants - Ragweed, panicgrass January White-crowned Sparrow Refreshments Insects - Ants, caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, bugs, spiders Plants* - Ragweed, sunflower, oats, by White-throated Sparrow Insects - Ants, beetles, bugs, flies, caterpillars, spiders Lila Lewis Plants* - Ragweed, smartweed, poison ivy, grape & Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Insects - Beetles and ants are most common. Sharon Finlay Plants* - Wood and sap from cedar, magnolia, pine, oak

Adapted from detailed information from the book American Wildlife & Plants, A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits. Subtitled: The use of trees, shrubs, weeds, and herbs by birds and mammals of the United States. By Alexander C. Martin, Herbert S. Zim, Arnold L. Nelson. 1961 Dover Reprint. General, concurring, information from Birds of Texas by Keith A. Arnold and Gregory Kennedy, Lone Pine Publishing, 2007. --Provided by Judy Turner 3 Scenes at the Solstice Celebration

Annual Solstice Party, December 21: Sincere welcome and visits with friends, a delicious spread for dinner, and a rare gift exchange--warms our hearts every year. B.C.A.S 4 c/o Priscilla Jarvis 783 Lower Elgin Road Elgin TX 78621

Savannah Sparrow by Steven DʼAmato

Bird Calls is published six/seven times per year September through June by the Bastrop County Audubon Society (BCAS). It is edited Calendar and produced by Mary Ellen Branan, PhD. We Jan. 8, Saturday: Winter Birding: A 4-hour Field Trip to the invite letters, articles, poems, news tips, calendar best convenient sites. Meet at 8:00 a.m., 1st Nat’l Bank, items, reviews, and photos by mail or email. Bastrop, parking lot. Deadline for submissions is the first of the month. Birds Calls is a membership benefit. Jan. 15, Saturday, Monthly Field Trip, Hornsby Bend Center for Environmental Research, 7:30-11:00 a.m. Expert leader. Editorial office: 216 Schaefer, Blvd, Bastrop 78602 Meet at CER parking lot. (512) 303-2734. Email: [email protected] Jan. 16, Sunday: BCAS Board Meeting. 4:00 p.m., with pot luck supper at Norm and Margie Sachnik’s, 115 Wagon Gap, Bastrop, 332-0503.. Jan. 18, Tuesday: BCAS General Meeting,7:00 p.m., 1st Nat’l Join or Renew Annual Bank Bldg., Bastrop, Hasler Blvd. @ H 71W. See. p. 1. Membership Jan. 26, Wednesday: ABRCP Monthly Meeting, 10:00 to 12 Benefits include Bird Calls, field trips, social events, Noon, Hornsby Bend CER. All welcome for staying informed on continuing education, public influence, and good feelings. the Colorado River Austin-Bastrop Corridor. Membership Secretary: Priscilla Jarvis at (512) 281-2762. Treasurer: Alan Jaeger. Dues are used to support local conservation and education concerning birding, habitats, and ecology. Only EarthShare gives you a simple You may join at our web site by via Paypal or join while at a meeting. www.bastropcountyaudubon.org. (Note: way to support all environmental not the same as joining the National Audubon Society.) causes with just one gift. Dues: Individual $20 Youth: $10 www.earthshare-texas.org Family $35 Supporting: $75