Calendar of Events Saturday November 21, 2020. Field The Brown Pelican Trip to West Jefferson County. In Vol. 26, No.10 October 2020 Important Note: Field Trip notices recent years, this has been one of our Issue number 265 published here are subject to last most successful field trips. The area is minute changes especially in the well known for its birds of prey, which Golden Triangle current Covid-19 situation. Changes in past years have included Bald and Audubon Society will always be posted on the web site at Golden Eagles, Crested Caracaras and www.goldentriangleaudubon.org. White-tailed Hawks in addition to the more "expected" Red-tailed Hawks, Web Site for more information Future Programs and Field www.goldentriangleaudubon.org Northern Harriers, and American Trips. (All events are Kestrels. In some years we have seen BOARD OF DIRECTORS (2020) TENTATIVE!). The latest White-tailed Kites and Merlins. The President information is always available on the area suffered extensive flooding during Sheila Hebert web site at goldentriangleaudubon.edu . Imelda, so there may be abnormalities Vice President in bird populations this year. However, Christine Sliva No membership Meeting in October. it has been rather dry this fall so far Treasurer See page 1 for details. The area is well known as the Harlan Stewart wintering ground of what has become a Secretary Saturday October 17, 2020. Field large (about 1,000 strong) flock of John Whittle Trip to Sabine Woods. Leader Steve Sandhill Cranes and is also one of the Directors-at-Large Mayes. Meet at Sabine Woods, which best places to see sparrows in the area. Michael Cooper is 4.1 miles west of Sabine Pass on the Six years ago's trip found a Mountain Girish Doshi north side of Highway 87 at 7:30 a.m Bluebird, which staying all winter. Gerald Duhon Meet at Sabine Woods, which is 4.1 However, there is considerable concern Sherry Gibson miles west of Sabine Pass on the north over the apparent declines in John Haynes side of Highway 87 at 7:30 a.m. or join populations of many passerine species Thomas Hellweg the trip in progress in the woods later. in West Jefferson County. Gary Kelley Waterproof footwear will probably be a Meet at 8 a.m. at the intersection of Steve Mayes good idea, especially if it is at all wet FM365 and Johnson Road (on the Dana Nelson from previous rain or just heavy early “north/west” side of Johnson Road at morning dew. Bring mosquito repellent that intersection). From the intersection COMMITTEE CHAIRS just in case. There are few services of Interstate 10 and FM365 in Fannett, available on weekends in Sabine Pass. proceed along FM365 (towards Nome) Program Bring lunch and drinks. for about six miles. Shortly after you Jana Whittle October 17 is towards the end of fall emerge out of the woodlands, South Field Trips passerine migration, but often brings a China Road goes to the right (east then Steve Mayes good variety of birds. A cold front may north) and immediately afterwards, on Conservation drive down the last of the warblers and the left, is Johnson Road. There is a Gary Kelley the first big push of wintering birds. green G and A Turf Farm sign on Membership, Publicity Some of our winter birds may be Johnson Road at the intersection. Denise Kelley arriving, and often the woodland Contact Field Trip chair Steve Mayes, Education species that winter in the Big Thicket [email protected] for further Volunteer needed overshoot a little at first. In past years, information. This will be largely a "car Webmaste r this has included Red-breasted birding" trip, car pooling desired. Jeff Pittman ([email protected]) Nuthatch (one has already been seen Facebook Administrators this year!) and Brown Creeper. There John Mariani are always interesting birds at Sabine Jana Whittle Woods! Newsletter Distribution The trails are clear and mostly Mary Stafford reasonably wide, and, although some Newsletter Editor care is needed to avoid uneven ground, John Whittle birding Sabine Woods is relatively ([email protected]) easy. There are a number of EarthShare of Texas represents Audubon strategically located benches if you Foundation of Texas and the National The Brown Pelican is Audubon Society in payroll contribution need to rest for a time. Insect repellent programs in workplaces throughout Texas. published monthly except July by may be needed. For more information about how you can the Golden Triangle Audubon support Audubon Foundation of Texas and Society, P. O. Box 1292, Nederland, Thursday November 19, 2020 . the National Audubon Society at your Texas 77627-1292 workplace, call 1-800-GREENTX, or visit Annual Meeting. Full details in next www.earthshare-texas.org email: [email protected] month's issue. 2 The E.O Siecke State Forest Golden Triangle Audubon Society Newton County Annual Meeting Garden Center, Tyrrell Park, 6088 Babe Zaharias In regards to public land sometimes we forget how lucky Drive, Beaumont, Texas, 77705 we are here in Jefferson County until a flood or a hurricane Thursday November 19, 2020; 7:00 p.m. temporarily takes it away. But we are not lacking for federal The annual meeting of the Golden Triangle Audubon Society wildlife reserves, state parks, municipal parks and river will be held on Thursday November 19, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. in districts that provide us places to pursue our hobby with as Garden Center, Tyrrell Park, 6088 Babe Zaharias Drive, much vigor as one cares to devote to it. And there is no lack of Beaumont, Texas, 77705 birds. At this meeting we will hold elections for all officer positions, Others, like Newton County, are not as lucky. Its land is except President, for a one year term, calendar year 2020. The mostly privately owned and the few main roadways that run term of President Sheila Hebert continues through December through and across are not birder friendly due to high speed 31, 2021. traffic. Despite the length of the county the habitat is mostly monotonous with only the extremes of Deweyville to the south The chair of the Nominating Committee, President Sheila offering a small taste of the boggy Big Thicket and the lake of Hebert, will welcome any suggestions for officers and board Toledo Bend to the north. The Sabine River that serves as its members, or you may submit written nominations in advance eastern border is only accessible by automobile at a few points or make them orally at the meeting. Nominations must be along highways that cross into Louisiana. The few other roads made and seconded by members in good standing, and must be that are shown on maps are almost all quite primitive; none are accompanied by evidence from the nominee that the nominee paved. is willing to serve, if elected. But there is a hidden jewel nestled in the heart of this county just east of Kirbyville, almost the only tract of John A. Whittle, Secretary publically owned non-residential land in the County. PO Box 1292 The E.O. Siecke State Forest is 1,722 acres divided into Nederland, Texas 77627 what could be called vignettes. There is a remnant slash pine [email protected] forest, a maturing longleaf pine and a working pine plantation just at the stage of growth to be of interest to breeding Yellow- breasted Chats and Prairie Warblers. Report on Sabine Woods Work Day Interested in the challenge of building a bird checklist a October 3, 2020 county like Newton presents and looking for new habitat, I discovered the little birded state forest this past summer. Another excellent Work Day was held on Saturday October Starting south at the parking lot, I soon walked into a wide 3 at Sabine Woods, with 20 volunteers contributing to the field of purple gayfeather dotted with emerging long leaf pine effort on the day. We thank each and every one of the and heard the lilting, ethereal song of a Wood Thrush. There following for their splendid accomplishments. was an Eastern Wood-Pewee flycatching and feeding its Andy Allen, Laura Baker, Richard Balsamo, Michael Cooper, young, a Common Yellowthroat calling and I saw Indigo Claudia Gilson, John Haynes, Sheila Hebert, Thomas Hellweg, Buntings. Numerous Acadian Flycatchers, Brown-headed Denise and Gary Kelley, Steve Mayes, Andrea and Jim Nuthatches, Red-eyed, Yellow-throated and White-eyed Nauman, Frank Ohrt, Christine Sliva, Betty Stevenson, Jana Vireos were heard along the trails at Trout Creek. Whittle and one or two others whose names and email Walking further north down the main trail into the forest I addresses I did not manage to record. Howard Davis and heard the sharp alarm calls of Summer Tanagers, saw adult Ashley Fuselier had worked in the days before the Work Day and immature Red-headed Woodpeckers. A Red-shouldered We got a lot accomplished. Among other things, we Hawk whined from a row of mature pines. Wandering east on removed the twigs and small branches (there courtesy of a side trail I found the pine plantation and heard Yellow- Hurricane Laura) from the trails. We mowed all the trails and breasted Chats from all directions and finally the faint call of a meadows. We trimmed the sides of all the trails inside the male Prairie Warbler. When I reached the end of the main trail Woods. For the first time in about ten years, the northwest at the cross road I found a beautiful long leaf pine forest pond had dried up, and we were able to access the island in the carpeted with lush ferns that was reminiscent of Angelina center of it, enabling us to cut down a number of tallows and National Forest.