M O N T H L Y N E W S L E T T E R FIELD JOURNAL Capital Area Master Naturalists arch 2008 It’s ALL M Ligustrum! Meeting March 26, 2008 6:30 p.m. Austin Nature and Science Center Raymond Slade, Jr. will teach us about the Impacts of urbanization on water resources in the Travis County area. What happens to water quality as Travis County becomes more urban? What are the effects of all that impervious cover during flood peaks? Raymond M. Slade, Jr. served as a Hydrologist for 33 years with the U.S. Geological Survey in Texas until he retired. He authored about 90 reports concerning Texas water resources, with topics including the Edwards aquifer, floods, droughts, rural and urban hydrology, and water quality of surface and ground water. CAMN Board Meeting March 6, 2008 Learn to Track Invasives on JUNE 5, 2008 6:45 p.m. ProEd, 8700 Shoal Creek Blvd., Have you taken a walk along the Lady these plants in our local wild lands, you Austin, TX Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail lately will be interested in participating in All Master Naturalists are welcome to and noticed the plants trail side? Paid the Invaders of Texas Citizen-Science attend. much attention to the plants along the Program. Sponsored by the LBJ roadside while you were driving to your Wildflower Center and coordinated by Volunteer and latest Master Naturalist Volunteer CAMN Christine Powell, this training Advanced Training activity? Stopped by the local nursery opportunity will enable you to detect Opportunities and saw a few Ligustrum plants for and map these nasty exotics and do sale? something about the loss of Visit the CAMN website habitat caused by this invasion. Whether you are just beginning to and log in to the CAMN Volunteer notice the local invasion of exotic Not all specifics are not determined Calendar to start fulfilling those volunteer species or your hands are already yet, but check the Wildflower Center hours. The Environment Needs YOU! bruised and blistered from removing website for more information. Field trip: Nature Watch by Jim and Lynne Weber The Golden-cheeked Warbler weeh-tweeh-tweeh- year and nesting from April to May. For more information, visit the Austin City TWEEsy! Can you hear it? Females lay 3-4 eggs during the nesting Connection at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/ T Early March marks the return season, with the young fledgling birds water/description.htm of the Golden-cheeked Warbler to the leaving the nest only 8 or 9 days after Texas hill country. This warbler spends hatching, staying in the vicinity of its winters in the forests of Central or their caring parents. Of the nearly 360 South America and its summers in bird species that breed in Texas, the fewer than 35 counties in south central Golden-cheeked Warbler is the only Texas. Sadly, this unique bird is one of one that nests exclusively in Texas, and over 200 species of migratory birds in our neighborhood at that! whose survival is threatened by the As mentioned above, the major destruction of native habitat -- in both threat to the warbler is native habitat its winter and summer ranges-- due to destruction and fragmentation, with agriculture and development. the most significant factor being the The Golden-cheeked Warbler is a 4 widespread removal of native ashe to 5 inch-long songbird with dark gray junipers in south central Texas. Over upperparts and white underparts with the twenty year span between the early thick black streaks on its sides. Its 1970s and 1990s, coincident with head has a black cap and throat, bright urbanization removing 50% of suitable yellow “cheeks”, and a dark eye-line. habitat, the warbler’s population Christine and Kim want to thank Dark wings with two white wingbars declined dramatically from over 15,000 Jim and Lynne Weber for complete the brightly colored male, birds to less than 5,000, prompting it volunteering to contribute really while the female is duller with olive- to be listed as an endangered species in interesting natural history articles green upperparts, a streaked cap, and a the United States. for each issue. Thanks ya’ll! white throat. What can we do to preserve this This warbler is totally dependent on unique Texas species for future a mixed woodland of oak and stands of generations? Buy shade-grown coffee, old-growth ashe juniper (or cedar trees) which supports better agricultural for nesting habitat, just like those practices that protect habitat in the found in the ravines and canyons that warbler’s wintering range. Here at surround our neighborhood. This home, support the Balcones GOT INFO FOR THE unique habitat provides the warbler Canyonlands Preserve (BCP), which NEWSLETTER? with long strips of peeling bark from contains the greatest amount of prime the mature ashe juniper trees, and they warbler habitat in large, undisturbed Send us information and photos about projects you volunteer for, use them, along with spider webs, to tracts. From March 1 to July 31, the advanced training opportunities you construct their nests. An insect-eating BCP is closed for the Golden-cheeked attended, and notice of awards bird, they forage through the leaves Warbler breeding season, and citizens CAMN members receive. We try to and bark of oaks & other trees, must obtain a permit for access during get the newsletter out on the 1st of gleaning them of a multitude of this time. the month so the deadline for caterpillars, spiders, beetles, and other submitting material is the 27th of the So consider yourself lucky if you insects. month before publication. see a Golden-cheeked Warbler, a rare Send materials to Kim Bacon Golden-cheeked Warblers arrive at denizen of the Texas hill country. And ([email protected]) or Christine their breeding grounds by mid-March, think twice before cutting down those Powell at ([email protected]) returning to the same territories each native, life-sustaining ashe junipers! WE’RE LOOKING FOR A BUNCH OF GOOD VOLUNTEERS The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center offers numerous volunteer opportunities for Master Naturalists needing to fulfill their service hour requirements. Check out these upcoming opportunities. EDUCATION FAMILY PROGRAMMING PLANT CONSERVATION Explore UT Nature Nights Seed Cleaning Parties Saturday, March 1, 11 am – 5 pm Nature Nights is a special series of Help out the Millennium Seed Bank During UT’s annual open house, more evening programs designed to share Project at the Wildflower Center by than 30,000 visitors come to campus our wondrous nature in Central Texas. cleaning seeds for storage at the Royal to learn about college life and During each program we will explore Botanic Garden, Kew, the National participate in fun activities offered by new topic learning about Texas culture, Center for Genetic Resources all the departments. This year, the animal habits and habitats. Each Preservation, and the Wildflower Wildflower Center will be teaching program will also feature a habitat Center. Great project, fun company, children about the plant life cycle and hike, thematic crafts, and activities and pizza lunches. helping youngsters pot up wildflower galore! seeds in ecopots to take home and Saturday, March 8, 10 am-2 pm plant in their own yards. Friday, March 21, 6-9 pm Frogs Saturday, May 10, 10 am-2 pm Friday, April 18, 6-9 pm Wildflowers Saturday, June 14, 10 am-2 pm Contact Flo Oxley at 512/232-0160 or Friday, May 23, 6-9 pm Bats Saturday, July 12, 10 am-2 pm oxley@wildflower.org if you’d like to Saturday, August 9, 10 am-2 pm help out. Shifts are from 9 am – 2 pm Contact Stephen Brueggerhoff at and 1 pm - 6 pm. 512/232-0112 or We can also accommodate any special sbrueggerhoff@wildflower.org if you’d schedules. So, if you need to get a like to help out. bunch of hours all at once, we’re the place to come. If you’d like to help, contact Flo Oxley at 512/232-0160 or oxley@wildflower.org. If these opportunities don’t ring your chimes, we have lots of other volunteer opportunities throughout the Wildflower Center, including in horticulture and landscape restoration. Trust me, we’ve got something for everyone! For more information on other volunteer opportunities, contact Carrie McDonald, Volunteer Coordinator at 512/232-0102 or cmcdonald@wildflower.org. Field crew Profile: Class of 200 Peggy Murphy t was a dark and stormy During college, I worked summers at night…” That’s literally the the Oklahoma City Zoo. My high “I way my birth story starts. school biology teacher was the zoo December on the plains of director, and he started a program Montana. I think it explains why I’ve where college students worked always loved the snow. summers cleaning in the mornings and working with the public in the I met this world on a cold, snowy afternoons. It was my first day, so how did I end up in Central introduction to exotic wildlife up Texas? close. When my father was in the Air After I graduated from OSU, I Force, we moved around a lot, so we spent one year as a keeper in the were all born in different states. We nursery at the OKC Zoo. I raised all lived in Montana, California, Missouri, kinds of animals—howler monkeys, and Florida, where I believe my 3-year- sun bears, kangaroos, leopards, hyenas, old self must have picked up an all kinds of hoofed mammals. It was a irrational fear of alligators that I carry United Nations of wildlife.