Tierra Grande Chapter

Return of a Native

2011-10-12T07:03:00.001-07:00

From behind the steering wheel of a slow moving car they look more like deer than anything else: light brownish-grey moving along a ridge or down the slope of Santana Mesa on Ranch Road 170. They are usually alone or in small groups of maybe 3 or 4, running effortlessly in the desert heat. A closer look reveals a compact, muscular animal with horns, not antlers. On a mature ram those horns are large and curve back over the ears, then arc downward before curving back up to about eye level (The ewes have horns but they are only semi-circular, not reaching the size and mass of a ram’s horns). Their white rumps quickly distinguish them from the aoudads that roamed these mountains for decades. Even a quick glimpse is enough to give you a rush: they are the big horn sheep, the native has returned.
Just before Christmas of 2010, dozens of desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis Nelsoni) were released in Big Bend Ranch State Park, achieving a new milestone in the effort to return bighorn sheep to their natural place in Texas. The release included 12 rams and 34 ewes (many of them pregnant). Radio collars were affixed to thirty of the animals before their release so their location and activities could be monitored. These mammals were all but extinct in Texas by 1960. Today their future looks considerably brighter.
Since 1954 an international coalition of organizations has endeavored to bring back this magnificent, highly-adapted desert mammal. Consisting of federal, state, and private conservation entities the consortium conducted extensive studies and supported scientific research on both sides of the Rio Grande in an effort to fully understand the conditions of the desert the big horn once ranged across.
It was not an easy process. Indiscriminant hunting and diseases introduced by domestic livestock and introduced wildlife worked together to drive the big horn sheep to the brink of extinction. It has taken research in epidemiology and well as ecosystem studies and habitat analysis to understand the needs of the desert big horn sheep. The financial demand of all these studies was primarily met by private conservation groups and by hunters paying for special hunting permits.
The big horn sheep seems to be ideally suited for the desert environment of Big Bend State Ranch. Its stocky build allows it to conserve energy during cold nights of the desert winter. Its body temperature can fluctuate several degrees daily as the animal goes from a cool night to a harsh summer afternoon. When the heat of late spring and summer really bears down, the animal seeks shade in rock overhangs, caves and the few trees it can find. Padded hooves and its ability to leap 20 feet straight up allow the animal to climb in its steep rocky terrain. Its keen eyesight allows it to spot lions and coyotes and cover the mountain habitat at speeds of 15 miles per hour, putting plenty of distance between it and its would be predator.
Even in the midst of a harsh drought the big horn can go days without visiting a water hole, getting some moisture from its food of leaves, twigs, yucca, cacti, and the few grasses it can find. The animal can lose as much as 30% of its body weight to dehydration and then rapidly rehydrate when it does find water. To help in its survival in its new habitat, water guzzlers have been placed at strategic locations around the release site to provide a few extra “water holes” for the desert’s new arrival. Guzzlers are simple structures consisting of a sloping roof that allows any moisture, whether dew, frost, or rain, to trickle down slope into a collection barrel, creating an artificial water hole. It doesn’t take much moisture to help the big horn survive.
For most of the desert year rams and ewes lead separate existences, staying in small groups of the same sex and foraging with no concern for the other sex. All of that will change during the mating season. This is when the rams will challenge each other for access to the females. During fall and early winter rams will gather up a small herd ewes (usually no more than 10 to 12) and fight with other rams for mating rights. A ram of about 7 years of age should be large enough and strong enough to mate with whatever ewes he wants and is willing to charge any rams in his way. From distances of about 10 feet away, rams run full tilt into each other, colliding at full speed in the horns. After each collision they stand looking slightly dazed before repeating the collision. At some point one of the rams walks away from the battle while the other remains with the ewes
The anatomy of the desert big horn is designed to survive such head bashings with a double-layered skull richly supplied with bone struts connecting the two layers and providing a cushion to absorb the blows from other rams. The spine and skull are attached with thick tendons that help the neck recoil from the impact.
Lambing season is usually from early winter through spring, depending on the time of mating. Gestation period is about 175 days and the ewe may deliver up to 3 lambs. This is the time of greatest danger to the big horn and the ewe will try to find a steep isolated area to give birth and care for her lambs. Eagles, bobcats, and coyotes, if they can reach the birthing site, will prey on the newborn sheep, but after as little as a week the lambs can follow their mom almost anywhere with ease. After just a few weeks the lambs form their own groups and return to the ewes only for nourishment. After four to six months the lambs are completely weaned.
As ruminants, desert big horn sheep can gain nourishment from even the dried grasses growing on the desert mountainsides. Mostly diurnal in the winter months they will feed on grasses on and off throughout the day, resting and regurgitating the meal for complete digestion. As the grasses become more scarse the sheep will browse on desert scrub vegetation, eating leaves and twigs until seasonal rains bring back the desert grasses.
With the changing desert climate it is hard to know what is in store for the newest herd of Texas big horn sheep. For now, it is exciting to know that they are out there and, for the time being, surviving in the Big Bend. (Photo Credit: TPWD/Earl Nottingham)

TEST POST

2011-06-09T18:17:00.001-07:00

TEST POST

MONSOON SEASON

2011-04-27T18:08:00.000-07:00

High winds, incredibly low humidity, and fear of wildfire have created a tension throughout the Big Bend that will only be relieved by summer rains. In an ideal world they would be spring rains, falling tomorrow (or even tonight) but the probability of that happening in the Big Bend is almost nonexistent. We have entered the driest season of our desert year. The seasons and months are not the same as those we learned about in grade school with April showers bringing May flowers. Our year has winter and spring rolled into a long dry period with gradually increasing temperatures. This dry period will end with the beginning of the monsoon, a weather pattern that brings over two thirds of the yearly rainfall to the deserts of the Southwest, beginning, with any luck, in early July.

The word monsoon is derived from the Arabic word mausim, meaning season. We use it to refer to the weather pattern that brings our rainy season. These rains result from a large-scale atmospheric change in wind direction as a result of intense summer heating in the tropics. As the air over land becomes hotter it becomes less dense and rises, creating an area of low pressure that then pulls moist tropical ocean air over the land. This causes changes in wind direction, moving this moisture rich air toward the deserts of North America. As the humid air rises with the heat of summer it condenses into clouds that bring us rain. Prior to this change the Big Bend suffers from low humidity and very high temperatures from late April on into July. Occasional thunderstorms can break through the heat of this time but the rainfall they deliver is generally too little to do much good. The temperatures continue to rise as the days increase in length and life in the desert retreats to the shade.

Our monsoon rains are actually Mexican in origin with most of the moisture-rich air being drawn up from either the tropical Pacific or the subtropical Gulf of Mexico. Such rains can come from the southeast, the southwest or the south, sometimes simultaneously! As the rains move further north from Mexico they lose strength and deliver less rainfall: a hundred mile difference in distance north can cut rainfall by one half. By watching rainfall patterns in Mexico it is possible to predict the arrival of rainfall to the Big Bend. However, it is also important to remember that predicting weather is considered by some a fool’s folly! Sometimes the monsoon season is not as productive as we would like. In 1994 Shafter had one of its driest years with 2.85 inches of rain: nothing fell until May and then nothing after July until 0.88 inches fell that December. Our wettest year was 2004 with over 20 inches of rain, most falling as monsoonal rains. The monsoon begins shortly after the summer solstice, but the rains that fall are scattered. While some places receive large amounts of rain, others receive very little. When Shafter had its wet year of 20+ inches, El Paso had 2.42 inches for the entire year. True, we are a little further south than El Paso, but that is a significant difference in rainfall.

Although rains do sometimes fall in late autumn, winter, and early spring these, technically, are not monsoonal in nature. They are usually the result of weather fronts moving into the area from the north and/or the west. These fronts gather moisture over cool Pacific waters and must be carried by powerful upper level winds to make it this far inland. Although any rainfall is welcomed by desert people, these storms do not usually provide much rainfall. The plants and animals of the desert southwest, however, have adapted to the moisture rich monsoons of summer and for now are just waiting out the heat.

OCOTILLO

2011-04-12T15:35:00.000-07:00

It was a young boy in Boquillas Canyon who formally introduced me to the ocotillo more than 40 years ago. I was walking into the canyon and ahead of me was a young man also walking into the canyon. From maybe 20 feet behind I watched as he reached up to a clump of dazzling red flowers at the end of what appeared to be long, dead sticks and pulled a few off. As I walked by him I stopped and watched as he bit off the base of each flower and sucked out the nectar. Then I reached up to get some flowers and repeated his actions. He laughed at me and then I laughed at him. It was like sucking up nectar from a honeysuckle, maybe even a little sweeter. We then spent the better part of the afternoon walking among the flowers, laughing and sucking out nectar. It was a fine day. At that time I spoke little Spanish but managed to learn a lot about the ocotillo and the roles it plays in the Chihuahuan Desert from this young man.

Few plants can play more on the imagination than the ocotillo. In form it resembles nothing so much as a giant bouquet of dead sticks branching out at ground level and sending as many as 50 stems from three to twenty-five feet into the air. Each stem is armed with spines along its length, making it a rather formidable plant. For most of the year we see only these bare stems, but after a good rain, short, green leaves appear. These are about an inch long and cluster at the base of the spines. When arid conditions return the leaves are quickly shed, preventing the loss of too much moisture from the plant through the leaves. The ocotillo also produces another type of leaf. During its growing season smooth green leaves appear on the new growth. These leaves will curve inward near their bases and change from a soft petiole to a hardened sharp spine one-half inch long. In only a few other plant families do spines develop from leaves.

The ocotillo is well adapted to desert life and seems to prefer the arid gravelly foothills and limestone ridges where little else grows. They may be found as widely spaced individuals or in a large gathering covering several acres. The plant is protected from dryness by a waxy sheath under its bark. The root system is shallow, widespread, and sheathed with a corky substance that enables it to quickly absorb what little moisture may penetrate the ground. It is a sturdy plant, well equipped to survive in the harsh environment of the Big Bend country. Where its only enemy is, seemingly, the wind which will occasionally topple the plant. I have seen woodpeckers pecking at the stems of the plant but only a few times.

Since the ocotillo grows only in the Chihuahuan and Sonoran Deserts it is probable that early settlers to the Big Bend had never seen the plant before. A large number of common names were used to describe the plant, including: coach whip, Jacob’s staff, and candle wood. Ocotillo was an native American name for the plant and seems to be the most popular name today. A few other names, such as vine cactus and candle cactus, gave the misleading impression that this plant is a member of the cactus family. Although it was readily apparent to the botanist that the ocotillo was not a cactus (cactus do not develop leaves after a rainy season), they really didn’t know how to classify it. Eventually they decided to place it in its own family of plants which consists of a few different species of ocotillo and the boojum tree of Baja California. In the spring, whether there has been any rain or not the ocotillo usually blooms. Bright, flame-red flowers cluster about the tips of the spiny stems. There are faintly fragrant with sweet, viscous nectar. There may be as many as 300 flowers clustered on a single stem (though the usual number is about 120). Some plants have as many as 500 clusters of inch -long flowers. After the flowers wither, the seed pod matures, eventually splitting open at the top to reveal silky white seed, each with a long fringe of spirally thickened hair. The wind will disperse these so that they can germinate and produce new plants. The process may be repeated several times during the year because this plant is in tune with rainfall, not seasons.

Man in the Big Bend found many uses for the ocotillo. The seed could be eaten, the flowers made a soothing tea. A poultice from powdered roots relieved pains of arthritis and rheumatism. The wax found under the bark of the plant was used for tanning hides. Bundles of dried ocotillo stems were used as torches, the wax in them producing a bright flame. This same wax was used by later settlers as a furniture varnish. The ocotillo was an important building material, whether woven into walls or laid flat and covered with mud for a roofing material. The plant was, and still is, important as a fencing material, often the cut stems, when placed in the ground, take root to provide a living fence, leafing out after summer rains and then blooming.

Today ocotillos are disappearing from the Chihuahuan Desert as ranchers, seeking a cash crop, sell their ocotillo to landscapers. Trucks loaded with thousands of pounds of ocotillo plants can be seen leaving the desert every spring, making our desert just a little bit more deserted. I am glad ranchers have an income, and I’m glad others throughout the country find the ocotillo attractive. But this plant is part of the Chihuahuan Desert so I hope some will always remain.

DANGER!

2011-03-30T20:08:00.000-07:00

My husband and I went walking the other day, another spectacular day in the Big Bend country. As we headed out on our hike I warned my husband to keep his eyes open, it was a particularly beautiful day for encountering one of our least favorite neighbors, the rattlesnake. They like temperatures in the same range that we do, around 75°F, give or take a few degrees. They also like sunlight after a cool morning; it helps them warm up for the day. We walked along the middle of a rocky ranch road, looking at the ground often while enjoying the singing of the birds.

At one point I saw a beautiful acacia in full bloom and moved closer to see which of the many desert acacias it was. Yes, I looked under the bush before getting very close, no, there was no rattlesnake. There was one close by however, and it began rattling loudly before I got within 10 feet of it. I appreciated the rattled warning so I did not disturb the snake any further but moved away, letting it calm down. It probably calmed down before I did!

It is the rattle that makes the rattlesnake so interesting to people (and it is the bite that makes the rattlesnake a feared member of our environment). The Papago people of Arizona tell an interesting story about the origin of the rattle. When Elder Brother first created the animals, to each he gave something unique: the beaver received a flat tail, the coyote was given cunning, to the pronghorn was given fleetness. The rattlesnake was given his rattle by Elder Brother as something he could entertain himself with. When other animals were around they would ask the rattlesnake to rattle for them because they liked the sound. Sometimes the snake would be asleep and someone would come by and say. “Hey, rattle me a tune.” And the snake would wake up and rattle until the intruder would go away. This happened so often the snake was exhausted and got so he hated the rattle. One day Elder Brother took pity on the poor snake and gave him two mesquite thorns for teeth, saying that the next time the snake should bite anyone who awakened him. This tale ends with admonition that rattlers only bite those who are awakening them. The rattlesnake has evolved quite a bit from a peaceful animal with the mesquite-thorn defense. And, speaking from experience, the rattlesnake may be wide awake when it bites what it perceives as an intruder, whether it rattles its tail or not.

Undoubtedly the most distinguishing feature of the rattlesnake is its rattle and, although vipers are found throughout most of the world, the rattlesnake (also a viper) is only found in the Western Hemisphere. While many snakes actually vibrate their tails, only the rattlesnake, with its curious appendage, has the ability to produce such a nerve-shattering sound.

When the early Europeans first encountered the rattlesnake they were bewildered and more than a little cautious. There were all kinds of rumors about this unusual serpent. One of the more interesting was that the rattle was actually more dangerous than the fangs, that when it was shaken a poisonous dust pervaded the atmosphere and killed all who inhaled it. That idea didn’t last very long, but it did emphasize a lack of knowledge. Other theories about the rattle included the idea that each rattle on a snake’s tail represented a person killed or that the rattle was intended to calm and soothe the creatures of the forest, plains, and desert. My favorite Native American myth is that the snake rattles when it is having a nightmare and, if awakened, it will bite. I think that is in keeping with the Papago story.

The true purpose of the rattle is a source of speculation. Not long ago people thought it functioned as a mating call, attracting members of the opposite sex. Herpetologists (scientists who study reptiles) have studied countless mating pairs of snakes and never heard them rattle before, during, or after the fact. Another idea maintained that the rattle summoned other snakes to the rescue when one was threatened. Again, countless experiences with angry, rattling rattlesnakes proved that seldom if ever are other snakes seen. Besides, all snakes are deaf. True they react to some “sounds” but these are only reactions to the vibrations that are felt by the body of the snake. It is quite logical to assume that no snake has heard another snake rattle.

Another idea promoted by some is that the rattle is used to charm its prey, the sound does cause most animals to freeze in position but in watching rattlesnakes catching their prey, the rattle is not used at all. One respected biologist posited that the rattle had the appearance of a grasshopper and was used to attract prey. He supported this idea by the fact that he was almost bitten when he tried to catch the grasshopper. While many people find this thought amusing and somewhat crazy I don’t laugh. I was almost bitten when I thought the rattle was a scorpion and I almost stepped on it (it was evening and no, the snake did not rattle!). Yet another hypothesis states that the rattle is used to warn its prey that it is approaching danger and that it should run away. This idea defies logic. The snake would then starve to death and there would be no more rattlesnakes. No, not even close. In some areas of North America, rattlesnakes are the most common snake.

Anyone who has spent much time in rattlesnake country realizes that the snake does use the rattle as a warning, not to prey and not to protect the intruder. It is a threat intended to drive away any creature that might harm the snake. Most other animals will retreat upon hearing the rattle. With man, this threat often causes a different reaction. Most people think that not only is the snake threatening them but is a menace to anyone else that comes by. Given an opportunity, most people will kill the rattling snake.

We did not kill the snake that rattled at us from the distance of 10 feet. It was not endangering us and we considered it a good snake since it warned us to keep away. Snakes, even rattlesnakes are an important component of our ecosystems and to remove one does damage to that ecosystem. I speak from a curious position: I have been bitten twice by rattlesnakes. Once because I wasn’t paying attention and put my hand on a rock rattler and once when I was opening the door to my house and a rattlesnake bit me on the leg while it tried to hide under the door jam. I did not kill the first snake. The second snake I not only killed, I literally blew it away with 8 shots even though the first shot killed it. No one comes to my house, bites me and lives to tell about it!

Return of the Buzzards

2011-03-17T18:50:00.000-07:00

They are another one of those signs of spring, the turkey vultures (or buzzards, as most of us call them). Their arrival in the Big Bend is not based upon any uncanny knowledge of weather patterns, they seem to be more controlled by the calendar…their own, not ours. At my house the first buzzards usually appear during the second week of March. Just a few of them come in and settle on the hills or in the trees along the creek for a night or two and then they are gone. My older neighbors used to tell me these were the scouts, checking to see if the weather was okay for the rest of group. I have my doubts about that but the larger group of buzzards (called a kettle by some), usually appears the next week. This year, right on time, scouts were followed a week later by about 50 buzzards.

Seen from a distance, as it soars through the deep blue skies of the Big Bend country, the buzzard is beautiful, a master of air currents and crosswinds, the bird banks and circles, dives and climbs seemingly without effort. The long-evolved highly efficient flight utilizes rising hot air (thermals) to soar over this vast region.

The wingspan of a four pound buzzard is about six feet. The long, wide wings allow slow flight. The long flight feathers (called primaries) are attached to the arm bone in front and extend back. Unusually large muscles control the primaries, spreading them to increase wing surface to catch updrafts, contracting them to glide down. The adjustments are constant. The bones of the wings have been modified for this effortless form of flight. The shoulder girdle is more rigid, allowing greater wing support which makes it less tiring for long-term gliding. The joints in the wings rotate freely for subtle twists and turns.

Although it is the lone buzzard seen soaring in the afternoon skies, nights and mornings are usually spent at a common roost, either in trees, microwave towers or on cliffs. Nor are they very cordial to one another. Regularly, landing birds will crash into roosting buzzards, toppling them from their roosts. This is usually accompanied by some hissing and flapping of the wings of the disturbed bird.

One group of buzzards I have watched for 3 decades numbered more than 120 when I first started watching them in the summer of 1977. Their numbers have dropped to about 50 now. I just counted the latest flock to move in at about 60 birds. But that number will decrease over the next couple of weeks as some of them will move farther north. One of my neighbors, now departed, said that today’s numbers are significantly less than when the screw worm fly caused massive death and dying of wildlife throughout the border country in the early 1950s.

When the sun rises the buzzard seeks a sun spot, usually with others from the roost. This spot may be the top of a tree or the top of a cliff. It could be a fence post or a roof line. Much of the morning is spent standing with wings extended to get the full benefit of the sun’s rays. The exact function of this activity is open to speculation, some think it aids in thermoregulation, allowing the bird to absorb warmth after a cool night in the trees. They also spend some of this time preening (grooming) their feathers and removing lice and other parasites they may have picked up during the night.

Not all buzzards we see in the sky sleep with the flock at night. Some males and females have formed pairs and gone off to raise families. The male and female choose an isolated, fairly inaccessible cliff to lay their eggs. No nest is build and the eggs are laid on bare rock. The eggs will hatch into ungainly birds covered with cottony white down. When disturbed the young will hiss loudly and clack their sharp bills. After ten weeks they get their juvenile plumage and start learning to fly and soar.

With its sharp eyesight the buzzard can locate dead and dying animals from its vantage point high in the sky. However, the bird also has large nostrils with many smell receptors, enabling it to track down smelly, decomposing foods. While their dietary predilections may seem unsavory to us, it allows them to fill an important niche in the Big Bend country as a recycler, returning nutrients to the ecosystem.

Fools, Yankees, and Mesquites

2011-03-11T14:31:00.000-08:00

I mentioned fools and Yankees trying to predict the weather in the Chihuahuan Desert in an earlier blog but the more I think about it the less I believe it is a Yankee or a fool’s mission. I think it is human to try to predict and prepare for what is coming as far as weather is concerned. There is another saying in this part of Texas: “if you don’t like the weather, wait a few minutes and it will change”. Nobody ever seems to remember that in those few minutes, the weather can ruin you, destroy your crops, kill your stock and wreck your house. Oh yes it can…I’ve seen it done. But mostly we just try to get through the bad weather, particularly the weather that is too cold.

If you look into local lore you will find there are lots of sayings that try to describe when freezing weather ends.
As for spring with its warm, almost hot days, clear skies, high winds, does that mean spring in the Big Bend of the Chihuahuan Desert? I was preparing for a camping trip with students from Presidio High School. We would be doing water quality tests over a 24 hour period during the weekend. As I thought about spring-like temperatures. I didn’t even look at my down sleeping bag. I mean, the warm weather is certainly a harbinger of spring. As I left the house I noticed the signs of spring. Cactus wrens, cardinals, canyon wrens and doves were all calling. Yes, that is a sign of spring. As I drove along the river I saw a few wildflowers, recovering as they were from the hard winter. A few mustards dotted the road side, along with a few bluebonnets and even fewer desert marigolds. These plants do not indicate seasons, merely conditions. Considered ephemerals by botanists, these plants germinate after summer rains but don’t bloom until late fall and into winter. Their blossoms have more to do with the length of day and summer rainfall than with seasons of the year.
One plant, the mesquite, is used throughout the Big Bend country as an indicator of spring. “When the mesquite leafs out”, the saying goes,” no more freezing weather”. As we stopped at the Colorado Put-In along the river to do water quality testing, I searched for new leaves on the mesquites. Yes! There they were. Almost lime-green in color, these leaves were definitely brand new to the plant. A closer look showed that flower buds were also emerging from the tree. Great, no more cold weather! That is, if you believe in folk tales.
Buzzards know when the danger of frost is over, according to other folk tales. They never come back to the Big Bend before the last freeze according to my neighbors. I watched the sky as I drove along the river. Ravens, lots of ravens were visible. They live here in the winter, filling in for the buzzards as carrion eaters. Lots of hawks were visible, too. Possibly many of them were migrating north. I saw pyrrhuloxias and wrens, one kingfisher and lots of sparrows, but no turkey vultures. A few people had reported seeing buzzards during the back yard bird count in Presidio but they didn’t know that we have black vultures as residents throughout the year. Only the turkey vulture, noted for its red head, counts as an indicator of spring. But turkey vultures seem to be more keyed to the calendar. For years the first turkey vultures would arrive in Shafter on March 10th, long before the dangers of freezing weather have passed.
Friday night we had dinner around the camp fire and as the students talked I looked around at the different plants. Bees were busy gathering pollen from an ash tree while, birds were busy gathering bees. But ash trees are not mentioned in folk tales, neither are the bees. As darkness fell so did the temperature. I snuggled down into my bedroll, hoping it wouldn’t get too cold.

Usually cold fronts are heralded by a line of clouds in the north. As I looked out at the clear sky I saw no bank of clouds to the north. Every cold front this year has been preceded by an unseasonably warm spell, like we had just had. Why should this one be any different? By morning the temperature was at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. I was curled in a little ball, trying to stay warm until the sun appeared. As I emerged from my tent into the warmth giving sunlight I saw that I was camped near a mesquite with new leaves. So much for folktales!

From the River Road

2011-02-22T20:37:00.000-08:00

It has taken me a little time to get back to the blog but I have been on the River Road (Ranch Road 170 east from Presidio) each week to monitor the progress of wildflowers. As already written, the blue bonnets, the desert marigolds, the tree tobacco, and many other plants seemed to be obliterated by the extreme cold (extreme by Big Bend standards that is). I am monitoring two spots: the top of the Big Hill (Santana Mesa) and the Colorado Canyon put-in, both of which suffered from the extreme cold.
Two weeks after the extreme weather there were no plants blooming at either location. The blue bonnets I had photographed before the freeze looked dead. The desert marigolds looked like they had a chance to come back to life but were definitely hurt by the cold. Tree tobacco varied in degree of damage: if the tree was close to the river, the blooms were gone and some of the leaves were brown but the plants looked like they would survive. The further from the river the “tree “was, the more severe the damage, to the point that many looked dead down to ground level.
Three weeks after the extreme weather new plants were beginning to bloom, including new blue bonnets, new desert marigolds, and bicolored mustards. Although there was color these plants were not blooming on top of the Big Hill. It appears that those blue bonnets that bloomed early were killed by the cold, as were the desert marigolds. But those plants that had not yet bloomed are now blooming, not many but some. Most of the blue bonnets appear to be much smaller than normal for this area. In this part of Texas we have a larger blue bonnet with a deeper blue color: Lupinus havardii. These are a different species from those in central Texas that are smaller and a lighter blue (Lupinus texensis).
Another sad thing to report about the area the Big Hill, it seems the cactus were also badly hurt by the cold. Many had turned a much paler color and had collapsed to the ground. The cold weather combined with the extreme aridity (no rain since October) probably acted together to do the damage. As for the exotic cactus that people had planted around their buildings, many of them have been destroyed by the cold, too.
As for other organisms at these sites: the Big Bend sliders appear unhurt by the cold, they were out sunning on all the rocks. The Bewick’s wrens that I heard before the freeze were active at both sites and there were insects to chase, catch, and eat. In the river ring-necked ducks and American coots were paddling around.
The warmth of the last two weekends makes me think that winter is gone and we can celebrate an early spring but then I remember something I heard when I first came to Texas many, many decades ago: only fools and Yankees predict the weather. Point taken.

Diane's Metal House: First Photo of House

2011-02-09T08:18:00.000-08:00

Diane's Metal House: First Photo of House: "Build Site (pink flag center right) Here is where the story begins... almost. The story actually began about 5 years ago when ..."

The River Road in Winter

2011-02-07T18:37:00.000-08:00

It was January 30th, less than 9 days ago, when my husband and I drove along the River Road (Ranch Road 170) to see what spring wildflowers were already blooming. The temperature was 68°F when we stopped at Colorado Canyon Put-In (which I still call Rancherias). Tree tobacco, a member of family Solanaceae, was in full bloom as was Shaggy False-Nightshade. Rio Grande Sliders (the most common type of turtle in the area) were basking on a dozen large rocks sticking out of the water. Black Phoebes, Bewick’s Wrens, Says Phoebes, Pyrrhuloxia, and Northern Rough Wing Swallows were busy looking for bugs. I was wearing shorts, a short-sleeved shirt and a cap to keep the sun out of my eyes.

We drove to the top of Big Hill to see what else was blooming: bluebonnets, Havard Nama, desert marigolds and several other members of the sunflower family (Asteraceae), brightened the dusty ground at the top of the hill. Honeybees scoured the bluebonnets looking for drink of nectar, soldier beetles worked many of the sunflowers and a bright green bee cruised desert marigold blooms. The sun was warm the sky was blue the mountains were red. It was a spectacular day.

What a difference 8 days makes. We returned to Rancherias and the Big Hill today, February 7th. This time I wore a quilted undershirt, canvas over shirt, jeans, a vest, and wool socks. A jacket was tossed in the back seat, just in case.

This time we saw nothing blooming. When I got out of the car at Rancherias the temperature was 52°F, not cold but I was not uncomfortable in my layers. The tree tobacco had dark brown remains of flowers and lots of dead leaves, the nightshade had curled up into almost nothing and was difficult to find. Two turtles were all that were seen on the rocks, not the dozen of the 30th. Amazingly, the bird life seemed completely unaffected, the same species were there and they were actively searching for insects but try as I did, I never saw an insect for them to catch.

We drove on up the Big Hill, where we had seen beautiful flowers on the 30th. The bluebonnets had keeled over and looked dead. The desert marigold was definitely frostbitten as was one clump of nama. We couldn’t even find the remains of the other flowers.

The highway department was working on removing an incredibly large rock from the side of the road near the top of the hill and I talked with one of the crew. “How cold do you think it got here last week?” I asked. He reported that they had measured the temperature at 6°F on Thursday morning.

So spring will be delayed a little this year. I really do not know how such low temperatures will affect the plants. I have seen lower temperatures but that was at a time when I couldn’t afford to go driving down Ranch Road 170 twice in 8 days. I was too busy doing other things (like working). Now I have some time so I will check on the plants once a week and keep you posted on what happens.

Posting for Ellen (test)

2010-11-16T07:24:00.001-08:00

Test

River CleanUp: 2010

2010-11-15T13:03:00.000-08:00

DJ and I canoed together years ago in Big Bend National Park and when the opportunity to participate in the river clean up was announced we thought of each other. A quick exchange of emails and we planned our clean up trip
The day had dawned cold, 38°F in Shafter. We sat around waiting for the sun to warm the desert. It took awhile. We journeyed to Lajitas and had lunch and headed over to the Warnock Center to find out which part of the river had the least number of people working on it. We headed back toward Presidio, unloading the canoe at La Cuesta in order to collect trash below the Big Hill and downriver to Lower Madera. The first few hundred feet revealed little in the way of trash, just the occasional orange or pink engineering tape of abandoned trot lines. We weaved our way through a tight rapid created by rocks and the low water level. At first glance we thought we would take the left channel but quickly realized it was blocked by a sunken log. A quick adjustment and we ran the middle channel with no problem.
We slowly eased into the shade of the Big Hill and Santana Mesa, a steep-walled igneous intrusion that created the Big Hill. Prior to the creation of Texas Ranch Road 170 in the 1950s, people on the east side of the hill were separated from folks on the west side by the incredible ruggedness caused by the numerous drainages as well as the huge boulders that regularly rolled down from the igneous mountains. That ruggedness apparent from the highway is not present on the river where the smoothed canyon walls make for easy canoeing. We stopped at several points to pick up trash: plastic water bottles, lost sandals and shoes, plastic jugs, and the ubiquitous engineering tape. Except for the engineering tape, everything appeared to have come in with river water. One of the plastic jugs had the hand-written inscription, “c com” but no other markings. The sandals were child size and totally devoid of any marks thanks to the action of the river. One of the shoes, also a child’s size, was marked with “Hanes Sporty”. At one site we picked up the tattered label to a Nestle brand water bottle and then we picked up what appeared to be a Nestle brand water bottle much further down the river.
Birds were present, most calling from the reeds. Black Phoebes and Water Pipets were close enough to the water to see clearly. An American Coot scurried around on the river looking for food and totally unconcerned with our presence. In the mud along the banks we saw the footprints of a Great Blue Heron but neither saw nor heard the actual bird.

While looking for trash we also watched the insects and turtles, lots of turtles. Most of the turtles we encountered were the sliders (named after their quick escape from potential problems by “sliding” off their sunning rocks and into the protection of the water). Decades ago Dr. Jim Scudday from Sul Ross and others under his direction did a vertebrate study of Colorado Canyon including the area of the Big Hill, identifying those turtles caught or observed during the study. for the University of Texas, Lyndon Johnson School of Public Affairs. During that study they identified only four turtle species: Mexican Mud Turtle, Yellow Mud Turtle, Big Bend Slider, and the Spiny Softshell. On this trip, more than 30 years later, we saw mostly sliders (one Spiny Softshell), of which there are two common species in Texas, the Red-eared Slider and the Big Bend Slider, both classified as Chrysemys scripta but being different subspecies The Red-eared Slider has a reddish patch behind its eye that is usually in the form of a stripe while the Big Bend Slider has an orangy-yellowish patch behind its eye, usually bordered in black.
As for insects, many tiny insects were in the cane and then on us as we canoed under the cane to collect trash. Although tiny, their movement on the skin created an itching sensation dispelled only by crushing the insect. We also saw butterflies from a distance, numerous sulfurs and the occasional Monarchs, or were they?. Pictures reveal the truth. After much studying, the picture was of a Queen, another of the milkweed butterflies (that includes Monarchs). The main difference between the Queen and the Monarch is in the white spots seen in the orange area of the wings. Queens have that, monarchs do not. The range of the Monarch does not usually extend this far west, but ranges have a way of changing and winds can certainly blow butterflies into other areas.
As we were working the banks of the river for trash we heard an occasional car drive up the Big Hill and, when we bothered to look up, we could see people above us enjoying their day along the river. We smiled, thinking how much we were enjoying our day on the river. Too soon our trip ended. . While we prepared to load the canoe in the truck after the cleanup we looked at each other and said, why hadn’t we done this more often?

Quick Survey (my apologies)

2010-07-14T08:18:00.000-07:00

If you received automatic email notification of this post to the Tierra Grande blog site. Please respond directly back to me using my personal email address listed below. Please do not respond by posting a comment on the blogsite itself.

selfring@bigbend.net

This is administrative housekeeping stuff and I apologize for the intrusion.

Steve

Gary Nored - Big Bend Ranch State Park

2010-07-07T15:07:00.001-07:00

Click on the title above for Gary's latest update from Big Bend Ranch State Park. The remnants of tropical storm Alex brought out the best in the park. Great images.

Thank you Gary.

Deer - Vehicle Collisions, What to do ? From Texas Agrilife

2010-06-30T15:20:00.001-07:00

Click are the heading above for the Agrilife Extension Service Article.

Gary Nored at Big Bend Ranch

2010-06-27T15:33:00.000-07:00

News from the Big Bend Ranch

Well, there’s one thing I can say for sure about living and working on a ranch.
There’s never a shortage of things that need doing. Never.
I spent Tuesday and Wednesday of my regular “work week” slinging a sledge
hammer and knocking out shower stall walls. I spent Thursday morning on the
floors of those same stalls using a geologist’s hammer to chip out the old tile
floors. My hands still hurt from that work.
Thursday afternoon I spent hiking the Saucedo Nature Trail developing a list of
species to be given interpretive signs. It was 109° in the shade (of course, there’s
none of that anywhere …) and not a breath of wind, but hey – the work was
outdoors and it was focused on plants. Whenever I started feeling like I was going
to faint, I sat down, drank lots of ice water, and rested until I felt better. I finished
cataloging the first half of the walk around 5 o’clock.
Yesterday I went into Presidio for groceries, lunch, and to renew my drivers
license. While there I was able, once again, to verify the truth of rumors I’d heard
before coming here. It is always much hotter in Presidio than here at the ranch.
By the time I got home, 108° felt positively cool and refreshing.
This morning I was going out to do my laundry but on the way to the “Big House”
I noticed Borracho, the “outside horse” behaving strangely. When I went to check
on him I discovered that he’d gotten himself caught in a cattle guard. One hoof
was already bleeding profusely and two others looked to be in pretty bad shape. I
ran to the ranger station for help only to find out that there wasn’t much to be
had. The chief horse wrangler, Raul, was off for the day and had gone fishing
somewhere on the river and Javier was on the grader working on a section of the
road that was washed out the other day.
It was decided that I would stay with the horse since he seemed to be more
comfortable with me than with anyone else (just my horsy personality I guess)
and Edmundo went off to fetch the intern. Together they brought plywood and
we managed to get three of the horse’s hoofs out of the cattle guard and onto the
plywood. But we couldn’t free his front-left hoof by any means. Finally Edmundo
brought around an acetylene torch and cut out a piece of the railing. I can’t tell
you how nervous a trapped horse gets when someone is working around his feet
with an acetylene torch! But we finally got him loose and into the “intensive care”
pen, and then spent the next few hours cleaning his wounds, holding ice packs
around his ankles, and trying to make him as comfortable as possible.
After the excitement died down, everyone else seemed to have more important
things to do, so I was left with the horse. We did some serious bonding. I brought
him lots of treats (including ice water which he appeared to like quite a bit),
bathed his foot in cool water, and basically mooned and crooned over him
throughout the afternoon to distract him from the pain. We are now on a firstname,
I’ll kiss-you-if-you’ll-hug me basis.
By late afternoon no new medicines had arrived from Presidio. Since I was
worried about infections, I made a decoction of Creosote and cleaned his wounds
with that. Creosote has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral
properties, so it should protect him until tomorrow, though I will have to go out
two or three times tonight to refresh the medicine.
Today’s activities underscore something I’ve only lately realized – the Big Bend
Ranch State Park is more than just a park – it’s a full-sized working ranch,
completely self-contained, and capable of sustaining itself for extended periods
without outside help. We raise cattle and bring them to market, maintain a herd
of over 30 trained cutting horses, and have saddles and riding tack for over a
dozen riders. We have full-time wranglers who ride the ranch and keep track of
all the livestock, all of the time. We have workshops, repair facilities, and
everything necessary to maintain all the equipment. We have our own water
supply, wastewater provisions, and fuel depot. We even have a full-size road
grader to keep the road open as much as possible.
We also run two small hotels – the “bunkhouse” sleeps 32 or more people and
can feed them from it’s full-sized kitchen. The “Big House” sleeps a dozen or
more in the antique splendor of a real adobe ranch home.
Am I happy to be a part of it? You betcha! Every day is full of new learning
experiences, and every walk takes place in unparalleled beauty. The weather
report may look monotonous – Monday – Hot. Tuesday – Hot. Wednesday –
Hot. Thursday … well you get the idea. But small showers frequently occur in
different spots throughout the park. Within a few days you can always tell where
they happened – the Ocotillo leaf out, the Creosote turns green, and the whole
area awakens from its summer slumber and becomes visually alive … for awhile.
There’s so much more to talk about … the secret springs, the unknown views, and
the abundant wildlife for starters. But enough. Gotta save something for later;
Gary

Elephant Mountain WMA Self Guided Interpretive Drive

2010-06-23T05:02:00.000-07:00

Click on the title above and a link will take you to the recently published self guided interpretive drive brochure for Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area. This drive is open to the public from May 1st through August 31 and ends up at a viewing site where, if you are patient and have binoculars or a spotting scope, you can see Desert Bighorn Sheep on the rocky slopes of Elephant Mountain. The drive itself is approximately six miles one way and you must sign in at the visitors shack. The brochure describes stops along the way based on your cars odometer reading. There are no restroom facilities. Interpretive drive hours are 8am to 5pm. Morning is the best time to view desert bighorn.

Elephant Mountain WMA is also available for hiking, birding and camping on a restricted basis. For more detailed information on rules that apply consult the Elephant Mountain WMA website found at:

http://beta-www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunting/wildlife-management-areas/elephant-mountain-wma

The development of this driving brochure was a cooperative effort on the part of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept., and the Tierra Grande Chapter - Texas Master Naturalists.

Dave Mainz
Steve Elfring

Rainwater Harvesting by Robert Flanders

2010-06-19T05:49:00.000-07:00

Check out these websites; Robert's jig was so cooooooooooooooool!

plasticmart.com (tanks), woodlanddirect.com ( rain barrels and accessories), harvesth20.com ( online rainwater harvesting community, includes list of vendors),
ecowaterlubbock.com ( filtration), therainwaterstore.com, rainwatercollecting.com (very complete equipment and supplies).

With very little effort and/or expense, rainwater collection is easy- making it rain is the hard part.

George Pitlik's Most Famous Solar Bread Recipe

2010-06-11T05:17:00.000-07:00

Solar Oven Demonstration by George Pitlik 432-837-3202

Oven purchased on Ebay three years ago for a bit over $200.00
Go to this site for extensive information. http://www.sunoven.com/
You can use it summer or winter as long as there is sun. Start mid morning in summer before clouds arrive.
If the sun is out you can cook all winter. You will not believe it.
It is great not to heat up the kitchen during the summer.
I have baked all our bread for three years. Sun Oven was paid for a long time ago.
You can cook just about anything in the oven. It easily attains temperatures in excess of 320 degrees.
My record is 395 degrees.

Recipe for today's bread:
4 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons of salt
2 teaspons dry yeast

Mix all ingredients together and then slowly add water while hand mixing.
(You did not think I would us a power appliance for solar bread, did you?)
When it looks like dough (a bit wet) cover with kitchen towel and let rise - about 90 minutes.
Grease the pan that came with the solar oven. I use butter. Dump dough into pan and cover with the lid. The directions say to let it rise again, but I just put it in the preheated oven. I set a timer for two hours. IT GETS HOT!! - USE OVEN MITTS AT ALL TIMES. DO NOT USE A KITCHEN TOWEL OR POT HOLDER! OVEN MITTS OR YOU ARE GONNA GET BURNED BADLY.

Tierra Grande at Monahans Sand Hills State Park

2010-06-06T14:20:00.000-07:00

In an animal tracking class organized by CDRI and led by Tierra Grande Chapter members Jonah and Ciel Evans,

attendee Dana Milani spotted the track of a Western Massasauga, Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus, a fairly rare rattler.

She followed the track right up to the sleeping snake. Notice the snake's track to the right in the picture as it dug a little

hollow to partially bury itself. Way to go Dana! Thanks Jonah and Ciel for a great class. Alan Tennant, author of Texas

Snakes plans to include this spotting in the next edition.

It Is Not a Toad But It Definitely Has Horns

2010-06-04T12:16:00.000-07:00

IT IS NOT A TOAD BUT IT DEFINITELY HAS HORNS!
Last fall as the Tierra Grande Master Naturalists were working on a service project in Big Bend National Park, we surprised a horned lizard who was trying “heat-up” for another day in the desert sun. While he did surprise us, Melanie Croy managed to catch it to show everyone. It was a beautiful specimen of a short-horned lizard, probably the desert short-horned lizard. Although not common in the Big Bend, nor even in Texas, it does range from Central America up into the central plains of Kansas, South Dakota, and eastern Montana and on into southern Canada. Texas does have a number of different species of horned lizards, including the famous Texas Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma cornutum. Unfortunately, most Texas horned lizard populations are in decline and, at this point, no one seems to understand why. Habitat destruction and the use of pesticides (particularly those used to kill ants) are only two of the reasons mentioned for their decline. In the Presidio Basin (where I spend much of my time), fire ants are not yet a problem so few pesticides are used on ants but the populations are also dramatically down in that area, too.
Like most lizards, these prefer to be active during the day, usually positioning themselves along an active ant trail where they pick off the ants one by one. Like most desert animals they get most of their liquid from the bodies of their prey. During winter most horned lizards hibernate, burying themselves as much as 12 inches underground to avoid freezing weather emerging when the hot weather of April warms the ground. Then they are ready to mate. Some horned lizards will lay 20 to 30 eggs in layers in the warm ground to hatch in 30-50 days later, depending on the weather. Immediately, the young lizards begin looking for and eating ants. Small at hatching, it takes a full year for the lizard to reach adult size. Other horned lizards will retain the eggs, not putting a protective shell around them. In these species, the young usually emerge in late summer. A thin membrane encloses the baby lizard in the liquid of the amniotic sac. After a brief struggle, the membrane is torn open and the new lizard begins breathing and responding to its surrounding. Although at this stage the young are easy prey for numerous birds and some snakes, few predators can cope with the sharp horns that develop quickly as the lizard grows.
These lizards have evolved the unique live-style of an ant specialist, eating as many as 200 ants a day. Some of the horned lizard species do eat other insects, but the diet of all horned lizards is primarily ants. Ants are an unusual item for nutrition because chitin, a long chain polysaccharide that is difficult to digest, makes up as much as 80% of the ant’s body. In adjusting to this diet horned lizards have evolved a much larger stomach, making up as much as 13% of the body mass when empty. To accommodate this extra large stomach, horned lizards have had to lose the streamlined body shape of so many lizards and settle on a tank-like shape. This shape makes escape from predators difficult because speed is also reduced. To compensate for this, the lizard has horns and sharp protuberances to make predators think twice about trying to eat it. I once watched a bobcat try to get a Texas Horned Lizard As the bobcat moved in for the kill, the lizard would hunch up its body and jump (slightly) at the cat (who would jump back). After three or four tries at the lizard, the cat wandered off, still hungry.
The primary means of defense for this lizard, in addition to its spines, is cryptic coloration that allows it to hide in plain sight as it blends into its surroundings. This coloration makes the lizard almost invisible unless it moves, which isn’t often. In watching a horned lizard eat, it seems that all the ants are getting away. Closer inspection reveals that the lizard only eats those ants that are close to its mouth so motion is quick and almost invisible.
The Spanish first described these lizards as they were conquering Mexico and it is thought that these lizards did evolve in the Mexico/Central America region. However its range extends from Central America to southern Canada. They seem to prefer arid regions, like the Chihuahuan Desert but they are found, obviously, in cooler, moister areas.
For Europeans who first explored the New World in the Sixteenth Century, horned lizards were yet another curiosity to write about. Because the animal is quite docile, many of the Spaniards kept the lizard as a pet….just as my son wanted to on his first encounter with one. The Conquistadores did not know the difference between a lizard and a toad so they referred to this lizard as the Sacred Toad, because it occasionally wept tears of blood. In addition, this lizard has a unique defense mechanism of actually shooting blood, sometimes to distances of several feet from their eye openings. No one is quite sure how this unique defense evolved but it is thought to have something to do with ecdysis, the shedding of its skin. To loosen its old skin from the immovable bones of its skull the horned lizard will increase its blood pressure. If something happens during this period to further increase the blood pressure (such as a surprise grab from a curious naturalist, blood vessels rupture and out shoots the blood. At least that is one explanation.
Numerous powers have been attributed to the blood of the horned lizard. Although some people believe the blood is poisonous others think it has great healing powers. Some think it is good for increasing fertility. And some others believe it has religious significance. However, these beliefs have no basis in fact. One fact is clear: these animals are beneficial and interesting to all who encounter them.

New Calendar added to Blog!

2010-05-16T07:50:00.000-07:00

Scroll to the bottom of the page and you will find a Tierra Grande Chapter Events calendar. Dates and events are still being plugged into the calendar so check back for updates.

Photo Essay on Texas Master Naturalist Program

2010-05-16T07:45:00.000-07:00

http://www.bigbendgazette.com/blog/_archives/2005/9/8/1211376.html

Click the title of this post or the link above to see a fantastic photo essay all about us!

Photo essay by Crystal Allbright

Help with Humming Birds!

2010-05-16T07:17:00.000-07:00

Do you have an hour a week you can spend at the Nature Center?
We have scheduled our Hummingbird Banding Demonstration days and we need help keeping the hummingbird feeders clean and full.
A once a week committment from a couple of people will be wonderful. If you can only come occassionally I can work you into the schedule. Times and days are flexible, we are open Monday through Saturday, 9am to 5pm.

For more information or to ask questions please call or email anytime,

Cynthia McAlister, Volunteer Coordinator
cmcalister@cdri.org
432-364-2499
Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute, P.O. Box 905, Fort Davis, TX 79734
Phone: 432.364.2499 fax: 432.364.2686
www.cdri.org • choyt@cdri.org

Killer Bees!

2010-05-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

Attacked by Killer Bees!
It was a nice, hot day, and I decided to take a little hike near Contrabando Canyon. And, is so often the case when I’m out in extremely remote places I thought it would be nice to take my little hike in the nude. Sandals, water pack, and hat seemed quite enough. I was having a wonderful time wandering around and looking at all the cactus blossoms when I noticed a mesa nearby which I found to house a colony of bee boxes, simply buzzing with bees.
Now, I’ve always been rather fond of bees and I like to sit nearby and listen to them buzzing around. This time I thought I’d see if they ever did their little dances at the entrance to the hive, so I squatted close to the entrance of a box and started watching. After a while I noticed that while many bees were coming out, very few were going in. How curious!
The first bite or so I took to be accidental, but it soon became evident that there was more to it than that – they had clearly decided that I was an uninvited guest who should be told in no uncertain terms to leave, and pronto!
I finally perceived the message and decided to go for a refreshing dip in the nearby Rio Grande. The bees evidently thought that swimming was a grand idea; they accompanied me to the river, offering encouragement in their own inimitable fashion.
The gluteus maximus is the largest and most superficial of the three gluteal muscles and when swimmers are using the breast stroke, it usually floats above the water surface. Strange how the bees can figure something like that out right away. Up to this point they had been mostly interested in my headquarters as it were; now they became more interested in my hindquarters. So after a few dozen visits to the rear by these little desert honey-makers, I decided to turn on my back and cover my face with my large straw hat. The furious bees attacked the hat with considerable vigor but it held them off until they grew weary of the assault and left me in peace.
The Rio Grande is a cold, muddy stream that moves along at a surprisingly quick pace. When I peered out from beneath the hat I came to the unpleasant realization that I’d never seen the area I was in – the river had carried me downstream into unknown territory. Ordinarily this would not be a matter of much concern, but when you’re naked, and when you’ve lost your sandals in the river, it seems much more important.
On the agonies I endured walking barefooted upstream, through cacti, thorny acacias, and thick stands of stinging Cevallas, a short fuzzy plant with yellow blossoms that delivers a sting far worse than that of any Africanized bee, I will not elaborate. I shall only say that I envied Prometheus whose torments seemed to me nothing compared to those of my own.
Upon finding my entry point to the Rio Grande, it was time to leave the lovely fields of Cevalla and take up the barefoot journey to the truck which was located a mere mile or so away in a wide field of “desert pavement” comprised mostly of razor-sharp fractured volcanic rock, black and sunbaked to a toasty temperature of just under 200 degrees. Though it might seem that after a lengthy soak in the cold waters of the Rio Grande, the warmth might be welcome, it was inexplicably, and most certainly, not!
….......................
OK. The guilt is getting to me a bit and I must confess to having creatively amplified a few tiny details of my experience. Well, OK, a bit more than that. The part about the beehives was true, but I was fully clothed, only about 20 yards from the truck, and managed to get away with only two or three stings. But which story would you rather hear? I’m sticking to the first version.

Regards,
Gary Nored

Tierra Grande Flyer

2010-04-19T04:43:00.001-07:00

I plan to distribute this flyer to the various shops in the 3 counties the end of next week. If changes are needed please publish in comments.

Trash-out April 10, 2010

2010-04-14T20:25:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Pat Sims!

2010-03-21T18:22:00.000-07:00

THE FOLLOWING WAS REPORTED IN THE 2009 HIGHLAND SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT ANNUAL REPORT, MARCH 5, 2010 INCLUDED AS A SUPPLEMENT TO THE BIG BEND SENTINEL, MARCH 18, 2010.

2009 STATE CONSERVATION TEACHER AWARD

In 2008 The Highland SWCD recognized Patt Sims as its Conservation Teacher. She then went on to be rewarded The Conservation Teacher of the Year for Region 2 and in Arlington she was also awarded State Conservation Teacher in Texas.

Mrs. Sims is the Environmental Science teacher at Presidio High School in Presidio, Texas. Over the past 30 years, Mrs. Sims has combined her enthusiasm for teaching with her love for the outdoors. She encourages her students to get outside and explore their local environment, and provides them the opportunity to do so while they learn about science and natural resources management.

Mrs. Sims takes full advantage of a nearby “outdoor classroom” – the Rio Grande. Each month, her students visit three sites along the river and us a variety of data collection methods to assess water quality.

Many Presidio students pass by the Rio Grande every day, but don’t really “see” the river. Those who are fortunate enough to have Mrs. Sims as a teacher not only begin to actually look at the river, they earn to appreciate its importance as a natural and cultural resource.

By sharing what they learn with their families and friends, Mrs. Sims’ students help spread her message about the importance of natural resources conservation. Dozens of Mrs. Sims’ students have pursued degrees in science-related fields, and hundreds of more have gone on to get degrees in other disciplines. But all take with them an awareness of natural resources concerns and an appreciation for science, agriculture, and the river in their own backyard.

Cold roadrunner

2010-03-15T20:07:00.001-07:00

This is a picture a friend of a friend sent me of a very cold roadrunner in Springfield, Missouri. Notice the ice on the tree.

El Despoblado--Click on this title for more

2010-02-01T13:16:00.000-08:00

Clicking on the title of this post will take you to the Sibley Nature Center Newsletter page where you can view the entire El Despoblado (pdf) and other information. The Sibley Nature Center is located in Midland, TX (Permian Basin area 2.5 hours north of Alpine, TX)

13th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count

2010-02-01T13:06:00.000-08:00

It's time for the 13th annual Great Backyard Bird Count and we are
calling all Birders, Educators, and Citizen Scientists!

The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent and in Hawaii. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds.

The more people who participate, the better the information scientists will have about how bird populations may be changing over time due to habitat loss, climate change, disease, or other factors.

Saturday, February 13th is the CDRI's Great Backyard Bird Count. We start at 8am at the Nature Center. You can help collect important data about our feathered friends. All experience levels are welcome. Please ask to borrow a pair of our Eagle-Optics close focus binoculars if you don't have a pair of your own; they will greatly enhance your bird watching experience!

We always say "all experience levels are welcome," and that means we have to train the novices. How else will they learn except by great birders teaching them?

Please let me know if you are interested.

Much more information about this count is here.

Your Volunteer Coordinator,
Cynthia McAlister
cmcalister@cdri.org
432-364-2499

Butt Up Bug: Pinacate

2010-01-31T19:28:00.000-08:00

My students asked me one time what the English called the Pinacate. I thought about it for a few minutes and finally stated that I did not know of a name for this black beetle. A few years later I heard John Karges use the phrase, “butt-up bug”, a very appropriate name.
It is a large (4 cm), black beetle frequently seen during sunny days in the winter along the river. It would be easily dismissed by the casual observer except for its unusual and distinctive head stand. Whenever it is startled or annoyed, this flightless beetle stops whatever it was doing and raises its hind legs off the ground, assuming its headstand position.
It is a beneficial beetle, During the night it eats dried and decaying vegetation, aiding in the formation of desert soil. It belongs to the family of Darkling Beetles, those beetles that prefer the dark. They are found all over the world but prefer arid regions like the Big Bend. During summer days they hide under rocks, in the dark. During the winter they can occasionally be encountered as they look for places to escape the cold. These beetles dig tunnels in the sand or silt to bury their eggs. Watching them work is interesting: first all the legs on one side of the body dig then stop while all the legs on the other side dig. The eggs are then laid and will hitch into glossy, elongate grubs which feed underground on vegetable matter. Transformation to adult beetles also occurs underground although the fully formed adults live above ground.
The Apaches noticed the pinacate’s headstand defense and thought that the beetle was listening to the will of god and other animals, out of reference would not attack it. Early naturalists, however, thought the beetle escaped attack because it was feigning death, that the headstand was designed to dismay and deceive the enemy.
After noticing purple stains on their fingers while handling these beetles, entomologists discovered that the pinacate ejects a very noxious chemical compound that is highly irritating to the nose and eyes. Further studies revealed that the compound (a group of quinines) sent small predators scurrying. It turns out that from its headstand position, the pinacate gets a more protective dispersion of its noxious spray
Some predators have adapted special ways of dealing with the beetle. The grasshopper mouse has been observed catching the beetle, then jabbing its abdomen into the ground where the spray does no harm. Frogs and toads catch the beetle and have it swallowed before it has a chance to spray them.
The desert can be a harsh environment in which each organism must find its means of survival, be it beetle, grasshopper mouse, or us.

Sun Spiders, Wind Scorpions, Camel Spiders

2010-01-24T15:46:00.000-08:00

When it comes to confusing names, the wind scorpion, aka sun spider, aka nina de la tierra, aka camel spider, aka hundreds of other names is about as confusing as it gets. It is an arachnid, making it a cousin of scorpions, but our species have no poisonous sting. And, while they have the largest jaws of just about anything when compared to their body size, they try to avoid biting. They are found in both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres and, although they are not poisonous here, do have some more dangerous cousins in India and Africa. Our species is primarily Eremobates sp.
I was bitten by one that was in the sleeve of a shirt that had been hanging on a wall for a few days. I did notice the bite and it managed to bite me, again, before I got the shirt off. It was a female, I quickly noticed as I shook it out of the shirt I had quickly shed. I could tell she was a female by her distended abdomen that showed eggs clearly through her stretched, membranous abdomen. Almost ready to hatch I thought. Although I had been surprised by the bites she gave me they are not poisonous and left no mark, feeling more like a hard pinch that anything else. I let her scurry away, marveling at her rapid movement which gave the name wind scorpions because they “run like the wind”. I hoped that she would lay her eggs in the house so that I could have her young prowling around for scorpions and beetles, which do make up an impressive part of their diet as they are carnivores (just not the “carne” we normally eat).
I saw her a few nights after our initial meeting, this time cutting up and eating scorpion. Her large mouth parts, called chelicerae, were used to cut the scorpion in two and then it looked as if she was slurping up the insides. This time I took a little more time to study her: the body was covered with delicate, silky hairs which are exceedingly sensitive to movement, allowing her to feel the coming of a potential predator or, maybe, just another potential meal. Just behind her impressive jaws are the pedipalps, the second pair of appendages after the jaws. There are long and slender, ending in cup-like suckers to assist in climbing vertical surfaces.
I don’t know how many sun spiders I have seen over the years, many. Quite a few hang around the house, ignoring my family and pets. I wish I could say the same for my pets. I found that sun spider about a week later, lying in the water dish and dead. She no longer had any eggs so I hope her young are with me still, they do make good neighbors as long as you shake out your clothes first. patt

CDRI Volunteer News

2010-01-21T05:16:00.000-08:00

Volunteer Opportunities Abound!
Thanks & Juniper Removal
Tuesday's (Jan. 19th) Cacti Potting Volunteer Day was a huge success! In fact, we were able to finish that project, so no cacti potting on Tuesday, Jan. 26th. Never fear, we have many other volunteer opportunities!
Our grassland restoration project has begun with juniper removal from approximately 200 acres being our first step. Juniper removal has been going on for several months now and you can really see how open the landscape is now as you drive up Pott & Sibley Road toward the Visitors' Center. If you climb Clayton's Overlook you can get an interesting view of the ash piles left from burning the cut juniper. However, while we have a couple of dedicated volunteers who are helping with this project, we could go so much faster, and not burn out volunteers, if we had more helping hands.
Swamping for the cutting crew is a great opportunity to get outside, work with your hands, and hang out with some interesting people. You need to be able to work outside in the elements, be able to stand, walk, and carry light loads of branches, and follow instructions. Please bring your gloves.
We clear juniper every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, morning and afternoon, and on Wednesday afternoon. Please let us know if you are coming. Training is OTJ.
You may contact Colin Shackelford, project manager, directly if you have questions, cshackelford@cdri.org, or 432-364-2499

To Read Natural History Info, Click on Hancock Hill Map

2010-01-18T20:28:00.000-08:00

Bluebonnet

2010-01-17T19:13:00.000-08:00

Ellen and I have been trying to figure out a way to pass on information about plants and animals to our group. I am giving this a try. Remember, I am a teacher, so just telling you the name of a plant is not enough....I have to teach!!????

It was small, not big enough to attract much attention but it was the first bluebonnet I had seen this winter. There was a time when the end of January would be the middle of the season for bluebonnets. They used to begin blooming along the river in November. But those were moist years back then. This year, to see a blue bonnet in mid-January is uncommon.
According to Texas legend bluebonnets are the result of the sacrifice of a young Indian girl many years ago, when the Comanche rode over this land. The Comanche were among the fiercest warriors in the world but not even the bravest Comanche could defeat the drought that gripped the land. No rain meant no grass and the deer and other wildlife were starving, which meant the Comanche were starving, too. The medicine men called for prayers and sacrifices. The little girl watched as the desert and her people suffered. She listened to the prayers and watched the sacrificial offerings were made. Then she sacrificed her most treasured possession, a doll her brother had carved from the heart of a cottonwood limb and decorated with colorful bits of cloth: blue, red, yellow, and white. To her, giving up this doll should truly bring the rain but she cried as she gave it to the priests for burning. Soon a gentle rain fell over the parched country and lasted for days. As the drought was broken the grass grew tall and wildlife became abundant. One morning thousands and thousands of bluebonnets appeared across the land. The people were amazed at the beauty of the flower and the little girl rejoiced: the colors of this new flower were the same colors of the doll she sacrificed. Now the doll was back but this time in the color of the thousands and thousands of the bluebonnet!
The legend has some basis in fact: the myriad wildflowers we see blooming after a drought has broken are a result of soaking rains. The seeds from one generation of some wildflowers, including the bluebonnet, can wait through desert droughts as long as 20 years. Bluebonnets, and a number of other desert wildflowers are called ephemerals, a Greek word meaning short lived. In durable seed form they can endure the extremes of a desert environment for long periods of time, seemingly unaffected by high temperatures and drought conditions. Only in favorable conditions do these seeds germinate, blossom, and produce the seeds for the next generation, sometimes within a remarkably short period of time.
Ephemerals can be divided into four classes depending on when they germinate and produce seed. There is one group that germinates and blooms after summer rains. These may appear within 3 days and are characterized by very rapid growth. They usually require high day and night temperatures. The winter group of ephemerals germinates after the winter rain but grows slowly and blooms in the late winter or spring. For the most part this group requires cool day and night temperatures, the opposite of the first group. Rarely will these two groups bloom simultaneously. A third group includes the bluebonnets; they will germinate after the summer rains but do not bloom until winter when temperatures are more moderate. The fourth group is pretty much of a catchall group, consisting of those independents that germinate and grow as long as the temperatures are favorable and there is enough water.
How do these flowers know when to bloom? About 40 years ago a researcher in California began unraveling some of the mysteries surrounding the ephemerals. One of the first things he discovered was that the plants practice a form of birth control! A chemical compound within each seed acts as an inhibitor to prevent germination. Until the chemical is removed the seed remains dormant.
Rain seems to be the chief means of removing the chemical; enough rain washes the compound away. However, not just any old rain will lead to successful germination. While short showers may wash away small amounts of the chemical, the seed is capable of replacing it slowly. Enough rain must fall within a short period of time to remove all of the inhibitor. Torrential rains, a regular occurrence in summer cloudbursts, do not necessarily trigger germination since most of that water falls too quickly to soak deep into the ground. The chemicals of some seeds may be removed by bacterial actions. Such a condition occurs only after prolonged soaking. There are still lots of ifs, ands and buts connected with understanding ephemerals, but the fact remains that in some years there will be a multitude of color in winter depending on what happened the previous summer and fall.

Annual Meeting 01/09/10

2010-01-17T04:59:00.000-08:00

Texas Master Naturalist – Tierra Grande Chapter Annual Meeting
Location: Kokernot Lodge, Alpine
Date: 01/09/10

Guests in Attendance: Linda Hedges, Cynthia McAlister

Members in Attendance: (class year) Albert Bork (06), Ellen Weinacht (07), Lou Weinacht (09),Fonda Ghiardi (07), Dana Milani (06), Patt Sims (05), Ken Sims (05), Dave Mainz (05), Steve Elfring (05), Edy Elfring (07), Clare Freeman (07), Gary Freeman (07), George Pitik (06), Janet Stewart (06), Polly Melton (07), Lori Glover (09), Chris Pipes (08), Pam Pipes (08), Debbie Murphy (05), Laura Belkin (06), Martha Latta (99?) transferred in from San Marcos, Melanie Croy (09), Gary Dowdle (05), Roger Siglin (05), Carol Slocum (09), Donna Greene (05), Becky Hart (07), and Gary Nored (09).

Minutes:
The meeting was called to order at 9:00 by Ellen Weinacht, chapter president for 2010 – 2011.

The first order of business was the installation of new officers: Ellen Weinacht, President; Carol Edwards, Vice President; Melanie Croy, Secretary. Albert Bork will remain as the volunteer coordinator for the chapter. Becky Hart is the membership chair, and Donna Greene is our Adopt-A-Highway Coordinator.

Two guests were introduced, Cynthia McAlister of CDRI and Linda Hedges (Advisory Board member for the Tierra Grande chapter).

Cynthia informed the group as to the numerous volunteer opportunities available to TMN members at CDRI. Activities include, but are not limited to working in the Visitors Center, office help, distribute CDRI informational materials in surrounding towns, assisting gardeners in the botanical gardens, serving as a hike leader or trailer, assisting with juniper removal, gathering blue rock in the CDRI quarry, assisting during spring break, assisting with youth educational activities, and assisting with the annual cactus festival to be held March 19, 20, 21.

Linda informed the group as to the new Texas Outdoor Family project being sponsored by Texas Parks and Wildlife. This program provides instruction and camping equipment (nominal fee) to families who want to enjoy the Texas State Park experience. A TOF project is scheduled at Seminole Canyon State Park for the weekend of February 13, and at Big Bend Ranch State Park for the weekend of March 27. Go to the TP&W website for more information on this program.

A volunteer opportunity is available in BBRSP on January 25. This project consists of the removal of brush in Fresno Canyon at an old ranch house that is to be preserved.

Linda also reported on the possibility of the addition of a Junior Master Naturalist program for our chapter. Presently, the Lost Pines TMN chapter is in the processing of developing a JTMN program and have offered to share the curriculum with the Tierra Grande chapter.

Fonda G. gave the treasurer’s report. The chapter has a balance of $3,557.52. Members of the 2009 -2010 class do not pay dues this year as dues are included in the $130 program fee. Dues were clarified at $ 20.00 per year. A few members paid “extra” dues last year. The “extra” money was considered as a donation to the chapter. New name tags will be ordered for the 2009 – 2010 class. CDRI has agreed to make the name tags for $6.00 each.

An activities report was presented by Lori Keyes Glover. Lori commented on the new blog that she developed to report the activities of the chapter. Members were instructed as to how to contribute to the blog. Members will receive 1 hour credit if they post information and/or pictures to the blog.

Several members received recognition and pins for recertification. This includes 40 hours of volunteer service and 8 hours of advanced training for the year. Those individuals include:

Reports from members:
Roger Siglin reported on the ongoing effort to designate large tracts of land in Big Bend National Park as “wilderness area.” He asked members to become involved in this effort and to pass the information on to others who may interested in this project.

Donna Greene reported on the Outdoor Exposition planned at Sul Ross State University for the students in an effort to get them more involved in outdoor education. The activity is schedule for April. More information will be forthcoming in the future. Donna also commented on the SRSU “Hill Club” and the hiking/biking trail on Hancock Hill. Look on the SRSU website for additional information and a map of the area. Hill Club Advisor: Brad Butler, (432) 837-8063
President: Jessica Lien.
It was reported that Jeff Bennett of BBNP is trying to develop a “green way” project in Alpine to connect a trail system throughout the city. An effort is underway to obtain an NPS grant for this project.
Martha Latta reported on the Keep Texas Beautiful training that is coming to Alpine Feb. 11th and 12th. This program is a part of the Keep American Beautiful program. This program as well as the local recycling facility can always use volunteers. Presently, volunteers are needed to monitor and deliver the recycled items from the “mini-recycling centers” located throughout Alpine.
Steve Elfring reported on a project at Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area. This project involves preparing and construction interpretive signage along the public drive to the viewing area. The signage will point out points of interest along the drive, which is open to the public May 1 – August 31.
Albert Bork, Linda Hedges, and Ellen Weinacht discussed with members the possibility of conducting future TMN training classes at Big Bend Ranch State Park, rather than Big Bend National Park. This proposal was well received by the members. It was agreed that this would be further discussed prior to the development of the training schedule for the 2010-2011 class.
Gary Freeman reported on the status of the Trans Pecos water project and encouraged TMN members to become involved in this effort.
Ellen Weinacht reminded members about a recent Email from Albert Bork concerning the Alamito Creek development project (David Crum, contact). More information will be forthcoming.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 by Ellen, after which members picked up litter on the 2 mile stretch of highway north of Alpine. Those participating in this project were Gary Freeman, Laura Belkin, Kenneth Sims, Clare Freeman, Janet Stewart, George Pitler, Donna Greene, Carol Slocomb, Melanie Croy, Chris Pipes, Pamela Pipes, roger Beasley, Martha Latta, Becky Hart, Albert Bork, fonda Ghiardi, Pollyanne Melton, Ellen Weinacht, and Lou Weinacht.
Respectfully submitted,
Melanie A. Croy

if there are any additions or corrections, please contact Melaine at:
ma.croy@att.net

CDRI Volunteer Opportunites for Tee Gees

2010-01-13T13:43:00.000-08:00

To see the list of volunteer opportunities click on the Volunteer Opportunities page link on the right side of the screen. You can also call or email Cythia McAlister (pictured above) for more information.

Cynthia McAlister
cmcalister@cdri.org
432-364-2499 office
432-386-2719 cell

Hancock Hill Hike and Bike Trails

2010-01-13T12:36:00.000-08:00

Click on the map or the title of this post, and the map will be more visible.

Hancock Hill Hike and Bike Trail

2010-01-13T07:25:00.000-08:00

Greetings, gang. I've tried adding a map of the Hancock Hill (Sul Ross Mt.) Hike and Bike Trail but can't seem to get it past the Cyber Gods. Please email me at either greenedonna00@gmail.com or dgreene@sulross.edu and I'll send you a copy of the map submitted by Kevin Urbanczyk. He does a good job of keeping the map current.

There are currently two trailheads: I suggest using the one at Mountainside Dorm parking lot. That area is not currently being used and it's okay to park there without a Sul Ross permit.

There is 6 miles of trail ranging from strenuous to moderate to "easy". The project is ongoing; I will keep you updated as to trail development and volunteer opportunities.
Donna

Trans Pecos Water & Land Trust Needs Our Hands

2010-01-12T19:30:00.000-08:00

Trans Pecos Water & Land Trust is acquiring 1300 acres of land with 2 1/2 miles of Alamito Creek (tall cottonwood canopy forest and year round running water, very few salt cedar). We will operate the land as a Preserve and will need expert help in several ways, such as base line biological surveys, arch surveys, trail building, invasive plant removal, and possibly some building construction.

For more info please click on the volunteer opportunities link on the right side of the screen.

David Crum
Executive Director
Trans Pecos Water & Land Trust
Fort Davis, Texas
432-488-7390 cell
432-426-2244 office

Adopt-A-Highway Program Cleanup Brag Sheet

2010-01-11T20:35:00.000-08:00

Tee Gees Annual Meeting

2010-01-11T14:50:00.000-08:00

You wouldn't know it was a furry, frigid morning! Twenty seven members and three guests attended the annual meeting and most participated in the highway cleanup. Please take a look at the recent posts to get a feel for where we are going in 2010. With this kind of participation- the world is our oyster!

NPS Rivers and Trails Grant

2010-01-11T14:36:00.000-08:00

The NPS Rivers and Trails Conservation Assistance Program selected Alpine
to receive technical assistance to develop a plan for a network of publicly
accessible greenways and multi-use linking Sul Ross, town destination, and
natural and cultural resources. The staff assistance grant will support the
development of a regional recreation and transportation plane with careful
consideration of water shed protection strategies for Alpine and Little
Alpine Creeks. Maybe you've seen all this language as it was in a press
release in early Dec. Assistance will begin this year. The challenge will
be to be sure that the city puts the effort forward. Community members need
to be heard by the city council, not just once but over and over again. The
Parks board, the Environmental Advisory Board and the Council all need to
be spoken with directly. NPS assistance will not work if the city is not
energized and ready to make this happen. TMN is a great group to help with
this. Maybe the group could be sure that some one is at board and council
meetings for a while. Are any of the TMN on the Park's board? Do any of
them plan to run for city council?

Dana Milani (06)

Chris Pipes new Project Director at Davis Mountains Preserve

2010-01-11T14:19:00.000-08:00

All, I wanted to let folks know that we have offered the Davis Mountains
Project Director position to Chris Pipes of Alpine and Chris has
accepted.

Before he retired as the Chief of Police in Odessa, Chris completed his
Masters of Science Degree in Biology at UTPB. After he retired Chris
moved to Alpine and is currently close to completing a Range and
Wildlife Masters Degree at Sul Ross. Many of you may already know Chris
because he and his wife have been regular visitors and volunteers at
Independence Creek and Davis Mountains Preserves. Chris' education and
experience and passion for wildlife and land conservation in West Texas
make him a great fit for the Davis Mountains Project Director Position.

Chris' first day is January 19. His office will be at the McIvor Center
but he is moving to Ft Davis in the very near future. He will have a
Conservancy phone number (hopefully 2390) at his house and his email
address should be available shortly after his start date.

Thank you very much to all who participated in this process and please
help us welcome Chris to what should be a very bright future with the
Conservancy in the Davis Mountains.

Jeff Francell

FY I, from Roger Siglin (05)

2010-01-11T13:55:00.000-08:00

Tierra Grande is a non-political organization. We do not have a dog in this fight but wanted to send this FYI.

You have the opportunity to encourage the designation of 596,215 acres of wilderness within Big Bend National Park!
Established in 1944, our beloved 801,163-acre park is the 15th largest in the national park system – yet none of it carries the name of “wilderness”. “Wilderness” affords the highest level of protection for public lands.
In 1978, President Carter transmitted to Congress the National Park Service (NPS) proposal to designate wilderness within Big Bend. Since then, no Congressional action has been taken in 30 years. The big news is that the 2009 re-study by NPS has identified 596,215.2 acres eligible for wilderness and 13,215.8 acres as potential wilderness – even more than in 1978! Although the NPS has managed the lands as if they were wilderness, the formal designation as wilderness would cement their protected status.
Besides being an economic engine for surrounding rural counties, Big Bend is a refuge for 75 species of mammals, 67 species of reptiles and amphibians, over 450 bird species, and 1,295 plant species. For more information:

http://lonestar.sierraclub.org/spaces/BBNPWilderness2sides11092009.pdf

Keep Alpine Beautiful, Martha Latta

2010-01-11T13:53:00.000-08:00

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle; Keep Alpine Beautiful (Keep Texas Beautiful.) Lots of volunteer opportunities for litter pickup, staffing the recycling center, going into schools, being an advocate, etc. My number is 294-3183. Martha

Dear KTB Affiliates,

Please join us for KTB Training to be held in Alpine, TX on February 11 -1 2 , 2010. If you are new to KTB, looking for more information or a refresher, this is the training for you. Volunteers and board members are encouraged to attend!

Attendance satisfies the training requirement for all KTB Affiliate Recognition levels (Good Standing, Silver Star, Gold Star). All attendees must register. You can download a registration form at: http://www.ktb.org/highlights/2010-ktb-trainings.aspx Please complete and return the form to me by February 5th.

The topics to be covered are as follows:

Thursday, February 11:

· Introduction to KTB & Guide to Affiliate Coordination (1:00 pm - 5:00 pm)

· Welcome and Introduction

· Who and what is Keep Texas Beautiful?

· Keep America Beautiful and the Behavior-Based Approach

· Programs overview

· Organizational Check-up

· Fundraising

Friday, February 12:

Volunteer Management (9:00 am – 12:00 pm)

· Identifying ways volunteers can help your program

· Targeting and recruiting

· The new age of volunteerism

· Retaining and recognizing

Class Location:

Sul Ross State University

Alpine, TX 79832

(432) 294-3183

Class will be in Kokernot Lodge:

1104 Loop Road,

Kokernot Lodge is on the west side of the street

(North of the Country Club)

State-Fish Art Contest

2010-01-11T13:48:00.000-08:00

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/education/fish_art/

The State-Fish Art Contest is part of a conservation education program designed to spark the imaginations of students while providing valuable lessons about fish and the importance of conserving Texas' aquatic resources. This is a nationwide art contest sponsored by Wildlife Forever, a national conservation organization. Students in grades 4 through 12 in public, private or home schools are invited to submit a drawing of an officially recognized state fish and a one-page essay on its behavior, habitat or conservation.

Volunteer Opportunities within TPWD

2010-01-11T13:40:00.000-08:00

The volunteer opportunities within Texas Parks and Wildlife for the next few months include Texas Outdoor Family events at Seminole Canyon State Park (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/seminole_canyon/) Feb 13 – 14 and Big Bend Ranch State Park (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/big_bend_ranch/) March 26 – 28. Info about the TOF program can be found at: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/bof/.

If chapter members are interested in volunteering, please let me know via email and I will get them in touch with the right person for more details.

Thank you,

Linda Hedges

linda.hedges@tpwd.state.tx.us

Montezuma quail at DMSP

2010-01-09T13:13:00.000-08:00

This is a photo of a male Montezuma quail recently seen at the feeder station at Davis Mountains State Park. Unlike our other Texas quail (scaled, Gambel's, and bobwhite), Montezuma rarely flush unless the perceived threat is very close and therefore they are seldom seen. Recently, these quail have been reliably seen each afternoon at the DMSP feeder station, although with the early departure today of Interpretive Host Bert Seeholzer, who fed the quail with dedicated regularity, it is unknown if the daily quail visits will continue. Mr. Seeholzer and his wife are residents of upstate New York and are avid birders who have served for many years during the winter months as DMSP volunteer hosts. Their early departure this year is due to a combination of health problems suffered by both Bert and Grace Seeholzer. Those who are so inclined are asked to keep them in their thoughts and prayers.

Big Bend State Ranch Fiesta Pictures Nov 14, 2009

2009-12-02T10:03:00.000-08:00

Here are the Big Bend State Ranch Pictures again just in case you were sure how to follow the link last time.

Click on the pictures to enlarge.

BBQ Crowd. The line was REALLY long. I saw Maggie serving meat. She kept checking the line to see if it ended yet.

Buffalo soldiers

Singer and song-writer Dennis Jay

To find out more about Dennis Jay and listen to "Primicia," click on the following link http://www.myspace.com/dennisjaymusic

Mountain biker from Terlingua.

Using antlers, this guy chipped away at chert, obsidian, and other rocks to create primitive arrowheads and spearheads. We were very impressed with his artistry.

Ranger Jeff Winchester was one of 100 TPW employees chosen to assist in operations of the Fiesta. Winchester, who came all the way from Galveston, rides on Chmako, the biggest horse he of the pick.

These cows greeted us as we came in Friday evening. Somehow, through the lens, they became ghostly.

Presidio art students display their work in the Sauceda main residence built in about 1905

Beautiful orange and gold foliage frame one of the many stone bastions of Agua Adentro Mtn. along the Ojito Adentro trail.

This is a shrub we spotted on the Ojito Adentro trail. It has juniper-like needles and bright red berries with a very woody stem. We were told that it is called Guayacan and has purple blooms in the spring. For more info http://uvalde.tamu.edu/herbarium/guan.htm

Ojito Adentro

I am listening to the voice of the "Eye Within."

Big Bend State Ranch Cinco Tinajas Trail Pictures

2009-11-21T09:27:00.000-08:00

Lori, I don’t know how to post the pics- please put these on the blog WHICH I LOVE!

These were taken on the hike Mike Murphy and I led at Big Bend Ranch last weekend. The name of the trail is Cinco Tinajas.

Thank you so much, Ellen Weinacht

Message to Tierra Grande Chapter from Linda Hedges

2009-11-18T16:56:00.001-08:00

Please allow me to add a special thanks to the Tierra Grande Chapter
for all of your assistance during the Fiesta. Chapter members lead
essentially all of our short guided hikes during the event on the Cinco
Tinajas and Ojito Adentro trails, and that was an enormous help. Verily
I say to you that we couldn't have done it without you! On behalf of
Texas Parks and Wildlife and Big Bend Ranch State Park -- our profound
and sincere thanks. Stay tuned for future volunteer opportunities!"

Thanks,

Linda Hedges

Dana Milani's Pictures of Ojito Adentro

2009-11-16T10:49:00.000-08:00

In the picture above, he mound below the maiden hair ferns is a Travartine formation created by the dripping of the spring.

Just wanted to post a few of my pics from the hike I led to Ojito Adentro. It was like a mini Cattail Falls. The park is such a great place, a great resource, and hopefully a future training weekend site.What a great time, wish everyone could have been there.Dana

Linda Hedges Comments

2009-11-15T17:33:00.000-08:00

Linda Hedges posted this as a comment, so I wanted to put it where everyone could see it!

Don't forget to click on the post before this one to see pics from the Fiesta!

Thanks, Linda!

There were 90 TPWD staff and 30 volunteers most being Texas Master Naturalist Tierra Grande members.
====================
From Linda this morning:

When we first started planning the Fiesta we thought we might attract 100 people. Then we upped our estimate to 300. When we realized we had 347 RSVPs by last Friday, we thought we might have 500 and we ended up with something over 600. So we were very pleased!

Link to Fiesta Pictures

2009-11-15T15:07:00.000-08:00

Just click on the title of this post to see some pictures of the Fiesta at BBRSP. I'll be adding pictures over the next couple of days. It takes some time, so keep checking back to see the pics!

Open House Fiesta at Big Bend State Ranch

2009-11-15T13:02:00.000-08:00

HUNDREDS SHOW UP FOR BIG BEND RANCH STATE PARK FIESTA
Visitors Finally Get to Enjoy Park Open House Event
by Bryan Frazier of TPWD

PRESIDIO, Texas – After two previous attempts—first postponed a year ago because of torrential floods, then again following a swine flu epidemic last spring—Big Bend Ranch State Park was finally able to host its Fiesta, a free, public open house that showcased many of the features, activities and facilities offered by the large remote park in far West Texas.
“This is the biggest event we’ve had at Big Bend Ranch State Park since the original park opening,” said Mike Hill, Regional Director of State Parks in West Texas. “It went extraordinarily well, and lots of people got to experience all of the things that make Big Bend Ranch State Park such an enjoyable destination. Our neighbors now know we’re open for business, and they will spread the word.”
More than 600 people turned out, many driving and even flying in from hours away, to see much of what makes up one of the largest state park in the U.S., and to participate in the event’s numerous scheduled activities. They included horseback riding, jeep tours, hiking, birding and nature walks, camping, river rafting and mountain biking. There was also a free barbeque lunch for everyone and a concert by cowboy singer and songwriter Dennis Jay.
In addition, artwork done by students from Presidio High School was on display in the park’s original restored ranch house lodge, “The Big House.”
“I was really amazed to see how many of the local residents came out and visited; when the local people are informed about what we have, the more they can tell the tourists who come through the region and direct them here,” said Rick Thompson, park superintendent of Big Bend Ranch State Park. “I thought the Fiesta was a resounding success and we achieved what we set out to do. We’ll definitely be on a lot more people’s radar because of this event. ”
The park, located approximately two hours west of Big Bend National Park, off of F.M. 170, is some 311,000 acres of wilderness backcountry, and is made up of two mountain ranges, ancient extinct volcanoes, more than 200 miles of multiuse trails and 27 miles of river frontage along the Rio Grande. It is considered by many to be not only a premier primitive camping and trails experience in Texas, but also one of the most significant historical sites. Big Bend Ranch is home to rock shelters used by ancient settlers, pictographs, rock art and other considerable cultural and anthropological artifacts. Today, the park also still functions as a working ranch.
For more information on Big Bend Ranch State Park, call the Sauceda Ranger Station at (432) 358-4444, or visit the park’s Web site at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/parks .

Horned Lizards Do Shoot Blood

2009-11-09T19:37:00.000-08:00

For those who never believed it. Clare Freeman . TG ’07, picked the toad up to move it out of the road and uh oh.

Remember, “No good deed goes unpunished”.

The Post Park in Marathon, TX

2009-11-09T14:26:00.000-08:00

This Sunday Mark, the kids, and I went to the Post in Marathon. I took a walk while Mark ran after the kids and found a path that took me upstream where I saw a couple more pools and a blue heron. All along the trail, there was scat that I guessed might be from a feral hog.

There are now three domestic ducks at the Post. One of them has a damaged wing. I hope they survive. The post is a few miles out of Marathon and surrounded by untamed, unmanned desert. I'm sure the local predators would love a nice late night dinner of duck.

It also looks as if, the county is attempting to clean out the cane again. They've bulldozed out a portion of the creek bed. Is scraping and digging a smart way to fight off overgrowth and preserve a natural space?

This area has been bulldozed and scraped again recently. I'm not sure what their goal is.

Big Bend Weekend Press Release

2009-11-05T15:09:00.000-08:00

An aoudad ram lowered the streamlined horns that armored his head like a high-tech bicycle helmet and planted his hooves in the rocky Hot Springs trail that zig zagged up the steep bank of the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park (BBNP). A hiker stood frozen by the ram’s gaze, warned by his stance not to come any closer as his healthy herd of dams and kids scrambled up the hill to safety.

The solo hiker, a Texas Master Naturalist, continued searching for sign of her classmates who were studying wetland ecology with Jeff Bennett, park hydrologist, somewhere further down river.

Later that day, BBNP Park Wildlife Biologist Raymond Skiles discussed mammalogy with the class, and the hiker asked, “Would an aoudad ram charge me?” Skiles, amused, shook his head. “No, I don’t think so.” He then asked about the circumstances because one never really knows what a creature will do. As they say at Texas Tech, “It depends.”

Park botanist Dr. Joe Sirotnak drove this concept home when he lectured on the potential of a landscape to recover its range of historic variability. He made it clear that “ecosystems are complex and not a linear progression of this caused that.” We live in web of interdependency.

The Texas Master Naturalist Program seeks to foster the understanding of this concept through education, thus promoting the responsible management of natural resources and natural areas.

“When people are aware, they care and support stewards of land.” Linda Hedges, Texas Parks and Wildlife Regional Interpretive Specialist, explained to Texas Master Naturalists during the Mt. Livermoore hike in late August.

Big Bend National Park provided the final training ground for Texas Master Naturalists this past weekend, October 30-31, in a series of four weekend sessions spread out over three months. At the end of the series, Texas Master Naturalists earned 48 hours of training. Out of 21 trainees, thirteen completed the program and received their certificates Saturday night after being served a spaghetti dinner prepared by the San Vicente middle school students.

Led by Don Corrick, BBNP geologist, Texas Master Naturalists investigate a 30 million-year-old petrified tree trunk.

New Notes and New Way to Post Notes

2009-10-03T22:33:00.000-07:00

To save space on the blog and so we won't have to scroll through endless notes, I am going to start posting links to my notes in google documents. Please let me know if this option isn't working for you.

Here is a link to my notes on Cynthia McCallister's lecture over pollinators. Cynthia's presentation was part of our Davis Mountains training.

Pollinators of the Chihuahuan Desert

By the way, I recorded a large portion of Betty Warnock's lecture with my computer. I am working on making that available through the blog as well. The typed Warnock notes are coming soon.

I did not take notes during Dr. Ritzi's lecture because his Power Point handout was so comprehensive.

Migrating Monarchs taken by Gary Nored at Balmorhea State Park

2009-09-30T11:58:00.000-07:00

Gary Nored sent this beautiful photograph of the monarchs to me. I'm jealous that my shots of the butterflies from Balmorhea this past weekend did not turn out as well. Thank you, Gary.

Balmorhea Press Release

2009-09-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody. Here is the press release that I sent out. I had a great time this weekend, and I was very encouraged by all the positive feedback on the blog. I'm trying to squeeze out some more time to work on it and make it easier to work with.

Sightings of migratory Monarchs kicked off the second weekend of training for newbie Texas Master Naturalists of the Tierra Grande Chapter at Balmorhea State Park this past weekend, September 25-27. Trainees broke free from one of many intensive lectures given by experts such as Dr. Bonnie Warnock and Dr. Chris Ritzi to view the beautiful visiting butterflies clustered on trees along the spring fed Balmorhea swimming pool as they rested from their southward migration to a small oyamel fir forest in Mexico.
Lectures for the weekend took a ground up approach, discussing subjects such as soil, grass lands, Texas ecology, wildscaping, urban systems, entomology, and birding. Tom Johnson, Balmorhea State Park superintendent, led trainees on a tour of the restored adobe Calera Chapel and Phantom Spring which flows out of Phantom Cave. The depth of the cave is still unknown as it has been literally kept under lock and key, covered in heavy metal bars, since two divers died there. At one time the spring fed Phantom Lake, which provided water for the agricultural production in Calera, Texas.

The Tierra Grande Chapter wrapped up the weekend with a wetland volunteer project at the Balmorhea State Park Cienega.

Balmorhea weekend

2009-09-28T08:26:00.001-07:00

I finally figured out this new fangled electronic stuff. This is a wonderful idea and I hope it catches on within the Chapter. Lori, thank you once again for getting it up and running.
I also want to thank everyone for the excellent weekend at Balmorhea and I look forward to another exciting weekend at Elephant Mountain.

blue gill at the post

2009-09-23T11:16:00.000-07:00

Slid down the cement dam ramp into the water chest high at the Post, the Post a dammed up cat tail pond on the Marvaillas Creek on Texas Comptroller Susan Combs big ranch - she leased the 15 acres to the county and has so since the forties- the county, "improved" it last year clearing out unwanted "growth" with a fifty ton excavator, two bull dozers and three dump trucks, I hit the bottom and sunk another 6 inches just enough to see, flipped the fly rod back and set the chartreuse arcado bug up against a cat tail, thin shadows on the murk, novaculite crusted hill in the hard distance, rod tip bent and the green line cut the surface of the dark water until with drag set Blue Gill No.1 12 oz and fine white meat if you dont mind the bones.

Help Me ID these Birds

2009-09-21T12:39:00.000-07:00

Migratory birds must be passing through! Lately, I've notice a number of different birds in my trees. I just spotted two beautiful finch-like birds. Their breasts are a bright, bright yellow with a greenish tint. It's almost chartreuse. Their wings also have the greenish tint but are more gray. They are smaller and more slender than a sparrow and not plump at all.

This is one of those times when I really wish we'd bought the bird book that we keep saying we need.

Anyone know what these birds are?

Lori

Post Park

2009-09-20T08:48:00.000-07:00

I took my dogs and wife to romp and play at Post Park. Edy was not so much interested in swimming after tennis balls in the park pond. She needs more tutoring.

Post Park is a rare jewel in this region and we go there regularly. I did see "something" this morning on the rock outcrop across the road from the park to the west. I always have my binoculars except for this morning. I know the movement of aoudad on rocky slopes and this animal was moving quickly, good size but still smaller than a grown deer or aoudad. What ever it was it was clearly disturbed by our and the dog's presence in the area. My thoughts observing it from a distance was possibly a lion??? Post Park with it's attraction for all sorts of wildlife certainly predators are visitors as well. Have there been recent lion sightings at Post Park?

Regards,
Steve

TG training class picture in Alpine Avalanche

2009-09-11T14:13:00.000-07:00

This week's, September 10, 2009, Alpine Avalanche has the picture Masa took of many of you on the hike up Mt. Livermore and they did credit Masa with it.

Davis Mountain Preserve Hike August 2009

2009-09-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

FYI I haven't finished typing up these notes, but I thought I'd post them anyway. I'll update soon.

I took these notes as we drove up to the trail head with John Karges and as we were hiking to the top of Mt. Livermore. I did not take notes on the way down. Being the imperfect human that I am, some of these notes may be incorrect. If you see errors, please post corrections. I will put question marks next to things that I am unsure of.

Also, these are notes, so they are not in complete sentences and may be hard to follow in places.

Pine Peak 7700 ft elevation; Pine Peak has a lake

Capitan Reef is the largest ring atoll reef in the world; includes Glass Mts and Delaware Mts; Ft. Stockton is over the top of that reef?
Barillos Mts are a subset of the Davis Mts-private land
Davis Mountain Cottontail-specific to Davis Mountains; larger than the desert cotton tail we see in Big Bend area
Grasses seen: Deer Muhlie and Bull Muhlie
Flower-Mexican Catchfly-red-orange color, shaped like a glove, catches bugs
Bridge Gap watershed divide, head of Limpia canyon water shed
Several unnamed peaks that are 8000ft or higher. Some may be higher than Livermore.
Volcanic uplifted sedimentary deposits
plant-wood sorrel-oxalis acid-tangy flavor looks a bit like a clover
lichens-indicators of air quality, climate change-algae/fungus combo are poorly classified in Davis Mountains
North Aspect Slope vs. East Aspect slope
This East Slope has more sun and all 3 species of pines: Mexican Pinyon, white pine, ponderosa--evergreen forest
pinyon-short needles, less than 2", pine cone is the size of a plum
white pine-medium needles, 2-3", pine cone is the size of a potatoe
ponderosa-large needles, 3-7", pine cone is the size of a pear
juniper-wood very durable
sky island captures a lot of rainfall
Oak trees-live oaks-gradual shed and replacement of leaves year round-photosynthesis all year-big demand for water, young trees fight with older established trees for soil moisture.

1. sky island-evergreen mountain forest
2. Waterways-riparian forest-water under gravel-next streams, creeks
3. Shin Oak Forest-sand hills forests, water near surface, extensive root systems, mesquite forest

Broad tail hummer seen

Interpretation of Interpretive Guide: Linda Hedges on John K

John is doing correctly-relevance, metaphor, analogy, questioning strategies, connect audience to resource in a meaningful way, tie to human history, cause/effect
Interpretive Basics: what to expect, overview, comparison, interpretive moments, positioning self(speaker) so you are the only one in the sun
Interpretation is a conservation management tool. When people are aware, they care and support stewards of land.

Mt. Livermore-8378 ft elevation

chaparral environment-shrub thicket
aspen clone stand-all trunks same small size indicates 1 root mass-all these trees are one stand from one tree. Fire wiped out all but one in the 90's
Tree rings chronicle fires and tell history of climate-wet years make fat rings, dry years make thin rings, each year is a ring?
Big fires mark the tree rings, small ones don't
Aspens are a relic of a cooler, wetter time-the forests will go higher on the mountain if drier, hotter weather continues
Plants seen- Bee Balm-Horse Mint-lavender (all same thing?)
Penstimmon-red flower, Wild Onions, native geraniums,
Farewell to Texas - book john k. highly recommends
Ajuga (sp?) Canyon- has only population of rio grande chub minnow
80's Land Steward Society approached McIver, He and 2 sisters and mother owned McIver Ranch
Retained conservation easement(legal limitations on land use by the next owner)
Nature Conservancy bought bulk of ranch from sisters and created a partnership with other land owners, lowland sold to conservation buyers

Birds Spotted on Hike
Red Tail Hawk-seen hovering, paler coloring often means it's a juvenile
White Throated Swift
Zone Tail Hawk-resembles turkey vulture

Enriching Through Sharing

2009-09-10T19:28:00.000-07:00

Hi Fellow Tierra Grande TXMN Trainees!

I should have posted this message first I suppose. Basically, I would like for this blog to be an exchange of information, not just information acquired at our TX Master Naturalist weekends but stuff we learn in our day to day lives. Some of us are birders, some of us may be into geology or grasses or fruit trees. Obviously, the weekend workshops cannot teach us everything about this area;although, they do cover an amazing amount of information. Each one of us has knowledge that can contribute to the larger knowledge base and hence greater awareness. So, please post your notes from the weekend lectures and any other relevant lectures, pictures and ids of flora and fauna, or any science based information that fits into the Tierra Grande Texas Master Naturalist scope.

Logging Volunteer Hours

2009-09-04T19:49:00.000-07:00

1. Go to the Tierra Grande website and click on Log In in the upper left corner, then enter the username and password. You must obtain the username and password from Albert.

You can click on the title of this blog entry above, "Logging Volunteer Hours," or you can enter the following URL address to get to the Tierra Grande website.

http://grovesite.com/page.asp?o=tmn&s=tgmn&p=141264

2. Once you have logged in and the page has welcomed you, look down at the bottom left corner of the page and find the heading "Resources." Under "Resources," you will find "Report Volunteer Hours." Click on Report Volunteer Hours.

3. A window will pop-up that asks you to enter the following:

Chapter Name: Tierra Grande (scroll down for this)
Last Name (Yours)
First Name
Email (I assume you should enter the one you have given TXMN
Status (trainee or Master Naturalists)
Type of Service (Chapter, Community, Environment)
Hours
Date
Activity Location (I also included what I did)

4. Once you have filled in all the blanks, you will select either ADD, ADD and NEW, or CANCEL. Select ADD if you only want to report one set of volunteer hours. Select ADD and NEW if you want to enter another separate set of volunteer hours.

For example, I entered my volunteer hours at the Davis Mountains and the Elephant Mountains separately.

When you click ADD and NEW, the program will load the hours you have reported and then return to the same form leaving the information that has just been entered in place. So, it may appear that nothing has been loaded. If the information has been loaded into the system, the box that is labeled Chapter Name will be blank again and will not say Tierra Grande. This lets you know that what you entered is in the system and it is ready for you to enter new information.

If you have made a mistake and want to re-enter your information later, choose CANCEL.

Weather & Climate with Dr. Hoyt 8/28/09

2009-08-30T21:04:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: These notes do not cover everything she said, and they are subject to my own human failings like limited attention span, poor hearing, etc. . . .

40 ft fossilized tree trunk in BBNP
weather-condition of atmospheric elements at a specific time and place
climate-atmospheric conditions over a period of time
insolation-incoming solar radiation
atmospheric and oceanic circulation systems move energy around earth to create balance
Koeppen Climate Classification
4 ways climate is altered
tectonic processes (volcanic activity releases CO2), when the earth was a supercontinent it
was very arid. May become a super continent again. Some continents moving 2-3 in. per
year.
earth orbital-spin, tilt, solstice, equinox
sun's strength-changes, some years have more or less sun spots
anthropogenic
"Albedo" ice/snow reflects energy back into atmosphere
CO2 & water vapor hold escaping energy in and send back
Milankovitch Cycles-19-24,000 tilt, wobble changes orbit
Ice Age-all these can work together to create an energy deficit for the earth
sunspot=10 year cycle of activity
1645-1715 Maunder Minimum -only 50 sunspots during this time, reduced trade winds, period
of cold and hardship, famine, social change, Stradivari violin created and cannot be
duplicated because the the wood that grew during that time had so many rings that it
was very fine grained
1800 and Froze to Death: low number of sun spots, snow in June, Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein during the summer when it was too cold to be outside
1815 Mt. Tambora erupted blasting 200 megatons of dust and rock, so thick it blocked the sun
1817 : not able to grow enough oats/hay to feed horses, as a result the bicycle was invented
La Nina Cycle: high pressure system blocking moisture
El Nino Cycle: opposite of La Nina
I am including notes on Cynthia McCallister's lecture of Pollinators as well. Click on the following link to view the notes. Pollinators of the Chihuahuan Desert

Tierra Grande Training August '09-Davis Preserve

2009-08-30T15:27:00.000-07:00

Hello fellow TXMN trainees! We had a long and intense weekend. There was an incredible amount of information to be absorbed and no one person could remember or record everything. I've created this blog to function as a notes forum for our group. We can all share, correct, and update notes here.

I'd like to ask everyone to post what they remember from the lectures and the trail talks, including plant and animal identifications. If possible include pictures with your flora and fauna ids. We can make our naturalist education more complete and our training experiences more rich by sharing what we learn.

I'll start by posting my notes. Please post any corrections or additional information. Thanks!

Advanced Training Opportunities

2009-02-02T09:11:00.000-08:00

Wilderness First Aid
Advanced training hours for the Wilderness First Aid course. Please contact Don Wetterauer if you plan to attend.

Ft. Davis Historical Society
Tierra Grande Treasurer Fonda Ghiardi will be giving a talk tonight for the Ft. Davis Historical Society on her experience preserving the clothes President Abraham Lincoln was wearing the night he was assassinated. TIME: 7 pm, PLACE: Nel's Café, Ft. Davis. It's next door to Bookfeller, in case you don't know. This should be good for TMN advanced training time also, and for volunteer time for Fonda, unless she's getting paid.

Third Annual Distinguished Quail Lectureship Fast Approaches!

The event set for 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Jan. 29 in Roby should be
of interest to all students of quail, whether they are landowners,
hunters or biologists, said Dr. Dale Rollins, director of the Rolling
Plains Quail Research Ranch
[http://cts.vresp.com/c/?RollingPlainsQuailRe/99033b754d/eb4c36819b/dc028375ee]
located just west of the meeting site. The theme for the conference
is The Science of Quail Management.

This years featured speaker is Dr. Fred S. Guthery
[http://cts.vresp.com/c/?RollingPlainsQuailRe/99033b754d/eb4c36819b/7fad0f84de]
, a research scientist with Oklahoma State University in Stillwater,
Okla. Guthery will present two lectures. The morning session will
feature A Rockin Retrospective on Quail Science and Management, while
the afternoon session features Quail, Weather, and Time.

Guthery has authored several books, including Beef, Brush, and
Bobwhites, On Bobwhites," The Technology of Bobwhite Management, and
his most recent A Primer on Natural Resource Science. He has authored
more than seventy journal publications and numerous popular articles
on bobwhites.

Dr. Dean Ransom, Agrilife Research scientist in San Angelo, will
summarize his extensive research on roadrunners, which Rollins noted
are often viewed as a pariah by quail hunters.

The new research ranch, a 4,700-acre property located in western
Fisher County, serves as a laboratory and classroom for those
interested in sustaining quail populations in west Texas. A tour of
the ranch will be conducted after the lectureship, from 3-5 p.m.

The program is sponsored by the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch,
Texas Agrilife Research, Texas Agrilife Extension Services Quail
Decline Initiative, and Park Cities Quail.

A $15 registration fee is due by Jan. 15 or $25 thereafter. Seating is
limited to 100 people, and registration includes lunch.

______________________________________________________________________
Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch
7887 Highway 87 North
San Angelo, Texas 76901
Ph: 325-653-4576
Fax: 325-655-7791
DRollins@ag.tamu.edu

This probably isn't advanced training, but it is an interesting opportunity: February 2

Work hands-on with world renowned presenters and specialists in their fields. Kendall Haven, a senior research scientist turned award-winning author and storyteller

February 2 Keynote Address Story Proof: Making Your Job Easier with the Science Behind the Startling Power of Story

Workshop I: Secrets from the “Other” Half of Storytelling Focus will be on the structure of effective stories--on the thing that each storyteller tells. Will demonstrate and test each of Eight Essentials, seeing what each provides for teller and listener.

Workshop II: Super Simple Storytelling: “Who me?” “Yes, you!” Shifting to the process of storytelling, Kendall will break myths and demonstrate what each listener really needs from the teller, and how we sabotage our own tellings by focusing on the wrong aspect of the process.
Sam Ham PhD., Naturalist and Public Programs
Specialist for USNPS, Director Center for International
Training & Outreach, Professor University of Idaho

February 3 Keynote Address

Meaning Making is the Endgame of Interpretation
Sam will examine three diff erent engames based on decades of research showing how communication actually infl uences what people care about. The central importance of a storngly relevant theme will be stressed.

Workshops I and II: Practice in Thematic Thinking
Participants will have an opportunity to practice thinking thematically and in crafting their own strong themes.
Carolyn Boyd PhD., Executive Director of SHUMLA

February 4 Keynote Address: Drawing from the Past: Interpreting the Rock Art of the Lower Pecos

Amistad area is home to 4000 year old rock art. It was used to help pass on important information from generation to generation. Carolyn has begun to break the code of these stories and will share her exciting research.
Fran Stallings, biologist turned storyteller

February 2 Workshop I: Science: Tell It Like a Story

Workshop II: How to Tell Science Like a Story, Donna InghamPhD., former English professor turned storyteller
February 3 Workshop I and II

Bringing History to Life with Storytelling

Eldrena Douma, Pueblo Indian from tribes of

Laguna, Tewa and Hopi,former teacher, storyteller

February 2 Telling the Native American

Story

Tipi Tellers

February 2 Workshop Ecology Stories and

Connections to the Landscape

Andy L. Fisher NPS Interpretive Ranger

February 3 Workshop Successful Interpretation

Certifi cation Submission for NPS

Permanent Staff and for All Other Non-permanent

and Non-NPS Interpreters

Mary Ann Blue Storyteller and teacher

February 4 Workshop Tell a Tale and Teach

a Language: Storytelling and Language

Aquistion

Jack Johnson NPS Cultural Anthropologist

February 4 Workshop From Artifacts to Experiences:

Bringing Archeology to Life

Marie Malo NPS Education Technician

February 4 Workshop Living History, Costumed

Interpretation, and Connections

“Family of Voices:

Telling the Untold Stories”

Conference

February 2-4, 2010

Amistad National Recreation Area

Del Rio, TX 78840

Storytelling is the oldest and most

powerful form of communication. For thousands

of years, before the written word, story through

oral tradition, even paintings on caves, passed on

all of the important knowledge from generation to

generation. It is the story that makes connections

for people—connections to the information,

connections to each other, connections to the

resource. If you want people to think, feel, and

take an active part in stewardship…tell them a

story.

“Storytelling is at the core of human learning and

communication. Recent research reaffi rms that

storytelling enhances analytical and organizational

skills as well as all aspects of language arts development.

Stories are a powerful vehicle for teaching.”

Kendall Haven

How can we craft a story that will engage

our audience to remember and make connections?

Whether you are a teacher, an interpreter,

a librarian, or a guide you are already a storyteller.

When you participate in the Family of Voices

workshops, you will learn how to craft stories

the visitors, students, the public in general will

remember. Learn how to make connections with

the hearts and minds of your audience so they

make connections with the resource. Learn how

to develop programs that can elevate the level of

thinking and action within your audience or class.
Hello!
The conference will be 8am to 5 pm each day. It will be held at the Civic
Center in Del Rio. It will have concurrent sessions running in 3 rooms (2
rooms on Feb 4) but will have repeats of the sessions in the afternoon so
that you can attend all of the workshops that you want to. These workshops
will be hands-on for the most part. Sam Ham, Kendall Haven, Donna Ingham,
and Fran Stallings will be doing 2 sessions in the morning and afternoon
with the second part being a progression of the first session.

I hope that you are able to take advantage of the conference. If so I
simply need to know your name, organization and which days you will be
attending. There is also a chuckwagon dinner available at the Whitehead
Museum with ghost stories for $14. The conference itself is FREE OF
CHARGE. If you want to be put on our participant list then I can email you
the more explicit schedule of time, and locations of workshops at the Civic
Center.

For more information, please contact me.
Sincerely,

Marie Malo
Education Technician
Amistad National Recreation Area
Del Rio, TX 78840
830.775.7491 x211

Rock Art Foundation Tour: February 6

Halo Shelter in Dark Canyon near the Devils River

Come join the RAF, in cooperation with the private landowner, on Saturday, February 6, 2010, for a tour to this unique place. The name and location are enough to conjure up fantastical dreams. Halo Shelter harbors unique Pecos River style rock art both in theme and color. A line of deer emerge from a single shadowy deer figure to run across the limestone wall. Beautiful golden yellow colors rarely seen in this rock art form fill the bodies of several figures. Anthropomorphic figures with their hair slightly apart from the skull create the namesake halo affect. Many of the unique icons of Pecos rock art are found at Halo Shelter.

The road to this site is dusty and rough. To get within walking distance of the site your own high clearance vehicle is required for this tour. The tour requires stamina, agility, and balance on the part of all participants. You will be in a remote location where response to serious injuries and medical emergencies will be difficult and lengthy. Please be physically prepared for this hike. Wear sturdy shoes, layer your clothing according to the weather, and bring drinking water/lunch/snacks. The descent into the canyon is very steep with a rope provided to help steady hikers along the rocky trail.
The tour will meet at 9:00am along Highway 90 W in front of the Desert Hills Trailer Park on the western edge of Comstock, Texas. Be prepared for a prompt 9:30am. Gary Kendrick will be your Guide.
This tour will be strictly limited to twenty-five participants and does require advanced reservations with payment. Registration deadline is February 3.
The requested donation for this tour is $35 per person. All Rock Art Foundation tours must be paid in advance to insure your reservation. Please make your reservations by giving us your payment instructions at http://www.fellowpages.org/rockart/tours.cfm . Last minute reservations and walk-on’s can only be accepted depending on available tour space. Only those paid in advance are guaranteed a place on the tour. Cancellations with a full refund are accepted no later than 7 days prior to the tour. Cancellations on the part of the RAF or weather will be refunded in full – most tours are cancelled in the event of rain. An on-call list will be kept for tours which fill up and you will be notified of openings in order of your inquiry. Payment can also be made by check sent to The Rock Art Foundation, 18160 US Highway 281 North, Suite 108 – Box 257, San Antonio, TX, 78232.
The Rock Art Foundation wishes to thank the private landowners for their stewardship of this unique cultural resource and for graciously allowing us to tour there.

Volunteer Opportunities

2009-02-01T18:52:00.000-08:00

CDRI

Juniper removal project-swampers needed; pull and stack cut limbs; work outdoors.
4 hours minimum; Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (afternoon only), Thursday.

Gather Blue Rock-Tuesday, January 19th, 9am. A great opportunity to visit a part of the CDRI not often seen, the Quarry! This rugged site is full of “blue rock,” which we periodically gather. We need two people with strong backs and arms to help gather a truck load of rock and then help unload it.

Approximately three hours, no training needed, bring gloves and dress to work outside.

Spring Break help
Hike leaders-lead groups of visitors on the moderately strenuous Modesta Canyon trail; be able to hike up to two hours, be willing to attend trainings as needed.

Time requirement varies, but usually two to three hours; days vary, but we are specifically looking for help on Saturdays and Sundays in March.

Hike tailers-assist hike leaders; be able to hike up to two hours and willing to attend trainings as needed.

Time requirement varies, but usually two to three hours; days vary, but we are specifically looking for help on Saturdays and Sundays in March.

Cactus Festival, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, March 19, 20, 21.

Cactus and succulent experts (or at least knowledgeable) to answer customer questions and help with purchases. Enjoy talking to people; be able to stand for up to two hours at a time.

4 hours minimum; orientation required.

Adult activity guide-guide visitors through container garden making activity, have some knowledge about cacti and succulents and how to grow them in pots; enjoy talking to people, be able to stand for up to two hours.

Friday, 10-12; Saturday, 12-2; Sunday, 10-12; Two hours minimum; orientation required.

Young child activity guide-guide children in activity, rock painting with lechuguilla paint brush. Enjoy working with children.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 10-2. Two hours minimum; orientation required.

Youth activity guide-guide youths in activity, decorate terracotta pot with lechuguilla paint brush, pot cacti, make lechuguilla fiber wrap. Enjoy working with children.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 10-2. Two hours minimum; orientation required.

There are other opportunities available, and I am interested in your ideas about how your particular strengths and talents can be utilized. Please contact me anytime.

Cynthia McAlister
cmcalister@cdri.org
432-364-2499 office
432-386-2719 cell

Trans Pecos Water & Land Trust

is acquiring 1300 acres of land with 2 1/2 miles of Alamito Creek (tall cottonwood canopy forest and year round running water, very few salt cedar) is located about 35 miles south of Marfa. We will operate the land as a Preserve and will need expert help in several ways, such as base line biological surveys, arch surveys, trail building, invasive plant removal, and possibly some building construction.

Another current project is taking a leadership role is the Trans Pecos Stimulus Consortium that is collectively working to bring stimulus dollars to far west Texas. We have negotiated and secured an agreement for 73 acres of land near Marfa to build a Native Plant Materials Center. The NPMC will also have a community garden component.

If you or anyone you know would like to visit about participating in these projects let me know.

Thanks,
David Crum
Executive Director
Trans Pecos Water & Land Trust
Fort Davis, Texas
432-488-7390 cell
432-426-2244 office