volume xxv, no. 1 january-february 2007

8/14/2019 Volume XXV, No. 1 January-February 2007

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Volume XXV, No. 1

January-February 2007

BexarAudubonSocietyis a chapter of theNational Audubon

Society. Its primarygoals are to promotespecies and habitat

conservation and envi-ronmental education

in the community.

Geology of the Canyon Lake Gorge, a Glimpse at

Central Texas during Early Cretaceous

Canyon Gorge Field Trip (near Canyon Dam)

January 13th 10AM 1PM. Leader Dr. Bill Ward. Trip limited to 25 people.

For reservations & details call Patty at (210)824-1235 or email [email protected] alternate date in case of inclement weather is February 3rd.

Thursday, January 116:30PM gathering; 6:45 announcements; 7:00 programTrinity University Cowles Life Sciences Building, Room 336 (see map, p. 2) Free & open to the public

Bexar Tracks

For the latest news & updates, see http://www.bexaraudubon.org & http://www.sa-naturecenter.org

Thursday, February 8Same time and place as above more on p.2

Mike Mecke on

Rainwater Harvesting:

What's Old Is New Again!

Following days of tumultuous rains on July 4,

2002, Canyon Lake rose high enough to pour

over its spillway for the first time in history. In

hours, the gently sloping creek valley below the

spillway was transformed into a long gorge,

excavated as much as 30-40 feet below the for-

mer ground level. The new canyon exposes a

200-foot-thick section of the Glen Rose

Formation, deposited in a shallow sea about 110

million years ago. Also spectacularly exposed in

Canyon Lake Gorge is a stretch of the HiddenValley Fault of the Balcones Fault Zone.

Dr. Bill Ward will discuss these unique features

and how they give insight into the flow of

groundwater in limestone aquifers. The Canyon

Lake Gorge site is owned by the Corps of

Engineers and is presently leased by the

Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, which has

plans to open up trails on a limited basis for

research and education.

Dr. Ward is Professor Emeritus of Geology,

University of New Orleans. He received Geology

degrees from UT Austin and Rice University. His

research has focused on limestones and other

sedimentary rocks in the Yucatan Peninsula,

northeastern Mexico, Spain, Puerto Rico, Egypt,

the U.S. Gulf Coast, and Central Texas. Bill isnow retired, living in the Hill Country near

Boerne. He is active with Native Plant Society of

Texas and the Cibolo Nature Center. He provides

instruction in geology for Master Naturalists and

other groups.


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Bexar Tracks 2 January-February 20

Rainwater Harvesting

Cowles

Cowles is just uphill from the Laurie Auditoriumand adjacent to the Library and the ChapmanGraduate Center. Handicapped parking is acrossfrom Cowles. Park by the Laurie or in lots or onstreets to the west. Call Patty for additionaldirections (824-1235) or see additional map atbexaraudubon.org/map.jpg

LaurieLibrary

Chapman

Map to Cowles Life Sciences Building, Trinity University, west of Highway 281

Join us as Mike Mecke explains

the benefits of Rainwater

Harvesting in Texas. With

a 4,000 year history, rainwater

collection was common practice

in Texas until the early 1900s.Today, there is new interest

in using rainwater, not only for

landscape, but also for pets,

wildlife, businesses, and live-

stock. Another new use is for

fire protectionnow happen-

ing at UTs McDonald Obser-

vatory in the Davis Mountains.

Mike will describe the history,

benefits, and methods of catch-

ing and using rainfall: tradi-tional rooftop systems and

landscape and stormwater

catchment methods. Handouts

will be available.

Mike is a Water Management

Specialist at the Texas

A&M Extension Center in Fort

Stockton. A graduate of Texas

A&M and the University of

Wyoming Graduate School,

Mike had a 15-year career with

the US Dept. of Agriculture,

where he advised Texas ranch-

ers and farmers on land and

natural resource manage-

ment. Then, with the Bureau of

Indian Affairs, he managed range

and cropland divisions for

tribes in AZ, NM, and WY. He

retired from San Antonio Water

System in 2002 as a WaterResources Planner and Ag

Conservation Coordinator.

He is co-author of Harvesting

Rainwater for Wildlife, pub-

lished by the Texas Cooperative

Extension Service. Mike served

as president of Bexar Audubon

Society and is a co-founder of

the Texas Riparian Association.

First, let me saya huge thanks to our benefactors ofBexarTracks. A few generous contributors have kept our hard copynewsletter coming to your mailbox for the present time. If you

want more frequent reminders of Bexar Audubon events than yoget from the bi-monthlyBexar Tracks, please drop an e-mail [email protected]. Ask to be added to the elec-

tronic announcement mailing list. Eventualwe may shift to an electronic version ofBexar Tracksfor environmental reasons. Bufor now we will all continue to enjoy aprinted version. Thank you!

Global Climate Change It seemsthat the winds are changing. Those politic

winds do not change as often as the meteorological winds. But the direction can sometimes be as distinct as a blue norther. As I

listened to NPR today I heard interesting discussions about theshifts in Washington. It now seems like every branch of ourFederal government has taken up the banner of global warming.

To be fair, the Supreme Court is still trying to decide if they willengage, too, but it looks like they might. Thanks to the winds andthe voices of the voters.

But, as with many endeavors in life, there are often two steps

forward and one step back . . . . if you are lucky enough to havethe wind at your back. Lately our local environmental movementhas learned that we need more effort and more perseverance. Th

Insights from the WoodBexar TracksIs Back . . . for a while, at least


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January-February 2007 3 Bex

Does you r em p loye r o f f e rt he Ea r t h Sha re a lt e r na t i ve?Fo r i n fo rm a t ion ca l l800-GR EENTX or e - m ai le s t x @ea r t h sha r e - t e xa s . o rg .

San Antonio tree preservationordinance has been diluted sig-nificantly by recent councilactions. My honest concern isthat migratory birdlife thatcomes through our region, andother dependent organisms, will

suffer as we intentionallyremove natural and indigenousbiodiversity from our urban andsuburban landscapes.

As you look to the holiday sea-son, consider your new yearsresolutions. Commit to keepingyour diversified indigenousecosystem as much a part ofyour overall priorities as you can.

Vote, purchase, and teach envi-ronmentalism.

WildFest 2007 One way foryou as Audubon members toparticipate this spring will be to

get involved in WildFest 2007,San Antonios 1st Annual Bird &Nature Festival, May 4-6, 2007.Bexar Audubon Society will be asponsor of this event. The festi-

val will include a broad spec-trum of workshops and fieldtripsthat will draw nature-orientedtourists to our area and will helpget local children involved in

nature.Please visit their website for

new details and developments.www.wildfestsanantonio.com.

H.A. Tony Wood, December 1, 2006

Half Way ThereGenerous donations from ourreaders have funded about halfof our years expenses to pro-duce Bexar Tracks. To continue,

we need to raise an additional$2,000.

Please make an end-of-year,tax-deductible donation tosupport Bexar Audubon.The Chapter works hard to rep-

resent the interests of the mem-bership on issues in the city andthe region. Your donation isused locally it does not leaveour area and it reaches and, wehope, influences readers, voters,

and other decision-makers tomake wise choices about con-servation right here.

We honor and appreciatecheckbook activists!


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EVENTS CALENDAR

Also see www.sa-naturecenter.org/conservation/conservation.html

pMitchell Lake Audubon Center10750 Pleasanton Road (on theleft, 0.7 miles south of Loop410 at exit 46, Moursund Blvd)Saturday & Sunday 8AM-4PM,

weekdays by appointment.Regularly scheduled guidedbirding tours: 8AM on 2ND

Tuesdays and 3RD Sundays withHelen Rejzek and Georgina

Schwartz, 4TH Saturday withErnie Roney; also every Tuesdayafternoon. Call (210)628-1639or visit: www.tx.audubon.org/mitchell.htm

mFirst Saturdays InterpretiveWalks are scheduled at the SANatural Areas. Confirmed reserva-

tions are required; hike locationsvary. Call (210)698-1057 fortimes and locations.

rJanuary 5 ConservationEasements 2007: A Year ofOpportunity. Bexar Land Trust. SAPublic Library, Central BranchAuditorium, 8AM-2PM. Call

(210)222-8430 for tickets orwww.bexarlandtrust.org

xJanuary 6 Walker RanchHistorical Park. 9-11AM. FirstSaturday Interpretive Walk. SANatural Areas. Confirmed reserva-tions required: (210)698-1057.January 11 Bexar Audubon

program meeting. See page 1.

HJanuary 13 Bexar AudubonOuting to Canyon Gorge. See p1.

eJanuary 13 Second Saturday:Winter Skies Star gazing withthe SA Astronomical Society.6:30-8:30PM. Co-sponsored by SAParks & Recreation Natural Areasand Bexar Audubon. Reservationsrequired; details occasionallychange. Call (210)698-1057.

DJanuary 25-27 Statewide Land

Trust Conference, Austin.Sponsored by the Texas Land

Trust Council. Contact: [email protected]

uFebruary 3 Kids Birding 101

9-11AM. Learn to use binocularsand about bird identification,behavior, & habitat. Free, butreservations required. MitchellLake Audubon Center. Call(210)628-1639.

zFebruary 8 Bexar Audubonprogram meeting. See pages 1-2.

aFebruary 10 Second Saturday:Wood Treasures. Hear RandyGoad, local woodcarver and fieldguide for the natural areas, talkabout local trees and their won-derful wood. His chronology of

woodworking includes authentictools from his grandfathers

workshop. 10AM - noon. Co-sponsored by SA Parks &Recreation Natural Areas andBexar Audubon. Reservationsrequired; details occasionally

change. Call (210)698-1057.

SFebruary 10-11 Eaglefest,Emory. www.eaglefest.orgUnofficial results show 51Eagles were sighted on LakeFork during the 2006 TexasParks & Wildlife count.

cFebruary 16-19 The 10thAnnual Great Backyard BirdCount. The Cornell Lab ofOrnithology and Audubon arechallenging people everywhereto Count for the Record by paticipating in greater numbersthan ever before to provide moinformation about bird popula-

tion trends and better informconservation. A downloadableposter and information are at:www.birdsource.org/gbbc. Tobe a GBBC ambassador in yourcommunity email Jennifer Smithat [email protected] with GBBambassador in the subject line

RFebruary 15-17 Brownsville

International Birding Festival.www.brownsville.org/2006BirFest/. Field trips, seminars andother events exploring the bio-diversity of South Texas andNorthern Mexico.

NCombine the Brownsville bird-ing festival with:



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February 18-22 El CieloBiosphere Reserve Nature Festival.All inclusive birding/butterflywatching trips departing from theTexas Valley. The northernmost

cloudforest in the AmericanContinent; 397 species of birds,e.g., Solitary Eagle and OrnateHawk-Eagle. Local guides. Call011-52-81-837-85-926,[email protected], or visitwww.elcielofestival.com

CFebruary 23-25 11th Annual

Celebration of Whooping Cranesand Other Birds. Guided trips byland and water to see WhoopingCranes and other birds, lecturesby birding experts, photographyand watercolor workshops, toursof the Animal RehabilitationKeep, and a marine educationbus. Early registration endsFebruary 14. Call 800-45-COAST

or visit www.portaransas.orgh

February 24 CommunityVolunteer Day at Mitchell LakeAudubon Center. Come help aswe spruce up our gardens andtrails! Please call for times anddetails: (210)628-1639.

ZFebruary 27 Ecosystem ServiceMarkets: Everyones Business.Westin Galleria, Houston. See p7.http://tfsregister.tamu.edu.

}March 10 Second Saturday:Winged Adventures Explore theworld of birds with Tom and Patsy

Inglet. 10AM-noon. Co-sponsoredby SA Parks & Rec Natural Areasand Bexar Audubon. Reservationsrequired; details occasionallychange. Call (210)698-1057.

dApril 14 Second Saturday:Bizarre and Beautiful Bugs. JoinGail Dugelby to meet the bizarreand beautiful in the world ofbugs. 10AM-noon. Co-sponsoredby SA Parks & Rec Natural Areasand Bexar Audubon. Reservationsrequired; details occasionally

change. Call (210)698-1057.

IMay 4-6 WildFest. See p. 3.

oMay 10 -13 The Cornell Lab ofOrnithology is sponsoring anationwide Celebrate UrbanBirds! event. To participate orhelp organize activities in yourcommunity, visit www.urban-birds.org/celebrationfor ideas,and free registration.

PMay 12 Second Saturday: PlantHike with Janis Merritt, nativeplant expert, to enjoy spring floraand get ideas for using nativeplants in your yard. 10AM-noon.

Co-sponsored by SA Parks &Recreation Natural Areas andBexar Audubon. Reservationsrequired; details occasionallychange. Call (210)698-1057.

QAugust 19-25 AudubonLeadership Workshop at Hog

Island Camp in Maine. Earlysignups encouraged to takeadvantage of scholarship opportu-nities. Designed especially foractive Chapter leaders to build

and deepen participants exper-tise and ability to enhanceAudubons effectiveness at all lev-els. Call Maine Audubons campregistrar at (888)325-5261 x215or visit http://www.maineaudubon.org/explore/camp/hi_adult08132007.shtml

FTest Your Bird BrainBrush up on your identificationskills by taking the brand new

video birding quiz on our AllAbout Birds web site www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/bird-ing123/identify/quiz. Youll see

video footage of each bird andhear its sounds. If you really getstuck therere hints. Its a good

way to practice for the both theGreat Backyard Bird Count andCelebrate Urban Birds!

BAudubon Texas announces itsnewly re-designed website is nowLIVE and available for you tobrowse. http://www.audubon-texas.org/

If knowledge alone wereenough to inspire action, theworld would already be a bet-ter place.A. GoodmanAct on your knowledge today.With more active volunteers,Bexar Audubon can be evenmore effective. Call any boardmember. BAS needs you now.

EVENTS CALENDAR and more

January-February 2007 5 Bex


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NEWS & REMINDERS

Sonora Caverns ButterflyFormation Vandalized

The signature Butterfly formationat the Caverns of Sonora was

vandalized shortly before Thanksgiving, according to anews release from the park.About two-thirds of the right

wing was broken off the distinc-tiveand perhaps uniquefor-mation. The cave system is 90percent active: most of the for-mations are still growing asminerals are deposited by perco-

lating water within the caves.Of the unusual helictite forma-tions that grow in whateverdirection they want, best knownis the Butterfly quartz fins thatgrew as a pair facing each other,mimicking the form of a butter-fly. It is the only known forma-tion of its kind.

Sonora Caverns, considered anational natural landmark, islocated about 8 miles west ofSonora off Farm Road 1989.Anyone with information aboutthe wing can call the caverns at(325) 387-3105. [Reported byMatthew Phinney at:www.gosanangelo.com/news/2006/dec/05/breaking-news]

Curbside Recyclingin San Antonio

Thereve been some changesmade. The following items arenow acceptable in your greencurbside bin:Paper:Most types of paper,such as ad circulars, catalogs,carbonless paper, dry goodspackaging with liners removed(example: cereal, pasta, rice,beer/soda cartons), envelopes,file folders, flattened cardboard,

junk mail, magazines, newspa-pers, office paper, paperbackbooks, paper bags, papertowel/toilet paper cores, phonebooks, non-metallic gift wrap.Plastics:Labeled #1 through

#7. Look for the recycling symbol on the bottom. Remove lidand rinse any remaining food oliquids from containers or traysExamples include: beverage

bottles, shampoo and lotionbottles, meat trays, condimentbottles, prescription and medi-cine bottles, plastic grocery batied together into a bundle.Glass Bottles and Jars AllColors:Remove lids and rinseall food and liquids. Examples:beverage bottles, food andcondiment bottles and jars

(jelly, mustard, mayonnaise).Metal Cans:Aluminum, steeland tin beverage and foodcansrinse all food or liquids;aerosol cansempty, removenozzle; baking tinsrinse andremove remaining food.Thanks to the City of San

Antonio! This list is far more liberal than it had been. Now

how can the City make it easiefor SA businessesto recycle?

Need a recycling bin? Go thecitys website at www.sanantonio.gov, choose services, therecycling. Or call 311 on yourtelephone . . . one-stop callingfor city services of all kinds anda good number to know.


Whos What?and how to contact themPresident, Tony Wood 210-492-4684 [email protected] & Webmaster, Harry Noyes 210-490-3124 [email protected]

Treasurer, Caryl Swann 210-653-2860 [email protected], Jill Sondeen 830-980-2377 [email protected]: Kara Ryf 503-803-2856 [email protected]

Amy L. Whitley 210-340-0114 [email protected], Susan Hughes 210-862-1150 [email protected]/Outings,Patty [email protected]


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Ecosystem Service Markets:Everyone's Business

February 27, 2007

The Westin Galleria

5060 West AlabamaHouston, TX 77056Sponsored by: Texas Forest

Service, USDA Forest Service, TexasA&M Institute of RenewableNatural Resources, GreaterHouston Partnership, HoustonAdvanced Research Center,Conservation Capital, Ltd.

As businesses, government, uni-

versities, and the non-profit sectorstrive to understand and applynew concepts of sustainabledevelopment, a recurring themeis the inability of market forces toprevent the fragmentation of func-tioning ecosystems. The economicimportance of healthy, functioningecosystems is widely recognized.Wetlands purify our streams and

ground water and assimilate ourwastes. Estuaries mitigate theimpact of storms and floods.Forests provide timber and fiberfor human use, while stabilizingour climate and providing habitatfor plants and animals.

Can society find practical ways toprovide incentives, through marketmechanisms, to protect function-

ing ecosystems? This conferencewill focus on the scientific, publicpolicy, and economic foundationsof emerging markets for ecosys-tem services.Topics What is an ecosystem service? Who might buy such a service? Who might be able to sell such a

service?

How can the market be used toestablish values and prices forecosystem services? Case studies

will be discussed. How can service delivery be mea-

sured and ensured over time? What is the current state of the

market for ecosystem services? Where is the market going? What is the state of science that

underlies this evolving market?Leaders in government, business,academia, and the non-profit sec-tor need to address these criticalissues proactively. Mainstreaming

market-based ecosystem servicetransactions is challengingbecause of fragmented govern-ment rules and policies, difficultproperty rights issues, and thecomplexities of matching supplyand demand. At this conferenceindustry representatives, privatelandowners, government leaders,university researchers, and non-

profit organizations will discusseconomic-based approaches toprotecting ecosystems-strategiesthat employ a combination ofenforceable regulatory constraintson ecosystem impairment andmeaningful economic incentivesfor ecosystem conservation. Formore information, see:http://tfsregister.tamu.edu

RAmerican Bird ConservancyReceives $1 Million Pledgefor Land-Acquisition

The ABC and various partnersseeking to acquire habitats forendangered bird species received

this pledge, which includes$900,000 for land purchase and$100,000 for other conservation

work from New York philanthropist Robert Wilson.This year alone, ABC and its part-

ners have protected twenty-eighttracts of land in Central and SouthAmerica that provide core habitatsfor more than seven hundred birdspecies, including four that areglobally endangered: the SantaMarta parakeet, the jocotocoantpitta, the black-breasted puff-leg, and the long-whiskered owlet.

ABC will use the grant, which stip-ulates a three-to-one match, toleverage additional support andencourage others to participate ina land-acquisition campaign. Withthe average cost to acquire land inSouth America only $100 peracre, said ABC president GeorgeFenwick, this generous challengegrant means many more imperiled

bird species will have a permanentplace to call home.

Worthens sparrow and the long-billed curlew in Mexico, theHonduran emerald hummingbird,the chestnut-capped piha inColumbia, and Lears macaw inBrazil are species in immediateneed of habitat protection.

These funds will be targeted

towards priority sites for speciesthat are very rare or declining fast,said Fenwick. But it is not onlybirds that will benefit. Biodiversity,including declining frogs and otheramphibians, reptiles, mammals,and plants, can all benefit from themanagement of these lands asprotected reserves. 11/28/06.

anuary-February 2007 7 Bexar Tracks

IMPORTANT WORK


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Bexar Tracks is the official newsletter

of the Bexar Audubon Society, a

Chapter of the National Audubon

Society. The Chapters primary goals

are to promote species and habitat

conservation in the community.

Your membership includes National

and Bexar Audubon and subscrip-

tions toAudubon and Bexar Tracks.

Adopt-an-Ocelot!A major problem facing theendangered ocelot in South

Texas is loss of habitat. Help sup-port habitat protection and con-tinuing research for ocelots at theLaguna Atascosa NWR and inSouth Texas.

Adopt-an-Ocelot is sponsoredby Friends of Laguna AtascosaNWR, a non-profit group. Tax-deductible contributions may besent to:Adopt-an-Ocelot, P.O. Box942, Rio Hondo, TX 78583.

Sponsoring an individual ocelotis $20; a family may be spon-sored for $30. Make checks to:Friends of Laguna Atascosa NWR.

Your adoption packet has pho-tos of ocelots available for adop-tion, plus life histories andinformation about each ocelotand a synopsis of ongoing

research, as well as habitat pro-tection information. After choos-ing the ocelot or family you

would like to adopt and returningthe postcard in the packet, a cer-tificate of adoption suitable forframing will be mailed to you orto a person of your choice.

January-February 2007 8 Bexar Tracks

Bexar Audubon Society, Inc.P.O. Box 6084San Antonio TX 78209-0084

Non-profitOrganization

U.S. Postage PaiSan Antonio TX

Permit #590

TheEconomyisawhollyownedsubsidiaryoftheEn

vironment.TimW

irth

Membership & Support Thank You & Happy New Year!

Bexar Audubon welcomes new members to join through the chapter. This brings 100 percent of thefirst-years dues directly back to support local work. The same applies to gift memberships placedthrough the chapter. Your additional tax-deductible donation is also appreciated. Bexar Audubonreceives only a few thousand dollars each year from National Audubon as dues share. The rest wemust raise ourselves. Your help is needed, and your donations will be put to good use right here inSouth Central Texas. Individual introductory memberships are $20; seniors and students join for $15Provide the following information for each personal subscription or gift:Name $_________subscriptions $_______additional donatioMailing Address (including Zip code)AC & Phone + e-mail, if availableIndicate whether you wish to opt out of other mailings by Audubon or those with whom it shares lists.

Make checks payable to Bexar Audubon Society and mail to the address above.

volume xxv, no. 1 january-february 2007

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