SPEC
C.OLL
Volume XIV. No. 6
June, 1996
Every citizen owns, in trust with
other citizens, an equal share in nearly
a million square miles of rivers and
lakes, shorelands, forests, grasslands,
mountains, deserts, and meadows.
Ownership includes all contained
therein, such as fresh air, watersheds,
wilderness adventures, spiritual re­newal
and a staggering diversity of
plant and animal species on which the
health and productivity of all future
life depends.
These are the National Lands,
held in trust for every American and
administered for the common good by
the federal govern­ment
of the United
States.
· As co-owner of
these 623 million
acres, every citizen
is responsible for
their stewardship
and is also entitled
to certain property
rights, including
the right to have
our lands managed
wisely and in per­petuity.
Ownership is
established at birth
and the estimated
value of OUR National Lands is price- .
less and irreplaceable,
What We Own
National parks, cultural and his­toric
sites and places of unsurpassed
beauty, the 369 units ofthe National
These Are Our Lands
Park System are found in every state
except Delaware.
The National Forest System's
192 million acres of national forests
and grasslands from the panhandle
of Alaska to the jungles of Puerto
Ric~ record more "visitor days" by
recreation-seeking Americans than
any other public land system.
The 508 National Wildlife Ref­uges,
originally established to pro­tect
migratory birds, are located in all
SO states, and provide habitat for a
wide array of wildlife, from tiny de­sert
pupfish to manatees.
The Bureau of Land Manage­ment
administers 267 million acres,
-- almost all located · within
· , ·,.~ the western states,
· )\:<'~ including Alaska.
' -~ · These lands,
which range from
ancient forest to
desert and
everything in
between, are r~ch
in biodiversity
and archeological
resources.
Wilderness,
where the Earth and
its community of life ai:e .untram­meled
by man, arc areas within any
of the lands systems mentioned
above.
Wilderness offers much for wild­life,
recreation, spiritual renewal.
There are currently 104 million acres
of designated wilderness, located
within 44 states.
BEXAR
AUDUBON
SOCIETY
San Antonio
Texas
Threats to Our Property Rights
Powerful lobbying by special in­terests
has too often meant eco­nomic
development takes
precedence over wise stewardship:
• Subsidized grazing by welfare
ranchers leads to overgrazing.
• The timber industry logs timber
from National Lands at prices so
low it costs taxpayers to kill trees.
• Clearcutting in forests in the Pa­cific
Northwest, aside from de­stroying
forever our old-growth
forests, has also destroyed the
salmon-fishing industry.
~ The mining industry takes tens of
billions of dollars in minerals
from the National Lands without
paying a nickel in royalties.
• Now industry groups are pushing
to dispose of the National Lands
altogether, by selling them out­right
to special interests or trans­ferring
them to the states.
These Are Our Lands
Transferring the National
Lands to the states could result in
the best lands being sold off to
wealthy individuals and · corpora­tions,
since states lack funding and
staff to maintain .them. In fact, many
states are constitutionally bound to
maximize profits from their lands.
Protect your property rights by
speaking out for yow lands. Write your
elected representatives in Congress
and demand that your property rights
and your National Lands are protected.
-A tan Gregory
Conyngham PA
BEXAR AUDUBON SOCIETY
P. 0. Box 6084, S~m Antonio, TX 78209
210-822-4503
Chapter of the National Audubon Society
The Chapter's primary goals are to pro­mote
species and habitat conservation,
and environmental education
in the community.
OFFICERS AND BOARD
President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Past President
HarrietWiygul 534-7505; fax 534-7319
Katie Nava-Ragazzi 804-12:! 6
Bill Sa in 408-7731
Joyce Pipes 281-1452
Claire Drenowatz 599-4168
Chris Dullnig · 82 8-40 I 7
Genevieve Kerr 824-6241
John Langan 49 1-0692
Richard Pipes 2 81-2452
Bill Woller 696-31 86
Susan K. Hughes 532-2332; fax 532-2023
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Adopt-a-Park
Aud. Adventures
Birdathon
Conservation
Earth Day
Education
Hospitality
Membership .
Bill Woller
Betty Minyard
Kim Fluetsch
Richard Pipes
Dana Bohne
Katie Nava-Ragazzi
Nancy Johnson
Natural Initiatives Harriet Wiygul
Outings Patty leslie Pasztor
Programs Chris Dullnig
Publicity Susan K. Hughes
SAEN Coordinator Russell Smith
2:! 3-32 81
344-6128
655-0543
281-2452
738-1342
804-1226
.655-1338
534-7505
824-1235
828-4017
532-2332
Ways & Means Bill Sain 408-7731
Elexar Tracks Editor Claire Drenowatz 599-4168; fax599-3545
seedy@txdirect.net
Bexar Tracks is your newsletter. We welcome
your contributions. Next paper (hard copy,
fax) deadline 6/24, electronic (diskette,
email) deadline 6/28. Please send fax or em.ail
to Claire Drenowatz, as above; diskettes and
hard copy should be sent to Claire at P. 0. Box
63137, San Antonio, TX 78247.
Bexar Audubon Society general meetings are
held on 3rd Thursdays at 7:30 pm, ·at the
Ruble Center, 419 East Magnolia; board
meetings usually 2nd Thursdays at 7:00 at
Whole Foods. ·
Introductory memberships to NAS, includ­ing
AUDUBON Magazine, cost only $20.
Send check to BAS (payable to NAS) at ad­dress
above. Note chapter code W19, and
name, address, and phone number of new
member.
USEFUL NUMBERS:
210-733-8306 Rare bird alert number.
210-698-1709 Wildlife Rescue
210-227-6143 To report local water waste.
June 1996
lick-Transmitted Diseases: Cause for Concern?
Tick-transmitted diseases are frequently in the news and are a serious
concern to people who enjoy outdoor activities in the field and bush. At
BAS's June meeting,Dr. Ray KutzmaJ:l will discuss the life history of
these fascinating members of the arachnid family, as well as ways to avoid
,contracting diseases they-can transmit to humans. ·
"Any of numerous small bloodsucking parasitic arachnids of the
family Ixodidae, many of which transmit febrile diseases." That's what
the dictionary* says about ticks. Join us to hear what Dr. Kutzman to
hear what Dr. Ray Kutzman has to say about them.
During his master's work in parasitology, Kutzman gained what he
calls "a full appreciatio~" for creatures that feed on and live in humans.
His credentials include his first-hand experience with Lyme disease,
which he contracted in 1979. Kutzman will introduce us to both the life
history and biology of ticks and the early symptoms of tick-transmitted
diseases endemic to North America.
Individuals who love the outdoors will travel to all parts of the
country to enjoy new an'd attractive environments:· These activities take
us to the habitats of ticks, whi~;h may be c~rryi~g a variety of diseases
that can be transmitted to humans. Although Lyme disease is in the news
frequently these days, there are several other tieR-transmitted diseases
with which people who spend time in the field and bush should be
familiar. We needn't shun outdoor activities, though. If we arm ourselves
with knowledge, we can enjoy the outdoors confidently, avoid substantial
suffering, and possibly save someone's life ... even our own.
*American Heritage Dictionary, Softkey International, v3.6, 1994.
Who should attend? Those who enjoy the out-of-doors and wish to
do so safely; those who are intli!rested in or concerned with ticks and other
human parasites; those interested
epidemiology. Students are especially
come.
Meeting Specifics: Monthly meeting of
the Bexar Audubon Society, Thursday, June
20, 1996, 7:30pm. Free and open to the
public.
R6ufreshments available prior to the
meeting, at 7:00. Come early to socialize.
For more information, _call822-4S03.
Conservation Committee: Meeting
at 6:00pm at the Ruble Center.
Location: Ruble Center, 410 East Magnolia (between McCullough
and IH-37, Hwy 281). Nearest freeway exit is North St. Mary's, offHwy
281.
. Public Transportation: VIA RouteS (St. Mary's-McCullough-North
Star Mall) to Magnolia Street.
June Outing: Honey Creek SNA .
Join us for a leisurely birding/natural history walk at this beautiful
state naturaLarea adjacent to Guadalupe River State Park.
Meet at the park entrance at 8 am. We will stroll and observe flora
and fauna until11 am.
If you wish, bring· a lunch and a swimsuit for a picnic and dip in the
river before heading home. Fee per person is $3 state park entrance plus
$2 Honey Creek tour fee. If you have a Conservation Passport you pay
only the $2 fee.
For reservations and directions call Patty Leslie Pasztor at 824-1235.
,1 Bexar Tracks
I !
LOCAL NEWS
Perambulations
I went on Birdathon this year. Re­ally,
I spent a very special Sunday not
only spotting, but identifying, birds in
the San Antonio area. Thanks to the
splendid efforts of Kim Fluets~h, with
able assistance from husband Dave, a
unique Birdathon was organized and
executed to the fun and delight of those
of us lucky enough to go along. ·
Although I , have been associated
with Audubon on and off for many
years, I have never really considered
myself a birder. I took a class several ,
years ago through the Northside Con­tinuing
Education program titled How
To Identify Birds. I wanted to be more
adept at recognizing these elusive crea­tures.
The three S;1turday classes culmi- ·
nated in a trip to Mitchell Lake so the
class could try out its newly acquit;ed
skills.
It was my first visit to the lake, so I
was not prepared for its riches. I was
immediately taken with ,the snowy
egrets along the side of the road, and
while I was trying to absorb the wonder
of these birds within thirty feet and not
on the pages of my Peterson's field .
guide,' a flock of cormorants flew di- ·
reedy over me. They were low, prepar­ing
to land in or near the lake, and an
interest in birds became a passion when
I looked one ofthese magnificent crea­tures
in the eye. I still visit the moment
I was privileged to witness: their quiet
passage across the road and be!lind the
nse.
That d~y I saw a Mexican eagle,
blue herons, kestrels, meadowlarks,
pelicans, and red-winged black birds. I
saw red-tailed hawks ride the thermals
in the blue, blue October sky streaked
with cirrus clouds.
And I saw lots oflittle brown birds,
a species I run into time and again. I just
can't convince these feathered guys to
stay still long enough while I get the
binoculars out, focus them, loo),C; peruse
the guide book, look again, and return
to the guide until I find a match. They
move fast, and sometimes all I can hope
for is a glimpse.
Skills. improve with use, so gradu- ·
ally I have come to feel less awkward on
Bexar Tracks
bird trips-still an amat~ur, just not
quite so rank. I do.n't' spot or recognize
half of the species my companions find,
but it doesn't matter. Just being out­side,
in, all we~ther,, with other fellow
travelers is often more than enough. ·
·There are those rare moments
when my binoculars stumble across a
· magnificent creature, on the hunt, at
play, at rest. As the image sharpens in
the viewfinder, every sense comes alive.
For a few precious seconds, I am an
extension of the ground, sound and
smell linking with the visuaL I wish my
heart; normally a quiet worker,
wouldn~t pound so hard' (it makes the
binoculars shake) as this wonder of
strength and beaqty moves before my
reverent eyes.
We had so much fun this year, we
are already working on next year's Bir­dathon.
Yes, it is a money raiser-BAS
designates half of·the money · to the
Audubon Adventures program and
half to the regional office.
· It' is so much rp.ore than that,
though, It is a chance to see a part of
San Antonio we may pass ev,ery day, but
are u.naware of, as we move along fixed
paths in our air conditioned cocoons.
Earth's creatures struggle Of\ in spite of
our best efforts to -remove their habitat
or destroy their (ood supply. It is truly
a miracle, and I encourage you to wit-
, ness it, be a part of it, and share the
story of it.
- Harriet Wiygul
·Outdoor Concert
' Come to, a benefit Father's Qay
concert featuring Narada recording art­ists
Tingstap & Rumbel at-Cibolo Wil­.
derness Trail in Boerne, June 16 at 6pm.
Enjoy a peaceful evening under a
canopy o( oaks and listening to jazz,
classical, folk, and progressive rock;
Cost is $10 in advance, $12 at the
. gate. Picnic with desserts aud wine is
available for $5; $7.50 at the gate.
Advance tickets are available in
San Antoni.o at Apple Records, Whole
Foods, Big Red Nature Store, or call
Cibolo Wilderness. at 210-249-4616.
3
Devil of a Good Time!
The troupe of hardy souh; who ven­tured
out to Devil's River State Park on
March 23 were rewarded with far more
than just your a_verage good time.
The morning was cool, windy and
overcast as everyone· gathered at the
infamous bakery in Castroville. After
sweet sustenanc.e was consumed and
acquired for future needs, we set out for
the park with a short stop at San Felipe
Springs, to note the great kiskadee and
several long-billed curlews.
The scenery just got better and bet­ter
as we put more and more distance
between urban settlement and the open
space~ of south Texas ranches.
Although some of us questioned
our leader's navigational skills as we
wound on and on along the dusty ranch
roads, we arrived at our destination in
time for lunch. The mess hall was
pretty upscale, and the bunkhouse ac­commodations
were downright de­lightful.
.
The afternoon was spent enjoying
· a wonderful Devil's River trip and dip,
and casual birding, botanizing and but­terflying.
After a grand evening meal of
lasagna with all the peripherals, the sky
cleated and everyone was treated to the
awesome sight of Comet Hyakutake be­fo_
re' retiring for the night.
Day two dawned with a thinner
overcast, lighter breezes, and warmer
temperatures. However, breakfast al­lowed
those who had spend the night in
tents to elaborate on the subtle joys of
. wind. The morning was spent explor­.
ing the pictographs on the upper can­yon
walls, and getting up close and
personal with the resident canyon
wren. Then lunch, packing up, and
heading out again with lovely memo­ries
and promises to return soon.
In addition to dozens of birds spot-
.. ted, several species of snakes, many but­terflies,
armadillos, jackrabbits,
cottontails, deer, and numerous un­known
invertebrates and fishes further
enhanced the pleasures of the adven­ture.
Kudos to Patty Pasztor for making
this such a memorable outing for us all.
-Susan Rust
June 1996
IN OUR BACK YARDS
Natural-Initiatives Receives Support
The San Antonio Area Foundatio·n
has awarded a $3,600 grant to support
development and printing of a land­scape
design brochure by the Natural
Initiatives Program Builders' Subcom­mittee.
Treasurer Bill Sain represented
Bexar Audubon at the May 28 awards
ceremony, and Texas Parks & Wildlife
-urban Biologist Judit Gowen repre­~
ented the Natural Initiatives Steering
Committee.
This grant, which is from the Lila
G. and Vesey R Taylor Fund and the
William and Fay Sinkin Environ­mental
Fund of the San Antonio Area
Foundation, complements an earlier
grant received from the San Antonio
Water System.
, Natural Initiatives, a San Antonio
community-based public awareness
program in which Bexar Audubon is
very active, promotes wildscaping and
xeriscaping practices thro-ugh a variety
oflocal projects. As Natural Initiatives
volunteers met with homeowners they
often heard the comment that a lot of
good information was available on
what plants would benefit wildlife and
require little watering and mainte­nance
(since most were native plants),
but not on how to design a landscape
with them.
or years, as time and money allow. The
brochure includes a few recommenda­tions
of drought-loving plants that also
benefit local urban wildlife and are
readily available. at local nurseries.
· The subcommittee plans to de­velop
a procedure through each of the
groups represented to get the brochure
out to the public. This current time of
drought presents an excellent opportu­nity
to inform and interest people.
The landscape design brochure
will be available in local nurseries by
July. In addition, we plan to provide
copies to builders and/or . developers
that supply information packets to
their customers. Agencies, such as the
San Antonio Water System, may pro­vide
additional distribution programs.
Bexar Audubon sincerely appreci­ates
the support of the San Antonio
Area Foundatipn, The Lila G. and Ve­sey
R Taylor Fund, the William and Fay
' Sinkin Environmental Fund, and the
San Antonio Water System for the
Natural Initiatives Program. If you
want more information about Natural
Initiatives or would. like to volunteer to
help with Natural Initiatives' many
gratifying community projects, please
contact Harriet Wiygul, 534-7505, or
Judit·Gowen, 349-2174.
- Judit Gowen
"Internet Exchange
As a natural areas manager, I am·
often asked to justify the removal of
alien species from parkland and pre-
. serves. I have been challenged to prove
the loss of diversity in our native spe­cies
caused by the invasive species. Can
anyone refer me to research on this
subject? I am particularly interested in
woodland and savanna ecosystem re­search.
- Loren Lawn·
Natural Resources Specialist
Polk County Conservation Board
Most insects are rather specific
about what plant species they use as a
food source. Exotic trees and shrubs
were introduced without the insects
that lived on them in their native lands.
Thus exotics don't have a diverse fauna
of insect · prey for birds, lizards and
other predators. A bug net taken to an
exotic shrub usually comes up empty.
· Further, because exotics don't have
caterpillars munching their leaves,
weevils devouring their seeds, and
grubs boring into their heartwood they
have. an advantage over natives which
they may slowly push out of a habitat.
The result is a green, but la~gely sterile
habitat.
-Mike Plagens
I.n resp~nse, the Natural Initiatives Maricopa Audubon
Steering Committee formed a Builders'
Subcommittee to encourage homeown­ers
to implement watersaver and wild­life-
friendly yards, instead of just filing
away all that good information.
An Apple a Day?
The subcommittee members rep­resent
the following groups: builders
(Paul Allen Homes), wholesale nurser­ies
(Lone Star Growers), chain retail
nurseries (Builder's Square), private re­tail
nurseries (Landscape Market­place),
landscape architects (Terry
Lewis Landscape Architects), horticul­turists
(San Antonio _Botanical Gar­dens),
water agencies (San Antonio
Water System), and biologists (Texas
Parks & Wildlife).
The subco~mittee decided to put
together a free brochure that offers a
landscape design that can be in~talled
all at once, or over a matter of months
Jm~ 1996
Here's an interesting way to illus­trate
th~ productivity of agriculture.
Take an apple;which will represent
the world.
Cut it into four equal parts. Three
of those parts represent the
oceans. The other part is
equal to the land.
Now cut the "land"
portion in half lengthwise.
-one section represents de-
. serts, swamps, mountains,
and arctic regions. The other
section represents ·land where we live
and grow food.
Next slice this one-eighth section
crosswise into four equal parts. Three
of these sections are areas that are so
4
rocky, wet or hot, or contain such poor
soil that food-production is not possi­ble.
These sections include cities,
roads, housing developments, ;tnd
buildings.
Now peel the last one-thirty-sec­ond
portion. This small peel represents
the top layer of soil we depend on for
food. The next time you eat an apple,
remember that the tiny peel is our
lifeboat that sustains us on
this earth .
And think about it
whenever you see good farm land being
sold off for yet another commercial or
housing development.·
- Candye SexJon, Okemah, OK
in Progressive Fanner, March 96
B~xar Tracks
IN OUR BACK YARDS
Biological Control of Imported Rre Ants
At the May meeting of Bexar
Audubon Dr. Lloyd Morrison of The
University ofTexas Brackenridge Field
Laboratory in Austin spoke about So­lenopsis
invicta, the imported fire ant,
and the research he is involved in to
introduce a natural predator from the
ant's home in Brazil. Here iue a few
notes from the meeting.
, The imported fire ant arrived in the
U.S. at the port of Mobile in the '40s and
began their succes-sful march east,
north, and west. Their nor:thern expan­sion
is presently· limited by cold
weather and their western expansion is
being limited by drought (finally, a
benefit of drought!).
The most significant effects of
the&e ants is on biodiversity. While
much foraging goes on underground, ,
the ants are omnivor~us. Solenopsis in­victa
attacks baby birds in their l)ests in
trees. This sometimes-results in the ba­bies
being driven from the nest a·nd, as
yet unfledged, they may fall to their
deaths. Ground-nesting birds are espe­cially
affected, as are deer, cattle, small
mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.
On the positive side, fire ants do
control corn ear worms and ticks, but
. that hardly seems to balance their costs,
which add up to as muc~ as $1 billion
annually in Texas, counting· direct
losses and the expense of chemical
treatments to control them.
Chemical controls kill not only im'­ported
fire ants, but all ants, resulting
in the spread ofSolenopsis invicta, which
can recolonize 'more 'quickly. than their
competitors. Morrison believes that the
effects of today's chemicals on other
wildlife are questionable, and that
chemicals are not the key to control.
So, how about biological controls?
The phorid flies native to our areas
have a definite affect on controlling
their prey, native fire ants. Predators
such as these keep populations in bal­ance.
Solenopsis invicta is not ·as abun­dant
in South America as they are here,
where densities are five times greater.
In Brazil, however, they have more
than 200 natural enemies: fungi, nema­todes,
other insects.
Bexar Tracks
Ohe of the most promising is a spe­cific
phorid fly that not only controls
t~eir populations, but allio modifies
their behavior. When phorid flies are in
the area, the ants restrict their daytime
foraging and remain underground.
This allows other ants to compete more
effectively for food and other resources.
Phorid flies-tiny humpbacked in­sects-
are rarely seen unless 'one ob-
' serves a disturbed: ant mound. Then
they appear for the. opportunity to re­produce.
A phorid fly attacks an ant and
deposits an egg in the thorax of the ant.
The egg hatches and the larva migrates
, to the ant's head. When it is mature, it
emerges, killing the ant. A common
name for the phorid fly is the "ant de­capitator
fly.'' It is classified as a parasi­toid,
because it kills its host. ' ·
. A single fly, 'which may have as
many as 100 eggs, may attack as many
as 200 ants. The success rate of-at­tacks-
one that results in an egg being
depo~ited-is 20 to ,30 percent: one fly
per ant host. The cycle from egg to adult
take,s four to five weeks.
The UT Lab researchers and their
colleagues in Brazil ·have identified
about 20 speCies 6f phorid flies and
have tested eight species intensively so
far. They must be carefu• to ensure that
flies screened in , Brazil do not carry
parasites with them as they travel to the
. U.S. Some species of phorid flies will
· attack , only Solenopsis invicta, not the
native fire ant, which is very important.
Our native fire ants already have their
own specific native phorid fly preda­tors
that control their populations.
A year ago the UT Lab received
permission from USDA to release im­ported
phorid flies outdoors. The re­searcher~
are now trying to determine
the optimal conditions both for rearing
larvae and for 'releasing them.
In final comments Dr. Morrison
poixhed out that imported fire ant
queens may live as long as twenty years
and mate with many males. The recent
obs~rvation of polygene (multi-queen)
colonies means that imported fi're ant
' control will only become a more diffi­cult
problem.
How does one 'distinguish native
fire ants from imported? The native
fire ant's head is disproportionately
large for its body, but one has to study
them carefully to become adept at dis­tinguishing
them.
· How to control imported fire ants?
Morrison recommended after a rain
when mounds build, or in the early
morning of summer days, to remove
the top layer of the mound with a
shovel, check for the brood, and pour
boiling water into the mound. It will
kill plants in the immediate area, but it
does not involve poisons and is effec­tive.
If you · choose to use poisons, al­ways
follow label directions accurately .
- Susan Hughes
Pelagics g Dolphi~s g Humpbacks, Oh Boy
If you're planning a trip to the East Coast ...
The Dolphin fleet of Provincetown has scheduled five all-day whale watches
(8-10 hours) fo.r 1996. These cruises will be targeting offshore areas with high
concentrations of whales. The dates of these cruises are as follows: 30 June, 7 July,
21 July, 4 August, and 25 ·August.
Most of last seas!ln's all-day trips visited the Great South Channel area and
sighted from 100-150 humpbacks, fin whales and other great whales. Many
hundreqs of dolphins and pilot whales were also seen. Al~o ,seen were coun~less
numbers of pelagic birds. For more information, call800-826-9300.
Closer to home, several deep-water trips are planned fdr this summer, on June
29, July 27, August 24, and September 21, from Port O'Connor. Trips last year
spotted fourteen pelagic species, as well as a variety of fish, dolphins, and whales.
To make a reservation, call Dwight Peake at 409-740-4621 (evenings), or write him
, at 39 LeBru~ Court, Galveston, TX ·77551-1566.
5 June 1996
BIRD TALES
Hummer's Delight
Lonicera sempervirens
The coral or evergreen honey­suckle
is a great native alternative to
the more aggressive and wide-spread­ing
Japanese variety often seen in
landscapes.
Coral honeysuckle, also known as
woodbine, is a twining shrub with
smooth, glossy leaves and branches.
The leaves have various shapes, from
round to oval and pointed, depending
upon where they appear on the plant.
The brilliant coral-red flowers
often have yellowish throats, with yel­low
stamens protruding. They are
held in multiple whorls, each com­prising
6 to 12 blossoms. Flowers ap­pear
all spring, summer, and fall, and
even during warm spells in our cen­tral
Texas winters.
Hummingbirds and butterflies
really enjoy coral honeysuckle flow­ers,
and the· bright red fruits are very
showy. Its evergreen
foliage is also a rec­ommending
feature.
Coral honey­suckle
thrives in
full sun and works
well on arbors, trel­lises,
and fences.
Strong and sup- ·-~~·1111" ple, . honeysuckle
vines can be
stripped of their leaves and
used to weave baskets.
Reprinted with pennission from the
June 1994 San Antonio Gardener.
Illustration adapted with permission from
drawing by Kathy Brown in Jill Nokes's
How to Grow Native Plants of
Texas and the Southwest.
Text adapted from Nokes, Texas
Monthly Press, 1986, and
Campbell & Lynn Loughmiller,
Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide,
University of Texas Press; 1984.
Backyard Birdathon
Water, food and habitat means
good backyard bird watching during
the dry season we have been experienc­ing.
To our delight we have seen many
birds for the first time in our yard.
We had a visitor from Baltimore,
Maryland, whom we met while birding
in Peru. At that time we told him about
the excellent birding to be had in Texas.
He proved it by adding 38 species to his
life list, including whooping· crane and
roseate spoonbill, during his short stay.
The scissortails had just begun arriv­ing,
and this was one species he was
eager to see.
Beside American and lesser gold­finches
and house finches, we had male
and female orchard orioles and Scott's
orioles drinking from the cups above
the hummingbird feeders. At the bird
baths we've seen indigo buntings and
black and white, yellow-throated and
magnolia warblers.
The week before Birdathon male
and female painted buntings appeared
and stayed the whole week. The male
made a good show for our group of
Jme 1996
birders, and I haven'tseen him since.
Also a good show was a Carolina
chickadee.
Birdathon was a great experience
for us this year. We took two classrooms
of students from Pleasanton Elemen­tary
to our park, just behind the school.
Each student who participated received
a special Birdathon Certificate, and a
list ofthe 21 birds spotted.
Our thanks to the interested and
concerned principal and teachers Jane
Stewart and Terry Echigo, who worked
quickly to bringing this about. Next
year we hope to be able to get more
students involved.
In addition to turning some chil­dren
on to the wonderful diversity of
birds, each class raised funds to provide
Audubon's education materials for
their classrooms. This was the first
event of its kind at Pleasanton Elemen­tary
and we hope this can just be the
beginning of Bexar Audubon's efforts
to use Birdathon as a tool to reach out
to school children.
-Joyce Pipes
6
The Eyes Have It
Two experiences with owls have in­creased
my respect for this creature oft­associated
with the word wise.
A while back, I was showing my
brother Eric, a large cave with an am­phitheater-
like entrance in north Bexar
County. I was about thirty feet ahead of
him when he spotted something on the
cliff, paused, and said "John."
I stopped and followed the direc­tion
of his gaze at a large great horned
owl. As soon as our eyes met, he took
off, and flew straight at me. As he was
only approximately twenty feet away,
about all I had time to do was duck. I
was both awe-struck by the proximity
of this impressive creature and scared
by having it fly right at my head. My
brother confirmed that had I not
ducked, I probably would have been
sporting talon tracks in my forehead.
Thinking the owl might be protect­ing
a nest, my brother and I left the area,
reflecting on the thoughtfulness of this
bird. He had obviously seen both of us
before we had seen him, and since I was
closer, was the greater threat. He re­mained
silent and motionless until our
eyes met, and as soon as he knew I had
spotted him, he "attacked."
My second
owl experience,
although not as
jolting, was
similar. While
• inspecting a
large, decaying
warehouse
building at a for­mer
manufac­turing
facility, I
noticed a number of
small scats with tiny rodent bones in,
them. When I looked up at the ceiling,
the barn owl who was observing me
took off, again as soon as our eyes met.
He went to a nearby tree and was
greeted with raucous indignation from
the local mockingbirds. One can't help
being impressed with the intelligence
of these owls who are obviously cogni­zant
of our eyesight, and the potential
hazards of being spotted by humans.
-John Langan
Bexar Tracks
The 1996 Birdathon Outing held
on May 5th was a wonderful success! A
big THANKS to all those who partici­pated
in the event as a sponsor, birder,
or team coordinator! Results from this
year's Birdathon appear in the accom­panying
table. A grand total of 141 dif­ferent
bird species were spotted in and
around San Antonio on Birdathon day!
As you may know, each spring the
National Audubon Society sponsors a
Birdathon, as a fundraising event for its
chapters. Audubon's Birdathon is simi­lar
to a walk-a-thon or bike-a-thon.
Sponsors agree to pledge a specific
amount for each bird species identified
by a counter in one 24-hour period.
This year, Bexar Audubon spon­sored
the all-day birding event on May
5th. Both experienced and beginner
birders formed five teams led by the
team coordinators, Patty. Leslie
Pasztor, Susan Rust, Marge Lumpe,
Dick Pipes and me.
Prior to Birdathon day, partici­pants
gathered pledges from friends,
family, and work associates. During the
Birdathon the team coor-dinators
led groups
around to major
birding hot spots in
and around San Anto-nio.
The day's goal was
to locate as many bird species as possi­ble.
Added incentives were the prizes
awarded to ·the team with the highest
count at dinner that evening.
My Birdathon team consisted of
Dave Fluetsch, Allison Fluetsch (4
months old), Kim Moses, Cricket
Bexar Tracks
BIRD TALES
Birdathon Outings Successful
Braun, John Braun, and Cally Braun (2
months old). We definitely had the
youngest participants in Birdathon this
year! Our team birded at Friedrich Wil­derness
Park in the morning, then at
Mitchell Lake later in the afternoon.
We observed a total of65 different bird
species throughout the day.
Dick and Joyce Pipes teamed up
with Bob and Jane Stewart of Pleasan­ton.
In the morning this team con­ducted
their own annual spring bird
count in Pleasanton, in conjunction
with Birdathon.-Later in the day they
all visited Mitchell Lake. They man­aged
to identify 60 species in spite of a
near misadventure with a feral hog sow!
Marge's team included Harriet Wi­ygul,
Bill Sain, and Ron Lumpe. They
observed a total of 78 different bird
species after a full day of birding! This
team birded around Bulverde Road,
Friedrich Wilderness Park, Olmos
Park, and Mitchell Lake.
A special thanks to Marge's team
for escorting a film crew around for
most of the day. This film crew, Steve
and Ari Sheinkin, is producing a video
for National Audubon to promote Bir­dathons
with Audubon Chapters across
the country. No doubt the film crew
slowed this team down a bit, but
they may all be starring in the
upcoming Birdathon promo~
tional video.
Patty's team consisted of
Steve Hawkins, Knox Miller
and Greg Pasztor. This
busy team visited Olmos
Basin, Brackenridge
Park, Friedrich Wil­derness
Park, and
Mitchell Lake. All
had a great day,
spotting 84 spe­cies!
The team
spotting the most species ofbirds called
themselves "Fancy Feathers." Fancy
Feathers (Susan's team) counted 110
different species throughout their day
of birding! Way to go!! Susan's team
members included Charles Bender,
Linda Blodgett, Susan Hughes, Blair
7
Richter, Mike Scully, Bill Woller, and
Dale Thurber. They visited Friedrich
Wilderness Park, Camp Bullis, UTSA,
Olmos Basin, Brackenridge Park, S.A.
Botanical Gardens, South Side Lion's
Park, and Mitchell Lake.
After the sun set, Birdathon par­ticipants
from all teams gathered for a
dinner at the Santa Fe Cafe, a little
restaurant located near Mitchell Lake.
Here we shared tales of the day's bird­ing
adventures, awarded prizes to the
winning "team members, enjoyed a
Mexican meal, and met some new
friends! What a great ending to a fun­filled
day!
See the list on the next page for the
species spotted by each team. Many
birds were seen by one team only, mak­ing
it even more special for them.
Money raised this year by the Bexar
Audubon's Birdathon will go directly
to our chapter's environmental educa­tion
efforts. These donations are
needed to continue sponsoring area
classrooms so that they receiveAudubon
Adventures, an educational newsletter
and study guide which teaches grade
school children to appreciate nature.
Some of the donations also go di­rectly
to the Southwest Regional Of­fice's
conservation efforts. Currently
many of the participants are still col­lecting
pledges from their sponsors. I
hope next month to report on the
money raised by the 1996 Birdathon!
Thanks again to all those who got
involved in Birdathon 1996! Thanks to
the team coordinators who rallied folks
for the big day! Thanks also to Harriet
Wiygul and Katie Nava-Ragazzi for
making prizes and tee-shirts available
for the event! And a special thanks to
Bill Sain for handling all the donations
which will be coming in .from this fund-raiser.
Birdathon once again proved to be
a lot of fun for those who participated!
What could be more fun than a full day
birding at the most beautiful spots
around town! Join us next year!
- Kim Fluetsch
Birdathon Coordinator
June 1996
BIRD TALES
1996 Birdathon Spotters' lists
Team Leaders: S=Susan Rust, P= Patty Pasztor, M=Marge Lumpe, K= Kim Fluetsch, D= Dick &Joyce Pipes
Team Leaders s p M K D Team Leaders s p M K D Team Leaders s p M K D
pied-hilled grebe X Franklin's gull X loggerhead shrike X X X
American white pelican X X X X rock dove (pigeon) X X X X European starling X X X X X
olivaeeous cormorant X X white-winged dove X X X X X white-eyed vireo X X X
comt oran t species X mourning dove X X X X X solitary vireo X
great blue heron X X X X Inca dove X X X X X yellow-throated vireo X X
great egret X X X yellow-hilled mekoo X X X Nashville warbler X X
snowy egret X X X X greater roadrunner X X X yellow warbler X X
little blue heron X X X X barred owl X magnolia warbler X
triwlored heron X X common nighthawk X X X X black-throat green warbler X X
cattle egret X X X X X chuck-will's-widow X golden-cheeked warbler X X X X
green heron X X X X chimney swift X X X X American redstart X
y. c. night-heron X X X ruby-throat hummer X Wilson's warbler X
roseate spoonbill X X X black-chinned hummer X X X X X summer tanager X
h. h. whistling duck X X X X X golden-front woodpecker X X X X northern cardinal X X X X X
wood duck X X yellow-bellied sapsucker X pyrrh uloxia X
mallard X X X ladder-hack woodpecker X X blue grosbeak X X
blue-winged teal X X X X X least flycatcher X X X painted bunting X X X X X
northern shoveler X X X X X eastern phoebe X X X dickcissel X X X
gadwall X great-creasted flycatcher X X olive sparrow X
American widgeon X X X X X ash-throated flycatcher X X chipping sparrow X X
canvasback X X Couch's kingbird X day-colored sparrow X X X
redhead X X west.em kingbird X X X X X lark sparrow X X X
scaup species X eastern kingbird X savannah sparrow X X X
black vulture X X X X X scissor-tailed flycatc~1er X X X X X song sparrow X X
turkey vulture X X X X purple martin X X X X Lincoln's sparrow X
Mississippi kite X tree swallow X white-throated sparrow X
Cooper's hawk X X n. rough-winged swallow X white-crowned sparrow X X X X X
Harris' hawk X bank swallow X red-winged blackl>ird X X X X
red-shouldered hawk X X cliff swallow X X X X meadowlark species X
red-tailed hawk X X X X cave swallow X Brewer's blackbird X
ferruginous hawk X barn swallow X X X X X great-tailed grackle X X X X
crested car.tcara X X blue jay X X X X common gmckle X
wild turkey X scrub jay X X X X bronzed cowbird X
northern bobwhite X X X American crow X brown-headed cowbird X X X X X
American coot X X X X X Carolina chickadee X X X X X orchard oriole X X
killdeer X X X X X tuft.ed titmouse X X X X X Bullock's oriole X X
black-necked stilt X X X X cactus wren X house finch X X X X X
American avocet X X X X X Ca.rolina wren X X X X lesser goldfinch X X X
greater yellowlegs X X X X Bewick's wren X X X X American goldfinch X X X X
lesser yellowlegs X X X X house wren X house sparrow X X X X X
yellowlegs species X ruby-crowned kinglet X Peking duck X
spotted sandpiper X X X blue-gray gnatcatd1er X conunori rooster X
semipalmated sandpiper X X eastem bluebird X Muscovy duck X
western sandpiper X wood thrush X
least sandpiper X X X American robin X X X total species = 143 110
Baird's sandpiper X X X northern mockingbird X X X X X 84
pectordl sandpiper X X ln:own tl1r.tsher X 78
stilt sandpiper X X X X X long-billed thrasher X X 65
long-billed dowitcher X X X X X curve-billed thrdsher X 60
Wilson's phalarope X X X X X cedar waxwing X X X
June 1996 8 Bexar Tracks
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
The Most Serious Problem Facing the World?
Whatever environmental or hu- College in New York, showed that the
man-suffering issue you talk about to- increase of carbon dioxide in the earth's
day, there is a population connection atmosphere has followed almpst ex­standing
behind it. It's evident that the actly the growth of the popul~tion over
environment is being severely damaged the last century. The correlation of
by the impact offast-growing popula- carbon dioxide to population size has
tions. For instance, the destruction of · been 99.89%-virtually a orie-to-one
earth's tropical rain forests is directly relationship.
and indirectly related to population. One of the scientists stated, " ...
In Brazil, desperate people from everyone must recognize that it is pea­overpopulated
areas are moving by the pie and their activities which cause
thousands into the Amazon rain forest. carbon dioxide. The only solution that
There they use slash-and-burn tech- will w:ork is to control population
niques to create farmable land. The growth." ,
poor soils of the region soon wash away, The ·alarming fad: is that the popu­or
bake into an untillable hardpan, So lation threat to the environment is
the people move deeper into the jungle. growing by the minute.
And the destructive cycle is repeated, • To reach the earth's first billion
over and over. took from the dawn of humanity
More subtle is the effect of over- until 1830.
population halfway around the world, • The second billion took only 100
in Japan. Rather than denude their pwn years-from 1830 to 1930.
country for h~rdwoods, the Japanese • We had reached five billion in only
are major contributors to the denuding 60 years, in 1990.
of the South American rain forest. · • The next billion will take only 11
In the Himalayan mountainsides if years, unless ther~ is a tremendous
N epa!, excessive population growth has . effort to slow world birth-rates.
depleted their fuel for cooking and Population growth in developing
heating. So what do the people do? countries around the world is creating
They strip the hillsides of trees in their a vicious circle for economic and social
steadily widening search for firewood. development of people ·who lack even
Torrential monsoon rains, without for- the basics for a decent life.
est cover to hold them back, wash the . As governments attempt to estab­soil
off the mountainside and descend · lish a social infrastructure to get ahead,
on Bangladesh in ever-more-devastat- . their efforts are pulled back or over­ing
floods. whelmed by more mouths to feed, more
On it g~es, with large and growing sick to care .for, more hospitals and
populations destroying the rain forests, schools to build.
and upsetting the ecological balance of Population growth saps the energy
the world. In Brazil. In The Phillippi- and resources of all good and caring
nes·. In Indonesia. In Zaire. people who want to move their coun-
Then there is the direct connection tries forward but who insteaq are held
between population and global warm- back-or pushed back-by a crushing
ing and the greenhouse. effect. wave of more and more people.
Recently a study by two scientists, · There -is not one environmental or
one at the American Museum ofNatu- social issue which will be made bette.r
ral History and the other from Queens · by more population. What can you do?
Kudos to Uncertain Audubon Society's
co-founder Ruth Culver! Through her
community organizing talents, the
EPA denied TNACC's request to lower
water quality standards in East Texas!
Bexar Tracks,
See the related article on cuts to fund­ing
for international family planning
for starts. And call me to see how you
can get involved in other ways.
- Richard· Pipes
(Excerpted from Population
· Communications International)
9
Your Action Needed
Federal funding levels for fiscal
1996 have resulted in devastating cuts
to efforts by third-world countries to
slow their population explosions.
The amount approved for interna­tional
family planning programs for ·
1996 is $72 million, down from $580
million in 1995. This is a crippling
blow and will soon destroy the progress
which has been made in slowing popu­lation
growth in several third-world
countries. The hopes raised by the
Cairo Conference have little chance of
becoming a reality. Our failure could
well result in other nations reducing
their contributions.
Congress is now working on the
fiscal-year 1997 budget. We must begin
now to urge them to correct their terri­ble
blunder.
Please write to both Texas Senators
asking them to budget $615 million for
interna tiona! family panning under the
Foreign Operations Bill for 1997, with­out
restrictive amendments. Write Phil
Gramm and Kay Bailey Hutchison at
the same address: Senate Office Build­ing,
Washington DC 20510.
Representatives Anthony Beilen­son
and Constance Morello are circu­lating
a letter to their fellow
representatives, requesting adequate
family-planning money under the For­eign
Operatiol!s Bill for 1997. Please
write your representative plus . one
more, asking them to sign the Morello­Beilenson
letter. Address: House Office
Building, Washington, DC 20515.
You can reach all representatives
and senators by calling the Capitol
Switchboard at 202-224-3121.
Some points ~o make: The drastic
cut in the 1996 budget for international
family planning will offset much of the
progress made in stabilizing popula-
, tion growth. This will result in a much
greater dollar cost later on, increased
starvlftion and disease, and continued
depletion of fresh water and other natu­ral
resources.
This is so important! Please write
today.
- Richard Pipes
Conservation Chair
June 1996
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Dolphins at Risk Again?
The House Natural Resources Sub­committee
approved a bill last month
which would take us back to the bad old
days of fishing for tuna on dolphin. On
a party-line split the Republicans voted
to support a Clinton administration in­itiative
to alter· U.S. policy on dolphin­safe
tuna.
Our current policy does not allow
tuna fisherman to encircle dolphins
with tuna nets in the hopes of catching
tuna. For reasons unknown, dolphins
seem to like swimming with yellowfin
tuna.
Why is this issue before the Con­gress
atthis time? Because NAFfA and
GATT don't allow countries to prevent
the importation of products based on
how they were harvested or produced.
Under trade law tuna caught on dol­phin
are the same as those. that are
not-therefore, dolphin unsafe tuna
cannot be subject to an import em­bargo
. .
In calling for this change the Clin­ton
administration is trying to do just
exactly what they claimed they would
never do when the NAFfA was being
debated by the Congress. During the
great NAFfA debate the US Trade Of­fice
asserted that NAFfA would not
allow member countries to challenge
our strong environmental laws.
The Sierra Club and other environ-·
mental organizations protested that the
trade agreements gave us no legal
ground to stand on. Surprise, we were
right!
The House Resources subcommit­tee
bill codifies the Clinton administra­tion
backed Panama Declaration-an
international agreement signed last fall
by the US, Mexico and 10 other na­tions.
The agreement allows the signers
to . return to the practice of catching
tuna by encircling dolphins as long as
they promise not to kill the dolphins.
It's a promise that cannot be en­forced!
The packers would also be al­lowed
to continue using the "dolphin .·
safe" term on the cans. We believe that
this amounts to outright deception of
the public! Dolphin lovers must unite
to shoot down this bill, too!
June 1996
Texas Delegation Voting Records
This month's voting record report is on Representative Lamar Smith. He
couldn't rate any lower than 0, which is how the League of Conservation Voters
scored him on his votes in 1995.
On. such key environmental votes as logging without laws, closing national
parks, giving away Alaskan timber and mining resources, funding research fo,r
renewable energy sources, removing the safeguards of the Clean Air Act, crippling
the EI:JA, and witholding the US contribution to the United Nations Population
Fund, Smith voted with the anti-environment crowd every time. He also voted in
1996 to override President Clinton's veto of the anti-environment budget bill.
On votes on amendments to delete harmful riders from HR 2405, the Omnibus
Civilian Science Authorization, such as prohibiting the use of funds for EPA to
conduct indoor air pollution research, or EPA's Climate Change Action Plan to
investigate global warming, Smith voted to keep the riders. He also voted to keep
the 17 EPA-crippling riders attached to HR 2099, the VA/HUD/Interior bill which
President Clinton vetoed.
Project Vote Smart reports that Smith is rated between 90 and 100 per cent by
business-related special interest groups. One group rates him at 87 per cent on the
environment: however, the Competitive Enterprise Institute is hardly environ-mentally
friendly. ·
PAC contributions to Smith's 1994 campaign totaled $104,830. The top five
categories of contributors were:
Finance, insurance & real estate 25,911
Energy & natural resources 15,550
Agriculture · 13,600
Communications & electronics 10,250
Transportation 8,750
We'll report on 1995 and 1996 figures when they become available.
As we reported in February, Physicians for Social Responsibility rated Smith
an F in such key areas as foods, schools, water, air, and general environmental
protection issues.
Forest Service Costs Are Worse than You Think
The General Accounting Office-the government's own study-the-problem
division-issued a report that shows Uncle Sam is losing millions of dollars
annually because the US Forest Service charges owners of power lines, telephone
lines and pipelines only a fraction of what the same utilities pay for state or private
land access.
The GAO concluded that the USFS fees do not reflect fair market value as
required by several laws. For example, a natural-gas pipeline owner last year paid
California $130,726 per acre for access to state-owned land but gained similar
Rep. George Miller (D-CA) said
that Rep. Wayne Gilchrest's (R-MD)
bill represents all that is wrong with
NAFfA and GATT. "Americans knew
N AFf A and GATT would be indirect
terrorists. [H.R. 2823] is the first test,
we are the first committee to embrace
this challenge," said Miller. Miller of­fered
an amendment to protect the. dol­phin-
free definition. It failed on a party
line vote.
· access to federal public land for only
$814 per acre. More typical were cases
in CO, VA, MT and WA, where the
USFS collects about 10 cents for every
dollar non-federal landowners charge.
Overall, the USFS last year
brought in $2.2 million in fees from the
5,600 special-use permits it issued. The
GAO recommended the USFS raise its
raJes,but did not forecast how much
income would increase. USFS says the
agency is reviewing the report, but has
-Sierra Club Action Line no immediate plans to raise the fees.
10 Bexar Tracks
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Takings Watch: Remember the Exxon Valdez?
In an effort to cripple federal agencies ch.arged with protecting our environ­ment,
Bob Dole has been pushing taking's legisll!tion. (S 605,, the bill to make .
taxpayers pay polluters and developers whenever complying with public health
and safety or environmental laws reduces their profits). ,. .~
Political pundits say that Bob Dole is too smart to risk having it introduced
in the Senate while he is running for President. After all, even his own Republican
pollster has warned that the American people do not want Congress messing with
mother nature or their e'nvironmental safeguards, and there's no w:;~y Dole can
disassociate himself from the bill-he sponsored it.·
So the smart money says no takings bill th:is 'year. BUT this is Washington
DC, where politics and mo'uey mix in strange ways. Informed sources say that
Dole has promised lobbyists forthe real estate industry (developers who wapt to
pave over wetlands, even ifit floods the neighbors, are some.ofthe big bene'ficiaries ·
of Dole's bill) that the will be brought up for a vote, even though he may not have
the votes to pass it. And, of course, should he be elec~ed ...
Meanwhile, in Alaska ...
Dole's bill isn't even law yet, but a subsidiary of Exxon seems to like the
concept. A few years back, Alaska's federal representatives ·quite reasonably
banned the Exxon Valdez fro~ operati.ng in Alaskan waters after the ship mari­nated
the state's ·sensitive shoreline in millions of gallons of crude.
The ship's owners claim they're losing millions of dollars as a result' of the
regulation, and they want compensation from U.S. taxpayers, claiming a Taking . .
Dole has no comment on the matter.
-compiled partly [~om an artitle in the Los Angeles Times 5/4/96
Library of Congress Folklife (~enter ·Endangered
Rep. William Thomas (R-CA) has The Center has done extensive re-introduced
a bill to abolish the Ameri- · cord,ing of the repertoires of such pio­can
Folklife Center in the Library of neers of American music as Leadbelly,
Congress by repealing the American · Woody Guthrie, Son House and Jelly
Folklife Preservation Act of 1976. The Roll Mor~on. It maintains one of the
bill, HR 3491, has been referred to the . largest archives in the world ofAfrican­House
Committee on Oversight, of American tradftional music. ·
which Rep. Thomas is the chair. And the Center has issued record-
. ~ Mad About Birds
World of Audubon Special
Mad about Birds Premieres
june 16 on TBS
Birds exert a fascination over so
many people,.;_it's estimated that
more than 25 m-illion Americans con­sider
themselves birders. In the up­coming
World of Audubon ·special,
Mad About Birds, join us for a captivat­ing
look. at people's fascination with
birds: the intrigue of the search, the
challenge of the identification, and the
e~hilaration of spotting rare species in
-the wild. Mad About Birds premieres
Sunday, June 16 at 9 pm on TBS.
• Perched high dn a breathtaking
cliff, a South.African ornithologist
struggles to measure the wing of a
vulture chick. The Natal Province
is' the ideal plac~ to scope the Cape
vulture; ornithologists flo~k here
despite the fact the task is both dan­gerous
and extremely messy.
• ,On the Isles of Scilly in England,
400 enthusiasts wait patiently in a
reed bed. Their reward is a brief
vi'ew of a smallish brown bird
.bloW!J off course by the· autumn
gale. '
• In Pennsylvania, a house builder
takes time off to construct an or- ·
nate "condominium" for purple
martins--a communal nestbox for
120 feathered families.
• In Wa~saw, Poland, ornithologists
· Christian and Y ergi Desselberg
live iQ an apartment with 76 birds.
And at the crack of dawn in Centr-al
Park in New York City, scores of avid
The American Folklife Center has ings that present the finesfin America's
been an integral part of the Library of traditional music, including. fiddle
Congress since 1977; the Archive of . tunes, work songs, gospel music and
Folk Culture (form!!rlY the Archive of prison songs, all drawn from authentic
Folk Song) has been part of the Library field recordings of primary sources.
· since 1928. ' We need. more places like this, rtot.·
This unique national collection of f~wer! The telephone ~imiber for Rep.
· manuscripts, sound recordings, photo- · fhomas is 202-225-2915 ,(no e-mail);
graphs, films, videos and periodicals is the number for. the Committee qn
the place where John and Alan Lomax Oversight is 202-225-8281.
·. birders embark upon a most unusual
contest, Aud"!lbon's Annual Birdathon.
This segment was filmed in New York
dn Tuesday morning, May 14.
did their pioneer work in documenting Please take the time to contact your
the music and culture ofthe American · Represe~tative and the Committee; it
people. is their votes. that are the most crucial
It was to the Archi¥e that composer. now. It is also important to contact your
Aaron Copland came to learn fiddle Senator; if this bill passes, it can still be
tunes for his ballet Rodeo, and the ~.blocked in the Senate.
Shaker hymn that is at the heart of
App~lachian Spring.
\
Bexar Tracks
- Paula Ford
Juniata VaJLey AS (PA) :
II
· With the premiere of Mad About
Birds, Audubon will be launching a spe-'
cial electronic bulletin board:
'tv@audubon.o-rg'_. Viewers can e-mail
. their queries (via the Internet) to
'tv@audubon.org' and an Audubon ex­pert
will respond.
M(ldAboutBirds reprises Monday,
June 17at _l1:35 pm; Sunday,Jui).e 22 at
10:05 am; and Monqay, June 24 at 1:35
am.
June 1996
SUMMER PLANNING CALENDAR
t Bexar Audubon Event
§ More Information Inside
CONTACTS FOR RECURRING EVENTS
First Saturday at Friedrich Park, guided gen­eral
natural history hike, free. 698-1 05 7 for
reservations.
Second Saturday at Friedrich Park sponsored
by Bexar Audubon. $2 donation requested.
698-1 05 7 for reservations.
Second Saturday: Beginners Bird Walk at
Alamo Heights Nature Trail. Georgina
Schwartz of SA Audubon Society 342-2073.
Fourth Saturday: Birding morning at Mitchell
Lake with Ernie Roney, SMS. Meet at ML at
8 am. 733-8306 for more info.
JUNE
13t
16§
16§t
20§t
25
BAS Board Meeting, 7 pm.
Father's day concert, 6 pm. 'Cibolo
Wilderness Trail in Boerne.
BAS Outing, Honey Creek State.
Natural Area. See inside.
BAS General Meeting.
Native Plant Society, Show-off
. 29
JULY
II
18
27
Night. Members and guests are in­vited
to bring prints or up to I 0
slides· of their yards. travels. or fa­vorite
plants or landscapes to share
with the group. Lion's Field Club­house.
2809 Broadway at Mul­berry.
7 pm. Peggy McCray 64 1-
6543 for more info.
Pelagic birding trip. from Port
O'Connor. Dwight Peake.
409-740-462 I evenings.
BAS Board Meeting. 7 pm.
BAS General Meeting. 7:30pm.
Pelagic birding trip. from Port
O'Connor, Dwight Peake.
409-740-4621 evenings.
Other conservation organizations: please add
Bexar Audubon to your mailing list if we're not
already on it. and we 'II be glad to include your
events in our calendar each month.
@BOX10LYDIAN =
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offers
many nature activities for an·nual Texas Con­servation
Passport Holders ($50 per year).
Call for event listings: 800-937-9393.
Bird Photos Needed
A colleague and I are writing an educational brochure on the ecology of Caddo
Lake (NE Texas and NW Louisiana). We are in need of bird photos that we can
use, royalty free, but with credit to the photographer.
These are the birds we might want to use: American white pelican, double­crested
cormorant, snowy egret, cattle egret, green heron, blue-winged teal,
American coot, belted kingfisher, downy woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker,
barn swallow, brown-headed nuthatch, and pine warbler.
If you would be willing to let us use your photos, contact us ASAP.
Dr. James L. Ingold, Department of Biological Sciences, LSD-Shreveport,
One University Place, Shreveport, Louisiana 71115 or 318-797-5236 or email
jingold@pilot.lsus.edu.
June Meeting: Ticks ............. l 1~
June Outing: Honey River ..... l
Chapter & local.. ................. 3
Backyards & Birds ............... .4
Environmentallssues ............ 9
0
Bexar Audubon Society. Inc.
P. 0. Box 6084
San Antonio. TX 78209
Address Correction Requested
BIRDS ONLINE
Here are some more good reasons
to go on line. Subscribers to audubon­texas-
birds receive weekly reports
from several locations around the state,
of birds sighted on trips, or compila­tions
of reports of bird sightings in one
area, and rare bird alerts. Locations
range from Lubbock to the Coast.
To subscribe, email
rrtajordomo@igc.apc.org
leave. the subject line blank, or put
in it only a period(.)
In the message area, type
subscribe audubon-texas-birds.
The Texas Bird Records Commit­tee
web site was recently updated and
enhanced. It can be reached via the
following URL:
http:/ /www.metronet.com/ -chaynie/
Check out new photographs taken
· by Greg Lasley of the kelp gull and a
drake masked duck.
Also, there are a number of other
new additions to the content including
a draft of our 1995 annual report.
- Carl B. Haynie
Texas Bird Records Committee
chaynie(ri>metronet.com
See my Web Page "Birds of the
Upper Texas Coast" at
http:/ /www.infocom.net/ -dsarkozi/
-David Sark~zi, Houston
dsarkozi @info com. net
Non-profit
Org mization
U. S. Postage Paid
Sm Antonio, TX
Permit #590