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BEXAR
AUDUBON
SOCIETY
Volume XIV, No. 5
May, 1996 BEXAR
TR CK San Antonio
Texas
Bombing, Trapping And Politics -The New Mandate For National Wildlife Refuges?
On Wednesday, April 24, the defi­nition
of refuge was bludgeoned as the
US House of Representatives passed a
measure that will make trapping and
aerial bombardment priorities on Na­tional
Wildlife Refuges.
If enacted, HR167S, "The Wildlife
Refuge Improvement Act" sponsored
by Rep. Don Young (R-AK), will also
mean the politicization of the National
Wildlife Refuge System by usurping
the US Fish and Wildlife Service's
authority to designate new refuges. If
this bill is enacted, Congress, not bi­ologists,
will decide what lands are
most important for wildlife.
The nation's first federal wildlife
sanctuary, Pelican Island in Florida,
was established in 1903 by Theodore
Roosevelt in response to the devasta­tion
to bird po.pulat~ons by relentless
hunting for the fashion market.
Roosevelt could hardly have imag­ined
that less than 100 years later Con­gress
would affirm the necessity for
· bombing on these very same lands.
The National Wildlife Refuge Sys­tem
has grown to 508 refuges in all SO
states, encompassing 92 million acres.
National Wildlife Refuges are Amer­ica's
last bulwark against the decline of
species and habitat diversity, and are
vital havens for migratory birds. Un­like
National Parks or Forests, wildlife
refuges make wildlife conservation a
priority over public use.
HR1675 fundamentally changes the
direction of the National Wildlife Refuge
System by elevating trapping and other
recreational uses to the same level ofimpor­tance
as wildlife conservation.
Currently, the Refuge System ac­commodates
a host of recreational uses
· including hunting, fishing and wild­life
observation where these activities
are compatible with wildlife conserva­tion
objectives of individual refuges.
HR 1675, however, elevates recrea­tional
uses to purposes of the Refuge
System alongside wildlife conserva­tion,
thereby forcing refuge managers
to .choose between one or the other in
allocating scarce financial and staffing
resources.
Such a dramatic shift of resources
could have a devastating impact on
wildlife and habitat conservation
goals. Beyond reducing available
funds for wildlife, the shift will place
. an even greater strain on limited refuge
personnel who will need to spend even
more time accommodating visitors.
Rep. Young's bill will also pave the
way for increased military activi-ties
on refuges. That's
right, under HR167S the
President may waive the
current requirement
that military activi­ties
such as
bombing and
low-level fly- :~..;-~~-~llll:i~
overs meet wild-life
protection co mpa ti b ili ty objectives
of individual refuges.
At present there are more than 45
refuges around the country on which
military activities occur. Already there
is tremendous pressure from the De­fense
Department to expand opera­tions
on military reservations to
adjacent refuge lands, particularly
along the east coast where public lands
are increasingly scarce.
This bill could open the door to
more bombing, low-level fly-overs and
even tank maneuvers on National
Wildlife Refuges.
HR167S will politicize efforts to
establish new refuges. Under current
law, the FWS may establish a new ref­uge
without needing a specific Con­gressional
authorization. Requiring
only an appropriation from the Land
and Water Conservation Fund
(LWCF), the FWS may quickly ac­quire
lands from willing sellers who
otherwise might sell their land to com­mercial
developers. HR1675 will re­quire
a Congressional authorization to
establish new refuges over 500 acres,
leaving vital habitat acquisition deci­sions
in the hands of elected officials
rather than FWS biologists. Further­more,
the additional hurdle could
mean a prolonged
waiting period for
~ buyers and re­sult
in lost op­-
portunities.
The so-called
Wildlife Refuge
Improvement Act also
opens the door to giving refuge
lands to the states. A provision in the
bill allows the Secretary of Interior to
reach agreements with states whereby
refuge lands, called "coordination ar­eas,"
are given to states to manage. By
permitting states to manage these ar-
. eas, an increased burden is placed on
continued on page 7 ..
BEXAR AUDUBON SOCIETY
P. 0. Box 6084, San 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 Me111ber
Harriet Wiygul 534-7505; fax 534-7319
Katie Nava-Ragazzi 804-1 1:!6
Bill Sa in 408-77 31
Joyce Pipes 2 S 1-2 452
Claire Drenowatz 599-4168
Chris Dullnig 82 8-40 I 7
.Genevieve Kerr 82 4-62 41
John Langan 491-0692
Richard Pipes 2 81-2452
Bill Woller 696-31 86
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Adopt-a-Park Bill Woller 223-328 I
344-6128
655-0543
281-2452
738-1342
804-1226
Aud. Adventures .Betty Minyard
Birdathon Kim Fleutsch
Conservation Richard Pipes
Earth Day Dana Bohne
Education Katie Nava-Ragazzi
Hospitality Nancy Johnson
Membership Dan & Kristy Davis 609-5678
Natural Initiatives Harriet Wiygul 5 34-7505
Outings Patty Leslie Pasztor 82 4·1 23 5
Programs Chris Dullnig 82 8-40 I 7
Publicity Susan K. Hughes 532-2332
SAEN Coordinator Jim Garriot 61 5-2 I 70
Ways S Means Bill Sain 408-7731
Bexar 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 5/24, electronic {diskette,
email) deadline 5/31. Please send fax or email
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.
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:
800-659-2622 NAS Actionline
210-733-8306 Rare bird alert number.
210-227-6143 To report local water waste.
800-453-SMOG To report smoking vehicles
(License#, date, time & location
May 1996
May Meeting: Biological Control for Are Ants?
Imported fire ants are a major pest in the southeast and south central
US. At the UT-Austin Brackenridge Field Lab, Dr. Lloyd Morrison's
team is evaluating the potential ofphorid flies as highly specific biologj:
cal control agents. Hear about this promising research and learn how the
phorid fly controls imported fire ant populations and affects their behav­iors.
Solenopsis invicta, the imported fire ant, was introduced to the US
from South America in the 1940s. Its success here-much greater than
in its native South America-is most likely due to the fact that it left all
its natural enemies behind. In areas of the US it has infested, however,
the imported fire ant has become a serious enemy to biodiversity, with
impacts on mammal populations, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and
more-including other ants.
Seeking a natural predator for Solenopsis invicta, the Brackenridge
Field Lab at UT Austin has imported phorid flies (genus Pseudacteon)
from South America, and have tested the phorid flies for host-specificity
to ensure that the species will not attack any ant species other than
Solenopsis invicta. Morrison, a postdoctoral fellow at the Brackenridge
Lab, earned a Ph.D. in population biology from the University of Cali­fornia
at Davis. A paper he coauthored on this topic is in preparation for
the journal Science.
Who Should Attend? Those interested in or concerned with imported
fire ants, biological controls, protection of wildlife, pesticide issues, and
population dynamics in disturbed systems. Students are especially wel­come.
Meeting Specifics: Monthly meeting of Bexar Audubon Society,
Thursday, May 16, 7:30pm. Free and open
to the public. Refreshments available
prior to the meeting, at 7:00. Come
early to socialize. For more informa­tion,
call 822-4503.'
Conservation Committee: meet­ing
at 6:00pm at the Ruble Center.
Locqtion: Ruble Center, 419 E. Mag­nolia
(between McCullough and !-37, Hwy
281). Nearest freeway exit is North St. Mary's, offHwy. 281.
Public Transportation: VIA Route 5 (St. Mary's-McCullough-North
Star Mall) to Magnolia Street.
May Outing
Destination: Little Palm Park
Sunday, May 19
Join us for a leisurely day trip of birding, botanizing and ecologiz­ing
between San Antonio and Palmetto State Park. We may
also add a special birding stop at a private ranch enroute.
We'llleave around dawn and return by mid-afternoon,
except for those who may want to stay on and camp or
swim.
Participation _will be limited to IS folks on a
first call, first sign-up basis. To sign up or
receive additional information,
please call trip leader Susan
Rust at 826-4698.
2 Bexar Tracks
CHAPTER NEWS
Perambulations
The air is oppressive, the humidity landscape. One' April Monday we en­is
a living presence, and although the joyed soft rains, just enough water to
leaves trembled as the breez~ slid , . make driving a treacherous game of
through the limbs of the trees this
morning, now they are still, hanging
slack, since the energy started to leech
out of the air. The background thrum of
the insects is noticeable by its absence.
Even the busy comrimnication of the
neighborhood birds is silenced. We
wait, hoping for, expecting, the miracle
of the storm and the water it bring~.
The city passed most of April' in
Stage 2 of the Drought Management
Plan. The lack of water moved from a
water gaug~ graphic of the nightly tele­vision
weather .report to a lead item,
temporarily pushing murder and may­'
hem to lower positions on the play list.
It was front page news- above the fold ·
-of the local major newspaper. At Mini
Earth Day, Viva Botanica, Earth Day,
Children's Festival at the Institute of
Texan Cultures, and Cibolo Wilderness
Mostly Native Plant Sale, . Bexar
Audubon volunteers visited with their
urb~n neighbors. We found community
in common concerns, and as the month'
progressed, water became a frequently
voiced concern. ·
We discussed its lack, and the toll it
took-the death of grass, stu1;1ted vege­table
gardens, and bu.rned yard plant~. -
Our neighbors asked us about the birds
in their yards, and BAS members sug­gested
that a water source was inore
important than food. Native plants,
with their bright blooms and_ resl.liency,
drew people to our display, and We
shared the idea of saving water by land­scaping
their yards for wildlife.
. The heat continued to climb
throughout the month; some highs
breaking temperature records of long
standing. We cast our eyes up, searching
for signs, portents, of moisture~ There
were frustrating close calls, but it was as
if a cosmic Do Not Disturb sign was
posted, and the rain clouds rolled
around us. ·
Through the month, the hot winds
blew, exacerbating the moisture loss in
the ground, and a persistent and perva"
sive dust became a part of the ~rban
Bexar Tracks
bumper cars, but not eno'ugh to break
the drought. The dust re'tu'rned, and
primary · h~man discussion relJlained
focused pn rain. ·
So, I wait with ihe birds, the trees,
the insects, for the coming storm. It has
· to come thi~ time. The air has gone
somewhere,, and I prefer to thin.k it is
being used to build a· rainstorm. The
sun' is slowly obscured by clouds, stilt'
too hjgh for rain, but they may be the
precursors of the main event. Enervated
by the insufferable stillness and humid­ity,
the animals of my house move just
enough to change positions.
Sqddenly, the trees. are blasted by
an energy wave of such ferocity, they
groan and' lean over, in the' face of it.
Doors slam' in the house as the air pres­sure
seems to ~oom down, then up. The
old house shudders in.the impact, while
chinaberries ·slam with such force
· against the tin roof of the porch that I
think it's hailing. Howling around and
again,st the urban structures, the wind
sends garbage and dried grass swirling
through the air. Every living thing hun­kers
down to walt out the storm
· Thunder heralds the .storm, and
lightening strobes the darkness. And
then· it's here-rain! Big, fat water
drops chase each other down the street.
It's fierce, ferocious, dangero:u~, -and
welcome. The primal force of the storm,
. performs its ancient duty, releasing life­sustaining
energy back to the Earth. My.
animal companions apd I watch the
sound and fury from an open window, ·
· awed by 'the events unfolding within
our proscenium arch.
The day o( oppressive stillness and
humidity gives way to the bris~, clean
air following the ~torm. The night sky
is still vivid with lightening, a magnifi­cent
celestial display. The thunder still
booms, but grows faint~r as the energy
of the storm moves on~ I am lulled to
sleep by the basso profunda of the
storm's coda, an altogether satisfactory
way' to complete a turn of.the Earth.
- Hatriet Wiygul
· ·' 3
Bill Sain Honored
At the March Annual Meeting of
BAS, I was proud to present Bill Sain
with the BAS award for exceptional
volunteer service, as voted by the BAS
Board of Directors.
Bill Sain began volunteering with
BAS when we hosted the Southwest
Regional Conference in the fall of 1993,
and . he hasn't stopped since. At the
organizational meeting for that confer­ence,
an unknown Bill Sain volun­teered
· to coordinate all the room.
assignments, monitor scheduling, and
any other "fire extinguishing" duties. I
thought heaven had sent me an angel.
Bill has participated in every facet
of BAS a~tivities-usually working in
the background to ensure that every­thing
comes off without a hitch. He is
now serving in his second term as BAS
treasurer. He played a major role jn the
· 1995 Earth Day event and coordinated
BAS activities in this year's effort.
' Bill was an active member during
the first year of the Kelly AFB Resto­ration
Advisory Committee's exist­ence,
representing BAS. He is also a
member of the Mitchell Lake Wetlands
Society board.
He is a vital rrtemoer of theN atural
Initiatives steering committee and is
taking an active role in our chapter's
expanding education program. At the
NAS Convention in Florida in 1994,
Bill served as right-hand-person to Pat
Waak, director of the N AS Population
and Resource Use Program, for her seg­ment
of the conference, priving across
Florida in hurricane weather to get the
shqw mounted on time.
Bill was elect~d a member at large
of the Audubon Council ofTexas board
in 1995, and I asked him to co-chair the
ACT committee on the Texas Field Of-flee
implementation.
He is dedicated, practical, depend­able,
and a delight to work with. His
quiet, dry sense of humor always helps
us keep things in perspective. Along
with his talented and witty wife, Debo­rah
Robinson, also a BAS volunteer,
Bill is a jewel to be treasured and appre­ciated.
Thanks, Bill, for allyou do.
- Susan Hughes
May 1996
Earth Day 1996 A Success
Who needs the Oyster Bake or the
Taste of New Orleans? Real Fiesta afi­cianados
know that the Earth Day Fiesta
event at San Pedro Springs Park is the
up-and-coming. Fiesta event. Their
opinion was upheld by all who attended
this year's festivities. Once again, 'the
Earth Day Organizing Committee out­did
themselves. The music was wonder­ful,
the food (vegetarian only) and ·
drinks divine.
The highlight of the day was the
All-Species parade in which anyone
and everyone was invited to join the
crowd dressed as your favorite species
of plant or animal. The kids, young and
old, had a blast.
Kudos to Dana Bohne and the rest
ofthe crew for a job well done. Thanks
to the following Bexar Audubon folks
who rep~esented BAS at Earth Day:
Bill , Sain, Deborah Robinson, Betty
Minyard, Harriet Wiygul, Patti Leslie
Pasztor, Kim a~d Dave Fleutsch. Spe­cial
thanks to Katie Nava-Ragazzi, De­borah
Robinson, and Bill Sain for
, coordinating our exhibit.
Viva Volunteers!
A whole flock of Bexar Auduboners
migrated to the Botanical Center for
this year's Viva Botanica festival! Our
booth was cheerfully run by Leta Bien,
Joanne Campos and her husband,
Susan Hughes, Nancy Johnson, John
Langan, Betty Minyard, Joanne
Strentsch, Doris Townsend, Sonia Urb;
Harriet Wiygul, and Bill Woller. We
recruited a record number of new vol­unteers,
in a gorgeous setting under a
tree and overlooking the lake.
Folk music and tantalizing aromas
drifted by all weekend long, as we
reached out and had a good time doing
it. Thanks again everyone for a super­successful
event!
-Katie Nava-Ragazzi
· Education Chair
LOCAL NEWS
We Did It Up Right!
Wow, was Bexar Audubon a smash
hit at the April 20th San Antonio Chil­dren's
Festival! In the festive Institute
of Texan Cultures, our booth was bus­tling!
Big .cheers go to outstanding volun- ,
teers Melissa St.John, Tracy Tiller, Pe­ter
Salinas, and Pa.ul Harper, who
showed many, many eager kids how to
make bird feeders out of recycled plastic
bottles, how to plant butterfly bush
seeds, and how to make bird puppets.
Also, Paul graced our booth with his
special talents on the guitar.
We invited parents of the busy kids
to join us for our lectures, outings, and
Audubon Adventures. Do YOU know
of any young families you can invite to
our many programs? Spread the word
to the people YOU know!.
-Katie Nava-Ragazzi
Education Chair
Plants ~ Food ~ People
At the Mostly Natural Plant Sale at
Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne on
April27, volunteers had trouble staying
at the booth. There were so many won­derful
plants on sale, and snakes to han­dle,
and food to resist (well, try to
resist).
Thanks to Katy Nava-Ragazzi,
Claire Drenowatz, Betty Minyard,
Sheila, Patty Leslie-Pasztor for sticking
. around most of the time, anyway.
TX Legislative Contacts
Here are e-mail addresses for all
Texas legislators, federal and state,
for on-line activists.
US House of Reps:
http://cs.org/cc/sc/congress.htmi
US Senate:
http://cc.org/cc/sc/senate.html
- Both Texas Hous~s:
http://rampages.onramp.net/
-rampage/austin.htm
June SAEN Meeting
Charrette to Be Featured
The American Institute of Archi­tects/
San Antonio Environmental
Design Charrette has made newspa­per
headlines for the past several
months. While the re~ults have been
presented in several forums., each has
taken a slightly diffe-rent approach to
studying the exercise.
. At the June quarterly meeting of
the San Antonio Environmental Net­work
(S AEN), Tom Robey of Sprinkle
Robey Architects will lead a presenta­tion
and discussion focusing on the
natural resource management as­pects
ofthe charrette designs.
We will examine at least one of
the five sites in the charrette in
greater detail. The meeting will be
held at 7pm at the studios of Sprinkle
Robey Architects, 454 Soledad. It is
free and open to the public.
Please note the change oflocation
for this meeting only. We are moving
from our regular Witte ·Museum site
because ofthe difficult logistics asso­ciated
with transporting and display­ing
all the drawings generated by the
charrette activities.
Sprinkle Robey's studios are in
the red brick'building with green awn­ings
' one block south of the new San
Antonio Public Library. There is am­ple
parking available.
The San Antoniq Environmental
Network welcomes participation by
concerned individuals, interested or­ganizations,
governmental agencies,
and the like.
Opportunities are provided for
environmentally-oriented organiza­tions
to make announcements regard­ing
non-partisan issues and efforts
following the programs, and informal
networking is encouraged.
For information on SAENineet­ings
or programs, contact Susan
Hughes at 532-2332 or Russell Smith
at 734-7184 x115.
Look for a profile of San Antonio's Natural Initiatives
program in the Audubon Notes section of the July/August
issue ofAUDUBON Magazine!
Remember that Bird-a-thon isn't over until the money is
collected. It's a pain, but now you need to go round up all those
pledges and se.nd them in. ·
May 1996 4 Bexar Tracks
PlANTS & WILDLIFE
Invasion of the Bombycillids The Elusive Madrone
Big news around my neighborhood for the last month has been the Arbutus xalapensi~
. invasion of the cedar waxwings (Bombycilla cedrornm ). Not unusual is their
stripping of every type of berry-inchiding, in ' my yard, the shriveled The madrone, also known as madrona or
remains of hawthorn, Chinese tallow, and a few pitiful grapes and bram- manzanita, is a small evergreen tree or multi­bleberries.
, · . trunked.'shrub as tall as 30 feet, although usu-
What has amazed me is the bombycillid version. of the old question, ' ally smaller. · Its reddish brown bark
"How many angels can stand on the head of a pin?" In this case, it's "How . peels off to reveal a hard;
many waxwings can fit into the birdbath at once?" ' smooth, tan to coppery red
· It's an avian version ,of the old game of king of the mountain .. My underbariC. This leq to
birdbath is too deep, so there's a rock in the middle, and several times a th~ tree's other common
day it's filled with birds flappi~g and splashing-birds perched around - names, naked Indian .
the rim, birds splashing in the deep water, birds edging one anot_her off and la.dy's legs.
the rock, and in a few minutes ALL the water is gone. · , Branches tend to
To be replaced by bird poop. Honestly, these guys are the messiest I've · · be crooked, spreading to form
ever seen. Red streaks all over the 'outside of the bath, all over the.rock, a distit~;ct crown. Leaves are
and the seeds frotn the whatever they've been eating-cover the bottom of ovate, medium-sized (1 to 4 inches long), and
the bath. Yesterday I refilled the birdbath six tim'es.J wonder what kind red-tinged on the undersides and edges. New
of berries will now start growing at the base from all those se17ds! · leaves are reddish and pale green. Clusters of
I saw one invasion start just as. to/O white-~ing doves were taking a creamy white to pale pink flowers bloom in
drink. The doves stood their ground for a few minutes, but eventually early spring, creating dark red to golden
were overwhelmed. No hostile actions on the part bf the waxwings, but fleshy berries that are consumed by birds and
'just general rambunctiousness, and the doves finally give _ other wildlife.
up. Pretty amazing, considerjng that they'll stic~ around for The madrone's range · in Texas has been
the same behavior (just not so many birds) when starlings decli~ing for many years, although the trees
join them at the bath. . ' can occasionally be seen on woody, rocky
My. Chinese tallow is· starting. to produce limestop.e or igneous soil in canyons or open
berries, the hawthorn is in bloom and heading plains in th~ Edwards Plateau. Germination
for berries, and, the paper mulberry actually rate of seeds is not high, and, in the wild,
has berries. The grapevine is starting to seedlings survive best under an ashe juniper
make new grapes, arid the bnimbleberry is or · other . "nurse" tree which protects from
blooming again. I hope there's enough · grazing ~nd helps maintain moisture.
to eat in my neighborhood to keep Established madrones require little fertil-these
beautiful rowdies around. izer or water. Several native plant nurseries
Peeping Toms Invited
You can see snapshots of a ·live Peregrine .
Falcon nest, updated once a minute, at: .
http:/ /www.transar.c.coin
Natasha and Boris, the peregrine falcons- .
made famous by their selection of Pittsburgh's
Gulf Tower as their nesting site for the past six
years, are anticipating the arrival of three chicks ,
in late April or early May. .
· They are the only falcon pair in Pennsylva­.
nia to choose an urban building for lJ nest ·s~te.
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy,
which monitors the peregrine program, and the
Gulf Tower, this year mounted a video camera
at the nest site to ·'enable falcon fans to get a
first-hand look at the birds from a television set
in the Gulf.Tower lobby-and on the World
Wide Web!
· Bexar Tracks
. -Claire D~enowcltz are -now succes'sfully propagating madrones
for sale.
Reprinted w,ith permission from the
May 1994 San Antonio Gardener. Illustration
' · adapted with pennission from a 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"
198o, and Paul W. Cox & Patty Leslie, Texas
Trees: A Friendly Guide, Corona, 1988.)
Internet Exchange
A male ring-necked pheasant visited Stuyvesant Oval in Manhattan
this morning. He joins our community's growing population of birds
which includes a resident red-tail hawk.
-Emil Novelo, NAS, New York, NY
So what's the big deal? We'have lots of pheasants and red-tails here
in Manh,attan.
-Dave Rintoul, Northern Flint Hills AS, Manhattan, KS ,r, ..,._
5 May 1996
r
MISCELLANY
Celebrity Birding Tours Anti-Environment Riders Defeated
Go birdwatching with Texas' best
birders by signing up with one of the
National Audubon Society's new Texas
Celebrity Bird Tours. ·
Join Chuck Sexton May 18th on a
special visit to the Balcones Canyon­lands
National Wildlife Refuge to see
the Golden-cheeked Warbler and the
Black-capped Vireo. Chuck will share
his expertise on the unique interactions
of the plants and animals with their
physical environment that make the
Hill Country special.
The 235,000-acre Kene<:fy ~anch
will be the destination June 1-2, with
NAS's Sandra Skrei and Cecilia Riley,
Texas State Coordinator for the Part­ners
in Flight Program. The Kenedy
Ranch's long history of managing for
wildlife has resulted in beautiful habi­tat
for birds and other wildlik. The
ranch is known for its Ferruginous
Pygmy Owl population, as well as the
Green Jay, Tropical Parula, Couch's
Kingbird, White-tailed Hawk, 'Green
Kingfisher, Buff-bellied Humming­bird
and other South Texas specialties.
The Texas Celebrity Bird Tours
support Audubon programs in Texas to
protect birds, other wildlife and their
habitat. The cost includes a tax deduct­ible
donation to theNational Audubon
Society.
For information on these and other
tours, call Audubon at 512-327-1943; or
write 2525 Wallingwood, Suite #301,
Austin, Texas 78746; or e-mail
71634.20@ compuserve.com
The National Audubon Society
congratulated President Clinton for his
steadfast defense of the environment in
the budget battle concluded last week.
The Administration succeeded in de­feating
most of the proposed riders to
the FY 1996 Omnibus Appropriations
bill. These anti-environmental riders
would have eliminated the ability of
the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA)'to protect the nation's wetlands,
the Department of Interior's ability to
list endangered species, and would
have extended the threat to valuable
forest resources.
"The defeat of these wetlands and
endangered species riders represents a
stunning come from behind victory for
the environment," stated Audubon
President John Flicker. "President
Clinton's stubborn resolve to preserve
our nation's water quality, wetlands,
wildlife and forests was the factor that
produced this important victory."
"Members of Congress, out of step
with the wishes of the American peo­ple,
have paid the price for trying roll
back environmental protections,"
noted Flicker. "From here on out, Con­gress
must be responsive to the Ameri­can
public's concern for the integrity of
" our natural resources, and the health
and quality of our wetlands, wildlife
and forests."
As part of the final negotiations
over the FY 1996 appropriations bill,
Republican lawmakers gave in to Ad­ministration
demands that wetiands
-lime For Campaign-Financ~ Reform
The most serious problem facing the environment these days is the corruption
of Congress by special-interest money from the polluting industries. Why else
would Congress push so much destructive legislation when the people support
strong environmental protection?
Bipartisan bills in Congress now (S 1219-Senate, HR 2566-House) would ban
or limit PAC donations to candidates, end soft money donations to political
parties, and establish voluntary spending limits for candidates, in exchange for
free and low-cost TV and radio time. The mood in the country is turning against
special-interest money in campaigns. If we make a big push now, in concert with
other environmental groups and other nonprofits, we can turn the tide. And if we
can win this fight, all our others will be easier. Call your Representative and
Senators at 202-224-3.121, or call their local offices (in the phone book blue pages).
- Mary-Powel Thomas
May 1996 6
and endangered species riders be elimi­nated.
The proposed wetlands rider
would have stripped EPA of its existing
authority to block the Army Corps of
Engineers from permitting the filling of
fragile wetlands. Congress also provided
authority to the President to waive the
ESA listing moratorium, adding back
significant new funding for the endan­gered
species program.
Audubon and many other conserva­tion
groups opposed the riders because
they woul.d have significantly weakeped
protection for our nation's wetlands,
wildlife and forests. In addition, the
wetlands rider was an assault on the
ability of EPA to acl;lieve the goals of the
Clean Water Act.
The debate over the riders is a po­tential
warm-up, possibly later this year,
for a debate in Congress ovet; reauthori­zations
of the Clean Water and Endan­gered
Species Acts. "The defeat of these
riders demonstrates that reauthoriza­tion
legislation that would weaken pro­tection
for natural resources and
endangered species will ultimately go
down to defeat this year," Flicker stated.
John Flicker specifically praised
EPA Administrator Carol Browner for
her hard work in defense of the nation's
wetlands. "Carol Browner has demon­strated
outstanding leadership by dedi­cating
enormous amounts of time and
energy to the defeat of this destructive
rider," stated Flicker.
National Audubon Society ex­pressed
disappointment that the final
bill still included a rider that could po­tentially
authorize the construction of a
telescope on Arizona's Mt. Graham, in
violation of federal law. Audubon chap­ters
and activists leaders in the South­west
have waged a long battle to preserve
and protect this critical habitat for the
endangered Mt. Graham red squirrel.
Audubon urges President Clinton
to use the administrative avenues now
Dpen to him to eliminate the timber
salvage rider.
-John Echeverria
NAS General Counsel
- Kathleen Rogers
Audubon Public Affairs
Bexar Tracks
. I
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Bombing, Trapping ...
- continued from page 1
refuge personnel who mu~t not only ensure that
activities on refuge lands are not harmful to
wildlife, but also monitor and enforce wildlife
protection measures on state-managed lands.
The US Senate now has an opportunity to
correct the damage this bill would cause. In the
103rd Congress, Senator Bob Graham crafted
legislation designed to help refuge managers
establish priorities and stick to them, and to
ensure that wildlife conservation remains the
top priority for these publicly owned lands. If
the Senate follows Young's lead, however, it will
only confirm the impression that protection of
our wildlife for future generations is unimpor­tant
to the 1 04th Congress.
National Wildlife Refuges account for just
4% of federal lands in the lower 48 states, and
1% of lands overall. If that last 1% can't be free
of aerial bombing, trapping and other activities
harmful to wildlife, it can hardly be said that we
have faithfully and staunchly upheld Teddy
Roosevelt's vision.
For more information, contact Evan Hir­sche
at NAS-DC, 202-547-9009.
[Editor's note: The San Antonio delegation
voted as follows. For: Bonilla, de la Garza,
Smith, Tejeda. Against: Gonzalez. The bill may
come up for reconsideration, and will end up in
conference if the Senate passes a different ver­sion.
Call your Representative or Sen.ator thru
the Capitol Switchboard, 202-224-3121, or the
local office (in the phone book's blue pages).]
Texas Delegation Voting Records
This month's voting record report is on Senator Kay Bailey
Hutchison. While she is not up for re-election for another four years, we
think it's important for concerned environmentalists to keep abreast of
the doings of all oftheir representatives.
Hutchison's record according to the League of Conservation Voters
is zero (0%) on votes affec~ing the environment. Physicians for Social
Responsibility, in their 1995 scorecard, rated her an R
She's rated at 100%, however, by the Competitive Enterprise Institute,
League of Private Property Voters, Business-Industry Political Action
Committee, and U. S. Chamber of Commerce.
The information below comes from Project Vote Smart, which notes
that, concerning candidates, they "check their resumes, references, back­grounds,
and then interview them with a series of 'no wiggle room'
questions on the issues they will most likely have to deal with ... " Senator
Hutchison refused to take PVS's 1994 National Political Awareness Test.
We don't have data past 12/31/94, but at that time Hutchison's PAC
support came from (just the top 5):
Finance, insu1.1nce & real estate 462,291
Energy & natural resources 377,863
Miscellaneous business 309,418
Agriculture 268,370
Transportation 202,149.
During Senate floor debate in March 1995 on HR 889 (the Defense
Supplemental Appropriations/Rescissions Bill), Hutchison offered an
amendment to eliminate $1.5 million remaining in the Fish & Wildlife
Service's 1995 budget for listing new endangered species. More than 100
species of plants and animals slated to be listed in 1995 remain unpro­tected.
[That amendment has now been killed. See article on page 6.]
Recent votes include YES to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
to oil and gas exploration; NO to the red wolf reintroduction program;
NO to banning giveaway mining patents; NO to killing the logging
without laws rider; NO to killing an amendment to cut funds for ESA
listings; NO to designate wilderness and national park lands in Califor­nia;
YES to keep welfare ranching- low grazing fees on federal lands.
Audubon's America: Promoting a Culture of Conservation
The National Audubon Conven­tion
1996, June 8-11 in Washington,
DC, will give Audubon members and
activists the opportunity to discuss our
nation's environment with wildlife,
wetland, forest, ornithological and
natural resource specialists. Attendees
will also have an opportunity to meet
with their Congressional repre­sentatives
in our nation's Capitol.
The theme of the convention is
Audubon's America, and conference at­tendees
will focus on strategies for
strengthening grassroots environ­mental
activism. By promoting a cul­ture
of conservation, Audubon's goal is
to create an environmental ethic that
Bexar Tracks
will ensure the sustainability of the
natural world.
"Individually and as a society,
Americans must make it clear that it is
reprehensible to exploit the natural
world unsustainably. Now is a critical
time for citizens to make an impact on
environmental policies at the local,
state and federal levelS," notes
Audubon's President John Flicker.
National Audubon Convention
1996 features Congressional visits, ac­tivist
training, and workshops on birds,
wildlife, natural resource and habitat
protection. There will be a diverse array
of field trips offering opportunities to
experience the rich natural history of
7
the Washington area. Scheduled speak­ers
include EPA Administrator Carol
Browner, Cornell biology professor Dr.
Tom Eisner and Audubon president
John Flicker.
Following the convention, mobile
learning labs Gune 12- 15) to Pennsyl­vania
and Maryland will enable atten­dees
to see important bird areas
throughout the Chesapeake Bay Eco­system.
These field trips to environ­mentally
sensitive areas will be led by
Audubon's leading wildlife experts.
For registration information about
National Audubon Convention 1996,
please contact Audubon's Convention
office at 303-499-3622.
May 1996
SPRING/SUMMER PLANNING CALENDAR
f 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.
Brown Bag Seminars: Schultze House, Hemis­fair
Park. TX Master Gardeners. 229-9161.
MAY
9 Noon brown bag seminar, Co/or attd
Texture in the Shade, 'Mary Hagan •.
or buy lunch & drink for $2.
I I f 9am-noon, Friedrich Wilderness
Park, Special Fun Day. Preview ex­panded
wheelchair-accessible trail,
special guest the Snake Lady. No
reservation required.
I I International Migratory Bird Day
16§f BAS General Meeting, 7:30 Pill· Ru­ble
Center. Fire Ants.
17 Wilderness Walk. Trees of the Trail,
Noon- I :30pm. $2. Cibolo Nature
Center.
I 8 I Oam-noon. San Antonio Botanical
Gardens. Attract Butter~ies to Your
Garden, $ I 0, 82 1-514 3 to register. '!'
JUNE
I Pelagic birding trip. from South Pa­dre
Island. Dwight Peake. 409-740-
462 I evenings.
May Meeting: Fire Ants ....... 2
May Outing: Palmetto SP .... 2
Chapter & local. .............. 3&4
Plants & Birds ...................... 5
Environment & Miscellany. 6& 7
0 Printed on acid-free,
50% post-consumer
waste paper.
9am-l I am. First Saturday Hike at
Friedrich. 698-105 7 for reserva­tions.
Sf 9-1 I am, 2nd Saturday at Friedrich,
Trees of Texas with Paul Cox,
author and supervisor of S. A. Bo-tanical
Gardens. •
8-12§ Audubon's America, NAS Conven­tion
1996. Washington DC.
13 Noon brown bag seminar. Bexar
County Master Gardeners, Good
Bugs itl the Garden, Christina
O'Connell. or buy lunch & drink for
$2.
IH BAS Board Meeting, 7 pm.
20f BAS General Meeting. Ruble Center,
7:30pm.
25 Native Plant Society. Show-off
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-
654 3 for more info.
29 Pelagic birding trip. from Port
O'Connor. Dwight Peake.
409-740-462 I evenings.
JULY
27 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.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offers
many nature activities for annual Texas Con­servation
Passport Holders ($50 per year).
Call for event listings: 800-937-9393.
Bexar Audubon Society. Inc.
P. 0. Box 6084
San Antonio. TX 78209
Address Correction Requested
AUDUBON CAMPS
The magic has been working now
for more than SO years, ever since the
founding of. the first Audubon pro­gram
in Maine. Today the Audubon
workshops continue this celebration of
life.
Here, in superb natural settings, in
the company of distinguished natural­ists
and fellow participants who share
your interest in nature, you'll search a
pond for whirligig beetles and damsel­fly
nymphs. Or follow paths blazed by
mountain sheep.
You'll take home a new awareness
of how nature works, how all life is
interdependent, and how you can pro­tect
it.
Come join us for a wild adventure
in on the Maine coast, or in the Wind
River Mountains ofWyoming, or at the
sanctuary in Greenwich. Awaken to
the call of a loon, hear the sea waves
lapping against a rocky coast, stalk
screech owls at night, and sing by a
campfire far away from everyday pres­sures
and distractions.
You'll learn to better understand
and protect the wild creatures and wild
places that we love. As it has done for
so many others, this Audubon experi­ence
will enrich the rest of your life.
Audubon also has camps for youths, in
Maine and Vermont.
Call Audubon Ecology Workshops
at 203-869-2017, or fax 203-869-4437,
or write 613 Riversville Road, Green­wich,
CT 06831 for a brochure and
registration form.
Non-profit
Organization
U. S. Postage Paid
San Antonio, TX
Permit #590
1