The
Naturalist Celebrating 40 Years of Bird Conservation
International Migratory Bird Day 2010
May/June 2010
Celebrating the Power of Partnerships
Contents: by Mary Anne Weber, Education Director
The Power of Partnerships . . . . . . . . 1
M
erriam- Webster
2010 State of the Birds . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
defines
Festival on the Bayou . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 “partnership” as
a relationship involving a
Bolivar Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 close cooperation between
parties having specified joint
Birdathon Sponsors & Prizes . . . . . . . 4 rights and responsibilities.
This year, International
Birding Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Migratory Bird Day is
celebrating the partnerships
Species Profile
that promote and result in
Ovenbird . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
bird conservation across
Exceptional Volunteer Awards . . . . . 6 our globe. International
Migratory Bird Day (IMBD)
Birding Trip to Idaho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 is the only international
education program that
Fun on the Flats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 highlights and celebrates the migration
of nearly 350 species of migratory birds
Mission Possible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 between nesting habitats in North America
and non-breeding grounds in Latin America,
Summer Family Activities . . . . . . . . . . 7 Mexico, and the Caribbean. Each year IMBD
explores a different aspect of migratory birds
Membership Meeting and Birdathon Celebration: May 12
Location:
United Way Center
50 Waugh Drive Swifts Over Houston
Schedule:
6:00 p.m. Refreshments
and fall we enjoy watching swifts gather at
6:30 p.m. Birdathon Prizes announced
communal roost sites. In the summer Chimney
7:00 p.m. Social
Swifts build their nests, raise their families, and
7:30 p.m. Meeting
roost just feet from where we live. During this
Program: presentation we will explore the fascinating and
Swifts Over Houston secretive home life of these aerial acrobats and
Speaker: Pam Smolen what Houston birders are doing to conserve
their declining numbers.
Chimney Swifts chatter over the Houston
Pam Smolen was raised an army brat, living in
area from March to October every
Alaska, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and finally settling
year, consuming massive amounts of
in Texas. She grew up enjoying the outdoors,
mosquitoes and other bugs. In the spring
and their conservation. IMBD
is the signature program of
Environment for the Americas
(EFTA) and in conjunction with
the 20th anniversary of Partners
in Flight; EFTA chose to focus
on the “Power of Partnerships”
in bird conservation as the 2010
theme.
Partnerships across the
hemisphere have resulted in
conservation success stories for
birds as varied as the Atlantic
Puffin, Wood Duck, Swainson’s
Hawk, Tufted Jay, Peregrine
Falcon, and the Whooping
Crane. Partnerships can be found working
effectively from the local community level to all
levels of public and private organizations and
government entities. It truly takes a “global”
village to save our native birds and provide
lasting species conservation in the future.
continued on page 3
hiking, and camping. She graduated from the
University of Texas with a degree in Chemical
Engineering. She discovered the wonderful
world of birds about 8 years ago and has been
hooked ever since.
Pam is currently Chairman of the Houston
Ornithology Group. She is an active volunteer
for Houston Audubon. She is a member of the
Birdathon committee and participates in many
coastal work days. Pam contributes to Houston
Audubon’s Citizen Science Program as the
leader of the Houston Chimney Swift Count.
The Houston Audubon Board Election will
precede the program. Our next membership
meeting will be in September.
Vol. 29, No. 3 May/June 2010 The State of the Birds
Houston Audubon Society 2010 Report on Climate Change
is a chapter of the National Audubon Society
by Gina Donovan, Executive Director
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT Jim Winn
PAST PRESIDENT Joy Hester
PRESIDENT-ELECT
CORPORATE SECRETARY
TREASURER
Mary Carter
Judith Boyce
Andrew Lopez
F or decades, wildlife experts have
sounded the alarm about factors
threatening bird populations – habitat loss,
most vulnerable
birds on Earth to climate change.

DIRECTORS
John Bartos
Lynn Forster
Kathryn Hale
Ben Hulsey
Geoffrey Newton
Jeffrey Woodman
Galveston Group
Representative:
BOARD OF ADVISORS
Gerard A. Bertrand
Peggy Boston
Claire Caudill
Fred Collins
Victor Emanuel
Julia Garrett
Gene Graham
Ford Hubbard, III
Mavis P. Kelsey, Jr.
Jeff Mundy
Heidi Rockecharlie
Andrew Sansom
Kathryn Smyth
Lucie Wray Todd
STAFF
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
SANCTUARY MANAGER
SR. SANCTUARY STEWARD
SANCTUARY STEWARD
EDUCATION DIRECTOR
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATOR
COMMUNITY RELATIONS DIRECTOR
COMMUNITY RELATIONS ASSOCIATE
CONTROLLER
OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
CONTACT INFORMATION
HAS Office
Education Office
FAX
E-mail info@houstonaudubon.org
Galveston County Group
AUDUBON DOCENT GUILD
COORDINATOR
docent@houstonaudubon.org
www.houstonaudubon.org
• Hawaiian birds already face multiple
degradation, and fragmentation, pesticides
Ginger Coleman threats and are increasingly challenged
and other toxic chemicals, invasive species,
Richard Goldfarb by mosquito-borne diseases and invasive
wetlands loss. Numerous bird species are
Bernice Hotman species as climate change alters their
on the threatened, endangered, or species
Jeffrey Mills native habitats.
Laurie Williams of conservation concern lists. These days,
climate change is being added to the tally • For bird species that are already of
of threatening factors. conservation concern such as the Golden-
Alice Anne O’Donell
cheeked Warbler, Whooping Crane, and
In mid-March, U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Spectacled Eider, the added vulnerability
Ken Salazar released the first-ever climate to climate change may hasten declines or
Sara Bettencourt change vulnerability assessment of U.S. prevent recovery.
Caroline Callery bird populations in the 2010 edition of The
Gary W. Clark State of the Birds. The report shows nearly • The report identified common bird species
Scott Davis a third of the nation’s 800 bird species are such as the American Oystercatcher,
Ted Eubanks, Jr. endangered, threatened, or suffering from Common Nighthawk, and Northern Pintail
Stephen Gast population decline. which are likely to become species of
Terry Hershey conservation concern as a result of climate
Ann Wier Jones change.
Robert McFarlane
Donal C. O’Brien, Jr. The plan is also a call to action and recommends
Rob Rowland strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions
Steve Smith and to assist birds and other wildlife in adapting
James R. Stewart, Jr. to changing habitat conditions. To review the
Lettalou Whittington
full report, please visit Houston Audubon’s
website and click on The State of the Birds: 2010
Gina Donovan Report on Climate Change under “Hot Topics.”
Winnie Burkett
Birds are important indicators of the overall
Flo Hannah
Andrew Beck
health of our environment. Just as the canary
Mary Anne Weber in the coal mine warned miners of deadly gas
Vicki Vroble
Vulnerability scores posted in the report build-ups, “our” birds are warning us of threats
Robin Leonard confirm Houston Audubon sanctuaries to our air, water, natural resources, climate, and
Andrea Ritchie provide vital habitat to over 50 bird more. If we do not heed the warnings, we may
Barbara Thompson species listed as having “Medium to find ourselves going the way of the birds.
Juanita Perkins High Vulnerability” to climate change.
The American Oystercatcher, Royal and
Sandwich Terns, Red Knot, Semipalmated
713-932-1639
713-640-2407 Sandpiper, Hudsonian Godwit, Roseate
713-461-2911 Spoonbill, Yellow-throated Warbler, Scarlet
Tanager, Ruby-throated Hummingbird,
409-772-3126 Cerulean Warbler, and scores of others top
the list.
Bethany Foshée The report, a collaborative effort through
713-464-4900 the U.S. North American Bird Conservation
Initiative between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Photo: David McDonald

www.narba.org Service, National Audubon, American Bird

The Naturalist is published bimonthly.
Editor: Susan Billetdeaux
A full color version of The Naturalist in PDF format
is available on our website.
Naturalist E-News is published monthly.
To receive The Naturalist by e-mail, sign up for
Naturalist E-News on our website.
The Naturalist is made possible by a generous
gift from Terry Hershey.
Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy,
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and numerous
other groups, synthesized data from three
continent-wide monitoring programs to
create bird population indicators for major
U.S. habitats.
Key findings of The State of the Birds Hudsonian Godwit (male breeding plumage)
include:
Hudsonian Godwits can be found in the
• All 67 U.S. oceanic bird species, such as spring in flooded rice fields around Anahuac
petrels and albatrosses, are among the and Winnie.

2 The Naturalist • May/June 2010

Celebrating the Power of Partnerships
by Mary Anne Weber, Education Director
P opular folktales from the past often
claimed that hummingbirds would
ride the backs of geese in order to migrate.
Some stories explain how this partnership
benefited both species. The small birds would
get a free ride while the geese would enjoy
conversation along the way. Well, in today’s
world we know that hummingbirds don’t
hitchhike to get where they are going, but
they do need partners. We are those partners.
Partners can educate about habitat protection
on large scales and across borders. Partners
can educate local communities about the
importance of planting natives to sustain
biodiversity. Partners can join forces with
a multitude of organizations to ensure the
protection of high quality habitat for the
future. Houston Audubon has been the
successful bird conservation organization that
Partnerships on the Bolivar Peninsula
by Andrew Beck, Sanctuary Steward
H ouston Audubon sanctuaries received
tremendous help from some amazing
partners this past fall and winter. Because
of their assistance, many of our habitat
restoration projects were realized. The Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
provided over 4,000 native plants and grasses
to restore our bird thickets adjacent to Ft.
Travis after Hurricane Ike and FEMA clean-up
destroyed the habitat. Over 100 hours of
volunteer service came to us from Galveston
Bay Area Master Naturalists (GBMN) and the
Native Plant Society of Texas-Houston Chapter
at the Ft. Travis project site.
Our Trees for Bolivar native plant give-away
project is supported by TogetherGreen, an
Audubon program with funding from Toyota.
It was also made possible with funding from
ERM Foundation, BP America, and Apache
Tree Foundation.
Ducks Unlimited and Houston Endowment
funds have enabled us to continue Hurricane
Ike debris clean-up as well as restoring
hurricane damaged areas to their pre-Ike
conditions.
We have made improvements to our High
Island sanctuaries that human and avian
visitors will appreciate. Projects included
restocking Smith Pond in High Island with
native fish and rebuilding the wood fences
surrounding the Smith Oaks parking lot. With
funding from the McCullough Foundation
and the Smith Foundation we were able to
improve the system of boardwalks and trails
www.houstonaudubon.org
it is for the last 40 years because of partnerships.
Over these past 4 decades we have worked with
groups such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Texas Parks and Wildlife, Nature Conservancy,
U.S. Forest Service, Katy Prairie Conservancy,
Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, Houston Parks
and Recreation, Houston Wilderness, National
Audubon, and many more. The birds and their
habitats have also benefited from the many
corporate partners who have helped both
monetarily over the years and by providing both
people and resource power. On a local level
we are fortunate to have dedicated volunteers
and local businesses that partner with us to
accomplish conservation goals.
Join us as we celebrate birds and celebrate our
conservation partners at this year’s International
Migratory Bird Day event – Festival on the
Bayou!
ERM Work Day
and add roofs over the rookery observation
decks. We are now working to diversify Smith
Oaks’ woods with native plant species. Last but
not least, the Farm Service Administration (FSA)
has helped us rebuild over 10 miles of barbwire
fencing at Horseshoe Marsh and Bolivar Flats.
Volunteers contributed three outstanding
work days on the peninsula in February. Our
regular High Island work day was attended
by over 50 people! We focused on removing
privet in Boy Scout Woods in order to promote
bird-friendly native plants. Joining us were
the young energetic workers of Barber’s Hill
High School Key Club, who had come all the
way from Mont Belvieu, and a group from the
Student Conservation Association (SCA). Our
second work day was at Horseshoe Marsh on
February 16 with the Galveston Bay Master
Naturalists. They have chosen to help with our
prairie restoration project at Horseshoe Marsh
this year. We kicked off the project by planting
Houston Audubon presents
5th Annual
Festival on the Bayou
May 8
Sims Bayou Urban Nature Center
Activities for all ages, live animals, crafts,
games, special guests, food, and fun!
Tickets available at our office
and at the gate.
$5 per ticket. Kids 3 and under are free.
Coastal Resilience
Symposium
May 26, 2010
Rice University
Shell Auditorium
This symposium gathers regional,
national, and international experts to
help begin an important dialogue on
how to build a more resilient Houston
region. Find full details and registration
information on the Coastal Resilience
Symposium website:
www.rpts.tamu.edu/CoastalResilience/
over 70 native grasses and distributing little
bluestem seeds throughout the mowed area.
After planting grasses, we moved over to our
lots at Ft. Travis Seashore Park and planted
an important line of yaupons delineating our
property from the neighbors. More events are
scheduled with GBMN this year to restore the
Horseshoe Marsh prairie.
Environmental Resource Management (ERM)
offered 48 of their North American managers,
including the North American CEO, to help
with more habitat work at High Island. More
privet was pulled and over 50 trees and
shrubs were put in place in the newly cleared
areas.
This has been an exceptional year of projects,
and it has proven how important our
relationships with partnering organizations
are to accomplish conservation goals.
3
Birdathon 2010
First Place Prizes

Photo: Greg Lavaty

Grand Prize Drawing
Rustic Four Mile Ranch in Colorado
Fabulous get-away for four people to
Pagosa Springs in southwestern Colorado.
Spend four days and three nights at Terry
Hershey’s magnificent 2100-acre Four Mile
Ranch, which is protected for wildlife by
conservation easements. Pick your season:
travel in the winter for skiing or in the
summer to find your favorite Western birds!
The ranch bird list has over 120 species. Terry
Hershey and Audubon Colorado welcome
documented additions to their bird and
plant lists. Airfare included.
Oberholser Cup
Most Birds Identified
1st Place: Ramsey Canyon Inn, AZ – one
night stay; Casa de San Pedro, AZ – two
nights stay for two; and Cave Creek Ranch,
AZ - two nights stay for four
Whittington Award
Most Money Raised
1st Place: Neal’s Lodges – three night stay
Most Pledges Received Green Team Award
1st Place: Fite Ranch Bed & Breakfast, NM and 1st Place: Matagorda Bay boat trip for four
Breathe Inn Lodge, NM – two rooms two nights
Sitting Duck
Best Bird 1st Place: Cin-Ty Lee – Guided bird trip for a day
1st Place: Peaceful Pelican Bed and Breakfast, for a team
Palacios – one night stay for two with wine hour
and full breakfast Rookie Award
1st Place: Penfeathers Tour – Half-day trip for one
Most Great Blue Herons Seen person
1st Place: Big Thicket National Preserve – Tour
for four of Franklin Lake Mentor Award
1st Place: Eagle Optics – Ranger 8x42 binoculars
HAS Bird Sightings
1st Place: Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR – Best Flyer or Letter
Half-day behind the scenes tour for 4 1st Place: Seven Bluffs cabin for 4
Magic Moment/Funniest Story Find the full list of prizes on our website:
1st Place: Anahuac NWR Behind the Scenes Tour www.houstonaudubon.org

Thanks to Our Generous Sponsors for Their Support!

Anahuac NWR Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR

Big Thicket National Preserve

Winnie Burkett Blue Willow Bookshop

The Club at ConCan

Cave Creek Ranch

Terry Hershey
Gulfway Motel & Grill Houston Ballet
Fite Ranch
Houston Symphony
James Coney Island

Glenn Olsen
Cin-Ty Lee

Luna Engineering
Penfeathers

Trinity River NWR

Gretchen & Mike Thoman
The Whistler Bed & Breakfast Inn Sponsors as of April 5, 2010

4 The Naturalist • May/June 2010

Species Profile
Ovenbird
by Glenn Olsen
T his beautiful warbler is often neglected
and overlooked. The brightly colored
and more exotic warblers tend to be more
sought after. Take time to find and observe
an Ovenbird and you will discover the subtle
beauty and distinctness of this uncommonly
attractive bird.
It is not your typical tree dwelling warbler
but one of the several warblers that are
found primarily on the ground. So, look
for this bird in the understory especially
where the ground is covered with leaves.
In migration, it may be seen in a variety of
habitats, and, when spotted in the open
along a trail, the distinctive color pattern of
olive upperparts and white underparts with
dark brown streaking and spotting makes
the bird stand out. But on its breeding
grounds this plumage pattern provides
great camouflage for birds, and they blend
surprisingly well with the dappled light and
drab leaf litter of deciduous forest floors.
Early April through early May is a good
time to find the Ovenbird along the
Upper Texas Coast as they migrate to their
breeding grounds in the northeastern
Houston Audubon Field Trip
Sheldon Lake State Park
Saturday, May 22, 8:00 a.m.
Leader: Damien Carey
W e’ll start in the woods around the
old fishery ponds for late migrant
passerines and an up-close look at an active
heron and egret rookery recently established
in one of the ponds. On the prairie we’ll
check the newly created prairie restoration
ponds for shorebirds, hoping for Upland
Sandpiper, and established prairie wetlands
for nesting Marsh Wren and Least Bittern. The
sky over the prairie is a good spot for raptors
including Bald Eagle. Painted Buntings nest
in the woods at the edge of the prairie. There
is a line of willow and hardwoods along the
aqueduct road which has proven a favorite
spot for migrants. After a break, it’s off to
check of the open water of Sheldon Lake.
The 30+ spoil islands hold an extensive
waterbird rookery which includes nesting
Anhinga and Roseate Spoonbill. There’s
a good chance we’ll spot nesting Purple
Gallinule there too. We’ll finish up on the
Yellow-rump Trail which winds through a
cypress swamp for nesting and migratory
www.houstonaudubon.org
Birding Classes
with Glenn Olsen
Breeding Birds of the Upper
Photo: Greg Lavaty
Texas Coast
May 4 – May 22, 2010
This consists of two informal classroom
meetings and two field trips.
Ovenbird – Seiurus aurocapilla
Details and Registration Form at
and central states and Canada. In the fall, look for
them from mid-September to mid-October as they www.houstonaudubon.org
are returning to their primary wintering ranges of
Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean region.
The common name Ovenbird is derived from the Bird Counts
fact that its nest is dome-shaped and similar in
appearance to a Dutch oven. The genus name
Seiurus is derived from Greek and means to shake Galveston Bird Count: May 1
to and fro, which is a reference to the way the Everyone is welcome! You may bird in
Ovenbird sometimes quickly raises its tail and then teams or on your own. To participate,
slowly lowers it. The species name is derived from please contact Norma Rubin,
Latin and is a reference to the golden orange crown nhrubin@utmb.edu
stripe. Even the song has an interesting mnemonic
of TEA-cher TEA-cher TEA-cher. Houston Bird Survey
In the deep, silent, north woods of Wisconsin and Join us for the next survey during the
Michigan I heard the sharp, bell ringing clear song of month of June! Details and report forms
are in the Birding section of our website.
the Ovenbird, and it was magical.
Find this profile in the Bird Gallery of our website: Swifts Over Houston
www.houstonaudubon.org Weekly swift counts in Houston (led by
Pam Smolen on Tuesdays) and Dayton
(led by Barbara Tilton). This season
Pam plans to monitor the Whole Foods,
Pershing, St. Paul’s, and Sugar Land sites.
neotropic passerines including Willow Flycatcher. Check our website for details.
Let’s hope we spot “Lou” the leucistic Red-tailed
Hawk who’s known to nest in the SLSP environs. Armand Bayou Survey
Leader: Andrew Hamlett
Those with scopes will find them put to good use.
Monthly on the second Saturday
Guide: Damien has birded Texas extensively since
1991 and has led numerous field trips for Houston Hogg Sanctuary Bird Survey
area bird and nature clubs. Damien is the founder Leader: Aaron Stoley
of the Lake Houston Area Nature Club. For the Monthly on the first Monday
past several years, he has served as president and a
director of the Friends of Sheldon Lake State Park, West 11th St. Park Survey
which he also founded. After completing a five Leader: Mary Dodson
year bird census, he rewrote the “Birds of Sheldon Monthly on the third Tuesday
Lake SP.”
Directions: From the intersection of Business Willow Waterhole Survey
US90 and East Beltway 8, go east on Business US Leader: John Schneider
90 2 miles to Park Road 138 on your left. Turn left Monthly on the third Saturday
onto PR 138 and follow it to the Sheldon Lake
Environmental Learning Center. Parking will be on Katy Prairie Bioblitz: May 8
your left. Sponsored by Katy Prairie Conservancy
Reservations: Sign up at the HAS Membership
U.S. Nightjar Survey
Meeting or with Skip Almoney (skipalm@aol.com)
April 21 – May 6, May 20 – June 4
at 713-524-4285. Reservations are required for all
Houston Audubon field trips. For more information Check our website for
about the field trips and resource links, see the details and any last minute updates
description in the Birding section of our website.
Participants, check the website for any last minute
updates.
5
 Laura Singleton Exceptional Volunteer Awards
Birding in Idaho
June 5 - 13, 2010
A t Houston Audubon’s Volunteer Appreciation

H ouston Audubon is sponsoring a Picnic, held on February 6, President-Elect

birding trip to Idaho this coming
June. The leader will be Steve Gross.
Steve has birded Idaho extensively
and holds the record for the Big Day
in Idaho. The trip will be limited to
12 people. Destinations include
McCall, Snake River, Pocatello, and
Island Park, as well as near Boise.
There will be excellent owling
opportunities, with the possibility of
Great Gray Owl.
Costs are estimated to be about
$1200 – $1500 per person, not
including airfare to Boise. The trip
will begin and end in Boise. Included
will be a donation of $200.00 to
Houston Audubon. Please contact
Skip Almoney, HAS Field Trip
Coordinator, (713-524-4285) if you
are interested in joining the trip.
Find the full itinerary in the Birding
section of our website.
Mary Carter announced the recipients of the
Laura Singleton Exceptional Volunteer Award. This
award is an annual tribute and memorial to Laura
Singleton, a long-time Houston Audubon volunteer
who passed away in 2002. The criteria for the award
mirror what Laura herself represented -— the best of
volunteerism.
This year’s recipients are Joy Hester and Don Verser.
In her tribute, Mary said: “Don has the interests
of Houston Audubon and conservation always in
his heart and mind. He is handy with a chain saw
clearing hurricane debris, attacking invasive plants, Joy Hester and Don Verser
clearing trails, building wonderful additions to the
sanctuaries, in addition to being an expert birder Audubon, and worked on behalf of Houston
and an inspiring volunteer. He is a hard worker and Audubon with other organizations to preserve
self-motivated in his devotion to helping Houston Columbia Bottomlands, Whooping Crane habitat,
Audubon. Spring Creek Greenway project and many other
projects in her quiet and effective manner. To
Joy has been a role model to me and many others
quote one of the nominators, ‘in addition to
involved in Houston Audubon in her activities as
being a wondrous volunteer, Joy’s grace, and
Board member, Executive Director, President as well
as volunteering at sanctuary work days and being an charm under fire are awesome!’ “
all-around advocate for Houston Audubon. Joy has Congratulations to you both!
attended countless meetings on behalf of Houston

Thanks to Houston Audubon’s Generous Donors!

$5,000+
George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation • National Audubon Society

$1,000-$2,499
ExxonMobil Foundation • Betsy & Jim Winn

$500-$999
Wayne Webb • Connie & Jeff Woodman
$100-$499
Debbie & Rick Armes • Chapelwood United Methodist Church • Catherine & Louis Delgado • Carrie Dortch • El Paso Corporation
Susan Gardner & Phillip Scott • Angie George • Jaime Gonzales • Marie & Brad Hartman • Mary Gwen & Ben Hulsey • Betty & Henry Keith
David Kring • Helen Lane & Roger Rowe • Jacqueline Mineo • Native Plant Society Of Texas: Houston Chapter • Nature Discovery Center
Ann & Thomas Nix • Ornithology Group of the Outdoor Nature Club • Outdoor Nature Club • R. Shermer • The Sharp Group
Ginny & Joseph Toler

$1-$99
Aladdin Villas Property Owners Association, Inc. • Debbie & Jack Burnett • Rayne & Larry Castle • Chevron Humankind Matching Gift Program
Jane Coppola • Martha & Robert Coyle • Davis Hoyte • Silvia & Tom Gederberg • Halliburton Global Impact • Elizabeth & Dale Hauck
Sharon & Albert Hendricks • Ellen & Jed Howard • Russell Jeffords • Richard Jewett • Bob Johnson • Bette & Paul Lester • Debra Logsdon
Vickie Lowe • Peggy & Joseph Martin • Leslie Prochaska • June Russell & Robert Ulrich • Michael Schell • Laurie Sines • Martha & Stephen Smith
Kimberly Tope • Doug Wetzel • Janie Wilson • Judy & Tom Young

Gifts In-Kind
Alley Theatre • Blue Willow Bookshop • Breathe Inn • Carmelo’s Italian Restaurant • Eagle Optics • Fite Ranch Bed & Breakfast
Hotel Derek • Houston Ballet • Houston Symphony • James Coney Island • Linda & David Knowles • Seven Bluff Cabins and R.V. Park
The Peaceful Pelican, LLC • Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge

And finally, we thank all our new and renewing Members, the lifeblood of Houston Audubon
Donations received and processed by March 19, 2010

6 The Naturalist • May/June 2010

 Bolivar Flats is a unique area combining salt marsh,
mud flats and beach, each habitat quite different
from the other. Every year hundreds of thousands of
birds discover that Bolivar Flats is a special place. We
want you to discover how amazing this ecosystem is.
FUN on the FLATS celebrates the birds and their
habitat on Bolivar and highlights the critical need for
protection and appreciation of this special place.
This Project is supported by TogetherGreen, an
Audubon program with funding from Toyota.
Support is also received from ERM Foundation.
Opening Ceremonies
PLEASE SAVE THE DATE
Saturday, May 15 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Discovery Green has graciously agreed to host
Opening Ceremonies once again this year.
Families will have the opportunity to visit with all
participating sites, collect participating materials
and t-shirts, and complete their first mission at
Discovery Green. Last year over 150 families took
part in the nature challenge!
All missions will be posted in Spanish as well as
English on the new Mission Possibile website,
Summer Library Programs
J oin Mary Anne Weber and Vicki Vroble
(plus assorted animal friends) at libraries
throughout Houston this summer! The general
public is invited to these free programs.
Tuesday, June 1 10:30 a.m.
Heights – Incredible Insects
Wednesday, June 2 10:30 a.m.
Smith – Incredible Insects
Wednesday, June 16 10:30 a.m.
Smith – By the Light of the Moon
Wednesday, June 16 3:00 p.m.
Robinson – Go Wild for Texas
Resources to Introduce Kids to Birds
Would you like to get your kids or grandkids
hooked on birds?
Check out the Educator Resources on our Flying
WILD page in the Education section of our
website. We have a wide variety of materials
available for download.
www.houstonaudubon.org
Houston Audubon Presents
FUN ON THE FLATS
Celebrating BIRDS and their HABITATS
Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary
June 12 10 a.m – Noon
Activities for all ages, native plant sale, birding,
educational games, seining, and much more!
thanks to Tamberly and Los Amigos Del Bosque! Summer Camps
We are also creating a facebook fan page.
Volunteers: We are looking for volunteers to Don’t miss out
help out with opening and closing ceremonies – on the exciting
helping to set up and close down, recruit passers adventures
by, help with sign in, judge scrapbooks and other awaiting kids at the
contest materials and more. Please contact Mary Houston Audubon camps at
Anne Weber, maweber@houstonaudubon.org, to Sims Bayou Urban Nature Center
volunteer. and the Audubon Docent camps at
Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary!
Prizes: Thank you to all that are able to donate
prizes for the Challenge and for related raffles. We
appreciate your generosity. Please let us know if Sign up today!
you have any additional items that you are able
Details at www.houstonaudubon.org.
to donate.
Closing Ceremonies: Closing ceremonies are
scheduled for Saturday, August 14th from 2:00 -
5:00 p.m. Location TBA. Woodland & Wildlife Expo
May 1–2
Conroe
Saturday, June 19 1:00 p.m.
Southwest Express – By the Light of the Moon
A one-stop shop for homeowners and
landowners in Texas, hosted by the Texas
Tuesday, June 22 1:00 p.m. Forest Service. Information booths, live
Pleasantville – Silent Hunters demos, free tree give-a-ways.
Wednesday, June 23 10:30 a.m. Special Family Outdoor Zone!
Ring – Hatch Mary Anne Weber and Flo Hannah will
Monday, June 28 5:30 p.m. make presentations during this free
Flores – Wild About Houston expo. Hours are 9-5 each day.
Details at www.houstonaudubon.org
Saturday, July 3 1:00 p.m.
Discovery Green – By the Light of the Moon
NestWatch
This Cornell Lab project is all about
collecting information about nesting
birds in North America.
Juvenile Tricolored Heron: Joanne Kamo
Their website is a great resource on
• Introductory Field Guide to the Birds of how to find nests, build nest boxes,
Houston and how to monitor birds without
• Introductory Field Guide to Birds of the disturbing them.
Bolivar Peninsula Live Nest Cams!
• Games and Activities Details at www.nestwatch.org
• Coloring Books
7
Houston Audubon Membership Form The
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Send to: Houston Audubon Society

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FAX to 713-461-2911 or sign up online at
www.houstonaudubon.org

All funds remain with Houston Audubon

in support of its mission and local sanctuaries.

Mission Statement
Houston Audubon Society promotes the conservation and
appreciation of birds and wildlife habitat.

Bulletin Board
May 20 After-School Nature Explorers Club, ELMNS
Weekly Swifts Over Houston, Swifts Over Dayton 22 Breeding Birds of the UTC field trip (see p. 5)
Weekly Titmouse Club: Tuesday & Wednesday through May 12, ELMNS 24 – 28 Come Along Camp, ELMNS
1 Galveston Spring Bird Count (see p. 5) 26 Coastal Resilience Symposium, Rice U. (see p. 3)
1 Discover Oceans! at NOAA Galveston Facility (see website) June
1–2 Texas Woodland & Wildlife Expo (see p. 7) Weekly Swifts Over Houston, Swifts Over Dayton
2 Houston Audubon Birdathon ends 1-30 Houston Bird Survey
3 Hogg Bird Sanctuary Survey 5 – 13 Birding Trip to Idaho (see p. 6)
4 Breeding Birds of the UTC – first class 7 Hogg Bird Sanctuary Survey
8 Festival on the Bayou, SBUNC (see p. 3) 7 – 11 Nature Explorers Camp, ELMNS
8 Armand Bayou Nature Center Survey 12 Armand Bayou Nature Center Survey
8 ELMNS Log Cabin Open House 12 Fun on the Flats (see p. 7)
12 Membership Meeting & Birdathon Celebration 14 – 18 Nature Detectives Camp, SBUNC
Swifts Over Houston with Pam Smolen (see p. 1)
14 – 18 Nature Explorers Camp, ELMNS
15 Flying WILD Workshop
15 W. 11th St. Park Bird Survey
15 Willow Waterhole Survey
19 Willow Waterhole Survey
15 Mission Possible Opening Ceremonies (see p. 7)
21 – 25 Nature Explorers Camp, ELMNS Audubon Foundation
of Texas represents
18 W. 11th St. Park Bird Survey
28 – 2 WILD about ART Camp, SBUNC Houston Audubon
19 HANPA Meeting, ELMNS. Joe Smith, President of Houston in the Earth Share
28 – 2 Nature Explorers Camp, ELMNS of Texas payroll
Photochrome Club will discuss his participation in the deduction plan for
2009 Coastal Bend Wildlife Photo Competition. charitable giving.

The Naturalist is printed with soy-based ink on recycled paper.