Mallard on White Rock Lake

An Audubon Dallas Society Project

Funded by Audubon Foundation of Texas

Audubon Dallas supports the conservation of birds and other wildlife, the protection of habitat and biodiversity, and the provision of education and opportunities for our entire community to observe and appreciate birds and nature. As a part of this mission, Audubon Dallas is the proud sponsor of The North-central Texas Master Birder Program “”NCTMB”). NCTMB is a course in field ornithology for intermediate-level birders. It is designed to provide participants with techniques to enhance applicants’ existing bird identification skills and general knowledge of birds, ecology, conservation, and habitat requirements in Texas. It is also an “education for service” initiative. Participants receive advanced training in field ornithology in exchange for volunteer services to the North-central Texas community. This report will summarize activities specific to the funding provided, which was earmarked for the purposes of increasing capacity in the Master Birder program. Audubon Dallas received 34 applications. The program was able to accept 12 birders, all of whom completed the program.

All of the $1,000 provided by this grant where used to support the Master Birding program, with expenses including printing of study materials, scholarships for participants, honoraria for guides/speakers, transportation costs, supplies for field trip excursions/lectures, entrance fees, and name badges produced for graduates.

The Master Birder program graduated 12 birders, each of whom participated in 10 field trips to wildlife habitats across the North Texas area (Cross Timbers and Blackland Prairie ecosystems). The participants are active volunteers in the local naturalist community, and excellent spokespeople for the program itself. Graduates lead bird walks in the Trinity Bird Count, Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, John Bunker Sands Wetland Center, White Rock Lake, and Richardson Parks Department. They help to build a pipeline of future participants by teaching a 3-week Birding 101 class for new birders through North Texas Master Naturalists program. Furthermore, Audubon Dallas maintains relationships with the graduates as part of its developing education volunteer program.

North Central Texas Master Birder Program Support

Golden-cheeked Warbler

A Bexar Audubon Society Project

Funded by Audubon Foundation of Texas

This grant funded additional surveying and monitoring of the Southern Edwards Plateau (SEP) Important Bird Area(IBA).

The golden-cheeked warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia) is an endangered species of bird that breeds in Central Texas, from Palo Pinto County southwestward along the eastern and southern edge of the Edwards Plateau to Kinney County. The golden-cheeked warbler is the only bird species with a breeding range confined to Texas. Golden-cheeked warblers are dependent on Ashe Juniper (blueberry juniper or cedar) for their fine bark stripes for nesting reasons. Nesting habitats are being cleared in the limited breeding grounds for land development, ranching and agriculture.

Beginning in April 2011, Bexar Audubon and Audubon Texas collaborated to employ biologists to perform surveys on sites in northern Bexar County for Golden Cheeked Warblers (GCWA) in Northwest Bexar County. These biologists coordinated access and fieldwork with the land managers and submitted data to the San Antonio Urban Wildlife Program of Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, who then coordinated the analysis and report preparation. These lands have been approved as the Southernmost Edwards Plateau Important Bird Area (SEP-IBA).

Additionally, a new acquisition to the State’s Natural Areas – the 3,700 acre ABK Ranch—is nearby and has been brought into the SEP IBA. Also within the SEP, Bat Conservation International owns property that has been surveyed, found to provide habitat for the Golden-cheeked Warbler, and has been incorporated into the SEPIBA.

2016 surveys focused on lands in ABK Ranch (TPWD), Bat Conservation International Bracken Bat Cave lands, and un-surveyed lands recently added to Government Canyon State Natural Area and Friedrich Wilderness Park. Solid evidence of nesting (or not) in these areas is needed before projects for trails or camping move into the areas. GCSNA has grown from 4,700 acres to over 11,500 acres, with large portions still un-surveyed.

This effort included

hiring biologists to survey Golden-cheeked Warbler populations on designated portions of new or un-surveyed habitat at ABK Ranch (TPWD) and Bracken Bat Cave (Bat Conservation International) for the 2016 Breeding Season
recruiting and coordinating Volunteer Citizen Scientists to continue ongoing monitoring for GCW in previously designated IBA areas: Maverick Ranch (private owners), Friedrich Wilderness Park and Eisenhower Park (City of San Antonio), and Government Canyon State Natural Area (TPWD).
survey data collected by volunteers and paid biologists were compiled and stored with TPWD Urban Biolotist and are to be analyzed; maps will be prepared and evaluated for inclusion in the Five Year Report for publication, Fall, 2016. The publication will be available for all interested parties on the Bexar Audubon Society Website.

Number of acres impacted was approximately 3000 includes Maverick Ranch, Eisenhower Park, Friedrich Wilderness Park, and a portion of Government Canyon State Natural Area (11,576 acres) . 35 volunteers participated in the program.

Golden-cheeked Warbler Habitat Survey and Monitoring in the Southernmost Edwards Plateau Important Bird Area in 2015

Chris Murray attacking the Dead Zone

Cindy Sperry Clearing Brush

A Travis County Audubon Society Project

Funded by Audubon Foundation of Texas

The drought of 2011 caused a great deal of tree mortality at Baker Sanctuary and throughout the larger Balcones Canyonlands Preserve. At Baker a large swath of mostly Ashe Juniper, some 15 acres in size, succumbed to the drought. To manage the dead trees, a few factors had to be taken into consideration. As a preserve for the Golden-cheeked Warbler (GCWA) any land management must not negatively impact this endangered species. Luckily, GCWA do not utilize stands of dead wood, they tend to avoid them like the plague. They prefer closed canopy Ashe Juniper/oak woodlands which provide some degree of cover from roaming raptors. To avoid disturbing the GCWA, any large-scale work such as felling trees would have to wait for the fall/winter when the GCWA are hanging out in their mixed species foraging flocks in Central America.

After an experience with a pickup truck that caught fire in the right-a-way directly adjacent to the immense stand of dead wood and concern about Pedernales Electric Coop powerline as another source of possible ignition, it was clear that 15 acres is a lot of dead wood and it would have to be targeted strategically. With that in mind, Travis Audubon applied for and was awarded $1000 for a fire hazard abatement project.

With funds from the grant a Stihl MS211 chainsaw was purchased ($310) and several volunteer days were organized. On January 23 twelve volunteers, armed with pruning saws and loppers (as well as the steward with the chainsaw) descended on the five acre swath of dead Ashe Juniper located at Gate 12424. It soon became very apparent for safety as well as time constraint issues that cutting all the dead trees out would not be feasible. Instead the strategy shifted to cutting out select trees, removing old brush from the ground, and pruning up standing deadwood to the height of six feet. With the lower limbs and brush gone a low-intensity ground fire should not be able to gain access to the canopy and become a destructive crown fire. In total forty-two volunteer hours were spent cutting, pruning, hauling, and stacking deadwood to be chipped the following week. On January 27 a chipper was rented from Home Depot ($273.75) and the steward as well as four volunteers spent a total of 21.5 hours chipping an estimated forty cubic yards of slash. The mulch from the chipper was sprayed to a depth of about two inches in the area immediately adjacent to the road. The layer of mulch would keep grasses from growing (invasive KR Bluestem being the prevalent species in the area) and therefore impede fire from moving deeper into the forest or up into the canopy.

In addition to the work completed in the Gate 12424 area, the steward spent the fall and winter selectively cutting down and removing dead trees on the other side of the road where they impeded access, posed a danger to hikers, or were in a high ignition risk area. On January 2, a chipper was rented ($273.75) and with the help of one volunteer a total of 16 hours were spent chipping the estimated fifty cubic yards of slash. Mulch generated during chipping was piled and stored for later use on the sanctuary. Other incidental purchases associated with the project included gasoline for the chipper ($10), a new pruning saw ($21.98), and a spare chain for the Stihl ($20) for a total of $090.48 spent on the project. This does not include the cost of gasoline and oil for the chainsaw.

Selectively trimming the area near Gate 12424 and areas south have bought some time to raise funds and consider how to handle the rest of the fifteen acre swath, affectionately known as the Dead Zone. Travis Audubon is currently looking into various management options which weigh the needs of regenerating juniper, the safety of the adjacent neighborhood, and budget constraints. Many thanks to ATF for buying us some breathing room!

Fire Hazard Abatement at Baker Sanctuary

Planting Native at the Heard

A Prairie and Timbers Audubon Society Project

Funded by Audubon Foundation of Texas

The Heard Science Museum and Sanctuary is a natural science education center and 289-acre wildlife sanctuary preserve in McKinney, Texas. Prairie and Timbers Audubon Society (PTAS) is located at the Heard, holds its monthly meeting there, and conducts birding walks at the Heard on the 2nd Saturday of each month in Fall, Winter, and Spring. PTAS members routinely volunteer at the Heard. PTAS has funded several projects at the Heard including Prairie Restoration and Butterfly Garden Development.

Due to construction of a recent housing development which included re-pavement of the entrance to the Heard, the entrance area is now plain Bermuda grass sod. The project partially funded by this grant was to create an entrance garden. PTAS, as well as, the Collin County Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas, and the Blackland Prairie Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist joined together to make it happen.

The garden features all native plants typical of the Blackland Prairie region and is designed to inspire, to educate and to demonstrate the sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants and landscape. It will serve as an attractive entrance for the public and increase awareness of the museum’s role in supporting North Texas birds and wildlife. The garden adds only a small amount of native habitat for birds and other wildlife, but it is designed to inspire visitors to the Heard to increase the usage of native plants and create habit suitable for the North Texas area. Being located adjacent to the site of the Heard’s annual plant sale, it will provide an example and inspired the use of native plants in home landscape to the many people attending the sale.

After initial site preparation around the Heard’s entrance sign, planting was delayed due to the severe summer’s drought and the lack of a water source. A sprinkler system was installed to supply water twice weekly and an outlet for a hose installed for on the spot watering. In December the first of three plantings was done. Four of our members, Rodney Thomas, Tony Manasseri, Larry Offerdahl and Bill Woodfin with the help of three Heard volunteers, installed approximately 90 native perennials in the garden. Brice Creelman supplied about a dozen varieties, including Calylophus, Echinacea, Aster, Anisicanthus, Zexmenia, Salvia and Scutellaria.

The second plantings was done in January. PTAS members Bill Woodfin and Tony Manasseri along with a Heard volunteer added another 3 dozen 1 gallon plants to the garden Additional planting including milkweed, sunflowers and native grasses will be planted when they become available in Spring and will be funded from other sources. Everything planted is native to North Central Texas and co-evolved with our local insects which will mean more food for our native birds.

Native Plant Entrance Garden at the Heard Science Museum and Sanctuary

Sapling in Cage

Caged Oak

A Travis County Audubon Society Project

Funded by Audubon Foundation of Texas

This grant funded the fencing and caging of oaks at the Travis Audubon Society’s Baker and Chaetura Canyon Sanctuaries to prevent the overgrazing of the abundant white-tailed deer on desired young oak species. In Baker Sanctuary the effort was to document and cage desired young oak species, particularly Spanish and shin oak. This will provide baseline data with regard to growth rates and micro-habitat characteristics. Fencing the remaining parts of Chaetura Canyon means that the Sanctuary is able to completely eliminate deer browsing, and Travis Audubon can now restore the habitat.

Travis Audubon’s mission is to promote the enjoyment, understanding, and conservation of native birds and their habitats. We work toward this through land conservation, habitat restoration and management, environmental education and conservation advocacy. Our three sanctuaries provide essential platforms for education and conservation. Ongoing funds are needed for maintenance and repairs of these special preserves. This funding addressed the need at two of our sanctuaries for caging/fencing to curb the browsing of the white-tailed deer population, which destroys native plants which provide habitat for many other species.

Baker Sanctuary is a 690-acre wildlife sanctuary in Leander that is dedicated to protecting the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler (GCWA) and is part of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve System. Travis Audubon holds youth nature camps and afterschool natural science educations at Baker. The terrain is dominated by the mature oak-juniper woodland that the GCWAs require to thrive and reproduce. GCWAs need habitat whose canopy layer is composed of Ashe juniper mixed with a variety of oak species such as plateau live oak, Spanish oak, and shin oak. Oaks are an important substrate where the Golden-cheeked Warbler forage for their arthropod prey, especially early in the breeding season. While the Ashe juniper population is flourishing, the oak population is struggling for a variety of reasons, including over-browsing by white-tailed deer, severe drought, and fungal pathogens.

Chaetura Canyon Sanctuary is located on the eastern edge of the Edwards Plateau and drains into the Colorado River just below Mansfield Dam. Comprised of 15 acres, it is home to more than 30 nesting avian species. With the exception of the lower canyon, most this preserve is now surrounded by high fence to exclude white-tailed deer and reduce the browse pressure on forbs and increase plant diversity. However, there are still two areas that need to be fenced to maximize habitat restoration goals and curtail the destructive browsing of deer. It is estimated that one deer eats approximately four pounds of vegetation per day, preventing the regeneration of hardwoods and under story plants.

At Baker Santuary in a three month period, from June through August 2014, twenty Spanish Oak (Quercus texana), fourteen Plateau Live Oak (Quercus fusiformis), thirteen Shin Oak (Quercus sinuata), and one Post Oak (Quercus stellata) were caged for a total of fifty-seven protected individuals. Data collected for each caged seedling included number of leaves, mid-stem diameter, seedling height, distance to nearest mature individual of the same species, number of oak seedlings within a 1 meter radius (all species), percent canopy cover, aspect (if applicable), and habitat type. The oaks were located and caged in an approximately 65-acre area centered around Baker Spring on the south side of Baker Sanctuary.

At Baker, our goal was to protect at least 30 oak seedlings from browsing by whitetail deer and that has been accomplished with the caging effort. An additional aspect of the project was the collection of baseline data regarding the morphological characteristics of the caged oaks as well as micro-habitat data which may influence survivorship and growth patterns. This aspect of the study will be long-term with additional data collected over the following years.

In Chaetura Canyon fencing was installed across the northern part of the property and connected to existing fencing. This has completely eliminate deer browsing, and we have begun to restore the habitat to its natural state. One of the newly-fenced parcels will be used as a model outdoor classroom for habitat restoration and trail-building techniques.

Protection of Habitat in Travis Aububon Society’s Baker and Chaetura Canyon Sanctuaries by Fencing and Caging of Oaks

Golden-cheeked Warbler

Government Canyon State Natural Area

ReportBexarCounty2014-IBA-Monitors-Meeting

Meeting of IBA Volunteer Monitors

A Bexar Audubon Society Project

Funded by Audubon Foundation of Texas

This grant funded additional surveying and monitoring of the Southern Edwards Plateau (SEP) Important Bird Area(IBA).

New acreage has been added to GCSNA from lands purchased by the City of San Antonio through bond money approved by the voters in San Antonio. These lands are over the sensitive recharge area of the Edwards Aquifer and thus protect the health of San Antonio drinking water.

Surveys funded by this grant focused on the Kallison Ranch (1,162 acres) that previously has had one or two single surveys on a very small portion. It has been noted that there are territories here in marginal habitat that is slated for clearing as part of a savanna restoration project. Solid evidence of nesting (or not) in these areas is needed before that project moves into this area.

Other tracts for survey are a portion of GCSNA proper called Laurel Canyon. This area includes about 800 acres that was last surveyed around 2002, prior to a watershed study in which a long thin swath was cleared as part of the watershed study and for glade restoration. Buffers were left around known territories. BAS needs to see if there has been any changes to this before allowing additional clearing.

Two biologists were hired Spring 2014 to survey the Kallison Tract of Government Canyon State Natural Area for GCW. Over 35 volunteers participated in Citizen Science monitoring of GCW in the SEP IBA area–Maverick Ranch, Eisenhower Park, Friedrich Wilderness Park, and a portion of Government Canyon State Natural Area. Training and protocol sessions were held.

Data is currently still being compiled and a biologist/compiler has been hired to complete the report.

Interpretive signage, newsletter, website, tours, informational tables at events, and other publicity by BAS volunteers have informed the public of the importance of this IBA.

Golden-cheeked Warbler Habitat Survey and Monitoring in Southernmost Edwards Plateau Important Bird Area

The Texas Panhandle Audubon Society Project

Funded by Audubon Texas

This grant funded an effort to highlight the ongoing development of an urban native garden and a pioneer orchard at St. George’s Episcopal Church. A large sign was constructed to increase community awareness of the project and generate volunteers willing to donate plants, time and funds. In addition, four native trees were planted alongside 4th Avenue to bring attention to this project at this high-profile location.

The signage and trees are a small part of a much larger project that will eventually turn the equivalent of three urban lots adjacent to West Texas A&M University into a demonstration native gardens and pioneer orchard. The land for the proposed gardens and orchard is owned by the St. George’s Episcopal Church. Besides demonstrating the use of native plants for gardening it will provide habitat and food for birds, pollinators, and a relaxation area for people.

The Texas Panhandle Audubon Society is partnering with St. George’s to help raise money for the project, provide technical expertise, contribute funding and manpower, and involve other community groups (including students) to help with this project. The project was started in fall 2013, TPAS purchased and volunteered time to plant the first native plants that initiated this high-profile project.

The sign was designed by TPAS in rustic wooden style and is approximately 5 feet x 8 feet. Materials were purchased and transported from Albuquerque, NM and the sign constructed on site. It will initially be used to advertise the impending changes coming to the site as the garden is planted and developed. This in turn will generate volunteers willing to donate plants, time and funds to the project. The back side of the sign would eventually have a glass bulletin board to allow educational materials about the plants, flowers, birds or insects in the garden.

In addition 4 medium sized trees – Two 7 foot pinyon pines, a 10 foot red oak, and a smaller redbud tree were purchased and planted. These trees will provide shelter for perennial pollinator plants from the winds and the harsh sunlight of the High Plains. Transportation and labor to put these trees in the ground was donated by TPAS and St. George’s Episcopal Church volunteers.

Results are the beginnings of a high-profile Native Plant Garden- and increased public awareness about the importance of other species and how people and bird and insect species can support each other in mutually beneficial ways. TPAS members have already received numerous unsolicited comments and questions about the changes that have already taken place at the project site. When the 4 native trees were put into the ground, these empty lots were finally beginning to look like a garden.

Constructed Sign/Kiosk

Native Plant Garden Site

Pinyon Trees

St. Georges Demonstration Native Gardens Sign and Initial Plantings

Path leading to the bird blind

Observation Area of Bird Blind

Viewing Ports

A Prairie and Timbers Audubon Society Project

Funded by Audubon Foundation of Texas

Prairie and Timbers Audubon Society (PTAS) joined up with the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center (BPRC) to construct a bird blind around BPRC’s drip feature for birds. The feature was tucked deep into a wooded area on a hill overlooking Lake Lavon in Collin County. The drip feature had become popular with the birds where they waited for water to drop into their beaks. But they had no privacy from the viewing public and would not stay around to be observed.

Open to all visitors to BPRC, the fence provides a screen along the winding path as the visitors approach the observation area which contains two wooden benches previously constructed. The blind continues between the observation area and the drip feature.   The length of the screen is forty feet. Small view ports allow the visitors to see the birds but largely screened from the view of the birds. The ports are at different heights to allow both adults and children sitting and standing to observe.

The blind materials were purchased with funds from a grant by Audubon Foundation of Texas. Volunteer labor was provided by PTAS and BPRC.   Activities included clearing a path clear of tree limbs sufficiently high for the eight foot blind, setting the fence posts, connecting fence rails and nailing on the slats. The ports were then cut into the blind and framed.

The Blackland Prairie Raptor Center site is located in a former Corp of Engineering park and therefore has all the amenities for holding public events. BPRC has monthly events for the public featuring their birds of prey which are trained to be ambassadors for public education. Although BPRC would like to see all raptors fly free, they cannot release their birds since they are unfit to survive in the wild.    Their monthly events also feature entertaining educational activities for adults and children with the theme changing monthly. The new bird blind gives them the opportunity to observe birds naturally in addition.

Construction of a Bird Blind at Blackland Prairie Raptor Center

An Audubon Dallas Project

Funded by Audubon Texas and Audubon Foundation of Texas

In partnership with the city of Cedar Hill, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center, and interns from Pariveda Solutions, Dallas Audubon created an interactive smart phone app depicting many trails throughout the community of Cedar Hill. Trail features such as mountain biking, birding, photography, restrooms, and other points of interest are incorporated as well as the ability to upload photos, and a “you are here” feature.

The App was developed to manage communications with patrons of the Cedar Hill Preserve, Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center, and Cedar Hill State Park in an effective manner and includes trails in all three entities. It is a resource for planning outdoor activities in the community. In past years Cedar Ridge Preserve has printed thousands of maps, sent out dozens of constant contact emails, and up kept a bulletin board.

The app is available to anyone free of charge at the Apple’s Itune store or Google Play.

Home Page

Trail Selector Page

A Trail Page

Cedar Hills Trail Map App

A Fort Worth Audubon Society

Funded by Audubon Texas

This grant was used to purchase 7 pairs of binoculars to loan to beginning birders on field trips sponsored by the Fort Worth Audubon Society (FWAS) and to loan to classroom teachers for use in school sponsored field trips. Eagle Optics matched the purchase with an additional 7 pairs resulting in a total of 14 pairs acquired.

FWAS runs a Beginning Birders program lead by experienced chapter members. Their goal is to offer an enjoyable experience while introducing attendees to the various wildlife habitats found in both urban and rural areas in the Fort Worth vicinity. Three advertised trips are held each month at a city park, at the Village Creek Drying Beds, and at a recently restored wildlife habitat.

One of FWAS’s active field trip leaders is also an elementary school teacher who arranges classroom field trips for her school’s students to visit nearby parks to use the binoculars to view wildlife and habitat. The collection of binoculars are also available to other schools when requested.

The inventory of binoculars was down eleven usable pairs which were insufficient to meet the need for binoculars on beginning field trips and clearly inadequate for school class trips where the number of students were usually over 20 students. With the new purchase the inventory is up to 25 pairs.

The Board decided on purchasing 7 pairs of Kingbird 6.5 x 32 binocular model which were matched by Eagle Optics. Instruction cards on how to focus and use binoculars were printed and laminated. The trip leaders and older chapter members were initially skeptical of these cards, but quickly came to realize some novices and even experienced birders did not know how to set-up binoculars for their eye strength and size.

As of December 21st, 2014, the chapter has led 11 field trips. Feedback from the field trip leaders has been very positive regarding new birders using the binoculars. They have reported that new birders who have shown up with cheap plastic-type binoculars or old binoculars that had been in their family for years were amazed at how much more they enjoyed looking at birds through great optics.

Some of these new birders have returned to join other birding field trips and a few have attended our chapter’s monthly general meetings. This has helped our chapter to increase the level of local environmental awareness in our communities.

The binoculars have been popular in the past Fort Worth ISD school ‘career days’ where many inner-city students are amazed at what they see and how much fun it is to look through the binoculars.