By Deborah Canterbury, 2014 As I have nothing better to do than stare out my window into the back yard, I have been highly entertained by the two squirrels who… Read More →
Ramblings on a Cold Morning
By Sally Evans, Founder Emeritus, 2006 By the time anyone reads this epistle the Backyard Bird Count will be over, the Great Winter Storm will be over, Valentine’s Day will… Read More →
Shoring up the Shoreline at Raptor Center
By Dick Zartler, 2007 During the first week in March a group of Blackland Prairie Master Naturalists, led by Rick Travis and Lorelei Stierlen and joined by Lisa Travis, Susan… Read More →
Dr. Drew Lanham: On Race and the Environment in the Age of the Climate Crisis
Join us on Thursday, February 18, In honor of Black History Month, with noted writer and ornithologist, Dr. Drew Lanham, along with Derek Sheffield and Dr. Joan Qazi and other members of the WVC Sustainability Committee, for a reading and conversation on the many intersections between race and the environment during this species moment when the life of the planet hinges on the decisions we make today.
2021 March – Amy Monroy | The Heard Gardens: A History of Native Plants in Three Acres or So
Tuesday, March 9, 7:00PM It’s easy today for many Master Naturalists to recognize that the flora of our region are tied to the soil of the Blackland Prairie and the… Read More →
The Legacy of Bill Holifield 1931 – 2021
by Sally Evans, 2006
Dr. Bill Holifield was the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum for the Plano Independent School District for many years. He was an advocate of children learning in a positive, hands-on, safe and stimulating environment. He seemed to have an awareness of the life situations of his staff and of the community they worked in.
Heard Happenings
By Laura Ragan
It’s been quite a while since we’ve all been able to fellowship in the way we’d like, so I’m glad for this opportunity to catch you up on the Heard’s activities. After a long, lonely April, which saw open trails but few guests, the exhibit hall and Nature Store reopened for May, and shutdown-weary guests began flocking back. Even with interactive exhibits and programs closed, the Heard remained busy through summer and fall and continues to be busy on nicer winter days. We are so grateful for the community’s support of our mission to bring nature and people together to discover, enjoy, experience, restore, and preserve our priceless environment!
Throughout this past year, we have greatly appreciated our new and renewing members for 2020 (which include many of you – thank you!). As a private non-profit, the Heard is NOT tax-funded. Our ability to keep up with our 289-acre private sanctuary, museum building & grounds, and non-releasable animals depends on admission fees and memberships, as well as donations, paid programs, and rentals.
Carnage in Collin County
By Duane Mortensen
In early fall I could often find another robber fly [Promachus hinei]. One day I saw one had caught a paper wasp. Again, I could take my time getting its portrait. It was quite impressive how the fly would control the wasp with its legs.
A January Visit to Lake Tawakoni State Park
By Jean Suplick
Sometimes you’ve just got to break out of COVID confinement and have a change of scenery. That’s why in early January, Michael and I hooked up the camper and headed to Lake Tawakoni State Park.
A Mother’s Story
By Laurie Sheppard
Female Green Lynx Spiders have a very unusual quality – they can change their body color to match their surroundings. The transformation takes several days. The color of both sexes often fades late in the season so whether the color on our spider mother was changed to match her location or is simply a natural fading late in the season is unknown.