Clyde has had little luck with the residents of his screech owl box making it through birth and fledging. You will laugh out loud at the attached videos titled Tree Rat Homemaking and Noon Scratch and Snooze. Turn the volume up.
Find out more about Clyde’s Screech Owls at his website. http://www.crcamp.com
We spend time in our back yard almost every day and sometimes I am quick enough to snap a shot with my phone. Two years ago I took out about 1/4 of the grass and am attempting to get native grass and wildflowers to grow instead. It is slowly starting to change and it seems that nature has started to assist with the remodel. There is a definitely a more robust and diverse population than a few years ago.
It appears that a new family has taken up residence in the vacant house in our back yard. It may get a bit crowded.
The welcoming committee is making up its mind.
While others are looking the other way.
Editor’s Note: While talking to Tom about his backyard wildness, he said when the female blue bird first came to inspect the house, she tried several times to get in but couldn’t. He laughed and said that after seeing the clutch, he understands her inability to enter quickly or comfortably.
Paul brought up an interesting observation at the Allen Senior Center Native Plant Garden. He has noticed that since the freeze and rains seeds that had not sprouted in six years are coming up and that some trees and other plants are growing like crazy. He has also observed different habits in birds and fauna. Share your thoughts and observations with us for the next issue. Let’s have some good old citizen science reports…and of course, photos.
Over the past several months we have always posted a “if you need anything, let us know.” We have a few opportunities to help our tribe members. For various reasons, a few native gardens and yards are in need of some TLC. The homeowners would love to share the joy and explain their concepts. So, we need several volunteers willing to go chat, pull, plant and learn from these fellow members by helping them spiff up their property and sharing the joy of their gardens. If you would like to become a member of the native brigade contact Deborah Canterbury at canterbury.deborah@gmail.com and we will get ‘er done! We will organize flexible hours and utilize all abilities. This is NOT a Master Naturalist Project, but to assist someone you may know or someone who has influenced you along the way.
The Heritage Farmstead native plot has had an interesting and inspiring past. Starting as a project by Master Naturalists and guided along as a Junior Naturalist project at a nearby school in Plano, it has tripled in size over the past decade as has the volunteer list. As reported several weeks ago, the caregivers thought that is was going to be a disaster recovery after an over-zealous property crew weed whacked everything down to the ground. The students who studied at the plot experimented with “buffalo stomping” with success and selective pruning seemed to make things thrive but nothing like this whacker incident.
What a difference a few weeks and lots of rain makes. Not only does it look sensational but the team is quite happy that they had the opportunity to get rid of undesirables before the new crop of forbs came in. Check out the photos of before below and after above, then drop by the plot at the Heritage Farmstead Museum located at 1900 W 15th St. and be amazed. Make a list of the plants you identify and send to us!
Looks like the Black Willow cuttings planted in the shoreline at the Raptor center are doing well. A recent check indicates about 80-90% are alive, rooting, and budding or leafing out…some are even flowering.
Visiting and working at the Clymer Meadow is a siren song for Master Naturalists in this area of Texas.
Enjoy the beauty in the photos (Click on each photo for new window of the larger image)
Follow this link to learn about this Nature Conservancy land.
I do most of my volunteering at Hagerman NWR. I began volunteering there in 2009, shortly after I discovered the magic of the refuge. Every day is different and there’s always something new to discover. The Friends of Hagerman gave me an avenue to explore, identify, and report my discoveries. I did this through writing an occasional blog post, creating a handout, or simply posting photos of things I had seen along with a little description of my research. I always wanted to learn more and that led me to become a Master Naturalist in 2017, when I finally had time to devote to it. Unfortunately, that also coincided with some physical challenges, but again, Hagerman gave me several low-impact outlets.I also joined the Butterfly Garden Docents and that allows me to share my knowledge. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has used my abilities in many ways, from driving rescued birds to a rehabber like Blackland Prairie Raptor Center, to monitoring an at-risk butterfly that I discovered three years ago on the refuge. I report on the Frosted Elfin butterfly’s status several times during the spring and my reports are incorporated into a larger six-year study on whether the species needs protections under the Endangered Species Act. I feel like the things I am able to do at Hagerman NWR have value, whether it is protecting the environment and the biosphere or encouraging the public to get out in nature and helping them to enjoy it more.
Doves are not good nest builders as is apparent from photos from Clyde Camp and Beverly Carpenter.
Beverly’s example is in a hanging plant.
Clyde found a nest on the hose hanger on side of his house.
Remember the Golden crowned night herons that have nested in Jim Dulian’s yard? (See Below for article and photos)
They came back, hung around a bit, decided they did not like the tree trimming and left.
Haven’t been seen again.
