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Shaking the Trees 8th Edition 7/15/20

Prairie Farmstead

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The Heritage Farmstead prairie plot is ablaze with colors, variety and pollinators. We were able to return to care taking on a limited time and…
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GeneralPlantsShaking of the Trees Post

Susan Smith – Summer Project

Here’s my latest project.  I got the idea from the North Texas Gardner’s Facebook page. We just had foundation work done along this barren side of the house that’s always been a messy storage area for miscellaneous stuff.

It’s always had drainage issues from the downspout to the right, plus my neighbor told me it floods his yard every time it rains.

So I dug a trench from the downspout and along the fence line to the front of the house and put in a pipe and filled it in.  Then installed a weed barrier.   I already had the concrete steppingstones that were used for my son’s motorcycle that is now long gone.👏👏👏. 

Then filled in with the rocks (900 pounds) which I hauled one bag at a time. Now I have a 4’x28’ blank canvas to play with.  Water won’t be a problem with 3 sprinklers along the wall but it does get about 5-6 hours of intense western sunlight plus radiant heat into the evening. Whatever goes in there will  have to withstand the punishing Texas sun including me.

GeneralShaking the Trees

Shaking the Trees 7th Edition 7/1/20

TMN Annual Conference Update

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As a result of the uncertainty surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Texas Master Naturalist Program has decided to suspend this year’s in-person event in…
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BirdsFlora and FaunaGeneralRaptor CenterShaking of the Trees Post

Blackland Prairie Rapter Center Update

Photos courtesy – Erich Neupert

An impressive percentage of our BPTMN tribe volunteers at the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center which has taken positive measures to keep the center in operation and the volunteers safe through modified schedules.

As of June 18 Raptor Center rehab has treated 275 birds.

By species:

33% EASO

10% RTHA

10% COHA

8% GHOW

7% BDOW

6% MIKI

6% BNOW

5% AMKE

4% RSHA

2% BLVU

Now here is the fun. Who can tell us what the abbreviations stand for.
HINT that will help: https://bpraptorcenter.org/
Under Rescue – Raptor Med

Sixty-three have been released but many are in flight activity areas learning to catch their own prey, which is the requirement for releasing.

Release rate? 80 percent.

GeneralShaking of the Trees Post

Laurie Sheppard: On the road again.

Laurie has been staying home for the past couple of weeks and will be careful on the way north, to New Hampshire. We hope the stops along the way will be safe, and she has masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer with her.

Till we see her again she gave us some wonderful Hagerman pics.

Happy Summer Solstice, everyone – Laurie

BirdsFlora and FaunaGeneralNewsShaking the Trees

Shaking the Trees 4th Edition 05/15/20

Bird birthing updates, Duane’s cool labyrinth, news from a New Mexico naturalist you may know and grass and forbs contest ready for viewing. Keep the info coming folks. You are making many people very happy by sharing your time in nature.

Terry Comingore – Proud Grandpa of Heron Chicks
Jim Dulian – Backyard Heron Nest
Greg Hayden – Greetings from New Mexico
Duane Mortenson – Lockdown in Backyard Oasis
Clyde Camp WildLife Blog
Jim Dulian’s – Grasses & Forb Quiz 

The response and number of hits to the site from our members has been remarkable, y’all. Keep the experiences and joys coming and remember that if you have some needs we can meet, give us a holler. What you have continued to accomplish during this unfamiliar part of our journeys is amazing!

Shaking the Trees

General

Nature Reflections Video Exercise

Texas Master Naturalists,

A small victim of this current quarantine and shelter in place is the missed opportunities of spring. So many of our Master Naturalist volunteer service projects literally take bloom during these spring months each year – we have a new crop of trainees joining in some chapters, plant sales and plantings of native butterfly gardens, youth education programs as Texas students cycle into earth sciences in the spring, bird and butterfly migrations, and so much more that isn’t able to happen in its traditional form right now!

To that end, I would like as many of you as possible to respond to this statement: “In this unprecedented moment of the pandemic, reflect upon what nature means to you and what benefits it provides you, especially in times like these.”

Nature Reflections

If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know. While this is a video exercise, if you would rather share your written thoughts, a meaningful poem or quote relevant to this task, and/or a nature photo you took, please share those as well!

Again, stay safe and healthy, and thank you for your participation in this exercise! It’ll be so nice to hear your voices and see your faces at this moment in time!

Thanks!

Mary Pearl
Mary Pearl Meuth
Texas Master Naturalist Program Assistant State Coordinator
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
E-mail: mpmeuth@tamu.edu

GeneralShaking the Trees

Shaking the Trees 3rd Edition 05/01/20

Laurie Sheppard – Rare skipper at Hagerman NWR
Dave Powell – Walking and healing his wing
Clyde Camp – Owl Blog Surprise coming through in the clutch
John Garbutt – Woodpecker wonders
Dick Zartler – Fire on the prairie is success
Deborah Canterbury – Insect “didja-knows”
Paul Napper – East Texas Live
Terry Comingore – Blue Heron update
Mikel Salsgiver: Once a Teacher…
Beverly Carpenter – It’s baby season!

Shaking the Trees