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Birding Birds Photography Plano Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

Winter Ducks at Russell Creek Park

By John Garbutt, 2014

To some, winter and Uri are now four letter words never to be spoken again as we enter spring. As a birder, the harbinger of spring, Barn Swallows, have been here since the first of March and are flying past my window. The trees outside are leafing out. This however is about the ducks who visit us in winter.

I always look forward to the annual arrival of wintering ducks. A favorite place to observe and photograph them is Russell Creek Park in Plano. I discovered it a couple of winters ago when using eBird to search the area for Redheads and Canvasbacks. I soon added them to my life list there!

This winter I wanted to get more shots of the ducks as close to their eye level as possible. I enjoy doing photography like this but it strains my arms and shoulders. To alleviate this, I purchased a Platypod Ground Tripod along with a ball head so I could use these tools to support the weight of my camera and lens. Below are some of my favorite memories and moments of this past winter as I tested my gear. I hope you enjoy them also.

Female Lesser Scaup Duck — Female Lesser Scaup Photo by John Garbutt

The males always get the most attention. For me, the female Lesser Scaup is one of my favorite ducks. It may be part recency and availability bias, but their brown plumage, caramel eyes, and white patch on the base of the bill, make them striking. (For Single photos, CLICK anywhere on the photo for a larger image in a new tab)

This female Northern Shoveler swum by to say hello. You can see her fine comb like lamellae which are used to filter out food. (For Gallery photos, CLICK on “LARGE IMAGE” at the bottom of the photo to view in new tab.)

Male Ring-Necked Duck — Male Ring-Necked photo by John Garbutt

The Ring-Necked Ducks were diving for breakfast. I was not sure what they were bringing up to eat. It looks like acorns. They will eat mollusk and seeds. Their gizzards will crush the hard shells. (For Single photos, CLICK anywhere on the photo for a larger image in a new tab)

I named this Ring-Necked Duck, Grumpy Duck. He was not amused at the feather on his back. He was constantly reaching for it. (For Gallery photos, CLICK on “LARGE IMAGE” at the bottom of the photo to view in new tab.)

The male Redhead Duck may compete with the Wood Duck for most striking drake to some. I panned my camera as the Redhead outpaced the Lesser Scaup and Ring-Necked ducks until he was in the frame alone. I was able to capture his third eyelid. (For Single photos, CLICK anywhere on the photo for a larger image in a new tab)

I was able to find some ducks after the winter storm. At this time, portions of this pond and others were still frozen. There was a large group of Northern Shovelers. Groups swim in circles to collectively stir up food. They were not quite in full cyclone mode but it was fun to see a larger concentration than normal at this site. #ShovelerSquad
(For Gallery photos, CLICK on “LARGE IMAGE” at the bottom of the photo to view in new tab.)

I also wanted to photograph this beautiful female mallard I had been seeing. She was much lighter colored than normal. A mocha like plumage. I wonder if some domestic mallard duck is in her blood line?

However, her suitor stepped in front to get his shot taken first.

Female Scaup Preening — Female Scaup preening photo by John Garbutt

Lastly, another female Lesser Scaup shot. She was preening very near so it provided some candid shots of behavior. (For Single photos, CLICK anywhere on the photo for a larger image in a new tab)

Plano Plano Heritage Farmstead Plants Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees VH

Native Plant Garden at Plano Heritage Farmstead

By Bryan Beck, 2017

The native plant garden at the Plano Heritage Farmstead Museum has been through a lot in the past month or so. First, came the boot-deep snows and the bone-chilling cold. Next was the eighty-degree temperatures that we had at the end of February. Then hail and even fog reared their ugly heads. And, most recently we have seen the pre-April showers and wind that we are accustomed to getting around here. But none of these plagues could stunt the emergence of our wonderful prairie natives at the Farmstead!

Before weeding at Prairie Farmstead photo by Bryan Beck

Or so we thought… The middle of March brought about the one plague that the Farmstead garden hadn’t been accustomed to since its inception. Part of the garden was mistakenly weed-whacked by some overly zealous maintenance workers! Now, I don’t blame them totally… If someone gave me a weed eater, and some gasoline and told me to go whack back some weeds I’d do it, too. Unfortunately, the team in charge of upkeep at the Farmstead haven’t had a Master Naturalist class in a while and had a hard time distinguishing between the dandelions and the Texas Star. It was harder to discern the Dallas grass from the Indian grass, and our coneflowers were mistaken for clover flowers in a large patch of the garden. Not all the garden suffered cutbacks (pun intended), but a fair amount of our native sons and daughters were taken to the ground by the whirling weed machine.

After weeding at Prairie Farmstead photo by Bryan Beck

So, if you see Lu Anne, Deb, Logan, or the Nappers (our regulars) at a virtual meeting, put a virtual arm around them and tell them it’ll be ok. It’s a good thing that our Texas native plants are as tough as the conditions they are raised under. Remember, our prairie is maintained by disturbance. Buffalo, bison, fire, and humanity has all threatened these plants in the past. And, there are few worse disturbances than the mechanized mayhem that happened at the Farmstead. But know that the plants’ roots are strong, and their resilience is even stronger. Please make plans to come out to the Plano Heritage Farmstead garden later in the Spring to enjoy the rehabilitated and rejuvenated plants and people that call our Blackland Prairie home!

Allen Birds Connemara Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees Wildlife

Quail Quest 2021

By Bob Mione, 2012

The past three years, Kristin and Mark Payne have incubated and brooded BW quail chicks for us at Connemara. When the BW’s were old enough, normally about 6 to 8 weeks old, they would bring them to the Meadow where they were held in our big “acclimation” pen until they were released at the Meadow, Raptor Center, Bill and Fran Woodfin’s farm or within the City of Plano.

Bob White Quail chick photo by Leah Beck

This year, the Payne’s did not have enough room to brood out the BW’s, so I reached out to the Chapter for volunteers to “host” the chicks for 5 weeks, until old enough to move to the Meadow. Using funding from a grant from the City of Allen, we built brood pens for the group, delivered the pens along with a “kit” which contained a heat lamp, a feeder and a “waterer”. We also gave them a thermometer since the BW chicks have to be kept around 100 degrees for the first two weeks or so since they don’t have enough feathers.

Brood Pens built from City of Allen Funding photo by Leah Beck

We wanted to entire process to begin in early Feb so that we could have two “releases” of adult BW’s before it became too hot this Summer. The severe cold spell in Feb delayed our start by about 10 days, but the eggs were finally placed in the incubator and 23 days later, March 21st, they hatched. That Sunday the folks arrived at the Payne’s and picked up their chicks. Most took home 17. Leah took home 46 since she volunteered for two brood pens and our math was not exactly right for dividing up the chicks. (It is very hard to count them accurately when so small, about the size of a big bumble bee.)

Quail Chicks in brood pin photo by Leah Beck

Keith Griffin, who works at the Holifield Science Learning Center, has an incubator so we delivered eggs to him and he was able to “live stream” the hatch to many Plano ISD 5th graders as part of their Science classes.

Although somewhat late in the year, I will be discussing with the group the possibility of completing a second round of brooding soon. Plans are for another session in the early Fall for a late Fall/early Winter release.

We are grateful to these Master Naturalists for volunteering:

Keith Griffin
Julia Koch (North Texas Chapter)
Mikel Salsgiver
Celia Byrnes
Patrick Pilarski
Cindy and Paul Napper
Leah Beck
Tony Manasseri

BTW: Tony is our official advisor since he has so much experience with raising chickens. Patrick’s son is the one doing the work. Patrick thought it would be a good experience for his son.

From Leah Beck: Photo contributor

We brought home 46 chicks in an Amazon box and split them between 2 brood boxes. I took one picture of a chick in my hand as I transferred him/her to the brooder so we would have a size reference at the end. So far, the chicks spend a lot of time huddled in a group under their heat lamp. The lamp keeps them warm and calm. They have an official feeder and waterer, but since the chicks are small, they struggle a bit to access food and water. So, they can also feed from food on a paper plate and drink from a Tupperware lid.

Flora and Fauna Plants Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees Texas State Parks

Bend in the River

By Greg Tonian, 2016

We came together at the river bend, To witness flowing milky blue green water, Laden with Llano Estacado dust, pulsing its lode toward the Matagorda Bay. Meeting half way between the angry clouds that enveloped us this morning and the vast, star-filled skies that would expand above us later that evening, We laced up our hiking boots for an exploration of time and space. I had squeezed between semis and sheets of rain in the dark leaving Dallas, While you evaded slowdowns in Austin only to arrive here a few minutes behind me. Somewhere past Lampasas, we both witnessed a parting dark curtain of clouds Pushed eastward, by a crisp and urgent, High Plains breeze , Suddenly we were confronted by a bright and clear horizon, a bold blue sky full hope and promise hinted that this particular Saturday, marking the end of another January, might put a pause on winter.

We were just two of a select group of pilgrims congregating today at Colorado Bend State Park, praying for some healing sunshine and crisp clean hill country air. All of us here, “first come first served”, reservation only, Vying for that coveted State Park space; Looking for a connection to nature and our kin, A place to worship and meditate, to socialize at a distance and cure our COVID cabin fevers.

We found ourselves in a parched, wild scrub of Ashe cedars and prickly pears, Gnarled live oaks, encrusted with lichens, Yellowed grasses, a confluence of prairie and scrubland, Spike-tipped yuccas, All clinging to the Cretaceous bedrock of limestone and mudstone. The vegetation here hangs on for dear life, Poking and probing the cracks and crevices for a secure toehold, Seeking out moisture, Hoping to catch it before it evaporates or slips away, Replenishing an aquifer or spring below. Colorado Bend is a place of springs, Gorman and Spicewood being two notable ones.

Eric and I, like many others headed straight to its signature attraction, The place where the Gorman Springs gushes from clefts in the bedrock below and above and forms its namesake falls. Ankles and knees were at risk on the rock strewn path leading steadily downward to the confluence of Gorman creek and its wall of water from the cliff above The slippery, rock face, weathered by countless boots and tennis shoes at the final descent made clinging to the cable railing a must. We joined others to marvel at the handiwork of water, rock and plant on the cliff wall in front of us. To the right was a slaloming rivulet of frothy water with multiple mini falls. From above, but mostly from the left rim of the canyon wall, Wispy tendrils of water plummeted 35 feet to the boulders below, forming a thin, transparent curtain. A number of trees had anchored themselves in this tumultuous, damp grotto. The canyon wall comprised of a sort of melting limestone, tufa, was Gaudi-like, and encrusted by an ashy gray, mossy coat. Delicate ferns reached for water droplets from countless rocky perches. The falls were subdued during our visit and I wondered if even a trickle would remain in August or what gushing flows would occur during the monsoons of Spring. The Colorado river was still 100 yards away from the falls catch basin viewing area and the connection a shallow, parched trough in the dust.

After leaving Gorman Falls, we explored the Gorman Springs trail which was a delightful waterscape as well, if less dramatic. It provided a pleasing oasis in an otherwise hostile landscape and bird life and plant life flourished in this cool pocket of repose between the rocky walls on either side, hidden in the trees. We ascended through the layer of rock and explored the Tie Slide Trail which led us to an overlook giving us a good view of a sharp 90 degree bend in the Colorado. Looking over the landscape, there were few signs of human habitation or development. Despite, the warm bright glare that had us wearing t-shirts during our hike, the reptiles that certainly flourish in this rocky terrain remained in hiding. I can imagine that by spring, hikers would need to be wary of sunbathing diamondback rattlesnakes emerging after a long winter’s nap.

The last hike of the day was a 1.5 mile backpack to our campsite by an old abandoned windmill on a rise looking out over a gently rolling landscape. We walked silently towards the setting sun, passing seed heads of a variety of grasses, silvery Eryngo and other spent flowers shimmering in the golden glow. The prickly pears in all directions tricked the eye, looking like the ears of partially obscured deer or coyotes, perhaps even a solitary cougar lurking in the thatch. I ruled out lions, though it was an “Out of Africa” scene, The thought perhaps triggered, by an earlier encounter with galloping ostriches on the commute. These alien livestock along with the locally-cultivated, But European, vitis vinifera vines, Testimonials of adaptation, ingenuity and resilience, Or perhaps stubborn Texas determination!

We slaked our post hike thirst with IPA tall boys, Nibbled on trail mix, gorged on andouille sausage gumbo, sipped some single malt out of a flask, talked of other trails and treks, watched the sunset and marveled as the starry dome revealed itself. Then we retired to a long night of sleep interrupted: Tent fly flapping like a sail, Bands of coyotes laughing like lunatics, The struggle to stay warm, Squirming to find a comfortable position in my mummy bag, Wondering where the other half of the too short Thermarest was!

In the golden morn, we walked in peace to our cars, Cacti and seed heads ignited on every side, Sun rays slowly penetrating the chill. The incessant northerly breeze did not have a chance. My son and I parted, He chose his To Do list back in Austin, I chose another trail.

I headed toward the southern border of the Park, Seeking a less known and likely overlooked area of the Park, Spicewood Canyon and the trails which allowed access to this area. I was rewarded. For nearly 3 hours, I walked in solitude. Encountering no one, Inhaling clean canyon air, Scents of cedar and stone, Listening to birdsong, Creaking branches, rustling grasses and quaking leaves; Embraced by my surroundings and finding myself in a state of peaceful exaltation. I walked along a ridge above a split in the Dagwood sandwich layers of rock, Passing stands of ghostly grey Ashe Junipers, Multi-trunked, Surrounding me on all sides. Beneath my boots, Layers of limestone, mudstone, shale, Marine and swamp deposition zones, In order from youngest to oldest, 66 to 145 Million Years Ago old, Top of the plateau to underneath the river: Lower Pennsylvanian-Marble Falls Formation/Smithwick shale; Mississippian/Ordovician-Ellenburger Group/Barnett shale.

The creatures of the forest were secretive or dormant despite the promise of a warm day. Perhaps they knew what it would be like in just 14 days, When all of Texas would be caught in an icy grip for over a week. During my descent to the Colorado River, I encountered two nonplussed fox squirrels noisily nibbling trailside, and a deer waved its white handkerchief at me, as it crashed through the thick undergrowth, fleeing in surrender at my approach. At an overlook I could see the Spicewood watershed below, Flowing eastward, Juniper-covered cliffs on the south wall of the canyon, Only several hundred yards away, and catch a glimpse of the blue green waters of the Colorado River heading southward. Soon I descended to the river itself, Interrupting small foraging flocks of songbirds, Identifying American goldfinches in the flitting traffic. Large trees grew along the riverbank, Including several sycamores, With white, flaky bark, A few rusty, crinkled leaves And truffle-sized seed balls. Various vines and green briars, Were draped about. I found myself at the confluence of the spring and the river. A catch basin of tufa collected water before its final descent into the Colorado. Now I began my journey upstream, Savoring the beauty of my riparian surroundings. My walk would lead me beside small cascades from all directions, Tranquil, crystalline pools, And moss and fern-covered rocks. Above the stream and watercourses, Rocky walls, encrusted with lichens, And a variety of plants ranging from ferns to cacti and yucca. The air was fresh and intoxicating. The feeling of connection and immersion in nature was uplifting. After crossing the spring one last time I encountered a hermit thrush making its rounds and watched a ladder back woodpecker tap, tap on a tree above me, oblivious of my intrusion. Back at my car, the sun smiling down on a deserted parking lot, I basked in the silence for a moment, Still surprised that no other hikers had ventured to this area. I changed out of my hiking gear and sipped some water Then eased out of the parking lot, For the 4 hour journey home.

Even now, I continue to reflect on our weekend getaway, The beauty of nature revealed, the special fellowship of father and son, exploration and discovery, a magical hike in Spicewood Canyon, on a glorious Sunday morning in January, May we always remember, That time we met, at a bend in the river.

Flora and Fauna Heard Plants Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees VH

Volunteers for Heard Plant Sale Needed

By Carol Clark, Laura Ragen, Fran & Bill Woodfin et al 2010, 2014, 2007

Photo courtesy of Heard Museum Plant Sale

Best Testimonial ever:

“A lot of what I have learned about native plants came from attending the sales at the Heard yearly.”
– Carol Clark

The oldest (two decades), largest and most consistent native plant sale in North Texas is up and running again this year at the Heard Museum. Beside this brief history of the Heard Native Plant Sale there are a few things to know.

Despite the weather, growers were not drastically affected by the deep freeze and the level of merchandise has not been reduced as one would think. Some were such as trees and shrubs.

The sale will be in person April 23, noon to 7 PM for Heard members only; 24th, 9-7; and if plants are still available on Sunday.

Volunteers who are registered as such with The Heard would be appreciated to help unload, arrange and label plants as the shipments arrive and especially for April 20-23 to finalize the sale displays. It’s a good opportunity for someone new to our region to begin to become familiar with our natives.

People who want to volunteer but are not registered Heard Volunteers will need to:

1. Fill out the volunteer application found at this link: https://heardmuseum.wufoo.com/forms/s1ll4slv0xo2cq6/ (Close out the payment page; no need to pay for background check.)

2. Forward the chapter e-mail containing the background card. It should be in applicant’s e-mail inbox with the subject heading: Background Check Verification Card – LastName.

3. Fill out and e-mail the attached release form.

E-mail address for 2 & 3 above is volunteers@heardmuseum.org.

Invitations will go out through SignUp Genius.

Link to Heard Plant sale information – https://www.heardmuseum.org/plant-sale/

Birds Flora and Fauna Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

Curious George Settles in for the Day

By Clyde Camp, 2011

Curious George arrives at about 20 seconds into the video link and settles in for the day. He’s verbally accosted by a couple of jays and a squirrel about midway through the video. George is the male of the last breeding season (spring, 2020) – a grey-phase Eastern Screech Owl. His mate then was a red-phase female named Hunter. Their breeding attempt was unsuccessful with two clutches of eggs, neither of which hatched.

They are both visiting the box off and on again and probably staking their claim on it in late fall 2020.

You can read about, with photos and videos, that attempt (as well as the 2018/19 attempt by a different pair) at http://crcamp.com/owls

Flora and Fauna Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees TPWD Wildlife

Recovering America’s Wildlife Act Update

Written By Richard Heilbrun, TPWD

Richard Heilbrun, who is well known by TMN’s and is Program Leader at Texas Parks & Wildlife Department,has been actively involved with The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act. We recently asked him about its progress since not much comes out of D.C. nowadays that is not related to COVID.

The Wildlife Act made substantial progress in 2020. The standalone bill, HR 3742, passed out of committee with bipartisan support. The text of that bill, slightly altered, was inserted into HR 2, which passed the US House on July 20 and was sent it to the US Senate. Though the Senate declined to consider HR 2, the passage of the language in the House was a huge milestone for the effort and shortens our work dramatically in this Congress.

In this year’s Congress, the House Committee on Natural Resources has told us that Recovering America’s Wildlife Act will not need a hearing and will just be advanced through Committee.

Strategists in DC are pushing for a 2-track approach. First, it will be introduced as stand-alone legislation by Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE). In March or April, we expect them to circulate a Dear Colleague Letter and a request for initial bill co-sponsors. When that happens, we’d encourage the wildlife community in Texas to contact their members of Congress. Then it will be introduced into the Senate. There are several Senators that have already contacted us offering to introduce the measure there. Once we’ve demonstrated support for the stand-alone measures, our second track will be to ask for it to be inserted into larger legislative packages such as an Infrastructure Package.

We’ll support both tracks, knowing that having 2 possibilities gives us a better chance of final passage. Many people have told us that if we can mobilize conservation-oriented support, Recovering America’s Wildlife Act has a good chance of being passed this year. We just have to keep our foot on the gas.

Sign up for updates at https://www.txwildlifealliance.org/ Learn more about the bill there and viewing the Texas Focus YouTube Video below.

Anyone interested in getting involved can contact me at Richard.Heilbrun@tpwd.texas.gov or Rachel Rommel, state coordinator for the Texas Wildlife Alliance at r.rommel@txwildlifealliance.org

Texas Focus Video

Creative Members Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

What a Difference a Week Makes

By Sally Evans, Founder and Emeritus

THEN:

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 be over, and we will be working on the pandemic to be over! It has been a difficult time for people on so many areas of their lives with survival being uppermost. Actually the GBBC came at a good time because many folks could not do anything else except peep out the draped windows at the birds coming in to find what food they could. Bird feeders came to many of their rescues.

I had the opportunity to listen to a ZOOM talk given by Dr. Drew Lanham who is an author and an ornithologist. He was suggesting that bird watchers get so intent on bird identification and location that they (we) forget to put their binoculars down and view the whole picture. So I did. The birds were coming in close to the window so I could see them well and I had time to sit and observe. I knew that many of the birds I counted at different times were the same birds I had seen before. They live here and come here often for the handouts I give. The male cardinals with their brilliant reds against the snow were spectacular – and they were almost always accompanied or led by a female cardinal who was also very lovely. The red-bellied woodpecker’s red head was exceptionally bright and I could see him clearly on the suet feeder as he went back and forth from the tree to the feeder.

And the little upstart that took over the feeders and tried to chase everyone else away even though most were bigger than it was. It was a butter butt – a yellow rumped warbler – and every day it would go from feeder to suet to bush to feeder to suet, etc. except when it would chase another bird away. Just one! But according to the bird count I probably saw four or five!

For the very first time I had pine siskins. There were about a half a dozen that came to the thistle feeder and they chased away the few goldfinches that came to the thistle feeder. But the finches were clever and would just wait around and when the siskins flew away they moved in. I saw this because I put my binoculars down and just watched the birds and the trees and the snow. The doves would sit for long periods of time in the trees, fat fluffed bumps on the limbs. Then one must have said ,”GO!” because they would all fly off somewhere or inundate the feeders and throw seed all over.

I know there were rabbits at night because I found tracks everywhere. They would have had a hard time finding food as the snow was about three inches deep. My toes would have been frozen! Why weren’t their feet too cold to hop around?!

I also had time to contemplate. How fortunate I was to have a home, food, electricity, family and friends who were checking on us, a warm blanket and a pair of binoculars to watch the panorama in my own back yard. So like the robin who has been sitting on the banister in the morning sun, I will look at my surroundings and wait for better times.

NOW:

Spring is coming!

Spring is coming, I can tell!
The elm tree buds are beginning to swell;
The willows by the creek have a reddish hue;
And the peach and pear trees have tiny buds too.
The incessant tapping of a woodpecker on a pole or tree
Announces he is establishing his territory.
A Carolina wren begins to build a nest
In a hanging basket – this one is just a test.
Patches of dandelions bloom in some places,
Their tiny ray flowers like sunshine faces;
And their puffy seed heads bow to a breeze;
They all lasted through the snow and the freeze.
I know spring is coming! I can tell!
The young green onions have their onion ‘smell’.
And in my garden which looked all dead,
Two tiny daffodils lifted their heads.
The March calendar announces SPRING IS HERE!
But I already knew that is was near.

Sally Evans 2/25/21

Frisco Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

Frisco Natural Area Restoration Opportunities

By Rick Travis, 2018

Hurray!!! Blackland Prairie Texas Master Naturalist Chapter and the Frisco Parks and Recreation Department have reached an agreement that allows our chapter members to provide VH eligible restoration and maintenance efforts within the natural areas located in various Frisco parks, such as Frisco Commons, Cottonwood Creek, Northwest Community parks, and the Stewart Creek Wetlands Preserve.

The Stewart Creek Wetlands Preserve

Both weekend and weekday work sessions in the Frisco park natural areas will begin mid-March and can be found on the BPTMN calendar. Initial work will focus on the prairie restoration site at Frisco Commons Park. Periodic emails communicating updates to the schedules and other details will also be sent to members that live in the Frisco area, and/or are interested in earning VH hours working in these areas. If you wish to be added to the Frisco VH Opportunities email distribution list, please drop me an email at Travisfam2@yahoo.com.

Northwest Community Park and Nature Area

Here are examples of the kinds of work we’ll be doing in these Frisco parks natural areas:

Assist with removal and management of unwanted and invasive tree species encroaching into prairie and meadow sites. We’ll remove smaller trees and gather into brush piles for city removal, and the Parks folks will bring the chainsaws and work on the larger trees.
Remove and manage invasive herbaceous species, such as Bastard Cabbage, Nodding Thistle, etc.
In the summer and fall, we’ll harvest native plant seeds at some of the larger areas, for re-distribution into other natural areas within Frisco.
Members will also conduct trash/litter cleanup, as needed.

The Parks and Recreation Department will add signing at Frisco Commons stating the work being done is a “Joint project between Blackland Prairie Chapter / Texas Master Naturalists and the City of Frisco, Texas.”

In addition, Frisco will periodically conduct prescribed burns within these prairie restoration sites.

February 2020 Prescribed burn at “Freedom Meadow” in the Warren Sports Complex, Frisco

I anticipate our opportunities within Frisco will continue to expand in the coming years, as the city has hundreds of acres of undeveloped park land and are making plans to add a Nature Learning Center at one of the natural areas. There’s lots to be excited about!

Note: BPTMN members will need to complete the City Volunteer Waiver before beginning any maintenance activities. Contact Rick Travis at Travisfam2@yahoo.com for an electronic copy of the volunteer form. We’ll also bring some hard copies to our work sessions.

Shaking of the Trees Post Shaking the Trees

Chip and Dale Still Entertain

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 frequent my bird feeders and scoff at my futile attempts to deter them. So I did some fact finding to assure me that I am smarter than a squirrel and that I still know how to read and research.

Fact #1: They Were Brought into U.S. Parks Intentionally

Squirrels can be pests around your property, but did you know that they were introduced to American nature parks intentionally?
After the Industrial Revolution, squirrels were mostly absent from cities. In order to liven up city parks (like Manhattan’s Central Park), the city reintroduced squirrels to the area.
It was believed that a bit of nature in the city was crucial to maintaining people’s well-being. Additionally, feeding the squirrels became a leisurely activity for children and adults alike. So the presence of squirrels in parks actually benefited the human population mentally, but it also had the unfortunate effect of contributing to infestations later down the line.

Fact #2: Squirrels Have an Expert Sense of Smell

You know they love to bury acorns (and my pecans not filched by crows) for winter foraging. Squirrels will typically bury their nuts around a memorable location, like next to a large oak tree. To protect their stash from birds, they bury them under only ¼ inch of soil. They are able to use their keen sense of smell to detect the nuts they buried, even if they have been covered in a foot of snow.

Fact #3: Squirrels Mislead their Scavengers

Not only are squirrels adept at tracking the nuts they buried, but they use misdirection to trick the scavengers who want to steal their nuts.
Squirrels have been known to tamper with soil and cover it with leaves, even when they haven’t buried a nut there. They make it look like they buried a nut there, in order to trick scavengers.

Fact #4: Squirrels Are Experts At Finding Mates

When mating season arrives, female squirrels in heat begin emitting a scent that male squirrels can smell from up to a mile away. During this time I hear numerous males hot-footing it across my roof. It’s worth noting that squirrels do not mate for life. Rather, a female squirrel will go to great lengths to avoid mating with the same male twice.This allows the squirrel population to stay genetically diverse, minimizing the risk of mutations and makes female squirrels very self sufficient.

Okay, four “Did-ja-knows” are enough. I need to stop and let the dogs out to pursue for the umpteenth time today their futile attempt to chase the long-tailed rodent currently draped around my newly filled feeder onto the roof where it can mock and tease them.