February 5, 2024

Happy Valentines! – BPTMN Chapter Members,

You can access our latest bi-weekly newsletter from our Chapter’s Home Page at bptmn.org, click on the “Blackland Prairie Newsletter” image OR by direct link – https://txmn.org/bptmn/newsletters/

This bi-weekly newsletter will provide:

February Chapter Meeting – Chris Ulch, Class of 2022
Upcoming Advanced Training
Upcoming Volunteer Service Hours
From the Desk of the Treasurer – Membership Dues!
NEW TO YOU!
- Friends of Hagerman Monarch Opportunity
- Plano Parks & Rec Trail Maintenance Opportunity
- BPTMN & Texas Nature Trackers Bat Opportunity
- Update on Recent Website Outage
New chapter website updates
- New VHAT Calendar
- Updated VHAT Request Form
- Shaking the Trees Articles
- Field Badge Order Form
TMN State Program Updates
- #TMNTuesday – Rattlesnakes!
- #TMNTuesday – iNaturalist
Chapter Advisor
Chapter Partners

If chapter members need to share information in the bi-weekly newsletters,
please send your requests to communications@bptmn.org.

Michelle Connally
Communications Director
Blackland Prairie Chapter

February Chapter Meeting – Tuesday, February 13 at 7:00PM

Program: Blackland Prairie Chapter Meeting with Chris Ulch, Class of 2022
Join us in person or online for a short review of the native tribes historically found in our area, how they used some of our most recognizable natural resources, and where they are now.
Chris Ulch is a 5th generation Collin County resident, born and raised in McKinney. He graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a degree in History. A life-long “nature nerd”, Chris became a certified trail guide and a Texas Master Naturalist to share his passion for the natural world with his community. Chris is married to Shelley, who is a member of the Choctaw Tribe of Oklahoma. They both love attending Shelley’s family Powwow and supporting the Indigenous community. In his guided trails, Chris incorporates how Native tribes used their natural resources in their daily lives.

Times:
SRC Doors will open at 6:00 PM
Zoom meeting waiting room will open at 6:45 PM
Business Meeting will begin at 7:00 PM
Naturalist Talk will begin at 7:30 PM (approximately)

Physical Meeting Location: Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, 1Nature Place, McKinney TX 75069, Science Resource Center (SRC) building.
Directions to SRC: Drive through Heard gates; go past the parking lot and museum building; continue until the road ends at the large white SRC building.

Online Zoom Meeting Registration:
Please register ahead of time for this meeting using your Zoom Account Email address.
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqc-yrqT4rHtzVMlNaWFk_mL0NlAjq0Lpj After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Online Meeting Host: Heather Fell – heatherf@bptmn.org

Logging AT: Log as AT: BPTMN Chapter Monthly Meeting Only (1 hour) with the speaker’s name and topic in the description box.

Upcoming Advanced Training – NEW

Check out our chapter’s calendar for the most up to date VH/AT opportunities.
Member VHAT Calendar (txmn.org)

2/06 AT- #TMNTuesday Texas Native Trackers iNat Train the Trainer Wrkshp
2/07 AT- 2024 Texas Waters Webinars – Proposition 6: What Does that Mean
2/10 AT- LLELA 2^nd Saturday Bird Walk
2/10 AT- Friends of Hagerman Bird Walk with Jack Chiles
2/10 AT- Webinar – Fostering Children’s learning and care for the earth.
2/11 AT- Guided Plano Bird Walk with BPTMN Member Jean Suplick
2/13 AT- #TMNTuesday Chip Ruthven presents “Rattlesnakes”
2/13 AT- Beyond the Backyard: All About the Great Backyard Bird Count.
2/17 AT- LLELA – Accessible Hike – “A Chance to Hike”
2/27 AT- ZOOM – Burrowing Owls – PTAS Monthly Meeting

Upcoming Volunteer Service Hours NEW

Check out our chapter’s calendar for the most up to date VH/AT opportunities.
Member VHAT Calendar (txmn.org)

2/16 VH- Great Backyard Bird Count
2/17 VH- Great Backyard Bird Count
2/18 VH- Great Backyard Bird Count
2/18 VH- “NEW” Oak Point Park Trail Maintenance
2/19 VH- Great Backyard Bird Count
2/29 VH- “NEW” Oak Point Park Trail Maintenance

From the desk of the Treasurer – REMINDER – Chapter Dues 2024

Hello there Blackland Prairie Chapter!

As you know, it is time to pay your membership dues.
The following members DO NOT OWE DUES:
– Members who have already paid their dues for 2024!
– Members of the Class of 2024. Your dues are paid for 2024!

If you are not in either group above, here’s what you need to know:
Dues are $25 if paid by February 13.
After February 13, dues increase to $30.
Members that have not paid by March 12 will be marked inactive and unable to
enter hours. Active status will be reinstated upon payment.

There are three ways to pay:
At meetings: Cash or check made payable to BPTMN. Treasurer Linda Nixon will be accepting dues payments at the next Chapter Meeting on February 13. Bring your checks or cash. Remember, we do not accept credit cards.
Mail check via U.S. Postal Mail to: BPTMN Treasurer, 825 N. McDonald, Suite 150, McKinney TX 75069 (Postmark date must be on or before dates listed above)
Pay online via PayPal – The link to pay dues online is on the BPTMN website home page. Top of page on the right! PLEASE NOTE: A small processing fee will be added to PayPal payments.

Contact for More Information:
BPTMN Treasurer Linda Nixon – treasurer@bptmn.org

NEWS TO YOU!

Monarchs Need Our Help! Friends of Hagerman, Laurie Sheppard is leading a Monarch Monitoring Research Opportunity
Informational Meeting – Wednesday 2/28 at 1PM

Do you live in or near Plano & love the parks? Check out this New Opportunity with leaders Jean Higgins and Francis Ngoh

Texas Nature Trackers – Acoustic Bat Program Opportunity!
Find out more here – https://txmn.tamu.edu/blog/tnt-bat/
Our Chapter Leader – Christina Lane – anyanfei1@gmail.com

Update on Recent Website Outage
Did you notice our bptmn.org which forwards to https://txmn.org/bptmn going up and down for about a week, then down for 4 days. ☹ It was excruciating.
TMN sent out an email and made social media posts letting us know that they are aware and working on the issue.
As a BPTMN member, if you see this happen again, type in BPTMN.org into your Browser and be rerouted to pertinent BPTMN chapter information and view the Google VHAT calendar. Questions/ want to help? webmaster@bptmn.org

New Blackland Prairie Website updates

New VHAT Calendar – Member VHAT Calendar (txmn.org)
If there is another outage, the VHAT calendar and pertinent information will be available on bptmn.org.

Heather Fell – Updated VHAT Opportunity Request Form
Always check the BPTMN VHAT calendar to see if the VHAT opportunity has already been approved.
If it is NOT on the VHAT calendar, then submit your request for approval using this form.
VH/AT Opportunity Request Form (txmn.org)

Lisa Travis – Our Tribe’s Fortune 4000 Service Hours

Leah Justice – Our Tribe’s Fortune 1000 Service Hours

Laurie Sheppard – Friends of Hagerman – Monarchs need your help!

Bryan Beck – January 2024 Community Engagement debrief

Balaji Devarajan – Apricity is a hiemal word!

John Garbutt – When is it safe to Dream about Fall?

Leah Justice – What does a Daniel Miranda and a Bald Eagle have in common?

Balaji Devarajan – Food Instincts of the Orange-crowned Warbler

Scott Aldrich – Field Badge Order Form