Wildlife & Landscape Photo Class March 3, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Free Food …Wild EdiblesMarch 17, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Registration required for both programs.

Gray Hairstreak on Western Ironweed

Spring emerged from winter’s grasp almost overnight as warm temperatures encouraged the departure of season-al waterfowl, making way for shorebirds, egrets and herons. The warmth has jump-started the wildflowers, willows and cottonwoods that dot the shoreline among the emergent cattails. These signs of new life and growth create the perfect backdrop for students eagerly exploring the wetland habitat during the week and birders, photogra-phers and other visitors happily witnessing spring firsthand on the first and third Saturdays we’re open. As you read through our newsletter,

plan your own wetland adventure. Join us for a bird tour, a hike through a hardwood forest, a photography workshop or a clinic on wild edibles. But you’re also welcome to do your own quiet walk, share a picnic on the grounds or just while away the day in a porch rocker. Whatever you choose, make sure your plans include

Saturday, May 5, when the Mudbug Festival and 5K and 10K runs return! Bring your family and friends. Come early for the run, sponsored by REI to support enhancement of our Bunker’s Pond Trail. Then kick back at our one-of-a-kind, free festival, complete with live animals, local music, kids activities, conservation booths, food trucks – and, of course, crawfish. So lace up your running shoes or pack up your binoculars, and come visit. It’s spring!

From the DirectorBy John DeFillipo

EAGLES ROOSTBy John DeFillipo

The beautiful female American bald eagle who graces our wetland finally laid our first and only egg of the season, JBS 10, on Jan. 30 at 3:15 p.m. Since we began observing the eagles in 2008, this is the latest in the breeding season that an egg has arrived and only the

second time for a solo egg. Keep watch this spring via our website eaglecam. We’d love it if you’d share via social media any amazing or unusual behavior you see

or capture through screen shots. Better yet, come out and see the eagles for yourself. Happy birthday, JBS 10. We look forward to seeing you grow and mature. (Hmm, is a bird’s birthday the day the egg is laid or the day the egg hatches?)

By Linda Dunn

We’re off to an awesome year of programming! The Mudbug Festival is returning in May with the help of REI. More details will be coming, but be sure to mark Saturday, May 5, on your calendar so you won’t miss the fun. The play continues after school’s out with Family Fun Days, which we piloted last summer. Kids and parents had such a good time that we’re expanding our offerings from three to six days. These programs provide lively enrich-ment for all ages from preschool to adult. We have been talking about how we can expand our summer programming at the Center, and a wonderful opportunity now allows us to do just that! The Lyda Hill Foundation has given us a generous donation that will go toward providing STEM education to underprivileged children in Dallas County. This money can be used for summer camps, scholarships, school visits or bus fees. We have long wanted to partner with the Dallas ISD Environmental Education Center in Seagoville just a few

miles from the Wetland Center, and this gift makes

that possible. In July, we’ll hold two environmental science day camps, with students visiting the Environmen-tal Center in the morning and the Wetland Center in the afternoon. Both sites have amazing programs, and students will come away with a great outdoor experience, newfound knowledge of the environment and conserva-tion, and a heightened sense of excitement and apprecia-tion for science. Lyda Hill, a Dallas entrepreneur and philanthropist, believes science is the answer to many of life’s most challenging issues. Her philanthropy includes investments in nonprofit organizations like ours that inspire students to pursue careers in science. We are so grateful to her foundation. But that’s not all on our summer calendar. Our popular teacher workshops will also be back. They satisfy state standards and give teachers innovative ideas for their own classrooms. If you know of organizations looking for a field-trip site for their summer camps, please send them our way. We have resources unlike any other in North Texas.

By Carol Garrison

This past December, nine brave volunteers participat-ed in the nation’s longest-running community science bird project by counting bird species in an area that included the wetland for Audubon’s 118th Christmas Bird Count. Despite brutal cold and a nasty north wind, our volunteers logged 10.5 miles by foot and 131.2 miles by car during the 24-hour counting period. Their reward was identifying an impressive 124 species and 278,545 individual birds. Popula-tions of red-winged blackbirds, Ameri-can coots and snow geese were the top three species counted. On Christmas Day 1900, ornitholo-gist Frank M. Chapman of the Audubon Society held the inaugural bird count as a conservation-minded alternative to the tradition of a Christmas hunt that focused on killing as many birds and mammals as possible. Along with 26 dedicated birders, Chapman tallied 90 species that day in 25 different identi-fied count areas ranging from Toronto

to California. The annual bird count has continued ever since. The latest results are still being compiled and reviewed. But as an indication of the magnitude of this undertaking, the 117th count tallied 56,139,812 birds and 2,636 species across the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean and Pacific islands. Audubon and other organizations use the data collect-ed in this important wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations and to help guide conservation action.

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT

By Stephanie Weber

We have an impressive group of home-school kids who come monthly for programs that, we hope, spark a love for science and nature. As their final assignment last semester, the students created a science fair project on a topic that was new to them. They had to use the scientific method to conduct research, design and run experiments, and present their results to the class. Our students came up with ingenious projects and were able to present their findings with confidence to the audience. They all deserve two thumbs up. Here are five of the best.• Ian, 13, set out to determine which colored light allows for the best plant growth: red, blue or purple. For his experiment, he used three pots of bean plants and put each one under a different light color. He then periodically measured the height of his plants. His results showed that while each colored light allowed for plant growth, the plant with the red light grew the tallest. • Duncan, 11, researched which household product cleans pennies the best. He used various common products such as bleach and lemon juice. He found that all the household items cleaned pennies well. • Levi, 10, wanted to know why pine cones are either closed or open and whether their environment is the determiner. He put four identical pine cones in jars with four different environments: warm air, cold air, warm water and cold water. His results showed that the pine cone in the warm air opened the most, while the pine cone in the cold water stayed closed. He reasoned that pine cones open to release their seeds when the environment is warm and dry.

• Isam, 7, researched how gravity affects the speed of cars. He set up an experiment that raced a toy race car and a toy truck down different incline heights. Based on his results, the race car had the fastest time on the steepest incline.• Elizabeth, 10, questioned how the atmosphere affects a photograph. She used a single image of a red dot and took pictures with five mediums in between the camera and image: red dyed water, blue dyed water, green dyed water, yellow dyed water and milk. Based on her results, the more opaque the medium, the less likely the image will show in the resulting photograph. Thanks to all our home-schoolers and their parents. They are a joy.

Bobcat Fun Quiz Answers1-B; 2-A; 3-C; 4-A, B & C; 5-A; 6-B; 7-D

SPARKING A LO E FOR SCIENCE

By Linda Dunn

What comes to mind when you give or receive cookies? Thankfulness, encouragement, comfort, appreciation? These are just a few of the words to describe the amazing individuals who serve as Stewards at the Wetland Center. The skills and talents they bring are many: gardening, data entry, newsletter editing and production, teaching, trail walks, bird ID, maintenance, weed eating and much more. I would be remiss if I did not include wisdom, encouragement and passion as additional words that describe our volunteers. Although we will never be able to give our Stewards all they truly deserve, we do like to recognize them for their commitment and dedication to the Center at an annual appreciation dinner. Last year’s dinner was held in December with the theme of giving and receiving cookies. Along with food and fellowship (and cookie mix!), our Stewards also received pins based on their service to the Center. Our service pins are symbolic of the food chain we see around us here, beginning with the cattail, a

producer organism, and ending with an alligator, an apex predator. From January through October of last year, our Stewards contributed 820 total service hours. Thanks to each

of you for your continued commitment to the Center. We

would like to recognize all who received pins last year:

Cattail – Don Happ, Jake Calvit, Joan Mahoney, Michael James, Tara NieuwestegMayfly – Kathy Decker, Tom FlemingFish – Tom Fleming, Danny Oberst, Jane RambergHeron – Annmarie BristowAlligator – Patricia Nichols, Bill Nance

We would also like to recognize Kathy Nance. She has received all the pins as well as the GLASS Award – Giving Lessons, Laughter and Love All Through Service Stewardship – in 2014, with a total of 1,213 service hours to date. We love all our volunteers and know that time is a definite commodity. They have chosen to invest their time and talents here, and for that we are truly grateful!

Back Row, left to right: Kathy Decker, Tom Fleming, Joan Mahony, Linda Dunn, Jane Ramberg, Bill Nance, Kathy Nance, Bob Richie, Michael James, Jim West, Don Farmer, Don Happ, Danny OberstFront row, left to right: Carol Garrison, Stephanie Weber, John DeFillipo, Brett Bimm with Harper

Cattail1-50 hours

Mayfly100 hours

Sunfish200 hours

Heron300 hours

Bobcat400 hours

Alligator500 hours

Furry TreasuresBy Edie Hilborn

Have you seen this amazing photo of a young bobcat kitten napping on a branch of the cypress tree along our boardwalk? It was taken by a Saturday visitor. Those of us who were present that day enjoyed concocting stories of why the kitten was in the tree. We all decided its mom placed it there for safekeeping while she did some hunting. We’ve fallen in love with our bobcats here at the wetland, but do we really know anything about them? How many kittens do they have? How big do they get? What is their lifespan? We could go on and on.

That day sparked my own curiosity, so I decided to do some research about these furry little wetland cats. An adult bobcat can weigh between 11 and 30 pounds and can stretch out to a length of 26 to 41 inches from head to tail. The average adult bobcat’s head will reach

just above the knee of an adult human. The cats can live up to 12 years. Bobcats are able to adapt to a variety of habitats, which explains why they are doing so well in urban cities such as Allen, Plano and Richardson. They are mostly nocturnal and seldom seen. However, sightings in urban areas are greatly increasing. Bobcats’ signature look comes from their soft, spotted fur, large paws and tufted ears – and, of course, their namesake short, black-tipped, “bobbed” tail. The cats’ brown or brownish-red coat allows them great camouflage while hunting. And fierce hunters they are. They live mostly on small prey such as rabbits, mice and squirrels. Stealth is their main weapon in hunting, but they are also able to deliver a deathblow with a leaping pounce of up to 10 feet. Bobcats live solitary lives. Females raise one to six kittens, who stay with her for nine to 12 months. They must learn their hunting skills during that time before setting out on their own. In the early to mid-1900s, bobcat populations in many parts of the United States were decimated by overhunting. International laws began protecting the world’s spotted cats in the 1970s, and bobcat populations in North Ameri-ca are now thriving and are thought to be quite large. Perhaps as many as one million bobcats may live in the U.S. alone. Fortunately, our little friend is quite safe here in our wetland habitat. Maybe the proud mother of our kitten wanted us to see her baby. After all, don’t all moms enjoy showing off their kids? In any case, the bobcats and all our furry friends are a great reason to come out to the wetland for a visit. We’d love to meet you. Maybe you’ll take the next great photo!

Bobcat Fun Quiz 1. The bobcat’s scientific name is:A. Leopardus pardalisB. Lynx rufusC. Felis concolorD. Felis lynx

2. The bobcat is the only species of North American wildcat not on the endangered species list:A. TrueB. False

3. The earliest known member of the genus that bobcats belong to evolved in:A. EuropeB. AsiaC. AfricaD. North America

4. Likely predators of fully grown bobcats include:A. Mountain lionsB. Burmese pythonsC. WolvesD. Coyotes

5. Bobcats have been known to kill adult deer:A. TrueB. False

6. Bobcats can run up to:A. 35 miles per hourB. 30 miles per hourC. 25 miles per hourD. 20 miles per hour

7. Bobcats communicate through:A. ScentB. Visual signalsC. VocalizationsD. All of the above

Look for the answers on the next page!

Western Ribbon snake © Jim West

Calendar Of Events

MarchSaturday, March 3Open 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Advanced Bird Tour7 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Walk & Talk Bird Tour7 a.m. – 9 a.m.

Wildlife Photography Class*9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Saturday, March 17Open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Free Food … Wild Edibles*10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

AprilSaturday, April 7Open 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Advanced Bird Tour7 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Walk & Talk Bird Tour7 a.m. – 9 a.m.

Saturday, April 21Open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Bunker’s Pond Trail Walk10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

EarthX EventFair Park, Dallas9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

MaySaturday, May 5Open 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Advanced Bird Tour7 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Walk & Talk Bird Tour7 a.m. – 9 a.m.

Mudbug Festival9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

May 19Open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Bunker’s Pond Trail Hike10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Bobcat Fun Quiz Answers 1-B; 2-A; 3-C; 4-A, B & C; 5-A; 6-B; 7-D

Red-tailed hawk

*Registration required

Photography

Wildlife & Landscape

for Equipment & Techniques

with speaker David Hamblet

Date: Saturday, March 3, 2018

Time: 9 am – noon

Cost: $15 / $10 for members

Registration: ldunn@wetlandcenter.com

Address: 655 Martin Lane

Seagoville, TX 75159

Phone: 972-474-9100

Topics Include:

dSLR bodies

lenses

teleconverters

filters

tripods

exposure

manual focus

histograms

Zone System

depth of field

On this walk Wetland Steward, Bob Richie, will share his passion for urban foraging. We’ll start with a quick botany lesson on how to positively identify the plants for which we are looking. We will then search out and try some of the fresh and tasty offerings that grow naturally in the area and discuss some useful and medicinal plants that can be found as well. We will also sam-ple some pre-served foraged foods that Bob has collected through-out the year.

Where: John Bunker Sands Wetland Center

Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm

Cost: $10.00/person; Member $5.00

Prepaid Reservations Required

Space is Limited

Email: ldunn@wetlandcenter.com

Call: 972-474-9100

Bob Richie is a Dallas native who raises bees, chickens, rabbits, cats and dogs. He likes almost everything outdoors. An amateur naturalist since an early age he has spent much of his life outdoors.

When Bob’s not spending time outdoors he works

for an architectural firm in Deep Ellum and is the

owner of The Custom Coop Company which

builds custom chicken coops. Bob is a certified

Texas Master Naturalist