John Bunker Sands Wetland Center Spring 2019 Newsletter

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John Bunker Sands Wetland Center • 972-474-9100 655 Martin Lane, Seagoville/Combine TX 75159

wetlandcenter.com

Visit Our Website!

Save the date! May 11

March April May

Saturday, March 2 Open 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Advanced Bird Walk 7 a.m. – 10 a.m. $10; $5 members Call 972-474-9100 to register Walk & Talk Bird Tour 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. Free with $5 admission Members free

Saturday, March 16 Open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Bunker’s Pond Trail Walk 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Free with $5 admission Members free

Saturday, April 6 Open 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Advanced Bird Walk 7 a.m. – 10 a.m. $10; $5 members Call 972-474-9100 to register Walk & Talk Bird Tour 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. Free with $5 admission Members free Eagle Walk 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Free with $5 admission Members free

Saturday, April 20 Open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Advanced Bird Walk 7 a.m. – 10 a.m. $10; $5 members Call 972-474-9100 to register Free Food – Wild Edibles Walk 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. $10; $5 members Call 972-474-9100 to register

Fri. – Sun., April 26 – 28 EarthX Event , Fair Park 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Saturday, May 4 Open 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Walk & Talk Bird Tour 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. Free with $5 admission Members free

Saturday, May 11 Open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Mudbug Festival 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Free Family Fun REI Runs: Register now!

Saturday, May 18 Open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Bunker’s Pond Trail Walk 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Free with $5 admission Members free

Sustainable funding for nonprofits is chal-

lenging, but the return on investing in organiza-

tions like ours is substantial. We are grateful for

every donation that supports our exemplary edu-

cational programing to encourage conservation

literacy in the North Texas region.

In 2018, we raised over $100,000 from the

Mudbug Festival and our fall appeal. Thank you

to these individuals and organizations for your

continued support!

Funding for our expansion plans is off to a

solid start with over $300,000 raised to date to-

ward our $650,000 goal. We appreciate the gen-

erosity of the Stephen Seay Foundation, David

Keith Sands Education Scholarship Fund, Lyda

Hill Philanthropies, Hillcrest Foundation, Trinity

Valley Electric Cooperative Charitable Founda-

tion and Bank of America, N.A., Co-Trustee.

In the coming months, we will pursue addi-

tional individual gifts and grants to reach our ex-

pansion goal by this summer. I’ve learned that if

you don’t ask, you

don’t get!

2019 will be a

spectacular year for

the Wetland Center.

Our largest communi-

ty event, the Mudbug

Festival, kicked off by

REI’s 5K, 10K and fun

runs, returns on Satur-

day, May 11. Bring

your family and friends out to our one-of-a-kind,

FREE festival, complete with live animals, kids

activities, conservation booths, food trucks and,

of course, CRAWFISH!

Our largest fundraiser, Wings Over the Wet-

land, is also back this fall. Please save the date of

Saturday, Oct. 26, for the best party on the Trinity

River! Stay tuned for details on both events.

Thanks again for your support, and have a

wonderful spring. Come see us!

W e’re funding our horizons!

By John DeFillipo

Individuals Chuck Albritton

Terry & Debra Anderson

Mary Baldwin

Linda Blasiar

Wende Burton

Benson Chow

Elizabeth Clay

Ann Clubb

Lisa Coleman

Sylvia Craddock

Cindy Crouse

Kathy & Alan Decker

Dianne Duke

Jon & Nancy Esber

Rosalind Ewalt

Don & Gayle Farmer

Joe Farmer

Charles Fortenberry

Marvin & Melisa Fuller

Maggie Garrett

Jackie Glancy

Stuart & Suzanne Guthrie

Jim & Penny Hampton

Katherine Hensley

John Herlevic

Doug Hunt

Wayne Masters

Lydia & Nick McCutchen

Steve & Kim Meloncon

Ken & Cheryl Mindell

Loretta Mokry

Jed & Patsi Nau

Patricia Nichols

Maureen & Stan Nitkowski

Jane & Mike Ramburg

Kenneth Ray

Deborah Rhodus

Ard Richardson

Kayla Richie

Clayton & Lacy Sands

Julia Sands

Patrick & Kristy Sands

Wilson & Laura Sands

Stark & Gemma Sands

Stephen & Marcy Sands

Joseph Strollo

Erica Zilioli

Companies & Organizations American National Bank of Texas

Communities Foundation of Texas

EXIT Realty Pro

Grand Peaks Properties

Greater Crandall Chamber of

Commerce

Huitt-Zollars, Inc

John Abston Chapter, NSDAR

#6147TX

Lyda Hill Philanthropies

North Texas Municipal Water District

Oncor Electric Delivery, LLC

Petro-Hunt

Seagoville Economic Development

The North American Coal

Corporation

The Rosewood Corporation

The Rosewood Foundation

The Seay Foundation

TVEC Charitable Foundation

WH Francis Foundation

Thank You 2018 Donors

Congratulations to our own Linda Dunn for

being named Environmental Educator of the

Year from the Texas Commission on Environ-

mental Quality as part of its prestigious Texas

Environmental Excellence Awards program.

“Along with her leadership in environmental

education, Linda goes above and beyond to

make sure her staff and volunteers feel they are

part of the Wetland Center family,” Director John

DeFillipo said. “We are just so proud of her and

fortunate to have her leading our educational

program. She’s truly the best in her field.”

Here is the TCEQ’s profile of Linda:

“Linda Dunn has over 35 years of experience teaching across the United States. With a Bachelor of

Arts in Education and a Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Parks/Outdoor Education, she has

been able to teach at various environmental education facilities in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Colorado,

and Texas. Linda has also worked as an Interpretive Program Specialist and as a naturalist. Currently,

she is serving as the Vice President for the Texas Association of Environmental Education, is an active

member of the National Interpretation Association and the Science Teachers Association of Texas,

and is the Education Manager at the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center.

“At the Wetland Center, Linda has created immersive, hands-on programming related to wetland

ecology, water conservation, and wildlife conservation. Each program is designed to engage children

in different grades and age groups. For the elementary students, Linda has created games to teach

them about the water cycle, and vocabulary related to the environment and wildlife. Older students

have more science- and math-intensive lessons, including field studies in the wetland. Linda curates

her lessons based on the group she is teaching at the time.

“In addition to creating curriculum and teaching students, Linda has gone above and beyond to

help her community. She developed an environmental career day so that high schoolers could meet

adults with careers in environmental science and nature, exposing them to a variety of jobs and ca-

reers. Linda also hosts teacher trainings, inviting science teachers in the area to learn more about

teaching environmental science with evaluation sheets, suggestions, handouts, and project ideas. In

doing so, she can influence thousands of students and broaden their knowledge of the environment.

“Linda has reached over 20,000 students through her decades of teaching, shaping younger gen-

erations to become environmental stewards.”

Winner of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s

Texas Environmental Excellence Awards

Environmental Educator of the Year

Family Fun Days

We’re bringing back our very popular

Family Fun Days with great program topics

such as Kids Survival Basics 2.0, Complex

Leaves for a Compound World, Cattails:

More Than Just a Hydrophyte and You

“Bee” Dancing: Get your Pollinator Grove

On. Programs are Wednesdays from 10 a.m.

– 12 p.m. The cost is $7 per child age 5-12.

Stay tuned for registration details.

Zoo Camp

We’re again partnering with the Dallas

Zoo for our annual overnight camp July 18-

19 for 6-8th graders. The first half of the

Texas Born and Bred camp is spent at the

zoo, and the last two days, which include a

supervised sleepover, are here at the Cen-

ter. Find out more about the camp and how

to register (scroll to Grade Levels: 6th-8th).

Teacher Workshops

Teachers, save the date for these profes-

sional development workshops: Project

WET, June 27; Project WILD, July 11; Pro-

ject Learning Tree, July 25; and Texas

Aquatic Science, Aug. 1. Registration details

will be out soon.

If you know of sponsors of summer pro-

grams looking for a great field trip, please

let them know about the Wetland Center.

What we offer is like no other location in

North Texas.

he bluebonnets may just be emerging, but we’re already looking ahead to

a busy summer. By Linda Dunn

First was a flight of pelicans that drifted too

close and had to be steered away. Next, four

crows came in yelling, and the eagles responded

to this brazenness with a fierce attack. Most of

this conflict was low level, and we were prevent-

ed a good look by trees.

Then a hapless vulture cruised by, caught un-

awares. But by now, the eagles were in no mood

to tolerate any kind of invasion. An aerial dog-

fight ensued, with the vulture beating a hasty re-

treat.

The final attack involved two red-

tailed hawks. This mated pair are seen fre-

quently near the nest, as their territory

overlaps that of the eagles. But again, no

intruder was tolerated on this day. As the

attack began, each eagle paired up with a

red-tail. To the eye, the action was frenetic, and

the aerobatic maneuvering was awe-inspiring.

The four attacks each lasted only a minute,

but huge amounts of energy were expended, cov-

ering an impressive volume of sky. The eagle pair

are fiercely defending the young eaglets develop-

ing in the nest.

We hope to have images of the youngsters

peeking above the nest by April. Stay tuned.

I n a short span of time on Feb. 18, Center Director John DeFillipo and I wit-

nessed an unusual number of aggressive attacks on birds passing near the bald

eagles’ nest. Story and photos by Tom Fleming

Fiercely protective of their nest, the eagles tolerate no

intruders, including this red-tailed hawk.

Keep out!

A t the Center, we maintain the belief that

we would not be what we are today if it

were not for the many Wetland Stewards who

serve and give of their time and talent.

By Linda Dunn

At this year’s Steward appreciation luncheon, we had

the honor of recognizing one of our Stewards for commit-

ment to the Center: Patricia Nichols. Patricia received the

GLASS Award — Giving Love All through Service and Stew-

ardship.

Patricia has been at the Center for five years and logged

more than 1,000 hours of service. Come any Wednesday

morning, and you’ll find her doing many different things:

working the front desk, editing the newsletter, doing data

entry on multiple projects, filing educational papers, clean-

ing and filling bird feeders, and more.

But I think her most beloved duty is taking care of our

snakes. Amber and Chex have to love her. She makes sure

they have everything they need, including a large playpen

that allows them to wander about, fully stretched out, to

the delight of our students.

Thank you, Patricia, for all that you do for the Center.

Your support is truly appreciated. Every Center should be

so blessed to have someone like you!

e et Mustela vison, the Texas mink and JBS resident.

By Patricia Nichols

he idea of setting our wetland on fire each winter to help manage the

overall function of the ecosystem might seem counterintuitive. But fire is

just the prescription for increasing wetland productivity. By Carol Garrison

The North Texas Municipal Water District

performs prescribed burns to:

• Reduce brush and heavy cattail thatch that

inhibit growth of more desirable species.

• Remove big water-consumers like willows.

• Promote a new, vibrant plant community to

improve water flow and quality as well as

wildlife habitat and diversity.

Prescribed burns are conducted in the winter

when temperatures are cool and plants are dry

and dormant. These conditions create combus-

tible material for a fire with the proper intensi-

ty to burn hot but not too hot. Another essen-

tial ingredient for effective burns is oxygen.

Our wetland burns require winds blowing 15

to 20 mph to keep the fire moving.

The safety of the surrounding community,

motorists, Wetland Center visitors and staff,

and Water District personnel is always top of

mind. Burns occur only when the wind is blow-

ing away from nearby highways and struc-

tures. They are limited to one cell at a time to

reduce the amount of smoke, and the wetland

water helps manage and control fires. The fire

team keeps pressurized water bottles on the

ready and closely monitors fires as they’re

burning and when they’re put out. The team

also coordinates with the Kaufman County

Sheriff’s Department and area fire depart-

ments and police.

This season’s prescribed burn ran from late

December through February.

Range and habitat. Across North America in

almost all elevations and climates. Semiaquatic,

otters are found in freshwater streams, lakes,

ponds and wetlands and along marine coasts.

Their presence indicates a healthy water sys-

tem. They live in burrows near the water’s edge.

Diet. Aquatic, including fish, frogs, turtles, craw-

fish and plants, but occasionally birds and small

mammals. Their high metabo-

lism requires frequent eating.

Physical description. Three to

four feet long, 11 to 33 pounds.

Otters have water-repellent fur

and webbed feet for swimming.

When underwater, their nostrils

and ears close, and a third eyelid

protects their eyes.

Lifespan. Typically about eight

years — if they survive their first year. Few

predators, other than humans, can catch adults.

Lifestyle. Mainly nocturnal but venture out dur-

ing the day. They’re fast, notorious wanderers

on land and the most adept swimmers of all the

land mammals. They can travel underwater for

a quarter-mile, dive 35 to 50 feet and stay sub-

merged for up to eight minutes.

Personality. Plus! Always curious and playful.

They love to slide on their bellies both down and

up hills of snow, ice, mud and leaves.

Communication. Whistles, buzzes, twitters,

chuckles, chirps, chitters and

growls. When threatened, ot-

ters emit a hair-raising scream.

They also leave scent marks on

vegetation in their home range.

Family life. Females do most

of the parenting. When the

pups are about two months

old, Mom pushes them into the

water for swimming lessons.

Conservation status. Least concern. They have

recovered from over-hunting, but habitat de-

struction and water pollution put otters at great

risk because they are so specialized.

WetlandWild :

T hey romp and wrestle, slip and slide, chuckle and chitter. Say hey to JBS’s

fun-loving North American river otter. By Patricia Nichols

Did you know? After a female otter breeds, the implantation of the embryo can be delayed 9 to 11 months, with actual gestation taking about 60 days. This mechanism allows otters and about 100 other mammals to time the birth of their youngsters to fa-vorable environmental conditions.

New Items in the JBS Wetland Center Gift Shop!

2019 Mugs Are Here

Mugs have the JBS logo or the eagle design. Both styles offer both logos. Large blue

mugs hold 16 oz. and the smaller red mugs hold 10 oz. Mugs are lead -free, food safe

and microwave/dishwasher safe. Proudly made in the USA and only $15.

New Sock Designs

12 new sock designs are in the gift shop in either anklet or crew height. Socks are 75%

cotton, 20% nylon, and 5% spandex. We’ve got great new flower, insect and bird

designs. Socks are proudly made in the USA. Anklets are $7.50 and crew socks are

$10.

Jabebo Earrings

Unique designs inspired by science, nature and the world we live in! 100% post -

consumer cereal box paperboard, clear coat and surgical steel hangers. Amazing

detail with realistic bird, insect and earth designs. Proudly handmade in the USA. $10.

Essential Oil Bracelets

Gorgeous lava bead bracelets just waiting for your favorite essential oils! Bracelets

include a variety of stones and charms (including eagles!). Bracelets have toggle

clasps for a custom fit to your wrist. $10.

John Bunker Sands Wetland Center

655 Martin Lane Combine/Seagoville, TX 75159

contact@wetlandcenter.com

972-474-9100

wetlandcenter.com

Animal, bird and insect finger puppets. $6.50

Assorted wildlife plush

animals. $9

Texas field guides—birds,

butterflies & more. $8

JBS logo & Water Is Life tees

short/long sleeves, xs-3xl. $16-$25

Music, Food, Fun for Everyone

This FREE family fun day includes live mu-

sic, food trucks, and lots of activities for kids

and adults here at the Wetland

Center. More details will be

coming, but be sure to mark the

date — Saturday, May 11 — so

you won’t miss out on the fun.

2nd REI Trail Run

Before the festival, put your

trail legs to the test. Register now for the 2nd REI

Trail Run. Whether you’re looking to run your

first trail race or hit a personal best, this fun,

lighthearted race will help you set your pace!

You can choose a 5K or 10K. Both races will

start and end at the Wetland Center and take

you on the levees through the wetlands.

Entry fees. The entry fee is $20 for REI mem-

bers and $25 for nonmembers. Everyone who

signs up will receive awesome REI swag, maps

of the course and post-race refreshments. Plus,

there are great prizes for the top men’s and

women’s finishers. And check out the FREE fun

run just for kids!

Packet pickup. You’ll have the option to choose

your distance when you pick up your packets.

They’ll be available at the REI

Dallas store on Thursday, May 9,

from 4-8 p.m., or at the Wetland

Center at 8 a.m. the morning of

the event. The 10K starts at 9

a.m. and the 5K at 9:15 a.m. You

can register on run day via mo-

bile; no cash will be accepted.

The Kids Fun Run starts at 9:25 a.m. and re-

quires no registration.

So lace up your shoes, grab your buddy and

get out on the trail with REI. Then relax , refresh

and recre-

ate at the

Mudbug

Festival!

It’s Back!

> Free Festival!

> Family Fun!

> 5K & 10K Run!

> Free Kids Run

T he Mudbug Festival’s coming back May 11, again with the help of REI.

Add it to your calendar NOW! By Linda Dunn