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Pine Warbler The Published September through May by The Piney Woods Wildlife Society, Inc. Vol. 27. No 5 May 2007 Date: Tues., May 15 Time: Social 7:00 p.m. Meeting 7:30 p.m. Place: Mercer Arboretum 22307 Aldine-Westfield May 15 Program — Bhutan- Land of the Thunder Dragon Presented by Carlton Collier Mo Chhu River - Photo by Carlton Collier Bhutan is a mystical and medieval kingdom hidden in the eastern Himalaya. It is a landlocked South Asian nation located between India and China. Here the Buddhist culture remains largely untouched by the outside world where people and nature coexist in a sacred balance. Bhutan’s ecosystem of valleys and mountains, virgin forests and crystal lakes is unsurpassed in its beauty. In remote villages, the friendly people of Bhutan maintain traditional lifestyles as yak-herders and highland farmers. The beautiful vistas can leave you breathless. This enchanted mountain kingdom features ancient monasteries clinging to cliff sides, ornate temples, colorful fortresses and superb mountain scenery. Carlton’s presentation for the Piney Woods Wildlife Society will be his journey into Bhutan. Not only were the birds and wildlife incredible, the culture was one of the most fascinating he has encountered on his travels. Their reverence towards their environment is a model for all nations with respect to our planet and its inhabitants. A native Houstonian, Carlton Collier, has been afflicted with the passion for nature and its animal life. Growing up, he began traveling to locations where he could experience new species in their element. Birding has been his primary purpose for these forays along with experiencing vastly different cultures. So far, he has traveled to 32 different countries primarily for the wildlife. Locally he has been involved with the Houston Citizens Environmental Coalition as a board member and presently is on the board with the Houston Audubon Society’s Sanctuary Committee. Bhutan Himalayan Scene - Photo by Carlton Collier

The Pine Warbler - Piney Woods Wildlife SocietyMay 2007 The Piney Woods Wildlife Society, Inc. Vol. 27. No 5 Date: Tues., May 15 Time: Social 7:00 p.m. Meeting 7:30 p.m. Place: Mercer

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Page 1: The Pine Warbler - Piney Woods Wildlife SocietyMay 2007 The Piney Woods Wildlife Society, Inc. Vol. 27. No 5 Date: Tues., May 15 Time: Social 7:00 p.m. Meeting 7:30 p.m. Place: Mercer

Pine WarblerThe

Published September through May byThe Piney Woods Wildlife Society, Inc. Vol. 27. No 5May 2007

Date: Tues., May 15

Time: Social 7:00 p.m. Meeting 7:30 p.m.Place: Mercer Arboretum 22307 Aldine-Westfield

May 15 Program — Bhutan- Land of the Thunder Dragon

Presented by Carlton Collier

Mo Chhu River - Photo by Carlton Collier

Bhutan is a mystical and medieval kingdom hidden in the eastern Himalaya. It is a landlocked South Asian nation located between India and China. Here the Buddhist culture remains largely untouched by the outside world where people and nature coexist in a sacred balance. Bhutan’s ecosystem of valleys and mountains, virgin forests and crystal lakes is unsurpassed in its beauty. In remote villages, the friendly people of Bhutan maintain traditional lifestyles as yak-herders and highland farmers. The beautiful vistas can leave you breathless. This enchanted mountain kingdom features ancient monasteries clinging to cliff sides, ornate temples, colorful fortresses and superb mountain scenery. Carlton’s presentation for the Piney Woods Wildlife Society will be his journey into Bhutan. Not only were the birds and wildlife incredible, the culture was one of the most fascinating he has encountered on his travels. Their reverence towards their environment is a model for all nations with respect to our planet and its inhabitants.

A native Houstonian, Carlton Collier, has been afflicted with the passion for nature and its animal life. Growing up, he began traveling to locations where he could experience new species in their element. Birding has been his primary purpose for these forays along with experiencing vastly different cultures. So far, he has traveled to 32 different countries primarily for the wildlife. Locally he has been involved with the Houston Citizens Environmental Coalition as a board member and presently is on the board with the Houston Audubon Society’s Sanctuary Committee.

Bhutan Himalayan Scene - Photo by Carlton Collier

Page 2: The Pine Warbler - Piney Woods Wildlife SocietyMay 2007 The Piney Woods Wildlife Society, Inc. Vol. 27. No 5 Date: Tues., May 15 Time: Social 7:00 p.m. Meeting 7:30 p.m. Place: Mercer

2 The Pine Warbler May 2007

Private Lives of Garden Birds By Calvin Simonds

Review and Comments by Jack Gorman

Many a time I have gazed out our back window and followed the antics of our resident Carolina Wren. It flits and fidgets from twig to twig in search of small bugs it can glean from the under growth. Then, it pecks at something inside our big fat bromeliad plants. Off it goes to the back fence, plucks back its tail and starts a cheerful, bubbling call. “Must be a male.” I remark to myself. “I sure enjoy his singing.” Once he even investigated the strains of classical music coming out from our CD player while staring at us though the window. Maybe he thought Beethoven was challenging him to a territorial contest. At such times I was learning something about the private life of our Carolina Wren. If learning more about the goings on in your bird world interests you, you will enjoy reading Simonds down-home stories about his experiences with eleven familiar birds families including mockingbirds, swallows, Blue Jays, chickadees, Song Sparrows, robins, House Sparrows, phoebes, Red-winged Blackbirds and hummingbirds. He presents many interesting tales about the every day lives of each species as he observed them in his vegetable garden and on his 100-acre spread of farm and fields. Let me summarize two chapters in detail to give you the taste of his writing.

MOCKINGBIRDS - Most Southerners have heard mockingbirds shouting out their zigzagged songs at all hours of the day and night. They call to remind other birds, animals and persons “This is my territory. Do not enter unless you want to be attacked.” Mockingbirds are fierce protectors of their territories. Pity the cat, hawk, bird or squirrel that comes too close. It will soon be buzzed by a fearless gray bird that aims a sharp peck of its beak at the head or back of the intruder. Mockingbirds can be recognized by their calls. Often, they seem to be singing just for the joy of it, repeating everything over and over. Occasionally they interrupt their scenario with an entirely new phrase or two and they often steal phrases from other birds.

The author has identified the calls of cardinals, orioles, Bobolinks, and Tufted Titmice in the ramblings of his mockingbirds. Catbirds and Brown Thrashers also have rambling calls that are similar to the mockingbird’s. To tell which species is calling Simonds has found that mockingbirds repeat phases over and over, while catbirds say things only once. Brown Thrashers, while having a vocabulary of a thousand phrases, generally repeat things only twice. Mockingbird parents share their domestic duties and are fierce in protecting their young. They even coordinate their attacks on anything that threatens them. I observed this when Mockingbirds nested in the bushes near our front mailbox. Cats and people, including myself, were dive-bombed by both parent birds for days until the hatchlings left the nest. Mockingbirds also remain territorial in guarding their food supplies throughout the fall and winter. Rarely will you find more than one mockingbird in your yard at one time. And, that one is probably the same one that was around all summer. Northern Mockingbirds will migrate south and stay there until the weather improves. They then migrate back to the same general local that they came from. Our southern birds generally do not migrate.

SONG SPARROWS - Song Sparrows are common throughout most of the United States. Many have slightly different colorations for their specific location. However, Song Sparrows from each region have their own calls. The most common phrase in their song seems to be DA-da-da DUH. It’s the song Simonds calls Beethoven’s fifth since the last DUH is a lower note. However, each Song Sparrow may have as many as 24 variations to their call. This allows the female and young to recognize the family’s call and location. For instance his call may be Da-da de-da, or Da-da-da Datwidle, or Da-da-da twidle, or even DAH-de da-da-da. Each young bird will learn its families call before it gets out of the nest. Song Sparrows are not shy of humans and have adjusted to nesting close to human residences. However, they will not nest in tidy, well-kept places. Instead, they prefer locations that have tall grasses and short bushes. This allows them to watch over their territory and pop up on a blade of grass or a low limb to call each other. The male also uses his distinct call to defend his territory. All day he flies from perch to perch outlining his territory with calls from each perch. Thus, a community of Song Sparrows knows where each family’s territory is and where they are not welcome to go hunting for food. Private Lives of Garden Birds is a good example of things any of us can discover if we take the time to watch what birds are really doing. And, it would be a wonderful starter book for both the beginning birder and the younger bird watcher.

Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)

Page 3: The Pine Warbler - Piney Woods Wildlife SocietyMay 2007 The Piney Woods Wildlife Society, Inc. Vol. 27. No 5 Date: Tues., May 15 Time: Social 7:00 p.m. Meeting 7:30 p.m. Place: Mercer

May 2007 The Pine Warbler 3

A Butterfly Sings the BluesEast Texas Nature

By Diane Cabiness, Texas Master Naturalist

“Nature’s message was always there and for us to see. It was written on the wings of butterflies.”—Kjell B. Sandved

Mention the word insect and the average Texan looks for a flyswatter or lifts a foot to stomp a you-know-what running across the floor, and yet there is one group of insects, namely, the lepidoptera, that have risen to stardom in the 20th Century. As I ponder the natural world, it is drizzly weather with ice predicted for tonight. Not exactly the weather to bring on inspiration but certainly the kind of inclement weather we occasionally get in the winter. As I walk to the mailbox breathing in deeply the cold air, I notice that the trees look naked without their leaves. I look in wonder at the majestic oaks and pines reaching up to the heavens with their outstretched branches. I found myself wishing I had a match to light to warm my chilled fingers that were slowly going numb. Unlike the Little Match Girl, I knew it would not be long before I would again be warm and toasty in my home. A small flock of white-throated sparrows are performing a “do-si-do” on the forest floor. Off in the distance I can hear the faint whinny of the downy woodpecker. No butterflies will be flitting about this afternoon. But summer memories of Sulphurs, Monarchs and Painted Ladies delight me with past images of cavorting butterflies in different colors.

Monarch Butterfly on Purple Coneflower

These flying insects are beautiful ambassadors for the ecotourism trade. They, also, pollinate plants and serve as food to birds and other animals. The lepidoptera are a litmus test of our world, giving us an early warning of pollution and various types of habitat destruction. Loss of habitat continues to be their biggest threat. Without a doubt, pesticides used in farming, mosquito control programs and lawn care will kill caterpillars. Sad to say, a few species are being pushed out of their residence by non-native species; others have been harmed by pollution. Many of you are generously giving nectar and host plants as gifts to friends and family. Be sure and include photos of the caterpillars that will be devouring the new host plants. Otherwise you may have to hear these words from your friend or family member, “Boy sure were a bunch of worms

on those plants you gave me. Don’t worry I killed everyone of them.” Unfortunately I have heard almost those exact words on many an occasion when talking to a butterfly enthusiast who has that kind of tragic story to relate from their best intentions of giving a host plant to a friend.

“May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sunAnd find your shoulder to light on.To bring you luck, happiness and riches.Today, tomorrow and beyond.” (An Irish blessing)

The Xerces Blue butterfly (Glaucopsyche xerces) is best known as the first butterfly in North America to have become extinct due to human disturbance. The species was described in 1852. The male’s upper wings were lilac-blue and the female’s upper wings were brown. The underside of the wings were extremely variable—grayish-brown with either white splotches or white-ringed black dots. This butterfly formerly inhabited the sand dune systems of San Francisco until its habitat was almost destroyed by urban housing and a military base. Small populations of this butterfly were scattered around the peninsula before these disturbances. The last time the Xerces blue was seen was in either 1974 or March 1943. The Xerces blue fed on leguminous plants, which still exist in the former localities. Why than did this unique blue disappear? Maybe the remaining areas were not large enough to maintain the diversity necessary to deal with the many difficult changes that occurred. Another theory is that this Blue like other lycaenid butterflies may have had a symbiotic relationship with ants in its larval stage called myrmecophilous (ant loving) where the ants tend to the larvae as cattle. The introduction of an Argentine ant kicked out the native ant, and this foreign organism was not adapted to having a close intimacy with the Xerces Blue caterpillars Unlike the Phoenix bird that rose from its own ashes, there is a different kind of resurrection planned by humans for the blues. The Palos Verde Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus palosverdesensis) is considered a Los Angeles cousin of the Xerces, is being raised in laboratories. It was listed in l980 as federally endangered. And a new Xerces-like subspecies of the Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus) have been discovered in California. If you have not listened to a program on butterflies or other insects, plan on checking the next lecture out. Or contact David Henderson, [email protected], for dates and further information for the next butterfly field trip or butterfly count. You may have so much fun from such outings you will want to join the BEST Chapter of the North American Butterfly Association, where all questions about butterflies are important.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; it’s the only theory that ever has.”—Margaret Mead

Please share your nature experiences with me at [email protected]

Page 4: The Pine Warbler - Piney Woods Wildlife SocietyMay 2007 The Piney Woods Wildlife Society, Inc. Vol. 27. No 5 Date: Tues., May 15 Time: Social 7:00 p.m. Meeting 7:30 p.m. Place: Mercer

4 The Pine Warbler May 2007

Whale Lagoons of Baja CaliforniaBy John Jones

There’s no doubt that Baja California is the best place in the world to see whales. The Sea of Cortez is renowned for the many species of whales that can be seen there in a relatively small area. Whale lagoons on the Pacific side, however, get most of the publicity, and rightly so. The California Gray Whales are the Baja superstars. They migrate by the thousands each winter to lagoons and bays along the Pacific coast to breed, give birth and nurture their young. Gloria and I can testify that there are few things on earth that can compare to the absolute thrill of seeing these fortyfive-foot gentle giants so close and being able to touch and pet them when they approach the small pangas or Zodiacs. You wonder what they are thinking as they swim next to, under and around these small craft that they could swamp with one flip of their massive flukes. Do they consider it to be another animal of the sea with many arms and hands splashing in the water making exuberant noises, or do they recognize it as a small boat filled with excited friendly people eager to pet and scratch. Of course, there’s no way to know, but I like to think it is the latter since they never bump the boat unless by accident. Yet, they will at times, lift their massive heads from the water to be petted, giving us the once-over with a saucer sized eye and misting us with their breath. Two of the prime congregating grounds for these magnificent animals that are most accessible to people like us is the San Ignacio Lagoon and the vast Bahia Magdalena. The San Ignacio Lagoon is probably the most famous because of the research done there by biologists studying the California Gray Whale and the startling discovery made there in 1975 that some of the grays are friendly. Also, it is accessible by road although the long stretch from the quaint village of San Ignacio to the lagoon is a tortuous, rough, rutted washboard that gave us a teeth jarring ride. Bahia Magdalena is officially a bay because it is enclosed by islands rather than by a barrier reef of sand. One of the islands, Isla Magdalena, features some beautiful massive sand dunes. The bay extends parallel to the coast for thirty miles or so before joining the actual lagoon through a winding canal, flanked at low tide by broad sandbars. Although somewhat more difficult to visit than San Ignacio Lagoon, it’s well worth the effort. These flats are where shorebirds, herons and ibis feed. The bay has a mangrove forest that hosts a rookery for frigate birds, herons and cormorants. The bay and lagoons also have a high density of Ospreys that utilize the bountiful supply of fish. Our first visit there many years ago was somewhat of an accident. We sailed into the bay looking for relief from a Pacific storm tossed sea that was giving our small ship and passengers a severe beating. As it worked out, it was a blessing in disguise. Some ninety thousand Brant, a small sea goose, fly directly to these bays and lagoons during the winter from a staging area on the Alaska Peninsula. Other long-range migrants attracted to these rich waters include shorebirds such as Marbled Godwits, American Avocets and Willets that have nested around the lakes of the Great Plains. Long-billed Curlews come from British Columbia, Western Sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitchers, Sanderlings, and Dunlins from the arctic coast. In spite of all the migrant and local bird life, the greatest attraction in the lagoons by far is the California Gray Whale.

Nowhere else in the world, such a concentration of a single species of whales is found. Every year around eleven thousand of them make a ten thousand mile round trip from the Bering Sea to the coast of Baja — the longest migration of any mammal in the world. From January until spring, pregnant females and cow-calf pairs occupy these shallow protected lagoons. During this period, several hundred fortunate people make the trip each year for a chance to associate with these great mammals of the sea. Early in the season many of the cows are protective of their babies but later some are more relaxed and many will allow their month-old calves to approach the small boats full of people to be petted. In fact, some seem to encourage it and will participate themselves. These are referred to as “friendlies” for obvious reasons. The California Gray Whales are certainly not the most attractive of the leviathans. They get their name from the gray patches and white mottling on their dark skin. Since they are bottom feeders, scooping up large amounts of material with their mouth and straining it through the baleen to collect the small crustaceans, they seem to have more than their share of barnacles and whale lice. Some of the friendly cows we encountered were almost white. The young calves are more uniform in color. Most of those that we were lucky enough to pet did have a few barnacles that we assumed came from their mother. The whale skin has a soft rubbery feel to it that Gloria compares to that of eggplant. It’s difficult to believe that these animals were almost wiped from the face of the earth years ago by whalers in these very lagoons, where they were slaughtered for their oil. It’s also difficult to understand why anyone today would want to kill one of these gentle and trusting creatures for any reason. Thankfully, after some sixty years of full protection they have rebounded to near their original populations — an amazing success story although only one of few for whale species around the world.

This calf, swimming under our boat, is getting its back scratched, rubbed and petted the entire length. Only about two months old, the calf is much longer than our small panga.

Page 5: The Pine Warbler - Piney Woods Wildlife SocietyMay 2007 The Piney Woods Wildlife Society, Inc. Vol. 27. No 5 Date: Tues., May 15 Time: Social 7:00 p.m. Meeting 7:30 p.m. Place: Mercer

May 2007 The Pine Warbler 5

Summer Break

As most of you are aware, the Piney Woods Wildlife Society takes a summer break from June until September — no meetings, field trips or newsletters, so your next Pine Warbler will be the September issue.

The one exception is the popular Potluck, Show-and-Tell get-together in August, where we greet our friends, compare notes on our summer activities, share some nature photos, and have a feast. The tentative date is Saturday, August 18, but members will receive a card in early August with the date, site and directions.

Next to the food and camaraderie, the nature photo show is the highlight of the event. The down side is that it takes too long to get everyone’s show loaded — creating too much downtime. Also, the exposures of the photos aren’t consistent between presentations. So this year we will try a different procedure. Please send your PowerPoint program, or just your photos if you prefer, to John Jones a few days before the meeting. He will load all the presentations, tweak all the exposures so they will be consistent, and have them ready for the meeting. Please limit your selection to a dozen or so of your best photos in order for us to have time for everyone.

Whooping Crane Death

Spring and fall migrations are always dangerous times for Whooping Cranes. They must dodge utility lines, towers, guy wires, fence wires and poachers, among other perils, along their route between their breeding grounds in the Woods Buffalo National Park in Canada and their wintering grounds in and around the Aransas NWR on the Central Coast of Texas. A Whooping Crane, found dead in a farmer’s field near Bismarck, ND on April 18, appeared to have suffered a broken neck from a collision. An identification band revealed the bird hatched in 1983. Biologists say most whooping cranes do not live much longer than 20 years so this one was a real senior citizen. Who knows, this bird could possibly have been one of the several that we saw on our February field trip. According to Tom Stehn, the whooping crane coordinator for the Fish and Wildlife Service at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas, in spite of its age, the bird was still a very productive male, having brought six chicks to Aransas out of the last 10 years. Also, this crane as a chick was involved in the fastest whooper migration across the United States ever recorded. This bird and its parents were in a flock of six whooping cranes that landed near Pierre, SD, on Nov. 8, 1983, and were found on the Texas coast just three days later.

From left: Hilary Charpiot, Kailey Posterick, Allison Wald, Ian Holt, Rachel Miller, and Texas Parks & Wildlife’s Keith Crenshaw.

Klein Collins Team Wins Wildlife Event at EnvirothonBy David Henderson

Mon, 23 Apr 2007. At this past weekend’s 7th annual Texas State Envirothon, the Klein Collins all-senior team of Hilary Charpiot, Ian Holt, Rachel Miller, Kailey Posterick, and Allison Wald equipped themselves well, placing 8th overall out of a field of 19 teams, and in the top five in three of the six testing areas.

This includes a first place finish (by a wide margin) in the wildlife category. Team Advisor David Henderson is very proud of this team’s efforts, and the entire team wishes to thank our sponsors, the Piney Woods Wildlife Society. We will bring our trophy for you to view at next month’s meeting.

Page 6: The Pine Warbler - Piney Woods Wildlife SocietyMay 2007 The Piney Woods Wildlife Society, Inc. Vol. 27. No 5 Date: Tues., May 15 Time: Social 7:00 p.m. Meeting 7:30 p.m. Place: Mercer

6 The Pine Warbler May 2007

April Field Trip NoteBy John Laneri

For the April 14 field trip, eight members met near the seawall on Galveston Island. Our intentions were to brave the elements and capture as many migratory birds as possible.

Eight hours later, we had tallied eighty-five species, a satisfactory number, especially when confronting thirty-five knot winds. While the elements added a challenge to the birding, we had fun and that’s what it’s supposed to be about.

Our most unusual sighting was the Sora – a small, short-tailed rail with a yellow bill and distinctive black facial patch. Our best is still being debated. Someone mentioned the aging B-17 bomber that flew overhead at 500 feet. Others were shouting things like the Hooded, Cerulean, Nashville, Blue-winged, Tennessee, Magnolia, Black and White, Worm-eating and Yellow-rumped Warblers.

As to migratory numbers, Barn Swallows led the list, followed by Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Indigo Buntings, Orchard Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and a surprising number of Scarlet and Summer Tanagers.

For a change, we visited a place called Dos Vacas Muertes. It’s a new sanctuary owned by the Houston Audubon Society. While we missed the two dead cows, the area did offer good sightings and varied habitat. It’s located on Sea Bird Drive beyond the state park and immediately before the Sea Isle subdivision.

In all, given the windy conditions, we had a very respectable day.

Sora (Porzana carolina)

May 5 FieldtripBig Thicket Butterfly Count

By David Henderson

The details have finally been worked out, and the circle has been drawn for what should soon become one of the premier counts anywhere in the U.S., north of the LRGV — the Big Thicket Butterfly Count. Within its 177 square miles and its late spring timeframe, one should expect to view Zebra Swallowtails, King’s, Banded and Striped Hairstreaks, Little Metalmarks, Georgia Satyrs, and Twin-spot Skippers, as well as any number of other species of butterflies more typical of Southeast Texas. The area will include two of the Big Thicket National Preserve’s best-known units - Hickory Creek and Turkey Creek - both of which are crisscrossed extensively by hiking trails. Also within its borders is the Kirby State Forest, and one of the finest private nature reserves anywhere - Watson Pinelands. Besides all this, the Big Thicket Scenic Parkway (US 69), Gore Store Road, and a Byzantine maze of other forest highways and byways will make for delightful butterflying by car. Then, if that’s not enough for you, the countdown dinner will be held at the Tree Restaurant & Grill in Hillister - widely acclaimed as one of the premier steakhouses in all of East Texas! So, do come and join us. We will meet Saturday, May 5, at 9:30 a.m. at the Big Thicket National Preserve’s Visitor Center, seven miles north of Kountze, Texas, at the corner of U.S. Highway 69 and FM 420. The cost will be $3 per person (NABA count fee). Bring a picnic lunch, and be ready to have a lot of fun.

Thanks For Your Generous Donation

The Piney Woods Wildlife Society sincerely appreciates the thoughtful and generous gifts from the following members:

Anita Tiller, Charles and Laura Densmore

Donations make it possible for us to send you this publication to you and to fund the special projects we undertake on behalf of nature and conservation.

New Piney Woods Wildlife Society Member

Please welcome the following new member to the Piney Woods Wildlife Society:

Stella Ryder 12274 Ike White Road Conroe, TX 77303

Please enter Stella’s data in the back of your 2007 Piney Woods Wildlife Directory.

Page 7: The Pine Warbler - Piney Woods Wildlife SocietyMay 2007 The Piney Woods Wildlife Society, Inc. Vol. 27. No 5 Date: Tues., May 15 Time: Social 7:00 p.m. Meeting 7:30 p.m. Place: Mercer

The Pine Warbler 7

HEART Happenings

Check out the Piney Woods Wildlife Society’s Internet page, located in Yahoo Clubs at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pineywoodswildlifesociety. Instructions for joining the club are in the message section of the club’s page. Visitors to the site will find information about upcoming PWWS club meetings and field trips as well as other information of interest to local nature lovers.

Thanks to webmaster Dr. John Laneri, up-to-date- information and last minute changes in activities are posted on our web page.

May 2007

The sea turtle nesting season has begun. Unfortunately, it started with a tragedy when a National Park Service staff member was killed while riding an ATV patrolling for sea turtles at the Padre Island National Seashore. The accident happened some 21 miles from the starting point with no witnesses. Marina Giggleman, 46, left a 14-year-old son. Her husband, Craig, is an employee of the Fish and Wildlife Service in their Corpus Christi office. He made a special request that the patrols would not be stopped. Over one million miles have been traveled within the National Seashore without an accident. Time to speak up again! At their April meeting, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commissioners halted all commercial collection of turtles in Texas ponds, lakes and streams. If you go to www.ridleyturtles.org, you can get a link to read details about Texas turtles and why this action had to be taken. We must have a permanent ban on commercial collection of the small turtles that inhabit Texas and that we enjoy seeing so much. These small turtles including red ear sliders, soft shells, snappers, map turtles, cooters and box turtles have been shipped from the Dallas-Fort Worth airport to China where they have been slaughtered for food. China has very few turtle species of its own left and are now importing our turtles. Beginning the week of April 9, comments will be taken for thirty days on the proposed rules:On the Web, at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/feedback/public_commentBy e-mail, to Robert MacDonald, at [email protected] mail, to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744.

Your message to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commissioners might read: Thank you for stopping commercial turtle collecting in Texas. Please make this halt in stripping Texas ponds, streams and lakes of turtles a permanent rule. We have already lost thousands of turtles so that a few people could make a few dollars. There is much evidence indicating that, because of their biology, most turtle populations cannot sustain any level of commercial harvest. Furthermore, the population status of Texas turtles and tortoises has never been assessed, nor have the effects of commercial harvesting and the sustainability of populations with the current management strategies. These small, defenseless inhabitants of Texas must be protected from those who would send them to their death for pennies.

Please take a few minutes to help the small turtles of Texas.

The attractive Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) is one of the turtles being commercially collected for sale to China. Throughout most of Texas, this turtle can be seen in slow-moving rivers and streams, lakes , ponds and wetland areas, basking on logs or floating vegetation — at times in large numbers.

Page 8: The Pine Warbler - Piney Woods Wildlife SocietyMay 2007 The Piney Woods Wildlife Society, Inc. Vol. 27. No 5 Date: Tues., May 15 Time: Social 7:00 p.m. Meeting 7:30 p.m. Place: Mercer

8 The Pine Warbler

The Pine Warbler is published monthly, September through May, by:The Piney Woods Wildlife Society, Inc. P. O. Box 189, Spring, Texas 77383-0189For membership information write to us at the above address.Annual Dues: $15.00 per household.

Editor: John M. Jonese-mail address: [email protected] High Springs DriveHouston, TX 77068-1814Submit articles by the 12th of the previous month.Send address changes and corrections to John Jones

2007 Board of DirectorsPresident ..........................................................................................Al Barr1st Vice President (Publicity)....................................................Carole Allen2nd Vice President (Membership) .....................Jean and Mike Drummond3rd Vice President (Programs) .......................................Carlos HernandezSecretary ...........................................................................Carole FrascellaTreasurer .....................................................................................Jim LaceyDirector (term expires 2007)....................................................Scott BuckerDirector (term expires 2008)................................................ Jennifer BackoDirector (term expires 2009).................................................Steven StonesPast President ...................................................................... Kathy Coward

Phone numbers of interest:HEART Hotline ......................................................................281-444-6204

Piney Woods Wildlife Society, Inc.P. O. Box 189Spring, TX 77383-0189

May 5 field trip —Big Thicket, Watson Pinelands butterfly count — leader: David Henderson

May 8 board meeting — Al and Carole Barr home at 7 p.m.

May 15 program —Bhutan - Land of the Thunder Dragon — Presented by Carlton Collier (see page 1)

May 15 — “Bhutan-Land of the Thunder Dragon”

May 2007 ACTIVITIESS M T W T F S

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