Featherless Flyer, December, 2015 P. 1

Featherless Flyer The Voice of The Friends of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge Foundation

December, 2015

Volume 10, Issue 12

Friends for TODAY support programs and activities for TOMORROW and ensure

that the Refuge will be here for wildlife AND people in the FUTURE!

Our Tenth Year

Contents

Geese By Golly, Event Calendar, Christmas Bird Count,

P. 1

At the Refuge, High on the Hawg, CoCoRaHS, P. 2

Coming Soon, Birding with Jack, Thank You, P. 3

Photo News, Visitor Center News, Nature Nook, P. 4

Geese By Golly

One Day Mini Bird Fest

Saturday, December 12, 9 am - 4 pm.

Guided tours of Wildlife Drive to see the wintering geese.

Tours by van will depart from the Visitor Center, at 10, 1 and 2:30.

Tram tours will be added, weather permitting.

LEARNING STATIONS:

10 - 11:30 am

Feather Facts, with Dr. Wayne Meyer

Bird Beaks, with David Palmer

Getting Ready for Bluebirds, with Don Lawrence

1:30 - 3 pm

Geese Migration, with Cindy Steele

Project Feeder Watch, Bluestem Chapter, Texas Master Naturalists

TALKS:

10:30 am - Backyard Birds, Larry & Helen Vargus

1:30 pm - Christmas Bird Count 101, Dr. Wayne Meyer

2:30 pm, Beginning Bird Photography, Dr. Michael Keck

See the Blackland Prairie Raptors, 11 AM - 1 PM

Live Bird Exhibit sponsored by the Denison Area Chamber of Commerce

Free family fun!

No reservations needed, come for one program or all.

Bring a picnic lunch or enjoy pulled pork BBQ sandwich

or hot dogs off the grill for a small donation.

Coming This Month at

HNWR

December 5

Youth FIRST will NOT meet this

month.

December 12, 9 am - 4 pm

Geese By Golly

December 19

7 am - 5 pm

Christmas Bird Count

Carlos & Eulalia Cardinal Express Tram Tours

2 pm Saturdays, Sundays Call the Refuge, 903 786 2826 to reserve

your spot.

Join in the 2015

Christmas Bird Count

December 19

Birders and bird watchers of all

levels of experience are needed

for the annual CBC. Coordina-

tor Dr. Wayne Meyer will assign

you to a team; you can register

for a half day, full day, and/or

owl count. A count social will be

held 4 - 6 pm. Home feeder

watchers also welcome! See

friendsofhagerman.com/

Activities for details and call the

Refuge, 903 786 2826, to regis-

ter.

Featherless Flyer, December, 2015 P. 2

Shown here, pa-

trons enjoying EZ

listenin’ music by The Country Roads Band after

the BBQ meal and PIE! Thanks to all who attend-

ed, to the band and Rusty Daniel, High on the

Hawg BBQ chef, and to Workampers, Refuge staff,

Friends Board and their

spouses, family & friends!

Photo by Courtney Anderson

Leslie Knudtson

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring!

By Sue Abernathy

Are you interested in knowing exactly how much rainfall you receive at home? Do you wonder if the amount of precipitation varies greatly across Gray-

son County? Would you like to have a permanent record of the total rainfall received in a given month, for the entire year and in previous years? If so,

the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) is for you!

CoCoRaHS is a “national grassroots, non-profit, community-based, high density precipitation network made up of volunteers of all ages and back-

grounds who take daily measurements of precipitation right in their own backyards.” The CoCoRaHS network originated at Colorado State University in

1998 with the intent of mapping and reporting intense storms. Since its inception, precipitation maps have been produced for every major storm. These

maps show local weather patterns which are of great interest to scientists and the public. Today CoCoRaHS includes thousands of volunteers nation-

wide who are willing to spend a few minutes each day measuring and reporting precipitation.

CoCoRaHS has several goals: 1) provide accurate high-quality precipitation data on a timely basis, 2) increase the density of precipitation data availa-

ble throughout the country, 3) encourage citizens to participate in meteorological science and heighten awareness about weather and 4) provide enrich-

ment activities and weather resources for teachers, educators and the community.

So why participate in CoCoRaHS? Precipitation is essential for life. However, it varies greatly with storm type, season and location. Data sources are

few and rain gauges are far apart. Measurements using different style rain gauges are not always accurate. Participation in CoCoRaHS provides quali-

ty precipitation data which is viewable immediately in both map and table form. “By providing your daily observation, you he lp fill in a piece of the weath-

er puzzle that affects many across your area in one way or another.” CoCoRaHS data is used by the National Weather Service, NOAA (National Ocean-

ic & Atmospheric Association), USDA, and local meteorologists. It provides a historical record of precipitation (and drought) and is used in predicting

long term weather patterns.

How can you become a CoCoRaHS volunteer? Training is provided to teach new observers how to install their rain gauge, properly measure precipita-

tion and submit reports online. It is important that all reports be as accurate and consistent as possible. To join the CoCoRaHS network, submit an

application online at www.cocorahs.org. Upon joining, you will receive a CoCoRaHS station ID unique to your specific rain gauge location. To complete

the required training, either view the ‘Getting Started’ training slide show online or attend a local training session. Next, purchase a 4 inch diameter high

capacity rain gauge, accurate to the nearest hundredth of an inch, which is available from several sources: www.weatheryourway.com,

www.ambientweather.com or your county coordinator. Install your rain gauge and begin measuring and recording daily precipitation observations online,

including days with no rain. (To participate, you must have daily access to a computer.)

There are currently over 15 active CoCoRaHS participants within Grayson County. With less than an hour of training and the purchase of an approved

rain gauge, you can become a CoCoRaHS observer. For more information, contact Sue Abernathy, Grayson County Coordinator at sueel-

len07@verizon.net and join the CoCoRaHS network!

At the Refuge - Refuge

Manage Kathy Whaley put

out a call for acorns to sow

on the Refuge and in they

came, by the bag and the

bucket, see photo at left.

Center, Workamper Lyn

Burkhardt is planting future

oaks. At right, Workampers

Bill Powell and Barry

Burkhardt repair the flood-

damaged kiosk opposite

the Visitor Center drive.

High on the Hawg

Featherless Flyer, December, 2015 P. 3

Excerpts from the weekly bird survey write-up

by Jack Chiles

November 3, 2015 Tallied 66 species on our count today. We only saw 15 white geese which is probably best because the grain needs a bit more time to get established after the recent rains. The immature White Ibis is still hanging around. Some of the group saw a Bald Eagle before we went out. We had a flyby male Northern Harrier on a Short Road. We saw a couple of groups of American Goldfinches and a least one Pine Siskin. There were quite a few ducks on the lake and in the marshes. On the lake we saw mostly Redheads with Lesser Scaups, Ring-necked, Ruddy, Canvasbacks, Gadwalls and Northern Pintails mixed in. At Dead Woman Pond we found a Belted Kingfisher and the

Red-headed Woodpeckers were active there.

November 10, 2015 Finished the day with 63 species. White geese are beginning to arrive in larger numbers and in 10 days or so most of the wintering geese should be here. Some of the better sightings were 9 Inca Doves in one group at the last corner before entering Goode and a group of 20 Cedar Waxwings in the same area. Sparrow numbers are increasing but we still have not seen a Harris's Sparrow. Ducks are in most of the marshes. There are two species of white geese at tHNWR, Snow Geese and Ross's Geese. At first glance they look very similar but upon closer examination you will see some distinct differences. In the photo the front right-most goose is a Snow Goose and the goose immediately to its left is a Ross's Goose. Notice the larger size of the Snow Goose, longer neck, less rounded head, longer bill and the dark "grinning patch" on the bill. In turn the Ross's Goose is smaller in size, has a shorter neck, more rounded head and a stubby bill. For me the really defining characteristic that separates the two is the more vertical demarcation between the feathering of the head and the base of

the bill of the Ross's. Both of these species occur in a dark phase (the dark birds in the photo). The dark phase is much more common in the Snow Goose than in the Ross's. The dark phase is sometimes referred to as Blue Goose. Take time studying these two species and

you will soon be amazed at how easy it is to tell them apart.

November 17, 2015 On a day that started out with rain but improved as the morning progressed we saw 65 species. It was a good morning for sparrows and when the rain stopped many of them came out and were sitting around on weeds and limbs drying off. We picked up another 1000 white geese bringing the total of white geese to 1750. There was also a group of 125 Greater White-fronted Geese. 4 American Avocets were still hanging around. We saw a Bald Eagle on Egret Pad. There were a lot of species of ducks with at least 500 Redheads. November 24, 2015 Eleven of us took part in the bird census and tallied 79 species. There are now over 5000 geese and good numbers of a lot of duck species. There were lots of birds every place we visited. We saw a mature Bald Eagle at Meadow Pond along with lots of American White Pelicans and Double-crested Cormorants. We saw both species of Kinglets, a Brown creeper, Spotted Towhee and Red-headed Woodpeckers. 5 Logger-headed Shrikes was a banner day for that species. We also saw 12 American Kestrels. See friendsofhagerman.com/BirdSurvey for complete census data.

THANK YOU

Martha Coppedge, Ginger Mynatt, Diane Getrum,

Dave Parsons, Cindy Steele for Youth FIRST

leadership.

Dr. Wayne Meyer, for leading Early Bird Walk and

Second Saturday program, Sparrows at HNWR.

Tram driver/guides for November - Cathy Van Bebber,

Jack Chiles, Roxie Wilson, Laurie Sheppard, Wayne

Meyer, Bill Powell and Mike Petrick, and for tram

maintenance, Larry Vargus.

November Garden Workers - Pat Crone, Sue

Abernathy, Judy Wilkins and Sue Malnory.

Nan Campbell, donation of printer cart.

Austin College Great Days of Service student

volunteers for sanding and oiling the garden benches.

Sally Bigley, Welcome Table Hostess, Nov. 14

Dr. Jorge Araoz, Butterfly Garden Sustaining Sponsor

Want to volunteer? See Friendsofhagerman.com/Contact

Birding with Jack Coming in January, 2016

January 1 & 18 - Refuge Office, Visitor Center Closed

January 2 - No Youth FIRST

January 9 - Prairie Restoration

January 16 - Nature Photo Club

Begin to Bird in 2016,

with Dick Malnory

10 am - Noon, January 23 & 30, 2016

Great time to begin a new hobby! Birding can give

life-long enjoyment. Start with the basics, with Dick Malnory.

There will be two sessions, and the second session is a continu-

ation of Part I, not a repeat. Advance registration is not required

but helps us know how much material to have on hand, thanks!

Register online, friendsofhagerman.com/Activities or call the Ref-

uge, 903 786 2826 to sign up.

Featherless Flyer, December, 2015 P. 4

Ken Morton, December, 2015

The Voice of

Friends of Hagerman NWR

Foundation

6465 Refuge Road

Sherman, TX 75092

Phone: 903-786-2826

friendsofhagerman@gmail.com

http://www.friendsofhagerman.com

http://www.friendsofhagermannwr.blogspot.com/

Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge

6465 Refuge Road

Sherman, TX 75092

Phone: 903-786-2826

Featherless Flyer

Editor/Publisher: Sue Malnory

Contributors: Jack Chiles, Jean Flick,

Laurie Sheppard

Refuge Liaison: Kathy Whaley

Visitor Center News Christmas Day, December 25, and New Year’s Day, January 1, are federal holidays. The Refuge Office and Visitor Center will be closed; Refuge lands are open daily from sunrise - sunset. Please note that Big Mineral, Sandy & Godwin Units will be closed to the public during the annual Archery Deer Hunt, on these dates: 2pm, Dec. 3 until Dec. 7; this includes Meadow Pond Trail and Big

Mineral Creek.

Welcome to new Visitor Center volunteers Hilario Zamarripa and Don Mitchell. New Visitor Center volunteers are always welcome! If you enjoy meeting people, are eager to share your enthusiasm for the Refuge and have basic computer skills, we have a place for you! Work one half-day or more each month, greeting and informing visitors and making sales in the book and gift shop. We provide training and support; email friendsofhagerman@gmail.com if interested. Other opportunities to volunteer are available, you can check them out at friendsofhagerman.com/Contact.

A recent retiree, Ken Morton, has enjoyed photography for about 30 years. Ken was born in Phillipsburg, Kansas, was in the United States Air Force from 1970 to 1980. He moved to Colorado in 1981 and is now a

20 year resident of Texas.

Ken got interested in photography while in Colorado. His early cameras were, Canon AT1, Canon AE1 Program, and in 2002 a Canon Elan 7E. Then in March of 2003, Ken's interest in photography jumped to a new high when he bought a Canon DSLR, the 10D. In 2006 Ken moved up to 2 Canon 20D's, one with an 18-200mm and the other with an 80-400mm, both Sigma lens'. Ken is now using 2 Canon 60D's with a Sigma 18-200mm and the new Sigma Contemporary

150-600mm.

Ken is an active member of both the Plano Photography Club and the Complete Photographer.

Though Ken shoots many types of photography, his favorite subjects are found in nature. From mountain goats to caterpillars, from bull elk to alligators, from water fowl to raptors to song birds, Ken relishes the challenge and the chase for the perfect shot. Ken has been coming to

Hagerman NWR since 2003 and it is one of his favorite places to view and shoot wildlife.

Shown here, “Sunrise Egret”. To view Ken’s album, go to: www.friendsofhagerman.com/Gallery. To learn more about becoming Photographer of the Month, see the sidebar on the Gallery page. FOH Nature Photo Club ~ The next meeting is set for 10 am; January 16, 2016, and will be an all day workshop on Lightroom software, presented by Jesus Moreno. Chair Ron Varley says, participants will need to bring a laptop loaded with Lightroom - a free trial version is available, and photos specific to the

workshop. For details please email Ron at fohphotoclub@gmail.com.

Enjoy what you’ve read? For a free monthly email link to this newsletter, please visit our

website at: www.friendsofhagerman.com/Contact

Adopt-a-Nest Box 2016 We have 20 nest boxes up for adoption for the 2016 season, first come first served, starting December 1.

Adopters get their name on their designated box and weekly emailed reports, including photos of nesting activity during the nesting season. The adoption fee is $30.00.

The Adopt-a-Nest Box form can be down-loaded friendsofhagerman.com/News, start-ing December 1, or obtained in the Nature Nook. Please complete the entire form. Boxes may be adopted for yourself or as a gift.

There will be a drawing for box numbers on February13.

Nature Nook

Give the gift of knowledge and enrichment!

The Nature Nook offers nature-themed

books for gifts or just because. Choose

from field guides, natural history, how-to for

birding and more as well as Thornton Bur-

gess collections and a nice variety of nature

themed board books for young children.