Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park April 29 - May 1, 2016
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| April 29 - May 1, 2016
Welcome We would like to welcome nature lovers who enjoy the great diversity of wildlife found in the Texas Hill Country to the Sixth Annual Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival on April 29, 30 and May 1 at Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park in Fredericksburg. In addition to the featured Hill Country’s natural fliers, birds, bats, butterflies and dragonflies, this year’s festival schedule will also include programs on snakes, pollinators, White-tailed deer and wildflowers. All activities in the park will be conducted on Friday and Saturday, April 29-30. The activities on Sunday, May 1 will be field trips to Hill Country birding venues. The festival directors are pleased to have Cecilia Riley, formerly executive director of the Gulf Coast Birding Observatory, who will give a feature presentation on “Life is Better with Birds” and be at a reception on Saturday evening. Riley will share her lifetime experiences with bird conservation. Among her accomplishments are the acquisition, protection and enhancement of large tracts of bird habitat for migratory birds in both the Texas Gulf Coast and Central and South America. This naturally wonderful weekend will again feature a live raptor flying demonstration by John Karger’s Last Chance Forever Birds of Prey Conservancy in San Antonio on Friday evening. See a variety of raptors, including hawks, owls, vultures and eagles that were rescued and rehabilitated by Karger’s staff. Bill Lindemann, local naturalist, will give an overview talk on “The Nature of the Texas Hill Country” at 9 a.m. Friday at Pioneer Pavilion, discussing the special aspects of the region’s natural heritage.
to the Sixth Annual Wings over the Hills Nature Festival
and activities. This event has been a highlight of past festivals and will include an introduction to live snakes and a bug safari in the park. A butterfly tent featuring live area butterflies will be set up at the beautiful pollinator garden, where both children and other attendees can watch the interaction of birds, insects and plants. A van will shuttle festival attendees to a local ranch on Friday and Saturday where hummingbird banders from the Gulf Coast Birding Observatory in Lake Jackson will allow up close observation and Come enjoy a naturally wonderful weekend in Fredericksburg. This Ringed photography of the colorful tiny birds. The banders will also discuss Kingfisher is one of the many species of birds found in the Hill Country. the life histories of the hummers. Ruth Hoyt will conduct a nature Friday and Saturday activities in to the mentioned birds, three bun- photography workshop on Saturday morning. Hoyt, one of the the park will include nature talks, ting species, kingfishers, hawks, state’s top nature photographers, nature walks, a nature photography orioles and sparrows will likely be will demonstrate and discuss the workshop, beginner workshops for found. techniques she uses to produce outbutterflies and dragonflies, chilTwo half-day field trips to standing nature photographs. dren’s activities, vendor craft sales Enchanted Rock and the KerThe Wings Over the Hills Nature and educational displays. rville area are offered this year Festival is sponsored by the Friends Friday and Saturday field trips and should find sparrows, wrens, will locate birds at Enchanted warblers and other migrating song- of the Fredericksburg Nature Center and all proceeds will be Rock, Kerrville hotspots, Love birds. channeled into developing the Creek Nature Preserve, Guadalupe A wide variety of topics will be Fredericksburg Nature Center in River State Park/Honey Creek covered by area speakers during Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park Wildlife Management Area, and talks all day Friday and Saturday. and other nature areas in the city Junction hotspots, while a shuttle These experts will share their of Fredericksburg. will take participants to a humknowledge of birds, bats, butterThe outstanding nature area mingbird banding demonstration flies, dragonflies, snakes, spiders in the park has been developed on a private ranch. and pollinators. Sunday birding field trip venues Of special interest to Hill Coun- almost entirely by volunteers on a scenic 10 acre section of the park. will include Enchanted Rock, Lost try residents will be a talk about Please read articles in this publiMaples State Natural Area and the the significant threat of Chronic cation for details. Junction area. Wasting Disease (CWD) to our Field trips are being offered on White-tailed deer population. Fesall three days to excellent Hill tival goers will have a choice of two Country venues where both endan- speaking topics being given simulON THE COVER: From left, at gered species, the Golden-cheeked taneously. the feeder are an Indigo Bunting, Warbler and Black-capped Vireos, A Children’s Pavilion will be set can be seen. up on Saturday in the park from 10 Painted Bunding and Lazuli Bunting. The all-day field trips have found a.m. to 2 p.m. to entertain and edu- Other winged creatures include a Halloween Pennant Dragon Fly and more than 80 species of birds on cate youngsters about our natural a Gulf Fritillery butterfly. previous festival trips. In addition world through interactive games
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Ruth Hoyt (Photo by Pickles)
Hoyt to lead photography workshop Ruth Hoyt, a nature photographer, will teach attendees how to capture nature images in a photography workshop. Hoyt will conduct a half-day nature photography workshop at the Sixth Annual Wings over the Hills Nature Festival in Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park from 7:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 30 at the Tatsch House. Seating will be limited. Hoyt, a resident of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, has been teaching wildlife photography for more than 20 years. She has led tours and workshops around the state and nation. Her work has appeared in National Geographic Magazine, the Nature Conservancy, Birder’s World, Texas Monthly and many others. She has also founded and led several nature photography organizations, including Texas Nature and Environmental Photographers (TexNEP). For more information, visit her website: http://ruthhoyt.com. Hoyt’s courses
Photo classes — In photo and computer classes, participants bring cameras or computers and learn through lectures, class discussion and camera handling or computer exercises. Workshops — In workshops there is classroom instruction and field work. Tours — In tours participants go out in the field with Hoyt and photograph images then download photos during breaks.
Birder’s Paradise Hill Country habitats are rich with birds
Several noted Texas birders will be giving talks and/or leading field trips at the Sixth Annual Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival that will be held April 30-May 1 at Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park. Birding field trips, a live demonstration of flying birds of prey and a hummingbird banding demonstration are also planned during the festival. Details of these events can be viewed throughout this publication. Two-thirds of the over 630 recorded sightings of birds in Texas have been in the Edwards Plateau (including the Hill Country) which makes up only 17 percent of the Texas landscape. Located between the wet piney woods in East Texas and the dry Chihuahuan Desert in West Texas, the Edwards Plateau is the overlap region of ranges of bird species from both the east and west. The Edwards Plateau also lies
Vermilion Flycatcher
April 29 - May 1, 2016
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Birding field trips under excellent guidance The Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival conducts eight guided birding trips to six excellent Hill Country venues including Enchanted Rock SNA, Kerrville Hotspots, Junction Hotspots, Love Creek Nature Preserve, Lost Maples SNA and Guadalupe River SP/ Honey Creek SNA. Field trip leaders are all experienced birders from state and regional locations: Martin Hagne and Richard Redmond from Bandera, Kyle O’Haver from Colorado City, Rhandy Helton from Junction, Craig Hensley from Bulverde, Cecilia Riley from Lake Jackson, Laurie Foss from Spicewood, Romey Swanson from New Braunfels, and Bill Lindemann and Jane Crone from Fredericksburg. Past year trips have cumulatively found over 100 species, including both endangered species, the Golden-cheeked Warbler and Blackcapped Vireo.
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
between the warm and subtropical Lower Rio Grande Valley in South Texas and the higher and colder regions of North Texas and the Llano Estacado (High Plains), extending into the Panhandle. Bird species from both the north and south have been expanding their ranges into the Edwards Plateau. When visiting the Hill Country on birding excursions, visit venues such as state parks, nature centers and wildlife management areas and ask for checklists of the birds seen on the property. Often, these lists also provide information on abundance, season occurrence and nesting. For example, the bird check list for the Fredericksburg Nature Center in Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park in Fredericksburg contains 182 species and the information listed above to help plan birding excursions. Several state parks and natural areas occur in the Edwards Plateau and the Hill Country which offer excellent birding venues for all skill levels of birders. Lost
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Maples State Natural Area, Guadalupe River, South Llano River and Pedernales Falls parks have breeding populations of the two endangered species, the Goldencheeked Warbler and the Blackcapped Vireo during the spring and summer seasons. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area provides brushland habitat for several species of wrens and sparrows typically found in South and West Texas. Waste water treatment plants in Fredericksburg and Junction are excellent sites to observe a variety of ducks and waders during the early spring, late fall and winter seasons. Many venues such as Pedernales Falls State Park, near Johnson City, and South Llano River State Park in Junction, have bird blinds to allow birders to sit in comfort watching birds come to the site for food and water. A handicapped accessible blind is available in Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park in Fredericksburg. For additional details on all of these birding activities, go the website: www.wingstx.org.
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A hummingbird in the hand
Festival offers Hummingbird banding trips Partici pants observe, capture, measure, release birds for science A bird banding demonstration will take place in Kerrville as part of the Sixth Annual Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival, Friday and Saturday, April 29-30. A shuttle will take participants from Pioneer Pavilion at Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park to the Dendy Ranch (between Kerrville and Harper) at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., both days. Robert and Kay Lookingbill, who hold master bird banding permits, will discuss the natural history of the hummingbirds and what has been learned from banding projects. Participants will observe capture, banding measurement and release of the hummingbirds on the Dendy Ranch, owned by Bill and Fran Dendy. The Dendys are hosts to hundreds and possi-
bly thousands of hummingbirds every spring and summer, a virtual beehive of activity from March to September. The Lookingbills are research associates for the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory (GCBO) out of Lake Jackson. They have managed a variety of bird banding projects for over a decade, banding hummingbirds, songbirds, raptors, owls and pelicans. In addition to their work at the GCBO, they also volunteer their banding experience for a number of other organizations and facilities in Texas. They operate a year-round banding station at the GCBO for songbirds and hummingbirds. Seating is limited, so consider registering online at www.wingstx.org to save a seat.
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| April 29 - May 1, 2016
Friends of the Fredericksburg Nature Center The Friends of the Fredericksburg Nature Center would like to welcome all to the Sixth Annual Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival. The Friends’ mission is to enhance, protect and interpret the natural ecosystem of the Texas Hill Country while providing educational and quality of life opportunities for members of the community and visitors. The Friends has scheduled a threeday celebration of the outstanding natural diversity found in the Texas Hill Country. The non-profit corporation was founded by a group of volunteer nature enthusiasts in 2000 to provide educational venues for school children and trails for the enjoyment of all who appreciate nature. Turning what was considered 10 acres of waste property in Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park into a favored destination for birders, hikers and explorers proved to be a rewarding challenge. Friends and volunteers built one mile of nature trails in 2001 along Live Oak Creek and upgraded about 600 feet of the trail in 2007 into a Handicapped Accessible Trail (HAT). Along the HAT are special sites for users to appreciate Hill Country birds, butterflies, wildflowers and rocks. All proceeds from the festival are used to create and promote other nature-related venues in the park and city. In 2012, the Friends converted an abandoned experimental rose garden into a pollinator garden in Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park. The pollinator garden not only serves as a great educational venue for the pollination process, but also has become the most
beautiful part of the park. Be sure to visit as a lot of buzzing is going on there. Inventories of the flora and fauna indicated the seven distinct habitats found in the nature area hosted an extensive array of plants and animals, including over 260 species of naturally occurring wildflowers, 182 birds, 70 butterflies and 50 species of dragonflies and damselflies. In 2014, the Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine cited our nature center area as the “Best in Texas” for adding to plant and animal lists. In 2004, the Friends joined with Fredericksburg Elementary School to host an annual Third Grade Day in the park for approximately 200 students. The event became a regular part of the school curriculum. Other schools also use the nature area as an outdoor classroom. In 2010, the Friends teamed up with the Fredericksburg Rotary Clubs to host an annual nature festival called the Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival. In 2014, the Friends became the sole sponsor of the event. The nature area in Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park is a testament to the importance of volunteers creating an important educational and recreational venue in a community. Through tens of thousands of hours of labor donated by members, master naturalists, Boy Scouts and students, the trails of the nature area allow thousands of hikers to appreciate and enjoy nature in the park. We thank all of the people who joined us in celebrating nature during the fifth annual festival in 2015. An invitation is always open to return to our nature area throughout the year.
Chronic wasting disease a timely Hill Country topic Robert Dittmar, a veterinarian in Kerrville, will give an introductory talk on the history of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 30 at Pioneer Pavilion. CWD is a neurological disease that has been detected in several animals in the Hill Country and poses a serious threat to our white-tailed deer populations. Dittmar currently is working with a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) team to assess the presence and extent of CWD in our deer populations and working on a plan to limit the disease’s impact on local populations. The study is complicated by the fact that an infected animal may show no symptoms for four to five years and then suddenly show debilitating symptoms and die. Live animals cannot be suc-
cessfully tested for the disease and there is no vaccine available to prevent infection. To make a credible assessment of the presence of this disease will require close cooperation between landowners, hunters, researchers and the general public to attain the necessary data. To make this assessment involves an extensive testing of dead animals (harvested, roadkill and other causes of death) and tracking the histories of animals among deer breeding operations. The first step is to learn all that is known about CWD and to cooperate with the assessment team to provide access to dead animals for testing. For more details, go to www. wingstx.org.
April 29 - May 1, 2016
Swirling frenzy of bats captures visitors attention Nyta Brown, the superintendent of the Old Tunnel State Park, will give a presentation on the ecology of Hill Country bats at the Sixth Annual Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival, at 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 29, at Pioneer Pavilion in Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park. Every night from spring to fall, 100 million residents of the Texas Hill Country go to work as pest exterminators with little or no fanfare. Yet, many of our Hill Country residents are not aware of these hardworking bugeating machines and the great job they do to keep agricultural pests under control. One hundred million Mexican free-tailed bats begin arriving in late February from Mexico and Central America and stay with us until early fall. Their summer homes include caves, highway bridges and abandoned buildings. Mexican free-tailed bats, only one of 11 species of bats that have been identified in the Texas Hill Country, dominate the bat population by having such extraordinary high numbers of individuals. Other fairly common bat species here include Big Brown, Eastern Red, Hoary, Cave Myotis, and Eastern Pipistrelle. Mexican free-tailed bats have an
Bat Viewing Those interested in a field trip to witness the emergence of the bats from an old railroad tunnel in the Old Tunnel State Park can travel on their own to the state park. To get there, take U.S. 290 East to the Old San Antonio Road and proceed approximately 10 miles to the park. Signs are in place to guide visitors. The bats generally emerge around 8 p.m., but you can call 866-978-2287 to get the latest emergence times. The event is free to the public; a closer viewing site has an admission charge.
extremely interesting lifestyle and huge impact on the ecosystem. When the bats leave the caves in the late evening, they may travel up to 100 miles to search for food. Many travel to the South Texas agricultural areas where they feed on moths and other flying insects. A particular favorite food is the corn ear worm moth, a pest to the farmers. The 100 million bats in the Hill Country consume 1,000 tons (2,000,000 pounds) of insects every night. On a spring or summer evening, spectators can witness the emergence of millions of bats from one of the caves. In some cases, the time it takes to clear all of the bats from a cave takes three to four hours. A swirling frenzy of wings creates a wind current of its own as the bats leave the cavern opening. From a distance they resemble a column of black smoke. As more emerge, the column changes to clouds as they gain altitude to ride winds to their feeding grounds up to 100 miles distant. Good viewing sites include the Old Tunnel State Park, southeast of Fredericksburg; the Eckert/ James River Bat Cave, near Mason, and the Frio Cave, near Concan.
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Riley has been protecting bird habitats for 19 years Conservationist Cecilia Riley will discuss her efforts in conserving and protecting the critical habitats for migratory and tropical birds across the Americas in the Sixth Annual Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival. Riley is the retired executive director of the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory (GCBO) in Lake Jackson. Her presentation is titled “Life is Better with Birds.” There will be a reception in her honor at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 30 at Pioneer Pavilion in Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park in Fredericksburg. Riley will also help lead a birding field trip to Lost Maples State Natural Area on Sunday, May 1. A native Texan, biologist and avid birder, Riley has spent her lifetime, both on the job and in her personal life, conducting avian research and habitat conservation across the Americas. She spent almost 19 years with the Gulf Coast Birding Observatory (GCBO), beginning as founder, executive director and organizing the Tropical Forest Forever Fund. With this fund, she and her conservation partners in Central and South America permanently protected 17,000 acres of tropical forests in 10 countries. She also helped establish the Cecilia Riley Avian Conservation Center, now the permanent home of the GCBO in Lake Jackson. Riley’s other accomplishments include the restoration of 2,550 acres of Gulf Coast avian habitat, the development of dozens
Cecilia Riley of public birding enhancements along the Gulf Coast, and acquisition of over 24,000 acres of avian habitat in the United States and Latin America. Riley has received numerous
prestigious awards, including the Flight Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Contributions to Bird Conservation in 2014. For more information visit www.wingstx.org.
Helping Here.
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| April 29 - May 1, 2016
The Wings Over the Hills Festival is proud to present a stellar lineup of nature professionals presenting programs at multiple locations and times at the festival site on the grounds of Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park.
FRIDAY, APRIL 29
Holders of Day Passes are entitled to attend any of the programs on any day (except the field trips, Last Chance Forever, the Nature Photography Workshop on Saturday and the hummingbird banding trips which require a separate ticket).
See site map on page 7.
6 a.m.
Vendors/Exhibitors set-up
Pioneer Pavilion
7:30 a.m. -12 p.m.
Birding field trip to Enchanted Rock SNA and Kerrville hotspots (carpool from Pioneer Pavilion)
Pioneer Pavilion
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Trade Show open - Free to the public
Pioneer Pavilion
9-10 a.m.
Nature of the Texas Hill Country
Bill Lindemann Sheryl Smith-Rogers
9-11 a.m.
Creating Wildscapes
9-10:30 a.m.
Nature Walk on trails with guide (Free)
9-11:30 a.m.
Hummingbird Banding Demonstration (shuttle leaves)
10:30-11:30 a.m.
PRESENTER
wingstx.org
PROGRAM
PLACE
Pioneer Pavilion Tatsch House Pioneer Pavilion
Robert & Kay Lookingbill
Pioneer Pavilion
Introduction to current bat research techniques
Nyta Brown
Pioneer Pavilion
Introduction to Hill Country Dragonflies
James Laswell
Tatsch House
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
LUNCH AND VISIT THE TRADE SHOW
1-3:30 p.m.
Hummingbird banding demonstration (shuttle leaves)
Robert & Kay Lookingbill
Pioneer Pavilion
1-2 p.m.
Butterflies of the Texas Hill Country
Patty Leslie Pasztor
Tatsch House
1-2 p.m.
Nature walk on trails with guide (free)
Pioneer Pavilion
Pioneer Pavilion
Birds of a Feather
Jan Dunlap
Pioneer Pavilion
Why are those birds doing that?
Kent Rylander
Tatsch House
6-7:30 p.m.
Last Chance Forever Raptor Demonstration
John Karger
Middle School Auditorium
7-9 p.m.
Festival Appreciation Reception (by Invitation Only)
6 a.m.-4 p.m.
Birding Trips to Junction, Guadalupe River SP/Honey Creek SNA and Love Creek Nature Preserve
7:30-11:30 a.m.
Nature Photography Workshop
9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Trade Show open - Free to the public
9-10:30 a.m.
Slithering creatures of the Texas Hill Country
Jared Holmes
Pioneer Pavilion
9-11:30 a.m.
Hummingbird Banding Demonstration (shuttle leaves)
Robert & Kay Lookingbill
Pioneer Pavilion
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Children’s Activities Open
10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
Nature Walk on trails with guide (free)
11:30 a.m.
Chronic Wasting Disease 101
1:30 a.m.
LUNCH AND VISIT THE TRADE SHOW
Pioneer Pavilion Ruth Hoyt
Tatsch House Pioneer Pavilion
Pioneer Pavilion #2 Pioneer Pavilion Robert Dittmar
Pioneer Pavilion Pioneer Pavilion
Who is doing what in your flowers?
Paul Meredith
Pioneer Pavilion
Odonate (dragonfly) 101 Workshop
James Lasswell
Tatsch House
1-3:30 p.m.
Hummingbird banding demonstration (shuttle leaves)
Robert & Kay Lookingbill
Pioneer Pavilion
2-3:30 p.m.
Nature Walk on trails with guide (free)
1-2 p.m.
2:30-3:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, MAY 1
ON THE WEB
TIME
2:30-3:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, APRIL 30
Speakers’ Programs
Pioneer Pavilion
Texas endangered species
Nathan Rains
Pioneer Pavilion
Monarchs & Milkweeds
Cathy Downs
Tatsch House
5:30-6:15 p.m.
Reception for attendees of the feature presentation
Pioneer Pavilion
6:15-7:15 p.m.
Feature Presentation: “Life is better with birds!”
6:30 a.m. -4 p.m.
Birding trips to Junction and Lost Maples SNA (shuttle van leaves from Pioneer Pavilion)
Pioneer Pavilion
7:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Birding 101 to Enchanted Rock SNA (carpool)
Pioneer Pavilion
Cecilia Riley
Pioneer Pavilion
April 29 - May 1, 2016
Children’s Activities schedule of events Saturday, April 30 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Volunteers will be available to help with children’s crafts and activities at Pavilion 2. Projects such as milk carton birdhouses, glowing green geckos, owl puppets, beaded and feathered turkey callers, washable animal tattoos and special photo ops will be available. 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. — The Singing Zoologist, Lucas Miller will perform stories and songs and outrageous silly props, while at the same time teaching real scientific subjects such as metamorphosis, symbiosis and the balance of nature. Miller was selected as a National Endowment for the Arts “American Masterpiece Artist” and has performed at such venues as the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and Laguna Atacosa Wildlife Refuge. 11:30 a.m. — An Insect Safari will be led by Fredericksburg naturalist, Bill Lindemann. He will arm children with nets and magnifying glasses, and then take them on a short walk, where some of the park’s smallest residents can be found and identified. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. — Austin Reptile Show herpetologist Mike Foux and his wife, Christie, will treat children to the world of snakes, lizards and turtles. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. — Master Naturalist Coco Brennan, representing Bat Conservation International (BCI), will have an extensive bat exhibit. She will conduct “batchats” throughout the day to enlighten children on the importance of bats in their lives. 1-4 p.m. — Master Falconer John Karger will display birds of prey that are part of his non-profit Last Chance Forever organization, established in 1978 to rehabilitate sick, injured and orphaned birds of prey. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. — A butterfly tent with live butterflies will be set up near the Pollinator Garden.
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| April 29 - May 1, 2016
Wings Over the Hills
Nyta Brown “Introduction to Bats and Current Bat Research Techniques”
Nyta Brown is the park superintendent/biologist for Old Tunnel State Park. She holds a master’s degree in geography, with an emphasis in environmental education from Texas State University. She also has earned a bachelor’s degree in English, with an emphasis in creative writing. She began her work with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 2006 as an intern at the Old Tunnel State Park, the summer home for more than two million Mexican free-tailed bats. She also works in public education regarding bats and their ecology.
Robert Dittmar “Chronic Wasting Disease 101”
Robert Dittmar grew up in the Texas Hill Country and still owns the family property in Gillespie County. Dittmar attended Texas A&M University and graduated
with a doctorate of veterinary medicine degree in 1979. Dittmar engaged in veterinary practice in Weslaco and Hondo before spending 30 years in Kerrville. He joined the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 2014. Before joining TPWD, he served on various advisory committees and did volunteer work for TPWD.
Cathy Downs “Monarchs and Milkweeds”
Cathy Downs was born and raised in New England. She retired to Comfort in 2004 from a 30-year career owning and operating her own retail businesses. She is a Hill Country Chapter Master Naturalist and the volunteer director for the Kerrville, Schreiner Park Butterfly Theater. Downs chairs the Bring Back the Monarchs to Texas (BBMT) program and is a certified Monarch Larval Monitoring Project educator. She raises Monarch caterpillars
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for education as well as propagating native milkweeds. She hosts workshops and live Butterfly Pavilions at nature centers and state parks throughout Texas.
Jan Dunlap “Birds of a Feather”
Jan Dunlap is the author of the humorous Bob White Birder Murder Mystery series published by North Star Press, Inc. The series features a high school counselor/expert birder Bob White, who has a bad habit of finding dead bodies when he is looking for birds. With readers across America and Europe, Dunlap’s brand of humorous storytelling has earned her accolades from critics and readers alike, along with fans of all ages. Her newest book, The “Kiskadee of Death,” is set in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. For more about Dunlap’s books and her love of the great outdoors, visit her online at jandunlap. com, or follow her on Facebook at Birder Murder Mama, or @ BirderMurder on Twitter.
Jared Holmes “Slithering Creatures in the Texas Hill Country”
Jared Holmes is a biologist and educator with the SelahBamberger Ranch Preserve, a 5,500 acre nature preserve dedicated toward conservation and
stewardship of native habitats. He grew up in the Poconos of Pennsylvania while learning from a young age how to collect, care for, photograph and share his love for amphibians and reptiles. Recognizing that he wanted to educate the public and study these creatures for a living, he attended Texas A&M University. Upon finishing his education, Holmes became a research biologist and educational presenter for all age levels, specializing in snakes. He has called the Texas Hill Country home for the past 10n years.
popular and scientific articles on a number of subjects. Lasswell helped develop a process of digitally scanning odonates and producing a website for odonate scans. An avid nature photographer, a number of his photos have occurred in the Journal of the American Entomologist, Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine and National Geographic.
James Lasswell “Dragonflies and Damselflies of the Texas Hill Country” and “Workshop for beginners on Dragonflies and Damselflies of the Texas Hill Country”
Bill Lindemann is a native Texan from Gonzales County. He attended the University of Texas at Austin obtaining two degrees in geology. Lindemann was employed by Exxon for 32 years as an exploration geologist with worldwide experience in oil and gas, minerals, coal and synthetic fuels. He has been an avid birder for 50 years and has written a weekly newspaper column on Birding in the Hill Country for 18 years. Lindemann is the principal founder of the Fredericksburg Nature Center, twice president of Native Plant Society of Texas, current vice-president of the Hill Country Land Trust, a naturalist, and frequent speaker around the state on various nature subjects.
James Lasswell holds a bachelor’s degree in botany from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree in zoology from Sam Houston State University. He spent his career as a research biologist, first for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and later for Texas A&M’s Texas Ag-Life with most of his career spent at the Texas A&M Ag-Life Research and Extension Center in Stephenville. He retired in 2008. Lasswell, a lifelong admirer of odonates, has conducted research programs on odonates and has co-authored a book, “A Dazzle Of Dragonflies,” and a number of
Bill Lindemann “The Nature of the Texas Hill Country” and “Hill Country Wildflowers: a Botanical Kaleidoscope”
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speaker biographies
April 29 - May 1, 2016
Paul Meredith “Native Pollinators: Who’s Doing What in Your Flowers”
Paul Meredith has been a bug guy since second grade. Back in Texas, in Victoria since 2004, he’s a retired business professor. He and his wife, Mary, are Texas Master Gardeners, Texas Master Naturalists, Mid-Coast Chapter; and are active in South Texas NPSOT and the Xerces Society. Meredith has been a Texas AgriLife Extension entomology specialist since 2010 and lectures on native pollinators and their conservation. He is a curator for the TPWD-sponsored Bees and Wasps of Texas Project on the iNaturalist website. In addition, he is a native-milkweed-seed harvester for the milkweed propagation program at NRCS-Kingsville and a Journey North monarch counter. Mary and Meredith write a biweekly TMN nature column for the Victoria Advocate.
Patty Leslie Pasztor “Butterflies of the Texas Hill Country”
Patty Leslie Pasztor, a botanical/natural resource consultant, is co-author of the book, “Texas Trees, A Friendly Guide.” She is a graduate of Texas A&M University. Her experience includes many years as the native plant horticulturist at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens, Park Naturalist at Friedrich Wilderness Park, and adjunct professor at Northwest Vista College. Pasztor conducts plant identification hikes and natural resource surveys for landowners in the Hill Country and South Texas, as well as for several city and state parks. She does botanical consulting work for several organizations in San Antonio and teaches a class entitled “Walk on the Wild Side”, which includes nature hikes to area parks discovering plants,
birds, butterflies and more. Pasztor presents workshops on topics that include landscaping for birds and butterflies, plant identification, edible and medicinal plants, and ethnobotany, the historical uses of plants. Pasztor is a regular instructor at Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne and conducts butterfly surveys there, as well as for Mitchell Lake Audubon Center and the San Antonio City Parks. She is an instructor for several chapters of the Master Naturalists, including the Hill Country, Alamo, and the newly formed Brush Country Chapter in Laredo.
Nathan Rains “Threatened, Endangered, and Species of Concern in the Texas Hill Country”
Born in Oklahoma, Nathan Rains’ family moved to Pampa, Texas while in his early teens. Rains holds a bachelor of science degree from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree from Louisiana State University where he studied the food habits of White-tailed deer on Avery Island. He worked for three years with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries before becoming a private lands biologist for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for eight years. Rains works out of Cleburne
as a wildlife diversity biologist responsible for threatened/endangered species and non-game species research for TPWD’s 68-county Region 2.
Cecilia Riley “Life is Better with Birds”
In July 2015, Cecilia Riley retired from the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory where she served as the organization’s executive director for almost 19 years and founded the organization’s Tropical Forest Forever Fund. With this fund, Riley and her conservation partners in Central and South America were able to permanently protect 17,000 acres of tropical forests in 10 countries. Immediately prior to her retirement, Riley completed construction of the GCBO’s permanent Lake Jackson home: The Cecilia Riley Avian Conservation Science Center — a 10-year plan finally accomplished. A native Texan, biologist and avid bird watcher, Riley has spent her lifetime — both on the job and in her personal life, conducting avian research and habitat conservation across the Americas. Riley’s educational background includes a bachelor of science degree in ecology from the University of Texas at Arlington and a master’s degree in zoology from the University of Arkansas. Prior to her directorship at the GCBO, Riley spent two years at Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department in Austin, where she served as the state coordinator for Texas Partners in Flight, and prior to that worked eight years at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute as a Research Associate where her work focused on the conservation of coral reef fishes. Riley’s conservation practices have earned her numerous prestigious awards including: the Partners in Flight Leadership Award for Outstanding Contributions to Bird Conservation in 2005; the Steve Thompson Award for Special Achievement on behalf of Wildlife in 2007 and the Partners in Flight Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Contributions to Bird Conservation in 2014.
Kent Rylander “Why are those Hill Country birds doing that? A glimpse into the minds of birds”
Kent Rylander grew up on a farm near Denton where he and his brother, Rod, developed their lifelong interest in natural history. Rylander majored in biology at the University of North Texas and after serving two years in the U.S. Army, he returned to UNT for a master’s degree. He received his Ph.D. from Tulane University in New Orleans and joined the faculty at Texas Tech University in 1965. At Texas Tech, he taught ornithol-
ogy, animal behavior, comparative anatomy/embryology and neuroanatomy. After he retired in 2004, he taught ornithology at Texas Tech’s Junction Campus every spring until 2015. Rylander is the author of “The Behavior of Texas Birds” (University of Texas Press, 2002) and was the founding editor of the Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society. He and his wife, Laura Ronstadt, live in Fredericksburg.
Sheryl Smith-Rogers “Wildscape Gardening”
Sheryl Smith-Rodgers is a freelance writer/photographer and Texas master naturalist who lives in Blanco. She holds a journalism degree from Trinity University and worked many years as a newspaper report/editor. As a freelance writer, she has been published in a number of magazines, including Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas Highways, Texas Co-op Power, Guideposts, Angus Journal, Better Homes & Gardens, and more. She and her husband, James Hearn, tend a certified Texas Wildscape at their home. In 2012, their yard was designated as a Texas Wildscapes Wildlife Habitat Demonstration Site. The name of her blog is “Window on a Texas Wildscape,” which is also the name of her presentation.
Welcomes you to the
Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival CUSTOM SCREENPRINT & EMBROIDERY LOCATED AT 157 INDUSTRIAL LOOP 997-9926
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welcomes everyone to the
Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival fredericksburg | grapecreek.com | georgetown
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| April 29 - May 1, 2016
Dragon, damsel flies are toothless insects Did you know dragonflies don’t have teeth or that they’ve been on this earth for 320 million years, along with their insect cousin, the cockroach? Dragonflies and damselflies will be one of the topics of discussion at the Sixth Annual Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival on Friday and Saturday, April 29-30. James Lasswell, the co-author of a book, “A Dazzle of Dragonflies,” will give a talk on Hill Country dragonflies and damselflies at 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 29 in the Tatsch House in Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park. Lasswell will also give a workshop on Hill Country odonates at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 30 at the Tatsch House. The “How to Get Started in Odonates” workshop will include both classroom and field time. Dragon and damselflies belong to a family of insects called odonates, a name derived from the Greek term Odonata, meaning “toothy ones.” Besides the fact that odonates do not have teeth, there are many other interesting aspects of this large family of colorful insects. Odonates have been around for approximately 320 million years, along with fellow insects, cockroaches and silverfish, making these sur-
vivors among the oldest living creatures on Planet Earth. To accomplish this longevity, these insects survived three worldwide mass extinctions in which upwards to 90 percent of all living things perished. Giving definitive reasons for their ability to survive is difficult, but among possible reasons are great diversity of required habitat, voracious predator lifestyle and worldwide distribution. Odonates were present prior to the breakup of the super continent, Pangea, about 200 million years ago. The odonates rode all of the drifting subcontinents to their current locations; only Antarctica, Arctic and some Pacific Island regions do not have representatives of the odonate family. They are also among the earliest flying insects and fastest flying insects at 35 miles per hour. Their four wings each operate independently providing the maneuverability of a helicopter. Their six legs are used only to grasp prey or for perching. Compound eyes give these insects incredible vision
Neon skimmer to see and track flying insects. Finally, they do not sting or bite unless a finger is placed in their mouths. Considered to be one our most beneficial insects, they have voracious appetites for other flying insects. More than 5,500 species of odonates occur around the world. Of the more than 400 odonate species found in North America, 200 can be found in Texas. Odonate species occurring in the Edwards Plateau number about 140 species while odonates in Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park in Fredericksburg approximate 50 species. The number of species observed in the park is likely low because of limited census monitoring. Dragonfly species, as a fact, double the number of their close relatives, the damselflies.
Reptile show times
welcomes everyone to the Wings Over The Hills Nature Festival
Mike and Christie Foux from the Austin Reptile Show will provide a wide variety of live reptiles, including snakes, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, April 30, in Pavilion 2, across the street from Pioneer Pavilion. The event is free.
*Get your Hummingbird Feeders & Food from Us* Conveniently Located
in Downtown Fredericksburg
131 E. Main St.
830-997-3458
Jared Holmes and the
The Red Bird Grille welcomes everyone to the
Wings Over the Hills Festival GolF CouRSe
ReD BiRD GRille
830-997-4010
830-997-7480
Open Tues - Sun 7am until dark
Open Tues - Sat 7am until dark
341 Golfers Loop • Fredericksburg Visit our Pro Golf Shop and Dine at the Red Bird Grille while you’re at the Festival!
Expert wants Texans to embrace snakes Too many people hold the belief that the only good snake is a dead snake; however, Jared Holmes, a herpetology enthusiast, wants to change that mindset. Holmes, from Johnson City, will speak on “Slithering Creatures in the Texas Hill Country” at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 30, at Pioneer Pavilion at the Sixth Annual Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival. He will have live snake species to help him in his presentation. He wants to teach people that beneficial snakes outnumber those that might be consid-
ered harmful. Snakes are essential parts of any ecosystem, and their beneficial attributes need to be extolled rather than demonized. Learning about their preferred habitat, behavior, diet and identification will help relieve potential stress during encounters in your garden and in the wild. For more details, go to the website: www.wingstx. org.
April 29 - May 1, 2016
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Master falconer to visit Fredericksburg Middle Storyteller and master falconer John Karger brings his “Last Chance Forever” rescued raptor program to the Fredericksburg Middle School gymnasium, 110 West Travis Street, at 6 p.m. Friday, April 29. The program is part of the Sixth Annual Wings Over the Hills celebration of natural flight. Tickets are $5 per person at the door. Using rehabilitated hawks, owls, falcons, vultures and eagles, Karger tells the story of man’s interaction with nature and his environment in an entertaining and educational program. Karger’s birds demonstrate natural raptor behaviors, often flying safely just over the heads of audience members.
A veterinary technician and master falconer, Karger founded the non-profit Last Chance Forever organization in 1978 to rehabilitate sick, injured and orphaned birds of prey. Each year his facility takes in as many as 300 birds for care. Approximately 60 percent of all cases are rehabilitated and released back into the wild. Some of the birds that were unable to be successfully returned to the wild are featured in his program, seen by over 700,000 people throughout the United States. The lifespan of smaller songbirds may be a few years; whereas, birds of prey can live for up to 50 years. Because their reproductive rate is much slower than smaller birds, it is essential to
save the injured birds and return them back to the wild for continued productive years. For more than 10 years, the Friends of the Fredericksburg Nature Center has invited Last Chance Forever to give this program to the third graders of Fredericksburg Elementary School. Some of these birds will be on display at the Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival at Pioneer Pavilion in Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park on Friday and Saturday, April 29-30.
At right, John Karger, master falconer handles one of his rescued raptors.
Pollinator Garden dazzles visitors More than 1,000 hours of volunteer work by members of the Friends of the Fredericksburg Nature Center and master naturalists went into building the Pollinator Garden at Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park. The garden is a site where wildflower, butterfly and wild bee enthusiasts can observe the activities carried out by bees, butterflies and birds to ensure pollination of native plants. In addition, butterfly larva will be feeding on their favorite host plants. The garden is located between the swimming pool and the RV campground. Gardening talks Sheryl Smith-Rogers, from Blanco, will be giving a talk at 9 a.m. Friday, April 29 at Pioneer Pavilion on how to turn your yard into a Texas Wildscape garden. Smith-Rodgers, a freelance writer who frequently has gardening articles in the San Antonio Express-News, will discuss how she and her husband turned their yard into a certified Texas Wildscapes Wildlife Habitat Demonstration Site. Paul Meredith, an expert on the pollination process, will speak at 1 p.m., Saturday, April 30, on the topic, “Native Pollinators: Who’s Doing What in Your Flowers.” The talk will be about the mutually beneficial process of pollination and how many of the essential pollinators are being destroyed by insecticides
and loss of habitat. Bill Lindemann, a local naturalist, will be speaking at 9 a.m. Friday, April 29, on “Hill Country Wildflowers: “A Botanical Kaleidoscope.” He will discuss why there is so much diversity in the flora, the significant species, and the roadways where the wildflowers are spectacular. Many of the area’s most colorful wildflowers are blooming in Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park, both in the wild and in the Pollinator Garden. More than 260 species of blooming plants have been recorded in the park. For details and a schedule regarding these talks, go to the website: www.wingstx.org.
Welcome to the 2016 Wings Over The Hills 260 E. Main St. 830-990-5858
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| April 29 - May 1, 2016
Butterfliers are growing in numbers Butterfly watching is an ever increasing pastime in our country, but not yet reaching the number of people considered avid birders. This is why the Sixth Annual Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival at Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park in Fredericksburg on April 29, 30 and May 1 has included butterfly enthusiasts in its program. Butterflies are as colorful as birds, but lack the birds’ charisma of sounds and behavioral habits. One can say the storyline for butterfly watching involves the “beast and the beauty.” Before transforming into a beautiful flier, the larval stage of the butterfly is that of a not-so-beautiful caterpillar. Caterpillars are eating machines that often fall into disfavor with
gardeners whose native plants are devoured by these hungry little beasts. Butterflies repeat the spectacular diversity of wildlife found in the Edwards Plateau and the Texas Hill Country. The region’s central location between five different ecological regions, the East Texas piney woods, South Texas sub-tropical brush country, West Texas Chihuahuan Desert, Northwest Texas High Plains and North Texas Cross Timbers, draws some of the rich butterfly diversity found in each area. The sub-tropical Lower Rio Grande Valley has had more than 325 species recorded, many of these species drifting into Texas from Mexico.
Two-tailed swallow The North American butterfly list has approximately 750 species of which 450 have been recorded in Texas. The rough count of butterflies whose ranges include the Edwards Plateau is around 135 species; however, this number does not take into account the many species that wander into the
Edwards Plateau from neighboring ecological regions during the year. San Antonio entomologists have recorded over 185 species in Bexar County which is on the southern edge of the Hill Country. The diversity of butterflies found in the Edwards Plateau is remarkable for an area that represents only 17 percent of the state’s landscape. For those interested in learning about butterflies, experts recommend photographing the butterflies and sorting them out in front of a computer rather than in the field. As with learning birding skills, much patience and practice is necessary in learning to differentiate between species that have only subtle identification markings. Once a new butterflier becomes
comfortable with identification challenges, he or she can learn the many interesting facets found in the butterfly world. For details check the website: www.wingstx.org.
BUTTERFLY TALK SCHEDULE • 1 p.m., Friday, April 29 — Patty Leslie Pasztor, “Butterflies of the Texas Hill Country” at Tatsch House. • 2:30 p.m., Saturday, April 30 — Cathy Downs, “Monarchs and Milkweeds” at Tatsch House.
The 6th Annual
Wingswould Over the Hills Nature Festival like to thank its sponsors, patrons and vendors.
We appreciate the vendors’ presence and hope everyone will visit their booths and displays.
sPonsors anD Patrons The Friends of the Fredericksburg Nature Center Patrons H-E-B Enterprise Rent-A-Car Fredericksburg StandardRadio Post Dian Graves Owens Foundation RS Hanna Gallery Bee Creek Communications City of Fredericksburg Grape Creek Vineyards Fredericksburg Rockhounds Birder Chicks Pedernales Brewing Company Fritztown Cinema Inside Story Pam and Alan Middleton Phil and Pat McConnell Dr. Errol and Susan Candy Bill and Fran Dendy David and Stacy Johnson Ward and Pat Miller Camey Stewart William Chris Vineyards Kathryn Harrison Bill and Janet Lindemann Friends of the Fredericksburg Nature Center JEKs Pit Stop Pontotac Winery
Membership levels – Hummingbird, Goldfinch, Oriole, Painted Bunting and Osprey
Thanks for all your support!
K Clark Photography – fine art photography silk art Fashion – hand painted silk wearables native Plant society of texas – information Dexter Imaging – bird and scenic color photos KPE Inc./Flowers in Glass – Texas wildflowers pressed in glass opticron, LLC – binoculars, spotting scopes and accessories tom’s Bird Feeders – bird feeders and gifts for the naturalist the Birder Murder Mysteries – books Zieman studio – Gourd art and recycled weaving texas ornithological society – memberships, tee shirts and caps Hill Country Master naturalists – information Friends of the Fredericksburg nature Center – information summerfish studios – botanical art and handmade spoons Krystala’s Kreations – handcrafted and personalized jewelry Friends of Enchanted rock – information Buzzies Bar-B-Q, Kerrville – barbeque the Dream Corner – copper jewelry