Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park • April 25-26-27, 2014
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| April 25-27, 2014
A naturally wonderful weekend in Fredericksburg
John Karger with a Golden Eagle.
‘Friday Night Flights’ raptor show opens fest
Begin a naturally wonderful weekend in a flurry of feathers at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 25, when John Karger brings his exciting LAST CHANCE FOREVER rescued raptor program to Fredericksburg Middle School Gymnasium, 110 W. Travis Street in Fredericksburg, as part of the third annual WINGS OVER THE HILLS celebration of natural flight. Everyone is invited. Tickets are $5 per person at the door, and registration to the nature festival is not required to attend this special community event. Using 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 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. An average of 65 - 80 percent of all cases are rehabilitated and released back into the wild. Some birds that were unable to successfully return to the wild are featured in his program, which is seen each year by more than 500,000 people throughout the United States. WINGS OVER THE HILLS nature festival salutes the varied and unique winged creatures of the Texas Hill Country — birds, butterflies, dragonflies and bats — with guided tours, lectures, photography class, exhibits, a children’s activities tent and more.
Dietel & Son Printing welcomes everyone to the
Wings Over The Hills Nature Festival 105 N. Milam • 830-997-8130 ~ Fredericksburg ~
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Known worldwide as a destination for shopping, dining and wineries, the town of Fredericksburg adds another reason to visit as it hosts the third annual WINGS OVER THE HILLS nature festival. Scheduled the last weekend in April (25-26-27), this event salutes the unique winged creatures of the Texas Hill Country: birds, butterflies, dragonflies and bats. The Texas Hill Country, as part of the larger Edwards Plateau, is one of the nation’s most diverse wildlife regions, and in springtime in the land is awash in a colorful sea of wildflowers. All those flowers prove irresistible to tourists and wildlife, alike. In fact, the Texas Hill Country is home to more than 200 species of butterflies and at least two-thirds of the state’s bird species, including the endangered Black-capped Vireo and Golden-cheeked Warbler. The smallest yet most densely populated bat colony in Texas is located in an abandoned narrow-gauge railroad tunnel half a mile east of the Fredericksburg city limits. The Old Tunnel State Park is populated by more than 3 million bats — primarily Mexican Free-tailed Bats with
Golden-cheeked Warbler. Photo by Bill Lindemann. a lesser colony of Cave Myotis Bats. Over the last 10 years, the Texas Hill Country has emerged as a North American epicenter of one of the oldest groups of insects still in existence: Odonata, or dragonflies and damselflies. A large number of colorful butterflies also live here year round. All these factors help make Fredericksburg the perfect place for a festival celebrating natural flight. WINGS OVER THE HILLS is located at Fredericksburg’s Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park, three miles south of Main Street on Highway 16. More than 170 bird species have been spotted within the environs of Lady Bird Park.
Wings Over the Hills features an array of programs and activities suitable for everyone from the seasoned birder to the curious child. Nature lovers and birders from all across the nation enjoy educational and entertainment opportunities including guided full-day birding tours throughout the scenic Hill Country, a guided butterfly and dragonfly chase, live raptor show, nature photography workshop, lectures by birding and wildlife authorities and a children’s activities tent. Attendees will again have an opportunity participate in a live hummingbird banding demonstration. In addition to a vendors area with products relating to the great outdoors, a barbecue vendor will be on hand Friday and Saturday with a variety of offerings.
Full details and registration are available on-line at: http:// www.wingstx.org. Wings Over the Hills is sponsored by the Friends of the Fredericksburg Nature Center. Proceeds from this event are used for community nature projects.
April 25-27, 2014
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ON THE WEB
wingstx.org
A Celebration of Natural Flight Speakers’ Programs 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.
TIME
PROGRAM
7:30 a.m.
Registration for Nature Stroll and 4K Walk
PRESENTER
PLACE Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park
Bill Lindemann
Tent at Pioneer Pavilion
10 a.m.
Cynthia Johnson
10 a.m.
Hummingbird Banding Demonstration
Robert and Kay Lookingbill
Pollinator Garden Shuttle Service from Park
10:30 a.m. 1 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 9 a.m.
“Where Have All the Quail Gone?” “Bat Ecology of the Texas Hill Country” “Whoo Goes There: Texas Owls” “Sex in the Garden” “Dragonflies and Damselflies of the Texas Hill Country”
Dr. Dale Rollins Nyta Brown Craig Hensley Dr. Florence Oxley
10:30 a.m.
SATURDAY, APRIL 26
See site map on page 12.
“Birds of the Texas Hill Country and Edwards Plateau” Butterfly Chase
9 a.m.
FRIDAY, APRIL 25
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).
James Lasswell
Tent at Pioneer Pavilion
Tatsch House
1 p.m.
“Hill Country Butterflies and Native Plant Hosts”
Cathy Downs
2 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 6 p.m.
Dragonfly Chase “Divas of the Dark” “Last Chance Forever — Birds of Prey”
James Lasswell Dr. Virginia Sawin John Karger
Nature Trails Tatsch House FMS Gymnasium
9 a.m. 9 a.m. 10 a.m. -2 p.m. 10 a.m.
“Slithering Snakes of Texas” “Hummingbird Courtship”
Dave Barker Bill Lindemann
Butterfly Chase
Cynthia Johnson
10 a.m.
Hummingbird Banding Demonstration
Robert and Kay Lookingbill
Tent at Pioneer Pavilion Tatsch House Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park Pollinator Garden Shuttle Service from Park
10:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 1 p.m. 2 p.m. 2 p.m. 2:30 p.m.
Children’s Activities
“Dragonflies and Damselflies of the Texas Hill Country” “Backyard Buzz with a Drawl — Native Bees” “Spiders of Central Texas” Nature Photography Workshop Dragonfly Chase “Monarchs and Milkweeds”
James Lasswell
Tent at Pioneer Pavilion
Kim Bacon
Tatsch House
Sheryl Smith-Rodgers Rolf Nussbaumer James Lasswell Cathy Downs
Tent at Pioneer Pavilion Tatsch House Nature Trails Tent at Pioneer Pavilion
Vendors open in Pioneer Pavilion from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday
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| April 25-27, 2014
ON THE WEB Please check out the schedule of events and presenters in this publication and the on-line webpage: www.wingstx.org. You are invited to get to know the wonderful nature of the Texas Hill Country.
What’s new for 2014 Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival now has walk, other animals
• The Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival has changed the schedule to begin on Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Sunday events will only include birding field trips to Junction and Lost Maples State Natural Area.
ON THE WEB
wingstx.org
Our mission is to protect the habitats of native plants and wildlife, and the Fredericksburg Chapter supports the Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival. Our chapter meets January through October on the fourth Tuesday of the month with a social gathering at 6:30 PM and the program at 7:00 PM. Our meeting location is Memorial Presbyterian Church, 601 North Milam Street. Our programs are on native plants or related topics and our presenters are guest speakers or chapter members who are passionate and knowledgeable about the topics. In addition to the meetings, our chapter has an annual native plant sale, maintains two demonstration gardens and offers member activities such as field trips, classes and social events. To learn how you can get involved, visit us on the web at www.npsot.org/ Fredericksburg or contact the chapter president, Kathy Lyles at 830.997.0724 or fbgnpsot@gmail.com.
Native Plants = Healthy Habitats
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• Butterflies have had a significant role in past festivals, but not their nightflying relatives, the moths. This year we will give these “divas of the dark” their chance to become better known to Hill Country residents and visitors.
• The festival will open with a 5K walk and a 3K stroll in Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park. Walkers and strollers are asked to meet at Pavilion 2 across the street from the Pioneer Pavilion at 7:30 a.m. to register and sign in. The participants will reconvene in the Pioneer Pavilion for drawings for prizes. The course for the walkers will include the nature trails in Lady Bird Park. The stroller’s course will be shorter and less strenuous.
• Native bees and other pollinators are also having problems regarding survival. Two speakers will discuss the roles insects and birds play in keeping our wildflowers and other plants strong and healthy. One topic, “Sex in the Garden,” will cover the interesting relationships between plants and their pollinators, as might be found in the beautiful pollinator garden in Lady Bird Park.
• A talk on Bobwhite Quail by Dr. Dale Robbins is planned to discuss the problems these game birds are having to survive, and how landowners can better manage their properties to enhance their chances of survival. The mission of the Fredericksburg Nature Center is to both inform and promote wildlife in the Hill Country, especially the well-being of the endangered species, the Golden-cheeked Warbler and Black-capped Vireo.
• Several new topics have been added this year to the speaker’s schedule including snakes, spiders and moths. Although snakes and spiders do not have wings, they play a significant role in the Hill Country ecosystem. Live specimens will be part of the interactive programs, but will not pose any threat to the attendee’s safety.
Hummingbird banding demonstration Returning to the Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival will be a hummingbird banding demonstration on the Dendy Ranch located between Kerrville and Harper. A shuttle will operate between the Park and the Dendy Ranch. Robert and Kay Lookingbill, who hold master bird banding permits, are research associates for the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory out of Lake Jackson, Texas. The Lookingbills 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 Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, they also volunteer their banding experience for a
Robert and Kay Lookingbill both hold master bird-banding permits. number of other organizations and facilities in Texas. They operate a yearround banding station at the GCBO for songbirds and
hummingbirds. The banding demonstration will be conducted on the Dendy Ranch, owned by Bill and Fran Dendy. The
Dendys are hosts to hundreds and possibly thousands of hummingbirds every spring and summer, a virtual beehive of activity from March to September. The Lookingbills 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. This is a great opportunity for close-up observation and photography. The hummingbird banding demonstration will be conducted on April 25 and 26. Tickets for the shuttle can be purchased at the festival headquarters in the Pioneer Pavilion during the event.
April 25-27, 2014
Birding field trips offer chance to see endangered species The Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival offers attending birders the possibility of seeing both of the endangered species — the Golden-cheeked Warbler and Black-capped Vireo — that breed in the Texas Hill Country. Two birding field trips to the areas around Junction and Lost Maples State Natural Area will have an excellent chance of finding these two songbirds. The trips will be on Saturday April 26 to the Junction area and on Sunday, April 27, to both the Junction and Lost Maples SNA areas. The van trips depart from Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park in Fredericksburg at 6:30 a.m. and will return around 4 p.m. In addition to the two endangered species, between 80 and 100 other species of birds will likely be seen. Past
trips have seen Green and Belted kingfishers, Painted, Indigo and Lazuli buntings, Bullock’s, Orchard and Scott’s orioles, numerous sparrow, wren, flycatcher, warbler and vireo species, Black Phoebe, Cave, Cliff, and Barn swallows and Zone-tailed and Swainson’s hawks. Yellowheaded Blackbirds and Crested Caracaras are also likely to be seen. The Junction trip has the additional possibility of seeing shorebirds, ducks and waders at the wastewater treatment ponds. Those birders interested in photography may have opportunities to apply their skills from bird blinds in the South Llano River State Park and Lost Maples State Natural Area. As spring migration season is in full swing, many surprise sightings are possible.
Silent auction to aid nature-related events The Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival will have a great silent auction table at the Pioneer Pavilion in Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park on April 25 and 26. Local merchants, museums, wineries, restaurants and friends of the Fredericksburg Nature Center have donated items for the auction. Items in the auction include a 30-minute flight in a vintage Cessna aircraft, a day-long Hill Country birding trip, tickets to entertainment venues, meal coupons, plants and flower baskets, gift baskets and unique handmade crafts. Everyone is invited to drop
by the Pioneer Pavilion and to see and bid on the interesting array of items in the auction. The auction will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, April 25 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. The auction will close at 4 p.m. and successful bidders will need to claim their purchases before 5 p.m. Saturday. If proper contact information is given, the purchases can be claimed later. All proceeds from the silent auction will benefit nature-related projects in Fredericksburg and Gillespie County administered through the Friends of the Fredericksburg Nature Center.
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Friends of the Fredericksburg Nature Center The Friends of the Fredericksburg Nature Center is proud to sponsor the fourth annual WINGS OVER THE HILLS NATURE FESTIVAL and welcome all who desire to celebrate the outstanding natural diversity found in the Texas Hill Country. Our 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 of the Fredericksburg Nature Center was founded as a non-profit corporation by a group of volunteer nature enthusiasts in 2000 to provide educational venues for our school children and trails for the enjoyment of all who appreciate nature. Turning what was considered ten 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 approximately one mile of nature trails in 2001along Live Oak Creek and upgraded about 600 feet of the trail in 2007 into a Handicapped Accessible Trail (the HAT). Along the HAT are special sites for users to appreciate Hill Country birds, butterflies, wildflowers and rocks. 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,
178 birds, 70 butterflies and 50 species of dragonflies and damselflies. Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine in April, 2014 cited our nature center area as the “Best in Texas” for adding to plant and animal lists. In 2004 the Friends joined with the 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 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 by members, Master Naturalists, boy scouts and students, the trails of the nature area allow thousands of hikers annually to appreciate and enjoy nature in the park. We thank all of the people who join us in celebrating nature during the fourth annual WINGS OVER THE HILLS NATUE FESTIVAL. An invitation is always open to return our nature area throughout the year, and please join us in 2015 for our fifth annual WINGS festival. 21857
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| April 25-27, 2014
Speaker bios, talk topics Bill Lindemann • “Birds of the Texas Hill Country and Edwards Plateau” The Texas Hill Country and the Edwards Plateau cover only seventeen per cent of the state; however the region has 40 per cent of the flora and 67 per cent of the bird species found in Texas. This rich diversity can be attributed to a number of factors, including overlap of eastern and western bird species’ ranges, northward expansion of southern species, and excellent numbers of wintering sparrows, hawks and waterfowl. Variation in topography, rainfall, temperatures and geology also contribute to the diversity of both plants and birds. The power point presentation will feature many of the exceptional bird species found in the region which will include species normally found in the Trans-Pecos, East Texas, lower Rio Grande Valley and South Texas and North Texas. • “Hummingbird Courtship: Zoom! Flash! Bang! Done!” Courtship rituals among the worldwide families of birds can range from none to simple to spectacular and bizarre. In most families the males are the performers as they participate in numerous methods to win the “heart” of the female, including plumage displays, acrobatic aerial maneuvers, dances, food offerings, songs, and site decorations. As a family, male hummingbirds principally use their gorget and aerial displays to earn the right to mate with the female. Because of their tiny size and high speed flying capability, birders rarely get to witness the courtship show of hummingbirds. Their brief razzle and dazzle show can be an unforgettable moment for birders • Bio: Native Texan from Gonzales County; attended University of Texas at Austin with two degrees in geology; employed by Exxon for 32 years as exploration geologist with worldwide experience in oil and gas, minerals, coal and synthetic fuels; avid birder for 47 years; weekly newspaper columnist on “Birding in the Hill Country” for 16 years; principal founder of the Fredericksburg Nature Center; twice president of Native Plant Society of Texas; currently past-president of the Hill Country Land Trust; naturalist; frequent speaker around the state on various nature subjects. Cathy Downs • “Hill Country Butterflies and their Native Host Plants” Cathy will discuss basic butterfly habitat, anatomy, and the life cycle of butterflies. She will discuss and identify 24 of the most common Hill Country butterflies, including identification tips, larval stages and the native host and nectar plants these butterflies rely on in the HC landscape. She will have live specimens wherever possible. She will teach how to investigate eggs, caterpillars and chrysalises and where to find them. She will provide handouts for maintaining successful butterfly populations. • “Monarchs and Milkweeds” Cathy will discuss Monarch anatomy, biology, life cycle and migration. She will cover the migration decline and the reasons for the habitat decimation. She will identify several local native milkweeds and talk about the importance of native and non-systemically treated milkweeds in the Monarch habitat and why that is crucial to Monarch survival. She will also identify native nectar plants and the importance of fall blooming plants to increase lipid and energy levels for overwintering Monarchs. • Bio: Cathy was born and raised in New England. She retired to Comfort, Texas 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. Cathy currently chairs the Bring Back the Monarchs to Texas (BBMT) program and is a certified Monarch Larval Monitoring Project educator. Cathy raises Monarch caterpillars for education as well as propagating native milkweeds. She hosts workshops and live Butterfly Pavilions at Nature Centers and State Parks throughout Texas. R. Craig Hensley • “Whooo Goes There? The Owls of Texas” More than a dozen owls reside in the state of Texas ranging in size from the sparrow-like Elf Owl to the large “flying Tiger,” the Great Horned Owl. Learn how these birds can locate and catch a mouse in total darkness with their exceptional hearing capability. Owl feathers are adapted to provide them with stealth flying abilities. Hensley will share his knowledge of all the adaptations, natural history and diversity that make Texas Owls so interesting. Attendees will learn to call Barred Owls with their own voice. • Bio: Craig Hensley is a lifelong Naturalist and Educator who has been sharing his love and passion for the natural world with children and adults for more than 30 years. He has a M.S. in Zoology and a B.S. in Fisheries & Wildlife Management and has been involved in environmental education in Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas. He is the Park
Interpreter at Guadalupe River State Park. In 2013, Craig was received the Outstanding Employee award for Outreach Education with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Dr. Dale Rollins • “Where Have All the Quail Gone” The iconic whistle of the bobwhite has been relegated to a “golden oldie” over many areas of Texas, including most of the Hill Country. Dr. Rollins will dissect the issues surrounding the “quail decline” and how landowners can increase their odds of enjoying more quail. He will also discuss ongoing efforts to restore quail populations. • Bio: A native of Hollis, Oklahoma, Dr. Rollins holds three degrees: BS from SE Oklahoma State University; MS from Oklahoma State University; and PhD from Texas Tech University. Dr. Rollins currently serves as Professor and Extension Wildlife Specialist for Texas AgriLife Extension Service in San Angelo. His expertise spans subjects from predator management to prescribed burning, but his specialty is quail management. He is an extensive writer on wildlife management, including over 800 popular article and regular columns in Texas Wildlife, Livestock Weekly and Farmer-Stockman. He has received numerous awards for work with quail. He has served in leadership roles in several professional societies. He is an avid wildlife caller and a frequent speaker. Dave Barker • “Slithering Snakes of Texas” Dave Barker, world-renowned snake expert and the author of “Pythons of the World, Volumes I and II,” will discuss the fascinating anatomy and behavior of snakes. His presentation will highlight the common snake species of Texas Hill Country, including water snakes, garter snakes and the snake species most often found in yards and around homes. He will discuss in detail the venomous snakes found in Hill Country, and the dangers that they might present. • Bio: Dave Barker is fascinated with snakes. He has been a field biologist, museum preparator, college instructor, and public speaker. He was a supervisor of the Department of Herpetology and of the Children’s Zoo at the Dallas Zoo, and Curator of Education at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville. He is a herpetologist and a professional herpetoculturist. He resides in Kendall County near the headwaters of Cibolo Creek. Dave is a volunteer at the Cibolo Nature Center, and has participated in Wilderness First Responder events with the herpetofauna survey teams for the past 11 years. He is a writer and has co-authored five books with his wife, Tracy. He has authored and co-authored about 100 articles, both popular and professional, and several chapters in books. Currently much of his attention has been focused on the increasing influence that animal rights organizations have on legislation, and in the media. Dr. Florence Oxley • “Sex in the Garden” Dr. Oxley will present an inside look at what goes on in your garden between pollinators and flowering plants. She will describe the secret sex lives of familiar garden plants while telling how plants trick pollinators into servicing them. Dr. Oxley will uncover evidence of murder in the pursuit of reproductive success. She will reveal the real sex symbols of the plant world and you won’t think of sex in quite the same way again. • Bio: Dr. Oxley is an adjunct professor of biology at Austin Community College, teaching biology to pre-health professionals and biology majors. She holds a BS degree in Biology and an MS degree in Biology, and a Ph.D. in Aquatic Resources at Texas State University-San Marcos. Flo is a Fellow of the Texas Academy of Science. Dr. Oxley’s research interests include the relationship between plants and people, plant reproductive ecology, endangered species, aquatic invasive species. She is the former director of plant conservation at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas-Austin. James Lasswell • “Dragonflies and Damselflies of the Texas Hill Country” Dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) are among the oldest extant group of insects and have captured the eye of many nature enthusiasts, particularly in the last 10 years. The unique geographic position of Texas has resulted in it becoming the epicenter of odonate diversity in North America. With a mix of subtropical, temperate, eastern and western faunas, Texas supports over half of the North American fauna and its numbers are growing annually with new discoveries. Explore this diversity and learn about the life cycle and common behaviors typically observed in odonates as well as how you can contribute to the growing knowledge of this spectacular group
• Bio: 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 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, Texas, retiring 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 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. John Karger • Birds of Prey Demonstration This program offers common sense oriented education regarding these birds’ importance and the necessity for all life forms to live in a health balanced ecosystem and conservation of our environment. Live birds of prey including falcons, hawks, eagles, owls and vultures make up his cast of birds that have been rehabilitated. Those birds that can fly will put on displays of their flying skills. Karger describes the important identification features and behavioral habits of each bird while at rest and flying. His entertaining speaking style and cast of birds of prey stars will provide many thrills for the audience. • Bio: John Karger, a Hill Country native, is a nationally known raptor rehabilitator, founded the non-profit Last Chance Forever, The Bird of Prey Conservancy organization in 1978. He is a certified veterinary and bioengineering behavioral technician and holds permits to rescue and rehabilitate protected and endangered wildlife species and possess these species for exhibition and education purposes. His organization receives from 240 to 300 sick, injured and orphaned raptors annually and over 60 per cent of these birds are returned to the wild. This rehabilitation work has had both national and international impact. His education programs using live birds has taught and entertained over 4 million people on the common sense approach to wildlife conservation. Karger has appeared on numerous national media programs and his operation has often been written about in national print. He is master class falconer and promotes falconry in his presentations. He has been recognized by many organizations with awards for his rehabilitation and education work. Kim Bacon • “Backyard Buzz with a Drawl: Texas Native Bees and Your Garden” Bacon will discuss how to establish a garden that attracts native bees. She will also discuss the biology of native bees, including their different life cycle and which bees might occur in a bee-friendly garden. Beefriendly gardeners have to think before applying mulch, as well as how to recognize good bee plants and why they are attractive to bees. Bacon will emphasize the importance of bee populations in their role as pollinators of flowering plants. With time permitting, she will take attendees on a short visit to a nearby pollinator garden to see bees in action. • Bio: Kim has a Wildlife and Fisheries Science degree from Texas A&M University and studied ecology at the University of California, Davis. In 2006, she began studying native bees in urban areas of Texas. Discovering that most gardeners were unaware of these native pollinators, she began writing and speaking to groups about native bees. She has installed a bee garden at a Waste Management landfill, established a Certified Bee-Friendly Habitat program for Texas gardeners, and tried her very best to encourage gardeners to plant plants and establish environments which will bring native bees to their gardens. Robert and Kay Lookingbill • Hummingbird Banding Demonstration The banding demonstration will take place on the Dendy Ranch, owned by Bill and Fran Dendy, in western Gillespie Country. The Dendys are annual hosts to thousands of hummingbirds every spring and summer. The Lookingbills 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. The demonstration allows for close-up observation and photography opportunities. • Bio: Robert and Kay Lookingbill, who hold master bird banding permits, are research associates for the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory in Lake Jackson, Texas. The Lookingbills have managed a variety of bird banding projects for over a decade, banding songbirds, hummingbirds, raptors, owls and pelicans. The also volunteer their banding experience for a number of other organizations and facilities in Texas.
April 25-27, 2014
Nyta Brown • “Bat Ecology of the Texas Hill Country” Bats comprise more than one fifth of the world’s mammals with origins dating back to the age of dinosaurs. Bats live in every corner of the planet, with the exceptions of extreme polar and desert regions. More than 100 million bats reside in caves and bridges in the Texas Hill Country and provide significant beneficial insect pest control services. Of the approximately 12 species found in the Hill Country, the Mexican Free-tailed Bats are the most numerous summer residents. Learn about their ecology, economic impact and threats to their survival. • Bio: Nyta Brown is currently 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 2 million Mexican Free-tailed Bats. She also works in public education regarding bats and their ecology. Rolf Nussbaumer • Nature Photography Workshop Workshop will include a 60-minute photo lecture, 20-minute question and answer session and an hour and a half of hands-on photo work in the field. The lecture will cover basics of digital photography using digital SLR, basic digital workflow including shooting RAW vs. JPEG, and other aspects of color photography. He will discuss and demonstrate items of photo gear, discuss difficulty of nature photography and techniques to yield pleasing photographs. • Bio: Rolf Nussbaumer, a native of Switzerland, married a Texan and moved to Central Texas is 2003. Interested in nature and the outdoors from an early age, Nussbaumer took up photography as a hobby that blossomed into his profession. He uses his photography skills to show nature in a way most people would miss, whether it is on a grand scale or in the nooks and crannies of natural wildlife habitats. Today his award winning photography has been published around the world. Competing against world class photographers, his clever imagination, knowledge of nature and camera skills produced the winning entry in four prestigious wildlife photo contests in Texas. Many of his prize-winning photographs are featured on his website: www.rolfnussbaumer.com. Sheryl Smith-Rodgers • “Spiders of Central Texas” In this presentation, Smith-Rodgers will cover basic spider biology and the common spider residents in backyards and around the Hill Country. Texas has more than 900 spider species, including jumping spiders, orb weavers, crab spiders, tarantulas, and other spiders of interest. For instance, she will share the life history of a garden spider, what poisonous brown recluse spiders look like, and how to tell a female spider from a male. • Bio: Sheryl Smith-Rodgers is a freelance writer and Texas Master Naturalist who lives in Blanco. She holds a journalism degree from Trinity University and worked for many years as newspaper reporter/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 and Gardens and more. Since childhood, Smith-Rodgers has always been fascinated by spiders. In the late 1990s, she decided to start studying spiders and bought as many books as she could on the subject. In her spare time she gives nature presentations and blogs about the Texas Wildscapes Wildlife Habitat demonstration site the she and her husband, James Hearn, tend at their home. Her blog spot is “Window on a Texas Landscape” (www.sherylsmithrodgers.blogspot. com). Dr. Virginia Sawin • “Divas of the Dark” MOTHS! These are not just the non-descript white creatures that flutter around lights at night or emerge from the pantry or clothes closet! This talk will introduce you to some of the “mostest” moths – the biggest, most spectacular and strangest of the group. It will cover some aspects of lepidopterans (moths and butterflies) that you may already know, and some that are just being discovered – like why they circle a light, how they survive an arctic winter, how they keep their wings dry during a rain storm and how they avoid bats and deter other predators. Finally, the talk will cover several of the more common and beautiful moths in the Texas area, their food sources, and their caterpillar and adult forms, to help you find and identify them in the field. • Bio: Dr. Sawin has had a lifelong love of all aspects of biology, particularly animals. Her interest in insects peaked when she selected the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, for her research and was required to take Entomology. She completed an undergraduate degree in Zoology from Indiana University, and a master’s degree (Boston University) and a PhD degree in Biology (University of Notre Dame). Several years of research in genetics and cytogenetics led to a career as a toxicologist with Shell Development Company. She spent several years with an animal health company and eventually formed a consulting firm providing support for product safety and efficacy to clients including major chemical and pharmaceutical companies. She taught Biology to science majors at Northwest Vista Community College. In 2001 she and her husband retired to the Hill Country. She is a Hill Country Master Naturalist participating in several volunteer programs.
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Birding in the Texas Hill Country Two thirds of the recorded sightings of birds in Texas have been seen in the Edwards Plateau (including the Hill Country), which makes up only 17 percent of the Texas landscape. Central location and excellent habitat diversity account for the impressive number of sightings. Finding birds here is very habitat specific. Unlike Texas coastal birding venues featuring migrant traps where large numbers can be found in small areas, migrants spread out as they traverse inland regions and stop in their favorite habitats. Parks and wildlife refuges are important venues for birders to visit as approximately 95 percent of the state lands are held by private ownership. For example, our two endangered species, Blackcapped Vireo and Golden-cheeked Warbler, have different habitats but can be found on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Kerr Wildlife Management Area in West Kerr County. Clear flowing streams are excellent sites for a number of excellent birds including three species of kingfishers, Black Phoebes, Green Herons, Spotted Sandpipers and Wood Ducks. South Llano River State Park in Junction is an excellent venue for these species. Migrants often follow stream and river courses. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area provides habitat for Canyon and Rock wrens, Pyrrhuloxia, Black-chinned and Rufous-crowned sparrows, Common Ground Doves and an assortment of migrants. Waste water treatment plants in Fredericksburg and Junction are excellent sites to observe a variety of ducks and waders during the fall to spring seasons. Traveling country roads are excellent venues for various hawk species, wintering sparrows, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers (summer), and open country birds such as Western Scrub Jays, Vermilion Flycatcher, and orioles. Riparian woodlands along Hill Country rivers provide breeding habitat to many species of vireos, woodpeckers, flycatchers and finches. Look for Black and White Warblers, Eastern Wood Pewees, Acadian Flycatchers, Painted and Indigo buntings and other resident songbirds in South Llano River State Park woodlands. Mesquite and prickly pear habitat are good for Painted Buntings, Scotts and Orchard orioles, Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Black-chinned Sparrows, Pyrrhuloxia and Bewick’s Wrens. When visiting the Hill Country on Birding
The Black-Capped Vireo, an endangered species, is frequently sighted in the Hill Country. — Photo by Greg Lasley. 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 Park in Fredericksburg contains 178 species and the information listed above to help plan birding excursions. Many venues such as South Llano River State Park, near Junction, have bird blinds to allow birders sit in comfort watching birds come to the site for food and water. Come and experience excellent birding opportunities in the Texas Hill Country, one of the state’s most beautiful and ecologically diverse regions. The summer and winter bird populations are different adding to the enjoyment of adding birds to your life list. A spring visit might find a Lazuli Bunting, a rare spring migrant in the Hill Country.
APRIL 25-27, 2014 • Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park
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| April 25-27, 2014
Something for all ages
Children’s activities added to keep little ones engaged
One of the highlights of the WINGS OVER THE HILLS NATURE FESTIVAL will be the Children’s Activities scheduled for Saturday, April 26, beginning at 10 a.m. and ending at 2 p.m. at Pavilion 2 in Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park. All of these activities are designed to provide educational opportunities about nature for the youngsters while they have fun. Nature enthusiasts of all ages might join in on these fun times.
Snakes
Those interested in snakes may get a head start by joining Boerne’s Dave Barker who will share his fascination with snakes at 9 a.m. in the tent next to the Pioneer Pavilion. This interactive program will highlight common snakes in the Hill Country. Attendees will get a chance to see and possibly hold one of these intriguing reptiles. Barker’s presentation is part of the festival’s nature speaker program, which has a charge of $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 years and under.
Insects
Craig Hensley, Texas Parks and Wildlife interpreter at Guadalupe River State Park will conduct an insect presentation and safari at 10:30 a.m. in Pavilion 2. Hensley received TPWD’s Outstanding Employee award for Outreach Education in 2013. Join him as an enthusiastic explorer of the wonderful world of insects. No charge.
Honeybees
Join storyteller and beekeeper, Kim Lehman of Austin, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. in Pavilion 2 to
learn about honeybees. Lehman, who has had years of experience as a story teller for the Austin Public Library, will conduct a hands-on session showing bees under a microscope, trying on a beekeeper’s suit, tasting honey and learning about other products of the hive. Pollination games and finger puppet activities are also planned. No charge.
Bats
Join Nyta Brown, Old Tunnel State Park superintendent and biologist, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. to learn about the lives of bats at Pavilion 2. Brown will discuss the origins of bats and the 100 million bats that live in the Hill Country during the summer months. Learn where these bats live, what they eat and how they spend their day. Have your picture taken in a portable Bat Cave with thousands of toy baby bats. No charge.
Turtles
Join Tim Cole, of Austin Reptile Service, which promotes conservation through education. Cole will provide eleven different species of turtles for an interactive display from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. near Pavilion 2. Three of his turtles are protected because of their declining numbers. He may also have a frog and lizard guest with him. Learn about the lives of these reptiles. No charge.
Butterflies
Join Cathy Downs and Gracie Waggener, two Hill Country butterfly enthusiasts who travel the state to teach children about the life cycles of butterflies, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Pollinator Garden. Children will be allowed to go into a tent with live butterflies and where possibly a beautiful butterfly will land on some viewer’s hands. See free flying butterflies working among the flowers in the adjacent garden. No charge.
Crafts and Other Activities
BRING THE KIDS!
Volunteers will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Pavilion 2 to guide children through a variety of craft projects. Among these projects will be making clothespin mechanical puppets, yarn critters, milk carton bird houses and wildflower seedballs. There will also be games and photo opportunities. No charge.
These children’s activities are an excellent opportunity to expose children to the many wonderful facets of nature. Colors the Clown will also be also be present for face painting ($5) and glitter tattoos ($2).
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April 25-27, 2014
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Hill Country Dragonflies and Damselflies Dragonflies 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 survivors among the oldest living creatures on Planet Earth. To accomplish this longevity, these insects survived three worldwide mass extinctions in which upwards to ninety per cent 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. Other interesting facts besides their being among the oldest insects, 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 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 flying insects.
Odonate larvae transform adults within a carapace of the nymph or naiad without passing through a chrysalis stage. What are the differences between dragonflies and damselflies? Dragonflies are generally larger ranging in length from one inch to more than four inches; however ancient species attained This Twelve-spotted Skimwingspans of almost thirty mer is indicative of the inches. Dragonflies’ forewings types of dragonflies found differ in size and shape from hind wings, while damselfly in the Hill Country. wings are all of the same shape Unlike butterflies and moths and size. While perching, dragonflies that have caterpillar larvae, hold their wings perpendicular odonate’s larval stages are aquatic in the form of nymphs to their bodies while damsels hold their wings together and naiads. Odonate larva behind their thoraxes. spend from one month the Dragonflies are faster than their eight years in their aquatic habitats in streams, ponds and damsel relatives. Both odonates lakes, before exiting from their prey on their own kind, as water homes to emerge as adult well as anything smaller than odonates. Butterflies and moths themselves. change from the larval stage to More than 5,500 species of odonates occur around adult in a chrysalis or cocoon.
the world. Of the more than four hundred odonate species found in North America, two hundred 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 fifty species. The number of species observed in the park is likely low because of limited census monitoring. Dragonfly species, as a fact, generally double the number of their close relatives, the damselflies. Odonates as fliers over the hills are honored by the Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival held in Lady Bird Johnson Park on April 25, 26, and 27. James Lasswell, the co-author of a book, A Dazzle of Dragonflies, will give a talk on Hill Country odonates. He will also lead dragonfly chases along the nature trails to see these colorful insects in their habitats.
Pollinator Garden on display in Lady Bird Johnson Park Friends of the Fredericksburg Nature Center pollinator garden, utilizing more than 1,000 hours of volunteer work by members and Master Naturalists, was built over the past year in Lady Bird Johnson Park between the swimming pool and the RV campground. The Pollinator Garden will be 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 plans. The garden site has been designated as a Monarch Butterfly Way Station to provide milkweed host plants for their caterpillars to consume as well as other plants for nectar sources for the hungry traveling Monarchs. Last fall almost 40 butterfly species were observed feeding on the few starter plants in the garden. As these and other new plants mature, a host of feeding
opportunities will be present for the hungry insects. In the process of feeding on the nectar, the insects will insure the plats will be pollinated for seed production. Two experts will speak on topics related to the Pollinator Garden. Kim Bacon, a wild bee expert from Austin, will be discussing the importance of wild bees as pollinators of our native plants on Saturday, April 26 at the festival. Bacon has been a favorite speaker at the
previous two Wings Over the Hills Nature Festivals. Flo Oxley, an adjunct professor at Austin Community College in Austin and formerly with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin will speak on Friday only, April 25, on the topic “Sex in the Garden.” The talk will be an entertaining, informative and educational talk for the whole family. After these talks, a visit to the Pollinator Garden may give you landscape ideas.
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| April 25-27, 2014
Hill Country bat emergence a popular attraction Every night from spring to fall a hundred 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 bug-eating machines and the great jobs 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 eleven species of bats that have been identified in the Texas Hill Country, dominate the bat populations 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 extremely interesting lifestyle and huge impact on our ecosystem; this article
will specifically highlight their biological importance. The “free-tail” in their name denotes that their tails extend beyond the tail membrane; most other bat tails are enclosed in the tail membrane. They are medium sized bats with body lengths less than four inches, but with long wingspans. Mostly brown in color, these bat’s ears do not join in the middle of their foreheads. On the list of especially interesting things to do in the Hill Country on a spring or summer evening is to 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. The emergence can be seen on radar images during weather forecasts in the
produce a large circular radar image as they disperse from the cave. Other good viewing sites include the Old Tunnel Wildlife Management Area southeast of Fredericksburg, the Ekert/ James River cave near Mason and the Frio Cave near Concan. 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 nightly Mexican-Free-tailed Bat emergence is a sight to behold. early evening news programs in San Antonio and Austin. The 20 million bat residents from Bracken Cave northeast of San Antonio
Expert Nyta Brown, the manager of the Old Tunnel Wildlife Management Area for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, will give presentations on the Hill Country bats at the Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival at 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 25 in the tent at the Pioneer Pavilion. Park representatives will be at the Old Tunnel State Park on Saturday evening, April 26 to explain the emergence of the bats from the Old Tunnel.
Hill Country butterflies: nature’s pretty pollinators 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
and the
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from Mexico. 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. For example, San Antonio entomologists have recorded over 185 species in Bexar County which is on the southern edge of the Hill Country. Clearly 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 butterflies, experts recommend photographing the butterflies and sorting them
challenges, he or she can learn the many interesting facets found in the butterfly world. Butterfly watching is an ever increasing pastime in our country, but not yet reaching the number of people considered avid birders. 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 The Queen butterfly. — Photo beautiful flier, the larval stage of the butterfly is that of a not so by Joe Houde beautiful caterpillar. Caterpillars are eating machines that often out in front of a computer fall into disfavor with gardeners rather than in the field. As with whose plants are devoured by the learning birding skills, much patience and practice is necessary hungry little beasts. One of Texas’ foremost in learning to differentiate butterfly experts, Cathy Downs, between species that have only will speak on Hill Country subtle identification markings. Once a new butterflier becomes butterflies at 1 p.m. Friday, April 25 at the Tatsch House. comfortable with identification
April 25-27, 2014
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Hill Country home of two endangered species The Golden-cheeked Warbler and the Black-capped Vireo were placed on the federally endangered species list when their numbers decreased because of loss of habitat and predation by nest paratisim of cowbirds. Their limited breeding range covers a narrow band of favorable habitat through the Texas Hill Country. The warblers prefer stands of mature ash juniper (cedar) and hardwoods in deep canyons from Del Rio to south of Ft. Worth. The vireo prefers dry scrub oak habitat in canyons in a narrow belt from Del Rio into southern Oklahoma. Urban sprawl in the Austin and San Antonio areas has contributed to the habitat loss, but the cowbird nest paratisim has been a much larger problem for these two small songbirds. The female cowbird lays her egg in the host bird’s nest and a shorter incubation period allows the cowbird baby to hatch
The Black-capped Vireo makes its home in the Hill Country. — Photo by Bill Lindemann
first. The young cowbird instinctively rids the nest of the host bird’s eggs leaving the cowbird to be raised by the host bird parents. In some areas the nest paratisim affected up to ninety percent of the endangered species nests.
To protect these songbirds, governmental agencies, such as the federal U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took action to protect habitat loss by establishing refuges such as the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge near Austin.
The state run Texas Parks and Wildlife Department set up cowbird trapping programs with participating Hill Country landowners to reduce the effect of the nest paratisim. The program has been very successful in re-establishing the songbirds raising their young instead of cowbirds; in some instances the fledgling rate of 90 percent songbirds has reached ninety per cent success. Birders from all over the country and world come to the Hill Country to add the Golden-cheeked Warbler and Blackcapped Vireos to their bird sighting lists. Wings Over the Hills offers two field trips to the Junction and Last Maples State Natural areas to allow attendees a chance to see these two special Hill Country songbirds. Go to www.wingstx.org and find the departure times for these field trips from Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park on Saturday, April 26, and Sunday, April 27.
Thank you to our Festival sponsors! Sponsors of the Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival Eagle Kathyrn Harrison Hawk Dian Graves Owen Foundation H-E-B Purple Martin Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post Songbird David and Myrna Langford Bill and Janet Lindemann John and Susie Bernard Ernie and Karen Loeffler Errol and Susan Candy Linda Ross Hummingbird Bonnie Bondurant Gracie Waggener Joan Harris Lonnie and Valarie Childs Mary Frances Watson Ned and Rhoda Reynolds Paul and Nancy Person John and Jane Crone
Richard and Jane Redmond Robert and Janice Phelps Tom and Noreen Hynes Ward and Pat Miller Troy and Stephanie Sutton Ric and Pat McCormick Dan and La Nell Hartmann Donations in kind Fischer and Wieser Steve and Beverly Allen Grape Creek Vineyards Pedernales Brewing Company Fredericksburg Rockhounds Main Street Books Rockbox Nimitz Museum of the Pacific War and Combat Zone Altorf Biergarten El Milagro Twenty Twelve Restaurant Bill Lindemann Dogologie Fredericksburg Theater Company Jabberwocky Scarlett’s Fritztown Cinema Cranky Frank’s BBQ Auslander Biergarten Errol and Susan Candy Ward and Pat Miller
Camey Stewart Bill and Fran Dendy Phil and Pat McConnell Kerrville Hills Winery, Kerrville Sharon Walling, Kerrville Joan Lovejoy, Comfort Kim and Tim Lesniak, Houston Vanguard Optics, Northbrook, Illinois Wal-Mart, Fredericksburg Native Plant Society of Texas Fredericksburg Chapter
We appreciate our venders and advertisers in this supplement Friendly Natives Nursery, Fredericksburg North Shore Pottery, Lake Travis J. Heupel Photography, Fredericksburg Sneed Nature Art, McAllen Texas Ornithological Society, San Antonio Bitter Lakes Wildlife Refuge, Roswell, NM Texas Master Naturalist Hill Country Chapter Buzzy’s Bar-B-Q, Kerrville Wild Birds Unlimited, Kerrville Native Plant Society of Texas Fredericksburg Chapter Friends of the Fredericksburg Nature Center Friends of Enchanted Rock State Natural Area Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival
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| April 25-27, 2014
Improve skills at photography workshop Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival is proud to have Rolf Nussbaumer of New Braunfels give his third nature photography workshop at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 26 in Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park. Nussbaumer, a native of Switzerland, married a Texan and moved to Central Texas is 2003. Interested in nature and the outdoors from an early age, Nussbaumer took up photography as a hobby and it blossomed into his profession. He uses his photography skills to show nature in a way most people would miss, whether it is on a grand scale or in the nooks and crannies of natural wildlife habitats. Today his award winning photography has been published around the world. Competing against world class photographers, his clever imagination, knowledge of nature and camera skills produced the winning entry in four prestigious wildlife photo contests in Texas. The workshop will include a 60-minute photo lecture, 20-minute question-and-answer session and an hour and a half of hands-on photo work in the field. The lecture will cover basics of digital photography using digital SLR, basic digital workflow including shooting RAW vs. JPEG, and other aspects of color photography. He will discuss and demonstrate items of photo gear, discuss difficulty of nature photography and techniques to yield pleasing photographs. If interested in joining this workshop, please go to the festival website: www.wingstx.org and sign up on line. Time and details are provided on the web page. See many of Ross Nussbaumer’s prizewinning photographs on his website: www.rolfnussbaumer.com.