Category: The Chachalaca

  • Flamingos on the Refuge

    Flamingos on the Refuge

    As per an eBird report, flamingos were being seen in Corpus Christi, Texas due to displacement by a hurricane. Then an anonymous birder reported seeing a flamingo around October 15 at the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, however, many of us never saw that report for some reason. On Sunday, October 22, two more eBird…

  • Rewards of Volunteering

    Rewards of Volunteering

    Working with South Texas Border Chapter (STBC) Texas Master Naturalist (TMN) members on our chapter project at the Vannie Cook Children’s Cancer Center in McAllen has been a rewarding experience for me over the many years since we first began the project. I’ve expressed in presentations how it brought chapter members together for a common…

  • Pond Lookout is a Winner

    Pond Lookout is a Winner

    South Texas Border Chapter Texas Master Naturalist Robert “Zeke” Schmidt was awarded first place in the Student Photography Contest (high school division) at the 30th annual Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival held November 8-12, 2023 in Harlingen.

  • SPI Fall Bird Migration

    SPI Fall Bird Migration

    While we do see some early migratory songbirds in July, it doesn’t quite feel like things are moving much until early August with the arrival of large numbers of Yellow Warblers. Their little chip notes fill the air of change. By mid-August a few more species started to show up at the SPI Birding Nature…

  • Annual Meeting a Success

    Annual Meeting a Success

    I would like to shout out a big THANK YOU to ALL that helped with the 2023 Texas Master Naturalist (TMN) Annual Meeting at the McAllen Convention Center, October 12-15, 2023. It could not have happened without you!

  • Baileys Ball Moss

    Baileys Ball Moss

    I have some Bailey’s ball moss (Tillandsia baileyi) in my backyard that I enjoy tremendously. Some were given to me by friends while others I picked up at either festivals or events and meetings that were part of both the Texas Master Naturalist program and the Native Plant Project. I have had them for several…