March 2021 Advanced Training


March 2, 2021  9:30am to 11:00am CST (Rescheduled from February 16, 2021 due to weather) 

Backyard Water Features 

To register, simply email arroyocoloradoaudubon@gmail.com 


Tuesday, March 2, 2021 11am-12pm Eastern time 

Get to Know Your Backyard Birds: Nest and Egg ID with NestWatch 

Have you ever found a bird’s nest you couldn’t identify? It’s both an exciting and puzzling moment! On March 2 at 12 p.m. Eastern, join our conversation with NestWatch Project Leader Robyn Bailey and Project Assistant Holly Grant as they share tips and tricks for identifying common backyard nests and eggs. We’ll discuss how to safely monitor nests and baby birds and reveal features of a good birdhouse. Discover how you can turn your observations of nesting birds into scientific data with NestWatch.  

Register to attend 


Tuesday, March 2, 2021 7:30am to 7:45am CT 

March events at Edinburg World Birding Center 

https://edinburgwbc.org/calendar-of-events


March 3, 2021 2:00pm 

Seaside Chats Texas Oyster MariCulture 

https://www.facebook.com/events/139228828064754/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22mechanism%22%3A%22search_results%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22search%22%7D]%7D


March 4 & 5, 2021 8am to 4:30pm   

3rd Annual TX Plastic Pollution Symposium 

The third annual Texas Plastic Pollution Symposium will be held on March 4th and 5th, 2021 at the Beach Resort in South Padre Island, Texas. The purpose of this meeting is to bring scientists together to discuss plastic research being conducted in the state of Texas, and to bring awareness to plastics in the environment. March 4th will consist of research presentations and posters, and March 5th will include a cleanup on the beach and workshops related to plastics in the environment. 

https://missionaransas.org/tx-plastic-pollution-symposium


March 5-7, 2021 

Virtual Ocelot Festival  

Join this FREE, virtual festival focused on ocelot outreach! Enjoy pre-recorded sessions featuring ocelot information, activities, research, and more! 

https://www.texasocelots.com/


Saturday, March 6, 2021 10am to 11am  (Rescheduled to March 6th) 

Coastal Shorebirds: World Travelers, Winter Texans 

Learn which shorebirds winter on the Texas coast! Patsy Inglet, local birding enthusiast, Texas Master Naturalist, and President of Bexar Audubon Society leads this online work 

https://mitchelllake.audubon.org/events/coastal-shorebirds-world-travelers-winter-texans-rescheduled-march-6


Sat, March 06, 13, 20,27, 2021 

Lake Corpus Christi Park  Saturday Morning Sit Down 9am 

Each week will feature a different location within the park and the opportunity to get your questions directly to a ranger.  

https://www.facebook.com/LakeCorpusChristiStatePark/events/?ref=page_internal


Texas Butterfly Monitoring 

Training is divided into 2 parts, a series of slide presentations and live Q&A.  You watch the slide presentations on your own, then attend any one of the live Q&A sessions.  The schedule for the first three live Q&As is below. 

2 Slide presentations are on YouTube: Introduction and Using Google Maps to Create Your Route: (approx. 25 mins) 

1 presentation is slides only: Recording data in PollardBase: (self-study, estimate 30 mins)  

Live Q&A schedule on Zoom: Sun, Mar 7th 2:00-2:30 pm, Tue, Mar 9th 8:00-8:30 pm, Thu, Mar 11th 12:00 -12:30 pm  

Estimate total 1.5 AT hours. 

A refresher on iNaturalist might be necessary but the use of iNaturalist is optional and recommended to help with identifying the butterflies. 

If interested, contact riograndevalleychapter.tmn@gmail.com.


March 9, 2021 9:30am to 11:00am  (Added class due to interest from the February 9th session 

Identifying the “Top Ten” RGV Speciality Birds  

To register, simply email arroyocoloradoaudubon@gmail.com 


TMN Tuesday, March 9, 2021 12 noon to 1:30pm Presented by Freya McGregor  

Birdability: because birding is for everybody and every body! 

Birding is an activity that can bring so much joy and empowerment to everybody, but not everybody is able to go birding easily. Birdability is a non-profit organization focused on removing barriers to access for birders with mobility challenges, blindness or low vision, intellectual or developmental disabilities (including autism), mental illness, being Deaf or Hard of Hearing and other health concerns; and bringing the joy of birding to people with disabilities and other health concerns who aren’t yet birders. Learn about why this should matter to you (even if you don’t have an accessibility challenge), ways to be a more welcoming and inclusive birder, the Birdability Map (and how to submit a Birdability Site Review) and our resources for birders (and potential future birders) with accessibility challenges… because birding is for everybody and every body! Learn more and find resources at birdability.org 

https://txmn.tamu.edu/tmntuesdays/#march


Tuesday, March 9 at 7:00pm to 8:40pm 

RGV Chapter Meeting: Speaker Dr. Christopher Gabler 

Studying the effects of climate change on our Coastal Ecosystem.


Thursday, March 11th at 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm 

Arroyo Colorado Audubon Society monthly meeting. Speaker: TBD (1 hr AT)  

Credit pending on Speaker topic. 

https://www.facebook.com/Arroyo-Colorado-Audubon-Society-105945876118026


Creature Feature Lake Corpus Christi by TPWD 

Sat, March 13, 2021 2:00p to 2:45p 

Join a ranger at Lake Corpus Christi State Park to learn about a new park creature every second Saturday this year. 

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JECsA52qQ6u0m-GUbAOs3g


Mon, March 15, 6pm – 8pm 

STBCTMN Chapter Meeting 

Speaker TBD 


Wednesday, March 17, 2pm  3pm 

Seaside Chats: Freeze Effects on Texas Fish, Texas Sea Grant’s Natural Resource Specialist Nicole Pilson  

Restoring coastal habitats, planning for the next hurricane, and the cleaning up marine debris are just a few topics that we will tackle in our Seaside Chats. Join us as we take a deep dive into the successes, challenges, opportunities, and curiosities of the third coast. 

Water Resources Conservation – This chat will discuss residential and landowner water resource conservation practices.  

Register at tx.ag/SeasideChats 


Thursday, March 18, 2021 6pm to 7pm Eco Expert Lecture Series  

The Effects of Seasonal Prescribed Burns on Butterfly communities 

Dr. Rideout-Hanzak is a certified senior wildlife fire ecologist and research scientist at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, a research facility at Texas A&M University – Kingsville. In one of her research projects, she is looking at the effects of prescribed burns during different seasons on the coastal Gulf cordgrass community and its usage by butterflies. So far, her research team has identified butterflies from 38 species! Join us to learn more about this great research project. 

https://www.facebook.com/OsoBayWetlandsPreserveandLearningCenter/


Sunday, March 21, 2021 11:00am 

Ask-the-Expert: Stick House Sanctuary (Wildlife Rehabilitators)  

Have you ever found a baby animal or an injured animal and didn’t know what to do? This is your chance to learn the dos and don’ts when trying to help wildlife and to ask one of our local wildlife rehabilitators any questions you have. 

https://tpwd.texas.gov/calendar/wyler-aerial-tramway/copy4_of_online-program-ask-the-expert


Sunday, March 21st, 9am to 11am  

Edible Native Plants & Where to Find Them –  

Fruits and flowers everywhere, but not a bite to eat? This class will help you reconnect with the land by learning foraging skills and how to ID native plants that are safe for your plate, such as prickly pear and Texas persimmon. Not only will you be primed to dress your salad and fill your snack bag with local native plants, but learning to forage will make your forays into nature richer as you tune in to the land around you.   

Space is limited and registration is required. This virtual event will be held via Zoom.  

Register for March 21  

$25 per person (one session) 

Members receive discounts on registration. Learn about membership here.   

Note: Participants will receive an email with the link for the Zoom meeting prior to the event. Make sure you have Zoom installed and set up to participate.  

https://www.wildflower.org/event/foraging-texas-virtual/2021-03-21


Tuesday, March 23, 2021 1pm to 2pm  

2021 Monarch Conservation Webinar Series: Monarchs, Milkweed and Grassland Disturbance 

When common milkweed is cut back during the growing season it produces new growth over the next few weeks. Research suggests these regenerating stems are very attractive to ovipositing monarchs, contain fewer monarch predators, and may be safer environments for first-instar caterpillars. This presentation will review research on this topic, including results from the ReGrow Milkweed for Monarchs community science project, and discuss prospects and uncertainties around using disturbance as a conservation tool for monarch recovery. 

https://monarchjointventure.org/events


Wed, March 31, 1:00pm – 2:30pm 

Wetlands and Pollinators: How Water Quality Can Benefit Pollinators  

Wetlands are vital–recognized for their importance in protecting water quality, enhancing agricultural production, strengthening community health, and providing wildlife habitat. This webinar highlights how wetland protection and restoration can also support pollinator and other beneficial insect conservation. We will discuss the habitat needs of pollinators, the critical role native plants play in wetland communities, and how to determine which plant species are appropriate for your region to enhance biodiversity and improve wildlife habitat. We will broadly review the use of Farm Bill programs to restore or preserve wetlands that can also create pollinator habitat and highlight successful, pollinator-friendly USDA projects on wetlands. 

http://forestrywebinars.net/webinars/wetlands-and-pollinators-how-water-quality-can-benefit-pollinators/?sr=wp~upcoming


AT opportunities with Service Volunteer projects for TMN: 


Invasive Species Surveys and Verification 

Can brush up on the invasive species at these sites: 

http://www.texasinvasives.org/invaders/

http://www.texasinvasives.org/invaders/toolkit.php


Manfreda Conservation Project 

2 virtual meetings will be hosted by the National Butterfly Center in March to Educate and train volunteers.  Dates to be announed. Register by contacting: 956.583.5400 or email Marianna@NationalButterflyCenter.org.