October Advanced Training Opportunities

contributed by Roberto Gaitan

The information below is only a subset of AT opportunities available. If you find something on the list and wish to make sure it qualifies for AT, contact Teresa Du Bois. Follow the links below for more information to register or attend the meeting.


Saturday, October 2, 2021 9:30am (In person) 

Native Pollinator Day  

Location:  SPI Birding and Nature Center 

“INaturalist 101” presentation/workshop on how to use the database and contribute to the Texas Pollinator BioBlitz 2021 with a tour following in the garden 

Free charge if you wear your TMN Name Badge 


Guided Nature Hike (In person) 

Sun, October 3, 3pm – 4pm 

Edinburg Scenic Wetlands & World Birding Center, 714 S Raul Longoria Rd, Edinburg, TX 78542, USA (map) 

Join us on a guided nature hike around the gardens and ponds. All ages are welcome to explore and learn about the plants and animals that call the EWBC home.   

All walks are free with paid admission or membership.For more information, please call (956) 381-9922 or visit www.EdinburgWBC.org. 


Butterfly Walks (In person) 

Friday,  October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29,  2021 1:30pm – 3:30pm Central Time – Chicago 

Estero Llano Grande State Parks and World Birding Center 3301 S. International Blvd.  

Join a park naturalist and observe the vast numbers of colorful butterflies that are attracted to the park’s gardens. Many species that can be seen in South Texas occur nowhere else in the US.   

Walk will be at a modest pace over flat terrain – pick the length you’d like to cover – either one mile or two and a half miles. Call for more information 956-565-3919 


Dragonfly Walks (In person) 

Fri, October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 2021  3:30pm – 4:30pm Central Time – Chicago 

Estero Llano Grande State Parks and World Birding Center 3301 S. International Blvd. 

Join a park naturalist and observe the amazing dragonflies and damselflies that are attracted to the park’s wetlands. Some species that can be seen in South Texas occur nowhere else in the US.   

Walk will be at a modest pace over flat terrain – pick the length you’d like to cover – either one mile or two and a half miles. Call for more information 956-565-3919 


Bird Walk (In Person) 

Sat, October 2, 9, 16,23,30, 2021 8:30am – 10:30am Central Time –  Chicago 

Estero Llano Grande State Park and World Birding Center 3301 S. International Blvd. 

Let our knowledgeable park naturalist guide you on a birding adventure to identify some of the 250 plus birds that have been sighted at Estero Llano Grande State Park.  You’ll enjoy a walk along our boardwalks through the wetlands and get an up close and personal look as some of the amazing shorebirds, herons, egrets, waterfowl and woodland birds that reside in the park. 

Call for more information 956-565-391 


Hawk Watch   

Fri, October 01 through October 31, 2021 8:45am to 11:00am (In person 

This is a single occurrence of a repeating event. View all dates. 

Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park 

Roy J Rodriguez   roy.rodriguez@tpwd.texas.gov 

(956) 584-9156 

Join park volunteers and naturalists to spot, identify, and count thousands of migrating raptors 

Bring:  Binoculars, sunscreen, hat, water, comfortable shoes 

Meet: Hawk Tower, Rio Grande Trail (tram starts at 9 am) 

Cost: Entry fee is $5 for adults and FREE 12 & under (Park entry free with  Texas State Park Pass.) 

Birds of prey are important indicators of environmental well-being.  Bentsen’s annual Hawk Watch contributes to Hawk Count, a long-term study monitoring raptor population trends and the largest standardized raptor migration network in the world. Hawk count is a project of the Hawk Migration Association of North America.  

Registration:  Attendance is limited.  Call 956-584-9156 or sign up at Park Headquarters to reserve your spot. 


Bird Walks 

Tue, October 5, 12, 19, 26 2021 8:30am – 10:30am 

Edinburg Scenic Wetlands & World Birding Center, 714 S Raul Longoria Rd, Edinburg, TX 78542, USA (map) 

Description 

Join us for a walk around our grounds as we introduce you to the abundant and varied birds that make our gardens and wetlands home. These 2-hour bird walks start every Tuesday on 

Register for a bird walk at our website: www.edinburwbc.org or call to register at (956) 381-9922. 


Beekeeping 101 course (Virtual) 

Webinar dates: Oct 5, 6, 12, 13 2021 6pm – 8pm 

Beekeeping 101 course through  Texas A&M AgriLife Extension 

October 5:  Honey Bee Biology 

October 6:  Beekeeping Basics 

October 12:  What to Expect the First Year 

October 13:  Risks to Honey Bees – Pests & Others 

Each session is 6 p.m.-8 p.m., and will be recorded. 

Interested in Beekeeping, but need some information to get started?  This live, online course will cover the basics of beekeeping to prepare you to have your own hives and interact with instructors. We will cover honey bee biology, beekeeping equipment, managing a hive, and pests management of honey bees.  You’ll learn what to expect those first early years as a beekeeper!   

A beekeeping resources kit with catalogs, factsheets, etc, will be mailed to you. Please provide the best address for mailing. 

How to Access the Virtual Program 

To immediately receive the instructions to access the virtual program, please pay via credit card (Visa, Mastercard or Discover).  Instructions to access the virtual program will not be emailed until payment is received. 

Upon completion of registration and payment, you will receive an email from agriliferegister@tamu.edu. That email will contain 2 pdf attachments you must open:  a Receipt and Registration Confirmation.  Scroll to the end of the Registration Confirmation for the instructions on how to access the virtual program. 

Registration 

https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/registerForEvent/3456


Sat, October 2, 9, 30 2021 AT Online 

Lake Corpus Christi Park  Saturday Morning Sit Down 9am to 9:30pm 

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


RGVTMN Chapter Meeting 

Tuesday, October 12, 2021 

Social Time: 6:00pm to 6:30pm 

Meeting Time: 6:30pm 

Harlingen Library and virtual 

Subject: Caracara Trails 

Speaker:  Adrienne Wheatly 


Thursday, October 14, 2021 6:00pm 

Arroyo Colorado Audobon Society 

Harlingen Library 

Speaker Javier DeLeon – Superintendent @ Texas State Parks 

Subject: RGV State Park Rarities History and how to look for the next one 

(Field trip at Estero State Park on Saturday, October 16, 2021) 


Saturday, October 16, 2021 8:15am to 8:45am 

Resaca De La Palma State Park 

Bird and Nature TourTake a guided stroll through the park with a ranger! 

This early expedition through the park is guided by a ranger as they help you identify the flora and fauna of Resaca de la Palma State Park! 

Meet: In the Visitor’s Center 

Bring: Water, snacks, dress appropriately for weather! 

Fee: Included with park admission of $4 per adult and Free for kids 12 years and younger. 

For more information, please contact the park at (956) 350-2920 


Friday, October 22, 2021 12pm – 1pm (AT Webinar) 

Wild Neighbors Speaker Series: Let’s Talk Spiders 

Austin Water Wetland Conservation webinar Let’s Talk Spiders 

Joe Lapp, or Spider Joe, is a self-taught spider taxonomist and nature educator in Austin, Texas. He studies spiders, teaches people about spiders, and develops software to support arthropod conservation at UT Austin. Tarantulas are already popular, so he teaches about the everyday spiders we see, like jumping spiders, crab spiders, and orbweavers. 

Register  https://traviscountytx-gov.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_z9TX-uQ9Rvu3A1_6HhqbQw 


Useful and Edible Plants 

Sat, October 23, 2021 9:30a to 10:30a 

Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park 

Presentor: Bianca Banda 

(956) 584-9156, x235 

bianca.banda@tpwd.texas.gov 

Learn about the plants of deep south Texas and their importance to people & wildlife. 

Bentsen Rio Grande Valley is home to many plant species that are unique to the area and have many, sometimes unexpected, uses.  Join us as we take a take a walk and explore some of these green wonders. 

Bring:  Sunscreen, hat, water, comfortable shoes 

Meet: Park Headquarters, Tram Turnaround 

Cost: Entry fee is $5 for adults and FREE 12 & under (Park entry free with Texas State Park Pass.). 


Mon, October 25rd, 2021, 6pm – 8pm 

STBCTMN Chapter Meeting 

St. George Orthodox Church, 704 W Sam Houston, Pharr, TX (map) 

All South Texas Border Chapter Texas Master Naturalist are open to the public. 

Speaker to be announced. 


Tuesday, October 26th, 2 PM Eastern Time Virtual 

Recovery of the monarch butterfly: Federal and state legislation that can provide hope for this iconic animal  

Presenter: Scott Black – The Xerces Society for the Conservation of Invertebrates 

Monarch butterflies are one of North America’s most iconic animals. Weighing less than a penny, monarchs can fly up to 3000 miles from summer breeding grounds to overwintering sites in Mexico and have captured the imagination of generations of people as one of our largest and most striking butterflies. Unfortunately, North American monarchs are threatened with extinction due to habitat loss, pesticide use, disease and climate change.  Scott will discuss both current and proposed legislation that could help to protect and restore habitat for the monarch butterfly.   

https://monarchjointventure.org/events


Thu, October 28, 2021  5:30pm to 6:30pm (Virtual Online) 

Aquatic Invasive Species in Texas – How Anglers Can Help Stop the Spread! 

Presented by Monica McGarrity, TPWD Senior Scientiest for Aquatic Invasive Species 

Keira Quam 

(469)644-2705 

keira.quam@tpwd.texas.gov 

Register in advance (by Oct. 27th) for this event. The zoom link will be sent to those who are preregistered.  

Note: this presentation was originally scheduled for Sept. 2, 2021 and has been rescheduled to Oct. 28, 2021.  


Thursday, October 28, 2021 7:00pm to 8:00pm Virtual 

Hays County Chapter Meeting – Texas Ecosystem Analytical Mapper (Team application and its uses) 

Speaker: Wendy Anderson from TPWD 

You are invited to a Zoom meeting. Register in advance for this meeting: click: Zoom Link: After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. 

https://haysmn.org/


Explore other TPWD opportunities at https://tpwd.texas.gov/calendar.


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