FARM AND RANGE FORUM ON SATURDAY

On Saturday, February 27, Plateau's Ken Thigpen will speak at the Farm and Range Forum, "Sustaining the Hill Country -- Now and for Future Generations" in Fredericksburg. The event has a fantastic line-up of speakers. For complete details visit HCC's website.

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT SEMINAR IN FREDERICKSBURG TONIGHT!

Plateau's Tim Milligan will be presenting a free seminar on Wildlife Management Valuation tonight in Fredericksburg from 6-8PM. Join Tim at Wildseed Farms, 100 Legacy Drive. For more information now, contact Plateau.

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT SEMINAR IN DRIPPING SPRINGS TONIGHT!

Plateau's Craig Bowen will be presenting a free seminar on Wildlife Management Valuation tonight in Dripping Springs from 6-8PM. Join Craig at City Hall on Mercer Street in Dripping Springs. For more information now, contact Plateau.

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT SEMINAR IN BLANCO TONIGHT!

Plateau's Tim Milligan will be presenting a free seminar on Wildlife Management Valuation tonight in Blanco from 6-8PM. Join Tim at the Old Blanco County Courthouse on Main Street in Downtown Blanco between Third and Fourth Street. For more information now, contact Plateau.

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT ON MILITARY BASES

The New York Times has a very interesting article on wildlife management on our nation's military bases:

"Under crystalline winter skies, a light infantry unit headed for Iraq was practicing precision long-range shooting through a pall of smoke. But the fire generating the haze had nothing to do with the training exercise.

"Staff members at the Army post had set the blaze on behalf of the red-cockaded woodpecker, an imperiled eight-inch-long bird that requires frequent conflagrations to preserve its pine habitat.

"Even as it conducts round-the-clock exercises to support two wars, Fort Stewart spends as much as $3 million a year on wildlife management, diligently grooming its 279,000 acres to accommodate five endangered species that live here. Last year, the wildlife staff even built about 100 artificial cavities and installed them 25 feet high in large pines so the woodpeckers did not have to toil for six months carving the nests themselves."

Read the entire article on NYTimes.com.

SPRING BREEDING BIRD CENSUS TIME IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER! SCHEDULE YOUR BBC NOW!

Contact Kameron for more information
and/or to schedule your BBC today. 

Click image to enlarge for more information about Plateau's BBC

LET'S RODEO! PLATEAU AT SAN ANTONIO RODEO TONIGHT!

Plateau's Craig Bowen and Shane Kiefer will be speaking on wildlife at the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo tonight at 6PM in the "Texas Experience" pavilion. Look for the "Go Texan" wildlife display.

MARDI GRAS LIVES!

Yesterday may have marked the end of Mardi Gras, but the Mardi Gras Wrasse swims on. This species of coral reef wrasse was nicknamed the "Mardi Gras wrasse" due to the bright purple, yellow and green coloration of the terminal male phase. As is typical of wrasses, the juvenile and non-terminal phases of this species are a completely different color. As seen in the photo, above, they are red with a white stripe running from nose to tail. Learn more about the Mardi Gras Wrasse from the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Photo via Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.

GREAT TEXAS BIRDING CLASSIC - REGISTRATION DEADLINE MARCH 22

The 14th Annual Great Texas Birding Classic (GTBC) takes place this year April 24 – May 2. Sponsored by the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the GTBC is a friendly, but serious birding for conservation tournament. It is held each year during April to coincide with the spectacular spring bird migration in Texas. During the tournament, teams vie to see who can spot and record the most bird species in a given time period. The adult teams with the highest species counts win the privilege of choosing the conservation projects that will be awarded Conservation Grant Grand Prizes. Registration deadline is March 22. Learn more at birdingclassic.org.

LET'S RODEO! PLATEAU AT SAN ANTONIO RODEO TONIGHT!

Plateau's Tim Milligan and Shane Kiefer will be speaking on wildlife at the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo tonight at 6PM in the "Texas Experience" pavilion. Look for the "Go Texan" wildlife display. If you miss tonight, Shane and Craig Bowen will be back on Thursday night.

SEMINAR SEASON!

Our first seminar for 2010 is tomorrow, February 11. Join Plateau's John Melnar for a discussion of Wildlife Management Valuation.

February 11, 2010
6-8PM
Wild Basin Wilderness
805 N. Capitol of Texas Hwy.
Austin, Texas

For more dates, check the column to the left.
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RIVER OTTERS RETURNING TO TEXAS WATERWAYS

Sightings of the elusive Texas river otter have increased, some in unexpected places, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Biologist Gary Calkins. Otters have been spotted much farther west than expected, and even as far north as Wichita Falls.

"There were sightings in Gonzales, that was kind of a surprise," said Calkins, who leads TPWD's tri-annual effort to survey rivers and monitor otter population trends. "But the real westerly sightings, those stick out in my mind."

Calkins started receiving reports of otter sightings after two Passport to Texas radio broadcasts about his otter research aired last year. The biologist owes the sightings to more eyes looking and increased public interest rather than any significant change in the state otter population. Passport to Texas is TPWD's radio series of 90-second weekday feature stories airing on about 100 stations across the state.

These sightings are somewhat of a surprise, since usually otters like to keep out of sight of humans.

"Otters live in the water, and are not something people normally look for," said Calkins. "They are really kind of a shy, retiring animal and do most of their hunting right at dawn or right at dusk so they are not something you are normally going to stumble across."

Historical range maps have shown in the past otters occurring from East to Central Texas, but too much trapping in the past limited them to the eastern quarter of the state. Department reports now show that the animals are returning to their historic range.

Calkins says river otters are an indicator of how healthy the surrounding environment is. Otters feed on things like fish and crawfish, which are very sensitive to pollutants.

"If you have crawfish and a lot of prey items in the waterway, otters are going to be more noticed in the system and show that it's generally doing well ecologically," said Calkins. "It shows there is enough food to sustain them, and the prey items are really sensitive so that's kind of a key."

These new developments with the state's otter population will be important in future research.

"What this is going to do is work as background information on what we do next on otter management," said Calkins.

DEER CORN AND THE DECLINE IN QUAIL POPULATIONS

The Dallas Morning News has a column on the possible connection between deer corn and the decline in bobwhite quail.

Writes columnist Ray Sasser:

"Several factors are blamed for the precipitous decline of bobwhite quail, habitat changes ranking first. I don't think it's a coincidence, however, that the quail decline parallels the dramatic expansion of white-tailed deer and deer hunting throughout West Texas.

"Even in South Texas, the state's other ecological island of quail habitat, the practice of baiting deer with corn accelerated in the 1980s. In December, I hunted quail in the Oklahoma Panhandle with John Cox, a wildlife biologist who feeds quail, both as a means of supplementing the birds' natural diet against harsh winter weather and to congregate them for hunting. He no longer uses corn or the smaller grain seeds that quail hunters often prefer.

"'I'm feeding the quail with black-eyed peas,' Cox said. 'Peas work great in an automatic feeder. When you buy them in bulk, they're cheaper than corn. Quail, deer and turkeys all love the peas, and I can go to sleep at night not wondering how many coveys I poisoned that day.'"

Read the entire column here.

DAHLSTROM RANCH CONSERVATION EASEMENT FINALIZED

A rare collaboration to preserve and restore a threatened Texas ranch makes conservation history today

Hays County, the City of Austin, and the Hill Country Conservancy (HCC), with funding from the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), came together to purchase a conservation easement on the historic Dahlstrom Ranch, a 2,254-acre ranch located near Buda, Texas. This rare collaboration between a private landowner, county, federal agency, and city, began in 2007 and will be the first private land preservation agreement of its kind. The privately owned ranch will have the unique distinction of providing a 384-acre area for public education and nature programs proposed by a public access committee led by the National Parks Service and will be managed by Hays County.

“Through this conservation easement, Gay Dahlstrom, in partnership with Hays County, as guided by Precinct 2 Commissioner Jeff Barton, NRCS, HCC, the City of Austin and many others, has ensured that a majestic piece of the Texas Hill Country will not only survive, but allow our native wildlife and natural resources to thrive,” said David Braun of Braun & Associates, attorneys for Gay Dahlstrom. “Gay is an exceedingly modest and private person, but today she and her family have set a proud and important example for all conservation-minded Texas landowners.”

With a family history dating back five generations, the Dahlstrom Ranch on Onion Creek has played a big part in Hays County’s heritage. The property also plays a key role in the area’s well-being thanks to its abundant aquifer recharge. The historic ranch holds an impressive system of caves and sinkholes which directly convey clean water to our aquifer. Also, following a reduction in livestock grazing in 2005, the ranch’s wildlife habitat and native grasses have staged a welcome comeback.

In recent years, the Dahlstroms, like many other Texas families, were faced with the decision on whether to begin selling off their land to developers in order to pay estate taxes. Gay Dahlstrom chose to preserve the family’s heritage and legacy, retaining attorneys Braun & Associates to guide her through the process of obtaining a conservation easement, which would allow her family to keep the ranch intact. This contract between property owner and conservation organization, while providing critical tax incentives, also allows the owner to protect the water resources, wildlife habitat, natural character, and other conservation values of the land. A conservation easement restricts the amount and type of development allowed on the property, and conveys the right to enforce these restrictions in perpetuity, while preserving the right to traditional agricultural uses and limited residential use.

“This partnership provides multiple benefits, keeping this land intact for the family’s ongoing use and enjoyment while preserving the unique caves and other karst features of the ranch and furthering enhancement of its ecology and wildlife”, said Frank Davis, Director of Land Stewardship at HCC.

“I am very pleased we are able to partner with Hays County and Hill Country Conservancy on this important project,” said City of Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell, a longtime supporter of the use of voter-approved bonds designated for the acquisition of open space. “As our region continues to grow, it is important that we lead in the effort to protect our natural resources, and acquisitions like this one ensure we are doing our part to protect and enhance our environment, particularly our water quality, and the heritage of the Aquifer region and Texas Hill Country.”

Gay Dahlstrom’s son, Jack Dahlstrom, Jr., has plans for eco-tourism and nature and wildlife-related art exhibits on the property, with the ultimate goal to further the community’s understanding of, and respect for, the area’s heritage and environment. The Dahlstrom family has a long-term plan for continuing to restore the land and its native wildlife.

“At the end of the day, my mother did this because she loves this land and appreciates all that it has given us,” said Jack Dahlstrom, Jr. “Now, it’s our family’s turn to give back to the land, and we appreciate the efforts of everyone who worked so hard to help us make that happen.”

FERAL HOGS

Country World has a well-written article on the feral hog problem in Texas. They speak with Jim Cathey of Texas Agrilife Extension who offers priceless gems on the porcine menace. Regarding the fact that feral hog sows usually have one or two litters a year of four to 12 young:

"A fellow told me that they might have 12 babies but 18 of them will survive," Cathey added.

With regard to landowners who find feral hogs in the "act of depredation or about to depredate" being able shoot a feral hog even if he or she does not have a hunting license:

"If the hog is breathing, it's about to depredate," Cathey noted.

Read the complete article here.

RARE AMAZON KINGFISHER IN TEXAS

A rare Amazon Kingfisher, a species of bird never previously reported in the United States, has been sighted in Laredo, Texas home. Plateau Senior Wildlife Biologist and dedicated birder, Mark Gray, made the trip from Austin to Laredo this weekend to see the kingfisher for himself. Along with 50-60 other birders, Mark waited approximately 2.5 hours for his sighting of the green female at Rio Grande, Zacate Creek. Mark had heard that passing airboats would flush birds up the creek, so when he heard an airboat in the distance he knew the sighting could be nigh. As hoped, along with about 50 other birds, the Amazon Kingfisher flew up the creek, directly at the birders and alighted in a tree just 40 feet from Mark. The city of Laredo is happy to have their current feathered visitor and has posted helpful details on where to see the bird and viewing etiquette which you can link to here.

Do you know what birds are on your property? Plateau offers a guided bird tour of your property with a professional, expert birder. Our Breeding Bird Census (BBC) is conducted on the property during the breeding season -- approximately mid-March through early-June. These popular surveys begin at sunrise for the "morning chorus" and give you the opportunity to walk your land accompanied by a skilled birdwatcher. This is a fantastic learning experience, not only with information about birds, but you can learn more about your land as well.

And if you have not already conducted your Wintering and Resident Bird Survey, Plateau's winter bird counts are still in full swing until February 15 (just 2 more weeks!). Doing both Breeding Bird and Wintering and Resident Bird counts is an excellent way to get a year-round picture of your land's bird population. Contact Plateau for more information on our bird surveys.