Passport to Texas

30th Anniversary of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Television Series

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The Texas Parks and Wildlife TV show celebrates 30 years on PBS with the new season that starts this month.

17- That’s an incredibly long time for a show to be on–especially one like this. A lot of states used to do shows like this, and a lot of them–for whatever reason–have dropped out. And we are one of the few starts that still does a show that still runs on public broadcasting in the state. So, we’re pretty unique in that regard.

Don Cash is series producer. He says throughout the 30th Anniversary season, viewers will enjoy vintage segments.

19-Some of this stuff is going to seem fairly dated and maybe a little hokey; and that’s what’s kind of fun about it. The style of storytelling 30 years ago is different than what it is now. It was great storytelling; but we really focus more on telling stories through people now than when the show first started.

Expect to meet show producers from the series’ 30 year history talking about their favorite segments.

13-And, we’re going to let them introduce their favorite story from their time. Our show doesn’t have a host; there’s no real person to it. And this will maybe let some of the viewers actually put a face to some of the people that have worked on the show over the years.

And that’s just a small part of what to expect during the 30th Anniversary year of the Texas Parks and Wildlife TV series.  Check your local listings.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Eastern Bluebirds

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This is Passport to Texas

My house is on land previously used for farming; except for a few young trees planted around my place, stands of large, mature trees are in short supply.

Despite the dearth of foliage, I do get bird visitors, including barn swallows, mockingbirds, scissor-tail fly-catchers, mourning doves, and sparrows. I even get the occasional visit from robins, hummingbirds, woodpeckers and killdeer, to name a few.

One bird I have not yet seen, but am told is in my area: the Eastern Bluebird. It is a small bird found in open woodlands and farmlands. I think it’s one of the prettiest little birds in Texas with its electric blue back and tail feathers and rusty orange breast.

Ornithologist, Cliff Shackelford, suggested how I might attract one to my yard.

16— They need a box to nest in. They’re birds that we call secondary cavity nesters that can’t build a cavity on their own in a dead tree, like a woodpecker. So, they use old woodpecker holes, or old rotten limbs.

They aren’t alone. Cliff says other species prefer a roof over their heads, too.

15— Bluebirds need it, titmice need it, and chickadees need it. So, you need to figure out first what birds are in your area, and which ones of those use boxes. And that’s when you can target which one to build and put up in your yard.

Find a link that will take you to nest box dimensions for various species at passporttotexas.org.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Giant spider web at Lake Towakani. Donna Garde, © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Halloween Hijinks in State Parks Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Texas State Parks and Historic sites are pulling out the stops for Halloween.

13— There are some pretty unique events. Eisenhower State Park up on the Texas / Oklahoma border, for example, is having a Zombie Apocalypse Hike. So, it’s an opportunity to not only get outdoors, but to learn some survival skills.

Survival skills like, maybe, how to outrun zombies so they don’t eat your brains? Thomas Wilhelm, with state parks, says to expect more traditional activities as well.

23—Lake Tawakoni has Boo in the park, which is just trick-or-treat through the campground area. Fort Richardson is having a contest; their friends group is offering a hundred dollar prize for the best decorated campsite. Estero Llano Grande in the valley is having their ninth annual spooky science fest. The theme this year is Jurassic Estero; so, dinosaurs, costumes and all sorts of fun opportunities.

Most Texans live 90 minutes or less from a state park or historic site, making Halloween fun convenient, safe and affordable.

13—Most of these events are included with your park entrance. A few that are having special events are having either specials pricing—some there are no fees. Some are doing special per car pricing. Contact a park beforehand if you have questions about pricing.

Find a full schedule of Halloween and fall events in State Parks by region at texasstateparks.org/holidays.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Tossing a “ghost” through a ring is just one of the kid-friendly activities offered in the fright-free area at Halloween at the Hatchery.

Halloween in State Parks Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

Life is unpredictable, unless, of course, it’s October. That’s because in October you can always predict a spell of Halloween hijinks at Texas State Parks and Historic Sites.

08—You’ll find Halloween events in every corner of the state from far El Paso down to the Gulf, up to far North Texas.

Thomas Wilhelm is with state parks. He says there will, of course be trick-or-treating in the parks.

15—But there are also some other events—educational type events like: Not so Creepy Critters, where you can learn about spiders and owls and bugs. And then some downright spooky events, like the Wake of Henry Fanthorp at Fanthorp Inn. That event is 10 years old and up.

Historic sites will offer some of the more intriguing Halloween programs, suitable for mature audiences.

10—Battleship Texas is doing an event called The Seedier Side of Battleship Texas, where they talk about some of the shenanigans on board. And that’s a twenty-one and up only event.

Well, we are talking about shenanigans, after all. State Parks and Historic sites; who knew, right? Find a full schedule of Halloween and fall events in State Parks by region at texasstateparks.org/holidays.

That’s our show for today… Funding provided in part by Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Merlin showing free-tailed bat to visitors at Bracken Cave.

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Merlin Tuttle was a curious kid destined to become a scientist. He lived near a bat cave in high school and started making observations.

13- I found that the bats came in the spring and the fall, but were not there any other time of year. Yet, when I identified them, the field guides that I had said that this species of bat lived in one cave year round.

He wanted this misinformation corrected.

16-So, I caught some. I actually made specimens of a couple of them so that I could prove that I had what I said I had. And convinced my mother, just as a teenager, to drive me to the Smithsonian so I could tell the guys that wrote the books that there was something wrong.

So began a 55 year career that’s taken Dr. Tuttle around the world studying bats. He’s engages in hands on conservation and public education. One goal: remove the public’s fear of bats.

26-People hear that bats are dangerous–they’re going to cause you to get sick with some terrible malady. But in reality, bats have one of the finest safety records of any animal on our planet of living safely with humans. People like me, I’ve studies bats for 55 years now on every continent where they exist, spending literally hundreds if not thousands of hours actually in caves surrounded by millions of bats. And I’m still healthy!

Merlin Tuttle’s written about his life with bats in THE SECRET LIVES OF BATS: My Adventures with the World’s Most Misunderstood Mammals. It comes out this week.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.