Passport to Texas

State Parks: Aplomado Falcon Release Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

After disappearing from parts of Texas almost 50 years ago, steps are being taken to restore the endangered falcon to its native range—and one state park will play a role in this effort. Our State park Guide, Bryan Frazier has more.

62—We had some habitat destruction and just practices that we just weren’t aware of what we were doing as a culture that ended up impacting these birds of prey. Well, in the years and decades since, we’ve been able to learn from our mistakes, and we’ve been able to bring back some of the beautiful, magnificent birds of prey to the south Texas coast. You’ve got an existing population of about thirty-five or so nesting Aplomado falcons, and we’re now putting more in at mustang island SP. It’s a real creative task force effort from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Peregrine Fund, and Texas Parks and Wildlife, the National Park Service, and all these groups and agencies that have interest in protecting and preserving our resources are bringing back these birds. They’re putting them up on these ten and twelve foot platforms called hack sites, and they’re putting chicks in there; getting the acclimated to the habitat, getting the ready to leave the nest and help fill some of those habitat gaps in between existing populations. And Mustang Island State Park’s right near Corpus—along a key part of the shoreline. It’s a great place to get those birds back where they belong.

Thanks Bryan

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet, supporting outdoor recreation in Texas; because there’s life to be done.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Wildlife: Hummingbird Appreciation Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

[SFX – hummer]

Late summer is a great time for hummingbird viewing in Texas.

03—Obviously, the places people see them most often is around feeders.

Mark Klym is in Wildlife Diversity and a hummingbird enthusiast. You can attract hummingbirds to your yard with a hummingbird feeder filled with a solution of one part sugar to four parts water. Once you’ve hung a feeder, Klym says it’s vital to keep the contents fresh.

08—During the summer months you want to change that every two to four days. During the winter months, you might get away with four to six days, but certainly no longer than that.

If you prefer your hummers in the wild, you’re in luck: eighteen species of this popular bird live in Texas. But you have to know where to look.

18—If you’re looking on the wild, you’re going to want to look in areas where there are a number of flowering plants available. The do require shelter, so they’re going to be around evergreen or well-leaved trees – depending on the season. And they’re also going to be found where there’s water. Water is a critical element of their environment, and they’re going to be found where there’s water.

Find more information about hummingbirds when you log onto the Texas parks and Wildlife website.

We record our series at The Block House in Austin, Texas and Joel Block Engineers our program.

That’s our show for today… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

Wildlife: Hummingbird Round-up Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Hummingbird enthusiasts look forward to July, because that’s when these tiny, enigmatic birds start their migration into Texas, beginning out west.

08—July is usually the start of our hummingbird migration when we’ve got thousands of ruby-throated hummingbirds heading this way from the northern regions.

Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Mark Klym heads up the annual Hummingbird Roundup Survey in Texas, where scientists and citizens have documented some 18 different species of hummingbirds in the state.

07—The round-up really provides us with information about the hummingbird population here in Texas and gives us an idea of where they’re being found.

While the bird count takes place year-round, the influx of birds beginning this month, and peaking in August and September, makes it an ideal time to participate in this citizen science project.

19—This would be a good time to start looking at possibly increasing your number of feeders if you have a yard that is going to be actively used by hummingbirds…the best way to get hummingbirds in your yard is to prepare a good hummingbird garden. Lots of plants that will feed the birds, salvias, Turks cap, trumpet vine.

If you love watching hummingbirds, sign up to participate in the Hummingbird Round-up and receive your own survey kit…find out how… when you visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

That’s our show for today. For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti

Birding: Gateway to the Outdoors Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Legendary Birder, Victor Emanuel, views birding as a gateway to nature appreciation.

10—Well, it’s the best way for people to get connected to nature, because birds are the most obvious part of nature visible to us. A lot of the mammals are active at night. But birds are here; they’re all around us.

Emanuel says it’s the fact that they are so visible that makes them interesting.

15—Birds are some of the most visible creatures around us. You have the song of birds, you have the motion of birds, the fact they can fly. A cardinal, a blue jay, a duck on a pond… they’re large enough and so they attract our attention in a way that smaller creatures don’t.

Victor Emanuel has spent a lifetime watching birds around the world. And while all birds are watchable, he says that doesn’t mean he likes them all.

17—I actually have a prejudice against introduced birds that are a problem, like starlings. They’re a beautiful bird, actually, with the colors on them in the sunlight. But they take over the nest of native birds, and throw out the young and eggs, so they don’t get to raise their young and eggs. But, yeah, they’re all watchable.

Find links to birding information on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

We record our series at the Block House in Austin, and Joel Block engineers our show.

The WSFR program supports our series and provides … funding for habitat conservation in Texas.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

This is Passport to Texas

International Migratory Bird Day is always the second Saturday of May in the US and Canada, making it May 12 this year.

04—We encourage groups to host a program or an event when it works for them and the birds.

When celebrations actually occur depends on the arrival of migrants. Susan Bonfield is Executive Director of Environment for the Americas, which coordinates this event.

12—I want people to go to these programs and have one of their first opportunities to see a bird. To use binoculars, to use a field guide, to get excited about birds, and to want to become involved in bird conservation.

Find events at www.birdday.org. But if you can’t get to one, don’t fret.

25—You know, your backyard is just a great place to celebrate migratory bird day. I think that anything you do around your house to help conserve birds—we have information up on the website about threats to birds, and what you can do to minimize the threats at your home. Any improvement of habitat in your yard, cleaning your birdfeeders. Any very basic and practical activities are a wonderful way to help conserve birds.

You can also just sit in a lawn chair in your yard with a beverage and binoculars and see who comes along.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series and works to restore wildlife habitat in Texas.

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