Passport to Texas

Moorhen, photo by J.M.Garg via Wikipedia

TPW TV: The Fighting Moorhens Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

One of the nice things about being outside with a TV camera is when you see something unexpected, you can record it. TPW TV Series Producer, Don Cash.

53— Producer Abe Moore and I were at Brazos Bend SP doing a story on biking at Brazos Bend, and was shooting some wildlife, and noticed what to me looked like a couple of duck-like birds having a fight. I started taking pictures and just rolled tape for awhile. I called our birding expert, Cliff Shackelford, and sent him some video and had him come in and narrate what it was I was seeing, and it turned out that they were moorhens fighting over territory.

The combination of Cliff’s narration and watching these moorhens fight is pretty entertaining. So, the Fighting Moorhens will run as one of our postcards from Texas. It’ll air the last week of August on our show, which airs on all the PBS stations around Texas. And, of course, if you happen to miss it there, you can always watch it on our YouTube channel.

Thanks, Don.

The Wildlife and sport fish restoration program supports our series and celebrates 75 years of funding diverse conservation projects throughout Texas…

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

TPW TV: Talking Turkey Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Wild turkeys wearing backpacks? See it this month on the TPW PBS TV series. Producer, Alan Fisher.

64— I got to follow some work going on at a ranch in south Texas, on the habitat of Rio Grande turkey. The research that people have done about Rio Grande turkey has really kind of focused on where they roost… There’s really been less information about what they do for the rest of the hours of their day. Technology has gotten to the point now where GPS technology can be used.

If you’d like to know where you can catch the Parks and Wildlife TV series, you can check out our website, or check your local PBS listings.

Thanks, Alan.

The Wildlife and sport fish restoration program supports our series and celebrates 75 years of funding diverse conservation projects throughout Texas…

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

TPW TV: Charlie's Cannon Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

History comes alive every April on the San Jacinto Battlegrounds with the reenactment of the battle of San Jacinto. This month the TPW TV show introduces viewers to a reenactor who brings his own cannon to the event. Producer Bruce Biermann.

67—I never met anyone who owns a cannon until I met Charlie Yates.

He wants to preserve those who came before us—their memory, their efforts. And help us never to forget them, but also to learn from them.

Thanks, Bruce.

Catch Charlie and his cannon on the Texas Parks and Wildlife PBS TV show the week of July 29th.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

TPW TV: Employee Recognition Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Throughout the month of July, Texas Parks and Wildlife’s PBS TV series spotlights agency employees and the interesting and meaningful work they do. Producer Don Cash introduces us to one of them.

61—One of those people is Steve Magnelia.

So, the story on Steve and what he’s done with the trout airs on the Texas Parks and Wildlife TV show. It will be on the week of July 15th. And if by some reason you happen to miss the television show, you can always see the videos on our YouTube channel.

Thanks, Don.

The WSFR program supports our series and is celebrating 75 years of funding diverse conservation projects throughout Texas…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

TPW Video: Video News Reports Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Armed with a video camera and curiosity, Karen Loke travels the state in search of stories about Texas’ natural world and the people enjoy it and care for it.

05—I love going out in the field and meeting people, and seeing what it is they love doing, and being able to tell their story.

You may have seen her work and not even realized it. Karen produces Video News Reports—VNRs—for broadcast on local television stations.

08—They also are on Texas Parks and Wildlife YouTube. So, everything we shoot, we put on YouTube. So you can just Google in a topic and find a story.

The stories are brief, but packed with meaningful information about the agency, outdoor recreation, conservation, and the people who watch over Texas’ natural resources—sometimes in unique ways.

20—You will see about a two minute video that has something, hopefully, that’s topical, that’s of news value. A lot of feature-type stories, character-driven stories. Interesting topics. You might hear about a park feature. You might hear about an eccentric person who’s a great conservationist who does some odd things—like building a bat cave.

Not near a TV or computer? You can watch Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Video New Reports on your smart phone via YouTube.

We record our series at The Block House, and Joel Block engineers our program.

We receive support from the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program…which funds conservation projects throughout Texas.

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