Ask Claire Cabler about a memorable time in the outdoors and she’s got plenty.
12—We were at Guadalupe State Park. I was busy playing in the sand. My dad said, “Look up there’s a water snake!” and I looked and I saw this sticking thing and I thought that was the water snake.
It seems that Claire’s dad, Dru Cabler, is always pointing out wildlife to her. Even at home.
16—We point ‘em out as soon as we see ‘em if we think she’s never seen one before. We got all kinds of creatures just around our house. Deer that come through our backyard. Lots of rat snakes, grass snakes, a couple of rattlesnakes. Frogs that jump into our swimming pool. Big Texas spiny lizards, and green anoles.
And venturing out to state parks together, they find other creatures that aren’t as close to home.
20—We like to go to Guadalupe state park, like she said.
How about Port Aransas?
We like Port Aransas. We’re going next weekend. So we’ll spend a lot of time outside there on the beach. She likes to collect dead fish; stack ‘em up with her friends. Remember that?
I don’t really remember catching the dead fish but I remember picking up a bunch of shells. I found a full sand dollar.
Texas Parks and Wildlife has a diverse workforce that includes who you’d expect, like biologists and game wardens. And then there are the surprises, like Wildlife artist Clemente Guzman.
09— I walk by Clemente’s desk every morning on my way into my job, and I look over and he usually has some incredible painting that he’s working on.
Louie Bond, editor of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine, wrote a poignant story about Clemente for the December issue, on newsstands now.
38— So, I stop in and take a look and see what he’s up to and we inevitably get into some great discussion on wildlife, and preserving wildlife, and planting native habitat. It’s totally spiritual for Clemente. When you talk to Clemente, his eyes light up and you feel his inspiration. He doesn’t just sit and paint. He’s creating. He’s creating something with a purpose in mind. He wants to inspire other people to see nature the way he does. And to respect nature, and then to foster it and nurture it so that future generations can have the same experience.
See a time lapse video of Clemente working on a stunning piece of artwork at passporttotexas.org.
For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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The Christmas Bird count, which takes place from December 14 – January 5 is a project of the National Audubon Society where for three weeks volunteers count birds during a 24-hour period in a 15-mile diameter circle.
05—But there aren’t any on December 25th—you can’t compete with family time and ripping open presents.
Cliff Shackelford is Texas Parks and Wildlife non-game ornithologist. Volunteers submit their observations to the lead person, called a compiler.
05—That compiler then crunches all the numbers and turns in—nationally—a count for the whole circle.
23—That’s someone that just merely watches out their back window and looks at the birds coming to the feeder and just counting those things. It’s a really good niche for someone that’s not able to get out if it’s too cold, or you’re just not physically able to get out, or maybe you have a newborn at the house, These are people that might have their eyes open watching the feeder and can contribute.
Find links to more information on the bird count and feeder watch at passporttotexas.org.
The Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program… supports our series as well as conservation programs in Texas.
For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti
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More than a hundred years ago people participated in a time-honored Christmas tradition.
06— People would go out and do what was called a side hunt, and the winning group would come back with the biggest pile of dead critters.
How festive. The majority of critters in those piles were birds. Cliff Shackelford, a non-game ornithologist with Parks and Wildlife, says conservationists had a better idea.
05—Early conservationists thought that we ought to count birds and not try to collect birds.
Today we have the nationwide Christmas Bird Count. Between December 14 and January 5, volunteers, armed with bird lists, head into the field and count birds over a 24-hour period.
15—What people do is they get into teams, and they have a defined 15 mile radius circle that they’re counting in, and that circle never moves. The hope is that you would count that circle for decades and decades and over time you would see trends.
Different groups pick different days within that three week period to count birds. Researchers use the census information to assess the health of bird populations, and to guide conservation action.
05—They might need a full year’s heads up to chew on it and figure out, hey, I want to do this next year.
Go to audubon.org for more information. The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program supports our program. For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
According to Parks and Wildlife biologist Leeann Linam, sightings of migrating whooping cranes, which winter in Texas, started in October.
21— Mid-October is traditionally the early arrival time. By mid-December they should all be in Texas. So, from there, we’ll take a look and see where they’ve chosen to spend their wintering time this year. And they’ll remain on those wintering grounds until late February to early or mid-March, when some migration movements will start, and by mid-April they’re mostly gone from the state.
Some of the birds are still moving through Texas and depending on where you live – you might be able to catch a glimpse of them heading toward the coast.
23 – Well, the center of the migration path probably passes over Wichita Falls, western Tarrant County – Fort Worth area – down across Waco, just east of Austin, probably. Then, from there on down to Victoria and the Texas coast. So, that’s the center of the flyway. And from that center, 100 miles to the east and the west are the greatest possibilities of seeing them.
Look for a large white bird with black wing tips that’s flying in a group of three to six. If you miss them on the way here – you can always catch them on their way back to Canada in spring.
Learn more about whooping cranes and the Whooper Watch program on the Texas parks and Wildlife website.
The Wildlife and sport fish restoration program supports our series.
For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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