Rio Grande Delta Audubon
(RGDA)- Rio Grande Valley, Texas

E-Newsletter Vol.13 No.23 - September 8, 2008, Monday 6:30PM
Location -
Historic Brownsville Museum
directions below
Resaca de la Palma State Park (World Birding Center Brownsville)
History of Birding & Conservation in Brownsville
Rio Reforestation
Laguna Atascosa NWR Laguna Madre Drive

Cool Cities Report
Up Coming Events - mark your calendar
Resaca de la Palma - presentation by
Katherine Miller

Katherine Miller, natural resource specialist for Resaca de la Palma State Park, will give a presentation about the park.  Resaca de la Palma is a 1200-acre state park and world birding center located west of Highway 77 in Brownsville.  With over 8 miles of trails, some ADA-accessible, a tram that circles through the park, and 4 observation decks, it promises to be an important area for wildlife viewing and conservation.  Additionally, Miss Miller will talk about fees for entering the park, the Texas Parks Pass and the Bluebonnet Pass. 

A field trip to Resaca de la Palma State Park will be worked on at the meeting for our members.

Visit their web site above or right hand column for more information.

Rio Reforestation 2008

 

Left are the planters serving themselves.

Right are the stuffers.

We will have a tent for protection from the sun and elements.

Rio Reforestation 2008 stuffers
History of Birding & Conservation in Brownsville

A publication is worked out for us to have two pages in a new book with 10,000 copies to include birding and conservation. My idea was to recant the events with historical pictures and text in arriving at today. Today would include the active participants of birding and conservation including Rio Grande Delta Audubon and the locations birders and conservationist seek in Brownsville. I need some help in doing some research and writing. We have about one month. They will collect the information - writing and photos - then set it into their book form for us to review. Greg Vail and Joe Krause have expressed an interested in working on this project. We need a few others. It will be about two photos and 350 words per page for the two page presentation.

Due to the hurrican and the sale's persons health the publication and material dates were changed to sometime in the near future.

No matter what this information would be a real part of all contributions to the Brownsville birding and conservation efforts. A committee is needed to start collecting photos and writing up locations, actions, and events making Brownsville a part of the Nature Community.

Cool Cities

We may talk about the work done towards making CoolCities out of Brownsville, Port Isabel, South Padre Island, and Laguna Vista. Joe Lee Rubio on Brownsville, Madelene Sandefur for Laguna Vista, Cate Ball for Port Isabel, and Nancy & Baxter Moyer for South Padre Island who we hope will have time to attend and let us know what is happening in their area. You can be a part by joining the group representing your area.

Reference Web Sites Cool Cities for Sierra Club and Green Program for Audubon with Toyota support.

Up Coming Events

Texas Butterfly Festival - Mission, Texas October 16-19, 2008

El Cielo Butterfly Festival - October 19-23, 2008 Cd Mante, Tamaulipas, Mexico

Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival November 5-9, 2008

Laguna Atascosa NWR - Laguna Loop
The refuge is open with the Loop closed due to high water. Call 956-748-3607 for up-dates.
Event:
The Rio Grande Delta Audubon Chapter will hold their monthly meeting on Monday, September 8, 6:30 p.m. at the Historic Brownsville Museum at 7th and Madison Streets in Brownsville, Texas. A locator map is on this web site. Contact Lee or Jennie at 956-831-4653 - 866-279-1775 e-mail riorvpark@aol.com for any questions.

RIO REFORESTATION XVII

Help Restore Habitat in the Lower Rio Grande Valley!

Rio Grande Delta Audubon will again work to cook and stuff the hot dogs plus serve over 3,000 dogs. RGDA has two, I have two, and could use more cookers from Louise or others. Three to four hours to cook and stuff the dogs plus some volunteers to serve dogs and drinks until all the planters eat.

Links to poster and map below.

To:   Teachers, students, parents, scouting organizations and the general public.

What:  Rio Reforestation XVII: 1,000 volunteers are needed to plant seedlings at the Harris-Schatz tract of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge.  Please bring your own shovel, work clothes, gloves and sun screen. Food and refreshments will be provided.

When: Saturday, October 11, 2008, from 8:00 am until noon.  In the event of bad weather, the planting will be rescheduled for Saturday, October 25, 2008.

Why:   Volunteers will plant tree and shrub seedlings on 24 acres of Refuge farmland.  This will restore valuable wildlife habitat and create green space that contributes to the quality of life in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. 

Where:              The Harris-Schatz tract of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge is northeast of Los Fresnos near the Port Isabel/Cameron County Airport.  From US 77/83, exit TX 100 heading east.  At FM 1847, turn left heading north.  Turn right, heading east on FM 510.  Follow directional signs to Buena Vista Road and the parking area for Rio Reforestation.  The planting site is at the intersection of Buena Vista and Shafer Roads.

Contact:   U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service at (956)784-7500 or nancy_brown@fws.go
or
Lee or Jennie at 266-8801 or toll free 866-279-1775 or e-mail riorvpark@aol.com to have your name put on the list to help. Start cooking time is about 7:30AM with heating water to start about 6:30AM. Times will be verified via e-mail and phone.

Please prints and post as many posters as possible at your school, church, or nature location.
Poster with Map - Printable

Websites - Nature & Conservation
Gladys Porter Zoo
Sabal Palm Preserve
Resaca de la Palma State Park
Frontera Audubon
Valley Nature Center
Los Ebanos Preserve
Laguna Atascosa NWR

Santa Ana NWR

SPI Nature Center
RGV & NE Mexico Butterfly Map
Birds of RGV
Bird Guiding - and linked trip reports with species and photos
Landscape Ordinance-Bro
Sea Turtle, Inc.

About Us..
Rio Grande Delta Audubon is dedicated to conservation of our native habitat for the protection of birds, other wildlife, and for the enhancement and appreciation of our
environment.

Web Site:
RioGrandeDeltaAudubon.org

Officers & Board
Lee Zieger, President
Greg Vail, Vice President
Mary Jean Garcia, Secretary
Laura Duval, Treasurer
Dorothy Greaney

George Garcia
Margaret Etchinson

Copyright©Rio Grande Delta Chapter, Brownsville Texas
All rights reserved (but feel free to copy it, post it, quote it, think about it and forward on to others).

Privacy Policy
Your E-Mail Addrress is secure with us and not given or sold to any vendor.

Newsletter Editor  & Contact Info:
Lee Zieger:
8801 Boca Chica Brownsville,Texas 878521
Office:(956)831-4653 or 1-866-279-1775
Fax: (956) 831-0147
RGDAudubon@aol.com

Please forward this newsletter to others and ask them if we can put them on our e-newsletter list.

My AOL Address List came back misteriously. I am having to review a manual list of new names to get on the AOL list. Let me know if someone tells you they missed the RGDA E-Newsletter.

Ridley Turtle female laying eggs
Ridley Turtle female laying eggs