The Weather on the morning of March 28th could not have been nicer. An enjoyable morning was spent meeting with and chatting with 13 adults and 7 children. Most of these folks were at the Park to exercise on the Trails or to fish at the Seabourne Lake. So our Hosts at the entrance to the Park were able to point out and highlight the habitats they would encounter along the way and invite those members of the public to take a tour. Four Adults joined our TMN's to take a habitat tour. Two adults and 2 children took a self-guided tour with one of our NEW SCNP brochures. The other members of the public took a look at the WOW booth displayed with Wetland Observation Jars. We were able to recruit a new member to our Chapter. He had checked our CPC website, saw the Weekend Walk Tour Event and came on over to check us out! We could not have had such a successful launch without the

10 Coastal Prairie Members came out to support this new monthly VSP/Outreach Adventure. This first weekend was spent familiarizing our members to some of the habitats and getting them ready to give Tours. The Weekend Walk @ SCNP will be held every 4th Saturday of the Month from 10-12. Having a scheduled event like this will allow our 9-5 Coastal Prairie Members to get more VSP Hours and see

upcoming events on our Sign-up page Sign-up Genius. The key to these Tours will be flexibility, for the members of the public and to our TMN members. We will offer full one-hour tour, Habitat-specific, or self-guided tours to any and all who are interested when visiting the park. We will offer a WOW booth to start a nature conversation, with all of our AT Training we are already qualified to discuss these Nature Workshops on Wheels. Please go to our Chapter Sign-up Genius page and check out the availability for the rest of the year. Every member will receive 2 hours VSP for their time.

Contact Michelle Sullivan if you can help share Seabourne

Creek Nature Park with park visitors. Photos by Lynn Trenta

Michelle Sullivan

April 16, 2015

Volume 3, Issue 4

Coastal Prairie Chapter Courier

Special Interest

Articles:

• Chapter Outreach

• Study Groups

• SCNP Prairie and

Demo Garden

Individual

Highlights:

Outreach1 1

Plant S. G. 2

Herp S.G. 3

Outreach2 4

Bird Hike 5

SCNP Prairie 5

Lavaca Trip 6

We are a group of trained volunteers who share our appreciation and

knowledge of nature with the community through outreach, education

and conservation/restoration projects Kick-Off Saturday for Weekend Walk @Seabourne

Creek Nature Park (SCNP)

Page 2 of 7 Coastal Prairie Courier

The Plant Study Group is led by Susie Doe, our resident botany guru. Members have been enjoying the beautiful native plants while learning some scientific names to better identify these beauties. We are doing what Master Naturalists are known to do-- tramping out on Seabourne Creek Park Prairie and appreciating being a part of nature. We are also learning to identify the non-native invasive plants. Below are dates for future plant walks. Jimmy Brannon has approved all outings with this group for AT credit. Mark your calendars for these fun treks into the wilds.

April 22nd (Wednesday) morning -- Time and Place TBA*

April 25th (Saturday) morning & picnic lunch -- Karl's Property at Tierra Grande (9:00 am - 1 pm)

May 2 (Saturday) morning -- Time and Place TBA*

May 9 (Saturday) morning 8 am -- Regularly Scheduled Walk at Seabourne

May 12 (Tuesday) morning -- Time and Place TBA*

May 16 (Saturday) morning -- Time and Place TBA* * Place = KPC, BBSP, Bates Allen, Cullinan, Valley Finney, Nash Come join us to learn about our natural plant world, earn AT hours and have a great time at the same time! Photos by Lynn Trenta

Contact person: Susie Doe

Coastal Prairie Chapter Study Groups

The Plant Study Group

As …stewards of

our land, we have

never been so

empowered to help

save biodiversity from

extinction, and the

need to do so has

never been so great.

All we need to do is

plant native plants!”—

Doug Tallamy

Page 3 of 7 Coastal Prairie Courier

On the cool windy evening of March 14, following rains, the Herpetology Enthusiasts, led by oh-so-knowledgeable Monty Criswell and Chris Valdez, spent a few hours finding herps in Seabourne Park. Although these guys are more laid back than the late Steve Irwin, i.e., The Crocodile Hunter, they are definitely as fun, helpful, intrepid, quick and knowledgeable - plus they are right there! They enabled us to see these creatures, even the snakes, up close and in their natural environment - indeed a rare experience. Aside from the marvelous learning experience, this is way more fun than an Easter egg hunt, it's relaxing, great camaraderie - everything one ever wanted in a naturalist experience. Thanks to these guys for opening up a new avenue of learning for our Chapter. Even if you haven't been to their training sessions, you are welcome to join us on these outings. Contact Diane Russell (dprussell2000@gmail.com) to be included, because these outings will happen when the guys can work it into their schedules and usually after a rain - we may only have one day's notice. This is a great opportunity for children if they can stay up a bit on a week night. Photos by Diane Russell

Diane Russell

The Herpetology Study Group

Herpetology is the

branch of zoology

concerned with the study

of amphibians (including

frogs, toads,

salamanders, newts, and

gymnophiona) and

reptiles (including snakes,

lizards, amphisbaenids,

turtles, terrapins,

tortoises, crocodilians,

and the tuataras).

Page 4 of 7 Coastal Prairie Courier

On April 11, our Chapter was represented at with two booths. Michelle Sullivan taught about Backyard Observation which involves noticing all living things you find in your yard, local park ponds and along the roadway, including bugs, plants, and birds. Another booth, run by Diane Russell, Barbara Willy and Susan Archer, taught about monarch life cycles and what people can do to sustain their population by planting milkweeds. There were slightly over 1200 people in attendance! Families in our communities are very keen to get back in touch with nature and to expose their children to these concepts. There will be another Earth Day event in Fulshear on May 23, with possibly 700 attendees. Contact Michelle Sullivan, michellesullivancpctmn@gmail.com, if you can help us out! Photos by Michelle Sullivan

Riverside Nature Expo Outreach in Missouri City

Page 5 of 7 Coastal Prairie Courier

Volunteer opportunities are available at Seabourne Creek Nature Park. To help with the Prairie Demo Garden contact Mark Morgenstern at Mark Morgenstern or Lynn Trenta. If you want to help with the Butterfly Garden contact Lea Hyman. To help with the Bird Sanctuary contact Bill Johnson. For other volunteer opportunities email Karl

Bumgartner.

Another fun event that chapter members take part in is the monthly bird hike. The April Bird Hike at Seabourne Creek Nature Park was another successful venture. This month, 21 people were in attendance: 12 members, 9 guests. Wayne and Vicki Poorman coordinated the group and Mark Scheuerman, our bird expert, identified birds and bird calls. We are indeed fortunate to have this world-class birder to enhance our bird walks. The total number of species spotted at the park is now 185. We added a Yellow-throated Warbler today, spotted by Kim Farou and identified by Mark Scheuerman. Photo by Wayne

Poorman To find the latest bird list, go to CPTMN Website Homepage. Wayne Poorman snapped this photo of a downy woodpecker, intently pecking away at this tree.

The Chapter Bird Hikes Nets 185th Species

Seabourne Creek Prairie and Prairie Demo Garden

Seabourne Creek Prairie has seen some amazing changes this spring. After the prescribed burn, Leon Macha provided a large number of Eastern gammagrass to put in the prairie. The Latter Day Saints volunteered to put these into the prairie. These welcome additions are starting to grow into wonderful grasses (Photo by Lynn Trenta). Other prairie plants have been added by the Boy Scouts, as well.

Also, wildflower seed was introduced in the areas that feral hogs had disturbed (see Jane in photo distributing seed-Photo

by Karl Baumgartner). We look forward to seeing patches of these beautiful plants.

Prairie plants are being potted and bumped-up to put in the prairie, but there is still a need for more plants.

THE DEMO GARDEN SETS REGULAR SCHEDULE

The SCNP Demo Garden is now having regular work days. Volunteers can come help bump-up plants, plant seeds, or help to keep the demo garden in good shape on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays and the 2nd Thursday. Work Days are from 9am to noon, but you can come when you can and stay as long as you want. This is a great way to meet up with your fellow naturalists and earn VSP hours.

Contact Lynn Trenta or Mark Morgenstern for more info about the demo garden.

Page 6 of 7 Coastal Prairie Courier

Chapter Field Trip to Lavaca County Great Fun!

Sunday, March 29th, 18 chapter members gathered at Karl Baumgartner’s cabin on his land in Lavaca County. The weather was perfect and it was fun sharing the day with our fellow Master Naturalists.

Karl first handed out to us the list of plants identified on his land that Susie Doe had developed and challenged us to spot 20 of the species listed over the course of our visit.

We then took off in the ATV vehicles across his land. We traversed prairie, forest, and approached lakes and streams. Quickly, we were identifying the plants that we knew and learning the ones that we didn’t know.

We learned about the projects that he has been working on there, such as seeding a leveled area with a prairie seed mix he had been advised to get by an academic professor who knew the area’s prairie plants. We flew over the terrain in our vehicles and took in the wonderful wilderness. We stopped at a man-made pond and put in some fish to stock the pond. At some point our travels, we came upon 3 feral hogs caught in a corralled trap.

Then it was time to go to the cabin for lunch. We dined on a wonderful meal coordinated by Georgia Messemer—fried chicken, coleslaw, biscuits, and much more. Thanks, Georgia, for putting this together and cleaning up after us.

After lunch we went in search of the bald eagle that Karl had recently spotted. We found his gigantic nest, but alas, the eagle was nowhere to be seen.

Traveling in our ATVs, we had a front-seat view of this wonderful 570-acre piece of land. This was an adventure that any Master Naturalist would treasure. Thanks, Karl, for sharing your beautiful land with us!

Karl returned to his Lavaca property in a day or two and snapped this photo of the eagle. (Other Photos by Lynn Trenta and Robert Schwartz)

Lynn Trenta, Courier Editor

Page 7 of 7 Coastal Prairie Courier

2015 Officers

President Diane Russell Vice President Carol Pawelek Secretary Sharon Smith Treasurer Linda Lourim Past-President Jim Butcher

2015 Committee Chairs

Programs Georgia Messemer

Communications/Website Lynn Trenta and Susan Walther

Publicity Chad Norvell and Amy Norvell

Volunteer Service Projects Michelle Sullivan and Julie Near

Membership Reene Spahr and Carrie Sample

Training Than Colvin , Lisa Feighery , Wayne Helbert

Advanced Training- Cyd Johnson , Jimmy Brannon

We’re on the Web!

See us at:

http://txmn.org/coastal/

COASTAL PRAIRIE CHAPTER OF THE TEXAS MASTER NATURALISTS

1402 Band Rd Extension Office

Rosenberg, TX 77471—8678 Phone: 281-633-7033

Check out our Facebook Page at

TXMN Coastal Prairie Chapter Facebook

Toilet paper and paper towel rolls can be recycled into terrific seed starter pods. Plant your seed in your “roll” pot and when your seedlings are ready, just pop them and the pot into the ground.

We can collect them at the program meetings or other chapter activity that you may be attending.

This is a sustainable activity which helps cut down on resource use and decreases the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills.

Please send in nature-related articles, photos, and items of

interest to the chapter to me by May 17th. Suggestions for

the newsletter are also welcome.

Thanks.

Lynn Trenta, Courier Editor

CPTMN 2015 Board Members

Save your Toilet Paper and Paper Towel Rolls!