Volume XXVI, No. 7 September-October 2009

8/14/2019 Volume XXVI, No. 7 September-October 2009

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SOUTHERN EDWARDS PLATEAU HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN

A Region-Wide Plan for The San Antonio Area and Beyond!

Bexar Audubon Society

is a chapter of the NationalAudubon Society. Its primarygoals are to promote speciesand habitat conservation andenvironmental education in thecommunity.

Septem ber Progr am

Thursday, Sept. 10, 7 PMTrinity University

(see map on page 6)

Come learn about a neweffort that holds the prom-

ise of protecting and pre-serving our natural heri-tage for future generations.Andrew Winter, Environ-mental Engineer for BexarCounty, will present a pro-gram on the developmentof a Habitat ConservationPlan for San Antonio andsurrounding count ies(including Bandera, Me-dina, Kendall and KerrCounties).

Habitat conservationplans are designed to givelandowners, c i t izensgroups and local govern-ments the ability to protectendangered species habi-tat and allow responsiblegrowth and developmentat the same time.

A number of Texascounties (including Travis,

Williamson, Hays and Co-mal) have such plans inplace or are in the processof developing a plan.

B e x a rCountya n dS a nAntoniom a k eup the

only remaining major ur-ban center in Texas thathas more than ten endan-gered species and no re-gional habitat conservationplan.

The U.S Fish and Wild-

life Service recently an-nounced it will grant fundsto Bexar County and theCity of San Antonio for thedevelopment of a regionalhabitat conservation plan.

Our speaker will give usa review of development inBexar County, discuss theEndangered Species Act,who must comply, andwhat constitutes a take.

He will explain fur-ther what a HabitatConservation Plan(HCP) is, who bene-fits, and how anHCP might work forus and how BexarAudubon Societycan be a partner.

Andrew Winter is aretired Air Force Pilot andEngineer. As Environ-

mental Engineer for BexarCounty he is a strong wa-ter quality advocate whounderstands the role habi-tat and endangered spe-cies protection plays inwater quality and quantity.Last year the County com-missioners made habitatconservation a priority sothat is now a significant

Bexar TracksVolume XXVI, No. 7September-October 2009For the latest news and updates, see www.bexaraudubon.org and www.sa-naturecenter.org.

Inside this issue:

Presidents Column 2

Promoting Conservation 3

Mitchell Lake

Community Events 5-6

White-nose Bat Syn-

drome

7

part of his job, and hesays, is a labor of love.Bexar Audubon Societywill offer a follow-up fieldtrip on October 3rd. Seebelow for details and sign-up information.

BEXAR AUDUBONFIELD TRIP

Habitat Conservation Plan/Endangered Species Habitat

Saturday, October 39 AMNoon

Government CanyonState Natural Area

Join us on a walk tolearn more about theSouthern Edwards Plateau

Habitat Conser-vation Plan andto see endan-gered specieshabitat includ-ing karst fea-tures, goldencheeked war-bler habitat, andmore. Bring wa-ter, a hat, sun-

screen, snacks and weargood walking shoes. An-

drew Winter and Park staffwill lead us. Participantnumbers limited. Call forr e s e r v a t i o n s a t210.837.0577 or [email protected]

The Government Canyonfield trip will take the placeof our regular October eve-ning program.

Please Note:NO evening program inOctober. Join us for our Oc-tober field trip to Govern-ment Canyon. Be sure toalso check out the SecondSaturday programs, Third Sat-urdays at Medina River,Mitchell Lake activities, andmore during the month ofOctober!

SEP-HCPAugust Meeting Report

Andrew Winter, BexarCountys EnvironmentalEngineer, held a meetingon August 12, 2009 to an-nounce the first steps in amajor conservation effort forour area. He offered assur-ances to representatives

from the development, envi-ronmental, and overall com-munity that the SouthernEdwards Plateau HabitatConservation Plan (SEP-HCP) would benefit every-one and that all stakeholdergroups would be repre-sented, especially develop-ers. (Conservationists in theaudience could not help but(continued on page 2)

A Rare Cave InvertebrateNeoleptoneta sp.

Golden Cheeked Warbler


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Page 2 Bexar TracksSeptember-October 2009

From the Pens of the BAS Presidents

As you know from earlier

newsletters, I developed aproblem with anxiety/panicattacks last fall. The medi-cations have been very ef-fective at relieving my suf-fering and helping mebreathe normally. But theyhave made me prone tofatigue and occasional mi-nor memory lapses.Frankly, I could not fullyperform my Audubon du-ties. Consequently, I re-

signed the presidency inMay.

The board of directorsmet in accord with our by-laws to fill the vacancy.Tony Wood decided to re-main vice president, andour secretary Anita Ander-son stepped up to serve aspresident. She is a smart,experienced, strong personand I have complete confi-dence that she will make anexcellent president, nodoubt a far better one than Iwas. Nevertheless, let mesay that I enjoyed my termas your president and hopeto continue to help out inother ways. Let me con-clude by thanking the boardand the members for theirsympathy, kindness andsupport.

Join us at our Septembermeeting and program for apresentation to Harry Noyesto honor him for his manyyears of devoted service toBexar Audubon Society andcommunity conservation ef-

forts.

Since I have not been

part of this organizationlong, an introduction mightbe in order. I should let youknow that I am SusanHughes nex t doo rneighbor, which might ex-plain a little about how Icame to be president of thisamazing organization.

As the planet warmed,and San Antonio kept build-ing over my drinking water,

I felt a real need to be partof the solutionand wan-dered into a meeting of theSan Antonio EnvironmentalNetwork as a wanna-beinvolved citizen. I was hop-ing that my experience as apersonal injury trial lawyer,former reporter and once-upon-a-time Catholic nunmight prove useful.

To my surprise, HarryNoyes invited me to join the

Bexar Audubon boardwhere it became quicklyclear that anyone willing towork would be elevated,as he puts it, to high office.I was promptly designatedsecretary.

When Tony Wood went toIraq and Harrys health de-clined, I wound up presi-dent. My first order of busi-ness has been to get Bexar

Audubon Society into thefront lines of the SouthernEdwards Aquifer HabitatConservation Plan. I amgrateful for the opportunityto do a little good, and privi-leged to be part of theBexar Audubon Societyscontinued service to thiscommunity.

- Anita Anderson -Current BAS President

- Harry Noyes -Past BAS President

(continued from page 1)

notice the fact that themeeting was being held inthe posh new offices of the

San Antonio Builders Asso-ciation.) But Winter stressedthe environmental impor-tance of the issue by high-lighting the interrelation-ships between our regionsendangered species, karstand other habitat criticalhabitat, and our under-ground water resources.

The goal of the SEP-HCPis to create a comprehen-sive plan to support therecovery of endangeredspecies and their habitatsby allowing the developersand builders a way to buildin marginal areas whilecontributing to the pur-chase of mitigating proper-ties where there is criticalhabitat; to continue con-structing and still abide bythe law. Laws protectingendangered species habi-tat are essentially unen-

forced in this region at pre-sent. The HCP should pro-vide some teeth to lawsprohibiting uncontrolleddevelopment in areaswhere there is sensitive hillcountry habitat. However,Winter stated that self-enforcement would beused to ensure compliancewith the HCP.

The SEP-HCP could fol-

low the same path as thenotable Tree Ordinancewhere the city fathers triedto assure stakeholder bal-ance. In the end the citygot an ordinance withenough loopholes that D-12 dozers had no difficultyin finding work, and shred-ded tree mulch piles grewbigger than the Alamo-

Dome. As with the tree or-dinance, some unscrupu-lous developers may try towork around the HCP, to

get grandfathered, and tobuild where no man hasbuilt before. Another waveof massive clear-cuttingcould occur in northernBexar County before thisHCP is passed.

The HCP will provide asystem for law abidance inan area where there hasbeen little or no enforce-ment to date. BAS mem-bers should support thedevelopment of this HCPbecause it will protect themost sensitive habitats inour region in perpetuity.Before and after the HCPwe should report criticalhabitat destruction andother Endangered SpeciesAct violations. If you seeland clearing underway inthe hill country report it tothe U.S. Fish and WildlifeService, 10711 Burnet Rd.,

Ste. 200, Austin TX 78758(512.490.0057) and ask forBill Seawell, or email Bill [email protected].

FotoSeptiembre USA 2009The Corn Crib

Sep. 20, 2009, 57 PM

Join the Land HeritageInstitute and Texas PublicRadio for the opening of

"The Corn Crib," a site-specific photographic in-stallation by Ansen Seale.

Location: Land HeritageInstitute, 413 Neal Rd., SanAntonio, TX 78264. Formore information, contactPenelope Boyer of LHI,210.224.2518 or pene-lope.boyer@ gmail.com.

SEP-HCP


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Promote Conservation: Through Signs, Plates, Booths and Awards

Support Texas Wildlife & Parks:Show Wh a t Dr i ves You !

You can show your love for the outdoors whilehelping to support important conservation programswhen you purchase a Bluebonnet or Horned Lizardlicense plate. Horned Lizard and Bluebonnet plates fitall vehicles, boat and RV trailers, and motorcycles,and they make great gifts! Each plate costs just $30*,and $22 or every purchase goes directly to TexasParks and Wildlife.

The Bluebonnet plate funds helpsupport park operations and pro-grams at more than 90 parks acrossthe state, and the Horned Lizardplate funds go toward projects that

help implement the Texas WildlifeAction Plan by maintaining native

species and crucial habitats.

Learn more and order your plates online at www.conservationplate.org. Order today and pick up yourplates in just two weeks!*Yearly fee in addition to regular vehicle registration fees

Did you know? Texas Parks & Wildlife has a webthats chock-full of good stuff. Check out the greatresources on their site, including a free DVD onTexas wildscapes: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/hunt

wild /wild/wildscapes/.

Solar Fest Thanks

Thanks to Bill Hurley, Betty Minyard, Harriet Wiy-gul, Anita Anderson, Tom Manzo, Shujan Cheng, andBruce Hughes for their help so BAS would have apresence at Solar Fest this year. We spoke with manypeople and distributed several boxes of materials on

topics from choosing a birdfeeder to backyard bird ID toglobal population policy in this

successful outreach activity.Outreach is an important partof our mission and it is not pos-sible without the participationof volunteers. Would you like tobe involved in the future?

SusanHughes

210.532.2032


GEAA Yard Signs

To address the se-vere drought conditions we

are experiencing through-out the region, theGreater Edwards AquiferAlliance is mounting a cam-paign to give braggingrights to all of us who arepitching in to conserve wa-ter this summer (and hope-fully, theyll result insome positive peerpressure, too). Theyhave three versionsof yard signs avail-able for display inyour front yard thatannounce, "I'm notwatering I'm sharing mywater with local farmers,Hill Country springs, orwhooping cranes. Yardsigns sell for $15 each at

the GEAA office at1809 Blanco Road,and at all sevenClothesline Cleanerlocations here in SanAntonio. As an added

bonus, ClotheslineCleaners will give afree Enviro-Bag re-u s a b l e g a r m e n tbag ($8 value) withsigns purchased attheir locations. Yet

another reason to visit thegreenest cleaners in SanAntonio!

You can alsopurchase signs

for $20 ($5 ex-tra for shipping)at the GEAAonline store(www.aquifera l l iance.org) .Contact Elena,210.320.1457or Elena@A q u i f e r A l l i -ance.org.

Anita Anderson,Harriet Wiygul,& Susan Hughesat SolarFest.

NominationsAccepted for

Environmental

Awards

The League of Women Votersof Texas Education Fund ispleased to announce the 11thEnvironmental AwarenessAwards will be presentedApr. 24, 2010 in San Marcosduring the LWV-TX Conven-tion. These awards continuedthe Leagues 80+ years of pro-moting good government andenvironmental protection inTexas and the United States.

There is no better time torecognize members of ourcommunity who are making adifference. Individuals are in-vited to make nominations forthe awards. Deadline for sub-mission is December 1, 2009.

Look for criteria and a nomi-nation form on the LMV website, www.lwvtexas.org. Moreinformation, contact the LWV-

TX office at 512.472.1100.

Solar Tour

Solar San Antonio is coordi-nating the ASES Solar Tour ofSan Antonio this October 3,and they are accepting sug-gestions for relevant solar pro-

jects completed in San Antoniofor this year's tour. All solarprojects are acceptable, in-

cluding old and new, commer-cial and residential projects inthe San Antonio area. Projectsthat were included in lastyear's tour are also accept-able.

Send suggestions to EricWashburn, [email protected], or call him at210.354.0236.


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Whats Happening at Mitchell Lake?

Mitchell Lake

Audubon Center

10750 Pleasanton Rd.

San Antonio TX 78221

210.628.1639

www.mitchelllakeaudubon.org

Susan Albert

Center Director.

All events on Saturdaysand FREE unless otherwiselisted. For more informationor to RSVP for MitchellLake events, [email protected], or call Susan atMLAC, 210.628.1639.

SEPTEMBERSounds o f Na tu re w i t h H en r y B r u n Sunday, Sept. 13, 2-4 PMBack by popular demand,Henry Brun is a Grammywinning performer and a

local treasure. Join him aswe look to the sounds ofnature that inspire us tolisten, enjoy and create ourown music! A hands-onactivity for the whole family.Limited space, RSVP required.

Wet Workshop:Organic Pest ControlSaturday, Sept.19, 9-11 AMLearn more about the bugsyou see everyday! MollyKeck gives tips and infor-

mation on how to banishunwanted pests usinggreen methods for yourhome and garden. Space islimited. RSVP required.

OCTOBERFami l y Program :

K ids Bi rd ing 1 01Saturday, Oct. 9, 9-11 AMOne of our most popularfamily programs. This is aclass for children to learnmore about this fun activity.They will learn how to usebinoculars and how to iden-tify the birds they see.They'll also get a chance toexplore the habitat atMitchell Lake. Limitedspace. RSVP required.

Annual Fall

Wildlife Festivaland

Plant SaleSaturday, October 24

9 AM to 4 PMCome celebrate nature andour 5th anniversary with aday of great activities andexhibits for the whole fam-ily! FREE!

.About Mitchell Lakehttp://tx.audubon.org/

Mitchell.html

Just south of downtownSan Antonio, the MitchellLake Audubon Center islocated on a 1200-acrenatural area. This uniqueand beautiful bird havenconsists of the 600-acreMitchell Lake, 215 acres ofwetlands and ponds and385 acres of upland habitat.Audubon Texas has part-nered with the San AntonioWater System (SAWS) to

showcase this wonderfulnatural area and welcomesnature enthusiasts, school-children and families.

Birding Tours

Birding tours are $5 perperson for non-members,$3 for members; no reser-vation necessary.

Times may vary due toseason, please call to con-

firm.

MLAC becomes a regis-tered Monarch Monitoringsite!

Monarchs produce suc-cessive generations as theymigrate, funneling throughTexas towards Canada inthe spring and towards theirwintering grounds in Mex-ico in the fall. This createsa need for Milkweed asboth a nectar source andhost plant for larva feed-ing. Development, and useof herbicides in croplandsand along roadsides, has

resulted in a decline in theMilkweeds available for theMonarch. The Waystationprogram has provided hun-dreds of sites where milk-weed is available. Our gar-den now features a signdesignating it as an officialMonarch Waystation.

Monarch activity is antici-pated late August throughearly October. Information

about the MLMP is atwww.mlmp.org.

Support MLAC's education,family and conservationprograms:

Become a memberBecome a docent

For more information onDocent Training Classes atMitchell Lake AudubonCenter, contact Michelle

Santisteban, 210.628.1639or [email protected].

NEW COUNTY PARK!Cresent Bend Nature Park

Crescent Bend: Oncepart of the Lakewood Acressubdivision, now a beautiful

new county park! Land thatwas condemned by FEMAafter the October 1998floods has now become thenewest and largest in BexarCountys park system. Al-most a year after ground-breaking, the 175-acre parkis near completion, sched-uled to open in early Sep-tember.

Crescent Bend NaturePark is located east of FM1518 to Schaeffer Rd. andbordered on the east andnortheast side by CiboloCreek. Directions from IH-10 east: Take the FM1518exit and go north towardSchertz, look for brownCrescent Bend sign (atSchaefer Rd.), turn rightand go about 3 miles toCibolo Creek.

Lone Star Land Steward

This past May in Austin,Selah-Bamberger RanchPreserve in Blanco Countyreceived the 2009 LeopoldConservation Award forTexas from Sand CountyFoundation and TexasPar ks and W i ld l i f eDepartment, part of the de-partment's Lone Star LandSteward Awards program..Selah-Bamberger RanchPreserve was recognizedfor numerous land and wa-ter conservation and envi-ronmenta l educa t ionachievements accumulatedover the past 40 years.

Read the release:http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20090527a


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Community Events

Rainwater Harvest WorkshopsSept. 12 & Oct. 17, 9NoonCNC auditorium & visit to Kight installa-tion; fee, pre-register; limited to 30.John Kight, engineer and rainwatercatchment owner, gives the latest tech-nological information and the mostpractical advice. The Kight home withno well or outside water source is in atraditional development; their systemcomfortably supplies water for allhousehold and landscape needs.

Detailed information may be found atwww.cibolo.org or call 830.249.4616.

SeptemberFall Grasses WorkshopSaturday, Sept. 12, 911 AMPre-registration required.

Kids Club:Learning to Use a Compass

Saturday, Sept. 12, 1011:30 AMDonations welcome

Songs and Stories Concert:One Minute to Midnight

Saturday, Sept. 12, 8:30 PM$5-$10, CNC outdoor stage

Mother Natures Storytime:Recycling

Tuesday, Sept. 15, 1011 AMDonations Welcome

Upper Cibolo Creek Workshop I:What Makes a Healthy Creek?

Tuesday, Sept. 15, 9 AM12:30 PM

Pre-registration required

Science in NatureSaturday, Sept. 19, 10 AM12 NoonDonations welcome

Upper Cibolo Creek Workshop:Is the Water Clean?

Tuesday, Sept. 22, 9 AM12:30 PMPre-registration required

Boerne Birders: Family Birding DaySaturday, September 26, 810 AM

Tour of YardsSaturday, September 26Free

Wildlife Field ResearchSeptember 30October 3, All DayCNC Park Cost: FREE but registra-tion is necessary and CNC member-ship is encouraged. For more infor-

mation and to sign-up, call Suzanneat 830.249.8240 OR e-mail [email protected]. Citizen ScienceDirector: Jan WredeBecome a citizen scientist! Are youinterested in mammals, insects, rep-tiles, birds, grasses, trees, fishes oraquatic invertebrates? Volunteersreceive training and hands-on experi-ence doing surveys that monitor ourland management practices. Join theresearch team of your choice for oneto three days. Attend the Friday eve-

ning Citizen Science Research Semi-nar and dinner.

OctoberCibolo GalaOctober 10

Boerne Birdersat Joshua Springs Park

Saturday, October 17, 810 AMDetails, call Jerry at 210.710.3981.

Green Home RetrofitSaturday, October 24, 9 AM3 PM

Presented by CNC, Linda Manning,LEED AP, Stephen Colley, AIA, ofStephen Colley Architecture and anarray of experts. A comprehensivereview of strategies and products thatwill green up your house and yourlife, from floors to attics, from bath-rooms to bedrooms, from the air youbreathe inside to the night-sky yousee outside...come learn how to ret-rofit your life to green.


CIBOLO NATURE CENTER

All listings are on Saturdaysunless otherwise indicated

For more information visitwww.cibolo.org/calendar.

Pre-registration for CNC workshops, 830.249.4616 [email protected].

MEDINA RIVER NATURAL AREA(MRNA)

15890 Highway 16 SouthSan Antonio TX 78264MRNA located approx. 4 milessouth of Loop 410 on SH 16 South

Reservations are requested for allMRNA events. For more informationor to RSVP for any event in theMRNA call 210.624.2575.

Viva Voluntarios:September 26 and October 31

SECOND SATURDAYSSuggested donation for all events is $3/person or $5/family.

CIBOLO! Where Have they Gone?Sept. 12, 911 AM"Where are the thunder of hoovesand that unending sea of largeshaggy bodies? Come join us asCharlie McCarl, Master Naturalist andNational Certified Interpreter, leadsan excursion into the life of the buf-falo and learn where they havegone.

5th

Annual FALL FESTOctober 10, 911 AM

Celebrate the fall harvest demonstra-tions of: Snakes, Dog Rescue, Birds,Tree Give-Away, Flint knapping, FlyFishing, Geocaching, Hiking andFishing Safety, Insects, Arachnids,Solar Cooking, Turtles and Mam-mals.

www.sanaturalareas.org

MORE First Saturday Walks and Sec-ond Saturday Programs, next page.

Second SaturdayBeginners Walks

Join San Antonio Audubon Societyon the second Saturday of the month;start at 8 AM, meet at the Judson Na-ture Trails next to the Alamo Heightsswimming pool, on Viesca street. Formore information, call 210.342.2073.

Newbies Welcome!


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SAN ANTONIO NATURAL AREAS

For more information on listings below, visit www.sanaturalareas.org or www.bexaraudubon.org

FIRST SATURDAY WALKSInterpretive Nature Walks

Participants limited to 15 per hike.Meet near restrooms. Suggested dona-tion $2/hike. Not for groups; please callto schedule a separate hike.

SEPTEMBERFriedrich Wilderness Park21395 Milsa*September 5, 911 AMTexas in drought leaves naturestressed! But nature is up to the chal-lenge. Come see whos been gettinga drink at the windmill and the over-flow puddle while you enjoy this latesummer nature hike. Do bring at leasttwo filled water bottles per person. Itwill be HOT!*Access to Friedrich Park haschanged. Pass the Camp Bullis exitheading west on IH 10 and take theDominion Drive exit. Make the turn-around at the intersection and pro-

ceed back east on the access road toturn right at Oak and right on Milsa.

OCTOBERCrownridge Canyon Natural Area7222 LuskeyOctober 3, 911 AMWe can only hope that things arecooler now. There should be a hint offall with some early leaves changingcolors as the day length gets shorter.Come learn what nature does to pre-pare for winter in San Antonio andenjoy this great natural area! Dobring at least one filled water bottleper person. It may still be warm.

Sponsored bySan AntonioNatural Areaswww.sanaturalareas.org

FIRST SATURDAY WALKS & SECOND SATURDAY P ROGRAMS

Reservations recommended for 1st Saturday Walks & 2nd Saturday Programs; call 210.564.6202 or 210.372.9124 for de-tails, directions, reservations. Email [email protected]. Suggested donation $3/individual, $5/family for pro-

grams, $2/person for hikes. Unless otherwise listed, Second Saturday programs are held at Eisenhower Park.

Welcome to My WebEisenhower ParkOctober 10, 7 8:30 PMPresented by Dr. Cary GuffeyAssociate Professor of Biology,

Our Lady of the Lake UniversityDr. Guffey is one of the most knowl-edgeable and entertaining naturalhistory presenters in the Second

Saturday series. Come join us on alively hike as he shares the wonderfulworld of spiders and other arachnids.Recommended for older children andadults. Bring flashlightsit will bedark before we finish. Program is inthe large gated pavilion; gates open6:30 PM.

LIMITED TO 40 PARTICIPANTS;RESERVATIONS HIGHLY RECOM-MENDED FOR THIS EVENT.

www.sanaturalareas.org

www.bexaraudubon.org

Tuna, Nopales and MoreEisenhower ParkSeptember 12, 10 AM-12 NoonPresented by Patty Leslie PasztorBefore HEB, Walmart and the mall,indigenous people and early settlershad to find their resources in theplants and animals that surroundedthem. Join Patty Pasztor in a fun ex-

ploration of natural fibers, naturalfoods and other uses of local plants.Patty is renowned in this area for herknowledge of this subject. Dont missthis one!!

Eisenhower Park is at 19399 NWMilitary Hwy., outside Loop 1604.Take FM 1535/Military Hwy/ShavanoPark exit off Loop 1604 on the citysNW side. Go north 2 miles; park en-trance on left, just before CampBullis. Program is in the large gated

pavilion; gates open at 9:30 AM.

SECOND SATURDAY PROGRAMS

Cowles is just uphill from Laurie Auditorium &between Library and Chapman Graduate Center.Park by Laurie or in lots or on streets to the west.Handicapped parking across from Cowles. Enterfrom Oakmont or Rosewood. Call Patty for addi-tional directions, 210.824.1235. or see additional

map at bexaraudubon.org/map.jpg.

September BAS Program at Trinity University


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Bexar Audubon Society ContactsPresident: Anita Anderson210.533.8726; [email protected] President: Tony Wood210.867.2363; [email protected]: Caryl Swann210.653.2860; [email protected]: Susan Hughes210.532.2032; [email protected]: Amy L. Whitley210.340.0114; [email protected]: Bill Hurley210.823.1023, [email protected]: Greg Pasztor210.824.1235, [email protected] & At-Large: Harry Noyes210.490.3124; [email protected]/Outings: Patty Pasztor210.824.1235; [email protected]: Michele Wood210.492.4684, [email protected]


Earth Share of Texas raises money for environmental and conservationorganizations through workplace giving. If your employer participates insuch programs, please ask them to add Earth Share to your giving op-tions. By designating the Audubon Foundation of Texas (AFT), BexarAudubon Society can benefit. BAS receives credit for our support andreceives funding annually form AFT. For more information, call, email orlog on: 800.GREENTX, [email protected], or www.earthshare-texas.org.

Leading bat scientists went toCongress in June to describethe grave threat of White-noseSyndrome to bats across North

America. They told two congres-sional subcommittees that ur-gent federal action is essentialto stop this disease before it istoo late.

After ravaging bat populationsin the northeastern UnitedStates, White-nose Syndromehas moved into the AmericanSouth, leaving little time to pre-vent what threatens to be a con-tinent-wide wildlife disaster withdevastating ecological and eco-

nomic consequences.

Since WNS was discovered ina New York cave in February2006, more than a million hiber-nating bats of six species have

been killed by the disease innine states. Mortality rates ap-proaching 100 percent are re-ported at some sites. WNS

jumped from the Northeast lastwinter into West Virginia andVirginia. And scientists still havefar more questions than answersabout the syndrome.

A previously undescribed, cold-loving fungus is clearly associ-ated with the disease since it isfound on the nose, ears and

wings of affected bats, whichproduced the name, white

nose. It is not yet confirmed whether this fun-gus is the primary cause of bat mortality or howit might be killing bats. Many other basic ques-tions remain, especially including whether thefungus is geographically limited, whether andhow the spread of WNS can be slowed or

stopped and whether bat mortality can be re-duced.

Federal responses to WNS have been slow,despite the dedication by staff of the U.S. Fishand Wildlife Service and U.S. Geological Sur-vey. The main problem involves bureaucraticdelays in releasing emergency funds.

State agencies in the Northeast and nongov-ernment organizations have helped fill some ofthe void, but their resources are limited.Groups such as BCI and the National Spe-leological Society have provided emergency

research funds.This is an urgent action item. Members shouldcontact their federal representatives to urgesupport of funding on WNS.

From Bat Conservation Timesa Bat Conservation International, Inc. Publication

Volume 7, Number 6 - June 2009

Wanted: Keen Eyes and Quick Fingers!www.camclickr.org

Be a CamClickr!The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has placed livecameras at active bird nest all around the country.By using the CamClickr online tool to help tag andsort the NextCams images, you can help scien-tists learn more about the nesting behavior ofbirds and how they are responding to challengesin their environment. Enjoy learning about nestingbirds while testing your online gaming skills!

Create a CamClickr Account Today!Visit www.camclickr.org Complete instructionsonline.

Wind Power Impacts on Migratory Wildlife

Alternative energy and safe passage for birdsand bats: How to co-exist safely. Check outthese associated groups and their web sites for

more information and to learn how they areworking together: The American Wind WildlifeInstitute, a nonprofit organizationwww.awwi.org; the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, a non-profitmembership institution-www.birds.cornell.edu;the American Bird Conservancy, a non-profitorganization-www.abcbirds.org; and the John-son Foundation at Wingspreadwww. johnsonfdn.org.

White-nose Bat Syndrome: Grave Threat to Bats


8/8

Bexar Tracks is the official newsletter of the Bexar

Audubon Society, a Chapter of the National Audu-bon Society. The Chapters primary goals are topromote species and habitat conservation andenvironmental education in the community.Your membership includes National Audubon andBexar Audubon and subscriptions to both AudubonandBexar Tracks.

www.bexaraudubon.org

Membership and Support for Your Environmental Voice in Our Community

Bexar Audubon welcomes new members to join Audubon through the chapter. This brings 100 percent of the first years duesdirectly back to support local work. The same applies to gift memberships placed through the chapter. Your additional tax deducti-ble donation is greatly appreciated. Bexar Audubon receives only a few thousand dollars each year from National Audubon Soci-ety as dues share. The rest we must raise ourselves. Your help is needed, and your donations will be put to good use right herein South Central Texas to provide environmental news and education to the community, including the newsletter, programs, SanAntonio Environmental Network Issues Forum, Second Saturday programs, and other activities you may or may not hear about.Individual introductory memberships are $20; seniors and students join for $15. Please provide the following information for eachpersonal subscription or gift:

Name: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

Mailing Address with Zip Code: _______________________________________________________________________

Phone w/Area Code: _________________________________ e-mail ________________________________________

Do you wish to opt out of other mailings by Audubon or those with whom it shares lists? ____ yes ____ noMake checks payable to Bexar Audubon Society and mail to the address above.Enclosed: $__________ for subscription(s) $_________ additional donationNOTE: Renewals should be sent directly to National Audubon Society.

NOTE: If you change address or cancel membership, you do NOT need to contact Bexar Audubon but MUST contact National Audubon (and wewill automatically get that change when we download labels). Save time and energy by mailing your change of address information to National Audu-

bon Society Membership Data Center, PO Box 52529, Boulder CO 80322-2529; phoning 800.274.4201; or e-mailing [email protected] .

For the latest information on environ-mental events and happenings through-out the San Antonio community andsurround ing a rea s , check ou twww.bexaraudubon.org andwww.sa-naturecenter.org

Non-ProfitOrganization

US Postage PaidSan Antonio TXPermit #1527

Bexar Audubon SocietyPO Box 6084San Antonio TX 78209-0084

Bexar Tracks Sept.-Oct. 2009

Documents

Volume XXVI, No. 7 September-October 2009