Linda, Carolyn, Debra, Catherine, Rosie, and Master Gardener Monica attended the last seed collection of the season for the Little Free Seed Library.
Chilly seed collectors. Photo by Rosie Johnson.
Natives that beat the freeze include Yarrow, Evergreen Sumac, Skeleton Leaf Goldeneye, Nolina, Agave, and Wax Myrtle. Asters and Coneflowers were greening up again.
Wildscape friend Rosie, expanded a 30-foot Bluebonnet strip.
Now that it’s winter, our Mason bees can be viewed walled in their houses.
Meanwhile, we are continuing to make preparations for upcoming Wildscape programs.
Come visit the garden and see what Winter interest YOU can find.
We have met several times at Bird and Bee Farm to harvest seeds for our newest El Camino Real Master Naturalist project.
Yesterday, November 26th, we met at the Cameron Public Library to start packaging the seeds. Our project has been embraced by Elena Berkes, the library’s Director. She even joined us yesterday!
Elena is letting us use the beautiful card catalog cabinets at the library to store our seeds and make them available to the public.
We made 275 seed packets yesterday! I was thrilled! I want to thank all the volunteers who have come to harvest seeds and those who came yesterday to package the seeds.
This will be an ongoing project and you will receive volunteer hours under Community Outreach- Indirect, as well as travel time.
I would love for you to collect seeds, native and adapted, to contribute. Just put your seeds in a brown paper bag or envelope, the name of the plant, and the date you collected the seeds.
I would like to say special thanks to Catherine Johnson (an expert in native and adapted plants)! She has helped me immensely.🎉
Come join us at our next gathering to package seeds, which will be on Tuesday, December 17th, at the Cameron Public Library.
Saturday , the Little Free Seed Library group met at Milam Wildscape to discuss the new project and collect seeds. Coordinator Linda Burgess gave updates and Jackie Thornton and Ann Collins collected seeds including Turks Cap, Coneflower, Texas Rock Rose, and Button Bush. We enjoyed the cooler weather.
Ann finding goodies to share with others
We also discussed how the Wildscape, Wild Wings Bird Sanctuary, and Little Free Seed Library projects are going to benefit the community in our outreach efforts.
Jackie finding seeds for sharing
Construction of user-friendly pathways and permanent weed control continues at the Wildscape. A recently installed water feature for birds and pollinators is the top of a pedestal sink from Facebook Marketplace.
Sink for the birds/Autumn beautyLinda harvests seedsJackie in the jungle
The Wild Wings Bird Sanctuary project is taking off! Our committee members are making so many contributions that it’s hard to keep track.
This is the final logo.
We held a committee meeting last week and got to work on getting our logo and signage planned out, decided to get some sturdy seating, and have planned fun new ways to encourage people to come and enjoy this peaceful oasis for themselveds.
Bonus donkey sightings encourage visitors.
We envision quarterly iNaturalist bioblitzes, evening bird walks, and monthly guided observations. This will be fun! And we decided on our official hours, which will be Thursday through Sunday, 8 am to noon. Visits can be arranged by texting a number we’ll share soon, as well.
The current seating now has concrete pavers under it, so it’s more steady, and it’s been moved away from the feeders for better observation.
At our monthly official observation day, Sue Ann and Ann heard or saw 25 different bird species. New birds included an American Kestrel and Broad-winged Hawk. Ann observed a Peregrine Falcon a few weeks ago, as well. They took the opportunity to take photos for the 2024 Texas Pollinator Bioblitz on iNaturalist, since there are lot of pollinators hanging around the sanctuary. It was also the best day to record birds, because it was the Big Day on eBird. Sue Ann made sure to record all the birds Merlin found, so they would go into the eBird count.
Cloudless SulphurThirsty Honeybees at the birdbathCarpenter beeCheerful checkered skipperSome pollinators we saw.
Be sure to check out our October Observations page to see what birds we saw and heard, and to check our totals page for a list of all 43 bird species we’ve observed since August.
But that’s not all. Committee member Gene Rek has volunteered to build some Leopold Benches, whish were devised by naturalist Aldo Leopold especially for bird watching. They are simple to build and very sturdy, which we have agreed we need to have for public seating. We are aware of liability issues, since we will be making the sanctuary available on the Texas Birding Trail soon. Sue Ann also has some heavy, durable benches she will donate, so Wild Wings will be all set for seating.
Today we met with Linda Burgess, coordinator of the new Little Free Seed Library project (here’s a link to an article explaining how they work and an article from Mother Earth News). This project involves creating nice boxes for storing labeled native seeds that can be shared and exchanged. We hope to have more than one location in Milam County. The Wildscape will provide many native seeds for the project, as will members of our chapter.
Check the blog for updates on this project as we build it out. Share any ideas you may have for locations for the seed libraries.
Johnson Homestead Wildlife Update
At my house we are winding down the nature events. The Barn Swallow colony expanded this year, and there have been a record number of toads and frogs. I allowed a family of mice to live in a small section of my kitchen then successfully trapped and relocated them. We found them after they ate my daughter’s chocolate bars.
Barn SwallowsMice ready to relocateBeautiful moth
We are rehabbing another leopard frog that was hit by a weedeater. One foot had to be removed, so he is learning to swim again. When it is cold, I will put him in the yard next to our other frogs.
The picture with chairs, fans, etc., was an attempt to protect and keep cool a second batch of wrens at the house.
Wren protection setup
We had few snakes but an over-abundance of fire ants. Lessons were learned for next year.
Nature Along the El Camino Real 