Nature Along the El Camino Real
Blog of the El Camino Real Chapter, Texas Master Naturalists, Milam County, Texas
Members of our chapter participated in another successful First Friday at the Rockdale Library. Congratulations to our coordinator Debbi Harris and all who participated. There was a great turnout, and the refreshments were enjoyed by all.
by Carolyn Henderson and Michelle Lopez
From Carolyn: Alan Rudd, Patricia Coombs, Debra Sorenson, Catherine Johnson, Jackie Thornton, and Michelle Lopez staffed an El Camino Real Texas Master Naturalist table at the annual Milam County Senior TRIAD on Tuesday, October 29. They informed visitors about the program and recruited some possible students for the upcoming class.
From Michelle: We had a great time at the Senior Expo in Cameron today. We have three or four possible students for the next class and we were able to speak to a lot of people about nature and found that there were people who love wildlife and had never heard of Texas Master Naturalist. We were able to share the things that we are passionate about and gave out a lot of information and directed people to our website for more information. We invited people to our monthly meetings and let them know they were free of charge and there is a potluck before the meeting and we seemed to have a lot of interest in that also.
by Catherine Johnson
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.
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.
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.
by Sue Ann Kendall, with help from many
Last Monday our chapter hosted a welcome celebration! Can you believe our Milam Wildscape is five years old now? Just think of how many hours of volunteer work have gone into making the Wildscape the sanctuary it’s become, and think how many people have been inspired to go home and start their own little wildscape!
Twenty-two people attended, as reported by Wildscape founder Catherine Johnson. After food, drinks, and welcome ice cream (it was hot), the attendees met around the fountain at the Wildscape, where they learned inforrmation about the Sturgeon Super Blue Moon that was rising later in the evening.
Those who have worked so hard on the Wildscape received recognition for their amazing contributions to the project, and everyone got goody bags and light-up star necklaces, perfect for the occasion.
The next part of the evening focused on our birding station, where its permanent name, Wild Wings Bird Sanctuary, was announced by Ann Collins. I was honored to have one of my suggestions chosen for the name. Ann shared her thoughts, which are reprinted below, and showed off the extensive additions to the site that the Wild Wings team have been creating.
After the dedication of the bird sanctuary, the attendees returned to the Wildscape, visited, and watched the beautiful moon come up.
Thank you to Pamela Neeley, Janice Johnson, and Rosie Johnson, and Linda Burgess for photos.
Four years ago, Gene Rek, Cindy Rek, and I began exploring the possibiity of creating a bird station at Bird and Bee Farm. Unfortunately, I had a very unscheduled emergency brain surgery. Needless to say, lots of things got put on the back burner! We did choose an absolutely gorgeous spot for the station.
Well, four years passed and we revisited the idea and had another look at the site. then Gene, Mr. Energy, got to work while I fell and broke my wrist, which was another setback for me, but it didn’t stop Gene. Lnda Jo Conn things I arrange my setbacks so othre people will step in to do my work. Maybe so, but folks did get excited and got to work for me!
Gene made a road to the site, ran a water line for a water source, built a fence, mowed, set up raised beds for native plants, and all sorts of other things that I couldn’t have done anyway! Catherine Johnson searched tirelessly online for benches for lounging while birding, and she found the most adorable vintage bench, rocker, and table. She got them cleaned up and installed. Thank goodness they are somewhat hidden away or I fear they might be stolen, they are that cute! And we got a birdbath “pilfered” from Rose’s garden (named after Gene’s mom), which is a favorite target of the cows, who knock it over.
Suna Kendall contributed a couple of bird feeders and has spent quite a bit of time canvassing the birds. She’s a kind of a computer nerd and knows her way around them. I’m more of a luddite myself, but I greatly admire her skill. She is putting a bird list on our blog for each month. Check it out, and check out our new web page chronicalling our activities!
(You are welcome to share any cool birds you observe – Suna)
by Catherine Johnson
We acquired several benches and chairs from Marketplace for the Wildscape and delivered them at noon, which is not as hot as later in the day. Many pollinators were flying around, including hummers.
Kim Summers and I went back late evening to water and stayed until 8:00 pm, resting by the big fountain in the shade, while Cindy Rek told us about the Rio Grande Turkeys being delivered to Bird and Bee Farm, where our projects are located.
Pictured are the new pathways in the birding station that Gene Rek has been working on. We also placed 100-year-old furniture in the Bird Station, which Ann Collins chose.
Pictures also show new beds, which will allow native birds to enjoy plants that are watered by a drip system.
We are excited to be viewing all at our full moon Wildscape Celebration later this month: Monday, August 19, 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm. Guests are welcome.
Nature Along the El Camino Real 