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Connecting Youth and Adults of North Texas to Nature By Bryon Clark
To provide new and engaging environmental educational activities for youth and supplement existing programs at HNWR, FOH applied for two grants from the Simmons First Foundation and was awarded:
FOH wish to express our sincere gratitude to the Simmons First Foundation for both awards which allowed us to better connect the public to nature in North Texas. We also wish to thank the Simmons Bank in Denison, Texas, that supported our applications. |
The mission of the Friends of Hagerman (FOH) National Wildlife Refuge is to “instill reverence, respect, and conservation of our wild creatures and habitats through supporting environmental education, recreational activities and programs of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge (HNWR) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.”
The first grant focused on reinforcing science literacy by promoting a greater understanding of the diversity of mammals found in North Texas and the vital role these animals play in the environment. The collection of skulls, pelts (skins), and track molds of mammals found in the region were used to supplement classroom/laboratory activities that target applicable Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) science standards. Since more youth are raised in urban areas now than at any time in Texas history, it is increasingly important to provide these meaningful opportunities to explore and better understand relationships and interactions between wildlife and the environment.
Due in part to the success of the first grant, FOH applied for a second grant to expand the diversity of our environmental educational programming which now also includes TEKS-aligned activities about birds, weather, water, geology, and soils found on Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge (HNWR) |
and throughout North Texas. Participants gained awareness of the ecological importance of birds, explored regional weather patterns, conducted water testing, and investigated the role of geology and soils in ecosystems and daily life.
Over the two-year period, 6,081 individuals (including 3,416 youth and 2,665 adults) viewed materials purchased with grant funds at 37 events led by more than 25 FOH volunteers. All these activities were provided free to the public by FOH.
At 23 of the 37 events, 789 youth accompanied by 362 adults engaged in directed, hands-on experiences using grant materials. FOH specifically developed these activities to be aligned with TEKS science standards and reinforce concepts and terminology learned by students in the classroom. Examples of Programs Provided Mammals
Birds
Soils
Geology
Weather
Although both grants have been completed, equipment and materials purchased will continue to support FOH activities for years to come. Many items have been integrated into regular programs such as Refuge Rocks, school field trips to HNWR, alternative Spring Break activities, Spring Festival, Refuge Roundup, and environmental educational outreach throughout North Texas. To request a program for your group, or learn more about our environmental educational activities, volunteer opportunities with FOH, or Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, please Contact Us. |
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Upcoming Activities:
The Friends of Hagerman is Hosting 11 Family Friendly Events in April! Donate to help fund programs like these! |
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Second Saturday: Birding by Ear with Dr. Wayne Meyer Saturday, April 11, at 10:00 AM in the Visitor Center
Observing birds requires more than just seeing them. When you learn to recognize their songs you will find more birds and get better ideas about where to find them. Top birders hear more birds first than they see first. Come learn a few of the common birds around the refuge and improve your results. Dr. Wayne Meyer, an ornithologist, began birding at the age of 13 in Connecticut. He has birded extensively on both coasts of the United States and has spent the past quarter century birding in Texas and Oklahoma. Dr. Meyer has conducted extensive research on prairie birds and has been studying song learning and vocal development in Painted Buntings for more than a decade. He is a sought-after speaker for Master Naturalist groups and a frequent presenter at the Friends of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge Second Saturday programs. Registration is not necessary—all are welcome! But if any of these programs spark your curiosity, signing up will get you a friendly reminder three days beforehand. You’ll also receive our once-a-month Featherless Flyer newsletter—no email overload, and it’s easy to unsubscribe anytime. Photo by Donnie Simmons Future Second Saturday Programs |
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Prescribed Burns in March Several prescribed burns took place at Hagerman in March. Prescribed burns are treatments conducted to reduce hazardous fuels and associated wildfire risk. The burns also compose an essential element of Hagerman NWR’s efforts to improve wildlife habitat. Prescribed burns at the refuge are conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Oklahoma / North Texas Fire Zone program. To be informed when these burns are happening, Subscribe to BurnAlerts. Photos by Laurie Sheppard |
The Friends of Hagerman NWR Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) entity whose mission is to instill reverence, respect and conservation of our wild creatures and habitats through supporting environmental education, recreational activities and programs of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. No goods and services are to be received by donors; therefore, all donations may be tax-deductible. |
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| Eastern Bluebird Nestboxes for Sale: $75* The Eastern Bluebird nesting season will begin soon! Enjoy the birds in your backyard. Complete Kit Includes:
Nestbox Only: $24.99* Available in the Nature Nook while supplies last. *Plus applicable sales tax. |
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Thank You, Work Crew!!
The Work Crew has been busy removing old barbed wire from the refuge—and they’ve been working hard! Much of this wire dates back to the farmers who once lived in the town of Hagerman before it was flooded in 1946 to create Lake Texoma.
Today, that leftover fencing poses a hazard to wildlife, especially deer, which can become injured if they run into it. Removing the wire helps make the refuge safer for the animals that now call it home.
The Weekly Bird Census
Left to Right: Wayne Meyer, Nancy Riggs, Jack Chiles, and Mike Petrick Each Tuesday a team of experienced birders, including Master Naturalist Jack Chiles, traverse 35 miles of refuge roads and hiking trails, documenting every bird they encounter. This Bird Census is reported to The Cornell Lab of Ornithology for use in research, and each week we will bring you a link to their actual bird count, and a summary of their adventures.
Merlin, Hermit Thrush, Cinnamon Teal Pair, Upland Sandpiper, Upland Sandpipers and lastly, Franklin's Gulls and a Ring-billed Gull It was a nice day for our census and we saw several new birds for the year including a great closeup view of a Merlin at the entrance to Plover Pad, several Upland Sandpipers in the marshy area near the entrance to Raasch Trail, and 4 Franklin's Gull on the sandbar at the end of Tern Pad. We also had a first of season Fish Crow, a crow species that has been increasing in numbers in the area the last few years. This crow is readily identified by its nasal Cah Ah call. We saw a couple of Wood Ducks at Meadow Pond. Snowy Egrets are beginning to arrive, with 13 sighted today. We heard 2 Barred Owls calling on the north side of the refuge. White-eyed Vireos have arrived in good numbers with 20 heard today. We had a Hermit Thrush on Meadow Pond trail. Some Northern Flickers are still present. 19 Harris's Sparrows were seen today. There are now 2 pairs of Cinnamon Teals, seen on the shallow pool on the left going down Wildlife Drive. We finished the day with 81 species. See the rest of Jack's notes and the latest Bird Census Results |
The Friends of Hagerman NWR Photo Club
Learn the many photography opportunities at the refuge, where to find them and the best time to see them. May meeting has been rescheduled for May 2nd due to the Bird Festival during our normal meeting date of May 16th. Event Leader: Nancy Miller fohphotoclub@friendsofhagerman.org |
| Puddles' Craft Corner Hippity Hoppity Bunnies! By Cindy Steele, Master Naturalist |
Welcome back to Puddles’ Craft Corner. Quick! Name all of the famous rabbits that you know from television, books, movies, or holidays! You can probably think of quite a few! Bugs Bunny, Peter Rabbit, The Energizer Bunny, Rabbit in Winnie-the-Pooh, The Velveteen Rabbit, The Cadbury Bunny, The Easter Bunny, Peter Cottontail, and many more! But what do you know about rabbits in the wild? Let's explore these cute animals a little further.
Rabbits are mammals, which means they are warm-blooded, have backbones and hair. There are around thirty different species of wild rabbits, and they can weigh anywhere from less than a pound to over four pounds. These furry creatures can be found all over the world. Perhaps you have seen one of the most common types, the Eastern Cottontail. These wild animals have a white tail that looks exactly like a cotton ball and are common in our area!
How Do Their Bodies Help Them Survive?
From the tip of their twitchy little nose to the bottom of their cute little cotton tails, rabbits have adapted for survival.
Rabbits have special body features to help them survive in the wild. They have sharp long claws, which help them dig their burrows for protection. Their long ears are not only cute, but they provide sensitive hearing which can help them locate predators. Other than the white cottontail, rabbits have colorings that blend in easily with their surroundings. This helps them to disappear into the environment and escape the gaze of predators. And, if all of those...
Lesson and Craft Instructions Other Nature Crafts with Puddles
Junior Ranger Program: Advanced and Intermediate
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| The Junior Ranger Pledge As a Junior Ranger at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, I pledge to protect outdoor creatures small, big and huge. To keep the water, air and land clean. To make enjoying nature a routine. I will share my new skills with family and friends. When people and nature work together, everybody wins! |
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Sponsors Enable the Friends to…
Join Today! Memberships available for $20 |
Come, Take a Tour on the Wildlife Explorer! Come join us for a ride on the Wildlife Explorer! Our new and beautiful tram is available for ninety-minute tours of Hagerman every Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 PM, weather permitting. Our tours are as varied as our drivers. Each tram driver has her/his approach to the tour: you may learn about wildlife, birds, habitat, refuge history, photography, you name it! To paraphrase, “a Wildlife Explorer tour at Hagerman is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” But you know it’s going to be good! Come see us! Lots of stops for bird-watching and photography.
Register for a Tram Tour Today! |
Butterfly Garden Walks
Registration is not necessary |
Pipevine Swallowtail (right) by Laurie Sheppard |
Sunrise at the Little Sit by Laurie Sheppard | Photo by Cathy Van Bebber |
Meet Jack and the Bird Census Team and learn how to identify the birds of North Texas while enjoying the beautiful sunrise over Lake Texoma! Modeled after Cornell's national "Big Sit" event, a group of dedicated birders invite you to join them at sunrise to conduct a bird count as multiple species fly to the water and the surrounding land to feed. Leaders will bring spotting scopes and will provide tips for identification of the many species you will see. This event lasts a couple of hours, but all are welcome to come and go as they please. Participants are advised to bring a chair, binoculars and water. The First Saturday of every month, beginning 30 minutes before sunrise. |
Location: H Pad, Sadler, Texas 76264 (H Pad is in Sadler, but it is part of the refuge) GPS Coordinates: 33.734961, -96.780582
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Early Bird Walk |
Dr. Wayne Meyer, Ornithologist and Jack Chiles, Master Naturalist will lead our Early Birding event, weather permitting. Bring binoculars or borrow ours. Meet at the Visitor Center and return in time for the Second Saturday program. |
Please Register (Optional) so we may inform you via email of unforseen changes/cancellations.
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Do You Like to Work Outside? The Refuge Needs You! |
It takes a lot of people to have a beautiful garden! The Wednesday Garden Team Love to work with native plants and meet other gardeners? Come and help us add plants, weed and mulch our beautiful butterfly garden. Garden Team volunteers get first dibs on thinned native plants as well as access to seeds and cuttings for propagation. Gardeners meet on most Wednesdays, but times vary. Contact Us to subscribe to the volunteer garden team weekly email. Provide own tools and gloves. Minimum age 18, or 16 if accompanied by parent/volunteer. |
Mowing and Refuge Beautification: The Work Crew Do you enjoy working outside, mowing, sprucing up hiking trails, trimming and removing brush and general cleanup? Show your love for nature by joining the Outdoor Crew at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge. Outdoor Crew volunteers meet on the First Tuesday and Fourth Saturday of every month. Contact Us for exact times, dates and other details about joining the volunteer Work Crew. Scouts welcome! |
Visitor Center Volunteers Needed! |
Do you enjoy meeting all kinds of people from all over the world, and like-minded people in our area? If yes, consider joining our team of Visitor Center Volunteers. You will greet refuge guests, distribute maps and other refuge information, and make sales in the gift shop. Shifts available every day of the week: Monday through Saturday 9 AM to 12:30 PM and 12:30 to 4:00 PM, Sunday 1:00 to 5:00 PM. Training is provided. Contact Us if interested. |
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| Thank You To Our Contributors: Bryon Clark, Jack Chiles, Laurie Sheppard, Cindy Steele Refuge Manager: Kathy Whaley Acting Deputy Refuge Manager: Mary Maddux Visitor Services Manager: Spencer Beard Friends of Hagerman NWR Foundation 6465 Refuge Road, Sherman, TX 75092 Phone: 903-786-2826 Join us on Facebook: |
Search for any word--do not use quotes for phrases |
6465 Refuge Road Sherman, TX 75092
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Kroger: Stop by the customer service desk at Kroger and link your Kroger Card to the Friends of Hagerman: the Friends will get rewards for every dollar you spend, at no cost to you.
Please add info@friendsofhagerman.org to your contacts to ensure delivery of registration confirmations, account information and the Featherless Flyer
See you at the refuge!