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• Refuge Rocks - Otterly Amazing Otters! (Ages 5-10)

  • When
    January 17, 2026
  •  
    10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
  • Location
    Hagerman National Wildlife Visitor Center, 6465 Refuge Road, Sherman, TX 75092
  • Spaces left
    11

  Register

  Young nature lovers are invited to dive into the playful world of river otters at “Otterly Amazing Otters” This engaging youth class is designed especially for children ages 5–10. Registration is required.

  During this interactive class, participants will learn all about the North American river otters that live on and around the refuge. Through a short, age-appropriate mini lesson, children will discover what otters eat, where they live, how they move, and why they are important to healthy ecosystems.

  The learning continues with a creative craft and a variety of fun, movement-based activities that reinforce key concepts and keep young minds engaged. Designed to spark curiosity and foster a love of wildlife, Otterly Amazing Otters blends education and play in a natural setting.

  This class is perfect for young explorers who love animals, nature, and getting creative while learning about the amazing wildlife found right here in North Texas.

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• Photo Club Meeting: Photographing Birds

  • When
    January 17, 2026
  •  
    1:00 PM
  • Location
    Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, Visitor Center, 6465 Refuge Road Sherman, TX 75092

  

  Photo Club Meeting:

  Photographing Birds with Tom Judd

  Concepts for improving photographs and improving odds of getting good photographs of birds by making use of various camera settings, being aware of lighting, camera position and lens choices.

  Tom is a retired Professional Photographer out of Denton, and an avid birder. He visits the refuge to photograph birds when time allows.

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• Second Saturday Bird Walk

  • When
    February 14, 2026
  •  
    8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
  • Location
    Hagerman National Wildlife Visitor Center, 6465 Refuge Road, Sherman, TX 75092

  Register

  

  Come walk on the wild side and discover the birds of Hagerman!

  Join Dr. Wayne Meyer, ornithologist, and Master Naturalist Jack Chiles for a guided bird walk along the Harris Creek Trail every Second Saturday, weather permitting. This easy, flat, well maintained trail makes for a relaxed and enjoyable walk as you spot birds and other wildlife along the way. The group will return in time for the Second Saturday nature program.

  Binoculars are available to borrow—just bring your curiosity and a bottle of water!

  Registration is recommended to receive event updates and weather-related notifications.

  Free and open to the public.  Donations are accepted to support this and other events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.

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• Ferns of Texas: Why the Lone Star State is So Diverse with George Diggs

  • When
    February 14, 2026
  •  
    10:00 AM
  • Location
    Hagerman National Wildlife Visitor Center, 6465 Refuge Road, Sherman, TX 75092

  

  
  

  Texas has a surprising number of native ferns and lycophytes, 127 in all, the most of any state in the continental U.S. This is particularly unexpected given that most people associate ferns and related plants with humid, even tropical conditions, just the opposite of much of Texas.

  Texas’ diverse species thrive under a variety of conditions including some that are very extreme—in crevices on huge exposed granite outcrops, underwater on the bottoms of ponds or lakes, inside cave entrances, and in the deserts of west Texas. One Texas species has leaves reaching nearly 13 feet in length, while another is a tiny floating aquatic often less than 1/2 inch in total size. Many Texas species occur nowhere else in the entire United States.

  This talk will look broadly at Texas ferns, ranging from the swamp forests of East Texas, to the hidden canyons of the Edwards Plateau, and even to the high mountain “sky islands” of such places as Big Bend National Park. It will examine why Texas is such a special place for these fascinating plants.

  George Diggs is an evolutionary biologist and botanist who has taught for more than 40 years at Austin College in Sherman, and a Research Associate at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas.

  His research interests include the plants of Texas, evolution as it relates to human health, the systematics of the Ericaceae (Blueberry Family), and biogeography.

  He has co-authored four books, including The Ferns & Lycophytes of Texas, co-authored with Barney Lipscomb, and more than 30 scientific articles. In his research he has traveled to all seven continents. He helped found the Public Health program at Austin College and teaches Environmental and Evolutionary Health, including the impact of diet and toxins on human health.

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