|
Schedule | Program Registration | Vendor Registration Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, star of the show
On behalf of the Hummer/Bird Celebration, the
Rockport-Fulton Area Chamber of Commerce Tourism Development Council and the
over 200 volunteers that make this event possible, WELCOME
you to the 16th Annual Hummer/Bird Celebration.
For a very long time now the Ruby-throated Hummingbird has graced this
area by stopping here each fall, spending some time storing energy for their
continued migration south and thoroughly delighting everyone who sees them.
So we decided to have a party just for them.
We sincerely hope you will come enjoy the party and spend some time in
Rockport-Fulton. We know you will
enjoy the glorious hummingbirds. This
promises to be a great Celebration with an exciting line up of speakers and
tours. HAVE FUN! – Cynthia Womack Hummer/Bird Celebration Speakers
DAVID
DAUPHIN is on the Advisory Board of the
Valley Nature Coalition and has served on the boards of the Houston Audubon
Society, Houston Ornithology Group, Houston Outdoor Nature Club, Friends of
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Friends of Trinity River National Wildlife
Refuge, Friends of North American Butterfly Association Butterfly Park.
He has been a birder for over 40 years, is a licensed bird bander and a
noted authority on the birds of North America.
“Shorebirds of North America”-
David will present an easy way to
identify all of North America’s shorebirds.
This program continues to be a very popular part of the Hummer/Bird
Celebration. The talk will be
followed by a one hour field trip (location to be announced during the program).
SUSAN
& RICHARD DAY are professional
photographers and writers who specialize in backyard wildlife.
They own Daybreak Imagery, a company that markets photographs to
magazines, books, calendars and advertising clients throughout the world.
Richard is the primary photographer of the pair with photos published in Audubon,
Birder’s World, Sierra Club, National Geographic, National
Wildlife and others. He leads
photography workshops throughout North America.
Susan also photographs but mostly writes and does consulting about
backyard birds and landscaping for wildlife to magazines and books.
She’s the coauthor of The Wildlife Gardener’s Guide to
Hummingbirds & Songbirds From the Tropics which
is sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation Backyard Wildlife Program and
the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. The
Days are frequent speakers for nature groups and organizations about landscaping
for wildlife, birds, butterflies and photography. They have won numerous awards
for their photography, writing and wildlife conservation efforts. “Creating Backyard Habitats for
Wildlife”- The
greatest threat to wildlife today is loss of suitable habitat.
In many cases, just making small changes to your yard can make a big
difference. This program will show
what you can do in your own backyard to help birds, butterflies and small
critters feel welcome. The Days’
presentation features their award-winning photography to illustrate ways to
attract hummingbirds and butterflies, choose plants for seed-eating birds,
select the best trees and bushes for food and shelter suitable for your area and
including water in the landscape. The
program will focus on any sized yard-from decks to large lots-offering dozens of
tips to improve your habitat. MARK
KLYM is coordinator of the Texas
Hummingbird Roundup and the Texas Wildscapes programs at Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department. He received
Bachelor of Science degrees in Biological Science and in Fisheries &
Wildlife Management at Lake Superior State University in Michigan before
following the hummingbirds south in 1999 to work with TPWD.
He frequently visits west Texas, one of his favorite spots for diversity
of hummingbirds that Texas has to offer. “West Texas Hummingbirds-A Treasure
of Diversity”- West Texas is a
remarkably diverse area, with mountainous islands interrupting the Chihuahuan
Desert. These islands offer the
hummingbird enthusiast numerous opportunities to explore the great diversity of
the family Trochlidae in North America. This
program will explore the 16 species of hummingbirds that have been found west of
the Pecos River in Texas and some of the many hummingbird viewing opportunities
in the region. GEORGEAN
& PAUL KYLE have had a love affair
with Chimney Swifts for more than 20 years.
They have hand-reared and released more than 1100 babies, cared for
injured adults, built dozens of towers for the swifts to nest and roost in and
worked tirelessly to educate the public about these benign, beneficial avian
insectivores. In 1995 they founded
the North American Chimney Swift Nest Site Research Project, a continent-wide
conservation initiative and in 1999 received the National Partners in Flight
award for their efforts in Public Awareness.
Their upcoming book about the secret life of Chimney Swifts and a
companion Chimney Swift tower construction guide are due for publication through
the Texas A&M University Press in the spring of 2005. “Chimney Swifts: Why We Should Care”-
Sleek and secretive, Chimney Swifts
build their nests, raise their families and sleep just feet from where we watch
TV, eat meals and play with our own children, yet most people have never
actually seen one. Join the Kyles
as they explore the secretive home life of these aerial acrobats, their fight to
cling to survival and what is being done to conserve their declining numbers. JAMES
LASSWELL holds a Bachelor of Science in
Botany and a Masters in Aquatic Biology. He
is the Program Director for field research in the Entomology Department of the
Texas Ag. Exp. Station in Stephenville, Texas.
He is the author and coauthor of numerous journal articles and popular
articles on dragonflies and other subjects.
James is also the coauthor of Dragonflies:
From Mythical to Digital, a new “coffee table type” book on
dragonflies due for release in January 2005. “Dragonflies:
The Birdwatcher’s Insect” - James
will present a brief prehistory and short folklore of dragonflies.
He will also discuss dragonfly mating highlighted by slides showing the
progression from eggs to larvae to the emergence sequence.
James will show numerous scans and beautiful photos of Texas dragonflies
and discuss where to find them and how to identify the species within the
different families. “Damselflies:
The Other Dragonfly”
In this program, James will include a
short discussion on the differences in dragonflies and damselflies (both adults
and larvae) and show beautiful scans and photos of damselflies of Texas.
He will give information on where to find damselflies and how to identify
them. MICHAEL
MALE & JUDY FEITH have been making
films together since 1980. Their
programs have been broadcast in the United States by National Geographic, HBO
and PBS’s “Nova” and “Nature”. They
film freelance for such BBC programs as “The Life of Birds”, “The Blue
Planet” and “Journey of Life”. “Bird Filming Tales”
- Judy and Michael will share some
experiences they’ve had during more than 20 years of filming birds.
They will show and discuss clips from their completed video guides to the
waders, sparrows and warblers and preview some footage from upcoming
productions. BRENT
ORTEGO holds a B.S. in Forestry from
LSU, an M.S. in Wildlife from LSU and a PhD in Wildlife from Auburn.
He has worked with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department for 22
years. Brent is currently stationed
in Victoria, Texas and works primarily assisting landowners with managing
wildlife. He is responsible for
monitoring nesting Bald Eagles and Colonial Waterbirds in Texas. “Hummingbird Mysteries & Texas
Research”- Brent
will discuss his experiences and knowledge gleaned from banding over 10,000
individual hummingbirds of ten species. He
will focus on Ruby-throated Hummingbird migration patterns, wintering
hummingbird site fidelity, survival of eight species of hummingbirds that
regularly occur on the Texas Coast and life history of Buff-bellied Hummingbirds
along the Texas Coast. JUNE
OSBORNE is a freelance naturalist,
freelance writer and author living in Waco, Texas.
She is the author of The Cardinal, The Ruby-throated
Hummingbird (University Press), the self-published (and newly expanded) Birder’s
Guide to Concan (and surrounding areas).
June is a regular contributor to WildBird magazine and serves on
their advisory board and wrote a biweekly bird column for the Waco-Tribune
Herald for over four years. Her latest book, I’d Rather Be Birding
(Texas A&M University Press), was chosen as a featured title by the
prestigious eighth annual Texas Book Festival held at the Texas State Capitol
ground in November of 2003. She has conducted birding tours and Elderhostels in the
Edwards Plateau region for more than 17 years. “I’d Rather Be Birding”
- June will read excerpts of her new book by the same title, leading you through
backyards and river bottoms, far and near, savoring the colors, sounds and
playful busy-ness of the birds she sees. You will catch a glimpse of one
woman’s spiritual growth through her experiences with birds and nature.
June has a refreshing and uplifting style of story-telling that you are
sure to enjoy. MIKE
QUINN holds separate wildlife and
entomology degrees from Texas A & M University.
He currently works as the Invertebrate Biologist for Texas Parks &
Wildlife Department in Austin, Texas. He
co-authored the recently published “Monarchs, Milkweed & More” and
coordinates TPWD’s Texas Monarch Watch Program.
He is a consultant for the North American Butterfly Association
International Butterfly Park being built in Mission, Texas.
In his spare time, he maintains the Texas Entomology and NABA-SoTX
websites. “Butterfly Behavior and Caterpillar
Conduct”- Mike
will present a thorough examination of the life history of several species of
butterflies from conception through maturation covering such topics as
plant-insect interactions, predation, courtship crypsis and migration.
For all of you new to butterfly watching and for those experienced in
this fast growing sport, this program is a must. ANNA
REEMSNYDER is a magazine writer and
photographer who along with her husband Curt has spent the last 12 years
restoring “their wilderness” (55 wooded acres north of Aransas County
Airport) with close attention to native vegetation and wildlife habitat.
Anna and Curt are both Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists and what
they have done to “their wilderness” which is now designated as a Texas
Wildscape is truly miraculous. Theirs
is also a Hummer Home. One way or
another, don’t miss the opportunity to see this showplace. “Restoring Habitat to Benefit
Wildlife”- Anna will present a
program of photographs featuring wildflowers, native plants and adapted plants
that benefit the wildlife at the Reemsnyder’s home-humans who visit benefit as
well! You are invited to visit the Reemsnyder home (see the Hummer
Home self-guided map for directions) during the Celebration to see first-hand
the amazing and beautiful results the Reemsnyders restoration efforts have
produced. CONNIE
TOOPS is an accomplished nature writer
and photographer. She is the author/principal photographer of nine books for
adults including Bluebirds Forever, Hummingbirds: Jewels in Flight,
Owls, The Florida Everglades and Great Smoky Mountains.
She also created the Let’s Explore series of outdoor activity
books for children. Connie serves
as a contributing editor to Birder’s World magazine and writes the
bimonthly “Gardening for Birds” column.
Since 1978 her articles and photos have regularly appeared in dozens of
other travel and conservation-oriented magazines.
Her stock photography is used by numerous book publishers as well as
advertising, annual reports, calendars, cards and permanent exhibits.
Bluebirds Forever (Voyageur Press) won the Midwest Independent
Publishers Association Merit Award for Best Environmental/Nature Book and First
Place for Best Photographic Book (3 or more colors) in the Mid-America
Publishers Association Book Awards. She
was a semi-finalist for the 1998 Humanitarian Photographer of the Year Award and
received the first Outstanding Service award from the North American Nature
Photography Association. “The Joy of Bluebirds”-
Everything you ever wondered about
bluebirds…courtship, raising young, favorite foods, migration…and more!
Connie Toops will share life history information on Eastern, Mountain and
Western Bluebirds using her own breathtaking photos and personal anecdotes. Bluebirds traditionally nest in tree cavities caused by
natural decay or in dens excavated by woodpeckers.
Competition by exotic House Sparrows and European Starlings, plus habitat
changes, caused serious declines in bluebird populations a century ago.
Fortunately, humans who provide nest boxes have greatly aided bluebird
recovery. The talk also highlights
selection, placement and maintenance of nest boxes and landscaping to attract
bluebirds. JOHN
& GLORIA TVETEN are full-time
freelance naturalists, writers and photographers.
They are the authors of several previously published books including The
Birds of Texas, Butterflies of Houston and Southeast Texas, Wildflowers
of Houston and Southeast Texas, Vanishing Wildlife of Texas and Coastal
Texas. In addition, their
photographs and articles have appeared in several hundred other books and
magazines. John also has led
numerous natural history tours throughout North, South and Central America and
the West Indies for the Smithsonian Institution travel program and for other
organizations. The Tvetens have
served as featured speakers at nature festivals throughout Texas and have
received several statewide awards for conservation and education. “Our Life With Birds”-
John and Gloria Tveten wrote a weekly
column, Nature Trails, for the Houston Chronicle for more than 24 years.
Selected columns on birds and birdwatchers from that series have now
published in book form by Texas A&M University Press.
Join the Tvetens to hear about their adventures as recounted in Nature
Trails: Our Life With Birds and share the beauty and intricacies of the bird
world as depicted in their color slides. SHERI
WILLIAMSON is the Director/Naturalist
of the Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory.
She grew up in Fort Worth, Texas with a passion for wildlife; chasing
horned lizards from the time she could toddle and founding a neighborhood bird
club at age six. She and her
husband and fellow naturalist Tom Wood moved to Arizona in 1988 to manage The
Nature Conservancy’s Ramsey Canyon Preserve where they fell under the spell of
hummingbirds and joined the ranks of hummingbird banders.
They left the Preserve in 1996 to found the Southeastern Arizona Bird
Observatory. Sheri is the author of A Field Guide to Hummingbirds of
North America in the Peterson Series, the script for the Advanced Birding
Video Hummingbirds of North America, a guide to attracting and feeding
hummingbirds and several popular and scientific articles on birds. “How to Know the Hummingbirds”
In this special two hour workshop Sheri will discuss the chameleon-like
iridescent colors and high-octane lifestyles that make hummingbirds so
fascinating to watch and so maddeningly difficult to identify. Drawing on more than a decade of specialized study, Sheri
will cover basic hummingbird identification techniques useful virtually anywhere
in North America. If you want to
know more about those beautiful hummingbirds and how to identify them (and who
doesn’t?), don’t miss this very popular program. This is a two-hour program
followed by a field workshop. Cost is $5 per person.
RICHARD
WOLINSKI holds a B. S. degree from Central Michigan University and a Masters of
Science from Eastern Michigan University. He
has worked as a Consulting Biologist for over 10 years working on the Purple
Martin, Barn Swallow and Piping Plover. He
has been an active field ornithologist in Michigan for over 35 years, has served
as a Technical Advisor to the Michigan Piping Plover Recovery Team, the first
Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas Project and serves on the Scientific Advisory Board
of the Purple Martin Conservation Association.
Richard is the author of a number of papers in the scientific literature
on birds and terrestrial vertebrates and is actively engaged in ongoing field
research to survey and inventory both inland and island sites in Michigan and is
a member of the recently formed Steering Committee for Michigan’s All-Bird
Conservation Plan. He is currently a Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecologist in the
Environmental Section, Project Planning Division, Michigan Department of
Transportation. “Something New on
Purple Martins” Richard will
present an introduction to how the Purple Martin makes its living while on the
wing in North America. He will
discuss the Martins’ travels, foraging behavior, nesting habits and how humans
and martins interact. Basic
information on attracting and keeping Martins will be provided for those
attempting to attract Martins for the first time and those wishing to grow their
colonies and manage them more effectively. Raffle Donation Supports Fine Arts ProgramThe
artwork can be seen at Frame of Mine Gallery at 1010 Wharf Street in downtown
Rockport until September 16, 2004 at which time it will be on display at the
Friends of Connie Hagar booth in the Vendor Hall.
The original artwork depicting a colorful Buff-bellied Hummingbird
measures approximately 10” x 12”. Tickets
can be purchased at Frame of Mine Gallery, at the Rockport-Fulton Area Chamber
of Commerce or with your registration. Tickets
are $1 individually, $5 for 6 and $10 for 14. The
Hummer/Bird Celebration thanks Teresa for her thoughtful gift and Frame of Mine
Gallery for their participation and support of this raffle. TEA Environmental Education Credits
Given
The
Hummer/Bird Celebration is a certified TEEAC site and attendance credit in
environmental education is available to Texas teachers during the event.
To obtain credit stamps, pick up a TEEAC Program List from the
Information Table in the Auditorium. For
each program attended, have the speaker initial the list next to his/her program
topic and return the List to the Information Table.
Stamps will be awarded for each three hours of attendance. Schedule | Program Registration | Vendor Registration
|
