Sunday Morning Bird Walks at Post Park:
Unfortunately, due to work conflicts, we will be suspending the Sunday morning bird walks indefinitely, as of 9 July, 2012. Please contact us regarding availability during the week.
Click here to download the birds of the Trans-Pecos checklist pdf
Friday Night [Black]Lights:
On Friday nights from March/April through October, we invite all interested to join in blacklighting for moths around town. This is a fantastic region with diverse bugs - amateurs to experts are very much encouraged to join and share your knowledge and enthusiasm! We may, on occasion, blacklight at Post Park as well as "The Double Bacon" - times and locations TBA, please call or e-mail for information! ( h.trudell at bigbendnature.com or 617.823.4862 )
* With advance notice, groups can be accommodated if our schedules allow!
We'll always have a peripheral awareness of other fauna such as herps, definitely butterflies, other insects and cool arthropods.
ReplyDeleteWe are always looking out for butterflies. So we'll likely incorporate that into the weekends and other days.
If you see me staring elbow-deep in a shrub, sidle quietly next to me and ask what I have..
Spring will be fun. It's been a long-winter's coming.
I know about using flashlights at eye level to spot moths (and spiders), and baiting out for moths using various fun concoctions, but I've never been blacklighting - this sounds like good fun! Would you guys have any interest in baiting as well?
ReplyDeleteC, we occasionally bait for butterflies but have not yet baited for moths - as the season progresses we'll likely give it a try though =)
ReplyDeleteFeel free to join whenever, and if you've got a bait recipe to share (beyond the brown sugar, bananas and beer!) we'd love to hear about it!
Red wine on a sponge or dry bread works wonders, our favorite so far. Husband attracted a black witch with it.
ReplyDeleteDuly noted, we'll give that a try one of these days! We're quite fond of Black Witches and have not yet seen them out here, so any help in luring them in is greatly appreciated!
ReplyDeleteWe're making plans to come and visit!
ReplyDeleteIET & FPT
Hello Heidi,
ReplyDeleteJust stumbled on your site. We are staying at the Gage this Saturday on our way from McDonald Observatory to Big Bend. Looking forward to logging time in Post Park. Anything interesting this year so far?
Thank you,
Wendy (mom) and Peter (24-yo son)
Hi Wendy and Peter!
DeleteMatt's most recent jaunt to Post is documented here - http://www.bigbendnature.com/2012/09/fall-migration-is-here.html
and I'll be heading down there tomorrow morning to see what all I can kick up. It's a really special park in that no two days are the same, especially during migration. Also, the Gage Gardens can be quite productive - across the tracks and two blocks east of the hotel proper. Feel free to drop a line when you're in town, heck, I'd like to pick your brain as well! Architecture vs. bird/window collisions are among my fascinations.
All the best,
-Heidi
(cell doesn't text, but is otherwise effective: 617.823.4862 )
Rumor has it that there's a wedding at the Gardens this weekend, so timing could be interesting on that. Otherwise, driving Post Road can be quite productive as well, and there's a road on the far NE corner of town "Iron Mountain Road" (dead ends at a private ranch) that is also good for late Cassin's Sparrows, Black-throated Sparrows, Lark Sparrows, newly arrived Clay-colored Sparrows, etc. We do get Chipping as well, and Brewers will come in for the winter at some point, too.
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