John Bunker Sands Wetland Center

Winter 2018 Newsletter

Season’s greetings from the Wetland Center.

All the best to you and yours. We hope to see you soon!

Want to get our quarterly newsletter in your inbox?

Email ldunn@wetlandcenter.com.

John Bunker Sands Wetland Center I 972-474-9100 655 Martin Lane, Seagoville/Combine TX 75159

wetlandcenter.com

Visit Our Website!

Since opening our doors in 2010, we have

welcomed over 60,000 students and adults to ex-

perience hands-on conservation in our breath-

taking wetland habitat. As we have grown, so has

the population we serve and the need for sustain-

able water resources and wildlife habitat. Our

organization addresses and promotes conserva-

tion literacy through in-depth field studies on

water conservation, wildlife ecosystems and the

benefits of protection of wetland habitats in the

Trinity River basin.

To meet our increased number of students

and visitors, the JBS Wetland Center board, staff

and stakeholders have developed a plan to ex-

pand our horizons with new facilities and ameni-

ties to engage more people by 2020.

The new education facility will sit light on the

land and blend in with the ranch and current

building. Expansion plans include two new en-

closed smart technology classrooms, new rest-

rooms, an open-air terrace, a flexible outdoor

amphitheater and an outdoor stage for presenta-

tions and special events.

Our expansion will allow the Wetland Center

to double student capacity, enhance the use of

technology for distance learning, increase our

innovative programming and provide new rental

space for sustaining our future.

If you would like to learn more about our

plans and how you can become involved with our

expanded horizons, please contact me for more

information.

W e’re expanding our horizons!

By John DeFillipo

“Are you going to the MASS

meeting?” When is CAST?”

“What’s our affiliation to

STAT?” “Is it an APES class?”

Who are all these teacher

groups with whom we’re vying

for attention?

MASS stands for Metro Area

Science Supervisors. We attend

the group’s monthly meetings

to keep our name out there and

to learn what science teachers

need from us. It’s a great help

for teachers in planning a field

trip if their school district su-

pervisor is familiar with our

programming and can see that

we’re a unique site for the con-

tent they’re covering. If we can

get science supervisors excited

about our programming, they

will go back to their schools

and tell the classroom science

teachers about us. And then the

magic happens – the teachers

schedule and the kids come.

We attended CAST – the

Conference for the Advance-

ment of Science Teaching – in

November. It’s the state confer-

ence for STAT – Science Teach-

ers Association of Texas. The

North Texas Municipal Water

District (NTMWD; yes, another

one!) sponsored our booth, and

it was awesome! This is the

largest science conference in

the nation, and more than

6,000 educators and science

advocates from across Texas

were there. The conference lo-

cation in Fort Worth increased

the number of local teachers

attending, helping us get the

word out about our excellent

programming and beautiful

venue.

Little did we know, but

JBS (sorry!) is all the rage

on the APES – Advanced

Placement Environmental Sci-

ence – Facebook page when it

comes to water quality testing.

More and more teachers are

learning that our classes are

taught at a higher level, and

they see the value in bringing

their APES classes here.

We’ll continue to reach out

to teacher groups, making them

aware of our programming and

inviting them to bring their stu-

dents to the Center for a field

trip that will make them ask,

“Why didn’t I bring my stu-

dents here earlier?”

We support and value our

teachers. Come see us ASAP!

H ere at the Wetland Center, we’re stretching our wings, and our schedules,

to do something we haven’t done a lot of – attend outreach events. We’ve

determined that our time is best served focusing on teachers. After all, teach-

ing is what we do. So these days, it can sound like alphabet soup around here.

By Linda Dunn

Our family of American bald

eagles has called the East Fork

Wetland home since 2012. Over

the past seven years, 10 eaglets

have been born and raised on-site,

and we look forward to welcom-

ing new eaglets in 2019.

The adult eagles returned sep-

arately this year. One arrived on

Oct. 3, followed by the second

adult on Oct. 6.

One of our volunteers, Tom Fleming, was

walking the Bunker’s Pond Trail in mid-

November and noticed some hawks just north of

the woods. There were several red-tails, and he

saw another large “hawk” perched in a dead tree.

As it flew overhead, he was able to capture the

great shot below of what turned out to be a juve-

nile bald eagle, possibly JBS 10 from last season.

Sometimes the young will return for a short peri-

od before the new eggs are laid in early January.

Learn all about our eagles, including their

family history and special eagle tower. And make

it a point to visit the Wetland Center this winter

to thrill at the sight of our nation’s symbol soar-

ing overhead.

T he eagles have returned for their nesting season. It’s a beautiful day in the

neighborhood. By John DeFillipo

Juvenile Bald Eagle by Tom Fleming

We are honored and excited to announce that

we have been chosen to participate in a special

charitable giving campaign, sponsored and fund-

ed by Target. And you have the chance to help di-

rect a portion of Target’s donation to us!

Now through January 7 in the greater Dallas-

Fort Worth area, vote for us through the Target

Red program to help determine how Target’s do-

nations will be divvied up.

We’re asking our supporters to help us make

the most of this incredible opportunity. Every

vote counts to help us receive a portion of availa-

ble Target funds as we continue our mission to

increase conservation literacy through wildlife

and water conservation programming. Learn

more about us at wetlandcenter.com.

Don’t forget, as you accrue more votes, you

can vote multiple times during the campaign.

Thank you for your support, and we encour-

age you to share your support for us (and your

thanks to Target) on social media throughout the

duration of the voting.

How Target Red Works

Download the Target app and join Target Red

for free access to an even more rewarding Target

run. Find out more about Target Red at tar-

get.com/red.

1. Earning Votes in Store: Scan your Wallet

barcode in the Target app at checkout. Or scan the

barcode on your physical receipt up to 7 days af-

ter purchase to earn a vote.

2. Earning Votes Online: Log in to the tar-

get.com account associated with your Target Red

profile and make a qualified purchase on tar-

get.com to earn a vote.

3. Casting Votes: Open the Target app and fol-

low the instructions. Nonprofits will display in a

list and guests can filter by category and geogra-

phy.

4. Preferred Store: Guests must set their pre-

ferred store location to one of the participating

stores in Dallas and Fort Worth in order to cast

votes for you.

H elp make it a merry Christmas at the Wetland Center by joining

the Target Red campaign.

With its unique history and partnerships,

the JBS wetland provides habitat for wildlife, a

place for water storage and numerous educa-

tional opportunities. Here are five essential rea-

sons why you and your friends and family

should plan a visit soon.

1. We’re the ultimate water recycler. Our

1,840-acre wetland serves as not only a water

storage space but a supplemental filtration sys-

tem without all the

heavy machinery. In-

stead, millions of plants

filter the flowing water.

By using this natural,

organic process, the

wetland provides an

additional water source

across 10 North Texas

counties. When you vis-

it, you might be in the presence of water you’ll

eventually drink. How cool is that?

2. We are a wild classroom. The wetland

classroom provides unforgettable educational

experiences through a series of hands-on and

engaging outdoor programs to cultivate a deep-

er understanding of and appreciation for our

environment and drinking water and why it is

essential that we protect and preserve both.

3. It’s home to numerous unique plant and

animal species foreign to the urban dweller.

At first glance, you may notice the unique ap-

parent differences in the landscape — water as

far as the eye can see with a surplus of cattails

and trees scattered sparingly throughout. Due

to this special environment, the wetland houses

over 250 bird species, including the American

bald eagle. During migration, American white

pelicans are commonly spotted flying over the

wetland in large quantities, swooping down for

a bite of fish or a drink of water when desired.

Secretive birds like wrens and bitterns can be

heard rustling in the cattails. Signs of coyote,

bobcat and river otter litter the boardwalk. The

wetland is a place for observation and allowing

your imagination to run

wild as you ponder the

lives of the wildlife that

call this place home.

4. It’s an escape from

city life. The view of

the sun rising over these

calm waters brings into

focus a habitat like no

other in North Texas.

Just 25 minutes southeast of downtown Dallas

in Seagoville/Combine, it’s a special place to

step away from the overstimulation of the city,

slow down and reconnect with nature. No mat-

ter where you look, there’s beauty. You can vis-

ually take it all in or capture the moment with

your camera. Either way, the wetland is a great

place for adventure, to practice your observa-

tion skills and to immerse yourself.

5. It feels like home. We love to hear what so

many of our visitors say when they arrive, gaze

out at the wetland, take a deep breath and

slowly exhale: “This feels like home.” With the

combination of the beautiful scenery, serene

environment and friendly staff, there’s no ques-

tion as to why this is true.

F rom education to exploring to everything in between, the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center is one of a few of its kind in the DFW area offering

natural experiences for the entire family. By Alicia Moreau

7 Tips for Success in Observing Wildlife

Begin by appreciating how all the life-forms

interact. Every living thing out here has to eat

and avoid being eaten. To quote Erasmus Dar-

win (Charles’s grandfather), “Eat

or be eaten!”

When you see a daring jump-

ing spider pivot to look at you

from 20 feet away, that cliche be-

gins to take on real meaning. The

animal world’s behaviors are im-

mediately altered by your pres-

ence because you are viewed as

another threat. The animal’s most

common strategy is to flee the scene, like taking

wing across the wetland or ducking into the bul-

rushes. It can be frustrating.

So what strategies can you adopt to get a

better view of our wetland creatures? Here are

seven tips that have helped me.

1. Be there. You won't see much if you don’t put

in the hours. Your encounters won’t all be dra-

matic, but they will be amazing as you discover

the hows and whys of wildlife interaction. Tune

out distractions, and tune in the wild communi-

ty around you.

2. Be patient. Patience means waiting – and

waiting some more. You have to be willing to

wait for wild life-forms to ac-

cept your presence. This usu-

ally means being still for a

space of minutes or longer.

It’s a real treat to have wading

birds casually move into your

space. Your being there first gives them a

chance to accept your presence as they forage.

3. Be quiet. Along with being physically still,

silence brings you a better chance to encounter

and enjoy wildlife. Step and speak softly.

4. Be aware of the less obvious. Don’t miss the

small and seemingly insignificant, such as the

iridescence of a green cuckoo wasp or the cam-

ouflage of a savannah sparrow.

5. Be OK with a little physical discomfort.

Yes, it might be sweltering or

bone-chilling, windy or rainy.

And you might be seen as a

snack by miscellaneous insects

(everyone is on the hunt for pro-

tein). But the hazards are mini-

mal and the rewards are great.

6. Be on high alert. Use your

eyes to observe what’s around

you. But don’t forget about your

ears. Your hearing can give you information

from places outside your field of view. When

you are stationary, the movement of others be-

comes much more obvious. The area around

you is suddenly full of the

buzz of organisms intent on

their own survival or dis-

tant flocks working their

way onto the wetland – or

sometimes there’s just si-

lence. Ah.

7. Keep a journal and

wildlife photography. Journals and photo-

graphs are two excellent ways to remember

your experiences. I photograph because a pic-

ture is worth a thousand words, and I am basi-

cally lazy. My images help me revisit the experi-

ence.

There’s a steep, rewarding learning curve to

observing the natural world. You might witness

the surprise of a diamondback water snake. Or

marvel at a kite stooping on an inconspicuous

dragonfly from 200 feet away. Or celebrate our

eagles preparing for the next generation.

Above all, bring your sense of wonder and

appreciation of beauty, and you'll never be

disappointed.

W ant to enhance your observations of the myriad wildlife here at JBS?

Text and photos by Tom Fleming

WetlandWild • A Touch of

Where do minks fit zoologically?

They are in the Mustelidae family in the

mammalian order Carnivora. Besides minks,

Mustelids include weasels, badgers, otters,

martens , ferrets, polecats and wolverines. Mus-

telids are the largest family in the order Car-

nivora. Skunks have historically been consid-

ered Mustelids, but genetic research now puts

them in a separate family.

What do minks look like?

A lot like weasels, with long necks and bod-

ies and short legs. But unlike weasels, they are

semiaquatic and have partially webbed feet,

making them excellent swimmers. Adults weigh

one to three pounds. Their fur is varying shades

of chocolate brown, with white on their chins

and midline. They

have long, slightly

bushy tails.

Where do they live in

Texas?

Mainly in the

northern and east-

central regions, always

close to streams,

ponds, marshes or

lakes. Their dens are

near water in burrows

or under the roots of trees. They also take over

and use muskrats’ homes.

What do they eat?

They’re carnivores and eat small mammals,

birds, eggs, frogs, fish, crayfish, snakes, even

insects. They are dogged, efficient predators.

They may feed on carrion.

What’s their lifestyle like?

Solitary except during breeding in January

through March. Males are polygamous. Four to

10 young are born blind and helpless. They

reach adulthood in five months and live on av-

erage one year or less. They are tireless wan-

derers and relentless in their search for food.

They often hunt in a territory as large as our

2,000-acre wetland.

Why are their lives so short?

They are preyed on by owls,

cats and coyotes — and, of course,

humans in pursuit of their fur. Se-

vere winters with scarce food can

kill large numbers. They are also

highly susceptible to canine dis-

temper, as are coyotes, foxes,

skunks and raccoons.

What’s their personality like?

“Manic, nervous … real perpetual motion

machines, burning calories like a marathon

runner.”* They are wild animals and do not

make good pets.

* Ron Smith, “The Mink and Its Kin,” The

McAllen Monitor. Other sources include Texas

Parks & Wildlife and The Mammals of Texas —

Online Edition.

‘Minks are good indicators

of the health of any

wetland, declining in

numbers when the water

quality plummets,

especially from chemical

pollution.’*

M eet Mustela vison, the Texas mink and JBS resident.

By Patricia Nichols

Over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to

partner with the Trinity River Audubon Center

(TRAC) in the annual Christmas Bird Count. It’s

hard to believe that this year will be the ninth

year we have joined forces with TRAC in docu-

menting the many bird species found in the area.

On Saturday, Dec. 29, we’ll once again meet at

the Wetland Center at 5:30 a.m. to begin a great

day of birding. Although the day may be long,

ending at 5:30 p.m., the data gathered will be

used in on-going efforts for bird conservation.

To collect the information, the area that is to

be counted is divided into sections, and groups

of four to five people are appointed to each sec-

tion. In each group are one or two expert birders

to identify birds and verify sightings. Birding be-

gins before sunup so that owls and other birds

that come out at night can be verified.

It can be an intense day. Last year’s partici-

pants spent 48 hours on foot, covering 39 miles.

When they weren’t walking, they were driving,

covering 283 miles in a total of 40 hours in the

car. The results from last year’s count brought a

total of 298,604 individual birds and 137 spe-

cies.

At the end of the day, everyone will gather at

TRAC to tabulate sightings and enjoy dinner af-

ter a long day. The outcome of this year’s bird

count will be available by contacting the Wetland

Center.

Reservations are required. Call 972-474-

9100 or email ldunn@wetlandcenter.com.

Let’s go birding!

W e’re joining the Trinity River Audubon for the annual Christmas Bird

Count. By Linda Dunn

Great Blue Heron & Great Egret by Tom Fleming

Red-Tailed Hawk by Jim West

Barred Owl by Bill Nance

Marsh Wren by Darlene Moore

Join us for our 8th annual Adopt-a-

Highway cleanup. Come support the

community that has been a great

help to the Wetland Center. We have

adopted two miles of roadway for cleanup. Compete to win a prize

for the Most Unusual Thing Found. We promise you’ll have a good

time! Call 972-474-9100 or email ldunn@wetlandcenter.com.

Where: JBS Wetland Center Date: Saturday, Feb. 2 Time: 8 a.m. - 11 a.m. Register: Click here to let us know you’re coming

You never know who’s going to show up to help!

JBS Cleanup Crew

December January February

Saturday, Dec. 1 Open 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Walk & Talk Bird Tour 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. Free with $5 admission Members free

Saturday, Dec. 15 Open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Bunker’s Pond Trail Walk 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Free with $5 admission Members free

Saturday, Dec. 29 Christmas Bird Count 5:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Registration required

Saturday, Jan. 5 Open 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Walk & Talk Bird Tour 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. Free with $5 admission Members free

Saturday, Jan. 19 Open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Bunker’s Pond Trail Walk 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Free with $5 admission Members free

Saturday, Feb. 2 Open 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Advanced Bird Walk 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. $10; members free Registration required Walk & Talk Bird Tour 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. Free with $5 admission Members free Highway Cleanup 8 a.m. – 11 a.m. Click here to register

Saturday, Feb. 16 Open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Bunker’s Pond Trail Walk 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Free with $5 admission Members free

Merry Christmas and Happy

Holidays from the Staff at the Wetland Center!