John Bunker Sands Wetland Center Spring 2019 Newsletter
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John Bunker Sands Wetland Center • 972-474-9100 655 Martin Lane, Seagoville/Combine TX 75159
wetlandcenter.com
Visit Our Website!
Save the date! May 11
March April May
Saturday, March 2 Open 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Advanced Bird Walk 7 a.m. – 10 a.m. $10; $5 members Call 972-474-9100 to register Walk & Talk Bird Tour 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. Free with $5 admission Members free
Saturday, March 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
Saturday, April 6 Open 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Advanced Bird Walk 7 a.m. – 10 a.m. $10; $5 members Call 972-474-9100 to register Walk & Talk Bird Tour 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. Free with $5 admission Members free Eagle Walk 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Free with $5 admission Members free
Saturday, April 20 Open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Advanced Bird Walk 7 a.m. – 10 a.m. $10; $5 members Call 972-474-9100 to register Free Food – Wild Edibles Walk 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. $10; $5 members Call 972-474-9100 to register
Fri. – Sun., April 26 – 28 EarthX Event , Fair Park 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday, May 4 Open 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Walk & Talk Bird Tour 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. Free with $5 admission Members free
Saturday, May 11 Open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Mudbug Festival 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Free Family Fun REI Runs: Register now!
Saturday, May 18 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
Sustainable funding for nonprofits is chal-
lenging, but the return on investing in organiza-
tions like ours is substantial. We are grateful for
every donation that supports our exemplary edu-
cational programing to encourage conservation
literacy in the North Texas region.
In 2018, we raised over $100,000 from the
Mudbug Festival and our fall appeal. Thank you
to these individuals and organizations for your
continued support!
Funding for our expansion plans is off to a
solid start with over $300,000 raised to date to-
ward our $650,000 goal. We appreciate the gen-
erosity of the Stephen Seay Foundation, David
Keith Sands Education Scholarship Fund, Lyda
Hill Philanthropies, Hillcrest Foundation, Trinity
Valley Electric Cooperative Charitable Founda-
tion and Bank of America, N.A., Co-Trustee.
In the coming months, we will pursue addi-
tional individual gifts and grants to reach our ex-
pansion goal by this summer. I’ve learned that if
you don’t ask, you
don’t get!
2019 will be a
spectacular year for
the Wetland Center.
Our largest communi-
ty event, the Mudbug
Festival, kicked off by
REI’s 5K, 10K and fun
runs, returns on Satur-
day, May 11. Bring
your family and friends out to our one-of-a-kind,
FREE festival, complete with live animals, kids
activities, conservation booths, food trucks and,
of course, CRAWFISH!
Our largest fundraiser, Wings Over the Wet-
land, is also back this fall. Please save the date of
Saturday, Oct. 26, for the best party on the Trinity
River! Stay tuned for details on both events.
Thanks again for your support, and have a
wonderful spring. Come see us!
W e’re funding our horizons!
By John DeFillipo
Individuals Chuck Albritton
Terry & Debra Anderson
Mary Baldwin
Linda Blasiar
Wende Burton
Benson Chow
Elizabeth Clay
Ann Clubb
Lisa Coleman
Sylvia Craddock
Cindy Crouse
Kathy & Alan Decker
Dianne Duke
Jon & Nancy Esber
Rosalind Ewalt
Don & Gayle Farmer
Joe Farmer
Charles Fortenberry
Marvin & Melisa Fuller
Maggie Garrett
Jackie Glancy
Stuart & Suzanne Guthrie
Jim & Penny Hampton
Katherine Hensley
John Herlevic
Doug Hunt
Wayne Masters
Lydia & Nick McCutchen
Steve & Kim Meloncon
Ken & Cheryl Mindell
Loretta Mokry
Jed & Patsi Nau
Patricia Nichols
Maureen & Stan Nitkowski
Jane & Mike Ramburg
Kenneth Ray
Deborah Rhodus
Ard Richardson
Kayla Richie
Clayton & Lacy Sands
Julia Sands
Patrick & Kristy Sands
Wilson & Laura Sands
Stark & Gemma Sands
Stephen & Marcy Sands
Joseph Strollo
Erica Zilioli
Companies & Organizations American National Bank of Texas
Communities Foundation of Texas
EXIT Realty Pro
Grand Peaks Properties
Greater Crandall Chamber of
Commerce
Huitt-Zollars, Inc
John Abston Chapter, NSDAR
#6147TX
Lyda Hill Philanthropies
North Texas Municipal Water District
Oncor Electric Delivery, LLC
Petro-Hunt
Seagoville Economic Development
The North American Coal
Corporation
The Rosewood Corporation
The Rosewood Foundation
The Seay Foundation
TVEC Charitable Foundation
WH Francis Foundation
Thank You 2018 Donors
Congratulations to our own Linda Dunn for
being named Environmental Educator of the
Year from the Texas Commission on Environ-
mental Quality as part of its prestigious Texas
Environmental Excellence Awards program.
“Along with her leadership in environmental
education, Linda goes above and beyond to
make sure her staff and volunteers feel they are
part of the Wetland Center family,” Director John
DeFillipo said. “We are just so proud of her and
fortunate to have her leading our educational
program. She’s truly the best in her field.”
Here is the TCEQ’s profile of Linda:
“Linda Dunn has over 35 years of experience teaching across the United States. With a Bachelor of
Arts in Education and a Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Parks/Outdoor Education, she has
been able to teach at various environmental education facilities in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Colorado,
and Texas. Linda has also worked as an Interpretive Program Specialist and as a naturalist. Currently,
she is serving as the Vice President for the Texas Association of Environmental Education, is an active
member of the National Interpretation Association and the Science Teachers Association of Texas,
and is the Education Manager at the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center.
“At the Wetland Center, Linda has created immersive, hands-on programming related to wetland
ecology, water conservation, and wildlife conservation. Each program is designed to engage children
in different grades and age groups. For the elementary students, Linda has created games to teach
them about the water cycle, and vocabulary related to the environment and wildlife. Older students
have more science- and math-intensive lessons, including field studies in the wetland. Linda curates
her lessons based on the group she is teaching at the time.
“In addition to creating curriculum and teaching students, Linda has gone above and beyond to
help her community. She developed an environmental career day so that high schoolers could meet
adults with careers in environmental science and nature, exposing them to a variety of jobs and ca-
reers. Linda also hosts teacher trainings, inviting science teachers in the area to learn more about
teaching environmental science with evaluation sheets, suggestions, handouts, and project ideas. In
doing so, she can influence thousands of students and broaden their knowledge of the environment.
“Linda has reached over 20,000 students through her decades of teaching, shaping younger gen-
erations to become environmental stewards.”
Winner of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s
Texas Environmental Excellence Awards
Environmental Educator of the Year
Family Fun Days
We’re bringing back our very popular
Family Fun Days with great program topics
such as Kids Survival Basics 2.0, Complex
Leaves for a Compound World, Cattails:
More Than Just a Hydrophyte and You
“Bee” Dancing: Get your Pollinator Grove
On. Programs are Wednesdays from 10 a.m.
– 12 p.m. The cost is $7 per child age 5-12.
Stay tuned for registration details.
Zoo Camp
We’re again partnering with the Dallas
Zoo for our annual overnight camp July 18-
19 for 6-8th graders. The first half of the
Texas Born and Bred camp is spent at the
zoo, and the last two days, which include a
supervised sleepover, are here at the Cen-
ter. Find out more about the camp and how
to register (scroll to Grade Levels: 6th-8th).
Teacher Workshops
Teachers, save the date for these profes-
sional development workshops: Project
WET, June 27; Project WILD, July 11; Pro-
ject Learning Tree, July 25; and Texas
Aquatic Science, Aug. 1. Registration details
will be out soon.
If you know of sponsors of summer pro-
grams looking for a great field trip, please
let them know about the Wetland Center.
What we offer is like no other location in
North Texas.
he bluebonnets may just be emerging, but we’re already looking ahead to
a busy summer. By Linda Dunn
First was a flight of pelicans that drifted too
close and had to be steered away. Next, four
crows came in yelling, and the eagles responded
to this brazenness with a fierce attack. Most of
this conflict was low level, and we were prevent-
ed a good look by trees.
Then a hapless vulture cruised by, caught un-
awares. But by now, the eagles were in no mood
to tolerate any kind of invasion. An aerial dog-
fight ensued, with the vulture beating a hasty re-
treat.
The final attack involved two red-
tailed hawks. This mated pair are seen fre-
quently near the nest, as their territory
overlaps that of the eagles. But again, no
intruder was tolerated on this day. As the
attack began, each eagle paired up with a
red-tail. To the eye, the action was frenetic, and
the aerobatic maneuvering was awe-inspiring.
The four attacks each lasted only a minute,
but huge amounts of energy were expended, cov-
ering an impressive volume of sky. The eagle pair
are fiercely defending the young eaglets develop-
ing in the nest.
We hope to have images of the youngsters
peeking above the nest by April. Stay tuned.
I n a short span of time on Feb. 18, Center Director John DeFillipo and I wit-
nessed an unusual number of aggressive attacks on birds passing near the bald
eagles’ nest. Story and photos by Tom Fleming
Fiercely protective of their nest, the eagles tolerate no
intruders, including this red-tailed hawk.
Keep out!
A t the Center, we maintain the belief that
we would not be what we are today if it
were not for the many Wetland Stewards who
serve and give of their time and talent.
By Linda Dunn
At this year’s Steward appreciation luncheon, we had
the honor of recognizing one of our Stewards for commit-
ment to the Center: Patricia Nichols. Patricia received the
GLASS Award — Giving Love All through Service and Stew-
ardship.
Patricia has been at the Center for five years and logged
more than 1,000 hours of service. Come any Wednesday
morning, and you’ll find her doing many different things:
working the front desk, editing the newsletter, doing data
entry on multiple projects, filing educational papers, clean-
ing and filling bird feeders, and more.
But I think her most beloved duty is taking care of our
snakes. Amber and Chex have to love her. She makes sure
they have everything they need, including a large playpen
that allows them to wander about, fully stretched out, to
the delight of our students.
Thank you, Patricia, for all that you do for the Center.
Your support is truly appreciated. Every Center should be
so blessed to have someone like you!
e et Mustela vison, the Texas mink and JBS resident.
By Patricia Nichols
he idea of setting our wetland on fire each winter to help manage the
overall function of the ecosystem might seem counterintuitive. But fire is
just the prescription for increasing wetland productivity. By Carol Garrison
The North Texas Municipal Water District
performs prescribed burns to:
• Reduce brush and heavy cattail thatch that
inhibit growth of more desirable species.
• Remove big water-consumers like willows.
• Promote a new, vibrant plant community to
improve water flow and quality as well as
wildlife habitat and diversity.
Prescribed burns are conducted in the winter
when temperatures are cool and plants are dry
and dormant. These conditions create combus-
tible material for a fire with the proper intensi-
ty to burn hot but not too hot. Another essen-
tial ingredient for effective burns is oxygen.
Our wetland burns require winds blowing 15
to 20 mph to keep the fire moving.
The safety of the surrounding community,
motorists, Wetland Center visitors and staff,
and Water District personnel is always top of
mind. Burns occur only when the wind is blow-
ing away from nearby highways and struc-
tures. They are limited to one cell at a time to
reduce the amount of smoke, and the wetland
water helps manage and control fires. The fire
team keeps pressurized water bottles on the
ready and closely monitors fires as they’re
burning and when they’re put out. The team
also coordinates with the Kaufman County
Sheriff’s Department and area fire depart-
ments and police.
This season’s prescribed burn ran from late
December through February.
Range and habitat. Across North America in
almost all elevations and climates. Semiaquatic,
otters are found in freshwater streams, lakes,
ponds and wetlands and along marine coasts.
Their presence indicates a healthy water sys-
tem. They live in burrows near the water’s edge.
Diet. Aquatic, including fish, frogs, turtles, craw-
fish and plants, but occasionally birds and small
mammals. Their high metabo-
lism requires frequent eating.
Physical description. Three to
four feet long, 11 to 33 pounds.
Otters have water-repellent fur
and webbed feet for swimming.
When underwater, their nostrils
and ears close, and a third eyelid
protects their eyes.
Lifespan. Typically about eight
years — if they survive their first year. Few
predators, other than humans, can catch adults.
Lifestyle. Mainly nocturnal but venture out dur-
ing the day. They’re fast, notorious wanderers
on land and the most adept swimmers of all the
land mammals. They can travel underwater for
a quarter-mile, dive 35 to 50 feet and stay sub-
merged for up to eight minutes.
Personality. Plus! Always curious and playful.
They love to slide on their bellies both down and
up hills of snow, ice, mud and leaves.
Communication. Whistles, buzzes, twitters,
chuckles, chirps, chitters and
growls. When threatened, ot-
ters emit a hair-raising scream.
They also leave scent marks on
vegetation in their home range.
Family life. Females do most
of the parenting. When the
pups are about two months
old, Mom pushes them into the
water for swimming lessons.
Conservation status. Least concern. They have
recovered from over-hunting, but habitat de-
struction and water pollution put otters at great
risk because they are so specialized.
WetlandWild :
T hey romp and wrestle, slip and slide, chuckle and chitter. Say hey to JBS’s
fun-loving North American river otter. By Patricia Nichols
Did you know? After a female otter breeds, the implantation of the embryo can be delayed 9 to 11 months, with actual gestation taking about 60 days. This mechanism allows otters and about 100 other mammals to time the birth of their youngsters to fa-vorable environmental conditions.
New Items in the JBS Wetland Center Gift Shop!
2019 Mugs Are Here
Mugs have the JBS logo or the eagle design. Both styles offer both logos. Large blue
mugs hold 16 oz. and the smaller red mugs hold 10 oz. Mugs are lead -free, food safe
and microwave/dishwasher safe. Proudly made in the USA and only $15.
New Sock Designs
12 new sock designs are in the gift shop in either anklet or crew height. Socks are 75%
cotton, 20% nylon, and 5% spandex. We’ve got great new flower, insect and bird
designs. Socks are proudly made in the USA. Anklets are $7.50 and crew socks are
$10.
Jabebo Earrings
Unique designs inspired by science, nature and the world we live in! 100% post -
consumer cereal box paperboard, clear coat and surgical steel hangers. Amazing
detail with realistic bird, insect and earth designs. Proudly handmade in the USA. $10.
Essential Oil Bracelets
Gorgeous lava bead bracelets just waiting for your favorite essential oils! Bracelets
include a variety of stones and charms (including eagles!). Bracelets have toggle
clasps for a custom fit to your wrist. $10.
John Bunker Sands Wetland Center
655 Martin Lane Combine/Seagoville, TX 75159
972-474-9100
wetlandcenter.com
Animal, bird and insect finger puppets. $6.50
Assorted wildlife plush
animals. $9
Texas field guides—birds,
butterflies & more. $8
JBS logo & Water Is Life tees
short/long sleeves, xs-3xl. $16-$25
Music, Food, Fun for Everyone
This FREE family fun day includes live mu-
sic, food trucks, and lots of activities for kids
and adults here at the Wetland
Center. More details will be
coming, but be sure to mark the
date — Saturday, May 11 — so
you won’t miss out on the fun.
2nd REI Trail Run
Before the festival, put your
trail legs to the test. Register now for the 2nd REI
Trail Run. Whether you’re looking to run your
first trail race or hit a personal best, this fun,
lighthearted race will help you set your pace!
You can choose a 5K or 10K. Both races will
start and end at the Wetland Center and take
you on the levees through the wetlands.
Entry fees. The entry fee is $20 for REI mem-
bers and $25 for nonmembers. Everyone who
signs up will receive awesome REI swag, maps
of the course and post-race refreshments. Plus,
there are great prizes for the top men’s and
women’s finishers. And check out the FREE fun
run just for kids!
Packet pickup. You’ll have the option to choose
your distance when you pick up your packets.
They’ll be available at the REI
Dallas store on Thursday, May 9,
from 4-8 p.m., or at the Wetland
Center at 8 a.m. the morning of
the event. The 10K starts at 9
a.m. and the 5K at 9:15 a.m. You
can register on run day via mo-
bile; no cash will be accepted.
The Kids Fun Run starts at 9:25 a.m. and re-
quires no registration.
So lace up your shoes, grab your buddy and
get out on the trail with REI. Then relax , refresh
and recre-
ate at the
Mudbug
Festival!
It’s Back!
> Free Festival!
> Family Fun!
> 5K & 10K Run!
> Free Kids Run
T he Mudbug Festival’s coming back May 11, again with the help of REI.
Add it to your calendar NOW! By Linda Dunn