Meetings and Field Trips

Membership Meeting

Thursday, September 16, 2010

7:00 PM

Garden Center, Tyrrell Park, Beaumont

Sea Rim State Park

Tracy Ferguson

Tracy Ferguson was appointed as the Superintendent of Sea Rim State Park in March of this year, and will discuss what has been accomplished at Sea Rim since then, and give an overview of future plans.  He will briefly outline Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's capital projects processes to give a better understanding of the timeline for reconstruction.  In addition, he will share some of the importance functions of State Parks in the protection of cultural and natural resources, and will include a slide show of birds and other wildlife found in the park.

Tracy started as a Park Ranger with the Parks and Wildlife Department in 1994.  He previously worked at Caprock Canyons State Park in the Panhandle, Eisenhower State Park in north central Texas, and Lake Colorado City State Park in west Texas.  As Superintendent, he oversees all facets of park operations.  He is excited about his role in helping to re-establish Sea Rim State Park and making it once again a gem of Southeast Texas.

    We will plan on having the doors open by about 6:00 p.m. and the program will start at 7:00 p.m. sharp.

Directions to Garden Center in

Tyrrell Park.

From the south

Go "north" on US69/96/287 around the south side of Beaumont

Take Texas 124 (south or west, whichever it is signed) towards Fannett (left turn under the highway)

Travel about a mile to the first light.

At the first light, turn left onto Tyrrell Park Road and go about 1/2 mile.

Turn left into Tyrrell Park through the nice new arch.

Almost immediately turn left at the conservatory into the parking lot for the Garden Center. .

From IH10

Exit at Walden Road on the west side of Beaumont

Go south of Walden Road for about 1/2 mile to the first light

At the light go straight over Highway 124 onto Tyrrell Park Road and go about 1/2 mile

Turn left into Tyrrell Park through the nice new arch.

Almost immediately turn left at the conservatory into the parking lot for the Garden Center.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Jefferson County Fall Migration Count

Contact John Whittle (johnawhittle@aol.com or 409-722-4193) to volunteer to help in this county-wide count. In this count, we survey as much of the county as we are able, and all are welcome to help, even if you can only spend a few hours in the morning. We do survey in town as well as in the more rural areas, and can accommodate feeder watchers too. Please note that most arrangements will need to be made prior to the compiler leaving on an out-of-town trip on September 10, but we may be able to assign you to help in one of the areas at the membership meeting on September 16

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Field Trip to Smith Point Hawk Watch

Our leaders will be there from about 8 a.m. To coincide with the peak of Broad-winged Hawk migration, this trip will be one week later than our normal field trip schedule.

To reach the Smith Point Hawk Watch site from Winnie, take Highway 124 south towards High Island. After 12 miles, turn right on FM1985 and follow

it about 14 miles (two miles past the access road for Anahuac NWR) until it meets FM562. Follow FM562 (south) another 14 miles to Smith Point. At the end of FM562, there will be signs to the Hawk Watch. Continue straight until almost reaching the bay, and turn left on an oilfield road, bearing left again to the parking area. It takes at least 90 minutes from the Golden Triangle to reach the site. Be advised there will also be field trips of other groups at the Hawk Watch site on this day so look for our leader Steve Mayes. While Broad-winged Hawks usually do not start moving until thermals begin to form after 9 a.m., Accipiters start passing over much earlier. At Smith Point, hawk activity normally falls off sharply in the afternoon.

For more information contact Steve Mayes (sgmayes@hotmail.com or 409-722-5807).