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Winter Local Trips now on the Calendar

Greg Lasley, award-winning nature photographer, will make a presentation titled "Greg Lasley's Texas Wildlife Portraits" at 10 a.m., Monday, November 17, at the Wimberley community center. The presentation has the same title as Greg's newest book, released this month by Texas A&M Press. He will have copies of the book for sale at the meeting for $26 per copy. Cash, checks made out to TAMU Press, or credit cards will all be accepted.

With over 100 stunning photos, the book features an introduction by Texas naturalists John and Gloria Tveten. Victor Emanuel, president of Victor Emanuel Tours, said the book has "the finest photographs of Texas wildlife that I have ever seen."

Greg's program will cover his evolution as a wildlife observer and photographer. He will show and discuss several images from the new book. Recently the featured speaker at San Antonio Audubon's annual dinner, he took his first bird photo in 1971 while in the U.S. Air Force. With his partner Larry Dillo, he won first prize in the Valley Land Fund photo contest.

Announcing new online feature: Because of the efforts of Gerin and Dell Hood, The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center has established an online Special Collections database with all of the native plants that that have been identified on The Patsy Glenn Refuge. This valuable resource makes available the common and scientific names, complete information, and color photographs of each plant.

David Newstead, coastal program manager for Audubon Texas, and our speaker at the November 19 meeting, recommends two websites to those wishing to stay current on environmental issues. These are Coastal Habitat Alliance, www.coastalhabitatalliance.org; and Border Wall, www.notexasborderwall.com. In addition, websites for the Travis Audubon Society, www.travisaudubon.org and Environment Texas, www.environmenttexas.org are recommended.

WBS Overview

The Wimberley Birding Society promotes the watching, protecting and enjoying of birds in and around Wimberley and other locations.

It was founded in 1986, as the TLC Bluebird Society, with the aim of protecting and restoring the local bluebird population. Each member was given two bluebird houses upon paying membership dues; hundreds of nest boxes were erected and many are still in service throughout the area. (TLC stood for the tender loving care required to bring back the bluebirds.)

The club currently has some 130 members. Meetings are held quarterly, generally on the third Monday of May, August, November and February. An active trip schedule is maintained -- excursions have ranged from half-day excursions around Wimberley to an 18-day African safari. For a look at upcoming trips, check our Calendar.

Donations from the club have supported such endeavors as the Adopt-a-prairie-chicken program of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Driftwood Wildlife Association, Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, Audubon Texas and similar avian programs. A current major project of the club is the Patsy Glenn Refuge, a Wimberley bird sanctuary which has been developed with a Chimney swift tower and information kiosk, paths, wildflower areas, native tree plantings, bluebird nest boxes, bird viewing platform, and feeding and watering sites.

In addition to trips around Texas, the club takes at least one major trip each year. Past journeys have been to Costa Rica, Panama, Peru and the Amazon River, Trinidad and Tobago, Maine, Hawaii, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, Orcas Island, California, and Africa.

"We enjoy birds and we also enjoy eating," said Peggy Wilkerson, club president. "Our annual salad supper is always a treat." Club members come from Houston, Justiceburg, Wimberley, San Marcos, Dripping Springs, Kerrville and Austin.

Annual dues are five dollars per person. If interested, make check payable to Wimberley Birding Society and send to:
            WBS
            P. O. Box 1526
            Wimberley, Texas 78676.

Additional Information: Jerry Hall, publicity chairman at publicity@wimbirds.org or 512 847-3730