December 2024 Announcements

Holiday Party for Members
Date: Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Location: 5806 Firecrest Drive, Garland, TX
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
No speaker in December, but for Society members only, a Holiday party at the home of Don and Barbara Baynham. Everyone brings a snack to share; drinks are provided. We relax, chat about nature, and tell stories.
If you are not yet a member, it is never too late! Go to our website which now has on-line payment – springcreekforest.org. Or call 972-495-3569 or send an email to Barbara_baynham2005@yahoo.com. We will gladly accept your membership form and payment (cash or check) at the party. Membership cost is still at our 1990 level – no inflation here – $20 for an individual, $25 for a family, $300 Lifetime.

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14th Annual Christmas is for the Birds
Date: Saturday, December 7, 2024
Time: 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Location: 1787 Holford
This is a super-fun event for pre-school or elementary school children. Bring them to the Park Preserve where they make biodegradable bird feeders out of peanut butter and bird seed, then they hang the feeders in our forest. Yes, be prepared to get a bit messy. Everything is supplied at the event.

• Some folks make their own feeder treats at home and bring them to hang on the trees.
• Biodegradable bird feeder ornaments must be hung with cotton yarn or string. The birds will use the string later for making their nests. Do not use metal, plastic, or fishing line for hangers. They are dangerous for birds and wildlife because they might ingest it and injure themselves. If you make bird feeder ornaments at home, please bring them to the park ready to hang.
• Some examples of biodegradable bird feeders:
  • Pine cones coated in peanut butter and rolled in bird seed.
  • Strings of fresh or dried berries. (Use cotton string.)
  • Strings of non-buttered popcorn.(Use cotton string.)

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2^nd Saturday Work Session
Date: Saturday, December 14, 2024
Time: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Location: 1770 Holford
We will work on the Trout Lily Trail – maintenance, obstacle removal, etc, and we will locate and remove the invasive plant Amur honeysuckle, which is easy to spot at this time of the year.
We break into teams and each team has a knowledgeable volunteer, so you know exactly what to do.
For last-minute information, especially if the weather is questionable, check our website or Facebook page for updates, including dates and locations which may change because of conditions. We don’t want anyone working in the forest or on the prairie if there is a chance of lightning strikes.

• Safety Information: Each work session begins with a safety briefing.
• BRING WATER and bug repellant.
• Close-toed shoes are mandatory. Heavy work gloves, long pants, and protective eyewear are recommended for your protection from poison ivy and thorns.
• If you have them, bring loppers and/or small tree saws. (No power tools.)
• All participants and the parents of minors must sign our Liability Waiver.
• Youth under 18 must be accompanied by an adult; no drop off/pick up of those under 18.
• For Master Naturalists, this may count as Volunteer Hours on the Preservation Society for Spring Creek Forest project.

Special Event:
Start the New Year Right Nature Walk
Date: Wednesday, January 1, 2025
Time: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Location: Half Park at Ranger Drive
Start your new year with a refreshing walk in the Preserve. Your walk leader will be one of several folks who know their way around this wonderful section of our Preserve. The trail leading from Halff Park takes us through some of the biggest trees in the Preserve. This is also the most wild section. After walking a few yards into the forest, it is hard to believe that civilization is just a few steps away.
Note – dress for the weather, and, it might be muddy on the trails.

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Speaker Series –
Karin and Robert Saucedo
Coyote Coexistence: Living in Harmony with America’s Song Dog

Date: Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Currently meeting on Zoom
Karin and Robert will discuss coyote characteristics and how we can enjoy living with them in our cities and suburbs just like we enjoy watching the birds.
Coyotes are highly resilient creatures able to adapt to threats and acclimate themselves in almost every environment, including cities and suburbs. As a keystone carnivore, coyotes play a critical role helping to maintain healthy ecosystems and species diversity.
The presentation will look at the current challenges coyotes face in a rapidly evolving human-centric landscape. They will examine the coyotes’ seasonal behaviors that often influence increased sightings and dispel some of the most common myths. And, they will discuss proactive methods we can use to help avoid negative encounters with coyotes.
Karin Saucedo is a published wildlife conservation photographer born and raised in Dallas. She’s especially passionate about wild canids and felids and she spends a lot of her time studying wildlife behavior through observation and also remotely through camera traps. Karin’s images have been used to educate the public about coexisting with urban wildlife, to document wild canid field research and to create awareness about exotic animal ownership, breeding and exploitation.
Robert Saucedo is a life-long Texan, born and raised in El Paso and currently living in DFW. He has a background in creative marketing and has used that ability to hone skills in his passion for telling stories through wildlife & conservation photography. For the last 8 years, he has documented coyote behavior throughout north Texas through observation, photography and camera traps.

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2^nd Saturday Work Session
Date: Saturday, January 11, 2025
Time: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Location: Halff Park at Ranger Drive
We will work on invasive plant management, and, as always, trail management.
One of our most pernicious invasive plants is Chinese Privet. Here are some thoughts about why we constantly try to keep it in check from Chris Morris, Dallas Parks & Rec Urban Biologist. (Excerpt from NTMN Announcements, March 2024)

• If the community says, “The animals need that food!” There is little to no nutritional value. The berries are mostly indigestible.
• If the community says, “Those plants are home for animals!” Animals and birds are really just in the outside parts, not the deep inside. These are not good habitat areas.
• Pull it up if you can, but if you must, cut the trunk low and flat across at ground level (not pointy).
• Do not be discouraged if some sprouts pop back. This is a war of attrition.

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Bird Walks with Reba Collins.
Dates:
Saturday, January 18, 2025, and
Sunday, January 19, 2025:
Time: 8:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Location: 1787 Holford, Garland, TX.
Do you want to learn what birds spend the winter in Spring Creek Forest? Come for a morning walk and learn to identify some of our wintering birds.

• Reservations required: Limited to 10 people for each walk. Contact Reba at rcollins20@verizon.net to reserve a spot.
• Bring binoculars.
• Dress for the weather. If it has been raining, rain boots may be appropriate.

Cedar Waxwing  – one of our winter visitors.

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4^th Sunday Nature Walk
Dana Wilson – shows us how to
Identify trees in Winter
Date: Sunday, January 26, 2025
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Location: 1770 Holford Rd.
Dana is known throughout north Texas for her expertise in identifying plants and she works tirelessly to inform folks about the treasures we have in the region. She worked for the National Audubon Society for the openings of Trinity River Audubon (Dallas) and Dogwood Canyon Audubon (Cedar Hill). Her long-time love of plants led her to her current job at North Haven Gardens.
She is a member of the North Texas Master Naturalists (class of 2001), the Native Plant Society of Texas, and she has been on the boards of our Preservation Society and Texas Discovery Gardens.

Tree bark – Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum alligator bark. Photo by Vince Hale

The Executive Committee usually meets once a month. The meetings are open to the public. For information, please contact us at springcreekforestpreservation@gmail.com.