April 2026, Vol 26, Episode 4

Texas Master Naturalist Elm Fork Chapter

• Announcements
• Upcoming Chapter Meetings
• Inside Outside News – Approved AT + Volunteer Opportunities
• Projects in the Community 
• Wild About LLELA
• Features
• Tweet of the Month
• Almost the Last Word 

https://txmn.org/elmfork/

Transcript

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The Texas Master Naturalist Elm Fork Chapter presents Naturalist News, April 2026, Volume 26, Issue 4. Announcements. Do you know someone who is ready for an adventure of the natural kind? Applications are now being accepted through April 24th for Initial Training 2026. Classes run Tuesdays, August 11th through October 27th, 9 a.m. to 12 30 p.m. at Global Spheres. Apply by clicking the link in the digital version of the newsletter or go to our website and click Join Our Chapter. This program may require walking on uneven ground. Texas AM AgriLi Extension Service is committed to participant accessibility and will provide reasonable accommodations. Please contact the Denton County AgriLi Office Horticulture Department at least 10 business days in advance of the program. The Texas AM AgroLife Extension Service is an equal opportunity employer and program provider. The Texas Masternaturalist Program is a partnership between Texas Parks and Wildlife and Texas AM AgriLi Extension. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. The 2026 Training Committee is asking for your help by actively seeking your gently used TMN textbooks. We request any TMN EFC member that is not using their TMN textbook to help us reduce, reuse, and recycle your textbooks by donating it back to our chapter. It is easy. Just bring your textbooks to the next monthly chapter meetings. Contact Marissa Shaw or any member of the 2026 Training Committee to coordinate. iNaturalist 2026 City Nature Challenge, April 24th through 27th. It's that time of year again. The 2026 iNaturalist City Nature Challenge is April 24th through April 27th. We will be competing with many cities across the globe for number of observations, IDs, and number of species. We have landed in the top five every year since the inception and plan to keep it that way. We have also finished number one for the state of Texas, beating out Houston, San Antonio, and all the other cities in Texas. Yes, we are that good. This year we have a new challenge: Master Naturalist competition within DFW. Number one in observations, IDs, and number of species. EFC members must join the EFMN CNC 2026 project. Join using the QR code provided in the digital version of the newsletter. Stay tuned for some mini blitzes we will have during the four days of observations at our project sites. We will have until May 10th to ID observations. If you have any questions, please email or text Mary Morrow listed in the directory. iNaturalist City Nature Challenge Mini Blitzes Friday, april twenty fourth, nine AM to eleven AM, Cross Timbers Trailhead with Bryn Bryan. Saturday, april twenty fifth, noon to two PM, Lantana Petals and Pathways, Diane Weatherby. Sunday, april twenty sixth, three PM to five PM, Green Acres with Becky Bertoni. Saturday, april twenty fifth, seven to eleven PM, Mothing with Sam Kiesnick at Leela. No gate fee. Someone will let participants enter and leave at the gate. Sign up Genius Link to follow in Plan Your Week. Upcoming Chapter Meetings. April chapter meeting and presentation. Thursday, april sixteenth, nine AM to twelve PM, Denton County Administrative Courthouse, third floor conference room, one courthouse drive, Denton. My Visit Every State Park Retirement Adventure by Suzanne Tuttle. Suzanne Tuttle is a plant ecologist who retired in 2016 as manager of the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge after a twenty three year career at the park. She holds a bachelor's degree in biology from UT Arlington and an associate of applied science degree in horticulture from Tarrant County Junior College, now TCC. Suzanne has taught training classes for various North Texas chapters of the Texas Master Naturalist Program since 1999 and is one of the founding members of the Cross Timbers chapter. Her first retirement project was to visit every Texas State Park and state natural area. The COVID pandemic slowed her progress for a couple of years, but she joyfully completed her quest on October 22nd, 2022, at Palmetto State Park near San Antonio. This presentation touches on her adventures and the insights she gained on her multi-year quest. May chapter meeting and presentation. Thursday, May 21st, 9 AM to 12 PM, Denton County Administrative Courthouse, third floor conference room, one Courthouse Drive, Denton. The Constellation of Living Memorials, presented by Julie Finneman and Jane Duke, PhD. The program introduces the CLM, a growing network of historic cemeteries reimagined as a living civic infrastructure, where cultural memory and native ecology are restored in tandem. To date, the initiative has mobilized over 13,500 volunteer hours across multiple pilot cemeteries, documented over 3,000 species observations, cleared acres of invasive plant growth, and returned these sites to healthy, functioning ecosystems. Partnerships with Texas AM AgriLi Extension, the Native Plant Society of Texas, and other institutions have helped ground this work in science and community stewardship. Participants will learn how new historic cemeteries are onboarded into the constellation, from initial site assessment to restoration planning, native planting strategies, and ongoing care. Each cemetery becomes a star, contributing to a connected system that supports biodiversity, climate resilience, and cultural and natural preservation. Elm Fork Chapter member Jane Duke will follow up the presentation with an update on the pending chapter project and selection of a cemetery in Denton County. Presenters, Julie Finneman, President, Friends of the Warren Ferris Cemetery, co-creator, Constellation of Living Memorials, TMN North Texas Chapter. With over 33 years of professional experience, Julie Finneman has woven together her background in entertainment advertising photography, healthy living, and wildlife conservation into her current mission. After spending decades as a successful photographer, with works housed in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences archive, she shifted gears, drawn to ecological rehabilitation. In 2018, Julie embarked on restoring the historic Warren Ferris Cemetery near her home in East Dallas, transforming overgrown ground into a native prairie and wildlife habitat. Building on that success, she helped launch the Constellation of Living Memorials, CLM, pilot program to replicate that model across other neglected historic cemeteries, integrating restoration with community engagement, native landscape design, and ecological corridors. Julie has procured grants and facilitated partnerships to support this work, emphasizing the dual goals of honoring the cultural heritage of these cemeteries and rewilding the land to support biodiversity and climate resilience. Jane Duke, PhD, Soil Restoration Educator and Systems Scientist, Certified Soil Food Web Lab Microscopist, TMN Elmfort Chapter. Jane Duke bridges the gap between microscopic biological data and macro level ecological restoration. A soil restoration educator and environmental systems scientist, Jane helps land stewards and organizations move beyond guesswork by understanding the biological engine of the soil. She holds a PhD in environmental design and a master's degree in environmental philosophy. Jane graduated with the 2009 TMN North Texas Chapter class, where she was an outreach volunteer and led hikes at the Trinity River Audubon Center. Some of her contributions include leading the Denton ISD School Days Project at Clear Creek, presenting at the TMN Annual Meeting, and serving on the TMN Elm Fork Chapter Board of Directors. Jane and her husband live on a five-acre farm in Oak Point along with their horses, bees, and chickens. Advanced Training. iNaturalist City Nature Challenge 2026. iNaturalist Beginners Training, Monday, April 20th, 2026 at 2 p.m. Location Live on Microsoft Teams, iNat 101 webinar for CNC, meeting join Microsoft Teams. Or you can join the live on Facebook on Wednesday, April 22nd at 6 PM. Click on the link in the digital version of the newsletter. Once again, Texas Nature Trackers TNT is proud to help sponsor this statewide community event that encourages everyone to get outside, explore the natural world around them, and document local flora and fauna using iNaturalist. Not only is iNaturalist a great tool for self-learning about the natural world, your observations contribute to greater understanding of the state's plant and animal life. This year's CNC event kicks off on Friday, April 24th at midnight and runs to midnight, Monday, April 27th. Then join people until Sunday, May 10th to continue uploading observations you made during the four-day period and help others to identify what they found. For information about the City Nature Challenge, click on the link in the digital version of the newsletter. Don't forget to join the Elm Fork Chapter City Nature Challenge Project. You must join for the chapter to receive credit and be eligible for top honors in most observations, most species, and most ID'd observations. We want to win this. The link to join is in the digital version of the newsletter, or use the QR code featured there as well. Both events are entered in VMSAT Project Specific Description iNaturalist City Nature Challenge. More advanced training. TWU Texas Wildflower Day, Protecting Pollinators, Preserving Our Future. Friday and Saturday, April 24th and 25th, 2026, TWU Act 301 and Dr. Betty Meyers Butterfly Garden. Pollinators are essential partners in our food system and natural world, responsible for helping plants reproduce and ecosystems thrive. Native gardens feature plants carefully selected to nourish pollinators year-round, providing food, shelter, and safe passage throughout every season. Our 2026 Texas Wildflower Day celebrates these pollinators. Learn how native plants support bees, butterflies, birds, and other pollinators, and how simple choices can help protect them for generations to come. To view the schedule of events and or register, click the link in the digital version of the newsletter. Note, AT is approved by documenting each class attended in VMS and the number of hours per class. Drawing nature through the seasons. Inspired by Aldo Leopold's A Sand County Almanac, this year-long art program invites participants to observe and document the natural world through visual art. Meeting once a month at Capel Nature Park, artists of all skill levels will gather to capture the evolving beauty of the park's landscapes, plants, and wildlife. Rather than using literature to chronicle the passage of time, participants will sketch to reflect the seasonal changes in nature. Each month will focus on a different artistic skill, such as composition, shading, color theory, and perspective, designed to help participants grow and refine their craft over the course of the year. All materials will be provided. Third Saturday each month from 10 AM to 12 p.m., Capel Nature Park, 367 Freeport Parkway, Capel. For information, call 972-304-3581, or click the link in the digital version of the newsletter, or use the QR code found in the digital version of the newsletter. FM Wild, iNaturalist How to, Sunday, April 26th at 2 p.m. Green Acres Memorial Park. Register using the QR code in the digital version of the newsletter or on the calendar page of our website. Learn how to use the iNaturalist app to document the plants, birds, insects, and animals that call Green Acres home. If you downloaded the iNaturalist app and create an account ahead of time, you can start observing sooner. Our entries count toward the 2026 iNaturalist City Nature Challenge. This program is part of the HEB Pollinators for Texas 2025 grant, Green Acres is the Place to Be. This program may require walking on uneven ground. Texas AM AgriLi Extension Service is committed to participation accessibility and will provide reasonable accommodations. Please contact the Denton County AgriLef Office Horticulture Department at least 10 business days in advance of the program. The Texas AM AgriLi Service is an equal opportunity employer and program provider. More advanced training. Conservation of nature at night, AT Opportunity. Join us for a unique evening of learning at the International Dark Sky Community of Lakewood Village, Texas. Learn about the International Dark Sky Association, the journey to obtain and maintain certification, benefits to wildlife, plants, and humans, data collection, and our conservation projects. After dark, observe neighborhood dark sky lighting, night sky telescopic tour. May 1st, 2026, 7 to 9.30 p.m. 100 High Ridge City Hall, Lakewood Village, Texas. Space is limited. To reserve your spot, email Cynthia Stewart through the membership directory with TMN Dark Sky in the subject line. This is an indoor or outdoor event and could be changed or canceled due to inclement weather, high wind, or even heavy cloud cover. Note, this event is open to Elm Fork Chapter members only. Texas Waters webinar. Enjoy learning about improving water quality, water quantity, conservation practices, water law, and aquatic habitats. Join us throughout the year for free. Tuesday, May 12th, 6:30 to 7.30 p.m. River systems impacted by floods. Patrick Ireland and Mitch Nisbet, District Biologists at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Inland Fisheries, San Marcos, Austin, and San Antonio districts. Register by clicking on the link in the digital version of the newsletter or on the calendar page of our website. Visit the Texas Waters webpage for information on becoming a certified Texas Waters specialist and view recorded webinars from 2017 to 2023. Note Texas Water Webinars AT, Texas Waters Certification Training. Join the fun at the TMN EFC Naturalist Monthly Book Club, our next book for review on May 20th, The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People and the Planet by Leah Thomas. When? Every third Wednesday, 230 to 330 or 4 PM. Where? Emily Fowler Library, 502 Oakland Street, AT, other TXMN chapter approved AT, TMNAT. Questions? Contact J. Duke through the membership directory. Join us at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, fourth annual HNWR Bio Blitz, hosted by Bluestem Chapter TMN. Friday, May 22nd and Saturday, May 23rd. Friday evening at sunset, mothing with Texas favorite enthusiast Sam Kieshnick. Saturday, May twenty third, full day of exploration and advanced training, nature hikes, birding, bug hunts, and more. For more info, email trainingclass DIR at bluestemt.org. For questions, contact Scott Keester through the membership directory. The Extraordinary Caterpillar. 300 South Main Street, Grapevine. 630 p.m. Meet and Greet. 7 p.m. The Extraordinary Caterpillar movie. 8 p.m. Panel Discussion. The Extraordinary Caterpillar invites viewers into the hidden world of nature's tiniest superheroes and the vital role they play in sustaining healthy ecosystems. Through stunning macro videography and the insights of naturalists, scientists, and community advocates, the film reveals how caterpillars connect native plants, insects, birds, and other wildlife in an intricate food web. This captivating documentary encourages audiences to look more closely at the overlooked creatures in their own backyards and highlights why restoring native landscapes matters. Afterwards, learn more during a 30-minute lively knowledge-packed QA session with four outstanding local experts who are shaping conservation work right here in North Texas. Sam Kieshnick, Urban Biologist, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Jake Poinset, Education Manager, Trinity River Audubon Center, Carol Clark, Conservation Specialist, Monarch Watch, Teddy Zonker, VP Wild One's DFW, Native Plants Natural Landscapes. Enjoy a rare chance to learn directly from these local leaders, ask your questions, and walk away inspired to make a difference. Don't miss this opportunity to hear their insights, elevate your experience, and spark new ideas. Register and add your seat today. RSVP required. Click on the link in the digital version of the newsletter, or visit the calendar page of our website. Hosted by Wild Ones DFW, Native Plants Natural Landscapes, we connect people and native plants for a healthy planet. Join us to celebrate biodiversity, ecological stewardship, and the power of native plants to support life. Our sponsors, Wild Ones DFW, DFW WildOnes.org, Homegrown National Park, Homegrown Nationalpark.org. Volunteer Opportunities. Greenbelt General Maintenance and Natural Resource Volunteers needed. The staff of the Greenbelt Unit of Ray Roberts Lake State Park serve as the management team for the Greenbelt and the Natural Resource Team for the Ray Roberts Complex. We are looking for general maintenance and natural resource volunteers to assist us in maintaining the Greenbelt and conserve the natural resources of Ray Roberts. General Maintenance Volunteers have multiple opportunities to volunteer at the park based on their areas of interest and the park's operational needs. Opportunities include, but are not limited to, a variety of maintenance tasks, special projects, and customer-related opportunities. Natural resource volunteer projects could include bluebird box monitoring, fire break preparation, invasive management, and habitat restoration. This opportunity is available year-round and provides a flexible schedule. No minimum hours per week are required. This volunteer opportunity does not include a campsite. Please contact the Greenbelt Manager at Matthew.moore at tpwd.texas.gov for more information. Minimum age of volunteers 16. If under 18, volunteer will need to print a parental release form and bring a completed copy to the park. Criminal background check is required for non TMN members. PO six zero two one two RM Ray Roberts Lake. Bluebird Nest Box Monitoring would be PO six zero two one two FR. Volunteer and AT opportunities. Outreach needs you. Sign up to be a face of our Chapter at an upcoming tabling opportunity. Help fulfill our mission statement to provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas. See the Elmfort Chapter calendar for opportunities. Be sure to check Plan Your Week and the Elm Fork Chapter website and calendar for more AT and volunteer opportunities. Projects in the Community. Results from the 2026 Green Acres Eye Naturalist Pollinator Photography Exhibit by Becky Bertoni. The Green Acres iNaturalist Pollinator Exhibit ran from February 1st to March 15th, 2026 at the Flower Mound Public Library. On Monday, March 16th, we took down the photographs and the rest of the display while a diligent battle-counting crew spent an hour and a half counting the 1,089 ballots that the attendees had submitted for their favorite pollinator photo. The winning photograph for Best of Show, The People's Choice, was a pipe vine swallowtail taken by Wyn Goddard, a Flower Mound photographer. You can see this photo on our Green Acres Farm Memorial Park iNaturalist project. Join us at Green Acres, 4400 Hideaway Lane Flower Mound on Sunday, April 26th at 2 p.m. for the iNaturalist Bio Blitz. Your invited Texas Native Plant Art Exhibition Appreciation Reception Wednesday, April 29th, 430 to 630 p.m. DISD Professional Development Center, 1212 Bolivar Street, Denton. Please join us to honor the fourth grade students and their art teachers. All of the artwork that was submitted will be displayed. Other displays will be set up to recognize the display hosts and the project sponsors. Stop by at your convenience to join the fun. Thank you, Marilyn Blanton. Wild About Leela. Sue Yost class of 2017. On any given day, one can find a lot of fun guys that volunteer at Leela, but they can't compare to the real fun guys. The many varieties of fungi, that is. The best trails to spot some of these beauties are the blackjack and cicada trails, especially a few days after a nice rain. Get wild by checking out the montage of the real fungi of Leela in the digital version of the newsletter. Features. Tuesday in the Park, a long course in forest ecology by Jerry Hamby. Tree identification can be challenging, especially in winter. Fortunately, when I completed Citizen Forester training in 2024, Suzanne Tuttle, former manager of the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge, taught a classroom unit and led a field session on tree identification that gave participants pointers on using clues other than leaves. Those skills came in handy a year later when I volunteered for a project initiated by Louisville Parks and Recreation to inventory and assess thousands of trees in the city's parks and other public spaces. Led by the city's urban forester, Eric Dantonio, approximately 12 volunteers began the inventory on a Tuesday morning in January 2025. We have met almost every week since then and have uploaded detailed information on more than 2,800 trees into an online database. While most of the volunteers also work with the Texas Master Naturalist Program, all of us have trained as citizen foresters through the Cross Timbers Urban Forestry Council. Last fall, Eric took a new job, but the project has continued under his successor, Kyle Sayner. Our inventory began at Central Park, one of 40 city parks in Louisville. Armed with tools and supplies, diameter tapes and calipers, handrils, hammers, nails, and inventory tags, volunteers also downloaded the mobile app Survey123, which allowed us to collect and upload data collected in the field. The primary goals of the inventory are to address the health and needs of trees, establish a framework for their monitoring and maintenance, and identify potential risks to people and property. Before beginning the inventory, we familiarized ourselves with Survey 123 and divided into teams of two or three people. While one person measured and tagged each tree, one or two partners completed the online assessment. After noting the general location, park name, each assessor geotagged the tree and noted the species, seeking input from other volunteers as needed. Without leaves, some trees can be identified by bark, branching, or residual details, such as the reddish droops or fruits that cling to the branches of sugar hackberry trees, Celtus levigata. Another factor that aids identification is the preponderance of certain species in an area. Pecan trees, Caria Illinoinensis, for example, grow abundantly at Central Park, and their open husks can be seen in the trees or on the ground through winter, long after the nuts have disappeared. For the sake of consistency, the person measuring the diameter of a tree does so approximately four and a half feet above ground, a standard established by Gifford Pinchot, the first head of the United States Forest Service. The DBH diameter at breast height is taken above the flared base of the tree but within easy reach. The measurement is facilitated with the use of a diameter tape or tree caliper, both of which convert the circumference. The caliper has proved most useful when we are assessing trees in densely wooded areas, especially where greenbrier, genus Smilax, or poison ivy, genus toxicodendron, are present. The next step is placing a physical tag on the tree and recording the number in the online survey. Being able to find a physical tag will make it easier to locate a specific tree among several inventoried in close proximity. Another standard we maintain is to tag only trees with a DBH of six inches or greater. The inventory checklist in Survey 123 is a simplified version of the basic tree risk assessment form, which was developed by the International Society of Aboriculture, ISA, and provides a standardized method for assessing tree failure risk. Inputting information from drop-down options and typing in fields, the person completing the assessment works from the bottom of the tree to the top, root and root collar, to trunk crown. Several aspects are considered condition, pruning history, vigor, estimated risk rating, overall condition, and maintenance recommendation. The assessor also uploads one or more photos and can add notes to clarify anything not addressed elsewhere. Completing the form takes only a few minutes. The goal is to provide enough information to help other people make decisions about the tree without overwhelming them with too many details. Over time, we have noticed common problems, including broken branches and hangers, snapped branches or limbs caught in the canopy, as well as issues unique to certain species. Cedar elms, Ulmus crassifolia, for instance, are more susceptible to the infestation of American mistletoe phorodendron leucarpum than most tree species. Because mistletoe is hemiparasitic, stealing water and nutrients from its host, it causes branch dieback and stresses the tree on which it relies. More significantly, oak trees, particularly post oaks, Quercus stillata, are vulnerable to hypoxylin canker, biscognioxia atropunctata, a fungal disease that proves fatal to hardwood trees. In contrast, brown rot fungus, Fomatopsis juniperina, only affects the aesthetic appearance of mature trees, particularly eastern red cedars, Juniperus virginiana, and rarely causes long-term damage. A pattern of concern that we have spotted in some parks is destruction caused by the emerald ash borer, Agrillus planipendis, an invasive beetle from Asia that kills all species of North American ashes, genus Fraxinus, dieback typically starts at the top of the tree and works its way down. A dead tree also increases safety risks when it is close to picnic areas or walking trails. In addition to learning about the difficulties that trees endure, project volunteers have made fascinating discoveries. At LL Woods and Austin Kent Ellis Parks, we found dozens of Osage orange trees, Maclura pommifera, a species commonly found in the Cross Timbers ecoregion and one that has been on Earth for 20 million years. M. Pommifera is considered an evolutionary ghost, since it coexisted with mastodons, which consumed its large fruit, and its adaptations are not suitable for modern seed dispersal. Its ancient history might also explain why it developed long thorns as protection against predation by herbivores. At 660 acres, Lake Park is the largest municipal park in Louisville, and is, therefore, where we spent the greatest time completing our inventory. Because it is part of the Eastern Cross Timbers, the park has a large concentration of post oak trees, one of two apex oak species in the ecoregion, the other being blackjack oak, Quercus meralandica. Because they have demanding growing conditions and do not tolerate soil disturbance, post oaks are difficult to grow, particularly in a nursery setting, so their presence in urban forests is especially valued. A number of the post oaks we found at Lake Park had vertical lines indicating some type of wound, possibly caused by frost, drought, or lightning strike. Most of the wounds had sealed through a process called compartmentalization, whereby new wood grows over the injury. We estimated that one post oak with a long vertical scar was probably more than 100 years old and thriving. Another phenomenon I have noticed is the way microclimates develop at the base of many canopy trees, partly because more vulnerable plants are more protected against the elements and are less likely to be hit by mowers. In several parks, I have uploaded eye naturalist observations of dozens of these nursery species, including gumbamelia, ciderosilon linuganosum, western soap berry, sapindus dramundii, and Eve's necklace pod, stipnolobium affinae. The sense of discovery is heightened by seasonal change. It can be something as simple as seeing the bright yellow leaves of a black hickory, carrier texana in the fall, which I experienced in an abandoned campground area at Lake Park. Even though I haven't seen hundreds of blackjack oaks, their three-lobed duckfoot leaves always captivate me, especially when their pigmentation turns from green to rust. American elm trees, Almas Americana, have a reputation for being weak due to their V-shaped branch joints, but I have long advocated for planting them. For almost 100 years, they have been susceptible to Dutch elm disease and are still on the International Union for Conservation of Nature, IUCN, red list of threatened species. On the first day we inventoried trees in Ralden Park, Carl Parsons, who was my partner that day, and I spotted a large American elm. It is not visible from the parking lots at either end, but anyone who walks behind the houses on the eastern side of the park can see a remarkable tree. Because Carl and I were the first volunteers to arrive that day, we had the honor of adding the tree to the inventory. It was in remarkable condition, a balanced crown, robust growth, little visible damage, and based on its DBH of 57 inches, it is probably at least 100 years old. It is an extraordinary cultural and natural artifact in an urban forest, and its existence validates the importance of this project. Since we began working, the city of Louisville has begun using LIDAR tree technology to assess many of the public trees we have not inventoried, particularly along roadways. LIDAR creates 3D models and generates more precise data than humans can, but the technology can only be used from a vehicle. Therefore, we can get close to trees that LIDAR cannot. If our team ever completes the tree inventory, my hope is that we will return to Central Park where we started and begin updating assessments for the trees in the database. If that happens, we will continue to spend our Tuesdays in the park. Tweet of the month from Sue Yost, class of 2017. Eastern Bluebird, text from Wikipedia. There are three kinds of bluebirds eastern, western, and mountain. All three can be found in Texas. In our area, the eastern bluebird is found. Bluebirds tend to live in open country around trees, but with little understory and sparse ground cover. Original habitats probably included open, frequently burned pine savannas, beaver ponds, mature but open woods, and forest openings. Today they are most common along pastures, agricultural fields, suburban parks, backyards, and even golf courses. Mating occurs in the spring and summer. A mature female typically raises two broods each season, but can have up to four. Nests are constructed in trees within abandoned woodpecker holes or other cavities that provide adequate protection, usually several feet above the ground. They will readily come to a bluebird box mounted on a pole with a raccoon or snake baffle. Construction of the nest is done primarily by the female and takes around ten days to complete. These nests are small, cup-like structures, lined with grass, feathers, stems, and hairs. Each female lays three to seven light blue eggs. The female incubates the eggs, which hatch after 13 to 16 days. The young cannot care for themselves upon hatching. The female broods the chicks for up to seven days after hatching. Fledglings then leave the nest fifteen to twenty days after hatching. Both parents cooperate in raising the young, which they feed a diet consisting almost entirely of insects. Some young stay around the nest to help raise another brood. Fledglings are grayish in color with speckled breasts. The blue color becomes much more prominent and the speckles on their breasts disappear as they mature. Bluebirds may begin breeding the summer after they are hatched. About two-thirds of an adult bluebird's diet consists of insects and other invertebrates. The remainder is made up of wild fruits or berries. It prefers grasshoppers, crickets, katydids, and beetles, and will also eat earthworms, spiders, millipedes, centipedes, so bugs, and snails. They will feed on live mealworms and sunflower chips from a designated bluebird feeder. Bluebirds feed by perching on a high point, such as a branch or fence post, and swooping down to catch insects on or near the ground. The availability of a winter food source will often determine whether a bird will migrate. If bluebirds do remain in a region for the winter, they group and seek cover in heavy thickets, orchards, or other areas in which adequate food and cover resources are available. During the Snow Mageddon several years ago, Leela lost many bluebirds. Unable to forage for insects during the day to build up necessary fat reserves, many bluebirds struggled to survive. Leela nest monitor Denver Kramer, TMN E F C, found eight males stacked inside a nest box that didn't survive once he could finally get out to check boxes. Happy to say the bluebirds have made a great comeback. Eastern bluebirds can live for six to ten years. However, most bluebirds die within the first year of life. Starvation and freezing are a danger to the young, but most threats come from other animals, including humans. Natural predators of eggs and nestlings can include fire ants and raccoons. Bluebirds of all ages, including adults, are threatened by rat snakes, eastern racers, American kestrels, and domestic cats. Introduced species such as European starlings and house sparrows are competitors for nesting sites. They will break the eggs, kill the nestlings, or even build a nest on top of the bluebird nest. Cowbirds will also lay their eggs in bluebirds' nests. When approached by a predator, the male makes a song-like warning cry. If no male is present, a threatened female will begin to sing, hoping to attract a protective male back to the territory. Both males and females also flick their wings and warble when predators are nearby. Eastern bluebirds thrived in the 1700s and 1800s. This flourishing is thought to relate to the activity of settlers. Clearing forests made new habitat available for bluebirds, and nesting sites were created in the increasing numbers of apple orchards and in wooden fence posts that eventually rotted. It is believed that bluebirds were most abundant around 1900. However, increasing competition with the invasive species of European starlings and house sparrows, along with loss of farmland, began to take a toll on bluebird populations. Along with these, pesticides and scarcity of food during winter compounded to cause the number of bluebirds to fall. A definite drop has been shown to have occurred between 1938 and the late 1970s. Conservation efforts are seen as early as 1934, when Thomas Musselman created the first bluebird trail by setting up rows of bluebird houses along roads. Also in the 1930s, William Duncan created a bluebird house design and educated others about these birds. In 1964, the National Association for Protection and Propagation of the Purple Martin and Bluebirds of America was founded. After it went out of existence, the Nature Society kept up with conservation work. In 1978, the North American Bluebird Society was founded. There is a Texas chapter of the Bluebird Society, Wills Point, Texas, boasts they are the bluebird capital of Texas. Bluebirds were popular with early American colonists and associated with the coming of spring. Bluebirds have been mentioned in the works of many writers, including Thoreau's writings, Robert Frost's The Last Word of a Bluebird, as told to a child, the Over the Rainbow Song from The Wizard of Oz, and John Burroughs' The Bluebird. And who can forget the cute, animated bluebirds that helped Cinderella make her ball gown? Lawrence Zelaney said that bluebirds represent joy to Americans. Get happy with the bluebird of happiness. It's a wonderful feeling whenever you see a bluebird. Almost the last word. Remember to visit the Elmfort Chapter's online pop-up store. New items have been added. Click the link in the digital version of the newsletter or visit our website and scroll to the bottom of the homepage. We are on Instagram. Please follow us at Elmfork Chapter TMN and check out all the neat photos from our chapter. Show your project workday on Instagram. Send one to three photos to social media team at efctmn.org. Thank you all for your amazing articles and photos for the Naturalist News. We couldn't do it without you. Please send submissions to newsletter at efctmn.org. May 2026 submissions are due by Monday, May 11th. This has been Naturalist News, presented by the Texas Master Naturalist Elm Fork Chapter, April 2026, Volume 26, Issue 4, read to you by Terry Schnobelt. Thank you for listening.