narrator: coming up ontexas parks & wildlife... - the kids just love itout here. - it's an absolutely beautiful,gorgeous area, here on the edge of east texas. - we have a significantamount of water to allow the cranes to roost. and the local farming areasaround provide feeding areas for them during the day. - people ought to watch andadmire the animals
that they see. then they can learnmore about them. i think that's a blue jay. (music) ♪ narrator: texas parks& wildlife, a television seriesfor all outdoors. narrator: this series is fundedin part by a grant from the wildlife and sport fishrestoration program.
through your purchases ofhunting and fishing equipment, and motorboat fuels,over 40 million dollars in conservation efforts arefunded in texas each year. additional fundingprovided by ram trucks. guts. glory. ram. (sandhill cranes calling) - they are so graceful.
i paint with soft pastels. this looks like a good place. - narrator: wildlife artistbruce defoor hopes to capture sandhill cranes on theiryearly migration to texas. - bruce: i see this plateauwhich is much closer than the distant ones. - narrator: bruce prefers tosketch in a natural setting. - in a photograph, it doesn'tmatter how good it is, you can't get the true color soyou have to come outdoors
and see nature for yourself. i've never seen this many ofthem together in one place. - narrator: the sandhill craneis thought to be the oldest surviving birdspecies in the world. they stand 3-4 feet in height,have a wing span of up to six feet, and travel fartherthan any other crane species. - narrator: after nesting inthe arctic regions of siberia, alaska, and canada,these migrants head south for the winter.
half a million cranes migrate inoctober and november, and many spend their time in thetexas panhandle and high plains. (wind gusts) - narrator: muleshoe nationalwildlife refuge, northwest of lubbock, is apopular stopping point. - harold beierman: ah, we gotsome birds out there this morning. oh yeah, they are roosting overhere in this northwest corner. - narrator: refuge managerharold beierman is up early
for his daily bird count. - harold: we do that todetermine trends, and also to provide numbersof cranes to area farmers, wildlife observers, birders,and hunters. i estimate we probablygot a good 18-20 thousand. - narrator: muleshoe encompassesnearly 6,000 acres and attracts more cranes thanany other refuge in texas. - birder: oh, they arebeautiful!!! look at the way they arepreening themselves
getting all pretty for the day. - muleshoe providesthe perfect opportunity for sandhill cranes herein the texas panhandle. we have a significant amountof water to allow that's probably why this refugeholds as many cranes as we do, it just provides all aspects oftheir needs in the wintertime. (sandhill cranes call) - narrator: in the evening thesespring fed shallow lakes are crucial for the cranes.
- harold: the sandhill cranesprefer the shallow lakes because they only like a few inchesof water to roost at night. they like to have water ontheir ankles so to speak. we've noticed if thelake's too deep the cranes just avoidusing them. (chalk scratches on paper) - bruce: i love the coloration,that red on the top of their head. you see i'm using a color paperinstead of using white,
which is nice, because youhave sort of a middle value, so when i put the skyin it really starts to show up quickly. (footsteps and cranes calling) - bill johnson: man, listen toall the cranes. they're in wheat stubble. you don't see 'em in wheatstubble very often. - narrator: here in thepanhandle biologist bill johnson monitors the status ofsandhill cranes for the
texas parks and wildlifedepartment. - bill: the cranes that we havein this area for the most part are lesser sandhill cranes,which are one of the smaller subspecies. they're long lived birds they'lllive close to 20 years. sandhill cranes will mate forlife now they have to be about eight years old until theysuccessfully reproduce. these cranes can see better thanjust about any bird i think. i won't be surprised if theydon't spook here real soon.
- narrator: bill johnson worriesabout these cranes, the birds rely on 20 or sospring fed lakes in the area for freshwater, and many ofthese key roosting sites are shrinking. - these springs get their waterfrom the ogallala aquifer and other sources ofunderground storage water. (sprinkler) but pumping for agriculturepurposes has caused the water table in the aquiferto decline.
and if it drops below the levelthat feeds the springs, which it has in many cases, manyof the saline lakes are totally dry now, whenthat happens, saline lakes will no longer be dependablesources of roosting water or drinking water forsandhill cranes. - this is probably thefirst stage of the painting, which is to lay out the drawing,begin to lay in some color. (blows on sketch) you have to work quickly whenpainting outdoors because
everything changes. it's changed just sincei been painting this. the cranes are roostingright at the edge right here. if you look, you reallywouldn't be able to tell, you certainly can't seeindividual cranes, you just see this mass which issort of shaped like a triangle, jutting out into the lake. - narrator: as part of thewinter migration, a gulf coast group ofsandhills skip the panhandle,
and head for the coastsof mexico and texas. - and a large percentageof those that stop on the texas coast winter hereon these coastal prairies, ag fields, and coastal marshessurrounding this area. (dicksissel calls) - narrator: this area is theclive runnells family mad island marsh preserve. operated by the natureconservancy, this refuge is a one-stop roosting spot withcoastal prairie, rice fields,
marshes, and ponds. - jared: so when they arrivehere on the wintering grounds, they tend to stay in theirfamily groups where you'll have two adults and one juvenile. (single sandhill crane call) and that juvenile spends thewinter with them feeding and it kind of follows theirlead on what to eat and where to go. - narrator: the cranes feed inthe farm fields, prairies
and these plentiful marshes. (sandhill cranes splashingwater while feeding) - jared: the sandhills in thewetlands tend to feed on a variety of organismsand plant material. a large portion of their dietdown here is tubers and roots. it's basically the basil part ofplants that grow in the water like a lot of sedges and rushes. they're not super selective,they'll utilize whatever food source is available.
- narrator: the coastal prairiemarsh doesn't just provide habitat for cranes, but for amyriad of bird species. - jared: you really don't knowwhat you are going to see. you know there's the sandhills,and waterfowl, shorebirds, and wading birds. there's hawks flying over andit's just really a unique place, it's neat that we can provide aplace for these birds to thrive. - bruce: were lucky to getthe action we've seen today. to see them flying overhead.
it's a rare sight. i'm blessed to be a part of it! - narrator: for bruce defoor,this intimate glimpse at the sandhill crane migrationhas come to a close. his art will serve as areminder of this adventure until they meet againnext winter. - what's really cool to meis that, when it's complete, i recall everything that i wentthrough during that time. the environment...
the temperature... the people i was with maybe. and so it's a special thingto me. it has a life of its own! - hunter: that's three or fourthousand birds. - lee ann linam: when it comesto birds, bird watching, and bird hunting, there'sno place like texas. one special opportunity in texasis sandhill crane hunting. in fact, texans harvest moresandhill cranes than any other
state in the nation. however we are also home to moretotal bird species than any other state including somenon-game birds such as herons and the endangered whoopingcrane that may look like sandhill cranes. that means texas hunters mustbe sure before they shoot. - ya, looks like we got apretty good group coming now, - lee ann: there are severalways that hunters as well as bird watchers canbe more confident of their
identification in the field. remember to think flapss. first ask yourself whatis the flock size like? sandhill cranes often fly inlarge flocks but whooping cranes are usually found in pairsor in small groups and herons are often solitary. second, how good is your light? whooping cranes can look gray inpoor light while sandhill cranes can look very pale insome light conditions.
third, what is the actionor motion of their wings? both cranes fly with a strongsteady beat but heron species have slower more erraticwing beats. next, what is thepattern of flight? cranes often fly in a "v"or a line overhead, herons often fly justabove the water. what is the soundof their calls? the whooping crane has a strongbugling call and sandhill cranes have a rattling purr but manynon-game species are mostly
silent in flight. finally, what is theshape or silhouette? you can think of cranes beingshaped like a sleek arrow while herons are more gangly. texas hunters have greatopportunities and great responsibilities. by asking yourself these sixquestions you can become a better hunter or bird watcher. and you can also ensure thatyou play a role
in the ongoing conservationof all our bird species. - we're located between houstonand dallas on i-45... ...halfway between both-somewhat central texas. some people say, well, you're ineast texas, i say no, east texas starts about100 yards right over here. (laughs) fort boggy state park, we getour name from a blockhouse ranger station that was inthe area in the early 1800's. it was home for thetrinity rangers.
they helped keep peacein the area, here on el camino real trail. mid-summer and early spring,if you come out for the wildflowers that we havealong the roadsides, uh, you may want to bring somebug spray, because we, it turns into fort buggyfor a while. (fly buzzing) (woodpecker pecking) we have a huge amountof birds here.
(bluebird singing) we have bluebirds, woodpeckersof all shapes and sizes... (cardinal singing) ...i like watching nature andi like watching people, so i couldn't ask for abetter place to be. (kids swimming) our park is a free day-usepark right now, wednesday through sunday. unfortunately we do nothave any camping yet.
- woman: hello.- man: hey, there you are! - wesley: we have an openpavilion that we use for family reunions and birthdayparties and stuff. - we have a church groupfrom bedias baptist church, paid for our pavilionto get under, be shady and cool and fishand swim. the kids, you know, they justlove it out here. it's a fun place andit's a family place. - wesley: we have about threeand a half mile of trail
here at fort boggy. they're very easy to walk. also you can bring your mountainbikes and bike up and down the trails. we have just a few steep hillsto try to climb, but it's a very easy trailto get up and down. our local chamber of commercewas gracious enough to buy us some paddle boats that we couldput out here at the park. we supply you a life jacket,and no rental cost to them.
we have a small butproductive lake. it's fun to come fish. - roland picasso: i think i gota three ounce fish one time. - a whale! (laughter) - we just come here for thetranquility and the peace that's around here. the whole deal of the fish. like everything else,it's just patience.
- tommy neyland: whether you'rewalking one of the trails or fishing in the lakeor just you know sitting at a picnic table,this is the place. there's woods,there's open space. every bit of it is just realpicturesque and something that you won't forget. - wesley: it's a new adventurehere every season- a just absolutely beautiful,gorgeous area, (traffic sounds)
(distant voices, hammering) - this is coomey homesand my name is raphael, and this is my friend trey andthis is my little cousin "t". - narrator: environment isa major influence in the development of any child. and for children growing upin the inner city, that environment canbe a hostile one. this is houston's third ward,a neighborhood struggling to recapture better days.
the community's landscape ismarked with both poverty... - inside of every seedis a living plant. - narrator: ...and hope. - we're making a place wherestudents and nature can come together andenjoy each other. if we planted this tree wrong,it would never grow the way it should. - narrator: glenn miller andleatrice greenwood operate the outdoor heritagelearning center.
it's headquartered atblackshear elementary, and is funded entirelyby donations and grants. - all: one, two, three. great. - why operate in third ward. third ward is probably oneof the farthest places away from nature. and i said, "that's exactlywhere we need to take nature." is take it backto the inner city.
we should teach them about whatis most accessible to them. where they are. - there's nature all around you. you don't have to necessarilygo to the forest or go to the woods. you can find signs ofnature all around you. - glenn: just holdit with your hands. there you go, it won't hurt. just don't be afraid of him,that's the main thing.
what do you think these are? - students: antennas. - glenn: antennas, correct. - ouch! - glenn: do you have anyof those where you live? - a lot of themin the ditch. - watch, when he getsto the deeper grass, he'll probably stop,for a while. to have the opportunityto become rich in the
interactions with otherliving creatures. to learn from them the necessarywill to survive under difficult circumstances such asthose that poverty creates. i do look to outdoor heritageand nature education as being a part of the answer forsome of the urban blight. (kids playing) - narrator: this iscoomey homes, a 550-unit housing project a few blocksfrom blackshear elementary. - woman: ok, ladies, let's getin there and get this tent up.
- narrator: today, some of themothers are learning how to set up a tent. - woman: lift this part up. - oh, ok. - narrator: they're gettingready to take their kids on their first camping trip. - leatrice: nature is somethingthat has no guidelines on economic standards. there are no exclusions.
everyone can take andpartake of nature. (children moan) - i want to learn so muchuntil i can be able to achieve the outdoorgoing of my own, not just with everyone else. - with all the things that aregoing on with children today. whether it's drugs and thingsof that nature, it gives them a different outlook. another direction to go in.
- guide: alright,how about this. who'd like to touch this. (kids laugh) - narrator: today the kids areon a field trip to a nearby state park. most of these children willtouch the scales of a fish for the very first time. (water dripping, fish flopping) - oh, god.
- that dumb trout. - these are the worms we use. - the kids have not been exposedto anything but the ghetto. straight up, ghetto life. fighting, scrapping, you know. arguing all the time. - them thingsgoing to stick me. - guide: no, they aren't,no they aren't. - there you go, alright.
yes. - guide: now just go take himover to the water. wooow, there you go. - i want to catch another. - ok, let's do it. - who got another one? - look at the size ofthis humongous thing! - ooooh... nature.
nature. (birds calling) - glenn: take a lookat all that forest. there's 700 acres out there. 700 acres. that's a lot of land. you're the ones whowill inherit this. you're the ones whomust care for it. learn about it.
you become stewards of all this. - narrator: here in texas, thevast majority of our children live in the cities. what's troubling is that mostof these kids grow up with little or no contact withthe natural world. - he's looking at us. there goa big one, mama. a big one. - i see his head.
see his head. - his head. - there's an alligatorright there. - i go down there? i go down there? - glenn: no, you can'tgo down there. he's right there on the bank. - narrator: it's easy toget kids excited when they're on a field trip.
(school bell) the challenge is to encouragethem to find nature in their own community, like 12 year-oldterrance edwards, who has discovered birdwatching. - terrance: abduct. - leatrice: abundant. - abundant in new england. feeds on, grows on, are... - no, let's start again.
start from that sentence. - feeds on ground. - yes. - narrator: with the helpof ms. greenwood, he's improving hisreading skills. - ooooh!!! - leatrice: that tells youthe sound that they make. - so that's how i know. - so that you can identifythem by their what?
- whistle! - correct. - narrator: what's mostimpressive about terrance is that he's taken bird watchingout of the classroom and into his third wardneighborhood. - some people just hatewild animals. all they should do is just watchthem and see how they play. - narrator: each day afterschool, terrance quietly watches the world around him.
- you see that birdright over there? that red bird? that's a red cardinal. right here on the fence. - narrator: this is terrance'ssanctuary - a vacant abandoned lot acrossthe street from his house. even here in the city, you see,raccoons they could be out here in your trash. - narrator: terrance has learnedthe lessons can be very simple.
to see thingsother people don't. and to understand natureis close by, no matter where we are. - i think that's a blue jay. - narrator: for every child liketerrance, for every neighborhood like the third ward, there is arichness, a natural heritage, waiting to be discovered. the problem is there aren'tenough people to reach out and develop that potential.
- glenn: cause my park is yourpark and your park is my park. you feel worse by doing nothing,and that's really feeling bad. is when you know there issomething you can contribute, and you don't. (all singing) the more we worktogether, the happier we'll be. cause your park is my parkand my park is your park. the more we work togetherthe happier we'll be. (water trickling) (water rushing)
(flowing water)
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