Louisiana Master Naturalists – Northeast
LMNNE — Learn More. See More. Do More for Nature.
Trash hurts wildlife. Thanks to Charles Paxton for putting together this reminder image.
Our 1st Quarter meeting is this coming Sunday, 2 p.m., at Black Bayou Lake NWR. We’ll walk the trails spotting dragonflies and damselflies for awhile first, then hear Dr. Doug Clarke’s presentation on same in the Visitor Center, followed by our business meeting.
Our next workshop is Saturday the 13th. Working on details NOW! Will get registration up before the weekend.
So… ever since moving to Louisiana, I have wondered how a little town in the south central portion of the state surrounded by seemingly flat farmland got named Sicily Island.
No longer! Our geology workshop cleared that up for me, and Gerry Click’s information was driven home when I began posting my observations from our field work on iNat. Just look at this map. Do you not see an island?!
I will not try to repeat the entire explanation Gerry gave for this rocky island, but it is an Ice Age formation. It is also one of the few places you can go in Louisiana to see lots of rocks, and it is definitely the only place you can go to see a 20-foot cascade!
BTW, shortly after Charles Paxton took the above photo, Amy Ouchley made our day by standing IN the falling water!
Blooming trillium and red buckeye all over the place were among the many delights of the day. Both love a sunny slope, and the J. C. “Sonny” Gilbert WMA has lots of them. And I can report with confidence that the trillium blooming here are a different species from the trillium that bloom a few miles north on the ULM Biological Station, Charles Allen Nature Preserve.
I can narrow it down to two species. Based on Charles Allen’s wildflower book, the only two possibilities for these locations are Trillium ludoviciana and Trillium gracile. I have long thought the trillum near Columbia were T. ludoviciana. But now that I have a point of comparison, I’m inclined to think that these are T. ludoviciana and the ones up near Columbia are T. gracile. And if that is so, I have a LOT of photos of trillium to re-label!
Hiking the J. C. “Sonny” Gilbert WMA has been on our agenda for awhile. You might recall that we planned a family fun hike there a year ago and got rained out. I now understand why hiking those trails when wet and muddy would not be a good idea! They are challenging trails, rocky with some very steep stretches, but well worth the effort.
Kim Paxton and I are both working on species lists. I’m sure our birders Suzanne Laird and Roselie Overby will contribute as well. Thanks again to Gerry Click and all who came and made it another great workshop adventure for LMN–NE.
Now… how did a small town in south central Louisiana get named Sicily Island?
You all know I can’t resist dragonflies and damselflies, right? Imagine my dismay when Arthur Liles posted on our Facebook page about a dragonfly lecture he was going to in Mississippi–Vicksburg? I think so. In any case, I couldn’t go. Bummer.
So what’s even better? Getting the speaker to come here!
Our 1st Quarter meeting is actually scheduled the first Sunday of the 2nd Quarter, specifically April 7. We will convene at the Visitor Center at Black Bayou Lake NWR at 2 p.m. to walk the trails and boardwalk looking for Odonates. Of course, we will be distracted by all the other wonderful biota of BBLNWR!
Dr. Doug Clarke will join us there. After about an hour of trail-walking, we will reconvene in the Visitor Center, say about 3:15 p.m., no later than 3:30, for Dr. Clarke’s presentation and Q&A.
At 4:30, we will have our usual 30- to 40-minute business meeting. Remember that all are welcome to our quarterly meetings, including kids and grandkids old enough to enjoy the experience. Non-members are free to leave when we convene for business, or stay and observe if they are curious about us.
Folks, sorry to be so late with this! It is past time to register for this coming Saturday’s Geology workshop. It is the 9th and last in our first series of workshops for those seeking to become certified Master Naturalists.
The charge is $25 as usual and the registration link is live on the Certification tab above. You can also pay on site if you let me know in advance that you wish to do so.
I am still waiting for details from Gerry Click, so the flyer link on the Certification tab is not active. But here’s what you need to know now:
As soon as I hear from Gerry, I’ll finish the flyer and distribute it by email so you’ll have something to print if that is your desire. In the meantime, get registered! And enjoy this photo of a lovely geological display at a quarry north of Pollock, La.
Rendezvous 2019 is just around the corner and you still have time to register. However, registration has now topped 100, so you need to do it soon. The Board has not set a cap, but we know that Fountainbleau will not accommodate an unlimited number of people.
So this is going to be a post of docs for you to look at. Here’s the speaker list:
Rendezvous Speaker List/Schedule
Please note that our local expert and workshop leader John Carr is among them! So is Micha Petty, who shared his experiences as a wildlife rehabber at one of our quarterly meetings.
Our own Charles Paxton is heading up the photo contest. Here’s his flyer:
Rendezvous 2019 Photo Contest Flier
Please note that you do not have to attend to enter the photo contest. Charles or I will be happy to transport your best shot to Rendezvous, but you must prepare it according to the rules provided in the flyer.
And, finally, yours truly is co-chairing the silent auction once again. Here’s our flyer:
We do need quality items for the silent auction. This year we have set the minimum bid at $5. Please think about what you have that you’re willing to part with. Another option is to approach merchants you patronize and ask them to donate something. All proceeds from the silent auction benefit the conservation and education activities of Louisiana Master Naturalists.
Again, I am going and I know the Paxtons are going, so please let us know if you have items that need to be transported.
Louisiana Master Naturalists - Northeast 