Category: Upcoming Events

Folks, we have some good stuff scheduled in February! Here’s an overview.

February 10, 5:30 p.m. – Nature Photography 2, conducted by Charles Paxton on zoom. That’s this coming Thursday evening. Contact Charles at <lmnacoms@gmail.com> for the zoom link.

February 13, 2 p.m. – We’ll meet at Black Bayou Lake with our kayaks and canoes and paddle to the eagle’s nest. If you need to rent a kayak, contact H2Go. I’ll do a blog post about this event with additional details soon.

February 17, 5:30 p.m. – Wild Talk, an online conversation salon about natural history subjects. The subject for February is “Birds.” I am busy planning quiz questions! But I want others to provide quiz questions as well, because I can’t compete answering my own questions, right? So… we just had a terrific Birds workshop and LOS has just completed its winter meeting; sharpen your pencils, folks. This should be fun and educational. Again, contact Charles Paxton at <lmnacoms@gmail.com> for the zoom link.

February 26, 10 a.m. – Suzanne Laird Dartez will lead us on the Waterfall Hike at the J.C. “Sonny” Gilbert WMA near Sicily Island. We’ll meet at the Dollar Store in Wisner. I’ll do a blog post with more details on this event closer to the time.

February 27, 2:30 p.m. – 1st Quarter Member meeting; guest speaker: Auston Klais, Wildlife Biologist with Quail Forever. Zoom event. Again, blog post with details forthcoming.

Its looking like a fun month! See you soon.

Everyone can take better nature pictures, and an opportunity to learn how begins Thursday of this week.

The LMN-NE Events Committee is offering a series of basic nature photography workshops via zoom beginning Thursday, January 20, at 5:30 p.m. The meetings will begin with a bit of introductory conversation as people gather, then focus on specific nature photography topics. Participants will share tips and tactics from their own experience.

Who knows? You might pick up an idea that will make a difference in LMNA’s statewide photography competition, offered each year in conjunction with our statewide conference, Rendezvous. The photo above would go in the “naturalists at work” category.

Master Naturalists from across the state have also been invited to this series, so you will get to meet some new folks. Charles Paxton is the host. To prevent zoom-bombing, the zoom link is not published here. Contact Charles via email at <lmnacoms@gmail.com> and he will email you.

Our LMN-NE Events Committee invites all members to participate in a new nature-focused conversation salon called Wild Talk. It will be a zoom conversation, with focus topics provided along with the emailed zoom invitation.

The first topic is “Winter in Louisiana,” an interesting topic to be sure. The first edition of Wild Talk is scheduled this Thursday, January 13, from 5:30 until 7 p.m. The zoom invitation has already gone out, but if you’re a member and can’t find your email invitation, contact Charles Paxton.

The sessions will begin with a short quiz–no grades issued, it’s strictly for fun! I will not be able to attend this first edition, but I already have some questions in mind that I will submit to Charles.

Participants in the conversation will share outdoor experiences of a seasonal nature, what kinds of wildlife and natural phenomena can be seen and where at this time of year, and so forth. If numbers warrant, the break-out room feature of zoom meetings will be utilized to make it easier for all to share in a small group setting.

The purposes of Wild Talk are to get to know each other better and continue our learning and sharing of information as naturalists. These sessions might well also spawn ideas for actual outdoor excursions.

As personal testimony, I can say that those of us who registered for 2021’s virtual statewide Rendezvous did two sessions like this and had a blast. I highly recommend it.

If you want to submit questions for the opening quiz, send them to Charles Paxton via email <lmnacoms@gmail.com> by Wednesday, January 12, for inclusion in Kimmie Paxton’s Power Point.

So… tell the truth now! Who knew the plant in the photo to be Summer Huckleberry (Vaccinium elliotti)?

We have things to celebrate! Sunday, Dec. 12, 2 – 4 p.m., we will gather to graduate 3 new Master Naturalists, have a quickie 4th Quarter meeting, and celebrate the holidays with food, gifts and fun.

A new wrinkle: We will gather this year at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, 3706 Bon Aire Drive–the church on the bayou. There’s an outdoor pavilion overlooking the bayou and featuring a fireplace and picnic tables. Does anyone have access to firewood? Please let me know.

There’s also a pier (fishing allowed) and a walking path along the bayou. If the weather is suitable, I’m guessing we’ll spend most of our time outside, but we’ll have access to bathrooms and a space indoors equipped with a table, seating, a small frig and a microwave.

Please bring holiday treats to share and a gift in the $15-20 range. Roselie is organizing the gift exchange using a number system, which will end with an opportunity to swap should people choose to.

We’ll begin with graduation, of course. Amy Ouchley, David Hoover, and Roselie Overby will receive their certificates and name tags. I will tell you a bit more about each project as part of the presentation.

After a short 4th Q meeting, we’ll have ample time to enjoy the grounds. You might be interested to know that St. Thomas’ is the only church I know of that has a Care of Creation Committee. I am working with them to enhance their double-lot property on the bayou with plants (mostly native) that will attract birds and pollinators and help stabilize the bayou bank.

Right now, the forecast for Dec. 12 is partly cloudy and 58 degrees. Not bad for mid-December! Hope to see you there.

It’s not often we get to learn about the creation of a major restoration project from the very people responsible for getting it done. But this Saturday, we will!

Kelby Ouchley and his brother Keith Ouchley will teach us about one of their many significant accomplishments: The Mollicy Unit of the Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge.

We will meet the Ouchley brothers in the parking lot of the Black Bayou Lake NWR Visitor Center. Please come early, as we plan to depart at 8 a.m. to caravan to the Mollicy Unit. Car pooling from BBLNWR is recommended.

A rally point near the Mollicy Unit will be identified for those coming from the north and northeast. (New info: gravel parking lot of Simmons Sporting Goods in Bastrop.)

Our tour of the Mollicy Unit will consist primarily of driving from point to point, exiting vehicles to walk about a bit, listen, learn and get our questions answered. Dress to be outdoors and for the possibility of wet and muddy areas.

We will be away from hunting areas, but it is hunting season, thus it would be appropriate to wear hunter orange or other bright colors if you wish.

Please also bring your own water and snacks. We expect to be back to BBLNWR by about noon, although you will be free to stay to explore further if you and your passengers wish. Please also have a face mask handy for those times when we need to be in close proximity, e.g., in vehicles or standing close together.

The Ouchley brothers have had a significant and long-term conservation impact on Louisiana. This state would be much poorer environmentally without their extraordinary careers of saving, restoring, and teaching Louisiana’s natural history. Kelby is a past recipient of Louisiana Master Naturalist Association’s Caroline Dorman Award. Keith recently retired from his position as Director of the Louisiana Nature Conservancy.

Please let me or Charles Paxton know if you are planning to attend this event. We want to be able to assure the Ouchley brothers that we have sufficient interest and participation to warrant their time leading this expedition.