The Little Sit Sunrise Bird Count

Meet Jack and the Bird Census Team while learning how to identify the birds of North Texas, and enjoy the beautiful sunrise over Lake Texoma! Modeled after Cornell's national "Big Sit" event, the public is invited to join a group of dedicated birders at sunrise to conduct a bird count as multiple species fly to the water and the surrounding land to feed.  Leaders will bring spotting scopes and will provide tips for identification of the many species you will see.

This event begins 30 minutes before sunrise (sunrise is 7:19 AM) and lasts a couple of hours, but all are welcome to come and go as they please. Participants are advised to bring a chair, binoculars and water. 

The location of the Little Sit is technically in Sadler, TX, but it is within the boundaries of Hagerman NWR.

Location: H Pad, Sadler, Texas 76264 

GPS Coordinates: 

33.734961, -96.780582

Directions from the Hagerman Visitor Center:

• Take a right (north) out of the Visitor Center parking lot road.
• At the bottom of the hill, take a left onto the gravel road (Wildlife Dr).
• The road will end at the Big Mineral Day Use Area. Take a right onto Bennett Lane.
• You will cross a bridge over Big Mineral Creek, then go over a low water crossing.
• There will be several small gravel roads going off to the right.
• Stay on Bennett until the road forks, then go right.
• When the road forks again, go right.
• Take the gravel road to the right marked “H” (you will see oil tanks on the NE corner) and go all the way to the end.

Free and open to the public.  Donations are accepted to support this and other events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.

Join us with membership today to receive the monthly Featherless Flyer newsletter with nature articles, program information, updated events and other important refuge information.

Take a Tour on the Wildlife Explorer!

Come join us for a ride on the Wildlife Explorer! Our new and beautiful tram is available for ninety-minute tours of Hagerman every weekend, weather permitting. Our tours are as varied as our drivers. Each tram driver has her/his approach to the tour: you may learn about wildlife, birds, habitat, refuge history, photography, you name it! To paraphrase, “a Wildlife Explorer tour at Hagerman is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” But you know it’s going to be good! Come see us! Lots of stops for bird-watching and photography.

• Weather permitting, seating is limited. 
• Bring binoculars or borrow ours.
  
• Standbys accepted if space permits. 
• Meet at the visitor center 15 minutes before departure. 

Free, open to the public, Donations are accepted to support all events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.

Join us with membership today to receive the monthly Featherless Flyer newsletter with nature articles, program information, updated events and other important refuge information!

What’s the latest on climate change and what do scientists now “know" and still don’t know? What can one observe in person? George has traveled to all seven continents and has observed glaciers on 6 of them. He just returned from a trip to Greenland and Iceland and has seen the effects of climate change first-hand at both ends of the earth. He’ll share thoughts on what is happening and possible solutions for the future.

Dr. George Diggs Jr. is an evolutionary biologist and botanist who has taught for more than 40 years at Austin College in Sherman, and a Research Associate at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas.

His research interests include the plants of Texas, evolution as it relates to human health, the systematics of the Ericaceae (Blueberry Family), and biogeography.

He has co-authored four books, including The Ferns & Lycophytes of Texas, co-authored with Barney Lipscomb, and more than 30 scientific articles. In his research he has traveled to all seven continents. He helped found the Public Health program at Austin College and teaches Environmental and Evolutionary Health, including the impact of diet and toxins on human health.

Photo by Pam Rendall-Bass

Registration is not necessary—all are welcome! But if any of these programs spark your curiosity, signing up will get you a friendly reminder three days beforehand. You’ll also receive our once-a-month Featherless Flyer newsletter—no email overload, and it’s easy to unsubscribe anytime.

Step back in time with Mary Istre, Deputy Refuge Manager, as she explores 80 years of conservation at Hagerman NWR. Using historic photographs and engaging stories, Mary will bring to life the people, decisions, and defining moments that shaped the refuge’s landscapes and wildlife. You’ll also discover how lessons from the past continue to guide conservation efforts today—and why this history matters more than ever.

Event Leader: Nancy Miller

photoclub@friendsofhagerman.org