All hiking trails and major roads are closed due to flooding, including Wildlife Drive. The Visitor Center is open, and the Butterfly Garden is beautiful! Second Saturday Presentations, Butterfly Garden Walks and Nature'Ology will be held as scheduled.
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The World’s Happiest, Slightly Blurry Raccoon: How I Connected with Grand #6 Through Nature and an Old, Forgotten Camera By Patricia Crain, TMN
I have nine grandchildren, and connecting with them has been a struggle. I have no idea what they’re into—whatever it is, it’s nothing like what I was doing at their age. I had a garden hose and a wagon for my frog collection, a whole city block of children to play with, and one very strict rule: race home when the streetlights came on. My Mom was clever and wise. She would throw us out after breakfast: “Grandma is coming today! You need to make the welcome signs and greet her when she arrives!” She’d have everything set up outside—poster boards, markers, paint, streamers, you name it. If we came in for a glass of water, she would fuss: “You're going to miss Grandma!” There were brooms, buckets, and the stench of ammonia everywhere in that house. Grandma didn’t show up until dinnertime. We had a blast. I didn’t figure her out until I had a mother-in-law of my own! On rainy days, she lined our shoes with repurposed bread bags to keep our feet dry, and we were out there—racing sailboats made from egg crates in the stream that formed along the curb. We were never concerned with the heavy city traffic on our street; drivers waved and smiled as they carefully rolled by. Every fall, Mom hosted the annual chestnut-collection competition for what seemed like every kid in Erie, Pennsylvania. It was hard work, with all of us competing to be the Chestnut Champion of the Year. There was no title for second place, no such thing as a "participation award." I either won the title or strategized for the following year—mostly scheming to sabotage my brothers, but that's beside the point. Mom’s strategies wouldn’t work with today’s kids. A sign for Grandma is indoors, a PowerPoint |
with someone else’s clip art. If you ask a kid how many chestnuts would fill a bushel, they won’t grab a bucket and start digging in the dirt—they’ll ask Siri, and accept her answer as if it were the Word of God.
Today's children spend less time outside, immersed in nature, than any generation in human history. This problem is becoming increasingly difficult to remedy, as natural spaces—free of traffic and city noise—become harder to find. I volunteer for refuge school and youth group field trips, and a comment I have often heard breaks by heart: “We have never walked on a dirt trail before.” The first time I heard that comment--from a student and their parent--I didn’t believe it. I do now: trails in city parks are concrete, everything is getting paved. Children hardly ever play in the dirt anymore, and they’re losing touch with nature.
Grand #8: Luna loves her "Dirt Learning" preschool — just mud, toys, and not much else. Many European preschools, especially in Switzerland, Germany and Austria, include Waldtage — a full day each week spent outside, in natural spaces, regardless of the weather. | Sponsor the Friends With Membership Gardening, Mowing and Work Crew Visitor Center Volunteers Needed! Note: Tram tours and the Little Sit are cancelled due to flooding Subscribe to Our Monthly Featherless Flyer |
Solving this problem takes finesse—marching the children blindly into the forest won't work. Mom knew: children need a mission with an end goal. It doesn’t matter what the mission is, or even if they complete the mission, they just need to have one. The fun is in the preparation, the hunt for the goal, not the goal itself. Unfortunately, I did not figure this out until Grand #6: 11-year-old Trey, and we are having a blast!
In the beginning, I tried to engage the Grands with Hagerman Tram Tours. Though wonderful, the tours are suited for adults. The children were bored, their faces buried in their phones. Eventually I gave up trying to distract them from their devices: unplugging my router and lying about an “outage” just wasn’t working anymore. Instead, I began including their devices in our missions by loading their phones with free birding apps and nature resources. We started with Merlin and SEEK.
Trey dove into all the bird photos and information on the Merlin app, and he was listening to the songs of birds from all over the country. I soon realized he needed a focus. Though the American Bittern has a really cool song, it’s unlikely Trey will ever hear one in the wild. We needed something to look for, a goal with a vague possibility of success. I turned to
Jack Chiles and the census team: every Tuesday they conduct an in-depth bird count and survey of this entire refuge. That list is a gold mine for us! Every Wednesday morning I print out Jack’s field notes and the complete bird census list from the day before. “Here Trey, listen to these bird songs, learn what they sound like. Jack saw 13 Blue Grosbeaks! They’re here right now, let's go find them!” Whether we find them or not doesn’t matter, we’ll have a blast looking, and we always find something.
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Eastern Tiger Swallowtail by Trey |
The SEEK plant identification App is important, too. After choosing a bird from the census list, we look it up on Merlin. We’ll learn about its range, habitat and diet: which native plants to look for using the SEEK app. Finding the desired habitat for our chosen creature is a lot of fun, too. Sometimes Trey will ask the helpful Nature Nook volunteer for advice on where to find a certain habitat. I know this refuge like the back of my hand, but I stay silent: better for Trey to figure it out for himself.
Trey and I often begin our adventures before sunrise, at Picnic Pond: the perfect place to find deer coming in for a drink. Photo by Murali Hanabe. Thankfully, the US Fish and Wildlife service and the original creators of this website have provided a wealth of information about wildlife on this refuge, everything needed for an excellent creature-finding goal. Check out the Flora and Fauna menu choice on this very page. There are informational guides for wildflowers, birds, mammals, reptiles, etc. You will find entire pages of beautiful, named photos of butterflies and dragonflies, courtesy of Hagerman’s butterfly expert Laurie Sheppard, and other talented photographers. Another resource: trained garden docents at a Hagerman Butterfly Garden Walk (the next one is Saturday, June 14th, 2025). The Friends of Hagerman, with their mission of environmental education, offer a wealth of information and, more importantly, realistic goals for entire days of joyful explorations!
The best tool for engaging with my grandson through nature turned out to be a twenty-year-old digital camera, discovered during spring cleaning a few years ago at the bottom of a closet. It still worked! This discovery has been life-changing for Trey and has improved our relationship tremendously. The autofocus digital camera, paired with a zoom lens and a monopod to keep it steady, works perfectly for him. He has a much easier time focusing on specimens with the camera—he's never been great with binoculars. Thank goodness it has a digital menu—Trey was all over it! He learned quickly and took decent, though slightly blurry, photos on our very first day out! |
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Trey snapping this photo of a Blue-faced Meadowhawk Dragonfly |
These days, a big part of our goal is always to replace Granny's Facebook profile pic. I have been a Lotus Flower, an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, a Blue-faced Meadowhawk Dragonfly and many others. I refuse to be any species that isn’t native. We use our phone apps and wildlife guides to confirm our IDs and thoroughly research our subjects. My favorite profile pic, without a doubt, is the very first photo Trey ever took. I will never forget that moment. We had just arrived at the south entrance on Bennett Lane. We hadn’t yet discovered all the resources—or the importance of having goals. Honestly, I had no idea what we were going to do. I was just driving around, looking for anything, when suddenly: "Granny! Stop the car! Go back! A little more... stop!" Click, click, click, click—a million clicks of a raccoon poking his head out of a tree cavity. Trey had already figured out how to balance the camera perfectly on the open car window, using the monopod for support on the floorboard. |
| That entire day Trey was in control, and I was more than happy to be his chauffeur. I took him wherever he wanted to go; I dutifully followed his orders as we drove around searching for the perfect photo. For Trey, being in control all day was a rare and exciting treat. Over time, and after many amazing days in nature, a truly beautiful thing happened: his confidence grew. He started deciding what to find and where to find it, and he was confident that we would succeed. His confidence in his photography skills also soared: instead of a million clicks, it was one—maybe two. "I got it, Granny, let's go." |
When introducing children to nature, preparation is key: comfort is crucial for success. I recommend a backpack full of snacks and plenty of water. If the kids aren’t having fun—or if they’re too hot, cold, wet, or hungry and there’s no way to fix it—abort the mission. Try again a different day. Remember, this is a wildlife refuge where all native species are protected—including Toxicodendron radicans (Poison Ivy) and Crotalus horridus (the Timber Rattlesnake). Mud boots are the safest; sneakers are fine on the nicely mowed trails, but please—no sandals or flip-flops. Teach the children to stay aware and stick to the trail. Don’t forget insect repellent, sunscreen, hats, and long pants—plus a picnic to enjoy on the Visitor Center's patio with a gorgeous view of the lake. There’s no food for sale at the refuge, but there is a water bottle refill station. When the kids find something interesting, snap a photo and put it back where it belongs. Take only pictures, leave only footprints. Trey and I are looking forward to Nature'Ology day camp on June 7th, and on June 21st: the Photo Club’s very first Youth Photography Clinic. Experienced nature photographers will cover the basics, help with handling gear, assist with equipment, and answer any questions. The clinic will include a photo shoot of the Visitor Center patio and the Butterfly Garden, and all photos taken during the clinic will be eligible for the September Photo Contest. The clinic is free, we hope you will join us (registration is required.) |
Photos by Trey
So, get the kids outside and have fun exploring the refuge! The flood will be over soon, and I hope to see you out there. You’ll know me when you see me—I’m the world’s happiest, slightly blurry raccoon!
Refuge Update:
The lake level is lowering and the Goode Day Use Area and associated Haller's Haven Trail are partially open now, but the majority of the trail is still flooded. Follow the 10 minute route below to get there from the visitor center. The fishing access side of the area is still flooded and there is a barricade across the road before you reach the end, but visitors are welcome to park at the barricade and walk down to the lakeshore to fish.
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All Hands On Deck: Flood Cleanup Thank you to all the folks who have already started the cleanup from the flood. There is much to do, and we need your help! Contact Us to see how you (or your scout group) could help! |
Photos by Julie Custer-Gregg More Amazing Nature Photos taken at the refuge (Facebook account required.) |
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Upcoming Activities:
The Friends of Hagerman is Hosting 9 Family Friendly Events in June! Donate to help fund programs like these! |
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Plant of the Month: Winecups By Pam Flaming Photo of Winecup Flower by Pam Rendall-Bass On a springtime road trip to the Hill Country, I saw a kaleidoscope of colors in the fields and along the roadways: Indian Paintbrush, Bluebonnets, Indian Blanket, Evening Primrose, and a bright violet cup-shaped flower I’d never seen before. Turns out they were Winecups, and they have since become my favorite wildflower. After reading up on it, I learned that there is a good reason Winecups are abundant in the Hill Country. They need well-drained soil and can tolerate drought conditions. They even do well in rocky soil. They spread easily, forming a mat, so they make a good groundcover. The most common type of Winecup in Texas is Callirhoe involucrata, but another species–Callirhoe digitata–has a similar flower but grows up to 20 inches high. Callirhoe involucrata has semi-evergreen, deeply lobed, hairy leaves, and the flowers can be pink, purple, or white. They can grow in open woods, rocky hills, or shrublands. If you are interested in growing Winecups, plant the seeds in the fall by raking them into loose soil. The seeds germinate best if scored, and they need full or partial sun. You can expect flowers during the second year, and as perennials, they keep coming back! Winecups are a good species for butterfly gardens, too. They provide nectar during mid-spring, and paired with later blooming plants, they help provide food during the season that pollinators are active. They are also one of many host plants for Gray Hair Streaks, which are common in our area. You don’t have to go to the Hill Country to enjoy these brilliant flowers. You can also view them in the fields around Denison Dam at about the same time the bluebonnets are in full bloom. |
Butterfly Garden Walks
Registration is not necessary |
Pipevine Swallowtail (right) by Laurie Sheppard |
Birding with Jack: The Weekly Bird Census
Left to Right: Mike Petrick, Nancy Riggs, Jack Chiles and Terry Goode Each Tuesday a team of experienced birders, including Master Naturalist Jack Chiles, traverse 35 miles of refuge roads and hiking trails, documenting every bird they encounter. This Bird Census is reported to The Cornell Lab of Ornithology for use in research, and each week we will bring you a link to their actual bird count, and a summary of their adventures.
Watch for the census results every Tuesday evening: Bird Census Results |
The Friends of Hagerman NWR Photo Club Meet Up to Find Dragonflies!
We'll meet up at the Visitor Center at 8:00 AM on Saturday, June 7th, then head to Picnic Pond to see what we can find! All are welcome, registration not required. Photo by Nancy Miller |
Nature'Ology: A Fun Day of Learning About Nature! A free single day camp for children 11 or 12 years old Saturday, June 7th, 2025 A full day of learning all about nature: fossils, prairies, spiders, birds, snakes and water cycles! Make a terrarium, enjoy a nature craft and meet other young nature enthusiasts! We only have a few spots left! |
| Puddles' Craft Corner By Cindy Steele, Master Naturalist |
Butterfly, Flutterby!
Welcome back to Puddles’ Craft Corner. It’s June and I can’t believe summer is here! If you have ever seen a blossoming tree or been in a flower garden, then there is no doubt that you have also seen a butterfly. Butterflies are known for their beautiful colors and unique patterns. They come in a large variety of shapes and sizes along with a unique lifecycle. This month, our craft celebrates these beautiful, fluttering, colorful summer visitors. There is just something so amazing about a beautiful, fragile butterfly choosing YOU to land on!
Puddles, the mascot of the National Wildlife Refuge System, is here to help us learn a bit about butterflies while making a colorful craft. Nature arts and crafts are fun and can be a great learning tool for kids. Crafts are not only entertaining, but they teach colors, numbers, shapes, and develop fine motor skills while getting kids excited about nature. Not only is this craft lovely, but it is packed with those fine-motor skills. Dabbing, squeezing, scrunching, pinching… it’s perfect for kids!
This is a great activity to sprinkle in a bit of information about butterflies. Use this poster...
Continue the Lesson With Full Instructions and other Nature Crafts with Puddles
Junior Ranger Program
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| The Junior Ranger Pledge As a Junior Ranger at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, I pledge to protect outdoor creatures small, big and huge. To keep the water, air and land clean. To make enjoying nature a routine. I will share my new skills with family and friends. When people and nature work together, everybody wins! |
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Sponsors Enable the Friends to…
Join Today! Memberships available for $10 |
Early Bird Walk with Jack Chiles Master Naturalist Jack Chiles will lead our Early Birding event, weather permitting. Bring binoculars or borrow ours. Meet at the Visitor Center and return in time for the Second Saturday program.
This event is unlikely to cancel because of the flooding. Register to be updated if anything changes. |
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Do You Like to Work Outside? The Refuge Needs You! |
It takes a lot of people to have a beautiful garden! The Wednesday Garden Team Love to work with native plants and meet other gardeners? Come and help us add plants, weed and mulch our beautiful butterfly garden. Garden Team volunteers get first dibs on thinned native plants as well as access to seeds and cuttings for propagation. Gardeners meet on most Wednesdays, but times vary. Contact Us to subscribe to the volunteer garden team weekly email. Provide own tools and gloves. Minimum age 18, or 16 if accompanied by parent/volunteer. |
Mowing and Refuge Beautification: The Work Crew Do you enjoy working outside, mowing, sprucing up hiking trails, trimming and removing brush and general cleanup? Show your love for nature by joining the Outdoor Crew at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge. Outdoor Crew volunteers meet on the First Tuesday and Fourth Saturday of every month. Contact Us for exact times, dates and other details about joining the volunteer Work Crew. Scouts welcome! |
Visitor Center Volunteers Needed! |
Do you enjoy meeting all kinds of people from all over the world, and like-minded people in our area? If yes, consider joining our team of Visitor Center Volunteers. You will greet refuge guests, distribute maps and other refuge information, and make sales in the gift shop. Shifts available every day of the week: Monday through Saturday 9 AM to 12:30 PM and 12:30 to 4:00 PM, Sunday 1:00 to 5:00 PM. Training is provided. Contact Us if interested. |
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| Thank You To Our Contributors: Jack Chiles, TMN, Julie Custer-Gregg, Cindy Steele, TMN, Pam Flaming, TMN, Nancy Miller, Pam Redall-Bass Refuge Manager: Kathy Whaley Visitor Services Manager: Spencer Beard Editors: Patricia Crain, Laurie SheppardFriends of Hagerman NWR Foundation 6465 Refuge Road, Sherman, TX 75092 Phone: 903-786-2826 Join us on Facebook: |
Search for any word--do not use quotes for phrases |
6465 Refuge Road Sherman, TX 75092
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Kroger: Stop by the customer service desk at Kroger and link your Kroger Card to the Friends of Hagerman: the Friends will get rewards for every dollar you spend, at no cost to you.
Please add info@friendsofhagerman.org to your contacts to ensure delivery of registration confirmations, account information and the Featherless Flyer
See you at the refuge!