Texas Master Naturalist - El Camino Real Chapter

04/19/2026

Sorry we’ve been quiet lately — blame the page manager. But we do want to share a couple of photos from our visit to the Wildflower Center, where we learned a lot about what plants do best in what parts of Texas and got some lovely plants for our urban wild scape.

04/10/2026

We had such a great chapter meeting this month, starting with our annual fish fry, thanks to our intrepid fishers and fryers. Our speaker, Brittany Perry, got us excited about a reintroduction of Rio Grande Turkeys in Milam and Williamson Counties. We hope to see more of her! And our Chapter Meeting brought much news and cheers as three members were recertified for 2026. Thanks to all who attended!

03/14/2026

We’ve been learning a lot about Milam County bats. We have more than you might think!

By Carolyn Henderson The bats are in residence in a strip mall here in Cameron. I believe they are Mexican Free Tails. Every evening around 6:30 pm they exit their abode in search of the evening me…

03/12/2026

The H-E-B Pollinators for Texas project is really moving along!

by Catherine Johnson Progress continues on the Pollinators for Texas in the Milam Wildscape. More crushed granite will arrive soon to finish the pathways. The new raised beds were recently planted…

02/14/2026

Signs of Spring

Catherine Johnson Signs of spring in February at the Wildscape include these welcome sights: Fragrant Sumac buds Bee on Elbow bush Ducks in mud Southwest garden We look forward to seeing how all the work we've done for the Pollinators for Texas project comes to life in the next few months! The Pollinators for Texas project is a collaborative effort with H-E-B and the Texas Master Naturalist (TMN) Program focused on enhancing native pollinator conservation across the state by promoting awareness, conservation efforts and creating sustainable pollinator environments. The initiative aims to engage communities in supporting pollinator-friendly practices through funding TMN chapter-led projects and programs.

Catherine Johnson Signs of spring in February at the Wildscape include these welcome sights: Fragrant Sumac buds Bee on Elbow bush Ducks in mud Southwest garden We look forward to seeing how all th…

02/13/2026

We had our first recertification for 2026 at this month’s chapter meeting. The dedicated Linda Jo Conn has her bobcat pin! She’s joined by our newest President, Marian Buegeler, and Membership Chair Patricia Coombs.

02/08/2026

Purple Martins Are Here!

By Sue Ann Kendall That’s right, nature lovers, it may only be halfway to spring, but the first Purple Martins have already arrived! Merlin found the first scouts at the Hermits’ Rest ranch on Febr…

02/01/2026

Mama Southern Plains Crayfish

by Kay FellowsA few days after winter storm Fern hit central Texas I spotted this XLLL crayfish putting the pedal to the metal in a “stream” of ice melt that was flowing to one of my stock tanks. I posted her on iNaturalist (naturally). Don Johnson, a crawdad aficionado, noted that this was a female with young. Check out the video!

by Kay FellowsA few days after winter storm Fern hit central Texas I spotted this XLLL crayfish putting the pedal to the metal in a “stream” of ice melt that was flowing to one of my stock tanks. I…

01/25/2026

A Gray Cardinal? Discovering the Pyrrhuloxia at Twisted Creek Ranch

by Michelle Lopez The first time I saw it, I knew immediately it wasn’t a Northern Cardinal. At a glance, it had that familiar cardinal shape, but something was different—more gray overall, with muted red highlights and none of the bold black around the bill. At the time, I didn’t know exactly what to look for, only that my eyes were telling me this was something else....

by Michelle Lopez The first time I saw it, I knew immediately it wasn’t a Northern Cardinal. At a glance, it had that familiar cardinal shape, but something was different—more gray overall, with mu…

01/19/2026

Beaver Dam Education

By Sue Ann Kendall This past Saturday was chilly, plus there was a brisk wind. That didn’t stop a small but eager group of members of our chapter and friends, though. It was their big chance to lea…

01/13/2026

Pepper Pot Mushroom: A Rare First for Milam County

by Michelle Lopez Sometimes the most extraordinary discoveries happen quietly—right under our feet. While exploring Twisted Creek Ranch, I came across an unfamiliar mushroom growing beneath a mix of native trees. At first glance, it didn’t resemble the common fungi we see after rains. Its clustered form and unusual structure immediately stood out, prompting a deeper look and documentation. After careful observation, photo documentation, and consultation, the mushroom was identified as the Pepper Pot mushroom—a species with only around 820 documented sightings worldwide....

by Michelle Lopez Sometimes the most extraordinary discoveries happen quietly—right under our feet. While exploring Twisted Creek Ranch, I came across an unfamiliar mushroom growing beneath a mix o…