Pond Society Field Trip & Bird Watching at Lake Sheldon, Sat., March 6

The Houston Pond Society's Annual Field Trip will be Saturday, March 6, 2010. Our destination will be Sheldon Lake State Park, near Beltway 8 and I-10, about 30 minutes east of downtown Houston. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/sheldon_lake/ [1] and the Friends site: www.foslp.org [2]
This land is a 3,000 acre haven for wildlife. Its ponds and wetlands teem with birds, turtles, aquatic plants, gardens, and aligators. Lake Sheldon provides diverse wildlife habitat with excellent bird-watching, canoeing, and fishing opportunities.
The 40-acre Nature Learning Center forms the core, featuring very accessible trails easily walked in less than an hour, bridges, and decks for viewing the ponds. There is a small covered Intrepretive Center with information about the wildlife species that inhabit the park. A garden area displays uses of various native plants: the Texas Wildscape Garden creates habitat for wildlife; in the Heritage Garden grow plants valued by pioneers for dyes, medicines, spices, and food; and the Hummingbird and Pollinator Gardens provide food for hummingbirds and butterflies.
Although our trip date may be a tad early for some of the vegetation, we should be able to enjoy the gardens, water lilies, and marsh plants. Bird watching, however, should be in full swing, and easy to do from the paths and decks. Or, bring water proof shoes and walk out into the marshes. Don't forget your binoculars! There are two picnic areas, for grabbing a bite or just taking a break. Note: The lake / reservoir itself is not accessible by foot, so is not included in this tour.
Trip Details:
We will meet at the park about 12:00 noon. For those who want a ride, we have chartered a bus. To ride the bus, meet at 11:00 a.m. (note change of time) at Danny Jackson Family Dog Park, 4828 ½ Loop Central Drive, Houston, TX 77081. This is near the intersection of Loop 610 and Hwy 59, off Westpark. Directions are on the park's website. Park management asks that we park in the back of the lot, so people using the dog park will have close access to the park entrance. Car pooling to the dog park is encouraged, if possible, to reduce the number of cars using their lot.
Danny Jackson Family Dog Park
4828 1/2 Loop Central Dr.
Houston, Texas, 77081
Link to park
We'll leave our cars and ride together by bus to the park. Snacks and bottled water provided on the bus ride. We'll spend about two hours ejoying the trails, ponds, birds, and educational center. Once we've had our fill, we'll head back, stopping for a late lunch at Carino's Italian Restaurant, 5921 E. Sam Houston Parkway, North, Houston 77049, http://www.carinos.com [3] , where we can compare notes .... and bird lists!
There is no charge for the trip, state park admission, or the bus. Everything's free except your restaurant meal.
The trip is open to anyone, but Houston Pond Society members will have priority seating on the bus. Because seating on the bus is limited to 29 people, you MUST RSVP to Julie Young, wallpaperlady@att.net [4] or (713) 528-5614 by March 3rd, Wednesday. Also contact Julie for more information. If you prefer not to ride the bus, just meet us at the Lake Sheldon State Park about 12:00 noon.
More info: Julie Young wallpaperlady@att.net [4] or (713) 528-5614