A Visit to a Texas Apiary

As I go farther down the trail of life I have decided to spend my latter years learning to do things that I always wanted to learn or even was jealous that others knew how to do and I did not. I have new found respect for my grandparents and the skills that they had learned and oh how I wish I had paid more attention to some of the crafts they mastered. My grandfather on my mother’s side of the family, Otto, was a carpenter and could build a house from the ground up all by himself. My grandfather on my father’s side, Eddie, was a jack of all trades and one of the gentlest men I have ever known. Both were men of God and high character and taught me many of the skills I know today, but I could have learned so much more if I had only been more attentive. When something broke they did not run to Home Depot or Lowe's and buy a new one. They went to the barn or shop and fixed it. I have seen both make a part and fix something for a tractor or piece of equipment on the ranch and go right back to work. If a saddle strap or bridle was broken they mended it. If a hose leaked it was patched. Tires were taken off the wheel and patched on the spot. I can remember sitting in the barn on rainy days with a hammer and anvil beating old bent nails back straight to be used again in the next project. Wood and metal tools were cleaned, oiled, sharpened if need be, and cared for to use for a life time, then pass down to the next generation.

I have been learning such things as wood boat building and general wood working. I am studying about such things as vineyards, wine making and gardening. I made my first batch of Mustang Grape wine this last year. My wife and I made Mustang grape, Algerita and Prickly Pear jellies and jams from wild fruits we gathered at the ranch this last year. I want to learn such skills as welding, cheese making, dairying with goats, beekeeping, masonry and a host of other things before my time on this earth has passed. I told my wife the other day that by the time I leave this earth I might be a pretty useful person. I only wish I learned more of this when I was seven foot tall and bullet proof, but such are the dreams of older, wiser men.

In the last few weeks I cured a whole pork loin and made some wonderful Canadian style bacon. I made pickled spiced peaches from fresh Texas peaches and canned them with a hot bath just like my German grandmother used to do.

One morning this last week I had a wonderful experience that I will remember the rest of my life. I was invited to assist my friend, Chris Smith, in the task of working the bee hives in his apiary. I hope to eventually be able to have my own apiary, but if I never do I will always have the memory of holding hundreds of honey bees in my hands watching them care for brood and do their work just inches from my veiled face. Standing there holding a frame of comb covered in hundreds of bees while thousands more buzz around you is an awesome experience. At the opening of the first hive there was rush and you have an unsure feeling as you wonder if the bees will attack and try to sting you. After a few minutes of working the bees and inspecting for their general health, productivity and hive growth you are more worried about mashing one of the bees than about getting stung.

I can tell you one thing, be sure and wear as little clothing under the protective bee suit as you can in this hundred degree Texas weather. I had on jeans and a long sleeve shirt under my bee suit and after a couple of hours in that suit I was drenched and parched. I then had the pleasure of getting to sit and talk about the experiences with the bees while sipping on one of Chris's homemade ales. Now I want to learn how to make ale too. Get out and broaden your horizons, learn a new skill and pass it on to the next generation. They will some day thank you for doing so, Wild Ed

Remember to click on comments below to leave a comment or read the comments from others

Queen of the Sun, What the Bees are Telling Us

I have been doing quite a bit of study into the life and habits of bees so that I will be able to keep a hive of bees. I would like to provide all that they need to be healthy naturally and maybe supply my family with a little honey on the side. I am finding that bees live in a very complex society and do some very incredible things. The more I learn the more I realize the collapse of bee populations will most likely lead to the collapse of the human population. Our very existence and the complete food chain is so intertwined as to not be able to function without our natural pollinators. Take a moment to watch the trailer below. You may need to go down to the bottom of this page and cut off or mute my play list so that the music does not interfere with your hearing the trailer. If you get the chance to see this movie do so and take your kids along. I think it will be very educational and thought provoking. It may make some of you decide to become beekeepers yourselves just as I have. The bees will appreciate it and so will generations to come,

Wild Ed

Here is a link to the official movie page where you can learn more and find screenings in your area http://www.queenofthesun.com/

In 2006, beekeepers around the world began reporting a strange and troubling phenomenon -- the population of their hives was shrinking dramatically, with the insects disappearing for reasons unknown to their minders, and in time close to a third of the world's honeybee population had seemingly vanished. While this was of great concern to people who produced honey for market, they were not the only ones worried; bees help pollinate many major cash crops, including a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts and beans, and what's come to be known as Colony Collapse Disorder has far-reaching consequences for the international agricultural community. With bees involved in the growth of forty percent of the world's food, restoring the global bee population is of crucial importance, and filmmaker Taggard Siegel examines the role of bees in agriculture and the ecosystem, leading theories about CCD, possible solutions, and the theories of Rudolph Steiner in the documentary Queen Of The Sun. In the 1920s, Steiner was a leading biologist who believed crossbreeding of honeybees could lead to the doom of the species; over eighty years later, are Steiner's notions becoming reality? Queen Of The Sun was an official selection at the 2010 Seattle International Film Festival.

Remember to click on Comments below to leave a comment or read the comments of others

Georgetown Fishermen Have a Good Trip

Some of the Georgetown gang went fishing again. Steve Wilson and Steve Turner sent me this picture of 45 Crappie and 50 White Bass from their recent trip to Lake Limestone. I am beginning to wonder if these guys just found a really good fresh fish market. What time is the fish fry, Wild Ed

Nathan's Colorado Pictures

My nephew by choice, Nathan, got involved with a raven-haired, laughing-eyed beauty in Colorado not long after his return from serving our country in Iraq. I tried to tell him she would lure him away from Texas but you know how those stories go. Anyway he ended up with a beautiful girl that allows him to pursue his heart's desire in his work. He has taken a job he tells me is working as a Forest Ranger in Colorado. I think that he has pulled off the greatest con of all getting to do something he loves and being paid for it. I made the mistake of not following my dream for a profession and have always advised those younger than me to work at whatever your heart leads you to do so that every day at work is an adventure. Nathan got a new camera for his college graduation present and sent me some nice pictures from his work. I thought you might enjoy seeing them. Pictures are memories you can look at later in life, take all you can. Get out and make some memories of your own, Wild Ed

Bighorn Ram Bighorn Ewe

Bighorn Ewe and Lamb

Raccoon

Mt. Evans Wilderness Area

American Goldfinch

Bumble Bee

Wild Honey Bees

You may have to blow this picture up to see

that Nathan is running from hundreds of wild honey bees!

This is my favorite shot for some reason. It makes me smile

just to think about it.

A Texas Fish Story

A group of my shotgun shooting buddies recently took some time off and went fishing on Lake Tawakoni, near Dallas. Off course I was not on the trip so they actually sacked up the fish. It is kind of like when I go somewhere and they tell me "You should have been here last week", anyway they hooked up with guide Jimmy Smith and he put them on the Sand Bass, Hybrids and Stripers. In one day fishermen Brett Wilson, Steve Wilson and Dennis Chapman boxed 91 Sand Bass,Hybrids and Stripers after releasing about 40 other fish. That is a great day on the water by any standard. The next day they only had about 2 1/2 hours to fish and still managed to box close to 80 fish. I have never met Jimmy Smith but this group swears by his ability and they all had a great trip. Congrats guys I know it is such a wonderful feeling to have a great trip at least once in a while. For the rest of us we can all dream of the next time we hit the water. Keep what you can use and release the rest, Wild Ed

Texas Bees May Be in Trouble

Have you ever spent much time studying or watching bees? I have set in a deer blind and watched bees going about whatever it is they do that time of year but never really known of their importance. I have watched them going from blossom to blossom in the spring and was amazed at the little bright bags of nectar carried on their legs as they fly around. I have swatted at bees that buzzed me and even been stung a few times for getting too close or mashing a bee that I did not know had gotten caught in my hair, back when I had hair. Can you even imagine Texas without bluebonnets and the other wild flowers we so love to see each year? I sure did not realize that without bees Texas would most likely not have all the wildflowers, fruits and vegetables that bees pollinate each year. I can not imagine the effects on our lives and the wildlife of Texas if the bees were no longer a part of the ecosystem. Not only do bees pollinate our native plants but over 500 million dollars worth of crops in Texas each year. I can’t even imagine a Texas without all of the native plants and flowers that are pollinated by bees.

Native bees and domesticated bees are declining in Texas. Not only is development eating up the wild places at an alarming rate but newer and stronger pesticides are being released to be used on crops every year. Some are being used knowing that along with pests they will kill beneficial insects such as bees. Plants and foods are being shipped into Texas from all over the world with pests that will harm or kill many of the insects here. New viruses from unknown sources are showing up and attacking the bees. Entire colonies and hives of bees are being wiped out by something now called “Colony Collapse Disorder”, research is pointing more and more to agribusiness as the culprit with new pesticides along with the chemical coatings they put on seeds which are ending up in pollen and blossoms as a link to the CCD.






I got interested in bees through a friend that was telling me about bees and about beekeeping. I also have an interest in learning some of the old skills and crafts of self sufficiency and passing them on to the following generations. I have decided to start planting native plants that are beneficial to bees and other wildlife along with providing watering sites. During the current drought it so critical for our wildlife to have sources of water, I have heard stories of people finding large numbers of bees and other insects at their pets watering bowls or their kid’s pools in the back yard. As natural water pools, creeks and other sources dry up, all wildlife are seeking sources of water. Try and provide a water site for bees, birds and other wildlife in your area if you can. Think about planting plants that are used by bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other wildlife. You can find lists of beneficial native plants online in many places; one to start with is the Texas Parks and Wildlife website. You might even decide to take the next step as I have done and set up a bee hive to attract a wild swarm or purchase a domestic swarm and add back to the declining bee population. I ordered a cedar bee hive and plan on finishing it in linseed oil and beeswax so the look will be natural and it will blend into my yard instead of standing out in the traditional white. We are also planning on having better plants and gardens as we will have great pollinators living right on site. Maybe we will even be able to enjoy a little actual sweetness from our efforts in the form of natural non chemical treated honey. Enjoy the world around you, but reach out and give a helping hand, Wild Ed

Padre Island Jack Crevalle

One of my most favorite places to go spend a day or two in Texas is the Padre Island National Seashore at Corpus Christi Texas. The park is a wilderness beach where big fish come in close to shore and sometimes I catch some of them. It is a wild place with not only a wild beach but sand dunes, flats, swamps and estuaries. Uncountable numbers of birds live there or stop over in migration. There are a breath taking vistas of ocean, beach, sand dunes and wildlife. From the terns and seagulls to pelicans and falcons all types of birds make PINS a stop on their flights. It is not unusual to see a Wiley coyote or a whitetail buck running the beach at daylight. The fishing is not a free for all but on some days the bounty of the ocean is at your feet in the first wade gut. On a good clear day you will see bait fish in the waves and predators right up against the beach feeding on the bait. It's not uncommon to spot very large sharks cruising the wade guts very close to the beach. I have seen blacktips, bulls, tigers and hammerheads all caught from the shore. A famous saying by Captain Billy Sandifer, a local guide, is that if you are knee deep in the Gulf of Mexico you are an integral part of the food chain.

My younger brother recently got to spend a couple of days on the beach at Padre and yes I am jealous, but I will let him tell his own story. Make your own trip to PINS as soon as you can. It will be worth it, Wild Ed




Fishing the beach during the summer months is always fun. You never know what you are going to catch and that is part of the fun of saltwater fishing. As a beach fisherman I have been fishing the Padre Island National Seashore for many years. Over the years I have learned some of the tricks of surf fishing and some of the things you should and should not do. Some of those lessons, even us old timers forget. Watching your rod and reel at all times is one of those lessons. I had out two large surf rigs baited with several live mullet I caught in my throw net. Being that nothing was really biting, I decided to wade out with a smaller rod and fish the second and third guts. As I looked back at the beach in horror, I saw my twelve foot surf rod and Diawa reel heading out to sea at a scorching speed! I set a course to intersect the last sight of my rod somewhere between the second and third gut. Just as I got there, my rod came surfing by and I grabbed it with my open hand. After wading back to the beach I put up the other rod and now the fight was on! Most of my line had been pulled out so it took some time to reel in this little Jack. (Especially after being so worn out from chasing my rod through the surf!) Just a reminder to the rest of you! If you like your current rod and reel do not leave it unattended.
(Unless you need a good excuse for your wife to let you buy a new one!) Have fun fishing and tight lines! Mike

Introduction: Birding Tanzania

Welcome to the birding blog I maintained during the year I lived in Dar es Salaam and traveled throughout Tanzania. Originally, my wife Aimee and I had planned to stay in East Africa for a number of years, similar to our experience in Ecuador, where we lasted for six years, but an opportunity arose for us to pick up yet again and move to Brazil. Although my time was unexpectedly short in the region, I worked hard to make it special, taking advantage of my proximity to visit some of the most fabled nature reserves in the world, including the Serengeti and the Eastern Arc Mountain Ranges. Exploring Tanzania is extremely expensive, and most visiting birders won’t want to risk planning an independent trip, as there is simply too much money at stake to try and figure things out on your own. Still, I wanted to describe my own experiences driving around and birding the country and to share information about my successes and failures. Hopefully, visiting birders will benefit from my accounts, even if they’re working with a tour company to organize their trip.

With over 1100 bird species recorded, including more than twenty country and dozens of regional endemic species, Tanzania is a spectacular country for birding, offering a wide variety of habitats, including montane forest, miombo woodland, savanna, arid plains, and coastline, making it an important migratory passageway as well. Despite all of these attractions, on visits to the many national parks and reserves, birds often take a back seat to the big game on display, such as lions, elephants, and giraffes. A visit to East Africa can indeed be a trip of a lifetime for birders, but it’s far from being in paradise. Here in Tanzania, where poverty and disease are crippling, habitat destruction is widespread, and energy and fuel costs are skyrocketing, birding is even more problematic than usual, giving visitors plenty to contemplate beyond their life lists as they travel between sites. Although I certainly wasn’t always a responsible tourist during my time here, I had my eyes opened to a lot more than a few new birds, and I would encourage visiting birders to plan for a more holistic experience of the country rather than a strategic bird strike.

While my knowledge of the country remains limited, please feel free to contact me with any questions as you plan your trip. Although I'm excited to be moving on to birding in Brazil, I'm disappointed to leave this compelling and complicated country so soon.

Texas Newborn Fawns

Yesterday I was checking one of the game cameras at our place in Lampasas and found these pictures of a doe and her new fawn. It reminded me that I needed to post a warning about touching newborn fawns. This is the time of year we are seeing this years fawn crop in more and more neighborhoods as we encroach into their habitat with housing developments. Here in Suburbia the deer are quite at home with living on the forage found in large yards and greenbelts. Several generations have been raised among the houses and traffic and thus it is normal for them. What is not normal are the numbers of fawns that are picked up by well meaning souls that find them laying in the yard or on the edge of a hike and bike trail. A doe will place her fawn somewhere she feels is secure and go off to feed. She will later return to check the fawn and nurse it as needed. So many city folks that run across these fawns think they are abandoned or the mother is dead and take them. Not being equipped nor trained in raising deer they either have to get help or raise it themselves. Many can not get the little fawn to nurse or give it the wrong kind of milk and start it towards a cruel death even though they had good intentions. Rehabbers in our area have an over abundance of whitetail fawns they are raising because well intentioned people have picked them up.

Remember that if you find a fawn to leave it where it is unless it is covered by fire ants. Do not get your scent on it. The doe will return and retrieve her fawn later. If you really think it is abandoned come back and check on it later. Ninety-nine percent of the time the doe will have moved it. It is illegal for you to possess a fawn in Texas so if it truly needs help you should go to the Texas Parks and Wildlife website and locate a licensed rehabber in your area. They will take the fawn and give it a chance to survive. Feel free to observe the beautiful wildlife of Texas but do it from a distance, Wild Ed

Wami Mbiki Wildlife Management Area: June 4-5, 2011

I figured there was no better way to spend my last weekend in Tanzania than to go birding, but finally making out to miombo woodland habitat gave me true cause for celebration. The word miombo is tossed around a lot in field guides and trip reports, but it’s difficult to get a sense of what the term actually means. Supposedly, miombo woodland is wherever trees of the Brachystegia genus are found, which is often in hilly areas in southern Tanzania and beyond to Mozambique, Malawi, and Zambia. As I can’t identify trees taxonomically, I would characterize miombo woodland as being relatively dry and open, with large small-leafed trees interspersed with shorts bushes and grassland, sort of like a stand of old oak trees in central California. I would also say that miombo woodland is where the tsetse flies dwell en masse, as we were literally swarmed by them at times this weekend (I wore my thick rain jacket in protection but still got bit twice around the waist). Perhaps, you don’t really know you’re in miombo until you start seeing Pale-Billed Hornbills instead of African Grey Hornbills or Racket-Tailed Rollers instead of Lilac Breasted Rollers; that is, you don’t know you’re there until you know you’re there.

While there is miombo woodland in the Selous Game Reserve and Mikumi National Park, both at least five hour’s drive from Dar es Salaam, the Wami Mbiki Wildlife Management Area (Tsh 10,000 per person entrance fee) boasts an outstanding tract that stretches from the Morogoro Road outside of Chalinze north to the Wami River. While there’s not much big game to be readily found (we did briefly encounter a leopard on our night drive, though), the birding proved rewarding as in any national park, and I was thrilled to find half a dozen new birds, including several miombo specialties, such as the Racket-Tailed Roller, Pale-Billed Hornbill, Rufous-Bellied Tit, and Miombo Wren-Warbler. The roller was easily the bird of the trip: long, slender, and a lovely pale blue, two birds swooped through the trees around the road, perching finally in the distance, where their elegant tail streamers could be seen with delicate rackets at the end. If it weren’t for the tsetse flies, I would say the site makes for an easy and rewarding day trip from Dar, but the infrastructure appears unpredictable and the way is unclear, so I wouldn’t recommend trying to visit unless you’re in the company of someone who has been there before (special thanks to Tony Evans for organizing our weekend).

Notable birds seen: Black-Headed Heron, Hamerkop, Hadada Ibis, Bateleur, Allen’s Gallinule, African Jacana, Buff-Crested Bustard, Emerald-Spotted Wood-Dove, Ring-Necked Dove, Brown-Headed Parrot, White-Browed Coucal, Striped Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Swallow-Tailed Bee-Eater, Racket-Tailed Roller, Green Wood-Hoopoe, African Hoopoe, Pale-Billed Hornbill, Southern Ground-Hornbill, Black-Collared Barbet, Brown-Breasted Barbet, Cardinal Woodpecker, African Pied Wagtail, White-Headed Black Chat, Rattling Cisticola, Miombo Wren-Warbler, Pale Flycatcher, Pale Batis, Arrow-Marked Babbler, Rufous-Bellied Tit, African Penduline-Tit, Scarlet-Chested Sunbird, Black-Backed Puffback, Brown-Crowned Tchagra, Grey-Headed Bush-Shrike, White-Crested Helmet-Shrike, Retz’s Helmet-Shrike, Fork-Tailed Drongo, African Black-Headed Oriole, Yellow-Throated Petronia.