The Highland Lakes of the Texas Hill Country: What's Happening!

Feature News
Eagles Appearing: Eagles Spotted on Upper Lake Buchanan
by: Daniel Clifton; Daily Tribune Staff

Vanishing Texas River Cruise reports four bald eagles . . .
Lake Buchanan eagles are wintering birds . . .

LAKE BUCHANAN —A few winter Texans have already stretched their wings over the Highland Lakes, even if it is a little earlier than expected.

These visitors, however, don't come driving Winnebagos or towing an Airstream. They come on their own stream of air. They are the Lake Buchanan bald eagles.

"They've spotted the first bald eagle up on the Colorado River above Lake Buchanan," said eagle enthusiast Charles Tischler. Tischler began making trips to the lake in the '70s to observe and study the birds. "These are wintering birds so they don't take up residence here."

The bald eagles typically spend the winter along the upper part of Lake Buchanan and the Colorado River from November to March. But Tischler said it's not uncommon to get an early bird. The odd thing about the bird sighted Sept. 19 was its maturity.

"Usually the early ones tend to be juveniles because they don't always know what they are doing, but this one was an adult," he said.

Tim Mohan of the Vanishing Texas River Cruise confirmed the first bird. But he said they've spotted several more since the Sept. 19 sighting.

"On Friday (Oct. 5) we spotted a juvenile," he said. "Then on Sunday we spotted four bald eagles — two adults and two juveniles. One of the adults flew right over the boat and entertained everybody. The others we saw were well up in the sky but you could see what they were with binoculars."

The cruise takes passengers up the Colorado River throughout the year. But from November to March, they also offer an eagle-viewing journey. Even though several bald eagles have been spotted, Mohan said the four-hour eagle-watching cruise still won't start until Nov. 17. But, he said, the VTRC still offers its regular two-hour cruises.

Last year because of the low water on the Colorado River, the VTRC couldn't take its boat upstream. Mohan said this year that has all changed.

"We can go up the river now," he said.

Tischler said the bald eagles like this portion of the Colorado River because of the high bluffs and trees that provide them with places to roost and watch for fish. It's also fairly secluded.

Naturalist have known about the Lake Buchanan winter population since the 70s but it wasn't until the 1980s that it really became public knowledge. As one of the early Lake Buchanan bald eagle observers, Tischler said the information was kept quiet at first to protect the birds because many people still held negative view of them because they are predators. Tischler and other volunteers observed and recorded data on the Lake Buchanan winter population.

In 1985, they joined with the National Mid-Winter Bald Eagle Survey so information on the Lake Buchanan wintering bald eagles could be shared with other researchers.

On the second Saturday in January, volunteers conduct a population survey of the Lake Buchanan bald eagles. Last year because of the low water up the Colorado River, the VTRC boat couldn't be used so two volunteers (Mohan and Candy Olson) made a 13-mile kayak trip from Colorado Bend State Park to Lake Buchanan to count bald eagles. On the morning of the count, a harsh cold front slammed the area making the trip even more uncomfortable. Even so, Mohan and Olson counted nine eagles on their journey.

Tischler said the survey will be held again in January.

But if the water is high enough, Mohan said they will use the VTRC boat as the survey platform.

On June 28, the U.S. Department of the Interior removed the American bald eagle from the Federal List of Endangered Species and Threatened Wildlife and Plants. It is still protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

Despite the species' removal from the endangered list, Tischler said seeing them is still a treat.

"I thing people need to understand that even though they are no longer on the endangered species list, bald eagles are still rare," he said. "It's so special when you see one. Even after years of observing them, I still look forward to them coming back each winter. It's almost like a part of your family coming back."

For more information on the VTRC and bald eagle cruises, go to the Web site www.vtrc.com

daniel@thepicayune.com

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Art and Wine Trail, 6th Semi-annual: November 17 & 18, 2007

ArtandWine.org is more than a destination. It's an experience of the finest offerings in art and wine west of Austin. During this self-guided tour, come and go at your leisure to the galleries, studios, and vineyards for an up-close version of being involved with the process. This two day event is a wonderful opportunity to meet and visit with artists in their working studios; to see the vineyards, talk with the owners, and sample their award winning wines. Participating galleries, studios and wineries will be serving beverages and hors d'oeuvres.

Saturday & Sunday - 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
(Vineyards open at noon on Sunday) Touring the trail is free of charge.

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Burnet County Lights Up for the Holidays: November 19 - December 31, 2007, Burnet, TX

With the holidays right around the corner, it's time to begin planning for the activities that can help families celebrate the season. For many, Burnet County has just the answer.

Just an hour's drive from Austin or San Antonio, many make the beautiful trip through the Hill Country to see Burnet County’s many lighted holiday events.

For the second time in its 70- year history, the Burnet County Courthouse will be dressed in thousands of twinkling white lights for the holiday season, joining a larger tradition of lighted trails and special events that Burnet County celebrates during the holiday season.

The Burnet County Courthouse will be lit up on Nov. 19, at 6 p.m. The lights will continue to shine from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. every evening through Dec. 31 for all to enjoy.

The public is invited to the courthouse lawn for an opening night celebration. The courthouse is located on the Historic Square at 220 S. Pierce. The City of Burnet will feature a celebration of the Christmas tree with a series of decorated trees placed from the Burnet Train Depot, home of the Hill Country Flyer, through the Historic Square to Hamilton Creek Park and Creek Walk.

Visitors can enjoy a leisurely stroll from the depot on Jackson Street, which will feature lights overhead, to Burnet’s Historic Square. The vintage-style light around the Historic Square will also be decorated with lighted wreaths.

Visitors can continue two blocks to Hamilton Creek Park and the Creek Walk, which will feature even more lighted trees. Hamilton Creek also will be decorated with lights. Other wonderful Burnet County holiday events are featured on page eight of this newsletter. Bring the whole family and celebrate the season.

For more information on these events, contact the Burnet Chamber of Commerce at (512) 756- 4297 or visit www.burnetchamber.org.

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Walkway of Lights and Main Street Bethlehem are Two Burnet County Holiday Favorites:
Walkway of Lights; November 16, 2007 - January 1, 2008, Marble Falls, TX
Main Street Bethlehem; December 1-3 & December 8-10, 2007, Burnet, TX

Marble Falls' Lakeside Park is home of the Walkway of Lights. Since 1991, Walkway of Lights has dazzled thousands of visitors with over one million twinkling lights reflecting on beautiful Lake Marble Falls.

The self-guided winter wonderland is free to the public but donations are cheerfully accepted. The initial lighting will coincide with the Christmas Light-Up Parade on Nov. 16.

Enjoy this display from Nov. 16 through Jan. 1 with illumination from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. nightly. For more information, call 1-800-759-8178 or visit www.marblefalls.org.

Another holiday favorite is Burnet's Main Street Bethlehem, a live reenactment of the night of Christ's birth. The event is the first and second weekend of December from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Friday through Sunday). Visit www.fbcburnet.org/html/msb.html for more information.

Visitors from around Texas, the United States, and the world have visited Burnet County in past years because of the variety of conveniently located lighted trails offering a unique way of celebrating the holidays. Come see for yourself, and begin your own family's holiday tradition.

Best of all, all these lighted trails are free to the public. Burnet County is located just northwest of Austin in the Highland Lakes region of the Hill Country. Lodging reservations are recommended if you want to spend the night during the busy holiday season. Maps and a list of Burnet County lodgers are available at www.visitburnetcounty.org.

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Celebrate Christmas at Old Fort Croghan: December 8, 2007, 5:30p.m. to 8:30p.m., Burnet, TX

Come on home to Christmas at Old Fort Croghan in Burnet to celebrate the holiday season the way the pioneers did.

Enjoy a Christmas cookie and some hot cider as you stroll along paths lined with luminaries, and see what it might have been like to experience Christmas in the 1800s.

Decorated with boughs of fresh greenery and Christmas trees cut from nearby ranch land, the cabins of Fort Croghan come alive with the sights and sounds of Christmas.

Bring your camera and your Christmas spirit to Fort Croghan the second Saturday night in December from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.. The fort is a must see for the holiday season.

Admission and parking are free, but donations are graciously accepted.

For more information on Christmas at Old Fort Croghan, call (512) 756-8281, or visit www.fortcroghan.org.

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