The CAMN Field Trip to Twistflower Ranch
At the end of August, ten Master Naturalists from the Capital Area and Hill Country (Kerrville) Chapters fled the oppressive central Texas humidity and sought refuge and advanced training on the caprock mesas and in the desert canyons of Twistflower Ranch. The ranch covers nearly six thousand acres on the far western edge of the Edwards Plateau ecoregion.
Mike McCloskey (CAMN class of 1998) and his family purchased the ranch near Iraan in 2000 as a retirement project with the twin goals of restoring habitat that had been overgrazed and creating a destination for urban dwellers to enjoy a remote nature experience.
Creosote and tarbush, while indigenous to desert ecologies, outcompete other plants and had come to dominate the landscape of the ranch. To restore diversity and habitat, these abundant plants are being removed, allowing the seed bank of native grasses and forbs to germinate. A wetlands area has been created in the depression of an old windmill. This consistent source of water in the desert attracts wildlife; multiple generations of birds now know and visit this site.
Ben Skipper, PhD., professor of biology at Angelo State University, has been surveying the bird population at Twistflower Ranch for three years. He showed the group how to set up mist nets to capture birds visiting the wetland. A few Master Naturalists accompanied Dr. Skipper in the predawn hours to open the nets. We learned how to band, measure and document the birds that came to the nets. Species included painted bunting, yellow-breasted chat, brown cowbirds, vermillion flycatcher, Bullock’s orioles, cardinals, pyrrhuloxia, and lark sparrows.
After a hearty lunch in the main lodge, the group headed out to explore archeological sites with (Mike) Quigg, staff archeologist with the Gault School of Archeological Research. He led us to large trash middens, grinding holes, hearths and the foundation stones of wickiups. Quigg demonstrated how the hunters and gatherers who travelled the area in small groups identified and used the resources the land provides and how they prepared their food. The tour also included areas of more recent human activity: the old ranch houses and out-buildings from the 1930’s.
The following day, the group hiked to another part of the ranch to view a rock shelter with pictographs. The pictographs have been dated to the same time as the rock art in the lower Pecos but the symbolism is different indicating that it may be a different group all-together.
After full days of exploring and learning, evenings were spent on the porch enjoying nature’s light shows. Friday night it was the stars and the Milky Way that are only visible when the skies are dark. Saturday night it was an awe-inspiring thunder and lightning storm–the kind for which west Texas is famous.
If you seek an opportunity to unplug and relax in beautiful accommodations, learn a lot and enjoy some amazing views you won’t want to miss this CAMN field trip the next time it comes around!
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