Join the Work Crew

Do you enjoy working outside, mowing, sprucing up hiking trails, trimming and removing brush and general cleanup? Show your love for nature by joining the Outdoor Crew at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge. Outdoor Crew volunteers meet on the First Tuesday and Fourth Saturday of every month. 

With budget cuts and staff shortages due to retirements, the refuge needs you more than ever!

For exact times, dates and other details about joining the volunteer Work Crew, please email us at: 

info@friendsofhagerman.org

Scouts welcome!

The Little Sit Sunrise Bird Count

Meet Jack and the Bird Census Team while learning how to identify the birds of North Texas, and enjoy the beautiful sunrise over Lake Texoma! Modeled after Cornell's national "Big Sit" event, the public is invited to join a group of dedicated birders at sunrise to conduct a bird count as multiple species fly to the water and the surrounding land to feed.  Leaders will bring spotting scopes and will provide tips for identification of the many species you will see.

This event begins 30 minutes before sunrise (sunrise is 7:11 AM) and lasts a couple of hours, but all are welcome to come and go as they please. Participants are advised to bring a chair, binoculars and water. 

The location of the Little Sit is technically in Sadler, TX, but it is within the boundaries of Hagerman NWR.

Location: H Pad, Sadler, Texas 76264 

GPS Coordinates: 

33.734961, -96.780582

Directions from the Hagerman Visitor Center:

• Take a right (north) out of the Visitor Center parking lot road.
• At the bottom of the hill, take a left onto the gravel road (Wildlife Dr).
• The road will end at the Big Mineral Day Use Area. Take a right onto Bennett Lane.
• You will cross a bridge over Big Mineral Creek, then go over a low water crossing.
• There will be several small gravel roads going off to the right.
• Stay on Bennett until the road forks, then go right.
• When the road forks again, go right.
• Take the gravel road to the right marked “H” (you will see oil tanks on the NE corner) and go all the way to the end.

Free and open to the public.  Donations are accepted to support this and other events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.

Join us with membership today to receive the monthly Featherless Flyer newsletter with nature articles, program information, updated events and other important refuge information.

Take a Tour on the Wildlife Explorer!

Come join us for a ride on the Wildlife Explorer! Our new and beautiful tram is available for ninety-minute tours of Hagerman every weekend, weather permitting. Our tours are as varied as our drivers. Each tram driver has her/his approach to the tour: you may learn about wildlife, birds, habitat, refuge history, photography, you name it! To paraphrase, “a Wildlife Explorer tour at Hagerman is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” But you know it’s going to be good! Come see us! Lots of stops for bird-watching and photography.

• Weather permitting, seating is limited. 
• Bring binoculars or borrow ours.
  
• Standbys accepted if space permits. 
• Ages 6 and above.
• Meet at the visitor center 15 minutes before departure. 

Free, open to the public, Donations are accepted to support all events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.

Join us with membership today to receive the monthly Featherless Flyer newsletter with nature articles, program information, updated events and other important refuge information!

Take a Tour on the Wildlife Explorer!

Come join us for a ride on the Wildlife Explorer! Our new and beautiful tram is available for ninety-minute tours of Hagerman every weekend, weather permitting. Our tours are as varied as our drivers. Each tram driver has her/his approach to the tour: you may learn about wildlife, birds, habitat, refuge history, photography, you name it! To paraphrase, “a Wildlife Explorer tour at Hagerman is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” But you know it’s going to be good! Come see us! Lots of stops for bird-watching and photography.

• Weather permitting, seating is limited. 
• Bring binoculars or borrow ours.
  
• Standbys accepted if space permits. 
• Ages 6 and above.
• Meet at the visitor center 15 minutes before departure. 

Free, open to the public, Donations are accepted to support all events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.

Join us with membership today to receive the monthly Featherless Flyer newsletter with nature articles, program information, updated events and other important refuge information!

Join the Birding Experts for an Early Bird Walk

Master Naturalist Jack Chiles will lead this Early Bird Walk, weather permitting.  Participants will view birds and wildlife along Harris Creek Trail, walking about two miles, and returning to the Visitor Center in time for the Second Saturday program.

Free and open to the public.  Donations are accepted to support this and other events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.

Join us with membership today to receive the monthly Featherless Flyer newsletter with nature articles, program information, updated events and other important refuge information.

Birding by Ear with Dr. Wayne Meyer

Observing birds requires more than just seeing them. When you learn to recognize their songs you will find more birds and get better ideas about where to find them. Top birders hear more birds first than they see first. Come learn a few of the common birds around the refuge and improve your results.

In 1993, Dr. Wayne Meyer finally achieved his life’s dream of being paid to look at birds when he joined the faculty of Austin College. He has birded both coasts of the U.S. extensively and now has spent a quarter century birding in Texas and Oklahoma. The proximity of Austin College to Hagerman NWR has made research on prairie birds easy and convenient and he has been studying song learning and singing in Painted Buntings for over a decade. Meyer is also a sought after speaker for Master Naturalist groups and a frequent speaker at the Friends of Hagerman NWR second Saturday programs.

Photo by Donnie Simmons

The Hagerman Butterfly Garden Docent Program:

• Learn about all things butterflies.
• Learn to identify the most common species seen in our area.
• Learn about monarch tagging and the plight of the monarch butterflies.
• Learn about native plants for feeding and breeding.
• Host Garden Walks and help visitors learn how to create their own butterfly gardens.
• Attend training and monthly educational meetings April through October (some Saturday and some weekday meetings).
• Sign up to host regularly scheduled Garden Walks and/or special walks during Spring Fest and during National Wildlife Refuge Week.
• Have fun!

For more information, contact:

Kim Tingle at info@friendsofhagerman.org

Texas Master Naturalist

HNWR Butterfly Garden Docent Program Chair

Photo by Laurie Sheppard

Meet Nancy Miller, the new Photo Club leader and meet up with us for a Full Moon Shoot!

The moon coming up over the refuge can make some great photos. If you would like to meet up and shoot the moonrise on April 12, send an email to sign up for this event. We will meet up at the Visitor Center at 7:15 in the parking lot, and go to the location from there. The moon will best be seen from Wildlife Drive.

Event Leader: Nancy Miller

Email for details: FOHPhotoClub@friendsofhageman.org

Take a Tour on the Wildlife Explorer!

Come join us for a ride on the Wildlife Explorer! Our new and beautiful tram is available for ninety-minute tours of Hagerman every weekend, weather permitting. Our tours are as varied as our drivers. Each tram driver has her/his approach to the tour: you may learn about wildlife, birds, habitat, refuge history, photography, you name it! To paraphrase, “a Wildlife Explorer tour at Hagerman is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” But you know it’s going to be good! Come see us! Lots of stops for bird-watching and photography.

• Weather permitting, seating is limited. 
• Bring binoculars or borrow ours.
  
• Standbys accepted if space permits. 
• Ages 6 and above.
• Meet at the visitor center 15 minutes before departure. 

Free, open to the public, Donations are accepted to support all events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.

Join us with membership today to receive the monthly Featherless Flyer newsletter with nature articles, program information, updated events and other important refuge information!

Did you know that every single day, millions of eggs are being laid all around the globe? Get ready to crack into our Eggcellent Eggs class, where we’ll dive into the egg-citing universe of eggs! We’ll uncover their origins, break down their anatomy (shell, white, and yolk!).  Watch the magical moment baby animals burst into the world, and explore the egg-ceptional variety from different birds. Plus, we’ll whip up some fun with visuals and hands-on activities—like cracking open eggs to peek inside! It’s going to be eggstraordinary!  

Let’s learn about eggs with a short lesson, some fun games and activities, as well as a fun craft! Come join us on April 19 for a free class for youth ages 5-10.  

Free and open to the public, registration is required.  Donations are accepted to support this and other events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.

Join us with membership today to receive the monthly Featherless Flyer newsletter with nature articles, program information, updated events and other important refuge information.

Join the Work Crew

Do you enjoy working outside, mowing, sprucing up hiking trails, trimming and removing brush and general cleanup? Show your love for nature by joining the Outdoor Crew at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge. Outdoor Crew volunteers meet on the First Tuesday and Fourth Saturday of every month. 

With budget cuts and staff shortages due to retirements, the refuge needs you more than ever!

For exact times, dates and other details about joining the volunteer Work Crew, please email us at: 

info@friendsofhagerman.org

Scouts welcome!

The Little Sit Sunrise Bird Count

Meet Jack and the Bird Census Team while learning how to identify the birds of North Texas, and enjoy the beautiful sunrise over Lake Texoma! Modeled after Cornell's national "Big Sit" event, the public is invited to join a group of dedicated birders at sunrise to conduct a bird count as multiple species fly to the water and the surrounding land to feed.  Leaders will bring spotting scopes and will provide tips for identification of the many species you will see.

This event begins 30 minutes before sunrise (sunrise is 6:38 AM) and lasts a couple of hours, but all are welcome to come and go as they please. Participants are advised to bring a chair, binoculars and water. 

The location of the Little Sit is technically in Sadler, TX, but it is within the boundaries of Hagerman NWR.

Location: H Pad, Sadler, Texas 76264 

GPS Coordinates: 

33.734961, -96.780582

Directions from the Hagerman Visitor Center:

• Take a right (north) out of the Visitor Center parking lot road.
• At the bottom of the hill, take a left onto the gravel road (Wildlife Dr).
• The road will end at the Big Mineral Day Use Area. Take a right onto Bennett Lane.
• You will cross a bridge over Big Mineral Creek, then go over a low water crossing.
• There will be several small gravel roads going off to the right.
• Stay on Bennett until the road forks, then go right.
• When the road forks again, go right.
• Take the gravel road to the right marked “H” (you will see oil tanks on the NE corner) and go all the way to the end.

Free and open to the public.  Donations are accepted to support this and other events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.

Join us with membership today to receive the monthly Featherless Flyer newsletter with nature articles, program information, updated events and other important refuge information.

Join the Work Crew

Do you enjoy working outside, mowing, sprucing up hiking trails, trimming and removing brush and general cleanup? Show your love for nature by joining the Outdoor Crew at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge. Outdoor Crew volunteers meet on the First Tuesday and Fourth Saturday of every month. 

With budget cuts and staff shortages due to retirements, the refuge needs you more than ever!

For exact times, dates and other details about joining the volunteer Work Crew, please email us at: 

info@friendsofhagerman.org

Scouts welcome!

Join the Work Crew

Do you enjoy working outside, mowing, sprucing up hiking trails, trimming and removing brush and general cleanup? Show your love for nature by joining the Outdoor Crew at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge. Outdoor Crew volunteers meet on the First Tuesday and Fourth Saturday of every month. 

With budget cuts and staff shortages due to retirements, the refuge needs you more than ever!

For exact times, dates and other details about joining the volunteer Work Crew, please email us at: 

info@friendsofhagerman.org

Scouts welcome!

Nature Festival

Saturday, May 10, 2025

A vibrant celebration dedicated to honoring the earth. Join us as we bring together communities, Texas Master Naturalists and other environmentalists to raise awareness about the importance of restoring lands to their original, native state. Through a series of informative presentations, bird and butterfly walks, a storytelling session and tram tours, this festival highlights ecological knowledge and sustainable practices. The festival serves as a call to action, as we hope to inspire people to reconnect with the land, and advocate for a future where nature thrives in harmony with human existence.

Schedule for the Day:

Join the Birding Experts for an Early Bird Walk

Master Naturalist Jack Chiles will lead this Early Bird Walk, weather permitting.  Participants will view birds and wildlife along Harris Creek Trail, walking about two miles, and returning to the Visitor Center in time for the Second Saturday program.

Free and open to the public.  Donations are accepted to support this and other events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.

Join us with membership today to receive the monthly Featherless Flyer newsletter with nature articles, program information, updated events and other important refuge information.

Rewilding Lands with Karen Glenn

Photo by Jennifer Vince-Recksiek

Take a Tour on the Wildlife Explorer!

Come join us for a ride on the Wildlife Explorer! Our new and beautiful tram is available for ninety-minute tours of Hagerman every weekend, weather permitting. Our tours are as varied as our drivers. Each tram driver has her/his approach to the tour: you may learn about wildlife, birds, habitat, refuge history, photography, you name it! To paraphrase, “a Wildlife Explorer tour at Hagerman is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” But you know it’s going to be good! Come see us! Lots of stops for bird-watching and photography.

• Weather permitting, seating is limited. 
• Bring binoculars or borrow ours.
  
• Standbys accepted if space permits. 
• Ages 6 and above.
• Meet at the visitor center 15 minutes before departure. 

Free, open to the public, Donations are accepted to support all events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.

Join us with membership today to receive the monthly Featherless Flyer newsletter with nature articles, program information, updated events and other important refuge information!

Enjoy the Butterfly Garden at Hagerman NWR

Garden docents will be on hand to help identify the Texas native plants and visiting butterflies.  Literature on plants and butterflies will be available. Special activities for families: scavenger hunts, the Metamorphosis Puppet and more. Registration is not necessary.

The garden is free of charge and open to the public from sunrise to sunset every day of the year.

Donations are accepted to support the Butterfly Garden, Garden Walks and other events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.

Join us with membership today to receive the monthly Featherless Flyer newsletter with nature articles, program information, updated events and other important refuge information!

Photo of American Lady Butterfly by Laurie Sheppard

Take a Tour on the Wildlife Explorer!

Come join us for a ride on the Wildlife Explorer! Our new and beautiful tram is available for ninety-minute tours of Hagerman every weekend, weather permitting. Our tours are as varied as our drivers. Each tram driver has her/his approach to the tour: you may learn about wildlife, birds, habitat, refuge history, photography, you name it! To paraphrase, “a Wildlife Explorer tour at Hagerman is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” But you know it’s going to be good! Come see us! Lots of stops for bird-watching and photography.

• Weather permitting, seating is limited. 
• Bring binoculars or borrow ours.
  
• Standbys accepted if space permits. 
• Ages 6 and above.
• Meet at the visitor center 15 minutes before departure. 

Free, open to the public, Donations are accepted to support all events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.

Join us with membership today to receive the monthly Featherless Flyer newsletter with nature articles, program information, updated events and other important refuge information!

Take a Tour on the Wildlife Explorer!

Come join us for a ride on the Wildlife Explorer! Our new and beautiful tram is available for ninety-minute tours of Hagerman every weekend, weather permitting. Our tours are as varied as our drivers. Each tram driver has her/his approach to the tour: you may learn about wildlife, birds, habitat, refuge history, photography, you name it! To paraphrase, “a Wildlife Explorer tour at Hagerman is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” But you know it’s going to be good! Come see us! Lots of stops for bird-watching and photography.

• Weather permitting, seating is limited. 
• Bring binoculars or borrow ours.
  
• Standbys accepted if space permits. 
• Ages 6 and above.
• Meet at the visitor center 15 minutes before departure. 

Free, open to the public, Donations are accepted to support all events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.

Join us with membership today to receive the monthly Featherless Flyer newsletter with nature articles, program information, updated events and other important refuge information!

Enjoy the Butterfly Garden at Hagerman NWR

Garden docents will be on hand to help identify the Texas native plants and visiting butterflies.  Literature on plants and butterflies will be available. Special activities for families: scavenger hunts, the Metamorphosis Puppet and more. Registration is not necessary.

The garden is free of charge and open to the public from sunrise to sunset every day of the year.

Donations are accepted to support the Butterfly Garden, Garden Walks and other events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.

Join us with membership today to receive the monthly Featherless Flyer newsletter with nature articles, program information, updated events and other important refuge information!

Photo of American Lady Butterfly by Laurie Sheppard

Tips and settings to photograph Wildflowers and Dragonflies. Wayne Milczarek will show some of the tools used to get great images and explain how they are used.

Event Leader: Nancy Miller

fohphotoclub@friendsofhagerman.org

Take a Tour on the Wildlife Explorer!

Come join us for a ride on the Wildlife Explorer! Our new and beautiful tram is available for ninety-minute tours of Hagerman every weekend, weather permitting. Our tours are as varied as our drivers. Each tram driver has her/his approach to the tour: you may learn about wildlife, birds, habitat, refuge history, photography, you name it! To paraphrase, “a Wildlife Explorer tour at Hagerman is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” But you know it’s going to be good! Come see us! Lots of stops for bird-watching and photography.

• Weather permitting, seating is limited. 
• Bring binoculars or borrow ours.
  
• Standbys accepted if space permits. 
• Ages 6 and above.
• Meet at the visitor center 15 minutes before departure. 

Free, open to the public, Donations are accepted to support all events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.

Join us with membership today to receive the monthly Featherless Flyer newsletter with nature articles, program information, updated events and other important refuge information!

Join the Work Crew

Do you enjoy working outside, mowing, sprucing up hiking trails, trimming and removing brush and general cleanup? Show your love for nature by joining the Outdoor Crew at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge. Outdoor Crew volunteers meet on the First Tuesday and Fourth Saturday of every month. 

With budget cuts and staff shortages due to retirements, the refuge needs you more than ever!

For exact times, dates and other details about joining the volunteer Work Crew, please email us at: 

info@friendsofhagerman.org

Scouts welcome!

Enjoy the Butterfly Garden at Hagerman NWR

Garden docents will be on hand to help identify the Texas native plants and visiting butterflies.  Literature on plants and butterflies will be available. Special activities for families: scavenger hunts, the Metamorphosis Puppet and more. Registration is not necessary.

The garden is free of charge and open to the public from sunrise to sunset every day of the year.

Donations are accepted to support the Butterfly Garden, Garden Walks and other events and programs sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman NWR.

Join us with membership today to receive the monthly Featherless Flyer newsletter with nature articles, program information, updated events and other important refuge information!

Photo of American Lady Butterfly by Laurie Sheppard