Horned Lark observed feeding in the dunes along Matagorda Peninsula. Photo taken by Taylor Bennett on March, 3rd, 2022.

 We at Gulf Coast Bird Observatory are surveying for non-breeding shorebirds along Matagorda Beach, Bryan Beach, Quintana Beach, Surfside Beach, and Follet’s Island. After one more month of this, we will begin surveying for beach nesting birds. Our target species are Piping Plover, Snowy Plover, Red Knot, Black Skimmer, and American Oystercatcher. Along with these species, we often come across other bird species as well. This past week while surveying on Matagorda Beach, we spotted a couple of Horned Lark feeding along the beach.

Shorebirds are not the only ones that utilize the beach for food and shelter. Small songbirds like Horned Lark are typically observed year-round here on the shores of Upper Texas Coast. They can also be found in prairies and heavily grazed pastures. We mainly observe them feeding on seeds and insects along the dunes of Matagorda Peninsula.

There are over 40 subspecies of Horned Lark based on their plumage and size. The subspecies that we observe here is Eremophila alpestris giraudi. It is classified as being slightly smaller and having a browner back and a pale-yellow throat compared to the other subspecies. They have a lightly spotted white-yellowish belly, black collar, black legs, and small black bill. Their head is bright yellow with an eyebrow stripe and broad black stripes along the eyes making it appear to have a mustache when looking directly towards you. Their namesake comes from feather tufts that stick out like horns from their heads, though that feature only appears on the males during the breeding season. They breed along the Texas coast from mid-February to mid-July.

Like the Wilson’s Plover, they are also ground nesters and nest along the dunes near vegetation. In the Horned Lark world, the female does all the work with little to no help from her male counterpart. She picks the site, builds the nest, incubates the eggs, and takes care of the chicks. The male does help with feeding, but that’s about it.

The female either finds a natural depression in the sand or makes one herself using her bill and feet. She then collects pebbles, clods, corncobs, etc. and places them on the excavated area. These pavings are believed to prevent the material of the nest from blowing away. She then weaves a nest out of grass or other plant materials and lines the nest with down, feathers, fur, etc.

Horned Larks can lay two to five camouflaged eggs per brood and can have one to three broods a year. The female incubates the nest up to 12 days. Even though they are ground nesters, the chicks are born blind and covered in down like typical songbirds. It takes up to 4 days for them to gain sight and they are able to leave the nest around 12 days. At that point, they are able to move around and feed on small insects; however, mom and dad still take care of them until they are ready to fly at 27 days of age.

As with all birds on the beach, please be cautious and give the Horned Larks plenty of space. Please also keep dogs on leash and keep the beaches cleaner than you found them. On behalf of Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, thanks for reading.

Rose Mary Stringo, 71, of Port O’Connor, Texas passed away February 22, 2022. She was born June 22, 1950 in Port Lavaca, Texas to Ben and Matilda Ragusin Vasquez. Rose was a Catholic. She retired from Texas Parks and Wildlife. Following retirement Rose continued to work alongside her husband in their embroidery shop and at Shoalwater Bay Club in Port O’ Connor, Texas. Rose devoted her life to her family, most notably her grandloves. Rose will be most remembered for her beautiful smile, charitable heart, and faithfulness to her loved ones and her community.
She is survived by her daughter, Jessica Lee Stringo Helms (Jeremy); son, Jason Alan Stringo (Paige); sister, Josephine Prendergast; brother, David Vasquez; Grandloves, Jaclynn Renae Lopez, Joseph Helms, Cole Stringo and great-grandloves, Nierah Ysassi and Noah Rodriguez.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Joe David Stringo; parents; Great-grandlove, Zaylen Lee Gonzalez; sisters, Pearl Romero and Esmeralda Stringo; and brother, Ben E. Vasquez.

A Funeral Mass was held Monday, February 28th at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Port O’Connor, Texas followed by a gathering at the Port O’ Connor Community Center. On Friday, March 18, 2022 Rose was laid to rest beside her husband, Joe David, at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.

Pallbearers were Joseph Helms, Cole Stringo, Jeremy Helms, James Prince, Jorge Suarez, Leslie “Waddie” Stringo, and Marc Stringo.

Our hearts are filled with gratitude as we give our deepest thank-you to family, friends, and community for all your acts of unwavering kindness and support. We will forever be indebted to you all.

With Love, The Stringo Family

Words of comfort and special memories may be shared with the family at www.richardsoncolonial.com.

Phillip Riley Fitzgerald of Houston, and Port O’Connor, Texas, passed away on January 17, 2022, in Port O’Connor. He was the son of Kinzie Lee and Lila Riley Fitzgerald. He graduated from Austin High School in Houston in 1954 where he lettered in Football and Swimming. He attended the University of Houston, where he received a scholarship to play football for the Cougars. After his football career ended, he enlisted in the US Army and pledged Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, graduating with a Bachelors’ of Science degree in Geology in 1958.

After graduation, he served in the US Army as an officer in the Field Artillery in Germany, ultimately achieving the rank of Colonel through the US Army Reserves. During his time in Germany he met the love of his life, Charlotte Bea Lovelace. They were married in Ingolstadt, Germany, and returned to Houston, to start their family, residing there until 2017, when they retired to their family retreat in Port O’Connor.

Upon returning to the states, Phillip went to work as a Geologist at Exxon before becoming a commercial real estate broker. He started Anderson, Fitzgerald & Giammalva, Inc. along with his partners and built a successful commercial and residential real estate firm in Houston, TX.

Phillip was a prolific outdoorsman and conservationist at heart, and grew up fishing and hunting around Galveston Bay and the Texas Coast. Phillip was a founding member of Gulf Coast Conservation Association, now Coastal Conservation Association, or CCA. He was the first Chairman of CCA Texas Parks and Wildlife Committee, a position he maintained until his retirement. Phillip was also Chairman of the Change of Tides book committee, which provides a narrative history of the CCA published in 2000.

Above all, Phillip was a loving husband to Charlotte, deeply saddened after her passing in June of 2021. He was a wonderful father to Cece and Melissa, instilling in them his love for them and the outdoors, always teaching and imparting his knowledge of fishing, hunting and conservation of our natural resources. He was known to his grandchildren as “Big Daddy” and loved each of them with all his heart.

He is preceded in death by his loving wife, Charlotte Fitzgerald; Survived by daughters Charlotte Fitzgerald McFadin and Melissa Fitzgerald (Brent) Harrell; brother Frank (Patsy) Fitzgerald; grandchildren Kinzie Sullivan, Phillip Harrell, Lila Harrell, nephews Blake Fitzgerald and wife Jackie, and numerous cousins.

Celebration of Life was held on Friday, January 28, 2022, at 2:00 pm at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church. Private graveside burial at Forest Park East on Saturday, January 29, 2022 at 10:00 am. A memorial service in Port O’Connor will be held at a later date.

The family would like to express our deepest appreciation and gratitude to the caregivers at Senior Helpers and Hospice of South Texas, as well as the many friends and family for their support. A special thanks to the Port O’Connor EMS for their services and help during this time.

In lieu of flowers, donations in honor of Phillip Fitzgerald may be made to the Coastal Conservation Association at www.ccatexas.org/donate, Hospice of South Texas https://hospice-vic.org/donate, or The University of Houston Giving at UH/Cougar Pride.

Lillian Stubbs
By her daughter, Tanya DeForest

Lillian and Van Stubbs
in front of their Seadrifter Motel

Seadrift lost one of its special seniors, Lillian Stubbs, on February 15, 2022. She was 97! After a brief stay in the hospital and a few days in a nursing home, Lillian left this life for another. She is sorely missed by family and friends. The impact of her life as a mother, friend, church member, and a member of the Seadrift community will long be remembered.

She left a legacy of a hard-working woman who built (along with her husband Van) and operated the Seadrifter Motel across from the Seadrift harbor.

Lillian had a keen interest in what was happening in the community, and in later years loved to be driven around in the Seadrift area so she could see first-hand any new development. The newspaper and especially the news on TV were very important to her. She took pride in that she could vote in elections, and was especially pleased when she found out she could vote by mail when it wasn’t easy for her to get out.

No stranger to crime after working in the motel business through the years, Lillian had great appreciation for Seadrift’s police force. The current Police Chief, Leonard Bermea, was one of her favorites.

Lillian was a pampered customer of Dick’s Grocery Store in Seadrift, as they would order and stock some of her favorite food items. When she was still able, going shopping at the store was one of her most enjoyable things to do.
For years she enjoyed having her two friends, Reisi Petru and LaDonna Powell, over after church for a meal and lots of conversation!

Originally from Nebraska, Lillian was a descendant of Polish immigrants who came to America in the late 1800’s. A lot of the family became farmers as were Lillian’s parents.

Growing up on a farm in rural Nebraska, Lillian observed first-hand what made this country great: a faith in God, a hard-work ethic, lending a helping hand, a keen interest in politics, and a love for family.

Lillian loved to be out-doors and enjoyed riding horses with her special friend Ruth. Lillian’s older sister, Evangeline, enjoyed being in-doors.

Lillian’s mother, Anastasia, loved to sew. I was handed down one of her hand-made quilts and it’s simply beautiful! Lillian’s father worked hard on the farm and would employ men to help him as he and Anastasia were given three girls- Lillian being the middle child. The oldest daughter was Evangeline who with her husband Joe raised six kids in rural Nebraska. The youngest daughter, Rosemary, died at a fairly young age.

Lillian had a great uncle, Oblate Cyril Mitera, who was the first Franciscan priest in Nebraska. There was also a nun in the family, Sister Wenceslas, who was Lillian’s great aunt. Lillian told of how the mass at a local Polish Catholic Church would last at least an hour and a half, maybe two!

Her faith was very important to her. Sunday was the day to go to church. I remember her putting a sign at the motel office reading “Gone to Church.”

After Lillian graduated from high school, she pursued a nursing career. She chose to “travel the world” and worked in hospitals in Alaska and Hawaii. When she was married to my dad, she even lived in Japan!

Years later, she chose to manage the family motel and operate rental properties. She prided herself on being a shrewd businesswoman and employed over the years a number of local people from Seadrift. Tracy Frank was with her the longest.. twenty-six years!

Lillian had four children. Her oldest, Douglas, died when he was very young. I was the second child. Then there was Chris, and last, but certainly, not the least, is Sid! She had three grandchildren and nine great grandchildren with one on the way!
We want to give a shout-out to Lillian’s caregivers: Jan Hockenhull, Linda Mullins, Trish Cyrus, and Lou Guice. You gave her the greatest gift and it was love!

Down through the years friends and family meant more to her than we’ll ever know! Special mention goes out to all her family and her six nieces and nephews.
Special note: Becky Gray who gave her communion, Tommye Schustereit and Linda Odom who gave her company (Don’t forget the good food!), Tom Kawana and David Jisha who were special friends who brought her gifts as well, the ladies who worked at the motel who reached out to her, Glynda McCown and Helen Robinson, and the Seadrift First National Bank in always supplying her with a Christmas turkey.

To those of you who knew Lillian we are sorry for your loss.

Memories can be the dearest of friends.

My heart is very burdened for the people of Ukraine. As I watch the war accounts, my heart breaks for those who, at no apparent fault of their own, are in danger of losing their homeland, their homes, and many are losing their lives as well. I, like most of you, am inspired by the picture of the grandmother who is learning to fire a gun at the age of 79. Why! She replied, “I am willing to give up my life so my grandchildren can live in liberty!” I was so moved that I turned to Pastor Joane and asked what she would think about me going to Ukraine to fight for the people’s freedom. She replied, “I will go with you!”

Yes, I learned how to fight in the Army, and No, Pastor Joane just recently learned how to fire a gun with great precision. Maybe we can find another way to help! And, I believe I have discovered the answer! Influence makes the difference between a common person and one who changes things. President Harry Truman said, “A leader is a person who has the ability to get others to don what they don’t want to do, and like it!” Field Marshall Montgomery wrote, “The capacity and will to rally men and women to a common purpose, and the character which inspires confidence, is influence.” There is only one method that moves people always in the right way. Hudson Taylor put it in words, “It is possible to move men through God, by prayer alone!”

I am beginning a series of messages from the Old Testament Book of Nehemiah from which I am getting my inspiration today. Anyone interested in this in-depth study are welcomed to the Chapel. I will be preaching from this Book for at least fifteen weeks.

If there is anyone in history that had little chance of being a person of influence, it was Nehemiah. He was born a slave. His parents were slaves. His grandparents were slaves. He had no opportunity to advance, because he was a slave to a foreign government. His nation had turned away from God and had been sent into “time out” by God under the rulership of the Babylonians, led by King Nebuchadenezzar. That empire fell to the Persians under King Artaxerzxes. Nebuchadnezzar allowed a group of the Jews to return to their homeland under the leadership of Zerubbabel. Thirteen years before Nehemiah, Artaxerxes had allowed Ezra to lead the people to revive their “dry bones” and rebuild the Temple.
Nehemiah served as the Cup Bearer for King Artaxerxes. From his time as a slave, he learned that “the people of his homeland were in a calamitous, miserable, and depressed situation. They were being criticized and harassed by their enemies, they lived in constant fear of attack, and their lives were like the walls that surround them, in ruins.”

Yes, Nehemiah clearly recognized the need and was personally concerned. One will never be used of God to bring blessing until his eyes are opened and made to feel the pain of others. Once the great plight is recognized, we often jump directly into action of our own making and attempt to remedy the problem. “Let’s go fight in Ukraine!”

Until we go to the One Whose place it is to conduct all the affairs of men and meld their efforts into one harmonious plan, our efforts are futile! We must learn the power of prayer. If we are not careful, we become “prayerless worriers” instead of “prayer warriors”!

How should we pray. Following Nehemiah’s example, we will always begin with praise. God has been so good to us that this phase of prayer can never be exhausted! Spend days writing a list of things for which we are thankful and give the Lord praise.
Next, Nehemiah moved to confession. He only used the pronouns “we” and “I” instead of trying to blame the problems as he saw them on others. There is where most prayers get bogged down – we try the “blame game” instead of recognizing our desperate, personal need of God’s forgiveness.

Because Nehemiah knew God’s Word, he was able to quote Scriptures about God’s Promises. There are over 365 Promises in God’s Word, and when we know them, we can ask God to bring those blessings our way! So many today know not what they could be asking. Years ago, I read a book that said when we get to Heaven, our Lord is going to take each of us into a great big room,  which is filled with presents each with our name’s attached. We are going to begin opening them and discover that they could have come in very handy, would have met a special need in our earthly life, had we had those gifts then. We will ask our Lord, “Why didn’t I receive that special gift while on earth, when I truly needed it?” He will reply, “You never asked!”

Only after praise, confession, and claiming God’s Scriptural promises are we ready to yell, “HELP!” Often “Help” is the only thing we say when we pray! But if we are to receive our petitions, we must go to God according to His plan.

Allow me to conclude with what I will call the demands of prayer! They are that we learn the importance of waiting, which is especially important to we who desire immediate gratification. We need to have a clear vision of the situation and not spend all our energies “jumping to conclusions”. We must quieten our hearts; faith and anxiousness never work well together! Hope and peace will replace the petty and critical that often come when we have not taken time pray!

Combat enemies with Godly Influence!