Cactus Creek Ranch

Butterflies!!
Right now butterflies by the thousands both in front and back yard. As far as you can see passing through CCR today! Because Cactus Creek Ranch in Rio Hondo is a private property, public butterfly migration data is not tracked there in real time. For immediate butterfly sightings and migration updates in Cameron County today, you can check recent local observations on iNaturalist.Cameron County is a major migration corridor and staging area for hundreds of butterfly and bird species.

Creative Conservation Storyteller and Naturalist in training with Cactus Creek Ranch. What happens when you share your love and passion. Thank you Chery!

First “Fighting Falcon Award Couple”
Chad & Tira Wilmoth celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary and Tira joining Chad in retiring. Both are now retired teachers who gave everything they had to doing more in nature for kids.

We met in 2009 at a TMN meeting and have worked together for 17 years nurturing children’s nature. I asked Chad if we could put conservation in the curriculum. I called it CITC and it was successful. He brought middle school kids here to report on what was happening in nature that month. Those same kids took still and video and produced into segments. Those segments were then used to teach the other students that were older and younger.

I asked Tira if we could develop an all natural w**d killer. I called it SKUNK and with her devotion to education she brought her chemistry class for 4 years to CCR to implement.

Tira brought kids to CCR to compete in the Envirothon.

We supported kids in completions in nature and implementing nature studies. These are no easy tasks because you have to convince school systems to change or to allocate funds for a school bus to move the students to and from CCR. You have to use your free time to go the extra miles.

They went the extra miles!

Please congratulate them and help inspire the teachers who will follow in their tracks!

Cane toad with ticks was found this week on CCR.
Chad took this picture at night in front yard.
I wonder if that tick is now as toxic as its host?

Species Specificity: Toads are hosts for specialized reptile and amphibian ticks rather than the deer ticks found on mammals.

TIFT a great way to start a family tradition!

Your 86th TIFT Scholarship Recipients 🎓

TIFT is proud to award 33 scholarships this year to deserving students pursuing higher education. Supporting the next generation has always been a cornerstone of our tournament, and we’re honored to continue that tradition in 2026.

Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients!