Friends of the Wichitas

Friends of the Wichitas is a non-profit organization established to support the Refuge and provide outreach opportunities to the visiting public.

[OK Tourism Works @OKTourismWorks]

#Oklahoma #Weekends in the mountains.

📺 Kyle Millar @FriendsWichitas

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

Sooooo many of our Friends members volunteer for the WMWR. How many of the folks in this video celebrating National Volunteer Week are Friends? If you guessed all of them then go ahead and holler "winner, winner, chicken dinner!" https://t.co/gDWawjD5dz

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

Rare and endangered bird species attract numerous birders to the refuge, including this University of Oklahoma ornithology class taught by Dr. Jeremy Ross.

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

Where do you go to refresh your spirit? The WMWR has 22,400 acres of land in the Public Use Area where people are allowed to recreate. The Special Use Area provides wildlife a place “where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of man.” 📷 Cindy McIntyre

#LeaveNoTrace

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

Our Friends Forum newsletter for May goes out today with in-depth information on refuge updates and Friends initiatives that support the Fish and Wildlife Service on the WMWR. #JoinUs by visiting our website https://t.co/cij4knjz6D

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

It’s Earth Day! Picking up litter and cleaning up graffiti is just part of what the Friends of the Wichitas do to help make every day a better day for all that enjoy the beauty of the Wichita Mountains. 📷 T. Trynizewski #LeaveNoTrace #FOW #FindYourCommunity

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

Orange peels, pistachio shells, banana peels - don’t think that because they biodegrade it’s okay to toss them on the ground. It violates the 3rd Principle of the Leave No Trace ethic: Dispose of Waste Properly. So, if you Pack it In then Pack it Out. Period.📷 Cindy McIntyre

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

Happy Earth Day!

[U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service @USFWS]

On this Earth Day, let us stand,
Together for the good of the land.
Let's celebrate this sunrise with pride,
And vow to keep the Earth's beauty alive.

📸: Sunrise at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge courtesy of Erik Fremstad.

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

Protect wildlife by picking up trash. Plastic bags and fishing line can trap birds and other small animals, killing or hurting them. Glass bottles break and can cut any animal making them lame or causing infection. 📷 Michi White #LeaveNoTrace #WichitaMountains #leavenotrash

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

It’s National Look Up at the Sky Day. In Oklahoma there are all sorts of surprises above. A row of virga clouds recently appeared over the refuge. Virgas are little rain clouds, but the moisture doesn’t reach the ground. 📷 Cindy McIntyre
#WichitaMountains #LookUpAtTheSky

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

National Big Wind Day celebrates the greatest natural wind gust ever recorded on the planet’s surface. Fortunately, it doesn’t take that much wind for this Zone-tailed Hawk to fly and spot his prey! 📷Michi White #NationalBigWindDay #FindyourCommunity #ZoneTailHawk

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

Pollinators come in all shapes and sizes, from the tiniest of insects, to moths and butterflies, hummingbirds, and even bats. Cindy McIntyre

#WichitaMountains #Pollinators

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

Prairie flowers will soon cover the meadows. Seeds from last year’s blooms nestle in the frostbitten grasses, then respond to increased daylight and higher temperatures to grow, to feed wildlife and pollinators, and to reproduce. 📷 Cindy McIntyre

#LeaveNoTrace #WichitaMountains

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

Join the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) on April 12th at https://t.co/6KCIZx3uO5 as they host a webinar at noon focused on the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Historic Resources at Treasure Lake Job Corp. Webinar registration information at the link above. 📷 M. White

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

Nature’s healing powers are legendary. How many of you have had your “senses put in order” while visiting the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge? Share your experiences in the comments. 📷Cindy McIntyre #WichitaMountains

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

A weed is just a wildflower in the wrong place. The common henbit, which blooms in March in many yards near the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, is definitely in the wrong place. A native of Europe, its one of many invasives that are now part of our landscape. 📷Cindy McIntyre

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

Tonight at 8.30pm local time, as landmarks and homes across the world switch off their lights, we are asking you to spend 60 minutes doing something - anything - positive for our planet.

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

Your actions, no matter how small, can help solve the water crisis:
• Take shorter showers
• Create a raingarden
• Buy local, seasonal food
Share your #WaterAction https://t.co/VmpvDs5Wri this #WorldWaterDay
Be the change – do what you can to help solve the water crisis:

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

Today marks the International Day of Forests 2023. Learn more at Healthy Forests for Healthy People! And remember to take a trash bag with you and show a little love to the Parallel Forest the next time you visit the WMWR. 📷 T. Crawford
https://t.co/jIeeIEGqNp

[Friends of the Wichitas @FriendsWichitas]

One of these is not like the other. Or, is it? Surprise! The Spotted Towhee is considered to be a sparrow. Can you name any other sparrows commonly found in the WMWR? Which is your favorite? 📷 Cindy McIntyre #WichitaMountains #WorldSparrowDay