Cool Nature Links for January

Here are some links that I found interesting this month:

Vermilion Flycatcher at Little Big Econ WMA, 12/31/2015

Traffic Camera Records Stunning Images Of Snowy Owl In Flight

Swamped: Jeb Bush’s Fight Over the Everglades 

Burrowing Owl at Brian Piccolo Park, 12/27/2015 

Bolivia’s domestic parrots seen as “crop pests” 

Growing parasite threat to finches made famous by Darwin 

Rare Philippine eagle chick born in captivity; boosts hope for the species  

Video: Squirrels Mask Scent with Rattlesnake Skin 

How the robin’s red breast could be the key to colours that never fade 

Video: Spectacular Alligator Mating Display 

Support Manatees and the Indian River Lagoon

Brevard County Residents: Send a Message to Your County Commissioners That You Support Manatees and the Indian River Lagoon Anti-manatee forces are at work again in Brevard County, and they got an Add-On to Tuesday's agenda with the help of Commissioner Smith. An item at the January 12th, 2016 BCC meeting asks the Commissioners to adopt a resolution that would remove protections from manatees in Brevard County. The resolution aims to remove speed zone protections in Brevard waterways, dismantle the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act, support downlisting of manatees from endangered to threatened, and call for a county ordinance for local law enforcement to stop enforcing state and federal manatee zones. The latest tactic employed by manatee foes is claiming that manatee grazing is incompatible with the health of the Indian River Lagoon -- a complete and total fallacy not substantiated by any seagrass or manatee biologists.   Click the following link to see Save the Manatee Club's comments on the resolution. Click the following link to see Save the Manatee Club's comments on the resolution. What You Can Do: Please write your County Commissioners and tell them you DO NOT support Commissioner Smith's Resolution entitled "Supporting the health of the Indian River Lagoon by encouraging efforts to amend the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act". Ask them to vote against the resolution because it is inconsistent with the laws and policies currently in place to protect manatees and the Indian River Lagoon. Tell them to oppose this anti-manatee agenda. Click here to access contact information for the County Commissioners:  http://www.brevardcounty.us/CountyCommission/CountyCommissionersHome Please take action by Monday, January 11th as this item will be heard the following day.  If you can attend the meeting and speak against this item, please do so. Click here for the meeting information: http://brevardcountyfl.iqm2.com/Citizens/Default.aspx

| Adopt-A-Manatee® | Donate Now | Contact Us | Home |

500 N. Maitland Ave., Maitland, FL 32751 | Tel: 407-539-0990
Save the Manatee Club © 2016. All rights reserved.

Birding Adventure at eynolds Mansion on Sapelo Island, Georgia May 2016

Audubon Endangered Species Day Art Contest

Teachers and their students are encouraged to participate in the Saving Endangered Species Youth Art Contest. The Youth Art Contest provides K-12 students with an opportunity to learn about endangered species and express their knowledge and support through artwork.  Entries must be submitted electronically by March 1, 2016. A prestigious panel of artists, photographers and conservationists will judge the artwork. Winners will be chosen in four categories: K-Grade 2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8 and Grades 9-12, and will receive plaques and art supply gift packs.  In addition, one grand prize winner will be honored at a reception in Washington, D.C. in May 2016, and also receive a special art lesson from a professional artist. Visit www.endangeredspeciesday.org for more information.

Florida Wildflower Foundation Field Trip

Come explore with us on Jan. 16!

You're invited to join the Florida Wildflower Foundation for a special visit to the Orlando Wetlands Park on Saturday, Jan. 16. We'll take a private tour of this unique and beautiful wetland park, riding in an open-air tram along the park's 23 miles of roads as we explore marshes, hardwood hammocks and scenic lakes.

Along the way, we'll stop to birdwatch, botanize, and learn how efficient our native plants are at cleaning wastewater. We'll also see the new wildflower planting, funded in part by a Florida Wildflower Foundation grant.

The field trip is free for Foundation members and $15 for non-members. Space is limited. Click here for more information and to register.

Orlando Wetlands Park Festival

Contact: Orlando Wetlands Park 407-568-1706
WetlandsFestival@cityoforlando.net

For more information and event reminders visit:
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/16th-annual-orlando-wetlands-festival-tickets-16534878266
Event Website: http://www.cityoforlando.net/wetlands/.

Orlando, FL – Come and enjoy the Orlando Wetlands Festival on Saturday, February 20, 2016, from 9am-3pm at Fort Christmas Historical Park. The Orlando Wetlands Festival is an opportunity to celebrate the Orlando Wetlands Park, the City’s 1,650 acre wetland oasis. The event is sponsored by: City of Orlando, Orange Audubon Society, and Orange County Parks and Recreation.

On February 20, 2016, experience this unique wetland treatment system with the entire family. Event co-sponsor, Orange Audubon Society, will lead guided bird-watching excursions. The Florida Native Plant Society will lead native plant identification hikes; while, the Florida Trail Association will be providing wilderness hikes. Bring your camera and join guided photo hike led by professional photographers.

There will be many interactive children’s activities (like Out-On-A-Limb kids tree climbing), bounce houses and much more! So bring the whole family and invite your friends and neighbors to this fun, free educational festival. Please leave your pets at home; there are wild animals. Food will be available for purchase. Free admission and free door prizes! For more information: call Orlando Wetlands Park 407-568-1706.

For those who like to sit and ride, guided bus tours will travel along the wetland berms, giving riders a chance to experience firsthand, Florida’s wild wetlands. Hay rides will also give riders a chance to relax and take in the scenery.

In addition to the numerous guided tours, there will be bird-banding and mist-netting demonstrations, as well as, live music by Homer Stiles. Featured in the various wildlife shows, many different live animals will be present such as alligators, snakes, birds and many others. Also, the City’s Families, Parks and Recreation Department will be giving away free backyard trees in celebration of Arbor Day.

Directions: To get to the Park, take S.R. 50 to Christmas, Florida. Turn north onto 420, Ft. Christmas Rd. Continue north 1.8 miles. Fort Christmas Park will be on your left. Free parking will be located on your right across from Fort Christmas Park. The address is 1300 North Fort Christmas Road, Christmas, FL 32709.

Something to Sing About!

Free PDF: Audubon Florida Naturalist Magazine Annual Report 2015 Now Available 

Click to download.

When we see Florida's birds in their native habitats we are reminded of the beauty in the world. 

We also know that our efforts are making a difference - from clean water to abundant wildlife.

Their role is to overcome the odds, to make the best of changing habitats, to nest and nurture the next generation, and to give us hope for the future.

Our role is to protect the land and water that birds and other wildlife and people need to survive.

Thanks to your help, Audubon Florida leads the way to restore the Everglades, manage habitats for endangered shorebirds, and enforce the rules that reduce pollution and keep development away from special places.

Together we make a difference.

Click the button below to start your free PDF download of Audubon Florida's 2015 Naturalist Magazine Annual Report. Inside you will learn the many ways Audubon Florida members, volunteers, and donors helped to protect birds and wildlife in 2015.

Thank you for all that you do.

Bird Video From Corness Lab of Ornithology

Enjoy our special video celebrating birds Dear Friend, In recognition of your support of birds and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, I hope you’ll enjoy watching this video featuring the Cornell Lab’s Executive Director John W. Fitzpatrick—a short clip that celebrates how birds bring us closer to nature. I joined the Cornell Lab four months ago and am excited to become part of this vibrant community of people who care deeply about birds and conservation. The many different ways that you support birds and the Lab—from observing birds at your backyard feeders, to recording sightings on eBird, to educating children and others about the lives of birds, to donating to the Cornell Lab—all make a difference for the better. As we conclude the Cornell Lab’s 100th year of studying and conserving the birds that enrich our lands and our lives, thank you for helping us start 2016 ready to do more for birds and nature.  Best wishes for a happy new year! With gratitude, Bramble Klipple Sr. Director of Development Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)

The 19th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is just over a month away! The GBBC is the perfect way to get birders of all skill levels, even new ones, engaged with your chapter and involved in valuable citizen science efforts. Be sure to download and print the 2016 GBBC Posters so you can promote the GBBC and your chapter’s GBBC-related events.

The Ancient Marine Origins of the Berm Surfaces at Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands - Reprinted from the Viera Wetlands Events & Happenings newsletter

The Ancient Marine Origins of the Berm Surfaces at Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands

Throughout most of its history, Florida has been under water. Many of Florida's modern topographic features and surficial sediments were created or deposited during periods when sea levels were high. Waves and currents in these ancient seas eroded the exposed formations of previous epochs, reshaping earlier landforms and redistributing eroded sediments over a wide area. Evidence indicates Florida's earliest geologic formations began during the Eocene Epoch, between 54 and 38 million years ago. In contrast, geologically speaking, the surficial deposits that form east-central Florida, including Brevard County, are very young. Most formed around 10,000 years ago, during the Holocene; before then, this landmass on which we make our home was covered by the ocean. Consequently, much of our surface geology is composed of shallow sediments derived from marine deposits. Over time, as sea levels rose and fell, generations of coral, shellfish, and fish skeletons piled up on the ocean floor where they mixed with quartz sand and clay, and the resulting layers of sediment became cemented together with calcite, aragonite, and other minerals. Since most marine organisms use calcium carbonate to build their shells or part of their mineralized structure, sedimentary rocks of biochemical origin are classified as limestones. Limestone is the most common type of rock in the Florida peninsula, where it is mined for road building and other construction applications. Different types of biochemical limestone are identified depending on grain size and degree of cementation and crystallization, including coquina, fossiliferous limestone, calcarenite, micrite, and chalk. Coquina, readily identifiable by its characteristic texture of whole and fragmented shells, has been used as a building stone in Florida for over 400 years; a notable example can be seen today in the walls of the Castillo de San Marcos in Saint Augustine.  The ancient marine origins of Florida limestone also are evident on the surface of the berms at Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands. Over time, the crushed limestone rock used to grade and stabilize the berm surfaces gradually erodes and decomposes, unconsolidating its various components. Rain, wind, and human activity, particularly vehicular disturbance under wet conditions, further degrade the limestone, sloughing off its finer particles and leaving behind its larger constituents. Inevitably, erosion will take its toll, eventually exposing the underlying soft sandy deposits, requiring the berms to be resurfaced with a fresh layer of limestone, and a new reminder of the ancient seas that once covered this place we call home. * The information contained in this article was derived primarily from The Geological History of Florida by Jason B. Barr (2009). A map showing the berm roads and cells is available at the following link: Viera Wetlands Map

Permanently Protect the Arctic Refuge

Every year, countless numbers of birds hatched in the vibrant tundra and wetlands of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge migrate across each of the 50 states to their wintering grounds. The astonishing habitat of the Arctic Refuge supports nesting birds such as Tundra Swans, Sandhill Cranes, Snowy Owls, Golden Eagles, a multitude of songbirds, and more. The biological heart of the Refuge—and vital nesting ground for these birds—is a 1.5-million-acre region between the Arctic Ocean and the mountains, known as the coastal plain. But the threat of oil and gas drilling has hung over the coastal plain for decades. Write to your members of Congress and tell them to support legislation to protect this extraordinary place forever. The pressure to drill for oil and gas continues to threaten the Refuge. Multiple bills introduced this Congress would open the coastal plain to drilling, which would create a spider web of infrastructure, eliminate crucial habitat, and risk a devastating oil spill. Some places are too special to drill. Last year, President Obama called on Congress to protect the Arctic Refuge as Wilderness. That designation benefits the Refuge and the vast array of wildlife and Alaska Native communities that depend on it. It’s time for Congress to act. Let your Members of Congress know that it’s time to protect the spectacular Arctic National Wildlife Refuge once and for all.

Sincerely, David Yarnold President & CEO, National Audubon Society

46th Annual Audubon’s Nebraska Crane Festival March 17-20, 2016 - Kearney, Nebraska

On-line registration for the 46th Annual Audubon’s Nebraska Crane Festival March 17-20, 2016 in Kearney, Nebraska is now open. Please go to the festival website:

http://nebraskacranefestival.org/

Presented by Audubon Nebraska, Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary, and Kearney Visitors Bureau

 

Featuring legendary nature photographer Thomas D. Manglesen (left), and world-renowned author and ornithologist Paul Johnsgard, Ph.D., presenting their new book A Chorus of Cranes. Written by Paul and accompanied by the stunning photography of Tom, the book details the natural history, biology, and conservation issues surrounding the abundant sandhill crane and the endangered whooping crane in North America.

The festival weekend will also include scientists, authors, photographers, and others who will share information on a wide variety of nature topics. Crane viewing, field trips, workshops, and other activities will also be available. Check out our website for full details and registration: http://nebraskacranefestival.org/.

In Memoriam: Cary L. Salter (1949 - 2016)

By Jim Eager, Space Coast Audubon Society, Vice President

Cary Lee Salter, 66, died Sunday, January 3, 2016. Beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle, Cary was a veteran, musician, photographer, and local naturalist. He served Brevard's veterans for many years and volunteered at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Arrangements by Ammen Family Cremation and Funeral Care, Titusville 264-6131. Share memories and sign the family guestbook at www.afcfcare.com.

From Nancy Corona at MIWA:
Long-time volunteer, Cary Salter, passed away on Sunday, January 3.  Cary will be missed by many including refuge staff, volunteers, visitors, friends and family.  He was integral in establishing and implementing the environmental education and interpretive programming at the refuge.

Cary and Betty were one of the first "roving" volunteers and guides for the beginning birding tours.  The refuge's education and interpretive programming would not be at the level they are today without Cary's dedication to education.  He helped build the refuge's visitor service program through his love of the refuge and by sharing his skills, talents, passion and enthusiasm.  Betty and Cary also worked with the refuge fire staff, photographing and documenting prescribed fires. Cary volunteered 6,700 hours, many of which, he accomplished while he worked full time.

In lieu of flowers, Betty is requesting donations be made in Cary's memory to the Merritt Island Wildlife Association, earmarked for the new visitor center classroom.

Merritt Island Wildlife Association
P.O. Box 2683
Titusville, FL  32781

Please contact Connie Cranston, the MIWA bookstore manager, at 321-861-2377 if you have any questions regarding donations.

Space Coast Shorebird Partnership Pre-Season Meeting

By Heather Hitt, Northeast Regional Wildlife Legacy Biologist, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Please save the date for our Space Coast Shorebird Partnership Pre-Season Meeting:

• When:  February 25, 2016, 9:00am – 12:00pm (approximately)
• Where: Kiwanis Island Park on Merritt Island, DC Room

Agenda will be sent out closer to meeting date.

Thanks!

2016 Florida Legislative Session Preview

By Jonathan Webber, Audubon Florida Communications Manager

Next week, lawmakers will return to Tallahassee for an unusually early legislative session. For Florida’s environment, legislators are expected to pick up last year’s unfinished water legislation and decide how to allocate Amendment 1 Water and Land Conservation Fund dollars.
Legislators may also wade into public and conservation lands issues, including one controversial proposal to allow private landowners to lay claim to contiguous park lands. Other issues may include regulation or banning of fracking for oil and gas production and attempts to prevent Florida from enacting rules to slow climate change by reducing emissions of carbon dioxide.

Audubon Florida’s legislative agenda is focused on water policy, environmental budgets, land conservation, and policies to advance solutions to climate change. Click here to download.

To accomplish our policy goals, Audubon Florida will advocate at the Capital and will enlist the support of our members and local leaders in legislative districts to communicate with their legislators. Audubon will also work with other conservation organizations and associations, including local governments, which often line up with our positions on land use and water policy.

We hope we can count on you to stay engaged. Audubon has been Florida’s most influential conservation voice. We show up at the right time, do our homework, and are respected for advancing science-based solutions. We propose more than we oppose. When we oppose, we work hard to stop bad ideas from becoming law. That is becoming more and more difficult.

What really makes the difference is you. Each weekend during session we will report on legislative activities regarding the environment and ask you to help. We hope our reports and alerts are useful and that you will use the information we provide to engage with your neighbors and elected representatives.

Thank you for all that you do for Florida.

Environmental Learning Center’s 20th Annual EcoFest Set

Now is the time to put the Environmental Learning Center’s 20th annual EcoFest on your calendar.  Announced this week by co-chairs Linda Clerch and Maureen Kane, the Treasure Coast Chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America will be the Premier EcoFest Sponsor. The theme is “Unplug, Explore, Discover.”  The ELC will be the perfect place to do just that between the hours of 11 am and 4 pm on Sunday, March 6.

“We are excited to be joined this year by A Florida Outdoor Center (AFLOC) who will provide two new and unique activities,” says Education Director Heather Stapleton. “If weather allows, stand up paddle boards will be offered in the lagoon off the ELC’s teaching platform, and fat tire bikes sampled on the ELC grounds.”

There is no admission charge and free parking will be available using shuttle service provided from satellite locations nearby. Music will once again be provided by The River Rats.
The line-up of customary favorites such as pond dip-netting and Quick Canoe Trips will be joined this year by kite flying and adult workshops. In addition to a wide variety of craft booths for all ages, this event will include plein air painting by local artists. Story Time on the stage in the Imagination Station will feature The Raft by Jim LaMarche.  Food will be available for purchase. As usual, the Vero Beach Power Squadron will donate all hamburger, hot dog and veggie burger proceeds to the ELC.

The Environmental Learning Center is located north of Vero Beach off County Road 510 at the western end of the Wabasso Bridge. Its 64-acre campus includes exhibit areas, native plant gardens, picnic facilities, gift shop, and visitor center. ELC membership benefits, a list of its many field excursions, EcoVentures, including nature walks, canoe excursions, and boating adventures can be found at www.DiscoverELC.org.

January 15, 2016 meeting

Join Space Coast Audubon Society for our January 15^th Meeting

“Save the Manatee”

WHO:  Space Coast Audubon Society (SCAS)

WHERE:  Rockledge Presbyterian Church, 921 Rockledge Dr, Rockledge, FL.

WHEN:   January 15, 2015 at 7:30 pm

Dr. Katie Tripp will be our speaker and will be presenting Save the Manatee

Dr. Tripp is Save the Manatee Club’s Director of Science and Conservation.  She received her bachelor’s degree from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL, where she majored in Marine Science and received minors in both Chemistry and Environmental Policy.  Katie received her Ph.D. in Veterinary Medical Sciences from the University of Florida, where she conducted research on manatee physiology. Dr. Tripp was a lecturer, laboratory instructor, and graduate research assistant at the university.  She has worked as a manatee consultant for one of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Projects and also worked as a biologist with FWC’s Marine Mammal Pathobiology Lab.

Save the Manatee Club (SMC) is an award-winning national nonprofit 501(c)(3) and membership-based organization established in 1981 by renowned singer/songwriter, Jimmy Buffett, and former U.S. Senator, Bob Graham, when he was governor of Florida.  Manatees are Florida’s official state marine mammal. They are listed as endangered at the international level by the IUCN World Conservation Union, at the federal level by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and at the state level by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Manatees are endangered largely due to human activity.  Dr. Tripp will share SMC’s mission, objectives, goals, work and core values.  For more information visit their website at www.savethemanatee.org.

                                                                    

Visit the Space Coast Audubon Society website at www.spacecoastaudubon.org and check out the Space Coast Audubon Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/Space-Coast-Audubon.

We look forward to another great turnout.

Jim Eager

Space Coast Audubon Society

Vice President

Program/Publicity Chair