In
a late-night back room deal, Members of Congress snuck a provision into
an unrelated Defense Authorization bill that would log some of the
rarest and largest ancient trees remaining in one the world’s most
intact old-growth temperate rainforests—Alaska’s Tongass National
Forest.
Write to your Representative and Senators now and tell them you oppose the Tongass provision in the Defense Authorization bill.
The Tongass has been hit hard by industrial-scale old-growth logging, and pending timber sales, such as the announced Big Thorne project, are already threatening the tracts of unbroken forest needed by birds and wildlife. The language in the Defense Authorization bill will transfer irreplaceable public lands from Alaska's Tongass National Forest to a private corporation, allowing it to cut some of the rarest and largest ancient trees left in the forest. These old-growth forests are critical for birds and other wildlife, including the Queen Charlotte Goshawk, Alexander Archipelago wolf, Sitka black-tailed deer, and more. This underhanded attack on the Tongass will only add to the risks for birds and other wildlife that rely on the Tongass. Please take a moment to write to your elected officials and tell them you oppose further old-growth logging in the Tongass National Forest.
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Tuesday, December 9, 2014
KEEP THE TONGASS FOREST SAFE FOR BIRDS AND WILDLIFE
Audubon's State of the Everglades Report - Fall/Winter 2014
Click here to download your free copy of our comprehensive biannual report on the River of Grass.
Have you heard the incredible story of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project?
An ill-conceived 55,000 acre subdivision south of Alligator Ally failed only after hundreds of miles of canals and roads were cut through beautiful cypress strands and pine flatwoods. Over 19,000 lots were left in the hands of nearly as many owners.
For restoration to begin, the State of Florida had to purchase every parcel. Canals were filled and roads eliminated to reestablish sheet flow. Now panthers, Wood Storks, and other wildlife are reclaiming the land.
This Everglades success story is important because it provides more evidence that restoration works. The formula is almost simple – undo the human damage, fill the canals, get rid of the roads, let the water flow, and nature shows amazing resilience.
You can learn more about this project and others like it in the fall/winter edition of Audubon's State of the Everglades report. Click here for an immediate download.
It is only with good science and strong advocacy that Everglades restoration will stay on course until completion. Thanks to dedicated members and supporters like you, Audubon is the only organization with operations in every part of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem.
P.S. Check out page 4 for an update on how the big Amendment 1 victory will affect the future of Everglades restoration.
 |
| Click to download. |
Have you heard the incredible story of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project?
An ill-conceived 55,000 acre subdivision south of Alligator Ally failed only after hundreds of miles of canals and roads were cut through beautiful cypress strands and pine flatwoods. Over 19,000 lots were left in the hands of nearly as many owners.
For restoration to begin, the State of Florida had to purchase every parcel. Canals were filled and roads eliminated to reestablish sheet flow. Now panthers, Wood Storks, and other wildlife are reclaiming the land.
This Everglades success story is important because it provides more evidence that restoration works. The formula is almost simple – undo the human damage, fill the canals, get rid of the roads, let the water flow, and nature shows amazing resilience.
You can learn more about this project and others like it in the fall/winter edition of Audubon's State of the Everglades report. Click here for an immediate download.
It is only with good science and strong advocacy that Everglades restoration will stay on course until completion. Thanks to dedicated members and supporters like you, Audubon is the only organization with operations in every part of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem.
 |
P.S. Check out page 4 for an update on how the big Amendment 1 victory will affect the future of Everglades restoration.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Blue Heron Wetlands Field Trip
WHO: Space Coast Audubon
Society
WHAT: Blue Heron Wetlands
Field Trip
WHEN: Sunday December 14,
2014
Space Coast Audubon board member
Matt Heyden will be leading a field trip to Blue Heron Wetlands. Meet at 9 am at the Cracker Barrel restaurant
at Exit #215, I-95 and SR 50 in Titusville. The restaurant is on the
NW corner of the intersection. Meet in the parking lot area closest to SR
50. This will be a driving trip around the wetlands which is only about a
mile away from the restaurant. You can use your own car or car pool.
Bring a lunch and drinks, as we will
head to our home for lunch on the outside patio, watching the bird feeders,
when we are done, hopefully around 11:30 or so. Please RSVP to me at mheyden716@aol.com, only because the wetlands are now asking to know how many
cars are coming ahead of time.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
The inaugural unveiling of the new Space Coast Audubon display today at the Forest Festival at Enchanted Forest. I provided some of the photos but a BIG thanks to boardmember Jenn Cenker for putting the display together. We had many folks stop by and hopefully we might have recruited some new members.
Jim Eager
Vice President
Program/Publicity Chair
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
New Portal to Solar Programs and Incentives
Reprinted from the Audubon Chapter Leader Update
Audubon is assembling information and resources for actions that people can take at home, at work, and in their communities to mitigate the impacts of climate change. The first of these resources—now available online—is a portal to information on rooftop and community-based solar programs and incentives by state.
We encourage you to share this information, and please let us know with how many organizations or individuals you have shared it by emailing Ginny Kreitler.
Audubon is assembling information and resources for actions that people can take at home, at work, and in their communities to mitigate the impacts of climate change. The first of these resources—now available online—is a portal to information on rooftop and community-based solar programs and incentives by state.
We encourage you to share this information, and please let us know with how many organizations or individuals you have shared it by emailing Ginny Kreitler.
Sebastian Inlet Field Trip
Written by Phyllis Mansfield, Photos by Dee Fairbanks Simpson
Cold strong NW winds this morning didn’t stop 12 people who birding with Dee and David Simpson at Sebastian Inlet St. Park. Thanks to Dee and David for a combined field trip with Pelican and Space Coast Audubon. Around 50 species of birds were seen, some of which were lifers. My “bird of the day” was the Broad-winged Hawk that flew over and quickly ID by David. Strong west winds don’t usually bring in seabirds, but there was a Northern Gannet at the end of the pier! At 7:30 am, the cove area had a great number of Wood Storks, Laughing Gulls, Ruddy Turnstones, Reddish Egret and a few terns. Flying Roseate
Spoonbills were highlighted in the morning sun. Good comparison was observed between Willet and
Short-billed Dowitcher. Later-in the cove- a Manatee was spotted.
We were all captivated when Dee spotted an egg on the ground; I’m still checking but it did not fit
for either Mocking bird or Carolina Wren. A lovely red Rat Snake was seen by all. Great to be out-of-doors, seeing and moving with friends.
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| Woodstorks at Dawn (photo © Dee Fairbanks Simpson) |
Spoonbills were highlighted in the morning sun. Good comparison was observed between Willet and
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| The egg we found (photo © Dee Fairbanks Simpson) |
We were all captivated when Dee spotted an egg on the ground; I’m still checking but it did not fit
for either Mocking bird or Carolina Wren. A lovely red Rat Snake was seen by all. Great to be out-of-doors, seeing and moving with friends.
 |
| Mourning Dove (photo © Dee Fairbanks Simpson) |
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| Gulf Fritillary (photo © Dee Fairbanks Simpson) |
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Field Trip: Orlando Wetlands Park, November 9
- When: Sunday November 9, 2014
- Where: Orlando Wetlands Park
I will be leading a Space Coast Audubon field trip to Orlando Wetlands Park on Sunday November 9th. We will meet at 7:00 am at the Cracker Barrel at I-95 & SR 50 (Exit # 215). From there we will carpool to Orlando Wetlands Pk in Christmas. I would suggest bringing drinks, snacks, sunscreen and bug spray (optional). We will be walking so wear comfortable footwear. Looking at the 10 day forecast the high/low will be 75/55 with a 30% chance of rain. As an FYI the male Vermillion Flycatcher has returned and is in Cell 17 which is the same area as last year.
Looking forward to a good turnout.
Jim Eager
Space Coast Audubon
Vice President
Program/Publicity Chair
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Novermber 21st Meeting: A Journey Through Alaska: Birds, Wildlife, and Scenery
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| Denali Photo Copyright Dee Fairbanks Simpson |
- WHO: Space Coast Audubon Society (SCAS)
- WHERE: Rockledge Presbyterian Church, 921 Rockledge Dr, Rockledge, FL.
- WHEN: November 21, 2014 at 7:30 pm
Cameron Cox will be our speaker and will be presenting A Journey Through Alaska: Birds, Wildlife and Scenery
Cameron Cox has been an avid birder since the age of 13. Before working for several years on the Nikon and Leica Sport Optics Pro Staff, he spent his late teens and twenties traveling as a “bird bum” to all corners of North America, from southern Mexico to the Pribilof Islands in the Bering Sea. Birds led him repeatedly to Cape May, NJ, and it was while counting raptors and waterbirds he realized that identifying distant waterbirds on the wing was fun and challenging. This led to the inspiration to publish the “Peterson Reference Guide to Seawatching: Eastern Waterbirds in Flight” with Ken Behrens. Cameron currently leads birding and photography tours for Tropical Birding. Cameron will be bringing copies of his Peterson’s Guide to Seawatching book, for purchase, and will autograph them.
Come along as Cameron takes us on a journey to “The Last Frontier”. You will be astounded at the splendor, expansiveness and beauty of our 49th state. The birds and wildlife make it one of the most unforgettable places to visit in the United States. Touching on the frozen tundra of Barrow, the stunted taiga forest of Nome, the seabird cliffs of St Paul, the towering mountains of Denali, and the stunning glaciers of Kenai, this slide presentation will give you a small taste of Alaska! After viewing this presentation you’ll surely want to put Alaska on the top of your travel bucket list.
Visit the Space Coast Audubon Society website at www.spacecoastaudubon.org
We look forward to another great turnout.
Jim Eager
Space Coast Audubon Society
Vice President
Program/Publicity Chair
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
October 17th Space Coast Audubon Meeting
PROGRAM CHANGE
Join Space Coast Audubon Society for our October 17th Meeting
"Dragonflies & Damselflies of the Southeast"
WHO: Space Coast Audubon Society (SCAS)
WHERE: Rockledge Presbyterian Church, 921 Rockledge Dr, Rockledge, FL.
WHEN: October 17, 2014 at 7:30 pm
There has been a program change and Vice President Jim Eager will be our speaker and will be presenting Dragonflies & Damselflies of the Southeast. Come see all about these aerial predators of the sky.
Join Space Coast Audubon Society for our October 17th Meeting
"Dragonflies & Damselflies of the Southeast"
WHO: Space Coast Audubon Society (SCAS)
WHERE: Rockledge Presbyterian Church, 921 Rockledge Dr, Rockledge, FL.
WHEN: October 17, 2014 at 7:30 pm
There has been a program change and Vice President Jim Eager will be our speaker and will be presenting Dragonflies & Damselflies of the Southeast. Come see all about these aerial predators of the sky.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
October 17th Space Coast Audubon meeting
Join Space Coast Audubon Society for our
October 17th Meeting
“A Pictorial Journey into the Birds of
Colombia”
WHO: Space Coast Audubon
Society (SCAS)
WHERE: Rockledge
Presbyterian Church, 921 Rockledge Dr, Rockledge, FL.
WHEN: October 17, 2014 at
7:30 pm
Ernest Leupin will be our speaker and
will be presenting A Pictorial Journey
into the Birds of Colombia
Ernest was born and raised in Colombia.
He received a Master's Degree in Conservation Biology from the
University of British Columbia. He now
works as an Environmental Consultant addressing terrestrial wildlife species,
habitat, and conservation. Ernest moves
back and forth from his hometown in S Florida to British Columbia to Colombia. Ernest has been birdwatching since 1997 and
has birded in Canada, United States, Costa Rica, and of course Colombia. Ernest founded Colombia Wild Eco-tours www.colombiawild.com to promote
environmentally sustainable ecotourism in Colombia and to support local
communities that protect their natural resources.
Colombia is #1
worldwide in diversity of birds with 1903 (75 endemics) and has more species of
birds than Europe and North America combined.
It has 19% of the world’s species in .8% of the landmass. But Colombia's biodiversity does not
stop with birds. With a mind - boggling
55,000 species of plants, of which nearly 30% are endemic, 623 species of
amphibians, 467 species of mammals, 518 species of reptiles, and countless
insects, it is a biodiversity haven!
Colombia is divided into 5 regions:
Caribbean, Pacific, Andes, Plains and Amazon. Come join us as Ernest takes us on an amazing
journey thru all 5 of these beautiful regions.
Visit the Space Coast Audubon Society
website at www.spacecoastaudubon.org
We look forward to another great
turnout.
Jim Eager
Space Coast Audubon Society
Vice President
Program/Publicity Chair
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