January 31, 2015 MINWR field trip

WHO:  Space Coast Audubon Society

WHAT:  Merritt Island NWR

WHEN:  Saturday January 31, 2015

Space Coast Audubon member Marilyn Taylor will be leading a field trip to Merritt Island NWR.  Meet at 8 am at Sand Point Pk.  Sand Point Park has restrooms, and is on the left side of Garden St. before you cross the bridge heading out to the refuge.  Finish time:  12:00 noon, back at Sand Point Park.  For those interested, bagels and coffee will be served at our host's condo across the street.  You can bring a packed lunch if you prefer.  We need a head count, so an RSVP is needed.  Please contact Marilyn at operacrazed39@gmail.com to let her know if you plan on attending. 

 

Jim Eager

Space Coast Audubon Society

Vice President

Program/Publicity Chair

Congress Approves Bill for Duck Stamp to Provide More Habitat Conservation

 Reprinted from the American Bird Conservancy

The Senate unanimously approved a House-passed bill, H.R. 5069, to increase the price of Duck Stamps from $15 to $25.  The President will soon sign the bill into law.  Dan Ashe, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stated: “On behalf of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, I commend the U.S. Senate for approving an increase in the price of the Federal Duck Stamp today. I want to thank the bill’s sponsors, congressional leaders and millions of hunters and other conservationists for purchasing Duck Stamps and contributing to the preservation of habitat that all Americans can enjoy for generations to come.”

“At a time when millions of acres of wildlife habitat are at risk of being lost forever, congressional approval of this bipartisan legislation is a critical boost for wetlands conservation. By restoring the lost purchasing power of the Federal Duck Stamp, this legislation will give us the opportunity to work with thousands of additional landowners across the nation to maintain vital habitat for waterfowl, grassland birds and hundreds of other native species.”

Congratulations from ABC to all who worked to pass this wildlife conservation bill in a very difficult legislative climate.

January 16, 2015 SCAS meeting

Join Space Coast Audubon Society for our January 16^th Meeting

“Tanzania, Africa-Birding & Wildlife in the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater & Much More”

WHO:  Space Coast Audubon Society (SCAS)

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

WHEN:   January 16, 2015 at 7:30 pm

Sam Fried will be our speaker and will be presenting the birds, mammals and spectacular scenery in North Tanzania.  If you’ve ever dreamed of going to Africa this program will provide

a little teaser.  

Sam Fried moved to the Space Coast last year and is no stranger to the area.  He has been a past presenter at the Space Coast Birding Festival as well as leading birding tours to Brevard birding hotspots.  Sam has had numerous photographs and featured articles published in a variety of birding and golf magazines as well as the Insight Guide on Birding in North America for the Discovery Channel.  He is the founder of Flights of Fancy Adventures offering small group, low cost, trips throughout the Americas and now Africa.  He is past president of Hartford Audubon Society.

This program follows Sam’s three week journey through one of the world’s most exciting wildlife viewing areas – Northern Tanzania.  In addition to the numerous mammals, for which Africa is famed, his group encountered over 400 amazing bird species.  Leopards, lions, cheetahs, zebras, elephants, giraffes and adorable warthogs cross paths with bustards, bee-eaters, ostriches and secretary birds.  Watch as Sam traces his adventure across the Serengeti, into Eden-like Ngorongoro Crater, thru the grasslands of Tarangire National Park, high in the mountains and along the beaches of the Indian Ocean.

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

Space Coast Audubon December 19th Meeting

Join Space Coast Audubon Society for our December 19^th Meeting

Vulnerability of Species and Natural Communities in Florida to Sea-Level Rise, and What We Can Do About It

WHO:  Space Coast Audubon Society (SCAS)

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

WHEN:   December 19, 2014 at 7:30 pm

Reed Noss will be presenting Vulnerability of Species & Natural Communities in Florida to Sea-Level Rise & What We Can Do About It

Reed Noss is Provost’s Distinguished Research Professor at the University of Central Florida and President of the FL Institute for Conservation Science.  He currently conducts research on vulnerability of species and ecosystems to sea-level rise; climate adaptation strategies; disturbance (e.g. fire) ecology; road ecology; ecosystem conservation and restoration; and changes in ecological processes and species assemblages along urban-rural-wildland gradients.

He has nearly 300 publications, including seven books. His latest book is Forgotten Grasslands of the South: Natural History and Conservation (Island Press, 2013).

In Florida and other low-lying coastal regions, sea-level rise is an immediate and severe threat to natural and human communities. Reed Noss and his colleagues evaluated >300 species of plants, vertebrates, and invertebrates and natural communities in Florida with coastal or near-coastal distributions, in terms of their vulnerability to sea-level rise in combination with climate change and urbanization. The species most vulnerable to sea-level rise and interacting threats in Florida are primarily range-restricted (endemic) species on islands, especially the Florida Keys, such as the Florida semaphore cactus, Miami blue butterfly, mangrove terrapin, and Key deer. For most island species, the only alternative to extinction with 1-2 m sea-level rise is ex situ conservation (zoos and botanical gardens). 

Many mainland coastal species, such as aboriginal prickly pear and loggerhead turtle are also highly vulnerable. For mainland species restricted to largely developed coastlines, conservation options include:

1. Protect and manage existing habitat for as long as possible
2. Protect projected future habitat landward of coastal development
3. Provide assisted colonization to recipient habitat. The coastal regions with the greatest adaptation potential are those with the least human development, including the Everglades/Big Cypress/Ten Thousand Islands region and the “Big Bend” coast where the Florida peninsula meets the panhandle. 
4. Additional conservation options for these regions include:
1. Protect and manage existing habitat corridors to projected future habitat
2. Restore/create corridors to recipient habitat. Landward movement of natural communities, such as salt marshes and mangroves, should be facilitated where possible. Florida's rich mangrove bird guild - unique in the United States - is at risk of disappearing if mangroves are unable to respond adaptively to sea-level rise.

We look forward to another great turnout.

Jim Eager

Space Coast Audubon Society

Vice President

Program/Publicity Chair

Nature News Around the Web

Check out these interesting articles:

• Video: How Did Manatees Inspire Mermaid Legends?
• The Eurasian eagle owl
• Poll: Should U.S. Government Kill Thousands of Birds to Save Salmon?

Black Skimmers Lying on the Beach

By Dee Fairbanks Simpson

I was up to Sebastian Inlet this morning. Saw a weird thing. I was taking pictures of a herd of black skimmers, when one just kind of flopped onto the ground onto his tummy, with his head on the ground. I thought at first that he was dying, but then another one did the same thing, then another and another. I called David and asked him if I should call Fish and Wildlife, and he said no, it's just something the black skimmers do now and then.

When I got home a quick survey of other audubon members and an online search showed that this is fairly common behavior, especially after eating or when they are just plain old tired. I learn something new every day!

Brevard County Christmas Bird Counts

Jim Eager, Space Coast Audubon Society, Vice President

Below is a list of the 3 Christmas Bird Counts conducted in Brevard County. Come join us for some great birding and camaraderie. The only requirements are enthusiasm and a pair of binoculars. Dress appropriately for the weather and bring snacks and drinks. If you are going to participate in the Merritt Island count bring a lunch especially if your team will be birding on the refuge and in the restricted area (KSC) as there are no eating places available.

• Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Christmas Bird Count will be on Monday, Dec. 15th
• Meet @ Refuge Visitors Center 6:00 AM (a little earlier for coffee and some healthy breakfast stuff)
• Contact compiler Ned Steel(nedsteel@msn.com) if you are interested in joining the count so he can assign you to a team
• Cocoa Christmas Bird Count will be on Saturday, Dec. 20th
• Meet @ Steak & Shake, 5:30 AM, 790 Merritt Island Cswy(corner of SR 520/Sykes Ck Pkwy)
• Contact compiler Mitchell Harris(knmharris@bellsouth.net) if you are interested in joining the count so he can assign you to a team
• South Brevard Christmas Bird Count will be on Saturday, Jan. 3rd
• Meet @ Dunkin Donuts, 5:45 AM, 700 US 1, Sebastian. 
• Contact compiler Dee Simpson (southbrevardcbc@gmail.com) if you are interested in joining the count so she can assign you to a team

Enter the BirdSpotter Photo Contest

Your backyard bird images could win great prizes!

Ithaca, NY—The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's BirdSpotter photo contest is underway! The contest is sponsored by Vanguard and offers weekly prizes for the photos that receive the most votes on the contest website. Special "Judge's Choice" photos are also recognized.

Gary Mueller of Missouri submitted this photo of a Lego feeder that was the Judge's Choice during the first week of the contest.

BirdSpotter is being run through the Project FeederWatch citizen-science project at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada. FeederWatch participants keep track of their feeder birds from November through April and report what they see online. This information helps scientists learn more about the changes in bird distribution and population numbers in North America over time.

Each Wednesday from now through February 11, 2015, a new BirdSpotter photo theme will be posted, such as "birdbaths" or "chickadees only." You can upload one entry per week and then vote for your favorite photo. The winners will be announced on Monday morning. Each weekly winner receives a prize pack from Vanguard that includes binoculars, plus gifts from the Cornell Lab.

Voting for the top three photos from among all the weekly winners begins February 18. The grand prize winner receives Vanguard binoculars, scope, tripod, and backpack as well as more prizes from the Cornell Lab including a Charlie Harper print.

See full contest rules and the list of prizes on the contest website. You don’t have to be a Project FeederWatch participant to enter—but if you do sign up for the project you’ll be joining tens of thousands of other FeederWatchers who report their feeder visitors to help scientists learn more about our favorite backyard birds. Visit www.FeederWatch.org.

KEEP THE TONGASS FOREST SAFE FOR BIRDS AND WILDLIFE

Red-breasted Sapsuckers use ancient trees in the Tongass for key cavity nesting sites. Urge Congress to leave the big, ancient trees of the Tongass standing for the birds and wildlife that rely on them. Take Action › 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. Sincerely, David Yarnold President & CEO, National Audubon Society

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.

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.

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. 

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

Bird News Around the Web

Bird Embryos Can Discern Between Calls – a First in Nature

Ornithologists Map Family Tree of Mysterious Cotinga Birds

Hummingbirds 101  

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.

Sebastian Inlet Field Trip

Written by Phyllis Mansfield, Photos by Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Woodstorks at Dawn (photo © 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

The egg we found
(photo © Dee Fairbanks Simpson)

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.

Mourning Dove (photo © Dee Fairbanks Simpson)

Gulf Fritillary (photo © Dee Fairbanks Simpson)

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