June 2010 Avocet Newsletter Tampa Audubon Society

Published on March 2017 | Categories: Documents | Downloads: 24 | Comments: 0 | Views: 204
of 8
Download PDF   Embed   Report

Comments

Content

TAMPA AUDUBON SOCIETY
“To conserve and restore our ecosystems, focusing on birds, wildlife, and their habitats, through education, advocacy, and community involvement.” Volume XXII. Issue 3 www.tampaaudubon.org June 2010

NEW MEETING PLACE Hillsborough County Extension 5339 CR 579, Seffner 1/2 mile south of I-4, exit 10

Dragonflies, Damselflies and Butterflies!
Thursday, June 10, 7:00 PM. Have you noticed the banner year we're having with Dragonflies? Find out about their beauty, behavior and benefits when Jo Anne Hartzler, Tampa Audubon Board Member, explains how to recognize these native insects that share our yards. See what a young Dragonfly looks like--a spider you say? Learn how Damselflies hold their wings differently and why. Identify these flying jewels by their big eyes up close. See the larval plants your favorite butterflies enjoy so they'll stick around.

Three spaces Remaining Holiday Birding in Costa Rica
November 26 - 30, 2010 Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve, Santa Elena Reserve and Palo Verde National Park $895 pp double occupancy SS $100 plus air (about $400) and lunch & dinner Daily breakfast buffet, try local cuisine for lunch and dinner

OFFICERS/DIRECTORS FOR 2010-2011 President: Pat Lewis 1st VP: Tammy Lyons 2nd VP: Bill Lamoureux Treasurer: Roger Sheets Secretary: Sherry Keller Directors: Joel Cleveland Tim Bonsack JoAnne Hartzler Mary Keith Mark Rachal Jason Guerard Conservation Chair: Mark Rachal Fieldtrip Chair: Bill Lamoureux ARC Director: Mike Mullins Web Master: Nan Murrah

Costa Rica Itinerary Day 1 - Arrive in San Jose and drive 5 hours to Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve. Day 2 - Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve. Centered atop the continental divide this region features many birds that we are unlikely to see elsewhere in Costa Rica. In the afternoon enjoy some free time exploring Santa Elena’s butterfly garden, cheese factory, coffee plantation, orchid garden, ranarium (frogs!) serpentarium, Insect World, or canopy tour. Day 3 - Santa Elena Reserve. Continue exploring Costa Rica’s cloud forest by visiting this exquisite reserve where wildlife viewing is plentiful. Day 4 - Palo Verde National Park. This park has the greatest concentration of waterfowl and shorebirds in Central America, and over 300 different species. Specifically, herons like Blackcrowned night heron, storks like jabiru stork, spoonbills, egrets, ibis, grebes, ducks, scarlet macaws, keel-billed toucans, and parrots. Day 5 - Return home.

TAMPA AUDUBON SOCIETY

FIELD TRIPS

www.tampaaudubon.org

All bird-watchers, beginners to expert, free and open to the public Some Hillsborough County parks are charging a $2 entrance fee

Saturday May 1 - Lake Park, Discover your Tampa Parks! JoAnn Hartzler, [email protected] 9 am, visitor Saturday June 12 - Lettuce Lake Beginning Birders, Pat Lewis, 907-6542 or [email protected]. 9 am, visitor Center. Saturday June 26 - Lowry Park (not the zoo) and Hammer Tower, Carolyn McKinney, 884-0578 or [email protected]. Meet at 8:30 am, turn north onto N Boulevard from Sligh (at Lowry Park) take first street on right to parking lot. Bring water. Saturday July 10, Lettuce Lake for Beginning Birders, Pat Lewis, 907-6542 or [email protected]. 9 am, visitor center. Sunday July 18 - Fort DeSoto, Bill Lamoureux, 839-2742 or [email protected]. 8:00 am, Visitor Center at the park, or contact leader to carpool. Bring hat, water, snacks. Done by noon. Saturday August 14 - Lettuce Lake Beginning Birders, Pat Lewis, 907-6542 or [email protected] 9 am, visitor center. ALWAYS SOMETHING DIFFERENT! Usually finished by 11:00. AUGUST - WATCH FOR FROG LISTENING PROGRAM!
Flatwoods Bluebird Hike April 17
By Mary Miller

Perfect weather, clear and breezy. We saw chickadees and bluebird eggs in 3 of the 45 2 miles on and off the trail and saw bluecarolins chickadee as well as deer, quail, It was a great trip and we accomplished my

newly hatched bluebirds and Carolina boxes on the 7 mile trail. We walked about birds, vireos, catbirds, cardinals, titmice, pigmy rattlesnake and turkey. goal of seeing bluebirds.

June 2 - Weekly Bluebird Report from Mary Miller Second nesting is in full swing with 14 second nests. If even half of those have fledglings, it will be a record year. We have a total of 116 fledglings (72 bluebirds, 26 titmice, 18 Carolina chickadees), and 49 eggs and 23 babies. In addition to the bluebirds, I saw several deer and one black racer crossed my path. It was a hot one today.

ARC at the Park
Visitor Center at Lettuce Lake

Volunteer training is available for those who are willing to invest four hours a month to staff the Visitor Center. The only skills needed are a love of the environment and a friendly smile.

ARC Family Nature Programs at Lettuce Lake Park
June - Aug 2010

Join Nature Girl Diana at Lettuce Lake County Park at 10am, the second Saturday of each month. Enjoy a monthly Family Nature Program sponsored by Tampa Audubon! E-mail me: fortkyle@aol , the names AND ages of those who plan to attend. Programs are geared towards elementary age all the way up to adults. 6/12/2010 - Spring has Sprung - Come rub with me! 10:00am-11:00am Document Lettuce Lake flora and habitats with nature rubbings. Learn bark and leaf identification and take home samples. Come join the fun as we SPRING outside and rub those trees. We will make art master pieces from what we find in the woods! 7/10/2010 - Life beneath our Feet! 10:00am-11:00am Let's take a walk on the WILD side. We don't have to go far to discover soooo much. Mosses, Ants and Lions, Oh My!!! What is moss and what is not! We're going on a Lion hunt! What is that cone shape in the sand? Who done it? And Why? What do they turn into next? Metamorphosis' into a scientist for an hour or two and wear your walking shoes.

8/14/2010 - Bugs and Butterflies! 10:00am-11:00am Lets walk the park and collect bugs. There's a whole world of tiny critters which are so much fun to find. Bring your magnifying glass and be ready to sleuth around. We'll look up, we'll look down, we'll look ALL around! I'll bring the containers. Wear real shoes, no flip flops. It's a LOOK and RELEASE type of day.

Audubon Academy 2010
The theme of this year’s Academy was “Possibilities Through Partnerships”. In the workshop, Planning Wildlife-Friendly Florida Communities, we learned about two web-based resource tools, from 1,000 Friends of Florida and Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, to find the critical information, guidelines, figures, and maps when we need it. Does Your Chapter Need a Makeover? #2 urged us to look at chapter planning from a new perspective—the characteristics of your community. Hometown Democracy, Constitutional Amendment #4 on the November, 2010 ballot, was discussed by chapter leaders as the issue applies to their communities. The Changing Dynamics of Water Management addressed the future of water management in Florida, and how can be involved in determining that future. How can high water use areas achieve reductions in water use, as some areas of Florida have already achieved? How can we balance between protecting nature and providing water for people? Membership, Technology and You suggested that if we are going to remain competitive in the technological age, fulfill grant requirements and build conservation communities, we are going to have to be willing to try new things, such as using social networking. Free-Ranging Cats – Why Should We Care? discussed resources available to help educate our decision makers who are promoting TNR and the licensing of feral cat colonies. American Bird Conservancy promotes keeping cats indoors. Ecology of Backyard Landscaping: Understanding Why Going Native Is The Key emphasized that it is critical that our backyards be the kind of change we want to have in restoring biological diversity-a must if we expect to protect species. It’s not enough to feed birds and have nest boxes. The foundation for a healthy ecosystem begins in the ground. Your chapter can propel a huge restoration effort, even in an urban setting. Our partners in this effort are garden clubs, native plant chapters, water management districts, and many others. Teacher Ecology Workshops: St. Petersburg Audubon, partnered with Sensing Nature, a conservation education business to provide a “summer camp” – a series of classes, field trips, and other experiences for elementary school teachers. Teachers received in-service credits, along with invaluable knowledge that will enable them to become more effective science teachers in their classrooms. The field trips were wonderful! Friday we kayaked on the Ichetucknee – the springs are beautiful, crystal-clear water, accompanied by three manatees. Saturday we birded along the Hawthorne Trail overlooking the Payne’s Prairie basin. A group of six White-crown Sparrows kept us entertained for some time. Sunday we enjoyed a beautiful sunrise over Payne’s Prairie, where we saw three American Bitterns. Later we hiked through the woods of Bolen Bluff, where we were surprised by the number of Vireos along the way. It was a great weekend! Submitted by Carolyn McKinney

Collage by Jason Guerard, photos by Joel Jackson, Roger Sheets & Jason Guerard

April at Ft. DeSoto
Photos by Roger Sheets

Eden The scene recalls some ancient place, still untainted. Wild, bathed in early spring, with clean, bright air as though seen through a polished lens. The small and lovely lake is alive with ducks and water birds of all kinds – preening, honking, squawking or just gliding along the glassy surface, unaware of their heartbreaking beauty. Over there, on a log near the shore lies a sunning gator – ten foot long at least. And, everywhere, everywhere, the tree swallows; wheeling and turning, swooping and diving, lacing the air with their dizzy play. By Ceci LaDuca Written after a fieldtrip to Circle B Bar Preserve in Lakeland

Donation of $50 by the Young at Heart group of the Palma Ceia United Methodist Church in the name of Miss Cozee Smith.

Need help with bird Identification? e-mail Bill Lamoureux at: [email protected]
Ronald Veller John D. Darsey, Jr. Jason & Laura Guerard Mark Rachal

JOIN TAMPA AUDUBON MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION I want to join the Tampa, Florida and National Audubon Societies at the special introductory rate of $25. Name: __________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________ City: __________________________ State:____________ Zip Code:_____________ Phone:_____________________ E-mail: _________________________________________ Please make your checks payable to: Tampa Audubon Society Mail to: Tampa Audubon Society P.O. Box 320025 Tampa, FL 33679 Your membership supports vital conservation issues. As a member you will receive the bi-monthly Audubon Magazine, the quarterly Florida Naturalist Magazine and have access to the bi-monthly Avocet Newsletter at www.tampaaudubon.org. I would like to include an additional contribution of $________ to the Tampa Audubon Society. ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ) I would like to help my local chapter. I have a special interest and/or skills in: ) Local conservation issues ) Membership promotion ) Education/Audubon Adventures ) Exhibits at fairs/festivals ) Publicity/Fundraising ) Website/Computers

National Audubon occasionally makes its membership list available to carefully selected organizations. To have your name omitted from this list please check here: ( )

COZE35OZ

Sponsor Documents

Or use your account on DocShare.tips

Hide

Forgot your password?

Or register your new account on DocShare.tips

Hide

Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link to create a new password.

Back to log-in

Close