March Meeting:
Exotic Pets: the Good, the Bad & the Ugly
Paige of Animal Connections will talk about exotics in Florida and the repercussions they have when released into the wild.
Date: Monday, March 14, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. Location: First Congregational Church Fellowship Hall, 1031 S. Euclid Avenue Cost: FREE |
Get Out in March for These Great Activities
Want details and maps to meeting locations? Click here.
Oscar Scherer State Park
Thurs. March 3, 10, 17, & 24 at 8:30 am
Monthly Celery Field Walk
Sat. March.12 at 8 am
Manatee Audubon's Felt Preserve
Tues, March. 8 at 7:30 a.m.
Manatee Audubon's Felts Preserve
Wed..March 16 at 8 am ,.
Red Bug Slough
Thurs, March 17 at 8 am
Sparrow Drive Through Myakka SP
Fri. March 25 RESERVATIONS $25
Carefree Learner Boat Ride
Thurs. March 31 at 9 am
RESERVATIONS Cost $20
Carefree Learner Boat Ride
Tues. April 5 See details above
Monthly Celery Fields Walk
Sat., April 9 at 8 am
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Field Trips Not Featured in SAS Blog
Lettuce Lake: Jan. 29 On Saturday January 29th we visited Lettuce Lake, located on the Hillsborough River in Tampa. Water levels were high due to recent rains. A nesting Osprey and a nesting Red-shouldered Hawk were visible from the observation tower, along with the expected herons, grebes, and egrets. Both types of Night Herons were also present. The mile-long boardwalk took us through lovely river habitat, giving us great views of Limpkins and ibis. Tufted Titmice were noisily singing, along with the ever-present Yellow-rumped Warblers. Some members of the group were also able to spot a Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Blue-headed Vireos. In all, over 30 species were seen.
Lynn Jakubowicz
Teco Plant & George Simmons SP: Feb. 5
On February 5th a group of Auduboners enjoyed a wonderful morning of birding at George Simmons Park near Ruskin, topped off by a visit to Tampa Electric Company at Apollo Beach to observe swarms of manatees. Among the highlights of the trip were a record 40 bird species sighted (a record for Audubon day trips at this park). Spotted Sandpipers, Loggerhead Shrikes, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Common Ground-Doves, White Pelicans and a great variety of other waterbirds were abundant along the shores and beaches of this nearby park on the edge of Tampa Bay. At the TECO power plant, the warm water discharged into a canal attracted numerous manatees providing splendid views from an observation deck, including a close-up view of a baby manatee. Among other attractions of our TECO visit were the dolphins flashing their tails and fins in the surrounding water, and the interesting educational exhibits and photos in the visitor's center describing the life of these fascinating vegetarian "sea cows." Stu Hills
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From the Field: Fun Recaps of Where We've Been
Read recaps of our recent birdwatching field trips and plan on joining us on upcoming excursions. (The column on the right has the Blog Archives containing past trip reports). |
Discover Natural Sarasota
For information on where to enjoy leisure activities in beautiful Sarasota County,
click here . You'll find plenty to do with family, friends and visitors. |
The Great Backyard Bird Count
2011
Click here for more details
Total checklists: 84,109
Total species observed: 590
Total individual birds counted: 10,650,301
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Celery Fields Cleanup
Tues., March 22 at 8 am
Please help us keep our adopted road litter free. Meet at the gazebo on Palmer Blvd. Gloves, bags, and safety vests are provided. We are usually finished within an hour. The more hands the faster we're done.
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Improperly Applied Fertilizers Are Harmful to Our Water Bodies
The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently kicked off a new multi-media public service advertising campaign to educate residents on how to fertilize their lawns appropriately.
Many people don't know when to fertilize, how much to buy, how to read a fertilizer label and select the right fertilizer for their soil type, how much to apply, and how much water is needed to water-in the fertilizer.
As a result, recent studies have shown that rising nitrate levels in many local water bodies can be traced to fertilizer. Nitrate is a form of nitrogen that is found in inorganic fertilizers. When fertilizer is needed and applied correctly, the lawn absorbs the nitrogen. However, fertilizers applied improperly can run off lawns and into local water bodies, harming water quality and threatening the plants and animals that depend on clean water for survival.
The campaign focuses on these Florida-Friendly Fertilizing tips:
� Use slow-release fertilizers.
� Always follow package directions.
� Don't fertilize before a heavy rain.
� Fertilize only when needed and only when grass is actively growing.
The District has created a series of tools to help residents learn to apply fertilizer appropriately. By visiting WaterMatters.org/fertilizing, residents can get step-by-step instructions on fertilizing appropriately as well as watch a series of corresponding how-to videos. Residents can also order the free 15-page, "Do-It-Yourself Guide to Florida-Friendly Fertilizing" for additional information.
Fertilizing appropriately is one of the nine principles of Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM, a set of guidelines developed by the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences to protect our natural resources while promoting beautiful landscapes.
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Attention New Members
Did you join Sarasota Audubon Society within the last few years but have not participated in any of our activities? Are you interested in what we are doing? Would you be interested in attending a casual brunch to meet other new members and Board members? Please contact me at [email protected] 0r 379-3882. |
Welcome New Members!
John Lindell Alexandra Lovinger John Mahon B. Martin Jos. C. McAndrew Alyssa McKeithen Caroline McKeon Alan Miller Cindy Noble Carol Oltchick Donald and Dorothy Partington Patricia Peister Byron Powell Nanette Schneiderman Thomas Stone Marga Thompson Sherelle Turner Bernice Volk Elaine Warren Jill Wilson
Adele Witrock |
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Road Scholars Program Here Is a Great Success
What a week! The group notched up 106 species; they were absolutely thrilled with the birdlife here. We visited Siesta Beach, Myakka River SP, Oscar Scherer SP, the Celery Fields, Lake Osprey in Lakewood Ranch, took a marvelous trip on the Carefree Learner (Sarasota HS's research vessel) to the Roberts Bay rookery, and to Pinecraft Park. They also made forays to Ft De Soto CP in Pinellas and to the Felts Preserve in Manatee County (owned and managed by Manatee County Audubon). We kept them going and going all week. The group stayed at the Holiday Inn in Lakewood Ranch. They came from far and wide: California, Washington State, Michigan and many other states. None of them came from Florida . Even though they traveled around to the birding locations by bus, several of them had rented cars, and a number of them were staying on for a while. Six of them were going on to Naples to be part of another week-long bird trip sponsored by that area's Road Scholar program. Some of the suggestions at the debriefing this morning included a Natural History of Florida week, something to think of in the future. We talked up the seasonal opportunities for birding here-migration in April/May for example; some were really interested in that because of the many new birds they could see at that time. The Audubon guides were delighted to be able to share this wonderful Sarasota birding experience with so many.
Owen Comora & Jeanne Dubi
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Gainesville Bus Trip
Twenty-six intrepid SAS birders defied rain and cold (brrr!) to find 100 species of our feathered friends on their recent 3-day February trip.
The Gainesville area offered added attractions, including the Butterfly Rainforest at the Florida Museum of Natural History, the extensive University of Florida campus, and beautiful Kanapaha Botanical Gardens.
| Stu Hills - our resident butterfly expert |
Paynes Prairie State Preserve with its multitude of hiking and birding opportunities, includes the north rim La Chua Trail. This 1.5 mile path, habitat for many species, leads well into the marshland, offering a protected home to a group of 14 Whooping Cranes. These magnificent 'lifebirds' were easily identified amongst a host of the robust and plentiful Sandhill Cranes that grace the area. Whoops of glee reverberated across the prairie from the SASers as they climbed the observation deck to enjoy great looks at these large cranes! Many other interesting birds were observed on this adventure including an elusive Barn Owl, seen by only a few of our flock, and a rather cooperative collection of Chipping Sparrows at the botanical gardens. On this well rounded trip, the SAS birders also explored a geological feature, a large sinkhole many thousands of years old. Micanopy, a historically significant small town with its museum, fascinating early Florida stories, and entertaining reenactment was noted by several in the group as a "place to revisit".
Sue Stam
| Seminole War reenactors |
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Wakodahatchee, Green Cay & Okeeheelee
| Happy "hatchee" birders | West Palm Beach - The Boardwalks. Our trip to the "other coast" was a trip to remember. We visited 3 boardwalks in Palm Beach County. They were Green Cay, Wakodahatchee, and Peaceful Waters in Wellington. These boardwalks are a collaborative effort between the Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department and the County Parks and Recreation Department. The boardwalks were 2-3 mile walks around water reclamation areas. They were constructed to create a wetland using native plantings to naturally purify the water. In so doing these wetlands produce a natural habitat for wildlife and many species birds.
| Peaceful Waters Boardwalk | We tallied 84 species. Painted Buntings, Dickcissels, Gadwalls, and Purple Gallinules were among our highlights. Kathryn Young |
Spring in West Palm
| Photo: Rick Greenspun |
Egrets, herons, and anhingas were building nests and feeding young during our February overnight trip.
Ah Spring!!
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We Need Volunteers
SAS is fortunate to have very talented members. Please consider sharing your gifts and time to the benefit of our growing, influential organization. We particularly need an historian, as well as public relations and education chairpersons.
Volunteering is a great way to meet new people with common interests. Contact Jeanne Dubi (355-1709) for more details.
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Sarasota Audubon Hats Now Available
This classic baseball cap has our Brown Pelican logo (digitized from a Rick Greenspun photo) and the words Sarasota Audubon on front of hat.
Colors - Khaki and Mustard. Cost - $17.00
Call Kathryn Young 612-760-1771 to order or pick one up at the sales table before our SAS meetings.
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We Regret to Announce:
"The Wild Bird Center will be closing its doors this spring. We would like to express our thanks to everyone for their patronage and support over the past five years. Beginning in February we will have selected items offered for sale as part of our close out process.
Thanks,
Matt and Karen Holman"
Matt and Karen have been supportive of SAS as business owners and as members. We look forward to their continuing presence and friendship.
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Subscribe to Bird Alerts! Need the latest birding info for our area? To subscribe, just send an e-mail. Thanks to Peter Rice for providing this service.
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SAS Name Tags
If you are a new member or do not have an official SAS name tag, you can have one delivered right to your door. Send your name, address and telephone number and a check for $4.50 made out to: Michael Fox, 2749 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, FL 34237. For an extra $2.00, you can order a badge which attaches by magnet. No pinholes!
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