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Upcycle! Art Fest Deadlines
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Artists who wish to take advantage of a discount on application fees for the inaugural Upcycle! A
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Artist Andrew Corke's award-winning anhinga, fashioned out of bike tires and other repurposed materials, will be one of many artworks for sale at the inaugural Upcycle! Art Fest.
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rt Fest on Sanibel, April 26-27, 2014, must register by Oct. 30, 2013. Final registration deadline is Nov. 30, 2013. Please click HERE for registration information and forms. |
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2014 Film Series
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Click HERE to see this season's lineup and film descriptions. |
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Mark your Calendar
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Get ready to party at the Refuge.. for the Refuge!
 | | February 21, 2014 |
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16th Annual Environmental Breakfast
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SW FL Audubon
October 24, 7:00 a.m.
East Riverside Community Center
For more information, email:
info@audubonswfl.org
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December 13- Captiva Village Mullet March
January 8-April 16 2014 - Bi-Weekly Film Series
January 17-April 11 2014 - Weekly Friday Lecture Series,
February 21 2nd Annual Trailgate Party
February 28 - Stokes Birding Tour - Only 20 spots remain!
April 19 - Earth Day at the Refuge & Plein Air Painters
May 2 -3 - "Ding" Darling Doc Ford's Tarpon Tournament!
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| Wildlife Sightings |
 | | "Birds Gone Wild" with their 6 month break from people.. come check out the Drive! |
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"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Newsletter
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The Refuge is OPEN!
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Media and visitors poured in yesterday to celebrate the long-awaited re-opening of the Refuge. Reports say the birding is better than ever since the wildlife enjoyed a bit of a respite. Come on over and have a look at the wildlife at our new Wildlife Education Boardwalk, along Indigo Trail and experience the improved pavement along Wildlife Drive to make biking the Refuge much more pleasant!
 
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"Ding" Darling Days
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Family Fun Day
(Oct. 20) remains cancelled despite the Refuge's reopening. The government shutdown made it necessary to cancel arrangements with our out-of-town presenters and exhibitors.
However, the rest of the week's activities - recreational tour discounts, presentations, and free tours and other activities - will continue as scheduled. Click HERE for more information.
Monday, October 21 is FULL of Fun activities. Programs at the free Visitor's/Education Center:
10-11am FREE Naturalist-narrated walking tour of Indigo Trail and the NEW Children's Education Boardwalk, meet at EC flagpole.
11am-12noon FREE Reddish Egret Talk, EC Auditorium
Dr. Kenneth Meyer, University of Florida
1:30-2:30pm FREE Story of Ospreys Presentation
Mark "Bird" Westall and Claudia Burns, International Osprey Foundation.
At Tarpon Bay Explorers:
8:30-10am Breakfast Nature & SeaLife Cruise * 25% off 11am-12:30pm Sea Life & Nature Cruise, TBE* 25% off 11:30am-1:30pm Guided Kayak Tour, TBE* 25% off
12:45-1:15pm FREE Deck Talk: Sharks, Tarpon Bay Explorers The FREE Bunche Beach Birding Tram will still run on Wednesday, Oct. 23, and Thursday, Oct. 24. It is free, but reservations are required. Call Tarpon Bay Explorers at (239) 472-8900.
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FREE Wildlife Drive Days
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 | | Bike, hike, or tram the Refuge on Friday, October 25, and have Wildlife Drive virtually all to yourself. |
To celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week, the Refuge has opened admission to the newly improved Wildlife Drive for FREE on two days during next week's "Ding" Darling Days.
Cyclists and pedestrians can enter FREE on Friday, October 25, 2013. (The Drive usually closes to all traffic on Fridays.) On Saturday, October 26, the Drive is open for FREE to all during Conservation Art Day, which READ MORE
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Friday Lecture Series 2014 Preview
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The free 2014 lectures will be held twice each
Friday, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Book signings follow all of the starred (*) lectures. Seating for the lectures is limited and available on a first-come basis.
A special THANK YOU to  which is the official sponsor of this season's Friday Lecture Series.
*January 31 - John Englander, Author - High Tide on Main Street
*February 7 - Don & Lillian Stokes - 3 Easy Steps to Bird ID
February 14 - Brian "Fox" Ellis - John J. Audubon Re-enactor
February 21 - Kenneth Meyer, University of Florida - The Magnificent Frigatebird
February 28 - Volunteer Luncheon/No Lecture
March 7 - Joy Hazell, Florida Sea Grant - Learning and Loving Mangroves
March 14 - Mike Owen, Biologist - Fakahatchee Strand
March 21 - Rick Bonney, Cornell Lab of Ornithology - Citizen Science
March 28 - Erin Myers, U.S. Fish & Wildlife - Florida Panthers
*April 4 - Charles LeBuff, Naturalist & Chris Lechowicz, SCCF - Amphibians & Reptiles of Sanibel & Captiva Islands
*April 11 - Clyde Butcher, Wildlife Photographer -
Florida: Where Water, Earth & Heaven Meet
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Welcome New Intern!
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 | | Sarah Rainbolt assisted with Beach Clean-Up for National Public Lands Day. |
Sarah Rainbolt from Cape Coral recently joined the Refuge staff as an environmental education intern working with Ranger Becky Wolff, the Refuge's education specialist. DDWS supports the Refuge internship program by paying living stipends for several interns each year, supplementing staff cutbacks due to federal budget restraints. Sarah graduated in May 2013 from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla., with a degree in environmental READ MORE
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Rapala Reception & Presentation
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 | | Gregg Wollner from Rapala USA with Ralph and Jean Woodring |
Thanks to George and Wendy's Seafood Grille for stepping in to make sure the Rapala Lures event could go on this week in spite of the government's shutdown of the Refuge. Thanks also to Budweiser and Friends of the Refuge for providing refreshments. The event was a wonderful success! |
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GREAT EGRET:Ocean's Reach Condominiums, Matzaluna Italian Kitchen
GREAT BLUE HERON: Arthur Printing, Bailey's General Store, Island Sun, Jerry's Foods, Sanibel Captiva Community Bank, Sanibel Captiva Trust Company, Jim & Patty Sprankle, West Wind Inn
REDDISH EGRET: Mike & Terry Baldwin, Big Red Q Quickprint, Caloosa Tent & Rental, Casa Ybel Resort, Cedar Chest Fine Jewelry, Rotary Club of Sanibel-Captiva,
Sandalfoot Condos, Sanibel-Captiva Kiwanis Club; Tween
Waters Inn.
SNOWY EGRET:
George & Wendy's Seafood Grille, Good Wheels, Grounds by Greenways, Island Events, Island Therapy Center, Mast Family Culligan, Nave Plumbing, Over Easy Cafe, Panther Printing; Wendy & George Schnapp, She Sells Sea Shells, Winston & Barbara Spurgeon; Suncatcher's Dream
Presented by "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society,
Tarpon Bay Explorers, & U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
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These are just snapshots of some of the things taking place at your Wildlife Refuge. Please check our website at www.dingdarlingsociety.org to learn more!
Sincerely,
"Ding" On the Wing composed by Chelle Walton
Assisted by interns Jess Shelton and Sarah Lathrop |
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