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FREE Wildlife Drive This Weekend
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To celebrate Verteran's Day, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has announced free admission to all national wildlife refuges this weekend. Enter "Ding" Darling without fees on Saturday, Novermber 9, and Sunday, November 10.
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2014 Film Series
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The schedule is set and the projector is ready to roll! Click here to view the lineup for this season, and make your plans to join us.
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Milena
Turns 102
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"Ding" darling Wildlife Society matriarch Milena Eskew celebrated her 102nd birthday last week at Shell Point Retirement Community. DDWS Executive Director Birgie Vertesch and Refuge Ranger Jeff Combs celebrated with her, bringing her a birthday package and a video of Refuge Manager Paul Tritaik singing "Happy Birthday."
Milena helped form the Society and served as the Board of Director's first secretary when it formed in 1982. Happy Birthday, Milena....and many more!
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Boardwalk Phase 2
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 | | Simulated gopher tortoise scat will rest on a hand-painted plate embedded into the boardwalk. |
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We expect work to be completed by the end of this month on Phase 2 of the new Wildlife Education Boardwalk. The second phase adds a number of simulated track and scat samples with interpretative panels- the first of their kind in the refuge system.
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Tarpon Tourney
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 The Third Annual "Ding" Darling & Doc Ford's Tarpon Tourney may be six months away, but you can catch the excitement NOW by watching this WGCU Public Media segment from last years tournament. | |
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December 13- Captiva Village Mullet March
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"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Newsletter
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Farewell to a Friend
|  With utmost sorrow, we bid farewell to one of the Refuge's dearest friends and supporters, the grandson of Jay Norwood Darling himself, Christopher "Kip" Koss. Kip, like his grandfather before him, had a long, affectionate relationship with these islands and their natural treasures. He founded the "Ding" Darling Foundation to keep alive the memories of his highly accomplished grandfather. When it disbanded, he disbursed funds between the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society and Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) to be used for conservation education. Click here to read Kip's obituary. |
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"Ding" Days Photo Contest
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On October 26, 2013, "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society announced the winners of our 26th annual "Ding" Darling Days Amateur Nature Photography Contest at a special Conservation Art Day presentation in the Refuge Visitors & Education Center, part of the weeklong "Ding" Darling Days celebration.
Earlier, on October 2, judges had selected 13 winners out of 74 entries from 19 states and four countries. All photographs READ MORE. Click here to see all winning images. |
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Spotlight on Our Visitors
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The Refuge makes the perfect place for a reunion with family and nature.
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New "Ding" Artifact
|  At the "Ding" Darling Days Duck Stamp Reception on October 25, filmmaker Samuel Koltinsky (producer of America's Darling) presented DDWS President John McCabe and Refuge Manager Paul Tritaik with the Final Cartoon "Ding" Darling Commemorative Plate. The Des Moines Register in Iowa created the newspaper plate some 70 years ago. Jay N. "Ding" Darling drew the original cartoon, titled "Bye Now... It's Been Wonderful Knowing You," in 1960, two years before his death in 1962. The plate is on loan through 2016 from the Des Moines Register and Sam's Marvo Entertainment Group, as a part of "The Extraordinary Project." We will be placing it on display soon in the FREE Visitors & Education Center for all to admire.
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Kids....Go Fish!
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 Kids of all ages who are able to hold their own fishing pole may participate in the FREE Second Annual "Ding" Darling Kids Fishing Derby to be held on the Sanibel Causeway Islands Park (Island A) on Saturday, November 9. Click here to view the flyer and all the details.
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Student Photo Contest Underway
|  Last month, seventh and eighth grade students from Cypress Lake Middle School and The Sanibel School boarded Tarpon Bay Explorer trams for photo trips along Wildlife Drive as part of the annual Student Photography Contest sponsored by Bank of the Islands/Edison Bank. TBE naturalist Don Parsons, a professional photojournalist and nature photographer, acted as guide and teacher, providing the students with hints about getting the best out of everything from cell phone cameras to point-and shoot types and more sophisticated equipment. Contest judging will be held in December, and winning images will be on display in the banks. Stay tuned for news about another student photo contest on its way - the Theodore Cross Photo Contest for high schoolers. |
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Follow us on Instagram
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The "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society is now up on Instagram. Users can view some of the fantastic imagery that we see every day here at the Refuge. Look for us at @dingdarlingwildlifesociety, and if you don't have Instagram on your smart device download it today for FREE and get started.
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| Trailgate Party 2014: In the
PINK
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Make plans now to attend the second annual "Ding" Darling Trailgate Party on February 21, 2014. Strategies are underway to make this another one-of-a-kind evening and the event of the season.
With a portion of the event proceeds going to support continued mangrove cuckoo research and other education and research efforts at the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, the theme this year is "In the Pink," in homage to "Ding's" iconic bird, the roseate spoonbill.
Last year's inaugural READ MORE
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Refuge Nature Store
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Sanibel Holiday purchased for its client list holiday cards from the Refuge Nature Store. What better way to express island spirit? Thanks for the merry support!
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The holidays are fast approaching, and our supply of 2013 Refuge Wildlife Holiday Cards is dwindling just as fast. Please stop in or call 239-472-1100 ext. 241 or email today to order your cards. Click here to view all six designs in the 18-card set. Cost is $15.99 plus shipping and handling.
Remember, all proceeds from Nature Store purchases benefit Refuge wildlife.
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"Ding" Days Greatest Hits
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Cartoonist Doug MacGregor persues Children's Conservation Cartoon Contest winners before his awards presentation and cartooning lesson on Conservation Art Day.
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 Conservation Art Day wrapped up
"Ding" Darling Days 2013
with crowds of families excited to visit the Refuge and meet our special Duck Stamp artist guests. Despite the cancelation of Family Fun Day, the weeklong "Ding" Days drew in Refuge enthusiasts with free lectures and tours and discounted recreational rentals and tours.
Mark your calendar for next year's
"Ding" Darling Days - October 19-25, 2014 - when we will celebrate the event's 25th Anniversary.
 | | Tarpon Bay Explorers offered free Stand-Up Paddleboarding Lessons all day Thursday and Saturday and Sunday mornings. |
Another special thanks to all of our loyal
"Ding" Days sponsors for making this happen!
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Wildlife Sightings
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 | Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Photo By: Craig Goettesch |
Current
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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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