"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Newsletter
July 17, 2014
In This Issue
Fertilize Smart
"Ding" Cartoon
Wildlife Sightings
Upcoming Events
Mote Remotes
Tree Wrapping
Hensen Puppets coming
Quick Links

The City of Sanibel recently posted the video below on its

Fertilize Smart: Don't Feed the Monster!
Fertilize Smart: Don't Feed the Monster!
website. It portrays a fertilizer algae monster resulting from improper amounts of fertilizer, which is carried by run-off and redirected to our shores, bays, rivers, and lakes.  
 
PLEASE fertilize properly to keep our islands and pristine waters clean.  The actions we take in our homes and yards affects our water quality and wildlife resources.

  
Red, White, Blue 
& GREEN
 
The Refuge, 
Tarpon Bay Explorers, and DDWS showed their patriotic spirit in this year's Sanibel Independence Day Parade. 
  
The annual Refuge float showcased the Blue Goose, "Teddy Roosevelt," and a host of Refuge critters.  

 

Cartoon
Click cartoon to see a larger version

Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist Jay Norwood Darling titled this 1923 cartoon "What man does to one of the most beautiful gifts of nature--the river." How relevant the cartoon rings to our current Caloosahatchee River dilemma! Darling has often been hailed as a leader in conservation vision way ahead of his time.

Click on the cartoon to see it enlarged.  
Wildlife Sightings
A bobcat caught on a refuge biology camera along Indigo Trail
 

 

Upcoming Events
Click here for a full calendar of events and programs.  
Prescribed Burns a Success
On Sunday, the Refuge fire team conducted a successful prescribed burn at the Bailey Tract and surrounding SCCF property.  Planned burns scheduled for the following days along Sanibel-Captiva Road and Legion Curve were thwarted
due to heavy rains and winds.  Before the rains began on Wednesday afternoon of this week, the fire team completed their planned burn along Legion Curve.  Summer is not only hurricane season in Florida, but also peak lightening season as well, which can cause wild fires with devastating impacts.  Prescribed burns lessen the likelihood and severity of wildfires started by lightning strikes or other causes and help preserve the natural ecology of the area.    
Mote Remotes
Join us for our next FREE program in partnership with Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida, as part of our summer Sea Monsters traveling exhibit.

 

Monday, July 28 Inside Nature's Giants: Giant Squid: Is it  a shark?! Is it a whale?! Nunhunh - it's a... GIANT SQUID! Explore its razor sharp beak, tooth-covered tentacles, three hearts, and bizarre reproductive system as scientists dissect this deep-sea alien, who has never been observed in the wild. The 60-minute film shows at 2 p.m. in the free Visitor & Education Center, Auditorium A.

  

Click here for the entire schedule of Sea Monsters programming.

Needed:  Water Flow Monitoring Equipment Support
With much of local spillways draining directly into Refuge waters at Lady Finger Lakes, which are offshoots of Tarpon Bay, the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Socity board of directors has committed to helping the City of Sanibel and SCCF perform important water research in hopes of improving water quality.  DDWS is currently seeking gifts to help purchase monitoring equipment for water flow on the island.  Cost for the equipment is around $18,000.  To learn more, please contact DDWS Executive Director Birgie Miller at 239.292.0566 or via Email.  If you would like to make a gift to support water quality research online, please CLICK HERE and note that it is to support this effort.    
Graffiti Trees get TLC
Refuge staff and interns recently covered graffiti-damaged gumbo limbos along Calusa Mound Trail with landscape fabric.   Here, Rob Walton of Grounds by Green Ways, who donated the materials and his expertise, demonstrates to Ranger Jeff Combs and intern Davis Horton how to wrap the trees to cover the graffiti and assist the trees in healing.  Click HERE to read more.  
25 Ways to Celebrate "Ding" Day's 25th

There must be 25 ways to celebrate "Ding" Darling Days' 25th Anniversary, 
October 19-25, 2014.   
Today we highlight 
FREE Special 25th anniversary presentations by Heather Hensen's Ibex Puppetry troupe during Sunday Family Fun Day on 
October 19. This year the puppeteers add a presentation under the tent, drum circles, and educational and movement workshops to their parade repertoire.

Stay tuned to "Ding" on the Wing in coming weeks for more of those 25 ways. For a full calendar of 'Ding' Days events as it develops, please click here. 

 

Thanks to our generous sponsors, who make "Ding" Darling Days happen this year.   
ROSEATE SPOONBILL:
GREAT EGRET: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GREAT BLUE HERON:  Arthur Printing, Bailey's General Store, Mike & Terry Baldwin, Casa Ybel Resort, Cedar Chest Fine Jewelry, Intech Printing, Island Sun, Jerry's Foods, Mike & Cannella Mullins, Ocean's Reach Condominiums, Jim & Patty Sprankle, West Wind Inn 

 

 


 To become a sponsor, please email or 

call Wendy Schnapp, 239-470-1877. 

TBE hosts summer rec
For the fourth consecutive year, campers from the Sanibel Recreation Center's Summer Day Camp program 
join Tarpon Bay Explorer fishing captains out on Tarpon Bay for the Sanibel-Captiva Optimist Junior Anglers Club fishing event. Every Monday for 11 weeks, campers ranging from fifth to eighth grade gather to fish. The Optimist Club organizes the event and provides volunteers and transportation. Bailey's General Store provides bait, while Tarpon Bay Explorers furnishes gear.
 
Discover "Ding" App coming soon
Look for the release of our  DISCOVER "DING" APP
in October 2014 during "Ding" Darling Days!
      
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,  Birgit Miller, Executive Director
 
"Ding" On the Wing composed by Chelle Koster Walton
Designed by Intern Sarah Lathrop