"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Newsletter
January 29, 2015
In This Issue
New Biology Interns
Tarpon Tournament
Youth Fishing Day
Upcoming Events
Trailgate Sponsors
Film Series
Butterfly Program
Wildlife Sightings
Quick Links
2015 Biology Interns
Katie Leonard and
Margaret Anderson
Two new biology interns joined the Refuge team effort on January 5, 2015.  Margaret Anderson and Katie Leonard plan to stay until July 2015 as part of the refuge's intern program supported by the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society
 
Register Now for Tarpon Tourney!
to register now for the fourth annual "Ding" Darling & Doc Ford Tarpon Tournament on May 9, 2015.  For rules and registration info and to read about 2014 results, click here.  
 
Youth Fishing Day
Cody Ratner with his 38" bonnethead shark, "Ding" Darling resident volunteer Ken Kopperl (left), and Captain Steve Yetsko.
Last week, Tarpon Bay Explorers and the Refuge hosted My Autism Connection kids for a fun and fruitful day of fishing and education on the bay.  Thanks to the sponsors who made this event possible: The Bait Box, Caloosa Wholesale, Dale Shirley, "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society, George & Wendy's Seafood Grille, Lexington Fishing Club, Sanibel Fishing Club, and Shallow Bait.
UPCOMING EVENTS


Click here for a full calendar of events and programs
Through April 12, 2015


February 20, 2015


April 1-2, 2015



FREE Refuge Earth Day 
April 18, 2015



October 18-24, 2015
 
Post your photos on our Facebook page
Woodstork 
Photo by Jeff Springer
Ibis
Photo by Jeff Springer


 
2015 Lecture Series
TOMORROW! 
FRIDAY, JANUARY 30: Neville Williams has been on the leading edge of the solar power revolution for decades and knows from firsthand experience how power from the sun can transform lives and communities for the better.  He will present two programs titled "A Solar Odyssey", based on his book Sun Power READ MORE


FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5: Jeff Klinkenberg engages a professional symphony orchestra tuba player to determine whether bull gators would respond with thunderous bellows to a low B-flat note during mating season; thus the name of his latest book Alligator in B Flat.  He will present READ MORE.



Lectures begin at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.  
Seating is on a first-come basis, so plan to arrive early.  
Click here to view the 2015 Lecture Series schedule.  
Thanks to our 2015 Friday Lecture Series Sponsor:
Trailgate Auction
Sculptor Jim Sprankle with his Trailgate live auction donation - a life-size, realistic puffin decoy.
This year's headlining live auction items fit with Trailgate 2015's Dinner & Puffins theme on February 17, 2015, at The Sanibel Community House to benefit Refuge education and research.  Master island sculptor Jim Sprankle has carved a puffin decoy especially for Trailgate 2015.  Dr. Stephen Kress, the Audubon puffin activist who will be speaking at Trailgate about his Project Puffin, has facilitated the donation of a six-day puffin camp excursion in Maine.  
A scenic fight over Sanibel with pilot John MacLennan will be in the silent auction
To place a pre-auction bid on these items, call Birgie Miller at 239-292-0566.  To view images of these and other live and silent auction items, please click here.

RESERVATIONS to Trailgate 2015 are 
SOLD OUT
Trailgate 2015: Puffins in Maine
Thanks to our generous Trailgate sponsors!

Champion Sponsors
Doc Fords Sanibel Mark & Gretchen Banks, Wayne & Linda Boyd, John & Kathy McCabe, Peter & Paula Bentinck-Smith, Sanibel Catering 



Protector Level
 Mike & Terry Baldwin, Jay & Cindy Brown, Amanda Cross, Shaker Investments, Don & Ann-Marie Wildman,  
Sarah Ashton, Realtor Royal Shell & Jim Metzler, Darlene & Bob Duvin, 
      
    

Defender Level
Big Red Q Quickprint, Tim & Suzanne Devitt, Melissa & Tom Gauntlett, Half-crackerphoto.com,  John Grey Painting, Suncatcher's Dream


Upcoming Film Showing - Feb. 4

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4The 11th Hour  
The third annual "Ding" Darling 
Wednesday Film Series continues its bi-weekly showings with the mainstream film 11th Hour.  Humankind's 11th hour has arrived: the last moment when we can change course and stop our rush toward global ecological collapse.  Actor Leonardo DiCaprio produces and narrates this film depicting READ MORE 
The film begins at 2:30 p.m. at the Visitor & Education Center.  

Seating is on a first-come basis, so plan to arrive early. 

Thanks our 2015 Bi-Weekly Film Series Sponsor:

Butterflies of Southwest Florida
Join us in the Visitor & Education Center Auditorium A for a special Live Native Butterflies of Southwest Florida program on the following Thursdays: February 5 and 19 and March 5 and 19, starting at noon.  
Speakers Gary and Alice Lavimoniere, volunteers at the Refuge and Butterfly Estates, will follow a short talk with on-going interpretation until 1 p.m., featuring a number of live native butterfly species, host plants, caterpillars, and chrysalides.  Admission is free.
Wildlife Sightings & Tides
This River Otter has been seen regularly along the Indigo Trail near the Education Boardwalk. 
Photo by Jim Bennight
 
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 Sarah Lathrop and intern Kasey Robb