November 2005 Peligram Newsletter Pelican Island Audubon Society

8/9/2019 November 2005 Peligram Newsletter Pelican Island Audubon Society

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P.O Box 1833, VERO BEACH, FL 32961 772-567-3520 Fax 772-567-3521 www.pelicanislandaudubon.org

Our 41st

Year Vol. 41 No. 9 November 2005

Our Mission: To preserve and protect the animals, plants,

and natural communities in Indian River County through

advocacy, education, and public awareness.

CALENDAR OF EVENTSMore information on all these events may be found at

www.pelicanislandaudubon.org

Sun Nov 6 8:00am12:00pm ORCA canoe trip. Meet at the

FMEL boathouse 200 9th St. S.E. (Oslo Road) east of U.S. 1.

Reservations are required. Call 567-3520 to sign-up.

Wed Nov 16 4:00pm Sunset birding trip to Jack Island ledby Jens Tripson. Please call the office at 772-567-3520 for

reservations and precise directions.

Mon Nov 21 7:30pm General Meeting at Vero Beach Com-

munity Center, 2266 14th Ave. Presentation and book signingby local cattleman and author Bud Adams for his new bookBeautiful & Rare Birds of Florida.

Wed Nov 30 8am 2pm Pelican Island Volunteer Workday.

More information can be found on page 6.

Fri Dec 2 6:30-8:30pm Owl Walk at Oxbow Eco-Center, 5400NE St. James Drive, Pt. St. Lucie.

Sun Dec 4 8:00am12:00pm ORCA canoe trip. Meet at theFMEL boathouse 200 9th St. S.E. (Oslo Road) east of U.S. 1.

Reservations are required. Call 567-3520 to sign-up.

Mon Dec 12 6:00pm-9:00pm Vegetarian Potluck & HolidayBazaar at the Vero Beach Community Center, 2266 14th Ave.The film Winged Migration will be shown.

BEAUTIFUL & RARE BIRDS OF

FLORIDA BY BUD ADAMS

NOVEMBER 21ST

MEETING

Beautiful and Rare Birds of Florida is a collection of

more than 70 stunning color photographs by Alto "Bud"Adams, Jr. All photographs were taken on the Adams

Ranches located in St. Lucie, Osceola, Madison and

Okeechobee counties, where life remains largely un-

touched by urbanization. The ranch looks much the same

today as it did seventy years ago, serving as a sanctuary

for an abundance of wildlife including the Crested Cara-

cara, Osceola Wild Turkey, Mottled Duck, Swallow-

tailed Kite, Snail Kite, Limpkin, Black-necked Stilt

Whooping Crane, White Ibis, Glossy Ibis, and the

Snowy Egret.

Come hear Bud Adams at the Vero Beach Community

Center, 2266 14th Avenue, on Monday, November 21 at7:30pm. Refreshments will be served following the pro

gram.

BIRDING FIELD TRIP TO

JACK ISLAND NOVEMBER 16

Jens Tripson will lead a birding field trip to Jack Island

on Wednesday, November 16, starting at 4:00pm. Jack

Island Preserve has trails for hiking, bicycling, and na-

ture study. At the west end of the Marsh Rabbit Run

Trail, visitors can climb an observation tower to get a

bird's-eye view of Indian River and the island. Thtower will be the destination for the walk where we hope

to catch a glimpse of the great abundance and variety of

bird life Jack Island is renowned for. Participants should

be prepared to walk at least a mile, or further if time per-

mits, on a grass trail. From Vero Beach, Jack Island is

located on A1A 9.8 miles south of the 17th

Street and

A1A intersection. Please call the office at 772-567-3520

for reservations and precise directions.

Buy a copy for the Holidays!You can now purchase your copy ofReflections of Blue

Cypress on our website using Visa or Mastercard! Visit

us at pelicanislandaudubon.org to see how!!


2/6 - 2 -

Pelican Island Audubon SocietyOfficers

President, Richard H. Baker

1st

Vice President, Lynne Larkin

2nd

Vice President, Robert Adair

Recording Sec., Darlene Halliday

Cor. Sec., Deborah Ecker

Treasurer, Andrew Barr

Directors

Jens Tripson 06Nancy Irvin 07

Susan Boyd 08

David Cox 06Robert Smith 07

Joseph Carroll 08

Board

Maggy Bowman

Janice Broda

Kevin Doty

Tina Marchese

Sue Richardson

Melissa Tripson

Paul Tritaik

Founding Member & President Emeritus Maggy Bowman

Office ManagerBob Montanaro

Pelican Island Audubon Society, Inc. is registered with the Florida Dept. ofAgriculture and Consumer Services. A copy of the official registration andfinancial information may be obtained from the Div. of Consumer Services by

calling toll-free within Florida 1-800-435-7352. Registration does not imply

endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the State

ITS IN THE PIAS LIBRARYBY TINA MARCHESE

DANGEROUS BIRDS: A NATURALISTS AVIARY

by Janet Lembke. 598 Lem

The title,DANGEROUS BIRDS, is somewhat misleading

if you anticipate reading about bad birds who attack hu-

mans, animals, or other birds. In fact, the danger from

the birds written about here is the very likely danger that

youll be so fascinated by them that youll be hooked for

life by their enchanting or interesting characteristics.

Janet Lembke writes engagingly about her encounters

with the resident and migrant birds of Staunton, Vir-

ginia, and the lower Neuse River area of North Carolina.

She details the survival habits, songs, and mating prac-

tices of such diverse species as the brown pelican,

grackle, red-cockaded woodpecker (which apparently

was still present but rare in the Croatan Forest in the late

1980s), Carolina wren, canvasback, and great crested

flycatcher.

Lembke calls upon mythology, classical literature, andmodern nature writers to enrich and enliven our under-

standing of the avian life around us. There are some

moments of danger, however. One is presented by a rat

snake, another presented by a local resident who likes to

shoot and eat songbirds---however illegal that may be.

But the most dangerous bird, as we all know, is man,

whose pollution and encroachment are continuing threats

to the flora and fauna everywhere.

VEGETARIAN

POTLUCK &

HOLIDAY BAZAAR

ON DECEMBER 12th

Dont miss the Pelican Island

Audubon Society Vegetarian

Potluck & Holiday Bazaar on

December 12th

starting a

6:00pm at the Vero Beach

Community Center located a

2266 14th

Avenue. This an

nual event features good food

and camaraderie along with a Holiday Bazaar with pot-

tery and paintings by Jan Miller, photographs by Richard

& Juanita Baker, artwork by other local artists, and qual-

ity used books on nature topics from the Audubon li-

brary all for sale to help you complete your holida

shopping. All sales benefit the Pelican Island Audubon

Society.

A special treat this year will be a showing of the film

Winged Migration. Witness as five film crews follow a

rich variety of bird migrations through 40 countries and

each of the seven continents. Open your eyes to the

wonders of the natural world as you fly along with the

worlds most gorgeous birds through areas as remote as

the Arctic and the Amazon and as populated as Paris and

New York City. See why USA Today found it to be one

of the most beautiful films to come out this year!

We ask that those attending bring a vegetarian dish that

will serve eight people. All those attending should, also

bring their own place setting. A variety of beverage

will be provided.

People load their plates with the vegetarian fare served at

the 2004 Holiday Potluck.


3/6 - 3 -

SAVING THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON

Our Indian

River Lagoon

is dying despite

many govern-ment agencies

involved: twowater manage-ment districts

(St. Johns River and South Florida Water Manage-ment Districts), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,

Floridas Department of Environmental Protection,U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Florida Fish &

Wildlife Conservation Commission, National Ma-rine Fisheries, a National Estuary Program, many

buffer preserves, state parks, and aquatic preserves,six county health and environmental departments,

six mosquito control districts, and numerous localwater control districts. None are taking any respon-

sibility for its over all health and well-being.

Silt-laden water is still being released at the bottomof control structures from major canals. Controver-

sial septic tanks are not being tested for pollution.Muck averages 4-5 feet in some areas of the St.

Sebastian Riverand is recorded up to 18 feet deep.Shrimp and crabs die in muck. One legally cannot

harvest shellfish from the St. Sebastian River

since 1997 and parts of the IRL because of fecal

coliform bacteria. Garbage and human wasteare common on our islands. We are loosing our

seagrasses from fertilizer pollution and boaters prop scarring. Our mangroves are being cut

down or trimmed severely. Our dolphins aresick. Our turtles are sick. Our fish are sick.

Our birds are dying from fishing lines. All theseorganizations pay lip service, and do contribute in

part in protecting the lagoon, but no one seems incharge or responsible for its overall well-being.

Our Lagoon cannot be replaced easily like a dispos-

able diaper or cleaned up with a good flushing andcare from a number of government agencies or pri-vate organizations working independently.

Since each of these agencies is focusing on theirdomain and not on the big picture, we need one

government organization, one person, perhaps a

Czar, to be responsible for coordinating the recov-

ery of our Lagoon. Ideally, it would be valuable fora new water manage district to be established for

the entire Indian River Lagoon system and its

tributaries, to include the Banana River and the

Mosquito Lagoon. This could be carved out of

both the St. Johns River and South Florida WateManagement Districts that are presently, along with

the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, primarily re-sponsible for the Lagoon. Moreover they are also

looking after the St. Johns and Kissimmee River

Basins, respectively. However, this would requireaction from our state legislators, which would re-quire a strong momentum from the citizens around

the Lagoon to change established old ways of pro-tecting the lagoon.

We need to get the attention of the two water man-

agement districts that receive tremendous tax sup-port from us citizens living along the Lagoon. The

folks along the St. Lucie River and southern IndianRiver Lagoon are extremely upset with the smelly

deadly, toxic mess coming from Lake Okeechobeeinto the Lagoon killing all aquatic life with no end

in sight, and they and local county governmentshave threatened to sue the South Florida Water

Management District, which is a start. Volunteersfrom the Marine Resource Council are now doing

water testing for fecal coliform bacteria in the StSebastian River and Lagoon, but additional tests for

Nitrogen and Phosphorous levels are also neededHow bad do things have to get in the St. Sebastian

River and Indian River Lagoon to galvanize us into

action? We need a coalition of citizens and groupswho want to save our Lagoon. Please call me 772-532-2489 if you want to work towards this goal.

Richard Baker, President


4/6 - 4 -

THE BIG UNS: TALKIN TURKEY

BY BOB WINDISH

Comes November, and folks think about Pilgrims sitting

down to a turkey dinner while offering thanks for mak-

ing it through the tough winter of 1620-1621. Now

Thanksgiving might have been the Pilgrims idea, but

feasting on the bird dubbed turkey was a Spanish cus-

tom long before the colonists ever set foot on PlymouthRock.

And even centuries before Co-

lumbus ever discovered the New

World, Mexicos Aztecs had do-

mesticated Meleagris gallopavo,

the species that later became table

fare for the Indians farther south

in Venezuela. There, in 1500,

while on his third voyage to the

Americas, one of Columbus

men, Pedro Nino, bought several

Indian fowl from the natives,shelling out four glass beads for

each bird. Returning to Spain with the Admiral, Nino

brought his feathered friends with him, and promptly

went into the poultry business.

African Guinea fowl, which resembled the Indian

fowl, was already a favorite in Europe and when the

new bird hit the Spanish and Portuguese markets, it went

over like Monday night football. Within 20 years, the

French were drooling over the new delicacy, and by

1524, the English had relished the bird with gusto. By

1560, Turkey fowl, as it was then called, spread to

Italy and most of Central Europe.

Turkey comes from the merchants who sold the birds

along with other poultry species. Darkly complexioned

with sharp features and sporting turbans, these Turks

were said to come from that mysterious part of the Ot-

toman Empire separating Europe from Asia. The suf-

fixes y and ey are of old English derivation indicat-

ing affection, in this case, for the product sold. (Modern

examples are: dolly, nanny, Tommy Kiplings Tommy

Atkins, any British army private, bobby Sir Robert

Peel who improved the police system of Londons Scot-

land Yard, etc.)

The Pilgrims dined on Meleagris gallopavo silvestris,

which ranged from southern Canada to northern Florida.

A second subspecies in southern Florida, M.g. osceola,

is named after the Seminole chief who gave early settlers

a tough go. M.g. merriami struts around the foothills of

the Rockies, while the fourth bird, M.g. intermedia, calls

the Rio Grande territory of south Texas and northern

Mexico home sweet home. Another species, Agrio-

charis ocellata, smaller with vivid eye-like markings on

its feathers, is native to the Yucatan Peninsula, Guate-

mala and Belize, formerly called British Honduras.

Wild turkeys are related to the pheasant, their plumage

metallic green, bronze and copper with tufts that are rust

colored on wings and coverts. Males weigh between 17

and 23 pounds, while females average about half that

size range. The Toms and some hens have a tuft of bris

tles at the base of their necks called beards. Both gen-

ders possess strong legs and a spur for defense at the

heel.Heads and necks are bare, the skin a light blue, and warts

surround the eyes and throat. A red, fleshy lobe, called a

wattle, lies under the beak, and a comb, known as a ca-

runcle, protrudes from the birds forehead.

Males, also termed gobblers, are polygamous and main-

tain harems, but after mating, its the hens that go their

separate ways. They nest in ground depressions located

beneath low shrubbery and undergrowth. One lightl

spotted egg is laid each day for a total of anywhere from

eight to 15 days. Only when the clutch is complete does

incubation begin and it lasts for 25 days. When the eggs

hatch, usually in the afternoon, the hens lead the chicks

to shelter where they roost on the ground for two weeks

After that, they fly at night to low branches where they

settle on either side of the female who covers them with

her wings. Like other game birds and waterfowl, the

chicks are not fed by their parents, but begin foraging for

food immediately upon hatching. Over half of the young

are lost in infancy falling victims to raccoons, opossums

bobcats and even birds of prey.

Adult turkeys fly for almost a quarter of a mile but

mostly remain on the ground. Insects, especially grass-

hoppers, are consumed in great quantities, as are seeds

and berries. They are particularly fond of a fruit called a

dewberry but turkeys also relish wild blackberries and

strawberries. Acorns and chestnuts make up a good par

of their diet also. The birds need plenty of water and

drink at least twice a day.

The Aztecs turkey is what we eat today. Domesticated

in Europe, it was reintroduced to the U.S. in the mid-

1700s and grew in popularity especially in the 1920s and

30s. More than 500 million birds now help satisfy

Americans and other countries appetites for turkey

products. Thanksgiving, when the majority of turkey

are consumed, is the most popular of all American holi-days.

Wild turkeys in their natural habitat can be seen locally

as close as the entrance to Blue Cypress Lake, 35 miles

from downtown Vero Beach. Fishermen often spot them

along the rugged road leading north from Route 60

Nearby Okeechobee County also is a place to catch a

glimpse of Meleagris gallopavo osceola, but dont

blame Columbus old sidekick, Pedro Nino, if they don

stick around for a photo session. Shy birds, wild turkeys

disappear in the wink of an eye when spotting humans.


5/6 - 5 -

VIDEO REVIEW:

EVERYBODY LOVES BIRDSBY SUSAN BOYD

Everybody Loves Birds is an entertaining 30-minute

DVD that teaches kids the identification of 50 species of

North American Birds. In addition, the program dis-

cusses behaviors, ecology, and the need to protect en-

dangered species and their habitats. The DVD also con-

tains a digital activity bird book suitable for children

ages 4-12.

Students in the 7th

grade geography class at Sebastian

Charter Junior High watched and reviewed the DVD

Everybody Loves Birds:

Following are their comments and reactions.

I think the graphics were great. They way they went

from the beach to the forest, to the grasslands was

greatNikole Rhodes

I think it was a good movie. Watching movies is a funway to learn. I learned many new things about birds

The pictures were exceptionally nice. There was a good

view of each bird. Chuck Fortson

If you want to learn about Floridas birds then I suggest

this movie to you. It provides lots of information about

birds and tells where you can find each bird. Bethany

Ballas

It was a good way to learn about the birds of Florida and

their names and where they live. The birds were so

cute, especially the sanderlings and the burrowing owls.

I give it two thumbs up. Stephanie Gallagher

The video in-

spired this

comment and

drawing by

Branden Par-

rish Jays:

I think it is a

great way to

learn about

birds. The

spoonbill is my

favorite bird.

Here is what it

looks like.

To obtain a

copy contact

Hobe Sound

Productions,

8558 S.E.

Sharon St., Hobe Sound, FL 33455 or on the web at

www.floridabirds.net or phone 772-485-8016.

FREE NATURE WALKS

RESUME AT ORCA

BY JANICE BRODA

Volunteers will lead free, guided nature walks at the

Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area on each Saturday

morning, beginning on November 5 at 9 a.m. The Oslo

Riverfront Conservation Area is a more than 366-acre

nature preserve located in southern Indian River County

on Oslo Road east of U.S. 1. Walks begin in the Oslo

Riverfront Conservation Area parking lot located at 150

- 9th Street SE (Oslo Road).

Enjoy an easy stroll under a canopy of live oaks, cab

bage palms, and mulberry trees in less than an hour

Then, decide if you want to follow your interpretive

guide along more primitive trails through scrubby pine

flatwoods to the fifteen-foot Observation tower over-

looking scenic coastal wetlands through.

The full hike is more than 1 and one-half miles long and

takes about three hours to complete. Please wear sensi

ble footwear and field clothes as trail conditions ar

natural with exposed roots and uneven surfaces. Do no

forget to bring water, binoculars, and mosquito protec-

tion. No bathroom facilities are available in the conser-

vation area.

Hurricane Wilma caused very minimal damage at

ORCA. While the devastation caused by the sister

storms of 2004 can still be seen, great recovery is evi-

dent. Many of the native shrubs flowered profusely dur-

ing the spring and are now full of beautiful berries. The

small and fragrant marlberry trees are flowering.

Special walks at other times can be scheduled for civic

organizations, garden clubs, school classes, or commu-

nity groups. To schedule a special walk, please contac

Janice Broda at the Florida Medical Entomology Labo-

ratory at 772-778-7200 extension 173 or a

[email protected].


6/6 - 6 -

NEWS FROM THE NEST

We cannot thank Melissa Tripson enough for supply-ing the delicious fresh baked cookies for the general

meetings. We appreciate all the hard work Melissa,along with her husband Jens, puts in to supply the re-freshments each month. Thank you!

Welcome to new members: Judith Kurtha, Kathy Ellis,

Colby Bechtold, Ruth G. Brown, Diana Connell,Cynthia GentTrudi Gibert, Margaret Goodknight, Char-les E. Oclair, Dorothy Thomas, Tim Towles, Peter H.

Vollmann, Mary Weaver, Jessica Murphy-Taylor, DianeSmith, Bill Whalen, William A. Granzen, William Read,

Wanza Ruh, Sigurd Sandzen, Joan E. Walsh, Lis Bech-

Larsen, Donald R. Densmore, Ernest W. Smith, Marty &Harry Taylor, Jane Ward, Iris Celli, David & Angela

Hardman, Iveta Andersone, and Kevin Housel.

Last month we forgot to thank Treasure Coast Re-

fuse for their generous donation of dumpsters to hold theover 3,000-lbs of garbage removed during the Florida

Coastal Cleanup by the 1,012 volunteers, including the

volunteers from Disney World in Orlando, who took partin Indian River County!

The Membership Committee is seeking ways to im-

prove the membership process. Anyone interested in joining the Committee or wishing to simply provide in-put or discussion may call the office at 772-567-3520.

Please note we have a new e-mail address:

[email protected]

Pelican Island Audubon Society

P.O. Box 1833

Vero Beach, FL 32961-1833

Non-Profit Org

U.S. Postage Paid

Vero Beach, FL

Permit No. 101

VISIT PIAS ONLINE!For all the latest news, activities, and photographs ofevents, visit Pelican Island Audubon Society on the webat www.pelicanislandaudubon.org

BECOME A MEMBER OF THEPELICAN ISLAND AUDUBON SOCIETY

Membership benefits include subscriptions toAudubon magazine, Florida Naturalist, and the

PIAS newsletter The Peligram. Additionallymembers have full borrowing privileges to thePIAS nature library and much more!

Please choose a membership: $20 one-year introductory membership $30 two-year introductory membership $15 one-year student membership $15 one-year senior rate (62+) $15 Friend (receive The Peligram only) Check box if a MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL.

NAME:__________________________________

ADDRESS:_______________________________

________________________________________Please send your name and address along with acheck payable to the National Audubon Society to: Pelican Island Audubon SocietyP.O. Box 1833 Vero Beach FL 32961

PELICAN ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFEREFUGE VOLUNTEER WORKDAYWednesday, November 30, 8am - 2pm

Tree maintenance and exotics removal will be thefocus of this months restoration workday at Pelican

Island and Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuges.

This months workday is in partnership with The

Nature Conservancy, Brevard Countys Endan-

gered Lands Program, North Beach Civic Associa-

tion and the Native Plant Society. To sign up or for

more information, please call the Refuge at

(772) 562-3909 extension 310 or email

[email protected]

Documents

November 2005 Peligram Newsletter Pelican Island Audubon Society