Summer 2006 Sanibel Captiva Audubon Society Newsletter

8/9/2019 Summer 2006 Sanibel Captiva Audubon Society Newsletter

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The Pileated WoodpeckerThe Newsletter of the Sanibel-Captiva Audubon Society

Summer, 2006

Volume 31,

Number 3

PO Box 957, Sanibel, Florida 33957-0957 distributed to all members. 50 cents, nonmembers

Our Mission:

Promoting

Interests is

Wildlife on

Sanibel

And

Captiva Islands,

and fostering

the

Cause of

Conservation

With emphasis

on

birdsAnd their

Habitat.

Message from the President

Join Audubon of Florida for a weekend of networking, education, advocacy and birding.Holiday Inn Cocoa Beach Oceanfront Resort

Reserve rooms now at 800-206-2724 Special Audubon rates $89.99 through Sept. 27 only.

Dont miss it!

Plan to attend Floridas largest gathering of conservation-minded citizens. Join chapter leaders andmembers, Audubon staff, wildlife professionals, environmental advocates, scientists, students,agency and elected officials, and other Floridians to network and learn about the environment. De-tails, including Assembly registration information, programs, exhibits, and field trips will appear in thesummer Naturalist, and will be available online at www.audubonofflorida.org in July.

Board Members

Paul Andrews, Pres.

Jim Griffith, Vice Pres.

Susan Harpham, Sec.

Tom Rothman, Treas.

Chris Andrews

Kevin Bowden

Malcolm Harpham

Elaine Jacobson

Dale McGinley

Brian Mishell

Dolores Mishell

Jean Reuther

Hugh Verry

SAVE THE DATE FOR AUDUBON ASSEMBLY 2006 on OCTOBER 1921

Many of our members have migrated north by now, but an importantconstituent is still tending nestlings in Tampa Bay. The RoseateSpoonbills are nesting under the watchful eyes of Audubon ofFlorida field researchers. Audubon staff started identifyingnests in November and just finished banding over 250 chicks. Audubon's Estuarine Research Project takes a multi-level

approach to examining how water management practices are affecting Rose-

ate Spoonbills and Florida Bay. At the most basic level, the project examines the effect ofwater releases on coastal hydrology. This information is then used to evaluate how sub-

merged plants respond to different hydrologic conditions. These plants serve as both habi-

tat and food base for the next tier in the food chain: the small fish that are ubiquitousthroughout the Everglades/Florida Bay landscape. At the top most level, the project looksat how Roseate Spoonbills respond to the dynamic relationship between fish and hydrol-

ogy taken April 23, 2006 from http://www.audubonofflorida.org/science/tavernier.html.

Like the canary in a coal mine, Roseate Spoonbills areletting us know that there is something drastically wrongwith our environment, and continued runaway develop-ment will not only ruin our remaining natural areas butour lifestyles as well. How do I know all of this youmight ask? Because I learned it all in the http://

www.SanCapAudubon.org website under SpoonbillDiary. Spoonbill research is a funding priority for ourchapter and we are doing our best to keep you informedof Audubons progress in learning more about this beau-tiful species. Our website includes the latest notes from

staff field journals as well as links to wonderful pictures and movies from the TampaTribune. Be sure to keep an eye on the site for updates.

Best wishes until we see you in the fallPaul

Ann Hodgsonwithbaby spoonbill


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The Pileated Woodpecker, summer edition, page 2

The Pileated Woodpecker ispleased to have two new spon-

sors helping with publicationcosts starting with this issue.Please give them your consid-eration when shopping on theIsland.

Baileys General Store

MacIntosh Books andPaper

Look for their advertise-ments elsewhere in this

issue.

Of course, as always, Bank ofAmericaremains a very impor-tant supporter, and their mes-sage is on the mailing page.

NEW SPONSORS

WELCOMEDCONSERVATION NEWS

Caloosahatchee Water Releases

Sanibel-Captiva Audubon is an active member of PURRE

(People United to Restore Rivers and Estuaries). Paul An-drews recently represented the chapter at a Sunday forum atthe Community Center on Sanibel. The bad news however isthat the Caloosahatchee was justnamed the 7th more-endangered river inthe US by the American River Associa-tion. Recommendations include reduc-tion of releases from Lake Okeecho-

bee, increasing stormwater treatmentstandards and permitting, reducing de-

pendency on septic systems, increasingcapacity for municipal wastewatertreatment, restoring natural flow-ways for water storage, and

protecting aquifer recharge areas. This is a wake up call forour region. It is time to remind our local officials to supportthese initiatives.

Moratorium on Horseshoe Crab Fishing

Audubon is very concerned about the species survival of Red

Knots, an avian migratory shorebird. Overfishing of horse-shoe crabs as bait for eel and conch fisheries resulted in thesubsequent collapse of crab eggs for foraging shore-

birds. Scientists predict that the Red Knot could go extinctas soon as 2010. This tragedy may be avoidable if the com-mission adopts a full two-year moratorium on horseshoe crabtakings in the Delaware Bay. Red knots have lost 90% oftheir population. Sanibel-Captiva Audubon urged the Fisher-ies Commission to adopt the moratorium on the take ofhorseshoe crabs in Delaware Bay. We called for implementa-

tion of Option 3 in Draft Addendum IV which calls for a fulltwo-year moratorium on horseshoe crab takings in DelawareBay. We also urged the Commission to oppose Option 2 inDraft Addendum IV, which allows a male only take of horse-shoe crabs in Delaware Bay. Our letter became part of the

public comments for the Interstate Fishery ManagementPlan. If you love Red Knots as we do, please look for oppor-tunities to support this legislation to protect them.

Get readyfor another great

season of programs starting inJanuary, 2007. Elaine Jacobsonhas been ranging far and wide forspeakers and subjects to enter-tain and educate us.

We will hear subject asdiverse as fossils, burrowingowls, sea turtles, C.R.O.W., woodstorks, and more.

Charles LeBuffwill be back bypopular request, as will Len

Messenio and Connie Bran-silver. We will have no less thanDavid Anderson, Executive Di-rector, Audubon of Florida andthe always welcomed PJDietchel.

Wellwe cant give it ALL away.Look for the full schedule in theFall Issue of this newsletter.


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Complete supermarket GiftsTrue Value Hardware PropaneDelivery Services Beach ItemsDeli & Bakery Online OrdersParty Trays HousewaresFine Meats Fishing TackleWest. Union Gift Fruit ShippingGift Baskets Organic/Natural Foods

Homemade Fudge

Do you know how easy it is to tell your legislators what you think? Justcall their office and an aide will take your comment and see that it reachesthem. Calls are more effective than e-mails. Letters are best of all: In Floridacall:Senator Bill Nelson 202-224-5274Senator Mel Martinez 202-224-3041To find your Representatives, go tohttp.www.house.gov and follow links tofind your reprepresentatives.For Florida Residents: Senators: go toWww.flsenate.gov and follow link to findyour legislators.For your Representatives, go to: http.myflorida.gov/Sections/Representatives/my representatives.aspx.

Live outside of Florida? The contacts to your legislators can easily be found.There is always a link on line. Just Google your state legislation or US legis-lation and follow the easy links. Theyll never know what we want unless wetell them. As always, connect yourself to Audubon of Florida, your one-stopinformation center with the latest news on what affects us all and handy linksto take action. Just go to http:/ga1.org/natureadvocate/join.Youll never be disappointed, but if you wish, you may cancel at any time.

Open 7 days a Week

7AM to 9PM

Corner of Tarpon Bay Road

and

Periwinkle Way

TOP TEN

ENDANGERED BIRDS

In the continentalUnited States

1 ivory-billed woodpecker

2 California condor

3 whooping crane

4 Gunnison sage-grouse

5 Kirtlands warbler

6 piping plover

7Florida scrub-jay

8 ashy storm-petrel

9 golden-cheeked warbler

10 Kittlitzs murrelet

It just so happens that we will

have the #1 endangered ivory-billed woodpecker among theNEW PINS on sale next sea-son. In two poses! Look for

them and a brand new ospreyat the back table on program

night.

Or how about the Governor?Jeb BushThe Capitol, 400 S. Monroe St.Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001Phone: 850-488-4441Fax: 850-487-0801

[email protected]

Hugh Verry, chairman of theSaturday morning bird walks,looks forward to a spectacularseason, starting in November.He wants to expand birding sitesfor this popular event. Be sure

to save the schedule for 20062007, which will appear on thetwo sided sheet with the 2007Program Guide in the Fall IssueofThe Pileated Woodpecker.

There will be no formal birdingID classes next season. In theirplace is an interesting new for-mat called The Monday Eve-ning Bird Club, once a week in

February. Our favorite expertswill be on hand to conduct thisinformal bird study class. It willbe casual, interesting, educa-tional, and fun. Specific informa-tion later.


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Books and Paper

MacIntosh Books and Papers is honoredTo support

The Sanibel-Captiva Audubon Society.

Best Sellers Local Interest books:Birding, Gardening, Shelling

Fishing, Boating

Fine Custom Stationery, Boxed NotecardsGreeting Cards, Gifts

2365 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, FL 33957239-472-1447

Cara Faillance loves her job. Thisenviable occupation involves frequent patrolsof the beaches of Sanibel, regardless of heat,

rain, or bugs, checking on the plover popula-tion, especially snowy plovers. As SCCFssnowy plover technician, she is working forBrad Smith and finding answers for many ofthe question as to what makes for successfulbreeding.

S n o w yplovers can nestas early as mid-February, but bymid-March activ-ity is underway,and snowy plov-

ers are choosingsites that defylogic to our way of thinking. They nest in opensand in the midst of beach goers, dogs, kites,children, and a myriad of natural predators.They have natural camouflage that works totheir advantage against predation, but allowshumans to blunder into the nesting area oreven to crush eggs underfoot. Breeding plum-age allows them to remain difficult to see.The male sports a forehead smudge and anincomplete neck ring and is a little darker than

the female.Members of the

team, including several vol-unteers, find the nests, stakethem off, monitor the hatchdate, nest numbers, fledgingnumbers and dates, as wellas habitat conditions and

predators.Sanibels plover

numbers are not impressive,but they are still here, which, given sometimes unfavorable factors, isheartening. At present there are 6 nests total; 5 are active; 3 havehatched; one abandoned. Abandoned nests are fairly common. Ofthe 9 original hatchlings, 6 remain alive. Incubation is 28 days, al-though Cara said recently they had an unusual hatching of one at 25days and 2 more at 26 days. Generally three eggs are laid in a nest,but it is uncommon for all three to survive.

Chicks are precocial theyare out and foraging immediately,described by Cara as tiny puff balls

running around. Fledging is amonth away for them and this istheir most vulnerable period.Predators range from birds tosnakes, raccoons, ghost crabs even night herons can grab thelittle chicks. When the parent sig-nals danger, the chicks geneticbehavior kicks in and it immedi-ately drops and freezes, relyingon camouflage to lessen its chances of being taken. Since it is sandcolored, and drops in the sand, this is pretty effective.

Monitoring takes place for habitat. Do they prefer shells,

sand, or even vegetation? Most of the nests are at the east end ofthe Island from Gulfside City Park to the Lighthouse. This is alsocounterintuitive, as the greatest concentrations of people are here aswell.

Food source is a subject of interest. Sampling the inverte-brates on the island gives an idea of the food availability which im-pacts where they nest. It also tells where predators are likely to beactive. Monitoring of all predators completes the picture.

All nests are marked and patrolled frequently. There are twocorner stakes with signs: an Area Closed April through August, and aKeep Out sign. There is also an aluminum sign explaining the proce-dure. We can help by being aware and supportive of this activity. Beextremely cautious where we walk or step. Keep a safe distancefrom the nest and observe with binoculars. Of course no kite flyingnear a nest, keep all dogs on leashes, and dont let children chasebirds.

Cara will include least terns, which are getting ready to nestin May, on her daily rounds. She notes that blundering into theseareas is not as likely, unless you appreciate dead fish being droppedon you by indignant parents.

All this activity will end for Cara in July. After graduating fromCornell with a BA in Biology, and originally from Union County, NewJersey, she did an internship in Alaska before coming here. She willstart thinking of her Masters soon, and we wish her good fortune in allfuture endeavors.

TINY PUFF BALLS


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A FREE WORKSHOP FOR SANIBEL HOMEOWNERS

Fire is a natural part of Floridas ecosystems.

Recent hurricanes have left debris that contributes to the threat of wildfires.

Learn how to protect your home from wildfire.The Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundationand

The Florida Division of Forestry will be presentingHow to Have a Firewise Home

A workshop for homeowners to learn how to have a Firewise home.Topics include: Why homes burn Firewise Landscaping

Firewise Construction Wildfire Risk AssessmentFires Role in Florida Ecosystems

Location:Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

May 22, 2 to 5 pm OR May 23, 9-to noon

Registration: 472-2329 Kristie Anders, Coordinator

Each participant will re-

ceive a copy of the interac-tive CD How to have a

Firewise Home and a

FIREWISE t-shirt & plentyof valuable fire safety infor-mation.

Refreshments will be

served.

Gerry LaCavera, the Dept of Florida Wildlife Mitigation Specialist is going to speak, along with Rich Dickerson, Chief ofSanibel Fire & Rescue District, and John Bryson, Forestry Operations Administrator. If there is not a fire to work, PaulRyan, the regional Us Fish and Wildlife Service Fire Boss at Panther NWR will also be here.Monday, May 22 Program: Fire in Floridas Ecosystems (FIFE). Explaining the importance of prescribed burns as aland management tool.Tuesday, May 23 Program: designed for all volunteer naturalists and educators. There will be hands-on activities, acloser look at a fire maintained habitat, and discussion about the role of fire in Florida.

A Florida Treasure in our Back YardThe Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium

is a private, not-for-profit environmental educationcenter that offers fun for peopleof all ages. Voted Best NatureCenter in Florida for 2004 by thereaders ofFlorida Monthlymaga-zine. The Museum, Aviaries andTrails are open Monday throughSaturday from 9am to 5pm andon Sunday from 11am to 5pm.Please join Volunteer DocentNorm DeWolfe every Tuesday and Friday at 9:30am for aguided walk of the Cypress Swamp Boardwalk. He has

been leading the walk for years and is one of the bestinterpreters of the swamp.

The Center consists of the Living Natural HistoryMuseum with live native animals including a skunk, bob-cat, raccoon, Butterfly Aviary and Native Plant Nursery,an Audubon Aviary, which houses permanently injured

birds of prey (hawks, vultures, a bald eagle, owls andmore!), nature trails, a picnic area, a gift shop with anexcellent assortment of nature books and a Planetariumwhich features astronomy programs and laser lightshows.

The Center is located at 3450 Ortiz Avenue at

the intersection of Colonial Blvd. and Six Mile Cypress inFort Myers, one minute from I-75 at Exit 136. Additionalinformation is available at www.CalusaNature.com or bycalling 275-3435. Admission to the Calusa Nature Center

and Planetarium is $8 for adults and $5 for children(ages 3-12). This one-price admission includes the Mu-seum, Butterfly Aviary, Trails, and all Planetarium showsscheduled that day. Group rates areavailable for 15 or more people.Family memberships are availablewhich entitles members to free ad-mission for a year and many otherspecial prices on programs and dis-counts in the gift store. We wel-

come new volunteers; please call275-3435 to schedule an orientation.

Programs are sponsored in part by the State ofFlorida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs,the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment forthe Arts.

Watch for schedules in future issues as spacepermits.

The Center needs a volunteer to work in the

Aviary on Wednesday mornings.


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Spend time on a Maine island this summer!

As Hog Islands signature program, this session provides a comprehensive natural history overview of the Maine coast. Learn from knowledgeable instructors who bring a wide

range of expertise in physical and natural sciences to a week-long program of field explorations of dif-ferent habitats, boat cruises to bird colonies and islands, classroom presentations, evening slide shows,and more. Tide-pool ecology, forest and field ecology, seabird-colony management, and butterfly biol-

ogy are among featured topics. Probable instructors include Mark Garland, senior naturalist at CapeMay Bird Observatory; Gwen Stauffer, executive director of the New England Wildflower Society; andDoug Morse, professor emeritus of biology at Brown University. Informative, engaging, and fun, this

program is always among the first to fill.

During your six-day session of Natural History of the Maine Coast, youwill:

Explore by boat the magnificent islands and waters of midcoast Maine.Learn from naturalists and scientists on the front lines of conservation

about coastal and forest ecology, seabird colonies, butterfly biology,and global challenges to wildlife.

Make great new friends, while learning more aboutYourself.

More about Natural History of the Maine Coast

Call toll free to register:

1 (888) 325-5261, ext. 215

July 28, 2006Regular price: $1,050

(This is the program that Paul and Chris Andrewsattended last summer and about which she wrotein high praise in in the newsletter last the fall.)

There will be some finespeakers, fun things todo, and stimulating work-shops to attend. BobbyHarrison of Cache RiverNWR, the sighting location of the ivory-billed Woodpecker willspeak at BIG Arts (to accommodate the expected attendance)with him visual presentation and entertaining talk. Rememberthe dates and DONT MISS IT.

October 814, 2006

DING DARLING DAYSKendra Willett, biologist for Ding DarlingNWR has left the UWFWS to take a po-sition with Johnson Engineering to doprivate consulting on permitting andmitigation. Babcock Ranch will be in-cluded in some of her work. Kendra, wegrew very fond of you and your easyways and we will miss you. Stay intouch and Best of Luck!


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In This Issue.

.Caloosahatchee Water Release

.Horseshoe Crab Dilemma

.Snowy Plover Monitoring

.Fire Workshop at SCCF

.Calusa Nature Center

.Spoonbill Identification

.Maine Nature Session

.Ding Darling Happenings

Sponsoredby

Were proud togive back to the community

we call home

Visit us often.Its really a great site.More information, indepth, in COLOR!

www.sancapaudubon.org

The Newsletter of the Sanibel-CaptivaAudubon Society

P.O. Box 957 Sanibel, Florida 33957

Summer

2006

Newsletter reply only:14720 Lake Olive Dr, Fort Myers, FL 33919

[email protected] 239-415-0935

50 cents, non-subscriber

JMR 2006

Ivory-billed woodpecker

Documents

Summer 2006 Sanibel Captiva Audubon Society Newsletter