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!!
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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:
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