Our Motto: Conservation Through Education

August & September 2010 Vol. 44 No. 4

Supporting our community since 1959

Reach us by calling 727-442-9140 or visit us at www.clearwateraudubon.org

Inside this issue… In for a Landing ................................................................................................................................................................................. Page 1 Take the Green Pledge for a Prize .............................................................................................................................................................. 2 Home Sweet Home and Advocacy Message ..................................................................................................................................... Page 3 Anclote Nest Falls.............................................................................................................................................................................. Page 6 Membership Form ............................................................................................................................................................................. Page 7

In for a Landing By Barbara Walker The first year I watched and monitored bald eagles I found out what many enthusiasts do. Once the eagles have moved away from their nesting territories a sort of depressed feeling creeps up. The answer to combat the eagle emptiness is easy, watch ospreys or swallow-tailed kites. Throw in a short-tailed hawk along way and the skies the limit! Since I am a volunteer for the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey http://fl.audubon.org/who_centers_CBOP.html I figured I might as well keep an eye on as many of them as possible and I have enlisted the help of others along the way. This year Eckerd College students, under the tutelage Dr. Beth Forys, located and counted 49 nests in southern Pinellas. Terri Cunningham, Judy Fisher, Barbara Hodges, Wendy Meehan, Wilf Yusek and Joe Zarolinski as well as many others have helped collect data in mid and northern Pinellas. As a result we have an excellent database of nests in Pinellas to analyze. Among the results will be an estimate of the per-centage of nests on artificial structures. We will continue to monitor the activity at the nests annually to determine the percentage of early nesters vs. late nesters which will give us a sense for the percentage of our population which might be migratory. One hope is that in the fu-ture satellite trackers can be placed on early and late nesting adults to see if the theory has any validity. The DunedinOspreyCam pair would be ideal for tracking as they are one of the earliest nesting pairs in the county. We’ve discovered a lot of interesting nests and observed lots of inter-esting and funny osprey behavior. Last year many young ospreys died of emaciation. This year not as many. We’ve seen their ups and their downs. Their downs usually quite saddening. Mortality along bridges remains high. Vehicle trauma continues to be the event that kills the most ospreys. Future concerns include any impacts to the food chain caused by the oil spill and dispersants. Last year more nests fell due to the severe storm on April 14th. A few nests failed this year with the cause unknown. Ospreys are among my favorite birds to watch because they are so en-tertaining. At this time ‘osprey emptiness’ has begun to set in and

sightings at nests have become fewer and farther between. The high level of activity of swallow-tailed kites also will be absent from this area within days. The fringes of migration are upon us. Soon the ea-gles will be back.

Marina Scarr writes about the day the osprey landed on her head in an email which was sent out. “Went out with my good friend Mike via boat this weekend to check on the

osprey nest we have been watching. Last week all 3 juveniles were testing their

wings. This week, there was only ONE left in the nest. For two hours

I photographed the remaining juvenile testing his wings and continuously verbally encour-

aged him. Finally, he left the nest and I was able to photograph his departure. He flew

directly toward us. Soon he was directly over me and looking right into my lens. It was at

that moment I realized he was going to land on the boat. However, his first official landing

was on my head! My friend was able to take a few photographs (after I had slowly walked

to the back of the boat with the bird on my head) before it flew off about 3 mins later. My

head is still a bit sore from his talons penetrating my scalp...but worth it for sure! “

Marina’s website will be active in about a month. marinascarrphotography.com

Photo: Mike McCarthy

Michael J. Adams, DDS

Pamela G. Adams, DDS, MS, PA 15 North Missouri Avenue Clearwater, Florida 33755 fax (727) 461-4835 (727) 461-4832

HARVEY L. KERSTEIN, D.D.S.

COSMETIC AND FAMILY

DENTISTRY

2127 NE Coachman Road Clearwater, Florida 33765

727. 461. 5828

Wing Beat is published February, April, June, August, October, & December

by the Clearwater Audubon Society.

Clearwater Audubon Society serving all of North Pinellas since 1959

PO Box 97

Clearwater, FL 33757

727-442-9140

www.clearwateraudubon.org

Webmaster—John Deighan

Wing Beat Editor - Barb Walker

Submissions deadline for the next issue

is September 10th, 2010. Submissions must be un-formatted in Times New Ro-

man.

Please submit articles via email to: barbibird@tampabay.rr.com

or mail to the address above, Attn: Wingbeat Editor. Please use the subject line

Newsletter Submission.

Wing Beat advertising deadline for the next issue

is September 10, 2010. Business size ads are $25 per issue.

Please address other rate inquiries to

Treasurer, Jane Williams at 727-447-7394.

Please submit ads via email to: adsubmision@clearwateraudubon.org \

or mail to the address above, Attn: Wingbeat Ads.

Officers of Clearwater Audubon Society

727 area codes

President, Michael MacDonald 409-0459

1st VP, John Hood 461-4762

2nd VP, Sid Crawford 785-3960

Treasurer, Jane Williams 447-7394

Corresponding Secretary, Jane Sumwalt 442-9140

Recording Secretary, Marianne Korosy 772-7584

Membership Chair, Barbara MacDonald 776-2336

Education & Field Trip Chair, Lynn Sumerson 596-8822

Conservation Projects, Dana Kerstein 441-1609

Newsletter, EagleWatch, Barbara Walker 789-0183

McManus & McManus, P.A.

R. Bruce McManus Mary M. Taylor

Serving Pinellas Families for Estate Planning, Probate, Trust Administration

and Real Estate Matters

79 Overbrook Blvd. Largo, Fl. 33770 (727) 584-2128

Office Hours By Appointment

Kamilla Sztanko, DMD, PA

3830 Tampa Road, Suite 100 Palm Harbor, FL 34684 Telephone (727) 789-4044

U Stor N Lock

18946 US Highway 19 N

Clearwater, Fl. 33764

727 531-4040

U Stor N Lock donates storage space

to Clearwater Audubon If you need a store room, see them and please

mention Clearwater Audubon Society.

Our Motto: Conservation Through Education Supporting our community since 1959

Wing Beat August & September 2010 Vol. 44 No. 4

Take the Green Pledge! Get Wing Beat by Email.

Save paper! Save ink! Save postage! Save energy! Save money! Convert to electronic Wing Beat—stop the paper version! Each month one member will receive a gift certificate se-

lected from those who take the Green Pledge. Support his conservation effort: Requests to bcarmen65@hotmail.com OR curmudgin@hotmail.com

Send Your Support of Bridging Tamiami Trail After decades of roadblocks, the National Park Service (NPS) is moving forward with a plan to bridge Tamiami Trail

and let the water flow. The NPS is recommending an additional 5.5 miles of bridging to provide the greatest eco-

logical benefits. This is a huge step forward for a project that has been mired in decades of delay and disputes, but

your help is needed to ensure that the recommendation becomes a reality.

Tamiami Trail was built in 1928. A consequence of its construction was the division of the natural sheetflow of wa-

ter, which historically nourished the Everglades and provided the conditions necessary for wading bird colonies. For

the better part of a century, Tamiami Trail has cut off these natural Everglades water flows that made it one of the

richest ecosystems on Earth. Altering Tamiami Trail has long been recognized as one of the central needs in Ever-

glades restoration.

Sample Letter

Below is a sample letter to submit to the Park Service. To submit this letter, copy the the text below, click the link

at the end of this box, and paste the letter into the box indicated on the NPS Planning, Environment and Public

Comment form and complete your individual information. As a supporter of Everglades restoration, thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the Draft Envi-

ronmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Tamiami Trail Modifications: Next Steps project. I write to express

strong and unequivocal support for the preferred alternative 6E: bridging 5.5 miles over the Tamiami Trail.

Everglades advocates have been fighting for twenty years to recreate the historic sheetflow into Everglades Na-

tional Park that supported the once characteristic abundance of wading birds and other wildlife. The preferred

alternative will finally provide the needed connectivity to reach this goal and enable wildlife populations to flour-

ish.

I urge you to finalize and move forward with the preferred alternative as soon as possible, as it will complement

the one mile bridge already under construction and support other Everglades restoration projects being planned

and constructed. In turn, this progress will ensure that the Everglades is a resilient ecosystem and a model for

restoration efforts all over the world.

The preferred alternative 6E is clearly the best option for achieving ecological benefits from restoration and is fi-

nally the answer to the longstanding call of Everglades advocates to bridge Tamiami Trail. Thank you for the op-

portunity to comment on this important restoration project and for your efforts at moving quickly to complete this

monumental project. Please click here to send a letter of support for the Tamiami Trail Next Steps project to the National

Park Service.

Supporting our community since 1959 Our Motto: Conservation Through Education

Home Sweet Home By Barbara Walker The Swallow-tailed Kites which appear near my home annually were first spotted this year in the second week of March. Last year the most reliable place to see the Swallow-tailed Kites was along the edge of the Brooker Creek Preserve not far from East Lake High School. I had no sightings in that location this year, although I suspect I could have monitored that area longer with potentially different results. However, my most reliable place to see the kites this year was at home. They definitely nested in the area as we saw them carrying food and defending nesting territories. The Swallow-tailed Kites chased away the Ospreys and the Red-Shouldered Hawks. They may defend up to 500 meters from their nest. At first we saw 2, and then 1 for awhile and then 3! We observed the flying lessons and the feeding of young all from our backyard and neighborhood.

Supporting our community since 1959 Our Motto: Conservation Through Education

Anclote Power Plant Eagle Nest Tree Falls By Barbara Walker

EagleWatcher Craig Hueston of Tarpon Springs first reported the downed eagle’s nest. “It’s just gone, “ he said on the phone. We believe the nest came down in heavy rains which took place around the Fourth of July. The tree had been leaning a long time. Eagle-Watcher Walt Spina expressed concerns about the nest early in the season and hoped that the nest tree would not fall with eggs or young during the last the nesting season. He got his wish. So far as the tree falling, the timing was the best it could be. We avoided having any rescues at the Progess Energy Power Plant property. The tree stood. Progress Energy, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commis-sion , Pasco County Parks and Recreation and EagleWatchers have been discussing ways to further protections for the eagle territory. Progress Energy this year added diverters on the lines and black pole caps on the tops of distribution poles. Pasco County removed spikes that were on top of pilings at the Anclote River Park boat ramp. The county is also considering a new trail to connect Anclote River Park with Key Vista where another pair of eagles resides. Many species of birds can be seen in the area which is along the Great Florida Birding Trail. The Anclote Power Plant nest is one of the most popular and fre-quently visited nests in Florida with tourists and photographers lin-ing the road to stop and see the prominent bald eagle pair which seem relatively undisturbed by people, unlike most eagle pairs which are easily disturbed. The speed limit along Anclote Road remains a topic of consideration and an effort will be made to lower the limit. The ultimate fate of the eagles is, of course, unknown. Last year the nest produced 2 young and fledged 2 young. Where they nest next is among one of the anticipations for next season. There are other suitable nesting trees in the area at this time, right next to the tree, to the west and to the north. They have little wiggle room with excep-tion of due west as there are other eagle’s nests in every direction.

Above: Andrea Pico Estrada Webb sits on top of the fallen Anclote Power Plant nest known as PS014.

Above: Progress Energy’s Corey Zeigler and Wayne Richardson exam the fallen tree.

Above: EagleWatcher Walt Spina photographed the nest and expressed con-cerns early in the season.

Pole spikes like these should be reported and an effort should be made to remove them. Locally please report the pres-ence of the spikes to Barb Walker at 727-789-0183 or to the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary at 727-391-6211. Using the wrong pole spikes can cause severe injury to birds. Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary rescuers report seeing birds impaled on the spikes.

Photo: Andrea Pico Estrada Webb

Clearwater Audubon Society Membership Application

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City State Zip

Email Address __________________________________________________________________ To ensure you receive our electronic newsletter please fill in your email address, if you do not have email please call 727-442-9140 to request a paper copy.

Which membership category? Chapter @ $15/year National @ $20/year

Please enclose check to Clearwater Audubon Society for Chapter membership, or National Audubon Society for National membership

How can you help Clearwater Audubon Society achieve its Purpose? [check all that apply]

advocacy ___ conservation ___ education ___ field trips ___ finance ___ hospitality ___

media/PR ___ membership ___ newsletter ___ investment security ___ other ___ [list below]

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If not a Florida resident, which months of the year are you available? From __To __

Any other information about you that will help Clearwater Audubon Society achieve its purpose:

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Clearwater Audubon Society P.O. Box 97 Clearwater, FL 33757 Attention: Barbara MacDonald, Membership Chair

Our purpose is embodied in our motto: Conservation though education & our activities include: • protection of nesting, wintering and migrating birds

through Project Colony Watch, rescue of chicks fallen from rooftop nests, Project Eagle Watch, and participa-tion in the county-wide beach nesting bird survey;

• education, including Audubon Adventures for elemen-

tary school students, environmental education scholar-ships for teachers and students, free birding classes for the public, and a speakers bureau;

• sponsorship of projects at local nature parks; • field trips to prime birding locations in Florida, through-

out the United States and internationally; • monthly meetings held October through May featuring

speakers on a wide array of environment-related topics;

• participation in bird surveys, which provide data for vital ornithological research;

• participation in local nature festivals; • publication of our bimonthly newsletter, Wingbeat, and

our website, at www.ClearwaterAudubon.org; • advocacy at the local, state and national levels. YOU CAN HELP! Whatever your interests or skills, we can use your help protecting birds and the environment. If you like working outdoors, writing, speaking, organizing, baking, or just meeting new people, we have opportunities for you. Call the Clearwater Audubon Society at 727-442-9140 or an officer listed on page 2 and we’ll tell you how you can help.

WHAT IS THE CLEARWATER AUDUBON SOCIETY?

Clearwater Audubon Society PO Box 97 Clearwater, FL 33757

Non Profit Org

US POSTAGE PAID

Permit No. 8037 Tampa, FL

Reach us by calling 727-442-9140 or visit us at www.clearwateraudubon.org

Our Motto: Conservation Through Education Supporting our community since 1959