march 2005 shorelines newsletter choctawhatchee audubon society

8/9/2019 March 2005 Shorelines Newsletter Choctawhatchee Audubon Society

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/march-2005-shorelines-newsletter-choctawhatchee-audubon-society 1/4Dedicated to the protection of bird and wildlife habitat and a greater appreciation of Northwest Florida’s natural beauty.

Shorelines he newsletter of the Choctawhatchee Audubon Society Volume XXXIV Number 2

March 2005

MONTHLY MEETINGS:

Audubon meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the OWC Niceville campus, Student Union,

Building K, Room K-151.

March 3: Paul Thorpe with the Northwest

Florida Water Management District will talkabout timely water issues in Northwest Floridaand alternative drinking water sources.

April 7: Mr. M.C. Davis will give an updateon the environmental restoration work done onNokuse Plantation and Mallory Swamp inWalton County.

May 5: Laurie Blanc of Jackson Guard willeturn to update and share more information

about the Red Cockaded Woodpecker project

on Eglin Reservation.

CHAPTER WALK:

March Bird Walk: for information, please callCharlie Parkel at 678-4728.

AUDUBON EVENTURE’S NIGHT WALKS:

March 25: Nonie's Ark Animal Encounters willead a Discover Nature Night Walk at 6pm atRocky Bayou State Park in Niceville. Programasts about one hour and lanterns are provided.

Families are encouraged to join - the focus willbe on ages 5-10. Explore for elusive creaturessuch as fox, owls, frogs and even bats! For addi-ional inforatmation, please call Nonie at 862-

9588 or www.noniesark.com.

April 29: Nonie’s Ark takes the AudubonEventure to the Oak Tree Nature Park in MaryEster at 7pm. Contact information listed above.

Calendar of Events

55 Reasons You Don’t Want t oMiss t he Month ly Chapter

B i rdwa lks

February Bird Walk Report by Thelma Phillips

Eight birders gathered on Saturday February 5 forbird walk led by Thelma Phillips. This was the first biwalk ever for Jean, a lady from Indiana. The weath

was perfect as we headed first to Roberts Road whewe were greeted with a fly-by of Cedar Waxwings. Thfences, weeds and trees yielded Bluebirds, Phoebes,Blue-Headed Vireo, and Savannah Sparrows. Thponds were full of Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Bluwinged Teal and Green-winged Teal. One Shovelwas sitting on the shore. Lesser Yellowlegs, Kildeand Least Sandpipers were flying from pond to ponTwo Red-tailed hawks obliged us by showing front anback views at the same time. We soon moved on to thFort Walton Beach Spray Fields where we walked thsparrow trail. Bluebirds were everywhere! LenFenimore spotted a single Purple Martin - possibly thfirst scout of the season. There were large flocks Robins, Eastern Meadowlarks, Starlings and Browheaded cowbirds. We saw a few Warblers anSparrows. Charlie Parkel flushed House and MarsWrens from their hiding places for all to see. At thholding ponds we observed a pair of Eared Grebes an

a small flock of Greater White-fronted Geese. We hagood views of both mature and immature Red-shoudered Hawks. We ended our walk with a LoggerheaShrike observing us as we marked our check lists wia total of 55 species.

Blue Winged Teal Courtesty of: http://www.images.fws.gov/


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Kendra Addington, Shorelines editor

Audubon Academy 2005

March 18 - 20, 2005 - Eckerd College, St. Petersburg off of I-275A selection of 11 participatory workshops plus field trips and social events

$25 for all three days (plus travel and accommodations)Registration information and forms are posted on http://www.audubonofflorida.org

The alarm clock rings before the sun rises. Lisa gets out ofbed and gets ready for her day. She does not put on a busi-ness suit, nor does she grab a briefcase on her way out thedoor... instead, she dresses in an old tshirt and shorts andheads out to the “fish freezer” to get breakfast ready for theflock of assorted birds who are in her care.

Lisa is a Wildlife Rehabilitator. She and others like her,choose to dedicate their lives to helping sick and injuredwildlife. They don’t get paid, and very often, don’t evenreceive enough donations to buy food for those in their care.However, because they love animals and want to help them,this is the path they choose.

As she’s up to her elbows in raw fish (a perfect breakfast forpelicans and herons!), Lisa’s phone rings - it’s a panickedwoman calling about an injured duck:

“Oh, you’ve just got to help me! There’s an injured duck in my

backyard and she’s a mother with eight babies!!” the callerexplains

In a calm and reassuring voice, Lisa asks exactly whatinjuries the duck has. The woman responds that the duckhas hurt her leg and cannot even stand on it, but that thereare no open wounds and the leg doesnot look to be broken.

Using her experience and logic, Lisa advises the franticcaller to “just leave the mother duck alone with her babies,but continue to feed and watch her.” She then explains how“amazingly resiliant ducks really are” and that it is best not toseparate a mother from her babies unless her life seems in

danger.

Reluctantly, the caller hangs up after agreeing to provideupdates on the duck’s condition. Lisa returns to her flock ofpatients and prepares an i.v. to give fluids to a seriously illand dehydrated heron who she fears may not live.

The following week, while cleaning the cage of the very sickheron, Lisa painfully learned that it had indeed decided to liveand showed no appreciation for her efforts. It lunged at herface and hit her eye with it’s strong beak! She received a cutand a black eye that would make a prize fighter proud.

When asked why does she risk injury and dedicate so mutime and effort to helping wild birds, Lisa gives a humreply:

“If I can help an injured bird recover and live, then I

made a difference. Even when I have a bad week aseveral do not make it, I keep going because it matte

to those who are still fighting to live and need my hel

So what happened to the rude heron that gave Lisa a blaeye? She named it “Ungrateful Wretch” and was eventuaable to release it back into the wild. A paradoxical succestory when you learn that it is still a frequent visitor to yard!

And, what of the mother duck with the injured leg? She sloly got better and made an admirable recovery - all whbeing a dedicated mother to her ducklings.

What is Lisa’s best advice if you find injured wildlife or a babird? “Leave them alone and watch them - if their life is rely at risk or they have a visibly broken bone, then call assistance. Otherwise, just observe and you might amazed at how remarkably strong wildlife can be!”

So You Like to Watch Birds...Could You Dedicate Your Life To Helping Them? A Day In the Life of a Wildlife Rehaber

Lisa(left) and a “helper” put a cast on a

pelican with a broken foot



A Li t t le Bi rd Told Me. ..

Bird Watching:

By Gee Oakman

Preventing Window Strikes

Submitted by Bill Burke, Vice President

Thump! It's that sickening sound that can only mean another bird has flown into one of yourwindows. Birds cannot see glass, especially if it is reflecting the nearby habitat or sky. Thereflections do not register as such to a bird. This is why millions of birds die or are injured eayear in collisions with glass windows in homes and office buildings. Here are a few suggestiofor making your windows less deadly for birds:

Move your feeders. Many window-killed birds are familiar feeder birds that use our backyards every day. Move the feedefarther away from your windows or move them closer to your windows. The idea here is that you'll disrupt the birds' usual fligpath to and from the feeders.

Commercial stickers. There are a few products available commercially that are designed to reduce or prevent window strikeOne of these is a static-adhering sticker that looks like a spider web; others are various designs meant to scare birds awwith predator faces or with bright metallic reflective surfaces.

Feather Guard. Stiles Thomas of New Jersey created FeatherGuard. Tests have proven it highly effective. It consists of bfeathers strung about 8 inches apart on fishing line. These lines of feathers are then strung vertically across regularly struwindows. Birds see the feathers and do not continue to fly into the windows. Materials required are feathers and monofilamefishing line. You can buy a bag of feathers at a local crafts store (medium-sized feathers, about six to eight inches long, wobest).

1. Measure the window from top to bottom. Add two feet to the measurement to allow for fastening to the house and toallow FeatherGuard to blow in the wind.

2. Using a large needle, poke a hole in the feather shaft at the balance point.3. Thread the needle with the monofilament, pull it thru the feather and slide it to the middle of the line. Then tie a simp

knot to keep it in place. Next, slide on another two feathers about seven inches on each side of the first and tie in placAttach the remaining feathers until you've got a feather every seven inches or so. Don't forget to leave a foot or so ateach end to fasten the rig to the top and bottom of your window. All measurements are approximate.

4. Tap a long flathead nail into the window frame above and below the window so the nail protrudes two or three inchesfrom the frame. This will keep the feathers away from the glass. The nail should be perpendicular to the frame so theline doesn't slide. Then secure the line at the nail head. There should only be enough slack to permit the FeatherGuato sway from one side of the glass to the other. That's all there is to it.

FeatherGuard is also available commercially at several on-line retailers or through http://www.featherguard.com

This month, another one of our CAS members has abook being released. April Newlin has written a booabout Horn Island, a barrier island off the coast oMississippi. The book is entitled Horn of PlentySeasons in an Island Wilderness , and is publishedby University Press of Mississippi.Email for more information: [email protected]

New Book Published

If you plan to watch birds in your yard eating berriesor fruit from your trees and bushes, now is the timeto plant them! Study any tree or bush infomation you

find… Watch what birds are eating… Consult yourfriends and nurseries for ideas!

The winter birds will soon be leaving. Robins mayalready have gone north. But soon migrant andsummer birds will be appearing so keep a sharplookout!

Find these articles helpful? Have a question or ideayou'd like me to write about? Please contactGertrude at 729-2656.



Shorelines is published 10 times a year by ChoctawhatcheeAudubon Society, Fort Walton Beach, Florida. It is sent to 500members and community leaders. To become a sponsor, cal

Kendra Addington at 862-1282. Your contributions will be tax-deductible.

Introduct ory Audubon Society Membership (E-11):

Current members: Please do not use this form for membership renewals.

Name:__________________________________________________

Address:________________________________________________

City:__________________ State:__________ Zip:_____________

Phone: ________________ E-mail: _________________________

Introductory membership is $20/individual or $15/student or senior

citizen to join national, state, and local Audubon groups and receive

Audubon magazine and the Shorelines newsletter. To join, mail this

form and a check, payable to National Audubon Society, to NAS

Membership Data Center, P.O. Box 51005, Boulder, CO 80323-1005.

Chapter Code: E-11 7XCH

© 2005 by Choctawhatchee Audubon Society. All rights reserved.

Make sure you renew your local CAS membership when yourenew your national Audubon membership. Please indicate thatyou’re affiliated with Choctawhatchee Audubon Society when yourenew to ensure your subscription to Shorelines.

Newsle t t e r sponsors :

Charlie Parkel, NicevilleIn memory of Ken Proteau, Hamiliton and Renee WilliamsPam McKenzie, Los Lunas, NM

Julia Sublett, ShalimarBusiness World, Fort Walton Beach

Elizabeth Milum, M.D., Dermatologist, Destin/NicevilleWild Birds Unlimited, Destin

Nonprofit Organizati

U.S. Postage PAID

Fort Walton Beach, F

Permit No. 110

Printed on recycled paper

Choctawhatchee Audubon Society

Shorelines, December 2004

P.O. Box 1014

Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32549

President: vacant

Vice president: Bill Burke: 678-0440, [email protected]

Treasurer: Pat Gross: 609-0059, [email protected]

Recording secretary: Carole Goodyear: 897-2666, [email protected]

Corresponding secretary: Pat Baker: 678-2953, [email protected]

Bird count coordinator: Donald M. Ware: 862-6582, [email protected]

Conservation committee chair: Mathilda Ravine: 243-2298, [email protected]

Education: Nonie Maines: 862-9588, [email protected]

Field trips: Charlie Parkel: 678-4728

Hospitality: Gertrude Oakman: 729-2656

Membership & newsletter circulation: Bob Miller: 678-4278, [email protected]

Publicity: Scott Addington: 862-1282, [email protected]

Programs: Lois Gilman: 651-5408, [email protected]

Shorelines editor: Kendra Addington: 862-1282, [email protected]

CHAPTER

REPRESENTATIVES

Binoculars for Sale

Swarovski EL 10X42Including: case, strap, etc.Excellent Condition. $1000.

Please call: Hud at 862-2566

Member Exchange

National Audubon News

The National Audubon Society has launched "BirdingBasics", a new feature on their website, Audubon.org,this week. It provides useful tips for beginning birders,

including information on: buying binoculars, how toselect and use bird guides, where to look and how tolisten for birds, opportunities to get involved with bird-

ing and more through Audubon Chapters, Centers, andCitizen Science projects. Visit "Birding Basics" at:

www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/bird_watching

march 2005 shorelines newsletter choctawhatchee audubon society

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