December-January 2006-07 Shorelines Newsletter Choctawhatchee Audubon Society

8/9/2019 December-January 2006-07 Shorelines Newsletter Choctawhatchee Audubon Society

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CAS monthly meetings are heldthe first Thursday of eachmonth (August to May) at 6:30

PM at OWC Niceville LearningResources Center (LRC),Room 131. Non members arewelcome.

December Program:

CHRISTMAS PARTY! Dec 14

Our December Program will bethe Christmas Party, which willbe held at Defuniak SpringsChautauqua Building onDecember 14th 6-9 pm. PotLuck Dinner, Christmas BirdCount slide presentation, andChristmas light display viewing.

Bring your Friends! There willbe door prizes and a silentauction with various nature giftsand certificates for eco-trips.Please RSVP at CAS websiteor call Thelma Phillips at 651-0508.

Fieldtrips & More:

Eglin Debris Survey Dec16th Volunteer with EricaSchnarr at 850-883-1177 forthe National Debris MonitoringProgram

December 2 Bird walk toNiceville Valparaiso Area.Meet at Niceville Badcockparking lot. Pat Baker 678-2953

December 18 FWB areaChristmas Bird Count. Tovolunteer call Donald M. Ware862-6582

January 13Bird walk inBluewater Bay, Lake Pippinarea. Meet at 7:30 a.m. atWinn Dixie. Phil & CarolGoodyear 897-2666

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

Duck Rescue Network 2

November Bird Walk Recap 2

Vists with Wolves! 3

Conservation Corner 3

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

DEC 2006

The Newsletter of the Choctawhatchee Audubon Society

VOLUME XXXV, NUMBER 9

CAS is dedicated to the protection of bird and wildlife habitat, environmental education, and a greater appreciation of Northwest Floridas natural beauty.

The Choctawhatchee Audu-

bon Society will conduct theannual Choctawhatchee Bay

C h r i s t m as B i r d C o u n t

(CBC) on Monday, Decem-

ber 18, 2006. Volunteers are

needed to assist experiencedleaders as recorders or spot-ters; no experience neces-

sary. This is the 107th an-

nual winter count since orni-

thologist Frank Chapman, in1900, proposed that counting

birds should replace the cus-

tom of shooting birds during

the holidays. Now over55,000 volunteers from all

50 states, the CanadianProvinces, and parts of Cen-

tral and South America, the

West Indies, and some Pa-cific Islands participate.

Compilers enter their count

data into a massive database

that can be accessed by spe-c i e s o r l o ca t i o n . S ee

www.audubon.org/bird/cbc .

The primary objective of the

CBC is to monitor the statusand distribution of bird

populations which is vital

for conservation efforts. To

help in the Count or formore information, contact

Donald Ware at 862-6582 or

[email protected].

EveryyearcommunityvolunteersjoinwithJacksonGuardto

planttreeswithinourwatersheds.Thetreesstabilizethesoil

andreducetheerosionthatentersourstreamsandsmothers

fragilehabitat. Thetreesalsohelprestoredegradedareasto

natural,forestedconditions. Belowisascheduleofplanting

datesandtimes. Duetolastminutemissionscheduling,there

isapossibilitythatoneormoreplantingswillbepostponedor

rescheduledforlaterintheday(ifyouaresignedup,wewill

notifyyouofthischange).Mostoftheplantingswillnotlast

theentiretimethathasbeenallotted,butjustincase

Whatyoucanexpecttodoonyourvolunteerday:1. WorkwithJGserosioncontrolgeologist,SandyPiz

zolato2. Operateagaspoweredtiller/weedeater/shoveltoclear

vegetationandrootsina3diameterareawherewewillplant

individualtrees(wehave6sitesthisyearandeachsitehas

between130150treesthatwillbeplanted).3. Spreadmulch/pinestrawordistributebagsofmulchor

balesofstrawthatwillbespreadlateraftertheplantingWhatyouwillneedtobringwithyoufortheday:Dressinlayers(dependingontheweather)Longpantsand

closetoedshoesarerequired!!!Hat,sunglassesChapstick

BugSpray(fortheoccasionalgnatormosquito),LunchWatercontainer(wewillprovideicewater)Workgloves

Saturday,December9th,0800 1530

Monday,January15th,08001530

Friday,January19th,08001530(ArborDay)

Sunday,January28th,12301700

Friday,February9th,08001530

Monday,February19th,08001530

SandyPizzolato,JacksonGuardserosioncontrolgeologist,

willbeonhandtoexplainerosioncontrolprojectsandtheir

effectsontheenvironment.Ifyouareinterestedinjoiningus

foraday

of

rewarding

outdoor

work

please

respond

by

email

tosignup.Wewillneedbetween1520volunteerseachplant

ingday,sopleasespreadtheword.

ThankyouandIhopetohearfromyousoon!

EricaSchnarr

VolunteerCoordinator

EglinAFBNaturalResources

(850)8831177

[email protected]

Itisthattimeoftheyearagain!Timetoplanttrees!

Choctawhatchee

Audubon SocietyChristmas Bird

Count
http://www.audubon.org/bird/cbcmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.audubon.org/bird/cbc


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Page 2 VOLUME XXXV, NUMBER 9

Go to almost any park with a pond and youll

find abandoned domestic ducks and geese.

Most people probably dont think about how

the birds got there, and most dont know the

difference between wild and domestic breeds.

A common activity for many people is to feed

bread or crackers to pond ducks and geese. If

only they knew they are doing more harm than

good

Enter the Duck Rescue Network - a fast-

growing nationwide group of professional and

amateur domestic duck and goose rescuers.

Some DRN members are federally licensed

waterfowl and wildlife rehabbers, and some

are simply people with a soft spot for the web-

footed. The main focus of the Duck Rescue

Network is to rescue, rehab or foster, and find

adoptive homes for domestic ducks and

geese. In addition, they are committed to edu-

cating the public about why bread is bad for

ducks and geese and how it is cruel and even

illegal to dump domestics.

Ducks are all too often a short-term novelty pet

purchased at Easter time, or a science

'experiment' hatched in classrooms- and then

discarded thoughtlessly at ponds or even

parks with no ponds. The ducks sold in feedstores and hatched in schools are domestic

breeds and are not equipped to survive out-

side of human care. These birds have been

bred to be much heavier and slower than their

wild relatives, and are therefore unable to fly

long distances. There is a big difference be-

tween an animal that is born with all the in-

stincts and abilities it needs to live independ-

ently of humans, and a domesticated animal

that depends on humans for food and shelter.

Its a form of cruelty to buy a living creature on

impulse without being educated about the

animals needs and proper care. As the cute-

ness of these novel purchases fade, and as

they become big and messy, many will

inevitably make the car trip to a pond or lake

to "fend for themselves. A few, very lucky

ones, will be housed and fed properly, pro-

tected and loved.

In some cases, dumped ducks thrive where

they are dumped and compete with wildducks whose habitat is already shrinking

daily due to development and pollution. The

domestic birds mate with wild waterfowl,

creating hybrids which are much larger and

heavier than the wild birds. This creates

more crowding and more birds lacking the

ability to escape danger, and it weakens the

gene pool of the wild birds. In addition,

when domestic males mate with wild fe-

males, their larger body size can injure and

even drown them. These feral domestics

often become the target of extermination

campaigns. More commonly, abandoned

ducks do not thrive but instead live short,

miserable lives. They freeze or starve todeath, are killed by predators, or fall victim

to human cruelty. This is one reason why

Florida State Law states that it is illegal to

dump ducks: http://myfwc.com/duck/

Mallard/Mallards_in_FL.htm

So, how can you help? If you live in a com-

munity that has an area where domestic

ducks and geese have been abandoned,

alert your local media to this issue and ask

that they do stories to educate the public on

these points: leaving ducks and geese at

ponds, and feeding them bread, may seem

like kindness but is bad for the birds. .

Bread fills the birds' stomachs, but providesno nutritional value. The birds feel full so

they go and rest and eventually they become

habitual beggars, subsisting on handouts

and forgetting to eat their natural food. If

you want to feed the ducks and geese at

your local pond, please give them food that

is good for them. Scratch grains, non-

medicated chicken feed, or bagged feed

made for waterfowl are sold in farm supply

stores and are very inexpensive and will last

a long time.

You can also ask your local parks depart-

ment to put up signs, asking people not toabandon ducks or geese, and asking that

those who wish to feed them do so with food

that is good for them. In addition, you can

call or email a volunteer with the Duck Res-

cue Network if you see abandoned domestic

ducks and geese. The volunteers will rescue

the domestic birds, rehab and foster them if

necessary, and find them loving adoptive

homes. Should you find an injured wild bird,

please contact the Wildlife Rehabilitators

Partnership as they are licensed to care for

wild birds and animals.

Kendra Addington, Duck Rescue Network

Contact information:

Duck Rescue Network

http://www.duckrescuenetwork.org

Local Contact:

Kendra Addington

850-218-9923

Wildlife Rehabilitators Partnership of NW FLInc.

www.wildliferehabilitatorspartnership.com

Local Contact:

Lisa Miller

850-974-6584

Why Birdwatchers ShouldCare About Domestic Ducks On a cold and windy Saturday morning,

seven birders gathered at the FWB K-Mart parking lot and proceeded to Glen-wood Park on Opp Avenue. There, wewere sheltered from the wind and thewalk was quite pleasant. Soon RubyCrowned Kinglets were boldly showingthemselves to us. Ethan Urbanczyk ofNiceville spotted the first of severalGolden Crowned Kinglets . We couldhear and see White Throated Sparrows,Gray Catbirds and Yellow-rumped War-blers in abundance. We identified oneelusive White-Eyed Vireo, Red-BelliedWoodpeckers, Cardinals, Blue Jays,Carolina Wrens, Brown Thrashers and

mockingbirds are always present in thepark.

We moved on to Ferry Park, and weregreeted by a Broad-Winged Hawk. Wesaw Sharp-Shinned, Cooper's, NorthernHarrier, and Red Shouldered,Hawks, EvieCunningham spotted a colorful male Kes-trel on a light pole. Six raptors might ex-plain the absence of White-WingedDoves generally seen there. Ethan spot-ted a Tanager that was well hidden byfoliage, and after a hearty discussion itwas agreed that it was a female ScarletTanager. We saw Red-Bellied andDowny Woodpeckers, a Yellow Shafted

Flicker, and a Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker.There were Song Sparrows, WhiteThroated Sparrows, a Phoebe and aNashville Warbler.

Don Ware found a Hermit Thrush, andspotted a Blue-Headed Vireo and aBlack-Throated Green Warbler. .We alsosaw the resident Great Blue Heron andseveral Belted Kingfishers. As we left thepark Bob Penhollow and I saw a brownheaded cowbird which brought the list to

43 species for the day.

Thelma Phillips

November Bird Walk inGlenwood and Ferry Parks
http://myfwc.com/duck/Mallard/Mallards_in_FL.htmhttp://myfwc.com/duck/Mallard/Mallards_in_FL.htmhttp://myfwc.com/duck/Mallard/Mallards_in_FL.htmhttp://www.duckrescuenetwork.org/http://www.wildliferehabilitatorspartnership.com/http://www.wildliferehabilitatorspartnership.com/http://www.wildliferehabilitatorspartnership.com/http://www.duckrescuenetwork.org/http://myfwc.com/duck/Mallard/Mallards_in_FL.htmhttp://myfwc.com/duck/Mallard/Mallards_in_FL.htmhttp://myfwc.com/duck/Mallard/Mallards_in_FL.htmhttp://myfwc.com/duck/Mallard/Mallards_in_FL.htm


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Shorel ines Page 3

Our November meeting was a unique opportunity that I am

happy to say fifty or so people braved the cold to take advan-

tage of. We had some very special guests wholike us-share

a love for nature and a desire to protect and preserve the

animals we share it with. Cyntha Watkins of Seacrest Wolf

Preserve in Chipley, Fl. came to speak with us about wolves

and the crucial part they place in this country's ecosystems.

She also told us all that she and her husband Wayne are

doing with help of many noble people, to educate and inspire

others to protect not only wolves, but all creatures. I

thought that I knew a lot about wolves, I have been to Se-

acrest and had a chance to spend quite a bit of time getting

to know these wonderful people. I did not know that the red

wolves being reintroduced to their natural habitats on the

ocean coasts of the Atlantic are helping to bring back seaturtles that had given up nesting on beaches overrun with

unnatural predators. I found this story and many others that

she shared with us to be encouraging and I hope that others

were encouraged too. We were also encouraged to face the

chilly breeze outside to meet two six month old wolves. Half

grey timber wolf, half artic wolf, Chama is a sweet little girl

that licked us and sniffed us just like the family Lab at

home. Her fur was thick and soft and it was difficult to think

of her as a dangerous carnivore. Legacy is a brooding male

that is a bit more like you might expect, he was cautious but

very well mannered. These young wolves are ambassadors

for their kind and it is their job to show people that wolves

should be respected and loved, not slaughtered and feared.

If you missed the opportunity to meet these amazing animals

please consider going to see them at home. Seacrest is a

part of 430 beautiful acres in Washington County where

Wayne Watkins has worked to restore the natural forests. All

are welcome to make plans to visit. You can camp, hike,

bird, visit with wolves, help in the furthering of this fabulous

cause, or just enjoy the astounding beauty of the historic

trails and spring fed ponds all around you. Please visit their

website at http:\\www.seacrestwolfpreserve.org for more

information, maps, and of course pictures of the property

and the animals.

Theresa Dennis

Greetings from the Conservation Corner,My name is Danny Dean and I have been selected to serve as

your Conservation Chair. I am honored to have been selected by theChapter Representatives and look forward to serving the environ-mental interests of our members. First and foremost, I would like tothank those who volunteered to serve on the Conservation Committeeand challenge those remaining members, who are able, to considerserving in this committee. Thank you, Lisa Miller and Lois Gilman.For those of you that may run across our newest Conservation Com-

mittee members, please thank them for their dedicated service.So who am I?I have been a resident of Crestview since 1992 and like many of

you, hold several irons to the fire. I am a ten year veteran of law en-forcement and currently serve as one of four Environmental Officersemployed by the Okaloosa County Sheriffs Office. I am married tomy lovely high school sweetheart and have a wonderful 7 year old sonand beautiful 3 year old daughter. I have always been quite the out-door enthusiast and enjoy many outdoor hobbies. I am extremelyproud of my military service as well and continue to serve as a com-missioned officer in the United States Coast Guard Reserve. I amquite involved in Scouting and serve as a Den Leader for 16 wonder-ful Cub Scouts from Pack 799 in Crestview. I have a degree in Crimi-nal Justice from OWC and I am currently completing another degreein Environmental Management from Columbia Southern University. Inaddition to my education from formal institutions, I have completed

advanced training in environmental science, hazardous waste opera-tions and emergency response, spill response and investigation, andenvironmental laws. I have also had the opportunity to address ourBoard of County Commissioners on environmental issues affectingOkaloosa County and have been relied upon to address the publicthrough newspaper and television interviews and radio addresses. Iam also a member of the Florida Trail Association and Sierra Club. Itruly enjoy educating others about conservation and our environment,especially our youth and have promoted several environmental youthprograms to Scouts and local schools. I am also responsible for pro-viding environmental enforcement instruction to our local citizen acad-emy hosted by the Okaloosa County Sheriffs Office.

I am enthusiastic about involving CAS in local conservation pro-jects and I am currently reviewing some projects, such as VolunteerWetlands Monitoring through the Florida Department of EnvironmentalProtection and EPA. Again, all of these projects, whether restorationprojects, monitoring projects or clean-up events, take the support ofvolunteers and I ask each of you for your assistance. Please contactme if you are interested in volunteering or have any ideas of your ownfor projects you would like to see the CAS involved in.

As members of the Audubon Society we are the voices for thosethings which cannot speak for themselves. I challenge each of you topractice and promote environmental citizenship. Environmentalcitizenship is about the active participation of citizens in moving to-wards sustainability. It challenges conventional notions of citizenshipto reflect the nature of environmental problems. It is an important partof the shift towards governance (rather than just government) in envi-ronmental policy and politics. Environmental Citizenship is simply areiteration of a known fact - that the preservation of the environment isan obligation entrusted upon everyone and all governments by virtueof the inherent relationship between people and nature and betweencitizens and their governments.

The Conservation Corner will continue to alert members of

environmental issues and provide suggested action as it has in thepast. If you have any suggestions for the conservation committee oritems you would like to see addressed in the Corner please feel freeto contact me.

Danny Dean - Conservation ChairChoctawhatchee Audubon Society(850) 683-0591 (850) [email protected]

When one tugs at a single thing in Nature, (s)he finds it attachedto the rest of the World -- John Muir

Visits with Wolves!
http://www.seacrestwolfpreserve.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.seacrestwolfpreserve.org/


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Join us at Dauphin IslandFebruary 16th-18thWe are having our annual retreat the third weekend in February at Dauphin Island. Dauphin Island isan excellent nature site, offering a bird sanctuary, Sea Lab, Fort Gaines, and other outdoor attractionWe have twenty two-person rooms reserved at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab at $15 per person. Mealare also available at their dining facility ($5 breakfast/lunch, $8 dinner). Alternate lodging is availableat the Gulf Breeze Motel (800-286-0296) at a rate of $59/room for two + $5/additional person over ag5. The Dauphin Island Campground (251-861-2742) offers tent sites from $16 to full-hookup sitesfrom $34, which include sewer and 50 amp service. There is a 20 person minimum for the trip, andwe will need a head count soon. We hope to see you there! Bob Penhollow 729-2602

Chapter Representatives

President: Nonie [email protected]

Vice President: Thelma [email protected]

Treasurer: Karen [email protected]

Recording Secretary:Bretta Berger .729.2049

[email protected]

Corresponding Secretary:Sharon Weaver ... 897.5464

[email protected]

Bird Count Coordinator:Donald M. Ware.....862.6582

[email protected]

Conservation:Danny Dean... 683-0591

[email protected]

Education: Nonie [email protected]

Field trips Coordinator:Bob Penhollow....729.2602

Hospitality: Sharon Weaver897.5464. [email protected]

Membership: Theresa [email protected]

Publicity: Linda [email protected]

Programs: Thelma [email protected]

Shorelines Editor: Jean [email protected]

Choctawhatchee Audubon Society Membership

Name:_____________________________________ Address:________________________________________

City:____________________________________________________ State:______ Zip:___________________

Phone: ___________________________ E-mail: __________________________________________________

Introductory New Member- $20.00 Individual Member Renewal- $35.00

Introductory Student/Senior- $15.00 Renewal Student/Senior-$15.00

When you join you will be part of national, state, and local Audubon groups and will receive...

Audubon magazine

Florida Naturalist Magazine

Our local Shorelines newsletter

Inclusion in Audubon of Florida's advocacy network

Discounts at Audubon Sanctuaries and Nature Centers

Opportunities for Audubon Ecology Camps and specially priced travel adventures

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.

CAS ONLY memberships are available and include SHORELINES NEWSLETTER ONLY.

To join CAS ONLY mail this form and a check payable to CAS to; P.O. Box 1014 Fort Walton Beach, FL 32549.

New Member Newsletter Only- $10.00 Renewal Member Newsletter Only- $10.00

Chapter Code: E-11 7XCHFL Dept of Agriculture Reg #CH4619

A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE

DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGIS

TRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

Nonprofit Organization

U.S. Postage PAID

Fort Walton Beach, FL

Permit No. 110

Were on the Web!CHOCTAWHATCHEEAUDUBON.ORG

Donations are welcome, and all contributions are tax-deductible. Feefree to specify a particular fund/event that youd wish to sponsor.

Contact Theresa Dennis If you

would like to receive Shorelines

in color with links via e-mail.

P.O. Box 1014

Fort Walton Beach, FL 32549

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2006 by Choctawhatchee Audubon Society. All rights reserved.
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December-January 2006-07 Shorelines Newsletter Choctawhatchee Audubon Society