July-August 2005 Shorelines Newsletter Choctawhatchee Audubon Society

8/9/2019 July-August 2005 Shorelines Newsletter Choctawhatchee Audubon Society

1/4Dedicated to the protection of bird and wildlife habitat and a greater appreciation of Northwest Floridas natural beauty.

ShorelinesThe newsletter of the Choctawhatchee Audubon Society Volume XXXIV Number 6 July/August 2005

New Meeting Place for CAS

August 2005 through May 2006

CAS monthly meetings are held on thefirst Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM atOWC Learning Resources Center (LRC),Room 131.The LRC is next door to Building Kattached to the Library by a covered court-yard. The new room is equipped withtables, comfortable chairs and modern

equipment needed for program presenta-tions. We hope to see you there.

What to expect at upcoming meetings:August 4: Who wants to be a Birder? Aninteractive program sharing pictures andstories about birds, birders, and birding.If you have anything of interest to sharecontact Thelma Phillips at 651-0508 oremail to [email protected] 1: Rebecca Rushing,

Wildlife Manager at Hurlburt Field will beour speaker. She will tell us how someair fields, including Hurlburt, are dealingwith the problems of birds and otherwildlife on the runway.

Chapter Walks led by Charlie ParkelAugust 20: Fort PickensSeptember 10: FWB spray fields andpondsSeptember 17: Fall Migration CountOctober 8: Destin west jettyOctober 14-16: AOS meeting located inDauphin Island, ALOctober 22: Ft. Pickens or FWB Ferryand Glenwood parks

For information, please call CharlieParkel at (850)678-4728.

Calendar of EventsNonie Maines, CAS President

As the new President of the ChoctawhatcheeAudubon Society, I am pleased to comment on howimpressed I am with the Members and Board of thisorganization. We've had a busy summer and have afull calendar ahead of us.

Our monthly meetings will be extended toinclude brief Conservation and Education topics.Speakers planned will be nationally renowned such asDr. Bobby Harrison's first hand account of the redis-covery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. We have locaand extended field trips for youth and adults alike. Wehave a new website and plans to expand and upgradeit to further establish our chapter as a source of knowl-edge in the community regarding wildlife, their habi-tats, movement and needs. We have much work to doin the field of conservation and I hope that ALL of ourmembers will consider assisting on matters of criticaimportance, such as protecting our beaches, bays andforests for the animals we enjoy watching. We're all inthis together!

Now I'd like to introduce myself. I am a WildlifeEducator and Naturalist who has a background in ZooAnimal Technology and has worked in various zoos,aquariums and nature centers. I began collectingunwanted exotic pets from people and created a busi-ness that would help pay for their care. Nonie's ArkAnimal Encounters is a type of "petting zoo". But morethan that, I educate children and their families aboutproper pet choices and care. I've been "EDUTAIN-ING" the Panhandle for 8 years and have enjoyedevery minute of it because I truly believe what I do

makes a difference to those who are listening.I also volunteer for many other organizations; JacksonGuard, UF's Florida Master Naturalist Program, NWFBackyard Wildlife Steward, LEEF- League ofEnvironmental Educators in Florida and I'm a facilita-tor for various workshops in which teachers

Please see Presidents/Page2

Presidents Message


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Karin Barbee, Shorelines editor

Review current and past newsletters for the Choctawhatchee AudobonSociety

online at our new website

www.ChoctawhatcheeAudubon.org

are provided with Environmental Educationmaterials to teach our future leaders. I'm alsocontinuing to serve as CAS Education Chair asI have for the past 2 years.

This summer I spent countless hoursalongside some other great volunteers chasingleast terns around local parking lots! ThanksLenny, Connie, Wayne, Debbie, Vicki, Mary,

Don, Tim, Winston, Tom, Carole and JD. I hopeeveryone enjoyed the publicity the birds

received this season. If you missed the mediacheck out our website atwww.choctawhatcheeaudubon.org, which is stilla work in progress thanks to my husband,Jeremy. Please share with us your photos ofbirds and other wildlife you may have so we candress up the site with local personality!

If you have any concerns or recommen-

dations, please let me know! I want this to bean outstanding and fun year for CAS!

Tern Release

May/June 2005.......Page 2

Attention Families, Scout Groups and all Wildlife Lovers!

Discover the sights and sounds of nature at night with AUDUBON EVENTURESNonie of Nonies Ark Animal Encounters will be guiding FREE Night Walks for

Choctawhatchee Audubon Society on the last Friday of each month.

Upcoming Night Walks...July 29, 2005 Grace Brown Nature Trail, Hurlburt- Soundside @ 7:30 PM

August 26, 2005 Eglins Anderson Pond, Hwy 85, N of Mullet Festival site @ 7:00 PMAll are invited but the focus will be on ages 5-10, the programs will last approximately 1 hour and

lanterns will be provided to light your way.We will explore for elusive creatures such as fox, owls, frogs and even bats!

Make sure to get on the guest list at 862-9588 or www.noniesark.com

PresidentsContinued From Page 1

Here it is, the end of tern nesting sea-son for 2005. Whew, what a ride! NonieMaines, our new CAS President, went to thebeach with Choctawhatchee Tern Team volun-teer Connie Wiley and a group of Nonies

friends under the age of 10 and their moms.They met bird rehabilitator Mary Coerver, whobrought about 16 baby terns to release intotheir natural habitat. Well, what's left of it afterDennis!

It was so inspiring to watch these beau-tiful young ladies with such precious beings intheir powerful little hands. Audubon along withthese girls mothers hope this sets the stagefor a lifetime of nurturing nature.

Marys emotions were bitter sweetwatching her charges leave the "nest" andexcited for the children to have such an experi-ence! Thank you Choctawhatchee AudubonTern Team!


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A Little Bird Told Me...Bird Watching:

By Gee Oakman

Why Do Birders Bird?

By Thelma Phillips,

I have a friend who laughs at me when I talk about birding, and tells methat I don't know a noun from a verb. I just smile and tell him that bird is anaction word. And that birders are a special group of people who will travel all

over the world, suffer heat, rain, snow, sleet, wind, sunburn, bug-bites and scratches from briars andbrambles just to see a new bird. Why do they do it? What makes a birder bird? They will tell youthey are involved in scientific study, and they are. They will tell you they are concerned about theenvironment, and they are. They will tell you they are just enjoying the outdoors, and they are. Butthe truth is that a birder birds for the pure joy of it! When CAS meets on August 4th we will have aninteractive program sharing pictures and stories about the birds, birders, and birding.

Now that you know why birders bird, come and find out "Who Wants To Be A Birder?"

If you have pictures, a story to share or anything of interest, contact Thelma at 651-0508 oremail [email protected]

By now most summering birds have nested and raised their babies and soon will be starting theirmolt. During this late summer losing and replacing of feathers birds are understandingly rather inac-tive. Hot weather, no babies, and more natural food is less demanding so you may find your feed-

ers less popular. However the hummingbird feeders may be more so as they fuel up for long flights.Less tied to nesting chores you may get some strangers at your feeders. I find the woodpeckers,both Red-bellied and Red Headed, often at the suet feeders. Be sure to get the new hot pepper vari-ety which the birds find ok and squirrels do not! Bits of shelled sunflower seeds the birds find delight-ful, but unfortunately so do the squirrels! If you want to feed this or whole sunflower seeds, bestinvest in a squirrel-proof feeder, the kind that shuts down with added weight. It gives the Blue jaysa hard time too, though they seem able to circumvent it! The cardinals and house finches love it.The wrens will be flitting here and there as they search out your insects! But also occasionally intoseeds and suet: My brown thrashers have become regulars and seem to prefer poking in the grass.I keep cracked corn sprinkled around and they like that but also at times are on the suet feeder.Mourning doves are less numerous than in winter, but still prowl the grass for cracked corn as do the

blue jays, sometimes mockers and the squirrels. This seems to be popular and relatively inexpen-sive especially bought in large bags. But use it up before it gets too hot as it gets buggy easily.Water is increasingly popular and a flat cover of water on an old tire wheel under a branch is popu-lar and steady, not easily tipped over. They will need to be hosed out and refilled often!

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

July /August 2005.......Page


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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 newsletter spon

sor, call Karin Barbee at 729-3733. Your contributions will betax-deductible.

Introductory 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 thatyoure affiliated with Choctawhatchee Audubon Society when yourenew to ensure your subscription to Shorelines.

Newsletter sponsors:

Charlie Parkel, Niceville

In memory of Ken Proteau, Hamiliton and Renee Williams

Pam McKenzie, Los Lunas, NM

Julia Sublett, Shalimar

Business World, Fort Walton Beach

Elizabeth Milum, M.D., Dermatologist, Destin/Niceville

Wild Birds Unlimited, Destin

Nonprofit Organizati

U.S. Postage PAID

Fort Walton Beach, F

Permit No. 110

Printed on recycled paper

Choctawhatchee Audubon Society

Shorelines, July/August 2005

P.O. Box 1014

Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32549

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

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

Treasurer: Karen Newhouse: 678-0440, [email protected]

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

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

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

Conservation: Josh Barbee: 218-0573, [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

Publicity: Karin Barbee:729-3733, [email protected]

Programs: Thelma Phillips: 651-0508, [email protected]

Shorelines Editor: Karin Barbee: 729-3733,

Email: [email protected]

CHAPTER

REPRESENTATIVES

Notes from the Editor

We are always looking for new submis-sions to Shorelines.

Articles, letters, and notices fromupcoming events from members areencouraged. Please send in your sub-missions early. Remember the deadlinefor publication is the 15th of eachmonth.

Send your mail electronically to our newaccount:

[email protected]

Documents

July-August 2005 Shorelines Newsletter Choctawhatchee Audubon Society