October 2004 Shorelines Newsletter Choctawhatchee Audubon Society

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Volume XXXIII Number 7

October 2004

MONTHLY MEETINGS

Audubon meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the OWCCNiceville campus, Student Union, Building K, Room K-151.

October 7: Biologist Brad Smith of the Florida Fishand Wildlife Conservation Committee will give a presen-tation on rooftop nesting Least Terns (an endangeredspecies), Black Skimmers, and other birds. He will discussthe ecology of the birds, threats facing them, and recommen-dations for protection. The Emeral Coast Wildlife Refugewill also be represented.

November 4: Back by popular demand this month isMary Ann Friedman, president of the Choctaw chapter ofthe North American Butterfly Association. She will showmore butterfly pictures and share her knowledge of butter-flies and how to attract them to backyards.

December 2: Don Ware, our bird count coordinator,will show slides of birds in preparation for the annualChristmas Bird Count.

January 6: A district representative of the NorthwestWater Management District will talk about alternativedrinking water sources as well as other timely water issues inNorthwest Florida.

February 3: Dr. Robert Larson, a local lecturer andsculptor, will give a presentation, "Sculpting, Planting aVision." He will explain about the Shoal Sanctuary andSculpture Trail, land near the Shoal River he and his wifepurchased to preserve the natural environment. He mayshare some of its interesting history.

CHAPTER WALKS & FIELD TRIPS

October 2: Beginner's Bird Walk to the Destin westjetties and coast guard woods. Meet at the Uptown Stationat 7:30 a.m. to car pool or in the Destin Bridge (West) park-ing lot at 7:50 a.m. This walk is moderately difficult andboots and water are recommended. We should finish by10:30 a.m. or 11:00 a.m.

October 16: Lenny Fenimore leads a Beginner's BirdWalk and Field Trip to Ft Pickens. Meet at Uptown Stationat 7:00 a.m. to car pool or in the Battery Worth parking lot at8:00 a.m. Walking will be easy to moderate; bring water andsnacks. We will stop for lunch and return about 2:00 p.m.

October 30: Thelma Phillips leads a beginner's birdwalk to Ferry and Marler parks and the Okaloosa Islandbeach and sound area. Meet at Uptown Station at 7:30am. Itwill be easy walking, but usually warm and humid. Weshould finish by 11a.m.

November 13: Bird walk in Niceville / Valparaiso area- more info to come.

December 4: Don Ware leads a beginner's bird walkto FWB/Okaloosa County spray fields and holding ponds.Meet in the Coach-N-Four Restaurant parking lot at 7:30 a.m.This easy walk will last until about 10 or 11 a.m.

December 20: Christmas Bird Count - all day. CallDon Ware, 862-6582 to volunteer.

January 8, 2005: Beginner's bird walk to the Destinwest jetties and Coast Guard woods. Meet at the Uptown

Station at 7:30 a.m. to car pool or in the Destin Bridge park-ing lot at 7:45 a.m. This walk is moderately difficult andboots and water are recommended. We should finish by10:30 a.m. or 11:00 a.m.

February 5, 2005: Beginner's bird walk to the FortWalton Beach spray fields and holding ponds. Meet in theCoach-N-Four Restaurant parking lot at 7:30 a.m. This easywalk will last until about 10 or 11 a.m.

February 19-21, 2005: Choctawhatchee AudubonSociety Weekend Annual Retreat to St. Marks / WakullaCedar Key.

OTHER WALKS & EVENTS

October 8-10: Alabama Ornithological Society week-end fall meeting at Dauphin Island, AL. Go towww.bham.net/aos for upcoming details.

October 15-17: Back to Nature Festival , SouthWalton County. Includes birding, hiking, boating, exploringlakes and beaches, kayaking, biking & more! Sponsored bySouth Walton Community Council. (more info on page 3)

The deadline for Shorelines is the 15th of each month. Articles, letters and notices of upcoming events from members are welcome.

E-mail newsletter input to Shorelines editor Kendra Addington at [email protected] or call (850) 862-1282.

Meetings, Bird Walks & Events

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

SHORELINES

Tern


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Now is the time to spot and identify unusual birds as theymigrate through. Most of them will be in trees and bushes onthe ground; not your feeder, but a few might stop! The bril-liant orange and black BaltimoreOriole is one. They are said to like

grape jelly! Incoming for the winter isanother woodpecker, the yellow-bel-lied sapsucker. He will probably be ina tree drilling holes to collect sap. Heis told by red under the chin. Anothershowy bird you may spot in the trees isthe rose-breasted grosbeak. Ratherlarge, black and white, with a rose-red

throat. The many little warblers flitting thru are more difficultto identify. Many have yellow spots. If you're lucky, youmight spot bluebirds, more common in winter. They are saidto be fond of mealworms. Another gaudy bird you might seein migration is the scarlet tanager - bright red with black

wings. Look carefully - there will be many different birds outthere now.

If you have saved or set out poke-berry plants, now is thetime you will see mockers and thrashers stripping the berriesas fast as they ripen. Your feeder too will be appreciated atthis time of year by migrating birds who must build upstrength for long flights.

For many of us who enjoy this area our gulf beaches areprime locations for spotting an elusive shorebird, marvelingat the ocean's wonders, or catching a bit of the afternoon'ssunshine. These beaches serve as important areas of habitatfor numerous species of birds, butterflies, and marinespecies. However, one of our least known furry residentsbegins to stir as the sun falls below these emerald waters anddusk spreads across our white sand dunes. The nighttimebelongs to the Santa Rosa beach mouse (Peromyscuspolionotus leucocephalus), one of eight subspecies unique tothe Florida and Alabama coastline. The U.S. Fish andWildlife Service officially list seven of eight subspecies asthreatened or endangered with our local mouse not listed

because large tracts of undeveloped land still exist on EglinAir Force Base and Gulf Islands National Seashore.Researchers poorly understand the ecology of this mouse,one of the smallest members of the genus Peromyscus. Whatremains certain is that beach mice are indicators of a func-tional ecosystem and many of these populations are at risk ofextinction from coastal development, hurricanes, and intro-duced predators like feral cats.

Beach mice prefer to create their 2-3 foot deep burrowsin large primary sand dunes adjacent to the Gulf's high tideline. Scientists from The University of Florida and AuburnUniversity are actively researching the use and importance ofother habitats including marsh areas and scrubby vegetation

for beach mice to update recovery plans. Defining criticalhabitat for beach mice and implementing recovery plansoften is confounded by the random nature of hurricanes.Feral cats, the scorn of many birders, also threaten the stabil-ity and health of beach mouse populations. Programs haveattempted to eradicate cats from Okaloosa Island but signs ofcats are still found easily in the dunes.

Historically, local populations reduced by hurricaneswere rescued through dispersal of individuals as dunes recov-ered. Coastal development has reduced the connectedness of

these populations and made widespread population stabilityuncertain. Imagine the difficulty of a mouse trying to crossthrough the development found on Okaloosa Island betweenthe public beaches near East Pass Channel and the restrictedbeach areas west of Fort Walton Beach. Unlike the housemouse common in residential areas, beach mice actuallyavoid areas of human development. Further research onbeach mouse movements will be helpful when trying to bal-ance economic development with natural resources manage-ment.

The Santa Rosa beach mouse likely will be difficult tospot unless you accompany a biologist into the field onOkaloosa Island. Should you spot one late in the evening, it's

diminutive size andwhite fur will give itaway (see photo).This coloration is anevolutionary adapta-tion; the mouseblends in well withthe sugary soft sandthat defines the GulfCoast. With an average mass of 15 grams, the Santa Rosabeach mouse cannot be confused with any other small mam-mal found on Okaloosa Island. Juvenile beach mice canweigh as little as eight grams while pregnant females weigh

up to 20 grams. Relying primarily on a diet of herbaceousvegetation and small insects, the health of the Santa Rosabeach mice is tied closely to the health of the coastal ecosys-tem. Beach mouse tracks are distinctive, a small foursquarepattern evenly spaced every 5-6 inches.

Volunteers through Jackson Guard help with their popu-lation monitor program by assisting with tracking surveys ona quarterly basis. If interested, contact them directly at 850-882-4164 to inquire about the volunteer program.

Choctawhatchee Audubon Society ShorelinesPage 2: October 2004

Beach Mice

Wildlife

Alex Pries

A Little Bird Told Me...Bird Watching

By Gee Oakman

Baltimore Oriole

Beach Mouse - Courtesy of US Fish &Wildlife Service


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Choctawhatchee Audubon Society Shorelines October 2004: Page

A few folks have called and asked questions about theShorelines publication and mailing schedule, and thedates for monthly meetings. The newsletter is published

each month through the efforts of VOLUNTEERS andgenerous donations. Therefore, sometimes there may befluctuations in the production & mailing schedule due tohurricanes and other human factors. Your patience andsupport is appreciated as we all work together to get thispublication out!Should you ever have questions about upcoming meetingdates and programs or other events, please feel free tocontact any member of the CAS Board - contact informa-tion for all is listed on the back of the newsletter.Thank you!

Conservation

Mathilda Ravine, Conservation Chair

Please help!

Back to Nature FestivalHighlighting the warm days and cool nights of October is

the third annual Back to Nature Festival sponsored by the SouthWalton Community Council (SWCC). Festival activities beginFriday evening, Oct. 15, and end Sunday, Oct 17. Events arespread out over the dunes and forests, lakes, river and bay. Theyare varied--some energetic and adventurous, some easy and

relaxing. Most are educational as well as fun.The Festival has something to appeal to everyone, and past

participants agree it's a wonderful way to spend a perfect fallweekend.

An opening get-together with entertainment and refresh-ments will kick off the Festival at Eden State Gardens pavilion

on Friday evening. The next two days are filled with suchevents as hiking, boat trips, birdwatching, biking, kayaking, bustours and many others.

For full information about the SWCC Back to NatureFestival--events, pricing and a registration form--go to the website www.southwaltoncc.org and click on B2N Festival. A com-

plete brochure will be available in August.To contact SWCC or its Festival call (850)314-3749 and leave a message.

In August, I asked for your input on a chapter conservationproject. One reader suggested adopting a project through Eglin'sNatural Resources Branch, Jackson Guard. Another suggestionwas removal of invasive Chinese tallow (aka "popcorn" trees) inFort Walton Beach's Ferry Park. With your help, we can do both.

Our first conservation workday is scheduled for 9 amSaturday, November 20, 2004 when we will conduct a marinedebris survey along a small stretch of beach on Eglin AFB. Eachmonth, Eglin conducts a survey as part of the National MarineDebris Monitoring Program, a joint program of EPA and TheOcean Conservancy. The surveys are designed to measurewhether the amount of marine debris is increasing on our shoresand to determine the source of the debris. Results are used toaddress debris sources and prevent debris from entering ourwaters. CAS volunteers will collect trash then sort the debrisinto categories and record the results on standardized reportingforms. The data we collect will be added to a national databaseand used to analyze trends in marine debris. Mark your calen-dars for November 20 and come join us! I will need a headcount, so please call (243-2298) or email ([email protected]) ifyou plan to participate.

Ferry Park has been a frequent birding destination for ourchapter. Kingfishers, woodpeckers, osprey, hawks, and wadingbirds are frequent visitors along with common neighborhoodbirds. The park's freshwater stream and native trees also attractmigrating warblers, vireos, and other colorful songbirds.

Unfortunately, invasive Chinese tallow trees are rapidly replac-ing native trees along the stream. If unchecked, tallow willspread to the upland areas as well. Because the tree grows backreadily from any roots or seed source, the best method to addressChinese tallow is herbicide application. The City of Fort Waltonhas personnel licensed to apply herbicides and has undertakentallow removal on other city properties. We can assist the Cityof Fort Walton by helping tag tallow trees for treatment, moni-toring regrowth, removing seedlings by hand, and helping withdebris removal. I hope to schedule a workday this spring. If youare interested in helping with this project, please call or email.

If you can't wait for the November workday, I encourageyou to join the Okaloosa County Environmental Council's fallbeach cleanup, which was postponed due to Hurricane Ivan andis tentatively scheduled for Saturday October 16. For cleanuplocations and a definitive date, look for information in the news-paper or call 651-7131.

Conservation Projects

Editors Note

The Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge and other Floridavolunteer wildlife organizations have been greatly affect-ed by the hurricanes recently. There has been a major

influx of injured and relocated animals and birds to theRefuge and their rehabilitators. Volunteers are workingvery hard to aid these needy furry and feathered friends.

If you have a spare hour or some spare change waiting fora good cause, PLEASE consider donating to the EmeraldCoast Wildlife Refuge. You may call the Refuge at::

505 Mountain DriveDestin, FL 32541(850) 650-1880


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President

(vacant)

Vice presidentBill Burke: 678-0440, [email protected]

Treasurer

Pat Gross: 609-0059, [email protected]

Recording secretary

Carole Goodyear: 897-2666, [email protected]

Corresponding secretary

Pat Baker: [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, [email protected]

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 editorKendra Addington: 862-1282,

[email protected]

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, callKendra Addington at 862-1282. Your contributions will be tax-

deductible.

Nonprofit Organization

U.S. Postage PAID

Fort Walton Beach, FL

Permit No. 110

Choctawhatchee Audubon SocietyShorelines, October 2004P.O. Box 1014Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32549

2003/2004 OFFICERS

Printed on recycled paper

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

2004 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

Documents

October 2004 Shorelines Newsletter Choctawhatchee Audubon Society