october 2010 scrub jay newsletter, audubon of martin county

8/8/2019 October 2010 Scrub Jay Newsletter, Audubon of Martin County

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Come learn about AoMC efforts to untangle the inva-

sive pest plants and create the welcoming wetland, we

now call A. G.s Pond, at the Possum Long Nature

Center. Kevin Henderson, project coordinator from

Evergreen Engineering, will join Pam Hopkins and Greg

Braun to describe the year long effort to relieve the

Nature Center of its huge Mahoe trees plus innumer-

able other invasive plants and the (contd page 2)

On We d n e s d a y, October 20, anticipate a busyfield trip to Martin Countys Stormwater Tre a t m e n tA re a - i n - p ro g ress, Lakeside Ranch STA.

We will meet SFWMD Education and Pro g r a mspecialist Niki Spencer along with scientists and fieldmanagers there at 9 am. This 2700-acre wetland isdesigned to use emergent vegetation to re m o v ep h o s p h o rus from contaminated water flowing intoLake Okeechobee from farmland around theO k e e c h o b e e - M a rtin County line.

At 10:30 am we will then be escorted to exam-ine Taylor Creek STA, located north of Okeechobee.This will be followed by a tour of Lemkin Creek,an HWTT (hybrid wetland treatment techology).This hybrid facility combines both wetland andchemical treatments by incorporating the use of

lime rock beds and aquatic vegetation to maximizenutrient removal.

Our hosts will join us for a brown bag picniclunch at Okeetantie Park on Lake Okeechobee.Bring your lunch. These tours will be highly educa-tional and bird friendly relative to the evolution ofeach individual STA area.

OCTOBER

FIELD TRIP

October 20

Cleaning Up Lake O+ Rivers

Lakeside Ranch STA + more

RSVP

PROGRAM MEETING

October 21

Our Welcoming Wetland

11am hospitality

11:30 program

12:30 tour the pond site

Meeting at Audubon Office

AUDUBON OF FLORIDA

ANNUAL ASSEMBLY

October 22-23

St Petersburg, FL

see audubonofflorida.org

also page 3 this newsletter

NOVEMBER

PROGRAM MEETING

November 18

Drs. Richard and Juanita Baker

Blue Cypress Lake

FIELD TRIP

November 20

Kayak trip on Blue Cypress LakeRSVP

Volunteer help welcome!

Possum Long Nature Center

Every Wednesday afternoon

Watch for Grand Opening Party

Date TBD Nov-Jan

Get Ready for

BIRDATHON BLAST!

April 8-9, 2011

CALENDAR

Field Trip to Several Stormwater Treatment Areas:Lakeside Ranch STA, Taylor Creek STA and Lemkin Creek HWTT

Vo l . 21 No. 1 audubonmartincounty.org 772-288-2637 OCTOBER 2010

October Meeting, Our Welcoming We t l a n d

Top of page: Aerial view of Lakeside Ranch area at the Martin -

Okeechobee county line at Lake Okeechobee.

Photo above: Work underway to create the STA.photos courtesy SFWMD

We will be leaving the Knights of ColumbKanner Highway, at 7:30am. The fee for trips is$5 for Audubon members; $10 for non-membeP roceeds go to our local chapter. Sign up andre s e rve your field trip space by emailing Mary aKathy at fieldtrips@audubonmart i n c o u n t y. o rg ocalling 772-221-9953 (home) or 772-233-2820

See field trip flyer enclosed in this newsletter for more information. Save for future re f e re n c e .


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M e s s a g e f r o m o u r P r e s i d e n tby Lisa Fiore

STAFF MEMBERS

Managing Director Pam Hopkins 772-285-1445

Volunteer Coordinator Debbie Clark 772-545-2404

BOARD MEMBERS

President Lisa Fiore 772-528-9707

Vice President Fran Stewart 772-245-8180

Treasurer Robert Gordon 772-546-2206

Secretary Carol Newton 772-209-0789

Past President Laurie Odlum 772-486-2837

Director Curt Wood 772-546-5435

Director Susan Whiting 772-220-1992

Director Susan Smyth 772-692-3489

Director/Garden Louise White 772-283-4416

Conservation Tony Chatowsky 000-000-0000

Education Linda Wishney 772-486-1935Field Trips Mary Starzinski 772-221-9953

Legal Bob Matheson 772-485-0944

Membership Bev Poppke 772-286-0061

Programs Ed Fielding 772-286-6131

Properties Greg Braun 561-575-2028

Possum Long N. C. Pam Hopkins 772-285-1445

Publicity Joan Bausch [email protected]

Resource Dev. Debbie Clark 772-545-2404

Youth Liason Jessie Green

OTHER IMPORTANT CONTACTS

Bluebird Coordinator/ Librarian Bev PoppkeEaglewatch Liason Jim Kearman

Cranewatch Coordinator Pam Hopkins

Jaywatch Coordinator Pam Hopkins

Christmas Bird Count Liz Hailman

Webmaster Jim Kearman

AUDUBON HOUSE DOCENTS

Dina Allison, Ed Fisher, Bev Poppke, Linda Wishney, LaWayne Niedzielski

Contact Your U. S. Senators

Bill Nelson 202-224-5274Second seat is up for election in November.

Ask each candidate where they stand on conservation issues you care about.

A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Division of

Consumer Services toll-free within Florida 800-435-7352. Registration does not imply endorsement,

approval, or recommendation by the state.

The Scrub Jay is published seven times a year

on-going efforts to establish the new

wetland community and how nature is

already taking advantage of our work.

Pams blog News from Possum Long

can be found online at our website

www.audubonmartincounty.org, or

ask her to include you in her emails

of News from Possum Long.

Welcome to the new season! The Boardof Directors has been hard at work over thesummer. We're looking forward to the compltion of the Stormwater Retrofit Project, as well

grand opening event to showcase it in JanuaT h e re have been many changes in theB o a rd of Directors , and I would like to takethis opportunity to thank everyone who hasstepped up to fill vacant positions, and makthis season a success.

The Field Trip Committee has put together a wonderful scheduleof field trips, and we're looking forw a rd to seeing all of our memberst h roughout the season.

There will also be many other opportunities for volunteerism andinvolvement on our properties, so please be on the lookout for a calendof events and join us when you're able.

Lisa

P r o gra m Mee tin g (co ntin ued )

AoMC WISH LIST

Dollars toward taxidermy work on a

salvaged White-tailed Tropicbird.

Volunteers time to count toward our

share of grant for removing invasives.

Volunteers at Possum Long Nature

Center Wednesday afternoons.

Our thanks to the dedicated Wednesday Habitat Creation Team, RalphMallery, Jim Stewart, Mary Ann Gans and Mike Pascarelli. They havemade substantial progress, working regularly through high temperatureand humidity. Over the summer the group concentrated on the areanext to the chickee to create a tropical coastal hammock. This group,plus others, will be what makes Possum Long Nature Center a wonder-ful place to visit.

Pam Hopkins, PLNC Director

Pams Blog: News from Possum Long

Help the birdsand their

environmentPlease consider a

bequest to Audubon

of Martin County

Call Bob Matheson

772-485--0944

BOARD MEMBERS 2010-11

Executive Director - Greg Braun

561-575-2028 Office

561-575-0042 Fax

[email protected]


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October is near the end of Passerine (dickey bird )migration in Martin County. Passerines are perc h i n gb i rds and range in size from the smallest, the Ruby-c rowned Kinglets (around four inches long) toAmerican Crows at around seventeen inches inlength. They are considered by ornithologists to bethe most advanced of our birds. They all have twotoes forw a rd and one back and have the ability to sing

beautiful songs.One group of Passerines that travel through or

spend the winter months in Florida is the wood war-blers. These small birds all have nine primary feath-ers, possess sharp bills and are insectivores.

Although the warblers are very colorful in thespring, when they arrive for the winter in Mart i nCounty they have changed into their winterplumages. The males are traditionally more stunningthan the females, but during the winter they do nothave to impress the females. Nesting season is fin-ished and the young have left the warbler couples

c a re. One would presume that the warblers changeinto duller tones to avoid being obvious. Dull colorsblend into the environment more and provide morep rotection from predators.

Th e re is one warbler that spends the winter wus in Martin County that has two diff e rent subspecThis is the Palm Wa r b l e r. This tail wagging warbleone of the first to leave in the spring and one of thlast to arrive in the fall. It does not breed in Floridabut travels well into the North to breed in the lands p ruce and firs. The nest site is usually in bogs andthe ground in mossy hammocks.

The Palm Warbler that is the most common wter visitor is the called the We s t e rn Palm Wa r b l e r. Iquite pale, having a streaked white breast, a white stripe and a faint wash of yellow on it flanks andunder tail feathers. Its back is an olive-gray. We alsoccasionally spot an Eastern Palm Warbler which iv e ry yellow from under its chin all the way to undeits tail feathers. Whichever one you spot it will usube on the ground and bobbing its tail.

We issue Martin County birders a challenge tod e t e rmine whether you are viewing an Eastern orWe s t e rnPalm Wa r b l e r. This warbler is not hard to

find as it is in most of your yards. You probably camiss this bird as it lives up to its nicknames of tipwarbler or wag tail warbler.

Howard Petrie

Carol Newton

in recognition of

her mother

Betty McClure

BIRD OF THE MONTH

By Susan B. Whiting

THANK YOU

SPONSORS

(Dendroica palmarum)

photo credit: Susan Whiting

This years Assembly will be held at the HiltonSt. Petersburg Carillon Park in St. Petersburg,Florida. Meet and work with others to chart thecourse for Florida conservation. When we aretogether our voice is heard and we can save theplaces and species that make Florida special.

On Friday, Oct. 22, President Eric Draper willshare his vision of Audubon and its special role inFlorida today and in the future.

Florida Forever, Everglades restoration, con-trolling exotic species, using prescribed fire, fresh-water flows, learn what tools are needed and avail-able to conserve and restore habitats for the bene-fit of Important Bird Areas.

The Gulf oil disaster focused public attentionon vulnerable coastal birds. How do we convert

the passion and the volunteers energy into a forcefor coastal habitat protection and recovery? Beachbird stewardship, colony management, workingwith law enforcement, and connecting people withnature these strategies will make a lasting differ-ence for our coastal birds.

Save water, energy and birds with the sameactions? Listen to stories and write your ownabout how we are taking everyday actions to useless and save more. Take the ConservationChallenge for water and bird friendly yards andenergy efficiency.

To learn more about speakers and workshopsfor the Assembly, go on-line at www.audubonof-florida.org

Conservation Corner: Audubon of Florida Annual Assembly - October 22 & 23

Calls come into the Audubon office regularlyabout baby birds, strange new birds, visiting birds,and what is it ???

My first call is to Nancy Price. Many of ourvolunteers know and like plants, trees and wildlife.Some like to work in the office, others would

rather work outdoors, but when you get someonewhose passion is photography and wildlife, nowyou have someone who can help document nature.

She would grab her camera and head out totake a look. She has taken some wonderful shots baby Black-crowned Night-Herons in Palm City,threatened Least Terns nesting near St. Lucie InleWhite Ibis in their scarlet faced breeding stage ofCove Rd, Bluebirds on and around Fox Brown Rd

and her favorite, Hummingbirds in her back yardIts been a pleasure, and a learning experienc

working with her. Thanks Nancy!Bev Poppke, Membership Chair

Volunteers Making a Difference Nancy Price, Stuart, FL

Look deep

into nature,

and then

you will

understand

everything

Albert Einstein


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Linda Wi s h n e y, Education chair, is developing Bird i n g

A d v e n t u res for Children, for middle school children (grades

6-8) to take place at the Possum Long Nature Center.

Introducing children to the world of birding and how

the environment affects birds and ourselves will be the

focus. Habitats will be observed. Children will have the

opportunity to walk the trails and visit the new pond look-

ing for birds, sketching in their journals. We will use our

new platform for ospreys to note nest size and material

used by birds for their construction.

Environmental concerns for the survival of birds will beconsidered: natural impacts (weathers & storms), human

related impacts (growth of populations, housing, pesticide

abuse).

To join Lindas Education Committee please call or

email her. See future newsletters for further details.

Non-profitOrganization

U. S. Postage PaidPermit #57

Stuart, FL 34994

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!

621 S.E Palm Beach Road

Stuart, FL 34994

Barbara Bedell

Virginia Brach

C. Frederick Buechner

Maida J. Christner

Gloria A. Cioffi

Cecilia A. Cleveland

Barbara Danielski

Helen M. Darling

Peggy V.Davidson

Sue Garcia

Thomas Gerace

Deborah Hogsten

David Husak

Marion L. Hutchinson

Robert & Joy Valle

William Knapp

Eleanor Lecollier

Paul Loveday

Elvin Manges

Carol Martin

Walter Moore

Carol Novak

Julie Orr

Harold E. Schafer

Elizabeth L. Slater

Robin Wakefield

Becky Dulin

Stacei Ankrom

Susan Buys

Melissa Dubois

Trisha Ebell

Tara Zilly

Debbie Trowbridge

Marti Sheckells

Cristina Smith

J. Devivero

Dennis Killila

Nicholas Keller

Hobe Sound Chamber of

Commerce

Susan Trotman

Linwood Childress &

Howard Snoweiss

Arthur Janecki

Leslie Hoffman

George & Joyce Hickman

Cummings Library

Charles Gersbach

Elaine Mossack

Pauline Franke

Judy Olson

Sonja Warren

Jay & Gail Nelson

Mary Morett

Laura Hauss

Mark Vanderbilt

Barbie Sousa

Janet Kempf

Howard Petrie

Karen Miller

Kimberly Thomas

Jeffrey Benario

Leisa Valerio

George Lowe

Marie Dube

Jelene Dressler

Robert & Inge Owens

Lauretta Smith

Line Rader

Palmer Tuthill

Donna Kasprzak

Regina Wood

Elaine Quinter

Education Corner:

Birding Adventures

Logo design by Shark River Creative,

Jensen Beach, Florida. 772-232-1384

october 2010 scrub jay newsletter, audubon of martin county

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