Download - December 2005 Kite Newsletter Audubon Society of the Everglades

8/9/2019 December 2005 Kite Newsletter Audubon Society of the Everglades

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EVERGLADE KITENEWSLETTEROFTHE

AUDUBONSOCIETYOFTHEEVERGLADESServingPalmBeachCounty,Florida

Volume46,Number3December2005

Hurricane Wilmas wicked windsblasted through South Florida onOctober 24, after pummeling theYucatan for days. The fury ofnature gives way to softer, gentlertimes as we and our animalfriends rebuild. I hope all of youare recovering well and getting ina holiday mood. There is much toappreciate in the world around us

and there is much work to do toprotect our environment.It is with great sadness that I reportthe death of a friend and greatenvironmentalist. Rich Paul fromTampas Audubon Sanctuaryofce passed away on November11 after a struggle with cancer. Heonce said Nature is indifferent.He will be missed, but his work andhis life are worth celebrating.

Come and celebrate with our special Buffet Dinner,* Silent Auctionand presentation of100 Years of Audubon.

The year 2005 is the centennial of Audubon becoming a nationacorporation and setting up headquarters in New York. Florida hasalways gured prominently in Audubon history because of ournesting wading birds which were hunted to near extinction for theirplumes. Our program covers Audubons conservation efforts locally

and nationally.The art auction features the four Audubon prints from the newcentennial edition (donated by Robert Hall of Zebra Publishing), theHarpy Eagle print, paintings, books, and porcelain birds, so bringyour wallet and your checkbook!

Join us December 6 at 7:30 PM at the Howard Park CommunityCenter.

*ASE provides the main course; members AL, please bring a vegetable side dish;MZ please bring a dessert. Thank you.

CALENDARTues.Dec.6,7:30p.m.MonthlyProgram,ArtAuc-tion,andBuffetDinner,HowardParkSat.Dec.10,8:00a.m.Loxahatchee NationalWild-life Refuge. Meet at MarshTrail.LeeRd.,Wsideof441,

S of Boynton Beach Blvd.Admissiontorefugeis$5percar. Leaders: Marge EatonandGloriaHunter.Tues.Dec.13,8:00a.m.Green Cay, Boynton Beach.Meet at the Nature CenteronHagenRanchRoad,1misouthofBoyntonBeachBlvd.Leader:DorothyBrindleSat.Dec.31

Christmas Bird Count. CallGloria Hunter, 561-585-7714Jan.2729MerrittIslandNWR.HolidayInnTitusvillegrouprate:$79/night. Call 321-269-2121.SlideshowatthehotelFridaythe 27th. Leaders: Phil andAnnWeinrich

HolidayBuffet,ArtAuction,andProgramDecember6,2005

ConservationReport.......2

BookReview..........2

GreatBackyardBirdCount..3

CornellLabHomeStudy...3

AudubonofFloridaReport...3

MembershipForm........4

SeeWhatsInside

PresidentsCommentsClaudineLaabs

ChristmasBirdCount2005

It is time for experienced bird-

ers in the area to start thinkingof the upcoming Christmas BirdCount. Gloria Hunter will bethe Christmas Bird Count Com-piler for the county and she willappreciate all the help she can

nd!The date this time is SaturdayDecember 31, 2005. Thosewho have participated before

are urged to contact their teamleader before long.If you are interested in joining usfor the rst time, call Gloria at585-7714.You can see the results of lastyears 105th CBC in Volume59 ofAmerican Birds.The 151species recorded in West PalmBeach last year, while respectableis certainly beatable!


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TheEvergladeKiteisthenewsletteroftheAudubon

SocietyoftheEverglades,published12timesayear.

PresidentClaudineLaabs 655-9779

1stVicePresidentCarolShields 964-15222ndVicePresidentCynthiaPlockelman 585-1278

SecretaryRickByrnes 798-6566

TreasurerLeahSchad 848-9984

FieldTripsGloriaHunter [email protected]

BirdID GloriaHunter 585-7714

ConservationRosa(Cissie)Durando 965-2420

EducationSusanSnyder [email protected]

MembershipDebbieSmith 712-1100

SalesStellaRossi 732-4786

LibraryGloriaHunter 585-7714

HospitalitySheilaReiss 627-0510

GrantsEstherZaresky 689-6689

[email protected]

[email protected]

ASEontheInternet

[email protected]://www.auduboneverglades.org

Audubon Society of the Everglades,incorporatedin1966,servescommu-nitiesfromJupiterandTequestasouthto Boca Raton; in other words allPalmBeachCounty.Ourpurposeistopromote theconservationofwildlifeand thenatural environmentand toadvancehumanunderstandingofourplaceinthetotalecologicalsystem.

The news of the moment is no naldecree by Judge Middlebrooks onScripps. A quick interpretationhas been that the judgesNovember 10th decision wasconfusing, ambiguous, and opento second guessing as to whatcould happen.I have reached the conclusion thatthe judge was playing Solomon:Divide that baby! Problemis, too much at stake, and thatgamble (mediation) will fail.I do not advocate violationof the Sunshine law, but Ihope there will be honest

consideration/discussion betweencommissioners and that they maycome to a majority opinion toMOVE IT!November 9th and 10th, twolong days of seminars and panelstitled 21st Century EconomicSummit. It was sponsoredby the Business DevelopmentBoard (taxpayer supported), theEconomic Development Research

Institute (BDB plus corporatesupport). Builders groups, Port,Chambers of Commerce, Agribiz,investment groups also kickedin and manipulated the show.There was lots of contributionby politicians. The mantra waseconomic development. If I hadnot been there, there would have

been no reference to water (qualityor supply), Lake Okeechobeethe Refuge, Loxahatchee Riverlawsuits (including EvergladesNational Park). The glib plannerstalk about a sense of peace andsmart growth and do not havea clue.The South Florida WaterManagement District is in line tobuy 74,000 acres from a privatedeveloper (developed Ibis) whoproposes to keep an additiona17,000 acres to develop. Hebought the entire propertyknown as the Babcock Ranch

from a pioneer. The catch is, hewants the water rights on theDistrict land.At that meeting we heard fromColleen Castille, Secretary of theDepartment of EnvironmentaProtection, and ofcials ofCharlotte and Lee counties. Theyare ready to go with the 140,000new units, except for there beinginsufcient water supply. Oops

There go springs, lakes, wetlandsin a dry year.There is a loud federal assaulton the Endangered Species Actand nothing but silence from thestate (Conservation Commissionformerly Game Commissionneeds our comments!).

ConservationReportRosaDurando

This book is a beautifully illustrated eld guide on avian dejecta.The bird splays are classied by species and clearly show size, shape,color of the nucleus, and strength of the envelope. Sizes range fromthose of the Great Blue Heron to the little jewel excreted by a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Shapes illustrate the big sloppy creamyspecimen from the Turkey Vulture to the appropriate stringy residueof the Greater Road Runner. Some of the best tools for collection arethe windshield and roof of your car. Be aware that your parked carcan add to your count list birds long since out of sight and earshot.For the serious birder this book is a must have.

WhatBirdDidThat?byPeterHansardandBurtonSilverHankMcCall


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Great Backyard Bird CountTaking Place February 17-20,

2006Put a note in your calendarfor the following dates nextyear: February 17-20. Thats aweekend not just for watchingbirds, but for teaching newpeople about watching birds aspart of the Great Backyard BirdCount (GBBC). And its theopportunities that GBBC offersyou that are so important,whether as Chapter Leader,Center Educator, or activemember.Some members use their libraryto recruit new members by

talking about the GBBC. Othersinvite new birdwatchers to takepart in GBBC at their Centers,others lead groups out ontoNational Wildlife Refuges orinto National Parks becauseAmericas backyard is big. Itonly starts at your back door!Teachers even build curriculumaround the GBBC.Take a look at past years

results at www.birdsource.org/gbbc, and get your digitalcamera ready to share yourbirds through the onlinegallery. Participants submittheir observations online andcan see where their results tin immediately through maps,charts and tables. Theres no feeto take part, and no registration,

just the joy of birds and thebuzz of seeing your results onthe computer. Your challengeis working out what you cando with the GBBC to help yoube more successful! For moredetails, contact Paul Green [email protected].

For those of you who havetaken the course, no explanationis necessary. For those of youwho havent, no explanation issufcient. Send your $300 to theLab and take this course. You willbecome a better birder. You willlearna lot!about the birdsaround you. You will struggleChapter 4 has reduced manya crack birder to tearsbut,as Nietzsche once wrote, whatdoesnt kill you will make youstronger. (Note: Nietzsche died inan insane asylum in Turin, Italy.)You will know more about the

distribution, structure, breedinghabits, behavior, vocalizations,and movements of birds than youhad ever thought possible.The course is divided into 10chapters, each of which is writtenby experts on the particular topic.The chapters each focus on onekey component of bird science:Chapter 1 is an introduction to

the classication and distributionof world birds; Chapter 2 is aguide to bird watching; Chapter4 covers nearly every internalsystem, from muscles to bones tonerves, and then some. Chapter7 comes with a companion CDand covers bird song, somethingthat those of us who live in theselatitudes rarely get to experienceapart from the constant Figaroof the mockingbird and the chip-whistle of the cardinal.Cornell says that some birderscomplete the course in a yearwhile others take quite a bit

longer (Im into my second yearalready, and still struggling withChapter 4!). But it is denitelya worthwhile study, particularlynow that they have repackagedthe material into a shiny four-color book (I have the old 3-ringbinder system and am consideringsigning up again just to get thenew book!).

TheCornellLaboratoryofOrnithologyHomeStudyCourseBenKolstad

Indian River Lagoon AsAudubons D.C. team pushesforward with the authorizationof the Indian River Lagoonand the Picayune Strand CERPprojects, the Army Corps ofEngineerstookaproactivestandin protecting the IRL naturalstorage lands by denying thepermit for the Harmony Ranch

development.InourcontinuingefforttoprotectCERPlandsfromdevelopment, Audubon, withother environmental partners,met with the Corps to discussdenyingpermitsinconictwithCERP.TheCorps denial of theHarmonypermitsetsaprecedentforprotectinglandsidentiedforrestoration.

Swallow-Tailed Kites atFisheatingCreekInresponseto a proposal to put largereservoirs and Storm-waterTreatment marshes adjacent tothe Fisheating Creek and thelocationofthelargestSwallow-tailed Kite migratory roost inNorth America, Audubon staffsolicited help fromKite expert,

Dr. Ken Meyer, who is nowworking with the study team.TheteamthendecideddisturbingtheKiteroostareawastooriskyand is studying ways to movelargefeaturestoasafedistance.[Editors Note: Lets hope thisallowsASEssummerexcursionstotheroosttocontinuehelpusprotectthisarea!]

FromAudubonofFloridaOperationsReportforAugust


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MembershipsintheNationalAudubonSocietymakegreatgifts!In Florida, a special 3-way membership automatically makes you a member in the National Audubon Society,

Audubon of Florida, and Aubon Society of the Everglades. Your membership will includesubscriptions to AUDUBON magazine and the EVERGLADE KITE.

Name ____________________________________

Address __________________________________

City _______________ State ____ Zip _________

Phone _______________________

e-mail _______________________

How did you hear about us? __________________

_________________________________________

Regular membership $20.00

Make check payable to:National Audubon Societyand send to:

Membership ChairAudubon Society of the EvergladesPO Box 16914West Palm Beach, FL 33416-6914

E007XCH

Recipient of Gift Membership:

Name _____________________________________

Address ___________________________________

City ______________________________________

The Audubon Society of the Everglades General Meetings are held the rst Tuesday of every monthat 7:30 p.m. at Howard Park Community Center in West Palm Beach. The phone number for the Community

Center is (561) 835-7055. The public is welcome to attend.

DeadlineforsubmissionsfortheJanuary2006issueisDecember10th

AudubonSocietyoftheEvergladesPOBox16914WestPalmBeach,FL

33416-6914(561)588-6908

Non-protOrganizationU.S.Postage

PAID

WestPalmBeach,FloridaPermit46

AdvertiseintheKite!ASEmemberswishingtosellpersonalitemsmayplaceannouncementsintheKite.Threelinesfor$10.Forbusinessadvertisementrates,[email protected]