The St.

Petersburg Audubon Society

WingSpan March 2008

Calendar of Events Tuesday, March 18th, 7:00pm at the SCIENCE CENTER,

7701 22nd Avenue N., St. Petersburg 727-384-0027
March 2008 +
Black Gold to the Black Oystercatcher:
Mar. 2 (Sun.) - Weedon Island Preserve, 1800 Weedon
Challenges and Opportunities in Alaska
Dr. NE, St Petersburg. Geared for beginners and families; - Taldi Walter, Alaska Field Coordinator
children welcome. Meet at the Visitor Center, 8am. for the National Audubon Society
Leaders: John & Lindsay Hood, 461-4762. Pack a lunch.

Mar. 4 - St. Petersburg Audubon Society Board Meeting.

6:30 pm at the Science Center.
Alaska is the largest of our states,
Mar. 8-9 - Boyd Hill Wildlife Weekend - 1101 Country Club
encompassing more than 600,000
Way S, St. Petersburg. Environment displays, booths, tours sq. miles of rugged mountains,
and programs for all ages. Visit www.stpete.org/boyd for grinding glaciers, endless tundra,
more information. Call Wanda Dean, 321-3995 to volunteer diverse temperate rainforest, and
at our booth. winding coast lines. From the
Spectacled Eider and Yellow-billed Loon found in America’s
March 18 - "BLACK GOLD TO THE BLACK OYSTER- Arctic to the Black Oystercatcher and the Marbled Godwit
CATCHER: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN
found on the southern coastline, Alaska’s birdlife diversity is
ALASKA" - Taldi Walter, Alaska Field Coordinator for the
National Audubon Society. SPAS Program Meeting, the
astounding. Alaska also has an abundance of other iconic
Science Center. 7pm. wildlife species including grizzlies, caribou, Bald Eagles,
humpback whales and wolves, many of which are endangered
April 4, 5 & 6 - Audubon Academy, Vero Beach. Audubon elsewhere.
leadership training, field trips, special speakers. Watch The current administration and some members of congress
newsletter for details. have advocated vastly accelerating the extraction of oil, gas,
and mineral deposits in this important ecological area.
Apr. 19 - Marine Quest, Florida Fish & Wildlife Research
Audubon seeks a balance between resource extraction and
Institute open house, 100 8th Ave. SE, St. Petersburg. 9am
- 5pm. Call Wanda Dean, 321-3995, to volunteer at our
protecting internationally critical habitat.
booth. Taldi Walter is the National Audubon Society’s Alaska
Field Coordinator for the Washington D.C. Policy Office.
Apr. 19 - Dunedin Hammock, Dunedin. Warblers & other Join us for this fascinating presentation!
spring migrants. Meet 7:30am at McDonald's, Alt. US 19 &
Curlew Rd., to carpool. Pack a lunch. Leader: Lillian
Kenney, 735-0491. Would You Like to…
Apr. 20 (Sun.) - Round Robin Birding, Ft. DeSoto County TSave trees and reduce waste?
Park. Meet at the flag pole at park headquarters at 8am to
form teams & get instructions. Maximize the birding potential
THelp defray the cost of printing and mailing
of four different locations in the park. Contact: Lee Snyder,
the WingSpan?
TGet a color version of SPAS’ monthly news?
THave more of your membership dollars go to
SPAS’ conservation and education efforts?

Got Books? If so, we’d like to send the monthly WingSpan to

you via e-mail instead of “snail-mail!”
Bring a few of your unwanted, nature-oriented Just send a note to JoAnne Wilson at
books to the next St. Pete Audubon meeting. [email protected] and you will begin
We’ll place them on a table and sell them for $1 receiving the WingSpan electronically. It’s one
each. All proceeds to SPAS. If it works, we’ll do it at every way to help SPAS extend its outreach efforts.
meeting. (Be prepared to take your unsold book(s) home at Thanks for your help!
meeting’s end!)
 PRESIDENT’S M ESSAGE by Mauri Peterson, SPAS President

As a former Northerner, I I can still make a whistle by taking the seed off and
was used to four seasons putting the flat part between my tongue and roof of my
and knew what to expect mouth.
with each one. We While hiking at Honeymoon Island on February 9th,
planned much of our life I noticed fiddleheads coming up and new leaves beginning
around what to do during to sprout on the bushes. If I was up north at this time, I’d
each season. As a Flori- still be hunkered down in front of the fireplace with the
dian the distinctions are Burpee seed catalog, dreaming of Spring.
more subtle and have a tendency to creep up on you and go Before you know it, we will be smack in the middle of
past you before you know it. Summer, complaining of the heat. So take advantage of
This past weekend, while driving home one evening, this beautiful weather. Take a hike, ride your bike, go
I noticed the maple trees have already set their seed heads. birding. Or just sit outside with a glass of lemonade and
As a child, we used to call them “whirly birds” and watch the world go by. Soon enough you’ll be hunkered
“pinwheels.” down in front of the TV with the AC going full blast,
dreaming of WINTER.

IT’S GREAT TO BE GREEN by Barb Howard

good as those who have the newest

Stuff - I have a house full of stuff that I thought I really stuff. Companies produce items that
had to have, until I watched a video about “The Story of are planned to be obsolete in a very
Stuff” with Annie Leonard at www.storyofstuff.com. It short time - plastic bags, paper cups, Styrofoam
really changed my views on purchasing stuff and what I take-out containers and so on. Things break, go out of
really need. The public has been channeled into the style, or are not the latest updated model. Ads make us
mindset of consumption without regard for the effects of unhappy with what we have so we buy. In North America,
production and disposal. only 1% of items are still in use six months after purchase!
The whole cycle of stuff starts with
Extraction of the raw materials - natural The final step in the cycle of stuff is Disposal. What
resource exploitation. When resources happens to all this stuff we had to have? It either goes to
are used up in one area the companies the landfill or is incinerated - more toxins. It helps to send
move on to other places. In their wake things we don’t want that are still useful to resale shops or
they leave destroyed forests, sell them on e-bay or Craig’s List. If the items are not
mountains, rivers and more. useful then recycling is the answer. Search out places to
The second step in the cycle of stuff is take all types of paper, plastic, metals, aluminum,
Production. Factories are loaded with toxins electronics and whatever else you have that
that are harmful to people and our ecosystems. These is no longer useful.
toxins can be found in many products in our homes. Other What can we do? Watch “The Story
toxins are released into the air, water, or ground and into of Stuff” at www.storyofstuff.com and
the factory workers themselves. When the rules get too read the “10 Recommendations for
strict in one country the corporations move the factories to Another Way” at the end of the video.
other countries that don’t have strict laws to protect the Reduce what you purchase - only
environment and the workers. purchase essential items. Do you really
The third step in the cycle of stuff is Distribution. need the newest technology or clothing? Remember that
Products from the factory are shipped to stores to be sold. your purchases may be harming the health of the earth and
Items that we purchase don’t show the true cost of its people. I now think twice when I go to the store. Do
production. Workers have been underpaid, exploited, and I really need this item? Can I get a used item instead of a
exposed to toxins so we can purchase an item at a low new one? Can I buy a similar item that is produced with
price. The planet has been trashed to get raw materials and less harm to the environment and the workers who
poisoned in the production of stuff. produce it? Can I find an organic or eco-friendly
The next step in the cycle of stuff is Consumption. alternative? And then again, do I really need this item?
The public has been led to believe that their worth is tied To quote The Story of Stuff, “Buy Green, Buy Fair,
to the amount and type of stuff they have. Advertisements Buy Local, Buy Used, and most importantly, Buy Less!”
tell us that if we have last year’s style we are just not as
 CONSERVATION NEWS By Dave Kandz

cial Fishing industry. Every citizen of NJ has the right to

Speak up for Red Knots! enjoy the benefits of viewing birds, crabs and all other
Many of you watched the recent PBS elements of NJ’s natural environment.
“Nature” documentary Crash: A Tale of þ Horseshoe Crabs have important benefits to
Two Species which revealed the medical science; they are too valuable to be cut up for bait.
interconnected worlds of Horseshoe Crabs þ If you visit NJ on business or pleasure, mention
and Red Knots. If you missed the air dates, you can view you enjoy watching birds and spend money in NJ doing
PBS’s online supplement to the program at so.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/crash. þ As an Audubon member, you support the NJ
The delicate, ecological relationship between Horseshoe Audubon Society’s legislative and litigation efforts in
Crabs and Red Knots is vital to the survival of this amazing support of Red Knots.
shorebird species as it migrates between the Arctic and the tip 2. Follow the link at stpeteaudubon.org/redknot to the
of South America each year. Nowhere is this inter-play more Press of Atlantic City’s article and post your comments on
evident than at Delaware Bay - the first WHSRN Site of their web site.
Hemispheric Importance. 3. Give a copy of this article to your friends who treasure
Thus it is incredible that the New Jersey Marine birds, crabs and coexistence between humans and our
Fisheries Council lifted a state ban on horseshoe crab natural world.
harvesting and will allow a limited fishery in the Delaware Thanks for speaking up for Red Knots!
Bay this spring. The 5-4 vote will allow the harvest of
100,000 male horseshoe crabs, which will be chopped up and Yet another threat to Brooker Creek Preserve
used for bait. It will be the first harvest in two years.
Numerous speakers spoke before the Fisheries Council On February 15th, the St. Petersburg Times reported on a
supporting continuation of the ban. Jeff Tittel of the NJ Sierra plan proposed by Progress Energy to expand a utility
Club said if too many crabs are harvested it will doom the corridor in the Preserve by an additional 1,549 acres of the
Red Knot. “We feel extraction equals extinction,” Tittel said. 8,300 acres in the preserve. Trees would be cut down in
“What took place today was parti-san decision making by the corridor, according to Progress Energy.
special interests. We will be pursuing legislation and County officials are appalled, as are the members of
litigation,” said Eric Stiles, vice-president for conservation at the Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve. “We certainly
the NJ Audubon Society. The five votes to veto the ban all understand the increasing need to meet energy demands,”
came from Fishery Council members who represent the said Bruce Rinker, director of the county’s environmental
commercial fishing industry. lands division, “but destroying parks and preserves is
The Fisheries Council meeting was covered in an article unacceptable.”
published by the Press of Atlantic City. Go to The half-mile swath would gut the
stpeteaudubon.org/redknot to read the story. preserve, said Allyn Childress, chair of
the Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve.
How you can help “The preserve is not only our wildest
place, it’s our last place in Pinellas
NJ Governor Jon S. Corzine has the authority to override the County.”
Fisheries Council decision. Former governors Christie “I cannot express our opinions
Whitman and James McGreevey both took emergency action strongly enough,” said Dr. Bruce
to help Red Knots during their terms in office. Rinker, director of the county’s environmental lands
1. Point your web browser to stpeteaudubon.org/redknot and division. “The Preserve and all other environmental lands
following the link to send a message to Governor Corzine. are points of pride for our citizens, acquired and managed
Some points you might choose to make in your message: over 30 years. There is no substitute for their ecological,
þ The five votes to veto the ban all came from Fishery aesthetic and ethical benefits, especially in the most
Council members that represent the Commercial Fishing densely populated county in the State of Florida.”
industry. The four votes to keep the ban came from members More information about this new threat will be
who represent the Recreational Fishing industry. The two forthcoming in the near future. To keep abreast of the
public-at-large Fishery Council positions are vacant and could latest developments, and find out how you can help
have made a difference in the vote. The voice of the public at Preserve the Preserve, send an email to conservation@
large was not heard. As Governor, you represent the public stpeteaudubon.org and we’ll add your name to our
at large. advocacy list.
þ Horseshoe Crabs do not belong to the Commer-
 SHOREBIRD CLASSES A UDUBON A DVENTURES
ON TAP C AMPAIGN IS U NDERWAY
We will have three classes to help you learn how to identify
the major wintering shorebirds found on Pinellas beaches. Thank you to Jan Anschuetz, Tom & Lindsay Bell, Helen
Classes will be held on February 9th, March 1st and March Redd and Charlann & David Mason for their contributions
15th, all Saturday mornings, 8am - 11:30am at Ft. DeSoto to the AUDUBON ADVENTURES Campaign.
County Pk. This environmental education program for children in
The cost of the three-class program is $30 (proceeds go grades 4 to 6 was developed by professional environ-mental
to St. Petersburg Audubon Society). educators, and presents basic, scientifically-accurate facts
Bring a field guide and binoculars. We will have about birds, wildlife, and their habitats. AUDUBON
several scopes to provide close-up viewing. ADVENTURES’ content is aligned to the national standards
Leaders: John Ogden and Maureen Arnold. Local for the language arts and science, as well as specifically to
excellent birders will provide scope views and expertise. the state academic achievement standards in 12 states,
Interested? Call Maureen Arnold at 727-577-0448 or including FL.
email [email protected] It comes packaged as a Classroom Kit (for 32 students
- $46/kit) or Individual Kit (for one student - $25 each).
What is WWW.PINELLASBIRDS.COM The program is used by classroom teachers, after-school
program coordinators, special education instructors,
all about? language arts teachers, and home-schoolers.
Since its inception in 1984, over 11 million youngsters
With its nearly one million residents, Pinellas County hardly have participated in the program. In Pinellas County, over
seems like a place to see wild birds, but it is! 55 4th-grade classrooms were provided the program in
Thanks to the great efforts of its local and visiting 2007! Please help St. Petersburg Audubon provide
birders the county's list of wild birds continues to grow every this great program to our youth. Fill out the form
year. Since the late 1800’s when Pinellas’ W.E.D. Scott
below and send your donation today!
collected bird specimens like the Ivory-billed Woodpecker
to today’s energetic birders who are out daily to see what’s
around, Pinellas County has a reputation of being a very
birdy place. AUDUBON ADVENTURES
This site is devoted to the birds of Pinellas County and ADOPT -A-CLASS DONOR FORM
is maintained by one of the county’s top birders: Ron Smith.
Name _____________________________
There will be continuous updates on what birds are being
seen where, more detailed information about particular birds Address ___________________________
and places to bird at both ends of the county, as well as
information about upcoming events and speakers. ___________________________________
Besides updates of area sightings, there is a “Where To
Find What” page to allow the visitor to see where he/she City ________________________________
might have the best chance to see area specialties. Pinellas
County offers great shorebirding and has several fantastic State ________________ Zip__ ______
parks for viewing spring and fall migrants. 9 I want to be part of the Adopt-A-Class Project.
I will sponsor ______ class(es) at $46/class.
9 I am unable to sponsor a class, but still want to help.
Green Tip: Did you know that the Enclosed is my check for $_______
petroleum used to make 14 plastic bags
could drive your car for one mile? 9 I want my sponsorship to go to this school:
Americans throw away 380 billion ___________________________________
plastic bags per year! When asked “Paper
or Plastic,” just say neither. The grocery ___________________________________
stores now carry reusable cloth bags for Please make checks payable to St. Petersburg Audubon
your groceries at a very reasonable price. Buy them and and send to:
bring them. If you forget, load your purchases back into the Suzanne Cooper
cart with no bags and load them in your car. You won’t 610 S. Rom e Avenue, #502
forget the reusable bags the next time. Tampa, FL 33606

Questions? Call Suzanne at 813-892-4342

 Northern Trust Bank - It’s BNB Time Again!
Conservation Enthusiasts Judging how passionately my backyard mockingbird is
by Maureen Arnold singing, spring is in the air! Chick-checkers, beach
surveyors, bird stewards, rooftop monitors, chick-a-boom
Northern Trust partners with Lowry Park Zoo in and chick-a-bounce builders, posters and twiners: It is
presenting “Operation Migration” to the Tampa Bay time to get ready. Another Beach-Nesting Birds season is
community. upon us!
The “feel-good” part of the project
Kudos to Northern Trust, 100 Second Ave. S., St. is that it is inspiring others: St. John's
Petersburg, and their environmentally-conscious employees Audubon had a very successful first
who have an eye on issues concerning the community and the year of their Least Tern project; I
environment. They recently partnered with Lowry Park Zoo received a “how to build a chick-
in presenting “Operation Migration” about the plight of the a-boom” request from the Virgin
Whooping Crane. Islands; and our rooftop monitoring program will be
Several years ago, Northern Trust’s Southeast Marketing shared with other southeastern states’ wildlife agencies!
Director hosted an event at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary on The sobering part is that despite all of our efforts, our
Operation Migration with Joe Duff, the co-founder and CEO county's Beach-Nesting Birds are still struggling: No
of Operation Migration. This is the team that leads a new Least Terns nested on our municipal beaches last year;
generation of Whooping Cranes each year from the Necedah and rooftop colonies suffered more predation.
NWR in central WI, behind an ultralight aircraft to the But encouragingly, we have some new accom-
Chassahowitzka NWR in Central FL. The St. Petersburg plishments to report:
office of Northern Trust chose to bring Joe Duff to Tampa - New rooftops are being made amenable to LETE
Bay when they found out he was attending an event on the nesting, one at the Bartow Progress Energy Plant, another
West Coast of FL. They brought in Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
who supports both the non-migratory and migratory Commission land incentive program.
Whooping Crane population by maintaining a pair in captive - The Clearwater Police department is working with
breeding. The zoo has ZooVentures docents trained in homeowners and Clearwater Audubon to keep dogs off
providing a live encounter with an injured and now North Clearwater Beach in the hope birds will return to
rehabilitated, in our case Eastern Screech-owl, that helped nest as they used to!
bring reality to the message of - With a little bit of our help, Beth Forys and Alyson
wildlife conservation that this Ormsby of Eckerd College are working with 4 beach
educational program municipalities and Fort DeSoto to make their beaches
delivered. more attractive to Beach-Nesting Birds. We are talking
Northern Trust has pre-posting, signs, and info on their website and TV
sponsored this program at station!
their Naples, Ft Myers and It is thanks to your involvement, support,
Bonita offices as well as encouragement and enthusiasm that we are accom-
Belleair Bluffs and down- plishing so much! Thank you and I look forward to
town St. Petersburg offices. working with you again this season!
Lowry Park held this program at their Zoo School/Education Monique Borboen-Abrams
Center. Harold Albers and I attended the downtown program, New volunteers: contact Barb Howard at 727-343-
and were able to talk to Joe Duff and hear how he started this 1272 or [email protected]
incredible experiment and all the attempts to help this
endangered species survive. I w o u ld lik e to recognize
Northern Trust’s investment in this project and their Shell Out
partnering with Lowry Park Zoo. The importance of Shell Key Shuttle $22/adult
delivering this message of conservation and protection of this $11/child <13
magnificent species serves as an example to our community.
& Sunset Cruises

Partnerships are So Important

MERRY PIER
Captain Alva Sholty, a SPAS member and Skipper of the
Shell Key Shuttle, generously provides the Shuttle to ferry 801 Pass-A-Grille Way Ž St. Pete Beach, Florida
us to Shell Key for bird counts, work days, and much more. 727-360-1348
Thanks, Captain Alva! www.shellkeyshuttle.com
Captain Alva Sholty
 We counted 197 avian species for the trip including a
The Belize Trip was Terrific! spectacular Ornate Hawk-eagle and a common relative of
Boys never outgrow their sense of adventure. As a male I’m our Ivory-billed Woodpecker, the awesome Pale-billed
allowed to make sweeping statements about my own gender. Woodpecker.
Accepting that premise, a jungle excursion vaults every man Chan Chich is a spectacular place that none of us
back to being a wide-eyed twelve-year-old. January’s SPAS wanted to leave, where the people are genuinely friendly
trip to Belize had me imaging a kind of Indiana Jones and joyously pleasant and where 12-year-old boys and (I
excitement that would be shared with 11 other eager travelers soon learned) girls can imagine they are great explorers on
the adventure of a lifetime.

The St. Petersburg Audubon Society

N ON -P ROFIT O RG .
P.O. Box 49087 St. Petersburg, FL 33743-9087 U S P OSTAGE
www.stpeteaudubon.org 727-384-0027
Chapter Representatives
PAID
St Petersburg, FL
President: Mauri Peterson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 398-4124
Vice President: Maureen Arnold (M embership) . . . . . . 577-0448
Permit #6340
Treasurer: Rick Potter (W ays & Means) . . . . . . . . . . . . 822-9637
Secretary: Nancy Ogden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 894-5940
Board Members and Duties:
Harold Albers (Education) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 864-1113
Mary Brazier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 867-7151
Suzanne Cooper (Newsletter) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 813-892-4342
W anda Dean (Special Events) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321-3995
Peter Edm ond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 593-1796
Barb Howard (Program s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343-1272
Dave Kandz (Conservation & Publicity) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471-0699
Mark Mueller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 686-3179
Jeanne Murphy (Program s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391-8362
Lee Snyder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 865-2293
Gabe Vargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 864-2683
Neighborhood Outreach: Barb Zias . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521-4997
Least Tern Project: Monique Abram s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230-0732
Shell Key: Barb Ranck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374-7039

not all of whom were boys. We arrived at the airport in Belize

City having enough time to be dive-bombed by a screeching
Aplomado Falcon before hopping a second, smaller plane.
Will You be
Forty-five minutes later we landed at a scratch of an airport at
a one-time colonial lumber depot called “Gallon Jug,” named
Part of the Action?
for the artifacts most numerously uncovered while slicing the
area from the jungle. It has become a pristine, plantation-like It’s that time of year again - Time for the
cattle farm where deer are as numerous as the cows they share nominating committee to develop a slate of
pastures with and Fork-tailed Flycatchers, Great Potoos and officers and board members for the 2008-2009
Roadside Hawks are abundant. Several days later we made a program year. Jeanne Murphy,
trip back here just to see what else we missed and weren’t Barbara Ranck, and Suzanne Cooper
disappointed. are looking for talented and/or
From “the jug” we bussed another six miles along a dusty, willing people, and welcome your
dirt road to Chan Chich. A magnificent blue morpho butterfly nominations. The proposed slate
and a Red-capped Manakin greeted us before the baggage was will be published in the April
unloaded. Ten minutes there and some were already promising WingSpan; new officers and board
they would never leave. will be voted on at the April 15th Annual Meeting
Chan Chich nests among 130,000 acres and Potluck Dinner.
of privately-owned and protected land next The SPAS officers and board work diligently to
to an additional 300,000+ acres of produce the programs, field trips, other events and
unpopulated jungle. The result is abundant newsletter that you enjoy all year, as well as chair the
wildlife and pristine forests covering ancient various committees of the chapter. They also have lots of
Maya cities that spread through Belize, fun and really make a difference in our community.
adjacent Guatemala and Mexico once Wouldn’t you like to be part of the action?
crowding as many as eight million people into the area. With You may nominate yourself or someone else, but make
a history of so many, it is expected there are ruins nearly sure you’ve discussed the nomination with your nominee.
everywhere. In fact, Chan Chich is built on the ruins of one of Call Jeanne at 391-8362, Barb at 374-7039, or Suzanne
those cities. We birded daily around buried structures and a at (813) 892-4342 with questions or nominations.
great pyramid that loomed over it all.