Apalachee Audubon

The Newsletter of the Apalachee Audubon Society, Inc.

Vol. 106, No. 8 www.apalachee.org May, 2008

Apalachee Audubon Society Annual Dinner, Thursday, May 15

United Church in Tallahassee, 1834 Mahan Dr.
Bob Montanaro, Pelican Island Audubon Society, Vero Beach, presents Osprey Diary.
Social begins at 6 PM, Dinner served at 6:30.
Our dinner will be homemade Greek cuisine. Purchase tickets now OR at the door.

You are encouraged to purchase the $10 dinner tickets ahead of time
Either at Native Nurseries or Wild Birds Unlimited.
Tickets are available at these locations thru Wednesday, May 14.
If you plan on buying tickets at the door, RSVP to Tim Smith, our Celebrity Chef, by the day before.
Call and speak to him or leave a message at 850/933-5979.
This will help to accurately estimate what quantities of food to purchase.
~
Tim is requesting that a few of us bring desserts; no RSVP is required to bring one.
~
Just in case we have leftovers, bring a container from home.
We don’t want to waste any food.

Osprey Diary: Wildlife & People of Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge
Presented by Bob Montanaro, Pelican Island Audubon Society, Vero Beach
Bob Montanaro uses a combination of still and video photography to tell the story of the 2007 Osprey nesting season
at Florida’s Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). He also introduces us to some of the staff and volunteers
who work at the Refuge; they describe from first hand knowledge some of the challenges now facing Pelican Island
NWR and America’s refuge system as a whole.
Highlights of the program include dramatic still and video footage of the Osprey young learning to fly, a very inquisitive
Great Horned Owl nestling, contentious Bald Eagle/Osprey encounters, heated Osprey sibling rivalry, and other wildlife
found elsewhere in the Refuge. Visit http://www.ospreywatch.org/ for a preview of compelling wildlife photography and
more fascinating Osprey information.
Pelican Island NWR occupies a unique place in American history as the country’s first wildlife refuge. President
Theodore Roosevelt granted this status on March 14, 1903. Knowing of Roosevelt’s strong conservation ethic, two
visionary Floridians appealed directly to the president urging him to create the refuge; this marked the first time that
the federal government set aside land for the sake of wildlife. Earlier the Audubon Society of Florida and the American
Ornithologists’ Union had led a successful statewide campaign to pass legislation for the protection of Florida’s non-
game birds (partly from the threat of plume hunters).
Bob Montanaro’s presentation is a perfect opportunity to learn more about how we can continue Florida’s rich tradition
of protecting our birds. Please join us for this special occasion and bring a friend or family member with you!

FIELD TRIP Saturday, May 17 Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park Dean and Sally Jue
Our local experts Sally and Dean will lead a leisurely walk along the trails at Phipps Park to search for butterflies. Eighty
species of butterflies have been recorded at the park during the last five years, although not all of these fly in May. We
hope to see American Lady, Gulf and Variegated Fritillary, Zebra Heliconian, and several species of hairstreaks. Sally
and Dean are both members of the North American Butterfly Association Hairstreak Chapter (Dean is Vice-President).
And Dean is coordinating a project to document rare butterflies on Florida’s conservation lands funded by a State
Wildlife Grant from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Meet at: 9AM, Forest Meadows Athletic Center, off of Meridian Rd.
Expect to be done by: 1 PM
Cost: None
Level of difficulty: Easy
Be sure to bring: Binoculars, water, insect repellent, lunch, comfortable walking shoes!
Further information, contact: Dean or Sally Jue, dsjue@embarqmail.com or by phone at (850) 386-1393.

See Page 3 for May 10 &11 Kennesaw Mountain National Park, Semi Self–Guided GA Field Event
From Our President
Dear Friends,
As my second year as President ends, I want to thank all those
who have contributed in so many ways to a successful year
in Audubon: the extraordinary board, presenters and field trip
leaders, hosts of the Backyard Wildlife Tour, helpers at festival
displays, participants in Christmas and backyard bird counts,
Birdathoners, beach cleaners, and all those who have attended
meetings and joined our field trips. Many of these people will
be recognized at our annual banquet, coming up on Thursday,
May 15th at the United Church. All of you have contributed to a
memorable and productive year with Apalachee Audubon.
However, though we have a great deal of momentum going
into the 2008-2009 season, and the nominating committee
has proposed a slate of experienced as well as new officers,
directors, and committee chairs, the President’s position
remains unfilled. Elsewhere in the newsletter is an item briefly
introducing the nominees. I hope each of you will consider ways
you can serve the organization, especially whether you are
willing to be President, alone or with another person. The very
strong cadre of board members will provide excellent support to
whomever is chosen to preside. Elsewhere in the newsletter is
an article explaining an opportunity for AAS to apply for a grant
from TogetherGreen (www.TogetherGreen.org) a new initiative
formed by National Audubon in partnership with Toyota to
promote a strong five-year conservation agenda. AAS will need
a President to get things moving on this fine opportunity.
Thank you all for participating this year! Let’s gear up for
another year of informative programs, inspirational field trips,
and activities that fulfill our Audubon mission: conserve and
restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife,
and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s
biological diversity.”
Have a good summer!
Elizabeth Platt, AAS President
Apalachee Audubon Society 2008-2009
Slate of Nominated Officers and Board of Directors
The following are the names of those who have been nominated
to serve as officers and directors:
Officers:
President: (unfilled)
Vice Pres.: Ben Fusaro, formerly our Sierra Club liaison and
long-time AAS member
Secretary: Sylvia Cohen, new to AAS and an enthusiastic new
birder and expert wildlife photographer
Treasurer: Harvey Goldman, our ever-faithful Man for All
Seasons
Board of Directors:
Melissa Forehand – former Vice Pres., also serving as Program
& Field Trip Coordinator
Harry Hooper – long time AAS member and a former officer
Torrio Osborne – community member active in Sustainable
Tallahassee and The Knight Foundation
Lynn Reynolds – former newsletter editor and all-around ad hoc
contributor to various activities
Karen Wensing – long time AAS member and active contributor
to many projects
To nominate yourself or others for any of these positions,
please submit your nominations to Lynn Reynolds at clquincy@
comcast.net or 421-1074. The deadline to do so is Tuesday,
May 13th. A vote on nominees will be taken at our annual dinner,
Thursday, May 15th. Or you may cast a vote on line at our web
site www.apalachee.org.
National Audubon and Toyota form
TogetherGreen
TogetherGreen is a new National Audubon
Society program with generous support from
Toyota. The goals of TogetherGreen are to build
conservation leadership, engage millions of
people in conservation action, and achie ve lasting
conservation results. Over the next five years,
TogetherGreen will implement a series of national
conservation initiatives that support these goals
and promote the idea that everyone has a critical
role to play in finding solutions to our most pressing
environmental challenges. For more information visit
www.TogetherGreen.org.
National Audubon Society will make one-year grants
that range from $5,000 to $100,000 for projects that:
• Conserve or restore habitat and protect species,
improve water quality or quantity and reduce the
threat of global warming;
• Engage new and diverse audiences in
conservation action;
• Inspire and use innovative approaches and
technologies to engage people and achieve
conservation results; and
• Build the capacity of conservation professionals
within the Audubon network and beyond.
TogetherGreen Conservation Leadership
Program invests in both proven and promising
leaders who are committed to empowering others
and to creating positive environmental change in
their communities and organizations. In 2008, up
to 40 Fellows will be selected to participate in this
16-month-long program.
Audubon is looking for leaders who want to learn
across disciplines and work with others to achieve
results and engage new audiences in conservation.
For complete information on eligibility and an on line
application visit www.togethergreen.org/fellows
June 27th is the deadline for applications.
Conservation and Global Warming:
Advocacy and Information
Take 28 minutes and watch an outstanding presentation
by Al Gore on climate change at:
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/243
After the presentation do something in your life to work
on solving the problem and tell a friend!
To join the Florida Conservation network log on at
http://audubonaction.org/florida/join.html. Three
publications are available: Restore (Everglades),
Advocate, and Coastal Strand.
For specifics on climate change legislation, such as the
Warner-Lieberman bill (Climate Security Act, S2191),
and to support Audubon’s work to achieve climate
solutions, visit
www.audubonofflorida.org.
 Field Event, May 10 & 11 Birding Areas Around Atlanta
Kennesaw Mountain National Park
Field Event: This is a semi-self guided field
trip. Kennesaw Mountain Park opens at 7:30
am. At the far end of the parking lot in front of
the visitors’ center is a paved road that leads
up to the top of the mountain. There you will
find several birders assembled at the bottom
of the hill on the road and they will willingly
welcome you to accompany them as they
walk up the road to the mountain top. Folks in
this group will be looking for AAS members to
join them, so be sure and identify yourself.
Other Birding Hot Spots: As you
make friends with the birders at Kennesaw
Mountain, they will tell you about the best
places to bird that are near Atlanta and may
even volunteer to accompany you. You may
wish to acquire a copy of “A Birder’s Guide to
Georgia by Joel Hitt. It has good descriptions
of places to bird in Georgia. Some Hot Spots
that we recommend are Chattahoochee River
National Recreation Area, Chattahoochee
Nature Center, Lake Acworth, Allatoona Lake,
and E. L. Huie Land Application Facility. (See
map).
Lodging: There are many motels near
Kennesaw Mountain. Those in Kennesaw,
near Barrett Parkway, and along I-75 and
I-575 tend towards the high end of the
price range. Budget motels can be found
in Acworth which is about 7 miles north of
Kennesaw on I-75 towards Chattanooga.
Travel: The distance from Tallahassee to the
Park is approximately 300 miles. Traveling to
the Park requires driving through Atlanta so Bird Day Challenge
it is best to schedule your trip so you do not submitted by Fran Rutkovsky
pass through the city between 4 PM and 7 Some of you may have heard about the family from the Yukon (father
PM. Ken, mother Wendy, and 16-yr-old son Malkolm) who have been biking/
Questions: Contact Bob Henderson on his birding since last June. They are doing a fossil fuel-free Big Year, loosely
cell at 850/321-3776. Although not making following bird migration routes from the Yukon to Florida and back, while
this trip, he is happy to talk details with you. raising money for conservation along the way.
AAS member Chris Borg met up with them at St. Marks Wildlife Refuge
Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield in January; they all spent a day biking and looking for birds. In March
National Park USGS Bird Checklist the family gave a very interesting and entertaining talk at Wild Birds
Unlimited. Their web site is http://birdyear.com
Available online at:
One part of their goal is to challenge other birders to do a Big Day
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/
in a way that uses little or no fossil fuel and also raises money for local
birds/chekbird/r4/kennsaw.htm
conservation. You can read about it on their web site listed below:
Well-known Georgia Birder Giff Beaton www.birdyear.com/Protect%20Birds/FFF_big_days.html
developed this helpful list for USGS. Our Birdathon team, “All Tuckered Out”, is entering their Bird Day
~ Challenge in the carpool category. The six members of our team will ride
Check the Atlanta Audubon Society
web site for maps, phone numbers, & in one van while we count birds for the AAS Birdathon. Chris Borg will
birding information of all sorts in the also enter the competition by birding while biking.
Atlanta area: Bird Year will accept entries until June 21, 2008. Check out their web
http://www.atlantaaudubon.org/ sites and join the challenge. You may enter your Birdathon count if it fits
one of the categories.
 AAS Birdathon Update
Preliminary results of the 2008 Birdathon are
coming together. This year we had about 6 teams
that “birded” our region. Each team searched for as
many unique bird species as possible in a 24-hour
period between April 12 – 27. Some teams were
composed of 2 people and some had as many as 6
folks. So far we’ve heard from:
Team Name Number of Species Seen
Gnit Picking Gnatcatchers 142
Six Hawks on a Lark 123
All Tuckered Out 112
Birdathon supporters pledge money to support AAS
programs, such as Adventure Kits for local schools.
Pledges can be made to our chapter as a whole or
in the name of a specific Birdathon team – in a lump
sum or an amount per bird species.
We’ll be collecting money all summer and have a
full report in the September newsletter. Next year
think about joining a team for the day. It’s fun and a
great way to learn more about birds.
Your contribution can help make 2008 Birdathon
a big success. We’d love to hear from you. Please
mail your contribution to:
Apalachee Audubon Society
Post Office Box 1237
Tallahassee, FL 32302-1237
For questions & details about all things Birdathon,
contact Harvey Goldman at goldman@hep.fsu.edu
or 385-5222. Or reach Fran Rutkovsky via e-mail:
Franrutkovsky@comcast.net or phone 422-3636.
Injured Eagles Need Your Used Postage Stamps!
Yes, it’s true! The Audubon Center for Injured
Birds of Prey (located at Maitland FL) collects used
postage stamps and sells them to wholesalers for
sale to collectors all over the world. All you have to
do is cut postage stamps from your mail, leaving at
least ¼ inch of paper all around the stamp. (Or just
bring envelope and I will trim them.) Any postage
stamp is useful—big, small, US, foreign—any
postage stamp! There will be a box to collect them
at Audubon meetings or, if you have a lot of stamps,
you can call me at 656-3346 to arrange for pickup.
We appreciate your help.
Any questions or comments, call Eileen Boutelle
at 656-3346
The Store for Nature Lovers
For Over 28 Years
Native Plants - Wildlife Gardening
Bird Shop - Herbs - Organic Gardening Supplies
850-386-8882
1661 Centerville Road
Tallahassee, FL 32308
www.nativenurseries.com
Does your child’s teacher use
Audubon Adventures?
Audubon Adventures classroom teaching kits are offered
free to area elementary school teachers to use in their
3rd through 5th grade classrooms. The National Audubon
Society designed the kits for teaching about environmental
and natural history topics.
For the 2007-2008 school year, Apalachee Audubon
purchased 66 Audubon Adventures kits for teachers in
seventeen Leon, Wakulla and Gadsden County schools. A
Classroom Kit supplies 32 students and one teacher with
four classroom teaching units.
The kits contain a Teacher’s Classroom Resource Manual
on how to teach the four units and 32 individual student
Audubon Adventures kits for each of the four units. The
individual kits include student newspapers with nature
essays, pictures, and related activities for school and
home.
“Feats of Nature”-- to promote a sense of wonder and
respect for, and interest in, the natural world -- is the
title of the 2008-2009 kit. Students will learn about:
Animal Defenses -- adaptations that help animals protect
themselves; Animal Migration -- birds and other animals;
Animal Builders -- birds, beavers, prairie dogs, spiders,
wasps, bees, termites, coral polyps, tent caterpillars; and,
Trees and Plants -- interaction with animals, and their
place in the web of life.
A unit that was especially popular with students this year
was the one on alligators, according to Cara Brooks,
teacher at Kate Sullivan School and Sara Chang, teacher
at Pineview Elementary. Gilchrist Teacher Shannon Davis
uses the Audubon Adventures Kit to supplement teaching
an ecosystem unit in her fourth grade class.
The classroom kits cost about $45, which includes mailing
cost. Individual kits can be ordered for $19 plus shipping
cost by e-mail to: audubon_adventures@audubon.org.
Teachers interested in a free kit should an e-mail request
to: goldman@hep.fsu.edu.
 Jim Cox Earns Prestigious
Scientific-Writing Award
from Top Ornithology Journal
Tall Timbers Research Station biologist Jim
Cox has won a top scientific-writing award
for his article Cooperative breeding in the
Brown-headed Nuthatch, published in The
Wilson Journal of Ornithology, March 2007
issue.
Cox and Gary Slater, a South Florida
biologist, were awarded the Edwards Prize
on April 19 in Mobile, Ala. The award is given
to the best paper published each year in
the Wilson Journal of Ornithology, a leading
academic journal in the field.
At Apalachee Audubon, we already know Jim
as an Audubon supporter and expert local
ornithologist. He graciously shares his time
and expertise with us here in Tallahassee.
He annually does a field trip for AAS, usually
at TTRS, and he gives free bird-watching
seminars at local places such as Native
Nurseries. Jim always heads a Christmas
Bird Count team too. You may also hear Jim
playing music locally with the traditional Irish
music band Barley Thar; his instruments
include flute, bagpipe, whistle!
Jim’s Brown-headed Nuthatch study was
carried out over five years at Tall Timbers
Research Station and at two sites in south
Florida, Big Cypress National Preserve
and Everglades National Park. Full text
of the article is available free on line from
AccessMyLibrary at:
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/
Congratulations, Jim, on a well-deserved
award!
Brown-headed Nuthatch Illustration
© 1995 Diane Pierce, All Rights
Reserved.
Tell a Legislator Thank You!
Audubon Advocate - Good News -
Everglades $ Restored - Florida Forever
Renewed
State efforts will continue to restore the nation’s most important
wetland system and to clean up the Lake from which much of its
water flows. Late Sunday night, after all agreements had been
reached on the state budget, House and Senate leaders found
$50 million more for the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee. The
money is now safely appropriated along with proviso language
that allows funds to be used for state approved restoration
projects.
It is not too early to thank our Governor and legislative leaders
for extraordinary efforts to deliver the funds. A short note
thanking them individually will help ensure their continued
support for the Everglades:
Governor Charlie Crist, Senate President Ken Pruitt; Sen. Burt
Saunders; Sen. JD Alexander; Rep. Stan Mayfield; Rep. Adam
Hasner.
Florida Forever was extended by ten years and $2.3 Billion.
the House passed SB 542 by Sen. Burt Saunders. The bill
maintains an annual commitment of $300 million per year for
land acquisition and water resource programs, but changes
the spending formula to add new priorities. Working ranch and
timber lands will benefit from $10 million annually that will be
used for agricultural easements, first approved in the Rural and
Family Lands Protection Act several years ago. A new Working
Waterfronts program will attempt to preserve parts of some of
Florida’s historic fishing ports, which are under serious pressure
from upscale development.
Thanks to the Audubon of Florida Conservation Network for their
effective efforts in helping achieve this good news for Florida!
Visit http://audubonaction.org/florida/
for more details. And be sure and sign up for the Conservation
Network e-mail updates if you haven’t already. It’s the easiest
way to leverage your effectiveness on state and regional
environmental issues!
The May/June issue of Birding magazine will feature
an article about prescribed fire and Bachman’s Sparrow
conservation by Jim Cox and Clark Jones. The article is
called Bachman’s Sparrow & the Order of the Phoenix.
Birding magazine is a publication of the American Birding
Association.
The article begins ... “Like many members of the family
Emberizidae, Bachman’s Sparrows seem keen on
guarding their vital secrets. The beautiful song of this
North American endemic commands attention as quickly
as a glossy ad from Madison Avenue, but fixing binoculars
on a singing male often seems like a search for Waldo,
and good looks in winter are rare enough to induce shouts
of amazement on Christmas Bird Counts.”
Visit www.talltimbers.org to read the article.
Officers
President: Elizabeth Platt 850-385-9043
ejplatt@embarqmail.com
Vice-President: Melissa Forehand 850-510-4877
birdingtreefrog@gmail.com
Treasurer: Harvey Goldman 850-385-5222
goldman@hep.fsu.edu
Secretary: Dawn Saucier 850-656-4045
dsaucier@flabar.org
AAS newsletter is published 8 times yearly (Sept.-May, except December) by the
Apalachee Audubon Society, Inc., P.O. Box 1237, Tallahassee, FL32303-1237.
Printed on partially recycled paper.
Mission Statement
Protection of the environment through education, appreciation, and conservation.
 Apalachee Audubon Non-Profit
P.O. Box 1237 Organization
Tallahassee, FL 32302-1237 U.S. Postage
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Your membership expiration date is shown at top right above your name. For problems with membership, call the National
Audubon Society Office at 1-800-274-4201. For problems with mailings, contact Pam Flynn at pflynn@us.ibm.com.

APALACHEE AUDUBON CALENDAR May 2008, Vol. 106, No. 8

Monthly meetings, field trips, conservation activities, and bird walks
Monthly programs are free and open to the public. They are held on the fourth Wednesday of each month
from September through May, at the United Church of Tallahassee, 1834 Mahan Dr., unless otherwise
noted. Most evenings begin with an informal social at 7:00, followed by the program at 7:30. For more info,
check out our web site at www.apalachee.org.
MAY
9-11: Weekend field event – Bird watching trip to Kennesaw Mountain, GA to join experienced local
birders from the Atlanta area on their weekly birding walk Call Bob Henerson if you want some more
details on what to expect. Bob says this weekend will be very good for migration sightings! Reach
Bob on his cell at 850/321-3776; home, 850/575-6610, e-mail: bob@rkhenderson.com.
10: Related event – Environmental Film Festival hosted at Tall Timbers to benefit Apalachicola
Riverkeeper, including Children’s MatineeRaffle, Auction, Gumbo & Oyster Fest. Limited seating
so advanced ticket purchases are encouraged. Details contact Apalachicola Rivekeeper at
850/653-8936 or e-mail at riverkeeper@apalachicolariverkeeper.org.
10: Related event – Birdsong Nature Center 8:30 AM Bluebird Trail monitoring, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Migratory Bird Day walks & activities
15: Apalachee Audubon Annual Dinner – Osprey Diary: Wildlife & People of Pelican Island NWR with
Bob Montanaro, Pelican Island Audubon Society. Purchase $10 per person tickets ahead of time at
Native Nurseries or Wild Birds Unlimited thru May 14. Tickets may also be purchased at door on the
15th. Call Tim Smith if you are planning to purchase tickets at the door. Location is United Church of
Tallahassee. Contact Tim if you want to volunteer to help with ticket sales at the door, or with set up
or clean up.
17: Field trip – Walk along the trails at Phipps Park to search for butterflies with our local experts
Sally & Dean Jue. The walk is from 9AM–1PM at Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park, Forest Meadows
Athletic Club off Meridian Rd.
Have a great summer! We’ll see you again in September!