Least terns feeding on a Florida beach

While Floridians hold their breath and wait, hoping the oil spill will spare our beaches, Audubon recognizes the urgent need to ensure our beach-dependent wildlife like nesting terns, plovers and other shorebirds have as successful a breeding year as possible in those areas that are not impacted by the spill. In this way, we hope their successes will help offset the dramatic losses of threatened wildlife that may occur elsewhere in the Gulf.

One way to help beach nesting birds is to provide bird stewards–chaperones who volunteer a few hours of their time in a shift on the beach to help ensure beachgoers and individuals preparing for the spill do not enter nesting areas, and help educate beach visitors about these remarkable species.

Increasing bird steward efforts in the following counties now can help us ensure birds in these locations have a better chance of survival: Pasco, Pinellas, Manatee, Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Nassau/Duval and St. Johns.

We are looking for two categories of volunteers. Click on your category of interest to sign up:

1) Bird Stewards will function as site ambassadors for a shift or shifts. We will train you on the bird protections and biology you will need to be successful. These individuals should like spending time on the beach and interacting with the public.

2) Site coordinators will be responsible for scheduling the bird steward volunteers at their sites, to ensure that all shifts are covered. These individuals do not necessarily have to perform beach steward functions as long as all shifts are covered, but should enjoy “organizing” tasks and have the time to dedicate to coordinating shift scheduling.

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Some of the first public discussions in decades about oil and gas exploration off Florida’s Atlantic coast opened Wednesday in Jacksonville with a small crowd that saw a lot at stake.

The U.S. Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service scheduled two hearings Wednesday about what issues to consider when it studies environmental effects of testing to chart reserves of offshore fuels. As backers of offshore drilling talked up the potential to create jobs and raise tax revenues, people worried about environmental damage warned about damage to endangered species and to clean beaches. Both arguments were leaps beyond the formal reason for Wednesdays hearing, which involved only discussions about how scientists and engineers should identify the areas most likely to be house new power sources.

But the bottom line was really about drilling someday, said both sides in the audience of about 25 people. “I know you’re just talking about seismic exploration. To me, it’s a slippery slope,” said Lesley Royce, a Duval Audubon Society member who warned about wildlife impacts. She and others stressed the importance of Florida coastlines as calving grounds for endangered right whales, warning that noise from acoustic tests could drive sound-sensitive whales away from critical habitat.

She also worried about oil spills and other pollution from any wells that were eventually drilled. “Even though you’re not talking about drilling … I think that’s going to follow,” Royce said. “We don’t want those oil derricks off the coast of Florida.”

There’s probably a lot to drill for, said David Mica, executive director of the Florida Petroleum Council, a trade group. “Developing these resources could translate into thousands of jobs,” he said, calling the Atlantic reserves “essential for our nation’s future energy security.” Mica said billions of gallons of oil and trillions of cubic feet of natural gas are thought to be buried off the Southeast coast, but that new research is needed to define those reserves.

The hearing Wednesday follows President Barack Obama’s decision last month to lift a decades-old moratorium on oil and gas exploration on the South’s Atlantic coast, including the northern half of Florida. The meeting was an early “scoping” step in a process of planning for offshore tests.

A study weighing environmental dangers against possible benefits will be written in draft form by next year, and should be finalized in 2012, said Joe Christopher, regional supervisor for the mineral service’s leasing office in New Orleans. That will become a basis for decisions about what type of testing to allow, and where, which could lead to drilling in some of those sites years later.

Christopher said the research could also be used by companies considering setting up offshore wind-power facilities, because they will need to understand the ocean floor under their sites. Those wind-power facilities might be a good idea, but drilling is “really what we’re talking about, ” answered Jeff Light of St. Augustine, who said that worries him.

It’s been 30 years since much testing was done off the Southeast coast, and newer technology might identify conditions that would have been missed then, said Jim White, who chairs the International Association of Geophysical Contractors, a Texas-based trade group.

Hearings similar to those Wednesday are scheduled in Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia and New Jersey this month.

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Kudos to a trio of environmental protectors for putting into words our feelings about a notorious bird-shooting incident in February 2009 off Goodland.

After the Southwest Florida State Attorney’s Office declined to bring charges because the vicinity lacked clear public notice signs, a federal grand jury has stepped in to indict five of the seven young adults originally charged with shooting at least 21 birds of protected species.

Eric Draper of Audubon of Florida, Ed Carlson of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and Brad Cornell of Collier County Audubon Society say in a letter to the editor that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission deserve credit for the follow-up investigation that led to the indictment against the five, including four Navy officers in training.

“Audubon strongly concurs with the enforcement action taken, as it sends the clear message that such wanton killing of protected wildlife will not be tolerated. We hope that any convictions and punishment will result in this lesson being learned by those who aspire to lead our national defenses as well as by the general public and will not result in bitter resentment over just a bunch of birds,” their joint statement says.

“Audubon started working in Florida more than 100 years ago to protect the threatened wading birds from slaughter by plume hunters. Today, there are many more threats to the health of Florida’s bird populations, and it is in everyone’s best interest to respect and protect them.”

The case is not and never was about revenge against the alleged shooters. It is and always has been about protection of wildlife and community standards.

Next stop — federal court, where all sides can be heard in full.

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From the St. Petersburg Times:

It could have been a predator in the night, or simply young eagles bickering and hefting their growing weight around inside the nest. Whatever the cause, Pinellas County eagle nest No. 20 collapsed Sunday morning, sending one of the three chicks inside plummeting to the ground, leaving it severely injured.

Nest No. 20 became known as “Hoover’s Nest” in February after volunteers with the Florida Audubon Society put an orphaned eaglet named Hoover inside, along with the two chicks and the adult bald eagles already living there. Even with the addition of Hoover, the nest appeared to be thriving — until Sunday.

“The nest fell down, and we don’t know if it’s Hoover or not,” said Pinellas County Audubon Society coordinator Barb Walker. The eagles are around 8 weeks old and almost indistinguishable from one another, covered with dark brown feathers. All three of the chicks are still a few weeks shy of growing the type of feathers necessary for flight, but still are big enough — larger than most roosters — to hop around on their own.

Arno Beken, who lives in the house below the tree, said he checked on the nest Saturday night and it appeared intact. Sunday morning, however, neighbors saw there were only remnants of the structure between branches of the 60-foot pine, and called the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Shores.

Christina Kugeares, a bird rescuer with the sanctuary, arrived and found the injured bird in a grassy area near bushes and a chain-link fence. The bird did not put up much struggle as a beach towel was cast over it and it was scooped up by Kugeares. The extent of the bird’s injuries was revealed when it arrived at the sanctuary around 10 a.m. “It’s not doing too well. We’re just trying to save a life. It’s in poor condition,” said Michelle Simoneau, the sanctuary’s spokeswoman.

Volunteers are planning to transport the injured eaglet to the Audubon Bird of Prey Sanctuary in Maitland, one of the best facilities in the state for treating injured eagles. Simoneau said the bird suffered damage along the left side of its body and may have internal injuries.

For the other survivors of the collapse, life went on — albeit from a far more precarious perch. Eagle watchers reported the parents feeding the two eaglets inside the nest’s remnants Sunday. With most of the nest in a pile on the ground, however, the still-flightless eaglets are at more risk of falling or being knocked to the ground by winds or each other.

Joe Zarolinski, a birdwatcher who checks on the nest almost daily, said in recent weeks, parts of the nest, which was about the same size and weight of a small sofa, appeared to be sagging.

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This year, our whirlwind “Big Day” is planned for SATURDAY, APRIL 10, and here in Tallahassee we hope to see between 130 and 160 species (weather, migration and stamina willing!). Your pledge will not only egg us on (pun intended), but will help support core Audubon of Florida policy work.

Whether it’s 2 cents or $2 a bird, every pledge can help make a difference for Florida’s natural resources (and is tax-deductible to boot). Pledge now via email, and we’ll let you know the week of April 12th how our team fared, with all the juicy details!

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Many people visit the Emerald Coast of Florida for its white sands beaches, but as The Weather Channel’s Mike Bettes reports another popular thing to do is bird watching. Visit Choctawhatchee Audubon for information about birding along the Emerald Coast.

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Thanks to Audubon this Royal Tern chick at Huguenot and this Least Tern chick at Fort Matanzas had a better chance of fledging this year. Let’s celebrate!

Join us on Saturday, April 10th for the
First Annual Northeast Florida Bird-a-thon
Our Goal – find at least 150 bird species.
Let’s celebrate our accomplishments in the region and
Audubon of Florida for their support in NE FL.

Your $20 donation includes:
•    participation in the Bird-a-thon (see The Rules below)
•    picnic hamburger/hot dog lunch (by Chef Ned)
•    entry into the prizes drawing (one free ticket)
and will benefit bird conservation in Northeast Florida!

The day will start with Birding Teams finding as many species as possible. Teams will head out at or before sunrise and meet at the picnic by 1:30 to have their checklists included in the totals.

For those not inclined to the birding at sunrise, you can still join us for the picnic! For more information on the birdathon and picnic, please see the flyer.

To participate, please RSVP to Monique (904.813.5115).

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April 16 & 17, 2010
RiverCamps Riverhouse

Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast provides important resting and feeding habitat for many species of migratory and rare resident birds. In celebration of International Migratory Bird Day, we invite you to attend this spectacular birding festival that highlights some of the most beautiful areas and rarest birds of the region. The festival includes guest speakers, a wildlife photographer, education and recreation activities for all ages and numerous guided birding tours. Please join us for the Northwest Florida Birding Festival at RiverCamps on Crooked Creek and experience the wonders of migratory birds. View the festival’s poster for more information on activities and events.

If you would like more information, please call 850.231.6433. Map of festival can be found here.

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The Big “O” Birding Extravaganza is a Glades/ Hendry County cooperative event in South Central Florida on the Southwest shores of Lake Okeechobee, the state’s largest lake and it’s happening from March 25th until March 28th.

Glades and Hendry counties are becoming a mecca for bird watching; they’ree home to more than 300 species of birds, including limpkins and migratory swallow-tailed kites, and painted buntings which pass through during October and April. Five Great Florida Birding Trail sites are within the region: Dinner Island Ranch and Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest and Wildlife Management Areas, and Stormwater Treatment Area #5 (STA5) are in Hendry County, and Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area—East & West are in Glades County. You can expect to see ducks such as the Fulvous Whistling-Duck and the Mottled Duck; shorebirds like Black-necked Stilt; waders such as Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork and Least Bittern; and specialty raptors including Crested Caracara, Snail Kite, Short-tailed Hawk and Barn Owl. Plus, they’re always on a quest for that elusive Smooth-billed Ani. Go help them look! More information on the festival here.

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WHEREAS, the Choctawhatchee Audubon Society is a conservation-based organization dedicated to the preservation of the natural environment for the benefit of wildlife and mankind and  represents over 400 members from Okaloosa, Walton and Santa Rosa counties, Florida; and

WHEREAS, our beaches, nearshore Gulf of Mexico waters and adjacent estuaries are noted as world-class attractions for their scenic and natural beauty, and are critical to our region’s tourism and fishing industries; and

WHEREAS, a quality natural environment is essential to the survival of our region’s marine and estuarine wildlife.  Especially at risk are shorebirds that include the imperiled Snowy Plover, Piping Plover, Black Skimmer and Least Tern; sea turtles including the Green, Kemp’s Ridley, Hawksbill and Loggerhead; and mammals including the Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse plus species that sustain our commercial and recreational fisheries; and

WHEREAS, the area with the potential for the greatest risk of environmental damage from oil extraction, due to the prevailing sea breezes and Gulf Loop countercurrent, is the eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico, off the Florida Panhandle; and

WHEREAS, environmental specialists contend the major risk from drilling platforms is the wastewater they routinely discharge which contains drilling fluids and heavy metals including mercury; and

WHEREAS, according to Oil Industry data, an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico can dump up to 90,000 tons of drilling fluid and metal cuttings over its lifetime.  These contaminants accumulate in the marine food web and may contaminate local beaches and have a negative effect on the environment and the tourism industry; and

WHEREAS, it is our belief that despite technological advances in oil drilling technology, there is no positive assurance that catastrophic damage to our coastline, beaches, plant and fish life could be avoided during normal operating conditions or during storm situations; and

WHEREAS, lifting the moratorium on mineral leasing in the Gulf of Mexico poses an intolerable threat to the beaches, natural environment, economy of Florida, and national security:

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of the Choctawhatchee Audubon Society that we urgently request that all elected officials at the County, State and Federal levels oppose legislative attempts to allow offshore oil drilling expansion past the areas already approved for pre-leasing, leasing and oil production activities and to take immediate steps to encourage and assist in the development of alternative sources of energy.

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Statement of Audubon of Florida on the 2010 State of the Birds Report

The 2010 State of the Birds Report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Audubon and other leading conservation organizations shows that climate change will have an increasing impact on birds and their habitat—and the ecological and other benefits they provide to people. It issues an urgent call for sound energy policy that will reduce carbon emissions, and for strategic conservation investments that will help species adapt to a changing climate. If we can help the birds weather this unprecedented threat, we can help ourselves.

In Florida, some of the most threatened birds include coastal species, such as the red knot and royal tern. The Florida scrub-jay, our state’s only endemic species, as well as the ruby-throated hummingbird, prothonotary warbler and roseate spoonbill, are all at risk from climate-induced habitat changes.

“The report makes it clear that these birds will not survive the human-caused changes to our global climate,” said Eric Draper, Executive Director of Audubon of Florida. “Like canaries in a coal mine, the dangers they face warn of dangers to us as well. It’s up to us to reduce the threat.”

Everglades restoration that achieves ecological benefits, protection of our important beaches and coastal habitats, and putting meaningful renewable energy and energy and water conservation policies into place are all winning strategies that Audubon of Florida is working hard to achieve.

What Florida Audubon is doing complements innovative federal efforts to help species adapt; efforts that come with new investments that will create jobs and protect beautiful and sensitive habitats across America. And we’re part of ongoing Audubon efforts to pass ground-breaking climate and energy legislation to control the emissions that cause climate change while there’s still time to make a difference.”

As Glenn Olson of the National Audubon Society said at the news conference announcing the findings, “If you love nature and care about the health of our planet, there is no time to lose. This isn’t just about birds; it’s about our chance to shape our future.”

• View Audubon’s factsheet on Florida at-risk species.
• Read the 2010 State of the Birds Report.

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But it was for the best, said Lynda White, the society’s EagleWatch coordinator. Their sagging tree on a Lake Okeechobee dike was in the path of an Army Corps of Engineers construction project. But two families of eagles in St. Petersburg, with characteristics seemingly tailored to their unexpected kin, took them in Monday.

White called the bird “sweetheart” when she was lifted from a minivan at a St. Petersburg cemetery. The siblings were being split up to avoid overburdening their adoptive parents. It would likely be the last time they would see each other. The eaglet’s eyes were wide, reflecting the crush of television cameras. Her would-be parents slowly circled far overhead, barely visible squiggles in the clear sky.

The nest that would be her new home is one of the oldest in the county, with the same bald eagle pair returning there every year for at least the past 20. The eaglet let out a short warble, and its world went dark. It was put into a duffle bag without a struggle. Cemetery groundskeepers lounged nearby on a truck, watching the commotion of bird watchers with telephoto lenses documenting the scene.

“They leave when it gets hot, come back when its cold up north,” said Lewis Gibbs, one of the workmen, of the nesting pair. “Like old folks, from Canada.” The female was put into the nest by Jim Lott, a professional tree climber and Audubon volunteer. The eaglet’s new sibling acted as if it was nothing new. The eaglet’s introduction to its new home began with a whisper; her brother’s would soon start with a screech. Patricia Terrell planted a 7-foot-tall eucalyptus tree in her back yard nearly 40 years ago. Now 100 feet, it towers above her south St. Petersburg neighborhood.

Three years ago, a pair of bald eagles chose to build their nest there. And now, Terrell, mother of four, grandmother of 13, was about to welcome what she jokingly called “a 14th grandchild” Monday afternoon. The male eaglet was stirring in a covered cage on her back porch. For Lott, the tree climber, the eucalyptus was gorgeous. “My tree climbing buddies would love this one,” he said. The eagles there thought so too — and they would fight to keep him out. As Lott was halfway up, the nesting pair began to swoop and dive, shrieking, turning tight, menacing circles around him. And then they landed, one in front of him, one behind, just feet from Lott as he was under their nest. The pair took off again and circled as Lott continued upward.

“I’ve never seen eagles do that before,” said White, the eagle expert. This pair was as aggressive as the new chick they would soon welcome. The bird bit White’s cheek as she moved it from the cage to a bag to hoist up the tree. “This one’s a pistol — be careful, Jim,” she shouted to the man in the tree. But once the young eagle was in the nest, the parents circled and then stared at it from a nearby tree, keeping watch as fiercely as they did when the nest contained only their two original chicks.

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Check out this short video of Ken Burns talking about America’s national parks and their importance, as well as the beginnings of Audubon.

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Legislative Session 2010 is upon us. One of the best ways to stay informed during these next few, fast-paced months is with the Advocate and the Florida Conservation Network. Subscribing to the Advocate is free and it gives you the timely information to help make a difference on behalf of Florida’s economy and environment. Know what is going on and how you can personally make a difference.

Check out the latest Advocate released last week. Subscribe to the Advocate and receive it automatically. What you will find in last week’s Advocate:

  •  Florida Springs Day Takes Over Capitol
  •  Florida Forever and Everglades Funding
  •  Water Quality Legislation
  •  Jobs For Florida–What’s Really at Stake?
  •  House Continues to Consider Nearshore Drilling
  •  Unfinished Business with Renewable Energy
  •  Bills That Address the Python Issue

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March 2nd, 2010

Dear Friends,

110 years ago a small group gathered in Maitland, Florida to found Florida Audubon Society.  Their purpose in organizing was to stop the slaughter of Florida plumage birds, whose feathers and bodies were being used for fashion.  They won that battle never imagining that they were creating an institution that would outlive them. 

I have always loved this story because it carries the very values that motivate me to work for Audubon.  Volunteers take responsibility for defending an important part of our environment.  While the circumstances are different, the actions and ideals are the same.   

As interim director of Florida Audubon I have been wrestling with ways to recast our message to motivate more people to help with our conservation mission and to take leadership roles in our chapters, programs and board.   Our predecessors’ success was defined in abundance of native birds, which reflects functioning ecosystems, which reflects human intervention to prevent to conserve and restore native landscapes, which reflects people making conservation and restoration a social and economic priority, which reflects shared and influential knowledge and values.  That is our lineage. 

So let us set the stage today for the next 110 years.  The challenges are different.  To save our birds we need to deal with climate change and water issues, and we need to manage habitat and ecosystems that have been so altered that they need human intervention to functionally benefit wildlife.

Let us honor our conservation inheritance by resolving to give our successors a Florida abundant with birds and other native species and where people are connected with nature.

For a taste of Audubon’s history in Florida, read this article written in 1914 in the St. Petersburg Evening Independent (page 4).

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