Non-profit

Audubon of Martin County Organization

U.S. Postage Paid
621 SE Palm Beach Road, Stuart FL 34994 Permit #57
Stuart FL 34995

Florida Scrub-Jay Art Logo

By Brian Sylvester

audubonmartincounty.org  772-288-2637

January 2009

Program Meeting: Thursday, January 15

Office hours are generally 10 am—2pm A time
Monday through Friday. Our guest presenter will be Bob Montanaro of Pelican Island Audubon
Please call ahead at 772.288.2637 Society. Bob will present on ―Ospreys of the Indian River Lagoon‖. for New
Learn about their trials and tribulations as they raise their families up and
down the IRL. His knowledge of these great birds, their habits and lives Beginnings
enhance his photographic record of these great hunters.

Condolences
THANK YOU
to
TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS
Laura Spring and the family of
OF THE TURKEY EGG HUNT
Ed Spring
long time supporter of
Fred Taylor at Harbour Bay Plaza, Brown Brothers Audubon and its properties
Consulting, Hinckley Marine, Ta muchissmo, Hale
Groves in Vero Beach, Rotelli Pasta on Lost River
Road & West of Ole England on Monterey Rd.
Welcome New Members! *
Dan and Sue Roberts
Fran and Greg Stewart
*We know we have more new members, but
National Audubon is just catching up on their
new membership database.
Spend an enjoyable lunch time learning about Ospreys and enjoying gor-
geous photos of the natural environment. Bob will be our leader for the Mark Your Calendars !
January 17 Field trip as well.
January 2009
NEW Meeting Location: 4 Christmas Bird Count—Contact Liz Hailman at
The meeting room at the Martin County Extension Office at 2614 SE 561-746-7293
Dixie Highway. Yes, during the day. Hospitality-11:00 a.m., Program-
15 Program Meeting, "Ospreys of the Indian
11:30 a.m. (bring a bag lunch). Look for our sandwich board sign on
Dixie Highway. River Lagoon” with Bob Montanaro
17 Field trip-Pelican Island NWR-Bob Montanaro
(Meet at 7:00 am.)
20 CraneWatch Orientation Mtg.10am AoMC of-
fice
TWO Field Trips this month: 31 Special Event Field trip-Adams Ranch.
January 17 - Saturday, Pelican Island NWR.: Carpool to Meet at K of C @ 7:00 am.
Indian River County and Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge. Bob Usual Fee. Reservations Required!
Montanaro will meet us and be our guide to the refuge with an up-close
and personal view of plants and animals of the refuge. Visit our first na- February 2009
tional wildlife refuge and learn its history; from its first warden (Paul 13 Advanced Birding 5 session Bird ID Course.
Kroegel) who protected the rookery with a shotgun, to today's continuing Contact AoMC to sign up
recovery. Bring a packed lunch. 19 Program Meeting “Natural History of Birds in
January 31 - Saturday, ADAMS RANCH Equador” with Rudy Gelis.
Join us for a very special and interesting trip to one of Florida's oldest con- 21 Field Trip—Green Cay and Wakodahatchee
tinually working cattle ranches established in 1937. Visit the lands that Wetlands in PBC. Meet at Knights of Columbus
demonstrate multiple use management for cattle and native wildlife spe- 6:30 a.m.
cies. In 1994 Florida Audubon made a Special Commendation recognition
to Alto ―Bud‖ Adams‘s for his successful efforts in preserving and pro-
moting native wildlife habitat on ranchlands in Florida. Experience the
March 2009
―Real Florida‖ as you are escorted by bus through this great Florida ranch 14 Growth Management Forum
and natural area. See for yourself the success of commercial farming and 19 Program Meeting, “Rt 714 Scenic Highway”,
land stewardship. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED! 21 Field Trip— Rt 714 Scenic Highway and
Bring a pack lunch—we will eat lunch there under the oak trees! Allapattah Flats. Meet @ Knights of Columbus
at 7:30 a.m.
** Meet at the Knights of Columbus on Kanner Highway 27-29 (Fri-Sun) Audubon Academy
at 7:00 AM for both field trips

8 1
 Board Members 2008-2009 Message from our President Taxidermy Fund
Executive Director – Greg Braun ~~~ Laurie Odlum
561-575-2028
AoMC has renewed our permits that allow us to salvage deceased birds
President Laurie Odlum 772-486-2837
Winter in Florida brings us locals many things: that are potentially of value in our educational programs. We recently de- 2nd Annual
1) snow birds of the 2-legged variety who fill livered several specimens to our Port St. Lucie based taxidermist, and we‘re
Vice-Pres Volunteer Needed
our roads, airports, hotels and beaches and 2) looking for donations to cover the costs. Our thanks to Sheila Williams for Photography Contest
Treasurer Bob Gordon 772-546-2206 true snow birds of the feathered variety who fill under-writing the cost of what we believe to be a Bicknell‘s Thrush, a spe-
our backyards & feeders, as well as our skies All entries will be judged on how well they ex-
Secretary, Recording Joan Bausch 772-219-8285 cies not previously documented to occur in Martin County.
and beaches. We welcome all of you. If you are able to help, we are looking for sponsors to underwrite the press the natural environment of Florida. There is
Conservation Bob Matheson 772-283-5999 a $5 fee for each entry into the
I hope the 2-legged SB‘s will enjoy the beauty costs of preserving a Great Egret, a Ring-necked Duck, a Red-eyed Vireo, a
Education Volunteer Needed
of brightly colored feathers and the melodious Yellow-rumped Warbler, a Common Yellowthroat and a Rough-winged Photography Contest. There is
Field Trips Beverly Poppke 772-286-0061 song of the feathered SB‘s as much as we do. Swallow. Costs range from $75 to $125 per specimen. Please send your a $5 fee for each entry into the
Resource Development Doug Warns 772-462-3751 There are many areas in Martin County that tax-deductible donation to AoMC, with the notation ―Taxidermy Fund‖. Photography Contest. All
provide food and shelter for the great migrating flocks before they jump Our stuffed birds go to schools and outreach programs to let everyone get a entries should be works com-
Membership Curt Wood 772-546-5435
off to destinations in the Bahamas, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea or better look at the detail and unique characteristics of birds. pleted from January 1, 2008
Programs Ed Fielding 772-288-2622
South America. You can make your yard a welcoming oasis for these through March 1, 2009.
Properties Jim Kearman 772-708-0677 oft energy deprived flyers too. As we fuel our vehicles before our long Awards will not be given in any
Public Relations Tom McNicholas 772-219-1719 journeys, so must the birds; the birds however, must cross vast distances category that has less than 4 entries. Competition
of open water in one great effort between meals. We stop every so often categories include: A) Flora, B) Fauna, C) Wildlife
Nature Center Susan Smyth 772-692-3489
to fuel up. They can‘t. It is the responsibility of anyone who owns - Really Close up, and D) General Landscape.
Newsletter Editor Lisa Fiore 772-528-9707 For a Complete Set of Rules and entry forms go
property in the state to provide energy laden sources of food for these
Wildlife Center Dan Martinelli 772-286-6200 birds. We have destroyed the native vegetation to build our homes and
EagleWatch to www.audubonmartincounty.org or you may call
Water Resources Patrick Hayes 561-747-6397 then planted SOD! It is now time to have less sod and more shrubs and the AoMC office at 772-288-2637 to request a set
Our thanks to everyone who attended our EagleWatch orientation ses- of rules and entry forms. For specific question,
Youth Liaison Jessie Green 772-283-3024 trees that provide seeds, host bugs and provide shelter for the birds —
sion; a special guest ―Sparky‖ the Bald Eagle was guest of honor who vis- contact Laurie Odlum, AoMC President, via e-mail
we owe it to them.
Garden Club Liaison Louise White 772-283-4416 ited compliments of the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary. The Bald Eagle nest- to lodlum@att.net with ―Photo Contest‖ in the title.
You win in no less than 2 ways. Once established the shrubs, grasses
IRL & Speakers Bureau Bill Hudspeth 561-667-5123 ing season seems to be off to a good start, and we‘re happy to have several
and trees require much less maintenance (expense, mowing and fertil-
new members who are eagerly checking on ‗their‘ nests. Along the Treas-
izer) than sod and you receive the company of friendly and moving en-
ure Coast, most eaglets hatch in December and January, so hopefully we‘ll
OTHER IMPORTANT COMMITTEE CHAIRS tertainment in your yard. You can select native or non-native plant va-
soon be getting reports of hungry eaglets at the nests we monitor. If you
rieties; the important part is that they provide FOOD or SHELTER for
are interested in joining one of our EagleWatch teams, contact Clare-Rue
Eaglewatch Liaison Clare-Rue Morgan 772-286-9833
the birds. If you have a favorite species, do your homework and provide
Morgan at 772-286-9833. We regret to have heard that the Tesoro Eagle-
Help Wanted
Librarian Bev Poppke 772-286-0061 food sources that will draw them to your yard. No, Robins don‘t eat
worms from the lawn here in Florida during the winter; they eat berries
cam that was so widely viewed during 2008 will not be operational this Are you concerned about Sea Level rise
Cranewatch Coordinator Pam Hopkins 772-408-6153 year. and its effect on Florida? Learn and share
which provide energy to fly not the protein to grow chicks. Don‘t forget
Cranewatch Co-coordinator Carol Spinney 772-545-7987 the water and perhaps a cut up orange or banana! at the same time by becoming our Climate
Jaywatch Coordinator Pam Hopkins 772-408-6158 Join us on our two special field trips this month to specially selected Change activist – a volunteer willing to be
destinations that show off the variety of habitats and birds that come to
Jaywatch Co-coordinator Clare-Rue Morgan 772-286-9833 Audubon of Martin County‘s ―go-to‖ per-
visit on their way to and from their wintering grounds; both are great
Christmas Bird Count Liz Hailman 561-746-7293 year round destinations too. son on climate change.
Webmaster Ed Fisher edaudubon@yahoo.com Come by our Possum Long Nature Center and see how far we have
come in restoration efforts and check out our Hummingbird and Butter-
fly Garden for examples of what works to make your garden come alive.
AUDUBON HOUSE DOCENTS
If you have a few extra hours we could use you to help maintain this
Clare-Rue Morgan, George Mirka, Beverly Poppke,
Ed Fisher, Carol Coyne
urban forest.
And to the 2-legged snowbirds, go work in the yard…, good to see
Sign UP NOW! Advanced Bird ID Course Begins!
you again!
Open board seats:
Contact Laurie Odlum or Greg Braun On Friday, February 13, 2009, AoMC‘s Executive Director, Greg Braun, will begin our
5-part Advanced Bird ID Course that will be on held on consecutive Fridays. Advanced
A copy of the official registration and financial information may be birding skills such as birding by ear, birding by habitat and right-bird right-place will be
obtained from the division of Consumer Services toll-free within Florida
800.435.7352. Registration does not imply endorsement,
integrated into the classic ―Bird ID by sight‖ content. You will learn how to quickly and
approval, or recommendation by the state. easily eliminate certain species which allows you to hone in on what is really there.
You can invite wildlife to your yard if you plant trees With favorable reviews from last year‘s Advanced Birding Course, which included learning about, and sightings of Snail Kites
The Scrub Jay is published seven times a year on
recycled content paper with soy-based ink. and shrubs that produce the food and cover they need. (formerly Everglades Kite), Swallow-tailed Kites, and Bald Eagles, AoMC will include field trips and programs at several new bird-
Food can be in the form of bugs on the plant or grubs in ing hot spots. At this writing, details are still being refined, but likely venues include The Savannas, Florida Oceanographic Coastal
the lawn; don't forget the seed and nectar producing plants as well. Science Center, Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge, the Loxahatchee River Center and Lake Okeechobee. Each of the 5 classes
Go to www.floridayards.org for an interactive guide to S Florida consist of: 1) a + 1-2 hour morning bird-walk at the host site; 2) a + 2-hour classroom session and 3) a field excursion to a birding
Contact your U.S. Senators in Washington DC plants. Not all plants are listed on this site—just a place to hot-spot.
at the following numbers: start your research. The cost for all five sessions is $65 per person ($55 for Audubon members). Seating is limited so call to sign up NOW! Call the
Senator Mel Martinez: 202.224.3051 Audubon office (772)-288-2637 for more information. Send your registration check to AoMC to reserve your seat. Bring your field
Senator Bill Nelson: 202.224.5274 guide, binoculars and a pack lunch to all sessions.

2 7
 Conservation Corner
Can Scrub-jays survive on the Treasure Coast?
The answer is … only if we do a better job of protecting them.
At AoMC, we‘ve stepped up our advocacy on behalf of
Scrub-jays as we get more
and more information about
how bleak their prospects
are. Unfortunately some of
our surveys suggest that
some jay families are down
to a single individual that is
hanging on in spite of a myr-
JOIN Audubon of Martin County Write your check payable to ―Audubon‖ and
Mail to: Audubon of Martin County
iad of challenges. Our thanks goes out to Rob Rossmanith and
Name Attn: Membership
other employees of the Florida Park Service, as it increasingly
621 SE Palm Beach Road
appears that the habitat at Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Sea-
Stuart, FL 34994
branch Preserve and the Savannas are going to be the best hope
Address Select your Membership level:
we have for long-term strongholds of suitable Scrub-jay habitat.
AoMC has agreed to give a presentation to the Martin County O Individual or family…………………….$20
Commission on Feb 10th regarding the status of our local popu- O Senior (over 62) or Student…………….$15
City State Zip
lation of Scrub-jays. O Scrub Jay Newsletter only……………...$15
We encourage our members to attend the meeting in a show
of support for our chapter‘s namesake. Phone Email Chapter Code: 7Ch-E26

Audubon of Martin County Sponsorship Become an Audubon of Martin County

Those original 27 Christmas Bird
Counters tallied a total of 90 species
Levels and Benefits Sponsor
A Short History of the Christmas Bird Count on all the counts combined. Yes! I want to be an AoMC Sponsor
In addition to the basic membership, $ 500 Osprey Your tax deductible contribution will help us sustain
you can become an AoMC sponsor. our programs, projects and conservation efforts.
Sponsorship provides funding for pro- Wood Stork benefits plus a natural
Prior to the turn of the century, people engaged in a holiday This is what begat the various different Audubon societies that grams, projects, field trips and history tour led by an AoMC Board
tradition known as the Christmas "Side Hunt": They would took the name from John James Audubon, who really began the AoMC’s important conservation work. Name
member to the nesting colony at Bird
choose sides and go afield with their guns; whoever brought in way we perceive bird artwork and natural history artwork now. Island in the Indian River Lagoon.
the biggest pile of feathered (and furred) quarry won. ……... In the fall issue of Bird-Lore in 1900, Frank Chapman proposed $ 50 Great Blue Heron Select your sponsorship level:
Special recognition in the Scrub Jay and O Scrub Jay $ 5,000
During that time, there was a fascinating, wonderful gentleman what was then called a Christmas Bird Census rather than a $ 1000 Bald Eagle
a certificate of appreciation. O Bald Eagle $ 1,000
named Frank Chapman, who was an ornithologist at the Ameri- Christmas Bird Count. Literally every year now for a hundred Osprey benefits plus a natural history O Osprey $ 500
can Museum of Natural History and editor of what and seven years during the holidays people have $ 100 Roseate Spoonbill tour led by an AoMC Board member to a O Wood Stork $ 250
was basically his own magazine, Bird-Lore. He real- been out counting birds during the Christmas Recognition in each Scrub Jay , a local birding destination of your choice. O Roseate Spoonbill $ 100
ized there was overhunting, really excess hunting of Count season. …… certificate of appreciation, an AoMC
O Great Blue Heron $ 50
resources, especially birds, and he thought it would The methodology has evolved a little bit, but t-shirt and one complementary member- $ 5000 and more Scrub Jay
O Other $
be a great idea to propose an alternative activity to basically the number of participants has skyrock- ship for a person of your choice. Bald Eagle benefits plus a natural history
over-hunting during the holiday season and rather eted as you might guess. There were twenty- tour led by an AoMC Board member to Enclose your donation with this form and mail to:
$ 250 Wood Stork
than going out and shooting birds during the holiday seven people for the first season. All of those Everglades National Park, Merritt Island Audubon of Martin County
Spoonbill benefits plus one copy of the
season, to actually go out and count them. That was counts were done on Christmas Day, by the way, National Wildlife Refuge, Ding Darling Attn. Treasurer
Sibley Field Guide to Birds and a lunch-
how the Christmas Bird Census came about. with good representation all the way across the National Wildlife Refuge or Arthur Mar- 621 SE Palm Beach Road, Stuart, FL 34994
eon briefing with the AoMC President
The millinery trade was thriving and birds were continent, including in Canada, during that first shall Loxahatchee NWR.
and Executive Director.
being harvested all over the place by literally tens of season.
thousands at a time. This is the way that a lot of colo- Excerpts from paper present by Geoff LeBaron,
nial waterbirds ended up in people‘s hats. Budding Director, Christmas Bird Count, National Audu-
conservationists during this time were realizing that bon Society on June 20-23, 2007 to Citizens Sci-
there were real problems and birds were in decline. ence Toolkit Conference. Turkey Hunt—Report
Thanksgiving 2008 already seems like a long time ago, but we
want to once again say ―Thank You‖ to our corporate sponsors
and everyone who helped out with AoMC‘s ―No bird will be
Land Stewardship Work Days It’s Osprey Nesting Season harmed‖ Turkey Egg Hunt. We were thankful for good weather
Winter-time is also nesting season and for enthusiasm of all the turkey
We‘re gearing up to expand our for ospreys, and this year we‘re hop- egg hunters. For those of you who
property management work days, so if ing to add a new family at the nest didn‘t know what ―Seasonal Games‖
you‘ve got some time and energy to site near Azalea St in the northern meant, you can now know it included
help us improve environmental condi- part of Martin County. Some of you a ―Pin the tail on the turkey‖ game ,
tions on lands owned by AoMC, will remember the great work done ―Catch a Rubber Duckie‖ and a bean-
please give us a call. by Dan and Sue Roberts, Captain bag toss, where participants tried to
David Hitzig and ―Stuffing‖ meet the crowd at the Turkey Egg Hunt
In addition to our widely-visited Phill Sherman, Barbara Milner and throw bean bag ―acorns‖ to gape-
Possum Long property, we own hun- the many donors who contributed to mouthed painted Scrub-jays chicks.
dreds of acres of lands on tracts of the spring 2008 effort to build and Photo by Phill Sherman
Congrats to Dan Roberts (a leader of the Azalea St. Osprey advocates) who had the best
varying size. install a new nesting platform to guess on the weight of the live wild turkey ―Stuffing‖ from Busch Wildlife Sanctuary; Dan
The schedule of work days, includ- replace a previously-used nest in a won a fruit basket donated by Hale Groves. Congrats also to Irene Geraghty from Big Broth-
ing locations and times is posted on now dead and rotting pine tree. ers/Big Sisters who won the 4 course dinner from Rotellis Restaurant on Lost River Road.
our web site – audubonmartin- The platform can be seen when looking south from the western end of Azalea Many thanks to turkey hunt organizer Pam Hopkins, the TH Team and the AoMC Board mem-
county.org. St (off Britt Rd west of US1). bers and supporters who helped make the event a success.

Painted Turkey by Anica V‘in

6 3
Field Trip Report - to FPL‘s Proposed Wind Turbine
Project in St. Lucie County
Our thanks to FPL‘s Stacy Foster for coordinating
AoMC‘s recent field trip to FPL‘s St. Lucie Power Plant
where Stacy and several of her colleagues described to us
FPL‘s proposal to construct six wind turbines on their
property on Hutchinson Island. High
winds on the day of our visit would have
been good for spinning the wind turbines,
but made it poor for birding. Land birds
were staying close to the ground, but
several Northern Gannets were seen off
shore. After seeing the locations of two
of the six proposed turbines, (where we
were joined by a vocal Blue-gray Gnat-
PaulNoll.com catcher), we were provided information
about the baseline bird monitoring that
has been collected during the last 12 months. Over 110
species have been observed during the monitoring, which
has included birds – from Anhingas and Buntings to War-
blers and Willets. Bird species observed during the moni-
toring have also varied
in size from tiny war-
blers to the large Bald
Eagles and Brown
Pelicans. They also
varied in abundance
from common, abun-
dant species such as
Royal Terns to very
uncommon species
such as Piping Plovers
and Parasitic Jeagers.
We learned alternative energy lingo - WRAs (Wind Re-
source Areas) and RSA (Rotor Swept Areas) and heard
about varying levels of bird mortality at other wind turbine
sites across the country.
As of this writing the AoMC Board of Directors has not
taken a position on FPL‘s proposed wind energy, but we
appreciate FPL‘s willingness to bring us up-to-speed on
this ground-breaking initiative.
4 5
Bird of the Month Right Tree/ Right Place Checklist
By Susan B. Whiting
It was barely light over the lagoon when I noted motion over Soil
the water and saw two birds chasing one another. Then I heard a South Florida has many diverse soils
distinctive rattle and realized that the silhouettes I was watching Well drained/Dry Sandy Muck
were two Belted Kingfishers. They banked and rose up over the
embankment and flashed a single broad breast band; ah ha-two Poorly drained/wet Loam Marl
male kingfishers. It was too dark to determine if the blue-gray Shallow soil depth Clay Shallowrock
band across the chests of either bird was flecked with rust color. Space
The young of the year show these Consider the mature height and spread of the tree
rusty spots. Belted Kingfisher Open space Overhead utility lines
Belted Kingfishers are also known (Megaceryle alcyon) Adjacent building Road signs or street lights
as Halcyon. Their Latin name Megac-
eryle alcyon means big kingfisher. Alcyon is a shortened version
Sunlight
Most trees require partial to full sunlight
of Halcyon, who, in Greek mythology, was the daughter of the god
of the Winds, Aeolus. Halcyon mar- Full sun Partial sunlight Full shade
ried Ceyx the son of the god of the Temperature
Morning Star. As a couple, they Select tree species that are adapted to the tropical climate
were very impudent and called them-
selves Zeus and Hera the king and
Not freeze tolerant Moderately freeze tolerant Cold hardy
queen of the gods. As punishment Tree Shapes
both Halcyon and Ceyx were Tips to Proper Planting:
Consider the mature tree‘s shape and spread of canopy
changed into kingfishers. Upright & narrow Low & Spreading Palms - short fronds Learn the proper habitat for your
The Belted Kingfishers we see in plant.
Spreading canopy Upright & spreading Palm - long fronds
Martin County are probably snow Select a location where the plant will
Photo Courtesy of
Wildphotosphotography.com birds. The resident Florida kingfish- Characteristics
Unique attributes of trees may affect your selection be happy.
ers only breed in north Central Flor-
ida and the Panhandle. Halcyons are solitary except when they are Flowering Fall leaf color If you cannot provide a habitat where
courting and raising a family. Their courtship involves the male Fruiting Bark texture the plant is happy - don’t plant it!
offering the female food and uttering a strange mewing call. After Types of Trees Dig a hole 2X‘s the size of the pot or
they mate, both kingfishers perform a lovely flight as they stow Only deciduous trees drop leave in winter
root ball in both directions.
their wings and dip to the surface of the water and then swing up Evergreen Conifers
and open their wings. Both male and Mix slow release fertilizer into the
Decidous Palms
female excavate a nest in a sandy bottom half of the hole with well
Special Situations rotted compost and a portion of the
bank. They use both their strong
You may have additional site considerations removed native soil up to a height
heavy bills and their spade-like feet to
Salt spray Slope equal to where the bottom of the
burrow into a bank to a depth of four
Drought periods Root space restrictions
to six feet. This endeavor can take up plant will be.
to three weeks where the bank is hard Remove plant from pot and place in
to dig. The females lay around six center of hole. Back fill around the
white eggs and incubate them for 23 root ball with a mixture of slow re-
days. Then it takes another 23 days for leaser fertilizer, compost and native
the young to fledge and it is at this Nature’s ‘Food Bank’ - soil.
time the fledglings are most at Water thoroughly. Continue to
risk as they are not strong Winter Native Berries for the Birds backfill up to the same level as the
fliers. Courtesy of Cornell
top of the soil in the pot.
It is fun to watch the parent
kingfishers teach their kids how to fish. The adults drop Dahoon holly (Ilex cassine) smooth Wild Coffee Make a moat around the plant so the
meals in front of the perched youngsters to give them the light gray bark; fruit- yellow to orange, (Psychotria nervosa) water will stay in during the estab-
idea of how to fish. After about ten days the young start mature a bright red, bristle-tipped upright multi-stem ev- lishment period with daily waterings.
hovering and diving for their own food. The Halcyons leaves, understory tree. Does well in wet ergreen shrub, shiny Water thoroughly so all the air pock-
also fish from a perch, as many of us who live near water situations. dark green leaves, maroon to scarlet ets are pushed out.
can readily attest. We frequently are cleaning the decks of Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) fruit, tolerant of shade. Compress soil (add more if neces-
boats and patios from deposits left by the kingfishers who multi-stem shrub, graceful arching Marlberry (Ardisia escalloniodes) sary) and work out air pockets.
choose the mast, flagpole or outriggers for their fishing branches, distinctive magenta to rich evergreen shrub or slender tree in under-
perch. purple fruit in dense clusters, fruits best story, clusters of fragrant white flowers **Remember to water the plant, while it
The Belted Kingfisher is present in Florida year-round in full sun. produce shiny black berries. is still in the pot, before trying to remove
but is most common August through April. If you hear a Firebush (Hamelia patens) multi- ** Compiled by Joan Bausch, references
it. Wet soil sticks to the roots and dry
dry rattle from the sky while you are walking near the stem or small tree, tubular red to red- by Gil Nelson- The Shrubs and Woody
soil will drop off. This will prevent un-
water, look out for the crested blue and white Belted orange flowers yield to juicy round ber- Vines of Florida and Florida’s Best Na-
necessary disturbance of the roots.
Kingfisher. ries, red to purplish black. tive Landscape Plants