Laughing

Laughing Gull
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The Newsletter of the St. Lucie Audubon Society
The Newsletter of the St. Lucie Audubon Society
VOLUME 34 • ISSUE XI • DECEMBER 2009
V O L U M E 3 3 , I S S U E V I I I M A Y 2 0 0 9
President’s Message
Bird Watching Economics 3UHVLGHQW·V0HVVDJH Florida birders spent over 2 billion dollars on their
Birding is the second most popular hobby in the hobby. This has a ripple effect throughout the econ-
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United States;
scientific, gardening
investigative, is number
literary, historical,one. omy, impacting
philanthropic and charitable pursuits. employment, household income,
MEMBERS SUPPORT THIS WORK: SLAS has monthly
Florida has well over 3 million birders, both resident employmentmeetings, open to income,
the public,and
which are entertaining,
industrial output and tax
informative and educational.
and non-resident, according to the addendum to the revenue.
MEMBERS SUPPORT THIS WORK: SLAS has monthly field trips, open to the public, led by experienced, volunteer
National Survey of fishing, hunting, and wildlife as- It is unwise for the state to close recreation areas,
birders.
sociated recreation.
MEMBERS SUPPORT THIS WORK: SLAS offers annual birdwhich attractclasses
identification birders. Why be
combined with“field
penny-wise
trips. and
Money spent
MEMBERS SUPPORT by Florida
THIS WORK: birders,
SLAS formembers
equipment
saved pound-foolish”.
the lives of many Gopher Tortoises by moving them from
[binoculars-spotting
an scopes-cameras-field
area about to be developed to a safe habitat. guides- We need your help. Use the application form
electronic SUPPORT
MEMBERS callers andTHISbirdWORK:
identifiers-camping], for printed
SLAS sponsors Audubon in the an
Adventures, newsletter
elementarytoteaching
join theprogram
St. Lucie Audu-
and an
annual Environmental School Science Project
trips [transportation-food-lodging], Award.
for bird feeding bon Society.
MEMBERS SUPPORT THIS WORK:
[bird houses-feeding stations-bird seed , suet etc.], and
SLAS has informative educational
Thank you forexhibits
your at Heathcote Holiday, Party in the
support.
Park, Naturefest and others.
averages about $720.00 per participant. Dan Walma
Members support this work and many other projects which protect our environment, protect our wildlife and preserve our

Thanks for your support

Calendar of Events
land and waters. Why not join the Audubon Society and help us make a difference.
Dan Walma
Upcoming Field Trips there are no concessions in the park. ( But there
If you have never been to Everglades National are bathrooms!!). No gas in the Park....make sure
Calendar of Events
Park, now is your chance! Special Thanks
you have a FULL tank. Entrance fee to Park is $10
We will meet at the Winn Dixie parking lot in per car. I will have maps and more info at the De-
Pt. St. Lucie ( cornerMeeting
of Pt. St. Lucie Blvd. and Bay- cember meeting ( and the topic of the speaker at
$VSHFLDO³7KDQN<RX´WR7KH:DWHU/LOO\&UXLVHVIRU
shore Blvd.
Thursday, Maynear th
7 entrance to Turnpike)....we need that meeting is sponsoring May's Meeting.
“The Everglades”! ).....Let me know
to leave
Jim David,that parking
St Lucie lot NO
Mosquito LATER THAN 6:30 if you are joining us or if you have any questions....
Control.
am....please be there Field
beforeTrip The Water Lilly Cruises
then! We are carpool- Dorothy ( cell # 349-6025)
ing, but please plan ahead who you will carpool January 9th Field Trip....Merrit Island NWR....de-
Saturday, May 9th,
with. We Inlet
Sebastian will State
take Park
turnpike south
( Spruce Blufftotrip
the last exit
cancelled ) tails will be in Cruises
Daily January Newsletter...trip
leaving from will be lead
the
and follow signs to the Park. It is approx. 2&1/2 by Hart & Jewel Rufe.
Rivergate Marina
hour drive to the Park entrance from PSL. We are Reminder: Bird Identification Classes are Janu-
(more details at meeting)
going to the main Park...NOT to the “Shark Val- ary 14th, 21st and 28th, 2010 to be held at Ox-
ley” area. Once in the Park we will stop at the Coe bow Eco-Center from 6:30-8:30 p.m. ForPleasemore call Liz
Visitors center to get brochures and bird-list and Dunleavy at 772-489-9050 to make information
reservations.
proceed. . We will be exiting the park at approx. Change of Date: The Christmas or reservations
Bird Count date
3:30-4:00pm ( If your car chooses to leave earlier has been changed to January 2, 2010.
Meeting Place
or later, you certainly may!) . Bring food and drinks;
please call
772-489-8344.
Oxbow Eco-Center
5400 NE St. James Drive, Pt December
St. Lucie, Fl Meeting:
34983 speaker ???????????????
Meeting
Located 1.5 miles southPlace: Oxbow
of Midway Eco-Center
Road / 1.5 miles north of • 5400
NE St. James Drive, Pt. St. Lucie, FL 34983
Airoso
Located 1.5 miles south of Midway Road • 1.5 miles north of Airoso

www.stlucieaudubon.org
www.stlucieaudubon.org
 page 2 www.stlucieaudubon.org DECEMBER 2009

PAGE Report
2 on November
W W W . S T L U C I E14
A U DField
U B O N . O Trip
RG to Sta-5
MAY 2009
We had to get up early and we had a bit of a drive, but without a 13. American Bittern 14. Great Blue Heron
Below is the copy of the letter presented to Dotty & Hank Hull at the April board meeting and all members of the Board present signed it.
doubt we were well rewarded on our trip to STA-5!! What an exciting 15. Great Blue Heron (White Morph) 16. Great Egret
day April
of birding we had...on a perfectly sunny and cool day!! 17. Snowy Egret 18. Little Blue Heron
9, 2009
19. Tricolored Heron 20. Cattle Egret
Margaret England of Hendry Co. Audubon checked us in and our 21. Green Heron 22. White Ibis
Dottyofand
caravan Hank
6 cars Hullthe 1st to proceed along the impoundment 23. Glossy Ibis 24. Roseate Spoonbill
were
Palms of St Lucie
roads of the vast wetlands. West Tropical Audubon and Caloosa Audubon 25. Wood Storck 26. Black Vulture
also had groups there. Ms.Apt
501 Cashmere Blvd 214 intermittently checked in on us to 27. Turkey Vulture 28. Osprey
England
see what birds we had seen and she kept us appraised of the locations Phone:
Port St Lucie, FL 34986 772-340-2226
29. Snail Kite 30. Bald Eagle
31. Northern Harrier 32. Sharp-shinned Hawk
of other interesting sightings being made that day. The tour finished
Dear Dotty and Hank: 33. Cooper’s Hawk 34. Red-shouldered Hawk
to close to 1 p.m., but a few of our group were allowed to stay on a 35. Red-tailed Hawk 36. American Kestrel
The members of the St. Lucie Audubon Society were very sorry when you had to resign from your many duties on the Board of
little longer to check out another area of the wetlands, where they 37. Peregrine Falcon 38. Sora
Directors in February 2009. While we try to understand the reason we want you to know how much you both will be missed. All the
found the elusive Cassin’s Kingbird and Western Kingbird. That day, 39. Purple Swamphen (exotic) 40. Purple Gallinule
members say how much you have inspired them and furthered their education and love of birds by being with
2 newyou1st
ontime sightings
so many were made at STA-5 (not by our group)...a 41. Common Moorhen 42. American Coot
occasions.
Wilson’s Phalarope and a Blue-headed Vireo. 43. Limpkin 44. Killdeer
Thank
Shortlyyou toyou
after our joined
membersthe Hart,
Society Jewel
whenand Dan Stock
Grace for yourwasguid- 45. Black-necked
president Stilt
in 1989, you became 46. Greater
leaders of this group. Yellowlegs
Hank served as
ance.; we are lucky to have such wonderful teachers in our chapter.
SUHVLGHQWLQWKH¶VIRUWZRWHUPV 47. Lesser Yellowlegs 48. Least Sandpiper
A donation
You both was
ledmade to Hendry
the Birding Co. Audubon
Education classeson for
behalf
many of years. Dotty49.
our chap- White-rumped
served Sandpiper
as Membership 50. Dunlin
Chairman, Adams Ranch Breakfast
ter in thanksandfor kept
the efforts their volunteers put forth in making 51. Lonng-billed Dowitcher
the Dotty edited the Laughing Gull and wrote 52. Wilson’s Snipe
Planner the Christmas Bird Count accurate for years. the Feathered Friends
53. Caspian Tern 54. Eurasian-collared Dove
STE-5 bird tours
column. Hankperfect for on
served thethe
novice
Board birder
andtowas
theField
most Trip
experienced
Chairman and showed us many different birds.
55. Mourning Dove 56. Common Ground Dove
birder.
57. Belted Kingfisher 58. Red-bellied Woodpecker
You have
SLAS countgiven
for themany years
day was 71and hours of is
species...List your life (19
below for the members of this Society. For which we all are so grateful. Today the
members 59. Eastern Phoebe 60. Cassin’s Kingbird
Members join their Members of the Board of Directors to thank you and honor you both with a
attended) 61. Western Kingbird 62. Loggerhead Shrike
1. Fulvous Whistling Duck 2. Gadwall 63. Tree Swallow 64. Northern Rough-winged Swallow
3. American Wigeon 4. Mottled Duck
5. Blue-winged Teal 6. Northern Shoveler ³/,)(7,0(0(0%(56+,3$:$5'´ 65. Northern Mockingbird 66. European Starling
In your beloved St. 67. Palm
Lucie Warbler
Audubon Society. 68. Red-winged Blackbird
7. Ring-necked Duck 8. Lesser Scaup
69. Common Grackle 70. Boat-tailed Grackle
9. RuddyDan Walma
Duck 10. American White Pelican
71. Brown-headed Cowbird
11. Double-crested Cormorant 12. Anhinga
Dan Walma, President

*** SPONSORS WANTED *** www.stlucieaudubon.org

St. Lucie County has a new policy of charging Non-Profits ST.LUCIE AUDUBON SOCIETY 2009
OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS
for use of County facilities.
Our cost is $45.00 per month payable in advance. We are President Dan Walma oculusdw1@aol.com
Vice President Ruth Neese eddie_ruth@msn,com
looking for sponsors to underwrite the cost of using
Recording Secretary Elsa Millard
Adella Blacka lcbirder@comcast.net
ABLACKA@gmail.com
Oxbow-Eco-Center.
Corresponding Millie Estersohn milliern@comcast.net
Secretary
In return we will acknowledge individual or company Treasurer Jay
Liz Wise
Dunleavy DunZippy@aol.com
Lindyjay@bellsouth.net
names in our Newsletter several times Directors-at-Large Terri Brown tmlbrown761@bellsouth.net

during the ensuing year. If you are interested in sponsoring Directors-at-Large Peggy Silletto Jpsilletto@aol.com
Directors-at-Large Ed Bowes eddie-ruth@msn.com
6/$¶VRQJRLQJSURJUDPSOHDVH
Parliamentarian Peggy Silletto Jpsilletto@aol.com
send checks to :
Newsletter Veronica
Pat Berrones
Bounds wwalter3@bellsouth.net
berrones1@yahoo.com
Program Co-Chairs Grace Stock graceestock@peoplepc.com
5Stillbirding@peoplepc.com
ST. LUCIE AUDUBON,
Program Co-Chairs Liz Dunleavy DunZippy@aol.com
P.O. BOX 12474,
Membership Chair Peggy Silletto Jpsilletto@aol.com
FORT PIERCE, FL 34979
Special Events Chair Anjula Smith anjula7@aol.com

Thanks to the Following Sponsors Field Trip Chair Dorothy Schultz edsdks@bellsouth.net
Conservation Chair Ed Bowes eddie-ruth@msn.com
John and Nettie Brolman
Reduce! Education Co-Chairs Terri Brown tmlbrown761@bellsouth.net
Deena and Dana Wade - “River Lilly”
Recycle! Bird ID Classes ElsaDunleavy
Liz Millard DunZippy@aol.com
lcbirder@comcast.net
Ed Bowes & Ruth Neese
Reuse!
Treasure Coast Wildlife Center
Hospitality Chair Judith
Adella Whittemore
Blacka wilbarwit@bellsouth.net
ablacka@gmail.com
Chapter Historian Judy Gersony jagersony@hotmail.com

Billi Wagner Webmaster Mary Dodge mary@jackmaryetc.com

LAUGHING GULL
 DECEMBER 2009 www.stlucieaudubon.org Page 3

PAGE 2 Conservation Corner

WWW.STLUCIEAUDUBON.ORG MAY 2009

Submitted Below by Edis theBowescopy of the letter presented to Dotty & Hank Hull at the April pounds of dryand
board meeting material
all members orof5thegallons of liquid.
Board present signed it.A detailed
brochure is available online at http://www.stlucieco.gov/
April 9, 2009
A question MAY 2009
about disposal of unwanted prescription solid_waste/hh_hazard_waste.htm The cityP AofGPort
WWW.STLUCIEAUDUBON.ORG E 3
Saint
medication
Dotty and Hank at the HullNovember meeting prompted this col- Lucie hosts two free household hazardous waste drop-off
do with unwanted medication? First, daysReÀHFWLYH:LQGRZV
Palms
umn. of Stdo
What Lucie
501 Cashmere Blvd Apt 214 Conservation Corner
youWest
call your pharmacy; there may be a prescription take- drop-off
a year. Call 772-871-5100 to get the date of the next
Windows that mirror the outside habitat present a different problem. If
see opportunity. Battery recycling is also available
Port St Lucie, FL 34986 Phone:you branches or sky reÀHFWHGLQWKHJODVVZKHQ\RXORRNDW\RXU
772-340-2226
back program in place.Submitted Second,bycall Ed the
Bowes St. Lucie County at all Wal-Mart locations, all St. Lucie Tire & Battery loca-
ZLQGRZV\RX¶OOXQGHUVWDQGZK\WKHELUGVDUHFRQIXVHG&KDQJLQJWKH
Solid
DearWaste Authority
Hank: (772-462-1768) to find out when tions, and some Radio Shack stores.
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Dotty and
lighting inside the house or fastening objects to the inside of the glass
message in the last newsletter. This information is from Cornell Lab ZRQ¶WKHOS,QVWHDG\RX¶OOQHHGWRDOWHUWKHZLQGRZ¶VDSSHDUDQFHE\
there
The will
membersbe aofprescription
the St. Lucie Audubon drop-offSociety day. Awere dropvery boxsorryfor when
youThe Florida
had Department
to resign from your many of Environmental
duties on the Board
placing something on the outside. As a temporary measure, you can
Protection
of
of Ornithology.
unwanted
Directors in medication
February 2009. is in the
While St.
we Lucie Co.
try to understand
You hear a loud thud at your living room window. Looking up, you Sheriff’s Of-
the reason estimates
we rub
want you theto average
know how Floridian
much you has
both 100
will lbs.
be of
missed.
a bar of soap on the window (the streaks can be easily removed). hazardous
All the
members
fice lobby sayMidway
on how muchRD. youThird,
have inspired
you maythemdispose
and furtheredof the theirwaste
education
Other at and love
home!
solutions of birds
What
include can by you
attaching beingdo
strips ofwith
to
paper reduce
or cardboardthe to amount
the
see a few tiny feathers stuck to the glass. Others drift slowly to the
you onground.
so many occasions. window, hanging ribbons, streamers, colored string, festive garlands,
medication inOneyourmorehousehold
bird has been strucktrashdown if you followwith
in a collision these
a of hazardous waste in circulation? Primarily by choosing
plate-glass window. Bird-window crashes are an all-too-common or even mobiles in front of it.
guidelines:
Shortlyphenomenon.
after you joined the Society when Grace Stock safer products. Look leaders
for products labeledHank “chlorine-free”,
These collisions usually involve small birds,wassuchpresident
as in 1989, you became of this group. served as
• SUHVLGHQWLQWKH¶VIRUWZRWHUPV
First,¿QFKHVWKDWIDOOXQQRWLFHGWRWKHJURXQG6RPHWLPHVWKHELUGVDUH
never flush medication down the toilet or pour it “water-based”, “citrus-based”, “no dyes or perfumes”,
Screens and Netting
down amerely
You bothdrain!
ledstunned
the Birding Education
and recover in a fewclasses
moments. forOften,
manyhowever,
years. they “biodegradable”,
Dotty served as Membership
Another “ammonia-free”,
Chairman,
solution is to place some kind Adams or“phosphate-free”,
Ranch
of screen Breakfast
netting over the
• Planner
Leave die.and
Thekept
the numbertheofChristmas
medication birds killed by collisions
in Bird
its original withcontainer,
Count accurate windows for is
years.
butDotty andedited the Laughing Gullbased.”
“non-petroleum and wrote the Feathered
Most household
ZLQGRZ7KLVZRQ¶WREVWUXFWWKHYLHZELUGVZLOOFRQWLQXHWRÀ\LQWR Friends
cleaning
column.staggering²estimates
Hank served on range as highand
the Board as 100wasmillion
Fieldper year.
Trip Does this and showed us many different birds.
Chairman
mark out thethatname andstop prescription . Fruit-tree
feeding birds?number. can be accomplished with white vinegar and baking
the window. They should bounce off relatively unharmed
mean you should Not at all. It means that if
• You
Forhave
pills netting, pulled tightly over a window should reduce or elimi- spar-
given many years and hours of your life for the members soda.
or
you notice capsules,
birds strikingmixyour with a
windows, liquid
you like
should water,
take steps soda,
to of this
nate
Use
Society.
injured
toxicForproducts,
birds. which welike pesticides
all are so grateful. and paints,
Today the
or Members
vinegar to dissolve
eliminate
join the problem.
their Membersthe pills.of theReplace
Board ofthe cap and
Directors tapeyou ingly
to thank and honorandyou carefully.
both withGet a the Solid Waste Authority bro-
down with duct or packing tape. chure for more details to help you protect our environ-
Some Solutions
• For liquids, mix with an unappetizing substance like ment from household hazardous waste.
1) Move feeders to new locations. Usually ³/,)(7,0(0(0%(56+,3$:$5'´
bird strikes occur at one or
used coffee grounds, catfeeders
litter,away
or afromstrongthemspiceIn your (turmeric,
beloved St. Lucie Audubon Society.
Membership Application
two windows. Moving may solve the problem
chiliDan
powder).
Walma
entirely. Replace the cap and tape down with duct
or Dan 2) Place
packing feeders closer to the glass. If a feeder is just a foot or two
tape.
Walma, President
from a window, panicked birds may still À\LQWRLWEXWSUREDEO\ZRQ¶W A one-year chapter membership extends from January to January. You
• Afterhavetheenough
above actions,
momentum place
to injure the bottles in a non-
themselves. may use the coupon below to begin or renew your membership.
opaque$OWHUWKHZLQGRZ¶VDSSHDUDQFH,I\RXGRQ¶WZDQWWRPRYH\RXU
container (margarine tub, whipped topping con-
***IHHGHUVRULIUHORFDWLQJWKHPGRHVQ¶WVROYH\RXUSUREOHP\RX¶OOQHHG
tainer), SPONSORS
anything that you cannot WANTED see through. Tape *** the SLAS is now www.stlucieaudubon.org
offering a Chapter-only annual membership for those who
to alter the appearance of the offending windows. But to do this, want to financially support their local chapter. The following dues options
lid
St.on the
Lucie container
County has witha new duct or packing
policy of charging tape,Non-Profits
then place ST.LUCIE AUDUBON apply: SOCIETY 2009
\RX¶OOQHHGWR¿JXUHRXWZK\WKHFROOLVLRQVDUHRFFXUULQJ$UHELUGV OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS
the container in a
forseparate
use of garbage
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facilities. before
confused because the window is reÀHFWLQJWKHODQGVFDSHEHKLQGLW",V adding it Ƒ,QGLYLGXDOSHU\HDU
toOur
your household
cost is $45.00 trash. per month payable in advance. We are
WKHJODVVVRWUDQVSDUHQWWKH\WKLQNLWLVQ¶WWKHUH"7R¿QGRXW\RX¶OO President Dan Walma
Ƒ)DPLO\SHU\HDU oculusdw1@aol.com

• Never QHHGWRJHWDELUG¶V-eye
looking handle chemotherapy
for sponsors view.
to underwrite medications
the cost ofwith usingyour Vice President (for 2 or more Ruthpeople
Neesein same household)
eddie_ruth@msn,com
Ƒ6SRQVRUSHU\HDU
Recording Secretary Elsa Millard lcbirder@comcast.net
bare hands and never put these drugs in your household CorrespondingƑ3DWURQSHU\HDU
Oxbow-Eco-Center.
See-Through Glass Millie Estersohn milliern@comcast.net
trash. Chemotherapy
Go to your feeder and medications are considered
look at your window. Can you see through hazard- it? If Secretary Ƒ/LIHWLPH
ous Inwaste
return and
so, the we must
birdswill beIshandled
can,acknowledge
too. there a plant asinside
such.
individual or company
the house that might be Treasurer Liz Dunleavy DunZippy@aol.com
Each local membership includes a subscription to the monthly newsletter
So, what names
attractivecounts in our
to birds? Newsletter
asIf so, try moving it.
household several
hazardous times
Is there another window and
waste, on the Directors-at-Large Terri Brown tmlbrown761@bellsouth.net
³7KH/DXJKLQJ*XOO´<RXPD\UHFHLYH³7KH/DXJKLQJ*XOO´YLDVWDQGDUG
opposite side of the house, creating the illusion of a À\-through
duringdothe
what you ensuing
do with year. If you
it? St. Lucie areCounty
interested considers
passage? Try making your windows less transparent by changing the
house- Directors-at-Large
in sponsoring mail or electronically via Peggy Silletto
email. Please indicate Jpsilletto@aol.com
your preference below.
Directors-at-Large Ed Bowes eddie-ruth@msn.com
hold hazardous 6/$¶VRQJRLQJSURJUDPSOHDVH
lighting inside waste to be anything
the house²pull a shade or open that is corrosive,
or close a door. You Please make checks payable to and send to:
ParliamentarianSt. Lucie Audubon Peggy Silletto
Society, P.O.Jpsilletto@aol.com
Box 12474,
send
less checks
transparent to
reactive, toxic, or ignitable. This includes all fluorescent
can also make glass by :
taping paper to the inside of
WKHSDQHV7KLVLVXQVLJKWO\EXWLW¶VDJRRGWHPSRUDU\PHDVXUHXQWLO Newsletter Veronica
Fort Berrones
Pierce, FL 34979 berrones1@yahoo.com
light bulbs, most household cleaners, pool chemicals, Program Co-Chairs Grace Stock graceestock@peoplepc.com
you can ¿QGDEHWWHUVROXWLRQ&RPPHUFLDOO\DYDLODEOHKDZN
ST. LUCIE AUDUBON, Name: ______________________________________
bleach, silhouettes
oil-based are paints,
effective atmotordeterring oilwindow
and strikes,
other aspetroleum-
long as you Program Co-Chairs Liz Dunleavy DunZippy@aol.com
P.O. BOX 12474, Address: ____________________________________
based products,
use several. They solvents,
work notpesticides,
because they look mothballs,
like hawks, but allbecause
bat- Membership Chair Peggy Silletto Jpsilletto@aol.com
FORT PIERCE, FL 34979
WKH\EUHDNXSWKHZLQGRZ¶VDSSHDUDQFH$QRWKHUVROXWLRQLVWRSXWXS
City: _______________________________________
teries, the list goes on! Residents of St. Lucie County Special Events Chair Anjula Smith
State: _____________ Zip: _____________________ anjula7@aol.com
a commercially available decal that is a replica stabilimentum or white
may drop-off household hazardous waste for
zig-]DJIURPWKHFHQWHURIDQRUELWDOVSLGHU¶VZHE,WLVWKRXJKWWKDW
free dur- Phone:
Field ________________________________
Trip Chair Dorothy Schultz ____
edsdks@bellsouth.net
ing regular
spiders hours
create theat thevisible
highly Solid Waste
zig-zag Authority
so birds Baling
and large insects E-mail: _____________________________________
will Conservation Chair Ed Bowes eddie-ruth@msn.com
and Recycling Facility.Reduce! The facility also accepts batteries Education
avoid À\LQJLQWRDQGGHVWUR\LQJWKHLUZHEV1RWH'RQRWDWWDFK New membership:
Co-Chairs ______
Terri BrownRenewal: ______ tmlbrown761@bellsouth.net
and oldobjects directly to thermopane windows without consulting the
electronic equipment including computers and
manufacturer. Recycle! Bird ID Classes
3OHDVHVHQGP\³/DXJKLQJ*XOO´E\
Elsa Millard lcbirder@comcast.net
peripherals, televisions, telephones, and radios. Regular Email _____ or Standard mail: _____
hours are Monday to Friday Reuse! 7:00 AM to 4:15 PM and Sat- Chapter Historian
Hospitality Chair Adella Blacka ablacka@gmail.com

urday 7:00 AM to 12:15 PM. Drop-offs are limited to 100 Webmaster

Judy Gersony
Thanks for your support .
jagersony@hotmail.com
Mary Dodge mary@jackmaryetc.com

LAUGHING GULL
LAUGHING GULL
 Feathered Friends
Inside This Submitted by Ruth Neese
Issue Good news from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service jumped off page one of today’s news-
paper—the Brown Pelican has been removed
PAGE 1
from the threatened and endangered species
President’s list! The International Union for the Conserva-
Message tion of Nature (IUCN) lists the Brown Pelican
as a species of Least Concern—good news in-
deed. These birds were originally threatened
PAGE 2 with extinction by feather hunters, prompting
the creation of Pelican Island National Wildlife
Officers & Refuge in Sebastian, FL in 1903. The most re-
Committee cent threat came from DDT, a pesticide that in-
terfered with calcium deposition in eggs, caus-
Chairs ing weak eggshells that cracked under a parent
bird’s weight. Brown Pelicans are still federally
protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and
PAGE 3 the Lacey Act. A monitoring program will be
Membership in place for 10 years to track pelican popula-
tions.
Application Brown Pelicans are common near shore
year-round residents in St. Lucie Co. Brown
Pelicans are the only dark-colored pelican and
Conservation
the only pelican that dives from the air into the
Corner water to catch its food. November signals the
start of breeding season for our local pelicans,
and sexually mature birds will develop a chest-
Permit No. 442
Fort Pierce, FL.
PAID
U.S. POSTAGE
Non-profit Organization
nut-brown stripe on the posterior neck and a
yellow-tinted forehead. Eggs are typically laid
in December in a flat, stick-built nest that is
part of a colony. Eggs hatch approximately 30
days after being laid. Hatchling Brown Peli-
cans have no feathers or down, instead they
have bare purple skin. Down slowly grows in,
flowed by dark brown feathers. Juvenile Brown
Pelicans are all brown in color while mature
adults have a white head and neck.
Brown Pelicans are notorious for mobbing
fish cleaning stations and begging for scraps.
It is very important that fishermen do not feed
these birds fish bones. The unprotected bones
can become snagged in pelicans’ pouches,
causing punctures and tears along with pain
and debilitation. When Brown Pelicans “steal”
bait from line fisherman and are caught on the
hook, encourage fishermen to reel in the bird
and remove the hook like they would from a
catch-and-release fish instead of simply cut-
ting the line. Cutting the line without removing
the hook condemns the bird to pain, line en-
tanglement, and eventual death by starvation
or strangulation. Remember, Brown Pelicans
are indicators of the health of our near shore
habitat, so let’s be good neighbors.
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