Manatee County Audubon Society
We are committed to protecting the environment in our community, our state and our country.
Here’s help in
Getting publicity
For your event
By LaDonne Mayberry, publicity chair
Members, as the new chair of
the publicity committee, I want
to help you get out the word
about your event.
So, please send details on your
event to my email address:
ladonnem@yahoo.com at least
three weeks prior to the time of
the actual event. I will need the
event address, time, date and a
brief description of the event.
For the event leader, I need
name, telephone number and
email address.
I will make sure all that infor-
mation gets to media outlets, so
that you get maximum atten-
tion and attendance.
Welcome to our new members:
Brenda Twiss
Channing B. (Chuck) Eliot, Jr.
Cynthia Shore
Robert Flatt
Roger T. Frazee
First MCAS meeting is October 21
The speaker for our first meeting of the year, at 7:30 p.m. Thurs-
day October 21, will be Dr. David Dean, a working entomologist
with the Florida Department of Agriculture. He will cover some
aspects of how biology is used to both detect and eradicate inva-
sive species in Florida and elsewhere in the world. We meet at the
First United Methodist Church of Palmetto.
President’s Letter from Barbara Singer
Over but far from done!
I don’t know how the rest of you feel but it seems like it has been years since the Deepwater Ho-
rizon oil spill tragedy began. Those were some of the longest three months of my life. Each day I
watched or heard about all the oiled or dead birds, mammals and sea turtles and felt nothing but
helplessness. It seemed like forever before environmental groups could get their arms around this
tragedy and spring into action and thankfully they did.
Looking at the facts as of September 21, 2010, the Fish and Wildlife Collection Report shows:
• Dead Mammals: 91. Oiled but alive: 9. Cleaned and released: 3.
• Dead Birds: 6033. Oiled but alive: 2075. Cleaned and released: 1208.
• Dead Sea Turtles: 589. Oiled but alive: 314. Relocated nests: 278.
These numbers are just one piece of the puzzle. The impact on habitat has been devastating not
only to birds but also to 90 percent of all marine species in the Gulf that depend on coastal estuaries
at some point in their lives and most of those estuaries are in Louisiana and those areas have been
hit first and hardest.
We are now in the next tragic phase of the Deepwater Horizon spill – Migration of Gulf coast birds.
Tens of millions of shorebirds, waterbirds and other migrants stop to refuel in the oil contaminated
marshes and estuaries of the Gulf of Mexico. As we learned from the Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989,
it can take decades for some fish and plant species to fully recover from oil spill pollution.
My reason for writing this message is to ask you not to forget. Too often, we get so caught up in our
own lives we soon forget important issues. How can we make this tragedy just as important today as
it was on April 20, 2010? Probably the most important thing for us is to make sure that our elected
officials understand that you do not want offshore drilling in Florida waters, nor drilling in the Gulf
of Mexico unless there is legislation in place that would avoid a future tragedy. Secondly we need
to pressure our legislature to pass the Clean Energy Jobs and Oil Company Accountability Act of
2010. This is one more reason why we need to fight for clean energy.
When asked what can you do today, I recommend that individuals join National Audubon’s efforts
by donating, taking action, staying informed and volunteering. National Audubon has set up a pro-
gram that allows you to get involved to help birds and other wildlife threatened by the Gulf oil spill.
To participate in the program go to: www.audubonaction.org
David Williamson reports on birding at Robinson Preserve. Page 3.
Page 2

Butterfly up and Butterfly down

Fred Allen shot these two photos of the same butterfly at about 11 a.m. on Monday September 20 at Felts Audubon Preserve, where he is one
of our most dependable volunteers. “One picture shows the top and the other shows the underneath of the same butterfly,” Fred reports. He
identified it as an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail feeding on a Spanish needle. “It’s the biggest Eastern Tiger Swallowtail I have ever seen -- about
the same size as the Giant Swallowtail,” Fred says.

We had a productive summer at Felts Audubon Preserve

By Lea Etchells

Summer at Felts Preserve was very productive. Our new kiosk was completed and the new walk through entry is in place. People
can now park on 24th Avenue East and walk in to the preserve. Members can use the lock combo and enter Felts Preserve as always.

The work days were well attended and many chores were completed. On September 25, workers included President Barbara Singer,
Fred Allen, Roger Robson, Ivan Marion, Bob Opfergelt and Patti and Barry Clauser. They cleaned the bird blind and weeded the
butterfly garden. New preserve signs were installed. The barn was cleaned. A large Phoenix reclinata Palm was partially taken out.
This palm is responsible for lots of seedling offspring and it will be good riddance once it is gone.

Now that fall is in the air we expect migratory birds to appear at our feeders and through out the preserve. The butterflies are busy
laying eggs for the next generation. The weather is cooling and our next work day, which is scheduled for October 30, should be
pleasant. We hope to see new faces there.

Meet some of the butterfly garden mulch-

ing crew that showed up for the August
28 work day at Felts Audubon Preserve:
from left, Steve Black,
Richard Beaupre, Tom Hietzman and Lea
Etchells.
Photo by Lucette Wombacher

Felts Audubon Preserve is located

in Palmetto at the corner of Experimental
Farm Road and 24th Avenue East (4600
24th Avenue East). Call 729-2222 or
check our website at
www.manateeaudubon.org
for directions.
 Page 3

By David Williamson, trip leader

The weather was mild and cloudy with a light wind when our group of 26 intrepid birders met on Saturday September 25 to explore
the 487-acre Robinson Preserve in northwestern Bradenton. We didn’t cover the entire preserve, which has been transformed from
farmland into coastal and wetland habitats, but we counted 40 or more birds with the help of our experts, John Ginaven and Dan
Irizarry, who led the trip with me. We also owe a special thanks to Melissa Cain Nell, manager of the volunteer, education division
of the Manatee County Department of Natural Resources for hosting us.

Notables were the Reddish Egret, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Roseate Spoonbill, Eastern Towhee and a pair of Bald Eagles. Most
birds were in the river and satlwater ponds in the center of the preserve. We didn’t see many ducks, possibly because the tide was
almost out.

Above left is the Reddish Egret. Below left is a Yel-

low-crowned Night Heron with immature plummage.
Birders shown above and below are part of the Man-
atee Audubon field trip led by David Williamson,
John Ginaven and Dan Irizarry. Photos by David
Williamson.

Upcoming
Events
Saturday 10/2
Field trip to Lakeland’s
Saddle Creek Park,
one of the best
for fall migration.
Steve Black, 376-0110.
Meet at 7 a.m.
at Cracker Barrel,
State Road 64 and I-75.
Open House Felts Preserve
8 a.m. to noon
Saturday 10/9
Field trip to Duette Preserve.
Dan Irizarry, 305-582-5786.
Possible birds to see on this
trip are Florida Scrub Jay,
Red-headed Woodpecker
and Kestral. Meet at 7:30
a.m. at Cracker Barrell,
State Road 64 and I-75.
Saturday 10/16
Junior Audubon
meets 9 a.m.
at Felts Preserve
Thursday 10/21
General Meeting
Manatee Audubon Society.
7:30 p.m.
First United Methodist
Church
of Palmetto, 330 11th Ave.
W. Palmetto. Our speaker
will be Dr. David Dean, the
Biological Administrator
in the Florida Department
of Agriculture. He will talk
about how biology can be
used to overcome
invasive species.
Friday-Saturday 10/22-23
Audubon Assembly
St. Petersburg
Tuesday 10/26
Field trip Laurel Landfill
Barry and Patti Clauser,
776-9063. Meet 7:30 a.m.
at Cracker Barrel, S.R. 64
at I-75.
Saturday 10/30
Work Day Felts Preserve
8 a.m. to noon
October 2010 Newsletter
Manatee County Audubon Society, P. O. Box 14550, Bradenton FL 34280-4550
We’re off to Panama May 24 - June 2
By Barbara Singer, president
The trip we are planning to Panama’s Canopy Tower Lodge in 2011 will consist of eight
days and seven nights of birding the hot spots of central Panama. The lodge and sur-
rounding areas have recorded 596 species. This is not an overly strenuous trip as many
of the birds can bee seem right at the lodge. But space is limited and expected to fill
quickly. Dates for the trip are May 24 to June 2.
Here’s what the trip includes: Lodging, all meals and non-alcoholic beverages, airport
transfer, bilingual birding guides, two outings each day, one in the morning and one in
the afternoon, entrance fees to the National Parks, room taxes, internet service, compli-
mentary wine with dinner, all tips and a donation to Manatee Audubon. Airfare is not
included.
• Single room (shared bath) -- $1415
• Double Room (private bath) -- $1615
• 2 person Suite (private bath) -- $1815
A $300 deposit is due with reservation. Email: president@manateeaudubon.org or call
Barbara Singer at 941-922-4488. We will attempt to pair up single travelers
And we head to Gainesville January 14-16
By Lucette Wombacher, trip leader
On this two-night, three-day trip, we will be looking for the wintering flocks of Sandhill
Cranes around Paynes Prairie State Preserve. Our other targets will be various sparrows,
Brown-headed Nuthatches and wintering ducks and shorebirds. We will visit a number of
birding hot spots in Alachua County, and then visit the Cedar Key area. One of our stops
will be the impressive Florida Museum of Natural History and Butterfly Rainforest. Most
of the trails will be easy and short. Our costs are not yet final, but we expect the trip will
cost about $190 a person, which will include two nights and breakfast buffets at the Cabot
Lodge, two lunches and all entry fees. You will be on your own for dinner each day. There
are numerous reasonably priced restaurants within a few blocks of the motel. You will be
asked to bring your own lunch the first day. We will carpool, and share the gas costs. The
trip will be limited to 24 people, and no more than six vehicles. If you want a single room,
the additional cost will be $90. You can reserve a spot any time by contacting Lucette Wom-
bacher at 941-776-8424 or lucettew@msn.com. No money is due until December. Watch the
November newsletter for final cost and due date.
Junior Auduboners identify animal homes
By Steve Black
We met for the first time for the new season Saturday September 17 at Felts Audubon Preserve.
We had nine attendees, including three new members. One thing we wanted to create when we
started the Junior Audubon program was a family atmosphere. This year two of our new mem-
bers are younger siblings. We also had three adults attend with the kids. The topic we studied
was the different type of animal structures. The kids seemed interested in the topic, and they
were all able to identify a different structure where an animal lived. Everybody was glad to see
each other, and the new members were welcomed by the returning members.
Send your items for The Night Heron to newsletter editor Molly McCartney
at msmccartney@sprintmail.com or call 778-3228