Apalachee Audubon

The Newsletter of the Apalachee Audubon Society, Inc.

Vol. 106, No. 2 www.apalachee.org October, 2007

Florida Springs: Natural Gems  Troubled Waters

We are privileged to present Jim Stevenson, Coordinator of the Wakulla Springs Basin and the Ichetucknee
Springs Basin Working Groups, as the speaker at our October program meeting. He will discuss the values of
Florida’s 700 springs, the threats to their continued health, and current strategies being implemented to protect
these springs. The ecological health of Wakulla Springs and work underway to protect and restore the springs will
serve as an example of protection efforts being seen throughout the state.
Jim was Chief Biologist for the Florida State Park System for 20 years, Chairman of the Florida Springs Task
Force, and Director of the Governor’s Florida Springs Protection Initiative. The Governor and Cabinet recognized
Jim’s longstanding stewardship of Florida’s public lands by designating the highest annual award presented by
the Department of Environmental Protection as the “Jim Stevenson Resource Manager of the Year Award.”
Informal social begins at 7 PM, October 24, Wednesday, at the United Church
in Tallahassee, 1834 Mahan Drive. Program follows from 7:30 – 9.
Come join us, meet new folks, learn more about Florida ecosystems & see what Audubon is all about!

Attention Members! Your vote is needed on our revised Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. Two
membership meetings have now passed without us having the required quorum to pass this measure. The
revisions and ballot form are posted on our website at www.apalachee.org. You may either mail in a paper
ballot or email your vote to our treasurer, Harvey Goldman, at [email protected].

October 20, Saturday: Field trip October 27, Saturday: Field trip
Ochlocknee River & Tall Timbers Research Station (TTRS)
Lake Talquin State Forest Birding with Chris Borg
Birding with Mike Tucker Walk through natural mixed pine stands to Gannet
Join local birder Mike Tucker as he guides Pond and the TTRS Bird Window. Then visit various
us on inviting paths in the state forest. First, points along Lake Iamonia. Birds to look for will include:
we’ll walk about 1.5+ miles through river Bachman’s sparrow, Red-headed woodpecker, Brown-
bottomlands to the river. Second, we’ll go about headed nuthatch, White-breasted nuthatch, and Hairy
4 miles through low-lying pine-hardwood forest woodpecker. Our guide Chris Borg is Conservation
on a mostly flat, old logging road. Expect to see Biologist with Tall Timbers Land Conservancy and a local
blue-headed warblers, migrating warblers, red- naturalist.
headed woodpeckers, and hooded warblers. Meet at: 7:15 AM, Books-A-Million, Thomasville Rd., for
At the river site expect to see wading birds as carpooling, or at 7:45 AM at TTRS Wade Center parking
well. lot. (TTRS is 13 miles north on Thomasville Rd. past the
Meet at: Winn Dixie parking lot on N. Monroe I-10 intersection, then left on County Rd. 12 for 2.7 miles,
St. & Crowder Rd. at 7:30 AM (10-minute drive and then left on Henry Beadel Dr.)
to starting point) Expect to be done by: about noon at the latest
Expect to be done by: 2 PM Level of difficulty: light to moderate
Level of difficulty: moderate Be sure to bring: binoculars, field guide, water, snack,
Be sure to bring: binoculars, sunscreen, sunscreen, insect repellent, appropriate clothing and
insect repellent, water, and snacks or light footwear for forest walking, and hat for weather.
lunch Cost: free, but voluntary donation to TTRS Bird Window is
Cost: Free suggested
Further information, contact: Further information, contact:
Mike Tucker, 850-562-0555 Melissa Forehand, Vice President, (850) 510-4877,
[email protected]
Message from Vice President, Melissa Forehand
Officers
Howdy Everyone: President: Elizabeth Platt 850-385-9043
Sept 15th’s Clean-Up of Bottom’s Road went really well. We [email protected]
would like to give a big THANK YOU to: Tim, Harvey, Judy, Vice-President: Melissa Forehand 850-510-4877
[email protected]
Marvin, Dawn, Ann and the troop of girl scouts who came by
Treasurer: Harvey Goldman 850-385-5222
to clean up. We got a tire, a toilet seat, a toilet, a door, pieces [email protected]
of carpet, lots of bottles, cans, plastic bags and much more. Secretary: Dawn Saucier 850-656-4045
Tim saw his first Sora of the season. [email protected]
The first bird walk of the season was also very successful. Directors
We had a Red-shoulder hawk pose for us about 20 feet away Marvin Collins 850-224-9549
and even got scope views thanks to Marvin. We also had [email protected]
Green heron, Common yellow-throat, Yellow-throated warbler, Eric Draper, Past President 850-668-5075
Prairie warbler, Pied-billed grebe, juvenile Purple gallinule and [email protected]
Elizabeth Vigil 850-656-2855
Downy woodpecker. Thanks to all the people who came by to [email protected]
enjoy Lafayette Lake in Piney Z early Sunday morning. Nicolas Wienders 850-294-3542
I would also like to let everyone know about some [email protected]
painless ways to help AAS financially: Committee Chairs
1. When you surf the web, go through GoodSearch.com. In Awards: Tim Smith 850-933-5979
the section where you enter the name of the charity you [email protected]
Backyard Birding: Fran Rutkovsky 850-422-3636
wish to donate to, enter Apalachee Audubon. Then each [email protected]
time you surf the net, AAS receives money. Banquet: Tim Smith
2. At each meeting we offer Audubon’s coffee for sale at $1 Big Bend Environmental Forum Liaison: Bob
Henderson 850-575-6610
a cup or .75¢ if you bring your own cup. Audubon’s coffee
[email protected]
is Fair Trade and Organic which is good for the wildlife Birding Spots Editor: Bob Henderson
and the people. Bylaws Revision: Karen Wensing 850-386-7766
3. Go to Cartridge World at Blairstone Rd. and Park Ave. [email protected]
Conservation: Marvin Collins
to get your printer cartridges refilled. Filling your empty Development: Position Open
cartridge here will provide us with funds and you will be Audubon Adventures: Judy Goldman 850-385-5222
able to reduce your carbon footprint by recycling. [email protected]
Field Trips: Melissa Forehand
Keep your eyes to the sky (except when you are driving) and
Finance: Position Open
enjoy Migration. Hospitality: Elizabeth Vigil 850-656-2855
[email protected]
Melissa Forehand Membership: Pam Flynn 850-383-1238
[email protected]
Newsletter Editor: Ann Bruce 850-224-4760
Costa Rican Birding Trip [email protected]
A birding trip to Costa Rica is planned for April 12 – 26, 2008. Population: Harvey Goldman
The trip will be professionally led, making overnight stops at Programs: Melissa Forehand
9 locations, and possibly seeing a majority of the 869 avian Publicity: Julie Wraithmell 850-425-1170
[email protected]
species found in Costa Rica. The trip is during the height of
St. Marks NWR Liaison: Robin Will 850-877-9058
the birding season. Accommodations are good and the price is [email protected]
reasonable. Contact Bob Henderson at 575-6610 or Sierra Club Liaison: Ben Fusaro 850-297-2052
[email protected] for additional information. [email protected]
Special Projects: Bob Henderson
State Board Liaison: Eric Draper
Webmaster: Hans van Tol 850-656-4039
[email protected]
Buy a 2008 WBU calendar—Help AAS!
AAS newsletter is published 8 times yearly (Sept.-May,
Beautiful color calendars with close-up bird photos are available for except December) by the Apalachee Audubon Society,
$3.50 from Wild Birds Unlimited. Inc., P.O. Box 1237, Tallahassee, FL32303-1237.
Proceeds from the sale of each of the calendars will be donated to
Apalachee Audubon Society. Printed on partially recycled paper.

The calendars make lovely gifts & their purchase supports AAS. Mission Statement
AAS thanks Wild Birds Unlimited for this generous support. Protection of the environment through education,
appreciation, and conservation.
 “Internet Birding” Biofuels: Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde?
by Fran Rutkovsky The Sierra Club meeting on Monday, October
Want to know what birds have recently been seen 17th, at 7PM, at the United Church in Tallahassee,
around this area? 1834 Mahan Drive, will feature Ben Fusaro,
long-time environmental activist, Master of
Log on to the North Florida Birds email list at: Wildlife Conservation, and Adjunct Professor of
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nflbirds/ Mathematics at FSU. He will look at some of the
claims for the fossil fuel du jour, ethanol, and
Statewide bird sightings of interest are posted to explain advantages and disadvantages of using
the FloridaBirds-L email list at: plant materials as an energy source for our modern
http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/floridabirds-l.html industrial life styles. Audubon members and others
are welcome.
Anyone can read the postings from archives of
the lists but to post a message, you must first
subscribe to the list. Directions to subscribe are at
the site.
The best way to check out what birds are being
seen almost anywhere in the world (including The Store for Nature Lovers
specialty lists such as “Humnet”) is to go to the For Over 28 Years
Regional Birdmail lists found at Birding on the Native Plants - Wildlife Gardening
Net. Here you’ll see that Florida has 6 different Bird Shop - Herbs - Organic Gardening Supplies
regional lists. Check it out at: 850-386-8882
http://birdingonthe.net/birdmail.html 1661 Centerville Road
Tallahassee, FL 32308
Our local Audubon site (www.apalachee.org) www.nativenurseries.com
also has many links to bird web sites and other
interesting wildlife and ecosystem links. Current
information on upcoming AAS programs and field
trips are listed too. We are currently updating the
links on our AAS site. Please submit additional
web sites to be included or other web site
suggestions to Harvey Goldman at
[email protected].
So check it out and do some armchair birding to
find out where the birds are.

Wild Birds Unlimited (WBU) Blog

To see beautiful, local photos of a Cooper’s hawk,
Ruby-throated hummingbird, Black skimmers, and
Wood storks, check out the new blog from WBU at:
http://wbubirdingblog.blogspot.com/. Contributions to
the blog are welcome from WBU customers, Audubon
members, and the public. Anything from a story about
an interesting visitor to your bird feeder, a bird outing
to St Marks or any other birding descriptions that
are submitted will be considered for posting. Send
contributions by email to [email protected].
By Andy Wraithmell
Apalachee Audubon
P.O. Box 1237 Non-Profit
Tallahassee, FL 32302-1237 Organization
U.S. Postage
Paid
Permit No. 30

Your membership expiration date is shown on top right above your name. For problems with mailings
from national Audubon office or to change address, call the National Audubon Society Office at 1-800-
274-4201.

AUDUBON CALENDAR
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 information, check out our website at www.apalachee.org.

OCTOBER
20: Field trip – Birding on Lake Talquin State Forest & Ochlocknee River trails with Mike Tucker
24: Program – Florida Springs: Natural Gems – Troubled Waters: talk by Jim Stevenson
27: Field trip – Birding at Tall Timbers Research Station with Chris Borg

NOVEMBER
10: Field trip – Bald Point with John Murphy
17: Related field trip  Fall bird and wildlife tours at St. Marks NWR with Don Morrow
28: Program  Birding by ear with Julie Wraithmell