Winter 2009-10

VO LUME XXXVIII ,NUMBER 6

The Newsletter of the Choctawhatchee Audubon Society

Field Trips Will Highlight November

Carole Goodyear, President

I hope many members will participate in the exciting field trips planned for a busy November. On Saturday, Novem-
ber 7, we will join Bay County Audubon Society to tour Beaulah Laidlaw Preserve off Highway 79 in Washington
County. This 282-acre property is part of the Choctawhatchee watershed and contains a large bog and headwaters
of Cypress Creek, a tributary to Holmes Creek and the Choctawhatchee River. A few of us were treated to a walk
through the Preserve in April, and I highly recommend it. Because the property is not open to the general public, I
encourage CAS members to take advantage of this opportunity. Prepare for the trip by attending our chapter meet-
ing on November 5, when Neil Lamb of BCAS will tell us the Preserve’s story.

We will gather at the park near Vernon (see Calendar for directions), where we will do a bit of birding and have a
chance to use the restroom facilities. Note: The facilities here are the only ones available; there are no facilities at
the Preserve. We will then caravan 4 miles north to the locked Preserve gate. Pack a lunch for a tailgate picnic in
the Preserve after the walk. Lawn chairs would be a good idea for lunchtime seating. It has been recommended we
wear long pants and closed-toe shoes to guard against poison ivy.

A week later on Saturday, November 14, Lenny Fenimore will lead us on our first trip to Fort Pickens in almost 5
years. A favorite birding site, it was cut off to automobile traffic when the double whammy of storm surges from
2004 Hurricane Ivan and 2005 Hurricane Dennis destroyed not only Fort Pickens Road, but also State Road 399 be-
tween Navarre Beach and Pensacola Beach. Both roads reopened this past spring – and we’re going! Be sure to
bring plenty of water and sun protection. On the following Saturday, November 21, we will enjoy another “field trip,”
when Don Ware leads us on a bird walk to the famous FWB spray fields.

These trips cover a wide variety of habitats, and the combined bird list could be awesome!

Grand Opening of the CAS Market Place

Do you want to sell an old pair of binoculars, a birding book, artwork, or other nature-related item? There couldn’t be a better market
than your fellow CAS members. On a trial basis, there will be a “Market Place” at every chapter meeting. We just require a minimum do-
nation of 10% of your gross sales amount. Because of space limitations, please contact Treasurer Karen Newhouse at
[email protected] or 850-897-3745 before bringing any items for sale.

CAS is dedicated to the protection of bird and wildlife habitat, environmental education, and a greater appreciation of Northwest Florida’s natural beauty.
 Page 2 V O L U M E X X X V I II , N U M B E R 6

Calendar of Events:
CAS monthly meetings are held the First Thursday of each month August thru May at 6:30 PM at NFSC
Niceville Learning Resources Center (LRC), Room 128. Non members are welcome.
CAS Programs:
November 5: “The
“The Beulah Laidlaw Nature Preserve, an Audubon Asset in the Panhandle.” Neil Lamb of Bay County Audu-
bon Society will tell us about the fauna and flora of an Audubon of Florida preserve in Washington County and the process
of working with AoF to help manage it. Learn about the Preserve tonight, and then join the field trip to the Preserve on
Saturday, November 7.
December 3: “Christmas Bird Count.” Donald Ware will get us ready for the annual CBC. Learn how the CAS count
started, some interesting past results, and what birds we should look for on the December 14 count. Note: This is a regu-
lar chapter meeting, in addition to our holiday party later in the month.
January 7: “Water Conservation through Rain Barrels.” Learn how to catch nature’s liquid bounty for future use from
Sheila Dunning, Okaloosa County Commercial Horticulture Extension Agent. NW Florida is unique in that our relatively low
population and abundant rainfall have not necessitated frequent water restrictions. However, the region is poised to grow
at a rapid pace, and a proactive approach is needed to prevent the problems suffered by central and south Floridians. The
use of rain barrels is one option.
February 4: "Searching for Florida's Rarest Butterflies." Mary Ann Friedman will tell us about the field survey work she is
doing in NW Florida to help update the butterfly map of Florida.
Outings:
October 31: Nature Photography Walk. Meet at Lincoln Park, Valparaiso, 8:00 a.m. Linda Holloway 376-0327.
November 7: Field Trip to Laidlaw Preserve. A joint trip with Bay County Audubon Society to this AoF preserve in Washing-
ton County. Meet at Bluewater Bay Winn Dixie on Highway 20 to carpool, 7:00 a.m. We will join BCAS at 8:00 a.m. in
Vernon, at the small park on the east side of Hwy 79, just north of the Holmes Creek bridge. If you drive I-10, either go
south on Hwy 279 at Caryville to Hwy 79, or go I-10 to Hwy 79 and south until you see the park on the left, just north of
Vernon. See additional details in accompanying article. Please contact Carole Goodyear at 897-2666 if you plan to car-
pool from Winn Dixie.
November 14: Field Trip to Fort Pickens. Meet at Uptown Station, FWB, 7:30 a.m. Navarre residents can join the group
at the entrance to Navarre Beach Park, at the south end of the causeway, 8:00 a.m. Be prepared for lack of shade. Pack
a picnic lunch and plenty of water. Lenny Fenimore 863-2039.
November 21: Bird Walk to FWB Spray Fields. Meet at Coach-N-Four restaurant, 8:00 a.m. Don Ware 862-6582.
December 14: Christmas Bird Count. Don Ware 862-6582.
January 9: Bird Walk to Destin Bridge Area and Jetties. Meet in parking lot, west side of bridge, 8:00 a.m. Lenny Feni-
more 863-2039.
December 19:
CAS Christmas Potluck Party
Please make plans to join us at the Chautauqua Building in DeFuniak Springs at
5:30 pm to share food, drinks and holiday cheer! We are asking for members and
their guests to RSVP on our website ChoctawhatcheeAudubon.org and let us
know what yummy you plan to bring. We will have a list of what goodies can be
expected on the website so please check that out as you decide what to share.
The past several years we have enjoyed fabulous door prizes and gifts from local
businesses. Sadly our hospitality chair is still empty so unless someone steps forward
to assist in the gathering of holiday giveaways we will not have this to look forward
to. Please consider taking some time to do this, it is quite simple and a lovely way to brighten the party for
everyone, contact any of the board members for more information. If you would like to help set-up and
decorate join us early for the “pre- party”. Last year Karen Newhouse brought gorgeous cuttings from her
yard and we had beautiful centerpieces that complimented the spirit of the season and our conservation
minded organization! Remember to let us know if you need a ride and we will help arrange carpools and
don’t forget to enjoy the drive around Lake Defuniak in all its Christmas glory!
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Conservation Corner
Gary Parsons, Conservation Chair

Choctawhatchee Audubon Society Conservation Committee publishes local birding brochure for Okaloosa
County. This summer members of your conservation committee were successful in obtaining a grant from the
County
Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council (TDC) for the design of a local birding brochure. The brochure de-
scribes 10 sites in the Niceville, FWB and Destin area that are frequently visited by local birders. Directions and
a map are also provided to make it easy for visitors, especially tourists, to find the sites. The brochure serves as
a local supplement to the Great Florida Birding Trail brochure.
Grant funding of $600 was provided by the Okaloosa County Environmental Council, an organization of
the County TDC. Dill Beaty, know for his editorial cartoons in the Destin Log, did the layout and design for the
brochure. Funding for over 2000 color brochures was provided by the Choctawhatchee Audubon Society using
funds donated on behalf of our late President, Thelma Phillips. Please take a tour of our website
Choctawhatcheeaudubon.org, and while there, visit the brochure. Copies printed off the website should be on
legal size paper.
The Conservation Committee is working on a second brochure for Walton County. Over 30 sites have
been surveyed ranging from the Florida/Alabama line to the beaches of South Walton by committee members
Bob Penhollow, Karen Newhouse, Margaret Benner, Dee Nickerson, Theresa Dennis and Nonie Maines. If you
have a favorite site in Walton County, don’t hesitate to contact any member of the committee.

Will the Holding Ponds and Bay Be Full of Ducks This Winter?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that the preliminary estimate of total ducks
from the 2009 Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey was 42 million, which is 13%
greater than last year’s estimate and 25% greater than the 1955-2008 average. This survey esti-
mates the number of ducks on North America's primary nesting grounds by sampling more than
two million square miles of waterfowl habitat across the north-central and northeastern U.S.;
south-central, eastern, and northern Canada; and Alaska. 2009 habitat conditions for breeding
waterfowl were better than conditions in 2008. The estimate of available ponds was 6.4 million,
which is 45% above last year’s estimate and 31% above the long-term average. The full report is
available at http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/.

Least Terns Have Not Returned to Niceville Roof

Carole Goodyear
Another least tern nesting season has passed, and the rooftop at the Niceville-Valparaiso-Okaloosa County Regional
Sewer Plant on Highway 85 was still vacant. CAS, partnered with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commis-
sion, has been conducting a project here since April 2005, when we installed new gravel and pallets for shade on
the roof. The sewer plant is the only historical nesting roof in the Niceville-Valparaiso area that is still gravel, and
FWC agreed it was worth a try to restore the nesting habitat.

This was an experiment, because we were told there was no record of least terns returning to a nest roof once they
abandoned it. We hoped – and kept hoping -- to prove that wrong. But……even with the addition of tern decoys,
2009 was the 5th spring with no sign of activity, so we have discontinued our official monitoring of the project.

Several rooftop colonies of least terns seem quite happy with their accommodations on the Destin side of the bay.
If some of these ever decide to move, the gravel substrate will still be here. A big thank-you goes to biologist Cindy
Pettit and the other staff and management of the Regional Sewer Plant for their continued support of this project.
 Page 4 V O L U M E X X X V I II , N U M B E R 6

Fall Migration Count Results (2009)

Donald M. Ware, Bird Count Coordinator

Forty-
Forty-two field birders and 2 feeder watchers participated in our Fall North American Migration Count on September 19th, 17
in Okaloosa County and 25 in Walton County. We gathered some data in all of our 14 areas except Crestview. I am pleased that we
had several first-time participants who are excited about how much fun they had. Together we counted 11,376 birds of 144 species,
121 species in Okaloosa County and 112 in Walton. Even though we are in the leading edge of the migration nationally, we found 45
migrant species that don’t breed here, 32 in Okaloosa and 26 in Walton.
Area leaders in Okaloosa County were Kelly Jones, Lenny Fenimore, Gary Parsons, Karen Wagoner, Beau Didalie,
Didalie and myself,
with Bob McKenney doing his usual good work on the Eglin Eagle Golf Course, the college, and Rocky Bayou GC. Area Leaders in
Walton were Bob Reid, Mary Theberge, Chet Winegarner, Dee Nickerson,
Nickerson and Carole Goodyear,
Goodyear with John Walton covering the Bunker
region only accessible from Bay County. I thank you and all of your supporters for your contributions.
The 20 species found in Walton County, but not in Okaloosa were: 4 Anhinga, 1 Reddish Egret, 1 Black-crowned Night Heron, 1
Lesser Scaup, 3 Clapper Rails, 8 Least Terns, 1 Black-chinned Hummingbird, 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 6 Tree Swallows, 1 White-
breasted Nuthatch, 1 House Wren, 2 American Robins, 2 Orange-crowned Warblers, 1 Magnolia Warbler, 1 Yellow-throated Warbler, 2
Black-and-white Warblers, 1 American Redstart, 1 Swainson’s Warbler, 1 Hooded Warbler, and 1 Eastern Meadowlark.
In Okaloosa County there were 9 species not found in Walton and represented by a single bird:
bird Common Loon, Black-bellied
Whistling Duck, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Chuck-wills-widow, Bank Swallow, Yellow-throated Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Prairie Warbler,
and Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow. The Whistling Duck was first seen resting on the edge of the FWB STF holding pond at mid-day,
and at the Okaloosa holding pond at dusk. I saw the silent Chuck-wills-widow fly through my bright lights during our first owling stop on
Timberlake Road.
The most numerous species this year were 1,361 European Starlings, 1,349 Mourning Doves, and 958 Cattle Egrets. Please
mark your calendar now our Christmas Count December 14th, the earliest possible date, and for the Spring Migration Count May 8th. 8th

In response to Gerald Murphy’s presentation at our September meeting, CAS has

donated $100 to Operation Migration in support of its work to establish migra-
tory flocks of whooping cranes in Florida. Keep track of this fall’s migration pro-
gress at http://www.operationmigration.org/Field_Journal.html.

Education Report
Nonie Maines, Committee Chair
The Education Committee has been puttering along. We’ve been thawing road kill for the Charlie Parkel Memorial
Exhibit at Rocky Bayou State Park which will be a diorama showcasing 3 habitats and wildlife. Exact details are still to be
determined and we are requesting volunteers and donations for taxidermy and materials to build the exhibit.
We’ve purchased a wonderful banner that displays the silhouette wingspans of various birds so students can
stand with their “wings” spread to compare sizes. It was purchased using our minimal budget and donations are being
accepted to replace those funds for other educational opportunities as they arise. Impact Graphics of FWB printed it for
us at a great discount, $200. Its first use was at the Monarch Madness Festival in Navarre in October, a great big thank
you to Nelda and all the folks with Santa Rosa Master Gardeners for helping us with our exhibit! We are lacking active
volunteers on many of our committees here at CAS and NEED you all to help us get things on track! I need to beef up
the Education Committee and get more use out of the Birding Box. I’m requesting a teacher or other educator to help
me promote it in the school system. Please visit our CAS website under Education for more details on the box. The
Eventures are as popular as ever and will resume in March, they are so well attended that I am overwhelmed and we
are considering making them members only! Linda Holloway braved the September Eventure at Henderson Beach and
survived, thanks Linda!
Thank you to Margaret Benner and Gary Parsons for helping me out with education duties!

Learn About Your Watershed

Go to http://www.protectingourwater.org/ and investigate the new FDEP website meant to increase our awareness and involve-
ment in protecting the watersheds in which we live. A map will lead you to the Choctawhatchee River and Bay watershed (or
any other basin in Florida) where you can read overview information, restoration news, etc. Note that CAS is the only contact
listed as a citizen stakeholder and watershed organization, with a direct link to our website.
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Bird Banding at Ft. Morgan

by Donald Ware
The reputation of the Hummer/Bird Study Group's banding operation, headed by Bob Sargent, attracted five cars of our
bird lovers to Ft. Morgan on October 15th. Though the weather was hot, and mosquitoes plentiful in the woods, a strong wind
from the southwest made the three-hour walk around Ft. Morgan more pleasant. Our first thrill was a kettle of 85 Broad-winged
Hawks circling over the red brick road leading to the first banding station. There we found an interesting list of birds sighted
and birds banded since the station opened on 9 October, but activity at the nets was slow. We walked the trails and saw sev-
eral species of residents, but few migrants. There were four birds seen in the nets; Downy Woodpecker, House Wren, American
Redstart, and Hooded Warbler. When we returned to the banding station the baggers brought in two Scarlet Tanagers, an im-
mature male Rose-breasted Grosbeak with colorful under-wing linings, an Eastern Phoebe and an Ovenbird. The only person
brave enough to hold the Grosbeak for release was Karen Wagoner, and it nipped her finger before it flew off. Nonie
Maines released the male tanager.
Our walk around the fort started with a visit to the other banding station managed by Fred Bassett. Fred gave out his e-
mail, [email protected], and encouraged us to notify him of any hummingbird seen after November 15th so he could arrange to
band it. Farther down the grass strip we found a Western Kingbird and two Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, and a Peregrine Falcon
made a low pass. The only sparrows in the grass were Savannah Sparrows. We try to find at least 50 species on these trips,
but when we did a tally at lunch we only had 48. Our car stopped at the bridge in Pensacola to add Great Egret and Ring-billed
Gull to the trip list. The folks in Parson's car spotted a Northern Harrier and an American Kestrel. Participants from our CAS
area included Carole Goodyear, Gary and Kay Parsons, Nonie Maines, Karen Wagoner, Tom Sajwaj, Beau Bochanski, Nelda
Seever, and Noreen Gideon. Fred Doyle and several members of his birding class at Northwest Florida State College
also came; Bob Penhollow, Julia Mamani, Connie Walter, Marvin Skillen, and Carol Benifiel. The participants must have had a
good time, because at least three of them joined NAS/CAS along the way.

On left: Bob Sargent

preparing Nonie
Maines to release non-
breeding adult male
Scarlet Tanager.

On right: Nonbreeding
adult male Rose-
Breasted Grosbeak.
Photos by Carole Goodyear

Bird Walk August 8th

Don Ware
Ten of us from Niceville, Shalimar, Ft. Walton Beach and Navarre met in the Coach and Four parking lot to explore the bird life at the Wrght
Landfill pond, and the FWB and Okaloosa STF holding ponds. We found 52 species in three hours, and Linda Holloway and Murray Cragin took
photos of most of them. Such photos of our local birds make excellent Power Point slide shows during the social portions of our monthly meet-
ings. We had 11 species before we left the parking lot. Young Common Moorhens were of two age groups. The younger black "fuzz balls" fol-
lowing mom were quite cute. There was an brief appearance out of the weeds of a Pied-billed Grebe that may be a migrant. Lenny kept his
sharp eyes on the sky and spotted a distant Peregrine Falcon and a closer Swallow-tailed kite, directly overhead. We found seven species of
herons and egrets plus two immature Yellow-crowned Night-Herons. I rare Piping Plover was at the FWB pond. The rain came during the tally,

Many Thanks to Volunteers for Activities during August – October

Refreshment sponsors: Sylvia Cowen, Tom & Alice Rhodes, and Don & Carol Ware.

Outreach participants: Lenny Fenimore (Navarre Garden Club), Don Ware (FWB Chamber of Commerce – Green Task Force), Gary Parsons (Bluewater Bay
Garden Club, Monarch Madness), Nelda Seevers (Monarch Madness), Nonies Maines (Monarch Madness), and Linda Holloway (Eventures).

Calling Navarre!
Are you a resident of the Navarre area? Do you want to meet your fellow Audubon members? Do you like to attend local events
and interact with local groups? The chapter is being asked to participate in more and more events in Navarre, and we need your
help. We would like to develop a list of volunteers who could be called on in the future to man displays at local festivals or speak to
local organizations in Navarre. Please contact President Carole Goodyear to add your name!
 Choctawhatchee Audubon Society Membership
Name:_____________________________________ Address:_________________________________________
City:____________________________________________________ State:______ Zip:____________________
Phone: ___________________________ E-mail: ___________________________________________________
□Introductory New Member- $20.00 □Individual Member Renewal- $35.00
□Introductory Student/Senior- $15.00 □Renewal Student/Senior-$15.00
When you join you will be part of national, state, and local Audubon groups and will receive...
• Audubon magazine
• Florida Naturalist Magazine
• Our local Shorelines newsletter
Chapter Representatives • Inclusion in Audubon of Florida's advocacy network
• Discounts at Audubon Sanctuaries and Nature Centers

President: Carole Goodyear • Opportunities for Audubon Ecology Camps and specially priced travel adventures
[email protected]…. 897-2666 To join, mail this form and a check, payable to National Audubon Society, to;
Vice President: Gary Parsons National Audubon Society, P.O. Box 422250, Palm Coast, FL 32142-2250
[email protected] ……….678-1461 CAS ONLY memberships are available and include SHORELINES NEWSLETTER ONLY.
Treasurer: Karen Newhouse To join CAS ONLY mail this form and a check payable to CAS to; P.O. Box 1014 Fort Walton Beach, FL 32549.
[email protected]….897.3745
Recording Secretary: Pat Baker
□New Member Newsletter Only- $10.00 □Renewal Member Newsletter Only- $10.00
FL Dept of Agriculture REG # CH4619 A copy of the Official registration and financial information may be obtained
[email protected] .…………...678.2953 from the division of consumer services by calling toll-free (800-435-7352) within the state. Registration does not
Corresponding. Sec: Linda Holloway imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state.
[email protected] ……850-376-0327 Chapter Code: C9ZE110Z
Bird Count Coordinator:
Donald M. Ware……………....862.6582
[email protected]
Conservation: Gary Parsons
[email protected] ……….678-1461
Printed on Recycled Paper
Education: Nonie Maines
© 2007 by Choctawhatchee Audubon Society. All rights reserved.
[email protected]……...862.9588
Field trips Coord : Pat Baker
[email protected] .…………...678.2953
Hospitality: Position available
Membership: Position available A great big THANK YOU to all CAS sponsors !
Nonie Maines
Publicity:
[email protected]……...862.9588
Donations are welcome, and all contributions are
Programs:
Shorelines Editor:
Position available
Theresa Dennis
tax-deductible. Feel free to specify a particular
[email protected]……………. fund/event that you’d wish to sponsor.
Historian: Pat Baker
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