June - July 2008

Vol. XXXV No. 1

Tripping with Audubon

T
he photos below and on the back page show Francis M. Weston Audubon Society members enjoying various field
trips throughout the past year. Also shown are other chapter activities in which members participated. See page 3
for captions.

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 Field Trips Night Sounds . . .
CALENDAR of EVENTS
Saturday, June 28, Weaver Creek Ravine Native

S
Plants. James Burkhalter will lead us on a walk
in search of wildflowers and native plants along lept with windows open again last
Weaver Creek Ravine in Santa Rosa County on Eglin
Air Force Base. Expect moderate walking with night and listened to the night
some steep slopes. Ankle supported footwear is
recommended. Meet at 7:30 a.m. in the parking sounds. Heard a chuck sound off
lot in front of the Target Store located near the
intersection of University Parkway and Nine Mile briefly, then the mockingbird serenaded the half
Road. We will finish by noon.
moon. Leaves crunched under slow footsteps—
Saturday, July 26, Trout Point Nature Trail Native
Plants. James Burkhalter will lead us on a walk coon, possum, cat? Then a whiff of wind and a
in search of wildflowers and native plants along
the Trout Point Nature Trail located next to Big rainfall of crisp oak leaves swirled off the roof.
Lagoon on Pensacola Naval Air Station. Expect easy
walking in sand. Meet at 7:30 a.m. in the Big Lots Soon came deep sleep. By 6 a.m. I was sipping
parking lot located on the east side of Navy Blvd. in
Warrington. We will finish by noon. fresh-brewed coffee and watching the early

birds in the yard. A mocker flew across the open

area coming from the east, and as it neared the

azaleas, the feeder erupted with doves scattering

in a flurry of gray, and jays screaming their way

into the oaks. In swooped the Cooper’s Hawk

from out of nowhere, and nailed the mocker that

sang its solo last night. I’d like to say something

profound right here, but only that after a short

while, bird life in the yard resumed normalcy. The

Zebra Swallowtail by Liz Langston.

thrashers are scratching in the leaves for tidbits

Chapter Meetings for the hungry mouths in the youpon north of

There are no scheduled summer meetings until the cottage...the fish crows are conversing in
August.
what sounds like a family altercation, the wren is

Board of Directors’ Meetings chortling ‘wheedah, wheedah,’ and the doves are
(Open to all members)
again visiting the feeders and calling from nearby
Saturday, July 19, Annual planning meeting,
Baskerville-Donovan building 449 West Main Street,
trees. —Lucy Duncan
Pensacola.

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 Cranes, Chickens and Starbucks
Thirteen lucky birders view the wonders of prairie birding
N
othing beats sitting for three hours in an old horse trailer
on the Nebraska prairie at sunset in March except sitting
in an old school bus for four hours on the Nebraska prai-
rie at sunrise. Mitch Glidden, our local guide in the Ne-
braska Sandhills region, had transformed these ordinary
conveyances into blinds allowing us birders to be voyeurs
into the hormone-fueled life of the male Greater Prai-
rie Chicken and Sharp-tailed Grouse. Spring was slowly
relieving the prairie of winter, and love was in the air.
Now was the opportunity for us to see a manic display
by these male birds to attract those persnickety females.
But a horse trailer with heat? No way! A school bus with a
baño? Are you kidding? A Starbucks in Mullen, Nebraska?
Don’t think so! Difficult to give up creature comforts for
the thrill of witnessing these astonishing birds booming,
moaning, dancing and generally strutting their stuff in a
frenzied effort to be the top bird? Certainly not!
In contrast, earlier in the week we were herded into
a relatively luxurious structure at Audubon’s Rowe Crane
Sanctuary near the Platte River in south-central Ne-
Tripping with Audubon, picture captions from front and back covers.
1. Morris Clark, field trip leader, spots a bird for participants in
the first Nebraska trip. J.G.
2. Sandhill Cranes come to rest by the thousands in Nebraska’s
Platte River. J.G.
3. Annelise Reunert learns how to make an origami crane at
the Platte River Welcome Center. P.R.
4. FMWAS members hunkered down in blinds to see this and
many well-camoflaged Greater Prairie Chickens on their lek
in Nebraska. P.R.
5. Jostling for position in its nest-building routine, Roseate
Spoonbills bow and grunt while adjusting the perfect twigs
in the perfect places. FMWAS members make trips to the
Cypress Island Rookery almost every year. P.J.
6. The Otter Lake sunset framed by cypress and moss is typical
of this serene place. C.B.
7. Welcoming afternoon rays, birders enjoy sunset views of
Otter Lake near St. Marks. C.B.
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by Ann Ziccardi
braska. No heat, but a port-a-potty stood
like a sentinel outside. Again, there were
sunset and sunrise expeditions. Here tens
of thousands of Sandhill Cranes, hun-
dreds of thousands of Snow Geese, and a
sprinkling of other waterfowl bombarded
our senses of sight and hearing. Clouds
of birds—feathers, wings, long legs,
long necks—obscured the sky. And such Starbucks stop required.
noise. What could these birds be chatter-
ing about? Was it the quality of corn in
the Nebraska fields this year, their winter vacations? In
any case, on their way north some of these birds might
fly over an old horse trailer and an old school bus sitting
forlornly on the Nebraska prairie.
Morris Clark planned and guided a thoroughly won-
derful expedition for Francis M. Weston Audubon Society
members to this wonderland of prairie birding. He de-
signed a trip that combined cranes and chickens, and he
never failed to accommodate Starbucks stops.
8. Feeder watching has its rewards as found in this photo. P.B.
9. Ashlee White holds 3 Red-Cockaded Woodpecker nestlings
that had just been banded. You could be this happy, too,
if you volunteered to help Liz Langston during RCW nesting
season at Blackwater River State Forest. L.L.
10. Lucy and Bob Duncan pitch in to build the protective
fencing that keeps nesting Black Skimmers and Least Tern
chicks off the busy Navarre causeway. C.B.
11. Egret chicks at Cypress Island, LA show off for F.M. Weston
members. C.B.
12. Jim Brady prepares bird specimens for Audubon members to
study at PJC. C.B.
13. Photographers and birders just can’t pass up the still
reflections of egrets at St. Marks. P.J.
Photo credits: Cheryl Bunch, Jay Gould, Liz Langston, Paul
Johnson, Peggy Baker, Peter Reunert.
 F i e l d
n Birders were treated to many opportunities to witness
spring migration’s splendor this season. There were six
fallouts, and as luck would have it, they all fell on weekends so
that working folks could get out and enjoy the spectacle. The
first occurred on 5 April when a trough of low pressure stalled
along the coast and dumped nearly two inches of rain in Gulf
Breeze. Lucy and I witnessed a heavy fallout of early migrants
around our house. A squall line ahead of a front found us at
Dauphin Is. on 12 April, witnessing another fallout involving
Scarlet Tanagers, Red-eyed Vireos, Indigo Buntings and
other species. A slow moving front with scattered showers in
the Gulf on 18 April, again found us at Dauphin Is. for the
Alabama Ornithological Society’s spring meeting, treating us and
many other birders to another great display of feathered color,
this time involving many warbler species as well. A cold front
hammered migrants as they were crossing the Gulf on May 11,
causing surprisingly late fallouts on Dauphin Is. and Ft. Morgan.
Lucy and I were fortunate enough to witness all six fallouts!!
And then, just when we’d given up hope of any further migrants
coming through, rains and NE winds brought a smattering of
them to our yard on 17 May. Until then, our latest fallout in
over 40 years of observations had been 12 May. I hope you got
in on the fun!
n A trip across the Pensacola bay bridge on 27 March yielded
the Duncans a quick look at a first winter Glaucous Gull.*
It was seen through 7 April. Five Swallow-tailed Kites seen
over Pensacola by Powers McLeod on 28 March must have been
impressive. Powers and Rosann McLeod counted 24 Yellow-
crowned Night-Herons on 31 March at the 19th Street rookery.
Rarely seen in our area, a Hairy Woodpecker* was in Morris
Clark’s yard on 28 Feb.
n Malcolm Boothroyd, the young birder bicycling with his
family from the Yukon Territories to Florida and back, spotted
a Cave Swallow* in the Duncan’s neighborhood in Gulf Breeze
on 1 April. Kelly Jones also saw one in Ft. Walton Beach on
*
14 April. It is now becoming rare but regular, having been
accidental in years past. A male Bronzed Cowbird,* a western
species, was seen by Ann and Dan Forster at their home in
Pensacola on 6 April. Another mostly western species, a
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N o t e s
by Bob Duncan
Lincoln’s Sparrow,* was in the Duncan yard on 15 April. Six
singing Sedge Wrens at Ft. Pickens seen and heard by me on
16 April were unusual both to time and place. Merilu Rose et
al. saw an Olive-sided Flycatcher,* very rare in spring, on 16
April. I counted 65 Semi-palmated Plovers at the “cut” down
Ft. Pickens road on 21 April, the highest local count ever.
n The rarest bird of the season was an Inca Dove* which
Lucy and I found at Ft. Morgan, Alabama on 19 April. This
was a first state record and coincided with the Alabama
Ornithological Society meeting at Dauphin Island. We were by
ourselves, but thanks to a cell phone, were able to call birders
who caught the ferry to Ft. Morgan and share our find with us.
The species has been expanding out of Texas and had reached
western Mississippi in recent years. Finding a first state record
is like hitting a hole-in-one in golf or getting a grand slam
homer.
n Bobolinks found at Live Oak North, GINS by David Ogden
on 25 April were in an unusual place. Three White-faced Ibis*
flying over the Duncan’s home in Gulf Breeze on 29 April were
surprising in that there are only a handful of records for the
area of this western species. Three Magnificent Frigatebirds
near Destin seen by Les Kelly on 30 April were rare for the area,
as well as Carol and Ray Ascherfeld’s three birds over Pensacola
Beach on 11 May. Ann and Dan Forster spotted four handsome
American Avocets from their home near Bayou Grande on 7
May. Mary Jones reported nesting American Robins near Pace
and Fairfield on 8 May. A rare area nester, they have bred in
that vicinity in previous years. Peggy Baker and Jan Lloyd had
an impressive count of about 20 Chuck-wills-widows during
their census on 20 May in Santa Rosa County for the United
States Nightjar Survey Network. Lastly, rounding off a great
season for birders, Powers McLeod found a tropical rarity, a
Tropical/Couch’s Kingbird on the Pensacola Airport fence on
30 May.
Species with asterisks require documentation so that they may be
processed to become part of the ornithological record.
The Skimmer welcomes reports of noteworthy birds. If you have
something to report, please call Bob or Lucy Duncan at 932-4792.
Ed u c a t i o n / H ya t t C e n t e r by Peggy Baker

Old School Bus Becomes a Blind

Linda Hartmann’s idea allows close-up birding

A
close-up look at a bright red Cardinal with four shallow pools to attract bathing and thirsty
or a brilliant Blue Jay can capture any birds. If you build it, they will come, and more and more
child’s interest in learning more about our birds continue to come. Everyday the children on the
feathered neighbors. The Birding Bus is a bus see several birds bathing and drinking. You did a
wonderful educational tool that provides wonderful job, Morris.
this experience to all of the students who
visit the Roy Hyatt Environmental Center. The next workday at the Center is coming soon. We
hope that you will come a give us a hand, and then spend
Linda Hartmann conceived and implemented the idea of a little time on the Birding Bus. It also captures adults.
turning an old school bus into a birding blind for children.
After the old bus was in place at the Hyatt Center, the seats
were removed and two long benches facing the side windows
were installed. The windows were darkened with a reflective
coating to hide the viewing audience. A ledge for seed was
placed close to the windows. The vegetation around the bus
was trimmed and other feeders were added. The staff provides
food daily. What a great idea, Linda!

Since Audubon’s involvement with the Center, many

improvements have been made to this favorite attraction of
both student and adult visitors. Curtains were added opposite
the viewing windows to further darken the interior and an
air conditioner was installed because it can get a little warm
inside the bus.
Above and below are paintings on the school
Heidi Moore and her mother, Brenda Francisco, painted bus at the Hyatt Center.
a delightful forest mural to camouflage the exterior of the
orange bus. Brenda painted colorful butterflies that could
be seen in the Hyatt environment. Heidi added charming
woodland creatures that include realistic representations of
birds that might be seen in the viewing area. The naturalists
use these illustrations to familiarize students with the birds
in the area before they enter the bus blind. Thanks again to
Heidi and Brenda for this creative endeavor!

When it was decided that more birds would frequent the

area if a water feature were added to the viewing area, Morris
Clark stepped forward to design and build a cascading pond

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 NEWS and VIEWS
Chapter business—annual dinner
Francis M. Weston Audubon Society (FWMAS) members
conducted elections at the annual dinner in late May. The
elections kept in place
the same dedicated
officers as last year,
and Dana Timmons
was added to the Past
Presidents’ Council
(PAPCY). Jere French
was elected for a term
as Director-at-large,
replacing Ellen Roston
Logan Fink accepts award from Jim whose term expired.
Brady, above. Morris Clark, pictured FMWAS presented
below right, received the Curtis a Government Award
Kingsbery Education Award. recognizing the much-
needed groundbreaking
on the new county
water treatment
facility. Logan Fink
accepted on behalf
of the Emerald Coast
Utility Authority.
The Curtis Kingsbery
Education Award was given to Morris M.
Clark for his service to FMWAS as Field Trip
Chair, and for his design and building the
water feature at the Hyatt Center. A special
Certificate of Appreciation was presented to
Lynn Gould, Art Director of the Skimmer,
for her creative artistry in our publication.
Dana Timmons
was added to the
As part of the evening, the second annual
Past Presidents’ Barb Brady Silent Auction was successful
Council. with bidders happily leaving cash in our
coffers for take-home treasures. From cakes
to lamps, a beach house get away and art,
the offerings were as diverse as the bidders.
Wanted: raptor educators
The Roy Hyatt Environmental Center will begin introducing
live raptors into the curriculum this fall. The care, feeding, and
maintenance of non-releasable raptors that have previously
been injured will demand more attention than the Audubon
Naturalists alone can provide. Additionally, the use of raptors
in educational programs requires training and familiarization of
both the birds and their handlers. FMWAS is seeking a cadre of
volunteers who would like to participate in any aspect of such
work with raptors. An orientation session has been scheduled
for Saturday, July 12, 2008 to provide more information to
potential raptor volunteers. Please contact Jim Brady at 456-
5083 to make a reservation for the orientation session.
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When opportunity comes knocking
Our Audubon Chapter works for the environment on several
fronts. Education is so important, but so is conservation. And
getting our message and information out to the community
through publicity is crucial to our goals. The chapter has
positions open for both the Conservation and Publicity
Committees, and opportunities to work with other committees.
Look on page 7 of this Skimmer, and see the standing
committees with which you can serve. The best part of the
deal is that we have a lot of fun planning and executing one
of the best Audubon Chapter programs in the state. So don’t
be shy. This is your “knock on the door”. Open it. Call any
committee chairman or board member to volunteer.
2008 Legislative brief wrap up
Your support made a difference in helping to secure the
passage of positive legislation to fund and continue Florida
Forever, and halt damaging provisions, such as those included
in bills related to aggregate mining. However, much remains
to be done in 2009 to address growth management—which
legislation did not pass—and other key issues. The Florida
Forever program will continue for another ten years with the
passage of legislation this Session. For more information,
please visit supportfloridaforever.org/get.html.
I n m e m o ri a m
Amy Furnans. Our chapter recognizes the loss of long-
time member, Amy Furnans, on March 21. At a critical
time in northwest Florida, Amy was president of FMWAS,
and an active advocate for beach preservation. That
protection came in the form of Gulf Islands National
Seashore, the result of many passionate voices like
hers being heard. Amy’s impact and legacy will be long
lasting.
Red Gidden. Many of us have enjoyed visits to the
St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge over the years.
Our first visit there was March 7, 1971, and we were
hooked. We often left Atlanta after work and spent the
weekend exploring every beautiful, birdy spot. Soon
we were friends with the dedicated refuge biologist,
Red Gidden. He even left the key to the refuge in his
mailbox so we could use the dike roads. After he retired
several years ago, Red continued his regular rounds and
kept meticulous notes about observations. He enjoyed
introducing school kids to the wonders of the refuge.
Red passed away at his daughter’s home in Tennessee
on April 15. His wish was to be cremated and returned
to the part of Florida that had captured his heart all
those years ago. —Ann Forster
 Presidents’ Column Jim Brady
W
ithout a willing candidate to seek
the office of either President or Vice-
President, your society is again being
led by a council of past presidents
referred to as the Past Audubon
Presidents’ Council, or PAPC. This
year that team is comprised of Peggy
Baker, Jim Brady, Morris Clark, Annelise Reunert, and Dana
Timmons. As in the past year, we will function as a team
that rotates the responsibility for conducting business on a
monthly basis, chairing meetings of the Board of Directors
and the monthly membership meetings. Each of us also has
responsibility to chair a committee. PAPC meets informally
every two months or so to ensure that there is communication
among the members about the rotation schedule, and to
identify recurrent deadlines that must be met to conduct
chapter business with our state and national organizations.
On occasion, the Treasurer is invited to a PAPC meeting
to advise us on the status of chapter finances. While this
arrangement works to a remarkable degree, we are hopeful
that members of the chapter will see that it does not obviate
the role of an elected president and vice-president, and that
some shy soul will step forward next year to accept leadership
of FMWAS.
C H A P T E R C O N TA C T S
Presidents’ Council Peggy Baker..................934-3242
Jim Brady.....................456-5083
Morris Clark...................968-5498
Annelise Reunert...........492-4389
Dana Timmons...............934-4521
Recording Secretary Jan Lloyd.....................453-1660
Corresponding Secretary Ann Forster...................456-4421
Publicity ............................ Position Open
Treasurer Becky Grass...................455-9666
Membership Annelise Reunert...........492-4389
Field Trips Morris Clark...................968-5498
Programs Dana Timmons...............934-4521
Fund Raising Camey Hanks.................458-7979
Conservation Alice Harris...................478-2161
Education Peggy Baker..................934-3242
Center Committee Jim Brady.....................456-5083
Skimmer Editor Lucy Duncan.................932-4792
Skimmer Art Director Lynn Gould
Webmaster Debra Jones
Web Address: http://www.fmwaudubon.org/
Summer Challenges­—We are embarking on several
exciting challenges over the summer. First, we will inaugurate
the first summer camp, Environmental Encounters, at the
Roy Hyatt Environmental Center, over four weeks beginning
in mid-June. Second, in August we will hire two full-time
Audubon Naturalists to work at RHEC during the upcoming
school year to implement our curriculum. Third, we will once
again conduct pre- and post- field trip visits to the 2nd and
5th grade classes in ten target elementary schools in Escambia
County supported by a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation. And fourth, as part of the expanded curriculum
for the above program, we will be using live birds of prey
(raptors) during our field trips and classroom encounters. The
last item will require that we develop a corps of volunteers
who are interested in working with live birds, and an item
in another column invites both members and non-FMWAS
members to assist us in the use of live birds in educational
activities. And, of course, we will have our usual challenges to
conservation and protection of the fabulous environment in
which we are so privileged to live here in North West Florida.
We thank you for your support and encouragement and
hope that you will join other members of the chapter in the
many activities we will plan for the coming year.
C o rp o rate S u pp o rters
Armstrong World Industries
Baskerville-Donovan, Inc.
International Paper Company
Pfizer
Solutia, Inc.
Introductory Membership National Audubon Society
Individual/family $20 for one year
$30 for two years
Student/senior citizen $15 for one year
Make checks payable to the National Audubon Society.
_____________________________________________________
name
_____________________________________________________
address
_____________________________________________________
city state zip
_____________________________________________________
phone
_____________________________________________________
e-mail
Francis M. Weston Audubon Society Chapter E46 7XCH
The National Audubon Society occasionally makes its membership list available
to carefully selected organizations whose mailings you might find of interest.
To have your name omitted from this list, please check here r.
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Francis M. Weston Audubon Society NONPROFIT
P.O. Box 17484 ORGANIZATION
Pensacola, FL 32522 U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PENSACOLA, FL
PERMIT NO. 821

Join National Audubon and this chapter

with a one-year introductory membership for
only $20 ($15 for students and seniors). You
will receive Audubon Magazine, the Florida
Naturalist and the Skimmer. Fill in the form on
page 7 and make checks payable to National
Audubon Society. Mail all membership forms
to FMWAS.

Our online edition of the Skimmer is

in full color at www.fmwaudubon.org
<http://www.fmwaudubon.org>

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