Scrub Jay

Jay
Marion County Audubon Society,Inc. Non-Profit Org.
P.O. Box 5616 U.S.Postage
Ocala, FL 34478 Paid
Ocala, FL
Permit No. 255

Marion County Audubon Society Inc. Newsletter

February 2008

A River Near Us is Dying - Do you care?

February Calendar
☛ Saturday, Feb. 9 - Marion County Audubon Society bird walk at
Orange Creek Restoration Area. Call Carolyn Retey at (352) 622-2850 to
make reservations.
☛ Tuesday, Feb. 12 - 6:30 p.m. Marion County Chapter of the Native Plant
Society meets at the Marion County Extension Service (Ag Center), 2232
N.E. Jacksonville Road, Ocala.
☛ Feb. 15-17 - Rally for the Rivers. Hosted by Putnam County Environmental
Council at Ravine Gardens, Palatka. Go to www.pcecweb.org
☛ Tuesday, Feb. 19 - 7 p.m. Audubon Meeting. Topic: Swallowed-tailed
kites in Florida by Dr. Ken Meyer at Grace Episcopal Parish Fellowship
Hall, 503 SE Broadway, Ocala
March Calendar
☛ Sunday, March 9 - A joint bird walk with Alachua Audubon at Emeralda
March led by Bubba Scales. Call Carolyn at (352) 622-2835.
☛ Tuesday, March 18, 7 p.m. Audubon meeting. Topic: Lucy Tobias author of
50 Great Walks in Florida, slide presentation and book signing
I recently attended a meeting hosted by the Northeast INSIDE
Florida Regional Council on the future of the St. Johns River. We Swallowed-tailed
met in a convention center surrounded by the lush verdant (read Kites
well-watered and fertilized) fairways and greens of the World Golf Page 2
Center in St. Augustine. The concerned public showed up in droves
while elected officials, for whom the meeting was intended, made a Successful count
half-hearted appearance. Page 3
Speakers used the word “sustainable growth” frequently but
it was quite evident that there is a wide gap in defining sustainable.
Even with conservation efforts they’ve done, Orlando’s
Do you care cont.
Page 4
representative said Orlando needed water from St. Johns River. St.
Johns River Water Management speaker said this is not a new topic.
Plans for withdrawing water have been discussed since 1994. One Every drop counts
site is already drawing water from the St. Johns and studies show all Page 5
planned withdrawals would only marginally impact the river
systems. New Faces
To SJRWMD the word “sustainable” does not mean limiting Page 6
the growth machine, it only refers to how much you can extract out
of our natural resources to con tine to feed the growth machine. Birds of a feather
While most speakers portrayed the aquifer as nearing its Page 7
sustainable limits, with surface water the next easy source of
drinking water, one speaker had a much darker and dryer message.
Calendar
Neil Armingeon of the St. Johns River Keepers detailed the
significant decline in groundwater levels and a corresponding
Page 8
increase in salt water intrusion.
The St. Johns River sank to historic low levels in 2007 with
salt water flowing further upstream than ever before.
........................Continued on Page 4
 Swallowed-tailed kites in Florida
On Tuesday, Feb. 19 come to the
Birds of a feather flock Date__________
N
40
E. Silver Springs Blvd. Audubon meeting, starting at 7 p.m. together
Grace at Grace Episcopal Parish Hall, 503 Marion County Audubon Society, Inc. Name__________________________
Episcopal
offers a local chapter membership option Address________________________
SE Broadway Church SE Broadway, Ocala.
to those who wish to be involved in Marion City________________Zip_________
Swallowed-tailed kites have been
441 County’s environmental issues and Phone___________Fax____________
seen in the area! Check out the E mail_________________________
activities.
SE Fort King St. Florida Breeding Bird Atlas at: $10 membership paid by

SE Tuscawilla
Pine Avenue

Local Audubon membership includes

www.myfwc.com/bba/astk.htm a monthly (during the winter) issue of The ____cash ___check
SE Watula

Field trip news - SAVE THIS DATE
Coming up on Sunday, March 9 is a joint
bird walk with Alachua Audubon at Emer-
alda Marsh. This bird walk will be led by
Bubba Scales, owner of Wild Birds
Unlimited in Gainesville.
Call Carolyn at (352) 622-2835 to get
directions or meet at the parking lot to
Wood Duck Drive in Lisbon.
Don’t forget February 9
They are here until late July to nest.
We are sure to learn a lot from Dr.
Ken Meyer, PhD, executive Director
of the non-profit Avian Research and
Conservation Institute. He has been
studying these birds since 1988. You
will learn about their nesting habits,
migration and habitat selection.
This meeting is free and open to
the public. Bring family and friends.
Light refreshments are served. Meet
fellow Audubon members and pick
Scrub Jay, Marion Audubon’s newsletter. ____new ___renewal
The newsletter has information on Prior Audubon chapter elsewhere?
meetings, programs, activities, issues for _____yes____no
your involvement and guided field trips Are you willing to serve an active role?
to identify native birds, flora and fauna. _____YES ____no
Dues are $10 annually. A bargain!
Three easy ways to join:
3. Use the form above, and mail it to:
1. Go online and sign up at: Marion County Audubon Society, Inc.
www.marioncountyaudubon.com
P.O. Box 5616
2. Print the online form and mail it to us. Ocala, Fl 34478

WE NEED YOU!
Marion County Audubon Society bird walk up free handouts on ways you can
at Orange Creek on Saturday, Feb. 9. Call help local wildlife and get involved
Carolyn at (352) 622-2850 for reservations. in environmental issues.

We are on the Web at

www.
marioncountyaudubon.com

Go where the birds are . . .

www.floridabirdingtrail.com

2 7
New Faces in Marion County Audubon Society Successful Second SW Marion County Aududon Christmas Count Com-
pleted
Ocala Anthony Summerfield The second annual SW Marion County Audubon Society Christmas Bird County
Jim Walls Karen Kudia Laura Sewell was completed on January 3, 2008. Thanks to the dedicated organizational skills of Norm
Ruth Wisnewski Belleview Ann Perry Lantz, overall CBC leader, fourteen captains and their team members, bird sightings were
Linda Smith Roy Kinney John & Joan Kowal recorded despite some mighty cold temperatures.
Homer Circle Fort McCoy Loudonville, N.Y. To view the results of the Christmas Bird count and birding trends, please visit the
The Specht Family Walter Neville Mary Holstein Marion County Audubon Society Web site at www.marioncountyaudubon.com
John Bishop Citra You will see what species were seen on the Rainbow River, Withlacoochee River,
Elizabeth Payne
James R. Morales
Patricia Stewart
Hawthorne
Welcome to all our in Oak Run, Palm Cay, On Top of the World, Rainbow Springs State Park and all around
southwest Marion County.
David Kuhn
Margaret Seery
Karen Ausley
Weirsdale
new members Kudos to all who braved the freezing temperature to compile the birding data!
Valentine’s Day is coming up Thursday
Sharon Young
Mrs. B. Wesley
Ronald Smith
Orange Lake
See you on bird walks February 14
Pat Kohn
Cleo Ainsworth
Marilyn Nehring
Silver Springs
and at Audubon Give your feathered friends a gift -
a new birdbath
Robert G. Rourke
Joan Promin
Patricia Owens
Claudia Spiewak
meetings! a new feeder
a birdhouse
Officers/Board 2007-2008 Marion County Audubon Society, Inc.
Co-Presidents Website And remember butterflies need love
Robert Stenstream & Guy Marwick Jim Yaich too
Secretary Program Chair
Rosalie Coyner Erika Ritter (352) 546-5718 plant a butterfly friendly plant.
Asst. Sec. & Volunteer Coordinator Field Trips Who said Valentine’s Day was just
Deborah Appling Carolyn Retey (352) 622-2850
Treasurer Conservation about chocolate?
Larry Sutton Margy Bielling, Judy Greenberg
Communications Chair & Publicity Dolores Sassser Do you know
Lucy Tobias (352) 816-1251 Birding Guide
Communications Team Jeannie Konicki where the four
Sandra Fernandez, Teresa Darnell Data Base & Membership Chair Great Florida
Jane Pope (E-mail distribution) Ron & Vicky Stapp
Earth Day Coordinator Telephone Membership Team Birding Trail sites
Vince Druding Dot Hull, Jane Eberts are in Marion
Education Sybil Brennan
Ron Broman & Jim Buckner Hospitality Team County?
Newsletter & Mailings Dot Hull & Greta Archer see Page 5
Betty Olson

6 3
Do You Care? continued . . .
The Ocklawaha, a major tributary of the St. Johns , has seen its flow decreased
by over 40 percent in the past 50 years. SJRWMD has done little to arrest these alarm-
ing declines. Now it proposes to cause more damage by pumping water from the lower
Ocklawaha and various places on the St. Johns, water that will fuel new development.
Even areas of the Withlacoochee River went dry in 2001 and again in 2007. This
river is also being considered as a water source for Central Florida.
The St. Johns River and its tributaries is an impaired system. Should SJRWMD
take water from these areas, purify it for public consumption then dump the extracted
pollutants and concentrates BACK into the river, it would be a gross misuse of their
state mandate to ensure the environmental health of rivers.
SJRWMD would have you believe there is little danger in dumping effluents
back into the river. They also say it is fine for Georgia Pacific to discharge millions of
gallons of effluents directly into the St. Johns River. And they assert that the genetic
mutations in fish and high mercury levels in all species of fish is fine. Oh, and would
you please believe that the recent algae bloom on the St. Johns River is of little conse-
quence?
In addition to the environmental degradation of the rivers, there is an enormous
cost associated with building the infastructure to withdraw, clean and pipe the water to
municipalities. The estimated costs are $811 million to withdraw 84 million gallons a
day from the Ocklawaha River. For all of the SJRWMD envisioned projects for the St.
Johns River, Withlacoochee River and Ocklawha River the estimated cost is four billion.
Who will pay for this short-term, disastrous fix expected to supply water for only
ten years? You guessed it. Us. The taxpayers.
The St. Johns River Water Management District’s problem is that no one be-
lieves what they say and with good reason. They have failed as stewards of our rivers
and our lands. The talk of “sustainable” as a soothing balm but their policy and actions
keep the Florida growth machine in overdrive, and rivers are dying.
What can you do? Get involved. Learn the facts and make your voice heard.
The Putnam county Environmental Council will host its annual Rally for the
Rivers on Feb. 15-17 with a Water Supply Workshop on Friday, Feb. 15. It will be a
great weekend to learn and enjoy the many planned activities.
In addition, write to Governor Charlie Crist to express your opinions. His
address is: Governor Charlie Crist, the Capitol, 400 S. .Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Fl
32399-0001.
Robert Stenstream, Marion County Audubon Society Co-President
4 5
Every Drop Counts: Save Florida’s Waters
This simple message from the St. Johns River Keepers was displayed and resounded from the
halls of the St. Johns County Convention Center on January 25th at a Water Summit sponsored by the
North East Florida Regional Council. The purpose of the summit was to educate elected officials of the
seven counties that make up this council in order to set a plan of action for water resource related issues.
Marion Audubon was one of the many environmental groups attending the summit and witness to the
long-suffering and pains taking positioning that all jurisdiction north of the “central divide” are facing.
How to engage the central and southern counties in meaningful dialog about Florida’s water
issues is paramount to the sustainability of every aspect of the Florida economy and lifestyle. Former
Jacksonville Mayor John Delaney spoke of the differences in need between the north and the central
counties. The north depends upon the St. Johns River as a port and for commerce while the central coun-
ties need it as a residential public water supply.
Hal Wilkening of the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) attempted to
address the delicate balancing act of environmental protection and the needs of the people of Florida.
Wilkening pointed out that surface withdrawals have been utilized by places such as Melbourne and
Cocoa for 20-plus-years. This experience coupled with the ever expanding knowledge base being shared
by the Water Management Districts will allow maximum withdrawal levels (MFL) to be set with greater
confidence so that salinity in the St. Johns River will not be impacted long-term.
Steve Siebert, Executive Director for the Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida and a
former Pinellas County Commissioner during the Water Wars of southwest Florida advised the group
about the need for effective communication internal to the region and externally with SJRWMD and the
state. He stated that Pinellas County did not understand why the state and the northern counties were
upset because the SWFWMD had issued a 20-year permit that the county had not exceeded. He cited
common ownership utilities with common rates and humility of the leadership as essential components
to a successful water supply planning effort.
So we anxiously await the outcome of this summit to determine if north-central Florida, Marion,
Alalchua, Flagler, Volusia Putnam, Baker and Bradford counties will have allies to the north in our
efforts to Save Florida’s Waters. (Note: This letter was shortened to fit this space)
Judy Greenberg, Marion County Audubon Conservation Committee & President of the Seedlings Garden Club of McIntosh
The four Birding Trail sites
in Marion County are Salt
A Cruising Down the River
Springs in Ocala National You are invited aboard The Anhinga Spirit.
Forest, Sportsman’s Cove in Experience the Ocklawaha River.
McIntosh, Silver River State The wildest Outstanding Florida Waterway.
Park and Trips are custom designed, educational and fun!
Licensed by USCG
Ocklawaha Prairie
352-546-5718 (home) 352-817-7820 (cell)
Restoration Area
captainerikaritter@yahoo.com