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"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Newsletter
August 31, 2017
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More New Family Fun Day
Activities 
The calendar of events for "Ding" Darling Days'
FREE Family Fun Day
on Sunday, October 15, just keeps getting better. Here's what we've added to the days' activities in the last couple of weeks:
- Live animal presentations by CROW will include
Birds of Prey
, starring an American Kestrel and Great Horned Owl, and
Do's and Don'ts of Animal Rescue,
with a Gopher Tortoise and Virginia Opposum.
Throughout the day, fly-fishing demos
by Sanibel Flyfishers and the Refuge Monofilament Busters'
Get the Lead Out
fishing gear exchange are planned. (
Bring your toxic lead weights and jigs to exchange for environmental-friendly ones.
)
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Scan this QR code to learn more about #LearningLav. |
Phase II of our new restroom interpretive exhibits progressed last week as artist David Williams began work on the outdoor 3D mural. He will be mounting lightweight wildlife sculptures to depict an underwater scene. They will join the mother and baby manatee "sculptires" installed in May by local artist Andrew Corke, who fashioned them out of recycled bicycle tires.
Inside both restrooms, David will also paint murals that give visitors the illusion of being underwater. Photographic tile murals installed this month feature an image of a mangrove landscape taken at the Refuge.
Funded by a grant from the West Coast Inland Navigation District (WCIND) and contributions from private donors, Project #LearningLav will create educational messaging inside the lavatories and on the outdoor wall leading to them. Simple teaser bubbles and artistic representations of mangroves, recycling, manatees, sea turtles, fish, and birds are meant to entice visitors into the free Visitor & Education Center to learn more.
"We have identified a major missed opportunity for educating visitors," said Birgie Miller, Executive Director of the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society, which is facilitating the grant and project. "Whereas we see nearly a million visitors to the Refuge each year, only about a quarter of those numbers enter the Center. We were finding that many come to use the restrooms without ever stepping foot inside to see all of our wonderful educational exhibits."
DDWS would like to thank members of the project planning and implementation committee members for their insights and imagination: Staff Carrie Alexander, Nate Caswell, Jeff Combs, Sierra Hoisington, Emily Koval, Sarah Lathrop, Birgie Miller, Monica Scroggin, Paul Tritaik, Chelle Walton, and Toni Westland; and volunteers Andrea Conners, MaryBeth Greenplate, Amy Herd, Marilyn Kloosterman, Kathy McCabe, Jen McSorley, Toni Ory, Sheridan Snell, Christine Szymanczyk, and Ann-Marie Wildman.
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Project leader Wesley Boone holds a rice rat for tagging.
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Sanibel Island Rice Rat Study
by Wesley Boone, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida
With five research field seasons under its belt, the Sanibel Island rice rat research team has just one left, scheduled for December 2017 through February 2018. During its most recent field season, which spanned June and July 2017, the team caught and released 15 individual rice rats, the second largest total since the project began.
A majority of the animals were from properties protected by "Ding" Darling NWR. This season was atypical, as many of the rice rats captured had been tagged in the previous season (winter 2016-2017), indicating that recent environmental conditions may have been favorable for rice rat survival.
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Labor Day Weekend Closure 
The "Ding" Darling Visitor & Education Center will be closed on Monday, September 4, in observance of Labor Day. Wildlife Drive and Tarpon Bay Explorers will remain open during usual operating hours. Refuge and DDWS offices will also be closed on Monday.
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 Staff Promotion
Christopher Galloway recently accepted a promotion from DDWS' part-time Nature Store Assistant to full-time Assistant Office Manager. He began working for DDWS in December 2016, assisting Refuge Nature Store Manager Jeanne Walsh. As a graduate of Florida Southwestern State College's technology programs, he has proven invaluable in many facets of DDWS' operations. In his new position, Chris will continue to assist in the Nature Store and, as of August 28, has taken on additional managerial responsibilities working with office manager Joann Hinman in READ MORE
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A student from Pelican Elementary School in Cape Coral works on her class's "Celebrating Birds" project, which was funded by a "Ding" grant last school year.
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Teacher Grants
The "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society and "Ding" Darling Refuge have announced their 12th annual teacher grants. Up to $10,000 in grant awards are available to teachers in Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Glades, and Hendry counties this school year for conservation education-related projects. Teachers in the five-county area may apply for grants up to $1,000 each to purchase teaching aids, books, and classroom materials; fund new classroom science projects; take field trips; or conduct work projects in the community. All schools are invited to submit conservation-related proposals by
October 31, 2017
. The approved proposals will be awarded by READ MORE
Did You Know? In the past 11 years, DDWS has granted more than $73,000 to local schools for environmental projects. The teacher grants are funded by the DDWS Conservation Education Endowment Fund established by Jay "Ding" Darling's grandson, the late Kip Koss. To make a tax-deductible donation in support of the fund, contact DDWS Executive Director Birgie Miller at 239-292-0566 or by clicking here.
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Sanibel Captiva Beach Resorts General Manager (and DDWS Board Member) Brett Gooch with Refuge mascot, the Blue Goose. |
Generous and loyal partners of the Refuge, Sanibel Captiva Beach Resorts (SCBR) this year again joins sponsors for
"Ding" Darling Days
at the Great Blue Heron Level. "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society co-hosts the 29
th
annual birding and eco-festival, which will draw more than 6,000 visitors to the Refuge the week of October 15-21, 2017.
Thanks to all of our sponsors who are making "Ding" Days possible:
ROSEATE SPOONBILL SPONSORS:
GREAT EGRET SPONSORS:
GREAT BLUE HERON SPONSORS:
REDDISH EGRET SPONSORS:
Sarah Ashton & Jim Metzler, In Memory of Roger Bell,
Blu Site Solutions, Art & Susan Cassell,
Casa Ybel,
Cedar Chest Fine Jewelry, Jerry Edelman and Maryann Daly, Sally & Rich Ennis,
Florida Weekly, Phyllis Gresham,
Grounds by GreenWays,
Intech Printing & Direct Mail, Inc.,
Island Inn,
Jensen's on the Gulf and Marina & Cottages,
Mitchell's Sand Castles, Muench Families &
Periwinkle Park,
Sanibel-Captiva Kiwanis Club
, David Schuldenfrei - Realtor & Roberta Schuldenfrei,
SNOWY EGRET SPONSORS:
Absolute Pressure, Inc.,
Ambu Yoga,
Barefoot Charley's Painting Co., Big Red Q Quickprint,
Colony Inn,
Island Therapy Center,
Marina Customer Service Training, Sanibel School Steel Drumming Band,
George & Wendy Schnapp , Jim & Anne Scott,
www.seashells.com, Vasanta Senerat CPA, PA, Winston & Barbara Spurgeon,
Tents 'n' Events
,
Chelle Koster Walton.
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 Photo Contest Deadline
Ben Vanos from Interlochen, Michigan, captured a close-up of a Snowy Egret (right) to win honorable mention in last year's contest.
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 Senior Pass Rate Increase
The lifetime pass
America the Beautiful
for seniors ages 62 and older
increased from $10 to $80 on August 28
. Since mid-June, when the increase was announced, pass sales at The Nature Store jumped drastically. Staff reports selling nearly 5,000 of the passes during that time.
A percentage of the sales will directly benefit "Ding" Darling Refuge.
"The $80 pass is still a bargain, because it gets you into more than 2,000 national wildlife refuges, parks, monuments, and other federal lands," said Nature Store Manager Jeanne Walsh. "Take into consideration that most national parks charge up to $30 per vehicle for one-time admission."
To read Jeanne's report about the rush to buy passes this summer and her thanks to all involved, please click here.
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What to Do with those Eclipse Glasses?
Click here to learn how to recycle your cardboard eclipse glasses to educate children around the world about safe solar eclipse viewing. Astronomers Without Borders will redistribute the glasses to schools in Asia and South America, where solar eclipses will take place in 2019.
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They're here! 2017's whimsical wildlife holiday cards have arrived. One set features
three each of five different designs for $14.99. The inside message reads: "May the beauty and wonder of nature bring you hope and joy this holiday season and in the new year."
Stop in and pick up your cards today. Or contact Store Manager
Jeanne Walsh
at 239-472-1100 ext. 241 for more information about mail-ordering these and other
featured products
.
Remember, proceeds from all Nature Store sales go directly to the Refuge for educational programs and wildlife research.
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In each issue of "Ding" on the Wing, we showcase one of more than 560 refuges in the U.S.A.
Here, DDWS staff shares another refuge they visited while on an outreach trip to Minnesota this summer.
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Photos courtesy of USFWS
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Canvasback Duck |
Location
:
The refuge is located along the Mississippi River in four different states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois.
Totemic Fauna
: Canvasback Duck, White-tailed Deer, and Muskrat
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| DDWS staffers, Sarah Lathrop, Carrie Alexander, and Birgie Miller enjoy a boat ride with refuge and friends group board members during their recent visit to the Upper Mississippi River Nat'l Wildlife Refuge. |
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Muskrat
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Fun for the Family
: Fishing,
hunting, wildlife viewing, and boating.
DDWS Staff Tip
: This is the only refuge that is purely water-based. Enjoy the fact that you are within the refuge while you are boating, kayaking, or fishing the waters.
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As the sun begins to shine after our tropical depression experience here on Sanibel, we are beginning to see our wildlife friends again. On the left, a
Reddish Egret
dries off after a successful catch. On the right, a
Double-crested Cormorant
begins to spread its wings.
T
o see more wildlife photos like this one, click on our social media links:
If you have taken any beautiful, interesting, or just plain goofy photos taken at the Refuge, send them to Philanthropic Coordinator,
Carrie Alexander, for a chance to be featured in upcoming newsletters.
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National Public Lands Day (fee-free day on Wildlife Drive) - September 30, 2017
Veteran's Day Weekend (fee-free days on Wildlife Drive) -- November 11-12, 2017
Volunteer Holiday Party - December 15, 2017
Biweekly Wednesday Film Series - January 10 - April 4, 2018
Friday Lecture Series - January 19 - April 13, 2018
Volunteer Awards Luncheon - February 9, 2018
Sixth Annual Go Wild for "Ding" Fundraiser -
February 14, 2018
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These are just snapshots of some of the things taking place at your Wildlife Refuge. Please check our website at
www.dingdarlingsociety.org to learn more!
Sincerely,
"Ding" On The Wing composed by Chelle Koster Walton. Designed by Sierra Hoisington.
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