Spot Oystercatchers and other shorebirds at Ft. DeSoto this month with Brian Rapoza.
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Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Bird Walk
Saturday, April 6, 7:30-11am
TAS President Jose Barros (bilingual) and guest leader Neil Hayward, author of
Lost Among the Birds
, will lead birders through Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. Meet at 7:30am in the Matheson Hammock parking area adjacent to Fairchild’s north entrance. Entrance fee to Fairchild will be waived for TAS and FTBG members. No pre-registration required.
To hear about Neil Hayward’s “Accidental Big Year,” join TAS and Leica Store Miami Friday, April 5, 7pm, the evening before the walk, at the Leica Store Miami’s Birds ‘n’ Brews (scroll down for details).
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Birding
Sunday, April 7, 7am-4pm
Luis Gonzalez will lead an all-day carpool trip to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Collier County. Meet at 7am at the Government Road/Snake Road service station (Exit 49 on I-75) in Broward County. There is an admission fee for Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary (discount for Audubon members). Bring lunch. No pre-registration required.
Enchanted Forest Elaine Gordon Park & Arch Creek Park Bird Walk
Saturday, April 13, 8-11am
Luis Gles will lead birders through Enchanted Forest Elaine Gordon Park and adjacent Arch Creek Park. Meet at 8am in the Enchanted Forest parking area (1725 NE 135th Street in North Miami). No fee. No pre-registration required.
Crandon Park Bird Walk
& post-walk Picnic
with #PhoebesBirding
Saturday, April 13, 8-11am
The Phoebes (an all-female birding group) will lead a bird walk at Crandon Park. Meet at 8am at Crandon Park (6747 Crandon Boulevard, Key Biscayne, FL, 33149). Use the north gate, head to the north end of the parking lot and meet at the bus shelter by the parking area in front of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center. Please note that there is a $7 parking fee on weekends. The walk is open to female birders of any experience level. For those without binoculars, Leica Store Miami will provide optics on a first-come, first-served basis. Bring water, snacks, sunscreen and insect repellent. No fee. No pre-registration required.
After the walk, join the Phoebes for a late-morning picnic at one of the park’s beach-side tables. Please bring your favorite picnic bites to share!
Ft. DeSoto Birding
(Set Departure, 2 Spaces Left)
Tuesday, April 16 - Thursday, April 18
TAS Field Trip Coordinator Brian Rapoza leads this 3-day, 2-night van trip to Ft. DeSoto and other spring migration hotspots in the Tampa Bay area. Stops en-route may include Six-Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, Babcock-Webb Wildlife Management Area, Oscar Scherer State Park and Celery Fields Regional Stormwater Facility. Fee: $450 per person double occupancy; $150 single supplement (includes lodging and van/gas only). Reservations are required; application and fee are due at the time of booking.
E-mail Brian
to request an application or more information.
A.D. Barnes Park Bird Walk
Saturday, April 20, 7:30-11am
Bill Boeringer will lead birders through A.D. Barnes Park. Enter on SW 72nd Avenue just north of Bird Road (SW 40th Street), turn left at the T intersection and park in spaces on either side of the road. Meet at 7:30am. No fee. No pre-registration required.
Matheson Hammock Park Bird Walk
Saturday, April 27, 7:30-11am
John Boyd will lead birders through Matheson Hammock County Park on Old Cutler Road. The group meets at 7:30am in the parking area at the south end of the park, adjacent to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. No fee. No pre-registration required.
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park Bird Walk
Sunday, April 28, 8:15-11am
Liz Golden will lead birders through Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne. The park opens at 8am and walk will begin at 8:15am. Meet at No Name Harbor (from the entrance station, take your first right and drive west to the parking area). Costs include park entrance fee and Rickenbacker Causeway toll. No pre-registration required.
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"Birds Matter" Art Exhibit
Works by Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart Students
Opening Night Reception @TAS
Friday, April 5, 6-8pm
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Art by Danielle Medina, student at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart
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Our historic Doc Thomas House period parlor is transformed into a vibrant art gallery as Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart students unveil their sweeping exhibit titled "Birds Matter." The impressive works convey each artist's unique interpretation of a bird that inspires them, presented in a range of mediums including ceramics, encaustics, watercolor, cyanotype and silk screen prints, acrylics, collage and mixed media. Created by students from Montessori to seniors, these artworks were conceived as part of their research of endangered and threatened birds to honor the recent Centennial of the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
The exhibit's opening night reception will also feature complimentary light fare and our Donation Bird Bar.
“Birds Matter” will hang through April in our society's “Florida Heritage Site” 1932 cottage headquarters. Hours vary so please contact Events Director Amy Creekmur at
[email protected]
to make an appointment.
Bonus:
Park for free on our Steinberg Nature Center grounds via the 55th Avenue entry gate on a space-available basis.
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Birds n' Brews: Neil Hayward
—
The Accidental Big Year
@Leica Store Miami
Friday, April 5, 7-9pm
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At the dawn of 2013, Boston birder Neil Hayward suffered a chronic bout of The Big Year. His temporary insanity resulted in nearly 250,000 miles of travel to the remote edges of this continent — Barrow in the frozen north; the Dry Tortugas in the subtropical south; Newfoundland to the east; and tiny Adak, adrift in the volcanic Aleutian chain, to the west. Plus a mid-Atlantic peninsula they call New Jersey. By year end, he'd netted 749 species of birds and set a new ABA Big Year record. In his Leica talk, Neil will condense his Big Year into a Big Hour. Hear about exotic birds, remote places, volcanoes, polar bears, Aleutian plumbing and more. Health Warning: Big Years can be contagious!
Neil will have a limited number of his
Lost Among the Birds book
available for purchase and signing. Bonus: Sample craft beer courtesy of The Brooklyn Brewery.
Pre-registered guests will receive seating priority.
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Doc Thomas House Guided Tours @TAS
Saturday, April 6, 1 & 3pm
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Visit the historic Doc Thomas House for a captivating, 45-minute guided tour led by a Tropical Audubon Society docent. Learn about the Birds' benefactor Arden Hayes “Doc” Thomas and Robert Fitch Smith, the architect Thomas commissioned to design the house. Tour the distinctive, wood-and-limestone structure with its many ornamental and built-in features. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, named a Florida Heritage Site and designated a Dade County landmark, the charming 1932 cottage is an architectural gem. Gain insights into local South Miami and Audubon history, too. Tours include a stroll through our Steinberg Nature Center pollinator gardens and nature trails, weather-permitting.
Save the dates: First Saturdays of the month through June 2019.
Times: 1pm & 3pm Tours / House and Grounds Open 12:30-4pm.
Admission FREE: Donations Welcomed
Tropical Audubon Society: 5530
Sunset
Dr., Miami, FL, 33143
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Walk in the Woods with Wine & Whisk
New World Spring Edition
@TropicalAudubon
Wednesday, April 10, 2019, 7pm
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Experience this enchanting, biannual alfresco dinner party staged on our "green island" campus under our iconic chickee. The Spring edition of WWWW features New World wines courtesy of Republic National Distributing Company. Begin your evening with a sparkling wine reception on the Keystone patio followed by an exquisite 4-course dinner prepared on-site by Chef Carlos Montenegro of
Whisk Gourmet.
A Joy Wallace Catering helps set the convivial table! Net proceeds benefit capital improvements to our historic headquarters and Steinberg Nature Center grounds.
Limited Seating | $125 p/p
(tax-deductible amount: $50 per ticket)
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Register today to Earn Your Wings
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Attend the Audubon Ambassador Program @TAS
Become a more powerful advocate for the environment!
Coastal Resilience & Sea Level Rise + Dune Replenishment Project
Saturday, April 27, 9:30am-4pm
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Roseate Spoonbill habitat is under serious threat by Sea Level Rise. Photo: Charles Wait Wait.
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Earn your Wings — the Audubon Ambassador Program is open to anyone 18 years and older who is curious to learn more about the environment.
Our 2019 April session spotlights Sea Level Rise, Coastal Resilience and Dune Restoration. Hear about current regional efforts to combat Climate Change and mitigate Sea Level Rise
.
Gain the advocacy skills needed to personally help protect our coasts. Get hands-on experience as we join South Florida Audubon and Wells Fargo volunteers for a Dune Replenishment Project that will help re-establish dune vegetation at an area beach TBA.
Attendance for this session will be capped at 12 attendees. The first 6 new attendees who register will have their session fee waived.
Click HERE
to RSVP or pay at the door, cash or check
Click HERE
for a flyer for the 2019 Audubon Ambassador Series
Click HERE
to apply for a student scholarship for the program
FEES:
$10 per session (modest handling fees will be added by Eventbrite). Pinning Ceremony Picnic free for program attendees.
Ride: Bike to TAS or take the Metrorail. TAS is just a 10-minute walk east from the South Miami Metrorail Station.
Park: Limited on-site parking via our 55th Avenue auto gate. Nearby metered, valet and garage options.
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The Audubon Ambassador Program
is a series of workshops and field trips designed to make you a more engaged, educated and effective advocate conservationist. Learn from leaders in their fields and become a strong advocate for the water we drink, the air we breathe and the habitat that nurtures, shelters and sustains our region’s birds and other wildlife. You’ll come away knowing more about South Florida ecosystems, environmental challenges, sea level rise and hurricane resilience issues — and, most important, practice making a difference. Talks on issues will be followed by advocacy exercises. Field trips bring each month’s classroom discussions to life.
RSVP
for these additional Session Dates:
May 25, 2019, 9:30 AM – 4 PM; Session 3 - Pine Rocklands
Native Plants | Habitat Conservation | Doc Thomas House Tour
June 22, 2019, 9:30 AM - 4 PM; Session 4 - Biscayne Bay
Coral Reef Restoration | Water Quality | Seagrasses | Boat Tour on Biscayne Bay
August 24, 2019, 9:30 AM - 12 PM; Session 5 - Smart Growth
Urban Planning | Economic and Community Development | Bird-Friendly Buildings
September 28, 2019, 9:30 AM - 4 PM; Session 6 - Birding 101
Audubon Network | History of Birding | Basic Bird Identification | Bird Walk
October 26, 2019, 9:30 AM - 4 PM; Session 7 - Native Plants for Birds
Greening for Birds | Invasive Species | Eco-Restoration
November 23, 2019, 11:30 AM - 4 PM; Pinning Ceremony Picnic
Networking Lunch for Current & Past Audubon Ambassadors | Highlights of the Year
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Relax with Yoga Nidra under the Chickee @TAS
Thursdays, 7:30-8:30pm
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Unwind under the Audubon Oaks. Join Hridayam Yoga instructor Carol Jamault for outdoor Yoga Nidra. These deeply relaxing and restorative classes take place under the TAS chickee hut for the joy of those who love to put their bare feet on the ground, listen to the sounds of Nature and enjoy the perfume of verdant woods in a tranquil urban oasis! Yoga Nidra is a great tool to manage stress, improve sleep quality and regenerate the nervous system. Classes include gentle asanas, pranayama and exercises for the joints.
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Make Everglades Restoration a Florida priority
Register today for Everglades Action Day in Tallahassee
April 8-9
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Join the Everglades Coalition for its 7
th
Annual Everglades Action Day. Visit our state's Capitol and educate elected leaders on the dire need for Everglades Restoration. Materials and advocacy training will be provided. Free bus transportation and scholarships are available.
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Florida Trail Association Meeting @TAS
Tuesday, April 9, 7-9pm
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FTA's April meeting will feature a captivating talk by Erin Dahl, seasonal Maine Field Coordinator for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, who will discuss her experiences and how to get involved with volunteer trail crews on the Appalachian Trail this summer.
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Eco-Restoration Day @TAS's Porter Russell Pine Rockland Preserve
Club, College, Corporate & Private Parties Only
Second Saturday of each month, 8:30am-12pm
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Eco-Restoration Days at this site are now reserved exclusively for service clubs, ecology classes, corporations and private work parties of 10 volunteers or more. Advanced reservations are required. RSVP to Events Director & Volunteer Coordinator Amy Creekmur at
[email protected].
Helping TAS steward our 8-acre Porter Russell Pine Rockland Preserve in South Miami-Dade County is ideal for community service credit and corporate team-building. This precious parcel is one of the few remaining tracts of globally imperiled Pine Rockland habitat remaining outside of Everglades National Park. Work-party details and requirements will be provided upon registration.
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Baynanza — Do the Shore Thing
Biscayne Bay Cleanup Day
Saturday, April 13, 9am-noon
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Baynanza is a celebration of Biscayne Bay and its significance as one of South Florida’s most important ecological systems. More than 25 great events through April comprise Baynanza, but the event that has become synonymous with this celebration is the Biscayne Bay Cleanup Day.
Registration for the Biscayne Bay Cleanup Day is now open.
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Rise Up Florida Environmental Committee Meeting @TAS
Thursday, April 18, 6:30pm
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Rise Up Florida! is a grassroots group of engaged citizens whose goals are to mobilize people, activate them to protect our community from unfair and unjust policies, and work toward electing representatives who reflect the core values of equal rights and opportunity for all.
Pot-luck — bring something delicious! Please be mindful and refrain from using disposable items to make, carry or serve your dish. No plastic bags, single-use plastic or styrofoam, please.
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Eco-Restoration Day @TAS's Steinberg Nature Center
Saturday, April 20, 8:30-11:30am
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Learn about indigenous plants and help TAS maintain the near-native landscape at our Steinberg Nature Center campus. We need you! Restoration Days are held on the 3rd Saturday of every month. We're flexible — show up between 8:30 and 11:30am — you will meet conservationists, birders, plant lovers and gardeners just like you lending a hand.
Please bring sunscreen and your refillable water bottle; wear closed-toe shoes. We will provide water.
Eco-restoration days take place on the third Saturday of every month. Groups welcome!
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Perch @ TAS on Earth Day
Monday, April 22 Dawn-Dusk
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Stroll our Pine Rockland and Hardwood Hammock habitats — roost under the Audubon oaks and picnic in the shade as the birds flit, the butterflies flutter and the bees buzz by. Bring a book, breakfast, lunch, yoga mat, journal, camera or just breathe deep in our 2.2-acre urban oasis.
Wherever you alight, do something meaningful for Mother Earth, and ask your friends to do the same! It's as easy as joining Tropical Audubon Society or renewing your membership on Earth Day.
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Miami Pine Rocklands Coalition Meeting @TAS
Thursday, April 25, 7-9pm
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Federally Endangered Pine Rockland Resident: Bartram's Hairstreak Butterfly
Photo: Al Sunshine
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Get the latest information surrounding the Walmart/Coral Reef Commons Development plans now set in motion at the former University of Miami South Campus.
Learn about how to better protect the region’s remaining Pine Rocklands and how you can participate.
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iNaturalist City Nature Challenge
Saturday, Friday, April 26 – Monday, April 29
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City Nature Challenge
is an opportunity to showcase Miami-Dade County’s amazing biodiversity, while competing against cities around the world for the most observations, species and participants. Add observations to iNaturalist on your own anywhere in Miami-Dade County.
*
If are on e-Bird and are interested in reporting biodiverse data, give iNaturalist a try, especially on City Nature Challenge weekend, April 26-29. Let’s win this, Miami!
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RECYCLE Electronics, Paint & Household Chemicals!
Saturday, April 27, 9am-noon
Coral Gables City Hall Parking Lot
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It's spring, time to press the refresh button. The City Beautiful’s Earth Month Recyling Day helps keep our Planet beautiful. Bring anything with a power cord or battery — appliances large and small, computers, flat screen TVs and other electronics — to be recycled for the greater good. Household hazardous chemicals, including paint, solvents, insecticides, etc., will also be accepted. Please tell your peeps!
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Conservation Concert @TAS
Featuring
#
BIRDSTOCK
Saturday, April 27,
7pm
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A bevy of topflight South Florida bands and solo performers will headline the 10th annual
Birdstock
on Saturday, April 27th. Be sure to catch this 2019 ConCon finale as these premier singer/songwriters showcase their uniquely personal sounds, original music and select covers.
The
muy delicioso Taco Fresh
food truck
will close out the season; donation
Bird Bar
beverages will flow courtesy of Republic National Distributing Co.
Picnic tables available on a first-come basis.
CASH Door: $10 donation, children under 12 free
Proceeds benefit capital improvements to the historic Doc Thomas House and Steinberg Nature Center grounds, as well as staging of on-site conservation and education workshops.
Parking options:
Limited on-site parking via the 55th Avenue entry gate; nearby metered, garage and valet parking options within 1-3 blocks; Metrorail service to South Miami Station.
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Party for the Planet @Zoo Miami
Saturday, April 27, 10am-3pm
Sunday, April 28, 10am-3pm
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Party for the Planet at Zoo Miami’s annual Earth Day celebration featuring lots of fun conservation-themed activities for the entire family included with Zoo admission.
FREE admittance to Party for the Planet attendees who donate a cell phone to the Zoo's ECO-CELL recycling program. In addition to entering free of charge, those who donate cell phones will also be helping save gorillas. Cell phones components include coltan, a mineral extracted in the deep forests of Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa, home to the world's endangered lowland gorillas. Fueled by the worldwide cell phone boom, the Congo's out-of-control coltan mining business has, in recent years, led to a dramatic reduction of habitat and the rampant slaughter of great apes for the illegal bush-meat trade. By donating your old cell phone, the harvest of additional coltan can potentially be reduced and gorillas protected.
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Go Solar!
Join a Solar Co-op Information Session Near You
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Miami-Dade residents have come together to form a neighborhood-centric Miami-Dade Solar Co-op with the help of Solar United Neighbors of Florida. The co-op makes it easier to save money on the purchase of solar panels, while building a community of local solar supporters. Attend an information session in your neighborhood to learn more about how the Southern Miami-Dade Solar Co-op is streamlining the going solar process and is earning a discount through bulk purchase power.
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The Birds Thank Whole Foods Market, America's healthiest (and greenest!) grocery store chain. Whether supporting Homestead farmers, Wynnwood brewers, Keys Fishermen or Florida Ranchers, Whole Foods Market keeps it local.
Our "Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet" near neighbor (located 3 blocks north of our campus on Red Road) annually partners with TAS to help present "Walk in the Woods with Wine & Whisk" and the "Bee-Cause Flea" among other on-campus events.
Supporting those vendors who support TAS is an easy way to contribute to our Mission.
The birds will thank you!
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