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The Limpkin Times
Apalachee Audubon Society Mission Statement:
Protecting the rich biodiversity of the Florida Panhandle through education, appreciation, and conservation.
July 2022
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This summer, please share the beach with consideration of our nesting shorebirds.
In this Issue:
Aug. 7 Chapter Field Trip: J.R. Alford Greenway with Juli DeGrummond
Share the Shore this July 4th
Bald-headed Birds
Volunteer Request
We’re looking for volunteers to help with a children's summer camp program at the Jack McLean Community Center. AAS is organizing one-hour-long bird/nature classes, with outdoor activities, July 11-15 and July 18-22. We have someone running the classes, but we need individuals to help out during the one-hour-long class each day, Monday-Friday, probably early afternoon. If you are able to help out for one or more days, please contact us ASAP at [email protected].
President's Message
Summer is a relatively inactive time of the year for Apalachee Audubon. We do not have any chapter activities scheduled for July, but we will have a field trip in August. If you’re spending the hot afternoons inside, check out our programs from this past year on the AAS YouTube channel, link listed below. If you missed the Noah Strycker talks, direct links to those are provided as well. You might enjoy cooling off with his Antarctic penguin stories!
Congratulations and welcome to our new Board of Directors! We have three new members and you can click below to visit their bio pages on our website.
Caleb Crow, Harvey Goldman, Howard Kessler, Peter Kleinhenz, and Rob Williams are returning for another year, as am I. If you haven’t already, you can read our bios at our Board of Directors webpage.
We will be holding our annual retreat in July to plan the next program year’s activities (our year runs July-June). If you have any suggestions for programs, field trip destinations, or other birding activities, please email us at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Kathleen Carr
President, Apalachee Audubon
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J. R. Alford Greenway is one of Tallahassee’s most popular parks, with more than 17 miles of multi-use trails.
August Chapter Field Trip (Guided)
J.R. Alford Greenway
2500 Pedrick Rd, Tallahassee, FL, 32317
Sunday, August 7, 8:00 - 10:30 AM ET (Sign-in starts at 7:45 AM)
We won’t be having any field trips or socials in July, but on August 7, join local birder Juli DeGrummond for a 1.75 mile walk at J.R. Alford Greenway for a chance to see species such as Orchard Oriole, Northern Bobwhite, and Black-bellied Whistling Duck. Click here to check out the eBird hotspot page.
No registration necessary. We will meet in the parking lot at 8:00 AM and walk about 2.5 hours round trip at a leisurely pace. The trail covers grassy, somewhat uneven terrain, but is suitable for beginner hikers. Please bring water, snacks, sunscreen, bug spray, binoculars, a hat, and a camera if you'd like. Sun protective clothing is highly recommended as a portion of the hike will be in exposed fields.
When you get to the park, you will need to check in with an Audubon representative to sign a liability waiver. We ask that you not attend if you have had any symptoms associated with COVID-19 two weeks before the field trip, or have been in direct contact with anyone who has had any symptoms associated with COVID-19.
Please arrive by 7:45 AM to sign in so the walk can start on time.
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Independence Day is a cause for remembrance and celebration. Unfortunately, celebratory fireworks can literally frighten birds to death.
Although beachside fireworks shows are entertaining to many people, the bursts of color and noise wreak havoc on coastal birds—especially for nesting species. After each fireworks explosion, birds panic and fly from their nests, scattering the chicks and exposing them to predators and heat until their parents return. For this reason, it is better to attend a municipal firework show versus deploying store-bought fireworks on the beach.
Debris left from the fireworks litter our beaches and near-shore waters and can be easily mistaken for food by sea turtles and other marine animals. Hungry chicks nibble on plastic refuse, even ingesting some of the smallest pieces.
Audubon Florida urges Floridians and visitors to let the birds nest in peace by not deploying personal fireworks on the beach.
Over the July Fourth weekend, Audubon Florida’s bird stewards will be out in full force at locations across the state where people and beach-nesting birds co mingle. These important ambassadors for nature help coastal visitors learn about the birds to better understand what is happening inside posted areas.
To make our beaches safer for birds:
- Give nesting birds at least 100 feet of distance or as much as possible. Signs or people will alert you to these areas, but some birds haven’t settled down to start nesting yet and may just look like they are resting in the sand. Please avoid walking through flocks of birds on the upper beach.
- If pets are permitted on beaches, keep them leashed and well away from birds.
- Remove trash and food scraps, which attract predators that will also eat birds’ eggs and/or chicks.
- Do not drive on beach dunes or other nesting areas.
- Attend a municipal fireworks show instead of deploying personal fireworks.
In addition to natural threats such as hurricanes and predators, beach-nesting birds face a suite of other challenges, many of which are human-induced. This includes vehicular traffic, kites, off-leash dogs, getting stepped on, and firework displays on crowded beaches. These disturbances can cause adult birds to abandon their nests or chicks, which can ultimately lead to chicks starving, getting eaten by a predator, or overheating in the sun. This Fourth of July weekend, many birds are re-nesting and will have their final opportunity to successfully raise young this season.
Please be alert: if a bird dive-bombs you, you have gotten too close.
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Are you seeing bald birds at your feeder this summer? Male Northern Cardinal, photographed June 27, 2022 by Kathleen Carr. |
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It’s that time of year in North Florida, and you may be seeing bald-headed Blue Jays and Northern Cardinals, like the bird in the above photo, showing up in your yard and at your feeders. Not to worry! Bald-headedness is more common in Northern Cardinals and Blue Jays than other feeder species. These two species are more likely to molt all of their head feathers at once, though occasionally bald-headedness can be due to other factors, such as mites. If you notice a bald-headed bird of another species, it could be the result of an abnormal molt. Staggered feather replacement is the normal pattern for most birds.
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