The Limpkin Times

Apalachee Audubon Society Mission Statement:
Protection of the environment through education,
appreciation and conservation.

June 2021

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photo by Keith L. Berry

President's Message

Dear Friends,

This is my last letter as President of Apalachee Audubon Society. I will remain on the board and work closely with FAMU intern Cierra Nelson on our Pineview Elementary After-school Bird Club, and plan to re-energize our environmental education committee. I hope some of you will join me in this effort. Call me at 850 386-1148 if you are interested.

The new board of directors will meet for a planning retreat this month and activities will begin again in September, hopefully in person. Elections were held electronically in May. Kathleen Carr will serve as President, Heather Levy as Interim Vice President, Harvey Goldman as Treasurer and Nelson Ball as Secretary. Directors are Caleb Crow, Natasza Fontaine, Howard Kessler, Peter Kleinhenz, Donna Legare, Norma Skaggs, Rob Williams, and Dara Wilson. We really appreciate the service of outgoing board members Chase Brestle, Amelia Fusaro, Peter Goren, Peter Kelly, and Liz Schold. We are suddenly down to one Peter!

AAS has committed to fund an exciting project for this summer and fall. Three FAMU 4-H students proposed a project for an Agri-Science competition for which they were awarded an Honorable Mention but no funding. They plan to grow native wildflowers from seed that they will plant in the FAMU Community Garden. Plants will also be distributed to the community at several community pollination workshops led by the students. They will also participate as a vendor at the St. Marks Monarch Festival in October, teaching visitors about the importance of pollinators and distributing plants. They have the full support of their 4-H Extension Agent advisor entomologist Sabrina Hayes who will oversee their work. Please read about their project below.

We have committed $1000 for the purchase of seed, soil and other supplies and have a commitment from an AAS member for $250 thus far (only $750 to go!). If you would like to contribute to this worthy project, please send a check made out to AAS for any amount (it will add up) to PO Box 1237, Tallahassee, Florida, 32302-1237. Please write FAMU 4-H in the memo. Or you can donate on-line through our website, www.apalachee.org.

Hope you have a wonderful summer. I feel like mine began today (May 30) sitting on our front porch watching a Downy Woodpecker working the extensive branches of our live oak for insects. A juvenile also worked nearby branches, less successfully, but papa fed it regularly. I have been contemplating this oak tree for years and recognize its importance, even more so as I am reading Doug Tallamy’s new book, The Nature of Oaks .

Best wishes for good reading and good birding this summer,



Sincerely,
Donna Legare
President, Apalachee Audubon


In this issue:

FAMU 4-H Project – Pollinator Paradise
Black Birders Week
New Film: The Falconer
St. Francis Wildlife Assoc. Virtual Owl Program complete with
Adventure Bag through Leon County Public Library
FAMU 4-H Project - Pollinator Paradise
Recently, three FAMU 4-H members participated in the National 4-H Agri-Science Summit. Following the summit, the students created a community action plan, titled Pollinator Paradise. The plan was one of the 21 selected for the Dolphin Tank (4-H’s spin on Shark Tank) competition.

On April 29th Thailer Jones, Morgan Newman, and Stephen Hayes delivered their CAP pitch to a panel of leaders in the agri-science industry.

Representatives from organizations such as Brightmark, CME Group, Corteva, Farm Credit, National Corn Growers, Nationwide, New Holland Agriculture, and Nutrien served as evaluators for various Dolphin Tanks.

Pollinator Paradise was selected as a 2021 4-H Agri-science Honorable Mention. Although this did not provide for award funding, we are all very proud of them and extend our congratulations.
Black Birders Week Ends Saturday June 5
From National Audubon: This year’s celebration showcases Black STEM unity and the many unique ways Black people connect in the outdoors. It is organized by the BlackAFinSTEM Collective, a group that seeks to support, uplift, and amplify Black STEM professionals in natural resources and the environment through professional development, career connection, and community engagement.   At 7:00 PM, Tuesday, June 1 the Cornell Lab of Ornithology will host a webinar with Rodney Stotts. Click this link to register for the event.

New Film The Falconer: ‘You care for birds, and they heal you.’

THE FALCONER is a story of second chances: for injured birds of prey, for an abandoned plot of land, for a group of teenagers who have dropped out of high school, and for Maryland resident, Rodney Stotts. Dotted with abandoned buildings and towering trees, the former juvenile prison complex of Oak Hill is full of potential as far as Rodney Stotts is concerned. One of only a handful of African American falconers in the country, he envisions a refuge for the animals he loves and transformative opportunities for his stressed community in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
As Rodney Stotts embarks on his mission to build a bird sanctuary he draws upon the participation of his community. Without money, he builds aviaries with donated wood.  Without staff, he calls on family, friends, and volunteers for help. THE FALCONER is a testament to the power of one man and one big dream, in service of the belief that everyone deserves access to nature. https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/event/webinar-birdseyeview-falconry-with-rodney-stotts/
St. Francis Wildlife Assoc. Virtual Owl Program complete with
Adventure Bag through Leon County Public Library
Whooo ate Whooom?

Jun 7 at 6:30 PM EDT
Jun 10 at 2:00 PM EDT
Meet and learn about all four owl species that live in North Florida. Then learn how owl pellets are formed, dissect a real Barn Owl pellet and reconstruct and label skeletons of the owl’s prey, all while an owl watches. With the St. Francis Wildlife Association @Wildlife.Matters.to.Florida. This event will be streamed through Zoom.
Pick up a pellet activity bag at any library location beginning June 2.

Monday, June 7 @ 6:30 p.m.: https://zoom.us/j/98727654006
Thursday, June 10 @ 2:00 p.m.: https://zoom.us/j/92155245679
Apalachee Audubon Society A North Florida Chapter of the National Audubon Society