|
|
|
"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Newsletter
March 22, 2018
|
|
| |
|
|
Refuge funding continues to decline; private philanthropic support helps fill in the gaps. Thank you for your support.
|
|
|
Trivia Thursday
What types of locally made honey can you purchase in the Refuge Nature Store? Find the answer in this newsletter.
|
|
Click the logo to learn more about our 45/82 Society and leaving "Ding" Darling in your estate.
|
|
|
|
Tomorrow, March 23: Living Bird Lectures
Photographer, cinematographer, and sound recordist
Gerrit Vyn
travels the world to document the lives of birds for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York. A new book created for the lab's 100-year anniversary,
The Living Bird: 100 Years of Listening to Nature
, explores man's joyful and complex relationship with birds. Vyn will illustrate the
 |
|
|
Flamingo image by Gerrit Vyn
|
major themes covered in the book and share many of his powerful images and video recordings from the field during three free presentations at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. on Friday, March 23, as part of the 2018
"Ding" Darling Lecture Series
READ MORE
|
|
Friday, March 30: Florida's Living Beaches
|
|
|
|
Florida's Living Beaches
is for sale in the Refuge Nature Store, proceeds from which benefit Refuge wildlife research, conservation, and education programs.
|
|
Professional naturalists and Florida natives
Blair and Dawn Witherington
have authored five books on natural history topics. On Friday, March 30, the husband-wife team will be presenting two free programs at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., part of the 2018
"Ding" Darling Lecture Series
at the Refuge. The Witherington's recently released second edition of
Florida's Living Beaches: A Guide for the Curious Beachcomber
updates the first edition, which was widely praised by those who enjoy exploring the nature of beaches. The second edition of the comprehensive guide has READ MORE
Lecture Seating Policy
|
|
|
Sponsor of the 2018 "Ding" Darling Lecture Series
|
Seating for the lectures is limited and available on a first-come basis. Early arrivals can save one extra seat each with personal items and then may explore the Visitor & Education Center or Indigo Trail before the lecture starts. Saved seats must be filled 15 minutes before lecture time.
|
|
|
Thursday, March 29: Estate Planning 101
|
|
|
| Jack Thomas |
|
Representatives from local legal and financial advisory firms will team up once again with the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society on Thursday, March 29, for a free Estate Planning 101 panel presentation in the Visitor & Education Center from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. with coffee and donuts provided by DDWS.
|
|
|
Janet M. Strickland |
|
|
|
| Trevor Swartz |
|
"The success of our first free 'class' provided a valuable public service and gave attendees insights, guidance, and tools to help them plan their estate or develop questions for their own advisors and family members," said DDWS executive director Birgie Miller. "This one, too, will provide a means to take that first step for those who haven't already done so and may feel overwhelmed with the process and the new tax laws."
Attendance is free but limited on a first-come basis.
Attendees need not be members of DDWS or intending to include it in their will.
For more information, contact DDWS at 239-472-1100 ext. 4.
|
|
Kudos to 'Feather Jim'
|
|
|
Jim in his studio with a feather pin in the making.
|
Here's a quote from a recent
Florida Weekly
article about our generous and kind "Feather Jim" Sprankle:
"'Jim's contributions to 'Ding' Darling are immeasurable,' said Birgie Miller, DDWS executive director. 'He served as board president for many years, has volunteered since 1997, and has donated a number of sculptures and his famous Sprankle Feather Club pins for charity auction. In addition, a showcase full of his hand-carved duck decoys, each one of which sold for sponsorship dollars, and a whole flock of his bird sculptures decorate and educate at our 'Ding' Darling Visitor & Education Center.'"
Thanks, "Feather Jim!" Click
HERE
to read the article in its entirety.
|
|
Learning Lav Just Got Better
This week we applied the final touches to our Learning Lavatories (#LearningLav) exhibit at our fantastic re-imagined restrooms. Interpretive messages and flip
signs teach visitors as they admire the 3D sculptures and realistic paintings
inside and outside of the restrooms. They are meant to impart quick wildlife lessons while urging visitors to come inside the Visitor & Education Center to learn more. |
Saturday, March 31: FREE Youth Fishing Derby
The
Sanibel Island Fishing Club
free Youth Fishing Derby on Sanibel Island Causeway Park, Island A (closest to the mainland) takes place on March 31. Registration for youth ages 15 and younger opens at 8:30 a.m., with fishing from 9 to 11 and awards at 11:15. Participants must hook and reel in their own catches. Bring your own pole; "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society will be providing free use of a limited number of loaners.
|
|
Thursday, April 5: Honoring Birgie
|
|
|
Birgie paddles the Buck Key Trail in 2011. She led a restoration of the Refuge's trail as Executive Director.
|
Please save Thursday, April 5, for a special open house at the "Ding" Darling Visitor & Education Center to celebrate the achievements of Executive Director Birgie Miller before
she leaves the "Ding" flock this summer
. The public is invited to stop by from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. for refreshments. A special short presentation will take place at 5:45.
|
|
Save April 21 for Earth Day at the Refuge
|
|
|
|
Meet Bagzilla, an incarnate reminder of our plastic addiction.
|
|
Bike or hike Wildlife Drive for free, watch a free film, and take advantage of free upcycle projects at this year's Earth Day at the Refuge on Saturday, April 21, 2018. 
The Refuge will celebrate the 48th anniversary of Earth Day in partnership with Ding" Darling Wildlife Society and Tarpon Bay Explorers. The morning's highlights will include earth-friendly, up-cycled crafts to take home and a ranger-led bike tour. Throughout the day, guests can meet Bagzilla, a "bag monster" dressed in the average person's annual plastic bag consumption, and take advantage of free bike rentals from
Tarpon Bay Explorers
, the Refuge's official recreation concession, located 2 miles south of the Visitor & Education Center.
In the afternoon, view the award-winning film
STRAWS
, a 30-minute documentary about plastic straw litter and how we can make a sea of change - one straw at a time. Watch upcoming "Ding" on the Wing bulletins for a schedule of the day's events.
|
|
Photography Exhibit
|
|
|
Two Burrowing Owls by David Jeffrey
|
|
Bird photographer David Jeffrey is exhibiting 30 bird images in the Visitor & Education Center Auditorium through April 30, 2018. On Thursday, April 5, DDWS will host a free "Meet the Artist" reception from 10 a.m. to noon.
David, a talented amateur photographer who winters on Captiva Island, became seriously interested in bird photography in 2010, upon retiring from a career in finance. The self-taught photographer took inspiration from Arthur Morris, author of
The Art of Bird Photography
.
"I feel a deep connection with the birds I photograph," said David, who lives in Massachusetts, but photographs regularly at the refuge. "I am particularly pleased if the bird is catching food, trying to attract a mate, building a nest, feeding its young or trying to frighten off a potential rival.... I am also fond of the portrait-like quality of one or two birds expressing absolute peace. I feel that peace when I photograph them."
The public is welcome to view David's images, about half of which he shot at "Ding" Darling, during regular Visitor & Education Center hours, daily 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
|
Bid for Art Glass
This beautiful, original piece of artist-created fused glass is now open to phone auction until May 9. Donated by Chris and Kristy Sammet and valued at $2,500, the undersea-motif piece is mounted on a lighted base. The entire piece is 5 feet tall by 3 feet wide. Buy now for $2,500 or start the bidding at $500. Please call 239-472-1100 ext. 4 to buy or bid.
|
Sweet, Tasteful Gifts
Allen Walker has been making honey since age 12. Fifty years later he is still making honey so tasty it made Oprah's "O List" in 2001. He opened Walker Farms in North Fort Myers in the late 1960s. The Nature Store now carries three varieties of his honey. The black mangrove honey is most popular; there's also orange blossom and wildflower. Eight-ounce jars cost $5.75; 12-ounce bears are $7.99.
Stop in and pick up your honey 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, members of "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society receive a 10% discount at the Nature Store. Proceeds from all Nature Store sales go directly to the Refuge for educational programs and wildlife research.
|
Euro Tarpon Team
Thanks to those sponsors who have already joined the cause:
TITLE Sponsor
CHAMPION Sponsors
PREMIERE Sponsors
PRESENTING Sponsors
PLATINUM Sponsors
GOLD Sponsors
   
  
SILVER Sponsors
 
   |
Wednesday Law Enforcement Talks
|
|
|
John Thompson delivers insider law enforcement information.
|
Refuge Law Enforcement Officer John Thompson offers a "U.S. Wildlife Police: The Thin Green Line" talk most Wednesdays during season at
1:30 p.m. in the Refuge Visitor & Education Classroom
. The 30-minute program features the history of the federal wildlife protection, a police gear show-and-tell, and handouts for "junior officers." The program is offered based on Officer John's availability, so call ahead to 472-1100 ext. 222 each Wednesday to confirm.
|
In each issue of "Ding" on the Wing, we showcase one of more than 560 refuges in the U.S.A.
|
|
|
Image courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
|
Location:
68,993 acres in Augusta, Arkansas
Totemic fauna:
Prothonotary Warbler, Mallard
Fun for the Family
: The refuge holds a Youth Fishing Derby in the summer.
Visitor's Tip:
The refuge has a visitor contact center and limited accommodations. Check for availability and program schedules.
|
|
|
Mallards image by Jim Daniel
|
|
|
|
|
Prothonotary Warbler, image courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
|
|
In each issue of "Ding" of the Wing, we share a quick tip on how you can turn your lifestyle greener. For more information on being environmentally aware, visit our
Go Green web page.
Avoiding Plastic: Carry Your Own Cutlery
Like plastic bags, single-use utensils are usually used once for a few minutes and then recycled or thrown away. Much of the plastic cutlery, especially at take-out places and events like festivals, is made of polystyrene, so the user is getting a little dose of hormone disruptors besides.
Get in the habit of carrying your own cutlery with you and leaving a set in the car. Just grab a stainless steel knife, fork, and spoon from your kitchen drawer and put them in a little cloth bag.
Doing Our Part to Reduce Plastic
"Ding" Darling is committed to and has led the way on the islands in reducing the single-use plastic products that plague our planet and threaten wildlife. Thanks to DDWS' efforts, we have eliminated plastic shopping bags and one-time-use plastic water bottles in the Refuge Nature Store and at Tarpon Bay Explorers' gift shop. In recent years, the Refuge has also installed a filtered water refill station and transitioned to compostable plates, cups, and flatware for event use.
|
Click
here to see this week's wildlife sightings
 WILDLIFE SIGHTING: A
Mallard Duck made a rare visit to the Bailey Tract earlier this week! Did you know? Mallards are the most widespread and common duck in North America, but also the most commonly hunted.
Thanks to Rebecca Clemens for the photo.
Nice catch! This juvenile
Little Blue Heron can be distinguished from other white herons and egrets by its two-toned bill, smaller size, and green-ish legs and feet.
Thanks to Miri Hardy for the photo.
Awesome mohawk, dude! Did you know? During mating season, male
Anhingas develop extra crest feathers around the head. Here, you see a female Anhinga accepting a courtship display from a male and the two are ready to build a nest.
Thanks to Diane Doran for the photo.
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.
|
Birgie Celebration
- April 5, 2018
Volunteer Holiday Luncheon
- December 14, 2018
Volunteer Awards Luncheon - February 8, 2019
|
These are just snapshots of some of the things taking place at your Wildlife Refuge. Please check our
website to learn more!
Sincerely,
"Ding" On The Wing composed by Chelle Koster Walton. Designed by Sierra Hoisington and Amanda Brooks
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
