April 2020
The Blackburnian warbler is a colorful spring migrant.
Finding Joy in Spring Migration
Backyard Birding with Field Trip Coordinator Brian Rapoza
The postponement or cancellation of TAS field trips due to the present pandemic doesn’t mean you have to stop enjoying birds. You’d be amazed at how many birds you can find right in your backyard or neighborhood!  Since my retirement almost two years ago, I’ve been birding regularly in the condominium complex where I live, amassing a “yard list” to date of nearly 80 species. 

My “yard” is blessed with many native trees, including mahogany, gumbo limbo and strangler fig, plus a few non-natives including royal poinciana, all of which are used by a variety of resident and wintering woodpeckers and songbirds. The condo complex abuts a lake, attracting waterfowl and wading birds (including Limpkins!) which add to the mix. Raptors seen soaring overhead have included Osprey, Swallow-tailed Kite and Short-tailed Hawk.  

During spring and fall migration, bird diversity in my yard often increases dramatically as transient flycatchers, thrushes, warblers, tanagers, orioles, etc., seek out any urban oasis they can find for rest and refueling. Depending on weather conditions (the passage of a front with a westerly wind component is ideal), the diversity can change on a daily or even hourly basis! Since April is the peak of spring migration in south Florida, it’s likely that I’ll be spending much of the month attempting to add to my yard list.

While virtually all of the county’s parks have recently been closed to help slow the spread of the virus, most of us still have backyards or tree-lined streets around our neighborhoods that are available to us for birding, so I encourage you to get up early when you can to check them out. Your neighbors may still be jogging, dog-walking, etc., so if you go for a walk, remember to maintain best practices for social distancing by staying at least one “turkey vulture wingspan” from others.

In these uncertain times, we need more than ever to give ourselves a daily dose of sunshine, fresh air and birdsong. A solo birding visit to your backyard or surrounding neighborhood can provide that. If you decide to take my recommendation, please share your sightings with the local birding community via eBird or the TAS Bird Board, either on our website or on Facebook. With our shared inspiration from birds and the natural world, we’ll all get through this better and stronger than ever!
Enjoy Spring Migration,
Brian Rapoza
Tropical Audubon Society Field Trip Coordinator
In the Field
Cedar Waxwings are a common South Florida winter resident.
Photo: Marlin Greene
SCHEDULING: Local parks and our TAS campus remain closed as part of our collective effort to help flatten the COVID-19 transmission curve. Therefore, near-term birding trips and other events are cancelled or postponed. We will continue to re-evaluate scheduling and keep you informed with weekly updates. 
CANCELLED
Kendall Indian Hammocks Park Bird Walk
Saturday, April 4, 7:30-11am 

CANCELLED
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Bird Walk
Saturday, April 11, 7:30-11am 

CANCELLED
Ft. DeSoto Birding
Saturday, April 18 - Monday, April 20

TENTATIVE (pending park re-opening)
Government Road & Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Birding
Saturday, April 18, 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 preregistration required.
 
TENTATIVE (pending park re-opening)
A.D. Barnes Park Bird Walk
Sunday, April 19, 7:30-11am
 
Luis Gonzalez 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, returning at approximately 11am. No fee. No preregistration required.

TENTATIVE (pending park re-opening)
Matheson Hammock Park Bird Walk
Saturday, April 25, 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. Return is at approximately 11am. No fee. No preregistration required.

TENTATIVE (pending park re-opening)
 Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park Bird Walk 
Sunday, April 26, 8:15-11am
 
Miriam Avello will lead birders through Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne. The park opens at 8am and walk begins at 8:15am, returning at approximately 11am. Meet at No Name Harbor (from the entrance station, take your first right and drive west to the parking area). Costs include the Rickenbacker Causeway toll and an entrance fee to the park. No preregistration required.
Reserve Your Spot Now!
 Southeast Arizona Birding Trip
(during Monsoon Season)
August 2-11, 2020
Spaces Available
The Lucifer Hummingbird is among the jewels you may spot on this trip.
Stefan Schlick and TAS Field Trip Coordinator Brian Rapoza will lead this 10-day birding tour to Southeast Arizona, arguably the best place anywhere in the U.S. for early-August birding. When the mid-July monsoon rains arrive, the desert turns green and birds love it! Additionally, monsoon season is a great time for rarities to show up.

Desert birding will, for the most part, be restricted to the cooler early-morning or late afternoon hours, with much of each day spent exploring higher elevations in the Chiricahua, Huachuca and Santa Rita mountains, scouting specialties such as Elegant Trogon, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Mexican Chickadee and Red-faced Warbler. The number of Hummingbirds and other fascinating birds that can potentially be seen in this region is staggering, so even if you've birded Southeast Arizona before, you’ll still feel like a kid in a candy store! 

Fee: $1,900 per/person double occupancy, $400 single supplement, which includes transportation, lodging, guides and park fees. Not included is round-trip airfare to Tucson, meals, tips, laundry or other incidental expenses. A $500 deposit is due at the time of booking, with the remaining balance due by May 2, 2020. If COVID-19 travel moratoriums result in a trip cancellation, all monies will be fully refunded.

For details or to book your trip, click here .  Email  Brian Rapoza , TAS Field Trip Coordinator for additional information.
Chirping About
Judge rules AGAINST county's proposed SR-836 extension that would breach UDB & Everglades Footprint
Roseate Spoonbills and other Everglades wading birds rely upon existing wetlands habitat for their survival.
Photo: Charles Wait
Administrative Law Judge  Suzanne Van Wyk  has ruled against Miami-Dade County’s proposed SR-836 extension outside of Miami-Dade County’s Urban Development Boundary (UDB) intruding into the Everglades Footprint. Her March 30 decision may well have sounded the death knell for the planned 14-mile, 6-lane toll road. The sole justification for the tollway — that it would improve congestion — was flatly rejected based on the evidence presented.
 
The ruling is a clear victory for Tropical Audubon Society and our co-petitioner Miami-Dade County resident Michelle Garcia, who joined us in opposing plans for a tollway extension into precious buffer farmlands and crucial Everglades wetlands located in southwestern Miami-Dade County. Together, we challenged the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority’s proposed SR-836 tollway extension as inconsistent with state land use planning laws and the county’s own land use plan. The Hold the Line Coalition, Friends of the Everglades and 1000 Friends of Florida provided us with substantial support in mounting this successful conservation effort. We extend our sincere thanks to our formidable attorneys Richard Grosso and Paul Schwiep.

With this favorable ruling in hand, TAS and our coalition partners will next urge Governor DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet to put an end to this ill-advised road extension project.

We thank our members and friends for your ongoing support of our opposition to the proposed SR-836 Extension plans.
 
Click HERE  to read the full press release.
Click HERE  to read the judge’s Order.
Click HERE  to read the Miami Herald’s story.
Click HERE  to listen to WLRN’s story.
Green Things to Do
Postponed (pending house re-opening)
“Pollinators” Art Exhibit @TAS
Presented by Tropical Botanic Artists 
Thru Monday, April 27
Artist: Silvia Bota
This exhibition of original art showcases the variety of creatures who pollinate South Florida’s abundant plant life. Focusing on these complex natural relationships, members of the Tropical Botanic Artists collective illustrated birds, butterflies, moths, bees, wasps – even aquatic zooplankton — with the plants they pollinate. An informative label accompanies each work.
 
The crucial role of pollinators is familiar to commercial farmers and home gardeners alike. In South Florida’s remaining uncultivated places – pine rocklands, hardwood hammocks, wetlands and coastal mangroves – the connection between plants and their pollinators is symbiotic. These co-dependent relationships, though not always obvious, can be extremely strong. Without one, the other will not survive.

For a private weekday viewing, contact  events@tropicalaudubon.org .

ABOUT the Artists:  The Tropical Botanic Artists collective was established in Miami, Florida, in 2006 to highlight the beauty of tropical plants through art. Its members come from all walks of life and each brings a unique viewpoint to his or her work. They share a love of the natural world and that fascination is reflected in their art. Artists with works in the Pollinators exhibit are Margie Bauer, Beverly Borland, Kristi Bettendorf, Silvia Bota, Marie Chaney, Susan Cumins, Jeanie Duck, Pauline A. Goldsmith, Leo Hernandez, Carol Ann Lane, Elsa Nadal, Laurie Richardson, Donna Torres and Jedda Wong. All are South Florida residents. For more information, visit  www.tropicalbotanicartists.com
CANCELLED
Doc Thomas House Guided Tours @TAS
Saturday, April 4, 1 & 3pm
CANCELLED
Florida Trail Association Meeting @TAS
Tuesday, April 14, 7-9pm
POSTPONED (Date TBA)
Walk in the Woods with Wine & Whisk
New World Spring Edition
@TropicalAudubon
Wednesday, April 15, 2020, 7pm
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)

Email Elizabeth Smith for updates.
 
TENTATIVE (pending site re-opening)
 Planting for Birds! 
"Bird-Friendly" Eco-Restoration Day 
@TAS’s Steinberg Nature Center
Saturday, April 18, 9am-12pm 
Do you have a green thumb, or wish to learn more about native plants for birds? You are invited to take part in an exciting new TAS project at our Steinberg Nature Center campus! Volunteer to help install our Bird-Friendly Demonstration Garden and get hands-on experience creating wildlife habitat. The knowledge and skills you gain will enable you to establish a bird-friendly garden in your own yard or patio.
 
Going forward, we will meet every third Saturday from 9am until noon to further transform our urban campus into a bird-friendly wildlife habitat.

The new Bird-Friendly Demonstration Garden is supported by the Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Regulations Management (DERM), National Audubon Society and Audubon Florida.
 
Follow our progress on our social media outlets, and become a part of the metamorphosis by volunteering.
 
Planting a Better World for Birds & People!
 
Contact volunteer@tropicalaudubon.org for more information.

POSTPONED (New Date TBA)
Baynanza — Do the Shore Thing 
Biscayne Bay Cleanup Day
Saturday, April 18, 9am-noon
TENTATIVE (pending site re-opening)
Perch @TAS on Earth Day
Wednesday, April 22 Dawn-Dusk
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.

Entry Gate Access information TBA.
iNaturalist City Nature Challenge 
(Take Photos of Wild Plants and Animals)
Friday, April 24 – Monday, April 27 
(Identify what was found)
Tuesday, April 28 - Thursday, May 3 
City Nature Challenge  is an opportunity to showcase Miami-Dade County’s amazing biodiversity. Add observations to iNaturalist on your own anywhere in Miami-Dade County. 
 
Click HERE  to find out more.
TENTATIVE (pending site re-opening)
 Conservation Concert @TAS
Featuring  # BIRDSTOCK 
Saturday, April 25,   7pm
A bevy of topflight South Florida bands and solo performers will headline the 11th annual  Birdstock  on Saturday, April 25th. Be sure to catch this 2020 ConCon finale as South Florida’s premier singer/songwriters showcase their uniquely personal sounds, original music and select covers. 

This year, beer lovers can savor the tunes with a cold one from our 2020 Conservation Concert series "Presenting Craft Brew" sponsor  Island Coastal Lager.   
Also on the playbill:  Taco Fresh Food Truck, and the donation Bird Bar featuring Island Coastal Lager and wines 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.
POSTPONED (New Date TBA)

Thursday, April 30, 7pm 
Birds ‘n’ Brews Leica Lounge
Dry Tortugas National Park: Birds, Bygone Times & Book Signing
@Leica Store Miami
Celebrate the Tortugas Spring Migration at Leica Store Miami with ornithologist historian Dr. James A. Kushlan and wildlife photographer, author Kirsten Hines as they share insights into their latest book on the history of Dry Tortugas National Park. 

These remote islands, 70 miles west of Key West, have attracted birders since the visit of John James Audubon nearly two centuries ago. Over the centuries, the Tortugas have provided safe harbor to indigenous Indians, Cuban fishermen, merchants, pirates and privateers; its fort, a home for civil war soldiers and prisoners, famously housed Lincoln conspirator Samuel Mudd, and also served as a U.S. Navy outpost. In more recent decades, storied Fort Jefferson has famously drawn countless tourists. It is considered the most ambitious coastal fortification ever attempted, and is the centerpiece of Dry Tortugas National Park. 

Yet it is seabirds that gained the area its first formal protections. Four species of seabirds regularly nest here and nowhere else in the United States; and its Spring Migration remains a birding magnet. Jim and Kirsten will share a combination of archival images and Kirsten's contemporary photography to tell the story of the Dry Tortugas, its coral reefs and, of course, its birds.

About the Authors:
James Kushlan is an ornithologist, educator, writer and conservationist, past president of the American Ornithological Society and Waterbird Society, and director of Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, including the Breeding Bird Survey and Bird Banding Laboratory. He also is the founder of North American Waterbird Conservation Initiative, Waterbird Conservation for the Americas, the Bird Conservation Alliance and IUCN Heron Specialist Group, and is an advisor to BirdLife International. He has published ten books and more than 250 articles.

Kirsten Hines is a Coconut Grove-based author, photographer and conservationist. Anchored by her master’s degree in biology and background as an environmental educator, her writing and photography highlight nature, wildlife and conservation around the world, and especially in South Florida. She is a board member of both Tropical Audubon Society and Audubon Florida. Her photography is featured in three of her books, and has appeared in  Shutterbug ,  Expressions ,  Audubon , public art programs and many solo and juried exhibitions. Her photography and blog can be found at  KirstenNatureTravel.com. 
 
Together, Jim and Kirsten have published five books:  Attracting Birds to South Florida Gardens ,  Birds of Fairchild ,  Key Biscayne ,   Biscayne National Park   and   Dry Tortugas National Park . Jim’s next book is a history of South Florida’s early naturalists to be published this summer; Kirsten’s next project is  Wild Florida , a book of photography and essays.

The Birds Thank