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"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Newsletter
April 19, 2018
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Refuge funding continues to decline; private philanthropic support helps fill in the gaps. Thank you for your support.
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Trivia Thursday
Around what age do
Bobcats become independent of their mothers? Find the answer somewhere in this newsletter.
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Click the logo to learn more about our 45/82 Society and leaving "Ding" Darling in your estate.
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TOMORROW: Bailey Tract Public Meetings
Due to the high level of public interest, the Refuge will hold three additional public meetings about the hydrologic restoration project at the Bailey Tract. A public meeting was widely advertised and held at "Ding" Darling in February, 2018. Plans for this project involve filling the Ani Pond, reconnecting wetland habitat, and other hydrologic enhancements for the benefit of secretive marsh birds, t
he endemic state-threatened Sanibel Island rice rat and other species dependent on Spartina marsh habitats. The meetings will be held at the
Visitor & Education Center at the following times:
Friday, April 20, 2018 at 10 a.m.
Friday, April 20, 2018 at 2 p.m.
Monday, April 23, 2018 at 6 p.m.
The meetings will begin with a presentation to be followed by the opportunity for the public to provide comments. Questions: Please contact Deputy Refuge Manager Nate Caswell at 239-472-1100 ext 225.
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Saturday, April 21
Earth Day at the Refuge
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Join Refuge staff and volunteers in making Earth Day crafts.
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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.
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 READ MORE
Click
here
for the Earth Day flyer.
Send us pictures of your Earth Day activities and be entered to win a prize!
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Toni (right) with her award and biologist Erin Myers, who nominated her for the award. |
Ranger Toni Receives Award
On April 12, Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland traveled to Crystal River, Florida, to accept the Florida chapter of The Wildlife Society's (FLTWS) 2018 Outstanding Educator Award.
Erin Myers, a Partners for Fish & Wildlife biologist at Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge east of Naples, along with "Ding" Darling Refuge Manager Paul Tritaik, nominated Toni for the award. Erin wrote: "Her work at 'Ding' Darling ranges from leading education programs for kids and adults to overseeing visitor services for nearly 1 million visitors a year and initiating READ MORE
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Carrie Announces Departure
DDWS Philanthropic Coordinator Carrie Alexander will be resigning her post as of
May 17. Carrie, who began as an intern three years ago, has held her current position for two years. She will be moving to Sydney, Australia, to pursue her love of conservation in an entirely new habitat.
"While bittersweet, we are excited about this next step in her life and wish her all the very best," said DDWS Executive Director Birgie Miller. "She has grown into a valued member of our team and will be missed a great deal."
We invite everyone to join us for cake and refreshments on
Monday, May 14, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. to wish Carrie farewell and good luck on her next exciting adventure. We will have a short presentation at
2:45 p.m. No RSVPs are necessary.
Feel free to visit Carrie in the office before her departure if you are unable to attend her send-off. And please share any leads you might have in Sydney that would be a match for Carrie's talents and enthusiasm for conservation.
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It's Turtle Time!
Sea turtle nesting season has begun, and "Ding" Darling is doing all it can to educate the public about proper beach protocol during the season, which runs now through October 31. Conservation Educator Sara Hallas has been traveling to local schools to teach about the magnificent, prehistoric creatures. DDWS
has supported sea
turtle education with
grant-
funded
projects such as turtle and nest mode
ls,
sea turtle coloring books
and other educational
materials for Refuge and hotel visitors, and a sea turtle exhibit in the Visitor & Education Center, which debuted in 2014.
DDWS also provides grant funding for the annual salary of the Conservation Educator, who, in 2017, replaced a staff position that the federal government slashed. To find out more about how you can protect and preserve nesting sea turtles, read GoingGreen below.
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Congrats, Amanda!
Congratulations to
DDWS intern Amanda Brooks, who received her Guest Services Professional Certification from the American Hotel & Lodging Association and the Lee County Tourist Development Council and Visitor & Convention Bureau last week. DDWS pays for interns and other staff to attend this highly regarded course each year and receive the certificate for completion.
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Make-A-Wish Visit
On Sunday, Ranger Monica Scroggin (far left) and the Refuge hosted Jay Patel (seated) and his family from North Carolina in cooperation with the Make-A-Wish Southern Florida. Jay, who has muscular dystrophy, requested a visit to Sanibel and Captiva islands, which included a Refuge visit. Pictured here: Monica and the family after she pinned him as Refuge Manager of the Day.
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Tarpon Jackets Presentation
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Past Tarpon Tournament winning captains sporting their coral tarpon jackets. From left to right:
Matt Mitchell, Chasin' Poon (2016);
John Landry, Doc Ford's and SportFisha (2012 & 2015);
Mark Sparrow, YAM (2017);
John McDaniel, Boomer Sooners (2014); and
Rhett Dixon, Team Teaser (2013).
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The newest tradition of the "Ding" Darling & Doc Ford's Tarpon Tournament awards the captain of the winning team a pink tarpon jacket. "It's kind of like the green Masters jacket," said Doc Ford's co-owner Marty Harrity, who started the tradition last year. Recently, the five captains gathered with Marty to receive their jackets. They will wear them at the Captain's meeting and the tradition will continue at the tournament awards ceremony on May 11 at Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grille on Fort Myers Beach where the 2018 winner will be presented with their jacket.
Thanks to all of our wonderful sponsors who make the tournament a valuable fundraiser for the Refuge each year. We have raised more than $330,000 in the past six years.
TITLE
CHAMPION Sponsors
PREMIERE Sponsors
PRESENTING
PLATINUM Sponsors
GOLD Sponsors
   
SILVER Sponsors
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Learning Lavatories Update
Justin McBride, the Senior Environmental Specialist with the Lee County DNR- Marine Program and the West Coast Inland Navigation District (WCIND), recently visited our completed #LearningLav project. WCIND awarded DDWS a $125,000 grant for the project. Pictured here with Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland, Justin was all smiles when he toured the fanciful restrooms. Stay tuned for news about DDWS' entering LearningLav into the America's Best Bathroom Contest
later this year.
Click
here
to read the latest article in the
Island Reporter
about our newly completed restrooms.
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Celebrate Sea Turtles
This week we celebrate the opening of sea turtle nesting season by featuring some of our favorite Nature Store sea turtle gifts.
Stop in and pick up your turtle gifts 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.
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In each issue of "Ding" on the Wing, we showcase one of more than 560 refuges in the U.S.A.
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Image courtesy of M. Angelo
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Location:
112,000 acres, Suffolk, Virginia
Totemic fauna:
Swainson's Warbler, Wayne's Warbler, Black Bear
Fun for the Family
: The Lake Drummond Wildlife Drive, Dismal Town Boardwalk Trail, and other trails are open daily.
Visitor's tip: The peak influx of neo-tropical migratory songbirds happens now - late April to mid-May
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Black Bear, image courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
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Swainson's Warbler, image courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
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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.
Save Our Turtles
A few pointers for keep our sea turtles safe this nesting season:
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The day after season started, sea turtle patrols found this rare
Kemp's Ridley turtle nesting on Sanibel - only the third reported nesting of that species since 1996. A stellar start to the 2018 season!
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- At end of day, remove all furniture and equipment from the beach.
- Fill in holes and level sandcastles and other impediments to hatchlings' progress on the beach.
- Close curtains in beachfront homes and hotel rooms; turn off or shield outdoor lights.
- Do not interfere with staked turtle nests.
- If walking the beach at night, do not use flashlights or camera flash.
- Do your part to reduce plastic bags and straws that end up in the water.
- Properly dispose of fishing line.
- Do not litter.
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If you find lost hatchlings, please call the SCCF Sea Turtle Hotline: 978-728-3663 (978-SAVE-ONE)
Click here
for more information.
Reduce Plastic in Your Life
"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.
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Fundraiser Spotlight!
Have you heard about Facebook Fundraisers? You can create one of your own and select a charitable organization to receive donations - all without fees! So far we've had a few wonderful supporters start fundraisers for us to help support conservation and education efforts here at "Ding" Darling!
Thank you!
This week we are featuring Lyndon Borror's fundraiser:
Click
here to give towards his fundraiser.
Or click
here to start your own!
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Click
here to see this week's wildlife sightings
The Bailey Tract has been buzzing with activity this week. This juvenile
Bobcat was spotted along one of the trails. Did you know?
Baby bobcats stick around their mother and travel with her while they are about three to five months old. Once they turn one, they begin hunting alone and become completely independent.
Thanks to Peg d'Entremont for the photo.
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Thanks to Rebecca Clemens for the photo. |
This
American Alligator was seen changing ponds at the Bailey Tract this week. Listen this month for male Alligators bellowing to attract female mates during breeding season.
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| Click above to watch a video of an alligator mating ritual |
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.
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Volunteer Holiday Luncheon
- December 14, 2018
Volunteer Awards Luncheon - February 8, 2019
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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
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