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"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Newsletter
February 1, 2018
In This Issue

While Refuge funding continues to decline, private philanthropic support helps fill in the gaps. Thank you for your support.
 
Read about our 45/82 Society, and please email us or call 239-472-1100 ext. 4 about becoming a member of this special group of people.
 
TOMORROW, February 2
Lost Antarctica Lecture
James McClintock's Lost Antarctica  is available for purchase in the Refuge Nature Store. Proceeds from sales benefit wildlife, conservation, and education at the Refuge.

Marine biologist James McClintock spent three decades studying a continent few people ever see for his book Lost Antarctica: Adventures in a Disappearing Land . On Friday, February 2, he will be presenting two free programs at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the "Ding" Darling Visitor & Education Center Auditorium, part of the 2018 "Ding" Darling Lecture Series . One of the world's leading experts on Antarctica, McClintock introduces readers to this fascinating frozen world and the extraordinary wildlife that persists despite the harsh conditions. Baleen whales, leopard seals, king crabs, Adélie penguins, 50-foot algae, sea spiders, coral, and READ MORE
Sponsor of the 2018 "Ding" Darling Lecture Series

Lecture Seating Policy
Seating for the lectures is limited and available on a first-come basis. Early arrivals can save one extra seat each 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.
Trivia Thursday

W hat are some common species of snakes you can find on Sanibel Island? Find the answer somewhere in this "Ding" on the Wing!
Wednesday, February 7: 
From the Ashes Film

The award-winning documentary film From the Ashes continues the sixth annual free "Ding" Darling Wednesday Film Series  on February 7, at 1 p.m. in the "Ding" Darling Visitor & Education Center auditorium. The National Geographic film captures Americans in communities across the country as they wrestle with the legacy of the coal industry and what its future should be under the Trump administration. From
2018 Film Series Sponsor
Appalachia to the West's Powder River Basin, the film goes beyond the rhetoric of the "war on coal" to present READ MORE

Click HERE  for a printable 2018 Film Series flyer.

                                            Watch the trailer below:
Middle School Photo Contest
Elliot Decosta won first place for his photo titled "Heron Her Own."

The annual Sanibel School photo contest for middle-schoolers, co-hosted by "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society and Bank of the Islands (BOTI), culminated in an award ceremony at the Refuge on Friday, January 19. BOTI Vice President Rob Lisenbee presented award medals and monetary
BOTI's Rob Lisenbee; contest winners Elliot Decosta, Mallory Howard, and Sophia Black; and Ranger Monica Scroggins.
prizes: $100 to first-place winner Elliot Decosta, $75 for second-place winner Mallory Howard, and $50 to third-place winner Sophia Black. The program begins each year with hands-on photography lessons at the Refuge. Winners' work is currently on display in the BOTI lobby.



Deb Szymanczyk, John Thompson (center), and Arne Svenson judged the contest.
Last week, three judges gathered in the Visitor & Education Center auditorium to judge 323 entries in the fifth annual "Ding" Darling-Theodore Cross High School Photo Contest . World-renowned New York photographer and friend of the Cross family, Arne Svenson, judged the contest, along with law enforcement officer John Thompson and Sanibel resident Deb Szymanczyk. Winners will be revealed at a special awards ceremony to be held at the Refuge this Saturday, and in next week's "Ding" on the Wing. So, stay tuned!
February 22: Dinner with Stephen Kress
Dr. Stephen Kress

Only 6 seats remain for Dinner with Stephen Kress, noted bird activist, at "Ding" Darling on Thursday, February 22. He will speak about his work restoring tern and puffin populations in Maine and his latest book, Puffin Project: An Improbable Quest to Bring a Beloved Sea Bird Back to Egg Rock . Tickets are $100 per person.  "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society hosts the exclusive Dinner with Stephen Kress starting READ MORE

To register for the dinner with Dr. Kress, please call Carrie Alexander at 239.472.1100 ext. 256
Take One Minute to ACT NOW
You know the issue. Excessive damaging releases to the Caloosahatchee and Refuge watershed. Please take a minute and  email Florida's Governor Scott today. (Florida residents only).

The Water Management District didn't properly design the EAA Reservoir south of Lake O. Scientists say the project needs more land to properly do the job. Two sugar companies are leasing 18,000 acres of taxpayer land nearby and refuse to budge. Tell Governor Scott to cancel or swap out the leases on taxpayer-owned land, so the District can deliver a reservoir plan that truly delivers and dramatically cuts damaging river releases.  

It will only take a minute of your time, and it makes all the difference.  Please act now by clicking the Take Action Button.
Go Wild Auction Item: Home Beer-Brewing 
with Nate & Toni

Bid on a home beer-brewing "funshop" with Deputy Refuge Ranger Nate Caswell and Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland. Up to four people will be invited to Nate's personal garage brewery to make a five-gallon batch of the beer of their choice and then have a party with your brew. Nate's the brewmeister, Toni is the... sampler?

The beer-brewing experience auction item is part of the Go Wild for "Ding" fundraiser on February 14 at The Community House. Approximately one month following the brew session, DDWS will host a private reception in the Visitor & Education Center for a small group of the prize-winner's friends and a beer tasting, including complimentary hors d'hoeuvres and other adult beverages. 

Click HERE for information on a sampling of other banner auction items. There are many more and we thank our auction donors!  

This year's Go Wild theme is In the Nest. Click HERE  to read more and go online to register   here . Only 50 seats remain , so don't wait to register for this sell-out event.
2018 Sponsors:

CHAMPION







Entire meal donated by:

GUARDIAN
 





PROTECTOR



 


 

  

  





DEFENDER

 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 

 




Free Refuge Programs Under Way
Join a naturalist for the free Bailey Tract Tour every Friday at 1 p.m.
The seasonal calendar of free Refuge programs and tours runs through April 8. Daily programs begin at 8:30 a.m. and include such diverse activities as Nature Photography, Beach Walk, Birds of Prey READ MORE

Click here  for a printable calendar of programs. Click here  for program descriptions.


 






Valentine's Day Ideas

Our new line of adorable Doodle Pants leggings for the diaper set includes this heart-dazzled pair, perfect for Valentine's Day
gifting. They come in sizes for three to 24 months for $19.95 each.

Pretty in pink, this snuggly roseate spoonbill zip hoodie will surely warm her heart. Price: $43.95. (Modeled by our Senior Intern Sierra Hoisington)

Warm his heart with a practical taupe waterproof rain jacket featuring a zip-off hood and stuff sack for $70. (Modeled by our Assistant Office & Store Manager Chris Galloway)

Stop in and pick up your Valentine's Day 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.
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.  


Images courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Location: 6,858 acres in Oak Harbor, Ohio

Totemic fauna: Bald Eagle, Dunlin, Yellow-rumped Warbler

Fun for the Family : Programs for children ages 6-10 and ages 3-5 are available on the first Saturday of the month. Call the visitor's center to register.

Visitor's tips:  Ten miles of hiking trails travel through a variety of habitats and start behind the visi tor center or from the trailhead parking lot.

Dunlin
Yellow-rumped warbler

Kicking Plastic
In each issue of "Ding" of the Wing, we will share a quick tip on how you can reduce the use of plastic in your life. For more information on being environmentally aware, visit our Go Green web page.

Look what's coming to "Ding!" We have taken our Kick the Bottle campaign of seven years a step further by continuing our quest to kick plastic out of the equation entirely. We have replaced our 
reusable plastic water bottles with a better alternative. Just Water, a product envisioned by an eco-conscious group including actor Will Smith, is made from 82% renewable resources -- primarily paperboard sourced from forests where new trees replace those harvested. The cap and shoulder components are derived from sugarcane, a renewable resource. The materials represent a 47 to 74% reduction in greenhouse gas emission compared to PET plastic bottles. We will be announcing the arrival of this exciting new 100% spring water product to our Refuge Nature Store shortly.  

"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




Peninsula Ribbon Snake rests on a Sabal Palm after swallowing a Cuban Tree Frog. The most common species of snakes you can find on Sanibel and in the Refuge include the Yellow Rat Snake, Southern Black Racer, and the Mangrove Water Snake.

Thanks to Wes Boone for the photo.






T o see more wildlife photos like this one, click on our social media links:

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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.
DDWS Board for 2018

The "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Board of Directors for 2018 held its first meeting last week. Pictured (front row, left to right): Mark Banks, Wendy Kindig (Secretary), Brett Gooch, Doris Hardy (Past President); (back row): Ann-Marie Wildman, Phyllis Gresham, Mike Baldwin (President), Bill Valerian (Treasurer), Kirstin Sawicki, and Jen McSorley.  Not pictured : Sarah Ashton (Vice President), Jim Hall, and Richard Yanke.


Free Winter Programs - Through April 8, 2018

Biweekly Wednesday Film Series - Through  April 4, 2018

Friday Lecture Series - Through April 13, 2018


Volunteer Awards Luncheon - February 9, 2018

These are just snapshots of some of the things taking place at your Wildlife Refuge.  Please check our website at  www.dingdarlingsociety.org to learn more!

Sincerely,
Birgit Miller, Executive Director

"Ding" On The Wing composed by Chelle Koster Walton.  Designed by Sierra Hoisington and Amanda Brooks
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