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Whether you live on Sanibel Island or in a completely different environment in faraway places like South Dakota or Kentucky, we want to see what you're seeing in your habitat while you are staying safe at home. Thank you to
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|  | Thank you to Kim Short from Ontario, Canada, for sharing this image of a White Crowned Sparrow from her backyard.
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Kim Short for sharing a backyard nature photo of a White Crowned Sparrow.
Please email your nature photos so we can share them in "Ding" on the Wing and by social media. Include details about the photographer and where the photo was taken.
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The DDWS staff has been busy bringing the healing sunshine and beauty of the Refuge to the public through 30-second social media videos. Follow on Facebook to see our #DailyDoseofDing, brief virtual visits to the Refuge for those who can't make it. |
ShopDingDarling.com Reaches 2000th Sale
sale since its very first sale on August 21 of this year. The figure doubled from the 1000th sale milestone it reached a month ago. Congratulations to the hardworking Nature Store team!
ShopDingDarling.com is the online branch of the Refuge Nature Store, which also now has two brick-and-mortar stores at 2250 Periwinkle Way on Sanibel Island and at the Refuge Visitor & Education Center. For several months, the online store provided sole access to Nature Store merchandise and support to the Refuge during the COVID shutdown of the "Ding" Darling Visitor & Education Center.
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This Saturday!
December 12: WoW Debut
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| | | The WoW Team welcomes you to the debut of the urban mobile classroom. The first 200 people who visit WoW on December 12 receive a free gift. | |
The Wildlife on Wheels (WoW) arrived at the Refuge earlier this month. Its debut is planned for December 12 near the Big Lots store, 4901 Palm Beach Boulevard in Fort Myers. In January, it will make its first school visit for one week at Tice Elementary.
More public and school-site travels are in planning stages for the urban mobile classroom. Monitor the WoW page for the latest news.
Thanks to our hardworking team and all the generous donors who have made this exciting moment happen. Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland and DDWS Development Officer Sierra Hoisington lead the efforts, working with our Urban Education Leader, Melissa Maher, two bilingual Spanish education and outreach interns, other educators, volunteers, and drivers.
Anyone interested in making a tax-deductible donation to purchase supplies and support ongoing staffing and other needs for the WoW project can contact Birgie Miller at 239-472-1100 ext. 232 or online now.
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| | Second place went to Rett Hill from Henrico, Virginia, with a Little Blue Heron shot titled "Standing." |
DDWS recently announced the winners of its 28th annual "Ding" Darling Day Amateur Nature Photography Contest. Judges selected three winners and 12 honorable mentions out of 128 entries from 19 states and Switzerland. All photograph entries were shot at the Refuge Complex.
"It was a very special photo contest for us this year because of our 75th anniversary," said Sierra Hoisington, DDWS Development Officer and contest coordinator. "It really makes you think back to a time when the protection of this habitat wasn't READ MORE.
View a slideshow of 2020 winning photographs.
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January 15: "Ding Darling Theodore Cross High School Photo Contest Deadline
The eighth annual "Ding" Darling-Theodore Cross High School Photography Contest is under way with a deadline of January 15, 2021. It invites high school students in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Glades, and Hendry
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| | | First place in the 2020 contest went to an image titled "Smacking Good" by Virginia Bayne from Fort Myers High. | |
counties to compete for prizes that include a Canon digital SLR camera package, chartered class trips to the Refuge, and copies of Waterbirds: Portraits and Anecdotes from Birding Adventures by contest namesake, the late Theodore Cross.
Guidelines and prize information are posted online. Call DDWS at 239-472-1100 ext. 4 for READ MORE
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Contest namesake Theodore Cross
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Remember, profits from all Nature Store sales go directly to the Refuge for educational programs, wildlife research, and overall conservation efforts.
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 Support Conservation with a gift of Stock!
Make a Bigger Impact by Donating Long-Term Appreciated Securities. By donating stock that has appreciated for more than a year, you are actually giving 20 percent more than if you sold the stock and then made a cash donation. The reason is simple: avoiding capital gains taxes. The maximum federal capital gains tax rate is 20 percent on long-term holdings.(information from Fidelty Charitable). Each year, many tax-savvy people make donations of appreciated long-term stocks and bonds directly to public charities, such as the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society (DDWS), Contact DDWS Executive Director, Birgie Miller or on her mobile phone at 239.292.0566 to learn more or receive stock transfer information. |
Wish List for Refuge Holiday and Year-End Giving
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| | Help our latest urban educational outreach efforts by gifting $50 gas cards for Wildlife on Wheels (WoW) mobile classroom travels. |
As you make plans for holiday and year-end giving, consider this season's Refuge Wish List of items. You can donate online
and note which Wish List item you would like your funds to be applied to. Or call 239-472-1100 ext. 4 and talk to one of the DDWS development staff to make your year-end donation by phone. Donating a Wish List item is a great and meaningful holiday gift to friends and family. Now's the time to contribute and be eligible for tax deductions for 2020.
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On December 2, Tarpon Bay Explorers celebrated its 18th year of business. The Refuge's recreation concession was established in 2002 with just a small fleet of kayaks, canoes, and pontoons. The company operated out of an old single-story building that was previously part of a marina before Tarpon Bay's incorporation into the Refuge System. The company now operates out of a newer building constructed in 2008 by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife.
"We've come a long way," said part-owner and General Manager Wendy Schnapp. "2020 has been a challenging year, but we don't take any of it for granted. It's hard to believe that 18 years have gone by; we've loved every minute of it. Tarpon Bay is a special place. The wildlife and the history really make it one of the gems on the island. Our partnership with the Refuge is awesome and we hope to continue to be the concessionaire for years to come!"
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Nature Store to Participate in Luminary Week
At the new Nature Store2 at 2250 Periwinkle Way, enjoy 20% off all women's, men's, and kids apparel that week - including cold-weather attire, hats, and T-shirts. Stop by to enter chance drawings for exclusive artwork and special store items (no purchase required). Clothing discounts will also be available on ShopDingDarling.com during that time. Enter the promo code LUMINARY20 to receive your 20% off.
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As you replace empty house cleaning product containers, look for green, chemical-free alternatives. Besides being healthier for your environment, they are often refillable to reduce waste.
And many are multipurpose, meaning less products you have to buy and store. Avoid throw-away products such as wipes and "erasers." Investigate the use of common household items such as vinegar and baking soda as alternatives.
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'America's Best-Kept Secret'
In each issue of "Ding" on the Wing, we showcase one of the more than 560 refuges across the U.S.A. that is open to the public.
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| | Images courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |
Location: 11,249 acres; Delano, California.
Totemic Fauna: American Bittern, Tipton Kangaroo Rat, Ground Squirrel.
Visitor's Tip: Birding is best October through March.
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Tipton Kangaroo Rat
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American Bittern |
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| | | Photo by Lesley Husband | |
Click HERE to see this week's wildlife sightings.
White Ibises have recently been spotted at the Refuge!
White Ibises use their curved bill to probe for prey beneath the surface of wetlands. Interestingly, when White Ibises first hatch, their bills are straight. It isn't until they are 14 days old that their bills start to curve downward.
To see more wildlife photos click on our social media links:
If you have taken any beautiful, interesting, or just plain goofy photos at the Refuge, send them to Development Officer Sierra Hoisington, for a chance to be
featured in upcoming newsletters.
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Volunteer Training - January 14, 2021
Go Wild for Jeopar-Ding - TBA
Clyde Butcher Book Signing - February TBA
Earth Day at the Refuge - April 22, 2021
Artist-in-Residence Exhibition - October-Mid-November 2021
Niki Butcher Photographic Exhibition - Mid-November-December 2021
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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 interns Cait Nalley and Hollis Hatfield
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