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The Limpkin Times
Apalachee Audubon Society Mission Statement:
Protecting the rich biodiversity of the Florida Panhandle through education, appreciation, and conservation.
September 2023
Trouble Seeing This Email? View Online
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In this Issue:
Chapter Programs at FSU's King Life Sciences Building auditorium
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Thurs. Sept. 21 Grateful for Dead: The Importance of Dead Plants for Wildlife, with Mark Tancig
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Thurs. Oct. 19 Cat Tale: The Wild, Weird Battle to Save the Florida Panther, with Craig Pittman
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Thurs. Nov. 16 Exploring Costa Rica Through Science, Culture and Photography, with Hays Cummins
Chapter Outings
- Sun., Sept. 10, Day Trip to Paynes Prairie, with Juli deGrummond
- Sat. Oct. 14, Guided Walk at Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park with Michael Dayton
Events of Interest
- Sat. Sept. 16, International Coastal Cleanup
- Sept. 1-17, Tally Trash Challenge
- Tues. Sept. 12, Sierra Club Program, Florida Manatees!
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President's Message
Best wishes for a rapid recovery for those who have been impacted by Hurricane Idalia.
BREAKING NEWS! Pinky and the Flamboyance sounds like a great name for a rock band, but it’s also a happening at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge following Hurricane Idalia. On Thursday, August 31, refuge staff broadcast a Facebook Live event showing six American Flamingos in the Lighthouse Pool—three pink adults and three gray immatures! Not one of them was Pinky, a refuge resident since he/she was dropped there by Hurricane Michael in 2018. Pinky was off foraging in Stoney Bayou 1. My husband James and I drove down to the refuge that afternoon and saw the birds with our own eyes, and cameras (see following photo). By then, Pinky had moved to Mounds Pool 1. Little not knowing that there were others of his kind a short flight away.
The flamboyance was seen flying away from the pool at 6:00 PM and another report that evening placed them at Mashes Sands Beach. Only time will tell how this will all turn out. Stay tuned and check our website for a blog on this topic where we will provide updates. Meanwhile, click the image below to watch our YouTube video of the far flung flamingos.
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Sixty Years and Counting: In 2024 we will observe the 60th anniversary of Apalachee Audubon’s founding and we invite you to celebrate with us in person at our program meetings. We’ll have coffee and snacks starting at 6:30 PM in the lobby outside the King Life Sciences Building Auditorium, a wonderful opportunity to meet and socialize with other bird lovers and conservationists. We have a terrific slate of programs planned for September through April, which will include a presentation by writer Craig Pittman in October! This month, learn from IFAS Horticulture Agent Mark Tancig why dead plants matter to wildlife. Our May Potluck Picnic at Tall Timbers will be our official anniversary party, but the celebration starts now!
Newsletter Changes: We are changing the schedule for The Limpkin Times from monthly to twice a month, one issue sent out generally around the first of the month, and a follow up issue serving primarily as a meeting reminder two days before each program. I’d like to express my gratitude to Chris Grossman who served unfailingly and with excellence as our newsletter editor for the past five years. She and husband Bernie have moved to Maryland and we wish them all the best (and lots of birds!) in their new home. We will miss seeing them on our bird outings as well as at our meetings. With Chris' departure, I am delighted to introduce our new editor Kristin Cohea, who is also serving as a Director on our Board. Read Kristin's bio.
September Happenings: We have a lot going on this month, as you’ll see below, and I’d like to encourage you to join us for one or more of these activities. We’ll be participating with the Coastal Cleanup and we could use some more helping hands. You also can do your own individual clean-up as part of the Tally Trash Challenge from Sept. 1-17 (see info below).
Volunteer Needs: We are looking for help with with hospitality at our program meetings. BTW, that was my first volunteer gig with AAS! We are also in need of volunteers to help out twice a month with the Pineview Elementary After School Bird Club, (roughly 4:00 - 5:30 PM, dates TBD). If you’re interested in learning more about either of these volunteer opportunities, email ApalacheeAudubon@gmail.com.
Happy Birding!
Kathleen Carr, President
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Programs will meet in person and via Zoom.
Zoom Program Registration Link: https://bit.ly/45woHJZ
Register early and you will receive a meeting reminder 24 hours before the meeting.
FSU's King Life Science Building
319 Stadium Drive, Tallahassee 32304
NOTE: FSU has changed our parking arrangements since this was emailed. Please park in the Spirit Way parking garage on the second Floor and above.We will have people outside before the meeting directing program attendees to the correct location.
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Grateful for Dead:
The Importance of Dead Plants for Wildlife
with Mark Tancig
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Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023
In person social with coffee and snacks begins at 6:30 PM
Announcements at 7:00 PM
Program begins at 7:15 PM
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Mark Tancig has been the Commercial & Residential Horticulture Extension Agent at the UF/IFAS Leon County Extension Office since 2016. In this role, Mark shares research-based best practices for sustainable landscape management with green-industry professionals and residential homeowners. Mark also coordinates the Leon County Master Gardener Volunteer Program.
Click for more information and Zoom registration
| Check out other upcoming fall programs! | La Chua Trail at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park | |
Sun. Sept. 10, Day Trip to Paynes Prairie, with Juli deGrummond
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
This will be a single-day, caravan road trip to Paynes Prairie with a birding stop (for White-winged Doves!) at Rest Stop 265 on I-10 along the way. We will meet up between 7-7:15 AM in Village Commons on Thomasville Road and expect to be back 5:30-6:00 PM.
Click for more information and to sign up for this trip.
| Black and White Warbler, photo by Lia-Bocchiaro | |
Sat. Oct. 14, Guided Walk at Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park,
with Michael Dayton
7:00 - 10:30 AM
We will walk approximately 3-4 miles looking and listening for fall migrants. The trails are relatively easy but do have some topography and occur on natural terrain.
Click for more information and to sign up for this trip.
| International Coastal Cleanup in Franklin County | Cleaned up shoreline at Ochlockonee Bay, photo by Donna Legare | |
Saturday, September 16, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Meet at the Ochlockonee Bay Boat Ramp
Google Maps link
Apalachee Audubon volunteers will once again be participating in the Coastal Cleanup this year along the shores of Ochlockonee Bay. Please call Norma Skaggs at 850-508-1457 to sign up so we will have enough supplies for all.
Click for more information
| 2023 Tally Trash Challenge | |
September is National Clean-up Month and Apalachee Audubon is partnering with Sustainable Tallahassee and other organizations and businesses to make Tallahassee a cleaner city. Pick up trash on your own or with a group of friends, then post a photo on your social media and tag it. Click the image above to learn about challenges, prizes, and associated events.
If you don’t live in Tallahassee, put on your own trash challenge
and invite friends and relatives to join you!
| Sierra Club Program: Florida Manatees! | |
Endangered Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus) Photo credit: David Hinkel
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters
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Tuesday, September 12, 7:00 PM
Waterworks, 1133 Thomasville Rd.
Social begins at 6:30 PM. Arrive early and order a beverage or scrumptious sandwich.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) manatee program staff will teach you all about manatee research and conservation measures that FWC uses to protect this iconic species. Learn about manatee mating behaviors and preserving forage habitat, experience how biologists survey manatees from the sky, and discuss how you can protect manatees when out on the water.
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Land Acknowledgement Statement
Apalachee Audubon acknowledges that the region it serves is located on the ancestral and traditional homelands of the Apalachee Indians of the Talimali Band, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. We pay respect to the resiliency of their tribal members, past and present, and to all Indigenous peoples. We encourage all to learn about the significance of Indigenous peoples in this region and throughout this continent.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS: 2023-2024
Officers:
President: Kathleen Carr
Vice President: VACANT
Treasurer: Harvey Goldman
Secretary: James Carr
Directors:
Cindy Baisden
Charlie Baisden
Kristin Cohea
Juli deGrummond
Kristan Godbeer
Ben Rangel
Rebecca Wall
STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Conservation Kristan Godbeer
Education VACANT
Field Trips Juli deGrummond
Membership VACANT
Program Ben Rangel
Publications and Publicity Kathleen Carr
+ Newsletter Kristin Cohea
+ Web Team Elizabeth Georges, Kathleen Carr
+ Annual Report (President)
OTHER COMMITTEES & CHAPTER ACTIVITIES
Bookkeeper Adrienne Ruhl
Birdathon VACANT
History Kathleen Carr
September Coastal Cleanup Donna Legare/Norma Skaggs
Wildlife-Friendly Yards Tour Tammy Brown
Lake Elberta Park Kristin Cohea
Governor's Park James Carr
Volunteer Coordinator Rebecca Wall
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