|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
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
t
o see our #DailyDoseofDing, brief virtual visits to the Refuge for those
who can't make it.
The posts have become a much-anticipated feature, boosting Facebook numbers to more than 14,500 followers.
|
If you haven't already completed the survey, your input is important. Please help the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society by taking this
five-minute survey
by August 7
. We will be using the results to better understand how visitors, volunteers, donors, and board members perceive our organization. Thank you so much for your time.
|
|
Your Backyard Nature
Whether you live on Sanibel Island or in a completely different environment in faraway places like Arizona or Ontario, we want to see what you're seeing in your habitat while you are staying safe at home.
Thank
you to Allison Kelly
for sharing a backyard nature photo of a Red Shouldered Hawk from Palm Bay, Florida.
Thank you to Damon Hickey for sharing a backyard nature photo of a Barred Owl from Wooster, Ohio.
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.
|
|
| |
|
|
Wildlife Drive Fees & Tram Tours to Resume
Starting Monday, August 3, the Refuge will resume charging Wildlife Drive admission fees, which have been waived since March 23 to avoid unsafe interaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon putting necessary safety protocols into effect, the daily vehicular fees will return to $5 and entry fees for pedestrians and cyclists over age 15 is again $1.
|
|
Bestselling Author Joins Lecture Lineup
 Kirk W. Johnson's
Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century
crosses the line between non-fiction and true-crime in a work that is thrilling readers and critics alike. The author will be joining the 2021 Lecture Series for a much-anticipated March 19 presentation.
 |
|
|
Author Kirk W. Johnson, photo by Marie Josee Cantin
|
Due to restrictions caused by COVID-19, the
2021 Lecture Series
will run on five select days January 29 through March 19 at The Sanibel Community House. Lectures take place at 10 a.m. Seating is on a first-come basis. We anticipate the 2022 lecture series will return to its traditional Refuge venue and format.
 DDWS is seeking sponsors for the Johnson and other four lectures. Please contact April Boehnen (239-472-1100 ext. 4) or Birgie Miller (239-472-1100 ext. 232) for more information.
|
|
|
|
Tarpon Bay Explorers begins its tram tours again next week in keeping with social distancing and maximum (50%) capacity protocols. |
NEW NEXT WEEK: Besides the return of Wildlife Drive fees on August 3, the "America's Best Restrooms" outside the Visitor & Education Center will reopen to the public that day and everyday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The water bottle filling station outside the restrooms will also be accessible. For everyone's safety, these facilities will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized regularly. On August 4,
Tarpon Bay Explorers
will resume narrated tram tours of Wildlife Drive on the following schedule: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 8:30 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1:30 p.m. Call 239-472-1351 or 239-472-8900 for the latest information.
Keep current on developments via our
COVID-19 web page.
In the meantime, we urge you to #StayHome as much as possible, #WearaMask and social distance when you go out, and get out in nature when you can.
|
Virtual Summer Camp Ends Tomorrow
Stay tuned for the final "Experimentation Thursday" episode of
Nature Explorers Virtual Camp
today for a demonstration on building a Frozen Volcano. Tomorrow's video will wrap up the season by sharing pictures participants have posted and goodbyes from Education Interns Hannah and Anna, who will share highlights of their months at "Ding" Darling. Both episodes air at 10 a.m. on the
Refuge's official Facebook page
. If you missed
a lesson or want to review one you particularly loved, all videos and activity sheets are
archived
on the DDWS website.
A big thank you to our creative Education Team for making summer 2020 a bright one for so many of our participating, stay-at-home families.
On Friday, we say farewell to summer interns Anna Tursky (left) and Hannah Pauly (right). Good luck, ladies!
|
|
Youth Masks - Double Ply, Double Win
|
|
| Adorable, practical, AND conservation-minded |
|
|
|
| We still have a handful of kid-sizes Roseate Spoonbill masks available. Hurry, they won't last long! |
|
Sea turtles, dolphins, and otters, oh wow! These super-cute kids masks just swam into the retail waters of
ShopDingDarling.com
. Your kids will have fun wearing some of the cutest "faces" at the Refuge on THEIR faces. Reusable and double-layered, they are as protective as they are "outdoorable." In addition to supporting the Refuge with your purchase of these masks at
ShopDingDarling.com
, every mask purchase contributes to support the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.
Spread the Word about the best Nature Store Ever!
|
|
|
|
Doris Hardy
|
|
Want to introduce friends and family to our one-of-a-kind selection of gifts at
ShopDingDarling.com
while supporting the Refuge? Follow the generous lead of DDWS Past President Doris Hardy, who recently purchased 40 $25 gift cards to tantalize people with all that the online store has to offer. Many chose from the store's
wide selection of face coverings
. DDWS Vice President Sarah Ashton, similarly, often purchases the cards to gift friends and clients. Purchase your cards at shopdingdarling.com today!
Personal Shopper
Don't see what you're looking for online? Allow our staff to assist you in finding exactly what you want with a personalized shopping experience. By phone, we will guide you through our entire store inventory at a time that is convenient for you. Email us or leave us a voicemail message at 239-472-1100 ext. 241, and we will be in touch with you promptly.
Now you can follow the latest gifts
available by online order at our ShopDingDarling.com
Instagram page. Follow today to keep in the loop about products as they become available.
Remember, profits from all Nature Store sales go directly to the Refuge for educational programs and wildlife research.
|
|
New Education Intern
|
|
|
|
Patrick Carney
|
|
On August 3, after a two-week quarantine, Education Intern Patrick Carney will join the team at the Refuge to help with staffing shortages this season, thanks to funding from the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society. Patrick, a native of Tver, Russia, was adopted at seven months old and raised in River Edge, New Jersey. He graduated from READ MORE
 The Refuge Intern program is always in need of support. To help the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society continue this important intern program, gifts of any size are appreciated. |
Support Those Who Support Us
The local and island business community needs us now, more than ever. Each week, we are highlighting local businesses that have provided support for conservation efforts at the Refuge through the years. They have invested in the community and the Refuge, and we hope the community will do what they can to help them.
|
Ambu Yoga: Located at South Seas Island Resort on Captiva Island, Ambu Yoga stretches beyond the studio to bring classes to the beach, lawn, and stand-up paddleboard. The classes cater to all levels of yoga experience. Ask also about its New Moon Meditations and private instruction. Call 239-314-9642
|
|
Bella Signs & Designs: No matter what you require in the way of promotion, Bella provides multiple solutions to save business owners time and money with a wide range of advertising media all under one roof. From custom T-shirts and coffee mugs to vehicle and boat wraps and banners, it promises first-class service and top quality. Call 239-415-7446 or visit the graphic shop at 5651 Halifax Ave. #8 in Fort Myers.
|
|
Barefoot Charley's Painting Co.:
We hear ya! After months isolated in your home, you're ready for a new look. Barefoot Charley's can refresh your house inside and out with full pressure washing and painting services. A longtime Sanibel-based business, it is licensed and insured for both residential and commercial improvements. Call 239-395-3928.
|
|
 Mask Responsibly
Last month in this column, we urged you to wear reusable face coverings whenever possible, because already we are seeing disposable, single-use masks ending up on beaches, in waterways, and in landfills as unsightly and contaminated trash.
Recently, BBC News reported a Peregrine Falcon whose talons became entangled  in a discarded mask. When you must use disposable paper masks, please make sure to throw them away in a responsible manner.
|
Blast from the Past
As we approach the official
75th Refuge Anniversary
on December 1, 2020, we take a look back,
through historic photographs,
at the past three-quarters of a century.
 This photo, taken in 2000, shows how the Tarpon Bay Recreation Area looked before the new facility was built in 2008. The Refuge had just finished building a new boat ramp for the recreation concession, which has been operated by Tarpon Bay Explorers since December 2002.
|
Roseates Live! from the Refuge August 6
Don't miss Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland's Roseate Spoonbills lesson live from "Ding" Darling next Thursday, August 6, at 1 p.m. on Conservation Connect Live. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service presents the weekly educational tool, geared toward students about wildlife during stay-at-home learning.
|
|
|
| Photo by Al Hoffacker |
|
Here's the upcoming schedule:
July 30 - Small mammals
August 6 - Roseate Spoonbills/"Ding" Darling NWR
August 13 - Humpback Chub
August 20 - Monarch tagging
|
A huge thanks to those who responded to the "invitation" to our Symbolic Baby Shower the last couple of weeks to help us reach our online goal of $7,500. We are so grateful for the help and generosity during this downturn in our earnings. Your support helps continue our mission of sustaining the Refuge's wildlife, research, and education. The birds thank you, and we do too.
|
'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.
|
|
|
Images courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |
Location: 2,227 acres south of Washington, D.C.
Totemic Fauna:
White-tailed Deer, Bald Eagle, Great Blue Heron
|
|
|
Bald Eagle |
Visitor's Tip:
Enjoy the peace and solitude on two hiking trails with interpretive kiosks. From April to
October especially, be sure to bring insect repellent.
|
|
|
| White-tailed Deer |
|
|
Click
HERE to see this week's wildlife sightings.
|
|
|
| Photo credit: John Gamble |
|
Red-bellied Woodpeckers can be spotted in the eastern United States year round. Although their name suggests vibrant red bellies, these birds have pale bellies with red on the crown and napes of their necks.
Did you know a Red-bellied Woodpecker can stick out its tongue nearly 2 inches past the end of its beak?
T
o 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.
|
75th Anniversary Island "Spoonie" Island Scavenger Hunt Kick-off
- TBA
National Public Lands Day - September 26, 2020
75th Anniversary Proclamation at City Hall
- November 3, 2020
Official 75th
Anniversary Celebration & "Ding" Darling Day
- December 1, 2020
75th Anniversary Gala Celebration
- December 1, 2020 - Sponsorships needed!
Clyde Butcher Book Signing - December TBA
National Bird Day - January 5, 2021
Lecture Series - January 29-March 19, 2021
Bi-Weekly Film Series - January-April, 2021
Earth Day at the Refuge - April 22, 2021
Volunteer Training
- January 14, 2021
2021 Annual Fundraiser - February 10, 2021
Earth Day at the Refuge
-
March 22, 2021
Artist-in-Residence Exhibition
- October - Mid-November 2021
Niki Butcher Photographic Exhibition - Mid-November - December 2021
|
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 April Boehnen & Sierra Hoisington.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
