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"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Newsletter
September 28, 2017
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September 30: National Public Lands Day Activities
The Refuge will celebrate National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 30, 2017, with free admission to Wildlife Drive, special activities, and issuance of a free pass to any national public land, including the more than 560 wildlife refuges across the U.S. Wildlife Drive opens at 7 a.m. for free touring
READ MORE
V
isitors on National Public Lands Day can receive a free Kick the Bottle reusable water bottle with a $5 purchase in the Refuge Nature Store.
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Invitation to Unveiling
The Refuge, in partnership with the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society and the City of Sanibel, invite you to the unveiling of the
Perry Tract Kiosk, funded through a grant from the
Lee County Tourist Development Council.
WHERE:
Gulfside City Park, Sanibel Island
(Public parking fees apply)
WHEN: Friday, October 6, at 9 a.m. A FREE Beachside Walk will follow the unveiling ceremony at
9:30.
WHAT: The new kiosk honors the late
Dr. Louise Perry, a Sanibel part-time resident
who donated her beachfront winter home property to the Refuge in 1963. The interpretive kiosk pays homage to Dr. Perry and identifies wildlife, shorebirds, and seashells found on the beach and around the property's pond, which is closed
to the public. Shell castings and a
replicated sea turtle nest add hands-on elements to the exhibit.
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A detail from the #LearningLav mural which is outside the public restrooms
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Funded by a grant from the
West Coast Inland Navigation District
(WCIND) and contributions from private donors, Project
#LearningLav
will create educational messaging inside the lavatories and on the outdoor wall leading to them. Simple teaser messages and artistic 3D representations of mangroves, manatees, sea turtles, fish, and birds are meant to entice visitors into the Visitor & Education Center to learn more.
Click
here
to read the article in
Santiva Chronicle
about the project.
"This was such a fun project to envision and collaborate on," said island artist and project planning committee member Toni Ory. "I'm so excited to see it 'flushed' out."
DDWS would like to thank members of the project planning committees for their insights, imagination, and hard work: Creative Team Andrea Conners, MaryBeth Greenplate, Amy Herd, Marilyn Kloosterman, Emily Koval, Jen McSorley, Toni Ory, Monica Scroggin, Sheridan Snell, Christine Szymanczyk, Ann-Marie Wildman and DDWS staff. Implementation Team Carrie Alexander, Nate Caswell, Jeff Combs, Joann Hinman, Sierra Hoisington, Sarah Lathrop, Kathy McCabe, Birgie Miller, Paul Tritaik, Chelle Walton, and Toni Westland.
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A group of about 40 kids from Guadalupe Center visited the Refuge this summer thanks to a private donation.
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Immokalee Hurricane Relief Donations being collected.
Hit hard by Hurricane Irma earlier this month, our friends at Guadalupe Center in Immokalee need our help. We are requesting donations of the following needed items:
books for kids ages 5 and older, diapers, diaper cream, and hygienic products. We hope to fill a bus to deliver the items and are trying to schedule another field trip to the Refuge for the kids. Please drop off donations to the
DDWS offices. Thanks for your generosity for these families, many of whom are still without power, and their children, who so enjoyed their Refuge visit this summer.
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Photo courtesy of Paul Smith
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Resilient Reddish Egrets
Click here to read how SW FL Reddish Egrets (and some individuals from "Ding" Darling) fared during Hurricane Irma.
The "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society supports Reddish Egret research, along with many other projects. To donate in support of these programs click HERE.
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Welcome New Intern
Intern Amanda Brooks recently arrived to help the Refuge with manpower shortages in the coming year, thanks to funding from the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society. Amanda graduated from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, in May 2017 with majors in environmental studies and English and minors in art and art history. She serves as a shared-use intern for DDWS and the refuge. The Westford, Massachusetts, native worked last summer as a research technician on a plant biology experiment at READ MORE
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Brown Water Returns
The dark brown water has returned to San Carlos Bay, Pine Island Sound, and the Refuge's Tarpon Bay -- a recurring and dismaying reminder that water quality issues associated with the Caloosahatchee River and Lake Okeechobee are far from being resolved. Even though some positive steps are now underway to mitigate the problem, it will continue to periodically plague us READ MORE
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Bike, hike, or tram the refuge on Friday, October 20, and have Wildlife Drive virtually to yourself.
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'Ding' Days Fee-Free Days
With hurricane damage to the Refuge inflicted by Irma cleared away, plans are still on to celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week with "Ding" Darling Days, October 15-22. The Refuge will open admission to Wildlife Drive for free to all traffic for two days during that week, and to only biking and hiking traffic on Friday, October 20. (The drive normally closes to all traffic READ MORE
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Bailey's General Store again joins sponsors for "Ding" Darling Days this year at the Great Blue Heron Level. DDWS co-presents the 29
th
annual birding and eco-festival, which will draw more than 6,000 visitors to the Refuge the week of October 15-21, 2017.
Bailey's General Store is Sanibel's shopping headquarters, with a full-service grocery and hardware store in the heart of the island. It carries a large selection of fresh produce, fresh cuts of meat, and a variety of local seafood, and holds a full-service deli, coffee bar, and bakery. Bailey's General Store deli offers a variety of hot foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus catering services for special events.
Thanks to all of our sponsors
who are making "Ding" Days possible:
ROSEATE SPOONBILL SPONSORS:
GREAT EGRET SPONSORS:
GREAT BLUE HERON SPONSORS:
REDDISH EGRET SPONSORS:
Sarah Ashton & Jim Metzler, In Memory of Roger Bell,
Blu Site Solutions, Art & Susan Cassell,
Cedar Chest Fine Jewelry, Jerry Edelman and Maryann Daly, Sally & Rich Ennis,
Florida Weekly, Phyllis Gresham,
Grounds by GreenWays,
Intech Printing & Direct Mail,
Island Inn,
Jensen's on the Gulf and Marina & Cottages,
Mitchell's Sand Castles, Muench Families &
Periwinkle Park,
Sanibel-Captiva Kiwanis Club
, David Schuldenfrei - Realtor & Roberta Schuldenfrei,
Stewart and Sons Insurance, Inc.
,
TopBirdingTours.com
,
SNOWY EGRET SPONSORS:
Absolute Pressure, Inc.,
Ambu Yoga,
Barefoot Charley's Painting Co., Big Red Q Quickprint,
Colony Inn,
Island Therapy Center,
Marina Customer Service Training, Sanibel School Steel Drumming Band, George & Wendy Schnapp, Jim & Anne Scott,
www.seashells.com, Vasanta Senerat CPA, PA,
Winston & Barbara Spurgeon,
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NOTE: The Nature Store will be closed all day Friday, September 29, for inventory.
Record your nature explorations and observations in  this attractive, sturdy Nature Journal featuring a die-cut cover showcasing Refuge wildlife art by Lynne Egensteiner. Cost is $29.95.
Stop in and pick up your journal 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, 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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Images courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
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Location
:
Windward slope of Mauna Kea, Big Island, Hawaii
Totemic Fauna
: Hawai'i 'Ākepa, 'Akiapōlā'au, and Hawaiian Hoary Bat
Fun for the Family
: Hiking, biking, birding, and horseback riding
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The rare and endangered 'Akiapōlā'au occurs in only a few areas of upper- elevation koa'ōhi'a forest on the Big Island. |
Visitor's Tip
: The refuge is currently closed to self-guided tours. Plan a commercial
guided tour before visiting. The refuge's website lists local guide operations to which it has issued special use permits.
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As the weeks progress, the Refuge is slowly returning back to normal after our encounter with Hurricane Irma. Wildlife Drive has been cleared of debris and opened up last week, allowing us all to see our favorite birds once again. On the left, a
White-eyed Vireo
perches among the mangroves.
On the right, a
Blackburnian Warbler is a rare sighting at the Refuge. This warbler is a fall migrant on its way to South America for the winter, and its appearance emphasizes the importance of stop-over places like the Refuge.
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Photo courtesy of Bri Coffman
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Endangered Species Alert!
Tarpon Bay Explorers'
Captain Bri Coffman caught a
Smalltooth Sawfish
(a critically endangered species listed on the
IUCN Red List
) on her charter in Tarpon Bay Monday morning. She was able to untangle the line and safely release it.
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Photo courtesy of Amanda Brooks
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Spotted!
A bobcat on an evening stroll around the Refuge's maintenance area Monday night
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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Gator vs. Shark
Click
HERE
to view classic images of an alligator at "Ding" Darling eating a nurse shark. The images appeared in a recent issue of
National Geographic Spain.
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Veteran's Day Weekend
(fee-free days on Wildlife Drive)
-- November 11-12, 2017
Volunteer Holiday Party
- December 15, 2017
Biweekly Wednesday Film Series
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January 10
- April 4, 2018
Friday Lecture Series
- January 19-April 13, 2018
Volunteer Awards Luncheon - February 9, 2018
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Sanibel & Captiva Island: Post Irma
Click
HERE to check out a video created by The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel of the still beautiful scenery we have on Sanibel & Captiva.
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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,
"Ding" On The Wing composed by Chelle Koster Walton. Designed by Sierra Hoisington and Amanda Brooks.
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