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Your Backyard Nature
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| Thank you, Doug McRae in Henderson, New York. |
Whether you live on Sanibel Island or in a completely different environment in faraway places like Maine or Idaho, we want to see what you're seeing in your habitat while you are staying safe at home.
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Thank you, Lynn Reed, for this photo of a newborn elk that took a rest next to her home in Pine, Arizona.
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Please
email
your nature photos so we can share them in "Ding" on the Wing and by social media. Please include details about the photographer and where the photo was taken.
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Virtual Summer Camp Underway
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Last week's Exploration Wednesday toured the Calusa Shell Mound Trail along Wildlife Drive with a scavenger hunt. Download the question sheets from the Facebook page before watching the video, then check your answers here.
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The Refuge Education Team debuted its summer
Nature Explorers Virtual Camp
earlier this month. Educators will be hosting the free natural science and experiential-based learning videos every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 10 a.m. on the
Refuge's official Facebook page
. Exploration Wednesday will include activities like paddleboarding in Tarpon Bay and bike safety. Experimental Thursday lessons range from making a lava lamp to nature tie-dye. Investigation Friday explores Refuge wildlife, plants, and people.
Those who participate by responding on summer camp Facebook posts three times get a free prize.
Email
the Education Team for more information.
Did you miss a lesson? No worries, all videos and activity sheets are archived on the DDWS website.
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COVID-19 Refuge Status
The Refuge
continues to evaluate the risk of its operations to visitors, staff, and the local community.
No changes to the status occurred since last week's bulletin. Keep current on new developments via our
COVID-19 web page
. In the meantime, we urge you to #StayHome as much as possible, get out in nature when you can, and maintain social distance and mask guidelines when you must go out.
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#DailyDoseofDing
 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.
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Photos below of Reddish Egret by David Jeffrey
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2021 Lecture Series Sneak Peek
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Esteemed wildlife photographer Clyde Butcher will be speaking about his latest The Everglades
book at a lecture at The Community House.
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Next season's Lecture Series will pivot with the times and persisting distance protocols by moving to a larger venue at The Community House on Sanibel, with only one 10 a.m. lecture per day on five select days throughout the season.
Currently, the lineup includes Clyde Butcher, author Jack Davis, and author-photographer Paul Bannick. Stay tuned for announcements of other guest speakers. The following lecture dates have been confirmed: January 29, February 4, February 19, March 12, and March 19.
 We are seeking sponsorship support for each lecture for this unprecedented season. Please email or call 239-292.0566. NOTE: We anticipate the 2022 lecture series will return to its traditional Refuge venue and format.
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Initial sketches of wildlife lessons WoW will present, by fabrication artist
David Williams
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 Building, design, and curriculum planning continue on the Refuge's Wildlife on Wheels (WoW) mobile classroom project. The planning team has been meeting with Lee County District Schools environmental teachers to help identify species and biological processes the classroom should address and design a series of scavenger hunts that WoW facilitators will be administering to teach state standards.
DDWS plans to unveil the completed WoW mobile classroom in October, in time for
"Ding" Darling Day
. This fall, WoW will be scheduled to visit schools, libraries, conservation-minded events, and economically challenged and minority communities in the five-county area to teach about water quality, the local ecosystem, wildlife, and other topics that meet the Refuge's mission.
Thanks to guidance from the Refuge's summer STAR teacher, Jennifer Rasner, the Education Team will be looking at scheduling one-week visits to schools for the ultimate impact on class curriculum.
Anyone interested in making a tax-deductible donation to support ongoing needs for the WoW project can contact Birgie Miller at 239-472-1100 ext. 232 or click HERE to make a gift online.
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Summer + Kids = ShopDingDarling.com
Surprise your kids, grandkids, nieces, and nephews this summer w
ith a package from "Ding" Darling. Here are a few suggestions to bring smiles to their faces.
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| Keep the kids busy this summer with our curated kids activity boxes - available in alligator, manatee, and sea turtle themes -- plus a selection of kid's books from The Nature Store. |
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| If you've been missing seeing the bright pink plumage of the Roseate Spoonbill at the Refuge, The Nature Store has you covered! Get your adorable, pink plush spoonbill along with a variety of other cuddly plush toys |
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Curbside Pickup
Curbside pickup is now available for orders placed
online.
Avoid shipping charges while our physical Refuge Nature Store is closed. Simply select "curbside pickup" at checkout, and a member of our team will
contact you within the next business day to schedule a pickup time convenient for you. Curbside pickup is available Monday through
Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. EST. To ensure a personalized experience for each customer, we will contact you directly when your order is ready for pickup.
Email
us today for more information.
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.
Remember, profits from all Nature Store sales go directly to the Refuge for educational programs and wildlife research. Every purchase makes a difference.
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Summer STAR Teacher
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Jennifer Rasner
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Thanks to a grant from a private family foundation awarded to the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society, the Refuge has hired a Summer Teachers Assisting Refuges (STAR) teacher for two months to help with educational programming for the WoW (Wildlife on Wheels) mobile classroom, summer virtual camp, fine-tuning curriculum for the school year, and other environmental education activities.
This year's STAR, Jennifer Rasner, has been teaching fourth grade for two years at Allen Park Elementary in Fort Myers, where she specializes in language arts laced with social studies and science lessons. "The task to teach everything is a challenge, so, often, the students READ MORE
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Estuary trip in Pine Island Sound with Trafalgar Elementary
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Teacher's Grant Report
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Testing showed an overall improvement of 30 percentage points from the project.
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"In spite of the pandemic with schools closing early, Susie Hassett was able to utilize our grant along with
several others to complete the district-wide project Wonders of Water," reports DDWS Education
Committee Chair Wendy Kindig. "Susie heads up Environmental Education for the entire Lee County
School District. She has helped us with our WoW project and received previous grants from us. She is
amazing!" Read
Susie's report on how 25 students from five different schools
benefited
from
one of DDWS' annual
Teacher Conservation Grants
this past school year.
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Baby Manatee Rescue
Last week, we reported recent vandalism to the baby manatee sculpture outside of our
award-winning restrooms
at the Visitor & Education Center. The responses clearly demonstrate the affection "Ding" visitors feel for the mother-baby manatee sculptures, and we thank everyone who sent kind words and contributions towards its restoration. After making contact with the sculptures' original artist, Andrew Corke, who has relocated from Sanibel Island to Colorado, a plan has formed to repair the damage. Andrew, who created the sculptures from recycled bike tires, will work with local fellow artist Lawrence Voytek to restore our loveable manatees to their
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Like the vandalized baby manatee sculpture, living manatees are often scarred by humans. From this video of a manatee, taken near Wulfert Key, you can see scars from a boat propeller. Make sure you observe all speed zones and closed areas when boating. For more information on boating regulations, go to myFWS.com.
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one-of-a-kind beauty. Thank you to those who have sent gifts to help. Additional donations toward the repairs and continued upkeep are being accepted
online
or at 239-472-1100 ext. 4.
"Protection of people and property is our top priority during the pandemic," Acting Refuge Manager Kevin Godsea reassures the public. "The Refuge staff is onsite for routine patrols to monitor critical activities during this time of uncertainty. We are currently looking to resume entrance fees and open more facilities as safety risks are mitigated."
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Become a Sponsor for upcoming events to support conservation efforts at the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Planning for "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society's 2020-2021 event season is currently underway. DDWS hosts several annual and one-time events and sponsors help to make them a success. Your support will help the Refuge continue its work in conservation and wildlife protection and increase your visibility among current and potential customers. For individuals, it's an opportunity to show others the value you place on work at the Refuge and encourage them to do the same. Event and program sponsors play an essential role in helping DDWS raise support for research and education at the Refuge. View sponsorship opportunities. Call 239.472.1100 ext. 4 to discuss.
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Support Those Who Support Us
The 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.
Island Inn: Island Inn may date back to 1895, but its rooms and cottages come with all the modern conveniences, plus direct access to the beach and gulf. The original site of the Sanibel Shell Fair, it maintains its traditions of displaying guests' shell finds and gathering at sunset and dinnertime. Find it gulf-side at 3111 W. Gulf Drive; call 800-851-5088 for reservations.
 Hey Mon Sanibel: Now's the time to get out on the water to explore castaway islands, pull in some Instagram-worthy fish, and chill. Hey Mon offers tours in every flavor: fishing, shelling, beachcombing, picnic, and sunset. Call 612-804-0947.
Island Condo Maintenance
: Island Condo has been making island life easier since 1971 by keeping pools clean and in tip-top shape and offering property watch services while homeowners are away. You can also call Island Condo at 239-472-4505 for home repair or improvement needs - from pressure washing to screen enclosure installation and repair.
Trophy Case of Fort Myers
: Reward life's achievements great and small with customized trophies, plaques, and other awards from Trophy Case at 12830 Metro Parkway #12 in Fort Myers. Shop online or in person for advertising promotional items such as personalized pens, water bottles, and keychains. Call 239-936-1814.
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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 that the Refuge has been in existence.
Photo to the left: Pictured here, the first observation tower on Wildlife Drive duplicated a former tower located at Bailey Tract. The Refuge constructed this one in 1966, and it served as a favorite stop along the Drive until replaced in 2002 by the more modern, sturdy, and accessible version we have today.
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 Green Watch Parties
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A Plastic Ocean
seeks solutions to the current plastic sea pollution crisis.
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Still ordering and streaming films to fill the stay-at-home hours? May we
suggest a few titles to raise your
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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
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Location:
5,618 acres; 50 miles south of Savannah, Georgia
Totemic Fauna:
Loggerhead Sea Turtle, American Oystercatcher
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American Oystercatcher |
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Loggerhead Sea Turtle |
Visitor's Tip:
The refuge does not
provide transportation to the
barrier island. Visitors must use
their own boats or make arrangements with a local charter service.
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Click
HERE to see this week's wildlife sightings.
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| Photo credit: John Dembeck |
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These Yellow-crowned Night Heron chicks are growing up nicely within the Refuge. Yeah, it may have been a bad hair day, but who could resist that face?
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.
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of event cancellations.
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75th Anniversary Island "Spoonie" Island Scavenger Hunt Kick-off
- TBA
75th Anniversary "Ding:" The Man, The Art, The Stories Exhibition Opening
- October TBA
75th Anniversary Proclamation at City Hall - November 3, 2020
Official 75th
Anniversary Celebration
- December 1, 2020
75th Anniversary Gala Celebration
- December 1, 2020
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
Volunteer Training
- January 14, 2021
2021 Annual Fundraiser - February 10, 2021
Niki Butcher Photographic Exhibition - November 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 April Boehnen.
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