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"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Newsletter
January 3
, 2019
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Click the logo to learn more about our 45/82 Society and leaving "Ding" Darling in your estate.
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We WON! Click
HERE to read more about America's best restroom.
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CHANGE OF VENUE
Monday, January 7
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Drainage canal in the Everglades, circa 1910s. Courtesy of the Library of Congress
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In partnership with
WGCU Public Media, the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society will host a
Monday, January 7, free sneak preview airing of
The Swamp, a new national PBS documentary, at 5 p.m. in the
Sanibel Community House at 2173 Periwinkle Way.
(Because of government shutdown, we have moved the showing from the Refuge to this venue.)
The documentary will debut as
American Experience programming starting Tuesday,
January 15, at 9 p.m. on WGCU HD. Based in part on the book
The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of
Paradise by Michael Grunwald, the documentary tells the
dramatic story of humanity's attempts to conquer the Florida Everglades, one of nature's most mysterious and
READ MORE
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| Thank you to everyone who made a year-end gift to support the conservation efforts at the Refuge. Every gift makes a difference. |
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Government Shutdown
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Although the Visitor & Education Center is temporarily shuttered, restrooms, Wildlife Drive, Tarpon Bay Recreation Area, and other parts of the Refuge remain open during the partial government shutdown.
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Due to the current government shutdown, part of the Refuge is closed until further notice, including the "Ding" Darling Visitor & Education Center, Refuge Nature Store*, and Administration Building. All
other federal lands will remain open
, including: Wildlife Drive, Indigo Trail, Bailey Tract, Tarpon Bay Recreation Area and
Tarpon Bay Explorers
- the official refuge concessionaire.
The "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society office will remain open on the ground floor of the Administration Building. Wildlife Drive is open Saturday through Thursday 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
*Note: The Nature Store has set up
a makeshift, temporary shop in the DDWS downstairs office. 
All Tarpon Bay Explorers activities are available: all tours (tram, kayak, cruises, and standup paddleboard), fishing charters, recreational equipment rentals (kayaks, standup paddleboards, pontoons, bicycles) and the nature gift shop.
For up-to-the-minute status on planned events and
activities at the Refuge, click HERE.
Click here for FOX 4 coverage of shutdown impact on the Refuge.
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Woodring 100th Anniversary Exhibition
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| Historic photographs by Charlie McCullough chronicle the Woodring home and family on Sanibel Island. |
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To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Woodring home, now encompassed within Refuge boundaries, the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society is partnering with the Woodring family for a special, admission-free, 100
th
Anniversary Exhibition in the "Ding" Darling Visitor & Education Center Auditorium from
January 23 to March 25, 2019
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The public unveiling will take place at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, January 23. At 10 a.m., as part of a seated program, nationally renowned Teddy Roosevelt reprisor Joe Wiegand will make a special guest appearance, and Ralph Woodring will recount stories about growing up in the home and on the island. Another presentation will take place at 3 p.m., with a free showing of the WGCU film
Untold Stories: Sanibel I
at 1 p.m. Through March 25, the exhibition will feature READ MORE
NOTE: The exhibition will be open free of charge
Sundays through Thursdays (closed Friday) 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. January 23 through March 25
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Woodring 100th Anniversary Exhibition
GOLD LEVEL
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Ralph & Jean Woodring
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SILVER LEVEL
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Join a Biking the Refuge Tour every Tuesday and Thursday at 9:30 a.m. through April 28.
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 Free Refuge Programs Kick Off
The winter season's calendar of free tours and programs is set to begin on Monday, January 7. However, if government shutdown continues next week, the programs will be unable to run due to furloughed staff. Please monitor our
Government Shutdown web page
for updates.
Click HERE for a schedule of free seasonal activities.
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Wednesday, January 9: RiverBlue Airing 
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Trailer for RiverBlue
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The seventh annual "Ding" Darling Wednesday Film Series kicks off its bi-weekly showings on January 9 with the
documentary RiverBlue at 1 p.m. in the Visitor & Education Center*.
Narrated by
actor, director, and clean water activist Jason Priestley,
RiverBlue
dives into one of the world's most polluting industries: fashion. It examines the destruction of our rivers, the pollution's effect on humanity, and solutions for a READ MORE
*NOTE
: In the event the government remains shut down on January 9, this film showing will be rescheduled. Monitor our
Government Shutdown web page for updates.
"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society hosts the free film series with sponsorship from
Sanibel-Captiva Beach Resorts
. Seating is limited and on a first-come basis.
Click
HERE
for more
information about the series.
Click
HERE
for a film series flyer.
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Award-winning author and wildlife photographer Paul Bannick's owl lecture takes place on February 15.
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The 2019 "Ding" Darling Friday Lecture Series, which runs January 25 through April 12, features a line-up of celebrities in the world of birds, butterflies, and conservation. From North American owls and birds of the Arctic to monarch butterflies and Burmese pythons, the season promises to be one of the
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| Thank you to our 2019 Lecture Series Sponsor |
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Refuge's best yet. The free lectures take place in the Visitor & Education Center Auditorium at
READ MORE
Click
HERE
for a lecture series flyer.
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Register
now to attend the seventh annual fundraiser for the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society on
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
, at the Sanibel Community House. This year's
Go Wild for "Ding" - Call of the Osprey
theme continues a series of bird-themed events to benefit the birds, other wildlife, land acquisition, and conservation and education efforts at the Refuge. "Seating is limited and we once again anticipate a sold-out crowd," said event committee member and DDWS President Mike Baldwin. "We encourage people READ MORE.
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CALL OF THE WILD SPONSORS
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DEFENDER LEVEL SPONSORS
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To become a sponsor call Dot with the DDWS at 239.472.1100 ext. 239
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At the Refuge Nature Store
Krema Nutritional Snacks
When you need a nutritional pick-me-up while visiting the Refuge, check out our new line of Krema nut snack packs, with or without dried fruit. Established in 1898, Krema has been satisfying the discriminating tastes of nut lovers for more than 100 years. Krema nuts are gently roasted in small batches by hand. The time-honored tradition gives Krema nuts their incredible, distinctive flavor. Grab an eco-friendly bottle of JUST Water to go with your snack. All are available in our temporary Refuge Nature Store in the DDWS office, accessible from Indigo Trail, during the government shutdown of the Visitor & Education Center.
Remember, members of "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society receive a 10% discount at the Nature Store. Profits from all Nature Store sales go directly to the Refuge for educational programs and wildlife research.
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Student Thank-You
DDWS, with the support of donors, buses 8,000 students to the Refuge each year for a solid dose of healing nature and education. Recently, Gateway Charter School visited from Fort Myers. This is one of the thank-you notes from the students, addressed to education intern Shay Hart, bus driver Vicky, and resident volunteers Jerry and Melinda Sweeten:
"Thank you Shay, for being a wonderful tour guide, Jerry and Melinda, for helping everone out, and Vicky who was our ride to Ding Darling! I had a splendid trip. I was very happy that we got to see and learn many intresting things with you all! Thank you again.
GCS Student
Mackenzie
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2019 Refuge Wish List
Click here for a list of Refuge needs you can help fulfill with your donations in 2019.
Click here to donate and specify where you would like your dollars to go. Thank you to all of our generous supporters in 2018. You have helped to keep the Refuge fully functional despite budget and staff cuts.
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Wildlife Success Story
Report by Wildlife Law Enforcement Officer, John Thompson
On December 29, 2018, J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge concessionaire Tarpon Bay Explorers reported what appeared to be a sick Roseate Spoonbill near the Wildlife Drive fee booth. I responded to the area and observed a Roseate Spoonbill walking slowly on the Indigo Trail. The bird's mouth was gaping open and I was able to walk up to it. The behavior was consistent with red tide ingestion, which can be fatal for birds. I secured the bird in a wildlife carrier and transported it to the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) veterinary facility in Sanibel, FL. On January 2, 2019, CROW staff told me that the patient was ready to be released back to the wild. On the same date I met with CROW staff on Wildlife Drive. I located a group of Roseate Spoonbills east of the observation tower. CROW staff set the wildlife carrier on the ground and opened the top. Many Refuge visitors watched excitedly as the bird stepped out and stretched its wings into freedom. The bird flew south of Wildlife Drive and joined a group of wild Roseate Spoonbills resting in the shade of mangroves.
A wildlife success story, made possible by wildlife partners working together!
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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.
Seney National Wildlife Refuge
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Images courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |
Location
: Seney, Michigan (95,238 acres)
Totemic Fauna
:
Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Gray Wolf
Fun for the Family
: Check out the refuge's website to learn about its 10 virtual geocaches.
Visitor's Tip
: The Visitor Center and Marshland Wildlife Drive are open from May 15 to October 20. This time of year, ice-fishing is popular and permitted on all refuge waters until February 28.
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Downey Woodpecker |
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| Gray Wolf |
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In each issue of "Ding" of the Wing, we share a quick tip on how you can turn your lifestyle greener. For more information on being environmentally aware, visit our
Easy Steps to Sustainability in 2019 
1.
Carry reusable shopping bags in your car. Place them in your front seat beside you, so you remember to take them in the store with you.
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Bring your own coffee mug with you to coffee bars.
3.
If you must use straws in your beverage, invest in steel or other reusable straws.
4.
Carry reusable containers when you eat out to package your leftovers.
5. Dispose of plastic bags responsibly. Most home recycling services cannot recycle them, and they often end up clogging operations. Take them to plastic bag recycling bins frequently found at grocery stores, or place them in with regular trash.
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Click
HERE to see this week's wildlife sightings
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| Photo courtesy of Janet Kirk |
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Photo Courtesy of Rebecca Clemens
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Photo courtesy of Jim Bennight |
This past week has been a very busy week all over the Refuge's lands. On the left, a Smooth-billed Ani has been making an appearance at the Bailey Tract. This is an extremely rare bird that has not been seen on island for nearly half a century. On the top right, a fun little Wilson's Snipe is also seen in the Bailey Tract. And finally on the bottom right, a feeding frenzy of white congregates along Wildlife Drive. It is something we all have been hoping to see after a very hard summer.
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 Development Officer,
Sierra Hoisington, for a chance to be featured in upcoming newsletters.
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Volunteer Awards Luncheon
- February 8, 2019
Clyde Butcher Photography Exhibition - November 12, 2019-February 6, 2020
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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 Christopher Gutierrez & April Boehnen.
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