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Tips for Attending Lectures
The free "Ding" Darling Friday Lecture Series has become increasingly popular. Because we want to keep the lectures admission-free and we are restricted by the fire department to the number of seats we can fill, the lectures often reach their capacity quickly.
We have compiled
TIPS
to help.
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Longtime Refuge volunteer Iver Brook (right), stopped by the Refuge to visit with volunteer coordinator Ranger Jeff Combs. The Refuge
volunteer corps
is vital to the Refuge's survival. In fiscal year 2018-2019 alone, 292 volunteers worked 42,109.5 hours at the Refuge, representing a labor and benefits savings of more than a million dollars, equivalent to 20 full-time employees.
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TOMORROW:
Panther Survival Lecture
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Author Craig Pittman |
The cast of characters in
Cat Tale includes a grizzled Texas puma hunter who decides he likes his prey better than the sheep he was hired to protect; a pioneering female scientist who once gave a dying panther mouth-to-mouth resuscitation; a museum employee who became known as "the Scat Lady;" a native American tribal chief who killed a panther and ate its heart; and the fabled, fragrant Skunk Ape. The book's author, Craig Pittman, will present two programs beginning at
10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Friday, February 28, in the
READ MORE
This year's series is part of the Refuge's
c
elebration activities.
Thank you to our co-sponsors of the free 12-lecture series with support from DDWS.
See lecture tips
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| Ed Anderson took inspiration from cartoonist "Ding" Darling and the studio where he once worked on Captiva Island, now part of the Rauschenberg Artists in Residence program. |
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Scenes from the Refuge Exhibition
Idaho wildlife artist
Ed Anderson kicked off the Refuge's 75th Anniversary Celebration last summer with an eight-week
artist "in residence" educational program. He gathered inspiration during daily visits to the Refuge.
The results of that inspiration-- about a
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Ed Anderson speaks at his exhibition's opening Tuesday.
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dozen paintings
and art journal entries --
are on exhibit in the Visitor & Education Center Auditorium through April 24, 2020.
Admission to the exhibition is free
READ MORE
Thanks to the sponsor of the Artist "in Residence"
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Wednesday, March 4:
Ivory-billed Woodpecker Film
Believed extinct, the Ivory-billed Woodpecker remains a source of fascination to birders. The eighth annual "Ding" Darling Wednesday Film Series continues its biweekly showings on March 4 with a free airing of the documentary Ghost Bird at 1 p.m. in the "Ding" Darling Visitor & Education Center. In 2005, an announcement of an Ivory-billed Woodpecker sighting brought flocks of determined birders to a small town in Arkansas. Produced four years later, Ghost Bird tells the story of hope, faith, and the limits of certainty in the quest to resurrect this lost species. The 85-minute nonfiction feature gives a chronology of historical sightings of the bird that has READ MORE
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Ghost Bird - Trailer
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Thanks to our sponsor of the 2020 series
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 Friday, March 6: Owls & Woodpeckers Lecture
Award-winning author and wildlife photographer Paul Bannick will present a program featuring stunning imagery from his new book:
The Owl and The Woodpecker, Encounters with North America's Most Iconic Birds at special presentations in the "Ding" Darling Visitor & Education Center. The two free programs on Friday, March 6, take place at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., part of the
2020 "Ding" Darling Friday Lecture series. Based on thousands of hours photographing in the field, Bannick's book evokes all 41 North American species of owls and woodpeckers, across 11 key habitats. By revealing the impact of two of our most iconic birds, he has
READ MORE
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Renowned American historian Douglas Brinkley has honored the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society with an offer to speak during his upcoming visit to Sanibel Island. DDWS will host a lecture and lunch with Brinkley on
Sunday, March 15, at 12 p.m. at The Sanctuary Clubhouse. The author will speak about this latest book,
American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race,
and will touch upon his work-in-progress,
Silent Spring Revolution
. The latter book brings to light environmental heroes of the early 1960s, including Rachel Carson, President Kennedy, and Stewart Udall. Only 100 tickets for the lunch event are available at $75 each. Contact READ MORE
Reservations are required; only 20 tickets remain.
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March 20: A Few Tickets Remain for The Swamp Lecture
Only 40
tickets remain for Michael Grunwald's lecture about his book
The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise
on March 20 at The Community House on Sanibel Island. For the private reception event preceding the lecture,
10
tickets are still available. Hosted by DDWS, the events benefit water-quality research and education at the Refuge. The bestselling Florida author will be doing book-signings
READ MORE
Thanks to our sponsors who make these author events possible:
Defender Level Sponsors
Media Sponsor
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Bold & Beautiful Bamboo Bowls
A chic and smart alternative to many of today's industrially manufactured, synthetic products, these handcrafted bamboo bowls are food-safe and a stunning addition to your table and decor. Every step of the bowls' creation is performed by hand with minimal tooling. They make a beautiful statement at any meal or get-together or as ecologically friendly gifts. Mix and match your favorite sizes and colors: perfect for salads, fruits, bread, pastries, sweets, and whatever else you're serving.
Stop in the store today or contact Nature Store Manager
Ann-Marie Wildman
at 239-472-1100 ext. 241 for information about mail-ordering store products. Visit our
online store for convenient ordering of some of our most popular items.
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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Toni recording at the Refuge with "Nature Guy" Bob
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 Refuge Podcast
Ranger Toni Westland recently began recording podcasts for the Nature Guys website. The first one, 16 minutes long and titled
Wildlife at Ding
, aired February 11 and is still available to download or listen to. She has also recorded one about White Pelicans and will be talking on other Refuge-related topics.
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A Taste of Project Refuge
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Kathy Daddato working on her design for Project Refuge using trash such as juice boxes and potato chip bags which were collected from her granddaughter's elementary school lunchroom. |
Although the Twist Tie Optional Lunch and Runway Show for Project Refuge: A Couture Fashion Show Using Trash has sold out, the public will have a chance to view the 23 original creations. Thanks to donations of their time by videographer Nick Adams and photographer Scott McPhee, visual presentations will be available online, link to be announced. Our most sincere gratitude goes to Nick, Scott, and all our other sponsors for making Project Refuge a huge, exciting part of the Refuge's 75th Anniversary Celebration.
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Free Winter Programs Under Way
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Join the free Beach Walk tour every Sunday and Friday morning.
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The seasonal calendar of free Refuge programs runs through Sunday, April 19. Daily programs begin at 8:30 a.m. and include such diverse activities and topics as "Ding" the Man, Beach Walk, Nature Photography, and Indigo Trail Walk.
Special this year, in honor of the Refuge's
75th Anniversary
, the "Ding" the Man program takes place every Tuesday at 10 a.m. in the
READ MORE
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Buy the Book (Online)
As we honor "Ding" the man and artist during the Refuge's
75th Anniversary Celebration, you may have noticed our wonderful local newspaper partners
run
ning some of his Pulitzer-winning editorial cartoons.
Curious to see more of his prophetic early-20th-century work? His cartoon sampler, published by his
late grandson Kip Koss, is one of several books and many gifts you can find at
ShopDingDarling.com
. Go online today to order for delivery to anywhere in the U.S. DDWS operates the Nature Store to support the Refuge through the sale of logo apparel and memorabilia, kids toys, eco-friendly kitchen accessories, art, birding guides and other nature books, fair-trade decorative pieces, and a wide variety of gifts related to nature and conservation.
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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.
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Swallow-tailed Kite |
Location: 50 miles southwest of Gainesville, Florida
Totemic Flora & Fauna: Swallow-tailed Kite, Brazilian Free-tailed Bat, Salt Marsh Vole
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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
Go Green web page.
The Plastic We Drink
Last year,
Consumer Reports revealed
unacceptable arsenic levels in some bottled waters. With a new twist of irony, public health publications recently report that water bottled in plastic contains more microplastics than tap water. Ingesting microplastics has been linked to everything from obesity and diabetes to infertility and attention-deficit disorder. Bottom line: When you kick the plastic habit, you are not only taking a step to improve the health of Mother Earth, but your own well-being, too.
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Click
HERE to see this week's wildlife sightings
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| Photo credit: David Jeffrey |
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A stark contrast to the female's monotone green feathering, the male
Painted Bunting is one you couldn't miss. This species spends a lot of time hidden in dense habitat, so patience might be necessary to spot the colorful songbirds. The wait, however, is definitely worth it.
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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Global Recycling Day - March 18, 2020
Spring Migratory Sale at Nature Store - April 15, 2020
Earth Day at the Refuge - April 22, 2020
Endangered Species Day at the Refuge
- May 15, 2020
75th Anniversary Island "Spoonie" Island Scavenger Hunt Kick-off - June 1, 2020
Free Summer Programs - June 8-August 8, 2020
"Ding" Grand Marshal in Fourth of July Parade - July 4, 2020
75th Anniversary "Ding": The Man, The Art, The Stories Exhibition Opening
- October 20, 2020 - December 31, 2020
75th Anniversary Proclamation at City Hall - November 3, 2020
Holiday Shopping Night - November 30, 2020
Official 75th
Anniversary Celebration
- December 1, 2020
2021 Annual Fundraiser - February 10, 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 Arthur & April Boehnen.
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