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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 to see our #DailyDoseofDing, brief virtual visits to the Refuge for those who can't make it.
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Read more about becoming part of our new monthly giving program.
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Whether you live on Sanibel Island or in a completely different environment in faraway places like Iowa or British Columbia, we want to see what you're seeing in your habitat while you are staying safe at home.
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| Thank you to Steve Krates and Kristin Brown for sharing a backyard nature photo of a Kodiak bear on Kodiak Island, Alaska.
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| | Thank you to Grace Zimmermann for sharing a backyard nature photo from Dover Stone Church, Dutchess County, New York |
Please email y our 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.
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Welcome New Intern
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Cait Nalley
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Intern Caitlyn Nalley recently arrived to help the Refuge with staff shortages in the coming season, thanks to funding from DDWS. Cait graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in May 2020 with a double major in environmental studies and international studies. She now serves as a Development and Communications Intern for DDWS.
"I love getting to live near the Gulf of Mexico and being able to go to the beach whenever I want," said the Louisville, Kentucky, native. "I'm looking forward to learning the ins-and-outs of a nonprofit, gaining experience across new fields, and meeting people passionate about environmental stewardship."
During her initial quarantine period, Cait first hunkered down during Tropical Storm Sally and accompanying tornado warnings, but has since been getting out on bike rides to learn the island and acclimate to the heat and humidity, she said.
DDWS provides living stipends and other benefits for more than a dozen interns each year. The refuge supports interns with free housing. "Our interns bring youthful energy, enthusiasm, and creativity to the refuge team," said DDWS Executive Director Birgie Miller. "At the same time, the program gives college students and recent graduates an opportunity to learn hands-on about the environment and Refuge and non-profit operations." To make a donation in support of the internship program, contact Lynnae Messina at 239-472-1100 ext. 233. |
Lecture Series Sponsors
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| | Thanks to Geoffrey & Karen Moss for joining our roster of lecture series sponsors. They are partially sponsoring Kirk W. Johnson's Feather Thief lecture in March. |
Because the pandemic has forced DDWS to move this year's free lecture series to The Community House on Sanibel, our costs to host the lectures have increased significantly. We are seeking one $1,000 partial sponsor for the Feather Thief lecture in March. Below is the lecture schedule and current sponsors. Please contact April Boehnen (239-472-1100 ext. 4) or Birgie Miller (239-292-0566) for more information.
Thursday, February 4 - Photographers Clyde and Niki Butcher, The Everglades, sponsored by Wayne and Linda Boyd
Friday, February 19 - Author Jack Davis, "The Bald Eagle: Symbol and Species in American History," sponsored by Southwest Florida Eagle Cam
Friday, March 12 - Author Paul Bannick, "Great Gray Owl: A Visual Natural History," sponsored by Bill & Laurie Harkey
Friday. March 19 - Author Kirk W. Johnson, Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century, partially sponsored by HighTower/Thomas & Swartz Wealth Management, Sanibel Carts, Ashton Kirchner Group/Keller Williams Realty Sanibel & Captiva, and Geoffrey & Karen Moss; one $1,000 sponsor needed |
Patty Sprankle
Limited Edition Songbird Keepsake Boxes
In celebration of the Refuge's 75th anniversary, nationally acclaimed artist Patty Sprankle has partnered with The Nature Store to release a limited series of hand-painted porcelain songbird keepsake boxes. These exquisite grandes and petites boxes have been individually painted in the artist's signature style and embellished with gold accents. The bottom of each box bears her signature and limited-edition number - plus, find a special Sanibel surprise painted on the inside of each box. Continuing the family tradition, Patty's great grandmother designed porcelain for Queen Victoria at the turn of the century and Patty has several of those pieces in her home, as well as the original articles from the NYT recounting the acceptance of these pieces by THE QUEEN. With only 10 petites and 20 grandes boxes created, these gems will not last long. Purchase yours today at ShopDingDarling.com or by calling The Nature Store at (239) 472-1100 ext. 241.
Curbside Pickup
Curbside pickup is 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.
Remember, profits from all Nature Store sales go directly to the Refuge for educational programs, wildlife research, and overall conservation efforts.
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September 26:
National Public Lands & Urban Wildlife Day
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| | Visit the Wildlife Education Boardwalk and its unique exhibits, just off Indigo Trail, for free on September 26. |
For Saturday, September 26, the Refuge has designed three ways to celebrate National Public Lands & Urban Wildlife Day.
1. Visit Wildlife Drive free of charge all day (7 a.m.-7 p.m.). Print out this scavenger hunt before you go, and be on the lookout for wildlife.
2. If you live in Lee, Collier, or Charlotte County, receive a 25% discount off tours and rentals at Tarpon Bay Explorers, our recreation concession. (Bring proof of residency, please.)
3. Support the Refuge by shopping online at ShopDingDarling.com. Curbside pickup is available Monday through Friday.
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October 1: Wildlife Drive Fee Changes
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Click on graphic to see enlarged.
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Effective October 1, 2020, admission fees to the Refuge's Wildlife Drive will change, the first increase in more than 30 years ago. As reflected in the chart above, daily vehicular admission fees will increase on October 1 from $5 to $10 and annual passes from $12 to $25. Entry fees for pedestrians and cyclists will remain at $1 each for persons ages 15 and older only.
Admission to the Visitor & Education Center (when reopened) and Bailey Tract trails is still FREE. The cost of the Senior Pass, Access Pass, and other federal passes all remain the same and are available for purchase at the Wildlife Drive fee booth (Fridays at Tarpon Bay Explorers).
"The fees help maintain structures, roads, and landscaping across our 7,700 acres and allow us to increase accessibility," said Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland, who oversees Visitor Services. "We also have become increasingly reliant on entrance fees for staff salaries, especially where public safety and security are concerned."
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 Kudos to City of Sanibel
A big round of applause to the city of Sanibel for recently passing two important environmentally friendly measures.
Effective September 18, irrigation will be limited to two days a week for all island properties - Mondays and Thursdays for even addresses, Tuesdays and Fridays for odd. No irrigation is permitted between the 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Read the new ordinance for exceptions and other provisions.
Secondly, effective October 1, the use of plastic bags for containing vegetation disposal for collection is banned. Yard and horticulture waste can be bundled or contained in refuse containers or biodegradable paper lawn and leaf bags. Note: The Refuge began using "green" biodegradable vegetation bags long before the city mandate.
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 Event Sponsorship needed for the 75th Celebration & Gala
December 1, 2020 celebrates the 75th Anniversary of the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society is helping to host a daytime celebration and an evening gala to commemorate this milestone event. The daytime celebration, in combination with "Ding" Darling Day will be a free and open to the public combining a day full of safe family fun, live music and special guests, all following CDC guidelines.
The day's festivities will then culminate with a ticketed gala. This Gala will embody the 1940's with a drive-in theatre theme and visits from "Theodore Roosevelt". Guests will safely enjoy live music and a program projeted onto a large drive in screen with audio broadcast to their cars. "Car hops" will deliver food and drinks wearing masks and oter protective gear. This will be a day-long celebration is once in a lifetime and will be one to remember. Join the DDWS by becoming a sponsor today. Email Development Officer, April Boehnen or call her at 239.472.1100 ext. 4.
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Support Those Who Support Us 
The local 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.
| Sweet Melissa's Cafe: Celebrating 12 years on Sanibel Island, Sweet Melissa's is a local favorite for fine island cuisine with Cajun flair. Reserve now for a delightful dinner, before the restaurant takes a short hiatus September 13-29. (Tip: The Fish Stew is a steady favorite.) Call 239-472-1956.
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| Nick Adams Photography: Operating on Sanibel Island since 1998, Nick Adams offers a full range of professional photographic and video services from portraits and weddings to drone footage and commercial filming. Start planning today for holiday cards and gifts featuring your family or business. Call 239-395-7671.
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| Sanibel Island Pottery: It features the hand-built works of Jerry Edelman, specializing in sea life pottery that is both artistic and functional. Order his loggerhead sea turtle motif pieces in custom sizes and shapes. Call 239-677-7299.
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Philanthropic support makes a real difference in the conservation work at the Refuge.
Preserve. Protect. Inspire.
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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.
In May 2012, the first "Ding" Darling & Doc Ford's Tarpon Tournament took place to support the Refuge and raise awareness about responsible sports fishing. The inaugural event, now in its ninth year, featured a "Kangaroo Court" following the tournament, with author Randy Wayne White as judge. Here he is pictured with Marty Harrity, co-owner of Doc Ford's, and one of the anglers "on trial." Since its inception, the tarpon tournament has raised nearly $600,000 for Refuge water research, wildlife research, and conservation education.
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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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| | Image courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |
Location: 18,800 acres north of Missoula, Montana
Totemic Fauna: American Bison, Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Lion
Visitor's Tip: Fall is a good time to see the cottonwoods turning gold and experience mating behaviors of elk and deer.
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| | | Bison calf and Mother | |
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Click HERE to see this week's wildlife sightings.
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| | | Photo credit: John Gamble | |
"Are you talkin' to me?"
You may notice when Brown Pelicans dive, they tuck their head and turn to the left. This is to cushion their trachea and esophagus, located on the right side of their neck, from the impact of the dive.
To 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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75th Anniversary Proclamation at City Hall - November 3, 2020
75th Anniversary Celebration & Gala - December 1, 2020 Sponsors needed:
Call April at 239-472-1100 ext. 4 to learn about sponsorship opportunities.
Clyde Butcher Book Signing - December TBA
National Bird Day - January 5, 2021
Volunteer Training - January 14, 2021
Call April at 239-472-1100 ext. 4 to learn about sponsorship opportunities.
2021 Annual Go Wild for "Ding" - February 10, 2021
Earth Day at the Refuge - April 22, 2021
Artist-in-Residence Exhibition - October - Mid-November 2021
Niki Butcher Photographic Exhibition - Mid-November - December 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 & Sierra Hoisington.
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