|
|
|
"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Newsletter
October 12, 2017
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Click above to learn more about Dr. Perry and the Perry Tract. See below to read more about the recent unveiling of the new kiosk.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
Look up! A gator swims overhead on the #LearningLav mural.
|
The first of their kind among the 550-plus refuges in the National Refuge System, the new Learning Lavatories (#LearningLav) exhibit at the Refuge debuts to the public on tomorrow, October 13, at 9:30 a.m. Refreshments will follow the unveiling.
Funded by a $125,000 grant from the
West Coast Inland Navigation District
(WCIND) and contributions from private donors, Project
#LearningLav
has created educational imagery inside the center's lavatories and on the outdoor wall leading to them. The outside mural immerses visitors in a virtual underwater experience, where they come eye-to-eye with 3-D manatees and look up to see the undersides of an alligator, ducks, and a white pelican on the hunt for fish.
Click
HERE
or scan the QR code below to see images, video, and more information
about the exciting exhibits that make ours
the coolest bathroom in the county
and
Refuge System.
|
|
|
Perry Tract Kiosk Unveiling
On Friday, October, 6, the Refuge -- in partnership with the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society and the City of
Sanibel -- unveiled the new Perry Tract Kiosk, funded
through a grant from
|
|
|
|
Refuge Manager Paul Tritaik, City Councilman Mick Denham, DDWS project manager Sarah Lathrop, Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau's Nancy McPhee and Lisa Harmer, DDWS vice president Mike Baldwin
|
|
Near the picnic shelter at Gulfside City Park, the three-panel kiosk honors the late Dr. Louise Perry, a part-time Sanibel 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
|
|
|
|
Artist David Williams created a touchable, 3-D beach exhibit complete with shells and bird tracks and scat for the kiosk.
|
on
the beach and around the pond on the property, which is
closed to the public. Seashell castings and a replicated sea turtle nest add 3-D elements to the exhibit.
|
October 15: FREE Family Fun Day
|
|
|
|
Free hot dogs are a highlights of FREE Family Fun Day, an estimated $75 value for a family of four.
|
|
Sunday Family Fun Day kicks off week-long "Ding" Darling Days at J.N. "Ding" Darling National
Wildlife Refu
ge, Sanibel Island, on Oct. 15, 2017. The refuge and "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS) have planned a free day packed with activities for all ages from 9:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. Following the 9:45 a.m. flag-raising ceremony
presented by local Boy Scouts, the refuge will debut its new #LearningLav exhibits with a "toilet paper-cutting ceremony," followed by a reusable goodie bag giveaway for kids in the
READ MORE
|
|
|
The WaterVentures Traveling Lab will be open for free touring on Sunday and Monday during the week.
|
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,
|
|
New Education Intern
Education intern John Murray recently arrived to help the Refuge with manpower shortages this season, thanks to funding from the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society. John graduated cum laude from Rowan University in New Jersey in spring 2017. He earned two bachelor's degrees in environmental studies and geography with a concentration in geoscience. The Brick, N.J., native worked at the Palmyra Cove Nature Center in New Jersey before arriving to Sanibel Island.
"I've always loved Sanibel," said John. "I came here throughout most of my childhood up until I was about 12. After a decade, I came back at 22 years old. But now, instead of vacationing, I have a job! Funny how things work out." At "Ding" Darling, he will be assisting educator Sara Hallas with programs, school groups visiting the refuge, and special events into May 2018.
For more information about the refuge's internship programs, please contact Westland at 239-472-1100 ext. 237. To learn about supporting the refuge intern program, contact Sarah Lathrop, DDWS associate director, at 239-472-1100 ext. 4.
|
|
AT THE REFUGE NATURE STORE
|
|
|
|
DDWS Philanthropic Coordinator Carrie Alexander models the new women's rain jacket.
|
|
Stylin' in the Rain
Our new women's waterproof rain jackets keep you dry and stylish in any downpour. Lined and
edged with reflective materials, the robin egg-blue jackets carry the "Ding" Darling signature logo and sell for $55.95 each.
Stop in and pick up your jacket today. Or contact Store Manager
Jeanne Walsh
at 239-472-1100 ext. 241 for
'Ding' Days Specials
Come visit the store during
"Ding" Darling Days
, October 15-21, and take advantage of a special 10% discount on select items throughout the store.
Remember, proceeds from all Nature Store sales go directly to the Refuge for educational programs and wildlife research.
|
In each issue of "Ding" on the Wing, we showcase one of more than 560 refuges in the U.S.A.
|
|
|
Images courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
|
Location
:
Davis, West Virginia
Totemic Fauna
:
Brown Thrasher, Eastern Towhee, American Woodcock
Fun for the Family
: More than 20 hiking trails give your family plent
y of ways to
explore.
|
|
|
|
American Woodcock
|
|
Visitor's Tip
: Canaan Valley is the nation's highest valley east of the Rockies, with climate, flora, and fauna comparable to Ontario, Canada.
|
|
Kicking Plastic
"Ding" Darling is committed to and has led the way on the islands in reducing the single-use plastic products that plague our planet and threaten wildlife.
Thanks to DDWS' efforts, we have eliminated plastic shopping bags and plastic water bottles in the Refuge Nature Store and also at Tarpon Bay Explorers' gift shop. In recent years, the Refuge also installed a filtered water refill station and transitioned to compostable plates, cups, and flatware for event use.
In each issue of "Ding" of the Wing, we will share a quick tip on how you can reduce the use of plastic in your life.
Today: Kick the Bottle. Equip yourself with a reusable water bottle, or repurpose an old bottle. If you don't like drinking water from the tap, invest in your health and the health of the planet with a water filtering system. Visit the Refuge Nature Store for a selection of reusable water bottles in all price ranges. |
Herons and Egrets and Spoonbills, oh my! The "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge is known for its birding and is home to over 245 different species of birds! Thanks to Sylvia Guarino for capturing these great shots of birds you can commonly see year-round at the Refuge: (clockwise from top left) Yellow-crested Night Heron, Roseate Spoonbill and Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron.
T
o see more wildlife photos like these, 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.
|
Veteran's Day Weekend (fee-free days on Wildlife Drive) -- November 11-12, 2017
Volunteer Holiday Party
- December 15, 2017
Biweekly Wednesday Film Series
-
January 10
- April 4, 2018
Friday Lecture Series
- January 19-April 13, 2018
Volunteer Awards Luncheon - February 9, 2018
|
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
.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
