President's Message

Fall weather has come our way and it is one of the best times to enjoy our wildlife Refuge. Plants are blooming to feed their pollinators, the migrating butterflies, and we can all enjoy the cooler temperatures. This time of year we are treated to one of the great spectacles of nature, the annual North American Monarch Butterfly Migration. The coastal zone and the barrier islands are so covered by Monarchs that they are hard to miss. But while visiting the Refuge, look out for the Monarch’s mimics, like Viceroys, Gulf Fritillaries and Queens. Don’t forget all the other butterflies that feed at the refuge, like Cloudless Sulfurs, the pretty little Hairstreaks, Elfins, and Black Swallowtails.

Your Friends' Board is looking forward to the return of the Monarch Festival on Saturday, October 22, just one week away. Come by our Friends' table and meet some of our board members, learn more about what the Friends do for St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, and see what we have to offer. (Read more throughout this newsletter below for information on activities, quilt raffle, and the sale of Monarch Butterfly bookmarks.) 

We always have something for the kids, too. Come out and spend the day at St. Marks and maybe get the chance to tag a Monarch Butterfly. We hope to see you there.

Just a note: Please keep in your thoughts our sister wildlife refuge and Friends group at J.N. "Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on hurricane devastated Sanibel Island. You can donate to their restoration efforts by following this link. 

Text courtesy Tom Baird, President, Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge, Photo of Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly, Phillip Pollock, Friends volunteer

Editor's Note:

With this issue of Reflections, I am stepping down as Editor. I have filled this role for approximately seven years (or 48 separate issues). Katasha Cornwell, Friends Board of Directors member, will take on the leadership position with my departure. She is extremely capable, so this is in great hands.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as editor. It's been extremely informative, and its allowed me to learn so much. And, did I mention meeting wonderful people? So many of you have made this a lifetime experience I won't forget.

I will continue to contribute to the newsletter as often as possible, writing and photographing various feature articles and shorter wildlife notices. Thank you to all who made this a fantastic volunteer opportunity.

Phillip M. Pollock, Past President, Friends Board of Directors

Ticket donations for these two beautiful quilts can be made at either the Nature Store (Friday, Saturday or Sunday between now and 3 pm on Saturday, October 22. Tickets will also be available at the Monarch Festival itself at the Friends' booth.

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Intern Report -

Summer 2022

Text and Photos, Chloe Arbogast and

Sienna Krulis

We want to begin by thanking Dr. Ed and Hilda Carney, Val and Dave LaHart, and Jeff VanderMeer & VanderMeer Creative for their generosity and for making it possible for us to intern at St. Marks NWR. This experience has been a blast and it has provided us with hands-on experiences that we couldn’t get anywhere else. We both have learned a lot about the wildlife at St. Marks but also learned some things about ourselves through this internship. It made us more motivated for future work and it has provided guidance on what we want to do after this experience. We both have had a lot of fun this summer and want to highlight some of the things we did.

Frosted Flatwoods Salamanders

Our internship started off with some work on a single frosted flatwoods salamander (above) that had been captured on the refuge. Though it was a brief investigation, we both were ecstatic to see the salamander and how it should be processed and tagged so that the refuge can continue to monitor the endangered species. We learned about VIE (Visual Implant Elastomer) and how it helps researchers with capture and release programs that give population estimates. We then went to the pond the salamander came from and released it. At the same pond, we set up traps to see if we could catch any more salamanders and learned about the importance of drift fences. Although we were unsuccessful in capturing additional salamanders, we were able to practice frog, snake, and freshwater fish identification skills. We even caught a juvenile cottonmouth in one of the traps.

Red-cockaded Woodpeckers

During May and June, we hit the peak of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) breeding season at the refuge. We quickly learned how to band the woodpecker chicks and how to tell their age. When we first handled the chicks both of us were surprised at how warm they were. They felt like little hand-warmers. We were also surprised to see how translucent their undersides were. We banded the chicks with color and metal bands, so each individual had their own combination of bands. After we learned how to band the chicks, we began learning how to climb the cavity tree. It was a little nerve-wracking the first time we climbed, but we quickly became more comfortable up in the tree. Retrieving the chicks from the cavity was another big learning experience since we were unable to see the inside of the cavity during the process. At first, it felt like going fishing blindfolded, but after a few times doing it, we learned tricks that helped us safely get the chicks from the cavities. It felt very satisfying when we were able to get all the chicks from their cavities and safely put them back.

A few weeks after the height of banding season, we started performing fledge checks to ensure the new woodpecker chicks were developing properly. This involves waiting near a cavity tree before sunrise to catch the birds as they first leave the nest in the morning. We used scopes to identify the band combinations and sex of all RCWs associated with a certain cavity. This was particularly challenging as it was our first time using scopes. We had to have a lot of patience as we learned how to adjust the focus and aim the scope while accounting for lighting and humidity - not to mention the birds flying away right as we got into the perfect position.

Sea Turtle and Red Wolf Investigation (St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge)

We also were able to visit St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge to assist with Sea Turtle nesting surveys and Red Wolf telemetry tracking. Working on St. Vincent was certainly a change of pace from St. Marks. We learned how to identify a turtle species by its unique crawl pattern and record appropriate data for turtle activity on the shoreline. Learning how to use the GPS to log potential nesting locations seemed daunting at first, but we eventually got the hang of it.

Also, using the GPS for the turtle nesting season came in handy later when conducting photopoint surveys on the St. Marks unit. In anticipation of future ecological burnings, we took photopoints of many ponds dedicated for Frosted Flatwoods Salamander recovery. Photos were taken at each pond in multiple cardinal directions to be used in pre- and post-burn comparisons of the vegetation overgrowth.

Eastern Newt at the Refuge

Toward the end of our field season, we conducted Eastern Newt trapping in two ponds on the St. Marks unit. We used minnow traps and glowsticks to entice the newts, which are attracted to yellow-toned lights for an unknown reason. Each pond received 20 numbered minnow traps that were checked and reset daily. We caught several animals other than the desired newts including various bugs, a couple black swamp snakes, crayfish, and many freshwater fishes. After collecting the newts from the traps, we took them back to the workstation for processing. This includes recording their mass, swabbing for Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (a fungal disease affecting salamanders), measuring the length from their snout to cloaca, photographing each one, and determining if they are a recapture or a newly caught newt.

Editor's Note: Through the continued generosity of Friends Val and Dave LaHart, Dr. Ed and Hilda Carney, along with Jeff VanderMeer and VanderMeer Creative, funding for the interns is made available each year. This important tie between these wonderful sponsors and our energetic and knowledgeable interns is so important to all of our wildlife and environmental Refuge initiatives. Also, a special thank you to Biological Technician Chloë Dubben who leads the way at St. Marks in supervision of intern activity.

Sienna Krullis prepares to band and sex a RCW chick

Sienna Krulis and Chloe Arbogast are all smiles as they proceed to restock Sea Turtle cages at St. Vincent NWR

Monarch Butterfly Festival Activities

Mark Saturday, October 22 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on your calendar for the Monarch Butterfly Festival. It's only a one week away from the time you get this newsletter. Since we've had to skip a couple of years due to health concerns, revitalizing this fantastic event should make for a very festive day of activity. Speaking of which, here is what's scheduled thus far:

• Apalachee Audubon Society - demonstrations of birding apps, booklets and brochures
• North American Butterfly Association, Hairstreak Chapter - Information on Butterflies of North America
• Hot Tamale - live music from 12-3
• Sarracenia Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society - Information on the Conservation and preservation of Florida native plants
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission - wildlife viewing and educational material, possibly butterfly tagging demonstration
• Emory University - Learn about Monarch Butterfly biology, parasites and migration

• UF/IFAS Extension Leon County - Information on Florida landscapes
• Magnolia Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society - Learn about Florida native plants and butterflies
• Wakulla High School Band - fill up on hot dogs, hamburgers drinks and snacks while supporting the local high school band!

Text, Lori Nicholson, Refuge Instructional Systems Specialist/Environmental Education. Photos, Phillip Pollock, Friends Volunteer

Racoon -

Procyon lotor

There is only a single racoon species known in Florida - Latin name Procyon lotor. This mammal is quite distinctive in appearance with its masked face and lumbering walk. Probably because of their opportunistic and omnivorous diet, they are quite prolific in both urban and forested regions. They will eat vegetarian and animal finds that become available to them. 

Here, these two youngsters are seen trying to sleep high in a tree during the late morning, despite having been discovered by a few camera lenses. But, after relaxing and resting over the daytime, by late afternoon and on into the dark, these young racoons and parents will become very active in their search for food. 

Racoons are commonly seen at the Refuge. They give depth to the rich diversity of animals that the visitor can see and appreciate.  

Text and Photos Courtesy, Phillip Pollock, Friends volunteer

Beautiful Reproductions of Original Watercolors

by local artist & Refuge Friend, Phillip Pollock

* Set of 2 bookmarks on heavy watercolor paper. $10 per set and free shipping available through online purchase.

* Bookmarks are giclee art prints and come in their own presentation holder.

* Size: 2.25" x 8.25"

* Only available at the Friends Nature Store (or online)

A unique and very special gift!

Fall Wildflowers Are In Full Bloom Now

This past couple of months or more, I actively sought out this elegant Mohr’s Coneflower. This is a plant that loves to hug very moist wetlands, and so sure enough, I spotted this right along the watery areas of Lighthouse Road prior to reaching the toll booth at the Refuge. They are only found in South Georgia and North Florida. They stand very tall at probably about 16-24” high. They have very thin and long leaves that branch off of the lower portion of the plant's stem. That is one very good indicator of the coneflower species.

Keep in mind, though, that the coneflower is just one of many fall wildflowers that you can see at the Refuge right now. Take some time to visit, and return home with a beautiful photographic memory of what you see. They're there waiting for you. Enjoy your Refuge.

Text and photo courtesy Phillip Pollock, Friends Volunteer

Bobcat Sighting

What a morning at the refuge. After just seeing Pinky and a Yellow Warbler from the car along Lighthouse Road, I decided to stop at the parking area near the spillway on the south end of East River Pool. The bugs were horrible, but I just wanted to walk to the structure and back. I saw an osprey and the butterflies and bees were hitting the thistles hard. As luck would have it, on the way back there was a Bobcat just coming up the bank on trail 104. He didn't seem to notice me and I got a few decent shots before he headed south along the levee. He didn't enjoy the bugs either, stopping to fend them off a few times. I didn't want to disturb him so got back in the car and thought I might get another photo op from the road. And, boy did my luck continue. Using the car as a blind, I got several chances for photos as he walked along 104 all the way to Lighthouse Road, crossing it and eventually creating a bit of a traffic jam. Several other Refuge visitors also got an opportunity to see the Bobcat as he sauntered down the shoulder mostly unconcerned about his onlookers. After a few more minutes, he finally found his way into the marsh and vanished back into the vegetation. The Refuge does not disappoint! It is always such a privilege to see what is on offer. Hope you are able to get out and enjoy it soon.

Text and photos Katasha Cornwell, Friends' Board of Directors member

Editor's Note: Katasha saw this Bobcat about three weeks ago, but I have been getting reports from several others who are seeing, probably, this same animal in approximately the same location. While Bobcat sightings are not necessarily rare, this particular animal is somewhat larger than many. It does appear to be mostly unconcerned around people, but please, be certain to give it a wide berth and DO NOT provoke it in any way.  Remember that this is their turf. Thank you.

 The Tours are Back 

Wildlife Tours at the Refuge (with an emphasis on birds) are back after

a long break due to covid

Call 850- 925-6121 to make a reservation

Registration opens a month prior to each tour and each person calling in can only

register up to 5 people

Please see the refuge Visitor Tour Guidelines below for additional information.

Tour Dates 2022-2023  

• Oct. 1 - Don Morrow  9 am – noon   and   1 pm – 4 pm
• Oct. 9 -Matt & Cyndi Johnstone  10 am – 1 pm
• Nov. 5 - Don Morrow  9 am – noon    and   1 pm – 4 pm
• Nov. 20 - Matt & Cyndi Johnstone  10 am – 1 pm
• Dec. 10 - Don Morrow  9 am – noon    and   1 pm – 4 pm
• Dec. 18 - Matt & Cyndi Johnstone  10 am – 1 pm
• Jan. 1 - Matt & Cyndi Johnstone  10 am – 1 pm
• Jan. 7 - Don Morrow  9 am – noon   and   1 pm – 4 pm
• Feb. 5 - Matt & Cyndi Johnstone  10 am – 1 pm
• Feb. 11 - Don Morrow  9 am – noon   and   1 pm – 4 pm
• March 5 - Matt & Cyndi Johnstone  10 am – 1 pm
• March 11 - Don Morrow  9 am – noon    and   1 pm – 4 pm
• April 2 - Matt & Cyndi Johnstone  10 am – 1 pm
• April 8 - Don Morrow  9 am – noon   and    1 pm – 4 pm
• May 6 - Don Morrow  9 am – noon  and     1 pm – 4 pm

Some Things To Keep in Mind

Participants will meet at the Visitor Center parking lot at 1255 Lighthouse Road. We ask that participants please park across the street from the VC parking lot. The tours are three hours long, may have up to twenty five participants, and there are no bathrooms available on the tour routes. Bathroom access will be available at the departure point. It is therefore very important that participants arrive early enough - a half hour prior is not unreasonable - to organize their gear, attend to any other needs, and be ready to go at the designated start time. The tours begin with a brief but important orientation to make the tour safe and enjoyable for everybody; latecomers are very disruptive to this necessary introduction. The tours are frequently fully booked; no-shows at the starting time may be replaced with folks on the waiting list or those hoping for a walk-on. To allow more people to participate we ask that people only sign up for one tour a day unless space is available the day of the tour. Registration opens a month prior to each tour and each person calling in can only register up to 5 people.

To better enhance our tours and events we ask that our guests follow the guidelines listed below.

1. Pets will not be allowed on any tour.

2. For your safety and tour enjoyment, we recommend that all participants wear closed-toe shoes, bring a bottle of drinking water, sunscreen, and bug spray (please apply away from the other participants).

3. For your comfort and enjoyment, we suggest that you dress for the weather, wearing or bringing layers. It is also a good idea to carry a lightweight rain jacket for unexpected showers or cooling weather.

4. Practice “pack it in, pack it out”. Any trash, including biodegradable food and packaging, is to be taken back with the participant and disposed of off-site.

5. Attendees must arrive early enough to use the restroom prior to tour start time. If tour is scheduled to start at 9, it will be pulling out of the meeting area at 9.

6. Leave all plants and animals alone. DO NOT engage in any of the following: -Eating any leaves and/or berries found alongside trail -Approaching, handling, or attempting to feed any wildlife -Collecting any material, with the exception of trash, on refuge property

7. Be aware of your surroundings. The refuge is home to venomous snakes, alligators, burrowing animals, and some endangered species. Stay safe, when getting on and off the tour wagon watch your step and try not to disturb any habitats or animals with loud noises.

8. As a courtesy to all visitors, those that sign up and are no shows will not be allowed to sign up for another tour.

Text, Lori Nicholson, Refuge Instructional Systems Specialist/Environmental Education. Photo, Phillip Pollock, Friends Volunteer

Bird Reports Assist Visitors

Don Morrow and Matt Johnstone, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge volunteers and expert birders, create concise bird-sighting reports on a week-to-week basis.  They also are again leading in-depth wildlife tours (with a concentration on birds) at the Refuge throughout the year (see the schedule of tours above in this newsletter).

Read their current and past reports by following the link below.

Go there now.

Photo (Prairie Warbler) and text, Phillip Pollock