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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 #DarlingDoseofDing, brief virtual visits to the Refuge for those who can't make it.
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Whether you live on Sanibel Island or in a completely different environment in faraway places like New Mexico or Saskatchewan, we want to see what you're seeing in your habitat.
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| | Thank you to Polly Parker for sending in this video of a Black Bear enjoying her small goldfish pond in West Simsbury, Connecticut |
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| Thanks to David Cohen for this wonderful photo from
Montauk, New York. |
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A group of color-blind testers react to seeing colors at the Refuge in a new light.
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More Color-Blind Scope Coverage
ICYMI: On August 4, the Refuge unveiled its new spotting scope engineered with special EnChroma lenses that enhance vision for color-blind people. Media coverage included a segment on ABC7 news. Last week, this article in the Fort Myers News-Press and others on national websites BirdWatching and Travel Awaits featured the scope. The Refuge will eventually be able to make loaner pairs of EnChroma sunglasses available for color-blind visitors to check out.
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Current Refuge Mask Policy
In areas of substantial or high community transmission, agencies must require all federal employees, onsite contractors, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, to wear a mask inside of federal buildings. COVID data is rising sharply in Lee and Collier counties, according to CDC data tracker. "Ding" Darling is, therefore, in an area of "high community transmission." Visit this COVID-19 web page for more information.
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DDWS Hits New Instagram Milestone
Congratulations to the DDWS social media team headed by April Boehnen and Sierra Hoisington for reaching a new milestone. Last week, our Instagram page surpassed 17,000 followers. If you're not one of them, you are missing out on the best Refuge wildlife and scenery images you can find online.
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Temporary Friday Closure of Visitor & Education Center
Starting this week and running through September, the Refuge Visitor & Education Center will be closed both Friday and Sunday each week, due to volunteer dropout over COVID-19 concerns. "In order to keep the Visitor Center open, we would need to shift other Refuge staff away from performing mission-critical work to cover the information desk for a small number of visitors on Friday," explains Refuge Manager Kevin Godsea.
The Center currently opens 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
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David Iglesias recently joined the Refuge team, thanks to funding from DDWS. He will fill the role of bilingual interpreter and translator for the Refuge WoW (Wildlife on Wheels) mobile classroom and other educational "Ding" programs.
Born in Rathway, New Jersey, David has lived the past 25 years in Lima, Peru. He graduated from Peruvian University Cayetano Heredia with a bachelor's degree in biology in 2018 and since has been working in the field of botany, specifically palynology. Before moving to "Ding," David was working as a biology teacher assistant for his honor thesis.
"The thing I'm looking forward to the most is learning as much as I can, and to be able to help and teach the children with the WoW outreach program," said David. "So far, what I like the most about the Refuge, it's the team. Everyone has been so welcoming and friendly. They make you feel like you are at home. Also, I've been amazed by the mangrove ecosystem. All the biodiversity and seeing the interactions between the animals and plants is priceless. It is like living inside the textbook."
DDWS provides living stipends and other benefits for about a dozen interns each year. For more information about the Refuge internship programs and supporting them, contact Lynnae Messina at 239-472-1100 ext. 233.
DDWS currently stewards two named internships for the 2020-21 year and is accepting donations for three future named intern funds at $12,500 a year, which is the cost for supporting one intern.
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| | | DDWS reveals its 40th anniversary logo. | |
DDWS Celebrates 40 Years
This year, "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society, one of the first two friends group created for the National Wildlife Refuge System, begins celebrating its 40th anniversary, which officially falls on October 6, 2022. During the past 40 years, its support of "Ding" Darling has funded conservation education programs, research, land acquisition campaigns, internships, and staffing through retail operations -- two physical and one online Nature Stores - and fundraising.
The celebration begins with the reveal of the new 40th anniversary logo for DDWS. The Refuge joins the group in planning a calendar of special events that include "Ding" Darling Day in October, the unveiling of "Ding" Darling's own limited-edition Wild Daze Pilsner beer, the return of Project Refuge: A Couture Fashion Show Using Trash, a walk/run virtual challenge, a Roseate Spoonbill Scavenger Hunt in partnership with island businesses, four new specialty items (one for each decade) in the Nature Store, art exhibitions, and special lectures and other events.
"The Refuge would be a very different place without the support of our Society friends, so we are beyond excited to celebrate this READ MORE
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Peeps of 'Ding' Snapshot 
Last week, DDWS representatives attended the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce business luncheon to network with the business community and learn more about water quality issues from speaker Col. Andrew Kelly, commander of the local U.S. Army Corps of Engineers district. Shown here: DDWS Business Office Manager Joy Robertson and Associate Executive Director Lynnae Messina with The Community House Director of Marketing and Events Sarah Jacobson and Executive Director Teresa Riska-Hall.
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John R. Wood Properties sponsors this year's "Ding" Day at the third-tier Great Blue Heron level. Pictured here: Scott McPhee, DDWS Executive Director Birgie Miller, Judy Murray, Jay Richter, Ann Neubauer, Kristin Fitzsimmon, Julie Oberlin, and Refuge Ranger Katy Hosokawa (not pictured: Joe Mondelli)
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To further its mission to reach and connect with underserved urban communities, "Ding" Darling migrates its 33rd annual "Ding" Darling Day celebration to Lakes Park in Fort Myers on Sunday, October 10, 2021. The Refuge -- in partnership with DDWS, Tarpon Bay Explorers recreation concession, conservation partners, and sponsors - is drawing up a schedule of tours and ongoing activities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day.
The free celebration will center at Lakes Park's main pavilion, where the Refuge WoW (Wildlife on Wheels) mobile interactive experience will be open to touring, and partner exhibitors will host Conservation Carnival games
and informational booths. Visitors can earn tickets from playing games to exchange for a free Southern SnoBalls treat (while supplies last), courtesy of DDWS, and other prizes. Among the carnival games, "Ding" Darling hosts a dunk tank featuring READ MORE
Sponsorships are available for the event, which will be publicized region-wide. Join the following distinctive sponsors in showing your support of the Refuge and its conservation mission:
Sponsors to Date:
Great Egret Level
Great Blue Heron
Reddish Egret
Snowy Egret
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| | In the 2020 photo contest, third place went to Martha Huard of Fort Myers, FL, for a Roseate Spoonbill portrait "Pretty in Pink." |
'Ding' Day Photo Contest Open
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Fourth-Grade Free Passes for New School Year 
As the 2021-2022 school year brings a new crop of fourth-graders, the Refuge reminds families that the federal Every Kid in a Park initiative issues free annual passes to any fourth-grade student and homeschool equivalent in the U.S. "Ding" Darling participates in the program each year. The passes are available and valid through August 2022 at any national wildlife refuge, national park or forest, and other federal land.
"The Every Kid in a Park program is part of an ongoing effort to get children outside and enjoying nature," said Toni Westland, "Ding" Darling Supervisory Refuge Ranger."
Obtaining the free annual pass - a value of $80 - requires fourth-grade students to READ MORE
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Contact April Boehnen with your best offer to support conservation at "Ding".
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Keeping Green as Travel Returns
During lockdown and pandemic fallout, travel dwindled, and so did its negative impact on Mother Earth. "According to a new study, fewer cars on the road-among other closures-in 2020 actually caused a 7% (or 2.6 billion metric ton) decline in carbon emissions, with the United States showing the most significant decrease, reported this article on Thrillist.com. It goes on to list five ways to be more earth-conscious as we return to old travel habits, including donating to offset carbon emission when you travel and cutting back on water and single plastic usage.
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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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| | Images courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |
Location: 7,762 acres; Macon, Georgia
Totemic fauna: Swainson's Warbler, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Blue Heron
Visitor tip: The refuge has 3 miles of trails to entice the visitor, but be prepared for chiggers and ticks.
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Click HERE to see this week's wildlife sightings.
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| | | Photo Credit: Jim Bennight | |
One of our white morph Reddish Egrets has been spotted along the Wildlife Drive recently. White morphs make up only a small percentage of Reddish Egrets in Florida.
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
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Clyde & Niki Butcher Appearance - November TBA
Ding's Wild Daze Beer Rollout - December 4, 2021 (tentative)
2022 Lecture Series - January-April 2022
2022 Film Series on Zoom - Dates TBD
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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 Sierra Hoisington & April Boehnen.
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