President's Message
Dear Friends,
This is my last letter as President of Apalachee Audubon Society. I will remain on the board and work closely with FAMU intern Cierra Nelson on our Pineview Elementary After-school Bird Club, and plan to re-energize our environmental education committee. I hope some of you will join me in this effort. Call me at 850 386-1148 if you are interested.
The new board of directors will meet for a planning retreat this month and activities will begin again in September, hopefully in person. Elections were held electronically in May. Kathleen Carr will serve as President, Heather Levy as Interim Vice President, Harvey Goldman as Treasurer and Nelson Ball as Secretary. Directors are Caleb Crow, Natasza Fontaine, Howard Kessler, Peter Kleinhenz, Donna Legare, Norma Skaggs, Rob Williams, and Dara Wilson. We really appreciate the service of outgoing board members Chase Brestle, Amelia Fusaro, Peter Goren, Peter Kelly, and Liz Schold. We are suddenly down to one Peter!
AAS has committed to fund an exciting project for this summer and fall. Three FAMU 4-H students proposed a project for an Agri-Science competition for which they were awarded an Honorable Mention but no funding. They plan to grow native wildflowers from seed that they will plant in the FAMU Community Garden. Plants will also be distributed to the community at several community pollination workshops led by the students. They will also participate as a vendor at the St. Marks Monarch Festival in October, teaching visitors about the importance of pollinators and distributing plants. They have the full support of their 4-H Extension Agent advisor entomologist Sabrina Hayes who will oversee their work. Please read about their project below.
We have committed $1000 for the purchase of seed, soil and other supplies and have a commitment from an AAS member for $250 thus far (only $750 to go!). If you would like to contribute to this worthy project, please send a check made out to AAS for any amount (it will add up) to PO Box 1237, Tallahassee, Florida, 32302-1237. Please write FAMU 4-H in the memo. Or you can donate on-line through our website, www.apalachee.org.
Hope you have a wonderful summer. I feel like mine began today (May 30) sitting on our front porch watching a Downy Woodpecker working the extensive branches of our live oak for insects. A juvenile also worked nearby branches, less successfully, but papa fed it regularly. I have been contemplating this oak tree for years and recognize its importance, even more so as I am reading Doug Tallamy’s new book, The Nature of Oaks.
Best wishes for good reading and good birding this summer,
Sincerely,
Donna Legare
President, Apalachee Audubon
In this issue:
FAMU 4-H Project – Pollinator Paradise
Black Birders Week
New Film: The Falconer
St. Francis Wildlife Assoc. Virtual Owl Program complete with
Adventure Bag through Leon County Public Library