December 23, 2021

Happy Holidays

In this season of giving and love, we want to thank our friends, donors, and partners for their support of the Refuge’s mission. We speak for the wildlife when we wish you a holiday season that reflects your caring and generosity; we speak for the children whose lives you’ve enriched. The happiest holiday season to you and yours. Please come out to the Refuge for your dose of “Ding” – the healing qualities of nature – in return for your kind giving.

Visitor Center Exhibits Open

The “Ding” Darling Visitor & Education Center has reopened most of the interactive exhibits that have been barriered off since pandemic lockdown in March 2020. It also debuts the long-awaited Artist-in-Residence exhibition in the auditoriums in a gallery format with occasional appearances by artist Rachel Pierce. Through February, she will be showing pieces inspired by her artist-in-residence tenure since late 2019, which has been extended because of COVID interruptions. By federal decree, masks are still required in all government Refuge buildings.

Donate Cash for Bikes

Bikes for Achievement rewards students at Tice Elementary, a Title 1 school in Fort Myers, for improved grades with a free bike next year. Our goal is to purchase 50 bikes, and so far we’ve received donations for 25. Donate online now until January 22, and specify “bikes” in the comment section. Note: We are seeking only cash donations for this charitable request.

Mindfulness Walks at Bailey Tract

Join us for a peaceful morning of walking meditation at the Bailey Tract starting at 8:30 a.m. on the dates listed below. Together we will explore the concept of mindfulness, consider the various physical and mental benefits of time spent in nature, and take a mindful hike around Ani Marsh. Participation is limited for this free event, so please pre-register.

Upcoming Mindfulness Walks

· Friday, December 31

· Saturday, January 1

Refuge Holiday Hours

The Visitor & Education Center, including the Refuge Nature Store, and all administrative offices will be closed Friday, December 24, and Saturday, December 25, for Christmas; and Friday, December 31, and Saturday, January 1, for New Year’s. Wildlife Drive remains open every day 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. except Friday, when it’s closed every week. America’s Best Restroom at the Visitor Center remains open during regular Wildlife Drive hours. Tarpon Bay Explorers closes ONLY on Christmas Day, December 25. Nature Store2 at 2250 Periwinkle closes for Christmas and New Year’s days, but is open 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for last-minute shopping on December 24 and 31.

High School Photo Contest

The ninth annual “Ding” Darling-Theodore Cross High School Photography Contest has kicked off with a deadline of February 15, 2022. It invites high school students in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Glades, and Hendry counties to compete for prizes that include a Canon digital SLR camera package, special photography opportunities to be announced, and copies of Waterbirds: Portraits and Anecdotes from Birding Adventures by contest namesake, the late Theodore Cross.

Cross, who lived part-time on Sanibel Island, marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; advised the READ MORE

Rheannon Hill from Lehigh Senior High won first place in the 2021 contest with her entry “Flowers.”

Find Us on TikTok

Get educated and entertained with Refuge videos on our new TikTok page @dingdarlingsociety. Find a range of posts from who “Ding” Darling is and a dancing Blue Goose to what’s hot in the Refuge Nature Store. Thanks to interns Christina Hester and Hayley Caylor for their creative contributions.

Year-End Giving

As the end of the year approaches, people are thinking of meaningful ways to give back with tax deductible gifts. By giving to the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society, you are playing an important role in supporting our mission of protecting wildlife and its habitat, providing environmental education programming, and inspiring the public to conserve the priceless natural spaces found at the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge and beyond.

Donate here to make a difference today.

ADVOCACY IN ACTION

LOSOM’s Overall Framework Might be Finally Decided

By Jim Metzler, DDWS Advocacy Committee Co-chair

As we have discussed in previous articles, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is in the final stages of a four-year project that will determine how water will be released out of Lake Okeechobee for at least the next 10 years. The new water release schedule will be called the Lake Okeechobee System Operations Manual (LOSOM).

Over the last several months, the Army Corps held numerous public meetings seeking input on LOSOM. We attended the meetings and, along with partners, provided input on how LOSOM should be constructed to provide the greatest benefit to the J.N. ‘Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. In addition, we issued a call-to-action READ MORE

Upcoming Refuge Outreach

The Refuge and DDWS staff are on the move, getting out in the community to spread the word about “Ding” Darling and conservation. Look for us at these upcoming public events:

Saturday, January 8: Dia de los Reyes Festival, Cape Coral

Saturday, January 29: Iona McGregor Fire House Open House, Fort Myers

Saturday, February 12: STEMtastic Day of Discovery, Fort Myers

Saturday, February 19: Edison Festival of Lights Parade (with WoW appearance), Fort Myers

Saturday, February 26: Burrowing Owl Festival, Cape Coral

2022 Refuge Wish List

Wondering what to get your favorite wildlife refuge for the holidays and year-end giving? We’ve got just the list with a few unique ideas for designated giving. Membership donations and annual gifts are essential for the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society to continue its support of Refuge conservation and education efforts at the Refuge. To learn more, contact Sierra Hoisington at 239-472-1100 ext. 4. Or simply donate online and earmark your donation by naming your wish-list gift in the comments.

Still Looking for a Gift for the Holidays?

We all have people who are difficult to shop for. Become a sponsor in honor of a loved one for our Go Wild for "Ding" - Year of the Anhinga or our Project Refuge - A Couture Fashion Show Using Trash events.

Celebrities to Headline Lecture Series

The 18th annual “Ding” Darling Lecture Series in 2022 will bring seven authors and wildlife and art experts to Sanibel Island from February 4 through March 25, including highly acclaimed birding guide gurus Richard Crossley and David Allen Sibley. Lectures will cover topics from bald eagles to ornitherapy and nature art. Due to the uncertainty of ongoing COVID-19 restrictions on the “Ding” Darling Visitor & Education Center, five of the lectures this year were again scheduled at READ MORE

Thanks to our sponsors who have signed up to support our 2022 Lecture Series.

Richard Crossley

Remember, profits from all Nature Store sales go directly to the Refuge for educational programs, wildlife research, and overall conservation efforts.

Refuge Spotlight - 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.

Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge

Location: 12,000 acres; 75 miles north of Dallas, Texas

Totemic fauna: Snow Goose, Bobcat, White Pelican

Visitor tips: A 4-mile Wildlife Drive crosses the refuge at the south end of the lake. Several hiking trails provide opportunities for wildlife viewing.

Image courtesy of Lee Hatfield

Going Green

Reusable Face Masks

As COVID-19 numbers again begin to rise, and the holidays mean more travel and congregating, make sure your masking-up is sustainable. Like many disposable products, single-use face masks end up on beaches, in waterways, and in landfills as unsightly and contaminated trash. If your job does not require single-use masks, invest in cotton cloth ones you can launder and reuse. Our online store has a wide selection of face coverings in fashionable designs, including our popular Roseate Spoonbill masks embroidered with the Refuge's name.

Photo by France Paulsen

Wildlife Sightings & Tides

Green Herons are often sighted in the Refuge. They are common breeders in coastal and inland wetlands. They nest along swamps, marshes, lakes, ponds, impoundments, and other wet habitats with trees and shrubs to provide secluded nest sites. They may even nest in dry woods and orchards, as long as there is water nearby for foraging.

Click HERE to see this week's wildlife sightings.

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.