Friends' President Message - Tom Baird

The fall season is here and temperatures are pleasant. We are awed and greeted by butterflies on their fall migrations. The plants that need butterflies for pollination are blooming to attract and feed them. The salt marshes are showing their seasonal changes. Nature’s grand cycles are on full display. And one of the great seasonal events is the annual St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge Monarch Festival where we celebrate the return of Monarch butterflies on their long journey south.

This year’s Monarch Festival promises to be better than ever with displays, learning experiences, activities for kids and lots of new things for participants. Be sure to come by the Friends table and introduce yourself, meet the board and learn about all the refuge programs supported by the Friends. There’ll be something for the kids and raffle tickets for a unique flamingo quilt and a gorgeous butterfly quilt by two of our board members. And for those who join or renew their Friends membership at the festival, we have prizes for you. For those signing up for the Longleaf Society automatic monthly giving program, you will also be entered to win an impressive Jane Tallman oil pastel painting available only for you.

A trip to the Friend’s Nature Store is always a must, with a wide variety of unusual and attractive items for the nature lover and outdoor enthusiast. And this year, the festival will run from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm so be sure to come down early.

So migrate on down to the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, October 28 and be a part of this year’s Monarch Festival seasonal celebration. We want to meet you there!

Refuge Report -

Meet the Fall Interns

Hello! My name is Emeleigh Luckenbaugh and I hail from a small country town in south-central Pennsylvania. I am so excited to start my internship with St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge for the fall season!! This is a vastly different ecosystem compared to the Cumberland Valley and Appalachian Mountains that I am accustomed to.

A little snippet about me: as a child I was obsessed with dinosaurs and watching The Croc files (I think that most herpetologists born in the 90s were heavily influenced by Steve Irwin). I set out to become a veterinarian, but I was able to assist wildlife biologists with the Pennsylvania Game Commission while attending high school and decided that was my dream job... specifically to be a mammologist. I attended Shippensburg University for both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees. My first non-required biology course for my undergraduate degree ended up being herpetology and I fell head over heels in love for all those slimy and scaley critters.

I have a particular fondness for snakes which are often misunderstood by most. But snakes are so incredibly adapted to their specific habitats and not to mention gorgeous! I compared two populations of Common Gartersnakes and Northern Watersnakes in an urban and natural habitat during my bachelor's degree. But for my master's thesis research I focused on The Demography of the Eastern Milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum) in south-central Pennsylvania, which was interrupted by the pandemic, but I persisted and finally graduated in April. Woo! I plan to work during a gap year(s) to gain real-world experience and make more connections then contemplate returning for a final time to pursue a PhD. I love conducting demographic and natural history research on all herps which is vital to conservation efforts, especially with our rapidly changing climate and expanding urbanization. I especially enjoy figuring out how species impact each other within a given habitat, especially urban or fragmented habitats.

Formally I was a head graduate teaching assistant during my master's at Shippensburg University, a student technical intern for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) at Kings Gap State Park, and a student intern for Benzon Research lab while I was obtaining both degrees. I have gotten to experience working for a university, a state, and private company filling three vastly different roles, but all connected through STEM fields and or research.

When I applied for this position, I was excited to have the opportunity to work not only with Frosted flatwood salamanders but other taxa that I don’t have much experience with (Red-cockaded woodpeckers, etc). I am also thrilled to have another agency and role under my belt as I continue forward with my professional career as a wildlife biologist. I know that this position will be immensely beneficial for my success and future endeavors, and I am so thankful to be given this opportunity. To call oneself a wildlife biologist you need to have the willingness to always be learning which is what I plan to do.

Hello! My name is Kayden Barber and I

am one of the biological science interns at

St. Mark’s NWR for Fall 2023. I am very

excited about this opportunity and can’t

wait to be immersed in a new environment

working in conservation! I have lived in

Michigan my entire life, but I love to

travel. I have been all over the Caribbean

and have visited Europe–mainly

Germany–to see family. Now that I have

my bachelor’s, I would love to travel the

world doing conservation work. I recently

graduated this past spring from Saginaw

Valley State University with a B.S. in

biology and a minor in chemistry. Ever

since a young age, I always knew I wanted

to study biology and work with wildlife. I

loved exploring the woods behind my

house looking for little critters and going

frog hunting in our pond–catch and release

of course.

My summer after graduating has been very

eventful as I have been gaining field

experience before I apply to graduate school. I spent some time with C.M.E.R.A where I did

field research working with elasmobranchs. I was able to get hands-on experience catching,

tagging, collecting DNA samples, taking body measurements, and safely releasing the sharks and

stingrays. I found my love for fieldwork during my time at C.M.E.R.A. After that, I took a field

course to study the biology of the Florida Keys. I studied coral reef, seagrass, and mangrove

ecology along with learning how to identify different species. I collected water quality data and

did bleach watch monitoring, HAB screening, diversity indexing, parrotfish feeding surveys, and

seagrass watch monitoring.

After my marine-focused experiences, I wanted to find something terrestrial. This led me to

apply for the internship at St. Mark’s. I am excited to possibly work on the recovery efforts for

the frosted flatwood salamanders and the red-cockaded woodpeckers as well as habitat

management. I think that this internship will teach me a lot about working in the field while also

using the skills and knowledge I developed through university and my previous experiences. I

am excited to further develop as a Biologist!

Through this opportunity, I am hoping to develop my skills for graduate school as well as find

my research focus. As of right now, I am a generalist and do not have a specific concentration in

mind–but hopefully, I will fall in love with one of the critters I’ll be working with who will

become my muse. My end goal is to be working in the conservation district in a nonprofit or

possibly the state. So far, I love Florida–except for the hurricanes–so I might move to the state

permanently. To summarize, I am very excited about this internship and it not only helps me

develop as a biologist, but it is also contributing meaningfully to the conservation of the natural

world. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of St. Marks NWR’s team, I will definitely make

the most of it!

First Paint Out at the Refuge A Huge Success!

Text and Photos Courtesy Rusty Ennemoser

On Saturday October 14, 21 artists left the walls of their studios behind to paint in the fresh air and natural light of the Refuge. The event was the first of its kind hosted by the Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge and the Refuge itself. Oils, acrylics, and watercolors depicted a variety of scenes, including trails, trees, and water. Even kids got into the action with their own art table. Judges awarded the First Place ribbon to Eric Sapronetti; Second Place to Sam McCoy; Third Place to Stephanie Barber; and Honorable Mention to Christopher Rivera.

The practice of plein air painting was pioneered by British painter John Constable and was popularized by impressionists of the 19th century when paint became available in tubes rather than mixed pigments. It refers to the practice of finishing entire paintings in the outdoors.

The event was such a success that the Friends and Refuge are planning to schedule another one next year. Stay tuned!

Thank you for Supporting the 2023 Walk For the Wild 5K

Over 70 people supported the Friends of St Marks Wildlife Refuge during National Wildlife Refuges Week to promote awareness of our world famous refuge and help raise funds for important environmental education efforts that will support our site well into the future. 

Friends walked, ran, and Roamed with a Ranger during their 5K adventures. Raising over $1600, this event will provide additional opportunities for youth in the local community to learn about and experience our unique environment.

Together, the Refuge and the Friends provide free environmental education programs to over 10,000 participants annually. Thank you for helping us continue these valuable programs. Scott Arnold and Cracker at finish line.

Return of Shutterbugs Fills Up in a Flash

As refuge activities are beginning to resume after the pandemic, the smartphone photography class, St. Marks Shutterbugs, taught by Karen Willes was offered on September 23. There were so many participants interested in the class that an additional class for those on the wait list was offered on October 13.

Originally, the class began as a result of St. Marks NWR receiving a $5000 grant to encourage mobile photography on the refuge. The grant money was used to purchase three spotting scopes and several iPads and Kindle tablets for refuge use. However, according to the grant requirements, no one could receive a stipend so everyone involved with the class had to be a volunteer. Karen, who volunteered to develop and teach the class, has several volunteers whose help is invaluable for answering questions and providing additional input.

The three-hour class that is free with refuge admission, consists of a PowerPoint presentation for using a smartphone camera. After that presentation, participants go outside to take some photos to use during the section on photo editing with Snapseed, a free photo editing app that is only available for smartphones or tablets.

Beginning with the grant award in 2016, over 100 participants attended previous classes that were offered before the pandemic. Now that normal refuge activities are resuming, more classes may be offered next year.

Text Courtesy Karen Willes, Photo Katasha Cornwell

Friends and Refuge Staff Attend 1st Annual Outdoor Wakulla Living Expo

The first OWL festival held at Hudson Park in Crawfordville, FL on October 14th and sponsored by UF IFAS Extension was a success. The Refuge had an educational booth which attracted many families. Kids were intrigued to feel soft animal hides for the first time. The Friends booth shared information about how we support the Refuge.

There was a steady but manageable flow of people all day. We spoke with a wide range of folks. One gentleman who was drawn for his first hunt in the refuge received some helpful pointers from avid hunter Scott Arnold representing the Friends. We talked to families that just moved to the area (one from Idaho and one from Jacksonville), and a few other folks who were moving back to the area. There were a range of people who stopped by from Friends life members, community leaders like Chuck Hess, to other locals who had never been to the refuge. All in all it was a great way to inform and remind the community about what a wonderful resource we have right in our back yard.

 The Wildlife Tours Are Back!

Wildlife Tours at the Refuge (with an emphasis on birds) are free with a reservation.

Call 850- 925-6121 or stop by the Visitor Center to make a reservation

Registration for multiple people is available, but a name must be associated with each reserved spot. Please see the Tour Guidelines below for additional information.

Tour Dates for the 2023 - 2024 Season

Your tour guides will be Don Morrow on Saturdays and Matt & Cyndi Johnstone on Sundays.

November 12 from 10 to 1

November 18 from 9 to 12 and 1 to 4

December 9 from 9 to 12 and 1 to 4

December 10 from 10 to 1

January 6 from 9 to 12 and 1 to 4

January 7 from 10 to 1

February 4 from 10 to 1

February 10 from 9 to 12 and 1 to 4

March 2 from 9 to 12 and 1 to 4

March 17 from 10 to 1

Some Things To Keep in Mind for Your Tour

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. 

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.

Lighthouse Open Dates

Come out from 10am to 2pm on any of the days below and our friendly, dedicated volunteers will be happy to share their knowledge and love of this local landmark with you. Free tour with your daily entrance fee. More fall dates to be posted on the website soon!

Friday, October 20,

Saturday, October 21,

Sunday, October 22,

Thursday, October 26,

Friday, October 27

JOIN LONGLEAF SOCIETY BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE YEAR AND BE ENTERED INTO OUR RAFFLE!

Become a member of the Longleaf Society today by clicking this graphic. Your monthly giving provides a tremendous boost to the Friends of St Marks Wildlife Refuge to keep providing the programs and services you have come to expect from this award winning organization.

We Encourage our Friends to SHARE!

As almost all of you know, the Friends give 100% of their support to the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. An important way for you increase that support is to share our message. Therefore, when you get this newsletter, we encourage you to send it on to a friend. You can share it via email or through various other social media. Here's the link to the Friends Newsletter page. Scroll to the "current" entry and copy the link.

Text and Photo Courtesy Phillip Pollock

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. Read their current and past reports here.

Photo Courtesy Katasha Cornwell -Yellow Warbler

Have you considered including the Refuge in your will? We would appreciate hearing from you if so. The Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge can provide information and guide you through the process. Just call the Refuge at 850-925-6121, and ask to be contacted by the Friends' Development Committee, or email us.

Reflections newsletter is a benefit of membership for Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge.

It also serves as an important supplement to

the Friends' website.

Both the newsletter and the web site provide members and the public information about volunteer activities and events at the Refuge.

Reflections editor: Katasha Cornwell

Reflections Editor, Phillip M. Pollock