The Limpkin Times

Apalachee Audubon Society Mission Statement:

Protecting the rich biodiversity of the Florida Panhandle through education, appreciation, and conservation.

April 2024

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Woodville Karst underwater, photo by Lauren Fanning.

 In this Issue:

Chapter Programs at FSU's King Life Sciences Building Auditorium

• April 18, The Underwater Caves of the Woodville Karst Plain, with Dr. Christopher Werner

AAS T-shirts for Sale!

Potluck Picnic & Anniversary Celebration at Tall Timbers

• May 19, Hays Cummins presents, Exploring Costa Rica through Science, Culture and Photography

Chapter Outings

• April 20, Family Birding at Lake Elberta Park, with Juli deGrummond
• April 28, Bald Point State Park with Melissa Forehand and Kim Forehand-van der Linde (fully booked, but waitlist available)

Events of Interest

• April 20, Coastal Marine Lab Open House
• April 27-May 5, Florida WildQuest 2024

Apply for the Ben Fusaro Conservation Grant

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO APRIL 15

Lake Elberta Park

• Spring is here!
• April Bird of the Month
• Saturday, April 13, Trash Cleanup

Chapter Programs

Dr. Christopher Werner

The Underwater Caves

of the Woodville Karst Plain

This month's program will feature the latest explorations of the Underwater Caves of the Woodville Karst Plain. Speaker Dr. Christopher Werner is an explorer, researcher, and filmmaker. He has served as the Science Director for the Woodville Karst Plain Project since 1999. He has explored underwater caves and conducted scientific hydrogeologic research in the Woodville Karst Plain for more than 25 years. 

This program will meet in person and via Zoom.

Click for more information about this program and to Zoom registration.

FSU's King Life Science Building

319 Stadium Drive, Tallahassee 32304

NOTE: Please park in the Spirit Way parking garage on the second floor and above.

AAS T-Shirts for Sale!

T-shirts for sale: We are excited to announce that we have new AAS t-shirts and will have them available for sale at the February program meeting. They come in two colors, are $25 each and we have sizes small through extra large. Help promote and support Apalachee Audubon with this fun-raiser!

At this time we are accepting only cash or check payments. To reserve a shirt to purchase at the meeting, please email Juli deGrummond.

Potluck Picnic & Anniversary Celebration

Join us on May 19 at Tall Timbers for our spring potluck picnic and program. This year Apalachee Audubon will also celebrate our 60th anniversary--and there will be cake! The presentation, Exploring Costa Rica through Science, Culture and Photography, will be given by Hays Cummins. Click for more information.

4:00 PM, Informal birding & socializing (Bring your binoculars!)

5:30 PM, Dinner, Annual Meeting, Election

6:15 PM, Presentation

Chapter Outings

Some of the participants for the March 17 outing at St. George Island State Park Youth Camp. 

Young Birders Outing at Lake Elberta Park, with Juli deGrummond

Saturday, April 20, 8:30 - 10:30 AM

Birders 18 years and under are invited to join us for this young birders outing at Lake Elberta Park. Adults with young children are welcome as well.

Click the webpage link for more information and to register.



Bald Point State Park with Melissa Forehand and Kim Forehand-van der Linde

Sunday, April 28, 8:30 - 10:30 AM (fully booked but waitlist available)

$6 per vehicle state park admission fee, or annual park pass.

Carpooling is encouraged.

Click the webpage link for more information and to register.

Events of Interest

Join AAS on Saturday April 20 as we join the FSU Coastal and Marine Lab for their 75 year celebration at this year's open house event.

Join the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for Florida WildQuest 2024!

Florida residents and visitors are encouraged to grab their phones and go on a wild adventure to complete scavenger hunt missions and discover some of Florida’s best spots to see wildlife and enjoy the outdoors.

This year’s event will take place on all Wildlife Management Areas across the state April 27 through May 5.

Players who earn at least 2,000 points (don’t worry it’s easy!) will be entered in a random drawing to win wilderness-inspired prizes.

Florida residents and visitors will use the free and easy-to-use GooseChase app to join a wild adventure with missions designed to help them discover some of Florida’s best spots to see wildlife and enjoy the outdoors.

Visit FloridaWildQuest.com to learn more! 

Apply for the Ben Fusaro 

Conservation Grant

Limpkin with Apple Snail, Audubon Photography Awards, by Robert Blanchard

AAS is now accepting applications for the Ben Fusaro Conservation Grant.

Have an idea for a project that can help birds or educate people about birds? Or do you know a school, church, or club that might? It might involve planting trees, putting up nest boxes, establishing a pollinator garden, creating materials to educate people about birds, or doing a bird-related study.

Apply for a Ben Fusaro Conservation grant and you could get $500 to fund your project! Visit our grant webpage for application information and to see what previous grant awardees have done. The application deadline has been extended to April 15, 2024.

Lake Elberta Park

Spring is here!

If you saw the photo in our March 16, issue of the Eastern Bluebird incubating her eggs--here are the nestlings as of March 27, 2024!

April Bird of the Month

Click to learn about this year-round resident, now nesting and raising its young.

April Trash Clean-Up:

Sat. April 13, starting at 9:00 a.m.

Join us in keeping this beautiful ecosystem healthy! Click this link to learn more.

• Additional parking is available on FAMU Way, close to Stearns St. There's also a 20-spot parking lot off of the roundabout at FAMU Way and Robert and Trudie Perkins Way (just west of Stearns St.). It’s about a 3-minute walk from the parking lot to the Stearns St. entrance of the park.
• Kayakers and canoeists are welcome and needed!
• Gloves, trash bags, and other supplies provided
• Water is provided, but please bring your reusable water bottle

We cleaned up around 20 bags of trash during our February cleanup!

Land Acknowledgement Statement

Apalachee Audubon acknowledges that the region it serves is located on the ancestral and traditional homelands of the Apalachee Indians of the Talimali Band, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. We pay respect to the resiliency of their tribal members, past and present, and to all Indigenous peoples. We encourage all to learn about the significance of Indigenous peoples in this region and throughout this continent.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: 2023-2024

Officers

President: Kathleen Carr

Vice President: VACANT

Treasurer: Harvey Goldman

Secretary: James Carr

Directors

Cindy Baisden

Charlie Baisden

Kristin Cohea

Juli deGrummond

Kristan Godbeer

Ben Rangel

Rebecca Wall

Student Directors

Traysea Auger

Christian Watson-Kerr

STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRS

OTHER COMMITTEES & CHAPTER ACTIVITIES