2012/2013 Programs

Summer Programs.
Seminole Audubon’s regular season is September – April. Our volunteers do not want you to go the entire summer without programs so they have arranged three programs for casual summer meetings. We hope these programs will be a cool way to spend warm Sunday afternoons learning about birds. The meetings will be at 2:00 p.m. in the meeting room of the Seminole County Public Library in downtown Sanford, 150 N. Palmetto Ave.

Sunday June 17: Real Cool Birding for Families.
Join us for comfortable summertime birding. Invite the youngsters of all ages in your family to learn more about identification of Florida’s beautiful resident birds. The Birds we will study don’t fly away! They stay very still and very visible for as long as we want them to as they will be on the wall. Shirley Folse will be the speaker for this program, and she will focus on birds that frequent Central Florida bird baths, feeders and nest boxes. She will also discuss bird food and the plants they like and need to thrive in our yards.

Sunday July 15: Hummingbirds.
Have questions about those enchanting little birds? If so, don’t miss this program. Shirley will explain mating rituals, how they construct their tiny nests, and much more. There will be plenty of time for all your questions. The program will also include video of hummingbirds in action. Shirley will also show clips from two popular DVDs about hummingbirds, “First Flight: A Mother Hummingbirds Story” and “Magic in the Air”.

Sunday August 12: The Nature Photography of Greg Stephens.
We are very fortunate that this meeting date fit in between Greg’s art show commitments. Greg’s photographic skills were first used in conjunction with his job as a Kissimmee Police Officer. His talent quickly was noticed by coworkers and friends who enlisted him to do wedding and portrait photography. After retirement, Greg moved to Gainesville. The proximity to Paynes Prairie and many other public lands provided Greg with the subjects and opportunity to expand into nature and wildlife photography. An internet search for Greg Stephens will result in some of his amazing images. Greg will share many of his images of wildlife and Florida scenes. He will also discuss some techniques, and welcome your questions.

 

Previous Programs

Gardening for Native Pollinators - Butterflies & Moths by Tracy McCommon.
Three quarters of our Florida native wildflowers rely upon native pollinators to reproduce. Tracy will show the new addition to her Wildlife Matters series.

Waterwise Landscaping and the Wekiva Promise.
This will be a 2-part program. First we will have a presentation by Jose Artigas, Education Contractor for St Johns River Water Management District’s Office of Communications and Governmental Affairs on Waterwise Landscaping. Waterwise is a common sense approach to landscaping that conserves water and protects the environment.

The second presentation will be an explanation of the Wekiva River Promise given by Shannon Costello of the South Seminole Rotary Club and Friends of the Wekiva River. The Promise is a simple way for citizens to take an active role in protecting this Central Florida jewel. The Wekiva River Promise is a 5-part pledge to be a steward of this important ecosystem.

Red-cockaded Woodpecker.
Red-cockaded woodpeckers are delightful little birds whose very specific habitat and nesting requirements have secured them a place on the Endangered Species List. They nest in old growth pine forest with little undergrowth. Ideally, their nest tree is over 80 years old. It must be alive, but must also be diseased with “red heard disease” or some other malady that will make the wood soft. Red-cockaded woodpeckers are small birds with small beaks that they use to excavate a nest cavity.

Locally extinct for decades, the red-cockaded woodpecker has been re-introduced to The Nature Conservancy’s Disney Wilderness Preserve. Jennifer Milikowsky, a field scientist who is managing and monitoring this red-cockaded woodpecker project. Her program will include information about these endearing birds, and the ingenious way humans have been able to provide habitat that the birds will accept.

Dragonflies.
Did you know dragonflies spend most of their lives underwater? Or that dragonfly eyes have up to 30,000 lenses, compared to the human eye that has one? Dragonflies are charismatic, ancient insects that date back 300 million years. Faith Jones will explain the dragonfly’s complicated life cycle, and many of their anatomical adaptations. The program will also include details for identification of the damselflies and dragonflies that can be observed locally.

Pelagic Birds of Florida’s Atlantic Coast.
Pelagic birds, or sea birds, spend the majority of their lives far off shore. These are a remarkable group of birds that the average person does not have the opportunity to observe. Michael Brothers, Director of Volusia County’s Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet, is an expert on these species. He will be the guest speaker at the Seminole Audubon Society meeting on Sunday January 8. Mr. Brothers has taken many voyages to an area of the Atlantic Ocean above an undersea formation known as “the Steeples”. This is a location with underwater cliffs and seamounts that cause upwellings and currents along the western edge of the Gulf Stream. These waters with their abundant fish and other sea life make attractive feeding grounds for pelagic bird.

Sustainable Living.
Sustainable Living is the act of living in a manner that does not jeopardize the ability of the earth to meet the needs of future generations of people as well as other forms of life. Organic gardening is a sustainable way to produce healthy food for humans and wildlife. Tia Meers, Simple Living Institute, will share her expertise as an organic gardener. She will also discuss method for sustainable energy and water useage.

What’s Eating You?
Our wild birds and their fellow creatures are bothered, chased, and even consumed by one another. This action of who is picking on who, is called a food chain or food web. And oh, what a tangled web they weave. Jim Denslow will explain many of these inter-relationships with the aid images and specimens.

Birds, Birds, Birds
Send your bird photos and during this meeting we will help you learn their names. We will also spend time reviewing the features that were used to ID them. This meeting will also be the culmination of the season’s Bird Tracks: Carolina Wren project. Carolina wren photo and sound contest submissions will be displayed and winners announced. The meeting will also include awards, election of officers & board members.

All About Birds Day and The BIG SIT! Lake Jesup Wilderness Areas Park.
7:30 am – 2:00 pm Join us for this special day of activities that will include guided hikes, bird ID lessons, door prizes plus The BIG SIT!

The Cuban Tree Frog - A Growing Threat to Florida Native Wildlife.
Dr. Steve Johnson will discuss the status, ecology, and impact of these invasive tree frogs on native wildlife population.

Tomorrow’s Wekiva - Championing the Protection of the Wekiva River.
Historian Jim Robison will bring the river’s history to life with photos depicting people, artifacts and places in the Wekiva River area.

Critters, Cows & Cowboys.
Photographic Exploration into the Wildlife and Work of Treasure Hammock Ranch. Bob Montanaro’s program features the diverse array of wildlife that live alongside the cattle.

The Aliens – Invasive Plants.
Alien species destroy our native landscapes and cost millions to remove. Sherry Williams will explain how these plants arrived in Florida, how to ID them, and how to get rid of them .

Birds in Flight.
If you have trouble identifying birds as they fly by or soar overhead, this is a program you won’t want to miss. We will show ID tricks.

Pot-luck Lunch & Annual Meeting
Can you identify all the birds in your photos? Bring them to this meeting and we will help you learn their names and how to ID them. Meeting will also Include awards, election of officers & board members.

St. Johns Riverkeeper
This presentation by Kelly Savage, Outreach Coordinator for St. Johns Riverkeeper will discuss the river's heritage and the challenges that lay ahead for the river.

All About Birds Day and The BIG SIT! Lake Jesup Wilderness Areas Park.
7:30 am – 2:00 pm Join us for this special day of activities that will include guided hikes, bird ID lessons, door prizes plus The BIG SIT!

Bio-Controls in Your Garden.
Only 1% of the millions of insects in the world are considered pests. The other 99% have potential benefit. Research at the UF/IFAS Research Center in Apopka is looking for alternatives to harmful chemicals in controlling pests.

The Buzz on Bees.
Apiarist Jean Vasicek will discuss the life cycle of bees, importance to the foods we depend on, and threats that face their future existence. Demonstration hive with live bees.

Amazing World of Ants
There are 218 known species of ants in Florida. Their diversity and life habits are fascinating and will leave you with a new respect for these tiny, and often overlooked, creatures.

Wading Birds & Rails
This photographic presentation will include identification clues and behavioral traits of Florida’s Ciconiformes and Gruiformes.

Kilowatt Ours
A Plan to Re-energize America. Learn simple, practical and affordable solutions that will save electricity, save money and make a difference for the planet.

Pot-luck Lunch & Annual Meeting
Includes awards, election of officers & board members, updates on conservation, and a recap of the season’s memorable sightings and events.

500-Mile Solo Paddle of St Johns River System
Michelle Thatcher shared the experiences and insights gained during her kayak trip on the St. Johns River.

Butterfly Gardening
Mike Rich, creator of Lukas Nursery Butterfly Encounter, presented the basic principles of butterfly gardening, design and plants.

Birds of Prey Fly the Sky.
Live birds of prey. Learn their biology, habitat, diet, and obstacles for survival.

MINWR - A Feathered Frenzy!
Tom Dunkerton introduced the wide array of birds who call Merritt Island NWR home, as well as those who are just passing through.

It’s a Jungle Out There. Invasive, Exotic Plants.
The problems they create for our native habitats and native wildlife. How to identify and properly remove.

Owl Diary
Faith Jones reviewed unique owl traits, then took us through the escapades of a pair of barred owls during their 2008 nesting season.

May All Your Blues Be Birds
Bluebird enthusiast and manager of bluebird trail in NE FL, Bill Pennewill enlightened us about one of America’s best-loved birds.

Status of Birds in Florida
Julie Wraithmell’s presented details of the current status of birds in each of Audubon of Florida’s regional conservation areas.

Anoles: Those Florida Yard Lizards
Anoles are in practically every yard in Florida, yet few people know much about them. Steve Isham’s program was full of fun facts.

Colt Creek State Park
Scott Spaulding, Park Manager, provided a preview of this newly opened 5067 acre park that adjoins the Green Swamp.

Bring 'em Back Alive
Fred Hitt shared his love of the St. Johns River with earlier inhabitants who occupied this land for ten thousand years, but who disappeared over two hundred years ago.

Hiking, Biking and Birding in Central Florida.
Robert Fulton, outdoor writer and trail enthusiast shared some of his favorite trails and birding spots in Central Florida.

Birds & Beasts of Africa
Award-winning photographer, writer and explorer Charlene Edwards took us on a visual journey to Africa.

Ospreys: An Exploration into the Life of the Fish Hawk
This program chronicled a pair of ospreys and includes their nesting attempts and encounters with other wildlife in the Pelican Island NWR.

Butterfly Gardening

Mike Rich, creator of Lukas Nursery Butterfly Encounter, will present the basic principles of butterfly gardening including garden design and plants. He will have sample plants, caterpillars, and butterflies.

 

Right Whales in Florida

Frank Gromling, author and publisher, will tell the fascinating story of how right whales became the most endangered large mammal in the oceans and why they come to the waters off Florida.

 

Green Swamp: Area of Critical State Concern

This presentation will be made by Peggy Cox, AOF Board Member and Green Swamp advocate. She will focus on the history, science, and politics surrounding Central Florida’s Green Swamp.

 

Seasonal changes in bird diversity at Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area

Dr. Peter May, professor of Biology at Stetson University, has conducted weekly wildlife surveys of Emeralda Marsh, one of Central Florida’s birding hot spots, since 2000. He will share some of his experiences, and photographic skills in this slide presentation.

 

Vultures & Their Scavenger Friends

Steve DeCresie, Florida naturalist, will have slides and hands-on displays to help us   learn more about these birds as we explore the cycle of life, and death, in this presentation devoted to the group known incorrectly as buzzards.

 

Florida Black Bears

Life history, status, and threats to the Florida Black Bears' long-term survival and expansion into historic ranges with be presented by Tom Shupe, Distict Biologist with FWC.

 

Threats to Birds in a Fossil Fuel Economy

This presentation will focus on changes that are occurring in bird and other wildlife populations due to the mining, drilling, extraction, transporting and burning of nature’s gifts.

 

Birds of the Sanford Riverwalk

This slide presentation will feature over 50 species of birds that frequent the downtown Sanford area, Lake Monroe and its shoreline.

 

Reptiles and Amphibians of Florida

James Peters, President of Central Florida Herpetological Society, will speak about our very own “herpes” and discuss their interdependence with other Florida wildlife.

 

Sunken Cities, Sacred Cenotes and Golden Sharks: Travels of a Water-Bound Adventurer

Bill Belleville, award-winning environmental writer and filmmaker, will take us on the journey that resulted in his anthology of essays and articles in which water- rivers and oceans, island and coasts-play a major role.

 

Birds of the Night

Physical characteristics, vocalizations, and habits of Florida’s owls, nightjars and other birds active after dark will be featured at this meeting.

 

Butterflies and Blooms – Serendipity

Buck & Linda Cooper will cover the relationships between butterflies and flowering plants from the panhandle to the Keys.

 

Wood Storks

Jim Rodgers, FWCC biologist, will present this program concerning Florida’s most endangered wading birds. Their past, current status, and outlook for the future will be discussed.

 

Birds and Burns: Fire Effects on Sensitive Species in Ponderosa Pine Forests

Roger Grimshaw will relate his experiences studying woodpeckers in the forests of Colorado. Program will include slides of western birds and mammals as well as stunning mountain scenery.

 

Pot-luck Lunch & Annual Meeting

Includes election of officers & board members, updates on conservation, and a recap of the season’s memorable sightings.