http://whatbird.wbu.

com/
img/4/595/image.aspx
Manatee County Audubon Society

www.manateeaudubon.org
Volume M Number 7 March 2009
We are committed to protecting the environment in our community, our state and our country.
Black-crowned Night Heron

Look back
at our history
By Don Bansen, MCAS Historian

The 1974 Christmas Bird Count report-

ed 21,000 Tree Swallows and 7,000-plus
Robins, an exceptional number, which
helped raise the total count to 58,000 in-
dividuals of 140 species. The 1975 CBC
counted 61,734 individual birds and 138
species.

Manatee County Audubon Society had

321 members as of October 15, 1975.
The chapter circulated a petition for
signatures and presented it to the U.S.
Corps of Engineers urging the Corps to
deny Deltona Corporation permission to
dredge and fill on Marco Island. There
were also protests to Beker Phosphate
Company, which wanted to build dams
on the Little Manatee River and Win-
gate Creek.
Eagles seemed to be making a comback
with additional nests located and activ-
ity in known nests. There were 12 field
trips in the 1975-76 year and four were
by bus.
In 1976, the chapter’s treasury had
$295.32 in the regular fund and $126.21
in a special fund.
The 1976 CBC found 126 species and
22,683 individuals. Artist and wildlife
expert Guy Coheleach visited, lectured
and displayed some of his pictures. Me-
morial books were given to the Palmetto
Library in honor of two deceased mem-
bers.
MCAS Beginning Bird Course participants and field instructors gather
around the Coquina Beach picnic tables to count the number of bird species
seen during their January 24 field trip. Details on page 3.
Letter from President Steve Black
Earth Day at Felts to feature Florida Panther
Our Earth Day Celebration this year takes place at Felts Audubon Preserve on Saturday April
25. Nancy Keegan is our chairman for the event, and she has been making plans for a Florida Pan-
ther to be on display as well as providing interesting wild birds to view up close. Volunteers will
create a butterfly garden near the bird blind. We had over 500 people there last year, and we would
like to have even more this year. There will be interesting informative speakers, guided nature
walks and assorted foods. And, of course, we always have interesting visitors showing up like the
Painted Bunting, Great Horned Owl, and Barred Owl. Nancy is also working on other surprises
which will make it well worth your time to attend.
In case you were not at our last meeting, I would like to recommend a book about the adventures
of hiking the Appalachian Trail. One of the authors is our own Bunny Schneider. This book is a
very humorous entertaining book that shows what perseverance and courage it takes to hike the
2,175 miles of the trail, which runs from Maine to Georgia. Bunny and her Mountain Marching
Mamas made the journey over 21 years. This book sells on the Appalachian Trail website for
$21.95, but Bunny has very generously allowed Manatee Audubon to sell the book for $15, with
profits going to Manatee Audubon. The book can be ordered by mailing your check for $17.50 to
MCAS, P.O. Box 14550, Bradenton FL 34280. This book will make a wonderful present for your
friends and relatives. I have already sent copies to my sister and my son.
I also want to encourage everyone to visit our updated website (www.manateeaudubon.org),
which is very easy to navigate and provides a great deal of information. We thank Tami McNally
for all the work she has done in giving the website its new look. Our website is in expert hands.

Tree Swallow Pinwheels, Power and Phone Calls. Details page 3.

Page 2
Felts Preserve: Pick a pepper and pull
By Tom Heitzman, vice president

It is always a busy time at our Felts Audubon Preserve and this winter is no different. We
had a nice turnout for the monthly workday in January. It was a beautiful day and a lot was
accomplished. A group of us traversed the property pulling up little pepper tree seedlings. All
of the large peppers have been removed but
we still get many pepper and other invasive
tree seedlings popping up. This is an easy
job that just requires walking the property.
The paths are kept mowed on a regular ba-
Felts Audubon Preserve is sis so it makes for easy walking. Thanks to
located in Palmetto Fred Allen who gets out on the tractor and
4600 24th Avenue East
keeps the paths passable. Can you help us
Corner of 24th Avenue East
and 49th Street East
pick a pepper this month?
(Experimental Farm Road).
Burn Report: Some of the Blue Bird houses
Open House that were taken down for the planned burn
on First Saturday of the month have been put back up while we wait for
the right day to burn. We have been waiting
Work Day for just the right weather conditions so we
on Last Saturday of the month get a safe, successful result. But if the burn
hasn’t been done by the end of February,
Sightings at Felts we expect that it will have to be postponed until next winter because the Blue Birds are start-
ing to nest and need their houses. In addition, the Purple Martin scouts are starting to look for
By Tami McNally, Secretary places to nest and we want to put up boxes for them as well as the Blue Birds.
New Sighting:
House Finch Trail maps and markers: We are working with a New College student and an Eagle Scout in
making some trail maps and trail markers. Both these individuals are very excited to be work-
Recent Sightings: ing at Felts implementing these projects. The trail markers will allow visitors to know how far
American Goldfinch they may hike and also provide information on the property and habitats. Preparations are under
American Kestrel
American Robin way for a new butterfly garden that is going in next to the entrance to the bird blind. The plant-
American White Pelican ing is part of the TogetherGreen grant we were awarded this year. Keep an eye on its progress
Black-and-white Warbler and come watch the planting during our Earth Day event on April 25. Another project with the
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck TogetherGreen grant is a planting of small trees at our next workday on February 28 and we can
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Blue-headed Vireo always use more volunteers at that time.
Carolina Wren
Cedar Waxwing Earth Day at Felts, on Saturday April 25, is coming up fast. We need volunteers the day of the
Common Grackle event but also beforehand to get the property ready. So come out on our February 28 workday,
Common Yellowthroat
Cooper’s Hawk or on the last Saturday in March, or both, to give us a hand. We have tasks for all skill levels.
Double-crested Cormorant Hope to see you there!
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Phoebe
Fish Crow
Glossy Ibis
Great Horned Owl
Hooded Merganser
Indigo Bunting
Mottled Duck
Northern Harrier
Osprey
Palm Warblers
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Red-winged Blackbird
Roseate Spoonbill
Sandhill Crane
Tricolored Heron
Wood Duck
Wood Stork Fred Allen reports that the new butterfly garden is coming along as you can see in the picture, thanks to Roger
Yellow-rumped Warbler Robson and his trusty rototiller. In addition, Fred says a lot of the birds have returned. “Red-winged Black-
birds and Indigo Buntings are among the most noticeable, but there also has been a plethora of Warblers.”
 Tell your Washington representative to oppose dirty coal and support clean energy Page 3

Pinwheels, Power and Phone Calls

By Arlene Flisik, Conservation Chair
Are you concerned about global warming? Do you strongly suspect that widespread burning of fos- Upcoming Events
sil fuels is a major cause? Do you want the air you and your children’s children breathe to be free
of polluting emissions from power plants? That is the focus of a March 2 event in Washington D.C. Saturday 3/7
Open House Felts Preserve
but it needs our help to be effective.
8 a.m. to noon

It so happens that the federal government buildings in D.C. are heated via a big coal-burning power Saturday 3/7 and Sunday 3/8
plant. Thousands of citizens will be in D.C. that day, visiting congressional offices and the power Overnight field trip to Lake Apopka,
plant, to convey the message that it’s time to free ourselves from the stranglehold of coal and move Zellwood and Emeralda Marsh.
on to clean energy development. To reinforce this, the phones in congressional offices need to be Arlene Flisik, 746-1991, coordinator.
ringing constantly all day, with us folks back home giving our name, where we live, and saying Wednesday 3/18
something like: I’ve heard there are loads of people in D.C. today, telling the government to move Morris Bridge and Lettuce Lake
away from coal as an energy source, and I want you to know that goes for me as well. Coal is dirty, Call leaders Don and Bobbi Benson,
it’s outdated, it drives global warming and poisons communities. We need to invest in clean energy. 722-2285, to let them know you’re going.
Please do everything you can to make that happen. Change the words a bit. Call Sen. Bill Nelson, Meet 7 a.m. in K-Mart parking lot in
202-224-5274, and Sen. Mel Martinez, 202-224-3041, and Rep. Vern Buchanan, 202-225-5015. If Ellenton, near the Outlet Mall. Bring
these aren’t your representatives, call the Capitol switchboard and ask to be connected to whichever binoculars, bird book, hat, spotting
scope, sunscreen and bag lunch.
person you need. Don’t call the local offices. That would dilute the effect.
Plan to carpool.

What do pinwheels have to do with this? When the environmentalists visit the offices, they’ll deliver Thursday 3/19
handfuls of home-made pinwheels as a symbol of non-polluting energy. I made a couple myself! Monthly meeting 7:30 p.m.
Election of officers
David Sadkin of Wildlife Inc. will talk on

Bird Watching Class has banner year rehabilitating birds and environmental
issues. Come see the live owls
he uses to educate people.
By Nancy and Bob Dean First Presbyterian Church,
For the first time since this annual Bird Watching course was started in January 2003, the 1402 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton.
maximum class size was achieved and several interested individuals had to be turned away. The Friday-Sunday March 27-29
36 participants in the January 2009 course were drawn from the following communities: Anna Audubon Assembly
Maria, Holmes Beach, Bradenton, Cortez, Ellenton, Lakewood Ranch, Palmetto, Parrish, Ruskin FFA Facility, Haines City
and Sarasota. Saturday 3/28
Workday Felts Preserve
A total of 100 different bird species were seen by some or all participants during the two all-day 8 a.m. to noon
field trips, which are included with the Manatee County Audubon Society course. On the Janu- Wednesday 4/1
ary 24 field trip, we saw 68 different bird species at the following birding hotspots in Manatee Field trip Circle B Bar Ranch, Lakeland
County: Felts Audubon Preserve in Palmetto, Whitney Beach on Longboat Key, as well as Leffis Leader is Carol Webster, 747-7295.
Key and Coquina Beach on Anna Maria Island. On the January 31 field trip, participants saw
many of the same birds plus some new birds for a total of 74 different species. On this last field
trip, course members traveled to Ackerman Lake, the Celery Fields, Twin Lakes County Park, the
Welcome New Members:
Fran E. Baker
pasture pond just east of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church on State Road 72 and Myakka River Judith Bien
State Park. All of these stops were in Sarasota County. Gary Breton
Wendy Davis and Stanley Rodak
While each bird species is an exciting find, especially to someone viewing it for the first time, Mary H. Hamilton
the most unusual finds were a Peregrine Falcon and two American Pipits seen near the church. Eleanor and Rolph Huband
Altogether 11 expert birders representing the Audubon Societies of both Manatee and Sarasota Gary and Karen Lewis
Counties as well as visitors from Washington, MI, assisted principal instructors Nancy and Bob Smithy McGinnis
Dean on the two field trips. With so many expert birders, more birds were sighted in 2009 than Lee Ann Pelea
Michael and Katharine Pepper
were seen during any prior course. Already, nine persons have reserved a spot for the 18-30 Janu-
Mary E. Ranick
ary 2010 course. For more information, contact Nancy Dean at 941-792-9235. Lois Ruliffson
Janis Runte
Jessica M. Sakas
A special thanks to the Deans from beginning birder Karen Lewis Elsie M. Seese
Laura B. Tumolo
“I want to tell you how much I appreciated your introduction to bird watching. I feel I learned so much Margie A. Tumolo
from the way you shared not only your knowledge but also the personal anecdotes from your years of Mary Anne Youngwood
birding experience. The course content gave me a foundation for how to approach birding and the field Sandra M. Zabriskie
trips gave me some hands-on, eyes-and-ears-on practical application. It was a wonderful experience. Alicia Elkins
My sincere thanks to the Manatee Audubon Society for offering the class, to the many volunteers who Mary Spoutz
helped us newbies in the field, and especially to you, Nancy and Bob, for teaching the class and encour- Margaret B. Safford
aging me in this new adventure.”

Officers and directors
nominated for 2009-2010
By Bunny Schneider
The nominating committee for
2009-2010 has prepared the fol-
lowing slate of officers for the
Manatee County Audubon So-
ciety: President—Barbara Sing-
er, First Vice President—Steve
Black, Second Vice President—
Arlene Flisik, Secretary—Tami
McNally, Treasurer—Lucette
Wombacher.
Nominated for Directors are Ann
Glenn, Nancy Keegan, Jeanne
Schlesinger, Bunny Schneider,
Jack Schneider, Molly McCart-
ney, Dee Hanny, Patricia Petruff,
Tom Heitzman, Carol Webster.
The membership will vote on the
proposed slate of officers at the
March 19 general meeting. Of-
ficers and directors will be in-
stalled at the April 16 meeting.
Nominating committee members
are Bunny Schneider, Jeanne
Schlesinger, Carol Webster.
Send your items for The Night Heron to newsletter editor Molly McCartney
Manatee County Audubon Society
PO Box 14550
Bradenton FL 34280-4550
March 2009 Newsletter
Page 4
32 birders tour Mosaic phosphate fields and ponds
By Patty Petruff, trip coordinator
On a cold Saturday morning in early
February, 32 of us participated in a field
trip to Hardee County and the Mosaic
phosphate mines. The trip started at
the IMC-Agrico Peace River park
where we met our guides. After search-
ing the oaks adjacent to the entrance
road for Warblers, Vireos and Blue-
gray Gnatcatchers, the group strolled
along the boardwalk.
Birders spotted 87 species on Mosaic field trip
Although the swamp was quieter than
in previous years, we saw a variety of birds such as Red-bellied Woodpeckers and Myrtle
Warblers. We then drove back across US 17 and stopped to view an Eagle’s nest with Eaglets.
Both adult birds were present. The next stops were area ponds where a variety of wading birds
and ducks were spotted. An unusual sighting for a location this far east was a Brown Pelican
in one of the ponds.
We then went up on the dams of the clay settling areas where the group got closer looks at
Avocets, Black-crowned Night Herons, Grebes, Dowitchers, Stilt Sandpipers and a variety of
ducks. During the day, two Great Horned Owl nests with Owls were seen. Ospreys on nests
were also abundant. At one of the ponds, there was a beautiful flight of nine Roseate Spoon-
bills. Mosaic served lunch and made hats and other items available to the group. After lunch,
there were a few more stops at other clay settling areas where some were lucky enough to see
Pintails and Gadwalls. Overall, we saw and/or heard 87 species.
Members, please check your renewal date and your mailing label
Quite a few memberships have expired and not yet been renewed. We would hate to have to drop you from
our mailing list. Annual membership is $15 and covers everyone in the household. If your mailing label is
incorrect, please call me at 941-776-8424, see me at the next general meeting, or send a note to the Manatee
County Audubon Society, PO Box 14450, Bradenton, FL 34280. Also please make sure you give me any
address, phone number or e-mail changes whenever they occur. -- Lucette Wombacher, Membership
at msmccartney@sprintmail.com or call 778-3228
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit #970
MANASOTA, FL