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Manatee County Audubon Society

www.manateeaudubon.org
Volume M Number 6 February 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

Mrs. W. L. Cornwell was still presi-

dent of the Manatee County Audubon
Society (MCAS) in 1974. The chapter
decided against having a booth at the
local fair because of the high cost.
Beercan Island was awarded to the
County and the State. The isthmus
went to a Mr. Conrad, who immedi-
ately sold it to a developer. There was
a prolonged period of Red Tide in the
Gulf of Mexico. Glass, paper and alu-
minum collection stations were named
and supported. Bus trips were contin-
ued and promoted.
Manatee Auduboner Bill Davis photographed the Great Horned Owl
Aerosol sprays: In 1975, we were in- perched at the top of a tree between the main entrance to Felts Audubon
formed that the use of aerosol sprays Preserve and the new bridge. For Bill’s report , see page 2.
represented a threat to the environ-
ment.

Hardy Payor reported on tracts of de-
sirable land that may be bought by the
state. Payor also said that the Florida
Barge Canal issue would soon surface
again.
Pam Stewart made a report on the
problems and the rewards of the work
at the Bird Hospital. MCAS gave a $50
donation to the Bird Hospital. The
chapter also gave $100 to National
Audubon and $25 to the Palmetto Li-
brary in memory of Leon Allen.
Additions to the list of endangered
birds included the Hairy Woodpecker,
like the one above, Lesser Goldfinch,
Reddish Egret, Mountain Quail, Can-
vas Back Duck and Purple Martin.
Letter from President Steve Black
We’re making another transition with Felts’ burn
As an historical transition takes place in America, I think it is important to talk about the transi-
tion that has been going on with Manatee Audubon. At one time, we were a chapter looking for a
purpose. Then we happened to go on a field trip to Otis and Anita Felts’ farm. Otis Felts did not
want his family’s land to be sold upon his death. He wanted his land to remain intact and undevel-
oped. He entrusted his property to Manatee Audubon to carry out his dreams.
Manatee Audubon then had to make a transition from a chapter that had been devoted to field
trips and beach trash pickups to a chapter willing to work every month of the year, converting a
farm property to a nature preserve. As often happens, this hard work has become a joyous journey.
It has also been a grand transition as we focused our energy on transforming Felts Audubon Pre-
serve into a community resource. Sometime this month, we will go through another transition as
the Florida Division of Forestry conducts a mitigation burn at Felts. From the burn, we expect new
growth and a better preserve. We also expect the burn to keep a potential uncontrollable wildfire
from happening at the preserve.
I hope what we see in the micro with the Manatee Audubon burn at Felts is what we will see in
the macro with the United States. Out of the fire of our economic troubles, I hope we will emerge
as a wiser and more united nation.
“Marching Mamas”on the way to Audubon.Details page 4.
 Birding at Felts Audubon Preserve
Page 2

By MCAS member Bill Davis

My wife and I went into Felts Preserve in mid-
afternoon to do a little birding. It was a few days
before Christmas. We visited the bird blind but
only saw a pair of Cardinals, a Titmouse, a Blue
Jay and numerous Mourning Doves. I walked up
to the north end of the big pond and saw a Great
Blue Heron and an Anhinga.

Great Horned Owl: On the way back, I just hap-

Felts Audubon Preserve is
located in Palmetto
4600 24th Avenue East
Corner of 24th Avenue East
and 49th Street East
(Experimental Farm Road).
Open House
on First Saturday of the month
Work Day
on Last Saturday of the month
pened to see a lone Great Horned Owl at the very
top of a tree about midway between the entrance
and the new bridge. A short time later, she (my
guess) was joined by her mate. They exchanged
low hoots and I noticed the first owl bent over
(see photo at right) when it hooted. I’m not sure
what was going on but it was interesting. They
were still there when we left.
I looked in the pine tree where the two baby
owls were on Earth Day last year but didn’t see
anything. We haven’t been back since December
19 but look forward to another visit soon.

Planning underway
Sightings for Earth Day at Felts
at Felts By Nancy Keegan
It’s that time of the year when we gear up
for our annual Earth Day at Felts Preserve.
By Tami McNally, Secretary
It is on April 25 this year. We will have
Thanks to everyone for reporting your walks, talks, displays, kids crafts, native
sightings. For the complete bird list, plants sales, recycling and many displays.
see our Manatee Audubon website: So come out and enjoy yourself and if you
www.manateeaudubon.org
would like to assist in any way, please give
Continued sightings: Nancy Keegan a call at 941-807-4595.
American Goldfinch
American Kestrel
American Robin Thanks to Felts Audubon hosts
Bald Eagle
Black-and-white Warbler By Carol Webster, Felts Open House Committee
Cooper’s Hawk November 1: Hosts Mike and Marge Corso reported a nice day with 68
Double-crested Cormorant to 76 degrees. Fourteen visitors enjoyed the morning and a total of 21
Eastern Bluebird bird species were observed. Seven of the visitors were with the Sarasota
Eastern Phoebe Butterfly Club.
Killdeer
Pine Warbler December 6: Ruth Rowland and Jeanne Schlesinger hosted 10 visitors
Red-winged Blackbird and reported 21 bird species, including a Red-breasted Merganser.
Ring-billed Gull
Sharp-shinned Hawk January 3: Carol Webster hosted 24 visitors and reported 23 species.
Yellow-throated Warbler The Great Horned Owl was the star of the show, perched high in a pine
tree near the front entrance. Everybody was going crazy. We received
$17 in donations. It was a good crowd with a lot of interested people.

On January 24, Fred Allen submitted the photo at left, showing

what he identified as “a pair of Eastern Bluebirds and a Mocking-
bird enjoying the warm morning sun, after a cool night.”
 Page 3

Upcoming Events
Saturday 2/7
Open House Felts Preserve
8 a.m. to noon

Field trip Mosaic Fertilizer, Eastern

Manatee. Meet 7 a.m. at Publix,
corner Erie Road and U.S. 301 near
Parrish. Mosaic to provide lunch.
Patty Petruff, 747-1789 home
and 730-0579 cell.

Thursday 2/19
Monthly meeting 7:30 p.m.
Beth Foyers, PhD, Eckerd College,
will discuss “Beach Bird Nesting
Monitoring In Manatee County.”
First Presbyterian Church, 1402
Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton.

Saturday 2/21
From left: Carol Webster, Shirley McGinnis, Steve Black, Mike Barnes, Mary Ellen Ranick Field trip Laurel Landfill and
and trip leader Bob Dean on the west shore at the Terra Ceia Bridge. Curry Creek Preserve, Sarasota.
Chuck and Joann Froman,
Best trip bird was Lesser Black-backed Gull 751-2939 cjhfroman@verizon.net
Meet 7 a.m. and depart 7:30 a.m.
By Nancy and Bob Dean Sweetbay’s parking lot at State
Road 70 east of I-75.
The small number of trip participants (eight plus trip leaders Nancy and Bob Dean) on our Janu-
ary 14 Tampa Bay Circle field trip made it easier for us to move at a leisurely pace and to study
fully all birds of interest, giving three of the 2009 Beginning Bird Course participants a real jump February 23, 25 and 26
start on their upcoming learning experience. Altogether, 68 different bird species were seen. Sarasota Boat Rides
Ron and LaDonne Mayberry,
Unbelievably, the best sighting was not the pair of Scissor-tailed Flycatchers we saw as we de- coordinators, 795-4685.
parted our last stop along Cockroach Bay Road, and not the group of Common Ground Doves Maximum five each trip.
seen in front of the Weedon Island Culture Center, and not the Roseate Spoonbills spotted at
several stops, and not the pair of American Bald Eagles seen between E. G. Simmons County
Park and the Cockroach Bay Road. Saturday 2/28
Felts Audubon Preserve
The best sighting was the Lesser Black-backed Gull, posing Workday: 8 a.m. to noon
patiently on the west shore at our very first stop, the Terra Ceia
Bring a Kid to Plant Day
Bridge. This was a life bird for President Steve Black and the first
9 a.m. to noon
Florida sighting of this gull for Nancy and Bob Dean, which is Hands-on planting to teach children
why we call it our best trip bird. and adults the importance
of planting native.
At left is the Lesser Black-backed Gull
TogetherGreen Project
Barbara Singer, 922-4488
Overnight field trip set for March 7-8
By January 31, registration for the March 7-8 overnight field trip to Emeralda Marsh and Lake Welcome New Members:
Apopka is officially closed. However, we may perhaps have someone still wanting a roommate. Rosemary Harris
You could call me (746-1991) to see if you can slip in that way. ALL REGISTRANTS: I need Inge Reethof
your deposit by January 31. If you have not heard from me soon thereafter regarding Sunday Julia Burch
lunch and car-pooling, please phone me. Don’t forget to bring a picnic lunch for Saturday, plus Bob and Martha Waldrop
money for dinner that night. Many familiar chain restaurants are close-by. I don’t mean “fast- Paul Barsalou
food.” You may also want to bring a mid-morning snack for Saturday and Sunday, since break- Veronica Tarnowski
Mike and Maro Lorimer
fasts before dawn or at motels don’t keep birders revved up very long. I should also mention that
if you are riding in someone else’s car, you will need to pitch in for gasoline. Finally, if you have
a cell phone, please bring it. -- Arlene Flisik

Backyard Birding
Set for February 13-16
By Lucette Wombacher
The 12th annual Great Backyard
Bird Count is set for February
13-16. This is an easy, free way
to participate in monitoring our
national bird populations.
During the four days, you can
participate for as little as 15 min-
utes or as many hours as you
wish. Count the highest number
of individuals of each bird spe-
cies you see together at one time
and report your results online at
www.birdcount.org.
If you want more information,
visit the website or see the flyer
posted in the bird blind at Felts
Audubon Preserve.
Patti Clauser is new
hospitality chief
Our new hospitality committee
chair is Patti Clauser, 776-9063.
Give her a call if you can help
with cookies and other treats
for our events. Patti is replacing
Nancy Keegan, who has taken on
the job of heading up plans for
Earth Day at Felts Preserve on
Saturday April 25.
Send your items for The Night Heron to newsletter editor Molly McCartney
Manatee County Audubon Society
PO Box 14550
Bradenton FL 34280-4550
February 2009 Newsletter
Page 4
Hiking with Bunny and her “Marching Mamas”
By Barbara Singer, MCAS Ways and Means Chair
Want a good read, great trip and grand adventure? The newly
published book, “It’s Always Up, Memories of the Appalachian
Trail” is a collaborative effort of the Mountain Marching Mamas,
five middle-aged women led by our own Bunny Schneider who
took up the challenge of hiking from Georgia to Maine on the 2,153
mile-long Appalachian Trail.
With no prior trail experience but the guts and gusto to overcome
whatever obstacles lay in their path, the Mamas encountered blis-
ters, mice, bears, leaking tents, scary nighttime intruders, dogs that
bite and birds that eat from your hand. This book will move you
to tears in one chapter and have you laughing out loud in the next.
When Bunny gave me a copy, I couldn’t put it down and stayed up
until 3:30 a.m. always wanting to know what would unfold in the
next chapter.
Bunny has agreed to make the book available for $15 to MCAS members and donate the
profit to MCAS. The book will be available at the February and March meetings or can be
ordered by sending $17.50 to Manatee County Audubon Society, P.O. Box 14550, Bradenton,
Fl. 34280 attention Book Order.
See Marilyn Matecun to get your name badge
By Bunny Schneider, MCAS board member
Marilyn Matecun is the person to see to get your own MCAS (Manatee County Audubon Society)
name badge. Place your order at the general meeting and pay (up front) the $5 fee. Marilyn will
have your badge at the following meeting. Name tags are the axel grease for smooth social inter-
action. Is there any sound sweeter than the sound of one’s OWN NAME. We have many wonder-
ful new members. Let’s help them and help ourselves to get to know each other faster. Initiating
conversation is much easier if you know the person’s name. If you don’t have a name badge or if
you have one (or more) that you can’t find, now is the time to see Marilyn and order one. A sug-
gestion: keep your badge in the glove compartment of your car and you’ll always have it when you
go to a meeting or meet for a field trip.
at msmccartney@sprintmail.com or call 778-3228
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit #970
MANASOTA, FL