Manatee County Audubon Society

We are committed to protecting the environment in our community, our state and our country.

MCAS partners with Synovus Bank for fundraising. Page 4.

Annual dues
Remain at $15
Per household
By Lucette Wombacher, treasurer

Members, remember now that

we have gone to an electronic
newsletter, we can no longer
use mailing labels to remind
Black Skimmers watch over their new chicks. Photo by Suzi Fox. For details
everyone when dues are owed. about MCAS Beach-nesting Bird program, see Dee Hanny’s report on page 4.

Now everyone’s local dues

should be paid in January. If President’s Letter from Barbara Singer
you choose to pay before then,
that is fine. You won’t be asked We have a new year of excitement ahead!
to pay again in January. Annu-
It seems like just yesterday that we enjoyed our April meeting and Pot Luck dinner together and
al dues are still only $15, and
here we are magically in September with a whole new year of excitement planned for our members.
cover everyone in the house-
This can only come about with many hours devoted by your Board of Directors. Our new board
hold. You can mail your check
members have all agreed to fill functions that will make us stronger as an organization. As you
to MCAS, P.O. Box 14550,
may remember one of our goals last year was to increase membership and Paul Wills has agreed
Bradenton, FL 34280 or pay in
to take on that challenge. Our other new board members have also agreed to some important tasks.
person at our General Meeting.
LaDonne Mayberry has offered to take on publicity so our events will get into the local news media
to keep you and potential new members updated. Dick Comeau will work with me to see that our
Since we did not welcome
expanded field trip offerings will meet your every need. We still have open assignments and are
any new members in the May
looking for volunteers.
newsletter, here are all the new
members since the April news-
You may remember we sent all of our electronic members a survey in June about Manatee Audu-
letter:
bon. I want to thank all those who took the time to answer the questions and add their personal
comments. These answers and comments have helped us to make some changes that you requested.
Patricia Woehlert
Lynda Simmons
You asked for field trips on weekdays, Saturday and Sundays and we have scheduled them. You
William Jameson
asked for some non-strenuous trips and we have done that. Now it’s up to you to show those who
Stewart and Penny Pollock
have and will spend hours providing the trips your appreciation by attendance. You asked for orga-
Meredith and Paul Fogg
nized trips and we have been working to provide both a local three-day trip to the Gainesville area
Julie Gillen
in January 2011 and an International trip to Panama’s Canopy Towers in May 2011 also a joint trip
Robert and Audrey Wilkinson
with Sarasota Audubon to the Galapagos in May 2012.
Frank and Linda Yanni
Karen and Paul Newhall
Throughout the year we will work at implementing some of your other suggestions. Now what we
Emily and Pete Gross
ask of you is your participation and let’s hear from members who want to make Manatee Audubon
Carol R. Jolley
a SPECTACULAR organization by volunteering to see it happen.
Morris and Sherry Emigh
Bear Wagoner
Fred Allen reports on summer at Felts. Page 3.
Page 2

Teenagers from Summer of Service, left and center, working at Felts Preserve. At right, Jack Schneider cleans Bluebird house. Photos by Lucette Wombacher

Felts volunteers pull invasives, build platform for kiosk, clean birdhouses
By Barbara Singer, president
Just because we have experienced a blistering hot summer doesn’t mean progress hasn’t continued at Felts Audubon Preserve. Over the
summer we have enhanced our new kiosk at the preserve by providing crushed shell as a platform for the kiosk area. We also have ordered
a brochure holder for our trail map and annual brochure. These improvements were made by dedicated members that faithfully volunteer
each month.

Roger Robson and Ivan Marion have spent time this summer installing a new gate inside the preserve that prevents people from driving to
the Bird Blind and around the south wild flower meadow. They also designed and built a new ‘walk-in’ entrance. Felts is now accessible to
anyone from dawn to dusk. And yes, there is still an entrance gate with a lock that members can use to drive into the parking area. As usual
Fred Allen has kept the preserve in excellent condition. The paths are always cut, bird feeders full and butterfly garden watered.

On August 14, Tom Heitzman supervised eight hard working ninth graders from the Summer of Service Program as they pulled Caesar
weed and helped to put in the framing for the shelled base at the kiosk. They made a good dent in the invasives but there are always more
to do. These young adults spent their summer volunteering at various projects like Felts to acquire 100 hours of volunteer time that would
reward them with a $500 scholarship for school. We want to thank them for their hard work at Felts.

Lucette Wombacher reports that “seven of the usual volunteers plus one new first timer, Bob Opfergelt,” worked at Felts on August 14
alongside the teens. Jack Schneider cleaned out all the Bluebird houses. He found an abandoned nest with four broken eggs which will be
placed in a case and displayed in the Bird Blind.

Thanks to hosts at Felts Preserve

By Carol Webster
It’s been a long hot summer, but our devoted members have continued to host
our visitors at Felts Audubon Preserve in spite of the heat and humidity.

May 1: I hosted. It was a sunny morning, 75 degrees, with light wind. There were
no visitors the first hour. What a peaceful place we have here at the preserve. By
9 a.m. visitors started arriving - 15 in all. A total of 21 bird species were reported
and we received $5 in donations. Highlights of the day were the Purple Martins
busy in and out of their houses and a Black-throated Blue Warbler sighted by
one visitor. Junior Auduboners started arriving around 11 a.m. to attend their
end-of-the-year picnic. Family of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks with nine babies on the
South Pond at Felts Preserve. Photo by Lucette Wombacher.
June 5: Betty and Don Bansen greeted seven visitors and reported a beautiful morning in the 80s. One visitor joined MCAS and another
couple took a membership application home. The number of bird species reported was 27, including a Tufted Titmouse.

July 3: Patti and Barry Clauser came to host on a misty, overcast day. They reported only three visitors. But they enjoyed a seven-year-old
boy who could spot birds and snakes with the best of them. Sighted were Pileated Woodpeckers, Bluebirds, Carolina Wrens and a Great
Crested Flycatcher. Clausers stated “what a beautiful day for birding and enjoying Felts Audubon Preserve.”

August 7: Bunny and Jack Schneider hosted on this very hot humid day. Six enthusiastic visitors were thrilled to see the South Pond with
a family of Black-bellied Whistling ducks - Dad, Mom and nine babies. On the North Pond we had five baby Wood Ducks paddling about
in the sunshine. Seventeen bird species were observed.
 Junior Auduboners to meet third Saturdays at Felts
By Steve Black, vice president

This is our second season of Junior Audubon, and we are looking forward to seeing last year’s members as well as new members. The
cost of the course is an extremely nominal $15 per person. This includes monthly information on our topics. Every month we will study
a new topic, no repeats from last year. After the study, we go out to find the topic of discussion so we can observe it. This year we are
meeting on the third Saturday of the month, so our first meeting will be at 9 a.m. Saturday September 18 at Felts Audubon Preserve,
4600 24th Avenue East (corner of Experimental Farm Road and 24th Avenue East)..

We would encourage anyone who has a child from age 7 to 12 to join us. The necessary forms are on our website at www.manateeaudu-
bon.org. Our intent is to have the parents interacting with their children so we encourage parents to come and learn with us. Whether
we are 7 or 90, we can always learn.

This Red Rat snake was guarding the entrance of Oak Alley at Felts when Fred Allen spotted it and took this photo.

Summertime at Felts: Birds, butterflies and snakes

By Fred Allen
May 19: Things have quieted down this month. This week we had 3.4 inches
of rain that brought the pond level up, after losing a foot and a half last month.
The Eastern Bluebirds have left the nest. They had me fooled with which box
they used. They used the one farthest out in the wildflower garden. The Purple
Martins are fledging now. Flowers are everywhere. Butterflies are few but
there are more each week. Quiet at the feeders. Cardinals and Tufted Titmice
have young chasing them around for food and a Red Rat snake was guarding
the entrance of Oak Alley.

July 10: Some action this month. Bluebirds still active part of the day. Hum-
mingbird in the butterfly garden at times. Tufted Titmice and House Finch are
emptying the cage feeder. The usual suspects - Doves, Cardinals, Grackles,
Red-bellied Woodpeckers - are still around the feeders. The Swallow-tailed
Kites were circling today. Most of the Black Swallowtails that were here last
month are gone. Just a couple of Giant and Spicebush Swallowtails around.
Two new butterflies have appeared: a Zebra Swallowtail last month, and a
Giant Swallowtail Butterfly at Felts.
Question Mark Butterfly. Both were a first for me.
Photo by Lucette Wombacher

August 10: Water level is up and under the bridge. House Finches growing in numbers. Eight at last count. Another new Butterfly for me
and Felts. A Silver-spotted Skipper came and sampled all the flowers in the garden. A Great Southern White was in the garden at the same
time. Bird count is low. No early migrants, yet.

Ninth Annual Bird ID Course set for January

Classes for the 2011 MCAS Beginning Bird Watching Course, taught by Nancy and Bob Dean, will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:45
p.m. on January 17, 20, 24 and 27 (Mondays and Thursdays) at the Synovus Bank Community Room, 2520 Manatee Avenue West,
Bradenton. Also, this course includes two full-day field trips, which begin at 7 a.m. Saturday January 22 and 29. The course fee is $40
for MCAS members. The $55 fee for nonmembers includes the first year of membership in MCAS. To reserve a place in the 2011
course, call Nancy Dean at 941-792-9235.
 September 2010 Newsletter

Manatee County Audubon Society, P. O. Box 14550, Bradenton FL 34280-4550

Upcoming Manatee Audubon Partners with Synovus Bank

Events for Unique Fundraising Opportunity
By Barbara Singer, president
Saturday 9/18 Mark Torlucci, Synovus bank Vice President and Branch Manager will attend our General
Junior Audubon Meeting on October 21 to review the details of an exciting and unique opportunity to raise
meets 9 a.m. money for Manatee County Audubon Society. By opening a new Free Bank account with the
at Felts Preserve Synovus Bank West Manatee office, you will be rewarded $50 which can be donated to Mana-
tee County Audubon Society.
Saturday 9/25
Work Day Felts Preserve A few of the benefits for you include: No fee and no-minimum balance required, free checks
8 a.m. to noon for life, cash back rewards on debit card purchases up to $300 per year, hassle free process for
making your tax deductible donations. And much more.
Saturday 9/25
Field trip to the popular If your schedule allows, please attend the general meeting to learn more about this partnership.
Robinson Preserve If you can’t make it, please call Mark or one of his team members at 941-757-2265 or visit
David Williamson, them at Synovus Bank, 2520 Manatee Avenue West. Bradenton. This offer is not available at
302-1808. any other Synovus Bank Location.
Meet at 8 a.m. in the
preserve parking lot,
1709 99th Street NW,
West Bradenton

Saturday 10/2
Field trip to Lakeland’s
Saddle Creek Park,
one of the best
for fall migration.
Steve Black, 376-0110.
Meet at 7 a.m.
at Cracker Barrel,
State Road 64 and I-75.

Saturday 10/9
Field trip to Duette Preserve.
Dan Irizarry, 305-582-5786.
Possible birds to see on this
trip are Florida Scrub Jay,
Red-headed Woodpecker
and Kestral. Meet at 7:30
a.m. at Cracker Barrell, Bob Dean and Dee Hanny assist visitors using spotting scopes to view nesting birds. Photo by Nancy Dean.
State Road 64 and I-75.
Beach-Nesting Program succeeds with birds and people
Thursday 10/21 By Dee A. Hanny
General Meeting
Manatee Audubon Society. This past year’s program was a success. For the Memorial Day weekend, the volunteer Stewards
7:30 p.m. monitored the nesting area on the north end of Anna Maria Island. There were an estimated 200-
First United Methodist plus Black Skimmers and 100-plus Least Terns in the nesting area. There were also five pairs of
Church Snowy Plovers that nested and hatched chicks succesfully.
of Palmetto, 330 11th Ave.
W. Palmetto. Our speaker Eighteen volunteers provided continous coverage each day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. A total of 160 per-
will be Dr. David Dean, the sons stopped by our setup to ask questions and use the spotting scopes to more closely observe the
Biological Administrator nesting birds. Most of the visitors expressed their appreciation to our Audubon chapter for the work
in the Florida Department the volunteers were doing. The 4th of July weekend was not as successful as there were not enough
of Agriculture. He will talk voluteers to accomplish the same coverage and the weather was not as cooperative as in May. The
about how biology can be Black Skimmers, however, did not mind the rainy weather and were still tending their nests and
used to overcome chicks. And many thanks to the Anna Maria Turtle Watch people for their help on this program.
invasive species.
Send your items for The Night Heron to newsletter editor Molly McCartney
at msmccartney@sprintmail.com or call 778-3228