President'S Message by Randy Mccormick

President’s Message by Randy McCormick
How many of us have heard someone say, “I’m cardinal or a mockingbird. Later there will be a
not sure I could live in Florida year round because chorus of grackles, blue jays, and yes…starlings.
I would miss the changing of the seasons.” I From the top of the pine trees the great crested
know I have heard this and I find it to be an flycatcher will shout out his “WHEEEP” and
interesting comment. Granted, our seasons from the thickets the white-eyed vireo will
display less contrast than some other places, but sing his scolding five-to seven-note phrase over
just because the distinctions are subtler does not and over again. In the pasture across the road we
mean they don’t exist. To my mind, all of hear the meadowlark’s flute, and the primordial
Florida’s seasons are blessedly unique and rich. bugling of sandhill cranes.
My appreciation of the seasons increases in direct
proportion to the level of intimacy I allow in my Seasons in Florida? Oh yes, believe me, we
relationship with Nature. The closer I am, and the have them all. The challenge is to get out into
more open I allow myself to be, the more I notice. the forests and fields and bear witness to it all.
We need to get out from in front of the
If you take some time to immerse yourself in a television, out from behind the steering wheel (or
natural area right now, you will not fail to notice in my case, from behind the desk) and sally
that spring has arrived in all her splendor. The forth. Spring is the season of renewal. Loren
climbing yellow jasmine is covered in lemon Eiseley put it so well when he said, “The human
yellow flowers and crowded with bees and other brain, so frail, so perishable, so full of
insects. The laurel oaks, maples and willows inexhaustible dreams and hungers, burns by the
are sending forth tender, brilliant green leaves. power of the leaf.” From the magical mixture
Walter’s viburnums are wearing petticoats of of chlorophyll and sunlight comes all biological
delicate white flowers. To see all this happening life. But beyond this simple chemistry, we
in spite of our current drought fills me with awe. also need contact with sunlight for our
Nature can be so sensitive and tough at the same psychological and emotional health.
time.
Take some time… soon… to reconnect
Then, of course, there are the birds of spring. yourself to the natural world
Rachael Carson understood the power and that sustains you, and of
influence that birds have over us this time of year. which we are all a part. Treat
Can you even imagine a spring without dewy yourself to some immersion
mornings filled with birdsong? Around my house therapy. Get outside and
right now the windows are flung open at night soak yourself in springtime!
just to assure us front row seats for the symphony
that will begin with the first hint of sunrise. The
first to pierce the silence is usually either a
1
Cryptic Coloration:
The Unseen Wildlife of Florida

Steve DeCresie, Central Florida Zoological Park
March 15, 2001 7 PM—Social / 7:30 PM—Meeting
Ever wonder what you AREN’T seeing when you are out in the wild...well, now’s the time to find out!
There will be a social time with coffee, soft drinks and refreshments beginning at 7:00 PM. The
program will start at 7:30 PM. Bring a friend and enjoy an Audubon evening.
CHARLOTTE HARBOR
IT’S SPRING..... NATURE FESTIVAL
Spring has sprung and migrants have already arrived! SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2001
10 AM - 4 PM
Martins are back in force, Swallow-tailed Kites were EXPLORE....
reported last week from all across the state, and the first
LEARN....
Barn & Rough-winged Swallows are returning. Short-
tailed Hawks have returned to their breeding areas in ENJOY....
Central FL, and Barn Owls have fledged young in some These are the words in the Nature Festival’s publications.
areas. Please join us as a volunteer or simply join us!
Here is a list of early spring arrival dates for selected On-site at CHEC are exhibits, displays, live animals,
species on the Gulf Coast of Florida, retrieved from the nature crafts, artwork, guest speakers, slide shows, guided
internet (just a tiny part of the list): walks, children’s activities, music and good food!
LEAST TERN -- 17 Mar 93 Orlando
CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW -- 16 Feb 93 Sarasota Off-site events are:
CHIMNEY SWIFT -- 28 Feb 91 Pasco County • Morning Kayak Tour 9:30-11:30, Grande Tours
PHILADELPHIA VIREO -- 21 Mar 91 • Charlotte Harbor Cruise 10-noon, Kingfisher Fleet
Fort DeSoto • Wilderness River Cruise 10-noon, Nav-A-Gator Tours
BAY-BREASTED WARBLER -- 14 Apr • Sunset White Pelican Tour 4-sunset, Grande Tours
80 Tierre Verde
BLACKPOLL WARBLER -- 16 Mar 97 Peace River Audubon’s web-site address is:
Polk County
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH -- 02 Mar http://clubs.homeearth.com/peaceriver-
96 Gainesville
SUMMER TANAGER -- 04 Mar 95 Delray Beach & 04 Mar
OFFICERS:
97 Pasco Co. President: Randy McCormick 863-993-3288
BLUE GROSBEAK -- 11 Mar 93 Fort DeSoto Vice President: George Marks 255-3318
INDIGO BUNTING -- 03 Mar 95 Alligator Point
Secretary: Kitty Rich 764-8089
Treasurer: Lynn Bates 639-7277
Keep your eyes open—they are on their way! Jeff Bouton DIRECTORS: Karen Bennett Evelyn Booker
Bill Coombs Kirk DeVries
Ellen Hawkinson Clarke Keller
Marilyn Ress Bob Wilkin
2 Editor Joy Linn 637-8160; email: [email protected]

Randy spotted the tail end of a rail that we would never
SHARK VALLEY FIELD TRIP identify to species as it disappeared into the marsh
grass. On the back side of the loop we saw at least 4
by Jeff Bouton Purple Gallinules among the more common species
like Green Herons, Common Moorhens, and
Some 30 people met in a foggy parking lot at 7:00 AM Anhingas. Half of the group got out to explore the
on February 17 to make the run down to Shark Valley. hammock trail while the other half of us went back
Randy McCormick was the leader and brains behind across 41 to a well-known spot for Snail Kites. We
the whole event. I offered my assistance as a self had excellent views of as many as 11 Snail Kites,
proclaimed "avian savant" to do what I am constantly some very close and had a handful of Limpkins here
doing every time I'm within ear shot of an open as well. A "Florida" Grasshopper Sparrow was an
window......identifying birds. As we were car pooling, it is added bonus in the tall grass here. All in all, it was an
difficult to say what percentage of the group saw what excellent trip and I had a great time.
percentage of the birds. From the lead car we saw or
heard (in some cases) 74 species and at least 3 other BIRD LIST:
could have beens! Like any good fisherman, birders
often have the "one that got away" (these are also Pied-billed Grebe, Brown Pelican,
typically the best birds)! Double-crested Cormorant,
Anhinga, Great Blue Heron, Great
We made our way south through the fog which only Egret, Tricolored Heron, Little Blue
started to break as we reached Naples near 8:30 AM. Heron, Snowy Egret, Cattle Egret, Green Heron,
Many Red-shouldered Hawks were perched along the Black-crowned Night-Heron (1 immature at lunch
way with wings outstretched trying to dry in the morning stop), Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Least Bittern
sun. Our first surprise came shortly thereafter with the (heard at Shark Valley), Wood Stork, White Ibis,
sighting of a female Snail Kite over the canal North of 41 Glossy Ibis, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Osprey,
(near the Big Cypress Boardwalk in Fakahatchee Snail Kite, Northern Harrier, Cooper's Hawk, Red-
Strand). We all met at the office area on Janes Scenic shouldered Hawk, Short-tailed Hawk, American
Loop (N of 41 off 29) in Fakahatchee Strand and after Kestrel, Sandhill Crane, Limpkin, unidentified Rail,
restroom breaks and a few birds: Tree Swallow, Red- Purple Gallinule, Common Moorhen, American Coot
bellied Woodpeckers, Northern Flicker, Brown Thrasher, (along Turner River Road), Killdeer, Lesser
and Swamp Sparrow (seen by a lucky few) we were off Yellowlegs, Ring-billed Gull, Laughing Gull, Eurasian
into the strand. Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, Common Ground-
Dove, Belted Kingfisher, Red-bellied Woodpecker,
The affects of the record drought were readily apparent Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated
and the only water we found was along the trail at gate # Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Great Crested
7. Here we had a feeding flock of songbirds in dense Flycatcher, Tree Swallow, Carolina Wren, Cedar
brush which included: 4 White-eyed Vireo, a Blue- Waxwing, Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, Brown
headed Vireo (formerly Solitary Vireo), a female type Thrasher, American Robin, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher,
Northern Parula, an Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, Loggerhead Shrike, American Cow, Fish Crow,
and numerous Yellow-rumped Warblers. Unfortunately, European Starling, White-eyed Vireo, Blue-headed
despite the melee of activity, the dense brush didn't Vireo (formerly Solitary Vireo), Northern Parula,
allow for very good views and I think many (myself Yellow-rumped Warbler, Palm Warbler, Ovenbird,
included) left with frustratingly poor looks. Upon Northern Waterthrush, Common Yellowthroat, Eastern
returning to the restrooms, we were treated to a rather Towhee, "Florida" Grasshopper Sparrow, Swamp
cooperative adult light morph Short-tailed Hawk soaring Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird,
over, it later joined a dark morph adult and the two were Boat-tailed Grackle, Common Grackle, and House
in sight together for direct comparison. Sparrow. (3 possibly include the odd Myairchus
flycatcher at Janes Loop, a possible Greater
A quick run down Turner River Road produced few birds Yellowlegs among Lessers at Shark Valley, and a
but more views of alligators than one could ever hope different wren species calling at the Shark Valley
for. At lunch we were treated to the full repertoire of tower).
American Crow calls and a singing Northern Parula from
across the canal. After eating, it was on to Shark Valley
for our 1:30 appointment.
KEEPING CATS INDOORS ISN’T JUST FOR THE BIRDS!
We boarded the Tram and made our way around the
loop seeing many waders, including Glossy Ibis, Wood Indoor cats are safer, healthier and live longer than free-
Storks, and Yellow-crowned Night-herons among others. roaming cats. Cats who roam kill hundreds of millions of
We saw many gators of all sizes and ages and were birds and other wildlife in the US each year. Protect cats,
entertained by the tram operator along the whole trip. birds and other wildlife by keeping cats indoors!
3
AUDUBON MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
2001 Calendar of Events:
Name ________________________________
3/15 Cryptic Coloration: The Unseen Wildlife of Florida—Steve DeCresie, Address ________________________________________
Central Florida Zoological Park
City, State, Zip __________________________________
3/17 Cecil B Webb Wildlife Management Area—Dillys Randall
Phone (optional) (_____) _________________________
3/31 Charlotte Harbor Nature Festival—see article!
4/7 Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary—Bill & Eleanor Marr 624-4182
Please enroll me as a National Audubon Society and Peace
River Audubon Society member. I will receive Audubon and
4/19 Meeting 7:30 (Refreshments at 7): “Gardening for the Birds”—
The Florida Naturalist magazines and the White Bird
Laurel Schiller, FL Native Plant Nursery newsletter.
4/21 Shell Key Pres & Ft. Desoto Pk—Randy McCormick 863-993-3288 One year - $20 Two years - $35
4/5 Mote Marine Aquarium & Selby Gardens—George Marks
Please send this application with your check to:
4/17 Annual Banquet (The end)
The National Audubon Society
Membership Data Center
P.O. Box 51003 E14
Boulder, CO 80323-1003 7XCH
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Please enroll me in the Peace River Audubon Society only.

I will receive the White Bird newsletter.
One Year - $10
Please mail this application with your check to our local

address.

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President’s Message by Randy McCormick

The Unseen Wildlife of Florida

March 15, 2001 7 PM—Social / 7:30 PM—Meeting

2 Editor Joy Linn 637-8160; email: [email protected]

Please enroll me in the Peace River Audubon Society only.

Please mail this application with your check to our local

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