EVERGLADE
KITE
Volume 44, No. 5
CALENDAR
Tues. Feb. 3rd — GENERAL MEETING
7:30 PM at Howard Park
► ► Howard Park Recreation Center ◄ ◄
Sat. Feb. 7th 9:00 a.m. – Nature walk at the
Custard Apple Trail in John Prince Park, Lake
Worth. Leader: Bruce Offord.
Tues. Feb. 10th 10:00 a.m. – Loxahatchee
National Wildlife Refuge, Boynton Bch. Meet at
Marsh Trail. Lee Rd. west side of 441, south of
Boynton Bch Blvd. Leader: Barbara Liberman
Sat. Feb 14th – Everglades Day, Loxahatchee
National Wildlife Refuge. (See page 3)
Sat. Feb 28th 8:00 a.m. – Hungryland Slough
Boardwalk and other local areas. Meet at Hungry-
land parking area 0.7 miles inside J.W. Corbett
WMA. Seminole Pratt Whitney Rd, north of North-
lake Blvd (13 miles west of I-95)
Leader: Chuck Webber
Fri. Mar. 5th 6:00 p.m. – Moonlight Boat-ride.
Tour Audubon’s Palm Beach Sanctuary Islands
by boat. (see page 2)
Sat. Mar 6th 9:00 a.m. – Nature walk at the Cus-
tard Apple Trail in John Prince Park, Lake Worth.
Leader: Bruce Offord.
!! Back by popular demand !!
the Beginning Birding Workshop will be
offered again on March 20 and 27, taught
by Clive Pinnock of Okeeheelee Nature
Center. Details will be included in the
March issue of the Kite.
THE AUDUBON SOCIETY
OF THE EVERGLADES
(serving Palm Beach County, Florida)
February 2004
TUESDAY Feb. 3rd, PROGRAM
Claudine Laabs, Program Chair
NEWS FROM AROUND THE EVERGLADES
by Laura Brandt, Ph.D.
Wildlife, habitat and restoration of
the Everglades system are constant topics
of interest in South Florida. Dr. Laura
Brandt is one of the best people to give
us an update. Her program will give us an
overview of our ecosystem - from tree is-
lands to alligators and the challenges we
face.
Dr. Brandt is the Senior Wildlife Bi-
ologist at the Arthur R. Marshall Loxa-
hatchee National Wildlife Refuge, site of
our “Everglades Day" celebration on Febru-
ary 14th. She has worked for the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service for 5 years. In her
current position, she is responsible for
coordinating research at the Refuge. Her
areas of interest are Everglades Restora-
tion, alligators and tree islands. She has
several ongoing cooperative projects with
USGS and the University of Florida.
Please join us at 7:30 P.M. on February 3rd at
the Community Center in Howard Park.
AMAZON CRUISE - May 27 to June 5
Spend 2 days in the cloud forest,
then board a 100' river boat to
visit The Pacaya-Samiria Reserve in the Pe-
ruvian Amazon. Great wildlife viewing. $2150
per person. Limit 10 people. For more infor-
mation Call Claudine Laabs - 655-9779
 PRESIDENT’S COLUMN A Message from Our Treasurer
— Carol Shields —
Dear Audubon Members and friends:
Invasion of the Exotics
We missed the December deadline for the Kite,
Every week there seems to be another issue
however that doesn’t mean we forgot about your
with exotic animals, plants, or sea life that
generosity. As of this writing (1-7-04) these are
is choking out the native species. The activity at
the names of additional donors to the original list
the airport island rookery this past month was ex-
published in the December issue.
otic removal. Environmental Resource Manage-
ment is continuing their ongoing efforts to eradicate ex-
Thanks to all who have responded so gener-
otics on the intracoastal islands. Currently the project is
ously. We have received $5,757. from which we
on John’s Island, one of the Audubon sanctuary islands.
deduct $817.77 for printing and mailing the letter.
I have received calls from concerned folks on these and
Net to the organization stands at $4,939.23.
other locations.
We hope we don’t leave anyone’s name out.
Australian pine, Brazilian pepper, and Mayho are all exot-
ics we have heard about. But can we really get rid of the
Bob Rance B.L. Schirmen
species? I think not. There are exemptions given to certain
Elliot Goldstein Marjorie Rosher
landowners. We can, however, hope to control the growth
Pauline Blocher Harriet Boggi
so it does not choke out our native flora. But these plants
James Edwards Alan Parmalee
are just the beginning of a change in our landscape. There
Joan Sorrento Barbara Conners
is also the insect, bird, and mammal.
Terry S. Baltimore Kenneth Rice
Last week on CNN there was news of a Chinese beetle that is Leah Schad Pinya Cohen
killing ash trees in the north. Scientists believe the emerald Susan Kimball Terrie Bates
ash borer arrived in the United States from its native China Edwin Kawecki Sigrid Harmon
with wood used to pack cargo. This beetle has infested or de- Gerald Loeb Evelyn Cohn
D. C. Bunting Lori Finkel
stroyed 6 million ash trees and so far, no insecticide or natural
Ann Blades Terri Steitz
predator has been found to destroy it.
Susan Barbuty Rosa Durando
Closer to home, we have a growing population of feral iguanas. John M. Davies Saul Bitran
And here is where I want to make my point. We will never C. H. McCall Outi Saksanen
stop the integration of non-native species, but we can help con- Martha Shiring Stella Rossi
trol it – and that means each one of us. The populations we Carolyn Randall Hilda Cauwer
Ann Clark Robert Chapin
have of feral iguanas, fish, birds are because of people, and we
Kenneth Groves Karen Campagna
can take responsibility to not release exotic species into our
biodiversity. Don’t buy it if you aren’t going to keep it. And if Nathalie Browne W. S. Pomeroy
you don’t want it, take the proper methods to get rid of it. B. Jill Harrold Elizabeth Prather
Roslyn Wagner J. McLaughlin
The Japanese climbing fern that is literally blanketing the Ever- Dona Coates Janice Peavey
glades began right here in Jupiter, Florida when someone(s) Dr. Robert Campitelli H. Lawrence Hess Jr.
released the plant into the landscape. Take responsibility. Gerolyn Jenkins Samuel Dubois
Harold Gilmore Winston Guest
Jean Canavan Lesly Smith
Barbara Ringhiser Carlos Marquez
Belle Wolkoff Linda Caval
Jean Arnold Donna Disesa
Moonlight Boat-ride to
Cherie Summersgill Dr. Marvin Sagor
the Sanctuary Islands Susan Snyder
Southside Auto Body
On Friday, March 5th at 6 p.m. you can Environmental Services of So. Florida
tour Audubon 's Palm Beach Sanctuary Islands by Boat.
Tickets are $20.00 and advanced reservations are required.
Bring along a picnic basket if you wish. THANK YOU!
Contact Claudine Laabs at 561-655-9779
to reserve your spot today. 6 1 7
 Do you have access to the internet and e-mail?
ASE is seeking someone who enjoys working at the
computer and can send out e-mails on conservation issues.
Here’s your chance to help your chapter and more impor-
tantly, to do something to help our environment.
There are few requirements and big rewards. We need
someone to keep an address listing of all environmentally-
minded folks who want to get information and/or take ac-
tion on critical environmental issues whether it’s national,
state or county. This person will need to become savvy to
the websites that post conservation/environmental meet-
ings, issues, voting, etc. to keep up on the latest issues.
There would be no meetings to attend, just a willing-
ness to relay information in a timely manner. With the
internet becoming a widespread communication tool, there
is a growing grassroots effort of the conservation voice.
Here in Palm Beach County we have the wherewithal to
do so much to help our community, particularly the Ever-
glades. There are other groups doing similar projects lo-
cally and nationwide, but this would be a service espe-
cially for our Audubon members who might not otherwise
sign up on a large list-server or mailing.
Have we perked your curiosity?
If so, please contact Carol at clsaudubon@yahoo.com,
for more information or to volunteer.
Everglades Day 2004 –
“Love Your Everglades”
On Saturday, February 14th, come out to
the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National
Wildlife Refuge for a day of celebration entitled
“Love Your Everglades” highlighting the many as-
pects of wholesome outdoor recreational activities
available in the Everglades.
In addition to complimentary admission, visitors
will receive free off-site parking with shuttle bus
service to the hub of activities. Day long trolley
service will be available to transport visitors to
every venue offered during Everglades Day within
the Refuge. Opening events begin at 8 a.m. with
bird walks, followed by butterfly and nature walks,
and even a swamp stroll. Canoe excursions, fish-
ing and paddling demonstrations, biking, camping,
and hiking the Everglades, photography, birding
and butterfly workshops, and even a family
photo walk
will be offered. This year we’ve added
Spanish interpreters who will offer a
variety of presentations in Spanish.
There will be wildlife presentations
by Busch and Treasure Coast Wildlife
Sanctuaries, Sawgrass Herpetological
and Okeeheelee Nature Center.

The Northern Right Whales By: Tammy R. Peeples

On Friday Jan. 9th I attended a Right Whale Spotter Class hosted by the Marine Resources Council, and taught by Julie Al-
bert. The Fire Department of W.P.B. graciously donated the use of their station for the class venue. There were many representa-
tive’s of different environmental groups there as well as concerned citizens. Door prizes were donated from various businesses and
people. I won one of the prizes and when I went up to choose my prize they announced that I was there representing the Audubon
Society of the Everglades. That made me feel good to know that people were aware that our chapter of the Audubon Society is ac-
tively playing a part in our local environmental events.
I learned a lot about the Northern Right Whales that migrate along the eastern coast. Did you know that they don’t have
teeth? Instead they have a filter type system made of flexible plates called baleen which catches krill (copepods) in the strands.
The whale then scrapes the krill off of the baleen with it’s tongue. A single whale can consume several tons of krill a day. The dis-
tinguishing features of the whales are that their flippers and tail are all black on both sides. The flippers are short and paddle
shaped. The also do not have a dorsal fin on top like other whales do. On the top of their head are callosities which are patches of
raised, rough skin that appear yellow or light gray. These patches are very individual, just like our fingerprints are to us. They also
have a unique blow patter which is “V” shaped instead of just straight up. Right whales will also be seen with dolphins swimming
around.
The whale got it’s name because in whaling days it was the “right whale” to hunt because it produces the most oil, they have
a surface feeding habits, slow swimming speed, and they float when dead. This is the reason they are now in such a critical state.
Good thing those days are over! The short video presentation that was shown, stated that the population of the right whale is only
about 300 - 325 whales. This is the main reason for the great concern and the efforts to get our citizens involved in a spotter pro-
gram. There have even been federal laws passed that if you are observing a Right Whale you must maintain a 500 yard distance
from the whales. That is the length of five football fields.
To learn more about the Northern Right Whale and what you can do to help call 321-504-4500 or visit these websites:
http://www.mrcirl.org and http://www.rightwhales.org
To report the sighting of a Right Whale call the toll-free hotline at 1-888-97-WHALE.
 Memberships in the National Audubon Society make great gifts!
In Florida, a special 3-way membership automatically makes you a member in the National Audubon Society,
Audubon of Florida and Audubon Society of the Everglades. Your membership will include subscriptions to
AUDUBON Magazine and the EVERGLADE KITE.

Recipient of Gift Membership:

Name ______________________________________
Name ________________________________________
Address ______________________ Apt. _________
Address ______________________ Apt. ___________
City ________________________________________
City _________________________________________
State __________________ Zip ________________
State ________________________ Zip ___________
Phone _____________________________________
Make check payable to: National Audubon Society
e-mail ______________________________________
and send to:
How did you hear about us? _____________________ Membership Chair
Audubon Society of the Everglades
Regular Membership - - - - - - - - - $20.00 PO Box 16914
Senior Citizen - - - - -- - - - - - - - $15.00 West Palm Beach, FL, 33416-6914
Two year – - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - $35.00 E00 7XCH

The Audubon Society of the Everglades General Meetings are held

the first Tuesday of every month, 7:30 p.m. at Howard Park Recreation Center in West Palm Beach.
The phone number for the Recreation center is: 561-835-7055. The public is welcome to attend.

Deadline for submissions for the Mar. 2004 issue is February 10th.

Audubon Society of the Everglades Non-profit Organization

U.S. Postage
PO Box 16914 PAID
West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Florida
FL, 33416-6914 Permit 46

The Everglade Kite

is published 12 times a year

President
Carol Shields - 561-964-1522
Kite Editor
Tammy Peeples
Audubontam@yahoo.com
Field Trips
Linda Most - 561- 626- 8844
Bird Identification
Gloria Hunter – 561-585-7714
Conservation
Rosa (Cissie) Durando
561-965-2420
ASE Internet Address
Audubon@auduboneverglades.org
Website
Auduboneverglades.org
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