Laughing Gull

The Newsletter of the St. Lucie Audubon Society

VOLUME 35 • ISSUE 3 • MARCH 2010

President’s Message
The Bird Identification Class was held last month.
Good birding requires good optics. An excellent
source of information on binoculars and scopes
can be found under this web site. Key in www.
njaudubon,org and click on Cape May Bird Observa-
tory (CMBO), click on store-buyers guide-Pete’s Pick
of the Pack binoculars and scopes... You will find a
summary of binoculars and scopes in different price
ranges and all appropriate for birding. My wife has
access to very high end binoculars, but prefers the
under $ 300.00 Nikon Monarch 8 by 42.
In addition to Sibley and Peterson field guides;
check out www.Thayerbirding.com for electronic
field guides.
Other items that help to make birding fun are IPod
downloaded bird calls. See BirdJam at www.bird-
jam.com, and for those with high frequency hearing
loss, the Songfinder at www.nselec.com.
With the class under your belt and the proper
equipment “LET’S GO BIRDING “
A field trip to Green Cay Wetlands is perfect for
new birders. All the viewing is from boardwalks and
the birds are unafraid.
Join the SLAS, attend our meetings, enjoy our field
trips, and invite your friends and neighbors.
Thank you for your support.
Dan Walma

Calendar of Events
March 6, 2010 Field Trip to Vero Waste April 15, 2010 Field Trip (Thursday)
Management Wetlands River Lilly Cruise Boat!
Meet at Home Depot parking lot on Okeechobee
Road in Fort Pierce. We will leave the parking lot
by 8 AM and proceed to the Vero Wetlands area in
Vero Beach. (We want to be at Vero Wetlands by 8:30
AM) Be sure to bring water and snacks. Wear proper
footwear (no sandals!) We will be walking the im-
poundments. Any questions contact Dorothy at 772-
349-6025.
March 13, 2010 Painted Bunting Trip
$10 per person. This is a tour to a private resi-
dence to see Painted and Indigo Buntings. This 2nd
trip was recently added to accommodate everyone
that was interested in attending. Please call Anju-
la Smith at 772-924-8778 for reservations. We will
meet in the Sears parking lot on St. Lucie West Bou-
levard at 7:30 AM and carpool from there.
Our April field trip is something special...a late
afternoon/early evening boat trip on the River Lilly.
This will be on Thursday, April 15 and we need to
be at the boat dock in River Park Marina on Prima
Vista Boulevard, Port St. Lucie, no later than 3:45
PM. The boat departs promptly at 4:00 PM. Owners
of the River Lilly are our own Audubon members,
Deena and Dana Wade, and they will take us to the
rookeries on the St. Lucie River where we will see
hundreds of nesting birds! This is an experience you
do not want to miss. The trip is open to all, but you
MUST call Deena at 772-489-8344 to reserve a seat.
Cost is $20 per person and Deena and Dana are
generously donating the fees back to the St. Lucie
Audubon Society in honor of the memory of long-
time member Dotty Hull. Please, let’s make this a
full boat in Dotty’s honor! Call Deena ASAP to re-
serve a seat. 772-489-8344.

March Meeting: March 4, 2010 Speaker ???????

Meeting Place: Oxbow Eco-Center • 5400 NE St. James Drive, Pt. St. Lucie, FL 34983
Located 1.5 miles south of Midway Road • 1.5 miles north of Airoso

www.stlucieaudubon.org
 PAGE 2 WWW.STLUCIEAUDUBON.ORG MARCH 2010

St. Lucie Audubon Field Trip to Green Cay and Wakodahatchee

On Sunday, February 7, 2010, 23 enthusiastic
participants journeyed to Green Cay and Wako-
dahatchee Wetlands in Palm Beach County where
60 species of birds were seen, including a num-
ber of species observed by many of the group
while traveling down I-95 and the Florida Turn-
pike to the water treatment facilities. The cool,
windy, but sunny, weather undoubtedly kept
the species count down, but close views of many
nesting birds with tiny chicks in various stages
of development and growth, and excellent views
of showy birds such as Purple Gallinules, Soras,
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, a Roseate Spoon-
bill, a gorgeous male Northern Harrier, several
Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, a very close and coop-
erative Black and White Warbler, and a couple of
mammoth alligators, made the day interesting
and exciting for all. The group finished with a
delightful meal at Sweet Tomatoes (becoming a
traditional highlight of this trip) and got home
in time to see the Super Bowl. Hart and Jewel
Rufe led the trip.
See list of sightings on back page!
This is to inform you of an address change for
one of your members, Dorothy Davis. Her new
address is: Dorothy M. Davis, c/o Abbiejean Rus-
sell Care Center, 700 S. 29th Street, Fort Pierce,
FL 34950.
If any of you are in that area I know she would
love for you to stop by and say hello. I make sure
she gets all her birding information as that has
been dear to her heart for her lifetime.

*** SPONSORS WANTED *** www.stlucieaudubon.org

St. Lucie County has a new policy of charging Non-Profits ST.LUCIE AUDUBON SOCIETY 2009
OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS
for use of County facilities.
Our cost is $45.00 per month payable in advance. We are President Dan Walma oculusdw1@aol.com
Vice President Ruth Neese eddie_ruth@msn,com
looking for sponsors to underwrite the cost of using
Recording Secretary Elsa Millard
Adella Blacka lcbirder@comcast.net
ABLACKA@gmail.com
Oxbow-Eco-Center.
Corresponding Millie Estersohn milliern@comcast.net
Secretary
In return we will acknowledge individual or company Treasurer Jay
Liz Wise
Dunleavy DunZippy@aol.com
Lindyjay@bellsouth.net
names in our Newsletter several times Directors-at-Large Terri Brown tmlbrown761@bellsouth.net

during the ensuing year. If you are interested in sponsoring Directors-at-Large Peggy Silletto Jpsilletto@aol.com

!"#$%&'()'*()&+,'),-.&+/0-%0 Directors-at-Large Ed Bowes eddie_ruth@msn.com

eddie-ruth@msn.com
Parliamentarian Peggy Silletto Jpsilletto@aol.com
send checks to :
Newsletter Veronica
Pat Berrones
Bounds wwalter3@bellsouth.net
berrones1@yahoo.com
Program Co-Chairs Grace Stock graceestock@peoplepc.com
5Stillbirding@peoplepc.com
ST. LUCIE AUDUBON,
Program Co-Chairs Liz Dunleavy DunZippy@aol.com
P.O. BOX 12474,
Membership Chair Peggy Silletto Jpsilletto@aol.com
FORT PIERCE, FL 34979
Special Events Chair Anjula Smith anjula7@aol.com

Thanks to the Following Sponsors Field Trip Chair Dorothy Schultz edsdks@bellsouth.net
Conservation Chair Ed Bowes eddie-ruth@msn.com
John and Nettie Brolman
Reduce! Education Co-Chairs Terri Brown tmlbrown761@bellsouth.net
Deena and Dana Wade - “River Lilly”
Recycle! Bird ID Classes ElsaDunleavy
Liz Millard DunZippy@aol.com
lcbirder@comcast.net
Ed Bowes & Ruth Neese
Reuse!
Treasure Coast Wildlife Center
Hospitality Chair Judith
Adella Whittemore
Blacka wilbarwhit@bellsouth.net
ablacka@gmail.com
Chapter Historian Judy Gersony jagersony@hotmail.com

Billi Wagner Webmaster Mary Dodge mary@jackmaryetc.com

LAUGHING GULL
 MARCH 2010 WWW.STLUCIEAUDUBON.ORG PAGE 3

PAGE 2 Conservation Corner

WWW.STLUCIEAUDUBON.ORG MAY 2009

SubmittedBelow by Edis theBowes

copy of the letter presented to Dotty & Hank Hull at the April priorities include
board meeting benefits
and all members of thefor the
Board St. signed
present Lucieit. River es-
April 9, 2009
tuary through advocating for Lake Okeechobee wa-
As theMnew A Y Conservation
2009 Chair, I began W W Wreceiving
. S T L U C I Eter A Uquality
D U B O improvement,
N.ORG pressing for control P A G E of 3 non-
emails about the RCC. This was a mystery; I had no native plant and animal species, eliminating lake
Dotty and Hank Hull
Palms of St Lucie West
idea
501 Cashmere Blvd Apt 214Conservation Corner
what an RCC was! As I discovered, RCC stands discharges
Re!"#$%&"'(%)*+,-'
Windows thatinto mirrorthe St. Lucie
the outside River,a different
habitat present and advocating
problem. If
forPort
Regional
St Lucie, Conservation
FL 34986Submitted Committee,
by Ed Bowes
and Audubon for
Phone: the
you see funding
branches
772-340-2226 or and
sky implementation of the
re7%#)%0(/"()$%(1,*&&(:$%"(8.-(,..A(*)(8.-2( Indian
;#0)&;$A%>&'<((%'0)+-$/,0)%;">%/"+%B#-)$%,-+%*&01'$+)=%F",02#02%/"+%
of Florida has six RCCs. The RCCs develop plans for River South CERP project. An overarching priority
lighting inside the house or fastening objects to the inside of the glass
is
Dear !"#$%$"&'()%*(+,-%'.%/"+%*&01'$#&0%$'--&'0)#02%/"+%34++%50$+-/6%
Dotty and Hank:
conservation
message inactivities and This priorities for from
Audubon of the;&0</%"+(.=%50$/+,)A%>&'<((%0++)%/&%,(/+-%/"+%;#0)&;<$%,..+,-,0*+%B>%
prevention of development that interferes with
The members ofthe
thelast newsletter.
St. Lucie Audubon information
Societyiswere Cornell
very sorryLab when you hadsomething
to resignonfrom your many duties onmeasure, the Board of
Florida.
DirectorsOur
of chapter
Ornithology.
in February 2009.is part
Whileof wethetry toEverglades
understand theRCC, reason greater
placing
we rub
want Everglades
you to know
therestoration
how much you bothand
outside. As a temporary
willprotection.
be missed.
you can
All the
You hear a loud thud at your living room window. Looking up, you a bar of soap on the window (the streaks can be easily removed).
which
membersextends
say how from
much St.
youLucie
have County
inspired them to Key
and West. Audubon
furthered their education
see a few tiny feathers stuck to the glass. Others drift slowly to the Other and of
solutionsloveFlorida
of birds
include will need
by strips
attaching being with
of your
paper or support
cardboard to to
the suc-
The ground.
you on greater
so many Everglades
bird has been ecosystem
occasions.
One more is thewith
struck down in a collision focus
a ceed in these
window, hangingconservation
ribbons, streamers,activities.
colored string,Keep abreast of
festive garlands,
for conservation
plate-glass window. activities
Bird-window at crashes
federal are anand state lev- what
all-too-common your local governments are doing with devel-
or even mobiles in front of it.
Shortlyphenomenon.
after you joined the Society when Grace Stock
birds,was
suchpresident in 1989, you became leaders of this group. Hank served as
els. Federal levelThese collisions
Everglades
+,0%*10(2&*(&230&4556$%&7',&28'&20,.%9
usually
RCC involve small
priorities
!"#$%&'()$*)(+*,,(-"".)/#%0().()$%(12.-"03(4.5%)/5%&()$%(6/20&(*2%(
include as
opment and land use planning. Write your state and
Screens and Netting
advocating
You both
merely for
ledstunned a and
the Birdingfederal
recover Water
Education
in a few Resources
classes
moments. forOften, Develop-
manyhowever,
years. they federal
Dotty served as legislators
Another Membership in support
Chairman,
solution is to place some kind ofof
Adams conservation
Ranch
screen Breakfast
or netting initia-
over the
ment Act
Planner and
die.and
Thekept pushing
number birdsfor
theofChristmaskilledadequate
by collisions
Bird federal
with
Count accurate windows funding
for is
years. Dotty tives.
edited Ifthe
you want Gull
Laughing more anddetails
wrote the about the Everglades
Feathered Friends
;#0)&;=%!"#$%;&0</%&B$/-'*/%/"+%@#+;G%B#-)$%;#((%*&0/#0'+%/&%78(/").(
staggering7estimates
Hank served on range as highand
as 100 million
Fieldper year. Does this and showed us many different birds.
ofcolumn.
the Comprehensive
mean that you should stop
the Board
Everglades was
feeding birds?Restoration
Trip
Not at all. It means
Chairman
Project
that if RCC, theits recommended
window. They should bounce conservation activities,
off relatively unharmed or the
. Fruit-tree
netting, pulled tightly over a window should reduce or elimi-
(CERP). State-level
you notice birds activities
striking your can
windows, be
you roughly
should take
You have given many years and hours of your life for the members of this divided
steps to other five
nateSociety.
RCCs For which we all are so grateful. Today the site
injured birds.
visit the Audubon of Florida Web
into northern
Members Everglades
Members ofand
eliminate the problem.
join their southern
the Board Everglades
of Directors to thank you at andhttp://fl.audubon.org/
honor you both with a Look for the section titled
priorities.
Some For our chapter, the northern Everglades “Cutting Edge Conservation.”
Solutions
!"#$%&#'%('%')%*+,#-(./.*01
1) Move feeders to new locations. Usually bird strikes occur at one or

Dan Feathered Friends

In your beloved St. Lucie Audubon Society.
Membership Application
two windows. Moving feeders away from them may solve the problem
Walma
entirely.
2) Place feeders closer to the glass. If a feeder is just a foot or two
Dan Walma,
Submitted byPresident
from a window, Ruth Neese
panicked birds may still 78(/").(/)'(6-)(92.6*6,8(:.";)( A one-year chapter membership extends from January to January. You
have enough momentum to injure themselves. may use the coupon below to begin or renew your membership.
89%:(/+-%/"+%;#0)&;<$%,..+,-,0*+=%51%>&'%)&0</%;,0/%/&%?&@+%>&'-%
*** SPONSORS WANTED ***
My 1++)+-$A%&-%#1%-+(&*,/#02%/"+?%)&+$0</%$&(@+%>&'-%.-&B(+?A%>&'<((%0++)%
yard has been graced by a new winter www.stlucieaudubon.org
SLAS is now offering a Chapter-only annual membership for those who
to alter the appearance of the offending windows. But to do this, want to financially support their local chapter. The following dues options
resident
St. Lucie this year—a
County has a newYellow-Throated Warbler
policy of charging Non-Profits
>&'<((%0++)%/&%!1-2%(.-)(:$8()$%(#.,,/&/."&(*2%(.##-22/"13(<2%(6/20&(
ST.LUCIE AUDUBON apply: SOCIETY 2009
OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS
(Dendroica for
confused dominica). use of County
because the windowCommon facilities.in the south- President !"""#$%&'&%()*+",-."/01"20)1"""
is re7%#)/"1()$%(,*"0&#*9%(6%$/"0(/)=(>&(
Our cost is $45.00 per month payable in advance. We are
/"+%2(,$$%$&%/-,0$.,-+0/%/"+>%/"#0C%#/%#$0</%/"+-+D%!&%!"0(.-)'(8.-;,,( Dan Walma oculusdw1@aol.com
!"""3)4&*2+",-5"/01"20)1"
eastern states, Yellow-Throated
0++)%/&%2+/%,%B#-)<$-eye view.
looking for sponsors to underwrite the cost of using
Warblers often Vice President (for 2 or moreRuthpeople
Neesein same household)
eddie_ruth@msn,com

winter in South Florida. Very

Oxbow-Eco-Center. striking in appear- Recording Secretary Elsa Millard
!"""6/7$871+",5."/01"20)1 lcbirder@comcast.net
See-Through Glass Corresponding !"""9):17$+",;.."/01"20)1
Millie Estersohn milliern@comcast.net
ance, these warblers have a bright yellow throat
Go to your feeder and look at your window. Can you see through it? If Secretary !"""<&=0:&40+",5..
andInupper
so, the breast
return we
birdswill outlined
can,acknowledge
too. byindividual
Is there a plant black
inside the lines that
or company
house that mightex-
be Treasurer Liz Dunleavy DunZippy@aol.com
Each local membership includes a subscription to the monthly newsletter
attractive
names to birds?
in If so,
our try moving it.
Newsletter Is there another
several times window on the Directors-at-Large Terri Brown tmlbrown761@bellsouth.net
tend downoppositethe chest.
side of the house,The forehead
creating the illusion is
of ablack with Directors-at-Large
78-through
:;30&"-<)3*()&=<//>9&?'<&.-@&,0A0*B0&:;30&"-<)3*()&=<//>&B*-&%2-(1-,1&
Peggy Silletto Jpsilletto@aol.com
during the ensuing year. If you are interested in sponsoring mail or electronically via email. Please indicate your preference below.
a whitepassage?
supercilium
Try making your and black
windows
!"#$%&'()'*()&+,'),-.&+/0-%0
eye
less transparentstripe. The
by changing the Directors-at-Large Ed Bowes eddie-ruth@msn.com
Please make checks payable to and send to:
lighting inside the house7pull a shade or open or close a door. You
bluish-gray upper
can also make glasssendparts
less checksareto
transparent byunmarked
:
taping paper to theexcept
inside of
ParliamentarianSt. Lucie Audubon
Peggy Silletto
Society, P.O.Jpsilletto@aol.com
Box 12474,
for two white wing bars. Equipped with one of
/"+%.,0+$=%!"#$%#$%'0$#2"/(>A%B'/%#/<$%,%2&&)%/+?.&-,->%?+,$'-+%'0/#(% Newsletter Veronica
Fort Berrones
Pierce, FL 34979 berrones1@yahoo.com
you can !"0(*(6%))%2(&.,-)/."3(?.55%2#/*,,8(*@*/,*6,%($*:A( Program Co-Chairs Grace Stock graceestock@peoplepc.com
ST. LUCIE AUDUBON,
the longest bills
silhouettes for aat deterring
are effective warbler, windowYellow-Throated
strikes, as long as you
Name: ______________________________________
Program Co-Chairs Liz Dunleavy DunZippy@aol.com
P.O. BOX 12474, Address: ____________________________________
Warblers forage
use several.
FORT PIERCE, FL 34979 the upper
They bywork creeping
not because theyalong
look like hawks, but because Membership Chair Peggy Silletto Jpsilletto@aol.com
City: _______________________________________
/"+>%B-+,C%'.%/"+%;#0)&;<$%,..+,-,0*+=%:0&/"+-%$&('/#&0%#$%/&%.'/%'.%
portions of treesavailable
a commercially and decalprying insects
that is a replica from orthe
stabilimentum white
Special Events Chair Anjula Smith anjula7@aol.com
State: _____________ Zip: _____________________

bark. The individual wintering in my yard also

zig-E,2%1-&?%/"+%*+0/+-%&1%,0%&-B#/,(%$.#)+-<$%;+B=%5/%#$%/"&'2"/%/",/% Phone:
Field ________________________________
Trip Chair Dorothy Schultz ____
edsdks@bellsouth.net
spiders create the highly visible zig-zag so birds and large insects will E-mail: _____________________________________
Conservation Chair Ed Bowes eddie-ruth@msn.com
eats seed
avoidfrom my feeders,
Reduce! which is not noted as
78/"1(/").(*"0(0%&)2.8/"1()$%/2(:%6&3(B.)%C(D.(".)(*))*#$( New membership:
Education Co-Chairs ______ Renewal: ______
Terri Brown tmlbrown761@bellsouth.net
a behavior in any of my references!
objects directly to thermopane windows Be sure
without consulting the to
manufacturer. Recycle! Bird ID Classes
C/0-%0&%0(1&.@&:"-<)3*()&=<//>&D@E&
Elsa Millard lcbirder@comcast.net
look for this bright, active bird in your yards this Email _____ or Standard mail: _____
season. Reuse! Hospitality Chair Adella Blacka ablacka@gmail.com
Chapter Historian Judy Gersony
.
jagersony@hotmail.com
Thanks for your support
Webmaster Mary Dodge mary@jackmaryetc.com

LAUGHING GULL
LAUGHING GULL
 Species seen: (*observed en route) Sora
Pied-billed Grebe Purple Gallinule
Inside This Whistling Duck Common Moorhen
Issue Brown Pelican * American Coot
Double-crested Cormorant Ring-billed Gull
PAGE 1 Anhinga Royal Tern
Great Blue Heron Mourning Dove
President’s Great Egret Eurasian Collared Dove *
Snowy Egret Rock Pigeon
Message
Little Blue Heron Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Cattle Egret * Belted Kingfisher
Green Heron Red-bellied Woodpecker
PAGE 2 Black-crowned Night Heron Purple Martin
Officers & Tricolored Heron Tree Swallow
Glossy Ibis Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Committee White Ibis Blue Jay
Chairs Roseate Spoonbill Fish Crow
Wood Stork Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Black-bellied Green-winged Teal American Robin *
Mottled Duck Northern Mockingbird
PAGE 3 Blue-winged Teal European Starling
Membership Muscovy * Blue-headed Vireo
Black Vulture Palm Warbler
Application Turkey Vulture Northern Parula
Osprey Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Harrier Black-and-White Warbler
Conservation Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-winged Blackbird
Red-shouldered Hawk * Common Grackle
Corner
Red-tailed Hawk * Boat-tailed Grackle
American Kestrel * House Sparrow * (at Sweet Tomatoes)
Limpkin *

newsletter@stlucieaudubon.org
address to
up, send your name and email
you prefer to read if offline. To sign
to open it, and you can print it out if
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Permit No. 442

Fort Pierce, FL. Fort Pierce, FL 34979
P.O. Box 12474
PAID St. Lucie Audubon
U.S. POSTAGE Laughing Gull
Non-profit Organization