P.O. Box 1833, VERO BEACH, FL 32961 772-567-3520 www.pelicanislandaudubon.

org
Our 46th Year Vol. 46 No. 2 February 2010
Our Mission: To preserve and protect the animals, plants, and natural communities in Indian River County
through advocacy, education, and public awareness.

The Everglades February 15, 2010 p 7:30 p.m.

Vero Beach Community Center
The Pelican Island Audubon Society February 18 General Meeting starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Vero Beach Community
Center, 2266 14th Avenue, features a program on The Everglades by Nat Reed. The Everglades is the largest subtropical
wilderness in the United States, boasting rare and endangered species. It has been designated a World Heritage Site, Inter-
national Biosphere Reserve, and Wetland of International Importance, significant to all people of the world.
The Everglades covers approximately 4,500 square miles and is actually a wide, slow moving river of marsh and
sawgrass. Beginning south of Orlando in the Kissimmee River Basin, continuing through Lake Okeechobee, the river
flows through sawgrass marshes, cypress swamps, tropical hardwood hammocks, and pine rockland before the water
eventually flows out into the sea through the mangrove estuaries in South Florida. This “River of Grass” as author Mar-
jory Stoneman Douglas called it is home to a staggering variety of wildlife and plant species.
Do not miss this opportunity to learn more about the Everglades and the often destructive attempts to control it along with
what is being done to restore this natural wonder.
Nathaniel Reed currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Everglades Foundation. He received a B.A. from Trinity Col-
lege, Connecticut and served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force military intelligence throughout Europe, North Africa and
the Middle East. Upon returning to Florida he became Vice President and then President of the Hobe Sound Company, a
real estate and holding company, which owned the Jupiter Island Club. Mr. Reed has served seven governors. He is best
known as the Chairman of the Commission on Florida’s Environmental Future. He also served as Assistant Secretary of
the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and Parks in the Nixon and Ford administrations. He also serves as a Member of the
Board of Hope Rural School, a school for the children of migrant workers. Mr. Reed is a former Board Member and Vice
Chairman of the National Audubon Society and the Nature Conservancy, Board Member of the National Parks & Con-
servation Association, American Rivers, and serves as emeriti on the boards of
the Natural Resources Defense Council and 1000
Friends of Florida, which he helped form. Reed
has served on the Board of the National Geo-
graphic Society since 1988.
Biography from the Everglades Founda-
tion - http://www.everglades-
foundation.org/

American Alligator by Bob Montanaro.

 Upcoming Events
Cookbook Update February 8 - Pulitzer Prize-winning
Our cookbook is just about ready to be sent to the printer. We want to thank journalist Hedrick Smith, Poisoned Waters,
all of you who have contributed recipes. We received a nice variety. Bob Emerson Center, 5:00 p.m., 772-778-5249,
Montanaro is designing the cover and section dividers. We are very excited Benefit for Pelican Island Audubon, Indian
that this book is finally coming to print and will be available for all of us to River Land Trust, and the Enivronmental
enjoy. Learning Center

We still need your help. We are looking for advertisers and patrons to help February 18 - Smithsonian National
us with the printing expense. If you have a business or organization you Museum of Natural History Director Dr.
would like to advertise in our cookbook please let us know. Cristian Samper, New Waves of Ocean
The cost is as follows: Science, Pelican Yacht Club, 7:00 p.m.,
Full-Page (4 1/8” X 7 1/4”) $160.00 plus a free cookbook 772-462-6220
Half-Page (4 1/8” X 3 1/2”) $90.00
March 26 - 6th Annual Goby Fest, St.
Third-Page (4 1/8” X 2 1/4”) $70.00 (business card size)
Sebastian River Preserve State Park, 10:00
Quarter-Page (4 1/8” X 1 5/8”) $60.00
a.m. to 4:00 p.m., 772-643-4925
Cookbooks are kept for many years so your advertisement will benefit your March 26-28 - 6th Annual Audubon
business for many years additional to helping us offset printing costs. Academy, Possibilities Through
If you do not have a business but would like to contribute you could Partnerships, Gainesville, presented by
add your name to our patrons page for $10.00. Audubon of Florida and its chapters, www.
audubonofflorida.org or 352-475-1999 or
Thank you for your help! 850-251-1297

Recommended Reading Calling all photographers!

by Linda Chancellor Pelican Island Audubon
I enjoy reading non-fiction books. Two that I have read recently
that I would like to recommend are Banana: The Fate of the wants you to enter our
Fruit that Changed the World and To See Every Bird on Earth - A
father, a son, and a lifelong obsession. Both of these books were Bird Photo of the Month
written by Dan Koeppel, a well known nature writer, who has
been published in the New York Times Magazine, Audubon and Contest
National Geographic Adventurer where he is also a contributing
editor. Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed The World
is a wonderful narrative that includes politics, intrigue, science,
horticulture and the United States’ obsession with this amazing
fruit.
In the second book, To See Every Bird on Earth - A father, a
son, and a lifelong obsession, Dan writes that in 1945, his father
Richard, at age 12, encounters his first bird sighting in Queens,
New York. Though he does not know the bird’s identity it makes
a very strong impression on him. One that changes his life Help share Florida’s beautiful
forever. He attempts to please his parents by becoming a doctor,
marrying and having children but his only happiness is in seeing
birds with everyone.
birds. I found this emotional narrative also fascinating because Visit
of the anecdotes concerning many of his contemporaries and the www.pelicanislandaudubon.org
descriptions of the exotic birding trips. This book also introduced
me to the world of the “Big Listers“. Many birders keep and make for rules and submission info
lists which can be fun and rewarding, but to some it becomes a
serious competition. Sometimes numbers become the main goal Padgett Ranch Field Trip
and they lose sight of the thrill in seeing the bird. Several birders Pelican Island Audubon birding field trip to Padgett
have seen over 8,000 bird species. There are estimated to be over Ranch on Saturday, March 13, 2010, led by Jens &
10,000 species in the world and counting. 485 species have been Melissa Tripson and Ralph Monticello (Indian Riv-
spotted in Florida and 888 species have been spotted in the entire er Land Trust). The carpool will be leaving from
United States. Whether you make lists or not, do not forget to Vero Beach at 7:00 a.m. Space is limited. Please
enjoy the moment of discovery. Happy Birding. call 772-567-3520 for reservations and directions.
 The President’s Hoot
Hot and Cold
Wow, what a start to 2010! What damage a few tinual withdrawal of water from shallow wells, lower-
degrees at or below 32 degrees for 8 or more days ing the water table by 60 feet in some areas. Without
does to our Florida environment! We have had much the groundwater support inside natural cavities, the
deeper freezes, but usually for a much shorter time. limestone above these cavities collapsed, forming
sinkholes.
Manatees, previously wintering and calving in the
Caribbean, now ignore their migrating instincts to stay I noticed that the water level on the St. Sebastian
near warm waters of power plants. Young manatees River was the lowest I have seen in 9 years, exposing
find difficulty surviving these temperatures. Ten died never before-seen sandbars.
and two rescued in our county, over 77 died and 16 This unusual cold spell, which caused so much envi-
rescued in Florida. More are expected to die. ronmental damage, follows 2009, the second hottest
Ed Killer, the Press Journal sports fishing editor, year on modern record according to NASA’s analysis
wrote “The more places I looked, the more death of global surface temperatures. Since records have
(fish) I saw. Floating on the tide, lying on a shoreline been kept, it was even the hottest ever recorded in the
or sunk to the bottom. So many fish. So many spe- Southern Hemisphere. January 2000 to December
cies. So many gone without any chance of rescue... 2009 was the hottest decade on record. Except for a
millions and millions.” (http://www.tcpalm.com/ leveling off between the 1940s and 1970, the Earth’s
news/2010/jan/24/big-chill-was-learning-experience/). surface temperatures have increased sharply since
Fortunately, I did not see the amount of fish kills on 1880. (http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/
the more protected St. Sebastian as were seen on the temp-analysis-2009.html). Most climate scientists
Indian River Lagoon. Snook do not survive below 54- agree that rising levels of CO2 and other greenhouse
degree water temperature. gases trap incoming heat near the surface of the Earth
and are the key factors causing the temperature rise.
At the county’s January 18th Marine Advisory Com-
mittee meeting, Dr. Grant Gilmore, a world class Our environment is challenged worldwide by shrink-
ichthyologist scientist, reported that many fishing ing forests, eroding soils, falling water tables, col-
associations after seeing the large scale devastation of lapsing fisheries, expanding deserts, deteriorating
fish populations have contacted him about the impor- rangelands, dying coral reefs, melting glaciers, rising
tance of protecting as much fish habitat as we can in seas, more powerful storms, disappearing species, and
the future. We need to bring these populations back as shrinking oil supplies. The decline of earlier civiliza-
soon as possible. This puts new emphasis on saving tions was more often environmentally caused than by
our seagrass meadows and mangrove nurseries for wars or economies. Trees went first, then the soil, and
snook, tarpon, redfish, seatrout, and other species. finally the civilization itself. This pattern is familiar
to archeologists and is well documented in a new
Thanks to the Environmental Learning Center and book Plan B 2.0-Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and
volunteers, over 91 sea turtles were saved and kept a Civilization in Trouble by Lester R. Brown. He is
at the ELC (and over 1,100 at Merritt Island NWR). optimistic that we humans can find solutions to these
They were all tagged and treated for serious injuries problems, if we all work together. That is the mission
and papilloma virus. Most appeared to be successful- of Audubon.
ly released (http://www.discoverelc.org/home/pages/
SeaTurtleRecoveryEffort.cfm). Richard H. Baker, President
At least 30% of Florida’s crops were damaged by the
freeze. This means higher food prices with more folks
going without eating their fruits and vegetables.
Amazing effects of the freeze occurred on Florida’s
west coast. Considerable freshwater was used spray-
ing our agricultural crops during that week in order to
prevent the plants from freezing. At least 22 sinkholes
opened up in Hillsborough County alone, with many
around Plant City. Some sinkholes occurred in fields,
but other sinkholes damaged houses. Two sinkholes
65 foot wide and 20 ft deep and a second 40 ft wide
by 2 ft deep were found on U.S. 27. A sinkhole seems
responsible for the closing of two lanes on I-4 in Plant
City where a number of other roads were also closed.
These sinkholes most likely were the result of the con-
 Officers
Join the Great Backyard Bird Count

endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the State.

of Consumer Services by calling toll-free within Florida 1-800-435-7352. Registration does not imply
Services. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Div.
Pelican Island Audubon Society, Inc. is registered with the Florida Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer
President
Richard H. Baker, Ph.D.
1st Vice President
Jens Tripson February 12-15, 2010
2nd Vice President
Susan Boyd Bird watchers coast to coast are invited to take part in the
Recording Secretary
Darlene Halliday
13th annual Great Backyard Bird Count, Friday, February 12,
Corresponding Secretary through Monday, February 15, 2010. Participants in the free
Peter Sutherland
Treasurer event will join tens of thousands of volunteers counting birds
Robert Adair
in their own backyards, local parks or wildlife refuges.
Elected Directors
Bob Bruce ‘12
Joe Carroll ‘11
Each checklist submitted by these “citizen scientists” helps
David Cox, Ph.D. ‘12 researchers at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology,the National
Debby Ecker ‘11
Nancy Irvin ‘10 Audubon Society , and Bird Studies Canada learn more
Susan Richardson ‘10
Appointed Board Members
about how the birds are doing—and how to protect them.
Leah Blythe Last year, participants turned in more than 93,600 checklists
Pat Casselberry
Joel Day online, creating the continent’s largest instantaneous snap-
Bill Halliday
Tina Marchese
shot of bird populations ever recorded.
John Orcutt
Neil Stalter Anyone can take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count,
Advisory Board Members
Janice Broda
from novice bird watchers to experts. Participants count birds
Lynne Larkin for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or
Melissa Tripson
Billi Wagner more days of the event and report their sightings online at
Black-bellied Plover by Bob Montanaro.
www.birdcount.org. One 2009 participant said, “Thank you
Visit Pelican Island Audubon on the web at for the opportunity to participate in citizen science. I have
had my eyes opened to a whole new interest and I love it!”
www.pelicanislandaudubon.org
“The GBBC is a perfect first step towards the sort of inten-
Thank you to Lorraine Sutherland for the cookies sive monitoring needed to discover how birds are responding
served at the January General Meeting! to environmental change,” said Janis Dickinson, the direc-
tor of Citizen Science at the Cornell Lab. “Winter is such
Pelican Island Audubon Society a vulnerable period for birds, so winter bird distributions
2010 Membership are likely to be very sensitive to change. There is only one
National Audubon* $20_____________ way—citizen science—to gather data on private lands where
people live and GBBC has been doing this across the con-
Pelican Island Audubon** tinent for many years. GBBC has enormous potential both
Individual $20_____________ as an early warning system and in capturing and engaging
Family $30_____________ people in more intensive sampling of birds across the land-
Supporting $50_____________ scape.”
Contribution $ _____________
Student*** $5______________ Bird populations are always shifting and changing. For
Total $_______________ example, 2009 GBBC data highlighted a huge southern inva-
*National Audubon membership sion of Pine Siskins across much of the eastern United States.
This includes subscriptions to Audubon Magazine and The Participants counted 279,469 Pine Siskins on 18,528 check-
Florida Naturalist. lists, as compared to the previous high of 38,977 birds on
**Pelican Island Audubon membership
Dues which PIAS will use for environmental education and 4,069 checklists in 2005. Failure of seed crops farther north
advocacy and subscription to the Peligram caused the siskins to move south to find their favorite food.
***Student Membership receive electronic copy of Peligram
only - requires e-mail address On the www.birdcount.org website, participants can ex-
plore real-time maps and charts that show what others are
NAME:________________________________________ reporting during the count. The site has tips to help identify
birds and special materials for educators. Participants may
ADDRESS:______________________________________ also enter the GBBC photo contest by uploading images
taken during the count. Many images will be featured in the
GBBC website’s photo gallery. All participants are entered
_______________________________________________ in a drawing for prizes that include bird feeders, binoculars,
books, CDs, and many other great birding products.
E-Mail__________________________________________
Please send your name and address along with a check payable For more information about the GBBC, visit the website at
to the “Pelican Island Audubon Society” to: www.birdcount.org. Or contact the Cornell Lab of Ornithol-
Pelican Island Audubon Society ogy at (800) 843-2473, gbbc@cornell.edu, or Audubon at
P.O. Box 1833, Vero Beach, FL 32961 (202) 861-2242 ext 3050, citizenscience@audubon.org.
Credit card payments call (772) 567-3520 M - F 9AM-1PM
Please email us if there is a local environmental issue which The Great Backyard Bird Count is made possible, in part, by
concerns you at piaudubon@bellsouth.net generous support from Wild Birds Unlimited.