The St.
Petersburg Audubon Society
WingSpan
Calendar of Events -
October 2006 +
Oct. 3 - SPAS Board meeting; 6:30pm at The
Science Center.
Oct. 7 - Boyd Hill Bird Walk, Boyd Hill Nature
Park, 1101 Country Club Way S, St. Petersburg.
Meet at the Visitor Center, 8am. Leader: Mauri
Peterson, 893-4124. $2.00 entrance fee.
Oct. 14 – Cross Bar Ranch, Pasco Co. Enjoy an
open-air 'bus' tour over dirt trails thru many native
habitat types. Much of this area is managed for
wildlife conservation. Meet 7am at Sears, 94th Ave
N & 9th St, St. Petersburg to car pool. Pack a lunch.
For reservations call Jeanne Murphy, 582-2461.
Oct. 15 - Fall Wine & Cheese Sunset Cruise,
aboard the catamaran “Albion” with Capt. Alva. Boat
tour of intracoastal waterways, ending with the sun-
set over Shell Key. 6:30-8pm. Meet at Merry Pier,
801 Pass-a-Grille Way, St. Pete Beach. Space
limited. Call Barb Ranck, 374-7039, for reserva-
tions. $30 donation to benefit SPAS’ many outreach
programs.
Oct. 21-22 – Audubon Assembly - Field trips,
seminars, workshops & special speakers. $$
Details at http://www.audubonofflorida.org/leader
ship/assembly.htm
Oct. 28-29 – Florida Ornithological Society Fall
Meeting, Titusville. Field trips Friday afternoon,
Saturday and Sunday mornings. Scientific presen-
tations on Saturday afternoon. Details at
www.fosbirds.org $$
Nov. 4-5 – Art Arbor Festival at Boyd Hill Nature
Park, 1101 Country Club Way S, St. Petersburg.
Call Wanda Dean, 321-3995, to volunteer at our
booth.
Nov. 7 - SPAS Board meeting; 6:30pm at The
Science Center.
Nov. 11 – Ft. DeSoto County Park – Leisurely bird
walk at various locations throughout the park. This
walk will be geared toward beginners, parents with
school-aged children, and the elderly. Binoculars
will be provided. 9am – Noon. Meet at the flagpole,
park headquarters. Leader: Mauri Peterson, 893-
4124.
October 2006
Tuesday, October 17th, 7:00pm at the SCIENCE CENTER, 7701
22nd Avenue N.,
St. Petersburg 727-384-0027
“WHERE ARE THOSE FLORIDA
BURROWING OWLS?”
Mark Mueller, FWCC Fish and Wildlife
Research Institute
Join us for an exciting evening learning
about the Florida Burrowing Owls. Mark
Mueller just completed his Master’s
degree thesis on the Florida Burrowing
Owls and we’ve persuaded him to share
some of his findings for an evening that
will be sure to enlighten us on this difficult
to find Owl.
You may remember Mark from his
previous presentation to SPAS on Least
Terns and his work using GPS/GIS to map the terns’ beach and
rooftop colonies in the Tampa Bay area. Mark assisted Beth Forys
as an Eckerd College student when he worked on this project. His
studies on the Burrowing Owls promise to be equally fascinating.
PREVIEW:
The November 21st program will feature Kent A. Vliet, Ph.D.,
University of Florida, and his presentation “Alligators: Ancient
Reptiles in a Modern World.”
Mark your calendars NOW
Save December 6, 2006 for the Conservation
Celebration hosted by St. Petersburg Audubon
and the Pinellas Native Plant Society. The event
takes place at the County Extension Service,
12520 Ulmerton Rd. in Largo, and will again
feature our silent auction, environmental
exhibits, gift baskets and plenty of refreshments.
Our keynote speaker this year will be John Moran, bringing us
his Journal of Light: A Photographer’s Search for the Soul of
Florida. Moran’s remarkable Journal of Light speaking programs
highlight a 20-year odyssey to discover the soul of one of the most
photographed states in the country. His ever-evolving programs
have been called “exquisite,” “powerful,” and “like nothing I have
ever seen.” Learn more at www.JohnMoranPhoto.com
Watch this newsletter for further details and ways you can
contribute. Hope to see you there.
 PRESIDENT’S M ESSAGE
What I Did on My
Summer Vacation
This summer Mark and I
constructed a 20 ft. fountain,
stream and pond feature in our
backyard. We now have 24/7
flowing water which attracts birds, dragonflies and toads (so
far). We’re still working out the kinks: rapid water
evaporation daily and algae growth. I’ve not had anything of
this magnitude before so it’s trial and error. We’ve put some
very small mosquito fish in the pond, a couple snails and
some goldfish to see how they survive (two have died so far)
before I introduce my rather large plecostomous (aka Big &
Ugly) to the pond. But the birds are drinking and bathing in
the running water and that was the main purpose, anyway.
One other result of the pond and bird feeders is a Cooper’s
Hawk that has discovered this bounty. We have witnessed
several “Marty Stouffer’s Wild America” moments as Mr.
Coop dives into the backyard and scatters birds to the four
winds.
IT’S GREAT TO BE GREEN
VOTE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT!
One very important step you must take to help our
environment is to vote. Election Day will be coming up on
November 7, 2006. Remember, it’s okay to not vote for a
candidate in your declared party if you don’t like his or her
policies. We need to show the candidates that it isn’t their
party affiliation that will get them votes, but rather, their
policies and voting records.
League of Conservation Voters has a great website that
shows the voting records of the current elected officials.
Before major elections they come out with a list of
candidates that they recommend. Visit their website at
www.lcv.org. There is lots of information that you’ll find
helpful especially the Environmental Scorecard which tells
you what percentage of the time officials voted in favor of
the environment.
Inaugural Florida Butterfly Festival to be held Oct. 14-15
“Do you have a thing for wings?”
Join the Florida Museum of Natural
History along with community partners for the inaugural
Florida Butterfly Festival Oct. 14-15.
Registration opens Aug. 21 for this premier destination
festival. Field trips will fill quickly so make plans now. For
more information visit www.flmnh.ufl.edu/butterflyfest or call
by Mauri Peterson, SPAS President
Over the next several months, maybe longer, we will be
landscaping the whole backyard in native plants and
replacing the grass with mulch. We’ve enlisted the help of
Bruce Turley and Wilcox Nursery in this endeavor.
As I am planning for the future of my backyard, I have
to keep in mind the upcoming events, trips and meetings of
Audubon. I’m looking over our annual Program/Field Trip
list and there are quite a few events that require advanced
registration. If you are planning to participate in any of these
events I strongly urge you to sign up early. Many of these
events have limited space available; signing up early ensures
your spot on the roster.
One other request: We have started a “Help Wanted”
list in the newsletter. Please look through the list and see if
there isn’t something that you can help us with. The contact
person will be happy to give you more details of the job
involved and we are all willing to lend our support. Short of
personally asking each person we see at a meeting or field
trip, we must depend on YOU to contact US. Won’t you
please help?
by Barb Howard
To find your polling place, log onto www.vote pinellas.com
and click on the link “find your polling place” in the left
hand column. Your precinct number is listed on your voter
registration card or at the “precinct finder” link at
www.votepinellas.com. When they show your precinct
number, they also give you the option of seeing what offices
are up for election.
For current officials and contact information, visit
www.house.gov, or www.congress.org, or www.co.pinellas.
fl.us, or www.stpete.org (Search your town name if you aren’t
in St Petersburg). It never hurts to contact them to let them
know what you expect.
Get out and VOTE and go one step further: RUN for
public office.
352-846-2000 x 200. The Florida M useum of Natural
History is located near the intersection of Southwest 34th
Street and Hull Road, Gainesville. Hours are 10am-5pm
Mon.-Sat. and 1-5 pm Sun. Butterfly Rainforest admission
is $8.50 for adults ($7.50 FL residents) and $4.50 for children
ages 3-12. Prices subject to change. For more information,
call 352-846-2000 or visit www.flmnh.ufl.edu
 CONSERVATION NEWS
BNB Update - After the last Wingspan went to press, a
colony of Black Skimmers renested on Belleair Beach. As of
now, there is a good chance they will fledge at least 6 chicks
; there are several skimmers still sitting on eggs. Six chicks
on all of the Pinellas County municipal beaches is a pretty
poor success rate, but it’s better than nothing.
The Beach Nesting Birds page on SPAS web site has
been delayed due to unforeseen circumstances, but will
appear soon.
And here’s some news from Jan Allyn - Pinellas Chapter of
the Florida Native Plant Society:
þ Pinellas County has floated a draft ordinance that
purports to protect environmental lands (parks and preserves)
from development. It seems to have too many loopholes and
exceptions to be of any help in that regard, but hey, I’m not
an attorney. Here is a link to the proposed language:
http://www.itsyourtimes.com/files/Draft%20 Ordinance.pdf.
Read it for yourself and decide. There is a new blog entry on
www.itsyourtimes.com that deals with this and related issues.
Check it out, post your two cents worth, and tell others to do
the same.
þ Tampa Bay Water will take public input this month on
two proposed drinking water supply projects currently being
studied to meet the region’s future drinking water needs:
Downstream Augmentation and Downstream Enhancements.
Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv
A book review by Suzanne Cooper
This book came to my attention at the same time we were
planning the Summer 2006 issue of Bay Soundings, and it
proves that many people share the same concern. The author
quotes plenty of researchers and uses some statistics to back
up his statements, but Last Child in the Woods is actually
very good, and a must read for parents, teachers, and all those
interested in the future of our children, our society, and our
environment. Mr. Louv proves that the three are closely
linked.
The subtitle of the book, “Saving Our Children from
Nature-Deficit Disorder” - sums up the book. Well-
intentioned adults have “protected” kids to the point that
most don’t even want to play outside. Today’s youth have
very structured lives - tightly managed to minimize free
(considered to be unproductive) time. Deed restrictions, city
ordinances, and liability issues have all but killed their ability
to explore their surroundings. Television, the internet, and
zoos are the closest most get to nature these days. No
wonder our kids know more about the Amazon rain forest
than the Tampa Bay estuary!
This is a far cry from how most baby-boomers grew up.
We spent lots of time outdoors riding bikes, catching frogs,
climbing trees, and in other “non-structured” play. It’s how
by Dave Kandz
For all the details, go to: http://www.tampabaywater.org/
whatshot/readnews.aspx?article=102
þ The Environmental Science Forum met Thursday, Sep.
7th, and the highlights were the revelation of the proposed
ordinance (above), the announcement that the equestrian
facility once proposed for Brooker Creek will reside instead
at Walsingham Park, and the statement by Pick Talley that
the County will continue to pursue the pumping permit at
Brooker Creek to irrigate the East Lake Woodlands golf
courses. The Friends of Brooker Creek Preserve presented
their proposal to modify the land use/zoning of Brooker
Creek lands to make them consistent with current usage and
to better protect them as preservation lands; Jake Stowers
resisted, saying, in effect “it ain’t that easy to change ‘em.”
A working group was formed to try and implement the
proposal while staying within the law and not violating any
agreements made a priori. The county is continuing with its
plan to mow down the planted pines on 38 acres of Brooker
Creek Preserve land to accommodate a soccer/football field
(allegedly “passive recreation”) to satisfy the terms of a 30-
year, $1-a-year lease to the East Lake Youth Sports Asso-
ciation. The county will provide (as an interest-free loan)
up to several million dollars to this group to develop the
field, the monies coming from the Municipal Services
Taxing Unit, into which you pay if you live in
unincorporated Pinellas County.
I gained a love and respect for nature.
As kids we didn’t have allergies,
weren’t obese, knew our neighbors,
and found delight in simple things.
Those experiences are what led many
to support the environmental
movement of the 60s and 70s, and to
choose environment-related
professions or hobbies.
Mr. Louv uses the term “nature-
deficit disorder” to describe the human
price for alienation from nature. Long-standing studies
show a relationship between the absence or inaccessibility
of parks and open space and high crime rates, depression
and other urban maladies. New studies suggest that
exposure to nature may reduce the symptoms of Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Pet therapy and
gardening have long been accepted healthcare approaches
for many conditions, from autism to high blood pressure. It
makes sense that contact with nature would be good for us!
So I suggest that you read this book, and take yourself
and your child or grandchild out into nature - be it the
vacant lot down the street or the nearest park with woods or
waterfront. Tease a few doodlebugs, study tree bark or look
for tadpoles. Teach a child that nature is more fascinating
than video games. The benefits will be long-lasting.
 PRINCIPLES OF BIRDING ETHICS
(Part 2 of 2)
(Continued from the September WingSpan)
4. Group birding, whether organized or impromptu, requires
special care.
Each individual in the group, in addition to the obligations
spelled out in Items #1 and #2, has responsibilities as a Group
Member.
a) Respect the interests, rights, and skills of fellow birders,
as well as people participating in other legitimate outdoor
activities. Freely share your knowledge and experience, except
where code 1(c) applies. Be especially helpful to beginning
birders.
b) If you witness unethical birding behavior, assess the
situation, and intervene if you think it prudent. When
interceding, inform the person(s) of the inappropriate action, and
attempt, within reason, to have it stopped. If the behavior
continues, document it, and notify appropriate individuals or
organizations.
Group Leader Responsibilities [amateur and professional
trips and tours].
c) Be an exemplary ethical role model for the group. Teach
through word and example.
d) Keep groups to a size that limits impact on the environ-
ment and does not interfere with others using the same area.
e) Ensure everyone in the group knows of and practices this
code.
f) Learn and inform the group of any special circumstances
applicable to the areas being visited (e.g., no tape recorders
allowed).
g) Acknowledge that professional tour companies bear a
special responsibility to place the welfare of birds and the
benefits of public knowledge ahead of the company’s
commercial interests. Ideally, leaders should keep track of tour
sightings, document unusual occurrences, and submit records to
appropriate organizations.
PLEASE FOLLOW THIS CODE AND TEACH IT TO
OTHERS. Check out the ABA website at http://american
birding.org
Local store owner and Audubon member Jan
Anschuetz continues the program to reward
the Chapter when members shop at Nature’s
Focus. She’ll make a monthly donation of 10%
of all sales paid by cash or check and 5% of credit card pur-
chases. Just identify yourself as belonging to SPAS before
the purchase so she can keep a record for monthly totals.
(Sale and discounted items may not apply.)
Nature’s Focus is located within the Environmental Education
Center at the Brooker Creek Preserve, 3940 Keystone Road,
Clearwater. Phone 727-453-6959.
You’ll find something for nature lovers of all ages at Nature’s
Focus.
Saving Birds and Special Spaces
Audubon Assembly 2006
October 19-21 C Cocoa Beach
Join Audubon of Florida for engaging programs that highlight
Florida’s coastal environments and issues that affect their
well-being. Relax and enjoy the casual, beachfront atmos-
phere of the Holiday Inn Cocoa Beach Oceanfront Resort
while you catch up with friends and colleagues. Field trips
will take in some of Florida’s birding hot spots, so don’t
forget the binoculars!
Register by September 27th and pay only $99 for all
receptions, meals, programs, workshops, and even a movie.
(After September 27th, this all-inclusive package is $125.)
Find more information and download the registration form at
http://audubonofflorida.org/conservation_assembly.html. and
mail or fax it in today! Or contact Vicky Johnston at 305-
371-6399 ext. 134 to have a registration form mailed to you.
Book hotel accommodations directly with the Holiday
Inn, and take advantage of the special rate for Audubon
Assembly participants. Oceanfront rooms are
available at added cost.
Casual attire, please. Meeting rooms can
be cool, so bring a sweater or light jacket to
the sessions. For field trips, bring your
sunscreen, hat, and plenty of liquids. The
beach is right outside, so have bathing suit and
towel handy.
Leave it to the Birds!
In establishing your estate plan, please consider a bequest to
St. Petersburg Audubon Society. Your legacy will help fund
our environmental projects and the education of children to
appreciate our wonderful world of birds and nature.
Partnerships Offer Rewards
Alva Sholty, a SPAS member and Skipper of the Shell Key
Shuttle, generously provides the Shuttle to ferry us to Shell
Key for bird counts, work days, and much more.
Thanks, Captain Alva!
Shell Key Shuttle Shell Out
$22/adult
& Sunset Cruises $11/child <13
MERRY PIER
801 Pass-A-Grille W ay Ž St. Pete Beach, Florida
727-360-1348
www.shellkeyshuttle.com
C aptain A lva S holty

HELP WANTED 2006-2007
by Maureen Arnold
Are you ready yet? We need you…
The cooperative efforts of people like you and me make St.
Petersburg Audubon Society the well-known organization that it
is. We are making a difference in our local community through
education and conservation efforts and could use your help in
these areas for the coming year. Will you take a chance and share
some of your time?
Hospitality - Thank you Faith Hoogs, for volunteering to
handle the food and beverage at our monthly meetings. We
really appreciate it!
G Anyone want to help Faith? Contact Barb Howard at
b_howard2001@msn.com or 343-1272.
Volunteer Coordinator - to keep track of volunteers and see who
is available to help at various times throughout the year when the
need arises.
G Contact Maureen Arnold at 577-0448 or maureenarn@
earthlink.net
Sales & Marketing - We need someone to head up this area to
purchase and market SPAS items.
G Contact Mauri Peterson at 398-4124 or maurip@aol.com
Drawing Coordinator - needed to take charge of our monthly
drawing at our program meeting. Display the items and conduct
the drawing.
G Contact Barb Howard if you’re interested, at 343-1272.
Donation Seekers - Our annual December Conservation
Celebration silent auction fund-raiser is successful due to our
outgoing and friendly members willing to request donations from
the community. Does this describe you? If so, we need your help
to make our 2006 Celebration auction another huge success!
G Call Barb Howard to discuss donation ideas at 343-1272.
Gift Basket Creator - Creative gift
basket maker needed for our annual
Conservation Celebration silent auction.
We supply the gifts, you supply the
pizzazz.
G Call Jeanne Murphy at 582-2461.
Scrapbook Keeper - Artsy Crafty person
who can keep adding items and photos
taken at Audubon Events to our
scrapbook. Be the keeper of our history.
G Contact Mauri Peterson at 398-4124
or maurip@aol.com
Estuary Academy Is Coming!
Online registration is now open for the Tampa Bay Estuary
Program’s popular “Estuary Academy.” Log onto
http://www.tbep.org to register.
This year’s Estuary Academy is scheduled for
Saturday, Oct. 28th from 9am - 4pm at Weedon Island
Preserve in St. Petersburg.
The Academy’s mission is to introduce citizens to the
wealth of scientific research being conducted on (and in)
Tampa Bay, and give them practical information on how
they can help protect the bay. Morning sessions will
feature brief, engaging lectures by well-known experts on
bay topics such as hurricane storm surge, roseate
spoonbills, spotted sea trout and habitat restoration.
A fternoon sessions feature
workshops where participants can learn:
how to create a “Florida-friendly”
landscape; make/use a compost bin; the
basics of nature photography; and take a
guided canoe trip, collect some of the
bay’s basement dwellers, and identify
different types of seagrasses and
mangroves.
Participation is limited to 100 adults and children over
12. Pre-registration is required. The $15 registration fee
includes lunch, a goodie bag loaded with great freebies,
door prizes, and a handsome certificate identifying you as
a graduate of Estuary Academy.
Last year’s Academy was filled to capacity, so register
early to reserve your space.
Enjoy an Evening of John James Audubon Art
and Support the Clearwater Audubon Society’s
Education Fund
Clearwater Audubon is partnering with Syd Entel Gallery in
Safety Harbor for a first-time showing of re-created John
James Audubon original prints. The show will run from Nov.
11th through Dec. 1st. Prints are for sale and a percentage of
the sale will go to the Clearwater Audubon Society.
John James Audubon’s “The Birds of America” Audu-
bon Centennial Edition is published in association with the
National Audubon Society’s 100th Anniversary. The prints of
this edition are first generation facsimiles produced to the
same image and paper size as the original Havell edition. The
edition included all 435 images from “The Birds of America”
original edition.
A special showing on Friday Nov. 17th from 6 - 8pm
will include hors d’oeuvres, wine and refreshments for a
donation of $20/person or $30/couple at the door. Advance
tickets can be purchased by sending your check, made out to
Clearwater Audubon Society, to Syd Entel Galleries, 347
Main Street, Safety Harbor, FL 34695. 100% of the entrance
fees for this event will go to the Clearwater Audubon Society
education fund. For more information contact Barbara
Carmen at 776-2336 or Debbie Trunk at 447-4785.
 Welcome New SPAS Members! Say NO! To Cypress Mulch
The following people have joined SPAS recently. We should
all extend our welcome to them on the field trips and at the The use of cypress mulch encourages
program meetings. the destruction of our wetlands. Use
Melaleuca mulch instead. Not only
Donna Bartolomeo Bet Groshong does that help to restore the
Michael Bartolomeo James Henry Everglades (Melaleuca has infested
Al Davis Sondra Suddariyyah the glades), but it is less attractive to
Cindy Davis termites than any other mulch.

Chapter Representatives
NON -PROFIT ORG .
President: Mauri Peterson (Field Trips) . . . . . . . . 398-4124 US POSTAGE
Vice President: Maureen Arnold (Membership) . . 577-0448
Treasurer: Rick Potter (Ways & Means) . . . . . . . . 822-9637
P.O. Box 49087
St. Petersburg, FL 33743-9087
PAID
Secretary: Robbie Bennett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526-1292 St Petersburg, FL
http://stpeteaudubon.org
Board Members and Duties: Permit #6340
727-384-0027
Harold Albers (Education) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 864-1113
Lourdes Bielsa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577-9193
Mary Brazier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 867-7151
Suzanne Cooper (Newsletter) . . . . . . . . . . . . 813-287-8709
Wanda Dean (Special Events) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321-3995
Barb Howard (Programs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343-1272
Dave Kandz (Conservation & Publicity) . . . . . . . . . 471-0699
Jeanne Murphy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391-8362
Nancy Ogden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 894-5940
Gabe Vargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 864-2683
Neighborhood Outreach: Barb Zias . . . . . . . . . . 521-4997
Least Tern Project: Monique Abrams . . . . . . . . . 230-0732
Shell Key: Barb Ranck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374-7039

Printed with soy ink on recycled paper

Read a good book lately? Master Gardener Plant Sale Oct. 7th
Would you like to tell others about it?
Pinellas County’s Master Gardener’s sale will be Saturday,
If so, please jot down your thoughts
Oct. 7 th at Pinellas County Extension, 12520 Ulmerton Road,
and send them to the WingSpan editor
Largo, 9am-2pm. Call 582-2599 for info or visit www.flbg.
at suzanne@ tbrpc.org or mail them
org and click on Calendar.
to SPAS at P.O. Box 49087, St.
A wide variety of plants,
Peters-burg 33743-9087. We’ll
including herbs, natives and
publish reviews as we have space.
butterfly plants will be available.
Also for sale will be trees, shrubs,
and seeds at very good prices;
Black Skimmer by Joseph T. Maier bromeliads, day lilies and cracker
roses too!
Are Black Skimmers swimmers? There will be demonstration
areas to provide a visual model; educational displays; and
I sure hope that they are master gardeners and horticulturists on hand to answer
questions.
For one errant skim Don’t miss this opportunity to tune up your landscape
Will give them a scare with natives and beneficial plants, as well as to get free
And put them down where advice on your gardening issues.
Their chances are slim

If they can’t swim

Photo by T. Dunkerton