Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges, Inc.October 2019
FRIENDS MATTER Recycling Today
Recycling challenges have become significantly greater today than they were. For example, China no longer accepts our plastics. This decision pre-dates the trade war and was made, in part, because of the “dirty” recycled products the US was sending. Bottom line, here or there, recycled products MUST BE CLEAN. Certainly we want to recycle as much of waste as we can, but NOT following the strict guidelines for the community in which one lives can ruin a huge batch of recycled product further down the road.Here are important Rules to follow:
1. READ your local recycle guide to learn exactly what you can and cannot put in recycle bins.
2. ALL recycled items MUST be Empty, Dry, and Unbagged. Place items that have been soiled by food or grease in the trash, they WILL NOT be recycled and significantly slow down the process. This is ESSENTIAL. The rule is if you aren’t sure, put it in the trash….
3. NEVER ever place plastic grocery bags, newspaper bags, or films in the recycle bin. Plastic grocery bags can often be returned to the local grocery store where there are special bins for them. Or, better yet, use reusable bags. Reason: plastic bags clog the recycle machinery that sorts the items.
4. DO NOT include carry out containers, packaging from the grocery store, or anything that doesn’t have a neck, even if the recycle emblem is on the plastic unless your community guide specifically indicates they accept them. Not all plastics are created equal and putting the wrong ones in your bin can again ruin a whole batch at the recycle plant. Lids or caps often clog machinery so check your community guide.
5. NEVER place a newspaper that is still in its bag in the recycle bin. 6. STYROFOAM never belongs in your recycle bin. Some communities have separate
Styrofoam recycling, but it is best not to use that product at all. Pick brands of food that are not packaged in Styrofoam—purchase meat at the meat counter and ask them to wrap in paper. The price is the same and NO STYROFOAM. It’s a hazardous material when made, when used, and when disposed.
7. NOTHING smaller than your hand should be placed in your recycle bin. Tiny items jam the sorting machinery. Again, check your community guide.
Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges, Inc.October 2019
Not everything you use can be recycled and remade. Buy smart. Just because it has a recycle number doesn’t mean you can recycle it. Bottom line: When in doubt, throw it out!
Plumed Hats…Decimating Bird Populations From the mid 1880’s to the 1930’s plumes were the rage for ornamenta-tion on wo-men’s hats and, sadly, Florida was the main hunting ground for these beautiful feathers. The feathers most fashionable for the hats were the aigrettes, or
courtship plumes of Egrets, therefore Egrets were especially targeted. Many other species of birds were also used and sometimes whole wings or whole birds were secured to hats.During a walk in Manhattan in 1886, Frank Chapman counted 700 hats of which 542 were decorated with feathers from 40 species of birds. The toll on bird life worldwide was huge. Also in 1886, the American Ornithologists’ Union estimated that 5 million North American birds of 50 species were killed annually for fashion. By 1900 millinery companies employed 83,000 Americans, mostly women, to trim hats with bird plumes. This trade greatly impacted Indian Key, one of the Pinellas National Wildlife Refuge islands and host to one of the largest reddish egret colonies in Florida. Plume hunters decimated the reddish egrets as well as all the other wading birds in the area. They hunted when the birds were in full breeding plumage for the best feathers, leaving eggs to cook in the sun and chicks to starve to death. Thankfully laws were enacted to protect these beautiful creatures with selfless rangers and wardens overseeing the colonies to prevent poaching. Women started campaigns to stop the slaughter, and thankfully, plumes fell out of fashion.
Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges, Inc.October 2019
Seventh Annual Egmont Key Nesting Shorebird Tour
The Friends hosted two days of refuge boat tours, June 14 and 15, to observe the tens of thousands of nesting shorebirds on Egmont Key. Once again the birds delivered a stunning show for the participants. The Friday afternoon tour was narrated by Mark Rachal of Audubon Florida and Joyce Kleen of USFWS, with Dave Howard providing the island’s historical background. The tour visited the guardhouse education center, observed the gopher tortoises, walked to the Black Skimmer colony, and circled the island where members viewed over 30,000 nesting pairs of Laughing Gulls, Royal Terns, Sandwich Terns, Brown Pelicans, and White Ibis. We were lucky enough to see a pair of nesting American Oystercatchers feeding their newly fledged chick. Saturday’s trip proved equally fruitful. The sold-out tour enjoyed beautiful weather and calm seas while viewing the nesting spectacle. Ann Paul of Audubon Florida was our guide, providing in-depth insights on the nesting birds. Once, again the American Oystercatchers came out for us, scampering around to feed a growing chick.A special thanks to Hubbards Marina and Captain Jeff for providing safe and comfortable transportation the trips, and of course little bit of humor. These tours allow members to see first hand
Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges, Inc.October 2019
why Egmont Key is a national wildlife refuge, and why it is essential for the survival of our beach nesting birds. If you missed it this year, you will get another chance in June of 2020 - don’t miss it then!
Refuge Update It was a good summer on the refuges, both for wildlife and visitors. Nesting season was very successful, some long needed improvements have been completed or are in process, and we had a full summer of visitors at Egmont. Here is a quick summary of the summer.
Egmont Key NWR Nesting
On the southern end of Egmont, the refuge nested over 30,000 pairs of Laughing Gulls, Royal Terns, Sandwich Terns, Brown Pelicans, and White Ibis. Those are good numbers that we have come to expect every summer. The Black Skimmer colony nested successfully at the northern end of the island, and a couple pairs of American Oystercatchers were successful in between. Further inland, ospreys found several places to nest and raise their young. The volunteer bird stewards were out every weekend that the weather permitted,
talking to visitors, assisting USFWS and Florida Park Service staff, and looking out for the birds.
Sea Turtle NestingThe Loggerhead sea turtle nest numbers on Egmont topped last year’s mark of 156 nests by one. Happily, most of these nests hatched and fledged. We are thrilled to have 3 good nesting years in a row. The summer interns, working with Florida Park Service, monitored the nests closely, documented those results, and reported updates to USFWS. In-turn we notified Adopt-A-Nest contributors.
Pinellas NWR - NestingOn the seven Pinellas mangrove islands Little Bird Key, and Jackass Key continued to be a productive nesting islands with Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Black Crowned Night Herons, Little Blue Herons, Tricolored Herons, Brown Pelicans, Double Crested Cormorants, and Roseate Spoonbills all nesting in the mangroves. These two islands show the importance of small mangrove refuges in the bay that are safe havens for nesting birds. To continue its ongoing efforts to improve the habitat for the birds on Indian and Tarpon Keys, USFWS is trapping predators that make it to the island (raccoons/rats).
Passage KeySometimes we forget, but Passage Key is alive and well and growing! It’s also an important nesting area for sea birds. USFWS staff patrols the island on weekends to keep protect its wildlife.
Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges, Inc.October 2019
OperationsRefuge staff has been working hard to provide summer law enforcement for the beaches of Egmont NWR and Passage Key NWR. Both of these important nesting sites need observation and management to protect the birds and habitat. Volunteers and staff replaced many of the signs on the islands, to help with management of visitors and habitat protection. Staff has been working to update the USFWS cabin on Egmont and replace aging equipment and furnshings with suitable new pieces. A contract to remove invasive plant species from the island is nearly in place, we look forward to that work getting underway. Finally, the west side of the island received some 300,000 cubic yards of material from shipping channel dredging operations. This material will help to offset the rapid erosion of the shoreline that threatens historic resources on the island.
Birds of the Refuge Spotlight on the Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)
A long-winged bird with stark black-and-white plumage, the Black Skimmer has a unique grace as it forages in flight. Skimmers feed by opening the bill and dropping the long, narrow lower mandible into the water, skimming along until they feel a fish. Then they relax the neck, quickly closing their jaws and whipping the fish out of the water. Because they feed by essentially by touch, they can even forage at night. The world’s three species of skimmers are the only birds on earth that feed in this manner. Skimmers nest in colonies, often on wide open spaces of sandy beaches, laying two to five eggs in a small scrape in the sand. Male and female share the duties of both incubation and feeding the young. At hatching, the upper and lower bill of a young Black Skimmer are equal in length, but by the time of fledging at 4 weeks, the lower mandible is already nearly a half-inch longer than the upper.The distinctive look and behavior of the bird has led to many folk names in North America, where it has been called scissor-bill, shearwater, seadog, flood gull, stormgull, razorbill, and cutwater. When you see a skimmer lying down on the beach like a dog, don’t worry it is ok, that is their unique resting position – just taking a break. The Black Skimmer conservation status in Florida is listed as threatened. Please report banded Black Skimmers in Pinellas County to the http://flshorebirdalliance.org/resources/banded-birds/.*information courtesy of Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Audubon Florida, and Florida Shorebird Alliance
Florida Birding and Nature Festival, Hillsborough Community College, Tampa
Hillsborough Community College, Brandon. This is an INDOOR festival.
November 1, Friday evening
Gulfport Art Walk Opportunity to raise awareness and increase revenue through sale of products.
November 9-10, Saturday and Sunday
Discover the Island Egmont Key
November 16, Saturday evening
Gulfport Art Walk Opportunity to raise awareness and increase revenue through sale of products.
December 6, Friday evening
Gulfport Art Walk Opportunity to raise awareness and increase revenue through sale of products.
December 21, All day
Gulfport Art Walk Opportunity to raise awareness and increase revenue through sale of products.
Pinellas Bird Surveys
October 13, November 14,December 19 (tentative)
To volunteer, contact Dave Howard at [email protected] or call him at 727-343-1272
Ale & Wild Tails
Educational Programs
Second Wednesday of each month @ 6PM
Following summer break and Yom Kippur, first fall event is October 16
Speaker starts at 6PM. Ale & Witch, 111 2nd Ave. NE, St Petersburg. No reservation needed. Parking available in Sundial parking structure.
Garage Sales Dates to be determined
Ongoing opportunity to contribute items in good condition for the sales, which are scheduled several times a year. For information contact Barb Howard at [email protected] or call her at 727-343-1272
Field Trips October 24-27 October’s overnight trip is to St Marks NWR and Wakulla Springs State Park for the Butterfly and Crab Festivals
Sold Out. For information contact Barb Howard at [email protected] or call her at 727-343-1272
Docents All weekends, Thanksgiving weekend and Christmas Break
Egmont Key Guardhouse and Beaches
To volunteer as a docent, email [email protected] or call Pat Mundus at 720-966-3660.
Oyster Dome
Construction
Varying dates each month
Construction takes place at Tampa Bay Watch
Contact Pat Mundus at [email protected] or call 720-366-3660 for upcoming dates.
