MARCH 2006 South Carolina Audubon Newsletter

8/9/2019 MARCH 2006 South Carolina Audubon Newsletter

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STATE NEWSLETTER: MARCH 2006

The mission of AudubonSouth Carolina is toprotect and enhancehabitat for birds andother wildlife, and toeducate people and

involve communities inconservation.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Where Have All the PelicansGone?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Silver Bluff Educator ReceivesNational Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Augusta-Aiken AudubonHappenings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

A Chapter Champion. . . . . . . . . 3

Making Nature Accessible. . . . . 4

ASC River Sweep . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Silver Bluff: A Stop on theHeritage Corridor . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Silver Bluff Trail Ride. . . . . . . . . 5

IBA Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Wintering Hummingbirds. . . . . . 6

Selling Public Lands. . . . . . . . . .7

Tuesdays are Made forLobbying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

South Carolina Welcomes BobbyHarrison. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BACK

The Piping Plover, a federally endangerespecies, is among the numerous species

counted each year during the CBC

WHERE HAVE ALL THE

PELICANS GONE?

Before the 1972 ban on DDT, Brown Peli-can populations in South Carolina reacheddangerously low levels. The thin shellphenomenon - nesting birds were unable toincubate their eggs without crushing theshells - of DDT poisoning caused the Peli-can and many other bird species to declinein rapid numbers.

Now in 2005, decades after the DDT ban,Brown Pelican populations are again ap-proaching dangerously low levels. The sus-

pected culprit is human disturbance.In South Carolina there are only five coastalislands that support seabird nesting. Nest-ing species include Brown Pelicans, RoyalTerns, Least Terns, Sandwich Terns andBlack Skimmers. The Department of Natu-ral Resources is the owner of three of thoseislands - Crab Bank, Deveaux Bank andBird Key - all located near Charleston andall Audubon South Carolina Important BirdAreas.

Continued on Page 2

SILVER BLUFF EDUCATOR RECEIVES NATIONAL AWARD

Anne Bohnet, educator at the Silver Bluff Audubon Center, has been selected as one offive national winners of the 2005 Outstanding Educator of the Year for Project LearningTree (PLT). A year ago, Anne was recognized as the states PLT Educator of the Year.The program, sponsored by the American Forest Foundation, offers a national curricu-um to instruct and excite students about environmental studies.

n 2002 Anne came to Audubon through a partnership with International Paper, the RuthPatrick Science Education Center and the Savannah River Site (SRS). Anne has dem-onstrated a contagious enthusiasm for a Silver Bluff education program that has seenover 7,000 students. In addition to inspiringchildren at Silver Bluff, Anne conducts

teacher workshops, visits local schools, andprovides nature-based instruction at SRS.

n May, Anne will be recognized, along withthe four other national winners, at the PLTnternational Coordinators Conference in

Virginia Beach. In July, Anne will have thechance to attend the World Forestry Cen-ters International Educators Institute inPortland, Oregon. The eight-day symposiumuses the forested landscapes of Oregon andWashington as professional developmentfor award-winning educators from acrossthe globe. Congratulations to Anne! Anne Bohnet and Future Environmental Foresters


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THE EXECUTIVE NEST by Norman Brunswig

AUDUBON South Carolina, 336 Sanctuary Road, Harleyville, SC 29448-3324, (843) 462-2150, [email protected]

WHERE HAVE ALL THE PELICANS GONE? (continued from front page)

Existing regulations require recreational users of these Preserves to stay out of the nesting areas, which are marked witsigns and rope barriers. However, numerous evidence throughout the nesting season shows that without enforcement thesregulations are being ignoredwith human and dog tracks crisscrossing the fragile nesting grounds.

Seabirds nest in large groups and are extremely vulnerable. The birds have literally put all of their eggs in one basket andespite regulations some visitors to the islands and their pets have intruded into the nesting areas. Human disturbance duing the nesting season increases egg loss, chick mortality, and nesting site abandonment. It can also lead to prematu

fledging by young birds, slower growth or reduced bodymass of nestlings, and altered behavior.

The draft Southeast United States Regional WaterbirdConservation Plan identifies the restoration of lost habitatand protecting existing habitat from human disturbancesor predators as the two highest priorities for waterbird con-servation in the region. When disturbance becomes toogreat, colonies can and will abandon the sites and evi-dence suggests that disturbance has had a dramatic im-pact on our seabirds in South Carolina.

While nesting numbers are declining here, nearby statesare actually experiencing increases in their nesting popula-tions, leading experts to believe that South Carolinas sea-birds are relocating.

During the month of February both the Heritage Trust Advi-sory Board and the Board of the Department of Natural Re-sources took the first steps towards protecting these sea-birds. Both Boards passed resolutions to protect the nest-ing colonies. The regulations will:

A) Close both the intertidal zone and the high grounds ofBird Key, Crab Bank and Deveaux Bank to all publicvisitation during the nesting season (March 15October 15), preventing boat landings.

B) Ban dogs on the island year-round.C) Allow boat landings in the intertidal zone only from

October 16th through March 14th, allowing sport fish-erman to continue to recreate near the islands whenthe birds are not nesting.

The issue will now move on to the State Budget and Con-trol Board, which controls the intertidal area of these is-lands. They must approve the closure of the intertidalzone and enter into an agreement with DNR. In addition,Audubon South Carolina has volunteered to enter into apartnership with the Department of Natural Resourcesand the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help providewarden assistance and public education as part of theeffort to protect our seabirds.

Now it is up to Audubon members and other concerned

citizens to help see these first steps towards seabird pro-tection become law. Please review the TO DO list belowand get involved!

Nesting Area Signs

Before the ban on DDT in 1972, Brown Pelican nests numbered1,266 in South Carolina. After reaching a high point of 7,739 in

1989 the nest rates have steadily decreased.

1972

1977

1982

1987

1989

1992

1997

2002

2005

S1

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

70008000

Year

Nests BROWN PELICAN NESTING IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Volleyball Players on Bird Key Created a Courtat the Edge of the Nesting Area - Using Already Standing

Nesting Warning Signs as Boundary Markers

MEMBER TO DO LIST

A) Thank the Heritage Trust Advisory Board and the DNR Board for their actions. Visit www.beidlerforest.com for mailingaddresses.

B) Contact the Budget and Control Board and your local Representative and Senator and express your support for this action. Again, an action alert and sample letters have been posted on our website.

C) Volunteer for the newly forming Volunteer Warden program. If you live near Deveaux Bank, Crab Bank or Bird KeyStono you could really make a difference for the success of our seabirds! Call (843) 462-2150 for more information.


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AUDUBON CHAPTERS


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APRIL 29, 2006

Support Augusta-Aiken Audubon and Silver Bluff by participating ordonating to the 2006 Birdathon!

AUGUSTA-AIKEN AUDUBON HAPPENINGS

Education: Proceeds from the annual Auction for Education, a total of $3,295, wasawarded to ten environmental education programs including five elementary schools,one middle and one high school, Mistletoe State Park (GA), the Ruth Patrick ScienceEducation Center and the Silver Bluff Audubon Center. For a description of the pro-

jects visit www.augustaaikenaudubon.org. Twenty Audubon Adventures kits were alsogiven to area classrooms. Augusta-Aiken Audubon is truly making a difference in cre-

ating a culture of conservation! The 2006 Auction for Education is scheduled forMay 12, at 6:00 p.m. in the North Augusta Community Center. Mark your calen-dars!

Supporting a Center: In December, A-AAS volunteers picked up litter along theroads through the Silver Bluff Audubon Center & Sanctuary. A-AAS works closely withSilver Bluff, which is an Important Bird Area and home base for A-AAS.

Christmas Bird Count: A-AAS coordinated three Christmas Bird CountsAugustaCBC, Aiken CBC, and Savannah River Site CBC. The Augusta count tallied 123 spe-cies, which tied a record for that count and added two new species to the area check-list: Short-eared Owl and Glaucous Gull.

A CHAPTER CHAMPIONBy Mike Dawson

Barry Lowes, a member of the Hilton HeadAudubon Society, has given decades of histime to ensure that one of Audubons mostpopular and long-standing programs, theChristmas Bird Count, goes off every yearwithout a hitch and welcome all who wantto participate. Heres his story.

Retirement is the gift of discretionary timeand it is a shame not to spend it on some-thing you are passionate about! Theseare the words of wisdom from 23-year Hil-ton Head Island Audubon Chapter mem-ber, Barry Loweswords that he lives by.

Upon moving to Hilton Head from Torontoin 1983, Barry joined the Audubon chapterright away and a few years later found him-self the only one with his hand up to volun-teer for coordinating the annual ChristmasBird Count. That was 20 years ago, andhe has been doing it ever since.

In other states and chapters, the CBC is asnobby, elitist thing, where your family hasto have come over on the Mayflower toearn yourself a spot on the count. On Hil-ton Head, we use it as a training andrecruiting tool, welcoming anyone whowants to come along!

Their approach must be working. The Hil-ton Head Audubon Societys model of

including anyone and everyone with aninterest led to 165 volunteers in 2005sChristmas Bird Count. Barry continuesto run the count after all these years be-cause he wants to show people wherethey can go to bird, and how to do it, sothey can enjoy it on their own.

Barry first got connected to the AudubonSociety in 1937 through his 8th grade

teacher, after she signed his class up forthe Junior Audubon program. The pro-gram took Barrys general interest in allthings outdoors and fine-tuned it into apassion for birds that has grown andthrived over the years.

Barrys years of service to the chapterhave made him invaluable to the currentboard as the de facto oral historian, ableto share what the chapter has accom-plished over the years. He has servedas a Board member and is always in-volved in the events and festivals the

chapter has hosted. His slide show ofbirds is the highlight of the Decemberchapter meeting where they use his im-ages to bone up on their birding, and toinspire and recruit new Christmas BirdCount volunteers.

Thanks Barry for your years of service tothe Audubon Society, for including every-one with a passion for birds and for allyou contribute to conservation!

Richard Moore, member of the Wcamaw Audubon Society, co-auth101 Wild Things Along the Grand StrPacked with information about plants, animals and places, this ghelps visitors to the Grand Strand enjwild vacation! The book is availabl$9.95 at www.palmettoconservation.o

Visit our website for acomplete listing ofAudubon Chapters!

www.beidlerforest.com


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AUDUBON CENTER AT BEIDLER FOREST


BEIDLER FOREST CANOE TRIPSEASON RESUMES ON MARCH 3, 200

Call (843) 462-2150 to make yourreservations today!!

WINE & WARBLERS

Join expert birdwatchers for an evening on the boardwalk andexplore the wide variety of songbirds that travel to AudubonsFrancis Beidler Forest each Spring. Enjoy hors doeuvres and

wine tastings as you explore the ancient swamp forest. Proceedsbenefit Audubon and the SC Wildlife Federation.

&April 29, 2006

Walks begin at 5:30 P.M.$25.00 PER PERSON

Reservations are required. Event is limited to 75 people.Call (843) 462-2150

MAKING NATURE ACCESSIBLEBy Michael Dawson, Center Director

Nature can give us inspiration and purpose and a sense of wherewe belong in the world, if we are willing to listen. Some who wantto listen are unable to connect with nature due to circumstancesbeyond their control. Audubon wants to help everyone achieve thisconnection - and with this spirit in mind we have made changes atthe Beidler Forest Center for you! The final major improvementwas recently completed - a wheelchair accessible parking area

with a walkway connecting to the Visitor Center.The boardwalk has always been wheelchair accessible, but thevisitor center was built before the Americans With Disabilities Act(ADA) was established. Over the years Audubon staff has mademany improvements - re-sloped the building entrance and exitramps, widened restroom stalls, put in automatic door closures,created a large print Guide to the Boardwalk and installed highervisibility signage. In the next few months we will have Braille andAudio Boardwalk Guides available. All improvements are ADAcompliant.

USCs Department of Family & Preventive Medicine, as well as theSouth Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind gave advice and

guidance on improvements.

News of our accessibility improvements is getting out and we areworking with the Centers for Independent Living (CIL) so the dis-abled community will recognize what a great resource FrancisBeidler Forest is to them.

With so many truly wild natural areas unavailable to those with vis-ual or physical disabilities, Beidler Forest plans to truly serve thissegment of the population by providing a spectacular AND acces-sible outdoor experience.

The staff is pleased to show off the facilities and comes any suggestions for further improvements. If a friend or a loved one are disabled and looking fpremier outdoor recreational opportunity, make a visthe Audubon Center at Beidler Forest!

And feel free to call (843) 462-2150 with any questor comments. Visit www.beidlerforest.com for directand visitation hours.

River Otters Are Some of the Wildlife Encountered onBeidler Forests Canoe Trips

FWS

BEACH SWEEP/RIVER SWEEP

Audubon SC was joined by 97 volunteers for a RSweep on Daniel Island. In less than two hours, bags of litter, 10 tires, multiple lighted buoys, and seral refrigerator-sized chunks of foam were cleaned fthe half-mile stretch of the Cooper River. Volunteused watercraft to shuttle the debris from the beach barge anchored in the Cooper River.

The River Sweep was a cooperative effort. SalmDredging Company provided the barge on which resthe 30-cubic-yard waste container provided by FenContainer. Nature Adventures Outfitters provided wacraft for volunteers. Amy Johnsons Bishop Englandstudents painted beach identification signs. Memberthe South Carolina Geocachers Association, Danieland residents, and members of the Sierra Club joinelarge contingent from the Charleston School of the Ain providing volunteer labor.


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AUDUBON South Carolina, 336 Sanctuary Road, Harleyville, SC 29448-3324, (843) 462-2150, [email protected] 5

2nd ANNUAL SILVER BLUFFAUDUBON CENTER & SANCTUARY TRAIL RIDE

MARCH 18, 200610:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M.

$20.00 PER RIDERLUNCH PROVIDED

Join us for a fun-filled day of horseback riding as we explore themiles of trails at our Silver Bluff Center near Aiken, South Carolina.This family event was a great success last year!

Original current negative Coggins required! There will beabsolutely No Exceptions! No dogs or alcohol. Absolutely no

smoking allowed on the trail. Space is limited so registerearly to save your spot!

REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT DEADLINE: MARCH 13, 2006

CALL (843) 462-2150 TO REGISTER OR VISITWWW.BEIDLERFOREST.COM TO DOWNLOAD FORM

SILVER BLUFF AUDUBON CENTER

New signage along the Heritage Corridor Discovery Route featuresAudubons Silver Bluff Center and Sanctuary

SILVER BLUFF: A STOP ON THE HERITAGE CORRIDOR

Stretching from the mountains to the sea, the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor connects 14 counties, with Nature Discovery Routes running its entire length. The Corridor encourages folks to travel the back roads and byways to explore thspectacular natural features of the state as well as its rich historical and cultural heritage.

Midway along the Corridor, located in Aiken County, explorers will find a treasure nestled along the wide, sweeping bends

the Savannah Riverthe Silver Bluff Audubon Center & Sanctuary. Silver Bluff, owned by Audubon for the past thirty yearhas a long history of land use by varied peoples, from Native Americans to backcountry European settlers to antebellum platation owners. All benefited from the abundant wildlife populations and the diverse habitats found at Silver Bluff. Today, Sver Bluff Audubon Center and Sanctuary protects that legacy and invites you to explore its quiet paths, while learning morabout its historical and natural heritage.

Just west of Blackville, SC, on Hwy 78, youll find the Heritage Corridors Region 3 Discovery Center. Projected to open bApril of this year, the Discovery Center prominently features Silver Bluff in several of its exhibits. There youll gain a glimpsof what Silver Bluff can offer to you and your family. What captures your interest?

- endangered Wood Storks foragingfor fish

- an active archaeology dig- dragonflies and butterflies galore

- over 200 species of birds- picnicking under the pines- alligators half-submerged in the

waters- armadillos scurrying in the underbrush- miles of walking trails- white-tail deer bounding across the

paths- thousands and thousands of

wildflowers- school groups learning about nature

Plan a visit soon and please call ahead for

hours of operation, special program offer-ings, or if you need directions to the SilverBluff Audubon Center & Sanctuary, 803-471-0291.


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IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS OF SOUTH CAROLINA


WINTERING HUMMINGBIRDS

Every fall, most Ruby-throated Hummingbirds leave South Carolina fortheir winter range in Mexico and Central America. A small population ofRubythroats spend the winter in South Carolina and are joined by a fewwestern species. Rufous and Black-chinned Hummingbirds are the mostcommon of the western species, with an occasional Calliope Humming-bird.

Wintering hummingbirds are not lost, wandering birds and often spendthe entire winter in one location. In fact, some of these winter residentsreturn to the same home year after year. A Rufous Hummingbird re-turned to a home in North Carolina for seven years in a row.

If your feeders or flowers are visited by hummingbirds between Novem-ber 1st and March 15th of each year, you may want to consider partici-pating in a hummingbird banding project. While this winter is coming toa close, its a good time to be trained in preparation for next winters ef-

fort. Contact Doreen Cubie or Gary Phillips to learn more about localbanding efforts. They are affiliated with the Hummer/Bird Study Group(HBSG), a nonprofit organization currently involved in a long-term studyof the hummingbirds wintering in the southeastern states.

Doreen Cubie: [email protected], 843-928-3702Gary Phillips: [email protected], 843-833-8748

Name Acre

1 ACE Basin NWR (Edisto Unit) 6

2 Audubon Center at Beidler Forest 13

3 Bear Island WMA 12

4 Bird Key Stono

5 Bomb (Lunch) Island

6 Brosnan Forest* 16

7 Caeser's Head/Jones Gap 10

8 Cape Romaine NWR 64

9 Carolina Sandhills NWR 46

10 Clemson Experimental Forest 17

11 Congaree National Park 22

12 Crab Bank

13 Croft State Natural Area 7

14 Deveaux Bank

15 Donnelly WMA 8

16 Dungannon Heritage Preserve

17 Fort Jackson 52

18 Francis Marion National Forest 250

19 Hilton Pond 20 Hobcaw Barony 17

21 Jocassee Gorges 32

22 Medway Plantation* 6

23 Morse Creek Inlet/Bay Point Island

24 Pinckney Island NWR 4

25 Sand Hill State Forest 43

26 Sandy Island 12

27 Santee Coastal Reserve 15

28 Santee NWR 15

29 Savannah NWR 30

30 Savannah River Disposal Site* 4

31 Savannah River Site* 19732 Sea Pines Forest Preserve

33 Silver Bluff Audubon Center 3

34 Table Rock State Park 3

35 Upper Santee Swamp 16

36 Washo Reserve 1

37 Webb WMA 12

38 Westvaco Central Area* 128

39 Yawkey Wildlife Center* 5

* = Not open to the public

IBA UPDATE

To date, the Important Bird Area (IBA) Proghas designated thirty-nine IBAs in South CaroEach represents diverse habitat and bird specThe IBA program has a handful of additional sleft that require more data collection and comtion of the nomination process. The finishedof designated IBAs will help define Audubwork and conservation efforts in South Carolin

Hummingbird Banding in Progress


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AUDUBON South Carolina, 336 Sanctuary Road, Harleyville, SC 29448-3324, (843) 462-2150, [email protected] 7

ADVOCACY

SELLING PUBLIC LANDS TO BALANCE THE BUDGET

With the unveiling of the Presidents 2007 National Budget, the publicwas informed of administration plans to raise $1 billion by selling off306,000 acres of public land around the nation. While most of the im-pacted land lies in the West, South Carolinas proposed land sales arethe third highest on the east coast, behind North Carolina and Virginia.

Statewide, nearly 4,700 acres have been identified for sale, including17 tracts within the Francis Marion and another 28 parcels in the Sum-ter National Forest. Most large units of public land, such as NationalForests and National Wildlife Refuges are a patchwork of federal andprivate ownership. Both the federal government and private conserva-tion groups dedicate themselves to acquiring critical private lands tocreate large and intact habitats within these federal lands.

Threatened lands under the control of the Forest Service are describedas isolated parcels with no important scenic, wilderness or recreationalvalues. In the past the Forest Service has used such parcels totrade for privately owned parcels with more value to the overallmakeup of the Forests, rather than selling them to raise money.

Officials from the Bureau of Land Management, which manages muchof the land in the West, have stated that their proposed land saleswould be near urban areas with high market value, much like the edgesof the Francis Marion - an area that could be a gateway to develop-ment deep within the Forest. Nationwide scenarios like the FrancisMarion development skirmishes have played out and the sale of suchparcels will only increase the likelihood that development will reach ournations last wildernesses.

Visit www.fs.fed.us/land/staff/rural_schools.shtml to view the list of pro-posed parcels for sale. Visit www.beidlerforest.com to take action onthis matter by contacting your elected officials and downloading a sam-ple comment letter for your use.

A Fish and Wildlife Service Biologist Erects a Nest Box for Red-CockadedWoodpeckers. Conservation of the Endangered Species is a Top Priority

for the Francis Marion National Forest.

JOIN US FOR CONSERVATION LOBBY DAYMAY 2, 2006

PROTECT SOUTH CAROLINAS ENVIRONMENT

Call (843) 462-2150 or e-mail [email protected] for more information!

TUESDAY MORNINGS ARE MADEFOR LOBBYING

Over the past year Audubon South Carolina haworked with the conservation community to creacommon legislative goals under the theme

"Conserving Communities...Naturally". The consevation community will be dedicated to achievinthese goals during the 2006 legislative sessiowhich is underway right now. A copy of thConserving Communities Naturally brochure cabe downloaded at www.beidlerforest.com.

Help the conservation community make a differencby serving on the Conservation Lobby Team antaking the message to elected officials. The LobbTeam began meeting in January and will continue meet every Tuesday during the session, beginninat 11:00 a.m. at the Immaculate Consumption retaurant (at the corner of S. Main and Pendleton

Columbia). Volunteers will receive training thmorning of their trip to the State House and thehead over to the State House.

Volunteers spend the day speaking to their Reprsentatives and Senators, attending hearings anhelping send the message that conservation counin South Carolina. Team members this year havalready spoken up on issues like protecting timbelands, preventing exemptions for billboard compnies and keeping well-intentioned eminent domalegislation from being turned into a takings bill.

There will be many opportunities to volunteer durinthe five month session. Come early so you can rport back to your Chapter, family and friends aboyour experience. Please contact [email protected] to volunteer. Your efforts wmake a world of difference for South Carolina's willife, wild places and future generations.


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336 Sanctuary RoadHarleyville, South Carolina 29448-3324

NON PROFIT ORG

US POSTAGE

PAID

PERMIT NO. 468

SUMMERVILLE,

SC

Please contact [email protected] name or address corrections.

SOUTH CAROLINA WELCOMES BOBBY HARRISON

REDISCOVERING THE IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKERAPRIL 8, 2006 @ 7:00 P.M.

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA

Be sure to mark your calendar for the evening of April 8th!Bobby Harrison will present a program about his experienceswith the rediscovery of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker in Arkan-sas. Harrisons sighting (among others) of the Ivory-Billedhelped prompt the intensive search and habitat protection ef-forts that culminated in the announcement of the rediscoveryin 2005.

The program will be at 7:00 in the auditorium at the SC Ar-chives & History building on Parklane Road. A reception willbegin at about 6:15. The program is being organized by Co-lumbia Audubon Society and Friends of Congaree Swamp.Co-sponsors include the SCWF, South Carolina Association ofNaturalists, the USC Institute for Southern Studies, the USCSchool of the Environment, and others. ASC Executive Direc-tor Norm Brunswig will be the host for the evening.

Tickets for the event are $10. A sellout is expected so get yourorder in as soon as possible. The order form and other detailsare available on the Columbia Audubon website(www.columbiaaudubon.org). Contact Dan Tufford with ques-tions at (803) 777-3292 or [email protected].

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MARCH 2006 South Carolina Audubon Newsletter

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