Mar/Apr 2010
Wings& Things
The Newsletter of the Venice Area Audubon Society  |  veniceaudubon.org
Photo Contest
Share Your Photos
of Birds and Nature
During the May 11th Farewell Get
Together, we will hold our First
Annual VAAS Photography Contest.
This will be a “just for fun” event
where members and guests can
share their best bird and/or nature-
related photos with other members.
Photos submitted should be framed
or mounted and will be displayed
around the Center. The photos can
be priced to sell or just displayed.
Our resident photography expert,
Eileen Maris Cohen, will judge the
photos in a friendly competition.
We will also have a “most popular”
vote by members. Have fun showing
off your best work, gain recognition
from others and maybe learn a little
something too!
Wildlife
Rescue
and
Rehabilitation
Wildlife
Center of Venice
941-484-9657
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Founded in 1965
Upcoming Programs
Venice Community Center
Up Close and Personal:
The Life Cycle of Southwest Florida Butterflies
March 23  •  7:00 p.m.
What is this wonderful butterfly? Come and learn about our area butterflies. You
will enjoy this presentation, the beautiful jewel-like butterflies we see all around
us. Beverly Z. Bowen, North American Butterfly Association Liaison, will show
detailed photos of some of our area butterflies in various stages and point out
ways to identify them. Beverly will also discuss the plants that these species
require and the importance of butterfly gardening.
Bird Colony Islands Restoration Project
April 27  •  7:00 p.m.
The Robert’s Bay bird colonies located adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway
are the most important habitat for wading bird species and Brown Pelicans
in Sarasota Bay. After wave action slowly eroded these islands, a stone
breakwater was constructed to stabilize them. Curtis R. Smith, Bird Colony
Islands Restoration Project Manager, will bring us up to date on the rookery
which is now very active and supports nesting by several species including
Roseate Spoonbills and American Oystercatchers.
Venice Audubon Center
Farewell Get Together
May 11  •  5:00 p.m.
Participate in a review of VAAS activities and goals of the year. Enjoy the
meeting with your friends and reminisce the VAAS events while tasting the
end-of-season covered dish supper and scrutinizing the photo contest entries.
(See Photo Contest article at left for details.)
Bird Walks at Oscar Scherer
Venice Audubon member, Joyce Leary, will be leading bird walks at Oscar Scherer
State Park on third and fourth Thursdays during March and April. Her bird walks
start at 8:00 a.m. on March 18, March 25, April 15, and April 25.
The bird walks start from the Nature Center by Lake Osprey. The bird walks are
free, however there is a $5.00 per vehicle fee for entrance to the park. The bird walks
are sponsored by the Friends of Oscar Scherer State Park. Bird walks on the first and
second Thursdays of each month are usually conducted by Sarasota Audubon.

2010 Calendar of Events
March
16 Conservation Committee, 3 p.m.
20 Board Meeting, 5 p.m.
20 CANCELLED: Mardi Gras Night Mary King has been appointed to
Fundraiser, 7–10 p.m.
23 General Meeting, 7 p.m.,
Venice Community Center
26–28 Audubon Academy,
Gainesville
April
16 Wings & Things Article
Submission Deadline
20 Conservation Committee, 3 p.m.
20 Board Meeting, 5 p.m.
23 Annual Business and
General Meeting, 7 p.m.,
Venice Community Center
May
4 Conservation Committee, 3 p.m.
4 Board Meeting, 5 p.m.
11 Farewell Get Together,
Covered Dish Supper and
Photo Contest, 5 p.m.,
Venice Audubon Center
Use Binoculars Like a Pro
Q I think I have my binoculars
perfectly set for my eyes, but
I just can’t find any birds with them!
There can be a cardinal sitting in a
tree right in front of me and when I
pull up the binoculars to my eyes and
try to scan, the bird has flown away
before I can find it. What should I do?
A When you find a bird, keep
your eyes on it while you place
the binoculars in front of your eyes
and focus without moving your
head. Practice this with inanimate
objects first. Start with large items,
then test yourself to see how quickly
you can spot something and pull
up your glasses to view it. It can
be frustrating at first, but once you
master finding inanimate objects and
resting birds, finding moving birds
through your binoculars will soon
become second nature.
2  Wings& Things  |  Mar/Apr 10
What’s New at VAAS
New Officers
VAAS welcomes Dan Kixmiller back
to the Board of Directors as Treasurer.
Recording Secretary. Brenda Bossman
will move to Education and Ways and
Means Chair.
Conservation Committee
The committee has meet with Sarasota
County Commissioners to explore ways
to develop the Center into a “green”
facility. The County Administrator was
consulted to lend his expertise for us to
develop means to accomplish the goal of
a “green” facility.
Commissioner Mason visited the
Center and Rookery to learn about our
mission and community activities. The
second Rookery has been cut deeper at
both ends of the island. We are waiting
for consultation from Florida Audubon
concerning the viability of this area to
become a Rookery.
Mardi Gras Night Cancelled
The VAAS Board of Directors is
sorry to announce that the Mardi Gras
Night fundraising event scheduled for
March 20th has been cancelled due to
insufficient ticket sales. Like any non-
profit organization, VAAS needs its
membership to help raise money so it
can meet its financial obligations. We
have some urgent needs, one being that
our Center’s air conditioning unit needs
to be replaced at the cost of $6,500. If
you have fundraising ideas or want to
help with future fundraising efforts, call
Brenda Bossman at 941-270-2961 or
debtadvise@gmail.com.
By-Law Change
A committee is diligently working on
a by-laws revision to be presented to the
general membership at the April busi-
ness meeting for approval.
Volunteers Needed
We have need for volunteers to serve
as receptionists at the Center during the
mornings when the visitors are coming
to the Rookery. The Center is there to
provide information about the Rookery,
brochures of birding hot spots and rest
room facilities. This is a way for VAAS to
gain members and visibility in the com-
munity. It is not a demanding job, but it
does provide the satisfaction of helping
others, raising our profile and promoting
conservation. If you can give VAAS some
time, please contact Arlene Kelpsh at
941-486-9022.
Rookery Happenings
The Great Horned Owls that took
over the Osprey nest on top of the
County building’s tower have two chicks
which are visible from the Center.
There are also chicks at the Rookery.
Unfortunately, nesting pairs are down
this year and the cold weather hasn’t
helped. There are Great Blue Herons,
Great Egrets, Anhinga, and a Black-
crowned Night Heron nesting. A Green
Heron is hanging around. If you haven’t
witnessed the Rookery in full action,
visit near sundown and watch all the
long-legged wading birds arrive to roost
for the night. About 300 birds filled the
rookery island at dusk in February.
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks
have been visiting the lake behind the
Rookery and sitting out on the lawn.
Someone in the mobile home park may
be feeding them.
VAAS Family
Ken Reamy recently underwent
an operation. We wish him a speedy
recovery.
One of our “icon” members, Lynne
Bobb Koths, is recovering from a stroke.
She is making good progress in rehab and
is expected home soon. We wish her well.
Membership and Newsletter Update
New Members Welcome!
Please give a big welcome to the following new members who joined our Audubon
chapter during January/February: Carol Colirn, Susan Hooper, Janet and Laurence
Kettner, Mary E. King, Charlotte Neagle, Richard Palmer, Mary Jean Westcott,
Patricia Wright, Charles Armstrong, Catherine Dorn, Carol Jorgensen, Barbara
Kittredge, Eleanor McKillips, George Scheffer, Linda Shute, and Thomas Soule. If
we overlooked anyone, our apologies. The Swallow-tailed Kite was just
one of 67 species seen on VAAS’s
Postcards Alligators & Airboats / Corkscrew
Thanks to all the members who sent back the postcard included in the last issue of Swamp Sanctuary trip on March 6th.
Wings & Things. We received 124 postcards back out of 780 sent out. If you have not Twenty participants toured the
sent back your postcard, please do so ASAP! Need a postcard? Contact Bill Fairbank shoreline of the approximately
at 941-412-1610 or wgfairbank@hotmail.com. 1,500 acres of Lake Trafford in an
The members who returned the cards with their email addresses will allow us airboat. Afterwards, they walked
the 2.25 mile Corkscrew boardwalk.
to begin distribution of Wings & Things by email. This will help VAAS reduce our
Other birds sited were the Painting
carbon footprint and save some trees for the birds. All those who checked the “I do Bunting, seven warbler species,
not have email box” on the card will receive a printed copies of Wings & Things by the Purple Gallinule and Roseate
regular U.S. mail. Spoonbill. Wood Storks are not
Summer Addresses nesting this year because of high
water conditions.
Some members have given us both their Florida address and their northern sum-
mer address. They have asked VAAS to send their Wings & Things to their northern
address when they are not in Florida. Unfortunately, with more than 800 members
Ramsar Listing Celebrated
in our chapter, it is not possible to do this since people leave for their northern at Corkscrew Sanctuary
homes at different times and are away from Florida for different lengths of time. We Audubon of Florida’s Corkscrew
know that these members want to stay in touch with our chapter when they are away Swamp Sanctuary, home of the
largest stand of old-growth Bald
by not missing an issue of Wings & Things. The best way you can do this is to give
Cypress trees in North America,
us your email address, then we can send Wings & Things to you by email wherever hosted a celebration of its listing as
you are. a Ramsar Wetland of International
When we receive two addresses, we entered the Florida address into our chap- Importance by the Ramsar
ter address database. If you do not have email and would like Wings & Things Convention on February 18.
mailed to your northern address during the summer and fall you contact, Bill
Ramsar’s Secretary General
Fairbank at 941-412-1610 before you leave and give him your northern address. Anada Tiéga was there to present
After you return to Florida, please call Bill again and give him your new Florida address. the Ramsar site certificate to the
Pay Your Dues Early! assembled notables and applaud
their efforts. Ed Carlson, director of
Venice Area Audubon Society dues are due again on September 1, 2010. Many
the Corkscrew Sanctuary, emceed
of our members are away on this date and will not be back in Florida until later. So the ceremony.
why not send in your dues payment now and avoid missing the deadline? Dues paid
after February are good until September 1, 2011. The Ramsar Convention on
Wetlands promotes conservation of
wetland habitats around the world.
Sharing Tools, Saving Birds The listing of Corkscrew marks
the second Audubon sanctuary in
Donate your old optics to a local nature center or birding club like ours, or an orga-
the USA to receive the prestigious
nization such as the American Birding Association’s Birder’s Exchange or to Optics for
listing by Ramsar. Audubon’s
the Tropics. Both ABA and Optics for the Tropics send used binoculars to researchers Beidler Forest, in South Carolina,
and educators in Latin America and the Caribbean. To find out more information go to: was designated in 2008.
www.aba.org/bex or www.opticsforthetropics.org.

Mar/Apr 10  |  Wings& Things  3

Search for Burrowing Owls by Charlie Ewell of Cape Coral
There are a few helpful tips to have in
mind while looking for Burrowing Owls
in Cape Coral. First, be persistent in your
search during the non-breeding season.
The owls do not need to be outside the
burrow during the day, or they are not
using it at all during the winter. Many
owls roost in nearby vegetation, trees,
around houses, etc. The burrow entrance
area is more of a daytime event dur-
ing the breeding season. They are more
often NOT SEEN outside of the burrow
during daylight hours this time of year.
There will be one eventually if you check
enough sites, but you may need to keep
trying. I’m seeing a more out lately as
spring approaches, so this is a better time
than a couple of weeks ago.
The breeding season begins in earnest
in March and runs through the early
summer. This is the easiest time to locate
the owls, because they are using the bur-
row for the nesting process, and the male
tends to be outside the immediate bur-
row area and easily seen while the female
is incubating eggs and then tending to the
chicks. Once the chicks are old enough
to be outside the burrow, it is REALLY
easy, because the chicks are out learning
the ways of the world. They don’t ven-
ture too far from the entrance until they
are strong fliers, which take a coupe of
months. The burrow is their only pro-
tection from predators when they are
so young, so those that will survive stay
within running distance! There is usu-
ally an adult close by when the young are
out of the burrow, making them easy to
observe from your car (which serves as an
outstanding blind).
Cape Coral is a huge city, and owls
are presenting most neighborhoods.
The belief is that there are close to
2,000 currently breeding pairs. If you
have a copy of Bill Pranty’s ABA guide
“A Birder’s Guide To Florida” you are in
good shape. The driving loop provided
in the Fort Myers/Cape Coral area of
the guide is a good area to check. The
key to knowing that all the areas in
vacant marked off with white PVC pipe,
and usually containing a T perch, indi-
cate a burrow area. The pipe surrounds
the burrow area as an indicator for city
mowing crews, so they do not collapse
any burrows as they cut the grass.

Fu
nd
A Fund Raiser for
Venice Area Audubon Society

Ra Mardi Gras Night

isi
ng Saturday    March 20    7–10 p.m.
Venice Audubon Center    4002 S. Tamiami Trail
ev
(at Annex Road, behind Anderson Admin. Building)

en
tC
Black Jack    Craps    Raffles   Texas Hold‘em 
  Slot Machines     Roulette Wheel    Cash Bar

For more information an

or to reserve your seat
at a poker table,
$35 “Lite” Player (Includes $5 Play Money)
ce
ll
$75 Poker Table Player
call Brenda Bossman
($25 Re-Buy – Texas Hold’em and Black Jack)
at 941-474-8528
or 941-270-2961 Game table sponsorships available for $250
Includes one drink and hors d’oeuvres!
ed
4  Wings& Things  |  Mar/Apr 10
Field Trips Update
Past Trips Report
The following is a brief description of trips
that took place in January and February.
Thank you to all the trip leaders who
made these trips a success!
Celery Fields - Barry Rossheim
lead the trip to this great birding spot
in Sarasota. Ducks of several varieties
were seen as well as Limpkin, Sandhill
Cranes, eagles, sparrows, swallows and a
vast variety of other birds.
Robinson Preserve - The group was
guided around the preserve by Suwanna
Blakey from Manatee County Natural
Resources Department in a Conestoga
wagon. She explained how the area had
been transformed from a citrus orchard
into the outstanding natural area. The
group saw Osprey, wading birds, nest-
ing eagles and a large group of vul-
tures feasting on fish killed by the cold
weather in early January.
Sleeping Turtles Preserve - Bob
Vance lead this preserve situated along
the Myakka River. They saw a vari-
ety of small birds including Yellow-
rumped Warbler, Palm Warbler, Pine
Warbler, Blue-headed Vireo, Tufted
Titmouse, cardinals, robins, Blue-gray
Gnatcatchers as well as Red-shouldered
Hawks.
STA-5 - Missy Christie lead an over-
night trip to the legendary Storm Water
Treatment Area 5 near Clewiston.
Unfortunately her co-leader, Marty
Shirley, who did the hardest work coordi-
nating the trip was unable to go because
of illness. 62 species observed including
Purple Swamphen, Fulvous Whistling
Duck, Western Kingbird, White Pelicans,
Roseate Spoonbill, Rough-winged
Swallows and Snail Kite.
Ding Darling - Ken Reamy lead
to trip to the Ding Darling National
Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel island. The
group arrived at low tide and saw vast
numbers of birds including egrets, her-
ons, cormorants, spoonbills and Pied-
bill Grebes. All enjoyed the dancing of
the Reddish Egrets.
Harns Marsh - Cathy Olson, from
Lee County Parks and Recreation,
guided us around the dikes at Harns
Marsh. The group drove along the dikes
enabling them to see more of the marsh
than if they were on foot. The weather
was sunny but extremely cold and
windy—poor weather for finding birds.
No shore birds were seen due to the
high water levels in the marsh resulting
from the recent above average rainfall.
Despite this they saw coots, Blue-winged
Teal, Ring-billed Ducks, Limpkin,
Black-crowned Night Herons, an eagle,
Osprey, Red- shouldered Hawks, several
snipe, and three rare Snail Kites.
Ideas and Feedback Wanted
This year’s field trips are not yet fin-
ished but, at VAAS, we are thinking
about next year. Where do you want to
go next year? We welcome your ideas.
Are there field trips you would like
repeated? Do you have any comments
or concerns about the trips VAAS offers?
Please contact VAAS Trips Chairman,
Bill Fairbank at 941-412-1610.
Keeping An Eye On Things
If you enjoy finding and watching
nesting birds and their eggs and chicks,
consider joining NestWatch—a citizen-
science project and nest-monitoring
database—coordinated by the Cornell
Lab of Ornithology in collaboration
with the Smithsonian Migratory Bird
Center. Visit www.nestwatch.org to find
out how to watch nests safely and to
record your observations. The informa-
tion you gather is valuable to scientists
studying nesting birds and the factors
leading to their successes or failures.
Upcoming
Field Trips
March 14 - Six Mile Slough 
Meander along the boardwalk
through Six Mile Slough
Preserve and see wading birds,
woodpeckers, and warblers.
March 18 - Cedar Point Eagles
and Wading Trip­­
An environmental experience hiking
and wading in Lemon Bay. Observe
an eagle nest. Register with trip
leader, Bobbi Rodgers 941-475-0769
or bobbi@sunletter.com.
March 27 - Highlands Hammock
Cancelled
April 1 - Fort DeSoto 
All day field trip to the best birding
spot for viewing spring migrants
such as tanagers, warblers
and orioles
April 7 - Cape Coral’s
Burrowing Owls
See the charming burrowing owls,
and other birds on this all day field trip.
April 13 - Palm Island­
Visit the exclusive Palm Island to
see shorebirds and possibly spring
migrants. Limited to 20 people. Contact
Missy Christie at 941-456-0699.
April 17 - Celery Fields 
Visit Sarasota’s premium birding hot
spot to see ducks, rails, water birds,
Sandhill Cranes, eagles, and a wide
variety of other birds.
See the Calendar of Events on page
one of Wings for the date and time
for these field trips. Additional
details are given in the 2009-2010
VAAS Trip & Program Guide on the
Venice Audubon Web site at
www.veniceaudubon.org.
Mar/Apr 10  |  Wings& Things  5
 ice Are
en Non-Profit Org.

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P. O. Box 1381
U. S. Postage
PAID

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Venice, FL 34284-1381
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Venice Area Audubon Society

P. O. Box 1381
Venice, FL 34284-1381

Venice Audubon Center

(Headquarters) and Rookery
Roster Treasurer
Dan Kixmiller
Hospitality Coordinator
Virginia Koss
941-412-4153 941-493-8812
4002 S. Tamiami Trail Board of Directors
dkmixer@comcast.net
(at Annex Road, behind the R. L. Newsletter Coordinators
President
Anderson Administration Building) Director Charles Sample, Editor
Missy L. Christie
Brenda Bossman Carolyn Edmunds, Designer
Venice, FL 941-321-7886
941-270-2961 941-497-6463
Phone: 941-496-8984 missylchristie@verizon.net
debtadvise@gmail.com
Volunteer Director
Mailing address: 1st Vice President Ways and Means and
Charlie Sample
Venice Area Audubon Society Marty Shirley Education Chair
941-497-6463
P. O. Box 1381 941-496-4494 or 941-468-0002
Director
mjshirley@comcast.net Volunteer Coordinator
Venice, FL 34284-1381 Bill Fairbank
Programs Chair Center and Rookery
941-412-1610
Arlene Kelpsh
2nd Vice President wgfairbank@hotmail.com
Wings& Things is published by the Vacant Field Trips and Membership Chair
941-486-9022
Venice Area Audubon Society (VAAS). Conservation Chair Volunteer Coordinator
Director
As a member of VAAS you receive five Youth Education
Recording Secretary Carol Hayden
editions of Wings & Things per year, Alena Capek
Mary King 941-961-5596
information on our field trips, chapter 941-429-8725
941-445-2575 caroljeannesarasota@yahoo.com
meetings and programs. Individual cking@gail.com Publicity Chair
memberships are $20 per year and Corresponding Secretary
family memberships are $30 per year. Director
Kathy Upton
A lifetime family membership is $1500. Julie Morris
941-408-9357
941-234-7201
All membership dues go to the kau11birds@msn.com
jmorris@wildlandsconservation.org
Venice Area chapter of the National
Audubon Society.

Our Mission: To promote interest in wildlife and foster the cause of conservation with emphasis on birds and their habitat