Welcome to Duval Audubon Society

How do birds fare during a hurricane? Migrating birds usually wait for favorable weather conditions before starting a migratory flight, but sometimes flocks of migrating birds are already over open water when a hurricane develops, and can get pushed way out of their normal migration path by the strong winds.

Large flocks of birds have even been observed on radar, trapped in the calm center of the storm, as shown in the Weather Channel radar image at left, captured during Hurricane Matthew in 2016. The red area actually represents thousands of birds trapped in the eye!

Some birds may find their way back to their migratory route after the storm, but others may be thousands of miles away from where they should be, and may perish if they are unable to find food. Even resident birds can be affected, as strong winds may strip berries and fruits from trees and shrubs, depleting their food supply as well.

You can help migrating and resident birds survive a hurricane by providing food and fresh water for them after the storm. However, please make sure to take your feeders down before the storm hits, as they may become dangerous projectiles in high winds.

Seabirds more common to South Florida waters like Magnificent Frigatebirds, Brown Noddys, Black Terns, and Sooty Terns may also be pushed northward by a big storm, so if you are a coastal birder and can safely observe from the shore after the hurricane passes, make sure you have your scope and report your sightings at eBird.org. Your observations will help to document the impact of strong storms on bird species and create a more complete picture of the health of bird populations in our changing climate.

As the current hurricane season progresses, be sure to keep yourself and your family safe, but don't forget about our avian friends!

Here are some of the great programs we have planned for our 2019/2020 season:

- Dr. Caroline Efstathion of APEC (Avian Preservation and Education Conservancy) will give a presentation about her work with endangered tropical parrots (November 18, 2019)

- Gina Kent of ARCI (Avian Research and Conservation Institute) will speak about her work with Swallow-tailed Kites (January 20, 2020)

- Expert Florida Birding Guide David Simpson will tell us all about birding in the Dry Tortugas (February 17, 2020)

These are just a few of the fascinating programs we have in store for you this year! Check out our Calendar of Events for a complete listing of all of our upcoming activities!

Starting with our September 16, 2019 program (The 4 Rs: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, presented by Anne Marie Moquin, Founder & Executive Director of Beaches Go Green), our monthly program meetings will be held at Lakewood Presbyterian Church, 2001 University Blvd W, Jacksonville, FL.

We will continue to hold our monthly program meetings on the third Monday each month. Meetings will start with refreshments and networking at 6:30 pm, with program presentations starting at 7 pm.

Audubon EagleWatch, one of Audubon's premier community science programs, deploys boots on the ground and eyes in the field to monitor and protect Florida's Bald Eagles. With over 1,500 nesting pairs in our state, this team of volunteers spans 42 counties monitoring more than 600 nests.

Audubon EagleWatchers collect important data on nesting eagles in Florida including productivity, active nest locations and possible disturbances or threats to nesting activities.The program engages volunteers and individuals to help protect our nation's symbol.

If you would like to become an "EagleWatcher" with Audubon's EagleWatch program, register to attend the upcoming training session, scheduled for 10 am - noon, Saturday, September 21, 2019 @ Deerwood Country Club, 10239 Golf Club Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32256.

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED! REGISTER AT:
http://www.eaglewatchflorida.org/training_registration.html

Questions? Call (407) 644-0190, ext. 118
or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

To help you create bird friendly habitat in your landscape, we will be posting a native plant each month which is beneficial to birds and pollinators. This month's plant is:

Trumpet Honeysuckle Vine (Lonicera sempervirens).

This lovely vine is also known as Coral Honeysuckle. It grows to about 15 feet in length in light exposure ranging from light shade to full sun. It is easily cultivated under a variety of situations from either seed or cuttings and can tolerate poor soil subject to drought. However, for maximum flowering, it is best cultivated in a sunny location. It is deciduous in North Florida (loses its leaves in the winter) but easily comes back in the spring. Trumpet Honeysuckle has beautiful red trumpet- shaped flowers which are irresistible to hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. It produces small, brilliant red berries which are attractive to birds, including waxwings, woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, crows, and jays.

If you do not have a yard to grow it in, you can grow it on your patio in a large pot using a cage or other supports for it to climb on and it can be easily pruned and shaped if you wish.

For local sources of native plants, check with the Ixia Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society. They often have native plants as well as cuttings available at their monthly meetings on the first Tuesday of each month. Check out their Events Calendar for all of their upcoming activities.

--Jody Willis, President, Duval Audubon Society

Love nature? Want to help share that love of nature with others? Consider applying to join Duval Audubon Society’s Board of Directors.

Founded in 1939, Duval Audubon Society is a chapter of Audubon Florida and the National Audubon Society. We currently have approximately 1,100 members in Clay, Duval and Nassau counties and are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Our chapter is dedicated to the enjoyment of birds and other wildlife. We have a primary focus on the preservation of a diversity of species and habitats through education, conservation, environmental leadership and community involvement. We offer a variety of field trips, programs, and volunteer opportunities that are open for anyone to attend.

We are an all-volunteer chapter governed by a Board of Directors who work together to determine the activities offered by the organization to further our mission, “Connecting people with nature, conserving and restoring natural ecosystems, focusing on birds and other wildlife.”

Currently there are two Board vacancies and we encourage anyone interested in serving as a Board member to apply. Board members are expected to attend monthly meetings and participate in chapter activities on a regular basis. Board Officers are appointed for a one-year term, and Directors serve for two years.

Here is a brief description of our current Board openings:

• The Education Chair (a Director position) works with the President and Vice President to present educational outreach programs to school groups and other organizations in Clay, Duval, and Nassau Counties. The Education Chair serves a two-year term but may continue if willing and approved by the Board.
• The Volunteer Chair (a Director position) helps with recruiting volunteers from the chapter membership and the community for chapter projects and activities such as leading field trips, representing the chapter at outreach events, helping with monthly cleanups, and other projects as determined by the Board. The Volunteer Chair serves a two-year term but may continue if willing and approved by the Board.

If you are committed to helping to connect people with nature, please consider applying to join us in managing our chapter. You don’t have to be a great birder but having a love for nature and a passion for protecting and conserving birds and other wildlife would make you a wonderful addition to our team!

Send your completed application to Duval Audubon Society President Jody Willis: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or PO Box 16304, Jacksonville, FL 32245.

Questions? Please feel free to contact Jody or any current Board member.

Thank you!