Apply Now to Join Our Board plus this month's "Litter Patrol"

Apply to Join our Board of Directors!

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 1,000 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.”

For our upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018, we are anticipating two Board vacancies and would 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 each upcoming Board position:

The Recording Secretary takes minutes at the monthly meetings of the Board and distributes them to all Board members in a timely manner. The Recording Secretary is appointed for a one-year term but may continue if willing and approved by the Board.

The Volunteer Coordinator 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 Coordinator 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: jody_willis@comcast.net or PO Box 16304, Jacksonville, FL 32245.

Questions? Please feel free to contact Jody or any current Board member (http://duvalaudubon.org/index.php/get-to-know-us/board-of-directors).

Thank you!

March Cleanup: Westside Industrial Park, 8 am - 11 am Sunday, March 18, 2018

Duval Audubon Society is partnering with St. Johns Riverkeeper and the City of Jacksonville to do monthly cleanups at parks in the Jacksonville area, and this month's cleanup will be at the Westside Industrial Park, 4102 Bulls Bay Hwy, Jacksonville, FL 32219

One wouldn’t expect that the largest industrial park in Northeast Florida would be a good place for birding. Westside Industrial Park is an exception with its many ponds. Just missing one of the top ten hot spots on ebird, coming in at number eleven, 165 species have been recorded at the industrial park. Unfortunately it is in dire need of a cleanup, so come on out and help us spruce up this great birding spot!

Please join us to spruce up this beautiful area! Be sure to check our website or Meetup page for future monthly outings. We can help make a better environment!

Our efforts from a previous cleanup!

What can you do to participate in the Year of the Bird this month?

Plant bird friendly plants! Birds often rely on plants in our yards, balconies, and other spaces for habitat and food and the best plants to provide this are those native to your area. To know the best plants for your area, search Audubon’s native plants database by your zip code. You can even search based on the birds you want to attract and the type of plants you want in your garden. By growing the best bird-friendly plants for your area, you will attract and protect the birds you love while making your space beautiful, easy to care for, and better for the environment—and this month is the perfect time to get started. Learn more and find your plants here.

March Program,  March 19, 2018, 6:30 p.m.

Birds and Seed Dispersal

Speaker: E. Natasha Vanderhoff, Associate Professor of Biology and Marine Science, Jacksonville University

March Field Trips

Mar. 3 8 a.m. Alligator Lake (w/Four Rivers Audubon) Leader: Jerry Krummrich (krummrich@bellsouth.net)

Mar. 4 10 a.m. Spanish Pond Leader: Jody Willis (904-874-4204)

Mar. 10 8 a.m. Reddie Point Preserve Leader: Jody Willis (904-874-4204)

Mar. 11 8 a.m. St. Augustine Road Fish Management Area Learder: Carolyn Antman (904-737-1019)

Mar. 17 8 a.m. Birding on the Water with Kayak Amelia $ Registration is required! Contact: Jody Willis (904-874-4204).

Mar. 24 8 a.m. Crosby Sanctuary Contact: Pete Johnson (904-536-4806)

Mar. 25 8 a.m. Sheffield Regional Park Leader: Thomas Rohtsalu (904-536-8019)

Mar. 31 8 a.m. Castaway lsland/Cradle Creek Leader:Carol Bailey-White (904 -707-1881)

For details on these activities, check our web site calendar at www.duvalaudubon.org, www.meetup.com/Duval-Audubon-Society or Facebook.