The Audubon Observer, December 2025
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LIGHTS OUT NORTHEAST FLORIDA NEWS Fall Migration is wrapping up, and we want to extend our deepest thanks to our incredible Lights Out Northeast Florida collision monitors. From September 15 – November 15, our team of dedicated volunteers has been up before dawn, heading downtown to collect, rescue, and survey birds injured or killed by window strikes. Please join me in offering them a huge thank you for their commitment to science, their compassion, and their hard work. Their hearts are truly enormous — and because of them, our program has received wonderful recognition at both the state and local levels.
We’ll wrap up our season with our Fall Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon in early December, and we’re thrilled to welcome Will McMahon, Assistant Director of Campus Sustainability at UNF, and Alana Anderson, our first UNF Collision Monitor, as our keynote speakers. As far as we know, UNF is the first local college to organize its own Collision Monitoring Program — a groundbreaking effort and a beautiful example of our growing ladder of engagement. 2026 looks to be a breakout year of action. We are partnering with the COJ Sustainability Office and applying for our first ever Audubon in Action Grant. We are requesting $15,000, and the funds will be dedicated to mitigating the deadliest windows in three City-owned buildings. The project will fund bird-friendly visual markers, installation costs, educational signage, and fun community events to raise awareness. While we know these funds won’t solve every challenge, we’re committed to steady progress — walking before we run. We’re also beginning work on a proposed City-Owned Outdoor Light Ordinance, modeled after Dark Sky guidelines and successful examples from other cities that have saved countless birds (and plenty of energy, too!). Continuing to partner and fortify our relationship of trust with the City of Jacksonville is a gift and we are grateful. Saving birds from unnecessary deaths caused by artificial light pollution and reflective glass isn’t glamorous or glitzy work. We have found it’s a journey built on hard work, grit, community partnerships, amazing volunteers, and steadfast determination. And truly, we wouldn’t have it any other way. Many are not aware of the problem or the magical and perilous migration journey that birds take twice a year. And for me, this isn’t just conservation — it’s a calling. It’s stewardship. It’s deeply personal. We’re here for the long haul, and I’m endlessly grateful to be walking this path with all of you. RIVERSIDE PARK KIND OUTREACH AND RESCUE PILOT
This year, after the successful rescue of more than 70 birds, numerous community outreach events, lots of driving, heartache, joy, and engaging new partners, we can claim a small victory! Many of the birds were rehabbed and released by Nature World Wildlife Rescue in Homosassa. The Ark Wildlife Rescue in St. Augustine helped greatly with rescue advice and rehabbing our first set of nesting birds. We thank both of our hard-working licensed rescue teams; please consider donating to them to ensure they can continue this important work. We also thank our volunteer rescue transporters Lisa Williams, Deborah Harper, Sabrina Lehman and William Hoeck. Cindy and Calder undertook a total of 15 lengthy trips to save the birds. That is a lot of driving and heart, and they are at the core of our success. I did one rescue run with Cindy down to Nature World and it was an amazing trip.
But wait there’s more! The next community event is on Thursday December 4th, from 9:00 am – noon. We know that one of the first steps in restoration is removing non-native, invasive plants so native plants can be planted that provide insects and other food sources for nestlings. These native plants also provide shelter for the baby birds to protect them from predators. We thank Jody Willis and Walter Bryant of the Ixia Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society for their expertise in cultivating the list of native trees, bushes and plants. The event is sponsored by JaxParks and is supported by both Sierra Club of Northeast Florida and Duval Audubon Society. We thank all our many partners and community friends who have made this happen, and at the top of the list is Lauren Chappell, Preserve and Waterfront Manager at Jax Parks and Recreation. Lauren has been an outstanding partner as she guides, connects, and navigates us on the project. Thank you, Lauren, from the whole gang! If you are interested in any of our programs please reach out to Elizabeth.Filippelli@duvalaudubon.org. If you would like to donate to a specific project or our general funds, please click here. Every dollar donated helps our mission to protect birds in the urban environment. THE MAGIC OF HOG ISLAND AUDUBON CAMP
My experiences at Hog Island align with our chapter’s mission to connect people with nature and conserve ecosystems. Our initial service projects included building a bird blind that will be used by local research teams, and painting bird decoys with the phenomenal “Seabird Sue” Schubel at the Seabird Institute. We also birded by boat around sunny Muscongus Bay and observed resident birds like Black Guillemots, Common Eiders, Surf Scoters, and Common Loons, along with gregarious Harbor seals and Gray seals. I added 9 ‘lifer’ birds to my species list! Shout-out to our instructor, Maddie Fernandez, for keeping our daily bird lists! To fuel our days, we enjoyed delicious family style meals prepared by Chef Blythe and her incredible team–a gratitude shout-out to the Friends of Hog Island (known as FOHI) volunteers, too! After dinner, we had fascinating lectures on topics like Project Puffin’s trailblazing use of social attraction methods, and Katie Stoner’s research work in Alaska tracking Tufted Puffins and Horned Puffins.
My first experience at Hog Island deepened my appreciation for conservation work and the value of our birding community. I joined Duval Audubon to support the positive impact on birds through membership. While serving on the Board of Directors, I’ve enjoyed connecting with you all at our community walks and events. This Fall, I helped organize a Bird Trivia Night, group walks, and my first Mindful Birding outing–delightful times and I’m excited for more in 2026! Have you been to Hog Island (or now dream about going)? You can check out the 2026 camp schedule here! Want to connect with the Duval Audubon community? Here are a few ways you can support our mission and connect with us: join or renew your Audubon membership, find a volunteer opportunity you enjoy, join our “Best of Us” celebration on December 15th, and share our work with your friends and family. Joyful birding! BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: COREY JONES Meet Corey Jones, Education & Youth Outreach Board Member!
Today, Corey loves birding for its accessibility. You don’t need fancy equipment or a remote destination—great birding moments can happen right in your own backyard. One species that especially fascinated him early on was the American Crow, which visited his yard daily for peanuts. Corey also enjoys sharing the hobby with family, friends, students, and coworkers by teaching them the basics—and he loves seeing that moment when something clicks for them. Corey joined the Duval Audubon Society because he wanted to be part of the larger mission behind the hobby. He values the opportunity to educate the community, help people connect with nature, and support meaningful conservation work throughout Northeast Florida. Serving on the board allows him to contribute to efforts that make it easy for people to care about the environment right where they live. Bonus fact: Corey’s favorite bird is the Osprey! Be sure to say hello to Corey at one of our upcoming Education & Youth Outreach events! AUDUBON CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT
If you have volunteered for the Jacksonville CBC in the past, you have probably already been contacted by your team leader, but if you are new to the CBC and interested in participating this year, please reach out to 2025 Jacksonville CBC count organizer James Wheat at james.a.wheat@gmail.com. New volunteers are welcome! UPCOMING EVENTS It's almost the end of the year! Here's what's happening this month:
Activities may be added after the publication of this newsletter, so check our Calendar of Events for the most current schedule. Hope to see you soon! Duval Audubon Society, Inc.
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