Orange Audubon Society

Although many stories have been told about the Everglades from its drainage to restoration, few have been told about where it all begins: the Kissimmee River Basin. Restoration and protection of this vast, watery landscape may well hold the key to restoration of the Greater Everglades ecosystem. The Kissimmee Basin: the Northern Everglades is a film produced by Elam Stoltzfus of Live Oak Production Group. The film contains lush and ethereal cinematography and rare historic photos to bring the Kissimmee’s story into focus. In-depth interviews bring you face-to-face with the engineers, activists, ranchers, military personnel and politicians critical in this river’s history. Orange Audubon Society supports the effort to create a national wildlife refuge in the Kissimmee Basin. For our May program, we are delighted to host the filmmaker and show this beautiful film. For more information go to: www.NorthernEverglades.com

Join us May 17 for a fascinating program. Orange Audubon Society programs are free and no reservations are necessary. Programs are held in the Camellia Room of Leu Gardens,1920 N. Forest Avenue, Orlando (for directions call 407-246-2620).

This Month's Field Trip

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Circle Bar B Ranch

at the Circle B Bar Reserve, Lakeland

Orange Audubon Society’s May 19^th field trip will visit the Circle B Bar Reserve, 4399 Winter Lake Road, Lakeland, FL. To learn more about this diverse place, go to http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/

circlebbarreserve.html.

We will meet our trail guide—Lake Region Audubon Society member, naturalist, and photographer, Herman Moulden—there at 8:30 a.m. “Circle B”, jointly owned by Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) and Polk County, is home to some of the most impressive bird activity on SWFWMD property and includes a variety of wading birds, waterfowl, ospreys and bald eagles. Oak hammock, freshwater marsh, hardwood swamp and the lakeshore are among the habitats of this property. We will do about 3 miles of leisurely hiking and photographing (these birds are usually up-close!). Bring drinks, sunscreen, hats, binoculars and cameras. Also, bring lunch and the kids and enjoy the on-site Polk County Nature Discovery Center (http://www.polk-county.net/newsdetail.aspx?id=9698) on your own after our hike, if you wish.

Plan to meet for carpooling at 7:15 a.m. (to leave by 7:30) at the southwest corner of the parking lot between Whole Foods Market at 8003 Turkey Lake Rd, Orlando and O’Charley’s (Sand Lake Rd and Turkey Lake Rd intersection near I-4). This field trip is free. For trip details, call Loretta at 407-421-9437

Loretta Satterthwaite

In Memory of

Barry Bostian

1940 - 2012

Barry Bostian, a long time member OAS, passed away on April 22, at his home in Orlando, FL. He was 71. Please click here to read his complete obituary as published in the New York Times.

It is his family's wish that ". . . in lieu of flowers, please consider planting a tree or shrub with Barry in mind or making a donation to the Orange Audubon Society . . ."

To make contributions, In memory of Barry Bostian click the above donate button.

Thank you to ALL

who made the 2012

OAS boat trip a success!

We spent an afternoon touring the backwaters of the St. Johns River. Captain Gary Randlett, a knowledgeable naturalist, guided us through parts of Florida that civilization forgot. There was prolific wildlife along the way that calls this home just as they did before the European settlers arrived.

Because of the overwhelming response to this OAS fund-raiser we commissioned 2 boats, one departing at 1 pm and the other at 3:30 pm. The weather was perfect and the scenery was most enjoyable. We saw many, many blue herons, little blues in different phases, gallinules, coots, moorhens, limpkins, … Some of the highlights were an American bittern, an cormorant swallowing a fish bigger than the bird, and a vegetation-eating manatee. What a treat!

I hope you saw Milton Heiberg’s slide show at the last program meeting. It also included some shots taken by Bob Stamps. If you missed it, you can enjoy it on this web site:

For Flash CLICK HERE

For Adobe Acrobat CLICK HERE

Thanks again to all who have helped bring this event together. Hopefully we will be able to do it again next year.

Danielle Ponsolle-Heiberg