February 27: Bird Walk at FWB Landfill. Alan Knothe, Choctawhatchee Audubon Society President and resident birding expert, will lead a walk at the FWB landfill, an area noted for it’s abundance and diversity of birds. Meet at Pepitos, 1313 N Lewis Turner Blvd, FWB at 7:30. Dress for the weather, wear closed toed shoes and bring binoculars. Call Alan for more details at 850 208-1780.
March 3: MONTHLY MEETING:
“The Biology of Marine Birds” by Professor Emeritus Don Baltz, Louisiana State University. Dr. Baltz will explore the biology of the four primary groups of marine birds, Sphenisciformes (Penguins), Procellariiformes (Albatrosses and relatives), Pelecaniformes (Cormorants and relatives), and Charadriiformes (Gulls and relatives). These groups include about 275 species distributed around the world. Each group shares unique characteristics, but families and species within each group make a living in the marine environment in diverse ways. Many other species, which are considered secondary marine birds, use the marine environment in some manner but breed and rear their young in freshwater systems.
The meeting will be held in Room 130 of the new Student Services Building at Northwest Fl State College main campus in Niceville. Socializing begins at 6:30 PM, and the program begins at 7:00. Admission is free and open to the interested public. Call or e-mail Dr Don Baltz at 225 252-2760, dbaltz46@yahoo.com for more information.
March 12: Bird Walk at South Walton Courthouse and Local Area. Join Dee Nickerson for a pleasant walk through the trails around the Courthouse to search for early migrants and warblers, lunch afterwards. Meet at the BWB Winn Dixie parking lot at 7:30 a.m. or the South Walton courthouse at 8:15. For additional information contact Dee at 850-499-9269
March 19: Field trip to 7 Pines Nursery. Travel to North Walton County to see a native plant nursery and farm. Meet at the Niceville CVS parking lot at 7:30 and drive North on HY 285, turn right on HY 90, then left at HY 331 and go 6 miles. Turn right on HY 192 and at 2 miles, look for signs on the right. For additional information contact Dara Dobson at 850-830-8996.
March 26: Field Trip to Eglin Reservation. Join experienced birder Malcolm Swan and search for Bachman’s Sparrows and colonies of Red Cockaded Woodpeckers on Eglin Reservation. Participants must purchase a recreation permit from Jackson Guard prior to the event date. This can be done online, by visiting Jacksonguard.com. Meet at the Air Force Armament Museum parking lot at 7:00 a.m. For additional information, contact Malcolm Mark Swan at 210-343-9082.
Please note that the interested public is invited to all of the above events. Children are permitted if they are supervised by their parents.