Birding

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Singing a song for food

Feed me, I’m hungry! These hungry mockingbird chicks look hungry as Jacquee Markel of Dune Allen snapped this photo. Jacquee said every time she or her husband Kenny went near the nest, the babies would stick their beaks out looking for food....

Morrison Springs renovation complete

Popular park reopens PONCE DE LEON – A newly renovated Morrison Springs is now open to the public. The 161-acre park is well known in the area, and popular with divers and nature enthusiasts across the south. The project started in 2007 and includes a new separate boat launch area and parking. This separate launching area provides a safer environment for divers and boaters. There is approximately 575 linear ft. of boardwalks meandering through the ancient cypress trees, and span...

Earth Day at Topsail spelled fun for kids

Kids have fun learning at Earth Day celebration Lots of activities entertained and educated children on Saturday Apr. 18 as folks celebrated Earth Day at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. There were booths and programs that included storytellers, puppet shows, book readings and music. Nonie Maines of  Nonie’s Ark Animal Encounters educates the children on frogs. Nonie hosts “EVEntuers” and animal encounter parties. To learn more about Nonie’s Ark, go to noniesark.com. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hosted bird...

E. O. Wilson Biophilia Center construction nears completion

Facility will provide extraordinary learning opportunities The long awaited $7 million dollar, 28,500 sq. ft. E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center has taken shape, with construction completion slated for June and grand opening in September. Developed by local conservationist, M.C. Davis on his 48,000-acre conservation land named Nokuse Plantation, the Center will offer students and visitors spectacular interactive exhibits which will offer a better understanding of the environment as well as educate on the importance of biodiversity, ecosystems, and to encourage conservation,...

Mallard ducklings don’t make good Easter presents

Think twice before putting Florida’s native wildlife in jeopardy With Easter approaching, many parents contemplate purchasing mallard ducklings as gifts for their children.  The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) suggests buying your child the stuffed-animal version instead. “Although these ducklings might make nice pets while they’re young, they can live 10 years and quickly outgrow the cute-and-fuzzy stage, leaving full-size droppings on your patio and outdoor furniture,” FWC waterfowl management coordinator Joe Benedict said.  “When this happens, parents...

A beautiful early morning view

Local couple enjoy a special treat as they drink their morning coffee Mike and Angela Ragsdale enjoyed a pleasant surprise in their backyard on Jan. 10. As they sipped their sunrise coffee, a bald eagle swooped in over the Bay and landed on a pine tree branch in their yard. “He sat there for 30-40 minutes, obviously looking for some breakfast,” Mike said. Mike and Angela live on the Choctawhatchee Bay in Santa Rosa Beach....

Local naturalist achieves success with bluebird breeding program

2008 season brings 317 bluebird fledglings Joe Wyatt, naturalist at Hammock Bay in Freeport, has been running a bluebird breeding program to increase the numbers of these beautiful indigenous birds. The success has been quite good. In 2008, the program recorded 317 bluebird fledglings, which resulted in a success rate of 77.78%. The program also resulted in 10 Carolina Chickadee fledglings, and 3 Brown-headed Nuthatch fledglings. Joe is looking for Hammock Bay resident volunteers to help with the 2009 program....

Watch for Great Florida Birding Trail signs in the Panhandle

New signs installed in the Panhandle area of trails The 2,000-mile Great Florida Birding Trail reaches another milestone with the installation of the Panhandle section road signs this month. Signs will mark each of the designated sites along the trail. The Great Florida Birding Trail is a conservation program initiated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) in response to the rapidly expanding sport of bird watching.  More than 485 exceptional sites throughout Florida have been chosen based...