NEW DATE!
We will meet at the Butler Park parking lot just off Price Blvd. on the east corner of the park property. We will take an easy walk on the green and mostly shady path along the Myakkahatchee Creek looking for birds. The path is half paved and half boardwalk. The bird walk length is about 2.5 miles round trip.
Host: Bill Fairbank, wgfairbank@gmail.com
All participants will be required to sign a waiver before beginning the field trip.
Registration is appreciated but not required.
Birding here in past years in spring has been great. We’ll look for waders, waterfowl, warblers and more.
About 1.5 miles walking along level trails. Meet in the parking lot at 8:30 a.m.
Host: Bailey Cleveland, baileyclevelant@veniceaudubon.org
REGISTRATION OPENS ON September 1.
Children ages 3 to 5 years old and an accompanying adult are invited to learn about the natural world all around us by looking for clues in nature. Big Naturalist and environmental educator Eileen Gerle leads this hour-long program that includes story time, a nature walk, and a craft.
Please sign up for each month separately. The themes are:
Children are asked to wear sturdy, closed footwear and to bring a water bottle. Registration is limited to twelve to ensure a small group experience.
PLEASE NOTE: This year's program takes place at Shamrock Park Nature Center, 3900 Shamrock Dr., Venice, FL 34293.
There is no fee but donations are welcome.
If you have any questions, contact Eileen Gerle at eileengerle@gmail.com.
Download event flyer.
Registration is required.
Read the book and join the in-person Book Club discussion on the 2nd Monday of the month.
The Arbornaut: A Life Discovering the Eighth Continent in the Trees Above Us by Meg Lowman is a memoir of her journey into the tree canopy. She is a biologist and one of the first tree canopy scientists while continuing to be a fierce advocate for the preservation of global forests. An educator and a mentor, she was also inspired to create the Canopy Walkway at Myakka River State Park in Sarasota, Florida.
Registration not necessary but appreciated.
NOTE: This is for in-person discussion. The Zoom discussion group will be listed as a separate, registration required event.
Join leaders Patti Haynes and Bob Clark on a tour around Lake Jervey and the surrounding SCF campus, located just south of the Wellen Park retail area on U.S. 41. Enjoy herons, egrets, ducks and more, highlighted by colorful Purple Gallinules.
Meet at 8:00 a.m. in the main parking lot next to the lake. Please note: most of this walk takes place on a paved path around the lake, so it is a particularly good walk for those with some physical limitations, including those requiring walkers or wheelchairs.
Host: Patti Haynes and Bob Clark, rlwclark@gmail.com
Participants will be required to sign a waiver before beginning the field trip.
NOTE: This is an online Zoom discussion.
Registration required to receive the Zoom link.
Volunteer Saturdays are scheduled from 9-11 AM. Whether you can volunteer just once or on a regular basis, please join us! Youth volunteers under age 18 are welcome with an adult.
Gardening and outdoor projects will be a priority, weather permitting. Indoor projects may include preparing the Center and/or materials for upcoming events and activities. Projects will vary seasonally or by need. We suggest you bring water, sunscreen, bug spray, a hat, and sturdy shoes.
Contact Bailey Cleveland at baileycleveland@veniceaudubon.org if you need more information.
Registration is appreciated to help us prepare our projects, but not required.
The Audubon Christmas Bird Count is the oldest community science project in the United States with the first count taking place on December 25, 1900. The history of this event has grown tremendously since then and occurs annual between December 14 and January 5, utilizing thousands of volunteers throughout the country.
Venice Area Audubon Society, a long-time participant in this project, adds to the national bird count by surveying the local Venice-Englewood area annually on one designated morning. Over 100 volunteers survey a 15-mile circumference circle extending from downtown Venice to I-75 to Manasota Key. Volunteers proceed to specific locations to observe and record the species and number of birds sighted, then report the information to the VAAS Christmas Bird Count coordinator for submission to National Audubon.
Plan to join us for the CBC After Social at the Venice Audubon Center at 4 PM. Snacks and beverages provided. BYOB if you choose. Share your count experience, any rare bird sightings, and general good cheer as we toast to our participation in this 125th annual event!
New volunteers and new birders are always welcome!
Please register to receive further details about the event. NOTE: Last day to register is November 30.
Jim will also lead a Scrub Jay bird walk at Oscar Scherer State Park on Tuesday, January 14 at 8:30 AM. Details on the Calendar.
6:00 - Socializing and light refreshments
6:15 - Brief announcements/chapter business as needed
6:30 - Program begins
Walk around the Grand Lake at Wellen Park to see wading birds, ducks, fly-overs and possibly least bitterns. The path is easy to walk because it is packed shell or paved. Meet out in front of Foxtail Coffee House in downtown Wellen Park at 8:00 AM. After the walk, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy getting to know fellow birders.
Hosts: Pattie Haynes and Bob Clark. Contact: Bob Clark, rlwclark@gmail.com
All participants will be required to sign a liability waiver before beginning the bird walk.
Join us for an approximately 45 minute, docent-led sunset walk around the Rookery Pond. Gather at the Rookery Park pavilion to meet your walk leader, then head to the pond and the short, trail/path walk (approximately 1/3 mile) around the pond while learning about the natural history of the bird species on the Rookery island and in the park.
The walk will feature nesting Great blue heron, Double-crested cormorant, Anhinga, White ibis and more as the breeding season proceeds into the spring. Little blue heron, Glossy ibis, Green heron, Purple martins and other birds are also seen around the pond and park throughout the spring season.
Alligators patrol the pond surrounding the Rookery island. The walk ends in time to for you to watch the park's resident bats leave their bat houses near the pond to begin their nightly feeding.
Dress for the weather including a light jacket on cool evenings, bug spray, and water, if needed. Binoculars will enhance your viewing experience. Limited binoculars are available for loan.
Registration is not required.
Join us for Mondays @ 10, a free, weekly series of presentations about various bird and nature topics from January 6 through April 14.
Are you interested in birding but don't know where to start? Learn about common birds of southwest Florida, how to "bird" and identify species by using binoculars, field guides, and observations. Bring your binoculars or borrow from Venice Audubon because we'll walk around the property to put your new skills to use. Wear clothing suitable for the weather including sun/insect protection and sturdy shoes. Bring your own binoculars or borrow from Venice Audubon for the walk around the property.
Presenter: Jean Pichler
All are welcome - members of the public as well as Venice Audubon Members.
Read the book if you can, but please join the in-person Book Club discussion this month even if you haven't had time or opportunity to do so.
Owls have evoked many reactions and plenty of interest throughout time. In literature and in person, they're often perceived as mysterious, wise, and even aloof. In her book, What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds, science writer Jennifer Ackerman offers readers a wealth of information about many species of owls, explaining some of the unique characteristics of owls that make them such unique birds, including the most recent scientific understanding of their communication abilities.
Jim Rogers, a local scrub jay expert and Venice Area Audubon Chapter member, will guide us through the park to the areas that scrub jays have been seen. He will tell us about the unique family life of the scrub jays and explain how they are adapted to the scrub habitat. Jim volunteers for Audubon Florida's Jay Watch program and the Oscar Scherer scrub-jay census program. During our walk, Jim will share how the scrub jay census works, why banding is important, and much more.
There is a Park entry fee of $5 per car. Meet at the park Nature Center. The trails are sandy. Walks cover about 2 miles and take about 2 hours.
Host: Bill Fairbank, wgfairbank@gmail.com, Guide: Jim Rogers
Learn about some of the amazing shorebirds that breed on our local beaches from February through August, the challenges they face due to habitat loss and human impacts, and ways we can help protect these vulnerable populations.
Presenter: Mary Lundeberg
The Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, established in 1970 to study the wild dolphins of Sarasota Bay, is now the longest running study of a wild dolphin population in the world. Join us as we learn about this unique research program and what insights researchers have gathered in over 50 years of data in a changing environment. In addition to the dolphins, all marine species and birds that utilize Sarasota Bay and its connected waterways are facing challenges to their ecosystems. How can we respond to ensure the survival of species in Sarasota Bay?
Sarasota Dolphin Research Program's website: https://sarasotadolphin.org/
Alligators are amazing creatures! Learn fascinating information about our reptile neighbors and the important role they play in Florida's ecosystems.
Presenter: Teresa Good, Sarasota County Parks
Learn about the natural history of the Venice Rookery's iconic birds. This program focuses on bird species that make the Rookery island their nesting home. Participants will learn about reproductive strategies including breeding behaviors, nest building, incubation, chick rearing, and fledging.
After the presentation and discussion, the group will observe the nesting birds at the Rookery. Wear clothing suitable for the weather including sun protection and sturdy shoes. Bring your own binoculars or borrow from Venice Audubon for the walk around the property.
Presenter: Eileen Gerle
Florida is home to several species of bats including the most common Brazilian free-tailed bat. Venice Rookery Park hosts six bat houses and hundreds of bats in each one that take flight every evening shortly after sunset. While often vilified, bats fulfill a critical role in our ecosystem and live an amazing life as a winged mammal.
Presenter: Dr. Katherine Clements, UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County
Among the oldest species in the world and unchanged for millions of years, sea turtles nest on our local beaches amidst dangers both natural and human caused. Successfully growing from hatchling to maturity is a massive challenge for the five sea turtle species that nest along Florida's coastline.
Eileen Gerle, a Coastal Wildlife Club sea turtle nest monitor, takes us on the journey through Florida's sea turtles' natural history. Current data on local nest counts and changing trends will be presented, along with actions we as birders and environmentally concerned citizens can take to increase sea turtles' odds of living a healthy, safe lifespan.
Mark your calendar for Rookery Day, a fun, family-friendly morning at the Venice Audubon Center and Audubon Rookery Park.
The Florida Scrub-Jay is our state's only endemic bird and is a "must see" species. Loss of scrub habitat threatens the future of the Florida Scrub-Jay, but current populations are highly documented through various research efforts, including Audubon Florida's JayWatch program. Jim will share his knowledge and experiences as a JayWatch volunteer, along with photographs of some of the well-established scrub-jay families in local parks and preserves.
Presenter: Jim Rogers
WAITLIST ONLY. For additional information and to be added to the waitlist, email Eileen Gerle at info@veniceaudubon.org.
Join Venice Area Audubon's Eileen Gerle in Costa Rica for an 11 day adventure, hosted by Holbrook Travel. Birding locations inclue Savegre, Sarapiqui, Arenal, and Carara to visit Caribbean lowlands, premontane forest, tropical dry forest, mangroves, páramo, and more during hikes, boat rides, and an elevated tree canopy trail tour.
The trip is limited to 12 participants. Cost is approximately $3,300 per person. Airfare not included.
Many people have some familiarity with Purple Martins and the tradition of providing housing for the birds. But do you know how fascinating this species' life really is? Enjoy the presentation about the purple martins' natural history and the Venice Area Audubon colony's breeding season data, then participate in a nest count of eggs and babies as part of our ongoing data collection that continues throughout the breeding season.
Presenters: Barbara and Bob Zittel
Tonight we celebrate all the volunteers who shared their time, talents, and enthusiasm this year to bring the Venice Area Audubon programs, events, and activities to life.
This is a night for EVERYONE - volunteers and those who appreciate our volunteers! Come to celebrate and congratulate, and perhaps be inspired to volunteer in the future.
Additional details to come.
Fire can be many things: frightening, destructive, fascinating, and necessary. In Florida, numerous plant and animal species depend on ecosystems that experience occasional fires. Today's program addresses the use of managed fires as a land management tool to protect and maintain Florida's natural environment.
The unmistakable Crested Caracara can often been seen in open landscapes and sometimes even along rural roadsides in the Venice area. Is it a falcon? a hawk? an eagle? Learn about this striking bird and some of its unique characteristics that make it one of the most sought-after sightings for visitors to south Florida.
6:30 - Meeting begins
Email: info@veniceaudubon.org
Telephone: 941-496-8984
Sarasota County Call Center: 941-861-5000 (General information and directions)
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