Memorial Day weekend is upon us! Please keep these tips in mind while you are enjoying our beaches or boating in the local waterways. Share these tips with everyone you know so we can keep our shorebirds safe!
Bird Check List Specific to St. Lucie County
The county-specific bird check list is complete! There will be a link to the check list on the Web site, but if you want a copy before that happens, email stlucieaudubon@gmail.com and request a copy. Please use SLC Bird Checklist in the subject line.
This study was reported in the May 22 edition of our local newspaper. While individuals’ serum mercury levels were not qualified as “dangerous,” the levels were considerably higher than those in people who did not eat seafood from the Indian River Lagoon. Even more concerning was the finding that eating any seafood, regardless of origin, raised blood mercury levels. This is an issue we will need to follow.
Thank You from Liz Bardsley
The chapter as a whole received a thank you note from Liz Bardsley related to our donation in Bruce’s name that was used to fund the Bruce Bardsley Memorial Bird-A-Thon. The note reads:
To the Audubon Society,
Thank you very much for the donation made in Bruce’s memory. It is a joy he really appreciated.
This is the video feed from a Great Blue Heron nest in Sapsucker Woods. The nest is monitored by Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
The photos of the albino Ruby-throated Hummingbird were taken August 16, 2012 in Staunton, VA. Albinism is the result of a genetic defect in melanin production, so feathers, skin, and eyes have no color. Typically, eyes are pink or red, like this bird’s eyes.
Environmental Land Acquisition—St. Lucie County BOCC Meeting May 1
On May 1, there will be a public hearing on the acquisition of a parcel of land on the North Fork of the St. Lucie River as a county park and conservation area. The property is a former plant nursery located at the southern end of Palmetto Avenue in Fort Pierce. Current plans include wetlands restoration, a picnic pavilion, and connecting the new property to the Captain Hammond Hammock property via footbridge. For more information, contact:
Steven J. Fousek
Environmental Lands Coordinator
Environmental Resources Department
St. Lucie County
2300 Virginia Avenue
Ft. Pierce, FL 34982
fouseks@stlucieco.org
