Choctawhatchee Audubon Society

Calendar of Events (View Past Events)

Choctawhatchee Audubon Society Events

August 7, 2008: “Dragonflies” CAS Board Member Sharon Weaver will share photos of local dragonflies. We will learn why they are essential indicators of pond health and how to attract them to our own backyards.

September 4, 2008: “History of the Coffeen Nature Preserve” Susan Burch Paladini, resident manager for Coffeen Nature preserve will talk about it’s transformation from WWII missile launch site to Nature Preserve.

October 2, 2008: “Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge” Rescued animal ambassadors will accompany Patrick Gault, Assistant Director for ECWR while he discusses the refuge, their mission, and their future.

November 1, 2008: “Filming Nature” Filmmaker Elam Stoltzfus will discuss how an image can convey an important message when filming nature by telling stories, capturing images and creating partnerships.

December 9, 2008: “Rare CBC Birds and the IBW Search" Celebrate the season during our Christmas Party lakeside in DeFuniak Springs where local birding expert and CAS Bird Count Coordinator, Don Ware will show slides of birds that we may see during the Christmas Bird Count and he’ll update us on the local IBW search.

January 8, 2009: “Gulf Sturgeons” USFWS Biologist Frank Parauka has monitored Gulf sturgeons for 20 years. His presentation will cover their life history, USFWS recovery plans, current population estimates in the panhandle and threats to habitat. He will demonstrate telemetry and tagging equipment.

February 5, 2009: “Geology of the Choctaw Basin” Dr Jonathan Bryan, Professor of Earth Sciences at NWF State College (F-OWC) will tell us all about the origin of the Choctawhatchee Basin and some of the strange creatures that once lived there.

March 5, 2009: “RCW’s“ Kelly Jones Project Manager of the Virginia Tech Red-cockaded Woodpecker project at Eglin AFB will present an overview of the status of the RCW. In addition he will talk about how longleaf pine ecosystem management has preserved some amazing biodiversity in addition to the target species that are managed.

April 2, 2009: “Gopher Tortoises” Biologist Bob Walker of Nokuse Plantation will give a presentation on the conservation of gopher tortoises and the success of reestablishing tortoise populations from specimens relocated from throughout Florida.

May 7, 2009: “Flight & Migration” Alan W. Knothe, Education and Training Specialist at Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Preserve will speak about the physics of bird flight, flight adaptations, migration and navigation.

All Programs are free and open to the public, meeting on the first Thursday of the month, August through May at 6:30PM. Location: OWC Niceville campus in the Learning Resources Center (LRC), Room 128. The LRC is next door to Building K and is attached to the Library by a covered courtyard. Refreshments, socialization and conservation topics at 6:30 p.m. prior to the featured speaker at 7 p.m.

Audubon Eventures

Attention Families, Scout Groups and all Wildlife Lovers!

Discover the sights and sounds of nature at night with AUDUBON EVENTURE'S. Nonie of Nonie's Ark Animal Encounters will be guiding FREE Night Walks for Choctawhatchee Audubon Society on the FIRST FRIDAY of the months Sept, Oct, Nov, Feb, Mar, Apr, May. Programs will last approximately 1 1/2 hour and begin just before sunset. All are invited but the focus will be on ages 4 to 10. We will explore for elusive creatures such as fox, owls, frogs and even bats! Call for Times, Locations and RSVP - 862-9588

September 5, 2008: TBD
October 3, 2008: TBD
November 7, 2008: TBD
February 6, 2009: TBD
March 6, 2009: TBD
April 3, 2009: TBD
May 1, 2009: TBD

Chapter Walks

August 22, 2008: Bird Walk to Fort Walton Beach / Okaloosa County spray fields and holding pond, meet at Coach-N-Four 7:30am, call Don M Ware ... 862.6582
October 11, 2008: Bird Walk to Okaloosa Island, meet at Destin Bridge West Parking lot 7:30am, call Lenny Fennimore ... 863.2039
November 8, 2008: Bird Walk to Fort Walton Beach area City Parks, meet at Uptown Station 7:30am, call Thelma Phillips ... 651-0508
January 10, 2009: Bird Walk to Bluewater Bay / Lake Pippin area, meet at Winn Dixie 7:30am, call Don M Ware ... 862.6582
January 24, 2009: Bird Walk to Niceville area, meet at Kmart 7:30am, call Bob Penhollow ... 729-2602
February 28, 2009: Bird Walk to Valparaiso area, meet at Badcock at 7:30am, call Pat Baker ... 678.2953
March 28, 2009: Bird Walk to Fort Walton Beach / Okaloosa County spray fields and holding pond, meet at Coach-N-Four 7:30am, call Carole Goodyear ... 897.2666
April 11, 2009: Bird Walk to South Walton Courthouse Annex area & Jolee Island inside Sandestin, meet at the Sandestin Publix at 7:30am, call Stacy Meader & Thelma Phillips ... 218.9620

All levels of experience, members and non-members alike are invited to all events. You are encouraged to wear long pants and bring binoculars, a bird book, and bug spray.

Events In Our Area

September 20, 2008: International Coastal Clean-up, 8-11am. Call Nancy Hussong ... 651-7131

September 20, 2008: North American Fall Migration Bird Count. Call Don M Ware ... 862.6582

October 4-16, 2008: Fall Banding at Ft. Morgan and Dauphin Island. Carpools can be arranged by Bob Penhollow ... 729-2602

October 17-19, 2008: Back 2 Nature Festival in South Walton www.southwaltoncc.org

December 9, 2008: CAS Christmas Party on the lake in Defuniak Springs - watch website for more details coming soon.

December 12/15, 2008: Christmas Bird Count, to volunteer call Don M Ware ... 862.6582

February 13-16, 2009: CAS annual retreat, Port St Joe, watch website for more details coming soon.

March 14, 2009: Fieldtrip to Shoal River Sanctuary, meet at Badcock in Niceville at 7:30am. Call Larson’s ... 651-0392

April, 18, 2009: International Coastal Clean-up. To volunteer call Nancy Hussong ... 651.7131

May 9, 2009: North American Spring Migration Count & International Migratory Bird Day. To volunteer, call Don M Ware ... 862.6582