Wingspan Newsletter | November 2024

Wingspan

St. Petersburg Audubon Society’s Monthly Newsletter

November 2024

American Flamingos in Florida

Join Jerry Lorenz of Audubon Florida as he takes us on a journey into the world of American Flamingos in Florida. With the flamingo craze at the end of 2023 following Hurricane Idalia, we became enamored with these pink birds. Learn more about them and their wild journey.

Register here.

Preorder your 2025 Calendar!

Cover Photo: Chris St. Michael

Thank you, photographers!

Thanks to our amazing community, we received over 150 stunning photos from more than 30 talented photographers! Our top categories this year were Share the Shore, Mealtime, and Birds of Prey. We had so many breathtaking captures of birds this year in each category! This year’s calendar is a true celebration of Florida’s birds.

Pre-sale starts now! Reserve your 2025 calendar with a collection of this year’s images to support local conservation efforts.

Thank you for supporting St. Pete Audubon!

Courtnee Parr, Fundraising Chair

Pre-order your calendar now!

Brews for Birds Fundraiser

Join us for an exciting brewery crawl to support local wildlife rehabilitation efforts! Many owls, hawks, and vultures are suffering after consuming rats poisoned by anticoagulant rodenticides. Your participation will contribute to funding laboratory tests that confirm these cases, aiding in the conservation of these vital bird species.

Sip on some delicious brews while learning about local bird species and conservation efforts. There will be trivia, a silent auction, raffles, a bird-costume contest, and even a chance to meet some rescued birds up close. For your $25 donation, you will get a commemorative pint glass and some other bird-related swag. Special beers and other beverages will be available for purchase at each location (100% of the ticket sales will go to the cause). Additional donations will go directly to Seaside Seabird Sanctuary for rebuilding efforts.

Get your ticket(s) here!

Join Laura M. for a free lesson on Bird Adaptations at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve on Saturday, November 2nd from 9:00 - 10:30am. This presentation is suited for grades 3-6, but all are welcome! Explore bird beaks, feet, feathers, and more while learning how these adaptations aid in survival. This is a hands-on lesson with an art component and aviary walk.

St. Pete Audubon members joined a celebration of Dr. Gabe Vargo at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, where their aviary has been renamed in his memory. Gabe was a longtime board member of SPAS that oversaw the very successful Raptors on the Move program.

Chapter member Sarah volunteered at the Florida Birding & Nature Festival, where we raised additional money for Seaside Seabird Sanctuary. Thank you all that donated!

November Field Trips

November 9 (Saturday): Largo Central Park Nature Preserve with Cuneyt Yilmaz

November 23 (Saturday): Roosevelt Wetlands with Eric Plage

Upcoming Events

November 2: Bird Adaptations at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve

November 7-9: Audubon Assembly, Daytona Beach

November 10: Brews for Birds, St. Petersburg

November 19: General Meeting & Program (Zoom)

Click here for a full description of field trips and events.

Local Environmental News

Red tide detected off of Pinellas, Hillsborough, Sarasota, and Manatee counties

4 manatees rescued after getting stuck in Pinellas pond after Hurricane Helene

News from Audubon

Storm Update: Shorelines Shift after Hurricanes Helene and Milton

Senator Gayle Harris Wins Audubon Florida’s 2024 Teddy Roosevelt Award

Bird Buddy Partners with the National Audubon Society to Elevate Bird Conservation Efforts

Shop SPAS