Shell Creek Preserve Dedication

On April 14th, eight PRAS members went on a "surprise" walk to Charlotte County's newest birding opportunity, Shell Creek Preserve. This preserve, located off Washington Loop, about 2 miles upriver from Hathaway Park, was the first purchase using Conservation Charlotte tax dollars. PRAS was excited to be invited by the Charlotte County Natural Resources Division to take part in the dedication of this park. Prior to the dedication ceremony, we saw 35 species with highlights including nesting pilliated woodpeckers, a swallow tailed kite, purple gallinule, and a limpkin waving at us from atop a short tree.

Right now access is only by paddling from Hathaway Park, however a walk-through gate is planned for the near future. This "surprise" walk was announced to those who were signed up for either our Nature Alert or PRAS Updates email lists. If you would like to be made aware of future "surprise" trips, simply enter your email address above the subscribe buttons at the top of this page.

PRAS College Scholarship Fund Established

Thanks to a generous $5,000 bequest by deceased member LaDonna Kennedy, the PRAS board has established the Peace River Audubon Society College Scholarship Fund. It is an endowed fund to support an advanced college undergraduate environmental studies major residing in Charlotte or Desoto Counties. Our April Birdathon fundraiser added another $1,400 to the fund, so now we are more than 20% of the way to our $30,000 goal for the fund. Once the goal is attained, the interest earned will support yearly scholarships. If you would like to donate to this fund please contact our Treasurer Walt Williams at 235-3352.

If you would like to take advantage of the tax benefits for planned giving options by leaving a legacy through a bequest in your Will or through a gift annuity in yours or someone else's memory please contact your attorney or financial advisor. Your gift will support our work while meeting your own personal needs for income, retirement planning, and tax savings.

Evening with Audubon was a great success

An evening with Audubon was a great success! Jo Morrison, the keynote speaker, relayed stories of her experiences on the Babcock Ranch. After the presentation she autographed copies of her new book Babcock Ranch and Tales of Bygone Days. Our banquet was held at the Twin Isles Country Club and the food was wonderful. The silent auction for environmental education was a great success. A total of $1,600 was raised. Special thanks to all who made the banquet a success. Much work went into organizing, soliciting donations, and setting up the event.

Eva Furner swept the photo contest and won first, second and third place with her photos of courting terns, red-tailed tropic bird, and great horned owl. Congratulations to Eva and thanks to all the photographers for their wonderful photos!

Please be sure to frequent the local businesses who donated items for our event: Benadetto’s Restaurant, Grande Tours, Heron Creek, Joe Cracker Restaurant, Kingfisher Fleet, Mel’s Diner, Outback Steak House (Port Charlotte), Palmetto Grille, Portofinos Restaurant, Regal Cinema, Target (Port Charlotte), and TGI Fridays (Port Charlotte).

Please also frequent those not so local businesses who donated items: Busch Gardens, Edison Ford Winter Estates, Florida Aquarium, Florida Native Plants, Florida Railroad Museum, G Wiz Science Museum, Historic Bok Sanctuary, Imaginarium, Kennedy Space Center, Marie Selby Gardens, Mote Marine, Pineapple Press, and Sarasota Jungle Gardens.

Extra special thanks to the artists who donated their work: Linda Blondheim, Kevin Edwards, F. Stop Fitzgerald, Lester Kuhn, Jo Moorer, Linda Moreau, Wilder Scott and Starr Zachritz and finally, all the individuals who donated items.

Click here for Photo contest Rules

John J. Audubon: BIRDS OF FLORIDA

At the South Florida Museum
January 26, 2008 - April 27, 2008

John James Audubon's The Birds of America and his lifetime of written journals are renown to the world of fine art and natural science. On exhibit in the South Florida Museum's East Gallery are selections of original double elephant folio prints of Florida birds. There are 22 prints in the exhibit, mostly from a trip Audubon took from Jacksonville to Key West in the winter of 1831 and 1832. During that trip, Audubon made 32 drawings and collected specimens for his studies.

Click here for the Museum's website.

Bill Coombs Memorial Tree Planting

Come witness the planting of a tree in honor of the late Bill Coombs on Monday, February 4, 2008. A tree will be planted a 9:45 am at the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, 10941 Burnt Store Road.

Bill Coombs, who died January 4, 2007, was an active member of the Peace River Audubon Society and the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center. Bill was on the PRAS Board of Directors for at least 7 years where he served terms as President, Treasurer, and Nominating Committee Chair. He also served as our CHEC representative, webmaster, on the Membership committee, conducted fund raising sales, served on the bylaws committee, and on the Coalition for a Livable Environment and Neighborhoods.

He also began the compilation of the PRAS history and organized the archives. PRAS and CHEC owe much of their success to Bill.

Florida Master Naturalist Program

On December 8, in conjunction with the Florida Master Naturalist Program, PRAS volunteers Stu and Louise Lewis taught basic birding to about 30 eager adults at Ollie’s Pond. The
birds were apparently willing to participate as well and great looks were had of many species including a bufflehead which is not often seen in Charlotte County. For more information on the Florida Master Naturalist Program visit http://www.masternaturalist.ifas.ufl.edu/

If you would like to participate in the next course visit http://charlotte.ifas.ufl.edu/seagrant/sg-08-naturalist.htm or contact Roger DeBruler Jr.of the Charlotte County Extension office at 941.764.4340.

A Fun Day of Celebration

November 17 was the PRAS 30th Anniversary celebration in Ponce de Leon Park. About 50 of us gathered on this chilly morning for a day of exhilarating walks, engaging talks, and yummy food. The PRAS board set up displays about our organization including a beautiful picture display by Mary Ann and a thought provoking display on conservation by Stu Lewis. Several people had a blast searching for sea critters on the wading trip led by Monica Dorken of CHEC and others enjoyed talks by JoAnna Kincaid of the Peace River Wildlife Center, Paul Holmes, and Gil MacAdam who had lots of beautiful plants to show us and also led a thoroughly enjoyable nature walk. If you missed Gil's talk, be sure to see his longer Landscaping for Wildlife talk at this months Potluck meeting. Thanks also to Dan Artman and Ray Cady for being the grill masters and to everyone who helped make this day happen. Also, thanks to Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program and Publix for their generous sponsorship.

Click HERE For pictures.

Peace River Audubon Society
30th Anniversary Celebration
November 17 at Ponce de Leon Park

Wow, the Peace River Audubon Society turns 30!!!  Come celebrate 30 years of fun, conservation, and education on November 17 at Ponce de Leon Park in Punta Gorda. While the gate officially opens at 10:30, don't miss the pre-celebration wading trip at 9:30 sponsored by the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center . Walks and talks are from 10:30 to 2:00 and food will be served from 11:30 - 1:00.

Directions to Ponce de Leon park: from US41 in Punta Gorda, go north on W. Marion about 3 miles until the road ends in the park.

Walks :

Talks:

Sponsored in part by:

and

30 Years and Still Counting

Welcome PRAS members to our 30th year. Your board has prepared an excited calendar of events for 2007-8. Our meetings are full of exciting speakers and our field trip and walk-about schedules are sure to delight as we explore some of our old favorite spots and a few new ones. In November we will celebrate our 30 th anniversary with a gathering at Ponce de Leon Park with food, talks, a wading trip, birding walk, a tour of the Peace River Wildlife Center , and displays outlining our many contributions to our community over the years. From January to April, our new photography group chair Bill Marr has some exciting trips, instructional sessions, and photo sharing sessions planned. Hopefully you will be able to join us for our expanded Birdathon in March which will include several new ways to participate including a photographic birdathon and more. And of course in March our annual “Evening with Audubon” banquet will include our silent auction and photography contest. I look forward to seeing old and new faces beginning with our first meeting on September 20 at our new meeting location at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 2565 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte.

A New Day and Location
for PRAS Monthly Meetings

This coming year our member meetings will be held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church 2565 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte (just south of Midway Blvd). This is the church where we used to have meetings before Hurricane Charley. We are very thankful to have been invited back. The hall has now been rebuilt and will be a wonderful place to meet. Our next meeting will be held on Thursday, September 20 at 6:30 PM.

Member Survey

Please take a few moments to help us improve our chapter. Your input is essential in helping us design our programs to your interests. Click here to download a pdf version that you can print and mail to us..

PRAS Donates $2500 to the
Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center

Many of us may not realize but PRAS was a founding member of CHEC and maintains a seat on the board. As CHEC has grown we have strived to maintain a PRAS connection. Each year CHEC runs a 1 day environmental education course for all 4th grade children in Charlotte County. PRAS strongly believes that youth environmental education is critical for instilling a
lifelong appreciation of our natural world and responsible environmental stewardship. We salute CHEC in its efforts and are putting our money where our mouth is. Please join us at our
May 16 members meeting as we present $2,500 from the PRAS Environmental Education Fund to CHEC. We encourage you to visit this wonderful preserve and environmental education
center and participate in CHEC functions.