Tampa Audubon Society

Ann Paul, President Tampa Audubon Society Recently, I was asked about Tampa Audubon Society's mission statement, and whether it reflects what we do and what we want to work on in the future. So, I looked at the mission with a new eye, and  I want to share my thoughts.  Our mission is to: Conserve and restore our ecosystems, focusing on birds, wildlife, and their habitats, through education, advocacy, and community involvement.   Our members want to make the world a better place, and we know we can't change everything. But we can address those concerns related to our passions and expertise. And, we have things we enjoy and that we can do together, as people of like minds. Plus, we just like to get together to talk birds. So, with a lofty goal of restoring local habitats, we can use our influence and support to help our city, county and state land managers as they use science to improve and restore places in Hillsborough County, where birds and other animals live. We partic...

After serving as Photo Club Leader for many years, Joel Jackson recently stepped down from that position. Our new Photo Club Leader is Jonathan Hoiles. Originally from Alabama, Jonathan moved to Tampa in 2021 after retiring from a 20-year career in the Navy. It was while he was in the Navy that Jonathan became interested in bird photography. In 2011 he was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, where initially he photographed seascapes and historical landmarks. While scouting for locations, he frequently found himself in the company of Japanese bird photographers, and he soon joined them. The Warbling white-eye (Mejiro), the Common Kingfisher, and endangered species, such as the Black-faced Spoonbill and Okinawa Rail, were regular subjects. Today, Jonathan enjoys photographing Florida’s birds. He enjoys photographing all birds, but the Roseate Spoonbill, Reddish Egret and Burrowing Owl are some of his favorites. But the bird he most enjoys photographing is the Snowy Egret with its snowy...

  By Wild Birds Unlimited, Tampa Would you stake your life on your memory? For many of us, probably not! But if forced to, how would you deal with a situation where the ability to remember where you put some food would be the difference between life and death? Well, if you could mimic a chickadee, you would simply grow more memory cells to make sure you don't forget! Each fall, chickadees begin caching seeds by the thousands. By storing seeds, they ensure they will have something to eat during harsh weather and when natural foods become scarce. In a behavior called scatter hoarding, each seed they collect is hidden in a unique location. Common storage sites include under tree bark, dead leaves, clusters of conifer needles, in knotholes and even under house siding and shingles. The amazing thing is that chickadees can accurately remember the location of each and every one of the seeds they hide! It all has to do with their hippocampus, the region of the brain that stores locational ...

Tampa Audubon is grateful  to Joel Jackson for sharing his love  of nature with the wildlife and  people of Tampa. Joel Jackson addresses the group at the dedication. Tampa Audubon President Ann Paul is joined by Mike Mullins and Mary Miller. Ann Paul presents Joel a Tampa Audubon 50th Anniversary hat. Joel and Barbara Jackson with county commissioners and county and park staff.  

Hillsborough County official Ross Dickerson will discuss the economic value of the county's environmental land program, ELAPP, at the next Tampa Audubon meeting Oct. 6. Dickerson is the Environmental Lands Manager for Hillsborough County. Our October speaker, Ross Dickerson Hillsborough County Dickerson's presentation starts at 7:30 pm at the UF/IFAS Extension office, 5339 County Line Road 579, Seffner. The talk is preceded by an optional Photo Club meeting at 6 pm and an optional potluck at 7 pm. You do not have to be a Tampa Audubon member or register to attend. Join us on Zoom by clicking here . Lands preserved through the Jan K. Platt Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program (ELAPP) provide nearly $100 million in ecosystem services benefits per year through flood protection, climate regulation, air pollution removal, and water quality regulation. ELAPP sites also provide habitat for birds and wildlife and a places for people to enjoy nature. ELAPP was born in ...

Below is our proposed schedule of speakers for 2022/2023. Our locations will rotate between two locations: 1) Tampa Garden Club,   2629 Bayshore Blvd, Tampa, FL 33629 2) Hillsborough County Extension Office Classroom ,  5339 County Rd 579, Seffner, FL 33584 Nightly Meeting Timeline 6:00 pm - Photo Club (click here to learn how to participate)  ​ ​ 7:00 pm - Potluck Dinner, Announcements (Bring a covered dish to share)   7:30 pm - Scheduled Program/  Presentation  Dates, Locations & Speakers • November 3 ,  Tampa Garden Club  – John Lampkin, A Butterflies' Guide to the Galaxy, or Florida at least   • December 1 ,  Extension Office, Seffner –  Nancy Murrah, Raptor Center of Tampa Bay • January 5 ,  Tampa Garden Club –  Mary Miller, Bluebird Trails in Hillsborough County   • February 2 ,  Extension Office, Seffner –  Joe Whalen, Tampa Bay Estuary Program, waters of Tampa Bay   • March 2,   Tampa ...