January 3: Monthly Meeting: The program for the January meeting of the Choctawhatchee Audubon Society, “Hombres, Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves: Bottlenose dolphin site fidelity, habitat use, and causes of mortality along the Western Florida Panhandle,” will be presented by Steve Shippee of both the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge and the University of Central Florida Dept. of Biology, Physiological Ecology, and Bioenergetics Lab. Mr. Shippee has been studying our local dolphin population for several years and has some interesting results to share.
The meeting and program are free and open to the public. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m and will take place in Rm 132 of the Student Services Center (SSC 132) on the Niceville Campus of Northwest Florida State College. There will be 30 minutes of socializing and refreshment consumption followed by the program at 7 p.m. For more information, call Walt Spence at 850-582-7064
January 12: Bird Walk: A bird walk at Big Sabine Point on Santa Rosa Island will be led by local ornithologist, Alan Knothe. Expect to see a mix of shorebirds, ducks, and wading birds. Meet at uptown station at 7:30 a.m. or at the Navarre Butterfly House on Hwy 98 at 8 a.m.. Be prepared for a long walk. Call Alan at 850-208-1780 for more information.
January 26: Bird Walk: Join Bruce Purdy for a bird walk at the Okaloosa Landfill and Sprayfields. Expect to see a wide variety of interesting birds. It’s not uncommon to count more than 50 species in three hours. Meet at the Coach and Four Restaurant on N. Lewis Turner Blvd. at 7:30 a.m. Call Bruce at 305-359-5334, or Walt Spence at 850-582-7064 for more information.