The Audubon Observer, April 2020
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IN REMEMBRANCE: CAROLE ADAMS
Carole’s ‘spark bird’ was a Northern Cardinal which she recorded at the young age of ten while a Junior Audubon member living in Kansas with her grandparents. Fast forward twenty years and she found herself getting serious about birding and Audubon - so serious that she gave up being a passive member and became education chair of her local Audubon chapter in New York. It didn’t end there, however, and she became a board member and served two terms as chapter president. In June 1996 she received the Meritorious Service Award from the Council of New York State and the National Audubon Society. After taking an early retirement from the New York State Office of Mental Health, she and wife Marge moved to Jacksonville in 1997. Carole says she had no intention of getting actively involved with the local Audubon chapter. She only held out for six months, though, and joined our board soon after.
In loving memory of Carole, here are some remembrances from those who knew her best: Current chapter president Jody Willis: “I met Carole when I moved to Jacksonville from Philadelphia in 1999. I had joined Duval Audubon Society and went to my first meeting in September of that year. Carole knew that I was a new member and walked right up to me and greeted me. I didn’t know anyone in Jacksonville, and she was very warm and welcoming. We had a lot of fun doing volunteer activities together, and shared many wonderful birdwatching adventures. We went to Arizona, Key West and the Dry Tortugas, North Dakota, and many times to the Space Coast Birding Festival in Titusville, but the adventure I will always remember the most was our journey from Jacksonville to Ohio and Michigan in 2017. Carole had been battling Parkinson’s for several years by then and couldn’t drive anymore but was determined to see Magee Marsh and get the Kirtland’s Warbler for her life list. So I drove us to Ohio, stopping at several state parks along the way with our good friends, Jim and Cindy Beckman, who own Cheepers! Birding on a Budget, and then spending several days at Magee Marsh and the surrounding area. One day, I couldn’t find Carole on the boardwalk at Magee Marsh anywhere. I finally called her, and we met up back at the car. She had walked the entire boardwalk on her own without a cane and no support and was so proud of this accomplishment and I was proud for her too. We had decided, when we put our itinerary together, that if we didn’t get the Kirtland’s Warbler at Magee Marsh, we would head to Grayling, Michigan and arrange to go on the Audubon trip to the breeding area. And that is what we did. I will never forget the sight of the beautiful male Kirtland’s Warbler singing on top of the pine tree in his breeding grounds. Carole started to cry and then I did too. I am so grateful for that journey with my friend and I know that wherever you are now, Carole, you are standing straight and tall, without a cane to support you, and enjoying looking at all the beautiful birds.” Past board member Pat Murphy: “I think I met Carole before anyone else in Jax. I was at a field trip at UNF nature trails. Got there early. A big SUV with a NY tag drove in and parked and Carole and Marge appeared. They still lived in NY but were retiring and scoping out warmer places to move to. I chatted with them awhile and extolled the birding advantages of this area. A few weeks or months later, they showed up here for good!! Carole made a big contribution to Audubon and birds by visiting and giving educational walks and talks at schools, nursing homes, and clubs for many years. This outreach, in my opinion, was the early start of DAS’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program (my favorite topic while on the board).” Past president Lesley Royce: “Carole was on the board starting in the late 1990s, first as membership director, then vice president, then president. She also served on the board of Audubon Florida. She was also present when we spotted the Greater Sand-Plover at Huguenot Memorial Park in May of 2009. I was in charge of the weekly shorebird survey at Huguenot, beginning in April of 2009. On May 14, 2009, Carole Adams and Doris Leary were assisting me. We were counting birds in the inlet. Doris first spotted the bird, but none of us knew what it was, other than some kind of plover, as it was not in any of our field guides. Fortunately, Carole had brought her copy of The Shorebird Guide. Imagine the three of us, heads together, as she flipped through the pages of this book. And then there it was. Greater Sand-Plover! I was so excited trying to get my digiscoping system set up. I remember Carole reassuring me and calming me down so I could get the photo. Then we started calling people, and either they were not at home, had never heard of the bird, or did not believe us. It was such a thrilling time for the three of us. We got together each year on the anniversary of the Greater Sand-Plover sighting until the last couple years when Carole’s Parkinson’s made it too difficult for her. The three years that I was president, Carole was vice president. I only agreed to be president if Carole would be vice. She had experience (from before moving to Florida) and I did not. She was my right hand. I shared and discussed everything with her. Not only because I wanted a seamless transition when she would step up to become president, but especially because I valued her guidance and experience. Her dedication and contributions to Audubon were impressive.” Past president and current Crosby Sanctuary director Pete Johnson: “Carole Adams was/is a shining example of a good person. She had a strong personality but was not overbearing. You could tell she had been around the block a few times. I met her in 2000 when I started coming to Duval Audubon meetings and field trips. I think Rob Sanford was president and she was vice president at the time. More than anyone else, she made me feel welcome and drew me in with Duval Audubon. My memories of her as a person:
I could go on, but I think you get the picture! She will be greatly missed and always remembered.” Carole, thank you for your outstanding contributions to our chapter and for being such a warm and welcoming person. You will live forever in our memories. --Carol Bailey-White, Vice President NATIVE PLANTS FOR BIRDS: SNOW SQUARESTEM To help you create bird friendly habitat in your landscape, we are sharing a native plant every month that is beneficial to birds and pollinators. This month's plant is:
This plant is a long-lived perennial which grows 2-5 ft high, 2 -4 feet wide and can get rangy without pruning. It is deciduous in the winter and very adaptable to a range of soils. It is drought tolerant, salt spray tolerant, and very easy to grow from seed or cuttings. It has beautiful button-shaped white flowers with black accents, hence another name for it is the salt and pepper plant. My plants are starting to burst with blossoms right now and they will continue to bloom throughout the spring and summer. It is native to the southeastern United States, Kentucky, and Ohio. It is also found in the Caribbean Islands, Mexico, Central and South America. It is commonly found in disturbed, open habitats and is a terrific background plant for your pollinator garden as it is beloved by butterflies, wasps, bees, skippers for nectar. It is also visited by hummingbirds For additional information on native plants for birds, check out Audubon's excellent Plants for Birds website: Audubon.org/plantsforbirds. For local sources of native plants, check with the Ixia Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society. They often have native plants as well as cuttings available at their monthly meetings on the first Tuesday of each month. Check out their Events Calendar for all of their upcoming activities. --Jody Willis, President KIDS CORNER: EDIBLE BIRDHOUSE CRAFT PROJECT
While we are practicing social distancing, birds are finding homes, searching for food, and taking care of their young all around our communities. Nesting boxes are a great way to help bird populations this time of year, which is why we're highlighting this edible Peeping Nesting Box, a simple recipe that requires minimal ingredients and can be made by young and younger alike. Don't be afraid to get deliciously crafty, decorate with any kind of candy or snacks that you enjoy, and connect with us on Facebook and Instagram to show off your nesting boxes, real or edible. This activity may be used to fulfill varied education standards, including: CTE-HOSP.68.RESBEV.04.01 CTE-HOSP.68.RESBEV.04.03 CTE-HOSP.68.RESBEV.04.04 CTE-HOSP.68.RESBEV.04.05 CTE-HS.68.GENRL.15.02 MAFS.6.RP.1.2 ------ All but the marshmallow fluff can be found at a local Dollar Store. Recipe can be made with vegan/gluten free alternatives.
Place the sugar or chocolate in a small pan on low heat and stir until melted to a thick glue consistency. Be very careful with either of these hot ingredients, as they will burn if touched. The hot ingredient needs to be kept warm and viscous throughout the process of building the birdhouse, as it is our glue for the walls.
Step 5: decorate outside of birdhouse as desired or enjoy snacking! To clean the melted sugar, cover sugar with water and bring to a simmer while stirring the sugar into the water. Carefully dispose of hot liquid. -- Cristina Tuckness, Education Chair PROPOSED 2020/2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
We bid a grateful farewell to our current treasurer Maria Quiros - thank you for your service to Duval Audubon Society and our community! Thank you also to former Field Trips / Programs Director Deborah Kainauskas for your hard work these last few years. Current board openings include: Field Trips / Programs Director, and Volunteer Director. If you would like to join our board to help our chapter achieve its mission of connecting people with nature, please contact current president Jody Willis. COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
We are sorry to have to take this extreme step, but we take the health and safety of our members and volunteers very seriously, and want to err on the side of caution in these frightening times. We hope to be able to again offer our regular schedule of exciting field trips and informative programs in the fall. Please be safe and take care of yourself and your family, and feel free to contact us with any questions. --Jody Willis, President Duval Audubon Society, Inc.
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Longtime Duval Audubon Society board member Carole Adams passed away in March after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Carole was an amazing person, full of energy and sass (as those who knew her can attest), and her contributions to our chapter over the years cannot be overstated.
During her tenure with Duval Audubon Society, Carole was recognized by local and national organizations for her significant contributions. In September of 2003 she was presented the Barbara Stephens Award by the Civic Round Table of Jacksonville in recognition of her valuable contributions to the Jacksonville community. In December of 2009 she was the recipient of the Carol and Bob Grimes Environmental Award. And the National Audubon Society Board of Directors awarded her the Presidential Recognition for Outstanding Service and Dedication in November of 2010.
Snow Squarestem (Melanthera nivea)
Dear families, welcome to a beautiful Spring season!
Gather the ingredients:
Step 1: scoop a tablespoon of marshmallow fluff on half a graham cracker, and cover fluff with shredded coconut flakes to make the nest.
Step 2: using tongs or grabbers, place 1 edge of a half graham cracker in the melted sugar, and glue as back wall on the nest cracker. With 2 more half crackers, put 2 edges that connect at 90° in the melted sugar, and lightly press the edges into the back wall and floor crackers, forming the side walls.
Step 3: add a tablespoon of marshmallow fluff to the back of the peep candy, and affix to the inside of the back wall. Drop 3 jelly beans into the middle of the nest.
Duval Audubon Society is an all-volunteer organization operated by a Board of Directors who manage the day-do-day business of running a chapter of the National Audubon Society. The following individuals have indicated their interest in serving on Duval Audubon's 2020/2021 Board of Directors:
Due to the current worldwide health crisis and per the recommendation of Audubon and Audubon Florida, all field trips and programs scheduled through the end of May 2020 have been cancelled. Please check 
