‍Mindful Birding at Hog Island

by Elizabeth Filippelli, VP & Conservation Director

‍Getting to Hog Island Audubon Camp in Bremen, Maine is an adventure in itself — planes, a bus through a breathtakingly beautiful area of New England, a van full of fellow bird nerds chatting nonstop, and a short boat ride across spectacular Muscongus Bay. Worth every minute.

My goal was simple: deepen my Mindful Birding practice by learning from the expert herself, Holly Merker. If I was going to bring this practice back to our community, I wanted to experience it firsthand at the source.

And what a source. Hog Island has a way of pulling you immediately into the present moment — delicious dinners al fresco watching American Goldfinches and the many female American Redstarts flitting about in the nearby tree, early morning yoga with water views, learning to draw a bird with gifted artist Rebekah Lowell, forest bathing, and of course, mindful birding with Holly. Plus, I saw my first Wilson’s Warbler, Common Loon, Common Eider, Black Guillemot and three Wilson’s Storm Petrels during our boat trip to Eastern Egg Rock and Harbor Island. WOOHOO!

‍But Mindful birding isn't about finding a specific bird or building your life list. It's about what mindfulness pioneer Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn describes as "paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally." Holly shared that practicing mindfulness gives us the pause to slow down and respond more consciously to the challenges that we face in an immediate moment. Mindful Birding birds become your doorway into nature — and into yourself.

‍I came home inspired, grounded, and already planning my return. And true to form, I couldn't help but notice the charming camp cabins — and their glass windows. I had a conversation with one of the staff about the benefits of bird-friendly visual markers, and I'm happy to say they listened, and a follow-up is in the works. Because whether you're in Jacksonville or on a beautiful island in Maine, birds deserve safe passage everywhere. And goodness knows, I connect with everyone about it.

‍I have been practicing mindfulness for many years, and I started a training class that still has not been completed. Sigh, mindfulness takes practice. And the mental and health benefits of being in nature and watching birds have intrigued me to learn as much as I can. A few of my go-to books are: The Nature Fix by Florence Williams, Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols and Ornitherapy by Holly Merker, Richard Crossley and Sophie Crossley.

‍The good news for our community? You don't have to travel to Maine to experience mindful birding. Duval Audubon Society is putting together an intro to Mindful Birding experience and would love to share this with you. You may recall that board member Kate Zeray hosted a sunset Mindful Birding experience at Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park last year and attendees loved it. Reach out if you're curious — more experiences are coming!

‍Manatee Tank: A Youth Pitch Competition for Sustainability

by Elizabeth Filippelli, VP & Conservation Director

‍You may have heard that the City of Jacksonville's Manatee Tank is a Bloomberg Philanthropies–funded microgrant program that invites young people ages 15–24 to develop and pitch solutions for local sustainability challenges. Selected finalists present their projects live to a panel of judges, competing for up to $5,000 to bring their ideas to life.

We are thrilled to share that Duval Audubon Society is the official project partner for one of this year's competing projects — Better Buildings for Birds — led by Bolles School senior Alaïa Jeannin.

Alaïa reached out to Duval Audubon to ask if we would serve as her partner, and we invited her to present her project to our board. Every board member was impressed, and we enthusiastically agreed.

‍Better Buildings for Birds tackles one of the most preventable causes of bird mortality: window collisions. Birds often can't perceive glass as a barrier — what they see is a reflection of trees and sky — and the results can be fatal. If selected, Alaïa and a small team of youth volunteers would identify and assess at least five Duval County buildings for collision risk, work directly with property owners to install bird-safe window treatments at up to two pilot locations, and produce a final report that other Jacksonville building owners can actually use.

‍Alaïa is no stranger to tackling big issues. She recently won first place in Columbia Undergraduate Law Review's High School Essay Contest among more than 800 international applicants and was one of only four students selected nationwide to speak on Capitol Hill through an ACLU summer program, addressing systemic injustice, human rights, and animal welfare. Now she's bringing that same passion home to Jacksonville's birds.

‍On October 24, Alaïa and her sister Esmee will pitch Better Buildings for Birds live at the Jacksonville Zoo & Botanical Gardens — and we will be cheering her on every step of the way!

‍Duval Audubon Bluebird Trail

by Bluebird Trail Volunteer Laura Johannsen

This year marks the 25th year of managing the Duval Audubon Bluebird Trail. The trail, mostly along Yellow Bluff road, was created by Mildred Dixon and Pat Anderson, but I do not know the exact year. Pat Murphy and I did the weekly checks for many years after Pat A. and Mildred could no longer manage. My husband Richard and I keep things in order at this time. The data does include 3 boxes on our property in Nassau County.

Editor's Note: At left are the statistics that Laura provided from the 2026 monitoring year showing the good news that Eastern Bluebirds did better in that area this year than in 2025.

54 nesting attempts were observed this year and 30 successful nests were found, compared to 22 in the previous year. 228 eggs were counted this year, with 134 hatchlings compared to 103 in the previous year.

Of those 134, 120 Eastern Bluebirds actually fledged, so here's hoping they can stay well and help the bluebird population grow!

Audubon Initiatives Kicking Off This Fall

by Carol Bailey-White, Editor

‍Two community science initiatives hosted by the National Audubon Society are set to begin this fall, EagleWatch in October and Project FeederWatch in November. Both are fun, interactive ways for nature lovers to get more involved in conservation, as the data collected by participants helps to inform bird conservation initiatives in the US and beyond.

EagleWatch is a statewide network of community science volunteers who monitor Bald Eagle nests in Florida from October to May. It provides valuable information on nesting activity and the current trends of the Bald Eagle population in our state. The Audubon EagleWatch program always welcomes new volunteers as community scientists. To participate in EagleWatch, please complete this form and an EagleWatch representative will get in touch with you.

Project FeederWatch is a November-April survey of birds that visit backyards, nature centers, community areas, and other locales in North America. While most people focus on birds coming to bird feeding stations, you don’t even need a feeder! All you need is an area from which you like to watch birds. Plus, the schedule is completely flexible: you can count every week or once all winter, for as much or as little time as you like. Learn more about how to participate in Project FeederWatch here.

October Big Day

by Carol Bailey-White, Editor

‍October Big Day is coming up! Join thousands of birders around the world by simply watching birds and reporting your observations on eBird.org. Your checklists will help researchers better understand global bird populations, contribute to scientific research, enhance data collection, and strengthen community engagement in solving environmental challenges.

‍Wherever you are on October 10, take a few minutes to enjoy birds and share what you find. Participate from anywhere—even from home! By taking part in October Big Day you’re also celebrating Global Bird Weekend and World Migratory Bird Day. Be a part of the global team and help set new records for October birding. Learn more here.

‍Check Out Our YouTube Channel

by Carol Bailey-White, Editor

‍Did you know?? Duval Audubon Society's YouTube Channel offers a variety of fascinating nature-related videos as well as recordings of our online informational programs. Visit today to see what we have to offer!

Our YouTube Channel is completely free and always will be.

‍Upcoming Events

‍Here's what's happening in October: 

• Kingsley Plantation Bird Walk: Saturday, October 3 @ 7:00 am - 11:00 am
• Bird Walk at Reddie Point Preserve: Sunday, October 4 @ 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
• October Big Day at Your Favorite Birding Spots: Saturday, October 10, 2026 @ ALL DAY
• Lights Out Jacksonville: Birds, Migration, Light & Glass @ Wild Birds Unlimited: Saturday, October 10 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm (seating is limited; call 904-379-5760 to reserve your spot)
• Bird Walk for Beginners: Fort Caroline National Memorial: Sunday, October 11 @ 9:15 am - 11:15 am
• Audubon Florida Assembly @ St. Pete Beach: October 15-18 (more info here)
• Duval Audubon Society | Florida Young Birders Club Reddie Point Preserve Birding Outing: Sunday, October 18 @ 8:00 am - 10:00 am (participation is free but registration is required)
  
• Open House and Volunteer Work Day at Crosby Sanctuary: Saturday, October 24 @ 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Bird Walk & Book Signing at Howell Park: Saturday, October 24 @ 8:30 am - 11:00 am

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