St. Petersburg Audubon Society

Feb. - March Shorebird Classes

St.Petersburg Audubon Society (SPAS) members will help you learn to identify the major wintering shorebirds found on our Pinellas beaches.

Three Saturday morning classes, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Ft. DeSoto Park, will be held on:

Feb. 20th ,March 6th and March 27th

Such a deal for $30.00! Contact Maureen Arnold at (727) 577-0448 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Whether you are a backyard birder, novice bird photographer or experienced birder, knowledgeable SPAS birders will help guide you through the process with close-up viewing through several scopes.

Bring Field Guide and Binoculars and prepare to get your feet wet.

Maureen Arnold, VP St Petersburg Audubon Society.

Florida Specialties Bus Trip

Sat., March 13, 2010 SIGN UP NOW – SPACE IS LIMITED! Contact: Mauri 727-398-4124 for reservations & information.
Saturday, March 13, 2010 One trip you don’t want to miss! Join Dave Goodwin and Mauri Dietrich for a daylong bus trip to look for 8-10 target birds rarely found anywhere else, plus learn a lot of history about Florida along the way. Forever Florida will be our stop for lunch again this year, included in price of $75 per person. The bus leaves promptly at 6:00 a.m. from the Sears store at 94th Ave. North and 9th St. in St. Petersburg. We plan to arrive back in St. Pete around 6:00 p.m. Water will be provided. Your check, made payable to St. Petersburg Audubon, will confirm your reservation. Call Mauri Dietrich at 727-398-4124 for more information and to make your reservation now.

SPAS 2010 Season

St. Petersburg Audubon Society celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2009. Don't miss out on our upcoming meetings and field trips. Go to the Trips and Events to view this year's schedule. Or click on the Brochure thumbnail to the left to view the brochure. Once opened, you print your own copy.

Please call Judi Hopkins, 727-526-3725, or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , for information, directions, reservations, or concerns. For other trips/events, see contact person listed.

2009-2010 Programs

Meetings are held at the Science Center,
7701 22nd Ave. N, St. Petersbrg, FL 727-384-0027

Feb. 16, 2010 - Conservation of Sparrows in Florida Grasslands - Marianne Korosy, Clearwater Audubon
The colorful, cryptic sparrows of Kissimmee Prairie Preserve will be featured in Marianne Korosy's presentation on February 16th. Marianne will discuss how to identify many of the sparrows that winter in south Florida and will describe the habitats in which each sparrow is commonly found. The federally endangered Florida Grasshopper Sparrow is resident in south Florida grasslands and will be featured in some detail. Free. Please join us.

Mar. 16, 2010 - Everglades/Spoonbills - Jerome Lorenz, State Research Director, Audubon of Florida
Apr. 24, 2010 - Annual Picnic - Shelter 15. 1 p.m. following the Round Robin event..

2009-2010 Field Trips and Events

Feb. 12, 13 & 14 - GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT.
Contact Maureen Arnold to sign up.
Feb. 13, 20, & 27 - SOLID WASTE OPERATIONS AREA, 3095 114th Ave. N., St. Pete. 8 a.m. at the admin. building. On 114th Ave. make an immediate right to the admin. building.
Good chance to see wintering gulls, shorebirds and migrants. Limited to 10 participants each trip. Contact Judi Hopkins for preferred date.

These field trips are open to anyone interested in birding, wildlife watching, photography and exploring natural areas that remain in Florida. Advance registration is appreciated but not required, except for trips noted. For all birding field trips, unless otherwise stated, bring water, hat, sunscreen, binoculars and dress for the weather.

SPAS Chapter of the Year

St. Petersburg Audubon Society receives “Chapter of the Year Award” at 2009 Audubon Assembly in St. Petersburg in honor of our 100th anniversary. Thirty SPAS members attended part or all of the Assembly. That’s a record attendance for us. Again, thank you for your participation. A special thank you goes out to Judi Hopkins for taking on the field trip responsibility. She organized two trips each morning, found the leaders, signed people up and made sure everyone arrived where they needed to be. Thanks, Judi! Congratulations to all!

Current Wingspan

Wingspan is St. Petersburg Audubon's monthly newsletter, distributed free to all members.

Click the thumbnail to view the current issue of Wingspan

February 2010

You can read past issues of Wingspan from 2007 to 2009 online. Select the Wingspan tab and enjoy reading.

You'll need to have Adobe Reader installed.

SPAS Timeline

St. Petersburg Audubon Society receives “Chapter of the Year Award” at Audubon Assembly. Pictures and details on the website soon. Congratulations to all!

By Saskia Janes, St. Petersburg Audubon Society's Historian

Read about St. Petersburg Audubon's past history.

1900

The first National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is held on Christmas Day, 1900, when 27 birders noted all the birds they saw during the day. Those birders covered 25 different areas, mostly in cities in the Northeastern U.S.
Florida Audubon Society (FAS) is formed in Maitland, Florida.

1909
Founding of the St. Petersburg Branch of the Florida Audubon Society for the Protection of Birds by Katherine Bell Tippetts (later renamed the St. Petersburg Audubon Society). The first meeting is held at the Belmont Hotel.

1910

St. Petersburg Audubon Society (SPAS) posts summaries of state bird laws against killing of songbirds or game birds out of season.
Tippetts convinces the publisher of The Boys World to remove air-gun ads.

1912

SPAS is involved in an effort to get state laws to protect American Robins – FAS developed a bill outlawing the killing or capture of American Robins. SPAS sent the state legislature a petition that, with signatures, was 70 feet long.
FAS and Tippetts urge passage of a law to establish Florida Fish & Game Commission.
During the first decade, SPAS’ members make annual, end of the year, excursions to “Bird Key” (now known as Indian Key).

City Park Named in Honor of Audubon Founder - Katherine Bell Tippetts

(July 25, 2009) – Pinellas Point is the very tip of Pinellas County. Surrounded on three sides by warm Gulf waters, it is known as a neighborhood of lofty live oaks, beautiful homes and the famous pink streets. Now, this historic area has a new landmark. A small strip of city-owned, mangrove-edged shoreline has been named for Katherine Bell Tippetts, a former resident and founder of the St Petersburg Audubon Society (SPAS).

Click this link to view the photo gallery.

Position on Free-Roaming Domestic and Feral Cats

Background

The domestic cat (Felis catus) is a beloved house pet with over 77 million pet cats nationwide. Of these, currently about 43 million spend some time outside. Additionally, there may be 60 to 100 million homeless stray and feral cats. Domestic cats have become a common feature not only of our backyards and city streets but also of our parks and other wild lands. Domestic cats are non-native to Florida. Animal behavior experts note that cats will hunt and kill even if well fed.

Thanks to Our BNB Business Sponsors

We are extremely grateful to TECO Energy and Seminole Electric Cooperative, Inc., Business Sponsors of our Beach Nesting Bird program.

Business Sponsorship funds enable the Beach Nesting Bird program to expand its educational activities, reprint brochures and provide more on-site protection for the bird colonies during nesting season.

Seminole Electric Logo

TECO Energy Logo

Thanks to these businesses for providing generous financial support to the Beach Nesting Bird program!

How can I become a Sponsor?