News Archives

The Trailhead is located in Lake County, Florida. map

For more information, please contact info@scrubjaytrail.org
(352) 429-5566

open:
sat - wed : 8:00-5:00

Email photo contributions
of wildlife or plants seen
on the trail to this address: photos@scrubjaytrail.org

June 26, 2010 Trailday Newsletter
Hello Trailblazers and Friends !

May and June have been busy on the Trail and we thank you for all of your contributions.

Highlights of the Trail

It appears as though our scrub-jay family did not produce any surviving young this year.
There are several reasons that may attribute to this but predation and disturbance from mockingbirds and crows may have been the largest factor. We noticed a variety of birds nests being vandalized this year with many eggs and fledglings being swept out of the nest.
As we restore for the scrub-jay habitat we need to keep in mind that other birds also move in.
In true scrub we don't find mockingbirds and very few crows so as jays are pushed into more and more suburban areas we are finding yet another obstacle in the survival of Florida's only endemic bird. (See "Florida Scrub-Jay Survey" below)

Jana Harris and Janet Carter, along with several volunteers continue to monitor the bluebird houses.
One family of 4 young fledged recently and the adults have already built a new nest in another house which now has
3 young and 1egg.
Build it and they will come...as in the scrub-jay trail restoration, we also have several families of red headed woodpeckers working diligently to make their home inside these bluebird boxes. (See "Bluebird Trail" below)
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June Trailday

Tomorrow will be an extra special day from 8am-11am as we celebrate National Pollinator Week by expanding the Craig Tufts Pollinator Garden along the Trail.

Without bees and butterflies, the majority of plants that make up Florida's native habitats would not be able to reproduce.

This section of the Trail is dedicated to Craig Tufts, Chief Naturalist with National Wildlife Federation for over 30 years and who passed away last year.

One of Craig's passions was to educate others about the importance of pollinators as a part of our food chain. Learn from the NWF Habitat Stewards as they guide you through the correct way to plant successfully.

The garden is already buzzing with pollinators, baby bunnies, and a plethora of birds. Learn about the plants that thrive in our hot sandy soils. Come get your hands dirty as you leave your mark on the Florida Scrub-Jay Trail. It is sure to make you smile.

Be prepared by bringing gloves, shovels, hat, sunscreen and if you prefer a particular type of water to drink please bring that as well. We will supply plants, bottled water and coffee/tea. Feel free to contribute to the breakfast table if you'd like, however it is not required to participate.

Please do RSVP however, so we can prepare accordingly.
( info@scrubjaytrail.org ) or (352)-429-5566
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Florida Scrub-Jay On-Line Store

Many of you are asking how you can purchase a scrub-jay front license plate your car. We now have an on-line store available to make this easier for you. The Florida Scrub-Jay Consortium contributes a portion of the proceeds from the purchase of these license plates towards to the Florida Scrub-Jay Education Fund (see "2nd Annual Scrub-Jay Festival" below).

For T-shirts, coffee mugs, mouse pads etc. visit our store today. We thank you for your support.

Go to the main menu bar to find the "Store" button or  click here.

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Butterflies

While our scrub-jay population did not increase this year we are thrilled with the increase in
Zebra Swallowtail butterflies. This species is also losing ground in the state due to loss of habitat.
The pawpaw (asimina spp) is the food source for the zebra swallowtail and this section of The Florida Scrub-Jay Trail happens to have a good native source of Asimina pygmaea.


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WLBE "In My Backyard" 790 AM Radio

Join us on the 2nd Tuesday of each month as we are guests of "In My Backyard" radio show on WLBE 790 AM from 11-Noon with Teresa Watkins.

During this weekly call-in radio program showcasing environmental issues and landscaping we discuss
the wildflowers and unique plants found in and around
Lake County and on the Florida Scrub-Jay Trail.

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Upcoming Guests/ Presenters/Workshops

Ginny Stibolt
Ginny Stibolt, author of Sustainable Gardening for Florida presenting at B.B.Brown's Gardens in Clermont, FL on Saturday, August 14, 2010 from 9am-11am.
Preparing the Landscape for Disaster, Managing Storm Water and Creating Rain Gardens, Bioswales and Bog Gardens. Old gardeners tales will be woven into her presentation and you are welcome to bring a brown bag lunch and stay for while as Ginny offers to autograph
her books that she will have for sale.
Ginny's presentation this Spring was so successful she has agreed to make this her last stop before traveling across the country.

Cost: $15.00 , RSVP required as space is limited.
 (352)-429-5566  or  bbbrowns@earthlink.net

Jeri Baldwin
Jeri Baldwin, Organic Gardener, and owner of
Crones' Cradle Conserve, an ecological preserve and education center in Marion County, FL will present
a workshop on The Ins and Outs of Organic Gardening, Saturday, September 11, 2010 from 8am-4pm
at B.B.Brown's Gardens, Clermont, FL.

Before you dig your first shovel you must have a plan. In this hands-on workshop Jeri will guide you step by step through your organic garden plan. Topics covered; how to test and correct
your soil for maximum productivity, composting and benefits, what to plant where and when, key tools that will make your life easier.
Details to follow:  (352)-429-5566  or   bbbrowns@earthlink.net

2nd Annual Florida Scrub-Jay Festival
Plans are well underway for the Florida Scrub-Jay Festival which will be held at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, February 12, 2011 from 9:30 - 3:30..
The Education and Festival Planning Committee had the pleasure of touring the various venues on the Refuge recently and Nancy Corona and her staff are producing a packed day of activities and entertainment for all ages. Mark your calendars now.
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Ongoing Events and Opportunities

Florida Scrub-Jay Survey
Your continued support and monitoring of the scrub-jays is invaluable to the progress we make towards preserving and protecting scrub-jays throughout the state. Thanks in part to your efforts; Lake County has recently received a grant to put together a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP).
Keep your eyes and ears open and phone calls and e-mails coming when you spot
a scrub-jay.  (352)-429-5566 or  info@scrubjaytrail.org 

Bluebird Trail
The Florida Chapter of the Bluebird Society is just over a year old. With the recent activity of the bluebird trail at The Florida Scrub-Jay Trail several of you have asked how you can get involved. Please contact Janet Carter  jcarter168@cfl.rr.com  to see how you may connect with this statewide trail.

Lake County Adopt-A-Roadway Schedule

Despite the high humidity and heat we had a good turn out for last Saturday's Lake County "Adopt-A Roadway" program.

Participants logged in 8 bags of trash with an assortment of goodies. The most unique items were infant socks, ladies bathing suit top, baseball, long heavy duty PVC pipes, golf balls.The winner of the Florida Scrub-Jay Trail T-shirt went to young, first time volunteer Wendy Thompson.

The remaining schedule for 2010 is Saturday, September 18th and Saturday, December 18th.
We ask for your help from 8am-11am each of those days.
For details visit the News: Road Clean-up/Cookout section.

Scout Projects and Summer Programs Available
If your organization is interested in becoming involved with the Florida Scrub-Jay Trail and leaving your mark for this important species please contact us at   info@scrubjaytrail.org  or call  (352)-429-5566

Membership
It has been a wonderful month with increased participation in our programs and activities. It is through your voluntary efforts and active support that this growth is made possible. Members like you provide the primary source of funding to continue to educate others about the Florida scrub-jay and its habitat.

For a membership , complete the application form and return with your payment. As a member, you will receive the following benefits:
. 10% discount on plants and merchandise at B.B. Brown's Gardens
. Invitation to special events for members only
. 10% discount on workshops held at the Trailhead

The mission of the Florida Scrub-Jay Consortium is to preserve the Florida Scrub-Jay and its habitat. Your support is very important to us and is vital for continuing our mission.

Photographs
Thank you for your photo contributions to the website.
Sandra Groeneveld does a wonderful job posting them in the Gallery Section as well as throughout the site. If you would like to contribute your talents please do so at photos@scrubjaytrail.org. Please include your contact information.

Best wishes, see you on the Trail.
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