Early spring roundup- observe, preserve & promote

I've been busy with my fingers in many pies recently, so I haven't been up-to-date with my latest enviro-adventures, but I'll try to atone for this a bit. Here's what's been going on in my enviro-world:

1. I recently flew to Florida with my mother to check out some new wildlife areas, catch up with a few friends, and relax for four short days. This included kayaking the Indian River (Vero Beach) and checking out the first National Wildlife Refuge ever established, Pelican Island NWR (picture on left- my mother and me at Pelican Island NWR).

2. A robin build a nest in our bird feeder and then laid four blue eggs. My husband and I named her Roxy. She's pretty relaxed with us being just on the other side of the patio doors (even with them open), but she attacks any grackles who come to feed at the bird-food dish a few feet from her nest.

3. I collected some trash that was annoying me. It was along the woods/ wild-area near the apartments and some fast food places. I collected three shopping bags full before the sun went down and I decided to return another day. Shortly hereafter, my husband and I thought we saw someone exchanging drugs for money near a drainage pipe near the area I'd cleaned up, but come to find out, he was feeding stray cats. I'll take stray cats over drug-drops any day!

4. I've been keeping busy with some "consulting" for Mohican Advocates and Floraquest. Both of which I'm super excited about. I'm excited about the learning opportunities coming up with Floraquest and the educational advances Mohican Advocates has made. Along the lines of Mohican Advocates-- I recently read an article in the Lancaster Gazette about beginning public fracking meetings and I can't help but wonder if Lancaster has a fracking "resistance group" to help pave the environmental way and to coordinate with other "resistance groups" as seen in Mansfield, OH; Youngstown, OH; and Athens, OH.

5. Lastly, I spent last Saturday at the Shreve Migration Sensation. I attended some of the speakers-- Butterflies, "Bird of the Month," and "Sparrows". I got some great info, saw some water birds new to me (coots and ring-necked ducks). I also talked with numerous people about the opportunities to observe, preserve and promote with Mohican Advocates, Floraquest and the Greater Mohican Audubon Society.

I hope you're getting out to take advantage the unseasonably warm weather as well. There are lots of opportunities to do so in your area-- whether it's by visiting a bike trail, a state park, or if it means taking a walk down your street. Get out and enjoy!