Bay Soundings l Tampa Bay's Science and Nature News Journal

Drought Reveals Good News, Bad News

Renewable Energy: What's on Deck?

Bay Soundings Recommends: Mirage — Florida and the Vanishing Water of the Eastern U.S.

Earth Angels

Agreement Sets Stage for Controlling Nutrients in Stormwater

Reality Check Goes on the Road

Nasa, USF Eye Coastal Water Quality

Greening Takes Reins at Estuary Program

Time for a Sprinkler Checkup?

Commentary & Opinion

Profile: Bob Hite

News Briefs

Quarterly Calendar

The calendar is compiled far in advance so we strongly suggest that you contact the sponsoring organization prior to the event. Some events may have fees for participation.

Ongoing events

Garden Explorer Discovery Backpack Tour, Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo. Tour the beautiful botanical gardens with a backpack loaded with I-spy sheets featuring art, flowers, insects and birds that may be found throughout the gardens. A pair of binoculars and a map with interesting facts about plants are included. With more than 30 acres of cultivated gardens to explore, plan about two hours for this fun adventure. Call 727-582-2581or visit www.pinellascounty.org/events.

Every Saturday, 8am-1pm, Pinellas County’s Market in the Park at Pinellas County Extension featuring healthy, farm-fresh, local produce, delicious gourmet foods and beautiful plants and programs from Pinellas County Extension experts. Call 727-582-2100 or visit http://pinellas.ifas.ufl.edu/market/index.html.

Every First Saturday, Wildlife Visitors in my Yard, a new citizen science project at Camp Bayou. Participants observe the wildlife in their own yards for at least a half hour once a month, complimented by a continuing education component will be offered the first Saturday of each month at 9am. Visit www.campbayou.org.

Second Saturdays, 9:30am, Learn about Florida’s native peoples at Camp Bayou. Contact fred@southshoretampabay.com.

Every Wednesday through March 26, 11am-3pm, “A Day on the Bay,” EcoTours with Tampa Bay Watch include a classroom orientation followed by a kayak trip over oyster bars, through mangrove forests and around a wildlife sanctuary. Visit http://www.tampabaywatch.org to register.

Fueling Florida’s Future, a symposium on renewable and alternative energy
Feb. 22, 2008, 9-5 pm at New College of Florida. Sarasota County and New College invite you to join a provocative conversation about how energy policy, community design and land use can contribute to a state-wide strategy for energy conservation and renewable energy development. With keynote speaker Amory Lovins, Chairman, Chief Scientist and Co Founder of the Rocky Mountain Institute. Registration is $50 and available online at www.scgov/net/getempowered or call 941-861-5000.

February

During the month of February:

Wednesdays, 9am-8:30pm, Thursdays through Sundays, 9am-4pm, Fractus Naturalus art exhibit with artist John Gurbacs, Brooker Creek Preserve. Registration required, call 727-453-6800.

Wednesdays through Sundays, 10am-4pm, Connecting People and Place Exhibit Gallery at Weedon Island Preserve. Call 727- 453-6500 or visit www.pinellascounty.org/events.

Feb. 8, 7-8pm, Bear-dogs, Terror Birds and Mammoths: Extinct Fossil Vertebrates of Florida, presented by Dr. Bruce J. MacFadden, curator of vertebrate paleontology at the University of Florida, Weedon Island Preserve. To register, call 727-453-6500.

Feb. 10, 8am, St. Petersburg Audubon Society tour of Roosevelt Wetlands. Call 727-527-0227.

Feb. 10, 2-3pm, A Shadow and a Song: The Struggle to Save an Endangered Species, presented by author Mark J. Walters, Weedon Island Preserve. To register, call 727-453-6500.

Feb. 11, 7pm, “The Secrets of the Sea: Exploring Neptune’s Realm” with David G. Gallo, Ph.D., director of special projects, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution as part of the 2008 Mote Special Lecture Series. Call 941-388-4441, X691 or visit www.mote.org.

Feb. 12, 10am-2pm, Explore “The Kitchen” by kayak with the American Littoral Society. Call 941-966-7308.

Feb. 15, 8-10am, Great Backyard Bird Count at Brooker Creek Preserve. Registration required, call 727-453-6800. Or bird your own backyard or nearby park and register your counts online at www.birdcount.org.

Feb. 16, 9am-Noon, Art workshop and guided walk with Leslie Fry, 2007 “Artist-in-Residence” at Boca Ciega Millennium Park. To register, call 727-588-4882.

Feb. 16, 1-2pm, Charles Darwin: His Legacy and Relevance to Our Lives, presented by Dr. Lorena Madrigal, University of South Florida, professor of anthropology, at Brooker Creek Preserve. Registration required, call 727-453-6800.

Feb. 16-18, St. Petersburg Audubon Society - Camping at Myakka River State Park. Call 727-397-3952.

Feb. 17, 9-11am, Sunday morning bird walk at Brooker Creek Preserve. Registration required, call 727-453-6800.

Feb. 17, 12:30-3:30pm, Weedon Naturalist – Uplands Ecosystems Session at Weedon Island Preserve. Registration required, call 727-453-6500.

Feb. 20, 7-9pm, Safe Boating Educational Program - Boat Handling Under Power at St. Petersburg Sailing Center. Pre-registration required, call 727-515-2418 or visit www.boating-stpete.org.

Feb. 21, 7-8pm, Underwater Archaeology: A Study of Historic Watercraft Program, presented by Jeff Moates, curator of the Florida Maritime Museum, Weedon Island Preserve. Registration required, call 727-453-6500.

February 22 to March 21, Florida Master Naturalist Program: Uplands, Pinellas County Extension. A 40-hour program with daytime classes and regional field trips offering adults the opportunity to learn about upland pinelands, hardwood forests, scrub and prairies, and their related plants and wildlife inhabitants. For more information, call 727-582-2461 or visit http://pinellas.ifas.ufl.edu/wildlife/fmnp.shtml.

Feb. 23, 2-3pm, “The Climate Project Presentation: People are a Force of Nature,” presented by Jane Maxwell, Waste Energy Solutions, Weedon Island Preserve. Registration required, call 727-453-6500.

Feb. 24, 9am-2pm, Explore the Myakka River estuary by kayak with the American Littoral Society. Call 941-966-7308.

Feb. 24, 8-9:30am, The Great Weedon Bird Quest at Weedon Island Preserve. To register, call 727-453-6500.

Feb. 24, 11am-3pm, Open Classroom – Discovering Nature with Your Child at Brooker Creek Preserve. Call 727-453-6800.

Feb. 24, 2-4pm, “In Their Own Words: Perseverance and Resilience in Two Florida Fishing Communities,” presented by Michael Jepson, Ph.D., and Carlton Ward, Jr. at Weedon Island Preserve. Registration required, call 727-453-6500.

Feb. 24, 7am, St. Petersburg Audubon Society tour at Golden Aster Preserve. Call 727-398-4124.

Feb. 25, 7pm, “The Dolphin Mind” with Heidi Harley, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology, New College of Florida, presented as part of Mote’s Special Lecture Series. Call 941-388-4441 or visit www.mote.org.

Feb. 26, 7pm, Hon. Nils Diaz, Ph.D., former chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, discusses the future of nuclear energy, part of a public lecture series sponsored by Progress Energy and USF St. Petersburg, Campus Activity Center. Visit www.stpt.usf.edu/energy.

Feb. 28, 10am-1:30pm, Kayak from Blackburn Point to South Creek and Oscar Scherer State Park with the American Littoral Society. Call 941-966-7308.

Feb. 28, 7-8pm, Seabird Rescue–The Four R’s with Michelle Simoneau and Greg Slutzky from the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary, Weedon Island Preserve. To register, call 727-453-6500.

Feb. 29, 12:30-3:30pm, Guided canoe trip at Weedon Island Preserve. To pre-register, call 727-453-6500.

March

Mar. 2, 8am, St. Petersburg Audubon Society tour of Weedon Island Preserve. Call 727-461-4762.

Mar. 8-9, Boyd Hill Wildlife Weekend. Environmental displays, booths, tours and programs for all ages. Visit www.stpete.org/boyd.

Mar. 10, 7pm, “Back to the Water: The Origin of Whales,” with Carl Zimmer, New York Times science writer, presented as part of Mote’s Special Lecture Series. Call 941-388-4441, X691 or visit www.mote.org.

March 25, 7pm, Paul R. Ehrlich, professor of population studies at Stanford University, speaks as part of a public lecture series sponsored by Progress Energy and USF St. Petersburg at Mahaffey Theater. Visit www.stpt.usf.edu/energy.

April

Apr. 19, 8am-1pm, Earth Day Celebration at Pinellas County Market in the Park, Pinellas County Extension.

Apr. 19, Marine Quest, Florida Fish & Wildlife Research Institute open house. Visit www.myfwc.org.

Apr. 19, 7:30am, St. Petersburg Audubon Society tour of Dunedin Hammock. Call 727-735-0491.

Apr. 20, 8am, Round Robin Birding with the St. Petersburg Audubon Society at Ft. DeSoto County Park. Call 727-865-2239.

Apr. 20, 12:30-3:30pm, Weedon Naturalist – Aquatic Ecosystems at Weedon Island Preserve. Call 727-453-6500.

Apr. 26, 2-3pm, The Art of Christopher Still at Weedon Island Preserve. Christopher Still teams with Randy Runnels, manager of Tampa Bay Aquatic Preserves, to discuss the fascinating marine life around Tampa Bay. Call 727-453-6500.

May

May 15-18, 2008 Florida Native Plant Society Conference, Manatee Convention Center in Palmetto. Volunteers are needed, contact rayrunner@yahoo.com.