MARION
AUDUBON SOCIETY

A Chapter of National Audubon Society

Experience the diverse natural resources and scenic environment of North Central Florida's
Marion County with Marion Audubon Society

Marion Audubon Society is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Tax deductable donations and will bequests are welcome.

Outdoor Expo August 17, 2019
Come out to visit us at our table!
Wind-FM and K-Country, in association with Phillips CJDR and Agricon Equipment Company, proudly present THE place to be for everything outdoors... the event that brought in 65+ vendors and close to 3,000 people in its inaugural year... 2nd Annual Ocala Outdoor Expo!!!!

The event is FREE, with a suggested $1 gate donation to the Boy Scouts of America!

Marion Audubon is a 501c3 organization – Donations Welcome
Like us on Facebook “Marion Audubon Society”
Join us on Meetup

For more information click here Outdoor Expo 2019

Audubon Florida Jay Watch Program

Audubon Florida coordinates the Jay Watch citizen science program statewide. We train and support volunteers to conduct scientific surveys that measure annual nesting success and count the total number of Florida Scrub-Jays at more than 46 sites in 19 counties.

The success of the Jay Watch program, and the program’s contributions to the recovery of Florida Scrub-Jays, depends upon dedicated volunteer citizen scientists like you, your family, and your friends.

Remarkably, in just 2017 alone, 267 volunteers invested over 2,600 hours sharpening their skills in onsite trainings and performing field surveys across the state.

Florida Scrub-Jays need bare sand patches in which to bury acorns, their winter food supply. Florida Scrub-Jays: Nowhere Else on Earth

The Florida Scrub-Jay is our state’s only endemic bird species, found nowhere else in the world. It was listed as federally Threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) under the Endangered Species Act in 1987, largely due to loss of its native scrub habitat and decades of fire suppression that allowed the scrub to become overgrown and unsuitable for Scrub-Jays. While mowing of too-tall oak scrub can open bare sand patches needed by the jays for predator detection and for caching acorns, fire is still needed to remove debris left on the ground after mowing. And some of the rarer scrub plants require fire to set seed and reproduce.

Just how threatened are Florida Scrub-Jays?
The state’s population of Florida Scrub-Jays is estimated to have declined by 90% since the early 1800s. Between 1993 and 2010 our state’s Scrub-Jay population declined another 26%, mostly on public lands where they are generally better protected.

What are you waiting for? Get Involved! Click here! Jay Watch Program

Hot Off the Press - MAS "Scrub Jay" Newsletter
October 2018 Edition

Click here for all the latest information about: MAS "Scrub Jay" Newsletter
        * Monthly Nature Walks by Carolyn Retey
                * MAS's Citizen Science program
                        * Regular Monthly Programs
                                        * Conservation Festivals and Events
                                                        and much more

Marion Big Scrub Chapter of the
Florida Native Plant Society

October Program
"Using Native Plants Wisely to blend with Microclimates of Your Yard"
Monday, October 29th
6:00 pm General Meeting
The monthly meeting of the Marion Big Scrub Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society is held on the last Monday of the Month from 6:00 pm for the general meeting, business and speaker. These meetings continue through the summer. We meet at the Belleview Public Library. Meetings are free and open to the public.

This month Ginny Stibolt will present her ideas about Climate- Wise Landscaping. She will guide us through responsible stewardship of our planet one yard at a time. Join us, get ideas for your yard and get your questions answered see a way to How to work with the rules of a maintained garden.

Excerpt from the Foreword by Dr. Doug Tallamy:
"Read this book carefully. Everything you need to know to help heal our relationship with planet earth and empower you to make a much-needed difference is within these pages."

Results of Recent Bird Counts

NOTICE: All information related to the recent bird counts can be found
by clicking here Recent Bird Counts


The photos below were taken by Leroy Simon on a recent Marion Audubon bird walk
          at Tuscawilla Park, Ocala, FL.
The birds are (left to right) kestrel, wood duck, muscovie duck, red-tailed hawk with squirrel.

NOTE: Click on an image to view a larger version.

Check out National Audubon Society's
"Plants For Birds" Campaign

Native plants are the foundation of the ecosystem that our beautiful birds depend on—they provide food, shelter, and places for birds to nest. Native plants also help birds weather the effects of climate change, and they reduce pollution and water use, promoting more healthy habitats for birds. That’s why hundreds of Audubon chapters promote the use of native plants and run native plant programs.

Together, we want to take that message to even more people, and that’s what the Plants For Birds campaign is all about. We’ve set an initial goal of engaging 50,000 people to plant 1,000,000 new native plants.

What will you find on the website? Here’s a short list:
        * A 60-second video and articles about why native plants are important for birds
        * A first-of-its-kind searchable database that highlights garden-friendly native plants for
              specific ZIP codes (and the bird groups that depend on those plants)
        * Local Audubon chapters and Audubon centers with native plant services
        * Native plant nurseries and suppliers
        * Ways to sign up, get involved, and learn more

Get Involved

Mark Your Calendar

The Nature Walk & Program Schedule is Posted at the Calendar of Events Button.
Click here: Calendar of Events

Florida is a great place for birding because of the year-round presence of a vast number of species.
Learn More about Birds & Birding in Florida & Marion County at these Links:
Links
Birding Sites
Marion County Bird Checklist