Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges
  • Home
    • Actions & Interests Blog
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • What We Do
    • How We Operate
    • Our Refuges
    • Places of Interest
  • Join
  • Maps
    • Paddling Guides
    • Refuge Maps
    • Trail Brochures
  • Wildlife
    • Wild Critters
    • Hunting and Fishing
  • Search
  • Store
    • Womens Shirts
    • Hats
    • Mens Shirts

Our Actions and Interests Blog

Nature Walk Planned

12/31/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
On Monday January 6, Friends life member Donna Thalacker will lead a nature walk on the Barnett Creek Loop Trail at the Lower Suwannee NWR.  The trail is on high ground and Donna expects it will be dry.  It is a 3-mile round trip walk in one of the prettiest parts of the Refuge.  One mile will be along Barnett Creek Road and the remainder of the walk will be behind the gates along a broad grass pathway through mostly hydric hammock.  If you are interested in joining the walk, please let Donna know. You can email her at  donna.kreft@gmail.com

A group will car-pool from Cedar Key Park. Gather at 9:30 a.m.  Leave at 9:40 a.m.

It would be good to wear long pants, long shirt, comfortable walking shoes and bring along insect repellent.  As anywhere in this area, the no-see-ums can be a problem if there is not a good breeze.  Ticks can be expected, although they are not usually too bad in this area of the Refuge.

0 Comments

Solstice Gathering a Near Washout

12/23/2019

0 Comments

 
For the third year in a row, the sunset hid behind thick clouds at Shell Mound on winter solstice. Heavy rain threatened and held off. The rain threat did not stop the Friends Gathering. We still enjoyed our cookies, hot herb tea, and guided walk on the Shell Mound trail.
Shell Mound was built on one arm of a U-shaped, parabolic dune formed in the last ice age. Palmetto Mound, a now-destroyed native American burial site, was located on the other arm. The dune aligned with the winter and summer solstices, making it sacred ground and a marvelous place to celebrate the longest and shortest days of the year.
The native Americans who lived and gathered at Shell Mound to honor their ancestors also probably had many years with no visible sunsets. We will be back to share their special place.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Winter Solstice Gathering - Saturday December 21

12/14/2019

1 Comment

 
Picture
Picture
Friends members and other Shell Mound enthusiasts will gather again this year on the Shell Mound To walk the interpretive trail and to share the sunset at Winter Solstice. the guided walk will start at 4:30 from the parking lot at the pier. Sunset is at 5:39 P.M. It has been blustery and foggy the past couple of years. Here's hoping for a lovely evening this year. But even blustery is mystical as we watch the sun over the end of the parabolic dune where much earlier people buried their dead and celebrated the Solstice.
Read about last year's Stormy Gathering here.
1 Comment

When Do I Renew my Friends Membership?

12/14/2019

1 Comment

 
Picture
Almost one-third of the members of Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges are Life Members. Their memberships do not expire.

Until a year or so ago, the Annual Memberships of the other two-thirds of Friends members expired at the end of the calendar year.

Friends changed that system about a year ago and now Annual Memberships expire one year after the member joins or renews. Friends sends you an email reminder when it is almost time to renew and greatly appreciates both Life and Annual memberships.

What About End-of-Year Philanthropic Gifts?

And, Friends also greatly appreciates the gifts that members send in December's traditional "giving season." Last year, in addition to trail guides, brochures, interpretive panels and lots of other activities, membership dues and philanthropic gifts went to help support tracking of "our" Swallow-tailed Kite, "Suwannee". 
You can make a donation by check to Friends of Refuges, P. O. Box 532, Cedar Key, FL 32625 or online here.
Picture
1 Comment

More Mowed Trails to Explore

12/14/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Picture
More trails are coming. For several years, because of the shortage of staff and equipment, the Refuge managers had to allow some wonderful areas on the refuge to grow back and become inaccessible. Finally the heavy equipment has become available and the staffing shortage has eased a bit. Hurray for visitors!  
Preliminary surveys are complete of an area south of the South Entrance to the Nature Drive off County Road 347. It includes pine forest and pleistocene era dunes. Using mechanical and herbicide applications, all the roads that have historically been maintained are being reclaimed.  Watch for more information here and in the Friends News Brief.
Picture
This cat can clear brush!
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014

Picture
Friends of the Lower Suwannee & Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges
P. O. Box 532
Cedar Key, FL 32625
friends@friendsofrefuges.org

We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.


  • Home
    • Actions & Interests Blog
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • What We Do
    • How We Operate
    • Our Refuges
    • Places of Interest
  • Join
  • Maps
    • Paddling Guides
    • Refuge Maps
    • Trail Brochures
  • Wildlife
    • Wild Critters
    • Hunting and Fishing
  • Search
  • Store
    • Womens Shirts
    • Hats
    • Mens Shirts