Teri FlooreCo-President’s Message By Teri Floore:
Wonderful time of the year

Isn’t this a wonderful time of year?! The hot days of summer have abated somewhat, and we even have a hint of fall in those cool mornings. Fall migrants are coming through the Panhandle now. The Vermillion Flycatcher is back at Conservation Park. A Great Egret has taken up residence (well, several days’ visitation anyway) in our front yard. Red-breasted Grosbeaks, Grey Catbirds and Tufted Titmouses (titmice?) are on site at St. Andrew’s.
I’m really looking forward to our field trip to Port St. Joe/Cape San Blas at the end of October (the deadline for getting this into the editors was before the field trip).  American Oystercatchers and Snowy Plovers should be there and lots of terns—Forster’s, Caspian and Royals.  Ruddy Turnstones, Sanderlings and Willets have already been reported this month.

We should get some great photos from our trips—from Donna, Arnold, Brian and Ron, and others. I hope they’ll be submitting some for the digital photo exhibition in conjunction with our “Nature in Art” contest in December. The deadline for submission is November 18th and the exhibit/contest is December 8th at the Panama City Center for the Arts. I’m sure there will be more information about this in the newsletter. But you don’t have to be a skilled photographer to submit; this is meant to give amateurs an opportunity to display their candid photos from various field trips and other events, any time anywhere.

And speaking of photos, if you didn’t attend the October member meeting, you missed some great pictures from Donna and Dale Cronwell’s trip out west in April 2022. This was a preview for our Chapter’s planned visit to the High Island (TX) area at migration time next April (14-18) 2024. More details about this four-day trip (hotels, birding locations, etc.) will be coming in future newsletters.

At November’s member meeting, we’ll hear about E. O. Wilson Biophilia Center in Walton County.  The Biophilia Center educates, on average, more than 100 students a day in fourth and seventh grades, every school day. It’s amazing how many opportunities there are in our area to immerse yourself in various natural sites, state and local parks. A walk in the woods or on the seashore is a great way to chase away the doldrums of winter that will be descending on us soon.  Take advantage of all Mother Nature provides for us!