͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌  ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌  ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌  ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌  ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌  ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌  ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌  ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌  ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ 
Trouble viewing this e-mail? Try our web version.
The boardwalk is open from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. with the last admission at 1 p.m. in summer and fall. The Blair Visitor Center and boardwalk will be CLOSED for cleaning and repairs from August 19-30, 2024. We recommend reserving tickets online to avoid closure dates. Admission for Corkscrew members is always free!
Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Close-up of white blossoms on the side of a tree
The "Super" Ghost Orchid is Blooming!
The “Super” ghost orchid at Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is now blooming, with the fourth bud opening on June 29. Ghost orchids (Dendrophylax lindenii) are rare flowering plants that rely on extremely sensitive, wetland habitats, and are only known to live in South Florida and Cuba.

Once a ghost orchid bud opens into a flower, it usually stays in bloom for about two weeks, yellowing toward the end of the bloom, and eventually fading away. If pollinated, it will produce a seed pod. 

If you plan to visit Corkscrew to see the "Super" ghost orchid, consider bringing binoculars or a minimum 600 mm camera lens, since it is about 50 feet high in an old-growth bald cypress tree and about 100 feet away from the boardwalk. Whenever possible, skilled naturalist volunteers will put a spotting scope focused on the "Super" ghost orchid for visitors to see it.

PLUS: Learn from the master of the ghost orchid capture in a special workshop with R J Wiley, photographer in residence, during our New Moon on the Boardwalk event on August 4 at 6:45 p.m. The free program is included with admission but space is limited. Sign up is available in person at the admissions desk in the Blair Visitor Center beginning that evening at 6:30 p.m.
 Learn more about this special orchid.
The "Super" ghost orchid with four blossoms on June 29, 2024. Photo: RJ Wiley.
Rain falling in a swamp.
June Rainfall Restores Water Levels in the Swamp
Southwest Florida’s rainy season is off and running thanks to a tropical system that brought the swamp over 11 inches of rainfall from June 11 to 13. In total, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary received 17.72 inches of rainfall in June 2024, making this the 8th rainiest June since 1960. Recent years with higher June rainfall include 2013 and 2017, where we saw a record-setting 33 inches...

The four-foot rise in water levels from a foot-and-a-half of rain demonstrates the swamp’s important role in flood protection for our region. Corkscrew Swamp is a critical resource for our region—it receives water from our neighbors during heavy rain events and holds onto that water before it either slowly moves on to the Gulf of Mexico (being cleaned by our native plants along the way) or percolates into our aquifer (providing drinking water for residents across the region).
Rain falling in the Sanctuary.
A black-and-white wading bird standing in a treetop
Corkscrew Watershed Initiative Underway
South Florida Water Management District hosted the first public meeting for the Corkscrew Watershed Initiative Project. According to the District, the three-year planning study will develop a comprehensive strategy to achieve ecological restoration of the Corkscrew system by improving wetland hydrology and natural flows, while reducing flood risks and maintaining regional water availability.

Learn more about the project.

 
Wood Stork. Photo: Marti Phillips/Audubon Photography Awards
The boardwalk with sunset.
New Moon on the Boardwalk Event | August 4
Join us for a fantastic evening on the boardwalk as dusk turns to night during the new moon. You may even catch a glimpse of the Perseid meteor shower! Come out and enjoy seeing stars and nocturnal wildlife through a spotting scope, a touch table on nocturnal animals, children’s story time, a moth information station, and a special program with R J Wiley, photographer in residence and ghost orchid photography expert. Say “new moon” at the Nature Store and enjoy a 10% discount on all t-shirts!
Sunset on the boardwalk. Photo: R J Wiley
A smiling woman on a boardwalk surrounded by greenery
Members Enjoy Early Access
Did you know? Corkscrew members enjoy early access to the boardwalk on select mornings in July and August. 

Upcoming dates: July 11, July 30, August 6, and August 15.
 
Members are invited to enjoy the boardwalk starting at 7 a.m. on select mornings. Photo: Charlie MacDonald
A yellow-and-black butterfly on a leaf.
Corkscrew Butterfly Identification Workshop and Field Excursion | July 19
People with an interest in our local butterflies are invited to join us on July 19, 2024 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for Corkscrew's Summer NABA butterfly survey. You do not have to be an expert at butterfly identification to participate: in fact, it is a great way to learn about the butterflies of the area. Learn more and register.
Eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly. Photo: Sydney Walsh/Audubon
A room with empty seats and photography on the back wall.
70th Anniversary Photo Exhibit in the BOCC Boardroom
As part of our year-long celebration of the 70th anniversary of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, our photography exhibit is on display for the month of July in the Collier County Board of County Commissioners boardroom. It is on the third floor of the Collier County Government Center. The Sanctuary will be recognized during the public meeting taking place on July 9. Learn more about the commission.
Photo exhibit in the BOCC boardroom.
We offer a variety of guided programs year-round, including Early Birding Walks, Sunset Strolls, Ancient Forest Tours, and more! Get out and enjoy this special place. 

See the full calendar of events. 
CONNECT WITH US
FacebookTwitterInstagramLinkedInYouTube
Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
375 Sanctuary Rd., Naples, FL 34120 USA
(239) 348-9151 | corkscrew.audubon.org

© 2024 National Audubon Society, Inc.

Unsubscribe