National Audubon Society

Monthly eNewsletter

We spotted the first few buds on the "Super" ghost orchid in late June. The four blossoms in this July 11 photo should remain visible for another week or two, or until pollinated. Our staff and volunteers take a spotting scope out on the boardwalk whenever possible to help visitors see the orchid. While this plant typically gives us flowers through September, no additional buds are currently visible.Read more about the ghost orchid.

The "Super" Ghost Orchid on July 11. Photo: R J Wiley

Join Us for Corkscrew Hammock Day and a Spanish Guided Tour on July 21

Come out on Corkscrew Hammock Day to explore the 2.25-mile-long boardwalk with discounted admission for all (free for members). Relax your body, mind, and soul as you immerse yourself in the Florida wilderness while enjoying rocking chairs and hammocks placed around the Blair Visitor Center and along the boardwalk.

Additionally, in celebration of Latino Conservation Week, we are offering a guided tour in Spanish.

Se ofrecerá un tour en español a las 10 a.m. La visita guiada en nuestra pasadera tiene una duración de una hora. El registro está limitado a 12 participantes. Registrate aquí.

Find event details and registration.

Event participants can enjoy hammocks on Corkscrew Hammock Day.

Award Winning Photos on View at the Blair Center

The annual Audubon Photography Awards contest showcases a host of amazing and beautiful bird photographs each year. While the 2023 contest winners have just been announced, the 2022 Traveling Exhibition is on view at the Blair Visitor Center through August 31, 2023. The eleven winning images will be available for purchase by the public beginning on August 2.

Read more.

Award-winning photography now on view at the Blair Center.

Scroll past the news for more information and events!

Ghost orchids: There's 1,500 left in southern Florida, and numbers dwindling, groups say
https://www.news-press.com/story/news/environment/2023/06/15/ghost-orchids-need-more-protection-environmental-groups-say/70321362007/
The plant is highly coveted among orchid collectors and garden enthusiasts, and it's largely confined to the Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park and Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.

New technology traces songbird migration from the tropics to northern breeding areas
https://bonitasprings.floridaweekly.com/articles/new-technology-traces-songbird-migration-from-the-tropics-to-northern-breeding-areas/
https://palmbeach.floridaweekly.com/articles/new-technology-traces-songbird-migration/
A Motus station at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary recently found one of those needles in a haystack on May 9. The station recorded an American Redstart tagged in Jamaica as part of a long-term study investigating the connection between areas where they spend their winters, spring departure timing, and migration. While some American Redstarts overwinter in South Florida, visitors at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary usually see them during spring and fall migration in the old-growth cypress forest.

Corkscrew Swamp ghost orchid in bloom as legal protections are delayed
https://news.wgcu.org/section/environment/2023-06-27/famous-corkscrew-swamp-ghost-orchid-in-bloom-endangered-species-act-protections-delayed
https://www.wlrn.org/environment/2023-06-28/corkscrew-swamp-ghost-orchid-in-bloom-as-legal-protections-are-delayed
The world-famous ghost orchid is blooming at Audubon Florida’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, which is a highlight of each year for orchid lovers who flock to the popular nature preserve east of Naples.

Events and Other News

Member Corner

Members are invited to come for drinks and a bite to eat from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 1, for our members-only Summer Swamp Social. This free and exclusive social hour for members will take place prior to our Moonlight on the Boardwalk Event (separate registration required) with doors opening to the public at 6:30 p.m. Enjoy an hour of relaxing jazz music and conversation prior to heading out on the boardwalk to see the full moon. During the social, parents/caregivers are welcome to take a break and register their children (ages 4 to 12) in our "Stay and Play" room for fun, nature-themed activities with our education staff. Register for the Summer Swamp Social

Cocktail party on the patio. Photo: Charlie McDonald Photography

Upcoming Events

Barred Owl. Photo: Arnie Collens

We Are Closing for Ten Days in September

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary’s Blair Visitor Center and boardwalk will be closed from Sept. 11 through 22 for renovations. Our regularly scheduled guided tours will still be offered during this time. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to your next visit.

Blair Visitor Center. Photo: David Korte

The Perfect Place to Say “I Do”

Celebrate your special day in nature. We’re currently offering three outdoor locations as well as the Blair Visitor Center for weddings, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners and remembrance ceremonies. Members enjoy a 10% discount. Read more.

Bride and groom on the boardwalk. Photo: Love Letters Co.

DONATE

Donations and memberships provide crucial support for conservation work at the Sanctuary. The Blair Audubon Center and boardwalk are open daily with timed admissions from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Online tickets are required at www.corkscrew.audubon.org/visit.

CONNECT WITH US

Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
375 Sanctuary Rd., Naples, FL 34120 USA
(239) 348-9151 | corkscrew.audubon.org

© 2024 National Audubon Society, Inc.

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