Next "Give A Day For The Bay" is August 9 -- Sign Up Now!

--- On Mon, 7/7/08, Nanette O'Hara <nanette@tbep.org> wrote:   Greetings Everyone:   Hope you're having a great summer!   In honor of the 100th anniversary of the community of Ruskin in southern Hillsborough County , we are joining with our friends at Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center to sponsor a "Centennial Wildlife Survey" at Camp Bayou on Saturday, August 9 from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.   Our mission: To locate 100 different species in just one morning! It's a tall order, but I know you intrepid "Give A Day For The Bay" volunteers can do it!   For this workday, we need 35-40 volunteers to locate, identify and photograph birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects. In fact, insects are likely to be the most numerous creatures we'll encounter, and the only animals we'll attempt to capture. Volunteers will be sent out in teams to survey an assigned trail section at Camp Bayou . Although you don't need to be an expert by any means, we can certainly use people with some expertise in identifying birds, butterflies, reptiles, insects, and even animal tracks or scat.   We also need volunteers with good digital cameras and photographic skills. Additionally, one member of each team will be the data recorder, filling out survey sheets to record type and number of species, location, and other basic info.   Camp Bayou director Dolly Cummings will be the overall coordinator of the survey. She'll set out pit traps and bucket traps the day before to catch nocturnal creatures, and brief everyone on procedures before you set out Saturday morning. Each team will be given a few containers and asked to bring back invertebrates for comparison with those in the existing collection at Camp Bayou . Specimens already in the collection will be released; those that are new will be retained and added to the collection.   We'll put together a slide show of the creatures photographed by the volunteer teams to show during lunch and give prizes for the most species found, most unusual critter found, etc.   As usual, we'll feed you and give you a cool t-shirt designed by Ruskin's own very talented graphic artist Mariella Smith.   WHAT TO WEAR:   Shorts are OK for this one as we'll mostly be staying on or near cleared trails Closed-toe shoes Hat Sunglasses   WHAT TO BRING:   Field Guides (we REALLY need these!) Binoculars (for birds) Gloves Nets Camera Handheld GPS units Water bottle Sunscreen Bug repellent   Please let me know if you want to participate in this workday, and if you can bring any of the equipment needed, such as field guides, GPS units, nets, etc.   Also let me know if you need a vegetarian sandwich for lunch.   Driving directions to Camp Bayou are available at http://campbayou.org/map1.html .Basic directions are also below my signature box.   Thanks, everybody!   Nanette Holland O'Hara Public Outreach Coordinator Tampa Bay Estuary Program 100 8th Ave. S.E. St. Petersburg , FL 33701 (727) 893-2765 phone (727) 459-8006 cell e-mail: Nanette@tbep.org www.tbep.org www.tampabay.wateratlas.org    DIRECTIONS TO CAMP BAYOU   From Tampa :   Take I-75 South to Exit 240 B (SR 674). This is the Ruskin exit. Go west to 24th St. and turn left. Follow this road for 3-4 miles until you can't go any further. Camp Bayou will be on your left, through the second set of gates. Look for the "Give A Day" banner.   Alternatively, you could take I-4 to 50th Street/Highway 41and go south on US 41 for about 18 miles till you reach College Avenue (SR 674) in Ruskin. Turn left there and go to 24th St. Turn right there and follow the road for about 3-4 miles until you come to Camp Bayou on your left.   From St. Petersburg :   Take the Sunshine Skyway Bridge ($1 toll each way) over the bay and into Manatee County . Take Exit Number 2, the US 41 exit toward PALMETTO/BRADENTON.   Merge onto US 41 North toward Port Manatee. Go north about 12 miles till you come to Ruskin. Turn right on College Avenue (SR 674) and right on 24th Street . Follow this road for 3-4 miles until you can't go any further. Camp Bayou will be on your left. Look for the "Give A Day" banner.