Human noise and song birds: WWALS Webinar by Dr. Erin Grabarczyk of VSU 2024-07-11

Update 2024-07-25: Videos: Human noise and song birds: WWALS Webinar by Dr. Erin Grabarczyk of VSU 2024-07-11.

Ever wonder why there seem to be fewer birds?

According to the VSU Sound Ecology Lab, “Rapid human-driven habitat loss and modification are leading causes of decreased biodiversity and species extinction.”

Dr. Erin Grabarczyk researches some more subtle human effects on birds, “I’m interested in how animals respond to human-generated environmental change. Specifically, my research aims to link the effects of anthropogenic noise on singing behavior, signal transmission, and song perception in song birds, with the goal of connecting each of these in analysis of communication in a social context.”

Dr. Grabarczyk will give a WWALS Webinar at noon, Thursday, July 11, 2024.

[Human noise and song birds, Dr. Erin Grabarczyk of VSU, WWALS Webinar by zoom, Noon-1 PM, Thursday, 2024-07-11]
Human noise and song birds, Dr. Erin Grabarczyk of VSU, WWALS Webinar by zoom, Noon-1 PM, Thursday, 2024-07-11

Register in advance with zoom for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pde-hpj4tEtL4VbpQVvbIBC0zVbBRHKv9

In addition to her research so far, she will mention some new research she is starting in the Suwannee River Basin.

WWALS Board President Sara Jay Jones will give a brief introduction, Dr. Grabarczyk will speak for about 45 minutes, and we will have questions and answers. Continue reading →

LNG by Rail on FECR through Martin County, according to FRA –Cecile Scofield to Martin County, FL BOCC 2024-06-18

Cecile Scofield told the Martin County, Florida, Board of County Commissioners that Brightline passenger rail is owned and financed by the same New York hedge fund as the liquid natural gas (LNG) liquefication plants that are sending LNG by rail over Florida East Coast Railway (FECR), and the LNG export and passenger rail projects are mutually dependent, presenting “unique risks”, according to the Federal Railroad Administration.

[FRA: FECR LNG export by rail & Brightline, Cecile Scofield @ Martin BOCC 2024-06-18, Fortress Energy Partners (FEP), Hialeah, Port Miami, Port Everglades, JAX]
FRA: FECR LNG export by rail & Brightline, Cecile Scofield @ Martin BOCC 2024-06-18, Fortress Energy Partners (FEP), Hialeah, Port Miami, Port Everglades, JAX

Here is Cecile’s presentation, extracted from Martin County’s own video:
https://youtu.be/KjjdDdb1HI8 Continue reading →

Federal Railroad Administration 281-page FOIA response on FECR LNG by Rail request 2024-06-07

Update 2024-07-01: LNG by Rail on FECR through Martin County, according to FRA –Cecile Scofield to Martin County, FL BOCC 2024-06-18.

For years we’ve been trying to FOIA information from FRA about FECR’s project to ship liquid natural gas (LNG) by rail through densely-populated areas. After four months, two FOIAs, and further correspondence, we finally got quite a bit.

It confirms in detail much of what Cecile Scofield has been saying for years. LNG liquefaction plants and the railroad are owned by the same company, and there are safety concerns about their plan to ship LNG by rail up and down Florida to export to the world and by land across the U.S.

Yet many important safety details were redacted.

[Fortress Investment Group (FIG) affiliates exporting LNG to the world: Florida East Coast Railway (FECR) and New Fortress Energy (NFE)]
Fortress Investment Group (FIG) affiliates exporting LNG to the world: Florida East Coast Railway (FECR) and New Fortress Energy (NFE)

FECR’s plan is to ship LNG up and down Florida, out through ports from Miami to Jacksonville, and to ship it all over the U.S. Continue reading →

WWALS Annual Member Meeting and Quarterly Board Meeting 2024-07-14

You are invited to two WWALS meetings the same evening, both online by zoom.

Agendas and zoom parameters will be posted before the meetings.

WWALS Annual Member Meeting

When: 6 PM, Sunday, July 14, 2024

What: Presentation of Annual Report, and WWALS members elect some board members.

WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting

When: 6:30 PM, Sunday, July 14, 2024

What: WWALS Board members elect officers for one year terms, and do the usual board business.

Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/854738966701213/

[The 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin and Estuary in Georgia and Florida --Suwannee Riverkeeper of WWALS]
The 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin and Estuary in Georgia and Florida –Suwannee Riverkeeper of WWALS

Continue reading →

Sasser Landing Alapaha River Cleanup, 2024-07-13

A river cleanup on land, at Sasser Landing, Jannings Bluff Landing, and the Dead River Sink parking lot.

When: 9 AM, Saturday, July 13, 2024

Put In: Sasser Landing, From Jennings, Hamilton County, FL, travel east on CR 150; cross the Alapaha River; turn left onto NW 72 Court and follow to river, in Hamilton County, FLorida.

GPS: 30.599562, -83.069828

[On-land Cleanup, Sasser Landing, Jennings Bluff, Dead River Sink, Alapaha River, Hamilton County, FL]
On-land Cleanup, Sasser Landing, Jennings Bluff, Dead River Sink, Alapaha River, Hamilton County, FL

Continue reading →

Big Shoals Portage and Paddle 2024-07-05

Portage around Big Shoals, the biggest rapids in Florida, and paddle through Little Shoals on the Suwannee River.

Join us on this beautiful section of the Suwannee River. This paddle is appropriate for anyone who is in reasonable physical condition, agile enough to launch from a rocky edge (see photo above), and can portage your kayak 1/4 mile. The river is low and there are shoals to paddle around and possible low spots to drag through. There will be plenty of time to enjoy the magnificent views.

We will launch from Big Shoals State Park, paddle downstream 1 mile to the start of the portage trail around Big Shoals. Pack light as you will need to portage everything for approximately 1/4 of a mile on a dirt trail. Then we get back in our boats and paddle on through Little Shoals.

When: Gather 8:30 AM, launch 9:30 AM, end 2 PM, Friday, July 5, 2024

Put In: Big Shoals Tract Launch, From White Springs, travel north on CR 135 to SE 94 Street (Godwin Bridge Road); turn right and follow road to Big Shoals, in Hamilton County, Florida.

GPS: 30.3529705, -82.6879375

[Portage Big Shoals, Paddle Little Shoals 2024-07-05, Suwannee River, to White Springs, FL]
Portage Big Shoals, Paddle Little Shoals 2024-07-05, Suwannee River, to White Springs, FL

Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers 2024-06-27

Update 2024-07-05: Bad Franks Creek, unknown rivers, after much rain 2024-07-03.

The Withlacoochee River tested clean for Wednesday and Thursday, and the Santa Fe River for Monday.

Retesting upstream and downstream from the previous One Mile Branch Valdosta Williams Street anomolous results found little to no E. coli.

No sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia.

The rivers are almost all down to good boating and fishing levels; maybe too low in some areas.

There was rain on the Withlacoochee River in several places over several days, so some contamination may have washed in.

Other than that, happy boating, swimming, and fishing this weekend!

[Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers, but rain 2024-06-27]
Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers, but rain 2024-06-27

Cindy Vedas tested three upstream Withlacoochee sites Thursday.

For Franklinville Road at Tyler Bridge, she got Continue reading →

Pictures: Ray’s Millpond paddle 2016-04-03

It was a brief but fun paddle out onto Ray’s Millpond, a 3,500 acre pond created by a dam built in 1866 on Beaver Dam Creek to power a grist mill.

[Ray's Millpond, Beaverdam Creek 2016-04-03, Cat Creek, Withlacoochee River]
Ray’s Millpond, Beaverdam Creek 2016-04-03, Cat Creek, Withlacoochee River

For more WWALS outings and events as they are scheduled, see:
https://wwals.net/outings Continue reading →

Pictures: Juneteenth at Reed Bingham State Park 2024-06-22

Thanks to everyone who boated and had fun, and to everyone who helped, at Reed Bingham State Park Lake.

[Boating at Juneteenth, Reed Bingham SP 2024-06-22, WWALS & Macedonia Community Foundation]
Boating at Juneteenth, Reed Bingham SP 2024-06-22, WWALS & Macedonia Community Foundation

People who had never been in a boat before now have, some more than once.

Thanks to Fannie Gibbs of Macedonia Community Foundation for having the idea and bringing the food to this Juneteenth celebration.

Here are some video highlights:
https://youtu.be/bzEroP3rOrQ?si=Flvz68IPmRB6aWVw Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and Santa Fe Rivers, problem on One Mile Branch 2024-06-19

Update 2024-06-29: Clean Withlacoochee and Santa Fe Rivers 2024-06-27.

With no rain for a further week, the Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and Santa Fe Rivers tested clean for Wednesday and Thursday. There was an unusual test result for One Mile Branch at Williams Street in Valdosta for Monday.

No sewage spills were reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia.

The rivers are almost all down to good boating and fishing levels.

There is some chance of rain Saturday and Sunday.

Other than that, happy boating, swimming, and fishing this weekend!

[Clean Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and Santa Fe River 2024-06-20; Problem on One Mile Branch @ Williams Street 2024-06-17]
Clean Withlacoochee, Alapaha, and Santa Fe River 2024-06-20; Problem on One Mile Branch @ Williams Street 2024-06-17

For this Thursday, June 20, Kim Tanner sampled Continue reading →