By Peter Clayton

The Audubon Certification group met on July 27th, and learned from Chad Hansen that the Club has received three of the required seven certificates for full accreditation with three others pending and one – Outreach and Education – yet to be submitted.

We discussed several ideas for Outreach and Education including use of the bulletin boards outside the Fitness Center and Golf Pro Shop, presentations to the Marsh Creek Women’s Association and all interested residents … plus additional Spoonbill Courier articles such as this one. In addition, Chad and Stan Hill made a presentation to the MCOA Board at its July meeting – and we will approach the Board for approval to have bird houses and milkweed beds in the Community Park.

Stan’s update to the Board included the good news that six of the ten bird houses installed on the gollf course in February are in use: we have counted eleven nests with a total of forty-three eggs of which thirty-five hatched and thirty-one fledged – a pretty remarkable success rate.

We plan to relocate the four unused boxes to other areas around the Club including the Fitness Center. The purple martin house beside the 2nd green was raised to a more appropriate height.

On Monday, July 27th, Chad and Stan installed a pair of wood duck houses in the lake on the left side of
the 3rd fairway – one at either end. A resident bordering that lake sent Chad photos of wood ducks in the
lake which prompted the install – hopefully we’ll see some activity in the Spring.

Nina and Chad reported that the three milkweed beds we planted are doing well and a fourth bed will be
installed in the Fitness Center area once a site has been selected. Chad emphasized the inclusion of the
Fitness Center will expose non-golfers to the Audubon project.