At the edge of Grassy Lake, within the 8,300 acres of Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park, sits a brand-new bird blind. Accessible at the end of a 100-yard long, crushed shell path, the blind is the culmination of years of effort and dreaming by leaders of the West Pasco Audubon Society. As a light at the…
Author: Erika Zambello
Erika Zambello is a writer, birder, and photographer living and working along the Emerald Coast of Florida. She has a master’s degree in environmental management, where she specialized in ecosystem science and conservation. Her love of the outdoors was inspired by a childhood in Maine, where she returned for her National Geographic Young Explorer grant. In addition to Maine, she has lived in New York, France, Washington, DC, and North Carolina. Erika believes in the power of communicating conservation and exploration, which was the inspiration for One World, Two Feet.
Yarnologie – Connection in a Time of Uncertainty
Connection in a Time of Uncertainty: Guest author Erika Zambello (me!) takes us through history to show how sock knitting has always been important during times of crisis. Click here to order your copy of the magazine to see the entire article!
Audubon – Gravel Rooftops Provide Crucial Habitat for Nesting Seabirds and Shorebirds
Gravel rooftops take on an entirely new function during the spring and summer months: nesting habitat for sea and shorebirds. Sea and shorebirds – including Black Skimmers, Least Terns, and American Oystercatchers – traditionally nest on sandy beaches and marshy islands, but those habitats are in high demand for coastal recreation. In addition to development…
10000 Birds – Paddling Piney Z Lake
Four months ago, a full parking lot wouldn’t have caused my blood pressure to spike. Four months ago, I would have taken to the crowded pathway at Lafayette Heritage Trail Park like a horse to pasture, reveling in the outdoor exercise and rare time away from my new baby. Four months ago, I wouldn’t have…
Audubon Staff Return American Oystercatcher Chick to Rooftop Nesting Area
It was a hot and steamy day atop a rooftop seabird colony in Pinellas County. Least Tern, Black Skimmer, and American Oystercatcher chicks sought refuge from the sun’s glare beneath their parents or in the fragments of shade they could find on the gravel roof. While this unorthodox habitat may seem like a strange place…
Audubon – March 1 Marks the Beginning of Beach Nesting Bird Season
Spring brings nesting sea and shorebirds to Florida’s coastlines. Making scoop nests right on the sand, the plovers, terns, and American Oystercatchers must overcome storm surges, algal blooms, and human disturbance to successfully fledge chicks each year. So far, the first reported nests have come from Dog Island, with three Snowy Plover pairs successfully laying…
Audubon – 20th Century Women Key to Audubon Florida’s Success Today
Audubon Florida would not be the powerful organization we know today without decades of dedication by hardworking, visionary women. For Women’s History Month, we are taking a look back at these extraordinary leaders. Read the entire article here!
Press – NY TIMES/Knitters Chronicle Climate Change One Stitch at a Time
“Temperature scarves, as they are commonly called, have more than fashion appeal. Laura Guertin, a professor of earth science at Penn State Brandywine in Media, Pa., uses hers as a teaching aid in the classroom. Last year, Erika Zambello, who works for Audubon Florida, a conservation group, began organizing volunteers to record temperature changes at U.S. National…
10000 Birds – Birding with Baby
Over a month had gone by since the birth of my first child. When you don’t know anything about babies, the initial 30 days are a crash course in hormones and learning how to take care of a newborn – feeding, diapering, and so much more. I barely had time to shower, let alone take…
Audubon – Field Work at the Edge of Florida
Audubon biologist Alex Blochel loads up the Pathfinder boat at the Everglades Science Center (ESC), tossing in snorkel gear and measuring equipment for a full day of field work on the water. The dawn light has just crested the shiny leaves of Florida Bay mangroves, and he’ll need all the daylight he can get to measure submerged aquatic vegetation…
Audubon – New Living Shoreline
Mark Rachal steps into the 20-foot center console skiff, throwing rope lines back into the boat and motoring towards the Richard T. Paul Alafia Banks Bird Sanctuary. As he moves away from the boat launch, Brown Pelicans, Forster’s Terns, and Great Egrets wheel across the blue sky overhead, a testament to the importance of the…
10000 Birds – New Birds, New Reasons to Be Late to Work
I recently moved to Tallahassee, a city known for its robust network of lakes and ponds. From natural formations to impoundments, reservoirs to golf-course carve-outs, there is a lot of water in Tallahassee. My new house sits adjacent to one such lake, which probably used to fill up naturally during rainy times but has been artificially impounded…
