CM Orchid Thief author at BIG Arts Jan. 19 'Ding' Darling hosts CD Sanibel Public Library presents Susan popular Blue Crush. Orlean, author of The Orchid Thief and a The prolific author has written several Fakahatchee Strand biologist New Yorker staff writer, at BIG ARTS on books, including The Bullfighter Checks Mike Owen, lead biologist Friday, Jan. 1-9. Her talk and book-signing Her Makeup: My Encounters with. Ordinary for Fakahatchee Strand reception are the keynote event for the People, a collection of stories released in Preserve State Park, will make r 2006-2007 Sanibel Reads season. January 2001; Red Sox and Blue Fish o a special guest appearance on o (Mean's talk and question-and-answer (1989), a compilation of columns she wrote Thursday, Jan. 25, at 1 p.m. in CM session will begin at 7 p.m. and will be fol- for the Globe Sunday Magazine; Saturday the Education Center at lowed by the reception. Tickets are on sale Night (1990), essays that chronicle the 0) Sanibel's J.N. "Ding" Darling at BIG ARTS and Macintosh Books and Saturday nights she spent in communities National Wildlife Refuge. ca Paper for $15 adults and $6 children. Copies across the country; and her most recent, My Owen will talk about the of The Orchid Thief will be available for Kind of Place: Travel Stories From a preserve's famous wild orchid to purchase the evening of her appearance. Woman Who's Been Everywhere (2004). populations in conjunction The award-winning The Orchid Thief: A Orlean, a former contributor to Vogue with this- year's Sanibel Reads True Story of Beauty and Obsession chroni- and Rolling Stones magazines, currently is program. It revolves around the 0 cles the author's "stranger than fiction"" writing a series of American popular cul- nonfiction book The Orchid encounters with orchid lovers in the Florida Susan Orlean ture columns for The New Yorker, called Thief, which is partially set at Everglades. It follows unlikely hero John "Popular Chronicles." They have included Fakahatchee Preserve, known Laroche, a renegade plant dealer arrested in 1994 for stealing subjects such designer Bill Blass, Harlem high school bas- as the "Amazon of North rare ghost orchids from Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve ketball star Felipe Lopez, the friends and neighbors of America" for its remarkable near Naples. Tonya Harding, and Q.J. Red Alert, a hip-hop radio star in flora and fauna - 44 species of native orchids, 14 of native Orlean researched the book during an extended visit to New York. bromeliads, royal palms, bald cypress, Florida panthers, the Naples area. Later, the book inspired the movie Sanibel Public Library is hosting Orlean's visit, with black bears, and more. Adaptation, starring Nicholas Cage and Meryl Streep. It was assistance from West Wind Inn. For more information or to Admission is free to the event, which is sponsored by the not the first movie spin-off from Orlean's works. Her New help support Sanibel Reads, call Barb Dunkle at 239-472- "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society, the refuge's non-profit Yorker article about the surfing girls in Maui resulted in the 4893 or visit www.zebis.com/sanibelreads. "friends" organization, as part of its 12-week Thursday Afternoon Lecture Series. Through March, the 1 p.m. lec- tures will feature coveted authors and personalities such as Don and Lillian Stokes, birding experts extraordinaire, and Dr. Aaron Adams, author of Fisherman's Coast. CROW: Pardon our dust As a result of the onset of construction at CROW, our daily education program has been discontinued from December 2006 through the Fall of 2007. CROW remains OPEN 7 days a week for wildlife patient reception and care only. The Visitor Education Center and Gift Shop have been moved to Tahitian Gardens Shopping Plaza on Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. Please continue to call CROW at 472-3644, #5 for membership, philanthropic giving or community out- reach information. Thank you for your patience and under- standing during this exciting time of growth for CROW! Jaciaranda 239.472.1771 1223 Periwinkle Way • Sanibel Island SEAFOOD •STEAK • SPIRITS Dine Iiuide ~ Two Roorru to Suit You, or Outdide Alfresco Dining on Our Patio. Serving Dinner Daily 5-10pm Sun - Thurs Fri-Sat til 11pm KXDS JVtEtttJ Call Ahead Seating Nightly Entertainment in the J AC Bar! Sanibel'J Social Scene Available For Parties Of Eight SanibePs We Proudly Brew Or More - Best Happy Hour Starbucks Coffee ki J lNIGHTLY! • OUTDOOR 2 for 1 DRINKS! SEATING via 7 ^el•V l Liquor • LIVE MUSIC mft& \ SnMe Beer EVERYDAY Select House Wine • TAKE-OUT AVAILABLE Happy Apps! OPEN $5.95 7 AM to 10 PM Crispy Fried Calamari, Food & Beverage Discount 2163 Periwinkle Way Sesame Encrusted Ahi Tuna, 10%OFF BREAKFAST Sanibel Island, Florida : BBQ Beef Satay, Monday - Saturday 7-11 Sunday 7-12 Chilled Oysters, Steamed Shrimp, Must present ad. Snow Crab Legs, Chicken Wings! 18% gratuity added & tax applies. (239) 472-0606 Not vaild with any other promotion. ( Periwinkle Park's 'Bird Lady/ Miss Libby 3" CD When Libby Baird and her husband came GO to Periwinkle Trailer Park nineteen years O ago, she had never thought much about birds, but the magnificent parrots in the Park l e CD intrigued her. Miss Libby started reading CD about them and learning even more by being 7T at the Park and caring for them. Soon Dick Muench, the bird man of the Muench fami- ly, recognized her genuine enthusiasm and 03 C gave her a key to their cages. 03 Every morning, Miss Libby started com- land peop ing to the parrots and getting them out of their cages. Each morning at eight o'clock N the parrots are fed by the park workers who O Nancy O also clean their cages. 1 At nine thirty Miss Libby — who is their Santeusanio Treat and Cuddle Person — bikes down to the cages, and gets them ready for their ten generations to domesticate them. o'clock one-hour educational show. Parrots are flock animals and when taken Spectators park their cars by the office and from their flock, they are virtually being walk down to the cages. Publicity is by word placed in solitary confinement. Miss Libby of mouth but there is no lack of an audience. further explains that people have a commit- Sometimes as many as 25-30 people come ment to bond with them and give them lots to the show and everyone brings their chil- of attention. She cautions that if they are not dren and grandchildren. cared for properly, parrots will self-mutilate During the show Miss Libby shows her by biting themselves or feather plucking. To audience how to hold the parrots and invites fulfill their cage requirements, nutritional Photos courtesy of Libby Baird people to hold them if they wish. Miss and their emotional needs requires that their Above: Wfiss Libby with Sonny and Libby's show is a Sanibel hit with no admis- care givers must plan to spend much time Cher; Right: Miss Libby with Rico sion and only a donation box for contribu- with them. and Left: Axel Amazon C/3 tions used to care for the special needs of People must understand that while par- 03 these birds. rots are very beautiful and entertaining, they only talk when he feels like it and usually Each of these parrots has their own per- that's when he's seeking attention. Rico CT are also very noisy and messy. They require says, "Want a carrot, an apple- or a string CD_ sonality and although parrots have been a lot of time and will bite for self protection. O around for three generations in captivity, the bean?" He has a favorite toy which is a duck 03 "Anyone who is thinking about getting a and for that he says, "Donny, Donny Duck." T3 research reports that it takes about 1,000 parrot should know what they are getting into and be ready to make a commitment," Only Axel, an Amazon, will talk on cue I explains Miss Libby. "That's why a small and the cue is an almond. With their own bird is best rather than choosing a larger bird idiosyncrasies, they each have their particu- lar preferences. James Bond and JoJo prefer Q. who can live 60-70 years. Actually people CD need to make provision for these larger birds men while Freddy prefers women. Also in the show are Sonny and Cher from South O in their will and also remember that parrots o bond with certain people but not with oth- America and Lady Jane, a sulphur crested cockatoo from Australia JE very one's favorite 3 ers. Before finalizing their choice people is Dusty Rose, an Australian rose breasted owe it to themselves to visit the bird a few cockatoo. Two years ago she broke her foot times and to be very sure that this is the right and the vet bill was $1,600. plus much of bird for them." Miss Libby's excellent care. "They live with Each morning at ten o'clock from me when they are ill," she adds. November to May visitors are waiting in front of the cages for the show to begin. The real boost came in 2002 when Alice Miss Libby may start by introducing and Nick Masci, retired CBS video editors Pumpkin or Catalina Macaw. Both of the for sixteen years, offered to do a profession- cn_ Macaws were born in this country and are al video of the birds and the profits from 03 Q.