West Volusia Audubon

10/19/2026

Give Your Unused Binoculars a Second Life in South America!

Do you have an old pair of binoculars sitting in a closet, gathering dust? You can turn that forgotten gear into a powerful tool for conservation, education, and community empowerment.

West Volusia Audubon is collecting unused and functional binoculars to deliver directly to rural communities in Colombia this November by Lois Posey, one of our board members.

Why Your Donation Matters:
In many rural South American communities, ecotourism and bird watching are becoming vital alternatives to deforestation and hunting. However, high-quality optics are expensive and hard to come by.

By donating your binoculars, you are helping:

• Local Guides: Earn a sustainable living by leading wildlife tours.

• Young Students: Connect with their local environment and become the next generation of conservationists.

• Community Scientists: Monitor endangered species and protect local biodiversity hotspots.

What We Are Looking For:

• Condition: Working, functional binoculars (scratches on the body are fine, but lenses should be clear).
• Types: Any standard birding, wildlife, travel binoculars or children binoculars (e.g., 8x42, 10x42, or compact styles).
• Extras: Cases, straps, and lens caps are highly appreciated but not required!

How to Donate:

Bringing your gear to us is simple:

1. Drop-Off Location: Lyonia Environmental Center, 2150 Eustace Ave., Deltona, FL 32725. Attn. Stephen Kintner.

2. Collection Dates: October 15, 2026 through November 7, 2026.

3. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m

Thank you for helping us open up a world of discovery and conservation for these communities. Your small donation makes a massive world of difference!

10/13/2026

Thank you for sharing and thank you for the wonderful remembrance of Eli!

10/05/2026

Eli Schaperow, 79, a longtime birder, conservationist and community volunteer, died on Oct 1.

Eli Schaperow spent years teaching people to look around.

Look for the eagle overhead. Listen for the bird hidden in the trees. Slow down long enough to notice what was living in the wetlands and wild places all around them.

The longtime Deltona resident gave countless hours of his life to sharing the natural beauty of Volusia County — leading bird walks, participating in bird counts, photographing wildlife, supporting conservation and teaching anyone who would listen about the place they called home.

In doing so, Schaperow left behind more than a record of the birds he found. He helped protect the nature and wildlife around us, and taught others why it mattered.

Read more: https://www.beacononlinenews.com/articles/news/eli-schaperow-taught-west-volusia-to-stop-and-look-around-once-in-a-while/

Photo courtesy of The Schaperow Family

10/01/2026

We are sad to share that our dear friend and beloved birder Eli Schaperow has passed away. Eli has led countless birding hikes in his role with West Volusia Audubon and has shared his joy and love for birds with so many people, and that love continues on with all of the people he has inspired to take their own birding journey. We are so thankful that Eli was able to see a full room packed with just some of the many friends he made along the way at an event in his honor last month, all there to show their appreciation for a man who has done so much for the community. May his memory be a blessing.

09/30/2026

One of Lyonia’s Scrub-Jays showing off its fancy new jewelry, courtesy of a banding program funded by West Volusia Audubon.

📸: Tyler Lovell

09/18/2026

Thank you everyone who came and shared their stories with our dear friend, board member, and birding hike leader Eli Schaperow!

09/09/2026

Our birder extraordinaire Eli Schaperow has decided to step back from leading his famous birding hikes. We want to take a moment to celebrate a man that has given so much to West Volusia Audubon and the birding community by sharing stories and photos of our adventures with Eli.

If you’ve ever attended one of Eli’s hikes or talks, if you’ve ever seen him point out a special bird, or if he’s contributed to your love of birding in any way, please join us to show Eli how much his knowledge and enthusiasm have benefited us all.

Join us at the Lyonia Environmental Center, 2150 Eustace Ave. Deltona, Florida on Thursday, September 17th. The party starts at 1:00 PM in the LEC’s main classroom.

If you have pictures of Eli on any of your birding adventures please share them with us and we will include them in a slide show. If you have stories to tell, please either share them with us at the event or e-mail them to us so we can share them with Eli.

We want to make this event as full of love and appreciation as possible and we’d love for everyone to attend who is able.

If you want to RSVP, please do so at our Facebook event page:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1Cea9hqoBD

Please send your photos and stories to:
[email protected]

06/28/2026

Thank you to everyone who donated, shared, and helped spread the word about our 2026 ‘Tis The Season Jay Watch Fundraiser. We were able to blow past our $10,000 goal and donate $12,500 to support Audubon Florida’s Jay Watch program!

A special thank you goes out to our just over 20 donors, including our West Volusia Audubon Board Members, for their contributions to this effort.

We know times are hard for so many people, but we are thankful for everyone who helped in this effort including those who were willing and able to contribute, and of course the volunteers all over the state who have given their time to this effort.

Be sure to keep an eye out for the next Audubon Florida Jay Watch report to see what insights this year’s survey generates as we work to ensure a future for the Florida Scrub-Jay!

06/07/2026

06/04/2026

Our friends and members with donations big and small have made a lot of progress on our campaign but we still need your help to hit our goal of raising $10,000 for Jay Watch!

Will you help us support the Florida Scrub-Jay by donating or sharing this post?

You can find the donation link in our bio Instagram or right here: https://www.lecfriends.com/jay-watch/

Jay Watch is a community science program led by Audubon Florida that is dedicated to training and supporting volunteers in conducting scientific surveys. This effort helps us evaluate the total number of scrub-jays and annual nesting success at more than 45 sites in 19 counties including our beloved Lyonia Preserve and Blue Spring State Park!

As Florida’s only endemic bird species, scrub-jays delight locals and draw birders from all over and often reward visitors with a lifelong memory by landing on their hat or shoulder. But the Scrub-Jay population is under an ever-increasing threat and its population is estimated to have declined by 90% since the early 1800s, largely due to loss of its native scrub habitat.

With your help, we can help continue to ensure that the Florida Scrub-Jay will be around to delight and inspire for many generations to come.