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Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival November 12 - 16, 2003 in Brevard County, Florida A celebration of birds and wildlife. |
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Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival November 12 - 16, 2003 in Brevard County, Florida A celebration of birds and wildlife. |
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2003 FIELD TRIPS
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Bird Banding Demonstration
Expert Bird Banders Richard Poole, Christine Brown and Bob Wheeler will set up mist nets near the entrance to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center and conduct bird banding demos on the birds they capture. Nets will be set up on Saturday, Nov 15 and Sunday, Nov 16 from 7:00am to 11:00am.
TAKE A RIDE ON THE WILD SIDE OF THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
This trip is sponsored by the Kennedy Space Center Visitor's Complex
Departs ONLY from KSC Visitors Complex (GATE 3) Preregistration is a must!
Trip Leaders: Dr. Ross Hinkle
Join Dynamac Corporation Chief Scientist, Dr. Ross Hinkle, for a guided bus journey through the working launch complex of the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and into the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Learn how KSC, working with the Fish and Wildlife Service, sets the standard for how nature and technology can co-exist peacefully and benefit one another. Ross will talk about the ongoing ecological studies at KSC related to such areas as fire ecology, remote sensing and global climate change. Some endangered Florida wildlife you might see includes the Florida manatee, wood storks and the threatened Florida scrub jay. The tour will travel along parts of the nation’s most biologically diverse estuary, the Indian River Lagoon and Banana River, Florida scrub and pine flatwoods habitat.
Visit www.dynamac.com and www.KennedySpaceCenter.com
Nov 16, 9:30am-12:30pm: Limited to 45 registrants; $35.00/person
WALK THE LAKE MONROE CONSERVATION AREA
Trip Leaders: Lorne Malo, Maria Zondervan
Join St. Johns River Water Management District biologists Lorne Malo and Maria Zondervan for a half-day hiking adventure at the Lake Monroe Conservation Area between Sanford and Osteen in Volusia County. We will embark from the parking area on east side of SR 415, opposite the Reed Ellis Rd. intersection. This site is good for marsh birds, warblers and sparrows. Numerous wading birds and raptors are expected here along with white-tailed deer and numerous alligators. Wild turkey, Florida scrub-jay, Bachman’s, vesper, and grasshopper sparrows, American bittern, wood stork, black-crowned night-heron, bald eagle, short-tailed hawk, Cooper’s hawk, crested caracara, merlin, peregrine falcon, Virginia rail, limpkin, sandhill crane have all been recorded here. The Lake Monroe Coservation area kayak trip had the second highest species count of any of last year’s field trips, with 79 species. This will entail a moderately difficult 7-mile walk through fields, marshes, hammocks, flatwoods and scrub; some of it through mud and standing water. So be prepared for a wet and wild adventure!
http://sjr.state.fl.us/programs/outreach/pubs/recguide
Nov 12, 5:30am-12:30pm: Limited to 21 registrants; $35.00/person
ST JOHNS RIVER AIRBOAT TOUR
Trip Leaders: Captain Rick Thrift & Rich Burkelew, Nov 12 & 15,
Doug Voltolino, Nov 13 and Jo Anna Baber, Nov 14
Join Captain Rick and St Johns River Water Management District biologists for an exciting tour of one of the most beautiful and interesting areas of the St. Johns River. We’ll be traveling to Lake Poinsett and the cypress swamps of Tossahatchee State Reserve. We will look at some of the plant communities unique to the area, as well as a Pre-Columbian Native American shell midden, Mulberry Mound. Middens often provide resting space and feeding areas for Neotropical migrant songbirds. Where we go and what we find will depend largely on the water levels. We should see Alligators, Bald Eagles, Northern Harriers, White Pelicans, Purple Gallinules, Mottled Ducks, Blue and Green-winged Teal, Wood Storks, Sandhill Cranes, Black-crowned and Yellow-crowned Night Herons and most of the common wading birds. Roseate Spoonbills, Peregrine Falcons, Merlins, Crested Cara Cara, Wild Turkeys, Black Skimmers, Long-billed Dowitchers, Limpkins, Sora, King Rails, and Marsh and Sedge Wrens are a possibility. Captain Rick's boat is a new, state of the art 12-passenger airboat with below water exhaust for a somewhat quieter ride. Ear coverings are provided. We will be stopping often for optimum wildlife viewing.
Lunch is an old-fashioned Florida Cracker outdoor fish fry provided by Glenda Martin of Cocoa Beach’s long-standing Old Fish House Restaurant. Glenda will haul down a fryer from the restaurant and cook up fried Gator Tail, Catfish, Frog Legs and Hush Puppies, with Baked Beans and Cole Slaw for everyone. (Vegetarian meal must be indicated.)
Visit www.airboatecotours.com, www.floridariver.org
Nov 12, 13, 14 & 15: 9:00am-1:00pm: Limited to 11 Registrants; $55.00/person
Nov 12, 13, 14 & 15: 11:00am-3:00pm: Limited to 11 registrants; $55.00/person
The Wed., 11/12, 9:00am trips is FULL
Three spaces left on Fri., 11/14, 9am trip (as of 11/2)
PELAGIC BIRDING OFFSHORE CAPE CANAVERAL
Sponsored By Brunton Optics
Trip Leaders: Jim Danzenbaker, Brian Harrington, Larry Manfredi, Wes Biggs, Jeff Bouton, Murray Gardler, David Simpson, Lee Snyder, Andy Bankert, Dick Novier
Long time birders know that a pelagic birding trip can be as exciting as birding can get, and pelagic trips in Florida are a new frontier. Pelagic birds are species that are not usually seen close to land, so a boat trip offshore is needed. Join us onboard the 85-foot fishing boat, Miss Cape Canaveral, as we steam out of Port Canaveral to search for some of the most sought after species in Florida. Great views of the launch pads at Kennedy Space Center highlight the beginning and end of this trip. The destination is an undersea formation known as "The Steeples" and the inside edge of the Gulfstream. Among our targets will be Northern Gannet, Greater, Cory’s and Audubon’s Shearwaters, all three jaegers, Leaches and Band-rumped Storm Petrels and Black-legged Kittiwake. Seabirds seen on previous festival trips include Northern Gannet, Bridled Tern, Magnificent Frigatebird, Cory’s Shearwater, Pomerine and Parasitic Jaeger, Brown Booby, and Sabine’s Gull (nearly unheard of for Florida). Bottlenosed Dolphin and Loggerhead Sea Turtles are commonly seen. The endangered Northern Right Whale is a possibility as the destination is within their wintertime calving grounds. There is always the possibility of adding a new species to your Florida list.
www.misscape.com www.portcanaveral.org
The bus leaves from Brevard Community College Titusville Campus at 6:00 AM, or you may drive your own car and meet the Miss Cape Canaveral docked by Rusty’s Seafood and Oyster Bar at Port Canaveral at 6:30 AM.
Nov12, 6:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 80 Registrants; $80.00/person
HIKE THE LITTLE-BIG ECON STATE FOREST
Trip Leaders: Lorne Malo, Sandra Friend, Roger Grimshaw
Join St. Johns River Water Management District biologist, Lorne Malo, and Florida Trails association representative, Sandra Friend, for a half-day adventure at the Little-Big Econ State Forest in east Seminole County. The Florida Trail Association has developed miles of hiking trails within the forest. We will start out at the Barr St. entrance and hike through open fields and riparian woodlands to the Econlockhatchee River. For the more adventurous hikers, there is a cable foot-bridge crossing over the Econlockhatchee River. Alligators are a common sight here. Along the way we may encounter such common inhabitants as the wood duck, bald eagle, red-shouldered hawk, sandhill crane, barred owl, yellow-bellied sapsucker, pileated woodpecker, and sedge wren. With some luck we may find sharp-shinned and Cooper’s hawk, wild turkey, blue-headed vireo, Carolina chickadee, hermit thrush, orange-crowned and yellow-throated warbler, ovenbird, grasshopper sparrow, and Baltimore oriole. We’ll return to our vehicle and drive to the Kilbee Tract portion of the Little-Big Econ State Forest on the St. Johns River, near its confluence with the Econlockhatchee River. We will walk some more in pursuit of raptors, marsh birds, shorebirds, waterfowl and songbirds. What we will find will be largely dependent on the water levels. Most of the common species are usually well represented here. This site is rarely a disappointment.
Between the two sites we will have a moderately difficult 5 to 6-mile walk; some of it through mud and standing water. So be prepared for a wet and wild adventure!
http://sjr.state.fl.us/programs/outreach/pubs/recguide
Nov 13, 5:30am-12:30pm: Limited to 21 registrants; $35.00/person
BIRD BANDING AND BLUE SPRING STATE PARK
Trip Leaders: Bonnie Cary, Richard Poole and Richard Harris
Richard Poole first banded birds in 1995, and has participated in banding birds during fall migration at the Rock Springs Run banding station ever since. A winter project, the first to investigate winter site fidelity of passerines in Florida, was started in the fall of 1998. The group will join Richard at his banding station, where a series of mist nets are positioned near shrubs and fields in the high sandhills of the Wekiwa Basin GEOpaek. At nearby Blue Spring State Park, the group will join Captain Ron Woxberg, on St. Johns River Cruises, for a tour of the quiet backwaters of the historic St. Johns River. Numerous bird species, manatees, alligators and other wild critters call this meandering waterway, with its shorelines of cypress and great stands of oak hammocks, home. Blue Spring State Park biologist, Richard Harris, will join the tour to provide an interpretive talk covering the natural and cultural history of the Spring, which plays a vital role in the survival of one of the state’s most beleaguered residents - the Florida manatee. For hundreds of years, Timucuan Indians made this area their home, eating snails gathered from sandbars. Over the years, their discarded shells formed a massive mound. In 1872, pioneers Louis and Mary Thursby built a large frame house atop the shellmound, safe from the floodwaters of the river. Luis built a dock so he could service steamboats. Thursby’s Landing became a popular stopping place for northern scientists who came to Florida to study its strange wildlife and plants. Many of them stayed in the home, where Thursby’s six children assisted them in their work, collecting eggs and even shooting birds and shipping the skins north. The Thursby Home has been closed to the public for many years. Participants on this field trip may get a rare, special opportunity to tour this wonderful, old "Florida Cracker" house, which is filled with furnishings and memories from Florida’s fabulous steamboat era. On the way home, a stop at Volusia County’s Lyonia Preserve will allow participants to observe Florida Scrub Jays.
Visit www.FloridaStateParks.org, www.Floridariver.org, wwww.volusia.org/growth/landacq, www.sjrcruises.com
Nov 13, 6:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 21 registrants; $60.00/person (includes meal).
TOSOHATCHEE STATE RESERVE & ORLANDO WETLANDS PARK
Trip Leaders: Phyllis Mansfield, Murray Gardler, and Mark Sees
Shaped by alternating cycles of fire and flood, Tosohatchee State Reserve is a mosaic of marshes, swamps, pine flatwoods and hammocks. The 28,000 acres of the reserve border 19 miles of the St. Johns River in east Orange County. The reserve is named for Tootoosahatchee Creek, which flows through its northern portion. Tootoosahatchee translates roughly from a Native American tongue to "Chicken Creek", "Fowl Creek" or "Fowl Town". The abundance of wildlife must have been attractive to the Native Americans who lived at Tosohatchee long before the arrival of the first Europeans. Mounds within the reserve indicate these people occupied the area for several centuries. The Tosohatchee marshes are feeding areas for wading birds and, during winter months, host large numbers of migrating waterfowl. The forested uplands support White-tailed Deer, Bobcat, Gray Fox, Wild Turkey, woodpeckers, hawks, owls, songbirds and, on rare occasions, the Florida Panther. Birds of interest include Bachman’s Sparrow, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Eastern Bluebird, Bald Eagle, Wood Stork and Florida Sandhill Crane. A short distance away at Orlando Wetlands Park (OWP), Manager, Mark Sees, will join the group to lead a tour of the nearly 1200 acres of beautiful created wetlands, which include cattail and bulrush marshes, mixed and open marshes, hardwood swamps and a lake. Guests are sure to see numerous wading birds, and often, Purple Gallinules, Least Bitterns, American Bitterns, Red-shouldered Hawks and King Rails can be found foraging in the marshes. A variety of other animals abound at OWP including White-Tailed Deer, River Otter, Raccoon, Bobcat, Opossum, and Wild Hog. This is a beautiful time of the year to visit these two sites as fall wildflowers and native grasses are in full bloom. There should be plenty of birds, butterflies and dragonflies.
Nov. 13 & 14, 6:00am-12:30pm, Limited to 21 registrants; $35.00/person
SMYRNA DUNES AND TURTLE MOUND
Trip Leaders: Wes Biggs, Dave Goodwin and Dick Novier
Veteran Florida birder, Wes Biggs of Florida Nature Tours, will lead this trip to Volusia County. At Smyrna Dunes Park, we will take a two-mile hike at Ponce Inlet via boardwalk over pristine coastal dune habitat (watch for Gopher Tortoises) and along the shoreline. Inside the estuary, low tide exposes sandbars near the inlet; preferred loafing spots for incredible numbers of birds, especially in winter, when Brown and White Pelicans, Black Skimmers and numerous species of gulls, terns and shorebirds take advantage of an opportunity to rest. In winter, the endangered Piping Plover and threatened Wilson’s Plover are occasionally seen along the shorelines and baitfish activity at the inlet’s mouth attracts seabirds, especially Northern Gannets. Purple Sandpiper is a main target species; sparrows and passerines are possible in the salt marsh. About 20 miles south of Ponce Inlet, the geographic feature, Cape Canaveral begins to jut eastward into the sea. Because of the way the beach shoreline curves out, the Turtle Mound area and points further south in Canaveral National Seashore make the best seawatching spot in Florida for nearshore pelagics. November is one of the best months to be there. On previous festival trips, Northern Gannets, Pomerine and Parasitic Jaegers passed just offshore. Good looks at a rare Long-tailed Jaeger caused much excitement in 2000. The sixty foot height and proximity to the beach of Turtle Mound itself make it one of the premier hawkwatching spots on Florida’s East Coast.
www,floridanaturetours.com, www.nbbd.com/godo/cns, www.nps.gov/cana
Nov 13 & 16, 6:00am-12:30pm: Limited to 21 registrants; $35.00/person
VIERA PONDS
Trip Leaders: Brian Tolland, Larry Manfredi
This trip will start the morning at the marshes east of Lake Washington to look for Snail Kites, Crested Cara Cara and Limpkins, then move to the Viera Ponds. During 1999-2000, Brevard County constructed and planted with emergent wetland plants, a series of connected wetlands for the advanced treatment of reclaimed water. During the fall and winter, an incredible diversity of bird species use these created wetlands and the nearby prairie hammocks and cabbage palm savannahs. An active Bald Eagle nest is visible from the wetland dike road, a family of Crested Cara Cara maintains a territory around the wetlands and Northern Harriers course just above the marsh vegetation and pasture grasses. Thousands of wintering ducks concentrate here including Green and Blue Winged Teal, Northern Shovelers, Gadwalls, American Widgeons, Mottled Ducks, Mallards, Hooded and Red-breasted Mergansers, Lessor Scaup, Ring-necked Ducks, Northern Pintails, Buffleheads and Ruddy Ducks. Canada Geese sometimes use these artificial marshes during the winter. As many as 14 Black-bellied Whistling Ducks now regularly use this wetland system. A Brevard County first record of Mexican Cave Swallows was established on this field trip last year on the last day of the festival. The following day, sharp-eyed field trip leader, Murray Gardler dropped by to see the Mexican Cave Swallows. Noticing something different about one of the cave swallows, Murray looked closer and bagged the first US record of a Mangrove Swallow. You never know what might turn up at this site.
Brian Toland: www.tolandenvironmental.com, Larry Manfredi: www.southfloridabirding.com
Nov 13 & Nov 16, 6:00am-12:30pm: Limited to 21 registrants; $35.00/person
The Thursday, November 13th trip is FULL
ADVANCED SHOREBIRD ID
Trip leader: Brian A. Harrington
Brian, a biologist with the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, has been working with and teaching about shorebirds for 3 decades. Our advanced identification session will spend a brief time inside, and then turn to the field to put advanced skills to the test. Inside, we’ll use slides and talk to discuss how molt schedules in shorebirds (changes between breeding and winter plumages) effect identification potential. We also will discuss identifying juvenile from adult shorebirds. In our field practicum we will especially focus on separating those small ‘peep’ sandpipers from one another, and on using behavioral and audio cues in identification of all species. Our field trip will focus on Merritt Island NWR, where good conditions can provide some of the finest shorebirding in Florida. Trip leaders will be Brian Harrington and Lee Snyder. http://www.manomet.org/
Workshop: Nov 13, 7:00am-8:30am: BCC Gymnatorium Stage; $3.00
Workshop:Nov 16, 7:00am-8:30am: BCC Gymnatorium Stage; $3.00
Field trips follow: 8:45am-12:30pm, Limited to 21 registrants; $30.00/person
BEGINNING BIRDING
Trip leaders: Nancy Corona and Cary Salter
Birdwatching is far more than a hobby. It is an open door to the world of nature, a touch point that connects people to the outdoors. Birdwatching inevitably leads to a discovery of turtles, butterflies, wildflowers and all the interconnections of nature. In this informative talk, Merritt Island NWR Lead Ranger in charge of public programming and education, Nancy Corona, will cover field guides and other literature. She will provide helpful hints for beginners on where to find birds and how to identify them, pointing out interesting behaviors, typical silhouettes and identification tricks of the birding trade.
Cary Salter will join Nancy to co-lead a free car-pool field trip to Black Point Wildlife Drive on Merritt Island NWR. The field trip will follow the classroom session so you can get right out in the field and put your new knowledge to work. Please bring water and snacks!
Workshop: Nov 13, 8:30am-9:30am: Merritt Island NWR Visitor Center; Free
Carpool to Black Point Wildlife Drive, 9:30am-12:30pm; Free
Workshop: Nov 15, 9:30am-10:30pm: Merritt Island NWR Visitor Center ; Free
Carpool to Black Point Wildlife Drive, 10:30am-1:30pm; Free
BUTTERFLIES & BIRDS OF NORTH BREVARD
Trip leaders: Buck and Linda Cooper with Kenn Kaufman on Nov 13
Buck and Linda Cooper with Marc Minno on Nov 15
On Florida’s Space Coast, beautiful fall wildflowers and great diversity of habitats provide a cornucopia for a wide range of butterflies, including Monarchs, Gulf Fritillaries, Zebra Longwings, White Peacocks, buckeyes, sulphers, hairstreaks, Viceroys, Queens, numerous swallowtails, skippers, and more. Come ride with Buck and Linda as they tour the backyard gardens, coastal areas and weedy roadsides of North Brevard County in search of butterflies, birds and wildflowers. There should also be a lot of dragonflies zooming about at this time of the year. In 2001, participants spotted 35 species, 2002 netted 27. Butterflies of interest include the Mangrove Buckeye, Salt Marsh Skipper, and Eastern Pygmy Blue.
Visit www.naba.org and www.butterflywebsite.com
Nov 13, 11:30am-4:30pm: limited to 21 registrants, $30.00/person
Nov 15, 11:30am-4:30pm: limited to 21 registrants, $30.00/person
BOAT TRIP TO AMERICA’S FIRST REFUGE, PELICAN ISLAND NWR
Trip Leaders: Nov 13, MINWR Refuge Ranger, Dorn Whitmore, Betty McKeown
Nov 15, PINWR Refuge Ranger, Takako Hashimoto, Betty McKeown
Board the Harbor Princess and journey from the Indian River Lagoon into the Sebastion River, a remarkably pristine system with a number of rare plants and animal species. You may see Manatees, Alligators, River Otters, Bald Eagles and more. Then travel across the lagoon to the Sebastian Inlet State Recreation Area, where you might see Dolphins frolicking and Green and Loggerhead Sea Turtles feeding on sea grass in the shallow water. As the sun sets on the lagoon, travel back in time to Pelican Island to see America’s first National Wildlife Refuge and its birds including Brown and White Pelicans, Wood Storks, several egret and heron species, Roseate Spoonbills, cormorants and various shorebirds. At the turn of the 20th Century, the island was the last known Brown Pelican nesting island on Florida’s East Coast. Museum collectors and plume hunters had taken a serious toll on Florida’s avian inhabitants, killing millions of birds. Learn first hand how this tiny island inspired the nation’s wildlife conservation movement and where we are 100 years later as we celebrate the Centennial of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
www.pelicanisland.fws.gov, www.nbbd.com/npr/pips, http://sebastian.fl.us/harborprincess
Nov 13 & 15, 1:00pm-7:30pm (includes bus travel time): Limited to 35 registrants; $50.00/person (includes meal and beverage on boat)
INDIAN RIVER LAGOON FISH COMMUNICATIONS BOAT TOUR
Trip Leaders Dr. Grant Gilmore, Andrew Shepard and Captain Ron Thorstad
One of Dr. Gilmore’s primary research objectives at the Kennedy Space Center is to understand the life history and ecology of marine and estuarine communities in this region of Florida so that human interactions with marine animals and plants can be managed to conserve and promote these wonderful and diverse living ecosystems. One way to do this is with newly developed technologies, in this case passive acoustic (listening) technology using underwater microphones (hydrophones). The aquatic environment is extremely noisy, particularly at night. Sound carries 5 times faster in water than in air and many fish use sound to communicate, mostly for reproduction. Captain Ron of Space Coast Nature Tours will cruise the Intracoastal Waterway from Titusville, stopping at various locations to listen for the sounds of the Red and Black Drum as they call their mates to spawn. The Black Drum male and female talk to one with rhythmic robust sounds that are so loud that sometimes we must turn the speaker down to protect our ears. We may also hear other animals in the lagoon including Manatee, Dolphins, other fish and even shrimp, which sound like castanets. Meet at Titusville Marina at 5:45pm. Trip includes meal from Dixie Crossroads and Porky's BBQ.
www.dynamac.com, www.uncw.edu/nurc www.hswri.org, www.spacecoastnaturetours.com, www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov, click on Explorations, then click on Islands in the Stream, www.hboi.edu
Nov 13 & Nov 14, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Limited to 34 registrants; $35.00/person
KAYAK THE LAKE MONROE CONSERVATION AREA
Sponsor: Compass Adventures
Trip Leaders: Lorne Malo, Maria Zondervan, Dana Allen, and Roger Grimshaw
Join St. Johns River Water Management District biologists Lorne Malo and Maria Zondervan for a half-day kayak/canoe adventure at the Lake Monroe Conservation Area between Geneva and Sanford. We will embark from Cameron Wright Park on the northwest side of the SR 46 bridge over Lake Jesup/St. Johns River, and paddle northward on the St. Johns River to Thornhill Lake and Brickyard Slough within the Lake Monroe Conservation Area. This will be an approximately 5-mile trip and it is recommended for beginning and experienced paddlers in good physical shape. Numerous wading birds and raptors are expected here. We may see American Bittern, Black-Crowned Night-heron, Wood Stork, Bald Eagle, Cooper’s Hawk, Short-tailed Hawk, Crested Cara Cara, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Purple Gallinule, King and Virginia Rails, Limpkin or Sandhill Crane. Alligators are a common sight here. This kayak trip had the second highest species count of any of last year’s field trips, with 79 species.
If the weather is too rough for kayaking, we will hike instead on higher ground in search of raptors, Wild Turkey, marsh birds, Florida Scrub-Jays, warblers, and sparrows. This will entail a moderately difficult 7-mile walk through fields, marshes, hammocks, flatwoods and scrub; some of it through mud and standing water. So be prepared for a wet and wild adventure! Please bring water and snacks. Thanks to Festival Sponsor, Pepsi/Aquafina, there’s a big stack of water in the Gymnatorium Lobby. Help yourself.
Directions: Meet at Seminole County’s Cameron Wight Park at SR 46 and the Lake Jesup Bridge. From I-95 and SR 46, go west on SR 46 21.1 miles. The park is on the northwest side of the bridge.
http://sjr.state.fl.us/programs/outreach/pubs/recguide www.x-tremechallenge.com
Nov 14, 5:45am-12:30pm: Limited to 20 registrants; $25.00/person
Bring your own boat; $10.00/person
Other kayaking trips.
TOUR OF SEMINOLE COUNTY NATURAL LANDS
Trip Leaders: Jim Duby
Jim Duby, Priciple Coordinator for Seminole County’s Natural Lands Program will lead this trip to properties in East Seminole County. Chuluota Wilderness area contains a variety of natural systems such as mesic hammock, pond pine flatwoods, hardwood swamp, sand pine and xeric oak scrub, which provide shelter for an equally diverse population of wildlife, which includes White-tailed Deer, Gopher Tortoise, Sherman’s Fox Squirrel and Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake. The scrub habitat and an ephemeral pond are good places to view the local bird life, which may include Eastern Towhee, White-eyed Vireo, Wild Turkey and Red-shouldered Hawk. The Geneva Wilderness Area site contains an array of native Florida plant communities from mixed hardwood swamp and mesic hammocks to xeric oak, all supporting an equally diverse collection of wildlife. A hike through these habitats may produce sightings of Gopher Tortoise, White-tailed Deer, Wood Ducks and Grey Fox. Time permitting, a visit to the Lake Proctor Wilderness Area will take you through such habitats as sand pine scrub, pine flatwoods, sandhill and bayhead swamp. Wildlife observed on this site includes the Wood Duck, Sandhill Cranes, Red Fox and Florida Worm Lizard. Birds of interest sighted on last years trip include Bald Eagle, Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl, Sandhill Crane, Eastern Bluebird, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, Hermit Thrush, Gray Catbird, Yellow-throated Warbler, Hairy Woodpecker and Baltimore Oriole. This trip will require a fair amount of walking.
Nov 14, 6:00am-12:30pm: Limited to 21 registrants; $35.00/person
NORTH BREVARD HOTSPOTS
Trip Leaders: Doug Stuckey, Bob Paxson and Warren Frost
Northern Brevard County has much to offer in well-known birding sites like Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Canaveral National Seashore. We also have our share of productive less known areas too - places like Seminole Ranch, Hatbill Park, Salt Lake, Buck Lake, Scottsmoore Landing, Hog Valley and Hammock Road. Along with the usual wading birds, shorebirds and waterfowl, these areas might produce tantalizing species like Brown-headed Nuthatch, Bachman’s Sparrow, Eastern Bluebird, Carolina Chickadee, Painted Bunting, various woodpeckers, Loggerhead Shrike, Limpkin, Roseate Spoonbill, Reddish Egret, Bald Eagle, Wood Stork, Florida Scrub Jay and Sandhill Crane. Hop on the bus for a trip through the pines and palmettos of North Brevard’s scrublands and wetlands to learn about some of our favorite, not so famous hotspots. This trip had the highest species count last year with 90 species. Sites visited on this trip will determined during pre-festival scouting trips. This field trip requires a moderate amount of walking.
http://sjr.state.fl.us/programs/outreach/pubs/recguide
Nov 14 & 15, 6:00am-12:30pm: Limited to 21 registrants; $35.00/person
The Friday, November 14th trip is FULL
INTRODUCTION TO SHOREBIRDS
Presenter: Lee Snyder
Trip Leaders will be Lee Snyder and Brian Harrington.
Shorebirds: A visual overview of the flocks of small (and not so small) brown birds covering Florida's mudflats and sandy shorelines. Birds of the beaches, bays and marshes can be very difficult to identify. This program will help birdwatchers of all levels recognize members of this often frustrating group of birds. Sandpipers, plovers and related species are discussed-- Where they come from; where they go; and how to identify them in the field. Expect to apply some of your newly found knowledge on festival trips to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, one of North America’s premier shorebird locations. A field trip to the Black Point Wildlife Drive will follow Lee’s presentation.
To view some of Lee’s photography, visit www.lee-snyder.net
Workshop: Nov 14, 7:00am-8:30am: BCC Gymnatorium Stage; $3.00
Field Trip: 8:45am-12:30pm, Limited to 21 registrants; $30.00
HISTORICAL SITES OF CANAVERAL NATIONAL SEASHORE
Trip Leaders: John Stiner, Tom Penders
When European explorers touched the shores of the New World in the late 15th century, the northern areas of the Space Coast had been inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous peoples who were then called the Timucuan. They were highly sophisticated and organized into complex social systems. The Timucuan utilized a calendar and their knowledge of astronomy and medical practices was equal or superior to that of the Europeans. They left behind a wealth of archaeological sites and resources, many of which have yet to be discovered. Among these resources are some of the largest and most extensive prehistoric shell mounds in the nation, many so high they were used as major navigational landmarks during early colonial times. More than 100 Pre-Columbian mounds lie within the boundaries of Canaveral National Seashore. This field trip visits three of them and the El Dora Statehouse. One of the oldest archaeological sites in Florida, Seminole Rest is a 4,000 year old Timucuan shell midden topped by two historic Florida pioneer homes which still stand vigil over this ancient site. Interpretive signage around the mound features beautiful paintings of French artist, Jaques le Moyne. The renditions, painted in 1564, depict the life of Florida’s first people. Additional kiosks feature the life of the Snyder family, who lived atop the midden and protected it from the fate of nearby mounds – becoming roadfill for railway and road projects. Named for its resemblance to a giant turtle and used as a navigational aid for centuries, Turtle Mound shows up on Spanish maps as early as the 16th century. A climb to the top reveals a scenic panorama of ocean, estuary and beaches. Turtle mound is unique in that several species of tropical plants grow on the mound, but not in surrounding areas – the mound is the northernmost point on Florida’s East Coast where these tropical plant species are found. Castle Windy is a smaller mound that lies in the shadows of thick coastal maritime hammock right along the edge of Mosquito Lagoon. Birding can be quite good along the trail to and on the mound as middens provide resting space and feeding areas for Neo-tropical migratory songbirds.Thick coastal strand scrub and maritime hammock surround the El Dora State house, an 1800’s pioneer home that stands as the last remnant of an old Florida waterway community. The beautifully restored Statehouse has been turned into a museum, filled with artifacts from an earlier era. You will enjoy investigating the lives of Native Americans that once lived here and hardy settlers who braved the wilds of Florida before the creation of air conditioning and mosquito control. Along with the historical sights, you’ll see plenty of wading birds, shorebirds, gulls and terns. Lunch is at rustic JB's Fish Camp on Mosquito Lagoon.
*John Stiner’s services, as well as entrance to the Canaveral National Seashore, are provided at no charge by the National Park Service.
www.nbbd.com/godo/cns, www.nps.gov/cana, www.nbbd.com/npr/archaeology-iras, http://dhr.dos.state.fl.us/index.html
Nov 14, 9:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 21 registrants; $50.00/person
DICERANDRA SCRUB SANCTUARY WALK
Trip Leaders: Tami Robinson, Suzanne Kennedy and Dr. Anne Cox
The Dicerandra Scrub Sanctuary is part of the sanctuary network established by the Environmentally Endangered Lands Program in Brevard County. The intent of the Program is to acquire environmentally sensitive lands as a first step "towards long-term protection of essential natural resources, open space, green space, wildlife corridors and maintenance of natural ecosystem functions". The Dicerandra Scrub Sanctuary encompasses approximately 44 acres and is located just south of State Road 50, on Apollo Road (also known as Boyd Road). The property consists mostly of scrubby flatwoods, and a large depression marsh. The property is adjacent to the Titusville Wellfield, which also supports scrub, extending the protection area for scrub and enhancing the Sanctuary. Studies conducted on the Sanctuary revealed the presence of several listed plant and animal species. Protected plant and wildlife species documented on site include, Florida scrub-jay, eastern indigo snake, gopher tortoise, and Dicerandra thinicola, a rare scrub mint known only to occur in the northern region of Brevard County. The Dicerandra Scrub Sanctuary was burned with prescribed fire in March of 2003 and the native plants are responding with sprouts and numerous flowers. The Dicerandra Scrub Sanctuary provides outstanding opportunities for field research. Due to the sensitive nature of the resources, access is limited to passive recreation activities such as hiking trails, nature study, and environmental education.
Your guides for this hike will be the EEL Program’s North Region Land Manager, a plant ecologist from the Brevard County Natural Resources Management Office and a plant ecologist from the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest. The guides together can help you with plant identification and can fill you in on the land management challenges we face with managing lands like the Dicerandra Scrub Sanctuary. Meet at
Nov 14, 9:00am-12:00pm: Limited to 30 registrants; Free
BIRDS AND BUTTERFLIES OF TOSOHATCHEE STATE RESERVE AND HAL SCOTT PRESERVE
Trip Leaders: Kenn Kaufman, Marc Minno and Buck and Linda Cooper
There’s talk within the birding community that butterflies are "the next birds". The comment refers to the fact that bird watching has exploded in popularity in recent years. It appears that butterfly watching is now starting to take off with the same kind of major growth and interest. Come and find out why. Kenn Kaufman is regarded as an expert on the natural world – from birds and butterflies to plants, insects and mammals. Marc Minno works on preservation of rare habitats and conservation of threatened animals and plants, with a special emphasis on butterflies. Both are well-regarded authors. Naturalists extraordinaire, Buck and Linda Cooper have given their time unselfishly for many years, introducing countless people to the wonders of natural Florida. It is not likely that the chance to spend a morning in the field with all four of these well-respected individuals will happen again soon. Tosohatchee’s mixture of pine flatwoods, swamps and hammocks makes an ideal setting for an enjoyable look at birds and butterflies. The diversity of habitat ensures a wide variety of species, both avian and lepidopteran. After a picnic lunch at nearby historic Fort Christmas, Kenn will say good bye and return to Titusville to prepare his evening keynote address. The rest of the group will spend a quiet afternoon in the vast expanse of flatwoods and prairies of Hal Scott Preserve. Birds of interest at both sites include Bald Eagle, Bachman’s Sparrow, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Eastern Bluebird and Red-headed Woodpecker. Butterflies that should be easily seen include Monarch, Zebra Longwing, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, White Peacock, Eastern Black Swallowtail, Queen, Polydamus Swallowtail, Orange-barred and Cloudless Sulpher, Red-banded Hairstreak, Zebra Swallowtail, Gulf Fritillary, Viceroy, Common Buckeye and Giant Swallowtail. This is a beautiful time of year to visit Tosohatchee and Hal Scott as fall wildflowers and native grasses are in full bloom. Those who love dragonflies will not be disappointed. This trip will involve a moderate amount of walking.
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/parks/district3/tosohatchee/index.asp http://sjr,state.fl.us/programs/outreach/pubs/recguide
Nov 14, 9:00am-4:00pm: Limited to 21 Registrants; $45.00/person
FLORIDA SCRUB JAYS AND PLANT ECOLOGY OF THE SCRUB
Trip Leaders: Dave Breininger, Dr. Paul Schmalzer
Sponsored by NASA and Dynamac International, Inc.
Scrub habitat evolved when North America was much drier, and desert animals from Texas and Mexico colonized Florida. When the oceans rose, the plants and animals remained, and evolved into an eco-system unlike any other in the world. Florida’s desert-like prehistoric sand ridges are home to wondrous animals such as Gopher Tortoises, Indigo Snakes, Scrub Lizards, Crested Cara Caras and Burrowing Owls. Dozens of plants and animals living in Florida scrub are found nowhere else in the world. One of these animals is the Florida Scrub Jay, which lives among the low growing scrub oaks, eating and "stashing" its acorns. Join Dynamac’s Wildlife Ecologist, Dave Breininger, and Plant Ecologist, Dr. Paul Schmalzer, on a NASA tour bus through restricted access areas of the Kennedy Space Center to the Happy Creek scrub research site. This formerly overgrown habitat has been restored using prescribed burning. Many Florida Scrub Jay territories have been established. Participants will walk along a firebreak road through several jay territories to view Scrub Jay families and their interactions. Along the way, Paul will give emphasis to some of the rare plants, grasses and mosses that are found in scrub habitat.
Visit www.usgs.gov, search Florida Scrub Jay; www.archbold-station.org
A free seminar at 8:00am precedes the field trip. The seminar will be held at and the field trip will leave from the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center.
Nov 14 & Nov 15, 9:30am-12:30pm: Limited to 42 registrants; Free
INSIDE PORT CANAVERAL; 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR
Trip Leaders: David Poston and Cary Salter
As part of the 50th Anniversary of Port Canaveral, see the Port from a different perspective; hear about its rich history and how it has evolved into one of the world’s busiest ports. Join David Poston, Assistant Director of Marketing for Port Canaveral, and local naturalist, Cary Salter, for a unique tour of Port Canaveral, recognized as the port that offers the most recreational opportunities for visitors in Florida. Port Canaveral is the world’s only quadra-modal port, utilizing transportation by water, land, air and space.
You will be sailing on the Wanderer, a unique replica of a 1903 Grand Banks Schooner -- 60 feet long carrying five sails on double masts, which reach 45 feet in the air. The Wanderer is a U.S.C.G. certified vessel and holds up to 30 passengers and two crew.
Wildlife is abundant, with plenty of manatees, dolphins and birds to see, especially around the locks, which connect the Atlantic Ocean to the Banana River estuary. Observe how the locks operate and get a close-up look at manatee families as well as Brown Pelicans, wading birds, shorebirds, gulls and terns. Several avian rarities (for this area) have visited the Port in recent years, including Common Eiders, Red-necked Loons, Purple Sandpipers and Sabine’s Gull. As the Wanderer makes her way out of the harbor she cuts a majestic figure as her eight sails fill. You will see the secure Trident Submarine base and turning basin where winter birds abound. Looking north, you can see Delta and Atlas launch pads and the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse. You may encounter freighters and tankers from many countries, fishing boats of all types, missile tracking boats, a wide variety of U.S. military vessels and some of the world’s most elegant cruise ships either coming in to the Port or preparing to depart for fun-filled days at sea. Keep your eyes open for shrimp boats, which may have hundreds of birds following – you might see a rare oceanic bird.
www.schoonersails.com, www.portcanaveral.org
The Wanderer will depart from the Miss Cape Canaveral dock, located at 670 Glen Cheek Drive. Public parking is available with a short walk to the dock.
Nov 14 and Nov 15, 2:00pm-4:30pm: Limited to 28 registrants; $25.00/person
Both trips are FULL
ORLANDO WETLANDS PARK NIGHTTIME SPOTLIGHT WILDLIFE DRIVE
Trip Leaders: Mark Sees and Sandra Vann, Ace of Hearts Ranch
The City of Orlando invites you to experience a unique opportunity for the whole family. Watch thousands of birds as they move from daytime feeding areas to their nightly roosting areas. Many different species of wading birds along with hawks and ducks will be seen! And then, after the sun goes down, hop on a hay-covered trailer to ride over nine miles of trails looking for wildlife using high-powered spotlights. White-tailed deer, bobcats, raccoons, opossums, armadillos and barred owls may be spotted on this incredible journey. Bring bug spray, camera and other essentials for this exciting evening outdoor excursion!
Meet at Orlando Wetlands Park at 5:30pm, leave early & stop at Ft.Christmas Museum on the way. Directions: Go west on S.R. 50 to Christmas, Fl. Turn north (right) on Fort Christmas Road and travel 2.3 miles, then east (right) onto Wheeler Road and travel 1.5 miles. Parking Area will be on your left.
www.cityoforlando.com, click on Parks, www.nbbd.com/godo/FortChristmas, www.aceofheartsranch.com
Nov 14, 5:30pm-9:00pm: Limited to 40 participants; $15.00/person
HIKE THE HAL SCOTT REGIONAL PRESERVE & PARK
Trip Leaders: Lorne Malo
Join St. Johns River Water Management District biologist Lorne Malo at the Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park for a half-day adventure in pursuit of some of east Orange County’s resident birds. We will start out by visiting an active red-cockaded woodpecker colony as the birds awaken from their roost. From there we will explore the pine flatwoods, wet prairies, and the Econlockhatchee River swamp in search of such common inhabitants as the eastern bluebird, brown-headed nuthatch, Bachman’s sparrow, wood duck, Sandhill crane, bald eagle, and barred owl. With some luck we may find wild turkey, whip-poor-will, hairy woodpecker, red-headed woodpecker, hermit thrush, orange-crowned warbler, sedge wren, marsh wren, king rail, sharp-shinned hawk, and Cooper’s hawk. This vast expanse of flatwoods and open prairies straddles the Econlockhatchee River. In addition to many bird species, white-tailed deer, gopher tortoises, river otters, bobcats and indigo snakes and alligators may be spotted. This will likely be a moderately difficult 4-mile walk through a lot of mud and standing water. So be prepared for a wet and wild adventure!
http://sjr.state.fl.us/programs/outreach/pubs/recguide
Nov 15 & 16, 5:15am-12:30pm: Limited to 21 registrants; $35.00/person
SOUTH BREVARD AND NORTH INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
Trip leaders: David Simpson, Andy Bankert
First stop is the St. Sebastian River State Buffer Preserve. This 22,000 acre site serves as a home to many of the sought after pine woods specialties. Six families of Red-cockaded woodpeckers call the preserve their home. Bachman’s sparrows are abundant, though difficult to see in the winter months. Brown-headed nuthatches are often encountered among the mixed species feeding flocks. There will be a hay ride through the interior of the preserve where David, who works at the preserve, will give you the inside scoop on how the preserve is managed for these special birds and their habitats. Next stop will be the T. M. Goodwin Waterfowl Management area. This area was part of the St. John’s River until it was drained and converted to agriculture in the early part of last century. More recently this section was diked and flooded in order to maintain waterfowl habitat. Many species of ducks can be seen including Black-bellied whistling ducks. Marsh birds such as Purple gallinules are usually in attendance. This site may require some walking to get to where the birds are. Lunch is served at Marsh Landing in Fellsmere. Enjoy some down home southern cooking while learning a bit about the history of this interesting area in the former Fellsmere Estates building. This was one of the hubs of the Great Florida Land Boom of the 1920’s. After Lunch we will head to Historic Jungle Trail where we will take a look at Pelican Island NWR, America’s first wildlife refuge. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has provided us with a scenic boardwalk overlook of the island where it all began. Painted and Indigo buntings are often seen in the old orange groves along the road and near the boardwalk. Our last stop will be at Sebastian Inlet State Park. The beaches and tidal pools host many gulls, terns, and shorebirds. Buntings and sparrows can be found in the weedy edges near the dunes. Gannets and jaegers stream by on the ocean when winds are conducive to migration.
Nov 15, 6:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 21 registrants; $60.00 (includes lunch)
WHOOPING CRANES AND FOREVER FLORIDA WILDERNESS PRESERVE
Trip Leaders: Judy Dryja, Lee Snyder
Cranes have long inspired the human imagination with their tall and elegant stature, longevity and complex mating and courtship behaviors. Their bugling or rattling calls are haunting and beautiful. Standing over four feet high, Whooping Cranes are the tallest birds in North America. Whoopers once wintered in Florida, but hunting and habitat loss eliminated the Florida population by the 1920s. The birds were on the verge of extinction in the 1940s, dropping to a low of 16 birds in the wild. Today, only about 275 birds remain in the wild, 90 of them here in Central Florida. This tour will visit Overstreet Landing on Lake Kissimmi to look for members of the second largest flock of the most endangered crane in the world. The Landing is also a good place to look for Snail Kites, Bald Eagles and various raptors, Mottled Ducks and other waterfowl, shorebirds and wading birds in addition to Sandhill and Whooping Cranes. Crested Cara Cara, Eastern Bluebird, American Kestrel and Wild Turkey are usually seen along the road to the landing. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Wildlife Biologist, Marty Folk will join the tour there to demonstrate the tracking equipment used on Whooping Cranes. Marty has been living with the cranes since the first birds were reintroduced to the Kissimmi Prairie region in 1993. The tour will then go to Forever Florida, a 4300-acre wilderness preserve near Kenansville. After lunch, participants will board custom made, photographer friendly swamp buggies for a tour through wet prairie, cypress swamps, grasslands, pine woods, creeks and dense oak hammocks. Thanks to years of prescribed burning, the native wildflowers and grasses at Forever Florida have been restored to their original splendor and fall is the best time to see them. The tour will also visit the Crescent J Ranch, where descendents of the original horses and cattle brought to Florida by Spanish explorers more than 400 years ago are found. You’ll learn about the pioneer cattle and turpentine industries, railroading and the heroic efforts of Dr. William and Margaret Broussard, who have dedicated considerable time and money to obtain as much land surrounding the ranch as they possibly can to preserve it forever.
www.foreverflorida.org and www.floridaconservatiom.org
Nov 15, 6:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 50 registrants; $60.00/person (includes meal)
INTERPRETIVE BIRDING IN THE FIELD (Part II)
Trip Leader: Dr. Jim Davis
This workshop gives you an opportunity to practice what you learned in the introductory workshop (Part I). While in the field, Jim will demonstrate several ways to watch and interpret behavior. You will learn how to recognize contextual clues that are critical for formulating interpretations of avian behavior. Various activities are scheduled. Foremost, however, is the opportunity to practice an interpretive approach with other birders who share the same perspective and goals. The introductory workshop is a prerequisite for attendance; otherwise, this experience is appropriate for all levels of birders from beginner to advanced. Bring a chair or comfortable cushion, binoculars, and a thermos of your favorite drink. Jim guarantees that you will witness new behaviors that you can add to your life list. Further details regarding times and locations will be announced in Part I. To learn more, visit www.ibirding.com.
Workshop (Part I): Nov 14, 1:00pm-3:00pm
Nov 15&16, 6:00am-10:00am: Strictly Limited to 12 registrants; $35.00/person
ANCIENT AND MODERN MARINERS OF THE DEEP
Trip Leaders: Dr. Duane DeFreese, Jason Frederick & Bessie Grivas-Frederick
Sea turtles have long fascinated people, figuring prominently in the mythology and folklore of many cultures. The earliest known sea turtle fossils are about 150 million years old. Join Hubbs Sea World for a look at some of the world’s oldest and more recent mariners. The newly opened Marine Science Center in Volusia County’s beautiful Lighthouse Point Park is a rehabilitation center for injured marine turtles, as well as an important environmental education center with a focus on five of the elements that influence the region’s marine environment. The center includes sea turtle rehabilitation tanks, a 5,000-gallon artificial reef and aquarium, manatee, whale and fish exhibits, a wet/dry lab, tidal pool, nature trails through maritime hammock and boardwalks over coastal dunes. Nearby, the days of the blue uniformed lighthouse keeper - checking his oil supply, slowly climbing the tower to clean the lens - have passed forever, yet his lighthouse remains. Built of bricks to serve as a warning device to mariners and possessing a very special beauty noted by seamen and landlubbers alike, the "Light Station at Mosquito Inlet" stands today in an area still dreaded by mariners. Completed in 1887, the old Mosquito Inlet Lighthouse, now known as the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, is a National Historic Landmark. At 175 feet, it is the second tallest lighthouse in the U.S. and the tallest lighthouse open to the public. A climb to the top of the lighthouse reveals a breathtaking view of the inlet, the estuary and the beaches. With a glorious beacon shining over 16 nautical miles, maritime museums and the lens restoration shop with its huge, beautifully restored Cape Canaveral first order Fresnel lens, the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse offers a tremendous opportunity to learn of our great maritime heritage.
Price includes lunch at the beautiful Inlet Harbor Seafood Restaurant where you can sit on the outside deck and watch the birds and boats go by.
Visit www.hswri.org, www.cccturtle.org, www.marinesciencecenter.com and www.ponceinlet.org.
Nov 15, 7:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 21 registrants; $60.00
HIKE TOSOHATCHEE STATE RESERVE
Trip Leaders: Phyllis Mansfield, Betty Mckeown, Sandra Friend, Dr. Anne Cox and Dr. Jay Barnhart
Host: Florida Trails Association
Enjoy a leisurely walk this morning with members of the Florida Trail Association at one of Central Florida’s premier hiking locales. Sixty miles of trails wind through the 28,000 acre Tosohatchee State Reserve, offering plenty of opportunity for hiking, biking, primitive camping, nature study, horseback riding and fishing. Some trails lead to the marshy edge of the river, while others snake through pine flatwoods and oak hammocks. You might even catch a glimpse of one of the turkeys, bobcats, foxes, fox squirrels and white-tailed deer that make Tosohatchee their home. Deep inside the reserve, Jim Creek flows through some of the last remaining virgin cypress swamps in all of Florida. The Timucua Indians lived here, as evidenced by the number of middens that rise from the woods. Seminoles lived here too, fiercely defying the U.S. government’s attempts to eradicate them. Some of the threatened and endangered species found at the reserve include Southern Bald Eagle, Wood Stork, Eastern indigo snake, gopher tortoise and, on rare occasions, the Florida panther. Tosohatchee’s mosaic of pine flatwoods, swamps and hammocks support numerous species of songbirds, hawks, owls and woodpeckers. Birds of interest include Bachman’s sparrow, brown-headed nuthatch, Eastern bluebird and red-headed woodpecker. Butterflies that should be easily seen include monarch, zebra longwing, Eastern tiger swallowtail, white peacock, Eastern black swallowtail, queen, polydamus swallowtail, orange-barred and cloudless sulpher, red-banded hairstreak, zebra swallowtail, gulf fritillary, viceroy, common buckeye and giant swallowtail. This is a beautiful time of year to visit Tosohatchee State Reserve as fall wildflowers and native grasses are in full bloom. Hikers should see plenty of birds, butterflies, dragonflies and wildflowers in the pinewoods and hammocks of this outstanding preserve. Meet at the Tosohatchee entrance at 8:00am ($2.00 entrance fee each car). Bring water and lunch (optional). Directions: From Titusville, take SR 50 west to Christmas, FL. Turn left on Taylor Creek Rd. Go 3 miles south. Tosohatchee entrance will be on left.
www.floridatrail.org, http://www.dep.state.fl.us/parks/district3/tosohatchee/index.asp
Nov 15, 8:00am-12:00pm: Free
INTRO TO GULLS & TERNS
Presenter: Jeff Bouton
Gulls and terns can be a dizzying group to separate (some individuals even baffle the experts). This challenge and their propensity to wander great distances make them a favorite of veteran birders everywhere. However, they are also a perfect group for beginners as they are easy to approach and sit in plain view for extended periods. We will begin our study with a classroom session where we will review basics such as: "bird topography", and a basic understanding of age and seasonal variations in plumages, and molt sequences. Then we will move on to photos of some of the many plumages shown by the commonly occurring Florida species. Following the class, we will put our "new found wisdom" to the test with a trip to Jetty Park. This area is consistently productive for many gull and tern species, and other goodies. On a Festival trip last year, 75 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were counted, many of which were standing right next to Great Black-backed Gulls. Whether you are a beginner just learning these skills for the first time, or a veteran refreshing them, this class promises to be a fun, interactive experience with information presented in a clear, concise manner. All can expect to gain something from this class. A field trip to Port Canaveral’s Jetty Park will follow the classroom session. Trip leaders will be Jeff Bouton and Murray Gardler.
Workshop: Nov15, 7:00am-8:30am: BCC Gymnatorium Stage; $3.00
Field Trip, 8:45am-12:30pm, Limited to 21 registrants; $30.00/person
HAULOVER CANAL BOAT TOUR
Trip Leaders: Captain Ron Thorstad and Mike and Joanne Ramer
Join Captain Ron and members of the North Brevard Historical Society for a leisurely ride through historic Haulover Canal to the pristine waters of Mosquito Lagoon. Here, lush beds of seagrass support vast quantities of fish, shrimp, clams and oysters, providing food for larger gamefish and waterfowl. Dolphins are often seen frolicking in the shallow waters near the canal’s approaches. Shuttle launch pads stand out as distinct landmarks near the southern end of the lagoon. The deep waters of the canal provide shelter for manatees, and they frequently can be found there. Mullethead Island, a large spoil island in the Indian River Lagoon west of the canal, is one of Florida’s premier rookery islands. Look for wading birds, shorebirds, gulls and terns, and lots of pelicans and cormorants loafing on sandbars around the island. There’s a good chance you’ll see Roseate Spoonbills and Reddish Egrets. American White Pelicans, Common Loons, Red-breasted Mergansers and Horned Grebes may also be seen. Meet at Bair’s Cove Boat Launch Area at Haulover Canal on the Merritt Island NWR. Please arrive early as the boat can only pull up to the dock for just enough time to load and unload passengers.
www.spacecoastnaturetours.com, www.nbbd.com/outthere/
Nov 15, 9:00am-10:45am and 10:45am-12:30. Limited to 36 registrants per trip; $15.00/person
CANAVERAL MARSHES and BLUE HERON CREATED WETLANDS
Trip Leaders: Judy Dryja, Dan Click and Matt and Lora Heyden
Constructed wetlands are engineered systems created from uplands that have been designed to utilize the natural processes of wetlands to assist in the polishing of wastewater effluent. Some of those systems are operated with the sole purpose of treating effluent, while others are also being used as a water resource for the creation of wetland habitat for wildlife use, environmental enhancement and public recreation. Some of them have become outstanding birding sites. Such is the case with the City of Titusville’s Blue Heron Water Reclamation Facility. This 292-acre site, situated midway between the Indian River Lagoon and the St. Johns River, contains seven cells, or ponds, that are rich in wildlife. Presently the plant community within Blue Heron includes approximately 85 species as workers encourage the return of historic vegetative cover and eliminate exotic or nuisance plants. This diversity of plant species, along with the continuously increasing plant density within Blue Heron has encouraged a greater number of wildlife species to utilize the wetlands as part of their habitat. White-tailed Deer, Wild Hogs, Bobcat, Alligators, birds, turtles and frogs prowl the dikes. Least Bitterns, in particular are doing well here. David Simpson, a local naturalist, spotted 91 of them one spring day. Local birders are flocking to the Blue Heron Wetlands. American and Least Bittern, Purple Gallinule, Hairy Woodpecker, Limpkin, Sandhill Crane, Roseate Spoonbill, Black-crowned Night Heron, Black-necked Stilt, Bald Eagle, Bobolink and Gull-billed Tern are just a few of the 110 bird species sighted here.Canaveral Marshes Conservation Area is a 6741-acres property owned and managed by the St. Johns River Water Management District. Most of the property borders the east-side of the St. Johns River and it is predominantly freshwater marsh. This portion of Canaveral Marshes can be real good for waterfowl, shorebirds and songbirds in November, depending on the water level. Monthly surveys conducted by volunteers in 2001 and 2002 recorded approximately 154 species of birds on this property. The marsh west of the adjoining Great Outdoors resort has been especially productive, particularly in the fall. At a small pond just inside the property there have been days when a couple hundred Green-winged and Blue-winged Teal, along with smaller numbers of Mottled Duck, Northern Pintail, and Northern Shoveler can be found. North and south of this pond are upland hammocks. The north hammock is on a Native American shell midden. The pond is part of the St. Johns River floodplain, and when water is low there are many sparsely vegetated depressions and secondary channels that are attractive for shorebirds and other waterfowl. The higher marsh areas are good for Sedge and Marsh Wrens. Elsewhere on the floodplain, American Bittern, Fulvous Whistling-ducks, Long-billed Dowitcher, Stilt Sandpiper, Gull-billed Tern, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Crested Cara Cara, King and Virginia Rails, American Pipit, Common Snipe and Peregrine Falcon may be found. Two Greater White-fronted Geese and a Henslow's Sparrow were also found here during the November survey. Birders can expect to get wet on this trip and see alligators, sometimes lots of them.
http://sjr.state.fl.us/programs/outreach/pubs/recguide
Nov 16, 6:00am-12:30pm: Limited to 21 registrants; $35.00/person
WALK THE ENCHANTED FOREST SANCTUARY
Trip Leaders: Tami Robinson, Suzanne Kennedy and Dr. Jay Barnhart
Host: Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program Titusville’s 393 acre Enchanted Forest Sanctuary is the flagship sanctuary for the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program. Blessed with incredible diversity of natural resources, the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary preserves a significant sample of the natural communities that were originally found in this region, including xeric oak scrub, mature hardwood forests, wetlands and pine flatwoods. The Enchanted Forest Sanctuary is one of the few places in Brevard County where subtropical and temperate plant species are found together. Visitors can see the exposed layers of coquina rock that form the Atlantic Coastal Ridge. The Enchanted Forest Sanctuary has been identified as a Management and Education Center within the North Regional Management Area, serving as a hub to implement the conservation, education, and recreation goals of the EEL Program. The Education Center showcases universal design, providing accessibility to outdoor natural areas for all people regardless of age or ability. Your guides for this 1/2 day easy hike will be the EEL Program’s North Region Land Manager and a Natural Resources Management Office Environmental Scientist. The guides will help you with plant identification and discuss the challenges faced in management of public lands like the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary.
Meet at the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary at 9:00am.
Visit www.brevardparks.com/eel, www.nbbd.com/godo/ef/
Nov 16, 9:00am-12:00pm: Limited to 25 registrants. Free.
CHILDREN’S SPECIAL BIRDING FIELD TRIP
Trip Leaders: Betty and Cary Salter
Birding isn't just for grandparents anymore! Recent trends show birding is growing faster in people under 25 than in any other age group, and youth birding is on the rise! Kids (and parents too) are invited to join experts Cary and Betty Salter on an eye-candy birding trip around Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge's Black Point Wildlife Drive. Whether your youngster is just beginning or is a seasoned lister, this trip is sure to please, with large, colorful, rare birds like roseate spoonbills, reddish egrets and more! The Salters will have binoculars available and will provide instruction on binocular use and bird identification. Then the first 12 registrants will tour the Wildlife Drive in the Refuge's comfortable 12-passenger van (the rest will car-pool), stopping and disembarking to view the Refuge's mudflats teeming with shorebirds, wading birds and waterfowl.
Disclaimer: Birding is highly addictive and Cary and Betty's passion for birds is contagious! This innocuous 2 1/2-hour trip could easily be the beginning of a lifelong obsession with the natural world for your child. Choose wisely: you'll be chauffeuring them to chase rare birds until they get a driver's license of their own!
www.geocities.com/carylsalter/index.html
geocities.com/ms_betsy_21/lady_luvs_nature.html
Workshop followed by a field trip.
Meet at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center at 9:15am. Bring snacks and water.
Nov 16, 9:30am-12:00pm: Limited to 30 registrants; Free
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