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Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival November 17-21, 2004 in Brevard County, Florida A celebration of birds and wildlife. |
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2004 FIELD TRIPS
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Festival field trips are designed to showcase the best regional wildlife sites as well as the exceptional research and preservation work being conducted in the area. Unless otherwise noted, all trips depart from the traffic circle in front of the Gymnatorium at Brevard Community College, Titusville Campus. Due to the importance of arriving at designated sites by certain times, vehicles will leave promptly when indicated. Please arrive 15 minutes early. NOTE: Central Florida is very "birdy" and many will be seen en route. Stay alert and be prepared to look quickly when someone calls out a passing bird.
Bird Banding Demo
Richard Poole and Bob Wheeler
Join Master Bird Bander, Richard Poole, Sub-permittee Bob Wheeler, and their banding crew in the high sandhill scrub habitat of beautiful Rock Springs Run State Reserve where Richard will have a series of mist nets positioned near shrubs and fields. During three days of banding that coincided with last year's festival, a total of 88 birds representing 14 species were captured, mainly common yellowthroats and gray catbirds. Other species banded at that time included eastern phoebe, white-eyed vireo, ruby-crowned kinglet, blue-gray gnatcatcher, house wren, Carolina wren, hermit thrush, yellow-rumped warbler, palm warbler, black-and-white warbler, orange-crowned warbler, and ovenbird. Past highlights include sharp-shinned hawk, painted bunting, indigo bunting, yellow-breasted chat, Tennessee warbler, and Swainson's warbler. In addition to the birds, you might see deer, wild hogs, wild turkeys,
A winter project, the first to investigate winter site fidelity of passerines in Florida, was started by Richard Poole and Bob Wheeler at the Wekiva Basin Banding Station in the fall of 1998. Now a Master Bird Bander, Richard first banded birds with Parks Small, park biologist, in 1995 and has participated at Wekiva Basin ever since. Bob Wheeler is a Sub-permittee. He too has been working at Wekiva for many years. They are assisted in their research by Christine Brown and many local volunteers.
Park at the horse barn where someone from the banding station will meet you and give you a ride to the banding station. Someone will be at the horse barn all the time from 6:30am to 8:30am each morning except for when they are giving someone a ride. Longest wait at the barn should be less than 12 minutes. People will be shuttled back to their cars anytime they want to leave. Richard estimates that they will band until 10:30am, maybe longer depending on the birds and the weather. It's OK to just show up. If you would like to contact Richard to let him know you're coming or to ask questions (Call anytime if weather is IFFY - he does not band in the rain.) you can e-mail him at Catbird@cfl.rr.com or call 407-774-9501. Bob Wheeler's cell phone # is 407-739-0333.
home.cfl.rr.com/wekivabirdband, www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl, www.pronetisp.net/~bpbird
Directions: From BCC Titusville, go north on US 1 to SR 46 in Mims. Go west (left) on SR 46 to Highway 17-92 in Sanford. Turn right and go north 1.7 miles to SR 46 West. Turn left and go west 11.1 miles to the entrance to Rock Springs Run State Reserve on the left. You'll go under the I-4 overpass as you travel west. From I-4 and SR 46 (Exit101C), go west toward Mt. Dora. After 5 miles, you'll go over the Wekiva River Bridge and enter Lake County. At 7.2 miles, you'll go over the black bear overpass. The gate for Rock Springs State Reserve is on the left at 7.4 miles. Go through the gate and travel 0.2 miles and take the first left turn on the gravel road. There will be a sign that says "Horse Barn and Primitive Camping." Go 1.4 miles to the horse barn and park. Restroom facilities are across the road. Drive time from BCC: approximately 1 hr 15 min.
Nov 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21, 6:30am-10:30am; FreeWild Side of the Kennedy Space Center
This trip is sponsored by the Kennedy Space Center Visitor's Complex
Trip Leaders: Dr. Ross Hinkle with Ray Scory and Mitchell Hait
Join Dynamac Corporation Chief Scientist, Dr. Ross Hinkle, for a 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 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.
www.dynamac.com, www.KennedySpaceCenter.com
Departs ONLY from KSC Visitors Complex (GATE 3) Pre-registration is a must!
Nov 21, 9:30am-12:30pm: Limited to 45 registrants; $35.00/personLake Monroe Conservation Area
Trip Leaders: Lorne Malo, Maria Zondervan, Roger Grimshaw, and Dr. Jay BarnhartJoin St. Johns River Water Management District biologists Lorne Malo and Maria Zondervan, Seminole Audubon's Roger Grimshaw and mushroom expert, Dr. Jay Barnhart 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 the 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 and yellow-crowned night-heron; bald eagle; short-tailed, sharp-shinned, and Cooper's hawk; crested cara cara; merlin; peregrine falcon; Virginia rail; limpkin; and sandhill crane have all been recorded here. This is a 5 to 6 mile walk through fields, marshes, hammocks, flatwoods and scrub; some of it through mud and standing water.
sjr.state.fl.us/programs/outreach/pubs/recguide
Nov 17, 5:30am-12:30pm: Limited to 18 registrants; $35.00/person
Also see: Kayak Adventure on Nov 19Pelagic Birding Offshore Cape Canaveral
Sponsored By Brunton Optics
Trip Leaders: Jim Danzenbaker with Andy Bankert, Wes Biggs, Jeff Bouton, Murray Gardler, Brian Harrington, Larry Manfredi, Dick Novier, and David Simpson
Pelagic Birds are species that are usually not seen close to land.
Long time birders know that a pelagic trip can be as exciting as birding can get, and offshore pelagic trips in Florida offer a new frontier. Join us onboard the 85-foot fishing boat, Miss Cape Canaveral, as we steam out of Port Canaveral to look for some of the most sought after species in Florida. 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 shearwater; 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. Price includes lunch.
www.misscape.com, www.portcanaveral.org
Directions: The bus leaves from Brevard Community College Titusville Campus at 6:00 AM, or you may drive yourself. Go south on US1 or I-95 (Exit 205) to SR 528. Go east on 528 and follow the signs for the South Dock. Exit from SR 528 for the South Dock turn left and go under the overpass. Take the first left onto Dave Nisbett Drive. Go about 0.25 miles and turn right on Glen Cheek Drive. The Miss Cape Canaveral will be at the first dock, near Rusty's Seafood and Oyster Bar. Drive time from Titusville is about 30 minutes. You need to be at the boat by 6:30am.
Nov17, 6:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 80 Registrants; $85.00/personSt Johns River Airboat Tour
Trip Leaders: Captain Rick Thrift and Rich Burklew, Duff Swan, and Doug Voltolina
St Johns River Water Management District biologists join Captian Rick to provide a tour of one of the most beautiful and interesting areas of the St. Johns River -- Lake Poinsett and the cypress swamps of Tosohatchee 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 will find will depend largely on the water levels, but alligators, bald eagles, northern harriers, white pelicans, purple gallinules, mottled ducks, blue and green-winged teals, wood storks, sandhill cranes, black-crowned and yellow-crowned night herons and most of the common wading birds are likely. Roseate spoonbills, peregrine falcons, merlins, crested cara cara, wild turkeys, black skimmers, long-billed dowitchers, limpkins, soras, king rails, and marsh and sedge wrens are a possibility. Captain Rick's boat is a 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.
Price includes a special treat: 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 a fryer from the restaurant and cook gator tail, catfish, frog legs and hush puppies, with baked beans and cole slaw. (Vegetarian meal must be indicated.) If you're birding in the area, plan on stopping by for lunch along the beautiful St. Johns River. Glenda would love to feed you!
www.airboatecotours.com, www.floridariver.org
Directions: Meet at James G. Borbeau Park. From US 1 or I-95 (Exit 201) go west on SR 520. Approx. 5 miles west of I-95, a bridge crosses the St. Johns River. Borbeau Park is on the left before you cross the river, behind the Lone Cabbage Fish Camp. Due to road construction and work at the park, restrooms are temporarily out of order. There are restrooms at nearby F. Burton Smith Regional Park, one mile east.
Nov 17, 18, & 19: 9:00am-11:00am: Limited to 10 Registrants; $55.00/person
Nov 17, 18, & 19: 12:00pm-2:00pm: Limited to 10 registrants; $55.00/person
Lunch is served 11:00am-12:00pm: Old Fashioned Cracker Lunch - Meal Only: $15.00
IMPORTANT NOTICE: All airboat trips are sold out.South Brevard and North Indian River County
Trip leaders: David Simpson, Andy Bankert and Mitchell Hait
This field trip will leave early in order to observe red-cockeaded woodpeckers leaving their nest cavities at sunrise. First stop is the St. Sebastian River Buffer Preserve State Park. 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.
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 and limpkins are usually in attendance. This site may require some walking to get to where the birds are. 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 maintains 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.
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. Lunch is included in field trip price.
Nov 18 & 19, 4:30am-5:00pm: Limited to 18 registrants; $65.00/personLittle-Big Econ State Forest
Trip Leaders: Lorne Malo, Dr. Jay Barnhart and Sarah Linney
Join SJRWMD biologist, Lorne Malo, Jay "The Mushroom Guy" Barnhart, and Space Coast Audubon President, Sarah Linney, for a half-day of hiking through the beautiful Little Big Econ Forest in Seminole County along some of the miles of hiking trails the Florida Trail Association has developed within the forest. This trip will visit two sections of the State Forest, starting at the Barr St. entrance of the Demetree Tract with a hike through open fields and riparian woodlands to the Econlockhatchee River. Alligators are a common sight here. Along the way we may encounter such common inhabitants as 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. Approximately 160 species of birds have been recorded at Little Big Econ State Forest. 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. Walking distance for combined sites will be 5 to 6 miles; some of it through mud and standing water.
sjr.state.fl.us/programs/outreach/pubs/recguide
Nov 18, 5:30am-12:30pm: Limited to 18 registrants; $35.00/personNorth Brevard Hotspots
Trip Leaders: Doug Stuckey, Warren Frost, and Bob Paxson
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 productive, yet lesser-known areas -- Seminole Ranch, Hatbill Park, Salt Lake, Buck Lake, Scottsmoor Landing, Hog Valley, Hammock Road, and others. Along with the usual wading birds, shorebirds and waterfowl, these areas might produce tantalizing species like brown-headed nuthatch, Bachman's sparrow, eastern bluebird, and painted bunting. Carolina chickadee, various woodpeckers, loggerhead shrike, limpkin, roseate spoonbill, reddish egret, bald eagle, wood stork, Florida scrub-jay and sandhill crane are possible. 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 of any festival field trip, with 103 species seen in 2003. Specific sites to be visited will be determined during pre-festival scouting trips. This field trip requires a moderate amount of walking.
sjr.state.fl.us/programs/outreach/pubs/recguide
Nov 18, 19 & 20, 6:00am-12:30pm: Limited to 18 registrants; $35.00/person
IMPORTANT NOTICE: All three trips are sold out.Tosohatchee State Reserve & Orlando Wetlands Park
Trip Leaders: Phyllis Mansfield, Murray Gardler, Jim Danzenbaker 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, red-headed woodpecker, 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.
www.floridastateparks.org, search Tosohatchee, www.cityoforlando.net, search parks, www.nbbd.com/festivals/OrlandoWetlands/
Nov. 18 & 19, 6:00am-12:30pm, Limited to 18 registrants; $35.00/personSmyrna Dunes
Trip Leaders: Wes Biggs, Dick Novier and Dave Hartgrove
Veteran Florida birder, Wes Biggs of Florida Nature Tours, will lead this trip to Volusia County. Located on the south side of Ponce Inlet, this beachside park offers panoramic views of ocean, inlet and estuary via two miles of boardwalks that wind around its perimeter. The boardwalk passes through hammock, which is good for warbler landfalls in fall and spring, then on to the oceanfront where you can check the beach for loafing gulls, terns, and shorebirds and scope the water for loons and ducks. Along the western side of the park, boardwalk spurs lead out to the estuary, passing through a salt marsh area where sharp-tailed and other sparrows and passerines are sometimes seen. Watch for gopher tortoises as you pass over pristine coastal scrub habitat. Low tide exposes mudflats in the estuary that attract massive numbers of coastal birds. Baitfish activity attracts northern gannets. These large black and white seabirds put on a spectacular aerial display as they crash into the ocean near the inlet's mouth. The rock jetty is a good place to look for purple sandpipers. Across the inlet stands a National Historic Landmark. At 175 feet, the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse is the second tallest lighthouse in the U.S. and the tallest open to the public.
About 20 miles south of Ponce Inlet, Cape Canaveral begins its jut eastward into the ocean, creating the best seawatching spot on Florida's East Coast. Strong onshore winds during November produce prime conditions that push pelagic birds toward shore. If weather conditions are conducive, the seawatch area of North Canaveral National Seashore will also be visited on this trip.
Nov 18 & 21, 6:00am-12:30pm: Limited to 18 registrants; $35.00/personViera Wetlands
Leaders: Larry Manfredi, Dave Freeland, and Charlie Ewell
Viera Wetlands is a series of connected ponds created to treat wastewater from the Central Brevard area. Since opening, this site has rapidly gained recognition as a premier birding destination. During fall and winter, a remarkable diversity of bird species uses these wetlands and nearby prairie hammocks and cabbage palm savannahs. An active bald eagle nest is visible from the dike road, a family of crested caracaras 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-winged and blue-winged teal, northern shoveler, gadwall, American wigeon, mottled duck, mallard, hooded and red-breasted merganser, lesser scaup, ring-necked duck, northern pintail, bufflehead and ruddy duck. Black-bellied whistling ducks are regularly seen. The series of ponds on the north side of the complex are productive for shorebirds when water levels are low, especially during migration. Participants on last year's Festival trips saw 14 species of shorebirds, including American golden plover, and pectoral and stilt sandpiper. Since opening in 2000,Viera Wetlands has been visited by several rarities, including the first US record mangrove swallow, which was spotted in 2002 by Space Coast Birding Festival trip leader, Murray Gardler. www.southfloridabirding.com Nov 18, 19 & 21, 6:00am-12:30pm: Limited to 18 registrants; $35.00/personBoat Trip To Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge
Trip Leaders: PINWR Rangers, Joanna Taylor and Takako Hashimoto and Naturalist, Betty McKeown
Enjoy a sunset buffet with a variety of food onboard Captain Chris Pinson's 50' custom-built dining and touring vessel, Hurricane Queen. Travel across the lagoon to the Sebastian Inlet State Park, where you might see dolphins frolicking and green and loggerhead sea turtles feeding on sea grasses in the shallow, crystal-blue water. Next stop is Pelican Island, America's first National Wildlife Refuge. Thousands of birds including brown and white pelicans, wood storks, all the egret and heron species, roseate spoonbills, cormorants and various shorebirds all use the island for resting, feeding and nesting. Learn first hand how this tiny island, brown pelicans and one man inspired our nation's wildlife conservation movement one hundred years ago, how the community has fought for its protection from various threats, and the conservation challenges it faces as we move into the twenty first century.
Sebastian Riverboat Tours 1-800-589-8420, pelicanisland.fws.gov, www.nbbd.com/npr/pips
Nov 18 & 20, 1:15pm-7:30pm, limited to 42 registrants; $55.00/personZellwood/Lake Apopka
Trip Leaders: Dr. Gian Basili, Wes Biggs, Jeff Bouton, Kevin Karlson and Adam Kent
Despite its long history of great birding, the Zellwood/Lake Apopka area, NE of Orlando, may well be one of the most under-rated birding areas on the entire eastern seaboard. This huge amalgamation of farm land was drained back in the 1930's, and the subsequent lake bottoms were burned to create field habitat. Common farming practices required that the areas to be flooded each summer to kill nematodes, which also created ideal habitat at the perfect time to coincide with the fall migration for many shorebirds. In addition, these practices also helped to maintain perfect habitat for massive concentrations of wintering sparrows, flycatchers and raptor species. Birders began taking note and started regularly visiting the area in the 1950's. Since then, there has always been great cooperation from land owners that continues through this day. From the early farmers to the St. John's River Water Management District, who purchased the farmlands in the late 1990's in order to restore historic marshlands at the north end of troubled Lake Apopka, birders have been welcome at this phenomenal location.
Held in 1998, the first annual Zellwood/Apopka Christmas Bird Count tallied an amazing 174 bird species with another 10 seen during count week -- a new nationwide high-count for an inland location. As that winter progressed, however, contaminants held in the soil leeched into impoundments causing a major bird kill among many of the water birds. The flooded areas were drained and the area has been, and will remain closed to the general public until contaminants have been isolated and eliminated. Despite the closure, the St. John's Water Management District has been very supportive of the birding community, allowing continued access under special circumstances. For example, they encourage people to join regularly scheduled monthly bird surveys and the area is opened for annual Christmas Bird Counts, which still tally over 150 species, even without the assortment of water birds. Highlights on these counts over the past few years include: regular tallying of 13 species of sparrows, including rare species like Le Conte's, clay-colored, and dickcissel, as well as massive numbers of flycatchers. More than 100 western kingbirds and up to a dozen scissor-tailed flycatchers have been seen at an enormous winter kingbird roost. For the past few winters a Cassin's kingbird has joined in, and during last year's CBC, a tropical kingbird and a gray kingbird were well documented, along with numerous ash-throated flycatchers.
The St. Johns River WMD staff also makes special accommodations for viewing rarities when they are found and over the years there have been plenty: Florida's first documented ferruginous hawk, rough-legged hawks, an Eurasian Kestrel in 2003, the 2nd state record for sharp-tailed sandpiper, ruffs, Ross' geese, white-cheeked ...the list goes on. This trip will coincide with the very beginning of the arrival of many wintering species. While it is impossible to say what we might see, we know it will truly be spectacular. Join us for a special trip through this marvelous area and let's see what we can find. Cost of the trip includes a box lunch.
Cost of the trip includes a box lunch.
Nov 19 & 20, 4:30am-3:00pm: Limited to 37 registrants; $60.00/personKayak the Lake Monroe Conservation Area
Trip Sponsors: Compass Adventures and A Day Away Kayak Tours
Trip Leaders: Lorne Malo, Maria Zondervan, Roger Grimshaw, Andy Wraithmell, Dana Allen, and Rick Shaffer
Join St. Johns River Water Management District biologists Lorne Malo and Maria Zondervan, Seminole Audubon's Roger Grimshaw, British ornithologist, Andy Wraithmell, Dana Allen of Compass Adventures, and Rick Shaffer of A Day Away Kayak Tours, for a birding adventure by water. Meet at Cameron Wright Park before dawn as wading birds begin to rise from their roosts and fly overhead in route to their feeding areas. From there we'll paddle northward on the St. Johns River to Thornhill Lake and Brickyard Slough within the Lake Monroe CA. This 6-mile trip is recommended for beginning and experienced paddlers in good physical shape. Numerous wading birds and raptors are expected. American bittern, yellow-crowned and black-crowned night-heron, wood stork, bald eagle, Cooper's, sharp-shinned, and short-tailed hawks, crested cara cara, merlin, peregrine falcon, barred and barn owl, purple gallinule, king and Virginia rail, limpkin and sandhill crane are possible. Alligators are a common sight here. 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 on a 6-mile walk through fields, marshes, hammocks, flatwoods and scrub; some of which may pass through mud and standing water.
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 5:45am at SR 46 and the Lake Jesup Bridge. From I-95 and SR 46, go west on SR 46 for 21.1 miles. The park is on the northwest side of the bridge. Drive time is about 30 minutes.
http://sjr.state.fl.us/programs/outreach/pubs/recguide, www.compassadventures.com
Nov 19, 5:45am-12:30pm: Limited to 20 registrants; $35.00/person, Bring your own boat; $20.00/personHistorical Sights of Canaveral National Seashore
Trip Leaders: John Stiner, Tom Penders and Dave Verner
With Special Thanks to the Indian River Archaeological Society
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 Timucua. They were highly sophisticated and organized into complex social systems. The Timucua 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. This is a great trip combining historical sights and coastal birds.
Price of tour includes lunch 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.nbbd.com/npr/archaeology-iras, nps.gov/cana, dhr.dos.state.fl.us/
Nov 19, 9:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 18 registrants; $50.00/personFlorida Scrub Jays and Plant Ecology of the Scrub
Sponsored by NASA and Dynamac International, Inc.
Leaders: Dave Breininger, Dr. Paul Schmalzer and Dick Novier
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 on earth. 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 where participants can view several scrub-jay families and their interactions. Along the way, Paul will give emphasis to some of the rare plants, including grasses that are found in scrub habitat.
www.usgs.gov search Florida Scrub Jay, www.archbold-station.org, www.dynamac.com
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 19 & Nov 20, 9:30am-12:30pm: Limited to 42 registrants; FreeDicerandra Scrub Sanctuary Walk
Trip Leaders: Tami Robinson, Suzanne Kennedy, Dr. Anne Cox, Dr. Jay Barnhart, and Dean Petit
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 Brevard County Natural Resources Management Office plant ecologist, Suzanne Kennedy; plant ecologist, Dr Anne Cox of Ecolo-G, Inc., an environmental consulting and restoration firm in Jupiter, FL; gopher tortoise expert, Dr Ray Ashton of Ashton Biodiversity Research & Preservation Institute, Inc. in Newberry FL; mushroom expert, Dr. Jay Barnhart; and the Chair of the Titusville Environmental Commission, Dean Petit, who has worked hard to establish a multi-use recreational trail through this classic scrub habitat. 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.
www.archbold-station.org/discoveringflscrub/index.html, www.eelbrevard.com, www.ashtonbiodiversity.org, www.fnps.org, www.fnai.org/descriptions.cfm
Directions: Meet at the parking lot for the old skating rink at the end of Apollo Rd. on the south side of SR 50, just west of the K-Mart. Look for the big silver water tower.
Nov 19 & 20, 9:00am-12:00pm: Limited to 30 registrants; FreeBirds & Butterflies of Tosohatchee/Hal Scott Preserve
Trip Leaders: Buck Cooper, Linda Cooper and Marc Minno
Butterfly author, Marc Minno works to preserve rare habitats, and on conservation of threatened animals and plants, with a special emphasis on butterflies. Naturalists extraordinaire, Buck and Linda Cooper have given their time unselfishly for many years, introducing countless people to the wonders of natural Florida. Tosohatchee's mixture of pine flatwoods, swamps and hammocks makes an ideal setting for an enjoyable look at butterflies. The diversity of habitat ensures a wide variety of species. With a moderate amount of walking, we should easily see monarchs, zebra longwings, eastern tigers, black and giant swallowtails, white peacocks, queens, cloudless sulphurs, red-banded hairstreaks, painted ladies, gulf fritillaries, viceroys, common buckeyes, and a variety of skippers. This is a beautiful time of year to visit Tosohatchee as fall wildflowers and native grasses are in full bloom. Those who love dragonflies will not be disappointed.
www.dep.state.fl.us/parks/district3/tosohatchee/index.asp
Nov 19, 11:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 18 Registrants; $35.00/person
IMPORTANT NOTICE: This program is sold out.Port Canaveral Sailing Trip
Trip Leaders: David Poston, Doug Suitor and Sarah Linney
Join David Poston, Assistant Director of Marketing for Port Canaveral, Collier County Senior Environmental Specialist, Doug Suitor and Space Coast Audubon President, Sarah Linney for a unique tour of Port Canaveral, the world's only quadra-modal port, utilizing transportation by water, land, air and space and a jaunt offshore. You will be sailing on a U.S.C.G. certified vessel, 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. Birdlife at the Port is abundant (lots of gulls and terns), and you might see manatees and dolphins. As the Wanderer makes her way out of the harbor she cuts a majestic figure as her sails fill. You will see the secure Trident Submarine base and turning basin. Looking north, you can see the 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 ships, a wide variety of U.S. military vessels and some of the world's most elegant cruise ships.
www.schoonersails.com -- 321-783-5274 -- www.portcanaveral.org
Directions: 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. Go south on US1 or I-95 (Exit 205) to SR 528. Go east on 528 and follow the signs for the South Dock. Exit from SR 528 for the South Dock turn left and go under the overpass. Take the first left onto Dave Nisbett Drive. Go about 0.25 miles and turn right on Glen Cheek Drive. The Miss Cape Canaveral will be at the first dock, near Rusty's Seafood and Oyster Bar. Drive time from Titusville is about 30 minutes. Please arrive 15 minutes early.
Nov 19, 2:00pm-4:30pm: Limited to 27 registrants; $30.00/person
Nov 21, 10:00am-12:30pm: Limited to 27 registrants; $30.00/personSunset Hayride
Sponsored by the Ace of Hearts Ranch
Trip Leaders: Dorn Whitmore, Nancy Corona, and Sandra and Ed Vann
Watch the sunset bird show from an ideal vantage point! Join Dorn Whitmore, Merritt Island NWR Chief Ranger, Nancy Corona, MINWR Lead Ranger in charge of public programming and education, and ranch owners, Sandra and Ed Vann for a slow ride through a Florida paradise on this hayride around Black Point Wildlife Drive.
www.nbbd.com/godo/minwr/BlackPoint/
Meet at the entrance to the Black Point Wildlife Drive on MINWR. Park on the grass along the roadside - make sure your car is off the road. The hay-wagons will return to the departure point. Dress warmly!
Nov 19, 4:00pm-7:00pm: Limited to 40 registrants; $15.00/person
Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Demo
Sponsor: NOAA's Undersea Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Operator: Andrew Shepard
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to steer an underwater robotic? Here's your chance! Andy's going to show you how then let you take control. ROVs are unoccupied, highly maneuverable underwater robots operated by a person aboard a surface vessel. They are linked to the ship by a group of cables that carry electrical signals back and forth between the operator and the vehicle. Most are equipped with at least a video camera and lights; extra equipment can be added. ROVs have proven extremely valuable in ocean exploration, and are also used for educational programs at aquaria and to link to scientific expeditions live via the Internet. The demo takes place in the crystal clear pond behind the MINWR Visitor Center. Maybe you'll see a turtle or an alligator on the ROV's video monitor.
Nov 19 & 20, 3:00pm-4:00pm: Merritt Island NWR Visitor Center; Free
uncw.edu/nurc/systems/rov.htm --- oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/subs/rov/rov.htmlHaulover Canal Fish Communications Boat Tour
Sponsor: Space Coast Nature Tours
Trip Leaders: Dr. Grant Gilmore, Andrew Shepard and Captain Doug Floyd
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. Watch the sun set over Mullethead Island wading bird rookery then cruise into the sheltered waters of the canal 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 another with rhythmic robust sounds that are so loud that sometimes the speaker volume must be turned down in order to protect our ears. Haulover Canal is renowned for its species diversity. Other animals that might be heard include manatees, dolphins, and shrimp, which sound like castanets.
Make sure you allow enough time to stop by the MINWR Visitor Center on your way to take advantage of the unique opportunity to steer Andy's remotely operated submersible vehicle. Price includes food from Dixie Crossroads Seafood Restaurant.
www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov click on Explorations, then click on Islands in the Stream
www.hboi.edu, www.uncw.edu/nurc, www.hswri.org, www.spacecoastnaturetours.com
Directions: Meet at Bair's Cove Boat Launch on Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge at 4:45pm. Cross the Titusville Bridge and follow signs to the Black Point Wildlife Drive. Go past the Drive to the stop sign at SR 3. Turn left and go approx. 4.5 miles north. Look for the brown boat launch sign on the left just before the bridge. Turn left and follow the road around to the parking area. Drive time is about 20 minutes.
Nov 19 & Nov 20, 5:00pm-8:00pm, Limited to 34 registrants; $35.00/personHal Scott Regional Preserve
Trip Leaders: Lorne Malo, Roger Grimshaw and Dave Verner
Join St. Johns River Water Management District biologist Lorne Malo in pursuit of some of east Orange County's resident birds and pineland specialties. The trip leaves early to start at an active Red-cockaded woodpecker colony as the birds awaken from their roost. From there the group will explore pine flatwoods and the Econlockhatchee River swamp in search of such common inhabitants as 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, piliated and red-headed woodpecker (8 woodpecker species were seen on this 2003 Festival trip), hermit thrush, orange-crowned and yellow-throated warbler, American woodcock, sedge and marsh wren, king rail, sharp-shinned hawk, and Cooper's hawk. In addition to many bird species, alligators, white-tailed deer, gopher tortoises, river otters, bobcats and indigo snakes may also be found. This is a 4-mile walk; some of which may pass through mud and standing water.
http://sjr.state.fl.us/programs/outreach/pubs/recguide
Nov 20 & 21, 5:15am-12:30pm: Limited to18 registrants; $35.00/personWhooping Cranes and Forever Florida
Trip Leaders: Steve Nesbitt and Marty Folk
Hosted by members of the Whooping Crane Conservation Association
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, 82 of them here in Central Florida.
This tour will visit Overstreet Landing on Lake Kissimmee to look for whooping cranes that have been reintroduced to the Kissimmee River prairie. The Landing is a good place to look for snail kites, bald eagles and various raptors; mottled ducks and other waterfowl; shorebirds and wading birds. Crested cara cara, eastern bluebird, American kestrel, sandhill crane and wild turkey are usually seen along the road into the Landing. Florida Project Manager for the Whooping Crane Reintroduction Program, Steve Nesbitt and FWCC wildlife biologist, Marty Folk will demonstrate tracking equipment used on whooping cranes. Steve has been working on this project since 1980, when research began using sandhill cranes. Marty has practically been living with the cranes since the first birds were reintroduced to the region in 1993.
Next stop is Forever Florida, a 4300-acre wilderness preserve near Kenansville. Following lunch, participants will board custom made, photographer friendly swamp buggies to explore wet prairies, cypress swamps, grasslands, pinewoods, creeks and dense oak hammocks. After years of prescribed burning, native wildflowers and grasses at Forever Florida are restored to their original splendor and fall is the best time to see them. The buggy tour passes through Crescent J Ranch, where descendents of original horses and cattle brought to Florida by Spanish explorers more than 400 years ago are found. You'll learn about Florida's pioneer cattle and turpentine industries, railroading and the heroic efforts of Dr. William and Margaret Broussard, who have dedicated considerable time and money to preserve as much land surrounding the ranch as they can.
Price includes lunch at Forever Florida.
www.floridaconservatiom.org, www.whoopingcrane.com, www.bringbackthecranes.org, www.pwrc.usgs.org, www.speciesatrisk.gc.ca, www.foreverflorida.org
Nov 20, 6:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 80 registrants; $60.00/personHike Lake Jesup Wilderness
Sponsored by the Florida Trail Association
Trip Leaders: Joan Jarvis and Sarah Linney
Explore the marshy edge of Lake Jesup on this 2.5-mile stroll through wetlands and along a shady palm-lined berm. Bring water, sun protection, and insect repellent, and expect soggy trail conditions. The payoff: great birding and wildlife watching along the willow-lined rim of one of Central Florida's largest lakes.
www.floridatrail.org
Directions: Meet at Lake Jesup Park at the end of Sanford Avenue. From I-95 and SR 46, go west on SR 46 to Sanford. Turn left on South Sanford Ave, just past the Orlando/Sanford International Airport.
Nov 20, 8:00am-11:30pm: Limited to 30 registrants; FreeAncient and Modern Mariners of the Deep
Sponsored by Hubbs Sea World Research Institute
Trip Leaders: Dr. Duane DeFreese, Doug Suitor and Ray Scory
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 VP of Research, Dr. Duane DeFreese, Collier County Senior Environmental Specialist, Doug Suitor, and Halifax Audubon's Ray Scory, for a look at some of the world's oldest and more recent mariners.
This fascinating trip will visit two sites. The Marine Science Center 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. It includes turtle 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; as well as a brand new seabird rehabilitation sanctuary. Of special interest is the endangered and threatened sea turtle rehabilitation area. Seven turtle pools, located in front of the main facility, house sick and injured sea turtles under rehabilitation and hatchling wash-backs (newly hatched baby sea turtles that are washed back to shore by rough seas).
The Mary Keller Seabird Rehab Sanctuary is the first official center in the region that provides medical assistance to birds throughout Volusia County. The rehab center is named for Mary Keller, a longtime local bird rehabber who has dedicated more than 30 years to the care of sick and injured birds in Volusia County. The project includes the bird center and a boardwalk and wildlife observation tower. The 3,000-square-foot rehab sanctuary can accommodate up to 55 seabirds under rehabilitation, 12 resident sea birds, and approximately 10 raptors. The center will provide rehabilitation for sick and injured birds and a sanctuary for those that cannot be released. The resident birds will be incorporated into the educational programs of the Marine Science Center. A 400-foot boardwalk extension of the nature trail leads to a 25-foot-tall observation tower that overlooks Ponce Inlet Park and the Intra-coastal Waterway.
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 and entrance to both facilities.
www.hswri.org, www.cccturtle.org, www.marinesciencecenter.com, www.ponceinlet.org.
Nov 20, 8:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 18 registrants; $60.00/personHaulover Canal Boat Tour
Sponsored by Space Coast Nature Tours
Trip Leaders: Captain Doug Floyd, David Hartgrove, and Mitchell Hait
Take a leisurely ride through historic Haulover Canal and into the waters of Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River. The deeper waters of the canal offer shelter for manatees. They can frequently be found there and dolphins are often seen frolicking in the shallow waters near the canal's approaches. Mullethead Island, a large spoil island west of the canal, is one of Florida's premier rookery islands. Look for wading birds, shorebirds, gulls and terns, and lots of brown 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, and red-breasted mergansers may also be seen. Haulover Canal is one of the most dynamic places to ponder this area's unique association of nature and space as Space Shuttle launch pads and the massive Vehicle Assembly Building stand out as distinct landmarks in the wilderness at the southern end of Mosquito Lagoon.
www.spacecoastnaturetours.com, www.nbbd.com/outthere
Meet at Bair's Cove Boat Launch Area on the southwest side of 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.
Directions: Cross the Titusville Bridge. Go about two miles. At the big curve, bear left and follow signs to Black Point Wildlife Drive. Go past the BPW Drive to the stop sign at SR 3. Turn left and go 4.25 miles north. The road to Bair's Cove is on the left before you cross the bridge over the canal. Follow the road around to the parking lot.
Nov 20, 9:00am-10:45am and 10:45am-12:30pm; Limited to 36 registrants per trip;$15.00/personButterflies of North Brevard
Trip leaders: Buck Cooper, Linda Cooper and Marc Minno
Beautiful fall wildflowers and a great diversity of habitats provide a cornucopia for a wide range of butterflies, including monarchs, gulf fritillaries, zebra longwings, white peacocks, buckeyes, sulphurs, hairstreaks, viceroys, queens, numerous swallowtails, skippers, and more. Tour the backyard gardens, coastal areas, and weedy roadsides of North Brevard County in search of butterflies, dragonflies and wildflowers. Participants spotted 37 species in 2003. Butterflies of interest include the mangrove buckeye, salt marsh skipper, and eastern pygmy blue.
www.naba.org
Nov 20, 11:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 18 registrants; $35.00/personCanaveral 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, bobcats, alligators, birds, turtles and frogs prowl the dikes. Local birders are flocking to the Blue Heron Wetlands. American and least bittern, purple gallinule, hairy woodpecker, limpkin, sandhill crane, roseate spoonbill, black-crowned and yellow-crowned night heron, black-necked stilt, bald eagle, bobolink and gull-billed tern are just a few of the 110 bird species sighted here.
Nearby, Canaveral Marshes Conservation Area is a 6741-acre 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 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. Volunteers conducting monthly surveys 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 rail, 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 feet on the moderate hike at Canaveral Marshes.
sjr.state.fl.us/programs/outreach/pubs/recguide
Nov 21, 6:00am-12:30pm: Limited to 18 registrants; $35.00/personWalk the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary
Hosted by the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program
Trip Leaders: Tami Robinson, Dr. Jay Barnhart
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 easy hike will be the EEL Program's North Region Land Manager, Tami Robinson and mushroom expert, Dr. Jay Barnhart. The guides will help you with plant identification and discuss the challenges faced in management of public lands like the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary.
www.brevardparks.com/eel --- www.nbbd.com/godo/ef/
Meet at the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary at 9:00 am.
Directions: Go south on US 1 through Titusville. About a mile south of town, go west on SR 407. The entrance to the Forest is just on the right, about 1/2 miles west of US 1.
Nov 21, 9:00am-12:00pm: Limited to 30 registrants; FreeChildren's Special Birding Field Trip
Trip Leaders: Betty and Cary Salter and Andy Bankert
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 and youth birder extraordinaire, Andy Bankert on a 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. The first 10 registrants to arrive 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, which teem 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/ -- www.geocities.com/ms_betsy_21/index.html
Meet at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center at 9:15am. Bring snacks and water.
Nov 21, 9:30am-12:00pm: Limited to 30 registrants; Free
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