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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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Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival November 17-21, 2004 in Brevard County, Florida A celebration of birds and wildlife. |
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Shorebirds Made Simpler
Presenter: Kevin. T. Karlson
This indoor session will concentrate on removing present confusion that exists with field identification of shorebirds. Formerly considered a very difficult task reserved for experts, shorebird ID will become easier for all levels of birders if a relatively simple approach is taken. Starting with basic principles of size, structure and behavior, as well as other important non-changeable characters such as bill length and shape, a simple, accurate first impression is formed.
By concentrating on the "basics" and an overall comparative view of each shorebird before applying the classic "field mark" system of identification, much of the confusion created by seasonal plumage variability of shorebirds is removed. This workshop, due to its short length, will not cover every shorebird species seen in North America, but will concentrate on the process of analysis that will help each person to confidently continue this method in the field.
The outdoor session will be an interactive experience concentrating on the use of the simplified techniques. By concentrating upon non-plumage field characters such as size, shape and behavior, participants will be able to practice their general impression approach, share observations and ask questions. This workshop is especially helpful when shorebirds are in non-breeding plumage, since the criteria for identification relies on non-changeable field characters.
Kevin recently signed a contract with Houghton Miflin Publishers to produce a book called The Shorebird Guide, with co-authors Richard Crossley and Michael O'Brien. This comprehensive field guide, due to be released in 2005, will contain almost 700 photos and outline a simpler method of bird identification for beginners and experts. Field trip location will be pre-determined.
Trip leaders accompanying Kevin will be Jeff Bouton and Adam Kent
www.jaegertours.net
Nov 18, 7:00am-8:30am: BCC Building 1 – Class 131; $5.00
Field trip, 8:45am-12:30pm, Limited to 18 registrants; $30.00/person
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Field Trip is sold out.
Beginning Birding
Presenter: Nancy Corona
Merritt Island NWR Public Programming and Education Coordinator
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, Nancy 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.
A free car-pool field trip to Black Point Wildlife Drive will follow the classroom session so you can get right out in the field and put your new knowledge to work.
Trip leaders accompanying Nancy will be Great Florida Birding Trail Coordinator, Julie Brashears and UCF graduate student, Lisa Graham.Nov 18, Seminar, 8:30am-9:30am: Merritt Island NWR Visitor Center; Free
Carpool to Black Point Wildlife Drive, 9:30am-12:30pm; Free
Nov 20, Seminar, 9:30am-10:30pm: Merritt Island NWR Visitor Center; Free
Carpool to Black Point Wildlife Drive, 10:30am-1:30pm; FreeSparrow Identification
Presenter: Adam Kent
Have you ever seen a grasshopper sparrow or a Lincoln's sparrow up close? Are you confused by those innocuous little brown birds? Many New World sparrows do not have bold plumage patterns, but instead are a mosaic of gray, black, and brown tones that are really quite handsome and distinctive among the different species. This workshop will introduce you to the basics of sparrow identification. Once you learn to use the colors and patterns, you too will be able to identify sparrow species that you find when out for a day of birding.
Nov 18, 1:00pm-2:30pm: BCC Building 5 – Class 124; $5.00Optics
Presenter: Tom Hall
This free workshop is sponsored by Eagle Optics
Start your birding festival experience on the right track with the right optical equipment for you. Binoculars are the mainstays of birdwatching, yet the vast array of choices can make it difficult to choose the ones that are best for you. How do binoculars and scopes work? What are the best binoculars and spotting scopes? How can I adjust binoculars so I can see best? What are the pros and cons of the different types of optics? How do I care for my equipment? All of these questions will be answered. Tom will provide the opportunity to try a wide variety of types and manufactures of birding optics.
www.eagleoptics.com.
Nov 18, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Classroom 4121; FreeRaptors of Florida Part I: Accipiters Kites and Falcons
Presenter: Jeff Bouton
Jeff will explore the finer points of raptor identification, looking at the subtleties beyond the obvious (e.g. square tail, round tail) including wing flap differences, typical flight profiles in soaring and gliding birds, age and sex characteristics and how these can be beneficial in identification. Eleven species will be covered with special emphasis on similar species such as sharp-shinned and Cooper's hawks and others, including swallow-tailed kite, white-tailed kite, snail kite, Mississippi kite, northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper's hawk, northern goshawk, American kestrel, merlin, and peregrine falcon.
Nov 18, 3:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Classroom 4119; $5.00Seabird Identification
Presenter: Larry Manfredi
Learning how to identify seabirds while on a moving vessel, as they fly past the observer, is not always an easy task. Veteran Florida birder, Larry Manfredi of Larry Manfredi Birding Tours, will give you the opportunity to learn seabirds as they are actually encountered from a boat. This workshop will introduce the beginning seabirder to some of the common pelagic birds that might be encountered off the East Coast of the United States. Among the birds discussed will be Audubon's, Cory's and greater shearwaters, masked booby, brown booby, sooty tern, bridled tern, brown noddy and pomerine jaeger.
www.southfloridabirdingtours.com
Nov 19, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Building 1 – Class 131; $5.00Birding By Ear
Presenter: Paddy Cunningham Pascatore
Birding By Ear is a great way to identify birds. Advanced birders use it for 70% of identifications. Learn more about this essential tool to better your bird identification ability. Find out how to determine various types of birds based on different sounds they make and why they make them. A Refuge Ranger will escort the group into restricted access areas of the Kennedy Space Center, which have been off-limits to the general public for more than 30 years. In-the-field work begins before daylight as woodland birds awaken and begin singing. As morning progresses the group will move to a wetland to listen for water birds, ending with a classroom session at Merritt Island NWR Visitor Center.
Paddy Cunningham Pascatore has been a naturalist in South Florida for more than 20 years, teaching Tools For and Advanced Tools For Better Birding for 12 years. Her business, Adventures in Birding, takes birders anywhere birds can be found throughout Florida, including the Everglades, Big Cypress, Archbold Biological Station and the Florida Keys.
birdpaddy@yahoo.com, 954-926-5458
Meet at the CVS Pharmacy at the corner of U.S. 1 and Garden Street at 5:30am.
Nov 20 & 21, 5:30am-12:00pm, Limited to 15 registrants; $20.00/person
IMPORTANT NOTICE: This program is sold out.Advanced Shorebird Workshop
Presenter: Brian A. Harrington
Brian is the Senior Scientist, Shorebird Research and Conservation Program, with Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, where he has been working with and teaching about shorebirds for 3 decades. This 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. The field trip location will be predetermined.
Trip leaders accompanying Brian will be Murray Gardler and Charlie Ewell.
www.manomet.org
Nov20& 21, 7:00am-8:30am: BCC Building 1 - Class 132; $5.00
Field trip, 8:45am-12:30pm: Limited to 18 registrants; $30.00/person
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Nov. 20 field trip is sold out.Choosing the Right Optics For You
Presenter: Jim Danzenbaker
This free workshop is sponsored by Brunton Optics
Everyone needs optics to pursue our passion of birdwatching and nature observation, but there's a lot to learn about optics before buying. This workshop will cover the details, including questions to ask about your optics usage, explanation of key features and how to test optics. We'll explore all these areas in a simple and easy to understand format. Bring your binoculars and your notepad! Following the presentation, Jim will take a variety of optical pieces outdoors for you to try.
www.brunton.com
Nov 20, 9:30am-11:15am: BCC Classroom 4119; FreeRaptors of Florida Part II: Buteos, Vultures, Eagles and More
Presenter: Jeff Bouton
Jeff will discuss some of the confusing "soaring species", covering 11 species with special emphasis on age classes of the two eagle species and tips on how to separate them. Full coverage will be given to the various ranges of plumages in the buteos. The red-tailed hawk has at least five different named sub-species, can be either light or dark morph in many of these, and then can be either immature or adult, leaving the average person spinning. He will point out the differences between Swainson's, red-tailed, ferruginous, and rough-legged hawks in their various plumages and will cover broad-winged, short-tailed and red-shouldered hawks, as well as osprey and crested cara cara.
Nov 20, 3:30pm-5:00pm: BCC Building 1 - Class 131; $5.00The Art of Pishing
Presenter: Pete Dunne
Have you ever stood in amazement as a fellow birder strolled purposefully to a hedgerow, confidently made a few "spishing" sounds, and birds rained in from all directions? Are you guilty of slipping around a bush to try it softly yourself, hoping no one will notice? Then, this is the class for you! You too can be the envy of your peers, mobbed by pishees at the sound of your squeal.
Pishing is not just blowing hot air through your lips - there are numerous techniques and degrees. There is a time to pish and times when pishing is totally uncool. Maestro Pete, pisher extraordinaire, will orchestrate you and the group in a symphony of spishing, squeaking, and wheezing -- with gusto. There's no need to be embarrassed - everyone else looks as dumb as you. Still not interested? Then how would you like to posses the remarkably enviable ability to whinny like a screech owl? Pete can enthusiastically activate that advantageous attribute in you, too.
Seating is limited to 150 persons only.
www.njaudobon.org/centers/cmbo
Nov 20, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Building 1 - Auditorium; $5.00Gull and Tern ID
Presenter: Jeff Bouton
Gulls and terns can be a dizzying group to separate (some individuals even baffle experts). Their propensity to wander great distances makes 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. This study will begin with a classroom session to review basics such as: "bird topography", and a basic understanding of age and seasonal variations in plumages and molt sequences.
Photos of some of the many plumages shown by commonly occurring Florida species will be shown. A trip to Jetty Park at Port Canaveral will follow the class. This area is consistently productive for many gull and tern species. Whether you are a beginner just learning these skills, or a veteran refreshing them, this class promises to be a fun and interactive experience.
Trip leaders accompanying Jeff will be Adam Kent and Andy Wraithmell.
Nov 21, 7:00am-8:30am: BCC Building 1 - Class 133; $5.00
Field Trip, 8:45am-12:30pm: Limited to 18 registrants; $30.00/person
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