2005 SCBWF Articles

The Best of Florida is Underwater Right in Your Own Backyard
By Captain Peggy Goldberg
It has been twenty-four years since I moved to Florida. When I first jumped in the crystal clear waters of our local springs and rivers, I couldn't possibly imagine the treasures that awaited me. It was a wonderland of clear water, waving grasses, crawfish, mollusks, fish, turtles, alligators, and in some places, the manatee. Wading birds of all types lined the shore, and raccoons, otters, opossums, skunks, turkeys, snakes, lizards, deer, bobcats, bears, and even monkeys could be seen.
People come from all over the world to snorkel and dive these emerald jewel springs and underwater caves, some of the largest known on earth. The area is honeycombed with caverns, limestone passageways, and sinkholes, the likes of which are not found anywhere else. You must be cavern and cave trained and certified to dive the caves; if you are open water certified, cave diving instructors in the area can get you your cave certification in just a few days. If you are not diving, the same rivers and springs support snorkeling, tubing, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, camping and picnicking. The photographic opportunities are endless, both on land and underwater. These are just our rivers and springs...I haven't even touched upon the hundreds of lakes in our area that support some of the best fishing in the U.S. — CONTINUED

A Journey into Bird Photography
By Neil Fifer
I have been hooked on photography since my travels overland in the 1970's with an Olympus Trip 35 camera shooting Kodak 25 and 64 slide film. Along the way I have stopped using film and I will never go back.
I first became aware of digiscoping on a visit to Tula Lake at Klamath Falls in 2000. It was there that I saw two men who were photographing Bald Eagles with some strange scope/video setups. I went over for a chat and they showed me their equipment. When I took a look at what they were seeing on the video screen I was amazed. Eagles that were one hundred yards away filled the frame! I was instantaneously hooked on the potential of this technology. Since I already had a Nikon Coolpix 990 camera, I decided I had to get a scope as soon as possible. — CONTINUED

The World's Best Birding Spots
By Victor Emanuel
I have had the good fortune to travel to all seven continents and spend time birding in many of the world's best birding area. On previous occasions I have tried to come up with a list of ten areas, but have decided that the best I can do is a list of fifteen. Each area is large in itself and includes many birding locations, but in each case I will mention a favorite site.
Asia is a region just being discovered by American birders. It is home to some of the world's most spectacular birds, fascinating cultures, beautiful scenery and great wildlife. India is a huge country with an incredible diversity. My favorite site in India is the Bharatpur reserve where, in the winter, wetlands and woodlands teem with waterbirds and passerines. Borneo is tropical Asia at its best, with extensive forests that support a dazzling array of barbets, hornbills, and pittas, as well as orangutans. The best site in Borneo is Danum Valley, where there is a lovely lodge set amid untouched extensive tropical forests. Bhutan is perhaps the most amazing Asian destination, with pristine forests and a traditional Buddhist culture. My favorite site in Bhutan is Crane Valley, where the rare Black-necked Cranes winter.
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An Overview of Owls
By Denver Holt
Owls are perhaps the most widely recognized group of animals in the world. They occur on all continents except Antarctica and have populated the most remote groups of islands in the world, including Hawaii. Owl lore, myth, and stories have been verbally passed along in many native cultures throughout the world. Indeed, cave paintings dated to the Paleolithic period in France depict a Snowy Owl.
The Little Owl appears on Greek coins dating to about 400 B.C and represents Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, and patron of Athens. Owls have been mentioned in the writings of Aristotle and Pliny. Owls occur in the art of Michelangelo, Durer, Picasso and others. Owls have been referenced in numerous short stories and poems, such as Edward Leer's Owl and the Pussy Cat. Today, owls are used as sport mascots or corporate logos. Even human behaviors have been referenced to a person being a bit owly, owlish, or owl-eyed, last night. Finally, a group of owls is referred to as a Parliament, believed to reflect these birds wisdom in thought and council, similar to human legislative bodies.
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Raptor Project Soars to New Heights
By Jonathan Wood
Jonathan Wood with his fascinating traveling raptor exhibit will be at the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival. New this year, Nikon Sport Optics will sponsor The Raptor Project. Raptor Project founders, Jonathan and Susan Wood, have assembled a traveling collection of feathered predators that is unrivaled in scope and size anywhere in the world. A Master Falconer and Wildlife Rehabilitator, Jonathan brings unique insights, observations and humor to his exciting, riveting, nationally acclaimed shows.
Many of the birds in the Raptor Project have permanent handicaps and have been donated to his project by crowded wildlife centers around the country because they were unable to be re-introduced to the wild. Some faced being euthanized, but now have been tamed and trained to educate the public as charming ambassadors of their species and the environments they inhabit. Jonathan works with birds in a wide rage of sizes, from small falcons and owls weighing 3-4 ounces to majestic eagles with 6-8 foot wingspans. Featuring 15-20 raptors from diverse habitats at each show, these dynamic fierce predators capture the hearts of both young and old. Jonathan will do shows on Thursday, Nov 17 at 2:00pm; Friday, Nov 18 at 2:00pm and 3:30pm; and Saturday, Nov 19 at 10:30am, 2:00pm and 3:30pm on the stage in the Gymnatorium at Brevard Community College, Titusville Campus. Following each show, Jonathan will take some birds outside and fly them.
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The 9th Annual Spacecoast Birding and Wildlife Festival
By Laurilee Thompson
Don't forget to mark your calendars now for the Ninth Annual Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival, Wednesday, November 16 through Sunday, November 20, 2005. Presented by Nikon Sport Optics and the Brevard Nature Alliance, this year's exciting event will be bigger and better than ever with five days and nights full of activities that feature presenters and field trip leaders from all over the world.
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Queenie - Our Cover Girl
from Audubon Center for Birds of Prey
"Queenie," is a rehabilitated barn owl who stars in educational programs offered by the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey (ACBOP). ACBOP is an urban environmental nature center located in Maitland, Florida that specializes in the rescue, medical care, rehabilitation and release of sick, injured and orphaned raptors (birds of prey). ACBOP is a non-profit organization and relies on visitor admissions, donations and adoptions to support its work.
Queenie arrived at the ACBOP in the spring of 2002. She was a very young owlet who was attacked by her parents or siblings while she was in the nest. They pushed her out. When she fell, she sustained a severe fracture of her right wing and trauma to one eye. She also suffered neurological damage. She was named Queenie because she dominated the other owlets who came in at the same time; a Great Horned Owl baby and a Barred Owl baby that were also non-releasable. She quickly became the "Queen of the Roost." She has been introduced to thousands of children through educational programs and is dearly beloved by all. You can meet Queenie at ACBOP booth at the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival in November.
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Austin Bouton Discovers Digiscoping
by Jeff Bouton
"Austin is excited about going out birding with Dad, but now that he has friends on the street, it is (of course) harder to tear him away. He and I guided Nigel Marven (British Animal Planet personality, who has his own show [ala Corwin/Irwin], hosts Shark Week, and does the walking with Dinosaurs bit) out to Babcock Webb last week to see Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Bachman's Sparrow, Brown-headed Nuthatch, etc. Austin thought that was REALLY cool! Not only was Nigel some famous guy, but better yet he knew everything about dinosaurs. He got an earful from my little naturalist....
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