2007 SEMINARS
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Anthropology and Archaeology
Sponsored by the Indian River Anthropological Society
Prehistory of East Central Florida: 13,000-3000 Years Ago
Presenter: Thomas Penders
Thomas Penders & Associates
Brevard County and the surrounding area have a rich archaeological heritage. Man has lived here for 13,000 years. There is a wealth of sites in Brevard, Volusia and Indian River Counties that tell the story. This presentation gives an overview of what archaeologists know of the prehistoric Native Americans who lived in this region, from the hunters of mammoths and mastodons to people who buried their dead in ponds/peat bogs to those who created the mounds and middens. Thomas Penders is a registered professional archaeologist who owns and operates Thomas Penders & Associates, an archaeological, historical and paleontological consulting firm.
www.nbbd.com/npr/archaeology-iras/
Jan 27, 9:00am-10:00am: BCC Gym Class 119; $5.00
The Pine Island Conservation Area Archaeological Project (Sams Site): Seasons 1 & 2
Presenter: Thomas Penders
Indian River Anthropological Society
The Pine Island Conservation Area consists of 879 acres on Merritt Island, Brevard County. It is jointly owned by the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program (EELs) and the St. Johns Water Management District (SJWMD). EELs had plans to conduct improvements to a known historic house located at the southern end of the property. The Brevard County Historical Commission requested that the Indian River Anthropological Society conduct a preliminary Phase I archaeological survey of the area in the immediate vicinity of the house. The purpose of this assessment was to locate and record prehistoric or historic sites within the defined project area. The Indian River Anthropological Society and Thomas Penders & Associates, under permits from the Bureau of Archaeological Research, conducted the study in October 2003 through April 2004. During that period, almost 200 shovel tests were excavated across the property. Of these only four contained no artifacts. From this study, two historic structures (one of them among the oldest in Brevard County), a 2000-year-old prehistoric Native American village site and a fossil site containing mastodon and mammoth remains were documented. This presentation will give an overview of what we have found to date and the plans for future excavations at the site. Thomas Penders is the president of the Indian River Anthropological Society. He is project archaeologist for the Pine Island Conservation Area Archaeological Project.
www.nbbd.com/npr/archaeology-iras/
Jan 27, 10:15am-11:15am: BCC Gym Class 119; $5.00
International Travel and Adventure
The Best Birding Spots of Central Panama
Presenter: Carlos Bethancourt
Canopy Tower Ecolodge and Nature Observatory
One of the "birdiest" countries in the world, the small nation of Panama is approximately the same size as the state of Delaware, but it boasts a BIG bird list of 965 species - greater than that of the United States and Canada put together! Sixty-five percent of those species inhabit the forests around the Panama Canal where birding is easy and very productive. It is not uncommon to see 275 species in seven days of birding. Highlights generally include great views of toucans, puffbirds, motmots, trogons, antbirds, tanagers and manakins. Panama also hosts a superb assortment of mammals, including two- and three-toed sloths, howler monkeys, capuchins, Geoffrey's tamarins, tamanduas, woolly opossums, capybaras and kinkajous. Raptor migration is spectacular, offering sights of 75,000 Swainson's Hawks and Broad-winged Hawks in the air at once.
In 1997, visionary Raul Arias de Para seized an opportunity when he took over an abandoned U.S. Air Force radar tower and converted it into The Canopy Tower, an exclusive ecolodge offering its guests an extraordinary opportunity to appreciate the rich and diverse fauna and flora of Soberan’a National Park and the unique culture and history of the Panama Canal Zone. Raul recently opened a second ecolodge, The Canopy Lodge, which is set in a verdant canyon just above El Valle de Ant—n, also known as Crater Valley, 57 miles outside of Panama City. Panama is quite easy to get to. It's only 2_ hours from Miami with several non-stop flights every day. Join Canopy Tower's top birding guide, Carlos Bethancourt, as he reviews the best birding spots around the Canal Zone and the birds and wildlife that can be observed there.
www.canopytower.com
Jan 25, 1:00pm-2:00pm: BCC Gym Class 153; $5.00
Jan 26, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Gym Class 121; $5.00
Birding Madagascar - the Eighth Continent
Presenter: Christian Boix
Tropical Birding
Madagascar floated away from the rest of Gondwanaland 180 million years ago and evolved in an isolated microcosm of its own, effectively becoming an eighth continent. Over 120 bird species are endemic, including some five endemic families and 36 endemic genera, not to mention the hordes of lemurs and chameleons. This talk takes you from the strange Spiny Desert of Ifaty to the montane forests of Perinet, showing you vangas, mesites and the very spectacular ground-rollers. Christian's love affair with Madagascar began in 1997 when he clamped eyes on his first Ring-tailed Lemur. He has returned there 11 times leading tours for Tropical Birding and just to hang out!
www.birdingmadagascar.com and www.tropicalbirding.com
Jan 24, 1:00pm-2:00pm: BCC Gym Class 153; $5.00
Jan 26, 1:00pm-2:00pm: BCC Gym Class 153; $5.00
Young Adult Birders Flock to Ecuador
Presenter: Iain Campbell
Tropical Birding
For the first time, the American Birding Association's Young Adult Birders headed south to Ecuador in 2005. In a conference hosted by Tropical Birding in our primary Neotropical base the Young Adult Birders learned about the realities of Neotropical bird conservation, birding techniques in tropical forest and much more. All of this was combined with the finest mixed-flock Andean birding. Iain will highlight Tropical Birding's commitment to the future of birding and birders in the ABA region, introducing the second Young Adult Birders' Conference in Borneo, a new venture called Birding America and the 2007 International Conference in Ecuador. Iain is also passionate about invigorating youth to take an interest in birding beyond their back yard and has been very hands-on with the ABA's Youth Programs. A fanatical lister, he is also one of the founders of Tropical Birding.
www.americanbirding.org/mtgs/conferences/archive/2005ecuador/ and www.americanbirding.org/mtgs/conferences/2007quito/
Jan 27, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Gym Class 123; $5.00
The Magic Birding Circuit of Ecuador
Presenter: Dr. Jorge Cruz
San Jorge Ecolodge and Botanical Reserve
Due to its several distinct climates, Ecuador has an amazing variety of bird life. Equaling more than 20% of the world's avian population, Ecuador's 1600-plus species offer more bird diversity in less space than any other country in the world. San Jorge owns four private reserves known as The Magic Birding Circuit, with over 800 species of birds. From San Jorge Botanical Reserve, join us as our explorations take us to San Jorge de Tandayapa Reserve, San Jorge de Cosanga-Yanayacu Reserve near San Asidro Valley, and to San Jorge de Milpe Reserve, next to Mindo.
San Jorge Ecolodge and Botanical Reserve is the only private reserve near Quito. A traditional 18th-century Spanish ecoresort, San Jorge is located in the high barren plains and highland rainforest situated among 200 acres in Ecuador's Pichincha Foothills. The Magic Birding Circuit tours are based from two hotel locations; San Jorge Ecolodge/Quito, and the new San Jorge de Milpe Ecolodge, which are central to the four climate steps of Ecuador: the high barren plains, highland rainforest, cloud forest and subtropical rainforest (altitudes range from 3,000 to 13,200 feet). This makes it the ideal retreat for some of the best birding in Ecuador. As the founder of San Jorge Ecolodge near Quito in 1990, Dr. Cruz oversaw the development of resources to provide medical aid and educational support to residents of surrounding villages. Dr. Cruz has been a natural and cultural history guide since 1995 and a birding guide since 2000.
www.eco-lodgesanjorge.com
Jan 24, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Community Dining Room; $5.00
Jan 25, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Community Dining Room; $5.00
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Island Birding
Presenter: Alvaro Jaramillo
Field Guides Inc.
There is something about islands, isn't there? They sit there in the wide-open ocean, some mere specks of land poking through the blanket of water, others huge mountains that thrust thousands of feet above the sea. But they all share something by the nature of being islands: They are special. Birding on islands is also unique. If you are interested in a long list of birds, an island is not the place to go, but if you are interested in quality and oddities, islands are just the ticket. Islands are living experiments in evolution, where a lost goldfinch could "radiate" into a myriad of forms as happened in Hawaii, from sickle-billed Iiwi, to the bird with the oddest bill of all, the awesome Akiapolaau. Island biogeography is a topic all by itself with island groups often having endemic but related species on different islands, such as in the finches on the Galapagos orioles and warblers on the Lesser Antilles and remnant species that were once more widespread as in the todies of the Greater Antilles. Don't forget that seabirding on islands can be amazing, like on our own Dry Tortugas or Alaska's islands. We will take a visual tour of islands and show you some of the great birds and birding that can be had there with a little background of the natural history of islands and why they can be among the most interesting birding experiences anywhere! Alvaro (Al) Jaramillo is a guide for Field Guides Inc.
www.fieldguides.com
Jan 24, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Gym Class 153; $5.00
Jan 26, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Gym Class 119; $5.00
Birds of the Bahamas
Presenter: Dr Peter G. Merritt
Hobe Sound Productions
Dr. Peter G. Merritt will show video and discuss the ecology and distribution of birds that he recently videotaped in the Islands of the Bahamas, including Abaco, Andros, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama, Great Inagua and San Salvador. The presentation features many Bahamian specialties, such as the Bahama Mockingbird, Bahama Parrot, Bahama Woodstar, Bananaquit, Cuban Emerald, Cuban Pewee, Great Lizard-Cuckoo, Greater Flamingo, Key West Quail-Dove, LaSagra's Flycatcher, Red-legged Thrush, Thick-billed Vireo, West Indian Woodpecker, Western Spindalis, White-cheeked Pintail, Zenaida Dove and more. Highlights of the presentation include video footage of the endangered Kirtland's Warbler in its winter habitat on Eleuthera, the rare Brown-headed Nuthatch on Grand Bahama Island, and spectacular seabird colonies off the coast of San Salvador. A past president of the Florida Ornithological Society, Dr. Merritt is the executive producer of the Video Guide to Florida Birds, a two-hour program that teaches the identification of over 200 species of birds in Florida, and Everybody Loves Birds, a 30-minute program designed to teach lower-school children the identification of 50 species of North American birds. He is currently producing the Video Guide to Bahama Birds.
www.floridabirds.net
Jan 24, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Gym Class 153; $5.00
Jan 26, 1:00pm-2:00pm: BCC Gym Class 123; $5.00
Peru's Fabulous Wealth of Birds and Culture
Presenter: Xavier Munoz
Neblina Forest Birding Tours
With 1700 species of birds, Peru is an unparalleled destination for ornithologists and bird enthusiasts. Manu National Park is home to the highest concentration of bird life on earth. Boasting some of the most spectacular and varied scenery in South America, the country is a paradise of natural history wonders and superlative biodiversity. From the central high region of the Andes, with its massive snow-covered peaks and extraordinarily steep canyons to the immense sand dunes and dramatic stone wastelands of the desert regions of the coast and the enormous rainforests of the Amazon basin, the natural beauty of Peru is unsurpassed. But as stunning as the scenery is, it's the multiple layers of great civilizations that make Peru so intriguing. You can wander around colonial cities that have preserved the legacy of the Spanish conquistadors, visit the ancient Inca capital of Cuzco, ponder the enigma of the Nazca Lines -- a series of enormous drawings of animals, geometric figures and birds etched into the desert a millennium ago -- and gaze upon the spectacular ruins of the mystical lost Incan fortress of Machu Picchu. The Ecuadorian company Neblina Forest started as a lodge in the cloud forest of Mindo in 1991. In 1994 they began taking reservations, training guides and leading tours throughout Ecuador, establishing themselves as the first birding company based in South America. They now operate tours in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Colombia and Guyana.
www.neblinaforest.com
Jan 25, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Gym Class 119; $5.00
Wonderful Hummingbirds of Ecuador
Presenter: Xavier Munoz
Neblina Forest Birding Tours
Ecuador is home to 135 species of hummingbirds. That represents almost 50% of the hummers in the Americas. Hummingbirds can be found in nearly every type of habitat in Ecuador from sea level to the snow-capped mountains. This presentation will show you how these amazing, diminutive creatures have changed the lives of many people. They are admired and seen at hummingbird feeders in natural environments near the Andes in Ecuador. Thanks to hummingbirds, many organizations have started conservation programs in Ecuador. Enjoy with us this presentation about these wonderful, tiny birds. They are lovely, they are lively and they are seen everywhere in Ecuador. Xavier Munoz is the co-owner of Neblina Forest Birding Tours, the first birding company established in South America, where they boldly set an example for conservation by visiting the communities and forests where local people profit from eco-tourism.
www.neblinaforest.com
Jan 26, 11:30am-12:30pm: BCC Gym Class119; $5.00
Jan 27, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Gym Class 121; $5.00
The Valdés Peninsula, Its Birds and Mammals
Presenter: Luis Segura
Trogon Tours
The Atlantic coast of Patagonia is the area where the highest numbers and widest diversity of marine mammals can be found in southern South America. Images of Orcas taking Sea Lions from solitary gravel beaches at the Valdés Peninsula have been the substance of innumerable nature films made by the most prestigious international television networks. This area is home to the largest breeding population of Southern Right Whales on earth. More than 800 individuals spend up to nine months of the year in the pristine waters of this remote paradise That does not even speak to the 32,000 Southern Elephant Seals, 8000 Southern Sea Lions and huge numbers of several species of dolphins and porpoises that also share this environment.
Birds in the Valdés Peninsula are unique. The combination of Patagonian steppe and South Atlantic marine habitats make this area worth visiting for birders the world over. Six Argentine endemic birds live in this wildlife paradise: Band-tailed Earthcreeper (also called Eremobius), Rusty-backed Monjita, Carbonated Sierra-Finch, Patagonian Canastero, White-throated Cacholote and the White-headed or Chubut Steamer-Duck. Huge colonies of Magellanic Penguins can be found in this area, the most famous of which being at Punta Tombo, a few kilometers south of the Valdés. Inside the Peninsula, one nesting colony of these birds has 60,000 active nests. There is no other adventure like staying inside the Valdés Peninsula and enjoying its unique fauna. Marine mammal and bird species vary depending on seasonality, but they are present year-round. Luis is a co-founder and co-owner of Birding Argentina/Trogon Tours, which is currently running successful birding, nature and cultural tours in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Antarctica.
www.trogontours.com
Jan 25, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Community Dining Room; $5.00
Jan 26, 1:00pm-2:00pm: BCC Community Dining Room; $5.00
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Take a Walk on the Wild Side: Protecting Wildlife with Ecotourism
Presenter: Mary Slater-Linn
Tropical Nature Travel
Protecting 300 square miles of wild lands in Peru, Brazil and Ecuador, Tropical Nature Travel uses ecotourism lodges to support the work of the nonprofit conservation organization, Tropical Nature. This land is home to jaguars, monkeys and some of the best bird habitat in the world.
Manu Wildlife Center is in the remote Manu Wilderness of Southeastern Peru. This 46-square-mile area saves rainforest once scheduled for timber extraction and market-meat hunting. The density and diversity of animal and plant species reach a peak in the extreme western Amazon near the foot of the Andes. This is the largest uninhabited section of a major river in Amazonian Peru. The Napo Wildlife Center in Ecuador is a community-based ecotourism project in the lowland Amazon forests of eastern Ecuador on the Napo River that has turned the surrounding 82 square miles into a private reserve. Parrot clay licks are located on Napo Wildlife Center land and Giant Otters inhabit the lake. Sandoval Lake Lodge in Peru is a partnership between Tropical Nature and five Brazil nut-gathering families. The lodge protects Giant Otters and other endangered wildlife that inhabit the area. The Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge, in an Andean Cloud Forest in Peru, is saving the most pristine altitudinal transect in South America. The area is habitat for Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Woolly Monkeys, Brown Capuchin Monkeys and colorful tanagers, barbets and hummingbirds. The Heath River Wildlife Center protects one of the largest remaining Amazonian savannahs in Peru. Tapirs and jaguars are found here along with 480 bird species and six monkey species. Hyacinth Camps in Brazil is a 10,000-acre reserve in the Piaui state. This is protected habitat for Maned Wolves, Hyacinth Macaws and nut-cracking monkeys. The reserve is vital for the conservation of the savannah as lands are being cleared for agriculture.
www.tropicalnaturetravel.com
Jan 24, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Gym Class 119; $5.00
Jan 26, 10:15am-11:15am: BCC Gym Class 119; $5.00
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Wildlife in Exotic Brazil: Wolves, Macaws and Monkeys -- Oh My!
Presenter: Mary Slater-Linn
Hyacinth Camps and Tropical Nature Travel
Exotic Brazil: The new and remote 1.8-million-acre Parnaiba Headwaters Park in Central Brazil makes an exotic destination for ecotourism. Parnaiba Headwaters Park is the largest park outside the Amazon,and protects more dry forest than any reserve on earth. Red cliffs tower over sweeping grasslands sprinkled with Mauritia palm groves and dry forest trees. Hyacinth Camps consists of three sites: Hyacinth Valley, Hyacinth Cliffs and Greenwing Valley, all located in the heart of this wooded savannah. Large flocks of Hyacinth Macaws feed at a favored spot at Hyacinth Valley. These beautiful blue birds jockey for favorite palm nut-cracking perches as they feed and play. As night falls, Hyacinth Cliffs is one of the best places in the world to see the endangered Maned Wolf. At Greenwing Valley, watch the fascinating Brown Capuchin Monkeys use rocks as tools to crack nuts. You'll also get up-close looks at Howler Monkeys. You might also see the South American Rhea, Blue-and-gold, Red-and-green and Red-bellied Macaws, the Red-legged Seriema and the Toco Toucan. Join Mary-Slater Linn from Tropical Nature Travel as she takes you on a Brazilian journey to The Hyacinth Camps.
www.tropicalnaturetravel.com
Jan 26, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Gym Class 121; $5.00
Traveling and Birding - The Perfect Combination
Presenter: Simon Thompson
Ventures Birding and Nature Tours
Ventures Birding Tours owner and confirmed travel addict Simon Thompson will take you on a journey around our planet in search of birds. Despite the hazards from dangerous animals, political unrest and today's logistical travel worries, birding as an excuse to travel the world still holds a great attraction for many people. And what birds they are. From a blizzard of hummingbirds and tanagers in Ecuador to brightly colored parrots in Australia and warblers in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina; you have an outrageous pallet of color and variety of birds that would impress even the most jaded traveler. Join Simon as he travels from continent to continent on his quest for birds. Simon Thompson owns and operates his own birding and natural history tour company, Ventures, Inc. He leads small groups of naturalists and birders both within North America and to many locations throughout the world, including the Peruvian Amazon, Belize, Galapagos, Greece, France, England and Australia. Ventures also runs day trips throughout North and South Carolina and offers trips to many of the top birding sites throughout the U.S.
www.birdventures.com
Jan 24, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Community Dining Room; $5.00
Jan 26, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Community Dining Room; $5.00
The Pantanal and a Bit More....
Presenter: Joanne Williams
Joanne Williams Photography
The Pantanal stands as one of the world's greatest natural wonders with its extraordinarily concentrated and diverse flora and fauna. It is the largest inland wetland on the planet -- 10 times the size of the Florida Everglades! This area of the world is an unequaled wildlife sanctuary containing hundreds of species of birds, huge varieties of butterflies and mammals such as the giant anteater, capybara, tapir, crab-eating fox and capuchin and howler monkeys. Many endangered and rare species like the jaguar, ocelot, giant river otter and the increasingly rare Hyacinth Macaw make their home in the Pantanal. This is truly a wildlife and nature lover's, birder's and/or photographer's paradise. Joanne Williams is a widely traveled freelance photographer specializing in wildlife and nature. If you are unable to sign up and join Joanne on her next tour to the Pantanal in June 2007, do the next best thing and come to this presentation, or visit her website gallery, The Pantanal at
www.joannewilliamsphoto.com.
Jan 26, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Auditorium; $5.00
Jan 27, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Auditorium; $5.00
Domestic Travel and Adventure
Kansas? Unbelieveable!
Presenter: Sam Fried
Flights of Fancy Adventures
Kansas? Are you kidding? How about this: Half of the shorebirds passing through North America on their way to their breeding grounds make a "refueling" stop at the vast marshes of central Kansas, making this improbable interior state the premier shorebirding spot in the USA for a week or two in early May each year. About 30 shorebird species are recorded, along with countless waterfowl, wading birds, passerines and the raptors that follow them north through Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, each of which has been recognized as a Wetland of International Importance. We'll also visit the southwest corner of Kansas to witness the courtship displays of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken on its lek and other prairie birds and migrants that can be found along the old Santa Fe Trail. Sam Fried is a co-founder of Flights of Fancy Adventures, Inc., a birding, photography, natural history and golf travel company offering small-group, low-cost, high-quality trips to North, Central and South American destinations.
magesfried@aol.com (860-243-2569)
Jan 25, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Gym Class 121; $5.00
Jan 26, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Gym Class 119; $5.00
Exploring the Great Florida Birding Trail
Presenter: Mark Kiser
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Come hear about the Great Florida Birding Trail's mission, project development, publications, highway signs, current and future projects and how the public can get involved. This 2000-mile trail is designed to conserve and enhance Florida's bird habitat by promoting birding activities, environmental education and economic opportunity. Learn more about the 446 sites (including little-known gems) along the Birding Trail and the spectacular bird species that you can encounter. The Great Florida Birding Trail is a project of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and is supported by the Florida Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration and the Wildlife Foundation of Florida. Free Birding Trail guide booklets and other free birding publications will be available (along with Birding Trail hats and T-shirts for sale) at the GFBT booth during the festival. Mark Kiser is the coordinator for the Great Florida Birding Trail.
www.floridabirdingtrail.com
Jan 25, 1:00pm-2:00pm: BCC Community Dining Room; $5.00
Jan 26, 9:00am-10:00am: BCC Gym Class 119; $5.00
The Fabulous Dry Tortugas
Presenter: Larry Manfredi
Larry Manfredi Birding Tours
Sixty-eight miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico are seven tropical, coral islands with white, sandy beaches and stunning emerald-green waters. First named Las Tortugas (The Turtles) by Spanish Explorer Ponce de Leon in 1513, these reefs soon read "Dry Tortugas" on mariners' charts to show they had no fresh water. Rich in history and the site of a major seabird colony, these islands seem to be an oasis for lost or stranded passerine migrants that pass this way while flying to and from their northern breeding areas. One great wildlife spectacle happens yearly between March and September as some 100,000 Sooty Terns gather on Bush Key for their nesting season. In season, a continuous succession of songbirds and other migrants flies over or rests at the Dry Tortugas. Strategically set, these islands lie across a principal flyway from the United States to Cuba and South America. Larry will show photos of many migrant and pelagic birds as well as Fort Jefferson and Loggerhead Key taken over a period of 12 years of leading birding trips to the Dry Tortugas. Larry Manfredi was born and raised in Miami. Having lived in South Florida for more than 30 years, Larry is familiar with locations of all the Florida specialties.
www.southfloridabirding.com
Jan 26, 2:15pm-3:15pm: BCC Gym Class 153; $5.00
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Presenter: Jeremy Roberts
Papoose Creek Lodge
Yellowstone is world renowned for its spectacle of geysers and hot springs, its bubbling mudpots and hissing vents and, of course, its stronghold of wild and free bison. With the return of the wolves after a 60-year absence, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) returned to its full, wild and former self, rounding out its all-star lineup of rare plants, birds and butterflies endemic to this unique island in the Northern Rockies. From Hayden's ringlets to cutthroat trout, the GYE is unlike any other place on earth. In fact, nowhere in the lower 48 states is there greater biological diversity and abundance of mammals, including wolverines, moose, grizzly bears, lynx and the largest herd of elk in North America. There are 128 species of butterflies and over 300 species of birds, including some hard-to-find species such as Gray-crowned and Black Rosy-Finch and Trumpeter Swan. You will enjoy this journey through the beauty and natural wonders of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Jeremy Roberts is a naturalist with Papoose Creek Lodge, an ecotourism lodge in Southwest Montana where he leads birding and botany trips via canoe and foot.
www.papoosecreek.com
Jan 24, 1:00pm-2:00pm: BCC Community Dining Room; $5.00
Jan 27, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Gym Class 121; $5.00
Seabirds and Marine Mammals of Monterey Bay
Debra Shearwater
Shearwater Journeys
Attracting visitors from all over the world, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is the largest federally protected area in the lower 48 states. Encompassing 5300 square miles of open water, its boundaries span near-shore and deep-ocean habitats. Its deepest point lies 10,663 feet below the surface in the Monterey Submarine Canyon, which is twice the depth of the Grand Canyon. Coastal habitats in the sanctuary afford important feeding, breeding and resting areas for many mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. From Brandt's and Pelagic Cormorants to Sea Otters and migrating Gray Whales, this rich area sustains an abundance of marine life.
Offshore habitats are equally varied and supportive of life. Black-footed Albatrosses fly in search of squid to feed their young. It is here on the open sea that millions of Sooty Shearwaters feed on schools of anchovies and wheeling flocks of Buller's Shearwaters spend the winter in search of food. Ashy Storm-Petrels raft in flocks after feeding at night. Common Murre fathers bring their newly fledged chicks to these rich waters and Rhinoceros and Cassin's Auklets are found in large numbers on the canyon edges. Migrating Arctic Terns, Sabine's Gulls, Pomarine and Long-tailed Jaegers and Xantus' and Craveri's Murrelets also pass by. Humpback Whales feed here year-round and Blue Whales stay the summer.
Monterey Bay is a major destination for both beginning and seasoned birders. Its protected, half-moon shape allows for year-round trips. Join Debra Shearwater as she presents an informative and exciting lecture on this truly magnificent and timeless place. She will illustrate her lecture with slides and stories from her 31 years of running birding trips on Monterey Bay.
www.shearwaterjourneys.com
Click for a John Sorensen Sea Otter gallery. — Click for a Don Doolittle photo gallery.
Jan 26, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Community Dining Room; $5.00
Jan 27, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Auditorium; $5.00
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Birds, Wildlife and Plants
For the Future of Conservation in Florida, the Gopher Tortoise Is Leading the Way
Presenter: Ray E. Ashton
Gopher Tortoise Conservation Initiative
A lot of people want to live in Florida, and who can blame them? Approximately 2000 people move to the Sunshine State each week, and that rate is not likely to slow. This growth is impacting already strained natural resources. The gopher tortoise conservation folks are working hard to change the face of conservation in Tallahassee and throughout the state. Good conservation for tortoises will also benefit resident and migratory birds as well as contribute to our own quality of life. For example, gopher tortoise habitat includes the highest recharge areas for the Florida Aquifer, which is our primary source of drinking water. The Gopher Tortoise Conservation Initiative group has created a concept to conserve tortoises and their habitat. State-wide assurance colonies, regional and local assurance colonies and even Tortoise in My Yard programs will provide a home for displaced tortoises that live in the path of development. Assurance colonies will provide an alternative to burying tortoises. How can you persuade developers to become good conservationists? Did you know that your county commissioners CAN pass rules that protect wildlife? In this program, everyone can learn how to help. We need you! Ray and his wife, Pat, have studied gopher tortoises for over 30 years. Their book, The Gopher Tortoise: A Life History, was published last year.
www.ashtonbiodiversity.org, www.nbbd.com/godo/ef/gtortoise
Jan 27, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Gym Class 123; $5.00
The Florida Scrub-Jay and Scrub Fire Ecology
Presenters: Dave Breininger and Dr. Paul Schmalzer
Sponsored by Dynamac International and NASA Kennedy Space Center
The Florida Scrub-Jay, fascinating from both biological and conservation perspectives, is the only avian species restricted entirely to Florida. Endemic to the scrub habitats of peninsular Florida, Florida Scrub-Jays exhibit a suite of remarkable adaptations. 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 ecosystem unlike any other on the planet, one that is highly dependent on fire. Dozens of plants and animals living in the Florida scrub are found nowhere else in the world. This presentation will focus on Florida Scrub-Jay habitat use, demography and sociobiology in different types of habitat with an emphasis on fire ecology. Dave Breininger is a wildlife ecologist and Paul Schmalzer a plant ecologist for Dynamac Corporation at the Kennedy Space Center.
A free NASA bus trip into restricted access areas of the Kennedy Space Center to see Florida Scrub-Jay families will follow the presentation. See the description in Field Trips.
www.dynamac.com, www.nasa.gov, northflorida.fws.gov/Scrub-Jays/scrubjays.htm, www.fnps.org
Jan 26 & 27, 8:00am-9:15am: Merritt Island NWR Visitor Center; Free
Florida Scrub-Jay Population and Habitat Dynamics Along Central Florida's Atlantic Coast
Presenter: Dave Breininger
Dynamac International
The Florida Scrub-Jay is the only species of bird unique to Florida. These charismatic birds mate for life and have a distinctive, cooperative breeding system where young birds often remain with their parents for several years helping to spot predators, defend territories and raise future generations of young. The Florida Scrub-Jay is threatened with extinction because of urbanization. The scrub-jay is a management indicator of the health of scrub ecosystems, which have been degraded because natural fires can no longer propagate freely across landscapes. Many areas are being acquired for conservation and prescribed fires are being implemented to restore habitat quality, but much must be learned about optimizing these activities. We have been conducting mark-resight studies of Florida Scrub-Jays to quantify how reproductive success, survival and dispersal vary among habitat fragments to learn how populations respond to different habitat features and management treatments. The studies have been ongoing for 18 years, resulting in 23 scientific publications. The Brevard Nature Alliance is facilitating a partnership among natural resource organizations to develop new approaches to recover Florida Scrub-Jay populations and habitat. This includes collaborating with Jim Nichols and other scientists of the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, which has a long history of integrating science and conservation to enhance the management of North America's natural resources.
www.dynamac.com, http://northflorida.fws.gov/Scrub-Jays/scrubjays.htm
Jan 27, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Gym Class 153; $5.00
Black Rails and Black Rail Habitat
Presenter: Mike Legare
You won't want to miss Mike's fascinating presentation on these elusive birds and their mysterious habits in the wetland areas where they are found. Black Rails are very secretive marsh birds that rarely fly and behave more like a mouse than a bird. Black Rails are small and, while they fly long distances to migrate, they are not agile or graceful fliers. So they stay on the ground most of the time and walk through the grass to eat, build nests, etc. They don't fly to catch food, and they really are about the size of a mouse. Mike's MS thesis work was done on the Black Rails that inhabit the St Johns NWR. During his fieldwork, he refined a method to survey for the bird. In this seminar, you can listen to the tapes that Mike used to induce the rails to call while he gathered data on rail density for his research. Mike Legare is the US Fish and Wildlife Service's lead biologist at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
A car-pool trip to the St Johns NWR for a sunset visit to marshy Black Rail habitat in U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service vehicles follows the seminar. See description in Field Trips.
Jan 24, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Gym Class 119; $5.00
Jan 25, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Gym Class 119; $5.00
The World of Bats
Presenters: Cyndi and George Marks
Florida Bat Center
Bats are probably the most misunderstood of all the mammals. They became entangled in the Dracula legend centuries ago and have played frightening roles in myths and tales of horror ever since. Yet bats are shy, gentle animals and fill a vital role in maintaining balanced ecosystems throughout the world. In Florida, bats are the most important natural controller of night-flying insects. In other parts of the world, bats disperse seeds, pollinate plants, provide guano for fertilizer and even vampire bats have made important contributions to science and medicine. Come and join us for an interesting and informative presentation on "The World of Bats" by Cyndi and George Marks of the Florida Bat Center. The program will include a slide presentation on bats around the world, illustrating their unusual diversity, unique behaviors and benefits to humans. They will also be bringing live bats so you will be able to see some of our native Florida species up-close and personal. Cyndi and George Marks are the executive directors of the Florida Bat Center in Bay Pines.
www.floridabats.org
Jan 26, 10:00am-11:00am: BCC Gym Class 153; $5.00
Jan 27, 11:30am-12:30pm: BCC Gym Class 153; $5.00
Endangered and Threatened Birds of Florida
Presenter: Dr. Peter G. Merritt
Hobe Sound Productions
Dr. Peter G. Merritt will show video and discuss the behavior and ecology of the endangered and threatened birds of Florida. The video was taken throughout the state during the past several years as part of making the Video Guide to Florida Birds. Highlights include Cape Sable Seaside Sparrows singing in Everglades National Park, Piping and Snowy Plovers on the west coast of Florida, Whooping Cranes in northern Florida, Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and Florida Grasshopper Sparrows in central Florida, Florida Scrub-Jays on the east coast of Florida, and a colony of Roseate Terns nesting on a remote shoal in the Florida Keys. Dr. Merritt will discuss the conservation and protection needs of these and other species of concern.
www.floridabirds.net
Jan 25, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Gym Class 153; $5.00
The Life of Birds
Presenter: Reinier Munguia
Wildstock Photography
This presentation covers all aspects of a bird's life from the adaptations that allow them to survive in their environment to their amazing flights and displays. Some of the topics to be covered include physical adaptations as well as behavioral adaptations, communication, foraging, courtship, nesting, brooding and many bird facts and real-life stories. You'll get lots of detailed information about many species around the world with special emphasis on Florida birds.
www.wildstockphotos.com
Jan 26, 10:30am-12:00pm, BCC Auditorium; $5.00
Birding for Fun
Presenter: Reinier Munguia
Wildstock Photography
Learn the basics of birding and techniques to improve your bird identification skills. This presentation is full of examples of what birders will encounter in the field. Learn how to recognize birds by their shape, colors, flight patterns, calls and behaviors. Reinier Munguia is a nature photographer based in Lakeland, FL. As a teacher, he is recognized for his enthusiasm and his passion for teaching others what he knows.
www.wildstockphotos.com
Jan 27, 9:00am-10:00am: BCC Gym Class 153; Free
Ecology and mConservation Biology of Two Rare and Vulnerable Florida Species -- Swallow-tailed Kite and Short-tailed Hawk
Presenter: Ken Meyer
Avian Research Conservation Initiative
Since 1988, ARCI has conducted field research in Florida, Georgia, Mexico, Belize and Brazil to understand the year-round biology of the Swallow-tailed Kite and to identify threats that must be addressed in planning for conservation of this vulnerable species. We have used satellite and VHF radio telemetry to study all aspects of Swallow-tailed Kite ecology, but especially the species' previously unknown, 10,000-mile, round-trip annual migration. Here in the southeastern U.S., we are working with industrial and private landowners to develop effective management recommendations for timberlands, which harbor most of the remaining kites nesting in the U.S. Although Swallow-tailed Kites qualify for federal listing, they are not presently listed. Our goal is to gain the cooperation of landowners in helping to stabilize or increase kite numbers and forestall listing, if possible. The talk will describe the Swallow-tailed Kite's intriguing social behavior, including their very large, pre-migration communal roosts, and efforts to develop management activities and a long-term monitoring plan.
With no more than 200 breeding pairs, the U.S. population of the Short-tailed Hawk, limited entirely to Florida, is extremely vulnerable. The species has no state or federal listing status and no monitoring plan exists. Several factors make Short-tailed Hawks susceptible to extirpation: extremely small population size and distribution, nest sites in the interior of large tracts of mature forest, the accelerating loss of historic nesting territories and vital habitat, a concentrated winter distribution, a specialized diet and poor nesting success with unexplained failures occurring mainly in the egg stage. Our research on Short-tailed Hawks since 1998 has focused on the species' basic ecology and habitat needs, gathering demographic data needed for predicting population trends, and tracking seasonal movements and site fidelity. Our goal is to identify threats and limiting factors, management needs and conservation action that will ensure the persistence of these magnificent birds in the face of escalating challenges to their well-being. Ken Meyer is the co-founder, executive director and research ecologist for the non-profit Avian Research and Conservation Institute.
Jan 25, 4:00pm-5:00pm: BCC Gym Class 121; $5.00
Jan 26, 1:00pm-2:00pm: BCC Gym Class 121; $5.00
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Barn Owls: Farmer's Friend, Teacher's Pet
Presenter: Richard Raid
University of Florida Barn Owl Project Coordinator
Preying primarily on rodents that commonly destroy or contaminate human food supplies, Barn Owls have frequently been referred to as "one of the most beneficial birds on earth." In recent years, Barn Owl populations throughout the nation have declined with the demise of favored habitat and suitable nesting sites. In 1994, as part of a science fair project, a high school student initiated a research project to investigate the possibility of enhancing Barn Owl populations for sustainable rodent control in the Everglades Agricultural Area of South Florida. Placing nesting boxes of various designs along canals and field edges, the student quickly learned that Barn Owls would find them and rear their broods, commonly two per year. With the full support of the agricultural industry, hundreds of nesting boxes now dot the Glades, with an observed occupancy rate exceeding 80%. What began as a science fair project has grown into the University of Florida's Barn Owl Project. Although focused on Barn Owl research, the Barn Owl Project also serves as a tremendous outreach and education program. In this seminar, Dr. Richard Raid will describe the biology of Barn Owls and detail ongoing efforts to enhance their populations in South Florida and throughout the state. The presentation will include video taken of Barn Owl nestlings inside some of his nesting boxes.
erec.ifas.ufl.edu/barnowl/owlindex.htm
Jan 26, 2:30pm-3:30pm: BCC Auditorium; $5.00
Jan 27, 1:00pm-2:00pm; BCC Gym Class 153; $5.00
Stamp Up for Birds
Kim Risen
NatureScape News
What do Ivory-billed Woodpeckers, North Dakota, Florida and duck hunters have in common? Tune into this informative, yet fun look at "duck stamps" and see. Most people will be surprised at how a little stamp benefits birds and birding in the U.S., no matter in what corner you find yourself. For even greater enjoyment, bring your binoculars to this interactive, entertaining and educational session. Kim Risen is the founder and publisher of NatureScape News, a tabloid news magazine emphasizing the FUN of birding, butterflying and the wonders of nature.
www.naturescapenews.com
Jan 26, 2:15pm-3:15pm: BCC Gym Class 123; $5.00
Space Coast Wildflowers
Presenter: Jim Stahl
Florida was named for the abundance of flowering plants that early explorers found here. Today the many habitats of Florida (hardwood and palm hammocks, deciduous forest, pine flatwoods, scrub, sand hills, prairie, coastal dunes, roadsides, marsh, swamp and riverine) support over 4000 species of native and naturalized wildflowers plus numerous exotics from the horticultural trade. This program will present slides of wildflowers (common, rare, unusual, small and spectacular) and a few trees, shrubs, ferns and other plants with comments on their natural history, uses by people and wildlife, home landscaping values and occurrences. The presentation will highlight plants that can be seen during the festival week. The speaker will include information on books for identifying and locations for finding Florida plants. Jim Stahl is a retired biologist from Ohio and an active volunteer for Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Cape Canaveral National Seashore and the Brevard County Natural Resources Department where he performs biotic surveys and public programs.
A free car pool field trip to visit sites around north Brevard will follow. Meet in front of the Gym to organize the trip at 9:30am.
www.floridawildflowers.com, www.fnps.org
Jan 24, 8:00am-9:15am: BCC Gym Class 119; $5.00
Wading Birds - Barometer of Ecosystem Functioning in the Indian River Lagoon System.
Presenter: Dr. Eric Stolen
Dynamac International, Inc.
With 16 regularly occurring species, wading birds (Order Ciconiiformes) are one of the most diverse and numerous groups of birds found in the northern Indian River Lagoon system (IRL). Over the past half-century, humans have drastically altered wetland habitat within this estuary which stretches for over 250 kilometers along Florida's Atlantic Coast. Some populations of some species of birds have benefited from these changes while others have suffered. Efforts currently underway are attempting to restore much of the wetland habitat in the northern IRL to its original state. The effects of restoration on wading bird populations here remains to be seen. Ecologists working for NASA have been monitoring wading bird populations in the northern IRL since 1987. Originally designed to determine if Space Shuttle launches were affecting nesting colonies near the launch pads, the monitoring program now includes investigation of wading bird foraging habitat throughout the Kennedy Space Center - Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Key issues affecting wading bird populations in this region include management of impounded wetlands, regional-scale land development, impacts on the estuary from human populations and changes in sea level and climate due to global warming.
www.dynamac.com
Jan 25, 1:00pm-2:00pm: BCC Gym Class 119; $5.00
Eagles in Florida
Presenter: Lynda White
Audubon Center for Birds of Prey
With the largest population of Bald Eagles in the contiguous states, Florida faces the challenge of protecting the birds while dealing with unprecedented development. Learn about these magnificent creatures and ways you can help ensure the continued recovery of the species. Meet Paige, the eagle, and bring your camera! Lynda White is Audubon of Florida's Project Eagle Watch coordinator.
www.audubonofflorida.org/who_centers_CBOP.html
Jan 26, 11:30am-12:30pm: BCC Gym Class 153; $5.00
Jan 27, 10:15am-11:15am: BCC Gym Class 153; $5.00
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