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Nikon and The Brevard Nature Alliance present the Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival Brevard Community College, Titusville Campus 1311 North U.S. Highway 1, Titusville January 23 - 28, 2008 -- Titusville, Florida A celebration of birds and wildlife. |
2008 FIELD TRIPS
Festival field trips are designed to showcase the best regional wildlife sites as well as the exceptional research and preservation work being conducted in this 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. Please note that in order to keep the Festival as cost efficient as possible for our guests, some of the field trips and workshops have been changed to car pools instead of utilizing hired transportation services.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.
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Specialty Tours
What to Wear????
January is typically Florida's coldest month, however temperatures can fluctuate wildly. You can expect the average temps to be in the 40s and 50s at night and the 60s and 70s in the daytime. Temps can dip into the 30s at night and never leave the 50s during the daytime after the passage of a strong cold front.Rain is very scarce in January however a passing cold front may be accompanied by a squall line. It is best to plan to layer your clothing. It can be very cold in the morning at sunrise and then warm up nicely during the day. It will be chilly out on the water on kayak and boat trips, so dress warmly.
Be sure to bring rain gear if you are going on the pelagic trip! More than likely, the wind will blow and spray will fly. It has been our past experience that the Gymnatorium can be on the chilly side too. Bring a sweater or a jacket if you are an exhibitor.
Wild Side of the Kennedy Space Center
Sponsored by the Kennedy Space Center Visitor's Complex
Trip Leaders: Carlton Hall (Dynamac), Sarah Linney and Susan Epps
Join Dynamac Manager of Ecological Programs, Carlton Hall, 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 U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, sets the standard for how nature and technology can co-exist peacefully and benefit one another. Carlton 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 include the Florida manatee, Wood Stork 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. For security reasons at the Kennedy Space Center, we are restricted to offering this trip to U.S. citizens only.
A unique place of space enlightenment
www.KennedySpaceCenter.com • www.dynamac.com/clientsprojects/ksc.asp
Departs ONLY from KSC Visitors Complex
Pre-registration is a must!
Jan. 27, 9:30am-12:30pm: Limited to 45 registrants; $40.00/person
Plants (and other things) of the North Brevard Area
Trip Leaders: Jim Stahl and Jay Barnhart
The diverse habitats in and around Brevard County include mature deciduous/semi-tropical forests, pine flatwoods, oak-palm hammocks, cypress swamps, freshwater marshes, brackish lagoons, lakes, scrub, sedge meadows, coastal dunes and ruderal (disturbed). With so many habitats, the region supports numerous plant species - majestic trees, shrubs, beautiful wildflowers, grasses and sedges and ferns. On this trip we will observe and discuss many species of plants and their habitats, plus anything else (birds, reptiles, butterflies and other insects) that we might come across. The sites we will visit will be selected during scouting trips just prior to the field trip so that areas with the best blooming plants will be on the itinerary. We will carpool from the campus gymnasium, and a moderate amount of walking on dry trails will be required.
A Wildflowers Seminar will precede the field trip, 8:00am-9:15am.
Meet in front of the BCC Gymnatorium at 9:30AM to organize the car pool. Please bring money for lunch at one of Titusville's fine historic downtown dining establishments.
Jan. 23 & 25, 9:30am-3:30pm: Limited to 20 registrants; Free
Plants and their Uses through History from Ancient to Modern Times
Trip Leaders: Jay Barnhart and Jim Stahl
Please see the description of this trip in the Family Activities section of this program.
Jan 26, 12:00pm-2:30pm: Limited to 20 registrants; Free
Historical Sights of Canaveral National Seashore
Trip Leaders: John Stiner (US Park Service), Rachel Wentz (Florida Public Archaeology Network) and David Hartgrove
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 called the Timucua. 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 were 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 located on the Oak Hill waterfront. 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. 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 sometimes be quite good along the trails to and on the mounds as middens provide resting space and feeding areas for Neotropical migratory songbirds. The El Dora Statehouse is a restored 1800s pioneer home that stands as the last remnant of an old Florida waterway community. This is a great trip combining historical sights and coastal birds.
*John Stiner's services are provided at no charge by the National Park Service.
www.nbbd.com/godo/cns • www.nbbd.com/npr/archaeology-iras • www.nps.gov/cana
Please bring money for lunch at J.B.'s Fish Camp on Mosquito Lagoon.
Jan. 25, 8:30am-5:00pm: Limited to 26 registrants; $50.00/person
Dicerandra Scrub Sanctuary Walk
Trip Leaders: Ray Ashton, Jay Barnhart, Jim Stahl and Dean Pettit
This Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands property consists mostly of scrubby flatwoods and a large depression marsh. It is adjacent to the Titusville Wellfield, which also supports scrub, extending the protection area and enhancing the Sanctuary. Protected plant and wildlife species documented on site include Florida Scrub-Jay, indigo snake, gopher tortoise and Dicerandra thinicola, a rare scrub mint known only to occur in the northern region of Brevard County. Your guides for this hike will be Ray Ashton, Executive Director for the Gopher Tortoise Conservation Initiative; avid wild mushroom hobbyist Jay Barnhart; retired biologist Jim Stahl and Dean Pettit, Chair of the Titusville Environmental Commission, who spearheaded the establishment of a multi-use recreational trail through the classic scrub habitat at the Titusville Wellfield.
www.eelbrevard.com, www.fnps.org • www.fnai.org/descriptions.cfm • www.ashtonbiodiversity.org
Meet at the entrance to the Dicerandra Scrub Sanctuary
Directions: From I-95 take SR-50 Exit 215 east 3 miles. Turn right on Key Largo Drive, go 0.4 miles and turn right on Karen Drive. Go less than 0.1 mile, turn right and go to the end of Melissa Drive. Enter on foot. From US-Hwy 1 go west 0.7 miles on SR-50. Turn left on Key Largo Drive-follow directions above.
Jan. 24, 9:00am-12:00pm: Limited to 26 registrants; Free
Ancient and Modern Mariners of the Deep
Sponsored by Hubbs Sea World Research Institute
Trip Leaders: Duane DeFreese (Hubbs Sea World) and David Hartgrove
Join Hubbs Sea World VP of Research Dr. Duane DeFreese for a look at some of the world's oldest and more recent mariners. Inhabiting earth for 150 million years, sea turtles have long intrigued people, figuring prominently in the mythology and folklore of many cultures. This fascinating trip will visit two sites and include some birding time also. The Marine Science Center is a rehabilitation center for injured marine turtles as well as an important environmental education center. It includes turtle tanks; a 5,000-gallon artificial reef and aquarium; manatee, whale and fish exhibits; a wet/dry lab; nature trails through maritime hammock and boardwalks over coastal dunes; as well as a brand new seabird rehabilitation sanctuary. Completed in 1887, 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 open to the public. A climb to the top reveals a breathtaking view of inlet, estuary and beaches. With a glorious beacon shining over 16 nautical miles, maritime museum and lens restoration shop featuring the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse first-order Fresnel lens, Ponce Inlet Lighthouse offers a tremendous opportunity to learn of our great maritime heritage.
Pioneering marine research & stewardship
www.hswri.org • www.cccturtle.org • www.marinesciencecenter.com • www.ponceinlet.org
Please bring money for lunch at the beautiful Inlet Harbor Seafood Restaurant.
Jan. 26, 8:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 27 registrants; $60.00/person
Birding and Wildlife Tours
South Brevard County
Sponsored by Nikon Sport Optics
Superior products set advanced standards
Trip leaders: David Simpson (Birding with David Simpson) and Andy Bankert with
Jan 24: Cameron Cox (Nikon);
Jan 25: Mike Freiberg (Nikon)
This field trip will leave early in order to observe Red-cockaded 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 pinewoods specialties. Six families of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and more than thirty families of Florida Scrub-Jay 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 hayride 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. After lunch we will visit the T. M. Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area, which features ten impoundments managed intensively for waterfowl, wading birds and shorebirds and a semi-permanent flooded marsh. An observation tower overlooking Lake Goodwin offers unobstructed views of surrounding marshlands. Black-bellied and Fulvous Whistling-Ducks, Purple Gallinule and Limpkin are often seen here. This site may require some walking to get to where the birds are.
www.nikonsportoptics.com
Please bring money for lunch, which is served at Marsh Landing Restaurant located in the historic Fellsmere Estates Building.
Jan 23 & 24 FILLED
4:30am-3:30pm: Limited to 19 registrants; $65.00/person
Lake Monroe Conservation Area
Trip Leaders: Lorne Malo and Maria Zondervan (SJRWMD), Luis Segura (Trogon Tours) and Ramiro Yabar (Amazonia Lodge)
St Johns River Water Management District Biologist Lorne Malo will lead this walk into the Lake Monroe CA. This conservation area contains 90% of the floodplain of Lake Monroe and covers more than 3 miles of St Johns River and Lake Monroe shoreline. Wetlands make up 94% of the conservation area. The fields, marshes, hammocks, flatwoods and scrub at this site are good for marsh birds, warblers and sparrows. Numerous wading birds and raptors are expected along with deer and alligators. Wild Turkey, Florida Scrub-Jay, Bachman's, Vesper and Grasshopper Sparrows, American Bittern, Wood Stork, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Bald Eagle, Short-tailed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Crested Caracara, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Virginia Rail, Limpkin and Sandhill Crane have all been recorded here. This is a four-mile walk; some of which may pass through mud and standing water.
www.nbbd.com/godo/SJRWMD-RecreationAreas.html
Meet in front of the Gymnatorium at 6:00am in order to make car pool arrangements.
Jan. 23, 6:00am-12:00pm: Limited to 26 registrants; $20.00/person
Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area
Trip Leaders: Casey Dorsch and Mark Kiser (FWCC) and Roy Book
Jan. 23: with Xavier Munoz (Neblina Forest Birding Tours);
Jan. 24: with Michael O'Brien and Louise Zemaitis (Victor Emanuel Nature Tours);
Jan. 25: with Virgilio Yabar (Amazonia Lodge)
Shaped by alternating cycles of fire and flood, Tosohatchee WMA is a mosaic of marshes, swamps, pine flatwoods and oak hammocks. Deep inside the reserve, Jim Creek flows through some of the last remaining virgin cypress swamps in all of Florida. Bordering 19 miles of the St. Johns River in eastern Orange County, the reserve is named for Tootoosahatchee Creek, which flows through its northern portion. 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 that Timucuan Indians occupied the area for several centuries. Seminoles lived here, too, fiercely defying the U.S. government's attempts to eradicate them.The Tosohatchee marshes are feeding areas for wading birds and, during winter months, host large numbers of migrating waterfowl. Forested uplands support deer, bobcats, gray foxes, wild turkeys, woodpeckers, hawks, owls and songbirds. Some of the threatened and endangered species found at the reserve include Bald Eagle, Wood Stork, eastern indigo snake, gopher tortoise and, on rare occasions, the Florida panther. Birds of interest include Bachman's Sparrow, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Eastern Bluebird, Red-headed Woodpecker and Florida Sandhill Crane. Tosohatchee is a great site for those interested in butterflies and dragonflies, especially in late summer and fall when wildflowers and native grasses are in full bloom.
www.myfwc.com/recreation/tosohatchee
Jan. 23, 24, & 25, 6:00am-12:00pm, Limited to 26 registrants; $40.00/person
Viera Wetlands
Sponsored by Pepsi/Aquafina
America's #1 selling bottled water brand
Trip Leaders: Dave Freeland
Jan. 23, 25 & 26: with Michael O'Brien and Louise Zemaitis (Victor Emanuel Nature Tours);
Jan. 27: with Paul Lehman and Chris Wood (WINGS Birding Tours)
Viera Wetlands is a series of connected ponds created to treat wastewater from the Central Brevard area. Since opening in 2001, 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, two families of Crested Caracaras maintain territories around the wetlands, and Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks are regularly seen. Thousands of wintering ducks concentrate here, including Green-winged and Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mottled Duck, Hooded and Red-breasted Merganser, Lesser Scaup, Ring-necked Duck, Northern Pintail, Bufflehead and Ruddy Duck. Ponds on the north side of the complex are productive for shorebirds when water levels are low, especially during migration. Since opening in 2000, Viera Wetlands has been visited by several rarities, including the first North American record of Mangrove Swallow.
www.pepsi.com • www.spacecoastbirding.com/articles/FirstMangroveSwallow.pdf • www.brevardcounty.us/environmental_management/VieraWetlands-Home.cfm
Jan. 23, 25, 26, & 27, 6:00am-12:00pm: Limited to 26 registrants; $40.00/person
Marl Bed Flats, Lake Jesup Conservation Area
Sponsored by WildBird Magazine
A bimonthly national magazine about backyard and destination birding
Trip Leaders: Roy Halpin
Jan. 23: with Susan Epps, Debra Shearwater (Shearwater Journeys) and Virgilio Yabar (Amazonia Lodge);
Jan. 24: with Paul Lehman (WINGS Birding Tours), Xavier Munoz (Neblina Forest Birding Tours) and Ramiro Yabar (Amazonia Lodge);
Jan. 26: with Roy Book, Sam Fried (Flights of Fancy Adventures) and Ramiro Yabar (Amazonia Lodge);
Jan. 27: with Jeff Gordon, Michael O'Brien and Louise Zemaitis (Victor Emanuel Nature Tours)
This property is located on the north shore of Lake Jesup in Seminole County near Sanford. The Marl Bed Tract is comprised of a live hammock on the high ground near the entrance of the site and descends into a large area of unimproved pasture/wet prairie with scattered cabbage palms within the lake's floodplain. Levees that once ringed the property for water control have been backfilled into their adjacent canals to restore the site's hydrology. Marsh vegetation fronts the lake edge and Marl Bed Slough. Cattle are grazed on the property to control vegetation growth. This tract was a popular stopover last fall and winter for a number of uncommon species that included a male Vermilion Flycatcher, and Le Conte's, Henslow's and Lincoln's Sparrows among the large flocks of Savannah and Swamp Sparrows. Wilson's Snipe were also numerous with smaller numbers of Killdeer, Least Sandpipers, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Black-bellied Plovers, and a few Black-necked Stilt and American Woodcock. Additional species that may be found in the oak hammock include Red-shouldered Hawk, Barred Owl, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Pileated Woodpecker, Blue-headed Vireo, and Orange-crowned, Black-and-white, and Yellow-throated Warblers. In the pastures you may see Great Horned Owl, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Cooper's Hawk, Loggerhead Shrike, Sedge and Marsh Wren, American Pipit, and Eastern Meadowlark. The marshes and lake are home for most of the common waders, plus Sora, King and Virginia Rails, Purple Gallinules, bitterns, night-herons, Limpkin and Sandhill Crane. Offshore you may see American White Pelican, Bonaparte's Gull, Forster's Tern, Wood Duck, Lesser Scaup, Hooded Merganser, and Ruddy Duck. Water levels can be highly variable and will influence the types and numbers of birds found. Be prepared to walk two to three miles, some of which may be through mud and standing water.
www.nbbd.com/godo/SJRWMD-RecreationAreas.html
Meet in front of the Gymnatorium at 6:00am in order to make car pool arrangements.
Jan. 26, & 27, 6:00am-12:00pm: Limited to 26 Registrants; $20.00/person
Wed & Thu, 1/23 & 24 - FILLED
Black Rails and the St Johns National Wildlife Refuge
Sponsored by Waste Management
Think green for quality of life
Trip leaders: Mike Legare and Dorn Whitmore (USFWS) and Michael O'Brien (Victor Emanuel Nature Tours)
Join Mike Legare, US Fish and Wildlife Service Lead Biologist at Merritt Island NWR, on a sunset hayride through the pristine salt marsh habitat of the restricted St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge. At various stops through the marsh, Mike will talk about Black Rails, their secretive habits, salt marsh habitat and the research he conducted on these elusive marsh birds at this site. The marshes of the St Johns River west and northwest of Titusville are the only marshes along the St Johns where Black Rails are found within the river's floodplains. That's because saline water seeps to the surface from a layer of salty water that lies above the Florida aquifer in this area, creating marine-type habitats in the midst of a huge freshwater floodplain. These biological islands are home to the same vegetation that you will find in the salt marshes of the Merritt Island NWR. As the sun sets on the marsh horizon, Mike will stop at different places and play tapes to try to entice Black Rails to call.
Dress warmly as it will be chilly out on the marsh. Wear old shoes and bring water.
Please meet in front of the Gymnatorium at 4:00pm to compress into a car pool that utilizes as few cars as possible.
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 1/23, 24 & 25 - FILLED
Zellwood/Lake Apopka
Sponsored by Eagle Optics
Quality optics at competitive prices
Trip Leaders:
Jan. 24: Jim Peterson (SJRWMD), Wes Biggs (Florida Nature Tours), Jeff Gordon and Andy Wraithmell (Ventures Birding Tours);
Jan. 25: Pam Bowen (SJRWMD), Alvaro Jaramillo (Field Guides), Adam Kent (FWCC) and Paul Lehman (WINGS Birding Tours);
Jan. 26: Gian Basili (SJRWMD), Andy Bankert, Paul Lehman (WINGS Birding Tours) and David Simpson (Birding with David Simpson)
Despite its long history of great birding, this area may well be one of the very best, but least- known birding areas on the entire Eastern Seaboard. Thousands of acres of marshes on the north shore of Lake Apopka were drained back in the 1940s, creating huge muck farms that produced row-crops. A series of dikes and canals were created, and the farms fed millions for more than a half-century. Common farming practices required that the fields be flooded each summer to kill nematodes. Over a period of several weeks the water was drained back into the lake, creating an ideal habitat for migrating shorebirds at exactly the right time. By the early 1950s birders began to visit the area and always received great cooperation and understanding from the land owners, from the early farmers to the St. Johns River Water Management District which purchased the farmlands in the late 1990s in order to restore wetland habitat and improve water quality in Lake Apopka.The summer of 1998 was the last time that the farmers flooded the fields, and many of them remained flooded when the water management district took ownership. By that fall a unique habitat consisting of impoundments of varying depths and fields of mud and weeds was created. Shorebirds that would have left in previous years remained into winter and were joined by unprecedented numbers of waterfowl and, in the fields of weeds, large numbers of sparrows, flycatchers and other passerines. Foreseeing the possibilities, Wes Biggs assembled a team of birders, and the first Zellwood/Apopka Christmas Bird Count tallied an amazing 174 species with another 10 seen during count week; a new North American high count for an inland location. As the winter progressed, however, a major bird die-off took place. Apparently years of farming left residual pesticides in the soils, and fish that moved from canals into the flooded fields accumulated toxic levels of pesticides in their tissues. Unfortunately fish-eating birds, such as American White Pelicans began dying off, a result of pesticide-induced toxicosis. Flooded areas were drained and the area was closed to the public. Years of research have resulted in a better understanding of how these pesticides behave in wetland systems, and how to clean-up problematic areas and create high quality wetland habitats.
About one half of the area remains closed to the general public, but more areas will be opened in the next few years. Despite the area having limited access, the SJRWMD has been very supportive of the birding community, allowing continued access under special circumstances. For example, they encourage people to participate in their monthly bird surveys, and provide a great deal of help each year with the Christmas Bird Count which still records 150 or more species each year. Highlights in past years include as many as 13 species of sparrows, including rarities such as LeConte's and Clay-colored, and large numbers of flycatchers. More than 100 Western Kingbirds and up to a dozen Scissor-tailed Flycatchers have been seen at a huge winter kingbird roost. In recent years Cassin's, Tropical and Gray Kingbirds have shown up as well as numbers of Ash-throated Flycatchers
SJRWMD staff has also made special accommodations for viewing rare birds when they are found. The first state records of Rough-legged Hawk and Eurasian Kestrel are the best examples. The first state record of Ferruginous Hawk, second state record of Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, White-cheeked Pintail and Ross' Goose are among some of the other rarities that have been found there over the years.
www.eagleoptics.com • www.nbbd.com/godo/SJRWMD-RecreationAreas.html
Price Includes Pizza for lunch.
Jan. 24, 25, & 26, 5:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 30 registrants; $70.00/person
Little-Big Econ State Forest
Trip Leaders: Lorne Malo (SJRWD) with Carlos Bethancourt (Canopy Tower), Chris Wood (WINGS Birding Tours) and Virgilio Yabar (Amazonia Lodge)
St Johns River Water Management District Biologist Lorne Malo will lead this trip to visit two sections of the state forest, starting at the Barr Street entrance of the Demetree Tract with a hike through open fields and riparian woodlands to the Econlockhatchee River. Here Sedge Wren, Hermit Thrush, Red-headed and Pileated Woodpecker, Blue-headed Vireo, Northern Parula, Orange-crowned and Black-throated Green Warbler, and Northern Oriole might be found. Next we'll visit the Kilbee Tract portion of the State Forest along the St. Johns River in search of raptors, marsh birds, shorebirds, waterfowl and songbirds. Approximately 160 species of birds have been recorded at the Little-Big Econ State Forest. Walking distance for combined sites will be about five miles; some of which may pass through mud and standing water.
www.nbbd.com/godo/SJRWMD-RecreationAreas.html
Meet In front of the Gymnatorium at 6:00am in order to make car pool arrangements.
Jan. 24, 6:00am-12:00pm: Limited to 26 registrants; $20.00/person
North Brevard Hot Spots
Sponsored by FLORIDA TODAY
Serving the Space Coast community
Trip Leaders: Doug Stuckey
Jan. 23: with Carlos Bethancourt (Canopy Tower), Adam Kent (FWCC) and Murray Gardler;
Jan. 24: with Sam Fried (Flights of Fancy Adventures), Luis Segura (Trogon Tours) and Simon Thompson (Ventures Birding Tours);
Jan. 25: with Susan Epps, Debra Shearwater (Shearwater Journeys) and Simon Thompson (Ventures Birding Tours);
Jan. 26: with Susan Epps, Debra Shearwater (Shearwater Journeys) and Virgilio Yabar (Amazonia Lodge)
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, Buck Lake, Salt Lake, Scottsmoor Landing, the F.I.N.D. Site, Hammock Road and others. Along with the usual wading birds, shorebirds and waterfowl, various woodpeckers, Painted Bunting, 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 last year with 102 species accumulated on the three field trips. Specific sites to be visited will be determined during pre-festival scouting trips. This field trip requires some moderate walking.
www.floridatoday.com • www.nbbd.com/godo/SJRWMD-RecreationAreas.html
6:00am-12:00pm: Limited to 25 registrants; $40.00/person
Jan. 23, 24, 25 & 26 - FILLED
Central Florida Specialties
Sponsored by Nikon Sport Optics
Superior products set advanced standards
Trip Leaders: Wes Biggs (Florida Nature Tours), Dave Goodwin and Andy Wraithmell (Ventures Birding Tours)
Jan. 25: with Mike Freiberg (Nikon);
Jan. 26: Cameron Cox (Nikon)
The extensive wetland and prairie complexes of Central Florida host a variety of wading and waterbirds including almost all of Florida's herons and egrets, Least and American Bittern, Glossy and White Ibis, Wood Stork, Limpkin, King Rail, Anhinga, grebes, shorebirds and various ducks as well as a unique suite of birds that includes the Sandhill Crane, Crested Caracara, Burrowing Owl, Mottled Duck and Grasshopper Sparrow. This tour will start at Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area in the early morning hours to try to catch a glimpse of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers. Other pineland species expected at Three Lakes include Bachman's Sparrow, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Pine Warbler and Eastern Bluebird. White-tailed Kite is a possibility. Next stop is Overstreet Landing on Lake Kissimmee to look for Whooping Cranes that have been reintroduced to the Kissimmee River prairie. Overstreet Landing is a good place to look for Snail Kite, Bald Eagle and various raptors, Mottled Duck and other waterfowl, Long-billed Dowitcher, Purple Gallinule and Limpkin. Crested Caracara, Eastern Bluebird, American Kestrel, Sandhill Crane and Wild Turkey may be seen along the road. After lunch, a trip to Lake Lizzie Park will hopefully produce Red-headed Woodpecker and Florida Scrub-Jay. If time allows, other possible sites to be visited include Whaley's Landing, Cypress Lake and Lake Kissimmee. Price includes lunch at Forever Florida wilderness preserve.
www.nikonsportoptics.com • www.whoopingcrane.com • www.foreverflorida.com
Jan. 25 & 26, 5:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 42 registrants; $70.00/person
Kayak the Lake Monroe Conservation Area
Trip Sponsor: A Day Away Outfitters and Kayak Tours
Trip Leaders: Lorne Malo and Maria Zondervan (SJRWMD) and Mike Mahan (A Day Away Outfitters)
Join St. Johns River Water Management District biologists Lorne Malo and Maria Zondervan 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 en 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 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 Hawk, Crested Caracara, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Barred and Barn Owl, Purple Gallinule, King and Virginia Rail, Limpkin and Sandhill Crane are possible. If the weather is too rough for kayaking, we will hike instead on higher ground in search of Wild Turkey, Florida Scrub-Jay, raptors, marsh birds, warblers and sparrows. Please bring water and snacks.
www.adayawaykayaktours.com • www.nbbd.com/godo/SJRWMD-RecreationAreas.html
Meet at Seminole County's Cameron Wight Park at 6:30am at SR 46 and the Lake Jessup Bridge.
Directions: From I-95 and SR 46, go west on SR 46 for 21.7 miles. The park is on the northwest side of the bridge. Drive time is about 30 minutes from BCC Titusville.
You must personally register with A Day Away Kayak Outfitters, 321-268-2655.
Jan. 25, 6:30am-11:30am: Limited to 20 registrants;
With boat rental: $25.00/person, Bring your own boat: $15.00/person
Canaveral Marshes and Blue Heron Wetlands
Sponsored by WildBird Magazine
A bimonthly national magazine about backyard and destination birding
Trip Leaders: Matt and Lora Heyden
Jan. 25: with Larry Manfredi (Larry Manfredi Birding Tours), Chris Wood (WINGS Birding Tours) and Ramiro Yabar (Amazonia Lodge);
Jan. 27: with Wes Biggs (Florida Nature Tours), Dave Goodwin and Xavier Munoz (Neblina Forest Birding Tours)
Explore the engineered wetlands of Blue Heron, an outstanding birding site and magnet for wildlife, and the neighboring fresh-water floodplain habitats of Canaveral Marshes. American Bittern, Purple Gallinule, Hairy Woodpecker, Limpkin, Sandhill Crane, Roseate Spoonbill, Black-crowned and Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Black-necked Stilt, Gadwall, Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Bobolink and Gull-billed Tern are just a few of well over 100 bird species sighted at Blue Heron. The upland hammocks and wetlands of Canaveral Marshes will be visited. Volunteers who conducted monthly surveys in 2001 and 2002 recorded approximately 154 species of birds on this property, including American Bittern, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Green-winged and Blue-winged Teal, Mottled Duck, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Long-billed Dowitcher, Stilt Sandpiper, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Crested Caracara, King and Virginia Rail, American Pipit, Wilson's Snipe, Sedge and Marsh Wren and Peregrine Falcon. Birders may get their feet damp on the moderate hike at Canaveral Marshes and see alligators, sometimes lots of them, at Blue Heron.
Meet for car-pool arrangements at 6:00am in front of the Gymnatorium.
www.nbbd.com/godo/SJRWMD-RecreationAreas.html
6:00am-12:00pm: Limited to 26 registrants; $ 20.00/person
Jan 25 & 27 FILLED
Florida Scrub-Jays and Plant Ecology of the Scrub
Sponsored by NASA and Dynamac Corporation
Science/technology for sustainable future
Trip Leaders: Dave Breininger and Paul Schmalzer (Dynamac Corporation)
Jan 25: with Jeff Gordon;
Jan 26: with Simon Thompson (Ventures Birding Tours)
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 in the world. Florida's desert-like prehistoric sand ridges are home to wondrous animals such as gopher tortoises, indigo snakes, scrub lizards, Crested Caracara and Burrowing Owl. 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 a scrub research site where participants can view several Florida 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. For security reasons at the Kennedy Space Center, we are restricted to offering this trip only to U.S. citizens.
www.dynamac.com/clientsprojects/ksc.asp • www.fws.gov/northflorida/Scrub-Jays/scrubjays.htm
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.
Jan 25 & 26 - 9:30am-12:30pm: Limited to 42 registrants; Free - FILLED
Afternoon Hayride
Sponsored by Waste Management
Think green for quality of life
Trip Leaders: Dorn Whitmore and Mike Legare (USFWS)
Watch the afternoon bird show from an ideal vantage point! Join Merritt Island NWR Chief Ranger Dorn Whitmore and Refuge Lead Biologist Mike Legare for a slow ride through a Florida paradise on this hayride around Blackpoint Wildlife Drive. There is no better way to view so many birds!
www.fws.gov/merrittisland • 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 wagon will return to the departure point. Bring water and snacks and please dress warmly!
Jan 26 - 2:00pm-5:30pm:Limited to 20 registrants; $20/person As of 1/16 there are 2 openings
Hal Scott Regional Preserve
Trip Leaders: Lorne Malo (SJRWMD)
Jan. 26: with Larry Manfredi (Larry Manfredi Birding Tours) and Chris Wood (WINGS Birding Tours);
Jan. 27: with Carlos Bethancourt (Canopy Tower), Sam Fried (Flights of Fancy Adventures) and Luis Segura (Trogon Birding Tours)
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 vast expanse of pine flatwoods and open prairies of Hal Scott Preserve straddles the Econlockhatchee River in eastern Orange County, protecting the resources of the river. 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 other common resident species, including Eastern Bluebird, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Bachman's Sparrow, Wood Duck, Sandhill Crane, Bald Eagle and Barred Owl. With some luck, visitors may find Wild Turkey, Whip-poor-will, Red-headed, Hairy and Pileated Woodpecker (8 woodpecker species on 2003 festival field trip), Hermit Thrush, Orange-crowned Warbler, Sedge and Marsh Wren, King Rail, and Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawk. The second Florida state record Hammond's Flycatcher was found here during the 2007 Festival. In addition to many bird species, alligators, deer, gopher tortoises, otters, bobcats and indigo snakes may also be found. This is a four-mile walk, some of which may pass through mud and standing water.
www.nbbd.com/godo/SJRWMD-RecreationAreas.html
Jan. 26 & 27, 5:15am-12:00pm: Limited to 25 registrants; $40.00/person
Hike Lake Proctor Wilderness Area
Trip Leader: Tony Flohre (Florida Trail Association) with David Hartgrove and Simon Thompson (Ventures Birding Tours)
Join Florida Trail Association member Tony Flohre, an informative activity leader from the Indian River Chapter, for a morning walk through the diverse habitats of the Lake Proctor Wilderness Area in Geneva. The outer loop of the six-mile trail system leads several miles through this 475-acre tract, where you'll experience a little bit of every Central Florida ecosystem from sand pine scrub and bayhead to sandhills, pine flatwoods and wetlands. Birding is excellent along the flatwoods ponds on the west side of the loop. Wildlife is abundant in this preserve. Watch for Sandhill Crane, Pileated Woodpecker and Wood Duck; you may even encounter white-tailed deer. This trip will require a fair amount of walking, some in hilly areas.
www.floridatrail.org
Meet at the parking lot for Lake Proctor Wilderness Area at 8:45am.
Directions: From Sanford, go east on SR 46 through Geneva. Just beyond the intersection of SR 426 and SR 46, keep alert for the trailhead parking area on the left. From Mims, go west on SR 46 almost to the traffic light in Geneva. Parking area will be on the right. If you reach the stoplight, you went too far. Bring water and snacks. Drive time from Mims is approximately 20 minutes.
Jan 27, 9:00am-12:30pm: Limited to 25 registrants; Free
Pelagic Birding Offshore New Smryna Beach
Sponsored by Dixie Crossroads Seafood Restaurant
Unique and flavorful wild ocean shrimp
Trip Leaders: Debra Shearwater with Wes Biggs, Jeff Bouton, Jim Danzenbaker, Murray Gardler, Dave Goodwin, Paul Lehman, Larry Manfredi, Dave Simpson, Bob Wallace and Chris Wood
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 100-foot fishing boat, Pastime Princess, as we steam out of Ponce Inlet to look for some of the most sought-after species in Florida. Our destination is an undersea formation known as "The Steeples," a productive location of underwater cliffs and seamounts that cause upwellings and current edges, especially along the western edge of the Gulf Stream. Among our targets will be Northern Gannet; Northern Fulmar; Greater, Manx, Cory's and Audubon's Shearwater; Pomarine, Parasitic and Long-tailed Jaeger; Wilson's, Leach's and Band-rumped Storm Petrel; Sooty and Bridled Tern; Black-legged Kittiwake; Masked and Brown Booby; Red and Red-necked Phalarope; and Sabine's Gull. There is even a chance at this time of the year that we might find a Razorbill or Dovekie, exceedingly rare birds for anyone in Florida! Bottlenosed and spotted dolphins and loggerhead sea turtles are commonly seen. The endangered northern right whale is a possibility as the destination is within their wintertime calving grounds. Seabirds from the Mary Keller Seabird Rehabilitation Sanctuary at the Marine Science Center will be released if any are ready at the time of the trip. There will be food available for purchase on the boat or you can bring a small cooler with your lunch. Be sure to bring full rain gear and wear waterproof shoes as it is likely that the wind will blow and spray will fly! Back-up date is January 29, 2008.
www.dixiecrossroads.com • www.pastimeprincess.com
Meet at Sea Harvest Restaurant at 6:15am.
Directions: From I-95, get off at Exit #249 and go east approximately 3 miles. You will pass WalMart and Walgreens on the right. Get into the left lane and look for K-Mart on right and a sign that says Business 44 Left. Take this left fork and follow the road over the railroad tracks and through the traffic lights (Dixie Freeway). The road becomes Canal Street and ends at the water. Turn left onto Riverside Drive and continue north on Riverside Drive until you reach the Sea Harvest Restaurant/Pastime Princess on the right. From US 1, go east on Canal Street to the dead end at the water. Turn left on Riverside Drive and go to Sea Harvest Restaurant/Pastime Princess on the right. Drive time from Titusvillle is about 45 minutes. Pastime Princess, 800-881-2628 or 386-428-0201.
Jan. 28, 6:30am-5:00pm: Limited to 90 Registrants; $115.00/person
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