Festival Schedule Details for 2023
BACK THIS YEAR! A special all-day pre-Festival bus birding tour on Thursday.
Check out the birding checklist from the 2021 Festival.
Pre-Festival Bus Trip (Thu-BT) SOLD OUT
LEADERS:
Dave Goodwin, Jim Eager
Seeking Florida's Special Birds - Bus Trip
Board the bus for an all-day cross-Florida adventure as we search for some of Florida's most unique and iconic species. Expert birders Dave Goodwin and Jim Eager will take you into the cattle country of Central Florida as we hunt for a number of exciting birds. We will hopefully find Purple Gallinules, Crested Caracaras, Snail Kites, Bald Eagles, Sandhill Cranes, Limpkins, Red-headed and Red-cockaded woodpeckers, and Bachman's Sparrows. They will share stories about this wonderful habitat of ranches and woods and the birds that live there. Please join us for a fun day as we kick off the Florida Birding & Nature Festival.
This trip is by bus-only. All registrants must meet at the Festival site at 7:00 am to begin boarding. Be sure to bring insect repellant, water, snacks, and a hat, and to wear walking shoes. This tour includes a box lunch.
Limited to 30 participants
7:30 am - 4:30 pm, meeting at 7:00 am at Festival campus
Tickets are $100 (Festival registration is not required)
Download the Map
Tampa Bay History Center (Thu-HC)
LEADER:
John Costin
"Etched Feathers: A History of the Printed Bird" at the Tampa Bay History Center
John Costin will share his special exhibit at the Tampa Bay History Center, titled “Etched Feathers: A History of the Printed Bird”. The exhibit includes historic prints as well as John Costin’s own etchings and an explanation about how this form of artwork is created. We meet in the History Center’s lobby, and John will escort us through the exhibit that includes his collection of historical prints and his work as a prominent bird artist today. He will share his personal stories and the relevance of the exhibited bird art works and how these etchings added to the scientific knowledge about the birds of the world in their time. Some may wish to enjoy a pay-your-own lunch at the Columbia Restaurant located in the History Center before the exhibit tour. Note: Parking in the Channelside area of Tampa is limited. The Channelside Garage opposite the Florida Aquarium offers covered parking and is about .2 miles from the History Center. Some parking is available in the Garrison Lot, but spaces fill up there. There are a few on-street meter spots open along Water Street around the entrance to the History Center, but due to limited spaces and construction, they usually fill up quickly. Buy your own lunch beforehand at the Columbia Restaurant located at the History Center.
Participation not limited 2:00 - 3:30 pm
Tickets are $25 (Festival registration is not required)
Visit the History Center Website Visit the John Costin Website Download the field trip's MAP
Coffeepot Bayou (Thu-CB) SOLD OUT
LEADERS:
Jeff Liechty, Savannah Gandee
Coffeepot Bayou Bird Island, Pinellas County - Boat Trip
Join this sunset cruise to an amazing bird roost and nesting colony island nestled in St. Petersburg. The small mangrove island in Coffeepot Bayou provides habitat for a large and varied population of colonial waterbirds, including Anhingas, cormorants, Brown Pelicans, Great Blue, Little Blue, and Tricolored herons, Black-crowned Night-Herons, Great, Snowy, Reddish, and Cattle egrets, White Ibis, and Roseate Spoonbills. Although it is not nesting season, you will have ample opportunity to watch the behaviors of these birds while learning about their life histories and conservation status. Tampa Bay Watch’s catamaran Discovery will leave from the St. Pete Pier and travel a short distance across Tampa Bay to Coffeepot Bayou. The boat leaves at 5:30 so please check in by 5:00; we will start to board by 5:15. Photo credit: Tom Bell
Limited to 30 participants 5:30 - 7:00 pm, boarding at 5:15
Tickets are $60 (Festival registration is not required) Download the Map-->
Lower Green Swamp (Fri-LGS)
LEADERS:
Steve Raymond, Rebecca Winch, Charlie Fisher
Lower Green Swamp, Hillsborough County
The Lower Green Swamp Preserve, once a working cattle ranch, is being restored to native habitat by Hillsborough County’s environmental lands staff. You will visit only a tiny portion of the 12,800 acres of this preserve, but they are glorious! From the parking area the trail crosses a grassland where Eastern Towhees whistle and bobwhites scurry in the early hours, Loggerhead Shrikes snag grasshoppers, and eagles perch on the power poles. Eastern Bluebirds and Red-headed Woodpeckers share the open wooded and pine areas with vireos and Common Yellowthroats. After crossing Itchepackesassa Creek you’ll enter an open pine flatwoods where Sandhill Cranes, turkeys, and Bachman’s Sparrows rule the roost. At the far end there is a large wetland with Purple Gallinules, Anhingas and Wood Ducks. The trail loops back and follows the creek along an oak hammock dripping with Spanish moss to return to the bridge and then the parking area. Barred Owls and Wood Ducks are sometimes seen along the creek, and of course any migrating warbler will enjoy the insect life it offers. County staff overseeing the restoration will lead the tour to explain and showcase the restoration.
Limited to 25 participants 7:30 - 11:30 am Tickets are $25 (Festival registration required) Download the field trip's MAP
Outback Key Preserve (Fri-OK) SOLD OUT
LEADERS:
Eric Plage, Holley Short
Outback Key and Lower Terra Ceia Bay with Tampa Bay Watch - Boat Trip
This boat trip will go out to a barrier island on the Gulf that is a prime birding spot. You will ride out, then walk parts of the island scanning for shore birds, including Marbled Godwits, Willets, Long-billed Curlews, and plenty of peeps, plus waders and possibly Reddish Egrets. You will then boat into Terra Ceia to the islands of Pinellas National Wildlife Refuge, including Jackass Key, a roost site for Magnificent Frigatebirds! Your leader is a shorebird expert so you’ll get plenty of tips on how to distinguish one from another. Be sure to bring sunscreen, water, snacks, hat, and anything you will want on the boat or island walk. Wear shoes that can get wet so that you can walk on Outback Key. Photo credit: Sam Schnapf
Limited to 20 participants 8:00 - 11:30 am Tickets are $60 plus $2.00 tolls (Festival registration required) Bay Soundings Article YouTube Video Download the field trip's MAP
Cross Bar/Al Bar Ranch (Fri-CB)
LEADERS:
David Adams,
Christine Rowland
Cross Bar/Al Bar Ranch, Spring Hill, Pasco County
The 12,500-acre Cross Bar/Al Bar Ranch is managed as a wellfield by Pinellas County Utilities. With wetlands, oak hammock, pine flatwoods, and open pastures, it offers prime birding but is not normally open to the public. Accompanied by the site managers, you will carpool out to check the wetlands for waders and the pastures for Burrowing Owls. Florida Scrub-Jays, Barred Owls and even coyotes are possible sightings. Preferably drive a vehicle with AWD that can handle rough roads. Bring snacks and beverages, as there is nothing available at the site.
Limited to 10 4-wheel drive vehicles/20 people 8:00 am - Noon Tickets are $25 (Festival registration required) Download the field trip's MAP
Honeymoon Island (Fri-HI)
LEADERS:
Dan Larremore, David Simpson
Honeymoon Island State Park, Pinellas County
Honeymoon Island State Park is well known for the migrants it attracts and the many shorebirds that use its beaches. Your leader is the Environmental Specialist for the park, and shorebirds are his specialty, so this should be a great walk! Besides all the plovers and sandpipers, godwits and Willets, Reddish Egrets and oystercatchers along the shorelines, Merlins patrol the edges looking for an unwary breakfast, Great Horned Owls nest in the pine forest on the island, and the Osprey Trail is well named. This trip will focus on shorebirds, how to distinguish them in their winter drab and by their shapes and postures. The back lagoon will probably have the waders who prefer quieter waters. Take a picnic lunch for a post-walk lunch on the beach or at picnic tables near the Osprey Trail at the north end of the park road.
Limited to 25 participants 8:30 am - 12:00 pm Tickets are $25 plus $4-8 parking (Festival registration required) Visit the Park Website Download the field trip's MAP
Cockroach Bay (Fri-CBW)
LEADERS:
Mary Barnwell, Travis Blunden, Dr. Mary Keith
Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve
The Cockroach Bay Ecosystem Restoration Project represents one of the largest, most complex coastal ecosystem restoration projects ever developed for Tampa Bay. Named for the abundant horseshoe crabs (“roaches”) in the nearby waters, after 20 years the Preserve is a model of habitat diversity. Wading birds will be leaving a nearby night roost. A moderate hike up “Mount Cockroach” offers a view of the tidal and freshwater wetlands and gallinules, Limpkins and egrets. Neotropical migrants abound in the savannah-like landscape. Both White and Glossy ibis frequent the freshwater ponds and wetlands, as do Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks. The area is close to the bay so gulls and terns will sail overhead. Gull‐billed Terns nest nearby and often continue in the area year‐round. Spoonbills use the tidal lagoon, and passerines forage in the old oaks. The freshwater pond to the south is well‐known for the wintering ducks to be found there.
Limited to 25 participants 8:30 am - 12:00 pm Tickets are $25 (Festival registration required) Download the field trip's MAP
Newman Branch Paddling Trip (Fri-NB)
LEADERS:
Stan Kroh, Jason Chilson
Newman Branch Kayak and Upland Trail Hike - Kayak Trip
Leaving from the Youth Conservation Center, you will paddle Newman Branch, through mangrove tunnels into Seneca Sound, a small embayment that is part of Hillsborough and Tampa bays. You will learn about the species of mangroves and their adaptations for a salty environment and also visit the restored wetlands and uplands of the Newman Branch Restoration project. Possible sightings of birds include night-herons, Little Blue and Tricolored herons, and Reddish Egrets. Photo credit: N. O'Hara
Limited to 15 participants 9:00 - 11:30 am Tickets are $60 (Festival registration required) Download the field trip's MAP
Schultz Preserve (Fri-SP) SOLD OUT
LEADERS:
John Lampkin, Dr. Marc Minno, Donald Fraser
Fred and Idah Schultz Preserve, Bugs and Butterflies
The 134-acre Fred and Idah Schultz Preserve, dredged from Hillsborough Bay to create developable land in the 1970s, has been restored over the last 25 years to mangrove forest, coastal and freshwater marsh, coastal dunes, and uplands. The diverse habitats make it THE place for a wide variety of butterflies and other pollinators, including the northern-most colony of Julia Butterflies. Plenty of birds are possible too! Enjoy the nice walk through the varied habitats, but as the walking paths are rough in places, this trip is possibly not suitable for some. There is some shade available but most is sunny, and there are no facilities, so wear a hat and bring water and a snack.
Limited to 20 participants 2:00 - 4:30 pm Tickets are $25 (Festival registration required) Visit the Preserve Website Bay Soundings Article
View the 2023 Butterfly Survey Report from Schultz Preserve Download the field trip's MAP
Blackwater Creek Preserve (Sat-BC)
LEADERS:
Rebecca Winch,
Charlie Fisher, Dr. Mark McRae
Blackwater Creek Preserve, Hillsborough County
This 2,200 acre preserve includes some of the finest remaining examples of long-leaf pine-dominated mesic pine flatwoods and blackwater streams, interspersed with hardwood hammocks, cypress domes, freshwater marshes, and wet prairies. Join Preserve Land Management Staff and expert birders to find Wood Storks, Sandhill Cranes, hawks and herons, sparrows and woodpeckers, and fall migrants. Blackwater Creek’s former cattle pastures and tree farms were acquired between 1997-2003, and are now preserved to allow hiking and wildlife viewing. The site is scientifically managed to preserve these environmentally sensitive lands. Parts of the trail may be flooded due to the rainy weather in August and September. The water on the trail could get to 8 inches deep in some places so there will definitely be some soggy feet. Please wear shoes and trousers that allow walking through water.
Limited to 25 participants 7:30 - 11:30 am Tickets are $25 (Festival registration required) Download the field trip's MAP
Fort De Soto Extreme Birding (Sat-FD)
LEADERS:
David Goodwin, Jim Eager, Travis Blunden
Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County Extreme Birding
Fort De Soto County Park is a premier birding destination in Florida. More than 250 species of birds have been recorded in the park over the years. Fall migration brings neo‐tropical migratory species to the park as well as occasional wanderers from the Caribbean and the western United States. The island’s shorebird diversity is one of the best on the Florida west coast. This trip is intended for advanced birders, and will be offered on both Saturday and Sunday. You will meet at the flagpole, then drive or walk to the hotspots of the day. Short easy walking at all times. If you care to bring your spoting scope, it will be handy for studying the shorebirds along the beach. If there’s a passerine fallout you’ll be in the wooded areas finding warblers, thrushes and buntings. There’s never a bad day birding at Ft D!
Limited to 30 participants 7:30 am - 1:00 pm Tickets are $25 plus $2.50 tolls and $5 park entry (Festival registration required) Visit the Park's Website Download the field trip's MAP
Alafia Bank (Sat-AB) SOLD OUT
LEADERS:
Jeff Liechty, Chris Cooley
Richard T. Paul Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary - Boat Trip
Join Audubon Florida’s Sanctuary Managers for a boat trip from the Port of Tampa to the Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary in Hillsborough Bay. This island sanctuary hosts the largest Roseate Spoonbill nesting colony on the west coast of Florida, as well as being a valuable nesting site for Brown Pelicans, herons and egrets, and White and Glossy ibis. The Alafia Bank has been ranked by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as Florida’s most important waterbird nesting colony and is an FWC-designated “Critical Wildlife Area”. While October is not the nesting season, we can expect to see a wide variety of waterbirds, including American Oystercatchers, terns, and shorebirds. Mark Rachal and Jeff Liechty, Audubon Sanctuary Manager and Biologist, will describe restoration, protection, and management of this internationally recognized “Important Bird Area”. On the way, we’ll look for dolphins. Bring your binoculars as we stay on the boat for this field trip. The boat leaves the dock at 8 a.m., so please plan to board by at least 7:45 am.
Limited to 30 participants 8:00 - 11:00 am Tickets are $60 (Festival registration required) Download the field trip's MAP
Gibbons Preserve (Sat-GP)
LEADERS:
Dan Savercool, Nathan LaFata, Logan Lane
Gibbons Preserve
The Myron and Helen Gibbons Preserve is a 60-acre forest that has not been logged. The Gibbons family donated the preserve to the Tampa Bay Conservancy, a regional land trust. The 1.5-mile trail crosses Bell Creek and winds through oak and mixed hardwood and cypress wetlands before reaching the shoreline of the Alafia River and looping back to the parking area. Suncoast Native Plant Society members identified over 120 plant species here in 2005. Providing natural shoreline on the Alafia River, this refuge for wildlife protects water quality. Although this trip is mainly an old growth forest riverine habitat walk, you may spot warblers, vireos, woodpeckers, and more in the hammocks, and waders may be along the river’s edge. The trail is narrow, and there are roots. While most is flat, there are some steep spots near the river banks, and spots may be wet, depending on recent rains, so shoes for wading across wet areas are recommended.
Limited to 15 participants 8:30 - 11:00 am Tickets are $25 (Festival registration required) Visit the Wetlands Website Bay Soundings Article Download the field trip's MAP
Duette Preserve (Sat-DP) CANCELLED
LEADERS:
Aedan Stockdale, Mike Elswick, Dr. Mary Keith, Adam Kent, Gina Kent
Duette Preserve: Natural History, Restoration, and Management - Wagon Trip
Come and take a ride back in time across an austere landscape where grasses, wildflowers, and palmetto still dominate; where longleaf pine stands are being restored, Bachman’s sparrows and scrub jays are thriving. Our wagon comfortably seats 20. Joining us will be the manager of our Education and Volunteer Division, Aedan Stockdale and manager of the Resource Management team Mike Elswick. We’ll discuss the history of the site, the plants and wildlife found there, and the restoration and management efforts past and ongoing.
Limited to 20 participants 8:00 - 11:30 am Tickets are $30 (Festival registration required) Download the field trip's MAP
Upper Tampa Bay Paddling Trip (Sat-UB)
LEADERS:
Ashley Martin, Carol Cassels
Upper Tampa Bay Park Habitat - Kayak Trip
Experience a celestial event – the changing of the tides - and the habitats at Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park during this two and a half-hour kayak adventure! Kayak out Double Branch Creek to Old Tampa Bay with the ebb tide, explore the open bay during the slack, and return to the launch site with the incoming tide. Pass mangrove forests, oysterbars, sand and mudflats, and seagrass beds. Look for American Oystercatchers, herons and egrets, Ospreys, and shorebirds and perhaps manatees and dolphins. Our leaders are County Park Managers and bird experts.
Limited to 10 participants 10:30 am - 1:00 pm Tickets are $60 (Festival registration required) Download the field trip's MAP
Fort De Soto County Park (Sun-FD)
LEADERS:
David Goodwin, Jim Eager
Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County Extreme Birding
Fort De Soto County Park is a premier birding destination in Florida. More than 250 species of birds have been recorded in the park over the years. Fall migration brings neo‐tropical migratory species to the park as well as occasional wanderers from the Caribbean and the western United States. The island’s shorebird diversity is one of the best on the Florida west coast. This trip is intended for advanced birders, and will be offered on both Saturday and Sunday. You will meet at the flagpole, then drive or walk to the hotspots of the day. Short, easy walking at all times. If you care to bring your spoting scope, it will be handy for studying the shorebirds along the beach. If there’s a passerine fallout you’ll be in the wooded areas finding warblers, thrushes and buntings. There’s never a bad day birding at Ft D!
Limited to 30 participants 7:30 am - 1:00 pm Tickets are $25 plus $2.50 tolls and $5 park entry (Festival registration required) Visit the Park's Website Download the field trip's MAP
Photography Field Workshop (Sun-PW) SOLD OUT
LEADER:
Reinier Munguia
Photography Field Workshop, Circle B Bar Reserve
Reinier Munguia has led photography field workshops for 20 years, all over the world. Participants will learn photographic techniques and develop skills to create better images. This workshop will be at the Circle B Bar Reserve, among the best regional birding spots. Shallow wetlands intersected by raised levees for walking support habitat for Purple Gallinules, Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, Sora, American Bitterns, and more. Bald Eagles patrol the area, and previous trips have found both Peregrine Falcons and Merlins. Wildlife includes alligators and marsh rabbits. Wintering White Pelicans still leave room in the deeper lakes for ducks. Reinier says, “Wildlife photography is not about taking pictures, but to create images that portray nature at its best.”
Limited to 10 participants 8:00 - 11:00 am Tickets are $25 (Festival registration required) Download the field trip's MAP
Celery Fields (Sun-CF)
LEADERS:
Lisa Sykes, David Simpson
Celery Fields, Sarasota County
This 400‐acre stormwater retention area in eastern Sarasota County is one of the Gulf Coast’s best birding hot spots. The former aqricultural fields have been restored to a meandering stream with wetlands and grasslands nestled among the curves. A hill with walking and equestrian trails overlooks the area, and two boardwalks allow access to the stream and marsh. With 220 species recorded at the site, the swamp and open water environment is a haven for limpkins, biterns, rails and herons. The Least Bitterns do not know that they are ‘shy and retiring’ here, Peregrine Falcons sail overhead, and variety of fall sparrows spend the winter. Depending on water level, shorebirds, waders and ducks may be abundant. Sarasota Audubon provides volunteer Bird Naturalists at each of the two boardwalks to help visitors identify birds and plants. The Nature Center with native plant gardens is also available for visitors to enjoy. Walks are on even paths or short boardwalks, but there is little shade and only a few benches. On your way in scan the ponds on either side of Coburn/Apex Rd for waterbirds as well.
Limited to 25 participants 8:00 - 11:00 am Tickets are $25 (Festival registration required) Visit the Site's Website Download the field trip's MAP
Bird Banding (Sun-BB) SOLD OUT
LEADERS:
Jim McGinity, Steve Aversa
Birding and Banding in Hammock Park, Dunedin
Come learn about bird banding, observe how ornithologists use it to learn about and conserve migratory birds, and enjoy our fall migratory birds while birding this 100‐acre city park. The hammock’s hardwoods and sabal palms attract numerous resident and migratory species. The Fern Trail in particular is known for having banner days in fall migration. You will observe the banding station action, seeing some of the local migrants up close while researchers measure, weigh and band them. Some participants will get a chance to release banded birds! You will also walk sections of the park and boardwalk to see what else is lurking in the bushes, along the stream, or zipping through the trees overhead. Warblers, vireos and thrushes are all good bets in the bushes, Golden-winged, Bay-breasted, Kentucky, Blackburnian, Canada and Cerulean warblers have been seen here, along with Baltimore Oriole, Black-billed Cuckoo, Veery, Wood Thrush and Scarlet Tanager. Herons, egrets, and night-herons wade the tidal stream. Osprey and Barred Owl occur year round, and winter brings ducks, rails, sandpipers and a multitude of sparrows. Raptors scan for the unwary over the open fields. The walk is easy, flat, not more than 2 miles.
Limited to 20 participants 8:00 am - Noon Tickets are $25 (Festival registration required) Visit the Project's Website Download the field trip's MAP
Egmont Key (Sun-EK)
LEADERS:
Barb Howard, Adam Kent, Gina Kent, Dave Howard
Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge/State Park - Boat Trip
Join the Fish and Wildlife Service staff and Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuge for a special boat cruise to Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge/State Park in Pinellas County. Established in 1974 to protect migratory birds, the island is situated at the mouth of Tampa Bay and is also the site of historic Fort Dade. Three hundred soldiers served at the fort from 1898-1923 and the restored guardhouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The lighthouse, built in 1858, is still used for navigation. A key migratory bird fall-out site in fall migration, in most years, the island hosts a large seabird and pelican colony during the spring nesting season. We expect to see warblers, other songbirds, raptors, gulls, terns, and other seabirds. Unless you choose to walk on the beach, the inland paths of the island are paved or brick, so the walking is easy.
Limited to 40 participants 8:00 am - Noon Tickets are $60 plus $2.50 tolls and $5 park fee (Festival registration required) Visit the Refuge's Website Visit the Friends' Website Bay Soundings Article YouTube Video Download the field trip's MAP
Terra Ceia Preserve (Sun-TCP) SOLD OUT
LEADER:
Randy Runnels, Heidi Brockhaus
Frog Creek & Terra Ceia Paddling Trip - Paddling Trip
Tampa Bay has relatively few natural, unobstructed tidal creeks left, and Frog Creek is one of the least developed and most species-rich. In a leisurely-paced paddling trip of a little over 2 miles, participants will experience a dramatic change in biota over a gradient from freshwater, with overhanging oaks, leather ferns, and sawgrass-lined shores to saltwater, through a significant mangrove forest and around oyster bars. This is an excellent foraging area for a variety of coastal bird species. Participants will need to paddle for a little over 2 miles, but it is at a leisurely pace and downstream. Canoes or kayaks will be provided, and you are welcome to bring your own if you prefer (but no discount is offered). Sunscreen, bug spray, and bottled water will be supplied.
Limited to 12 vessels 8:30 am - Noon Tickets are $60 (Festival registration required) Visit the Preserve Website Bay Soundings Article Download the field trip's MAP
Our expert-led seminars take place all day on Friday and Saturday. All of the seminars are included with the Festival registration. Presentations begin each hour starting at 9:00 am.
Sea Urchins
SPEAKER:
Dr. Joshua Patterson
Long-spined Sea Urchin Aquaculture at the Florida Aquarium's Center for Conservation
The long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum was a keystone grazer on Caribbean coral reefs until a region-wide die off in the early 1980s. Ever since, scientists have been working on ways to aid population recovery. Intensive aquaculture technology is one option and, over the last five years, significant advances have been made at a facility right here in Apollo Beach.
9:00 am, Friday Article on Sea Urchins Article on Sea Urchin Parasites Seminars are included with Festival registration.Birds of the Tampa Bay NWR
SPEAKERS:
Joyce Kleen, Ann Paul
Birds of the Tampa Bay NWR - Historical and Present Day
The Tampa Bay Refuges have a long history of bird conservation. In 1880, Indian Key, now a National Wildlife Refuge, hosted the largest waterbird colony along the west coast of Florida. By 1886, it and the other Florida coastal colonies were abandoned. In 1990, Tarpon Key, now a NWR, hosted the third most important waterbird colony in Florida, according to the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, now the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Now no birds nest there. Egmont Key NWR and State Park hosted the largest seabird colony in Florida five years ago. Now only oystercatchers and Black Skimmers nest there. What happened? Where are the birds nesting now? Why do colonies persist for generations of birds and then disappear? Ann Paul and Joyce Kleen will tell their stories. Photo credit: Mathew Schwartz
10:00 am, Friday Seminars are included with Festival registration.Butterflies
SPEAKER: Marc Minno
Florida Butterflies
Marc Minno, an expert on endangered butterflies and their habitats, has literally written the books on Florida’s butterflies. He will share fascinating facts about these beautiful insects, including which ones we can see here, what they do and how we can interpret their behaviors, where they live, what their caterpillars eat, how they are doing in Florida, and how we can invite them to share our world. He loves butterflies, and his engaging talk is inspirational and highly informative. Photo credit: MJ Raupp.
11:00 am, Friday Seminars are included with Festival registration.Sarasota Bay Dolphins
SPEAKER: Katie McHugh
The Dolphins of Sarasota Bay: Lessons from 50+ years of dolphin research and conservation along Florida's coast
We share the coastal environment with dolphins and other wildlife who call our local waters home. Learn more about Florida's dolphins and their estuarine and coastal habitats from the world's longest-running dolphin conservation research program - the Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program. The CZS-SDRP will share findings from 50+ years of work along the gulf coast as well as opportunities to engage with dolphin conservation. Photo credit: CZS Sarasota Dolphin Research Program
Noon, Friday Smithsonian Article Seminars are included with Festival registration.Ivory-billed Woodpeckers
SPEAKER:
Andy Kratter
The Extinction of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker
Andy Kratter will review the story of the extinction of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker over the past 150 years. By the late 1800s, ornithologists, foresters, and woods-folk in the South knew that the woodpecker’s population was dwindling. Unfortunately, in the ensuing 50 years, nothing was done to preserve this magnificent bird. Habitat destruction, overzealous collecting by museums and private collectors, and a complete lack of regulatory infrastructure conspired to almost certainly kill off the last remaining individuals by the mid-1940s. Andy Kratter will present the evidence about Ivory-billed Woodpeckers sine that time from the perspective of a Records Committee Chair and a long-time active Field Ornithologist in the south.
1:00 pm, Friday Seminars are included with Festival registration.Sandhill Cranes
SPEAKER:
Stephen A. Nesbitt
Life History of the Florida Sandhill Crane
After 35 years of working with dozens of known individual Florida Sandhill Cranes, Nesbitt, a retired biologist formerly with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, will discuss what they learned. How can you tell an old crane from a young crane? How can you tell a male from a female? Do crane really pair for life? What is the typical home range for a pair of Florida Sandhill Cranes? What does it take for a pair to successfully raise a chick to the age of independence? How long can a Florida crane live? What does the future for cranes in Florida look like? These are some of the topics to be discussed. Image by Joshua J. Cotten.
2:00 pm, Friday Seminars are included with Festival registration.Birding 101
SPEAKER:
Travis Blunden
Birding 101
Curious about the many different birds around you? Do you wonder why people travel across the state, the country, and even the world to look at birds? Designed for the beginning or casual birder who wants to learn more, Birding 101 explains what birding is, what you need to get started, and lots of tools and tips to help you learn “how to do it”. Topics include choosing binoculars, identification, using field guides, cell phone applications, and online tools. Be warned: birding can be addictive!
3:00 pm, Friday Seminars are included with Festival registration.Burrowing Owls
SPEAKER:
David Johnson
Results from a 15-year demographic study of Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia) in north-central Oregon
As of 2008, there were only 3-4 pairs of Western Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) left on the 6800 ha Umatilla Army Depot – a result of a coyote control project that had eliminated American Badgers (Taxidea taxus) to benefit an introduced population of Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana). The lack of burrows left no places for the owls to breed. We installed artificial burrows, and the numbers of owl pairs quickly responded with 9, 32, 61 and 65 nesting pairs in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 respectively. We maintained a total of 92 nesting sites (196 artificial burrows) from 2013-2022, when an average of 53 pairs nested annually. Due to the ease of access into the artificial burrows, and advanced trapping methods, we were essentially able to capture and band all of the adults and young each year. Overall, we banded some 2800 individual owls during this study and tracked the outcomes of 608 nesting attempts. In the presentation, we will offer summarized data regarding mate selection, clutch sizes, Hatch Dates, number of young reaching banding age (20-25 days), longevity; dispersal, immigration and emigration, mortality issues, key predators, migration to wintering sites, lambda, burrow design and specific aspects regarding productivity and maintenance, burrow siting and installation. We finish with insights into the next steps for land management and the reintroduction of badgers at the Depot, and specific recommendations for others wanting to enhance or re-establish populations of burrowing owls in their regions. Photo credit: Jean Hall
4:00 pm, Friday On CBS Sunday Morning Seminars are included with Festival registration.American Oystercatchers
SPEAKER:
Jeff Liechty
Ecology of American Oystercatchers in an Urban Estuary
American Oystercatchers are bold, charismatic shorebirds with fascinating behaviors and life history. A threatened species in Florida, American Oystercatchers face many challenges including sea-level rise, habitat loss, and human disturbance. This presentation will highlight the ecology and conservation of American Oystercatchers in Tampa Bay, including their adaptation to these challenges by nesting in unusual places such as rooftops.
5:00 pm, Friday Seminars are included with Festival registration.Florida Turtles
SPEAKER: George L. Heinrich
Identification of Florida Turtles
Florida’s wide variety of habitats support 28 of the 62 species known to occur in the United States, the most turtle-rich country. Significant habitat diversity and species richness make Florida a chelonian hotspot and critical to the conservation of many species. Attendees will learn basic identification techniques that will enhance their ventures into the field.
9:00 am, Saturday Seminars are included with Festival registration.Photographing Herps
SPEAKER: Chris Kirby
Introductory Tips for Photographing Herps, Getting Down to Their Level
Different types of animals can present different challenges as photographic subjects. Many species of herps, such as frogs, turtles, and snakes, can make very compelling photo subjects. To get great shots though, you often have to start at the ground level. Photo by Chris Kirby.
10:00 am, Saturday Seminars are included with Festival registration.Birds & Turtles
SPEAKER: Dr. J. Sean Doody
Birds as Predators & Prey of Turtles
Turtles are generally thought of as both low-level predators and impervious to predation, but in fact they can prey upon birds and be taken by them as prey. Although the extent of these trophic interactions is not known, here Dr. Doody will explore the evidence. He will discuss patterns of these interactions and produce predictions to test with future observations and perhaps experiments.
11:00 am, Saturday Seminars are included with Festival registration.Habitat Restoration
SPEAKERS:
Danielle Ivey, Mary Barnwell
Restoring Local Habitat Benefits Bird Populations
Hillsborough County Environmental Lands Management program conducts large-scale restoration projects that benefit a suite of wildlife species, including birds. This presentation will review ongoing wetland, upland and coastal projects and the various restoration techniques that are being used to improve and increase habitat for birds. It also will examine loss and gain of species-specific habitat over time as altered systems are restored and reach maturity, and management and restoration measures used to simulate disturbance cycles.
12:00 pm, Saturday Seminars are included with Festival registration.Penguins
SPEAKERS: Tom and Lindsay Bell
Penguins of the Falkland Islands
Last November, Lindsay & Tom traveled to the fascinating Falkland Islands for the second time. These incredible, windswept islands are one of the last wildlife wonders of the world. Unspoiled beaches, rolling tussock fields and sheer cliffs provide a natural safe haven for many Falkland Island species and resource partitioning allows five species of penguins to nest there. Please join us on Saturday, October 14th at 1:00 pm when the Bells share their remarkable photographs and wildlife experiences as they introduce us to tens of thousands of penguins.
1:00 pm, Saturday Seminars are included with Festival registration.Sparrows
SPEAKER: Adam Kent
Sparrow Identification
This talk introduces the identification and natural history of sparrows regularly found inland in Florida. Once you understand the basics of the combination of behavior, appearance, and distribution for this fascinating group of birds, you can begin to chip away at the term “little brown job” and get more out of your sparrowing experience.
2:00 pm, Saturday Seminars are included with Festival registration.Bird Nests
SPEAKER: Stan Tekiela
Bird Nests: Amazingly Ingenious and Intricate
Bird nests are among most amazing dwelling places in the entire animal kingdom. Few creatures craft such brilliant and involved homes as birds do. From holes drilled into trees to intricately woven cups, these magnificent structures are worthy of our admiration. This talk is full of fun details told with Stan's great sense of humor. Photo credit: Luke Brugger
3:00 pm, Saturday Seminars are included with Festival registration.Bird Tracking
SPEAKER: Gina Kent
Bird Tracking for Conservation
Gina Kent is a Senior Conservation Scientist for the non-profit Avian Research and Conservation Institute (ARCI). For her M.S in biology from Georgia Southern University, she used VHF and satellite transmitters to study stopover ecology of migrating Swallow-tailed Kites in Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula. Since 2000, she has tracking technologies to study survival, breeding and movement ecology, and habitat use of raptors, magnificent frigatebirds, wading birds, white-crowned pigeons, and mangrove cuckoos. Many of the birds she studies move between Florida and the Caribbean, or migrate through Mexico, Central, and South America. In the process of tagging more than 1,000 individual birds of 25 species, ARCI has developed novel ways to safely trap and attach transmitters to several species. What does it mean to track birds? Why do scientists track birds? How do researchers get started tracking birds? How can tracking birds contribute to their conservation? These questions and more will be answered in this presentation on tracking technologies. Gina will review differences in bird tracking methods she has used including mark/relocate, geo-locators, VHF-transmitters, satellite transmitters, and GSM. Photo credit: Karl Callwood
4:00 pm, Saturday Seminars are included with Festival registration.Sawfish
SPEAKER:
Tonya Wiley
THe Endangered Sawfish of Florida: Past, Present, and Future
Sawfish are large shark-like rays that once were relatively common in Florida's coastal waters. Now, Florida's smalltooth sawfish is endangered and scientists are striving to learn as much as possible about this iconic and fascinating fish. During her presentation, Tonya Wiley (President of Havenworth Coastal Conservation) will share interesting facts about sawfish, updates on current research projects, explanations of management tools such as the Endangered Species Act, descriptions of ways you can be involved in the recovery of sawfish, and other information about the unique and endangered smalltooth sawfish. Photo credit: Tonya Wiley, Havenworth Coastal Conservation
5:00 pm, Saturday Bay Soundings Article Miami Herald Article Seminars are included with Festival registration.Save money! Attend both keynotes for $60 and save $20.
CLAY HENDERSEN Author
Wildlife and Land Conservation
Wildlife and land conservation.This keynote event includes a buffet meal, and will be held at the Firehouse Cultural Center in Ruskin.
Clay Henderson has had a long career as environmental lawyer, educator, and writer. He has served as president of Florida Audubon Society and Florida Trust for Historic Preservation. Until his retirement in 2019, he served as Executive Director of the Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience at Stetson University. He was elected to two terms on the Volusia County Council and served on the Florida Constitution Revision Commission. Henderson is most associated with wildlife and land conservation. He sponsored most of the environmental provisions in Florida's Constitution including the creation of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and co-authored the Florida Water and Land Legacy Initiative, the largest conservation funding program our nation’s history. He was also a leader in the development of Florida’s signature land acquisition programs including Preservation 2000, Florida Forever, and Florida Communities Trust, and negotiated the acquisition of over 300,000 acres of conservation lands. His book "Forces of Nature" (University Press of Florida) is an environmental history of Florida, and winner of the 2023 Stetson Kennedy Book Award. His newest book, "Audubon’s Birds of Florida," chronicles John James Audubon’s Florida expedition of 1831-32. Henderson has been recognized for his body of work including the national public service award from The Nature Conservancy, lifetime achievement awards from the Marine Resources Council, Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, and Bill Sadowski Memorial Award from the Environment and Land Use Section of the Florida Bar.
6:00 - 8:00 pm
$40 (festival registration not required) Link to Clay's Book Firehouse Cultural Center at 101 1st Ave NE, Ruskin, FLTIM LAMAN Biologist and Filmmaker
Bird Planet - A Photography Journey
This keynote event includes a buffet meal, and will be held at the Firehouse Cultural Center in Ruskin.
Birds inhabit every continent and major island and are conspicuous and loved by many. For ornithologist and National Geographic photographer Tim Laman, documenting these magnificent creatures has been a lifelong passion that has taken him from the Antarctic peninsula to the uninhabited Foja Mountains of New Guinea and more than one hundred other locations around the world. In his keynote, Tim will share his favorite bird photographs from over twenty-five years in the field, along with some of his most memorable adventures in pursuit of them. Covering a broad range of species from diverse habitats - from hornbills in the rainforest of Borneo to cranes in snowy Hokkaido, and from birds of paradise in the tree-tops of New Guinea to wandering albatross soaring over the Drake Passage, Tim's images of birds in their natural habitats are sure to inspire a greater appreciation for birds and the importance of protecting their environment, not just for the birds, but for all life on earth.
Tim Laman is a field biologist, wildlife photojournalist, and filmmaker. Since getting his Ph.D. from Harvard for pioneering research in Borneo’s rainforest canopy, his cameras have been his tools for telling the stories of rare and endangered wildlife and revealing some of earth’s wildest places. He has photographed on all seven continents, and regularly travels to some of the most remote corners of the earth to explore and document poorly known species. He is most well-known for his long-term work on birds-of-paradise and orangutans. He has published 24 feature stories in National Geographic magazine, as well as worked on natural history films for National Geographic, the BBC, and Netflix. Tim’s work has garnered numerous awards, including the overall prize Wildlife Photographer of the Year in 2016, a 1st place Nature Story from World Press Photo, and the North American Nature Photography Association’s “Nature Photographer of the Year”. Tim is a fellow of the Explorer’s Club and of the International League of Conservation Photographers, as well as the co-founder of the Birds-of-Paradise Project at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
6:00 - 8:00 pm $40 (festival registration not required) Firehouse Cultural Center at 101 1st Ave NE, Ruskin, FLNature and Birding Exhibitions and Vendors
Open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on both Friday and Saturday, the free expo will be full of great finds!
Lunches will be available for purchase each day from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Check out the growing list of organizations that will be there under EXPO on our Home Page.