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Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival November 7-11, 2001 in Brevard County, Florida A celebration of birds and wildlife. |
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Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival November 7-11, 2001 in Brevard County, Florida A celebration of birds and wildlife. |
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INDEX OF FIELD TRIPS
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Take a Ride on the Wild Side of Kenney Space Center!
Trip Leaders: Ross Hinkle & Billy Specht
Join Dynamac Corporation Chief Scientist Ross Hinkle and Kennedy Space Center Education Manager Billy Specht for a guided bus journey through the working launch complex of Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and into the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Learn how KSC, working with the Fish and Wildlife Service sets the example of how nature and technology co-exist peacefully and benefit one another.
Ross will talk about the ongoing ecological studies at KSC related to such areas as fire ecology, remote sensing, and global climate change. Some endangered Florida wildlife you might see includes the Florida manatee, wood storks, and the threatened Florida scrub jay. The tour will also travel along part of the nation's most biologically diverse estuary, the Indian River Lagoon and Mosquito Lagoon, Florida scrub and pine flatwoods habitat.
Your tour includes Maximum Access admission to the KSC Visitor Complex, which includes the KSC bus tour, IMAX movies, exhibits, shows and a KSC learning kit.
November 9, 10, 11 & 12; 9:30am - 12:30pm; limited to 45 registrants; $44/person
DEPARTS ONLY FROM KSC VISITORS CENTER (GATE 3)
PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS FIELD TRIP!
Cape Canaveral: Then & Now Tour
IF YOU HAVE REGISTERED FOR THE "WILD SIDE" AND WISH TO GO ON "THEN AND NOW", SHOW YOUR TICKET AT THE KSC VISITORS CENTER TICKET BOOTH AND FOR AN ADDITIONAL $20.00, YOU MAY ADD THE EXTRA TOUR.
Join a KSC guide for a journey through time and space from an era of intense competition to an era of cooperation in order to take space exploration to new levels and places, and even planets. See and re-discover our greatest moments in space -- Then & Now. Departs daily from the KSC Visitor Complex. Check for tour times at the Visitor Complex on the day of the tour.
Pelagic Birding Offshore Cape Canaveral
Trip Leader Wes Biggs with Harry Robinson, Lee Snyder, Eugene Stoccardo, Dave Goodwin, and Kurt Radamaker
Long time birders know that a pelagic birding trip can be as exciting as birding can get. Pelagic birds are species that are usually not seen close to land, so a boat trip off shore is needed. We will be aboard OCEAN OBSESSION out of Port Canaveral as we search for some of the most sought after species in Florida. Among our targets, will be Northern Gannet, Cory's Shearwater, all three Jaegers, Leaches and Band-rumped Storm Petrels, Black and White-winged Scoters, and Black-legged Kittiwake. There is always the possibility of adding a new species to your Florida list, keep your fingers crossed!
Nov 8 & 11; 6:00am - 4:00pm; Limited to 70 registrants; $70/person (includes meal)
Black Rails and St. John's National Wildlife Refuge
Trip Leader: Mike Legare
Join Dynamac Corporation Wildlife Biologist, Mike Legare, on a sunset walk through the pristine salt marsh habitat of the restricted St. John's National Wildlife Refuge. While walking 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. 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. .
Wear long pants, old shoes and bring mosquito repellant.
Nov 9, 10 & 11; 4:45pm - 7:15pm; limited to 40 registrants; Free car pool for this Field Trip.
Seminar at 3:15pm precedes field trip on Nov 9 & 11 only
Rise and Shine with Red-cockaded Woodpeckers
Trip Leaders Cindy Thompson, Keith Fisher, and Zachary Prusak
Get a lifer! Journey into an active red-cockaded woodpecker colony at St. Sebastian River State Buffer Preserve with Manager, Keith Fisher, and Fish and Wildlife Service Wildlife Biologist, Cindy Thompson, to view and learn about this endangered woodpecker. Guests will be given the opportunity to get a glimpse of these endangered birds exiting their cavities at sunrise. After looking for the woodpeckers, the group will go on a bird walk focusing on woodland species found in Florida's pine flatwoods habitat. From the Buffer Preserve, we will go to the Brevard County's Environmentally Endangered Land Program's unique Malabar Scrub Sanctuary for a moderate hike. This hike, led by Zachary Prusak, the EEL South Mainland Region Land Manager, will lead you through 400 acres of mesic flatwoods, xeric flatwoods, sand pine scrub, and oak scrub habitats.
Species that may be encountered are the threatened Florida Scrub-Jay, Scrub Lizards, Gopher Tortoises, Oak Toads and Harvester Ants. Prepare to have lively debates on such topics as prescribed fire in the urban interface, exotic control, and recreation/conservation issues. The tour will culminate with a side trip search for the crested caracara.
Nov 9; 4:30am - 1:30pm; limited to 25 registrants; $40/person (includes meal)
Zellwood/Lake Apopka Restoration Area
Trip Leaders Harry Robinson with Buck and Linda Cooper - Nov. 9
Harry Robinson with Kurt and Cindy Raddamaker - Nov. 10
CANCELLED - Sorry. The area is closed.
Zellwood is a small town in Northwest Orange County. But, to birders Zellwood means the huge area that until recently was a muck farming area on the North shore of Lake Apopka. Since the farming has stopped, the old farms have proven to be the home of one of the most diverse bird populations in North America. New species are being found there on a regular basis, and we just don't know for sure what will pop up. Depending on water levels and other factors we should see wintering shore birds, water fowl, sparrows and many other species. For more information on this location, check out the write up on field trip leader Harry Robinson.
Nov 9 & 10; 6:00am - 5:00pm; Limited to 25 registrants; $50/person (includes meal)
Smyrna Dunes/Turtle Mound
Trip Leader Wes Biggs with Eugene Stoccardo and Dick Novier - Nov. 9
Wes Biggs with Dave Goodwin and Dick Novier - Nov. 10
This field trip involves two parks; Smyrna Dunes Volusia County Park, and Canaveral National Seashore. At Smyrna Dunes we will take a two mile hike along Ponce de Leon Inlet in search of northern gulls and terns and shorebirds. Piping and Wilson's Plover are possible, along with sparrows in the salt marsh. Purple sandpiper is a main target species, and Gannets should be diving off shore. The Turtle Mound area is the best seawatching spot in Florida for near shore pelagics, and Nov. is the best month to be there. We should see numbers of Fomarine and Parasitic Jaegers migrating just off shore. The rare Long-tailed Jaeger will be the main target.
Nov 9 & 10; 6:00am - 1:30pm; Limited to 25 registrants; $35/person (includes meal)
Neotropical Mistnetting at Tosohatchee State Reserve
Trip Leaders Bill Pranty, Shane Belson, and Mark Sees
Travel with birding expert, Bill Pranty and meet up with Park Biologist, Shane Belson, for a mistnetting demonstration and tour of Tosohatchee State Reserve. Shane will be demonstrating the use of mist nets in capturing and banding some resident, migrating and wintering landbirds. Shane and Bill will take the group on a short birding watching/nature walking tour to showcase the unusual habitat types and plant and animal species of Tosohatchee.
At the Orlando Wetlands Park (OWP), join Mark Sees, manager, on a bus tour of the nearly 1,200 acres of created wetlands, including cattail and bulrush marshes, mixed/open marshes, hardwood swamps and a lake. Guests are sure to see numerous wading birds, and often, purple gallinules, least bitterns, American bitterns, red-shouldered hawks and king rails can be found foraging in the marshes. Guests will find a variety of other wildlife species abounding at the OWP, including white-tailed deer, river otters, raccoons, bobcat, opossum, and wild pigs.
Nov 9 & 10; 6:30am - 1:30pm; limited to 25 registrants; $35/person
Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge and Boat Trip To Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge
Trip Leaders Dorn Whitmore and Paul Tritaik
Journey to one of the most important sea turtle nesting beaches in the world on a short walking tour of Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge with Dorn Whitmore. Guests will take a short walk along this beach and learn about the refuge's activities to protect this nesting site from future development and the pressing issue of beachfront acquisition.
Following, board the Inlet Explorer near Sebastian Inlet to visit the very first National Wildlife Refuge, Pelican Island NWR, with Refuge Manager, Paul Tritaik. On your way out to the Island, tour the exciting Indian River and enjoy watching for dolphin, manatees, and turtles. As the sun sets against the island, marvel at the arrival of abundant birds flying in to roost on this protected island. Learn about the restoration efforts to save this historic rookery island.
Nov 9; 1:00pm - 8:00pm; limited to 25 registrants; $45 (includes meal)
Florida Scrub Jays and Plant Ecology of the Scrub/*New Site
Trip Leaders Dave Breininger and Dr. Paul Schmalzer
Join Dynamacs' Wildlife Ecologist, Dave Breininger, and Plant Ecologist, Paul Schmalzer, on a NASA bus tour to a unique tract of Florida scrub habitat on the south end of the refuge, named Tel 4, where many scrub jay territories have been established. Once at Tel 4, guests will disembark the bus and walk along a firebreak road through several jay territories to view scrub jay families and their interactions. Along the way, Paul will give special emphasis to some of the rare plants, grasses, and a spikemoss that is more common to this site than anywhere else in the state.
Nov 10 & 12; 9:30am - 12:00pm; limited to 40 registrants; Free; Seminar at 8:30am precedes field trip
Seminar and field trip are at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Visitor Information Center
St. Johns River Field Trip
Trip Leaders Lorne Malo, Rich Burklew, and Captain Rick Thrift
SORRY, ALL AIRBOAT TOURS ARE FULL
Join wildlife Biologist Lorne Malo, geologist/hydrologist Rich Burklew and Captain Rick Thrift from Grasshopper Airboat Tours on an exciting 3 hour tour of one of the most beautiful, interesting and inaccessible areas of the St. Johns River where unusual geology has resulted in numerous upweldings of mineral rich (salty) water from the underground Floridian Aquifer. During low water periods, the salinity of the river here may approach 1/3 that of seawater. We will look at some of the plant communities unique to the area, which include salt flats containing vegetation more commonly found in Coastal estuaries.
There are also several Native American shell mounds along the river and these are often good stops for migrating songbirds. Where we go and what we find will depend largely on the water levels. We should see alligators, southern bald eagles, northern harriers, American white pelicans, mottled ducks, blue and green winged teals, wood storks, sandhill cranes and most of the common wading birds. We may also find bobcats, river otters, marsh rabbits, American and least bitterns, black-crowned and yellow-crowned night herons, roseate spoonbills, peregrine falcons, merlins, wild turkeys, black skimmers, long billed dowitchers, limpkins, sora, king rails, marsh and sedge wrens and water pipits.
Rick's boat is a brand new state of the art 12 -passenger airboat with below water exhaust. He will be stopping often for optimum wildlife viewing. After the tour, join Lorne, Rich and Captain Rick for an old-fashioned Florida Cracker lunch of gator tail and catfish ( other choices available vegetarian meal must be indicated).
Nov. 9, 10, 11, & 12; 8:30am - 1:30pm; limited to 11 registrants; $50.00 (includes Florida Cracker lunch)
Indian River Lagoon Boat Tour
Trip Leaders Dr. Grant Gilmore, Bob Day, and Mary Jo Barkaszi
One of Dr. Gilmore's primary research objectives at the Kennedy Space Center is to understand the life history and ecology of marine and estuarine communities in this region of Florida so that human interactions with marine animals and plants con be managed to conserve and promote these wonderful and diverse living ecosystems. One way to do this is with newly developed technologies, in this case, passive acoustic (listening) techniques using underwater microphones (hydrophones). The aquatic environment is extremely noisy, particularly at night. Sound carries 5 times faster in water than in air and many fish use sound to communicate, mostly for reproduction.
Join Captain Ron Thorstad from Space Coast Nature Tours and your trip leaders onboard the Skimmer - a beautiful new pontoon boat with plenty of wide open space. Enjoy dinner from Fatboys and Dixie Crossroads as evening settles. Captain Ron will cruise the Intracoastal Waterway from Titusville, the Redfish Capital of the World, stopping at various locations to listen for and record the sounds of the red and black drum as they call their mates to spawn. The black drum male and female talk to one another with rhythmic robust sounds that are so loud that sometimes we must turn the speaker volume down to protect our ears. We may also hear other animals from the lagoon including manatee, dolphins, other fish and even shrimp, which sound like castanets. To add to your enjoyment, full moon is on Saturday, Nov. 11th.
Nov 8 & 11; 6:00pm - 9:00pm; limited to 32 registrants; $35 (includes meal) - Saturday (11/11) trip is Full
Meet at Titusville Marina (see map)
North Brevard Hotspots
Trip Leaders: Doug Stuckey, Warren Frost & Carroll Holland
Northern Brevard County has much to offer in well known birding sites like Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Canaveral National Seashore. But we have our share of productive lesser known areas too- places like Seminole Ranch, Hatbill Park, Salt Lake, Fawn Lake, Buck Lake, Scottsmoor Landing, Hog Valley and Hammock Road. Along with the unusual wading birds, shorebirds and some water fowl, these areas might produce tantalizing species like brown headed nuthactch, Bachman's sparrow, eastern bluebird, Carolina chickadee, painted buntings, various woodpeckers, loggerhead shrike, limpkin, roseate spoonbills, reddish egret, bald eagle, wood stork, Florida scrub jay and Florida sandhill crane. 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. Due to unpredictable water levels in the fall, which depend on seasonal tropical weather activity, some areas listed may be inaccessible. Sites visited on this trip will be determined during pre-festival scouting trips. This field trip requires a moderate amount of walking.
Nov 10 & 11; 6:00am - 12:30pm; limited to 25 registrants; $30
Whooping Cranes and Dry Prairie Habitat
Trip Leaders Judith Buhrman, Dr. Paul Gray, Bill Pranty and Joanna Taylor
Join Naturalist Judith Burhman, Wildlife Biologist Dr. Paul Gray and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Ranger Joanna Taylor on a coach tour of Central Florida's dry prairie habitat. Hosting one of the most diverse plant communities in North America, and home to a unique suite of birds that includes the Florida Sandhill Crane, Audubon's Crested Cara Cara, Burrowing Owl, Florida's Mottled Duck and the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow, almost 90% of Florida's historical 2.8 million acres of dry prairie has been converted into other land uses.
The tour will visit Overstreet Landing on Lake Kissimmee to look for members of the second largest flock of the most endangered crane in the world. The Landing is a good place to look for Snail Kites, Bald Eagles and other raptors, waterfowl, shorebirds and wading birds, in addition to Sandhill Cranes and Whooping Cranes. Wildlife Biologists will join the tour there to show a video of a Whooping Crane release and talk about radio tracking of the endangered birds.
The tour will then go to Forever Florida, a 4300acre wilderness preserve near Kenansville. After lunch, participants will board custom made, photographer friendly "cracker cruisers" for a tour through dry prairie, cypress swamps, grasslands, pine woods, creeks and dense oak hammocks. Thanks to years of prescribed burning, the Florida Wildflowers and native grasses at Forever Florida have returned to a historical condition that predates man's interference. The blooming grasses at this time of the year are incredible. In addition to the natural preserve, the cracker tour will travel through the Crescent J Ranch, where you will see descendants of the horses and cattle brought here by the Spaniards over 400 years ago. You'll learn about the cracker cattle industry, the turpentine industry and railroading.
Nov 11; 6:00am - 4:00pm; limited to 44 registrants; $50.00 (includes meal)
Butterflies & Wildflowers
Trip Leaders Buck and Linda Cooper with Judith Buhrman Nov.10; Dr. Walter Taylor Nov 11.
When Spanish explorers stumbled into North America, they landed on Cape Canaveral, very near to what is now the Kennedy Space Center. They named their newly discovered territory La Florida meaning "Land of Flowers" for the profusion of blooming plants they found everywhere they went. The diversity of natural habitats found on Florida's East Coast produces an abundant variety of plane communities.
Because of that, Brevard County harbors a wide range of blooming wildflowers throughout the year-with the fall season being most particularly beautiful. The flowers provide a cornucopia for a wide range of butterflies, including Monarchs, Fritillaries, Zebra Longwings, White Peacocks, Buckeyes, Sulphers, Hairstreaks, Viceroys, Queens, Giant Swallowtails, Skippers, and more. Come ride with Buck and Linda as they tour the rural areas of North Brevard County looking for butterflies and wildflowers. There are usually lots of dragonflies zooming about at this time of the year also.
Naturalist, Judith Burhman, will join the Coopers on Friday's trip to provide ecosystem insight. The ever-popular wildflowers expert, Dr. Walter Taylor, will join the Coopers on Saturday's trip.
Nov 10 & 11; 12:30pm - 4:30pm; limited to 25 registrants; $30
Birding the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge The Shiloh Marshes
Trip Leaders Rich Paul, Anne Schnapf and Teresa Fiorillo
A trip to the Shiloh Marshes is like turning the page of time back to an era when nature dominated the landscape. A thin sliver of road winds its way through ancient oaks, cabbage palm hammocks and finally to the vast marshes which make up the headwaters of the Indian River Lagoon. The road follows the ecotone- on one side the open waters of the lagoon; on the other, an endless sea of cordgrass, broomsedge and brackish ponds.
A northern harriers glide effortlessly above the golden waves of marsh while a pegrine falcon perches on a palm stump surveying his domain. The placid blue pools are alive with avian activity and the sights and sounds of countless waterfowl and wading birds fill your senses. During the tour, Rich and Anne will provide insight on the spectacular wading bird populations of Florida from an historic prospective and compare that with the current status of these interesting and beautiful species. The Shiloh Marsh reminds us of how Florida once was and still can be.
Nov 11; 7:30am - 12:00pm; Limited to 25 registrants; $30.00
Blue Heron Created Wetlands- A Better Place for Bitterns
Leaders Rich Paul, Anne Schnapf and Teresa Fiorillo
SORRY, FULL
The birders in Brevard County, Florida were Bitternless; as in no reliable spots to see a Least or American Bittern. The usual haunts: Ulumay, Hatbill Park, Cruickshank Trail at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge had run dry. Mistaking a Green Heron for a Least Bittern was fun, bit like a ride half way home, you still had a way to go. The good people in Titusville came to our rescue. They built the Blue Heron Wetland Treatment System.
This 292 acre site situated midway between the Indian River Lagoon and the St. Johns River, contains seven cells or ponds that are rich in wildlife. Deer, hogs, bobcat, alligators, birds, turtles, and frogs prowl the dikes. Presently the plant community includes about 65 species. Over the next two years this number should increase to 150 species, as workers encourage the historic vegetative cover and eliminate the exotic or nuisance plants.
Local birders are flocking to Blue Heron WTS. David Simpson, a local naturalist, spotted 91 Least Bitterns on day this spring (many of them young fledglings). American Bittern, Purple Gallinule, Hairy Woodpecker, Limpkin, Sandhill Crane, Roseate Spoonbill, Black-crowned Night Heron, Black-necked Stilt, Bald Eagle, Bobolink and Gull-billed Tern are a few of the 110 bird species sighted here.
Don't miss this opportunity to join Florida's wading bird experts, Rich Paul and Anne Schnapf for this tour of Titusville's own Great Florida Birding Trail Site.
Nov 12; 8:00am - 12:00pm; Limited to 25 registrants; $30/person
Indian Mounds of Canaveral National Seashore
Trip Leader John Stiner and Lee Snyder
Mosquito Lagoon: A Glimpse into the Past
This field trip visits several archeological sites and the Eldora Statehouse, one of the last remnants of an 1800's Florida waterway community. Exhibits in the newly restored Statehouse depict life at Eldora in an earlier era. Archeological sites to be visited include Turtle Mound, Seminole Rest, and Castle Windy.
Turtle Mound is one of Florida's best known archeological sites. It served as an important navigation point for Spanish sailors and was included on some of the earliest maps of Florida. Seminole Rest is a large midden (a term archeologists use for the piles of shells left behind by the Native Americans). One of the oldest middens in the area, it was saved from destruction by a protective landowner when all the others were hauled away for road fill in the early 1900's. The landowner's house still stands vigil over this ancient site. Castle Windy is a smaller midden but poses a very intriguing question for avid birdwatchers. We can't give you a million dollars, but we'd be grateful if you can provide the answer.
Join John Stiner as we investigate the lives of Native Americans that once lived here and hardy settlers who braved the wilds of Florida before the creation of air conditioning and mosquito control.
Nov 11; 8:30am - 4:00pm- Limited to 25 registrants; $40/person
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Field Trips & Seminar Leader's Biographies
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