Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival November 12 - 16, 2003 -- Brevard County, Florida A celebration of birds and wildlife.

Birding Competition Results
Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival 2002

Weather proved to be the biggest challenge for contestants in the sixth annual Space Coast Birding Competition. A low pressure area moved out of the Gulf of Mexico and across the state, bringing with it tornado warnings and torrential rain. Good birds located on earlier scouting trips were nowhere to be found. Despite the inclement weather, the competition teams happily combed a six county area, with the winning team, Kowa Optimed, turning in a respectable 150 species. A well deserved, special award was given to Julie Seberry, a "Birding Mom" who spent two days driving around the region with six kids in a van, birding in the pouring rain.

Allan and Helen Cruickshank Memorial Award
Sponsor: Pentax Corp.

First Place: Advanced Adults - Pentax Spotting Scopes
Kowa Optimed, 150 species, Sponsor: Kowa Optimed, Inc.
Tom Hince, Paul Pratt, Bruce Dilabio

Second Place: Advanced Adults
Lucky Shrikes, 143 species
Robert Paxsom, John Puscheck, Tom Rodriguez, Courtney Carlson

Third Place: Advanced Adults
Environmental Partners, 129 species, Sponsor: Reliant Energy
Bill Baker, Tom Roberts, Breck Sacra, Cecilia Riley

Herb Kale Memorial Award
Sponsor: Eagle Optics

First Place: Intermediate Adults - Eagle Optics Ranger Binoculars
Halifax Harriers, 120 species
David Hartgrove, Meret Wilson, Rachael , Michael

Johnnie Johnson Memorial Award
Sponsor: Birdwatcher's Digest and the Brevard Nature Alliance

First Place: Beginning Adults - Airline Vouchers
The Old Coots, 64 species
Sandy Walters, Jack Juba, Bill Grogg, Judy Grogg

Margaret Hames Award*
Sponsor: Leica Sport Optics

First Place: Youth 13-18Years of Age - Everglades Environmental Youth Camp Trips
The Raptors, 89 species, Sponsor: Dixie Crossroads Seafood Restaurant
Tommy Seberry, Sean Esposito, Mark Esposito

Shelle Campbell-Proctor Memorial Award*
Sponsor: Dixie Crossroads Seafood Restaurant and the Florida Wildlife Foundation

First Place: Youth 12 and Under - Leica Minox Binoculars
Kingfishers, 74 Species, Sponsor: Dixie Crossroads Seafood Restaurant
Gary Seberry, Tova Quinif, Sam Wilson

Second Place: Youth 12 and Under
The Four Clovers, 14 species, Sponsor: Sculptors Charter School
Rachel Frier, Jenifer Bullard-Meyers, Kaitlyn Frier, Brittany Pate

*The prizes for Youth 13-18 Years of Age and Youth 12 and Under were switched due to the age of the participants. Their parents agreed that the older kids would benefit more from their experience at the environmental camp.

2002 Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival
Birding Competition Teams
No.	Team & Member Names		Home		Sponsor	Category
1		Environmental Partners				Adult
	*	Bill Baker	Kurland, Texas		Reliant Energy, Inc.	Level I (Advanced)
10:45		Breck Sacra	Kurland, Texas		Reliant Energy, Inc.
		Tom Roberts	Kurland, Texas		Reliant Energy, Inc.
		Cecilia Riley	Kurland, Texas		Reliant Energy, Inc.
2		The Canadians				Adult
	*	Tom Hince	Wheatley, Ontario		Kowa Optimed, Inc.	Level I (Advanced)
11:15		Bruce DiLabio	Carp, Ontario		Kowa Optimed, Inc.
		Paul Pratt	LaSalle, Ontario		Kowa Optimed, Inc.
3		The Lucky Shrikes				Adult
	*	Robert Paxson	Merritt Island, FL			Level I (Advanced)
11:17		John Puscheck	Eustis, FL
		Tom Rodriguez	Winter Park, FL
		Courtney Carlson	Melbourne, FL
4		The Halifax Harriers				Adult
	*	David Hartgrove	Daytona Beach, FL		Halifax River Audubon	Level II (Intermediate)
11:20		Meret Wilson	Ormond Beach, FL		Halifax River Audubon
		Rachael Ramsey	Ormond Beach, FL		Halifax River Audubon
		Michael Meisenburg	Archer, Fl		Halifax River Audubon
5		The Old Coots				Adult
	*	Sandy Walters	Titusville, FL			Level III (Beginner)
10:30		Jack Juba	Titusville, FL
		Bill Grogg	Titusville, FL
		Judy Grogg	Titusville, FL
6		Kingfishers				Youth
	*	Gary Seberry	Merritt Island, FL		Dixie Crossroads Seafood Restaurant	Level II (12 & Under)
11:00		Tova Quinif	Merritt Island, FL		Dixie Crossroads Seafood Restaurant
		Sam Wilson	Merritt Island, FL		Dixie Crossroads Seafood Restaurant
7		4-H Cool Clovers				Youth
	*	Rachael Frier	Titusville, FL		Sculptors Charter School	Level II (12 & Under)
9:30		Jenifer Bullard-Meyers	Titusville, FL		Sculptors Charter School
		Kaitlyn Frier	Titusville, FL		Sculptors Charter School
		Brittany Pate	Titusville, FL		Sculptors Charter School
8		Raptors				Youth
	*	Tommy Seberry	Merritt Island, FL		Dixie Crossroads Seafood Restaurant	Level I (13-18)
11:00		Sean Esposito	Merritt Island, FL		Dixie Crossroads Seafood Restaurant
		Mark Esposito	Merritt Island, FL		Dixie Crossroads Seafood Restaurant
	*	Team Captain			29 total participants	19 adults
11:30		Check-in Time			16 from Brevard County	10 youth

Additional prizes were generously donated by:
A Day away Kayak Tours Ace of Hearts Ranch Amtrak Best Western Space Shuttle Inn Blue Heron Kayak Adventures Brevard Zoo Canoe Outpost Clarion Hotel Kennedy Space Center Cornell Lab of Ornithology Disney Wilderness Preserve Dixie Crossroads Seafood Restaurant Forever Florida Wilderness Preserve	Bob Goad – Woodcarver Grasshopper Airboat Ecotours Darlene Harris – Photographer Island Boat Lines Jungle Adventures Kloiblers Cobbler Restaurant Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Merritt Island Wildlife Association Rivership Romance Space Coast Nature Tours Strawberry Mansion Restaurant Laurilee Thompson

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