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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 21 - 26, 2009 -- Titusville, Florida A celebration of birds and wildlife. |
2009 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.1) Unless otherwise noted, all trips depart from the traffic circle in front of the Gymnatorium at Brevard Community College, Titusville Campus. Field trips begin with presentations and trip leader interactions on the bus, en route to the site locations.
2) Due to the importance of arriving at designated sites by certain times, vehicles will leave promptly when indicated. Please arrive 15 minutes early.
3) 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.
4) 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
Ancient & Modern Mariners of the DeepCANCELLED
Dicerandra Scrub Sanctuary Walk
Forest Biodiversity
Historical Sights of Canaveral National Seashore
Pelagic Birding Offshore New Smyrna Beach - FILLED
Plants & Their Uses through History - FILLED
Wetlands Management & Alteration-Black Point
Wildflowers, Plants, & Other Things-N.Brevard
Wild Side of the Kennedy Space Center
II. Birding & Wildlife Tours
Afternoon Hayride - FILLED
Black Rails and the St Johns N.W.R. - FILLEDBirding and Wildlife Tours (cont.)
Blue Heron Wetlands & Canaveral Marshes - FILLED
Central Florida Specialties
Hal Scott Regional Preserve - FILLED
Joshua Creek Tract
Lake Monroe Conservation Area
Little-Big Econ State Forest - FILLED
Marl Bed Flats, Lake Jesup Conservation Area
North Brevard Hotspots - FILLED
South Brevard County - FILLED
Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area
Viera Wetlands: Ritch Grisson Memorial
Zellwood & Lake ApopkaIndicates Filled or Cancelled Tour
I. 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.
CANCELLEDAncient & Modern Mariners of the Deep
Jan. 24, 8:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 27 registrants; $60
Michael Brothers (Marine Science Center) and David Hartgrove
Note: Please bring money for lunch at the beautiful Inlet Harbor Seafood Restaurant.
www.cccturtle.org
www.marinesciencecenter.com
www.ponceinlet.org
Join our leaders 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.
Dicerandra Scrub Sanctuary Walk
Jan. 22, 9:00am-12:00pm: Limited to 30 registrants; Free
Jay Barnhart, Jim Stahl and Dean Pettit
Directions: From I-95 take SR50 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 1 go west 0.7 miles on SR50. Turn left on Key Largo Drive - follow directions above. Note: Meet at the entrance to the Dicerandra Scrub Sanctuary.
www.enchantedforestfriends.org
www.eelbrevard.com
www.fnps.org
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 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.
Forest Biodiversity
Jan. 24, 2:45pm-4:30pm; Limited to 40 registrants; Free
Martha Pessaro with additional Certified Enchanted Forest Sanctuary Guides
Directions: Drive south on US1 through Titusville. About a mile south of town, drive west on SR405. The entrance is on the right, about 1/2 mile west of the US1 interchange.
Note: Meet at Enchanted Forest Sanctuary.
www.enchantedforestfriiends.org
www.eelbrevard.com
Explore three unique ecosystems. Learn about the plant and animals that live in the Sanctuary and thus contribute to the biodiversity of the area. The adaptations of these plants and animals will also be discussed and compared. How do animals that live in the hot, sunny xeric oak scrub ecosystem find water? How do plants that survive in the flooded hydric hammock ecosystem adapt to their surroundings? Join us for this guided hike to find out. Interactive educational activities will be conducted along the trail with the entire group.
Historical Sites of Canaveral National Seashore
Jan. 23, 8:30am-5:00pm: Limited to 26 registrants; $50
John Stiner (National Park Service), Rachel Wentz (Florida Public Archaeology Network) and David Hartgrove
Note: Please bring money for lunch at J.B.’s Fish Camp on Mosquito Lagoon.
www.nps.gov/cana
www.flpublicarchaeology.org
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.
Pelagic Birding Offshore Cape Canveral -- UPDATED 1/22/09The Pelagic Boat Trip is now filled.
Please register to be placed on the wait list.
Thank you for your interest and patience.Jan. 26, 6:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 105 registrants; $115
Debra Shearwater and Jim Danzenbaker with Jessie Barry, Wes Biggs, Jeff Bouton, Mike Brothers, Cameron Cox, Tom Dunkerton, Pete Dunne, Mike Freiberg, Murray Gardler, Dave Goodwin, Jeff Gordon, David Hartgrove, Paul Lehman, David Simpson, Sharon Stiteler, Bill Thompson III, Bob Wallace, and Chris Wood
Pelagic Trip Location Change - Click for directions and map.
Note: Meet in Port Canaveral at 5:45am.
Note: Back-up day - Jan. 27, 2009.
Note: 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!
www.dixiecrossroads.com
www.explorerfishing.net/
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, Explore,, as we steam out of Port Canaveral 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.
Plants & Their Uses through History from Ancient to Modern Times
Jan 24, 12:00pm-2:30pm: Limited to 20 registrants; Free - FILLED
Jay Barnhart and Jim Stahl
Directions: Drive south on US1 through Titusville. About a mile south of town, drive west on SR405. The entrance is on the right, about 1/2 mile west of the US1 interchange.
Note: Meet at Enchanted Forest Sanctuary.
www.enchantedforestfriends.org
http://efs.eelbrevard.com
Titusville’s 470-acre Enchanted Forest Sanctuary is the flagship property for the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program. Preserving a significant sample of the original natural communities, the incredible diversity found throughout the Sanctuary’s varied habitats include xeric oak scrub, mature hardwood forests, wetlands and pine flatwoods. In one of the few places in Central Florida where subtropical and temperate plant species are found together, visitors can also see the exposed layers of coquina rock that form the Atlantic Coastal Ridge.Learn to identify many of the various native plants found in the Sanctuary as well as practical information regarding their values and uses through the centuries. Your leisurely guided walk will begin on the well-named Biodiversity Loop Trail, which passes through dry scrub areas as it gently ascends to the sandy, higher elevation known as the Atlantic Coastal Ridge. From there it descends to humid wetlands and across a boardwalk that passes over a swampy ecosystem where the black topsoil is known as Tomoka muck. This will bring us to the beginning of the Magnolia Loop Trail, where we will continue under a dense mature forest canopy of impressively large southern magnolias and stately old oak trees. Traveling these diverse ecosystems will hopefully introduce you to many of our treasured Enchanted Forest Sanctuary plants as we provide some interesting stories associated with them. Your interpreters for this session will be trail guide volunteer and avid mushroom hobbyist Jay Barnhart and retired land manager and biologist Jim Stahl.
Wetlands Management & Alteration: Northern Indian River Lagoon
Jan. 24, 8:00am-10:30am; Limited to 5 cars or 25 registrants; $15
Dr. Eric Stolen
Note: Meet in front of the Gymnatorium at 7:45am in order to make carpool arrangements.
www.fws.gov/merrittisland/Maps-DrivesTrails/pages/BlackPointWildlifeDrive.html
www.nbbd.com/godo/minwr/BlackPoint/index.html
The northern Indian River estuary is a complex and biologically rich ecosystem that is home to a staggering 3000+ species of plants and animals. Over the past half-century, humans have drastically altered the wetland habitat within this estuary. Some species have benefited from these changes while others have suffered. Efforts currently underway are attempting to restore much of the wetland habitat in the northern IRL to its original state. The affects of restoration on waterbird populations here remains to be seen. This field trip will traverse the famed Black Point Wildlife Drive, to explore the history and current practice of structural marsh management on the Merritt Island NWR. We will also examine a variety of waterbird habitats and see examples of restoration in action. Throughout the journey, we will observe and identify the abundant waterbirds, salt marsh plants, and other salt marsh and estuarine organisms we encounter.
Wildflowers, Plants, & Other Things: Seminar & Field Trip in the North Brevard Area
Jan. 21, 8:00am-3:30pm: Rm. 119 first, then carpool field trip; Limited to 20 registrants; Free - FILLED
Jan. 23, 8:00am-3:30pm: Rm. 123 first, then carpool field trip; Free
Jim Stahl and Jay Barnhart
Note: We will carpool from the Gymnatorium, and a moderate amount of walking on dry trails will be required. Please bring money for lunch at one of Titusville’s fine historic downtown dining establishments.
www.floridawildflowers.com
www.fnps.org
Florida was named for the abundance of flowering plants that early explorers found here. Today the many habitats of Florida (hardwood and palm hammocks, deciduous forest, pine flatwoods, scrub, sand hills, prairie, coastal dunes, roadsides, marsh, swamp and riverine) support over 4000 species of native and naturalized wildflowers plus numerous exotics from the horticultural trade. This program will present slides of wildflowers, trees, shrubs, ferns and other plants with comments on their natural history, uses by people and wildlife, home landscaping values and occurrences. The presentation will highlight plants that can be seen during the festival week. Information on books for identifying and locations for finding Florida plants will be included.The field trip will present diverse habitats in and around Brevard County including 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.
Wild Side of the Kennedy Space Center
Jan. 25, 9:30am-12:00pm: Limited to 45 registrants; $40
Carlton Hall (Dynamac), Cameron Cox (Nikon), and Sarah Linney (FNAI)
Note: Pre-registration is a must! For the purpose of security at the Kennedy Space Center, we are restricted to offering this trip to U.S. citizens only.
Note: Departs ONLY from KSC Visitors Complex.Please Pick Up Your Tickets at the Registration Desk
www.KennedySpaceCenter.com
www.dynamac.com/clientsprojects/ksc.asp
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, scrub habitat management, wetlands management and potential impacts of NASA operations including launch effects. Some endangered wildlife you might see include the Florida manatee, Wood Stork, and the Florida Scrub-Jay. The tour will travel along parts of the nation's most biologically diverse estuary, the Indian River Lagoon and Banana River, through Florida scrub, along the coastal strand and beach, and past many of NASA’s facilities.
II. Birding & Wildlife Tours
Afternoon Hayride
Jan 24, 2:00pm-5:30pm: Limited to 20 registrants; $20
Dorn Whitmore and Mike Legare (USFWS)
Note: Meet at the entrance to the Black Point Wildlife Dr. on MINWR.
Note: Park on the grass along the road - make sure your car is off the road. The hay wagon will return to the departure point. Bring water and snacks and dress warmly!
www.fws.gov/merrittisland
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!
Black Rails and the St Johns National Wildlife Refuge - FILLED
Jan. 21, 22, & 23, 4:00pm-7:00pm: Limited to 20 registrants; $25
Mike Legare and Dorn Whitmore (USFWS); Jan. 21 & 22 with Adam Kent (FWC); Jan. 23 with Simon Thompson (Ventures Birding Tours)
Note: Meet in front of the Gymnatorium at 3:45pm to compress into a car pool that utilizes as few cars as possible.
Note: Dress warmly - it will be chilly on the marsh. Wear old shoes and bring water.
www.fws.gov/merrittisland
Blue Heron Wetlands & Canaveral Marshes Conservation Area
Jan. 23 & 25, 6:30am-12:00pm: Limited to 26 registrants; $20 - filled
Matt & Lora Heyden; Jan. 23 with Mike Freiberg (Nikon) and Chris Wood, (WINGS); Jan. 25 with Dave Goodwin and Wes Biggs (Florida Nature Tours)
Note: Meet at south side of Cracker Barrel parking lot at 6:30am, I-95 Exit 215.
Note: Birders may get their feet damp on the moderate hike at Canaveral Marshes.
www.outintheboonies.com/Canaveral_Marshes
www.nbbd.com/godo/SJRWMD-RecreationAreas.html
www.abouttitusville.com/outdoors/hiking/
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 at Blue Heron.
Central Florida Specialties
Jan. 23 & 24, 5:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 42 registrants; $70
Wes Biggs (Florida Nature Tours) and Dave Goodwin; Jan. 23 with Roy Book; Jan. 24 with Bruce Anderson
Note: Price includes lunch at Forever Florida wilderness preserve.
www.nikonsportoptics.com
www.foreverflorida.com
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 sites to be visited include Whaley’s Landing, Cypress Lake and Lake Kissimmee.
Hal Scott Regional Preserve
Jan. 25, 5:45am-12:00pm: Limited to 25 registrants; $40 - FILLED
Lorne Malo (SJRWMD), Jeff Bouton (Leica Sport Optics), and Sam Fried (Flights of Fancy Adventures)
Note: This is a 4-mile walk, some of which may pass through mud and standing water. Dress accordingly.
www.dep.state.fl.us/water/wetlands/docs/delineation/halscott.pdf
http://nbbd.com/godo/SJRWMD-RecreationAreas.html
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.
Joshua Creek Tract
Jan. 23 & 24, 6:00am-12:00pm: Limited to 21 registrants: $20 - January 24 trip filled
Lorne Malo (SJRWMD); Jan. 23 with Maria Zondervan (SJRWMD) and Bruce Anderson; Jan. 24 with Kevin Karlson (Kevin T. Karlson Photography) and Tom Dunkerton (Nikon)
Note: Meet in front of the Gymnatorium at 5:45am. This is a primitive site. This carpool adventure will involve driving to reach various habitats and then some moderate walking. Be aware that you may drive through underbrush that could scratch your vehicle. Roads at the site selected for this field trip will be passable without 4-wheel drive.
Note: Some of the areas may be wet and muddy so be sure to dress appropriately.
This is a very rare opportunity to explore the Joshua Creek Tract - one of the latest land acquisitions to the Little Big Econ State Forest. Not yet open to the general public, this 4569-acre property lies almost entirely in Orange County adjoining Orlando Wetlands Park to the south and Seminole Ranch Conservation Area to the east. It is one of three large tracts that are part of the Econ - St. Johns Ecosystem Florida Forever project. The site is drained by four creeks and contains riverine swamp, pine flatwoods, sandhill, oak scrub and pasture. Nesting Bald Eagles, Red-headed Woodpeckers, Pileated Woodpeckers, Brown-headed Nuthatches, Eastern Bluebirds, Bachman’s Sparrows, and Sandhill Cranes are resident here. Many of the usual over-wintering passerines can be found here in January. Unusual species like the Short-tailed hawk and Yellow Rail have also been recorded on this property.
Lake Monroe Conservation Area
Jan. 21, 6:00am-12:00pm: Limited to 26 registrants; $20
Lorne Malo (SJRWMD), Maria Zondervan (SJRWMD), Luis Segura (Trogon Tours) and Cameron Cox (Nikon)
Note: Meet in front of the Gymnatorium at 5:45am in order to make car pool arrangements.
Note: This is a 4-mile walk, some of which may pass through mud and standing water. Dress accordingly.
www.sjrwmd.com/recreationguide/sc05/
http://nbbd.com/godo/SJRWMD-RecreationAreas.html
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 three 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
Little-Big Econ State Forest
Jan. 22, 6:00am-12:00pm: Limited to 26 registrants; $20 - filled
Lorne Malo (SJRWD), Carlos Bethancourt (Canopy Tower), David Hartgrove, Kevin Karlson (Kevin T. Karlson Photography)
Note: Meet in front of the Gymnatorium at 5:45am in order to make car poolarrangements.
Note: Walking distance for combined sites will be about 5 miles, some of which may be through mud and standing water.
www.fl-dof.com/state_forests/little_big_econ.html
www.fl-dof.com/state_forests/little_snowhill_trailmap.html
http://nbbd.com/godo/SJRWMD-RecreationAreas.html
Snowy Egret.
Photo by Joanne WilliamsMarl Bed Flats, Lake Jesup Conservation Area
Jan. 21 , 22 & 25, 6:00am-12:00pm: Limited to 26 registrants; $20 - 1/22 & 25 FILLED
Tom Dunkerton (Nikon); Jan. 21 with Sam Fried (Flights of Fancy Adventures), David Hartgrove, and Debra Shearwater (Shearwater Journeys); Jan. 22 with Jessie Barry (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), Xavier Munoz (Neblina Forest), and Cameron Cox (Nikon); Jan. 25 with Pete Dunne (Cape May Observatory), Mike Freiberg (Nikon), and Kevin Karlson (Kevin T. Karlson Photography)
Note: Meet in front of the Gymnatorium at 5:45am in order to make car pool arrangements.
Note: Be prepared to walk 2 to 3 miles, some of which may be through mud and standing water.
http://nbbd.com/godo/SJRWMD-RecreationAreas.html (Lake Jessup Conservation Area)
The hammock is home to Great Horned and Barred Owls as well as wintering migrants such as Yellow-throated, Black and White, Orange-crowned warblers, Northern Parula, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Blue-headed Vireos, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and more. As we exit the hammock, we will walk out onto the floodplains of Lake Jessup. The marsh vegetation and surrounding pastures can be filled with many surprises like Henslow’s and LeConte’s and Lincoln Sparrows, a male Vermillion Flycatcher, and American Woodcock. Countless Eastern Meadowlarks in addition to Savannah Sparrows, American Pipits, Least Sandpipers and other shorebirds can be encountered here while Bald Eagles, Northern Harriers, Peregrine Falcons and other raptors patrol the skies above us.
This is sure to be an adventurous morning hike for any skill level of birding. It can sometimes be a bit wet in some of these areas so rubber boots are recommended as well as insect repellent. It is also a fairy lengthy walk so water and trail snacks are advised.
North Brevard Hotspots
Jan. 21, 22, 23, & 24, 6:30am-12:00pm: Limited to 25 registrants; $40
Doug Stuckey; Jan. 21 with Carlos Bethancourt (Canopy Tower), Bruce Anderson, Susan Epps; Jan. 22 with Bruce Anderson, Susan Epps, Luis Segura (Trogon Tours); Jan. 23 with Jason Frederick, Adam Kent and Jeff Gordon (Leica); Jan. 24 with Roy Book, Jonathan Rosen and Chris Wood (WINGS)
Note: This field trip requires some moderate walking.
http://canopytower.com/
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 112 species accumulated on the three field trips. Specific sites to be visited will be determined during pre-festival scouting trips.
South Brevard County
Jan. 21 & 22, 4:30am-4:30pm: Limited to 19 registrants; $65 - FILLED
David Simpson (Birding with David Simpson); Jan. 21 with Murray Gardler and Paul Lehman (WINGS); Jan. 22 with Jason Frederick and Sharon Stiteler (BirdChick Blog)
Note: Please bring money for lunch, served at Marsh Landing Restaurant located in the historic Fellsmere Estates Building.
Note: At the Buffer Preserve, participants will sit on hay bales in the back of pick-up trucks. Some walking on dikes may be required for moderate distances.
www.nikonsportoptics.com
Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area
Jan. 21, 22, & 23, 6:00am-12:00pm, Limited to 26 registrants; $40 - 1/22 FILLED
Casey Dorsch (FWCC) and Jim Blush (FWCC); Jan. 21 with Roy Book, Xavier Munoz (Neblina Forest); Jan. 22 with Roy Book, Mark Kiser (GFBT), Jan. 23 with Mark Kiser (GFBT) and Selena Kiser (GFBT)
www.myfwc.com/recreation/tosohatchee
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.
Viera Wetlands: Ritch Grisson Memorial Wetlands at Viera
Jan. 21, 23, 24, & 25, 6:00am-12:00pm: Limited to 26 registrants; $40
Dave Freeland; Jan. 21 with Jeff Gordon (Leica), and Sharon Stiteler (BirdChick Blog); Jan. 23 with Jonathan Rosen and Sharon Stiteler (BirdChick Blog); Jan. 24 with Pete Dunne (Cape May Observatory) and Andy Bankert; Jan. 25 with Paul Lehman (WINGS) and Chris Wood (WINGS)
www.pepsi.com
www.spacecoastbirding.com/articles/FirstMangroveSwallow.pdf
www.brevardcounty.us/environmental_management/VieraWetlands-Home.cfm
Zellwood & Lake Apopka
Jan. 22, 23, & 24; 5:00am-5:00pm: Limited to 30 registrants; $70
Jan. 22: Jim Peterson (SJRWMD), Pete Dunne (Cape May Observatory), Dave Goodwin, and Wes Biggs (Florida Nature Tours)
Jan. 23: Pam Bowen (SJRWMD), Alvaro Jaramillo (Field Guides) and Sam Fried (Flights of Fancy Adventures)
Jan. 24: Gian Basili (SJRWMD), Paul Lehman (WINGS), David Simpson (Birding with David Simpson)
Note: Box lunches by Hot Stuff Catering.
www.eagleoptics.com
http://nbbd.com/godo/SJRWMD-RecreationAreas.html
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.
Field trip with Kevin Karlson during SCBWF08.
Photo by Ray ScoryAbout half of the area remains closed to the general public, but more areas will be opened in the next few years. Despite 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 shownup as well as 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 the other rarities that have been found there over the years.
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