October Florida Birding and Nature Festival Speakers and Events


Best-selling author and world-renowned conservationist Carl Safina and woodpecker expert Stephen Shunk will be the keynote speakers at this year's Florida Birding and Nature Festival Oct. 20-23. 
The festival will be headquartered at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center, 6650 Dickman Road in Apollo Beach. The annual event coincides with the peak migration of more than 180 species and features expert-led field and boating trips to the best wildlife sites in West Central Florida. 
Trips include the Cross Bar Ranch in Spring Hill; Circle B Bar Reserve in Polk County; Egmont Key and Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve in Hillsborough County; and Honeymoon Island and Fort DeSoto Park in Pinellas County. A cross-Florida bus trip will offer participants the chance to see a wide variety of birds, including rarities such as the Crested Caracara and the Florida Scrub Jay. One outing will identify butterflies. 
Some of the trips are to areas normally not open to the public. 
Space is limited, so early registration is advised. 
The festival also will offer two days of seminars, where experts will cover topics such as anhingas, alligators, short-tailed hawks, tarpon, black skimmers, and dragonflies. The sessions also will be available on Zoom. 
A Nature Expo on Friday, Oct. 21, and Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Conservation Center, which is adjacent to TECO's Manatee Viewing Center, will feature displays from numerous environmental organizations, nature-related businesses, and artists. Exhibitors will have artwork, binoculars, bird boxes and other products for nature lovers. A silent auction will be held each of the Nature Expo. 
Safina, the winner of a MacArthur "genius" prize, is the author of numerous award-winning books, including the classic, "Song for The Blue Ocean." His latest is "Becoming Wild: How Animal Cultures Raise Families, Create Beauty and Achieve Peace." He hosted the PBS Series "Saving the Ocean with Carl Safina." He will speak Saturday evening.
Shunk, a founder of the Oregon Birding Trails Program, is the author of the "Peterson Reference Guide to Woodpeckers of North America." He has studied woodpeckers for more than 20 years and leads birding and natural history tours throughout the Americas, as well as destinations in Asia and Europe. 
Prior to both keynote presentations, there will be a dinner buffet, including delicious hors d'oeuvres, and a beer and wine cash bar. 
Both keynotes will be at the Suncoast Youth Conservation, an education facility established through a collaboration of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tampa Electric Co., and The Florida Aquarium. For more information and to register, go to www.fbnfestival.org.
 
 
 

Popular posts from this blog

How to Renew Your Membership in Tampa Audubon

Image
Renew your membership directly through Tampa Audubon so we get the funds sooner. (There are often extended delays in processing memberships made though National Audubon.) It's very easy to renew your membership. Use one of the methods listed below: 1. On our  website  - OR - 2.  Download the application  form from our website and mail it in with your check - OR - 3. Cut the address label from the Audubon magazine and send it with your check to: Tampa Audubon Society, P.O. Box 320025, Tampa, FL 33679 We will then forward your renewal to National Audubon.
Read more

2022 TAS Photo Contest Now Open!

The Tampa Audubon Photo Contest is now open for submissions!  You may enter the contest now through December 31, 2022.  To enter, visit the TAS website and follow the link to the contest page ( https://www.tampaaudubon.org/photo-contest ). As in previous contests, we have three categories: 1) Birds, 2) Native Plants, and 3) Wildlife, Habitats & Landscapes.   Feel free to enter as many photos as you would like; there is no limit.  TAS members receive a discounted rate of $5/photo entry, and non—members pay $10/photo.  If you are not a member, please consider joining TAS to take advantage of the member rate. You will also be joining a wonderful community. Winners of the contest will be determined by a panel of photography and naturalist expert judges.  The judges will evaluate each photo on technical quality, originality, and artistic merit.  In addition, a People’s Choice Award will be decided through an online voting platform. You can see all photos submitted by visiting this websi
Read more

President's Message: January 2023

Image
 Hello Fellow Tampa Audubon Member, Ann Paul, President Tampa Audubon Sometimes I get asked, “What is the Tampa Audubon Society and why should I become a member?”   First, Tampa Audubon Society is a non-profit Florida corporation committed to conserving birds and wildlife. We do this by focusing on protecting and restoring the habitats where animals live, find food, survive and raise their young. The tools we use for this mission are educating the public, serving as advocates for regional preserves and wildlife and offering opportunities for the community to become involved in our efforts.     Established in the 1940s and incorporated as a nonprofit Florida corporation in 1972, Tampa Audubon Society is a chapter of the National Audubon Society and Audubon Florida. We serve Hillsborough County, the greater Tampa Bay area and its suburbs, from Citrus Park to Bayshore and from Odessa to Plant City. We are the local affiliate of the larger National Audubon Society, which focuses on issues
Read more