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2009 Southwest Florida Birding and Wildlife Festival
 5th Annual Southwest Florida Birding & Wildlife Festival January 16-18, 2009 Whether you are a birding expert or simply enjoy wildlife, save the date for the Fifth Annual Southwest Florida Birding and Wildlife Festival at Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. This event provides an excellent opportunity to learn about birds and the rich wildlife of this region. Presentations by bird and wildlife experts, live raptors and a host of activities relating to wildlife biology and conservation will be offered at the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center January 16-18 from 10 am to 3 pm. Presentations The 2009 festival will kick-off on Friday at 12:00 with presentations including Birding Basics: Binoculars and Field Guides Randy McCormick, Environmental Manager at Rookery Bay Reserve  The Keynote Presentation at 7 pm will feature:Bob Montanaro, a long-time volunteer at Pelican Island and Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge and Founder of OspreyWatch. His program, Ospreys of Pelican Island: An Exploration into the Life of the Fish Hawk, is sure to enlighten and inspire osprey enthusiasts by providing an intimate look at osprey pairs through still photos and video footage. Learn more about Bob and his OspreyWatch program at www.ospreywatch.org There is no additional charge for the keynote presentation but registration is required. Registration will open on November 7. Throughout the weekend, scheduled presentations also include: Butterflies of Southwest Florida Mike Malloy What’s for Lunch: What Birds Eat Dr. Jerry Jackson, Florida Gulf Coast University Cormorants Ted Below, Rookery Bay Reserve Project EagleWatch Lynda White, Audubon Center for Birds of Prey Wetlands, Wilderness, and Wildlife in the Florida Panther and Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuges Larry Richardson, US Fish & Wildlife Service The Magic of Tigertail Charlette Roman, Friends of Tigertail Coyotes in Florida: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Dr. Marty Main, University of Florida The Florida that Time Forgot Mark Renz A complete schedule of presentations will be posted shortly. Activities On-site activities throughout the weekend include:
 Field TripsA highlight of the festival is the opportunity to participate in guided trips to 18 locations around the region, including Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Sand Dollar Lagoon, and the Ten Thousand Islands. Space on field trips is limited and pre-registration is required to participate. More festival details will be made available in the coming weeks. Check back for field trip specifics and online registration after November 7. |
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