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Florida Keys Birding and Wildlife Festival
PO Box 500953
Marathon, FL 33050
305-852-4486

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Tenth Annual

Florida Keys Birding and Wildlife Festival

September 26 - 28, 2008

The Tenth Annual Florida Keys Birding and Wildlife Festival is scheduled for September 26 through 28 and will be anchored at Curry Hammock State Park, MM 56.2, Marathon, FL. Additional information is available by calling the Key Deer Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center at 305-872-0774 or Curry Hammock State Park at 305-289-2690. Register by calling 305-852-4486.

Friday September 26th

Special Friday Field Trip
On Friday, join professional birder Larry Manfredi for an all-day birding excursion in search of pelagic birds off the Upper and Middle Keys. The trip will leave from Key Largo in the morning, time TBA. Sorry, this trip is fully booked!
*Some activities below have limited space and require reservations, these may be made by calling 305-852-4486. Participation in most field trips requires registration.

Field Trips

Time Additional Fee Sponsor/Presenter Description

TBA $99 Pelagic Tour, above

9 AM $10 kayak rental additional $10 if needed Greenways and Trails Kayak tour leaving from Curry Hammock

10A/1P/4P $15 Turtle Hospital Behind the scenes tour

All day, orientation on the hour and half-hour $19.50 2 for 1, $16.50 kids and seniors Dolphin Research Cemter Dolphin Research Center

All Day, feeding at 3:30 donation accepted Florida Wild Bird Center Self guided tour avalable all day

Opening Reception

An opening event will be held the Marathon Garden Club, with dinner, a silent auction, and our keynote speaker.

Our keynote speaker is Roger L. Hammer, a native Floridian from Cocoa Beach and has lived in Homestead, Florida, since 1969. He has been a professional naturalist and director of Castellow Hammock Nature Center for the Miami-Dade Parks Department since 1977. He is also a part-time instructor and field trip leader for Fairchild Tropical Garden in Coral Gables.
He received the first Marjory Stoneman Douglas Award presented by the Dade Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society in 1982 for "outstanding, consistent, and constant service in the areas of education, research, promotion, and preservation of native plants". Tropical Audubon Society awarded him the Charles Brookfield Medal in 1996 for "outstanding service in the protection of out natural resources". In 2003 he received the Green Palmetto Award for education from the Florida Native Plant Society.

Saturday September 27th

Field Trips
*Some activities below have limited space and require reservations, these may be made by calling 305-852-4486. Participation in most field trips requires registration.
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Time Additional Fee Sponsor/Presenter Description

9 AM $10 kayak rental additional $10 if needed Monica Wall Kayak tour leaving from Curry Hammock

9 AM $25 Florida Park Service travel by van between three state parks, walk the hammocks guided by the park biologist

9 AM and 6 PM $10 Key West Botanical Garden tour plants and wildlife guided by a botanist and biologist

10A/1P/4P $15 Turtle Hospital Behind the scenes tour

All day, orientation on the hour and half-hour $19.50 2 for 1, $16.50 kids and seniors Dolphin Research Cemter Dolphin Research Center

All Day, feeding at 3:30 donation accepted Florida Wild Bird Center Self guided tour avalable all day

Offsite Programs
A series of illustrated lectures will be hosted at Crane Point Hammock. Festival registration is required to attend.

Time Presenter Description

10 AM Jeanette Hobbs Benefits of Multi-agency Restoration of Keys Habitats

11 AM Todd Hitchins Oviewview of Unique Keys Habitats, FKNMS Conservation Strategy

12 PM Elston Chavarria Florida's Neotropical Migratory Birds and Their Relationship to Nicaragua

1 PM Kim Gambel Common Landscape Problems, and Solving Them With Environmentally Friendly Practices

Environmental Fair
Curry Hammock will be the site of an Environmental Fair from 10 AM until 4 PM. There will be booths manned by many local environmental groups and agencies, as well as vendor booths. Admission is free.

Evening Program

Saturday evening Curry Hammock State Park will be open past the usual close of sunset for a concert by Valerie Wisecracker, an astronomy program, and a marshmallow roast for the kids. Admission is free.

Sunday September 28

Special Sunday Field Trip!
On Sunday, join professional birder Larry Manfredi for an all-day birding excursion to Dry Tortugas National Park. This trip boards at 7:30 AM in Key West and returns around 5 PM. Cost is $179 (discounts for student, child, senior, and military), and includes continental breakfast and lunch. Reservations are required. A special rate of $129 is available to Florida Keys residents with valid photo ID. See details on registration form (coming soon!).

Field Trips
Check back for details and additonal offerings as they become available.

Time Additional Fee Sponsor/Presenter Description

7:30 AM varies, see above Larry Manfredi Birding in the Dry Tortugas, details above

9 AM $10 Monica Wall Bike tour, 4 miles of Overseas Heritage Trail

9 AM and 6 PM $10 Key West Botanical Garden tour plants and wildlife guided by a botanist and biologist

10A/1P/4P $15 Turtle Hospital Behind the scenes tour

All Day, feeding at 3:30 donation accepted Florida Wild Bird Center Self guided tour avalable all day

All day, orientation on the hour and half-hour $19.50 2 for 1, $16.50 kids and seniors Dolphin Research Cemter Dolphin Research Center

Early Arrival Programs

If you arrive early in the Keys, some additional field trips are available.
Wednesday, September 24 at 10 AM, join a Curry Hammock State Park ranger for a 90 minute walk through a palm hammock, focusing on the struggle of life in this seeming paradise. Free for festival registrants, space is limited.
Thursday, September 25 at 11 AM, join a Curry Hammock State Park ranger for a 90 minute paadle around Little Crawl Key, including a section along a twisting, narrow manrgove creek. This tour focuses on how easily man damages the mangrove and seagrass communities. Park entrance waived for festival registrants, bring your own kayaks or rent from the park ($16 single, $20 double plus tax). Space is limited.
On both Wednesday September 24 and Thursday September 25, at 10 AM join a National Park Ranger for a tour through a closed area of Upper Key Largo hardwood hammock, home to several champion trees.

Camping Information

This year, Curry Hammock State Park's campground will be open for camping during the festival. Sites are reserved through Reserve America. Price is $31.49 a night including tax, all sites have water and 50/30/20 amp electric service, and there is a dump station in the campground.

Motel Information

Ranch House Motel, MM 51 Oceanside on the south (west) end of the the Marathon Airport. 305-743-2217. Very clean.

Coconut Cay Resort, MM 51, Bayside on the south (west) end of the Marathon Airport, 305-289-7672

Flamingo Inn, MM 59.3, 59299 Overseas Hwy., Grassy Key. 305-289-1478.

Holiday Inn, Marathon, MM 54, 132010 Overseas Hwy, 305-289-0222 or 800-224-5053.

Gulfview Motel, MM 58.5, 58743 Overseas Hwy, Grassy Key. 305-289-1414.

Yellowtail Inn, MM 58 Grassy Key (pet friendly). 305-743-8400 or 800-605-7475.