Florida Keys Birding and Wildlife Festival

The Twelfth Annual Florida Keys Birding and Wildlife Festival, located in the subtropical Florida Keys, is scheduled for September 22 through 26, 2010 and will be anchored at Curry Hammock State Park, MM 56.2, Marathon, FL. Additional information is available by calling Jim Bell at the National Key Deer Refuge Visitor Center at 305-872-0774 or Curry Hammock State Park at 305-289-2690. Register by calling Bruce Horn at 305-852-4486 or emailing Bruce Horn at bruce@fkwbc.org.

FEES
There is a general registration fee of $10 for a variety of day time programs and field trips throughout the Florida Keys. There are separate fees for other trips and programs. There are no admission fees to Curry Hammock State Park for the Environmental Fair, wildlife art show, and Family Day on Saturday, September 25. The Friday night program with Pete Dunne is a stand alone fee; the $10 general registration is not required. Registration for both the Friday night social and Saturday guided walk with Pete Dunne will include a waiver of the $10 general registration fee. Consult the registrar, Bruce Horn for details at 305-852-4486, or bruce@fkwbc.org.

Wednesday & Thursday, September 22nd & 23rd.

Guided Ecotour of Torchwood Hammock Preserve

MM 28 Oceanside, Follow Pirates Rd South to bend on Little Torch Key
Wednesday 9 am
Free with $10 Registration
Join The Nature Conservancy's Alison Higgins for a guided ecotour of their Torchwood Hammock Preserve. Over 100 species of plants and a multitude of birds and other species call this secluded preserve home. Come join a limited number of people in an entertaining walk through this endangered habitat. Wear clothes for hiking and bring some water.

Hammock Walk

Curry Hammock State Park Nature Trail, MM 56.2 bayside
Wednesday 10 am
Leader: Lance Romance
Free with $10 Registration Join a Curry Hammock State Park Ranger for a walk through the hammock, focusing on the difficulty of surviving in such a seemingly lush place.

Botanical and Wildlife Tour of No Name Key

National Key Deer Refuge Visitor Center, Big Pine Key, mm 30.3
Thursday 9:00am-11:00 am
Free with Event Registration, Limited to 2-15 people
Group will travel to No Name Key to explore the hardwood hammock, freshwater wetlands and saltmarsh habitats and the creatures that live there. Bring binoculars, camera, birding guide, sunscreen, insect repellant, hat, water and a snack. Need footwear for possibly muddy trails. Restrooms and waterfountain available in VC. Water bottles for sale in VC sales area.

Friday September 24th

Opening Reception – sponsored by Friends And Volunteers Of Refuges (FAVOR)

Join our keynote speaker, internationally known Ornithologist Peter Dunne. Pete will be speaking on “25 Things That Changed Birding”. Afterwards, Pete will have a book signing on his latest writing. One may bring their copy or purchase a book at the social. Inform the event registrar if you wish to purchase a book and which book. The event will be held at the Marathon Garden Club, mile marker 49.9 on US 1, gulf side, Marathon from 6 – 9 pm. Refreshments and hors d’oeuvres will be served. Admission fee is $25 before September 10 and $30 after September 10 and at door. Seating is limited to 100.

Pete is Director of the Audubon Cape May Bird Observatory, vice President of the New Jersey Audubon Society and founder of the World Series of Birding. He has written numerous books – Bayshore Summer, Prairie Spring; Pete Dunne On Birding; The Wind Masters; Hawks In Flight; and Pete Dunne’s Essential Field Guide Companion. He is a regular columnist in a number of birding publications such as American Birds, Birding, Living Bird, Birder’s World and WildBird, the New Jersey Sunday Section of the New York Times. He conducts frequent speaking engagements in the United States, Canada and abroad, he weaves information, insight and even fantasy into a net that captures minds and hearts. For more on his biography, click here.

Friday 24th, 8 am - 11 am
Guided Tour of Ohio Key
Where: MM 39. Ocean side, across from Sunshine Key Campground
Length: 3 hours
Cost: FREE with registration
View the birds of Ohio Key along the Atlantic Ocean and a salt water wetland with refuge staff. The coastline and mudflats provide a great viewing of herons, egrets, terns, and many offishore birds.Guided birding tour for amateur and experienced birders. Binoculars will be provided. No limitation to age terrain is easy to moderate. Bring binoculars (also provided for those without) birding guide, sunscreen, hat, and water. If you park on the Gulf side, use caution crossing US 1. Minimum # is 2, maximum # is 10.

Friday 1 PM - 3 PM, 2 hours
Botanical and Wildlife Tour of No Name Key
Explore the hardwood hammock, freshwater wetlands and saltmarsh habitats of No Name Key and observe the adaptatons of the creatures that live there.
Meet: National Key Deer Refuge Visitor Center, Big Pine Key, 1/4 mile north of the US 1 traffic light, mm 30.3 in the Big Pine Key Plaza. Group will travel to No Name Key, 5 miles away
Cost: FREE with $10 registration
Minimum - 2, Maximum 15
Bring binoculars, camera, birding guide, sunscreen, insect repellant hat, water and a snack. Need footwear for possibly muddy trails. Restrooms and waterfountain available in VC. Water bottles for sale in VC sales area. RSVP with event registrar by Close of business Thursday 23rd.

Saturday September 25th

BIRDING FIELD TRIP WITH PETE DUNNE – sponsored by the Friends And Volunteers Of Refuges (FAVOR)

Join Pete for a morning birding field trip at National Key Deer Refuge on Big Pine Key from 7:30 am to 11:30 am. Pete will seek out birds in the pine rockland, hardwood and mangrove forests, freshwater and saltwater wetlands. Assisting Pete will be Refuge ecologist and ornithologist Phillip Hughes. Afterwards, join Pete for a book signing at the Keydeer Bookstore. See the registration form for fees. The field trip and book signing will start at the Keydeer bookstore, located in the Big Pine Key Plaza, Big Pine Key, located gulf side, 1/4 mile north of the traffic light on US 1, mile marker 30.3.

ENVIRONMENTAL FAIR – sponsored by the Friends of Islamorada Area State Parks

Free, fun-filled day at Curry Hammock SP

 Fun for people of all ages, including kids and kids-at-heart

 “Artists in Paradise” will be showcasing wildlife art exhibits by local artists

 Hands-on outdoor activities:

• Seine for fish and aquatic creatures in shallow seagrass beds
• Guided beach hike & kayak tours
• Free fishing and fly-fishing clinics

 Must-see Florida wildlife expo with Everglades Outpost at Curry Hammock

• see living examples of our Florida panther, alligator, crocodile, etc

 Visit dozens of booths sponsored by local resource agencies and non-profit organizations, including FWC’s touch tank, puppet shows, Florida State Parks and the National Key Deer Refuge

• Win a free t-shirt or visor with our scavenger hunt

 Food (burgers, water, soda) provided at nominal fee by Friends of Islamorada Area State Parks or bring your own.

PROGRAMS

Join us for a series of lectures at Crane Point Hammock, mile marker 50. Speakers are still TBD. Check the website periodically for a list of speakers. Participation is free with the general registration.

Saturday 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM, 1 hour
Kayak trip around Curry Hammock
Kayak through mangrove swamps, seagrass beds and nearshore habitats. Examine the ecology of these fragile ecosystems and identify some of the creatures that call these habitats, home.
Meet at the Curry Hammock State Park kayak rack.
Minimum - 2, Maximum 15

Cost: free with your own kayak, $15/$10 double or single rental at park office. Park entrance fees are waived for the day. Bring binoculars, camera, sunscreen, hat, water and if desired a snack. Bathing suits recommended. Water source available at nearby restroom RSVP with event registrar. Deadline is Saturday morning 12 noon.

Saturday, 9/25 - 6:30 pm wine and cheese social, program 7:30pm - 9pm
Capturing Birds and Wildlife "Through The Lens"

Where: Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center, Key West
Cost: $5.00, rsvp with Festival registrar
Presenter: Dick Fortune and Sara Lopez,Through The Lens Gallery

Award winning nature photographers Dick Fortune & Sara Lopez will be giving an up close and personal photographic presentation of South Florida's birds and wildlife as seen through the lens. The presentation will include a unique collection of nature's feathers, fins and furs as seen through the powerful thelephoto eyes of this artistic couple. They will be providing the audience with simple tips on taking images to the next level, so come and join them for an evening of learning and fun! Also, Dick and Sara will be at Ft. Jefferson on Sunday and are very approachable for advise, bring your cameras with you!

Sunday September 26

Special Sunday Field Trip!

On Sunday, join avid Florida Keys birder Dr. Mark Whiteside, Florida Keys Audubon, 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. Participants need to make their own ferry reservations on either the Sunny Days Fast Cat, 305-296-5556 or Yankee Freedom, 305-294-7009. Fees depend on residency and whether you have a Federal Lands pass. The birding trip is limited to 20 and the fee is $25 if registering before September 1 and $30 after September 1. This event was filled the last two years, so register early. By the time of the event, there may only be one ferry operating to the Dry Tortugas – the Yankee Freedom.

EVENTS IN BRIEF

*Some activities below have limited space and require reservations which can be made by calling 305-852-4486. Participation in most field trips and programs requires pre-registration. There is a 24 hour cancellation notice required. No trips or programs will be postponed past September 30, 2010.

Time	Additional Fee	Sponsor/Presenter	Description
September 22-26, 2010	$10	Florida Keys Birding & Wildlife Festival	General registration fee. Waived if registered for the Keynote speaker and field trip. Not required for Keynote speaker, Friday September 24.
Sept. 24, 7 – 9pm	$25 < 9/1, $30 > 9/1, & at the door	Pete Dunne	Keynote speaker – 25 Things That Changed Birding
Sept. 25, 7:30-11:30am	Pete Dunne	$50	Guided walk, limit 20
Sept. 25, 12:00 noon	Pete Dunne	free	Book signing at Keydeer Bookstore
Sept. 26, 8 - 5	$25 < 9/1, $50> 9/1	Mark Whiteside	Dry Tortugas trip, limit 20

Motel Information

Coconut Cay Resort, MM 51, Bayside on the south (west) end of the Marathon Airport, 305-289-7672 Mention the Birding Festival to get a special rate!

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

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.

For more information