Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival Coming in November

The Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival offers a rare opportunity to interact with some of the world’s leading ornithologists, wildlife biologists and naturalists through a comprehensive collection of field trips, seminars, workshops, boat trips, kayak adventures and social gatherings. This exciting event features more than 170 activities filling five days and nights with non-stop fun and learning. Added emphasis is placed on the unique cutting edge technology, history and culture of the area.

Birding luminaries Kenn Kauffman and Pete Dunne will lead an all-star cast of speakers and field trip leaders who will introduce you to an amazing world of birds, butterflies, bats, manatees, sea turtles, reptiles, fish and more. You’ll have an opportunity to go sailing on the Wanderer, a unique replica of a 1903 Grand Banks Schooner—60 feet long, carrying five sails on double masts that reach 45 feet in the air. Or you can journey offshore on an 85 foot fishing vessel to look for some of Florida’s most sought-after birds: pelagics ‚ birds who spend their entire lives at sea. Numerous guided trips will visit special birding and wildlife areas, as well as cultural sites, within a six-county area. A large exhibit hall will feature booths hosted by optics and camera dealers, kayak retailers, nature and wildlife crafters, artists, photographers, governmental agencies and environmental organizations.

World renowned wildlife photographers Arthur Morris (perhaps the world’s premier bird photographer), Joanne Williams and Milton Heiberg will offer classes and field workshops. An extensive list of 18 different photography activities and presentations includes everything from Beginning Wildlife Photography classes and lessons on how to improve your photographs to macrophotography. Slide and multimedia presentations by six different accomplished photographers will feature a visual odyssey of diverse wildlife and stunning landscapes. It is not often that the chance to interact with so many exceptional photographers at one single event presents itself.

New this year will be presentations by UNC professor, Andrew Shepard, who studies the beautiful deep water Ivory Tree Coral. Offshore Florida’s Space Coast is the only place in the world this very rare species of coral grows. Andrew will bring along a Remotely Operated submersible Vehicle (ROV) to do live demonstrations of how the equipment is used to study reefs. Archaeologist, Tom Penders, will talk about the pre-history of Brevard County, including ancient mound-building civilizations and Titusville’s Windover Archaeological Dig, which revealed remarkable clues about the lives of Native Americans who lived near a small pond 4,000 years before Christ was born and 2,000 years before the pyramids were built. Fred Anderka, Holohil International, designs satellite telemetry transmitters, which are used to track locations of some of the smallest insects to the world’s largest animal, the Blue Whale. Fred’s transmitters are currently being used in local projects involving tracking of mottled ducks, bobcats, indigo snakes, leatherback sea turtles and more.

With the assistance of the Space Coast Paddler’s Club, six area kayak outfitters will provide discounted trips to 15 separate locations, providing an exceptional opportunity for exploration of some of the very best areas in a state that’s famous for its scenic waterways. Area kayak retailers will be on-hand with discounts for boats purchased at the festival, and on Saturday, at the festival, and on Saturday, November 15, several major kayak manufacturers will sponsor a demo day. Participants are invited to join them for a free, first time opportunity to view and try out the 2004 offering of kayaks by Old Town, Perception, Wilderness Systems and Ocean Kayak.

Major Sponsors include the Canaveral Port Authority, Dixie Crossroads Seafood Restaurant, Florida Today, Melbourne International Airport, Pepsi/Aquafina, Reliant Energy, and the Space Coast Office of Tourism. The Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival takes place at the Brevard Community College campus in Titusville, Florida, November12–16, 2003. Visit www.nbbd.com/fly or call Neta, 268-5224 to order a program. Field trips fill up fast. Make your reservations now.