Florida's Birding & Photo Fest official guide 2015 | Page 30

B I R D I N G & WA L K I N G TO U R S PHOTO BY PHOEBE FLEMING Birding Small Town Coastal Florida Exploring the Guana Tolomato Matanzas NERR Meeting Location: Whitney Lab Center for Marine Studies, 9505 Oceanshore Blvd. Leader: Joe Woodbury Meeting Location: GTM Research Reserve, Parking Lot at the entrance to the Trails ($3 parking fee per car) Leader: Iain Campbell, Tropical Birding Tours THURSDAY 6:30 A.M. TO 2:00 P.M. Price: $30, plus cost of lunch Difficulty Level: Easy | Min/Max No of People: 7/12 Hop on the bus for this unique birding trip through small town Northeast Florida. You’ll arrive at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park in the Hammock community just in time to view the sunrise over the beach. Washington Oaks Gardens, with its maritime hammock, is a well known hot spot for warblers. American Redstart, Yellow-throated Warbler, Black-Throated Blue Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler and Northern Waterthrush have all been spotted throughout the month of April. Orchard Orioles, Summer Tanagers, Indigo Buntings, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Swallow-tailed kites and nesting Great Horned and Barred Owls are also avian possibilities within the garden. After Washington Oaks, we’ll drive south for 20 minutes and enjoy panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean.Our next stop is North Peninsula State park located in Ormondby-the-Sea. This beautiful park not only contains over two miles of pristine beaches, it also has 300 acres of scrub, the habitat vital to the survival of the Florida Scrub-Jay. The Florida Scrub-Jay is truly a remarkable animal. This bold, inquisitive bird is found only in the Sunshine State. This will be a rare opportunity to get a look at one of Florida’s true treasures. Next, we’ll spend a little time birding the beachside of the park in search of interesting gulls, terns and shorebirds. At noon we’ll stop at the charming seaside community of Flagler Beach for lunch. While there you can sit, relax, and discuss the morning’s rewarding events! Introduction to the Environments of River to Sea Preserve Meeting Location: River to Sea Preserve, 9805 Oceanshore Blvd., Marineland FL Leader: Frank Quinn THURSDAY 7:30 TO 9:30 A.M. | SATURDAY 7:30 TO 9:30 A.M. Price: $20 | Difficulty Level: Easy | Min/Max No of People: 4/12 Beginning at the Atlantic Ocean and reaching west to the Intracoastal Waterway, Marineland’s River to Sea Preserve protects a rapidly disappearing maritime scrub environment. This 90-acre preserve offers walking trails, nature vistas, and ecological education opportunities.By showing the differences in such short distances, trip leader Frank Quinn will show a wide diversity of fauna and flora. On the shore, you can look forward to finding shore birds. Across the road, you will enter a scrub habitat with foraging birds. At the pond, there is the possibility of some Black Crowned Night Herons. Into the hammock, you can find the warblers, cardinals, woodpeckers, hawks and possibly an owl. Along the Intracoastal, you can look for waders and other water birds among the marshes. Enjoy this bird walkthrough the oak scrub and hardwood hammock on the west side A1A, then cross the street for breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean from the boardwalk. 30 FRIDAY 7:00 TO 11:00 A.M. Price: $10 | Difficulty Level: Easy | Min/Max No of People: 4/12 GTM NERR is one of the premier birding locations in Northeast Florida, hosting a hardwood hammock alongside the Atlantic coast, becoming as a fantastic migration hotspot in the spring and fall. Expect to see a host of warblers, vireos, and other songbirds. Florida Scrub Jay Walk Meeting Location: North Peninsula State Park. Directions: From downtown St. Augustine, head east over the Bridge of Lions and south on Anastasia Blvd. Follow A1A South to High Bridge Road (one mile south of the Volusia and Flagler County line) Call 386.517.2086 for directions. Leader: Florida Park Ranger SATURDAY 8:00 TO 9:00 A.M. Price: $10 | Difficulty Level: Easy | Min/Max No of People: 10/20 The Florida Scrub-Jay is truly a remarkable animal. This bold, inquisitive bird is only found in the Sunshine State. Unfortunately, the jays’ habitat is quickly disappearing, leaving the bird vulnerable to extinction. North Peninsula State Park not only contains more than two miles of pristine beaches, it also has 300 acres of scrub - the habitat vital to the survival of the Florida Scrub-Jay. In fact, it is the northern most coastal area where these birds are found. On your tour, the importance of scrub to other rare plants and animals will be emphasized. You will also get the chance to learn about the management of Florida Scrub-Jay habitat through prescribed fire. If time allows and the group is interested there is a newly restored marsh project which offers a good opportunity for viewing wading birds such as herons, egrets, ibis, and perhaps roseate spoonbills. Exploring Butterflies in the Garden Meeting Location: Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, Garden Parking Area, 6400 Oceanshore Blvd., Palm Coast Leader: Florida Park Service Ranger SATURDAY 2:00 TO 3:00 P.M. Price: $5, paid at park entrance Difficulty Level: Easy | Min/Max No of People: 5/25 The 20-acre ornamental garden at Washington Oaks is an ideal setting for this enjoyable walk. Participants will explore the garden pathways in search of Florida’s most beautiful butterflies and learn identification, behavior, and the right plants to choose for attracting butterflies to their own garden.