Field Trips

Wednesday, January 22

Red-cockaded Woodpecker at SSRPSP
Red-cockaded Woodpecker at SSRPSP

St. Sebastian River Preserve SP and Fellsmere Grade

This trip features some of the best birding sites in southern Brevard and Indian River Counties. With an early start at St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park we’ll see Red-cockaded Woodpeckers emerge from their roost cavities, see Brown-headed Nuthatches, hopefully see and hear Bachman’s Sparrows singing. Learn about RCWO and BHNU relocation efforts and other management projects while seeing these very special birds. After we get our fill of pinewoods inhabitants, we will cross over to the Fellsmere Grade Recreation Area to see the nesting Roseate Spoonbills and other possible species.

Brown Booby
Brown Booby

Offshore Birding and Wildlife Pelagic Adventure

The Canaveral Princess is an 85-foot, single-hull boat with excellent observation areas on the upper deck, bow and stern. We will first visit working shrimp boats for the birds that follow them. Our chumming behind the boat will result in a crowd of gulls, terns, pelicans and gannets to watch from amazingly close quarters. Once we’ve collected some birds to follow our boat, if the weather permits, we’ll set out for the Gulf Stream. Our destination will be an undersea formation known as “The Steeples,” a productive setting of cliffs and seamounts that create upwellings and current edges along the western edge of the Gulf Stream. Birds likely to be seen include Northern Gannet; Pomarine and Parasitic Jaeger and several species of gulls and terns. Birds we hope to see include Audubon’s, Cory’s, Great and Manx Shearwater; Band-rumped Storm Petrel; Bridled and Sooty Tern; Brown Booby; Red Phalarope; Black-legged Kittiwake and Sabine’s Gull.

  • Price: $195 includes a box lunch & snack.
  • Date: Wednesday, Jan 22
  • Time: 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Meet at the Canaveral Princess, 670 Glen Cheek Drive, Port Canaveral, FL by 7:00 a.m. The Canaveral Princess docks between Rusty’s and Gator’s DocksideRestaurants in Port Canaveral. Estimated 4 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Bert Alm, Sergio Arias, Michael Brothers, Mitchell Harris, Greg Miller
  • Participant Limit:  64
  • Accessibility: Wear waterproof shoes and bring rain gear, sunscreen and sea-sickness treatment if needed.Rest rooms on board. 
  • Additional Site Information: https://orlandoprincess.com/the-boats/
  • Disclaimer: If the trip does not go as scheduled on Wednesday, January 22nd you will automatically be rescheduled for Monday, January 27th.  If the trip is cancelled on both dates due to inclement weather as determined by the boat’s captain, only then will you receive a full refund.  Please do not book this trip if you are not prepared to stay through Monday should the need arise due to schedule change. If the trip does not go as scheduled on Jan. 22nd and DOES go on Jan. 27th, there will be NO refunds for anyone who cannot be on board on Jan. 27th.
Great Egret
Great Egret

Beginning Birding Field Trip at MINWR

Join Kim for an intimate morning of instruction and observation along the highly acclaimed Black Point Wildlife Drive where there will be birds galore. She will provide helpful hints for beginners such as where to find birds, interesting behaviors, and identification tricks of the birding trade. We will see how the reddish egret dances for its food while the Little Blue Heron simply stalks its food. The large flocks of white birds will become familiar to you as Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, White Ibis, Woodstorks and White Pelicans. Shallow impoundments filled with wading birds will offer opportunities to differentiate between egrets and herons. Birding is far more than a hobby. It is an open door to the world of nature, a touch point that connects people to the outdoors.

  • Price: $35
  • Date: Wednesday, Jan 22
  • Time: 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Meet at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center 1987 Scrub Jay Way Titusville 32782 to board a small bus at 7:45. Estimated 38 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leader: Kimberly King-Wrenn
  • Participant Limit: 12
  • Accessibility: Must be able to get on and off of bus. Some walking on flat packed roads. Restrooms available at the Visitor Center and midway through the Black Point Wildlife Drive.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/merritt-island
Red-shouldered Hawk on Orlando Wetlands street sign.
Red-shouldered Hawk

Learn Wildlife Photography at Orlando Wetlands Park

Orlando Wetlands Park: Orlando Wetlands Park is an ideal spot for bird photography, boasting a wide variety of bird species such as herons, egrets, and ibises. Our main Focus in this class will be how configure your camera to the right setting for stunning photographs.
Note: To ensure that you get the most from this trip, the field trip leader will contact you at the email address that you used to register for the festival to discuss what type of camera you will be bringing and your current level of photography experience.

  • Price: $65
  • Date: Wednesday, Jan 22
  • Time: 7:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site 
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 7:20 at the Orlando Wetlands Park, 25155 Wheeler Road, Christmas.Estimated 39 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Jason Giraulo and Phil Lintereur
  • Participant Limit:  15
  • Accessibility: Accessible restrooms are available parking lot, but not on the dikes and trails. Some walking on unpaved trails.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.orlando.gov/Parks-the-Environment/Directory/Wetlands-Park
Mangrove Tree Crab

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Wed Trip 1

Join Rebecca Chapman from Springs to Sea Old Florida Eco Tours for a 2 hour kayak trip to the protected rookery known as Mullet Head Island (also known as “Bird Island”.) Paddle to an uninhabited island or through a maze of twisted mangrove forests in the Coastal Wildlife Kayak Tour. As you glide through the shallow lagoon of a wildlife refuge, keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, gentle manatees, colorful flamingos, and a whole cast of slippery stingrays and wading birds. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the wildest coastal critters! Our stops along this tour may include Bird Island (wind-dependent), a mangrove forest, known manatee observation areas, or shallow flats teeming with rays, hermit crabs, and mullet!

Note: No children under 4 years old are allowed on this trip.

  • Price: $ 60.00
  • Date: Wednesday, Jan 22
  • Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 8:45 at the NW Haulover Canal Kayak Launch in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
  • Leaders: Rebecca Chapman, TBD
  • Participant Limit:  8
  • Accessibility: This activity may not be suitable for guests with certain back and shoulder conditions. There is a weight limit of 250 lbs per guest. 
  • Additional Site Information: https://springstosea.com/
Salt Marsh Skipper

Flora & Fauna of Merritt Island NWR

On this trip we will start with a hardwood hammock trail seeing oaks, maples, elms, palms, sub-tropical shrubs and the expected native species of woodland birds. Years ago a Townsends warbler spent the entire winter basically in a single large live oak. Then we will drive a short distance to a scrub/pine flatwoods habitat that borders a large marsh. There will be scrub oaks, lyonias and various scrub species. Florida Scrub-Jays are probable and Roseate Spoonbills, egrets, shorebirds and eagles are possible.

  • Price: $30
  • Date: Wednesday, Jan 22
  • Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 8:45 at the Oak Hammock Trail parking lot on SR 406, approx. 1/2 mile east of the MINWR Visitor Center. Estimated 41 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Jim and Kay Stahl
  • Participant Limit:  12
  • Accessibility: Easy walking on a boardwalk and flat, dry trails required. Bathrooms available 1/2 mile away at the MINWR Visitor Center.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/merritt-island
Snail Kite
Snail Kite

Airboat birding along the St. Johns – Wed Trip 1

You will enjoy the exclusive combination of Captain Mike, a fifth generation Floridian who grew up here on the river, and a professional birding tour guide and other birders on this exclusive small personal tour. You will glide along marshes and into a secluded cypress swamp to view an abundance of wading birds, waterfowl and raptors on this special adventure. This is optimal habitat for Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras, and Bald Eagles. In fact, 25 Bald Eagles were observed on just one trip in 2020. The St Johns River floodplain is only accessible by airboat due to the shallow depth. Your guides will point out the habitats and ongoing activity of the many species that are found here. Other wildlife, including alligators, may be encountered. This is a great opportunity for birders who prefer to avoid strenuous walking or hiking. Airboat Tours are hosted by A St. Johns River Airboat Tours LLC in Titusville, FL

  • Price: $90
  • Date: Wednesday, Jan 22
  • Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Arrive by 9:45 a.m. at the Highway 50 Boat Ramp, 28500 East Colonial Drive, Christmas. Estimated 29 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leader: Betty Salter
  • Participant Limit:  5
  • Accessibility: You must be able to get up into high seats on the airboat. No restroom facility on site.
  • Additional Site Information: https://stjohnsairboatour.com/
American White Pelican

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Wed Trip 2

Join Rebecca Chapman from Springs to Sea Old Florida Eco Tours for a 2 hour kayak trip to the protected rookery known as Mullet Head Island (also known as “Bird Island”.) Paddle to an uninhabited island or through a maze of twisted mangrove forests in the Coastal Wildlife Kayak Tour. As you glide through the shallow lagoon of a wildlife refuge, keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, gentle manatees, colorful flamingos, and a whole cast of slippery stingrays and wading birds. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the wildest coastal critters! Our stops along this tour may include Bird Island (wind-dependent), a mangrove forest, known manatee observation areas, or shallow flats teeming with rays, hermit crabs, and mullet!

Note: No children under 4 years old are allowed on this trip.

  • Price: $60.00
  • Date: Wednesday, Jan 22
  • Time: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 11:45 at the NW Haulover Canal Kayak Launch in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
  • Leaders: Rebecca Chapman, TBD
  • Participant Limit:  8
  • Accessibility: This activity may not be suitable for guests with certain back and shoulder conditions. There is a weight limit of 250 lbs per guest. 
  • Additional Site Information: https://springstosea.com/
Crested Caracara

Airboat birding along the St. Johns – Wed Trip 2

You will enjoy the exclusive combination of Captain Mike, a fifth generation Floridian who grew up here on the river, and a professional birding tour guide and other birders on this exclusive small personal tour. You will glide along marshes and into a secluded cypress swamp to view an abundance of wading birds, waterfowl and raptors on this special adventure. This is optimal habitat for Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras, and Bald Eagles. In fact, 25 Bald Eagles were observed on just one trip in 2020. The St Johns River floodplain is only accessible by airboat due to the shallow depth. Your guides will point out the habitats and ongoing activity of the many species that are found here. Other wildlife, including alligators, may be encountered. This is a great opportunity for birders who prefer to avoid strenuous walking or hiking. Airboat Tours are hosted by A St. Johns River Airboat Tours LLC in Titusville, FL

  • Price: $90
  • Date: Wednesday, Jan 22
  • Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Arrive by 9:45 a.m. at the Highway 50 Boat Ramp, 28500 East Colonial Drive, Christmas. Estimated 29 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leader: TBD
  • Participant Limit:  5
  • Accessibility: You must be able to get up into high seats on the airboat. No restroom facility on site.
  • Additional Site Information: https://stjohnsairboatour.com/
Immature Bald Eagle
Immature Bald Eagle

Airboat Birding Along the St. Johns – Wed Trip 3

You will enjoy the exclusive combination of Captain Mike, a fifth generation Floridian who grew up here on the river, and a professional birding tour guide and other birders on this exclusive small personal tour. You will glide along marshes and into a secluded cypress swamp to view an abundance of wading birds, waterfowl and raptors on this special adventure. This is optimal habitat for Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras, and Bald Eagles. In fact, 25 Bald Eagles were observed on just one trip in 2020. The St Johns River floodplain is only accessible by airboat due to the shallow depth. Your guides will point out the habitats and ongoing activity of the many species that are found here. Other wildlife, including alligators, may be encountered. This is a great opportunity for birders who prefer to avoid strenuous walking or hiking. Airboat Tours are hosted by A St. Johns River Airboat Tours LLC in Titusville, FL

  • Price: $90
  • Date: Wednesday, Jan 22
  • Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. 
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Arrive by 1:45 p.m. at the Highway 50 Boat Ramp, 28500 East Colonial Drive, Christmas. Estimated 29 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leader: TBD 
  • Participant Limit:  5
  • Accessibility: You must be able to get up into high seats on the airboat. No restroom facility on site.
  • Additional Site Information: https://stjohnsairboatour.com/
Osprey with Redear Sunfish
Osprey with Redear Sunfish

Blue Dolphin Ultimate Boat Birding

The Blue Dolphin is a 49-passenger Coast Guard approved pontoon boat operated by Mark and Michele Anderson. This four-hour adventure will start at Kelly Park East, which is just 6 minutes from the Radisson Resort. We will cross the Banana River, pass through the Canaveral Locks and into Port Canaveral where you may see the Space X fleet of rocket recovery ships and plenty of birds! In addition, you are likely to see dolphins. A flock of American White Pelicans is normally seen at the entrance to the locks and during the cruise you will see Ospreys and other raptors, Wood Storks, Northern Gannets, pelicans, cormorants, gulls, terns and lots of egrets and herons. Past trips have produced such uncommon visitors as Common Eider, Magnificent Frigatebird Sabine’s Gull and Common Loon. We are looking forward to seeing you aboard the Blue Dolphin.

  • Price: $100 includes snack & light lunch from Fishlips Waterfront Bar and Grill.
  • Date: Wednesday, Jan 22
  • Time: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Arrive at 12:45 p.m. at Kelly Park East, 2550 N. Banana River Drive, Merritt Island. Estimated 7 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Wesley Homoya, TBD
  • Participant Limit:  46
  • Accessibility: Handicapped Accessible. Rest room on boat. Sunscreen is recommended.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.spacecoastrivertours.com/index.html
American Flamingo

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Wed Trip 3

Join Rebecca Chapman from Springs to Sea Old Florida Eco Tours for a 2 hour kayak trip to the protected rookery known as Mullet Head Island (also known as “Bird Island”.) Paddle to an uninhabited island or through a maze of twisted mangrove forests in the Coastal Wildlife Kayak Tour. As you glide through the shallow lagoon of a wildlife refuge, keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, gentle manatees, colorful flamingos, and a whole cast of slippery stingrays and wading birds. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the wildest coastal critters! Our stops along this tour may include Bird Island (wind-dependent), a mangrove forest, known manatee observation areas, or shallow flats teeming with rays, hermit crabs, and mullet!

Note: No children under 4 years old are allowed on this trip.

  • Price: $60.00
  • Date: Wednesday, Jan 22
  • Time: 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 2:45 at the NW Haulover Canal Kayak Launch in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
  • Leaders: Rebecca Chapman, TBD
  • Participant Limit:  8
  • Accessibility: This activity may not be suitable for guests with certain back and shoulder conditions. There is a weight limit of 250 lbs per guest. 
  • Additional Site Information: https://springstosea.com/
Sora

Marsh Birding at the St. Johns NWR – Wed

A caravan of USFWS trucks will carry attendees into the St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge which is a restricted access property. This preserve was the last home of the now-extinct Dusky Seaside Sparrow. These marshes west of Titusville are unique because saline water seeps to the surface from a layer of salty water that lies above the Floridan Aquifer, creating marine-type habitats in the middle of a huge freshwater floodplain – perfect for secretive marsh birds. The Black Rail is one of the most elusive wetland birds and is on the state and federal endangered and threatened species lists. King Rails and Virginia Rails are also possible. As the sun sets on the marsh horizon and wading birds flock to their roosts, we will make stops and listen for elusive rail calls.

  • Price: $65 Includes a snack.
  • Date: Wednesday, Jan 22
  • Time: 4:15 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Arrive at  4:15 at Cracker Barrel Restaurant, 4745 Helen Hauser Blvd, Titusville in the south parking area. Estimated 25 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: David Simpson, Kim King-Wrenn
  • Participant Limit:  14
  • Accessibility: There are no restrooms on site. You may be walking through water, mud, and grass. Old shoes, or knee boots are advised.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/st-johns

Thursday, January 23

Barred Owl, Lake Apopka

Lake Apopka North Shore

This property is one of the premier locations in the southeastern United States to observe birds. The list of birds found here continues to grow, with over 370 species having been recorded. During the winter months, more than 150 species regularly use the property, from showy herons and egrets to ducks and shorebirds and numerous tiny warblers and flycatchers. Other wildlife found here includes alligators, turtles, bobcats, otters, raccoons, snakes and coyotes. Former farmlands make up the Lake Apopka North Shore restoration area. The St. Johns River Water Management District’s major activities include marsh and floodplain restoration and the creation of a marsh flow-way. Circulating lake water through restored wetlands filters Lake Apopka’s waters. If the weather allows, attendees will tour in the District’s bench trailer, starting with the dawn chorus at the most optimum spot and continuing on the wildlife drive, which will be closed to the public.

  • Price: $135 Includes lunch and snacks.
  • Date: Thursday, Jan 23
  • Time: 5:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • Type: Bus
  • Departure Details: Meet at 4:45 in front of the Radisson hotel lobby to board the bus.
  • Leaders: Chris Newton, Brady Bailo, Greg Miller, TBD
  • Participant Limit: 32
  • Accessibility: Some walking required. Porta-potties are available throughout the restoration area.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.sjrwmd.com/lands/recreation/lake-apopka/
Clapper Rail

Shiloh’s Sharptails, Marshbirds and More

This trip begins in the marshes where Turnbull Creek drains into the northern end of the Indian River Lagoon. There we will look for both Nelson’s and Saltmarsh Sparrows, Sedge Wrens and Clapper Rails. Short-eared Owls are seen here occasionally as well. After ample time in the marsh we’ll walk east along the dike system that skirts the edge of Shiloh’s extensive marshes and impoundments looking for ducks, shorebirds and waders. This is an area of rich estuaries and ponds that teem with wildlife.

  • Price: $65
  • Date: Thursday, Jan 23
  • Time: 6:15 a.m. 11:00 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet 6:15 a.m. at 600 US Highway 1, Scottmoor. It is on the corner of US 1 and Magoon Ave. We believe it is currently a Circle K and not a Kangaroo Express. Estimated 38 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Mitchell Harris, Gabriel Lugo
  • Participant Limit: 15
  • Accessibility: No rest rooms on site. Bring Muck Boots or shoes that you don’t mind getting wet for the sparrow search. Walk will be 3-4 four miles long on unpaved trails.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/merritt-island
Bachman’s Sparrow

Salt Lake Wildlife Management Area Trailer Tour

Salt Lake WMA’s 8,000 acres border three large lakes and the St. Johns River in northern Brevard County. Don’t miss this chance to explore it in a bench seat trailer. Home to a spectacular range of natural communities, this beautiful property includes pine flatwoods, hardwood hammocks and oak scrub on higher ground. Oak and cabbage palm hammocks, swamps, freshwater marshes, wet prairies, and salt flats occupy the wetter locales. Numerous wading birds, shorebirds, waterfowl, and raptors can be found on the lakes and marshes and the river. Bald Eagles and Wild Turkeys are commonly seen. The flatwoods provide good habitat for woodpeckers and songbirds, such as the Eastern Bluebird and Bachman’s Sparrow. Gopher tortoises, deer, feral hogs, river otters, alligators and turtles may also be seen. This extraordinary opportunity to be able to ride through the management area rather than walk it, as well as the reasonable cost, is a benefit of the Watchable Wildlife Public Access Program of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

  • Price: $30
  • Date: Thursday, Jan 23
  • Time: 6:45 a.m. -11:30 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at Salt Lake WMA, 1590 Arch Rd., Mims. Estimated 36 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Tom Ledford, Dave Hartgrove
  • Participant Limit: 26
  • Accessibility: There is a porta potty located at the Salt Lake WMA main entrance. No restroom facilities are available during the trip.
  • Additional Site Information: https://myfwc.com/recreation/lead/salt-lake/
Milkweed butterfly chrysalis at Rotary Park

Birding Rotary Park

Explore this beautiful park with naturalist, educator, and birder Kate Wells. Our bird walk will begin on the front porch of Rotary Park Nature Center, which is located in the center of the park, directly across from the large pavilion. There are binoculars and bird books available to borrow upon request.

We will be looking and listening for winter songbirds such as warblers, sparrows, and buntings, as well as year-round birds such as woodpeckers, gnatcatchers, cardinals, and jays. Red-shouldered Hawks and Osprey will almost certainly be in attendance; with some luck, we may even encounter Sandhill Cranes. As the park is surrounded by the Indian River Lagoon, frequent flyovers include pelicans, herons, egrets, cormorants, and anhinga.

  • Price: $20
  • Date: Thursday, Jan 23
  • Time: 7:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at Rotary Park, 1899 South Courtenay Parkway, Merritt Island, FL 32952 Note that there a few parks in Brevard County named Rotary Park, make sure you enter this address into your GPS.
  • Leader: Kate Wells, PhD, Rotary Park Environmental Program Supervisor
  • Participant Limit: 20
  • Accessibility: There are accessible restrooms and trails throughout the park. Highly recommended: Water-resistant shoes, sun protection, insect bite prevention, and drinking water. The park does not have food sales or vending machines.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.brevardfl.gov/ParksAndRecreation/ParksByCity/ParksInMerrittIsland/Rotary
Northern Shovelers at Black Point Wildlife Drive

Learn Wildlife Photography at Black Point Wildlife Drive

Situated within the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Black Point Wildlife Drive is a 7-mile scenic route that offers exceptional bird photography opportunities. This drive features a variety of habitats, including salt marshes and mudflats, attracting numerous bird species such as roseate spoonbills, egrets, and herons. This class will focus on the use of blinds, selecting of lenses, protecting your gear in salt air conditions, and having the birds come to you.
Note: To ensure that you get the most from this trip, the field trip leader will contact you at the email address that you used to register for the festival to discuss what type of camera you will be bringing and your current level of photography experience.

  • Price: $65
  • Date: Thursday, Jan 23
  • Time: 7:30 – 11:30 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 7:20 a.m at the Parrish Park Boat Ramp Parking Lot 1 A. Max Brewer Memorial Pkwy, Titusville. Estimated 33 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Jason Giraulo and Phil Lintereur
  • Participant Limit: 15
  • Accessibility: Restroom facilities are available midway through drive.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/merritt-island
Florida Scrub Jay at Cruickshank Sanctuary

Florida Scrub Jay Hike at Cruickshank Sanctuary

The Helen and Alan Cruickshank Sanctuary in Rockledge is considered to be one of the best EEL Sanctuary properties to observe Florida Scrub-Jays, a threatened species that is Florida’s only endemic bird. When the environment meets their needs, Florida Scrub-Jays will spend their entire lives on the same lands. The Cruickshank Sanctuary is located on the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, a sandy relic maritime dune line that extends along the Florida East Coast from Jacksonville down to Miami. Patches of oak, sand pine scrub, and freshwater depression marshes add to the Sanctuary’s diversity. Since the EEL Program began land management at the 168-acre Sanctuary, the Florida Scrub-Jay population has increased from a few visiting birds to over 50 birds in 8 separate family territories. Gopher Tortoises, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and other species requiring scrub habitat are often observed in the Sanctuary. 

  • Price: $30
  • Date: Thursday, Jan 23
  • Time: 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at the Helen & Alan Cruickshank Sanctuary, 360 Barnes Blvd, Rockledge, FL. Estimated 25 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Bert and Val Alm, Chip Clouse
  • Participant Limit:  12
  • Accessibility: No rest rooms on site. Walking on unpaved trails required.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.brevardfl.gov/EELProgram/Sanctuaries/HelenAndAllanCruickshankSanctuary
Red-shouldered Hawk at Chain of Lakes Park

Chain of Lakes Park

This recreation complex includes many habitats such as artificial lakes and wetlands (salt marsh and mangroves), hardwood and sabal palm hammocks. Species seen here include Eagles, Hawks, Wood Storks, Glossy Ibis, Cattle Egrets, Roseate Spoonbills, Mottled Ducks, gulls and terns. And, if you walk through the hammock, you might even catch get a look at Painted Buntings! There is also a 5-story observation deck.

Male Blue-ringed Dancer at Orlando Wetlands

Easy Bird & Wildlife Photography with Sony Mirrorless Cameras at Orlando Wetlands – Thursday

Bird and wildlife photography will never be easy but we don’t have to make it any harder than it is.There is no need to shoot in manual and RAW. If you learn how your camera works and trust it for focus and exposure, it will leave you free to find and frame the birds and wildlife you want to photograph. Using the newer Sony mirrorless cameras  as an example, I will show you how to bring back consistently satisfying images of birds and wildlife.

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Thursday Trip 1

Join Rebecca Chapman from Springs to Sea Old Florida Eco Tours for a 2 hour kayak trip to the protected rookery known as Mullet Head Island (also known as “Bird Island”.) Paddle to an uninhabited island or through a maze of twisted mangrove forests in the Coastal Wildlife Kayak Tour. As you glide through the shallow lagoon of a wildlife refuge, keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, gentle manatees, colorful flamingos, and a whole cast of slippery stingrays and wading birds. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the wildest coastal critters! Our stops along this tour may include Bird Island (wind-dependent), a mangrove forest, known manatee observation areas, or shallow flats teeming with rays, hermit crabs, and mullet!

Note: No children under 4 years old are allowed on this trip.

  • Price: $60.00
  • Date: Thursday, Jan 23
  • Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 8:45 at the NW Haulover Canal Kayak Launch in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
  • Leaders: Rebecca Chapman, TBD
  • Participant Limit:  8
  • Accessibility: This activity may not be suitable for guests with certain back and shoulder conditions. There is a weight limit of 250 lbs per guest. 
  • Additional Site Information: https://springstosea.com/
Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs at Pelican Island NWR

Barrier Island Center and Pelican Island Cruise

This trip begins with a personal tour of the Barrier Island Education Center (BIEC) and a video followed by scoping for shorebirds and sea birds at the boardwalk along the Atlantic Ocean. The BIEC is located inside the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge (ACNWR) on South Melbourne Beach. Continuing the bus ride to Sebastian, you will arrive at Capt. Hiram’s Resort for a late lunch and a boat tour to Pelican Island (our first National Wildlife Refuge) on the River King, a 45-foot USCG approved pontoon boat. 16 species nest on the 4.2-acre Pelican Island, including Brown Pelican, Wood Stork, Anhinga, American Oystercatcher, and many herons and egrets. On the water look for American White Pelican, Lesser Scaup, Mottled Duck, Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Red-breasted Merganser and many gulls and terns. Bottle-nosed dolphins are probable and sea turtles are possible.

  • Price: $135. Includes snacks. In addition, you should bring money for a 2:00 p.m. lunch at Blackfin’s Riverfront Grill at Capt. Hiram’s Resort.
  • Date: Thursday, Jan 23
  • Time: 9:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
  • Type: Bus
  • Departure Details: Meet at 9:15 a.m. in front of the Radisson hotel lobby to board the bus.
  • Leaders: Gabriel Lugo, Ray Mojica
  • Participant Limit:  12
  • Accessibility: Rest rooms available at stops. Some walking on paved and unpaved trails.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.brevardfl.gov/EELProgram/Sanctuaries/BarrierIslandSanctuary
  • Disclaimer: In the event of inclement weather as determined by the captain, participants on the trip will view Pelican Island and the birds coming in to roost for the evening from the Refuge’s land-based location on the barrier island.
Snail Kite
Snail Kite

Airboat birding along the St. Johns – Thursday – Trip 1

You will enjoy the exclusive combination of Captain Mike, a fifth generation Floridian who grew up here on the river, and a professional birding tour guide and other birders on this exclusive small personal tour. You will glide along marshes and into a secluded cypress swamp to view an abundance of wading birds, waterfowl and raptors on this special adventure. This is optimal habitat for Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras, and Bald Eagles. In fact, 25 Bald Eagles were observed on just one trip in 2020. The St Johns River floodplain is only accessible by airboat due to the shallow depth. Your guides will point out the habitats and ongoing activity of the many species that are found here. Other wildlife, including alligators, may be encountered. This is a great opportunity for birders who prefer to avoid strenuous walking or hiking. Airboat Tours are hosted by A St. Johns River Airboat Tours LLC in Titusville, FL

  • Price: $90
  • Date: Thursday, Jan 23
  • Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Arrive by 9:45 a.m. at the Highway 50 Boat Ramp, 28500 East Colonial Drive, Christmas. Estimated 29 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leader: João Jara
  • Participant Limit:  5
  • Accessibility: You must be able to get up into high seats on the airboat. No restroom facility on site.
  • Additional Site Information: https://stjohnsairboatour.com/
Crested Caracara

Airboat Birding Along the St. Johns – Thursday – Trip 2

You will enjoy the exclusive combination of Captain Mike, a fifth generation Floridian who grew up here on the river, and a professional birding tour guide and other birders on this exclusive small personal tour. You will glide along marshes and into a secluded cypress swamp to view an abundance of wading birds, waterfowl and raptors on this special adventure. This is optimal habitat for Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras, and Bald Eagles. In fact, 25 Bald Eagles were observed on just one trip in 2020. The St Johns River floodplain is only accessible by airboat due to the shallow depth. Your guides will point out the habitats and ongoing activity of the many species that are found here. Other wildlife, including alligators, may be encountered. This is a great opportunity for birders who prefer to avoid strenuous walking or hiking. Airboat Tours are hosted by A St. Johns River Airboat Tours LLC in Titusville, FL

  • Price: $90
  • Date: Thursday, Jan 23
  • Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. 
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Arrive by 11:45 a.m. at the Highway 50 Boat Ramp, 28500 East Colonial Drive, Christmas. Estimated 29 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leader: TBD
  • Participant Limit:  5
  • Accessibility: You must be able to get up into high seats on the airboat. No restroom facility on site.
  • Additional Site Information: https://stjohnsairboatour.com/
American White Pelican

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Thursday Trip 2

Join Rebecca Chapman from Springs to Sea Old Florida Eco Tours for a 2 hour kayak trip to the protected rookery known as Mullet Head Island (also known as “Bird Island”.) Paddle to an uninhabited island or through a maze of twisted mangrove forests in the Coastal Wildlife Kayak Tour. As you glide through the shallow lagoon of a wildlife refuge, keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, gentle manatees, colorful flamingos, and a whole cast of slippery stingrays and wading birds. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the wildest coastal critters! Our stops along this tour may include Bird Island (wind-dependent), a mangrove forest, known manatee observation areas, or shallow flats teeming with rays, hermit crabs, and mullet!

Note: No children under 4 years old are allowed on this trip.

  • Price: $60.00
  • Date: Thursday, Jan 23
  • Time: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 11:45 at the NW Haulover Canal Kayak Launch in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
  • Leaders: Rebecca Chapman, TBD
  • Participant Limit:  8
  • Accessibility: This activity may not be suitable for guests with certain back and shoulder conditions. There is a weight limit of 250 lbs per guest. 
  • Additional Site Information: https://springstosea.com/
Immature American Bald Eagle

Airboat Birding Along the St. Johns – Thursday – Trip 3

You will enjoy the exclusive combination of Captain Mike, a fifth generation Floridian who grew up here on the river, and a professional birding tour guide and other birders on this exclusive small personal tour. You will glide along marshes and into a secluded cypress swamp to view an abundance of wading birds, waterfowl and raptors on this special adventure. This is optimal habitat for Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras, and Bald Eagles. In fact, 25 Bald Eagles were observed on just one trip in 2020. The St Johns River floodplain is only accessible by airboat due to the shallow depth. Your guides will point out the habitats and ongoing activity of the many species that are found here. Other wildlife, including alligators, may be encountered. This is a great opportunity for birders who prefer to avoid strenuous walking or hiking. Airboat Tours are hosted by A St. Johns River Airboat Tours LLC in Titusville, FL

  • Price: $90
  • Date: Thursday, Jan 23
  • Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. 
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Arrive by 1:45 p.m. at the Highway 50 Boat Ramp, 28500 East Colonial Drive, Christmas. Estimated 29 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leader: TBD
  • Participant Limit:  5
  • Accessibility: You must be able to get up into high seats on the airboat. No restroom facility on site.
  • Additional Site Information: https://stjohnsairboatour.com/
Caspian Tern

Blue Dolphin Ultimate Boat Birding and Wildlife Journey – Thursday

The Blue Dolphin is a 49-passenger Coast Guard approved pontoon boat operated by Mark and Michele Anderson. This four-hour adventure will start at Kelly Park East, which is just 6 minutes from the Radisson Resort. We will cross the Banana River, pass through the Canaveral Locks and into Port Canaveral where you may see the Space X fleet of rocket recovery ships and plenty of birds! In addition, you are likely to see dolphins. A flock of American White Pelicans is normally seen at the entrance to the locks and during the cruise you will see Ospreys and other raptors, Wood Storks, Northern Gannets, pelicans, cormorants, gulls, terns and lots of egrets and herons. Past trips have produced such uncommon visitors as Common Eider, Magnificent Frigatebird Sabine’s Gull and Common Loon. We are looking forward to seeing you aboard the Blue Dolphin.

  • Price: $100 includes snack & light lunch from Fishlips Waterfront Bar and Grill.
  • Date: Thursday, Jan 23
  • Time: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Arrive at 12:45 p.m. at Kelly Park East, 2550 N. Banana River Drive, Merritt Island. Estimated 7 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: TBD
  • Participant Limit:  46
  • Accessibility: Handicapped Accessible. Rest room on boat. Sunscreen is recommended.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.spacecoastrivertours.com/index.html
American Flamingo

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Thursday Trip 3

Join Rebecca Chapman from Springs to Sea Old Florida Eco Tours for a 2 hour kayak trip to the protected rookery known as Mullet Head Island (also known as “Bird Island”.) Paddle to an uninhabited island or through a maze of twisted mangrove forests in the Coastal Wildlife Kayak Tour. As you glide through the shallow lagoon of a wildlife refuge, keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, gentle manatees, colorful flamingos, and a whole cast of slippery stingrays and wading birds. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the wildest coastal critters! Our stops along this tour may include Bird Island (wind-dependent), a mangrove forest, known manatee observation areas, or shallow flats teeming with rays, hermit crabs, and mullet!

Note: No children under 4 years old are allowed on this trip.

  • Price: $60.00
  • Date: Thursday, Jan 23
  • Time: 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 2:45 at the NW Haulover Canal Kayak Launch in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
  • Leaders: Rebecca Chapman, TBD
  • Participant Limit:  8
  • Accessibility: This activity may not be suitable for guests with certain back and shoulder conditions. There is a weight limit of 250 lbs per guest. 
  • Additional Site Information: https://springstosea.com/
Sora

Marsh Birding at the St. Johns NWR – Thursday

A caravan of USFWS trucks will carry attendees into the St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge which is a restricted access property. This preserve was the last home of the now-extinct Dusky Seaside Sparrow. These marshes west of Titusville are unique because saline water seeps to the surface from a layer of salty water that lies above the Floridan Aquifer, creating marine-type habitats in the middle of a huge freshwater floodplain – perfect for secretive marsh birds. The Black Rail is one of the most elusive wetland birds and is on the state and federal endangered and threatened species lists. King Rails and Virginia Rails are also possible. As the sun sets on the marsh horizon and wading birds flock to their roosts, we will make stops and listen for elusive rail calls.

  • Price: $65 Includes a snack.
  • Date: Thursday, Jan 23
  • Time: 4:15 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Arrive at  4:15 at Cracker Barrel Restaurant, 4745 Helen Hauser Blvd, Titusville in the south parking area. Estimated 25 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Kim King-Wrenn
  • Participant Limit:  14
  • Accessibility: There are no restrooms on site. You may be walking through water, mud, and grass. Old shoes, or knee boots are advised.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/st-johns

Friday, January 24

Brown-headed Nuthatch, SSRPSP

St. Sebastian River Preserve SP and Fellsmere Grade

This trip features some of the best birding sites in southern Brevard and Indian River Counties. With an early start at St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park we’ll see Red-cockaded Woodpeckers emerge from their roost cavities, see Brown-headed Nuthatches, hopefully see and hear Bachman’s Sparrows singing. Learn about RCWO and BHNU relocation efforts and other management projects while seeing these very special birds. After we get our fill of pinewoods inhabitants, we will cross over to the Fellsmere Grade Recreation Area to see the nesting Roseate Spoonbills and other possible species.

  • Price: $95 includes a snack.
  • Date: Friday, Jan 24
  • Time: 5:00 – 11:00 a.m.
  • Type: Bus.
  • Departure Details: Meet at 4:45 a.m. in front of the Radisson hotel lobby to board the bus.
  • Leaders: David Simpson
  • Participant Limit: 11
  • Accessibility: Moderate walking required. Clean, accessible bathrooms available at the Preserve.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.floridastateparks.org/St-Sebastian
    https://www.sjrwmd.com/lands/recreation/fellsmere
Eastern Bluebird

Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area

The Tosohatchee marshes are feeding areas for wading birds and, during winter months, host large numbers of migrating waterfowl. Forested uplands support deer, bobcats, gray foxes, wild turkeys, woodpeckers, hawks, owls, and songbirds. Some of the threatened and endangered species found at the reserve include Bald Eagle, Wood Stork, Eastern Indigo Snake, and Gopher Tortoise. Birds of interest include Bachman’s Sparrow, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Eastern Bluebird, Red-headed Woodpecker, and Florida Sandhill Crane. Shaped by alternating cycles of fire and flood, Tosohatchee WMA is a mosaic of marshes, swamps, pine flatwoods and oak hammocks that borders 19 miles of the St Johns River. Deep inside the reserve, Jim Creek flows through some of the last remaining virgin cypress swamps in Florida.

  • Price: $65 includes a snack sack. In addition, there is a $3 Entrance fee per car that you must pay on entering the park.
  • Date:  Friday, Jan 24
  • Time: 6:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet Up at Tosohatchee WMA 3365 Taylor Creek Road, Christmas FL 32709.Estimated 28 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Bert and Val Alm (Space Coast Audubon) , Gina Kent
  • Participant Limit:  18
  • Accessibility: This is a self-driving tour with stops along the way for short walks. There are composting toilets at the entrance but not out on the roads and trails.
  • Additional Site Information: https://myfwc.com/recreation/lead/tosohatchee/things-to-do/
Purple Gallinule

Manatees of Blue Spring and St. Johns River Cruise

This special trip consists of a visit to Blue Spring State Park (BSSP). The morning will start with a walk along the shore of Blue Spring Run to observe Florida’s most charismatic megafauna, the West Indian Manatee, and bird the woodlands surrounding the spring run. What makes BSSP so unique and special is that during colder months its crystal-clear waters are one of Florida’s best places to watch the manatees. A box lunch will be provided on a river cruise onboard a U.S. Coast Guard approved pontoon boat that was specially designed to ply the shallow backwaters of this unique section of the historic St. Johns River. The captain is a licensed Coast Guard captain who knows the history of the area and the wildlife that abounds. It leaves from BSSP, passes through a historic cypress logging canal and into the Hontoon Dead River, where you will experience the wild and pristine Florida swamp as it has been over the centuries. Highlights from the trip in 2020 included more than a dozen Purple Gallinules, over two dozen Limpkins, more than three dozen Anhingas, both night herons and 5 species of woodpeckers.

  • Price: $120 includes a box lunch and snack.
  • Date: Friday, January 24
  • Time: 6:30 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.
  • Type: Bus
  • Departure Details: Meet at 6: 15 in front of the Radisson hotel lobby to board the bus.
  • Leaders: Laurilee Thompson, Serge Arias, Chris Newton
  • Participant Limit:  22
  • Accessibility: Marine head on the boat. Handicapped Accessible.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/blue-spring-state-park
Softshell Turtle at Gleason Park

Learn Wildlife Photography at Gleason Park

This is a fantastic park located in Indian Harbor beach with a series of diverse environments which include Upland, ponds and a short walk to the Indian River which is key for Warblers (ie Redstarts, Thrushes, Merlins and Cooper’s Hawk, this is a perfect area to learn how to let birds come to you, how to optimize point and shoots, getting the right exposures and the use of tri and mono pods.
Note: To ensure that you get the most from this trip, the field trip leader will contact you at the email address that you used to register for the festival to discuss what type of camera you will be bringing and your current level of photography experience.

  • Price: $65
  • Date: Friday, Jan 24
  • Time: 7:30 – 11:30 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 7:20 at Gleason Park, 1233 Yacht Club Blvd, Indian Harbour Beach, FL 32937
  • Leaders: Jason Giraulo and Phil Lintereur
  • Participant Limit: 15
  • Accessibility: Accessible rest rooms at park. Walking required over sand, unpaved trails, and board walk.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.indianharbourbeach.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/Gleason-Park-5
Woodstork and Spoonbill at Orlando Wetlands Park

Orlando Wetlands Park Trailer Tour – Friday

This regional water treatment area, owned by the City of Orlando, began receiving reclaimed water in 1987, submerging the 1700-acre Sun Charm Ranch beneath millions of gallons of treated sewage. For 30 years the City closed the park during winter months so that the former owners could hunt waterfowl, until 2016 when it bought the hunting rights. Join us as we take a trip into the park where more than 220 bird species have been identified including Wood Storks, Bald Eagles, Crested Caracaras, Limpkins, Purple Gallinules, rails and spoonbills. Painted Buntings lurk in some of the dense vegetation bordering the 20 miles of roads and woodland trails leading through marshes, hardwood hammocks and along scenic lakes. Large numbers of waterfowl and wading birds are expected. Other wildlife found here includes alligators, turtles, deer, hogs, bobcats, otters, raccoons, opossums, snakes and coyotes. There will be multiple stops with walking to spy the best birds.

  • Price: $90
  • Date:  Friday, Jan 24
  • Time: 7:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site. 
  • Arrival Details: Meet at the Orlando Wetlands Park, 25155 Wheeler Road, Christmas.Estimated 39 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Jeff Bouton (KOWA), João Jara
  • Participant Limit:  20
  • Accessibility: Accessible restrooms are available parking lot, but not on the dikes and trails. Some walking on unpaved trails.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.orlando.gov/Parks-the-Environment/Directory/Wetlands-Park
Snowy Plover at Jetty Park
Snowy Plover at Jetty Park

Gulls and Other Waterbirds at Jetty Park

Don’t miss out on this fun opportunity to spend time in the field with gull expert Amar Ayyash. Lush vegetated dunes give way to a wide shoreline where all types of beach birds gather. Several species of gulls and terns, shorebirds and even wading birds feed in the surf. This natural habitat provides a pleasant backdrop to compare plumages and age classes of several gull species. We’ll look for gannets, loons and other occasional visitors such as a jaegers, especially if shrimp boats are out.

  • Price: $60
  • Date: Friday, Jan 24
  • Time: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on Site
  • Arrival Details: Meet Up at Jetty Park: 400 Jetty Park Drive, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920. Park at the east end of the park by the boardwalk to the beach. Estimated 6 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders:  Amar Ayyash, TBD
  • Participant Limit:  20
  • Accessibility: Walking required on trails and in sand. Restrooms available
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.portcanaveral.com/Recreation/Jetty-Park-Beach-Pier
Prairie Warbler at Turkey Creek Sanctuary

Turkey Creek Sanctuary

Join us for a walk through this 130 acre park. Over 30 species of warblers have been seen here, and there is also the opportunity to see manatees, alligators, Florida cooters as well as fish, otters, and other birds including ospreys, owls and hawks.

Black and White Warbler at Sams House

Winter Waders, Warblers & Waterfowl at Sams House

Merritt Island is the wintering destination for numerous species of birds. From waders to warblers, the Sams House property offers birders a wide variety of habitats and bird species to be found. We will take a leisurely stroll around the property looking, and listening, for wintering songbirds like Warblers, Hermit Thrush, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, then take a brief hike to the mangroves and Indian River Lagoon looking for gulls, terns, pelicans, and waterfowl. Join us as we experience the birding, the beauty, and the biodiversity of the Sams House property. Following our morning birding adventure please enjoy a brief personal tour of the 1875 cabin and 1888 house.

  • Price: $25
  • Date:  Friday, Jan 24
  • Time: 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at Sams House at Pine Island Conservation Area, 6195 N. Tropical Trail, Merritt Island, FL. Estimated 33 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Chip Clouse, Mariah Hryniewich
  • Participant Limit:  20
  • Accessibility: Restrooms available. Walking required on unpaved trails. Closed toe shoes, sunscreen, and mosquito repellant are advised. 
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.brevardfl.gov/EELProgram/Sanctuaries/SamsHouse
Mangrove Tree Crab

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Friday Trip 1

Join Rebecca Chapman from Springs to Sea Old Florida Eco Tours for a 2 hour kayak trip to the protected rookery known as Mullet Head Island (also known as “Bird Island”.) Paddle to an uninhabited island or through a maze of twisted mangrove forests in the Coastal Wildlife Kayak Tour. As you glide through the shallow lagoon of a wildlife refuge, keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, gentle manatees, colorful flamingos, and a whole cast of slippery stingrays and wading birds. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the wildest coastal critters! Our stops along this tour may include Bird Island (wind-dependent), a mangrove forest, known manatee observation areas, or shallow flats teeming with rays, hermit crabs, and mullet!

Note: No children under 4 years old are allowed on this trip.

  • Price: $60.00
  • Date: Friday, Jan 24
  • Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 8:45 at the NW Haulover Canal Kayak Launch in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
  • Leaders: Rebecca Chapman, TBD
  • Participant Limit:  8
  • Accessibility: This activity may not be suitable for guests with certain back and shoulder conditions. There is a weight limit of 250 lbs per guest. 
  • Additional Site Information: https://springstosea.com/
Snail Kite

Airboat birding along the St. Johns – Friday Trip 1

You will enjoy the exclusive combination of Captain Mike, a fifth generation Floridian who grew up here on the river, and a professional birding tour guide and other birders on this exclusive small personal tour. You will glide along marshes and into a secluded cypress swamp to view an abundance of wading birds, waterfowl and raptors on this special adventure. This is optimal habitat for Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras, and Bald Eagles. In fact, 25 Bald Eagles were observed on just one trip in 2020. The St Johns River floodplain is only accessible by airboat due to the shallow depth. Your guides will point out the habitats and ongoing activity of the many species that are found here. Other wildlife, including alligators, may be encountered. This is a great opportunity for birders who prefer to avoid strenuous walking or hiking. Airboat Tours are hosted by A St. Johns River Airboat Tours LLC in Titusville, FL

  • Price: $90
  • Date: Friday, Jan 24
  • Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Arrive by 9:45 a.m. at the Highway 50 Boat Ramp, 28500 East Colonial Drive, Christmas. Estimated 29 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leader: TBD
  • Participant Limit:  5
  • Accessibility: You must be able to get up into high seats on the airboat. No restroom facility on site.
  • Additional Site Information: https://stjohnsairboatour.com/
Crested Caracara

Airboat Birding Along the St. Johns – Friday Trip 2

You will enjoy the exclusive combination of Captain Mike, a fifth generation Floridian who grew up here on the river, and a professional birding tour guide and other birders on this exclusive small personal tour. You will glide along marshes and into a secluded cypress swamp to view an abundance of wading birds, waterfowl and raptors on this special adventure. This is optimal habitat for Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras, and Bald Eagles. In fact, 25 Bald Eagles were observed on just one trip in 2020. The St Johns River floodplain is only accessible by airboat due to the shallow depth. Your guides will point out the habitats and ongoing activity of the many species that are found here. Other wildlife, including alligators, may be encountered. This is a great opportunity for birders who prefer to avoid strenuous walking or hiking. Airboat Tours are hosted by A St. Johns River Airboat Tours LLC in Titusville, FL

  • Price: $90
  • Date: Friday, Jan 24
  • Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. 
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Arrive by 11:45 a.m. at the Highway 50 Boat Ramp, 28500 East Colonial Drive, Christmas. Estimated 29 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leader: TBD
  • Participant Limit:  5
  • Accessibility: You must be able to get up into high seats on the airboat. No restroom facility on site.
  • Additional Site Information: https://stjohnsairboatour.com/
American White Pelican

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Friday Trip 2

Join Rebecca Chapman from Springs to Sea Old Florida Eco Tours for a 2 hour kayak trip to the protected rookery known as Mullet Head Island (also known as “Bird Island”.) Paddle to an uninhabited island or through a maze of twisted mangrove forests in the Coastal Wildlife Kayak Tour. As you glide through the shallow lagoon of a wildlife refuge, keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, gentle manatees, colorful flamingos, and a whole cast of slippery stingrays and wading birds. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the wildest coastal critters! Our stops along this tour may include Bird Island (wind-dependent), a mangrove forest, known manatee observation areas, or shallow flats teeming with rays, hermit crabs, and mullet!

Note: No children under 4 years old are allowed on this trip.

  • Price: $60.00
  • Date: Friday, Jan 24
  • Time: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at the NW Haulover Canal Kayak Launch in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
  • Leaders: Rebecca Chapman, TBD
  • Participant Limit:  8
  • Accessibility: This activity may not be suitable for guests with certain back and shoulder conditions. There is a weight limit of 250 lbs per guest. 
  • Additional Site Information: https://springstosea.com/
Immature Bald Eagle

Airboat Birding Along the St. Johns – Friday Trip 3

You will enjoy the exclusive combination of Captain Mike, a fifth generation Floridian who grew up here on the river, and a professional birding tour guide and other birders on this exclusive small personal tour. You will glide along marshes and into a secluded cypress swamp to view an abundance of wading birds, waterfowl and raptors on this special adventure. This is optimal habitat for Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras, and Bald Eagles. In fact, 25 Bald Eagles were observed on just one trip in 2020. The St Johns River floodplain is only accessible by airboat due to the shallow depth. Your guides will point out the habitats and ongoing activity of the many species that are found here. Other wildlife, including alligators, may be encountered. This is a great opportunity for birders who prefer to avoid strenuous walking or hiking. Airboat Tours are hosted by A St. Johns River Airboat Tours LLC in Titusville, FL

  • Price: $90
  • Date: Friday, Jan 24
  • Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. 
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Participant Limit:  5
  • Arrival Details: Arrive by 1:45 p.m. at the Highway 50 Boat Ramp, 28500 East Colonial Drive, Christmas. Estimated 29 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leader: TBD
  • Participant Limit:  5
  • Accessibility: You must be able to get up into high seats on the airboat. No restroom facility on site.
  • Additional Site Information: https://stjohnsairboatour.com/
Double-crested Cormorant

Blue Dolphin Ultimate Boat Birding and Wildlife Journey – Friday

The Blue Dolphin is a 49-passenger Coast Guard approved pontoon boat operated by Mark and Michele Anderson. This four-hour adventure will start at Kelly Park East, which is just 6 minutes from the Radisson Resort. We will cross the Banana River, pass through the Canaveral Locks and into Port Canaveral where you may see the Space X fleet of rocket recovery ships and plenty of birds! In addition, you are likely to see dolphins. A flock of American White Pelicans is normally seen at the entrance to the locks and during the cruise you will see Ospreys and other raptors, Wood Storks, Northern Gannets, pelicans, cormorants, gulls, terns and lots of egrets and herons. Past trips have produced such uncommon visitors as Common Eider, Magnificent Frigatebird Sabine’s Gull and Common Loon. We are looking forward to seeing you aboard the Blue Dolphin.

  • Price: $100 includes snack & light lunch from Fishlips Waterfront Bar and Grill.
  • Date: Friday, Jan 24
  • Time: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Arrive at 12:45 p.m. at Kelly Park East, 2550 N. Banana River Drive, Merritt Island. Estimated 7 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: TBD
  • Participant Limit:  46
  • Accessibility: Handicapped Accessible. Rest room on boat. Sunscreen is recommended.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.spacecoastrivertours.com/index.html 
American Flamingo

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Friday Trip 3

Join Rebecca Chapman from Springs to Sea Old Florida Eco Tours for a 2 hour kayak trip to the protected rookery known as Mullet Head Island (also known as “Bird Island”.) Paddle to an uninhabited island or through a maze of twisted mangrove forests in the Coastal Wildlife Kayak Tour. As you glide through the shallow lagoon of a wildlife refuge, keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, gentle manatees, colorful flamingos, and a whole cast of slippery stingrays and wading birds. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the wildest coastal critters! Our stops along this tour may include Bird Island (wind-dependent), a mangrove forest, known manatee observation areas, or shallow flats teeming with rays, hermit crabs, and mullet!

Note: No children under 4 years old are allowed on this trip.

  • Price: $60.00
  • Date: Friday, Jan 24
  • Time: 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 2:45 at the NW Haulover Canal Kayak Launch in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
  • Leaders: Rebecca Chapman
  • Participant Limit:  8
  • Accessibility: This activity may not be suitable for guests with certain back and shoulder conditions. There is a weight limit of 250 lbs per guest. 
  • Additional Site Information: https://springstosea.com/
Great Horned Owl

Owls and Rails of MINWR

Join Mitchell, Tom and Renee for an evening out in search of the denizens of the dark at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. We’ll search the marshes and hammocks for Great Horned, Screech, Barred and possibly Short-eared Owl. Before we begin our search for owls, we will spend some time along the marshes of Peacock’s Pocket a small bay-like feature of the Indian River Lagoon near where it joins with Banana Creek listening for rails. In the past we’ve had good luck with King, Clapper, Virginia and Black Rail in these marshes. So, if you are interested in nocturnal birds, just bring your sense of curiosity and a flashlight or two.

  • Price: $65
  • Date:  Friday, Jan 24
  • Time: 4:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet Up at the Parrish Park Boat Ramp Parking Lot — 1 A. Max Brewer Causeway, Titusville on the north side of the parking lot by the picnic pavilions. Estimated 33 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Mitchel Harris, Tom Ledford, TBD
  • Participant Limit:  10
  • Accessibility: There are restrooms nearby at the east end of Parrish Park. There are no restrooms available out on the refuge dikes or trails. Walking on unpaved trails required.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/merritt-island

Saturday, January 25

American Kestrel

Central Florida Specialties

A pre-dawn start at Three Lakes WMA will target Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Bachman’s Sparrows, Brown-headed Nuthatches, Pine Warblers and Eastern Bluebirds. Next stop is Lake Marian Marina to look for Osprey, Bald Eagle, Spoonbill, Limpkin, possible Dowitchers, Yellowlegs, Pelicans, Snail kite, and other lake species. Next destination is Joe Overstreet Road to search for Red-headed Woodpeckers. Along the road we will look for Eastern Meadowlarks, Savannah Sparrows, Caracara, and possibly even a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Our last destination is Brownie Wise Park where we till look for Painted bunting, Snail kite, warblers, Limpkin, nesting Bald Eagles, Vermilion Flycatcher, and the Grove-billed Ani if it is still in the area.

Cedar Waxwings, Cruickshank Sanctuary

Learn Wildlife Photography at Helen and Allan Cruickshank Sanctuary

Located in Rockledge, the Helen and Allan Cruickshank Sanctuary is a 140-acre preserve known for its excellent birdwatching and photography opportunities. The sanctuary’s diverse habitats, including scrub, flatwoods, and wetlands, attract a variety of bird species such as Florida scrub-jays, red-shouldered hawks, and woodpeckers This environment is perfect for learning how to control exposure with confidence and to optimize your camera setting for stunning photos
Note: To ensure that you get the most from this trip, the field trip leader will contact you at the email address that you used to register for the festival to discuss what type of camera you will be bringing and your current level of photography experience.

  • Price: $65
  • Date: Saturday, Jan 25
  • Time: 7:30 – 11:30 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 7:20 at the Helen & Alan Cruickshank Sanctuary, 360 Barnes Blvd, Rockledge, FL. Estimated 25 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Jason Giraulo and Phil Lintereur
  • Participant Limit: 10
  • Accessibility:  No rest rooms on site. Walking on unpaved trails required.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.brevardfl.gov/EELProgram/Sanctuaries/HelenAndAllanCruickshankSanctuary

History of Canaveral National Seashore Tour

Canaveral National Seashore isn’t just for the birds! Come join this tour to learn about the history of the first natives Floridians, the pioneers that came later, and the growing space industry. Stops on this tour include the historic Seminole Rest site, the Eldora Community, and the Canaveral National Seashore Apollo Beach Visitor Center.

Gopher Tortoise at Malabar Scrub Sanctuary

Malabar Scrub Sanctuary

Join us in this EEL (Environmentally Endangered Land) property where you might see Florida scrub-jays, gopher tortoises, and other wildlife. There are many different protected habitats in this park including scrub, xeric hammock, flatwoods, hardwood swamp, ponds and depression marshes.

  • Price: $25
  • Date: Saturday, Jan 25
  • Time: 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 1501 Malabar Woods Blvd., Malabar at 8:15.
  • Leaders: Will Johnson, João Jara
  • Participant Limit: 20
  • Accessibility: Restrooms on site. A wide, paved path bisects the park, making it accessible to all.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.brevardfl.gov/EELProgram/Sanctuaries/MalabarScrubSanctuary
Laughing and Ring-billed Gulls at the Cocoa Landfill

Gulling Adventure for Landlubbers

We will visit Brevard County’s Central Disposal Facility aka Cocoa Landfill where experts will help you learn to separate different species and age classes among the 20,000+ gulls that gather here.  Hundreds of Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls join the thousands of Laughing and Ring-billed Gulls.  Among them we may find rarities such as Iceland, Glaucous, maybe California or others.  In addition to the gulls we will see dozens of Wood Storks, hundreds of vultures, White Ibis, grackles, cowbirds, and blackbirds.  Bald Eagles come in to feed on the various birds, offering excellent photo ops.  We will continue to Port Canaveral to lunch at Fishlips Waterfront Bar and Grill where we can observe gulls, terns, pelicans, and more while dining on the waterfront.  Jetty Park is our last destination where we will see what gulls have stayed on the coast and maybe also see Gannets, loons, an eider or Purple Sandpiper.

Gopher Tortoise at Enchanted Forest

Enchanted Forest Sanctuary Day Hike – Saturday

Join the staff at the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary, where the Environmentally Endangered Lands (EELs) program all started, to enjoy a guided hike through multiple habitats on and off the marked trails. Staff will be in front of the nature center for an introduction to the Enchanted Forest before the hike. There will be possible opportunities to see and/or hear different species of birds from Pileated Woodpeckers, warblers, flyover ducks and wading birds (Roseate Spoonbills, Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, herons, egrets and more.), Red-shouldered Hawks, owls and more. You never know what you may see in the Enchanted Forest.

  • Price: $25
  • Date: Saturday, Jan 25
  • Time: 8:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary, 444 Columbia Blvd., Titusville. Estimated 25 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Shelby Wood, Serge Arais
  • Participant Limit:  20
  • Accessibility: Restrooms are available in the nature center. The nature center and the immediate area are handicapped accessible the trails are not.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.brevardfl.gov/EELProgram/Sanctuaries/EnchantedForestSanctuary
Young or Female Blue-ringed Dancer at Orlando Wetlands

Easy Bird & Wildlife Photography with Sony Mirrorless Cameras at Orlando Wetlands

Bird and wildlife photography will never be easy but we don’t have to make it any harder than it is.There is no need to shoot in manual and RAW. If you learn how your camera works and trust it for focus and exposure, it will leave you free to find and frame the birds and wildlife you want to photograph. Using the newer Sony mirrorless cameras  as an example, I will show you how to bring back consistently satisfying images of birds and wildlife.

Black Skimmer

Smyrna Dunes Park

This spectacular beachside park at Ponce Inlet offers panoramic views of the ocean, inlet and estuary as well as the opportunity to get close looks at gulls, terns and shorebirds. Take a leisurely two-mile walk via boardwalk over pristine coastal dune habitat (watch for Gopher Tortoises) and along the shoreline. Brown and American White Pelicans, Black Skimmers, Common Loons, cormorants and numerous species of gulls and terns are found here and there is always a chance to discover a rare gull. Up to twenty species of shorebirds are possible, including American Oystercatchers, Piping and Wilson’s Plovers, Purple Sandpipers and Red Knots. Bait fish activity at the inlet’s mouth attracts sea birds, especially Northern Gannets. Passerines are possible in the hammocks.

  • Price: $35 plus $10.00 entrance fee that must be paid going into park.
  • Date: Saturday, Jan 25
  • Time: 8:00 a..m. – 11:30 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet Up at Smyrna Dunes Park,2995 N. Peninsula Ave., New Smyrna Beach. Estimated 68 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Ed Carlson, John Kendall, João Jara
  • Participant Limit: 20
  • Accessibility: Restrooms at the trailhead. Two-mile walk on boardwalk.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.volusia.org/services/public-works/coastal-division/coastal-parks/smyrna-dunes-park.stml
Mangrove Tree Crab

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Saturday Trip 1

Join Rebecca Chapman from Springs to Sea Old Florida Eco Tours for a 2 hour kayak trip to the protected rookery known as Mullet Head Island (also known as “Bird Island”.) Paddle to an uninhabited island or through a maze of twisted mangrove forests in the Coastal Wildlife Kayak Tour. As you glide through the shallow lagoon of a wildlife refuge, keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, gentle manatees, colorful flamingos, and a whole cast of slippery stingrays and wading birds. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the wildest coastal critters! Our stops along this tour may include Bird Island (wind-dependent), a mangrove forest, known manatee observation areas, or shallow flats teeming with rays, hermit crabs, and mullet!

Note: No children under 4 years old are allowed on this trip.

  • Price: $60.00
  • Date: Saturday, Jan 25
  • Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 8:45 at the NW Haulover Canal Kayak Launch in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
  • Leaders: Rebecca Chapman, TBD
  • Participant Limit:  8
  • Accessibility: This activity may not be suitable for guests with certain back and shoulder conditions. There is a weight limit of 250 lbs per guest. 
  • Additional Site Information: https://springstosea.com/
White-eyed Vireo, Maritime Hammock Preserve

Plein Air Nature Drawing at Maritime Hammock Preserve

On this field trip you will learn the basics of drawing live in nature with artist and art teacher Jessica Sodano. You will receive supplies including a sketch pad and pencils that you get to take home to continue practicing. At Maritime Hammock you will see birds, flowers and many other interesting subjects to draw.

  • Price: $25
  • Date: Saturday, Jan 25
  • Time: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on Site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at Maritime Hammock Preserve (1235 N Atlantic Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931) at 9:00 a.m. IMPORTANT: There is a similarly named Maritime Hammock Sanctuary, but that is miles away and NOT the correct park. Make sure you enter the correct address into your GPS.
  • Leader: Jessica Sodano
  • Participant Limit: 12
  • Accessibility: Walking on clearly marked but unpaved trails. There are no rest rooms on the preserve, but there is a nearby Denny’s.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.cityofcocoabeach.com/Facilities/Facility/Details/Maritime-Hammock-Preserve-27
Horseshoe Crab, Titusville

Horseshoe Crabs Titusville Causeway-More than Just Shorebirds

The Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus) is arguably the most interesting invertebrate on our coast. Horseshoe Crabs were first reported by Spanish explorers here in Florida. Now, development around the Indian River Lagoon watershed is severely impacting this keystone species.  We will visit Florida’s most productive Horseshoe Crab nesting area – the Titusville Causeway and Gator Creek Dike on the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. We will talk about its lifestyle in our estuaries, threats and citizen science to protect it. We’ll review monitoring and restoration proposals for this critical habitat and discuss activities stakeholders have in horseshoe crab habitat protection, including NASA, who is trying to preserve beaches where Horseshoe Crabs nest at the Space Center. The unique conditions that occur in this part of the Indian River Lagoon may reward us with a spawning event. Even if horseshoe crabs are not actively nesting, there’s plenty to see at this very special place.

  • Price: $25
  • Date: Saturday, Jan 25
  • Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at the paved parking lot at the entrance to Merritt Island NWR, on the right 0.4 miles east of the A. Max Brewer Causeway bridge. Estimated 34 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Dave Grant, Laurilee Thompson, Jeff Bouton (KOWA)
  • Participant Limit:  16
  • Accessibility: Restrooms are available at Parrish Park Boat ramp. Walking on uneven surfaces and sand required.
  • Additional Site Information: https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/crustaceans/horseshoe-crabs/citizen-watch/
Bonaparte’s Gull

Gull Fly-In at Daytona Beach Shores

Tour the Marine Science Center. Enjoy a picnic lunch at Ponce Inlet Lighthouse Park and walk out to the jetty for shorebirds & gulls. Then board the bus to Frank Rendon Park which is known for the largest congregation of gulls on any beach in the US. This incredible dense array of gulls allows close approach to observe and photograph minute details on each species. Seen consistently here are species that are rare in Florida, including the only record of Vega Gull. Laughing, Franklin, Ring-billed, Herring, Bonaparte’s, Lesser Black-backed, Great Black-backed, Glaucous, Iceland, Thayer’s and California Gulls have all been recorded here. Possible European Herring Gull, Yellow-legged Gull and a Slaty-backed Gull have appeared. This beach is also the best location in Florida to regularly see jaegers from shore. Each evening the gulls leave the beach and settle on the ocean just beyond the breakers. Pomarine and Parasitic Jaegers regularly patrol these huge groups, harassing the gulls.

Snail Kite

Airboat birding along the St. Johns – Saturday Trip 1

You will enjoy the exclusive combination of Captain Mike, a fifth generation Floridian who grew up here on the river, and a professional birding tour guide and other birders on this exclusive small personal tour. You will glide along marshes and into a secluded cypress swamp to view an abundance of wading birds, waterfowl and raptors on this special adventure. This is optimal habitat for Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras, and Bald Eagles. In fact, 25 Bald Eagles were observed on just one trip in 2020. The St Johns River floodplain is only accessible by airboat due to the shallow depth. Your guides will point out the habitats and ongoing activity of the many species that are found here. Other wildlife, including alligators, may be encountered. This is a great opportunity for birders who prefer to avoid strenuous walking or hiking. Airboat Tours are hosted by A St. Johns River Airboat Tours LLC in Titusville, FL

  • Price: $90
  • Date: Saturday, Jan 25
  • Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Arrive by 9:45 a.m. at the Highway 50 Boat Ramp, 28500 East Colonial Drive, Christmas. Estimated 29 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leader: TBD
  • Participant Limit:  5
  • Accessibility: You must be able to get up into high seats on the airboat. No restroom facility on site.
  • Additional Site Information: https://stjohnsairboatour.com/
Crested Caracara

Airboat Birding Along the St. Johns – Saturday Trip 2

You will enjoy the exclusive combination of Captain Mike, a fifth generation Floridian who grew up here on the river, and a professional birding tour guide and other birders on this exclusive small personal tour. You will glide along marshes and into a secluded cypress swamp to view an abundance of wading birds, waterfowl and raptors on this special adventure. This is optimal habitat for Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras, and Bald Eagles. In fact, 25 Bald Eagles were observed on just one trip in 2020. The St Johns River floodplain is only accessible by airboat due to the shallow depth. Your guides will point out the habitats and ongoing activity of the many species that are found here. Other wildlife, including alligators, may be encountered. This is a great opportunity for birders who prefer to avoid strenuous walking or hiking. Airboat Tours are hosted by A St. Johns River Airboat Tours LLC in Titusville, FL

  • Price: $90
  • Date: Saturday, Jan 25
  • Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. 
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Arrive by 11:45 a.m. at the Highway 50 Boat Ramp, 28500 East Colonial Drive, Christmas. Estimated 29 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leader: TBD
  • Participant Limit:  5
  • Accessibility: You must be able to get up into high seats on the airboat. No restroom facility on site.
  • Additional Site Information: https://stjohnsairboatour.com/
American White Pelican

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Saturday Trip 2

Join Rebecca Chapman from Springs to Sea Old Florida Eco Tours for a 2 hour kayak trip to the protected rookery known as Mullet Head Island (also known as “Bird Island”.) Paddle to an uninhabited island or through a maze of twisted mangrove forests in the Coastal Wildlife Kayak Tour. As you glide through the shallow lagoon of a wildlife refuge, keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, gentle manatees, colorful flamingos, and a whole cast of slippery stingrays and wading birds. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the wildest coastal critters! Our stops along this tour may include Bird Island (wind-dependent), a mangrove forest, known manatee observation areas, or shallow flats teeming with rays, hermit crabs, and mullet!

Note: No children under 4 years old are allowed on this trip.

  • Price: $60.00
  • Date: Saturday, Jan 25
  • Time: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 11:45 at the NW Haulover Canal Kayak Launch in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
  • Leaders: Rebecca Chapman, TBD
  • Participant Limit:  8
  • Accessibility: This activity may not be suitable for guests with certain back and shoulder conditions. There is a weight limit of 250 lbs per guest. 
  • Additional Site Information: https://springstosea.com/
Piping Plover

Beach Birds Boat Trip on the Halifax River

A 4-hour boat trip on the Coast Guard certified 40-passenger pontoon boat, Discovery, will target Disappearing Island on a falling tide, when large concentrations of gulls, terns and shorebirds will be congregating to feed on the exposed sandbar. Disappearing Island is located near the entrance to Ponce Inlet. Other exposed sand bars near the inlet and in the Halifax River will also be visited, if possible. Twenty species of shorebirds are possible here, including American Oystercatchers, Piping and Wilson’s Plovers, Purple Sandpipers and Red Knots. There is always a possibility of finding rarities such as a Glaucous or Iceland Gull among the many gulls that will be seen. Participants on this trip in 2020 saw 14 shorebird species, 5 gull species, 4 tern species, both night-herons and lots of bottlenose dolphins. The Saturday afternoon Beach Birds class will be a great introduction for this trip.

  • Price: $85
  • Date: Saturday, Jan 25
  • Time: 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 11:45 at 116 North Causeway (FL Highway 44), New Smyrna Beach, FL. Park in the grassy field on the right directly across from the Volusia Medical Center.
  • Leaders: Adam Kent, Gina Kent, Laurilee Thompson
  • Participant Limit:  36
  • Accessibility: Boat is handicapped accessible. Marine head on board. Bring water, snacks and sunscreen.
  • Additional Site Information: https://marinediscoverycenter.org/
Immature American Bald Eagle

Airboat Birding Along the St. Johns – Saturday Trip 3

You will enjoy the exclusive combination of Captain Mike, a fifth generation Floridian who grew up here on the river, and a professional birding tour guide and other birders on this exclusive small personal tour. You will glide along marshes and into a secluded cypress swamp to view an abundance of wading birds, waterfowl and raptors on this special adventure. This is optimal habitat for Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras, and Bald Eagles. In fact, 25 Bald Eagles were observed on just one trip in 2020. The St Johns River floodplain is only accessible by airboat due to the shallow depth. Your guides will point out the habitats and ongoing activity of the many species that are found here. Other wildlife, including alligators, may be encountered. This is a great opportunity for birders who prefer to avoid strenuous walking or hiking. Airboat Tours are hosted by A St. Johns River Airboat Tours LLC in Titusville, FL

  • Price: $90
  • Date: Saturday, Jan 25
  • Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. 
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Arrive by 1:45 p.m. at the Highway 50 Boat Ramp, 28500 East Colonial Drive, Christmas. Estimated 29 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leader: TBD
  • Participant Limit:  5
  • Accessibility: You must be able to get up into high seats on the airboat. No restroom facility on site.
  • Additional Site Information: https://stjohnsairboatour.com/
American Flamingo

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Saturday Trip 3

Join Rebecca Chapman from Springs to Sea Old Florida Eco Tours for a 2 hour kayak trip to the protected rookery known as Mullet Head Island (also known as “Bird Island”.) Paddle to an uninhabited island or through a maze of twisted mangrove forests in the Coastal Wildlife Kayak Tour. As you glide through the shallow lagoon of a wildlife refuge, keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, gentle manatees, colorful flamingos, and a whole cast of slippery stingrays and wading birds. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the wildest coastal critters! Our stops along this tour may include Bird Island (wind-dependent), a mangrove forest, known manatee observation areas, or shallow flats teeming with rays, hermit crabs, and mullet!

Note: No children under 4 years old are allowed on this trip.

  • Price: $60.00
  • Date: Saturday, Jan 25
  • Time: 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 2:45 at the NW Haulover Canal Kayak Launch in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
  • Leaders: Rebecca Chapman, TBD
  • Participant Limit:  8
  • Accessibility: This activity may not be suitable for guests with certain back and shoulder conditions. There is a weight limit of 250 lbs per guest. 
  • Additional Site Information: https://springstosea.com/
Screech Owl at the Enchanted Forest

Nocturnal Nature Hike at Enchanted Forest

Whhoooo… is ready for a nocturnal adventure at the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary? Join Naturalists on a night of discovery and exploration on the trails!  Keep an eye and ear out for owls, bats, flying squirrels, and fireflies.

  • Price: $25
  • Date: Saturday, Jan 25
  • Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 6:15 at the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary, 444 Columbia Blvd., Titusville, FL. Estimated 25 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Shelby Wood (EELs Education Coordinator), Richard Moncrief, Patrick Maurice 
  • Participant Limit:  20
  • Accessibility: Restrooms will only be available in the nature center prior to the hike. The nature center and the immediate area are handicapped accessible; the trail is not. Please wear closed-toe shoes and bring water, bug spray and a flashlight.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.brevardfl.gov/EELProgram/Sanctuaries/EnchantedForestSanctuary

Sunday, January 26

Who is hiding in the bushes? Record it’s voice and find out!

Recording Bird Calls

Have you ever heard a bird call and wanted to include it on your eBird list? Join Brady Bailo for this informative trip to Maritime Hammock where you will learn how to record bird calls using your cell phone. To get the most out of this trip, please download and install the free Merlin App to your phone.

  • Price: $20
  • Date: Sunday, January 26
  • Time: 7:30-9:30 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on Site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at Maritime Hammock Preserve (1235 N Atlantic Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931) at [time TBD] IMPORTANT: There is a similarly named Maritime Hammock Sanctuary, but that is miles away and NOT the correct park. Make sure you enter the correct address into your GPS.
  • Leader: Brady Bailo
  • Participant Limit: 15
  • Accessibility: Walking on clearly marked but unpaved trails. There are no restrooms on the preserve, but there is a nearby Denny’s.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.cityofcocoabeach.com/Facilities/Facility/Details/Maritime-Hammock-Preserve-27
Spur-throated Grasshopper at Orlando Wetlands Park

Orlando Wetlands Park Trailer Tour – Sunday

This regional water treatment area, owned by the City of Orlando, began receiving reclaimed water in 1987, submerging the 1700-acre Sun Charm Ranch beneath millions of gallons of treated sewage. For 30 years the City closed the park during winter months so that the former owners could hunt waterfowl, until 2016 when it bought the hunting rights. Join us as we take a trip into the park where more than 220 bird species have been identified including Wood Storks, Bald Eagles, Crested Caracaras, Limpkins, Purple Gallinules, rails and spoonbills. Painted Buntings lurk in some of the dense vegetation bordering the 20 miles of roads and woodland trails leading through marshes, hardwood hammocks and along scenic lakes. Large numbers of waterfowl and wading birds are expected. Other wildlife found here includes alligators, turtles, deer, hogs, bobcats, otters, raccoons, opossums, snakes and coyotes. There will be multiple stops with walking to spy the best birds.

Laughing Gulls

Shorebird Identification Talk and Field Trip

Join David and Dee to learn tips and tricks of basic shorebird identification.  After an indoor presentation, we will go afield to test your skills.

  • Price: $60
  • Date: Sunday, January 26
  • Time: 7:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: TBD
  • Leader: David Simpson, DeeFairbanks Simpson, Jessica Sodano
  • Participant Limit: 15
  • Accessibility: Some walking on possible mud and/or uneven surfaces.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/merritt-island
Reddish Egret on Black Point Wildlife Drive

Beginning Birding Field Trip at MINWR – Sunday

Join Kim for an intimate morning of instruction and observation along the highly acclaimed Black Point Wildlife Drive where there will be birds galore. She will provide helpful hints for beginners such as where to find birds, interesting behaviors, and identification tricks of the birding trade. We will see how the reddish egret dances for its food while the Little Blue Heron simply stalks its food. The large flocks of white birds will become familiar to you as Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, White Ibis, Woodstorks and White Pelicans. Shallow impoundments filled with wading birds will offer opportunities to differentiate between egrets and herons. Birding is far more than a hobby. It is an open door to the world of nature, a touch point that connects people to the outdoors.

  • Price: $35
  • Date: Sunday, January 26
  • Time: 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Meet at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center 1987 Scrub Jay Way Titusville 32782 to board a small bus at 7:45. Estimated 38 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leader: Kimberly King-Wrenn
  • Participant Limit: 12
  • Accessibility: Must be able to get on and off of bus. Some walking on flat packed roads. Restrooms available at the Visitor Center and midway through the Black Point Wildlife Drive.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/merritt-island
Snowy Plover, Jetty Park

Learn Wildlife Photography at Jetty Park

Join us for a hands-on bird photography workshop at the picturesque Jetty Point Park in Port Canaveral. This park offers a perfect backdrop to capture stunning shots of Florida’s diverse bird species, from wading herons and pelicans to majestic ospreys in flight. In this class we’ll explore how to get the perfect portrait and how to optimize your settings for outstanding photography.
Note: To ensure that you get the most from this trip, the field trip leader will contact you at the email address that you used to register for the festival to discuss what type of camera you will be bringing and your current level of photography experience.

  • Date: Sunday, Jan 26
  • Time: 7:30 – 11:30 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 7:20 at Jetty Park (400 Jetty Park Drive, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920.) Park at the east end of the park by the boardwalk to the beach. Estimated 6 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Jason Giraulo and Phil Lintereur
  • Participant Limit: 15
  • Accessibility: Walking required on trails and in sand. Restrooms available
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.portcanaveral.com/Recreation/Jetty-Park-Beach-Pier
Male Black Swallowtail at Enchanted Forest

Enchanted Forest Sanctuary Day Hike – Sunday

Join the staff at the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary, where the Environmentally Endangered Lands (EELs) program all started, to enjoy a guided hike through multiple habitats on and off the marked trails. Staff will be in front of the nature center for an introduction to the Enchanted Forest before the hike. There will be possible opportunities to see and/or hear different species of birds from Pileated Woodpeckers, warblers, flyover ducks and wading birds (Roseate Spoonbills, Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, herons, egrets and more.), Red-shouldered Hawks, owls and more. You never know what you may see in the Enchanted Forest.

  • Price: $25
  • Date: Sunday, January 26
  • Time: 8:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary, 444 Columbia Blvd., Titusville. Estimated 25 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Shelby Wood, Serge Arais
  • Participant Limit:  20
  • Accessibility: Restrooms are available in the nature center. The nature center and the immediate area are handicapped accessible the trails are not.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.brevardfl.gov/EELProgram/Sanctuaries/EnchantedForestSanctuary
Roseates and Ibises on Black Point Wildlife Drive

Black Point Wildlife Drive & Cruickshank Trail

This is a self-driving tour of the Black Point Wildlife Drive and a walking tour on part of the Cruickshank Trail. Through Allan Cruickshank’s vision, enthusiasm, determination and influence, NASA and the US Fish and Wildlife Service reached an agreement in 1963 which created the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. To pay tribute to this man’s unique contribution to the National Wildlife Refuge System, a five-mile trail was dedicated to his memory. This easy 5-mile walk around the Cruickshank Trail takes participants through marshlands with the likelihood of observing wading birds, shore birds, wintering warblers and birds of prey. Charlie will entertain you with stories of Allan and Helen Cruickshank’s influence on the environmental movement while walking along parts of the Cruickshank Trail as time permits. While driving to the trailhead, stops will be made along the Black Point Wildlife Drive to look at concentrations of birds. Examples of the birds you may see include Great Blue Heron, Tri-color Heron, Osprey, Pied Billed Grebes, Reddish Egret, Little Blue Heron, Gray Catbird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Mottled Duck, Blue-wing Teal, Anhinga, and Double-crested Cormorant.

  • Price: $35
  • Date: Sunday, January 26
  • Time: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 8:15 a.m at the Parrish Park Boat Ramp Parking Lot 1 A. Max Brewer Memorial Pkwy, Titusville at. Estimated 33 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Bert Alm (Space Coast Audubon), Gallus Quigley, Charlie Venuto
  • Participant Limit:  20
  • Accessibility: Restroom facilities are available at the trailhead. Must be able to walk 5 miles on unpaved trail.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/merritt-island
Mangrove Tree Crab

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Sunday Trip 1

Join Rebecca Chapman from Springs to Sea Old Florida Eco Tours for a 2 hour kayak trip to the protected rookery known as Mullet Head Island (also known as “Bird Island”.) Paddle to an uninhabited island or through a maze of twisted mangrove forests in the Coastal Wildlife Kayak Tour. As you glide through the shallow lagoon of a wildlife refuge, keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, gentle manatees, colorful flamingos, and a whole cast of slippery stingrays and wading birds. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the wildest coastal critters! Our stops along this tour may include Bird Island (wind-dependent), a mangrove forest, known manatee observation areas, or shallow flats teeming with rays, hermit crabs, and mullet!

Note: No children under 4 years old are allowed on this trip.

  • Price: $60.00
  • Date: Sunday, January 26
  • Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 8:45 at the NW Haulover Canal Kayak Launch in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
  • Leaders: Rebecca Chapman, TBD
  • Participant Limit:  8
  • Accessibility: This activity may not be suitable for guests with certain back and shoulder conditions. There is a weight limit of 250 lbs per guest. 
  • Additional Site Information: https://springstosea.com/
American Alligator

Betty Salter Trail at The Great Outdoors

On our way to the trailhead, we will be looking for our resident Sandhill Cranes, Great Horned Owls, Osprey and Red-Shouldered Hawks. As we enter the trail, there is a wet meadow on the right which in spring is covered in wildflowers. The first half of the trail has little shade as it passes between wetlands, ponds, and the Canaveral Marshes tract of St. Johns River Water Management District. Midway through the trail we will cross a 30-foot-long twelve-inch-wide concrete weir with a coated wire cable handrail. To the left is a borrow pond and to the right a stream bed connected to the St. Johns River. The second half of the trail is shaded by pines, palms, cedars and oak trees. Egrets, herons, ducks and shorebirds as well as bobcats, deer and alligators have been seen on this trail. After the tour, consider having lunch at the Blue Heron Restaurant in TGO.

  • Price: $25.00. If desired, bring money for lunch at Blue Heron Restaurant in the Great Outdoors.
  • Date: Sunday, January 26
  • Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet Up at Golf Carts Unlimited, 880 Hospitality Way, Titusville, FL 32780. The Great Outdoors (TGO) is a gated community so the driver should be prepared to show the gatekeeper your ID and explain that you are there for a tour with Betty Salter. Estimated 30 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Betty Salter, TBD
  • Participant Limit:  12
  • Accessibility: No restrooms available. Must be able to drive a golf cart and walk about 1 mile on unpaved trails. Good hiking shoes & walking stick are recommended.
  • Additional Site Information: https://naturecenterattgo.org/ https://www.blueheronrestaurant.org/
Fragrant Waterlily

Diceranda Scrub Preserve

See a delicate, fragrant mint, the Titusville Balm, found nowhere else in the world except in the Titusville area. In January it will be in fruit. Several species of pines, lyonias and other flatwood species will be seen – a few could be in bloom. The mile long trail passes by a large marsh, filled with water lilies, where wood ducks nest. Ferns are abundant. Florida Scrub-Jays, Eastern Towhees, woodpeckers and raptors might be seen. This is a very nice natural area surrounded by urban homes.

  • Price: $25
  • Date: Sunday, January 26
  • Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 8:45 at the Diceranda Scrub Preserve 4900 Melissa Drive, south of Route 50, in Titusville. Estimated 28 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leaders: Jim and Kay Stahl
  • Participant Limit:  12
  • Accessibility: No restrooms available on site.
  • Additional Site Information: https://www.brevardfl.gov/EELProgram/Sanctuaries/DicerandraScrubSanctuary
Snail Kite

Airboat birding along the St. Johns – Sunday Trip 1

You will enjoy the exclusive combination of Captain Mike, a fifth generation Floridian who grew up here on the river, and a professional birding tour guide and other birders on this exclusive small personal tour. You will glide along marshes and into a secluded cypress swamp to view an abundance of wading birds, waterfowl and raptors on this special adventure. This is optimal habitat for Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras, and Bald Eagles. In fact, 25 Bald Eagles were observed on just one trip in 2020. The St Johns River floodplain is only accessible by airboat due to the shallow depth. Your guides will point out the habitats and ongoing activity of the many species that are found here. Other wildlife, including alligators, may be encountered. This is a great opportunity for birders who prefer to avoid strenuous walking or hiking. Airboat Tours are hosted by A St. Johns River Airboat Tours LLC in Titusville, FL

  • Price: $90
  • Date: Sunday, January 26
  • Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Arrive by 9:45 a.m. at the Highway 50 Boat Ramp, 28500 East Colonial Drive, Christmas. Estimated 29 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leader: TBD
  • Participant Limit:  5
  • Accessibility: You must be able to get up into high seats on the airboat. No restroom facility on site.
  • Additional Site Information: https://stjohnsairboatour.com/
Crested Caracara

Airboat Birding Along the St. Johns – Sunday Trip 2

You will enjoy the exclusive combination of Captain Mike, a fifth generation Floridian who grew up here on the river, and a professional birding tour guide and other birders on this exclusive small personal tour. You will glide along marshes and into a secluded cypress swamp to view an abundance of wading birds, waterfowl and raptors on this special adventure. This is optimal habitat for Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras, and Bald Eagles. In fact, 25 Bald Eagles were observed on just one trip in 2020. The St Johns River floodplain is only accessible by airboat due to the shallow depth. Your guides will point out the habitats and ongoing activity of the many species that are found here. Other wildlife, including alligators, may be encountered. This is a great opportunity for birders who prefer to avoid strenuous walking or hiking. Airboat Tours are hosted by A St. Johns River Airboat Tours LLC in Titusville, FL

  • Price: $90
  • Date: Sunday, January 26
  • Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. 
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Arrive by 11:45 a.m. at the Highway 50 Boat Ramp, 28500 East Colonial Drive, Christmas. Estimated 29 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leader: TBD
  • Participant Limit:  5
  • Accessibility: You must be able to get up into high seats on the airboat. No restroom facility on site.
  • Additional Site Information: https://stjohnsairboatour.com/
American White Pelican

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Sunday Trip 2

Join Rebecca Chapman from Springs to Sea Old Florida Eco Tours for a 2 hour kayak trip to the protected rookery known as Mullet Head Island (also known as “Bird Island”.) Paddle to an uninhabited island or through a maze of twisted mangrove forests in the Coastal Wildlife Kayak Tour. As you glide through the shallow lagoon of a wildlife refuge, keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, gentle manatees, colorful flamingos, and a whole cast of slippery stingrays and wading birds. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the wildest coastal critters! Our stops along this tour may include Bird Island (wind-dependent), a mangrove forest, known manatee observation areas, or shallow flats teeming with rays, hermit crabs, and mullet!

Note: No children under 4 years old are allowed on this trip.

  • Price: $60.00
  • Date: Sunday, January 26
  • Time: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 11:45 at the NW Haulover Canal Kayak Launch in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
  • Leaders: Rebecca Chapman, TBD
  • Participant Limit:  8
  • Accessibility: This activity may not be suitable for guests with certain back and shoulder conditions. There is a weight limit of 250 lbs per guest. 
  • Additional Site Information: https://springstosea.com/
Immature Bald Eagle

Airboat Birding Along the St. Johns – Sunday Trip 3

You will enjoy the exclusive combination of Captain Mike, a fifth generation Floridian who grew up here on the river, and a professional birding tour guide and other birders on this exclusive small personal tour. You will glide along marshes and into a secluded cypress swamp to view an abundance of wading birds, waterfowl and raptors on this special adventure. This is optimal habitat for Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras, and Bald Eagles. In fact, 25 Bald Eagles were observed on just one trip in 2020. The St Johns River floodplain is only accessible by airboat due to the shallow depth. Your guides will point out the habitats and ongoing activity of the many species that are found here. Other wildlife, including alligators, may be encountered. This is a great opportunity for birders who prefer to avoid strenuous walking or hiking. Airboat Tours are hosted by A St. Johns River Airboat Tours LLC in Titusville, FL

  • Price: $90
  • Date: Sunday, January 26
  • Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. 
  • Type: Meet on site.
  • Arrival Details: Arrive by 1:45 p.m. at the Highway 50 Boat Ramp, 28500 East Colonial Drive, Christmas. Estimated 29 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.
  • Leader: TBD
  • Participant Limit:  5
  • Accessibility: You must be able to get up into high seats on the airboat. No restroom facility on site.
  • Additional Site Information: https://stjohnsairboatour.com/
American Flamingo

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Sunday Trip 3

Join Rebecca Chapman from Springs to Sea Old Florida Eco Tours for a 2 hour kayak trip to the protected rookery known as Mullet Head Island (also known as “Bird Island”.) Paddle to an uninhabited island or through a maze of twisted mangrove forests in the Coastal Wildlife Kayak Tour. As you glide through the shallow lagoon of a wildlife refuge, keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, gentle manatees, colorful flamingos, and a whole cast of slippery stingrays and wading birds. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the wildest coastal critters! Our stops along this tour may include Bird Island (wind-dependent), a mangrove forest, known manatee observation areas, or shallow flats teeming with rays, hermit crabs, and mullet!

Note: No children under 4 years old are allowed on this trip.

  • Price: $60.00
  • Date: Sunday, January 26
  • Time: 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • Type: Meet on site
  • Arrival Details: Meet at 11:45 at the NW Haulover Canal Kayak Launch in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
  • Leaders: Rebecca Chapman, TBD
  • Participant Limit:  8
  • Accessibility: This activity may not be suitable for guests with certain back and shoulder conditions. There is a weight limit of 250 lbs per guest. 
  • Additional Site Information: https://springstosea.com/