Presentations

All presentations are free with registration. Since we are adding presentations currently, feel free to select when you pick up your badge or, since space is limited, save your confirmation number and log in again to select.

Wednesday
- Digiscoping Sparrows
Thursday
- Discover Panama: A Birdwatcher’s and Nature Lover’s Paradise
- Birds & Culture in Southern Portugal
Friday
Saturday
- eBird Tips and Tricks: Maximizing Your Use of the World’s Largest Citizen Science Database

Wednesday, January 22

Digiscoping Sparrows

Sparrows are so much more than “little brown jobs”! When digiscoped (photographed using a camera and a telescope,) you can see how beautiful these little birds are. Come experience KOWA’s Jeremiah Oden’s presentation about the art of Digiscoping the often under appreciated sparrow. You will learn to find beauty and joy in the common and uncommon sparrows of the US.

Price: Free with registration
Date: Wednesday, Jam 22
Time: 1:30 – 2:45 pm
Room: Radisson Resort at the Port, Martinique Room
Leader: Jeremiah Oden
Participant Limit: 30

About Jeremiah Oden: I am originally from the Pineywoods of East Texas and I am a lifelong nature lover and outdoorsman. I have always especially loved birds of prey. After watching Dr. Fitzpatrick’s lecture on the possible re-discovery of the ivory billed woodpecker I stumbled upon Cornell advertising a global big day. My first day birding was a big day in May 2020. I immediately became obsessed and started chasing everything I could.

I fell in love with Digi scoping out of a need to try to get birds identified. I have since then fallen in love with sparrows and spent some of 2022 and all of 2023 dig scoping the sparrows of the United States. I’ve done three calendars and two amateur photographic books of my phone photography. I now love professional photography as well. I am guiding a bit now as well as became a Kowa brand ambassador in 2024.

Thursday, January 23

Discover Panama: A Birdwatcher’s and Nature Lover’s Paradise

Nestled between North and South America, Panama may be compact, but it rivals the natural splendor of much larger nations. This biodiversity hotspot, no bigger than South Carolina, is a treasure trove for nature enthusiasts. With over 1,015 bird species, along with diverse mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and more than 10,000 plant species, Panama’s ecological richness is nothing short of extraordinary.

Join Carlos Bethancourt, a seasoned guide with the Canopy Family, on a captivating photographic journey. Explore lush habitats, from the historic Canal Zone to the foothills of western Panama and the untamed beauty of the Darién lowlands in the east. Along the way, encounter everything from majestic toucans and vibrant hummingbirds to the elusive Panamanian Night Monkey and playful Kinkajous. Carlos’s engaging stories and vivid imagery will transport you right into the heart of Panama’s wilderness.

Prepare to immerse yourself in an adventure where each turn reveals why Panama is a paradise for birding and nature exploration.

Date: Thursday, January 23
Time: 1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Location: Radisson Resort at the Port, Martinique Room
Cost: Free with festival registration

About the Speaker: Carlos Bethancourt was born in Panama City in 1978 and grew up surrounded by the natural beauty of Huile, a rural village near the Canal Zone. Influenced by his family’s deep connection to nature, he developed a passion for conservation and birdwatching from an early age. After high school, Carlos earned a scholarship to study natural resources and ornithology at Mt. Hood Community College in Oregon. He began his career at the Canopy Tower in 2000, quickly establishing himself as a leading figure in the birdwatching community. Over the years, he has led tours, workshops, and presented at major birding events across the United States, Great Britain, and Germany, sharing his expertise with bird enthusiasts around the world. In 2018, Carlos was recognized as ‘Best Nature Tour Guide’ by EcoTripMatch. Today, he remains deeply involved in marketing and conservation projects for the Canopy Family, working to promote ecotourism and protect Panama’s natural treasures.

Birds & Culture in Southern Portugal

Southern Portugal offers a fantastic diversity of habitats and a large variety of birds, in a relatively small territory. All this, besides an excellent infrastructure and a rich cultural heritage, with winding streets, historic plazas and squares, an array of castles, cathedrals, museums, Roman ruins, promenades, culinary delights and great wines. Joao will talk about some of the practical aspects, should you plan a visit.

Date: Thursday, January 23
Time: 3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Location: Radisson Resort at the Port, Martinique Room
Cost: Free with festival registration

About the Speaker: João was born in Lisbon and studied Biology at the Faculdade de Ciências de Lisboa, from where he developed his professional career in the pharmaceutical industry, as senior manager and director of various multinational companies. With some 40 years of field experience, he has an intimate knowledge of the birds and birding in Portugal. He has travelled extensively in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas with birding as the main objective. João was a member of the national board of SPEA (BirdlLife International partner in Portugal) and was a voting member of the Portuguese Rarities Committee from 2005 until 2011 and chairman of the committee from 2007 until 2011. Author and co-author of articles about birds, João is also co-author of the book Where to Watch Birds in Southern Portugal. In 2008, he launched the first Portuguese company totally dedicated to the organization of birdwatching tours, Birds & Nature Tours Portugal, which he manages and guides many of its tours, as well as presenting bird identification courses. Besides birds, he has an active special interest in amphibians, reptiles and fish.

Friday, January 24

Feathers & Fermentation: Good Times for Good Causes

Enjoying unique ciders and beers from local small businesses, seeing and learning about birds in new and interesting ways, and raising awareness and funds for some of the best conservation organizations around- these are a few of my favorite things! If you’re into these things too, come to this program where I’ll discuss my Feathers & Fermentation event series in Indianapolis, perhaps inspiring you to make or join a similar program in your area.

Price: Free with registration
Date: Friday, Jan 24
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Room: Radisson Resort at the Port, Antigua Room,
Leader: Wes Homoya
Participant Limit: 30

About the Speaker: Wes Homoya was born and raised in Indiana, and as such is a firm believer in practicing Hoosier hospitality-living graciously with each other and this planet we all call home. This ethic was instilled in him by his parents: Barb, a nature-loving nurse who taught him compassion for little things like salamanders, and Michael, a botanist and author who exemplified not only why it’s important to know the names of the flora and fauna around you, but why we must share this knowledge with others. Eventually this desire to learn led to studying ecology and ornithology at Purdue University under the esteemed Dr. Barny Dunning.

Various employments since have allowed him to live, work, and bird in wild places throughout Australasia, Southeast Asia (including a year in Hong Kong), Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Europe (including anti-poaching efforts with a bird conservation NGO on Cyprus). Currently, Wes resides in downtown Indy and spends his days conducting avian surveys throughout the Midwest, foraging wild ingredients for his brother’s libations at Ash & Elm Cider, and being an ambassador for birds and conservation in any way he can, whether via the Bird Safe Indy project for the local Audubon chapter or get

Restoring the Balance of the Indian River Lagoon

The current condition of the IRL didn’t change overnight – there was a recent defining moment that tipped the Lagoon from a more natural seagrass dominated system to a less natural algae dominated system. When we understand our roles in what ails the lagoon, we can better understand how to bring it back to a healthier balance.

Date: Friday, January 24
Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Location: Radisson Resort at the Port, Martinique Room
Cost: Free with festival registration

About the Speaker: Heather Stapleton graduated from Indiana University with triple majors in Environmental Studies, Political Science and French with an area concentration Public Affairs. She was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Benin, West Africa for three years. Previously, Heather was the Education Director at the Environmental Learning Center for 16 years. Currently a community engagement coordinator for the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program, she channels her passion for the environment into fostering community connections and helping people live more lagoon-friendly. She started her plastic free diet in February 2024 and for the most part, has stuck to it!

The Plastic Diet

Single-stream recycling aimed to boost recycling rates, but less is being recycled now. Most plastic is downcycled or not recycled at all, often becoming litter through curbside spills, wind, or wildlife. This litter harms birds, who ingest plastic, mistaking it for food, leading to malnutrition, poisoning, and death. Birds also use plastic in nests, which can harm chicks. Reducing single-use plastics can help. Heather Stapleton shares her journey of significantly reducing plastic use, finding empowerment in each successful change. One attendee to this talk will win a sustainable gift basket that will help you on your way to a plastic-free future!

Date: Friday, January 24
Time: 3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Location: Radisson Resort at the Port, Martinique Room
Cost: Free with festival registration

What’s Going on at the American Birding Association (ABA)?

This talk will be an informal conversation with Wayne Klockner, ABA’s executive director and Kelly Smith, ABA Community and Conservation Director about the latest happenings at the American Birding Association. Come join them for news on planned activities, our Young Birder Program, the popular ABA podcast, and other happenings at ABA.

Date: Friday, January 24
Time: 3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Location: Radisson Resort at the Port, Antigua Room
Cost: Free with festival registration

About the Speaker: Wayne joined the ABA after a long career in conservation with The Nature Conservancy. Professionally, Wayne has lived and worked in Maryland, Delaware, New York, Massachusetts, and Indonesia, fulfilling his dream to work conserving natural lands and waters for all life. Wayne has been a lifelong birder; as a pre-teen in New Jersey, his spark bird was the Dark-eyed Junco. He has since pursued birds in 19 countries and counting but most enjoys documenting the seasonal changes in birdlife in patches close to home. Wayne lives in Ocean City, Maryland with his wife, Lisa, and a springer spaniel named Lizzy. His best yard birds so far are White Ibis and Red Crossbill.

About the Speaker: Many people may recognize Kelly as the ABA representative at various bird festivals and conferences around the ABA area. A research and conservation-minded naturalist, she has volunteered or served on the board of many nature organizations for the last fifteen years including the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival and Balcones Songbird Festival, the South Texas Border Chapter Texas Master Naturalists, the Friends of the Wildlife Corridor and the Friends of Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, Texas Pelagics, the Texas Ornithological Society, and the Brandywine Zoo Kestrel Monitoring Program. She has also spent years assisting raptor and songbird banding projects in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Kelly puts her business degree to work for the ABA as the Finance and Operations Manager, program lead for the relaunched Birders’ Exchange initiative, and online store manager. When not at work or volunteering, Kelly spends her time hiking and kayaking around San Antonio, Texas and scuba-diving in the Caribbean.

Saturday, January 25

eBird Tips and Tricks: Maximizing Your Use of the World’s Largest Citizen Science Database

Join Will Johnson, regional eBird reviewer for Brevard, Volusia, and Indian River counties, for an interactive and wide-ranging discussion on how to make the most of eBird for reporting and tracking your bird observations, exploring the birdlife in your area, and contributing to impactful citizen science. In this session we will place particular emphasis on demystifying the eBird review process and learning best practices for documenting your sightings so that you can become a more skilled and intentional (e)birder in the field. Whether you’re a veteran eBird user or completely new to the program, this session is designed so that everybody will take away valuable lessons they can apply during the festival’s many fantastic field trips.

Date: Saturday, January 25
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Location: Radisson Resort at the Port, Martinique Room
Cost: Free with festival registration

About the Speaker: Will Johnson serves as the regional eBird reviewer for Brevard, Volusia, and Indian River counties and contributes to local environmental organizations as a frequent guest speaker and tour leader. A lifelong resident and avid birder of east-central Florida, Will has developed a thorough expertise of local birdlife and is particularly knowledgeable about this area’s migration patterns, vagrancy trends, and biogeography. In addition to spending extensive time in the field, Will enjoys expressing his love of birds through art and illustration and has had his artwork featured in multiple local and national publications. Will recently graduated from Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH with a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies, and he currently works remotely from Vero Beach, FL for a climate tech startup supporting nature-based carbon removal projects.