Schedule:

Journey through south Florida searching for beautiful and rare birds in ancient moss-covered cypress swamps, everglades prairies that join the sky and brilliant marshes that sparkle with flashes of roseate wings. Scan across the tips of grass for hovering Snail kites and hear the squeal of the Limpkin.

Registration — 12:00-1:00 P.m.
Pick Up Your Name Tag, Field Trip Workshop Materials And Goody Bag.
Registration Cost Covers Opening Reception, Reception Dinner, Daily Morning Birding Mini-workshop, Birding Education Handout Materials, All Evening Programs (Thursday, Friday And Saturday), Water And Field Trip Snacks. Without Preregistration, Field Trip Availability Is Based On A First Come, First Serve Basis. We Will Try To Accommodate Your Choice, But It Is Not Guaranteed.

Birding Mini-workshop - 1:00-1:30-p.m. - Festival Orientation & Ascend To Better Birding – Family Groups, Silhouette, Commonality/seasonality

Field Trips

Plantation Preserve Bird Walk-8:00-11:30 Am - Free – Carpool Event

Sponsored By South Florida Audubon Society, Carpool Meet In Hotel Lobby At 7:30 A.m. Or At The Trail Head Near The Playground At 8:00 A.m. Free And Open To The Public.

An Easy Walk Along Open Waterways And Native Plantings To Find Limpkins And Wintering Ducks. The Native Plantings Are A Good Habitat For Brown Thrasher, Buntings And Wintering Warblers Such As Northern Parula And Yellow-throated. With Luck We Could See Fly-bys Of Monk, White-winged, Yellow-chevroned Or Mitred Parakeets, Or Even A Possible Spot-breasted Oriole. On The Hike To The Tequesta Indian Mound In The Marsh We Will Search For Sora, Bitterns, Marsh Wren And Swamp Sparrow.

Target Birds - Limpkin, Brown Thrasher, Painted And Indigo Buntings, Sora, American And Least Bitterns, Marsh Wren, Swamp Sparrow, Short-tailed Hawk, Of Monk, White-winged, Yellow-chevroned Or Mitred Parakeets, Spot-breasted Oriole.

Plantation Preserve-linear Trail: Plantation Preserve Golf Course & Club, 7050 West Broward Blvd. Plantation, Fl   33317 Nature And Recreation Enthusiasts Can Walk, Hike, Jog, Bike Or Inline Skate The 1.1-mile Linear Park Multi-use Recreation Trail That Winds Its Way Through The Golf Course And Wetlands Area, Providing A Quiet Respite From Everyday Life.  Additionally, Interpretive Signs Are Located At The Beginning And End Of The Trail, At Each Of The Four Trail Stops And At The Historically Significant Tequesta Burial Mound. Visitors And Residents Alike Can Take Comfort In The Knowledge That A Large And Historically Significant Parcel Of Land Has Been Preserved And Protected For All To Use, Including Local Wildlife. Hours: Dawn To Dusk

Broward Hot Spots Field Trip - 1:30-5:30 P.m.

Broward Is Centrally Located To Easily Reach All The Top Birding Destinations In South Florida. It Is Also One Of The Best Places To Get Many Target Birds Such As Grey Headed Swamphen, Burrowing Owl, And Egyptian Goose. This Trip Takes You Throughout West Broward Visiting Brian Piccolo For Burrowing Owls, Loggerhead Shrike, And Monk Parakeets. A Quick Stop At Embassy Creek Lake For Lesser Scaup And Wading Birds. Chapel Trail Wetlands Is The Best Place For The Newly Countable Grey Headed Swamphen And Wintering Warblers. At Long Key Nature Center We Hope For Great Horned Owl And Whippoorwill, Plus A Delicious Dinner And Excellent Keynote. This Field Trip Goes Directly To The Opening Reception, Not Returning To The Hotel Until After The Keynote.

Target Birds - Grey Headed Swamphen, Burrowing Owl, Egyptian Goose, Loggerhead Shrike, Monk Parakeets, Lesser Scaup, Great Horned Owl, Whippoorwill.

Brian Piccolo Parkbrian Piccolo County Park - 9501 Sheridan St., Cooper City, Fl 33024
Opened In 1989, This 175.2-acre Park Has Established Itself As One Of Broward County Parks' Primary Centers For Athletic Activity. Perhaps Surprisingly For Such A Busy Park, It Is Also A Site On The Great Florida Birding And Wildlife Trail Because Of Its Burrowing Owl Population.

Chapel Trail Wetland - 19800 Sheridan St., Pembroke Pines, Fl. 33026
The City Of Pembroke Pines Oversees This 450-acre Passive Park That Was Established In The 1990s. The Wetlands Have Become Home To 120 Species Of Birds, Deer, Marsh Rabbits, Alligators, Snakes, Turtles, Largemouth Bass, And Insects. This Nature Preserve Includes A 1,650-foot Long Boardwalk, And A Pavilion For Observation

Long Key Nature Center - 3501 S.w. 130th Ave., Davie, Fl 33330
At 164.8 Acres, This Site Is One Of The Largest Natural Areas Managed By Broward County Parks And Recreation. As Recently As A Century Ago This Elevated Oak Hammock Was Part Of A Series Of Islands Surrounded By Everglades Marshes. Long Key Encompasses Some Of The Most Significant Archaeological, Historical, And Ecological Resources In The County, As The Area Was Inhabited By The Ancient Tequestas And The More Modern Seminoles.

Opening Reception
5:30 P.m. — Meet & Greet, Buffet, Wine & Prizes, Keynote Speaker

Long Key Nature Center - 3501 S.w. 130th Ave., Davie, Fl 33330
Meet & Greet: 5:30 P.m.
Dinner: 6:00 P.m. — For Ebf Registrants
Everglades Ecosystem: 6:30 P.m.
Keynote Speaker: 7:00 P.m.