More than 50 exhibits for birding, wildlife, and nature enthusiasts create an exciting Expo Center. Destination tour companies, wildlife and birding organizations, nature-based businesses, authors, photographers, and painters showcase their talents to help you increase your fun. Examine and explore an outstanding array of camera and optic equipment. Swarovski Optik offers to clean and inspect your optics equipment (any brand) free of charge, so bring your binoculars and scopes to the Expo Center!

The Expo Center is open each afternoon so you can visit as soon as your field trip returns. Check the Bird Updates first for real-time information on the latest sightings!

Afternoon workshops and presentations are on site so you can easily pop in and out of the Expo Center before and after sessions to see what’s available and say hello to the festival sponsors.

Schedule of Events:

Sunday, January 26, 2025

Recording Bird Calls - 7:30-9:30 a.m.

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

Arrival Details: Meet at Maritime Hammock Preserve (1235 N Atlantic Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931)

Orlando Wetlands Park Trailer Tour – Sunday - 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

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

Arrival Details: Meet at the Orlando Wetlands Park, 25155 Wheeler Road, Christmas.Estimated 39 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.

Shorebird Identification Talk and Field Trip - 7:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

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

Price: $60

Arrival Details: Meet at 7:!5 a.m. at Dixie Crossroads, 1475 Garden St, Titusville, FL 32796 for presentation. After, you will carpool test your skills learned.

Learn Wildlife Photography at Jetty Park - 8:00 – 11:30 a.m.

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.

Enchanted Forest Sanctuary Day Hike – Sunday - 8:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

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

Black Point Wildlife Drive & Cruickshank Trail - 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

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

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.

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Sunday Trip 1 - 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

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

Betty Salter Trail at The Great Outdoors - 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

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.

Diceranda Scrub Preserve - 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

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

Airboat birding along the St. Johns – Sunday Trip 1 - 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 

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

Airboat Birding Along the St. Johns – Sunday Trip 2 - 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. 

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

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Sunday Trip 2 - 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

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

Airboat Birding Along the St. Johns – Sunday Trip 3 - 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. 

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

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Sunday Trip 3 - 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

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: January 22 - 26, 2025