Jan. 29, 1:00pm-2:15pm, AUD; Limited to 150 seats; $15

Alvaro Jaramillo (Alvaro's Adventures)

Most Americans do not realize that South and Central Americans use the term "American" to refer to themselves as well! We take it for granted that indeed we are on the American continent, divided into North, Central and South, and some birds in fact are only found in the Americas. One of these groups is an under-rated one, the oriole and blackbird family. However, they are among the most unusual of our birds! Some of what they do rivals the plot lines of the most dramatic of soap operas - infidelity, deception, manipulation, trickery and much more. Some of these birds have a mating system found in no other group of birds. Others leave other species to take care of their young. Some trick other species into believing they are of the same species, before transforming (almost before their eyes) into a very different looking and sounding species! In some females are decidedly macho acting, looking like and doing what males do in related species. There is definitely some weirdness that goes on in the blackbirds, more so than in other groups of birds. They make warblers and tanagers look like boring goody two-shoes. At the same time a look at this fascinating group of birds lets us travel through the Americas, from Canada to Chile and Argentina and see what an amazing megacontinent we live in!

Jan. 27, 1:00pm-2:00pm; 123; Limited to 40 seats; $15

Paddy Cunningham (Bird Adventure)

Ascend to Better Birding through a presentation of successful ways to improve your ability to find the birds you seek. This talk will discuss field tested tips such as seasonality, habitat, field marks and birding by ear. It will also include the importance of field trip preparation, doing your homework, getting into and out of a rut, and a new concept-bird seeking. A summary hand-out will be given to participants.

Jan. 28, 10:30am-12:00pm; Gazebo; Limited to 24 seats; Free

Richard Raid, PhD (University of Florida)

This workshop is nature's version of CSI! Have you ever wondered what sort of prey raptors capture and feed on? Due to the alkaline nature of a Barn Owl's stomach, many of the bones, fur and chitinous parts of a Barn Owl's prey are left undigested. Such remains are routinely regurgitated through the mouth in the form of a compact pellet. By collecting and dissecting these pellets, researchers can find out exactly what these marvelous raptors have been eating. Discover for yourself why Barn Owls have frequently been termed the most beneficial bird on the planet. This workshop will enable each adventurous participant to dissect his or her very own owl pellet(s), discovering what lies inside. Then, by comparing skeletal remains utilizing bone charts, you will be able to figure out exactly what a Barn Owl eats. With a bit of collaborative sleuthing, registrants may even discover what type of ecosystem is inhabited by the owls that spit up these pellets. Think picking through owl regurgitation is disgusting? Think again! Believe it or not, pellet dissection is a favorite lesson at many schools throughout the nation. Adults, but especially kids of all ages, will find this workshop highly entertaining and informative. Sterilized owl pellets, dissecting tools and bone charts will be furnished to all registrants free of charge.

Jan. 28, 1:00pm-2:30pm; AUD; Limited to 150 seats; Free

Jan. 29, 1:00pm-2:30pm; 121; Limited to 40 seats; Free

Richard Raid, PhD (University of Florida)

Since 1994, the University of Florida has been involved in a program promoting Barn Owls as a sustainable means of rodent control. Hundreds of nesting boxes now dot the Everglades Agricultural Area of south Florida. The UF Barn Owl Project has met with great success in increasing Barn Owl population in the Glades, with boxes exhibiting nearly 100% occupancy. Agriculture and wildlife are not the sole beneficiaries. In this seminar, presenter Dr. Richard Raid will describe the biology of these marvelous raptors and detail the project's progress. Attendees will also be treated to amusing stories and video involving the use of Barn Owls and regurgitated owl pellets for youth education, not to mention, free pellets for their own enjoyment.
Employed by the University of Florida as a professor of plant pathology, Dr. Raid initiated a program promoting the use of barn owls for sustainable rodent control in 1994. The UF Barn Owl Program quickly gained the acceptance of the agricultural industry with which Dr. Raid worked, providing the Everglades Agricultural Area with some of the highest Barn Owl densities in North America. Not one to miss an opportunity for engaging kids in nature, Raid has used the project as an educational outreach program. Thousands of local students, from elementary school to college, have learned the benefits of this spectacular raptor to mankind through his frequent lectures, workshops, and displays. Now, more widely recognized for Barn Owls than plant pathology, Dr. Raid and the UF Barn Owl Project have been featured on CNN, the National Geographic Society's website, and PBS's Nature series.

Jan. 28, 9:15am-10:15am; 121; Limited to 40 seats; $10

Stephen Ingraham (Carl Zeiss Sports Optics)

This is a virtual tour of the best birding, birding spots, and birding festivals on the Carl Zeiss yearly schedule. It is the next best thing to being there yourself... and perhaps enough motivation to get you there next year.

Jan. 27, 2:15pm-3:15pm; AUD; Limited to 150 seats; $15

Ben Brotemarkle, PhD (Florida Historical Society)

Book signing following presentation.

Central Florida is the site of a large prehistoric mortuary pond which is one of the most important archaeological discoveries in the world, the home of the oldest incorporated African American municipality in the United States, and the place where every American manned space flight is launched. This region is where the Barber-Mizell Family Feud of 1870 took place; a Spiritualist community has been communicating with the dead since 1894; and where the largest collection of stained glass work by Louis Comfort Tiffany is displayed. Notable people including writer, folklorist, and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston; educator and civil rights activist Harry T. Moore; and sculptor Albin Polasek have lived and worked here. In this informative and entertaining presentation Ben Brotemarkle will discuss the history of many Central Florida towns and demonstrate how local heritage can be enjoyed today through a variety of historic sites and cultural events. Dr. Brotemarkle is Executive Director of the Florida Historical Society and serves on the Brevard County Historical Commission. He is the author of five books on the history and culture of Florida and teaches a course on the Humanities in Florida at Brevard Community College. His radio program, Florida Frontiers: The Weekly Radio Magazine of the Florida Historical Society airs on NPR affiliates throughout the state.

Jan. 28; 2:15pm-3:15pm; 123; Limited to 40 seats; $15

Paul Lehman

Join Paul on a tour of North America's major avian habitats. From the arctic to the subtropics, the ocean to alpine tundra, sample what these areas look like, where they are found, and enjoy many of the characteristics and special birds found in each. We will also visit a number of habitat "outposts" where localized species may be seen.

Jan. 28, 9:00am-10:15am; AUD; Limited to 150 seats; $20

Michael O'Brien (VENT)

For many birders, both beginner and expert, attempting to learn bird sounds can be a daunting, if not seemingly impossible, task. So many species and so much variation-where does one start? This workshop will get you going by taking an analytical approach and focusing on helpful techniques for remembering bird sounds. Our emphasis will be on birds likely to be heard during the Festival, including some of those hoped-for Florida specialties.

Jan. 26, 2:00pm-3:30pm; 121; Limited to 40 seats; $15

Kevin Karlson (Kevin T. Karlson Photography)

Many of you have followed Kevin's presentations about Birding by Impression over the last five years, and have patiently awaited his book of the same name. This seminar details the difficult task of writing a book that presents a new conceptual approach to bird ID, which is now in its third rewrite for Houghton Mifflin Co. Kevin gives insightful reasons why the first two versions failed, and how the third rewrite incorporates a more visual approach to this exciting ID approach. Sample chapters of the new book are shown, along with comparative photo arrays of similar species that are difficult to ID. Come see what Kevin feels is the inevitable evolution of bird ID field guides. Test your ID skills with the comparative photos from the new book.

Jan. 28, 4:00pm-5:00pm; 123; Limited to 40 seats; $15

Jeffrey A. Gordon (American Birding Association)

Are you proud to be a birder? Has birding introduced you to some wonderful people and places, not to mention some beautiful and fascinating birds? Would you like to see more people become birders and the influence of our community grow? Then the ABA is for you. The American Birding Association has a history of innovation and building the birding community that stretches over four decades. As president of the ABA, Jeffrey Gordon is eager to build on that legacy as well as take the organization in some innovative new directions. His presentation will discuss why birders everywhere have reason to be excited about the future of the ABA and the future of birding itself.