Northwest Florida Birding & Wildlife Festival March 19

[Teresa]

Northwest Florida Birding & Wildlife Festival
March 19

RiverCamps Riverhouse
6305 Riverhouse Drive
Panama City Beach, FL 32413

$40 adults
free for children under 17
tix include excursions (see flyer), dinner & presentation.
open to the public with free nature & wildlife activities from 10am-4pm / food available for purchase

Northwest Florida's Gulf Coast provides important habitat for many species of migratory birds and wildlife. In celebration of International Migratory Bird Day, we invite you to attend this spectacular festival that highlights some of the most beautiful and unique birds and wildlife of the region. The festival includes a guest speaker, a wildlife photographer, education and recreation activities for all ages and numerous guided-birding tours. Please join us for the Northwest Florida Birding And Wildlife Festival at RiverCamps on Crooked Creek and experience the wonders of Florida's wildlife.

If you would like more information, please call 850.588.2271.

Go to St Joe website for map, directions and more information.

 

[Kurt]

A good chance to see real Florida and to check out Rivercamps if you haven't been over there.

 

[Teresa]

The ?2011 Northwest Florida Birding and Wildlife Festival? will be held on Saturday, March 19 at the RiverCamps community, which is located off of Highway 388. Excursion tours for bird watching and wildlife observation, birding and wildlife exhibits with hands-on activities, a wildlife photo gallery display and a guest speaker from the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey, are all part of the one-day program. This event is co-sponsored by the Bay County Audubon Society and the University of Florida Bay County IFAS Extension in conjunction with The St. Joe Company, the RiverCamps on Crooked Creek Community Association, The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The Birding and Wildlife Exhibits, free and open to the public from 10:00 am-4:00 pm at The RiverHouse, will feature a variety of live animals including a Florida Panther, a Bobcat, a Bald Eagle and an Alligator. Excursion tours require purchasing a ticket.

Tickets are $40 per person and children 18 and under are free. Tickets include two excursions of your choice, dinner and presentation by Lynda White from the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey and a Bat Mist/Netting outing after dinner.

?RiverCamps offers a unique and natural venue for this birding and wildlife educational event,? says Kevin Smith, project manager for RiverCamps on Crooked Creek. ?We?re grateful for the expertise and experience of the event?s co-sponsors and partners.?

?The Bay County Audubon Society is thrilled to be playing such a pivotal role in this great event,? says Dr. Neil Lamb, president of the Bay County Audubon Society. ?Bay County features some of the most unique birding and wildlife in the state and this interactive event will certainly highlight that.?

Displays and Exhibits Scheduled To Be On Site at the RiverHouse:
Bear Creek Feline Center Exhibit?Get up close with a live Florida Panther, a Lynx and a Bobcat
Bird Identification?Learn how to identify different types of birds.
Bird Feeder?Learn how to make a bird feeder.
Bird House?Discover examples of correctly built bird houses.
Habitats For Birds?Learn the 10 best native plants and ideal habitats for birds.
Threats to Birds?Learn about the biggest threats and what can be done to reduce them.
What is your wing span? ?Find out the wingspans of different types of birds.
Meet Paige the Bald Eagle?Interact with a live bald eagle.
Bird Migrations?Learn more about these unique travelers.
Birding Opportunities in Northwest Florida?Find out about area birding resources.
Wildlife and Outdoor Photography Exhibit?Purchase and observe unique outdoor and wildlife photos by nature photographer Paul Winterman.
Alligator Education Station?Learn more about this popular reptile and view a live alligator.

RiverCamps? RiverHouse is located at 6305 RiverHouse Drive, Panama City Beach, FL 32413.

Food will also be available for purchase on site.

Excursion Times And Descriptions:
Wetappo Creek Conservation Area
Tour Time: 6:00-10:00 am
This private-access only, 1,600-acre conservation area contains the largest stand of oldgrowth long leaf pine timber in Gulf County. Participants can expect to see five species of wood peckers, including the red-cockaded woodpecker for which the area is intensively managed.

Camp Helen State Park
Tour Time: 7:00 am-10:00 am
The tour of this beautiful state park will include exploration and birding along pristine Emerald Coast Gulf beaches, Lake Powell coastal dune lake shoreline, maritime oak hammocks and freshwater wetlands. Participants are likely to see a wide variety of shore,
wading, raptor and neo-tropical migrant birds.

RiverCamps Photo Excursion
Times: 7:00 am-10:00 am and 3:00 pm-5:30 pm
Providing access to a private area, this tour targets novice birders and those interested in gaining experience in wildlife photography. RiverCamps has over 1,000 acres of natural areas that include fresh, brackish and salt marshes, flatwood prairies and savannahs, tidal
flats and creeks and maritime hammocks. Experienced wildlife photographer Paul Winterman will guide birders and provide tips and techniques on wildlife photography.

RiverCamps Kayak Tour
Tour Times: 7:00 am-10:00 am and 3:00 pm-5:30 pm
This kayak tour combines excellent birding with exercise, and the beauty of Crooked Creek and the West Bay tidal flats. The tour begins at the beautiful private RiverHouse on Crooked Creek and traverses the tidal creeks and flats of the bay.

West Bay Pontoon Boat Tour
Tour Time: 7:00 am-10:00 am and 3:00 pm-5:30 pm
Enjoy the shallow brackish and salt water marshes associated with the West Bay Preservation Area. The comfortable boat tour will explore the beautiful shoreline and creeks of West Bay.

Dinner At The RiverHouse With Guest Speaker Lynda White
Dinner Time: 6:00 pm-8:00 pm, RiverHouse at RiverCamps
Dinner guests will have the opportunity to enjoy a presentation by Lynda White, Eagle Watch Coordinator from the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey. White, who was honored in 2008 by the National Audubon Society as National Educator of the Year, conducts
presentations statewide, traveling with a Bald Eagle whose injuries were too severe to permit successful release back into the wild. She also coordinates the release of rehabilitated eagles from the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey. In addition to the Lynda White presentation, attendees can also view nature photographer Paul Winterman's
wildlife and outdoor photography exhibit.

Bat Mist-Netting
Tour Time: 8:00 pm-9:30 pm
Join Dr. Jeff Gore, one of the leading bat experts in the Southeast, as he uses mist-nets to catch bats that feed along the waterways of Crooked Creek. Learn about the life history, migration and importance of Florida's only flying mammal.

For more information on ?The 2011 Northwest Florida Birding and Wildlife Festival,? including ticket and excursion information, visit www.RiverCampsFlorida.com | Search: Festival, or call 850.588.2271.

About RiverCamps on Crooked Creek RiverCamps on Crooked Creek is situated at the center of Northwest Florida?s Bay County along the waters of West Bay. No more than 450 homes are planned for the 1,500-acre site, with nearly 1,000 acres of the total site planned for conservation of wetlands and upland wildlife habitats. For more information about home sites at RiverCamps on Crooked Creek, visit www.rivercamps.com.