CALENDAR ANNOUNCEMENT

CONTACT: Renee Wilson, 239-530-5958

Registration Opens Dec. 1 for
the Festival of Birds at Rookery Bay

Dr. Jerry Jackson is the Keynote Speaker.

WHAT:   Festival of Birds

WHEN:  Jan. 18-20, 2019

WHERE: Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center
               300 Tower Road
               Naples, FL 34113

HOW:     Register at rookerybay.org/festival-of-birds

Join Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve for the Festival of Birds. This annual event allows guests to explore the local environment through guided field trips to wildlife hot spots around Southwest Florida, and also features programs at the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center (ELC) Jan. 18-20, 2019.

Dozens of field trips, including birding walks, buggy rides and boat tours will be offered by area partners. Trips range in price from $0-$150. Registration for field trips is required and opens Dec. 1. Some of the new trips being offered this year include:

• Isles of Capri Paddlecraft Park: Mangrove Tunnel & Mudflat Kayak Tour
• Keewaydin Island: Sunset to Starlight Boat Tour
• Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge: Kayaking with the Birds
• Tigertail Beach: Beach Birding for Beginners 

Also new this year is the Festival Pass, which costs $45. It is required for entry to the ELC for all on-site events and to book field trips. It includes:

• Admission to ELC and on-site programs (guided trail walks, Estuary Encounter, bird films) on both Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Featured speakers on Friday and Saturday, 1-2 p.m. and 3-4 p.m.
• Souvenir goodie bag filled with information from participating partners
• Lunch vouchers for Friday 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (JewBan’s Deli Dale food truck) and Saturday 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (Brit Pit food truck) -- includes meal plus drink

Featured Speakers are as follows:

Friday, Jan. 18, 2019:
• 1-2 p.m. Anne Mauro: The Flamingo, Florida's Forgotten Wading Bird 
• 3-4 p.m. Randy McCormick: My 40-Year Love Affair with Birds

Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019:
• 1-2 p.m. Alli Smith: Florida Burrowing Owl Research and Conservation
• 3-4 p.m. Adam DiNuovo: The Amazing Black Skimmer

Keynote Reception on Friday, Jan. 18, features Dr. Jerry Jackson, who will present "Birds are Cool: Fascinating Flexibility and Far-out Adaptations of Birds in Our Changing World" from 6-7 p.m. The cost to attend is $10. Jerome A. Jackson is Professor Emeritus of Ecological Sciences and former Whitaker Eminent Scholar in Science at Florida Gulf Coast University, and Professor Emeritus at Mississippi State University. Jerry's expertise focuses on forest and coastal ecosystems, bird management issues associated with aviation, and the history of ornithology. He is author/editor of 24 books and more than 300 articles in the professional and popular literature. Doors open at 5:30 -- refreshments provided. 

For more information about the event and registration, click here.

About Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve encompasses 110,000 acres of coastal lands and waters and is managed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Coastal Office in partnership with NOAA. Its mission is to provide a basis for informed stewardship of estuaries in Southwest Florida through research and education. For more information, visit www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal, www.nerrs.noaa.gov or www.rookerybay.org.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLDEP/bulletins/21e2dda