FLORIDA ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

FALL MEETING, ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, OCTOBER 3-5

Andy Kratter's Skins Quiz

Registration Information

HOTEL AND MEETING LOCATION: HOLIDAY INN HOTEL & SUITES, St. Augustine-historic district (3 miles from the Alligator Farm!), 1302 Ponce De Leon Blvd., St. Augustine, FL 32084. Tel: 877-863-4780; E-mail Joe.Rodriguez@Jalaramhotels.com and web page: www.holidayinn.com. Special rate for FOS: room, $85.00, mini-suite $112.00, plus 7% tax (NO TAX with tax-free certification). Hotel reservations must be made by September 15, 2008. A credit card deposit is required when you make your reservation.

Directions: From I-95 take Exit 318 (ROUTE 16), EAST to US-1, make a right, going south for 0.4 mile - hotel on the left side.

Friday, October 3

1:00-5:00 p.m. – Registration in lobby of Holiday Inn (Hotel check-in 4:00 pm)

2:00-5:00 p.m. – Board of Directors meeting

2:00-5:00 p.m. – Field trip to The St. Augustine Alligator Farm. (see Field Trips)

5:00-7:00 p.m. – Dinner on your own

7:00-9:00 p.m. – Reception, Initial Flocking, and Field Trip announcements, Meeting Room. We encourage FOS members to bring digital images or slides of their recent natural history adventures. We will have available both slide projector and a laptop with LCD projector.

Saturday, October 4

7:00 a.m. – Breakfast buffet open at Holiday Inn

7:00-12:00 noon – Field trips (see Field Trips opposite). We encourage all FOS members to attend the annual FOS members’ business meeting and the afternoon paper session beginning at 2:00 p.m. Please plan your field trips accordingly.

10:00-2:00 p.m. – Registration in lobby of Holiday Inn

12:00-2:00 p.m. – Lunch on your own

12:00-5:00 p.m. – Skin Quiz

2:00-2:30 p.m. – FOS Business Meeting, Meeting Room

2:30-5:00 p.m. – Afternoon Paper Session: Avian Ecology of “The First Coast”: Talks on the ecology and biology of regionally important species on The First Coast, Tall Timbers research on fire and birds, and an update on the Florida Bird Conservation Initiative.

6:00-7:00 p.m. – Cash Bar, Banquet Room

7:00-8:00 p.m. – Banquet, Banquet Room

8:00-9:00 p.m. – Keynote Speaker: Dr. John Himes, "Flocking Together: An Overview of Collaborative Efforts to Manage and Conserve Beach-Nesting Shorebirds in Florida"

Sunday, October 5

7:00 a.m. – Breakfast buffet open at Holiday Inn

7:00 a.m. – Field Trips

11:00 a.m. – Hotel checkout (luggage storage available)

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REGISTRATION FORM FOS FALL MEETING 2008 OCTOBER 3-5

Please register in advance. Return this form with your payment to FOS by SEPTEMBER 15, 2008. After this date please add $10 to the registration fee. Make check(s) payable to Florida Ornithological Society and mail to: Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries, 410 Ware Blvd., Ste 702, Tampa, FL 33619 phone:(813) 623-6826.

NAME(S) (for badges):______________________________________________________________

ADDRESS: _________________________________________________________________________

CITY/STATE/ZIP: __________________________________________________________________

PHONE: ___________________________ E-MAIL: _________________________________

Meeting registration @ $20/person; $10/student	x ____ persons	____________
Meeting registration @ $30/person (non-member or late)	x ____ persons	____________

Banquet @ $25 per person:	Herb-roasted Pork Loin	x ____ persons
	Chicken Divine	x ____ persons
	Pasta Marinara (Vegetarian)	x ____ persons

	SUBTOTAL	____________

	TOTAL	____________

FIELD TRIPS -- FOS SPRING 2008

FIELD TRIP SCHEDULE:

Friday October 3

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park. Fee area (discount coupon). Self- guided. In the mid 1970s the St Augustine Alligator Farm expanded its Alligator Swamp exhibit and inadvertently developed an outstanding natural bird rookery. The cooperation of the Florida Audubon Society was obtained in the improvement and expansion of the rookery that is home to wild and unconfined herons, ibis, and egrets. During the non-breeding season many birds fly into the swamp in the evening to roost, or sleep, over the alligators. Among these are Black- and Yellow-Crowned Night-Herons, White Ibis, and Roseate Spoonbills. A nature trail was added to the park in the late 1970s.

Vaill Point Park. Explore the trails of this urban park. We will walk along paved trails through a beautiful maritime forest searching for migrating warblers. Owls, and hawks are also possible. We will enjoy excellent views of Moultrie Creek where we will see water fowl and wading birds. A Bald Eagle nest is close to the end of the dock. It was active this past nesting season. The trails are short and easy.

Saturday October 4:

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park. Fee area (discount coupon). Self guided. In the mid 1970s the St Augustine Alligator Farm expanded its Alligator Swamp exhibit and inadvertently developed an outstanding natural bird rookery. The cooperation of the Florida Audubon Society was obtained in the improvement and expansion of the rookery that is home to wild and unconfined herons, ibis, and egrets. During the non-breeding season many birds fly into the swamp in the evening to roost, or sleep, over the alligators. Among these are Black- and Yellow-Crowned Night-Herons, White Ibis, and Roseate Spoonbills. A nature trail was added to the park in the late 1970s.

Faver-Dykes State Park: Florida State Parks was awarded twice the National Recreation and Park Association’s Gold Medal Award, honoring Florida as the "Nation’s Best State Park Service." Noted for its pristine condition, this tranquil park borders Pellicer Creek as it winds along Florida's east coast highways down to the Matanzas River. Pellicer Creek is a popular site for birding, with more than one hundred bird species seen during spring and fall migrations. Car pool from Holiday Inn @ 7 a.m.. Leaders: TBD. Located 15 miles south of St. Augustine near the intersection of I-95 and U.S. 1. See the website: http://www.floridastateparks.org/faver-dykes/default.cfm.

Anastasia State Recreation Area: 4 miles of ”one of the most pristine beaches in Florida,” a tidal salt marsh, and maritime and upland hammock. Nature trails meander through the ancient dunes shaded by hammock forest. No pets are allowed on the beach--"It's for the birds! " Car pool from Holiday Inn @ 7:30 a.m.. Leaders: TBD. See the East Florida Section of the Florida Birding Trail website: http://www.floridabirdingtrail.com/sites_east.htm, or park website: http://www.floridastateparks.org/anastasia/ Be sure to have insect repellent and water.

Guana River Wildlife Management Area: The Guana River Wildlife Management Area is part of the Guana Tract, an expanse of public conservation and recreational lands including the 2,400-acre coastal Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve. In late summer, Roseate Spoonbills and other wading birds are numerous around the Big and Little Savannah impoundments. During April and October, especially with a west wind or after a cold front, this is the best place in northeast Florida to see Peregrine Falcons. Nearly 3000-4000 migratory ducks, American Coots, Common Moorhens, and Pied-billed Grebes winter at Guana Lake. Car pool from Holiday Inn @ 8:00 a.m.. Leaders TBD. http://myfwc.com/recreation/guana_river/maps/guana-300dpi.pdf. See the East Florida Section of the Florida Birding Trail website: http://www.floridabirdingtrail.com/sites_east.htm.

Guana-Tolomato-Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve. Enjoy a morning hiking the trails through the varied habitats of the reserve. Migrating warblers should be abundant in the maritime forest. Plenty of wading birds can be seen in the fresh and salt water marshes. Shore birds are easily seen along the mud flats of the Guana River. There will be a two to three mile easy hike. A small entrance fee is required. Car pool from Holiday Inn @ 8:00 a.m.. Leaders TBD.

Kingsley Plantation and Ft. George Island. Join Roger Clark and St Johns County Audubon Society members in exploring Ft. George Island. This unique place in Duval County provides excellent viewing opportunities in many different habitats. The species counts are high most of the time. It is about an hour drive so departure will be shortly after 6 am. Car pool from Holiday Inn @ 8:00 a.m.. Leaders TBD.

Ft. Matanzas National Monument. Joe Shannon, Park Volunteer, will show the less adventurous the varied dune and beach habitat of the fort. The fort is located on the north side of Matanzas Inlet. This is actually the south end of Anastasia Island. Migrating warblers, shore birds, and night-herons are a few of the birds we should see. This will be a shorter trip beginning at 9:30 am.

Sunday, October 5:

The hot spot trips will be repeated based on interest.

Birding on Your Own --A list of birding spots including the field trip locations and directions will be provided for those who come in early or are leaving late.