Birding and Wildlife Festival a Big Success

Finally, some good weather! The Birding and Wildlife Festival this year was outstanding. Friday night started out with food, drink and entertainment by Valerie Wisecracker a great Florida folksinger who entertained the crowd. Followed by the keynote speakers, Dick Fortune and Sarah Lopez, wildlife photographers extraordinaire! Their photography of birds is truly outstanding and they even shared their tips with everyone on how to take really great photographs.

Saturday was the Environmental Fair and each organization did an outstanding job of presenting information that visitors wanted to hear. An unofficial report tallied over 4oo visitors to the Fair.
The Stanley Switlik chorus was charming and started out the festivities. The environmental fair was held once again at Curry Hammock State Park, a wonderful site right on the beautiful Atlantic Ocean.

Located offsite at Crane Point were field presentations by Dick Fortune and Sarah Lopez, Roger Hammer, and Roland Fisch. Later presentations by John Ogden on Urban Oasis for birds and Birding Jewels from the Marathon Bird Rescue Center was well attended.

Both offshore excursions were sold out this year. The festival offered a pelagic boat trip out of Marathon and a Dry Tortugas Boat trip from Key West. Both of these were guided by noted birder, Larry Manfredi.

Well, a big thank you to all who attended and those organizations that participated. Without you the event could not have happened. Now we look forward to next year!

Libby