More than 50 exhibits for birding, wildlife, and nature enthusiasts create an exciting Expo Center. Destination tour companies, wildlife and birding organizations, nature-based businesses, authors, photographers, and painters showcase their talents to help you increase your fun. Examine and explore an outstanding array of camera and optic equipment. Swarovski Optik offers to clean and inspect your optics equipment (any brand) free of charge, so bring your binoculars and scopes to the Expo Center!

The Expo Center is open each afternoon so you can visit as soon as your field trip returns. Check the Bird Updates first for real-time information on the latest sightings!

Afternoon workshops and presentations are on site so you can easily pop in and out of the Expo Center before and after sessions to see what’s available and say hello to the festival sponsors.

Schedule of Events:

Saturday, January 25, 2025

Central Florida Specialties - 5:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

A pre-dawn start at Three Lakes WMA will target Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Bachman’s Sparrows, Brown-headed Nuthatches, Pine Warblers and Eastern Bluebirds. Next stop is Lake Marian Marina to look for Osprey, Bald Eagle, Spoonbill, Limpkin, possible Dowitchers, Yellowlegs, Pelicans, Snail kite, and other lake species. Next destination is Joe Overstreet Road to search for Red-headed Woodpeckers. Along the road we will look for Eastern Meadowlarks, Savannah Sparrows, Caracara, and possibly even a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Our last destination is Brownie Wise Park where we till look for Painted bunting, Snail kite, warblers, Limpkin, nesting Bald Eagles, Vermilion Flycatcher, and the Grove-billed Ani if it is still in the area.

Price: $145 includes a snack sack and box lunch.

Learn Wildlife Photography at Helen and Allan Cruickshank Sanctuary - 8:00 – 11:30 a.m.

Located in Rockledge, the Helen and Allan Cruickshank Sanctuary is a 140-acre preserve known for its excellent birdwatching and photography opportunities. The sanctuary’s diverse habitats, including scrub, flatwoods, and wetlands, attract a variety of bird species such as Florida scrub-jays, red-shouldered hawks, and woodpeckers This environment is perfect for learning how to control exposure with confidence and to optimize your camera setting for stunning photos

Note: To ensure that you get the most from this trip, the field trip leader will contact you at the email address that you used to register for the festival to discuss what type of camera you will be bringing and your current level of photography experience.

Price: $65

Arrival Details: Meet at 7:20 at the Helen & Alan Cruickshank Sanctuary, 360 Barnes Blvd, Rockledge, FL. Estimated 25 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.

Smyrna Dunes Park - 8:00 a..m. – 11:30 a.m.

This spectacular beachside park at Ponce Inlet offers panoramic views of the ocean, inlet and estuary as well as the opportunity to get close looks at gulls, terns and shorebirds. Take a leisurely two-mile walk via boardwalk over pristine coastal dune habitat (watch for Gopher Tortoises) and along the shoreline. Brown and American White Pelicans, Black Skimmers, Common Loons, cormorants and numerous species of gulls and terns are found here and there is always a chance to discover a rare gull. Up to twenty species of shorebirds are possible, including American Oystercatchers, Piping and Wilson’s Plovers, Purple Sandpipers and Red Knots. Bait fish activity at the inlet’s mouth attracts sea birds, especially Northern Gannets. Passerines are possible in the hammocks.

Price: $35 plus $10.00 entrance fee that must be paid going into park.

History of Canaveral National Seashore Tour - 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Canaveral National Seashore isn’t just for the birds! Come join this tour to learn about the history of the first natives Floridians, the pioneers that came later, and the growing space industry. Stops on this tour include the historic Seminole Rest site, the Eldora Community, and the Canaveral National Seashore Apollo Beach Visitor Center.

Price: $ 90.00

Departure Details: Meet at 7: 45 a.m. in front of the Radisson hotel lobby to board the bus.

Easy Bird & Wildlife Photography with Sony Mirrorless Cameras at Orlando Wetlands - 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Bird and wildlife photography will never be easy but we don’t have to make it any harder than it is.There is no need to shoot in manual and RAW. If you learn how your camera works and trust it for focus and exposure, it will leave you free to find and frame the birds and wildlife you want to photograph. Using the newer Sony mirrorless cameras  as an example, I will show you how to bring back consistently satisfying images of birds and wildlife.

Price: $65

Arrival Details: Meet in the parking area for the Orlando Wetlands Park.

Enchanted Forest Sanctuary Day Hike – Saturday - 8:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Join the staff at the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary, where the Environmentally Endangered Lands (EELs) program all started, to enjoy a guided hike through multiple habitats on and off the marked trails. Staff will be in front of the nature center for an introduction to the Enchanted Forest before the hike. There will be possible opportunities to see and/or hear different species of birds from Pileated Woodpeckers, warblers, flyover ducks and wading birds (Roseate Spoonbills, Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, herons, egrets and more.), Red-shouldered Hawks, owls and more. You never know what you may see in the Enchanted Forest.

Price: $25

Arrival Details: Meet at the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary, 444 Columbia Blvd., Titusville. Estimated 25 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.

Gulling Adventure for Landlubbers - 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

We will visit Brevard County’s Central Disposal Facility aka Cocoa Landfill where experts will help you learn to separate different species and age classes among the 20,000+ gulls that gather here.  Hundreds of Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls join the thousands of Laughing and Ring-billed Gulls.  Among them we may find rarities such as Iceland, Glaucous, maybe California or others.  In addition to the gulls we will see dozens of Wood Storks, hundreds of vultures, White Ibis, grackles, cowbirds, and blackbirds.  Bald Eagles come in to feed on the various birds, offering excellent photo ops.  We will continue to Port Canaveral to lunch at Fishlips Waterfront Bar and Grill where we can observe gulls, terns, pelicans, and more while dining on the waterfront.  Jetty Park is our last destination where we will see what gulls have stayed on the coast and maybe also see Gannets, loons, an eider or Purple Sandpiper.

Price: $125, incudes snack. In addition, you should bring money for lunch at Fishlips Waterfront Bar and Grill.

Malabar Scrub Sanctuary - 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Join us in this EEL (Environmentally Endangered Land) property where you might see Florida scrub-jays, gopher tortoises, and other wildlife. There are many different protected habitats in this park including scrub, xeric hammock, flatwoods, hardwood swamp, ponds and depression marshes.

Price: $25

Arrival Details: Meet at 1501 Malabar Woods Blvd., Malabar at 8:15.

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Saturday Trip 1 - 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Join Rebecca Chapman from Springs to Sea Old Florida Eco Tours for a 2 hour kayak trip to the protected rookery known as Mullet Head Island (also known as “Bird Island”.) Paddle to an uninhabited island or through a maze of twisted mangrove forests in the Coastal Wildlife Kayak Tour. As you glide through the shallow lagoon of a wildlife refuge, keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, gentle manatees, colorful flamingos, and a whole cast of slippery stingrays and wading birds. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the wildest coastal critters! Our stops along this tour may include Bird Island (wind-dependent), a mangrove forest, known manatee observation areas, or shallow flats teeming with rays, hermit crabs, and mullet!

Note: No children under 4 years old are allowed on this trip.

Price: $60.00

Arrival Details: Meet at 8:45 at the NW Haulover Canal Kayak Launch in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Plein Air Nature Drawing at Maritime Hammock Preserve - 9:00-11:00 a.m.

On this field trip you will learn the basics of drawing live in nature with artist and art teacher Jessica Sodano. You will receive supplies including a sketch pad and pencils that you get to take home to continue practicing. At Maritime Hammock you will see birds, flowers and many other interesting subjects to draw.

Price: $25

Arrival Details: Meet at Maritime Hammock Preserve (1235 N Atlantic Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931) at 9:00 a.m. 

Horseshoe Crabs Titusville Causeway-More than Just Shorebirds - 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

The Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus) is arguably the most interesting invertebrate on our coast. Horseshoe Crabs were first reported by Spanish explorers here in Florida. Now, development around the Indian River Lagoon watershed is severely impacting this keystone species.  We will visit Florida’s most productive Horseshoe Crab nesting area – the Titusville Causeway and Gator Creek Dike on the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. We will talk about its lifestyle in our estuaries, threats and citizen science to protect it. We’ll review monitoring and restoration proposals for this critical habitat and discuss activities stakeholders have in horseshoe crab habitat protection, including NASA, who is trying to preserve beaches where Horseshoe Crabs nest at the Space Center. The unique conditions that occur in this part of the Indian River Lagoon may reward us with a spawning event. Even if horseshoe crabs are not actively nesting, there’s plenty to see at this very special place.

Price: $25

Arrival Details: Meet at the paved parking lot at the entrance to Merritt Island NWR, on the right 0.4 miles east of the A. Max Brewer Causeway bridge. Estimated 34 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.

Gull Fly-In at Daytona Beach Shores - 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Tour the Marine Science Center. Enjoy a picnic lunch at Ponce Inlet Lighthouse Park and walk out to the jetty for shorebirds & gulls. Then board the bus to Frank Rendon Park which is known for the largest congregation of gulls on any beach in the US. This incredible dense array of gulls allows close approach to observe and photograph minute details on each species. Seen consistently here are species that are rare in Florida, including the only record of Vega Gull. Laughing, Franklin, Ring-billed, Herring, Bonaparte’s, Lesser Black-backed, Great Black-backed, Glaucous, Iceland, Thayer’s and California Gulls have all been recorded here. Possible European Herring Gull, Yellow-legged Gull and a Slaty-backed Gull have appeared. This beach is also the best location in Florida to regularly see jaegers from shore. Each evening the gulls leave the beach and settle on the ocean just beyond the breakers. Pomarine and Parasitic Jaegers regularly patrol these huge groups, harassing the gulls.

Price: $150 includes box lunch and snack.

Airboat birding along the St. Johns – Saturday Trip 1 - 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 

You will enjoy the exclusive combination of Captain Mike, a fifth generation Floridian who grew up here on the river, and a professional birding tour guide and other birders on this exclusive small personal tour. You will glide along marshes and into a secluded cypress swamp to view an abundance of wading birds, waterfowl and raptors on this special adventure. This is optimal habitat for Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras, and Bald Eagles. In fact, 25 Bald Eagles were observed on just one trip in 2020. The St Johns River floodplain is only accessible by airboat due to the shallow depth. Your guides will point out the habitats and ongoing activity of the many species that are found here. Other wildlife, including alligators, may be encountered. This is a great opportunity for birders who prefer to avoid strenuous walking or hiking. Airboat Tours are hosted by A St. Johns River Airboat Tours LLC in Titusville, FL

Price: $90

Arrival Details: Arrive by 9:45 a.m. at the Highway 50 Boat Ramp, 28500 East Colonial Drive, Christmas. Estimated 29 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.

Tour of Veterans Memorial Park “Smart” Rain Garden – Saturday - 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Discover the newly enhanced Veterans Memorial Park, a cherished community space that harmoniously blends natural beauty with innovative technology improving resilience for the City of Cape Canaveral. The park recently underwent a transformative upgrade made possible by a $1 million National Science Foundation CIVIC Challenge grant.

The focus of this tour will be the new “Smart” Rain Garden, a sophisticated bioswale system monitored by a network of remote sensors and capable of holding 150,000 gallons of stormwater filtered by nearly 1,000 Florida-friendly and native plants which create a thriving habitat for local pollinators.

Join us under majestic oak trees, including one unique specimen over 250 years old, to observe butterflies and bees while learning more about this example of green stormwater infrastructure. Veterans Memorial Park provides a model for how urban spaces can mitigate flood risks and protect water quality, while also providing vital natural areas for community members – wildlife and humans alike.

Price: $ 10.00

Arrival Details: Meet at 9:45 at the Cape Canaveral Library, 201 Polk Ave, Cape Canaveral, FL.

Airboat Birding Along the St. Johns – Saturday Trip 2 - 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

You will enjoy the exclusive combination of Captain Mike, a fifth generation Floridian who grew up here on the river, and a professional birding tour guide and other birders on this exclusive small personal tour. You will glide along marshes and into a secluded cypress swamp to view an abundance of wading birds, waterfowl and raptors on this special adventure. This is optimal habitat for Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras, and Bald Eagles. In fact, 25 Bald Eagles were observed on just one trip in 2020. The St Johns River floodplain is only accessible by airboat due to the shallow depth. Your guides will point out the habitats and ongoing activity of the many species that are found here. Other wildlife, including alligators, may be encountered. This is a great opportunity for birders who prefer to avoid strenuous walking or hiking. Airboat Tours are hosted by A St. Johns River Airboat Tours LLC in Titusville, FL

Price: $90

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Saturday Trip 2 - 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Join Rebecca Chapman from Springs to Sea Old Florida Eco Tours for a 2 hour kayak trip to the protected rookery known as Mullet Head Island (also known as “Bird Island”.) Paddle to an uninhabited island or through a maze of twisted mangrove forests in the Coastal Wildlife Kayak Tour. As you glide through the shallow lagoon of a wildlife refuge, keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, gentle manatees, colorful flamingos, and a whole cast of slippery stingrays and wading birds. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the wildest coastal critters! Our stops along this tour may include Bird Island (wind-dependent), a mangrove forest, known manatee observation areas, or shallow flats teeming with rays, hermit crabs, and mullet!

Note: No children under 4 years old are allowed on this trip.

Price: $60.00

Beach Birds Boat Trip on the Halifax River - 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

A 4-hour boat trip on the Coast Guard certified 40-passenger pontoon boat, Discovery, will target Disappearing Island on a falling tide, when large concentrations of gulls, terns and shorebirds will be congregating to feed on the exposed sandbar. Disappearing Island is located near the entrance to Ponce Inlet. Other exposed sand bars near the inlet and in the Halifax River will also be visited, if possible. Twenty species of shorebirds are possible here, including American Oystercatchers, Piping and Wilson’s Plovers, Purple Sandpipers and Red Knots. There is always a possibility of finding rarities such as a Glaucous or Iceland Gull among the many gulls that will be seen. Participants on this trip in 2020 saw 14 shorebird species, 5 gull species, 4 tern species, both night-herons and lots of bottlenose dolphins. The Saturday afternoon Beach Birds class will be a great introduction for this trip.

Price: $85

Arrival Details: Meet at 11:45 at 116 North Causeway (FL Highway 44), New Smyrna Beach, FL. Park in the grassy field on the right directly across from the Volusia Medical Center.

Airboat Birding Along the St. Johns – Saturday Trip 3 - 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. 

You will enjoy the exclusive combination of Captain Mike, a fifth generation Floridian who grew up here on the river, and a professional birding tour guide and other birders on this exclusive small personal tour. You will glide along marshes and into a secluded cypress swamp to view an abundance of wading birds, waterfowl and raptors on this special adventure. This is optimal habitat for Snail Kites, Crested Caracaras, and Bald Eagles. In fact, 25 Bald Eagles were observed on just one trip in 2020. The St Johns River floodplain is only accessible by airboat due to the shallow depth. Your guides will point out the habitats and ongoing activity of the many species that are found here. Other wildlife, including alligators, may be encountered. This is a great opportunity for birders who prefer to avoid strenuous walking or hiking. Airboat Tours are hosted by A St. Johns River Airboat Tours LLC in Titusville, FL

Price: $90

Arrival Details: Arrive by 1:45 p.m. at the Highway 50 Boat Ramp, 28500 East Colonial Drive, Christmas. Estimated 29 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.

Mullet Head Island Kayak Trip at MINWR – Saturday Trip 3 - 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Join Rebecca Chapman from Springs to Sea Old Florida Eco Tours for a 2 hour kayak trip to the protected rookery known as Mullet Head Island (also known as “Bird Island”.) Paddle to an uninhabited island or through a maze of twisted mangrove forests in the Coastal Wildlife Kayak Tour. As you glide through the shallow lagoon of a wildlife refuge, keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins, gentle manatees, colorful flamingos, and a whole cast of slippery stingrays and wading birds. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the wildest coastal critters! Our stops along this tour may include Bird Island (wind-dependent), a mangrove forest, known manatee observation areas, or shallow flats teeming with rays, hermit crabs, and mullet!

Note: No children under 4 years old are allowed on this trip.

Price: $60.00

Nocturnal Nature Hike at Enchanted Forest - 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Whhoooo… is ready for a nocturnal adventure at the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary? Join Naturalists on a night of discovery and exploration on the trails!  Keep an eye and ear out for owls, bats, flying squirrels, and fireflies.

Price: $25

Arrival Details: Meet at 6:15 at the Enchanted Forest Sanctuary, 444 Columbia Blvd., Titusville, FL. Estimated 25 minutes from the Radisson at the Port.

Date: January 22 - 26, 2025