TAS 2010-2011 Calendar

TAS 2010-11 Event Calendar

Tropical Audubon Society is proud to once again offer an outstanding lineup of outings and monthly programs. You will see bird, plant and butterfly trips; morning trips, all day trips, overnight trips; outings nearby and outings afar; the very important seasonal bird counts; special events (Birdathon!!); workdays; plant sales; and lots of ways to have a good time while supporting a great cause and learning more about our native environment. All events with a confirmed date are included. Please mark your calendars and join us!

All trips are led by volunteer leaders from the Tropical Audubon Society. Unless otherwise indicated, they are free and open to the public, and reservations are not necessary. For more information concerning any field trip, email the field trip coordinator, or call him at (305) 388-1544. For more information concerning workdays and plant sales, email TAS or call TAS at (305) 667-7337.

All trips take place rain or shine (remember that rainy days are often birdy days, especially during migration). Please remember that some parks charge entrance fees, participants usually share gasoline costs for carpool trips, and overnight and boat trips will mean additional costs. Also, on some of the nature walks a fee may be required. To allow communication with trip leaders, walkie-talkies are recommended for carpool trips. The specifics for each trip are indicated below. In some cases, the trip leader has included his/her email address and phone number for direct contact.

indicates a trip with a bilingual leader.

The schedule will be updated as more information becomes available.

JULY 2010

Sat. July 17 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Want to learn about native plants, help Tropical maintain our native landscape at the Doc Thomas House and get your hands dirty? We need you! Show up anytime between 8:30-noon and you will find a host of hard workers. This is a great opportunity for students to earn community service hours. Call 305-667-7337 or e-mail volunteer1@tropicalaudubon.org for more information.

AUGUST 2010

Sat. Aug. 21 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Wed. Aug. 25 — Conservation Meeting

Discussion of conservation issues.

TAS members and guests are invited to attend this and other Conservation Committee meetings at 7:30 pm on the 4th Wednesday of the month. Meetings are held at the Doc Thomas House, 5530 Sunset Dr., Miami, 33143. Call 305-667-7337 for more information.

Sat. Aug. 28 — Everglades Agricultural Area Birding

Paul Bithorn will lead an all day carpool trip to sod farms and flooded fields in the Belle Glade area of Palm Beach County. Meet at 6:00am at the east gate (SW 55th Ave.) of the Doc Thomas property (5530 Sunset Drive, South Miami). No fee. There will be a lunch stop at a restaurant.

SEPTEMBER 2010

Sat. Sept. 4 — Fairchild Tropical Garden / Matheson Hammock Bird Walk

Joe Barros will lead birders through Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens, followed by a walk through Matheson Hammock Park. Meet at 7:30am in the Matheson parking area adjacent to Fairchild's north entrance. Entrance fee to Fairchild will be waived for TAS members. Return is at approximately 11:00am.

Sun. Sept. 5 — Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park Bird Walk

Bill Boeringer will lead birders through Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne. The park opens at 8:00am. Participants should meet at No Name Harbor (from the entrance station, take your first right and drive west to the parking area). The walk will begin by 8:15am. Costs include an entrance fee to the park and the Rickenbacker Causeway toll.

Wed. Sept. 8 — Jeff Bouton, Digital Photography through a Scope

Jeff Bouton has taught hundreds of digiscoping workshops across the US and internationally. His digiscoped images have appeared on various renowned publications. He works for Leica Sport Optics as the optics specialist to the birding and naturalist communities in North America. On Sat. Sept. 11, Jeff will also lead a South Dade Digiscoping Workshop to Cutler Wetlands, Dump Marsh, and Everglades National Park. Meet at the parking lot of Publix (20425 Old Cutler Rd.) at 7:30am. This is an all-day carpool trip. Bring your cameras and scopes.

Membership meetings are open to the public and held at the Doc Thomas House, 5530 Sunset Drive, near Red Road. The doors open at 7:30pm and the show begins at 8pm. Call (305) 667-7337 for more information.

Sat., Sept. 11 — Kendall Indian Hammocks Bird Walk

Brian Rapoza will lead birders through Kendall Indian Hammock Park, 11395 SW 79 St. (entrance is on SW 107 Ave.), followed by a visit to the Environmental Center on the Miami-Dade College Kendall Campus. Meet at 7:30am at the parking area near the Kendall Indian Hammock ballfields. Return is at approximately 11:00am. No fee.

Sat. Sept. 11 — South Dade Digiscoping Workshop

Jeff Bouton will lead a South Dade Digiscoping Workshop to Cutler Wetlands, Dump Marsh, and Everglades National Park. Meet at the parking lot of Publix (20425 Old Cutler Rd.) at 7:30am. This is an all-day carpool trip. There is an entrance fee to Everglades National Park. Bring your cameras and scopes.

Sun. Sept. 12 — A.D. Barnes Park Bird Walk

Gigi Pardo will lead birders through A.D. Barnes Park. Enter on SW 72nd Ave. just north of Bird Rd. (SW 40th St.), turn left at the T intersection and park in spaces on either side of the road. Meet at 7:30am, returning at approximately 11:00am. No fee.

Sat. Sept. 18 — North American Migration Count

The North American Migration Count (NAMC), sponsored in Florida by the Florida Ornithological Society, with the assistance of local Audubon chapters, bird clubs and other interested organizations, is a semi-annual snapshot of the progress and shape of bird migration. On Saturday, September 18, birders from around the country will be collecting information on the abundance and distribution of both migrant and resident birds. If you can find and identify birds and would like to participate in the count in either Miami-Dade or Monroe County, contact us at fieldtrips@tropicalaudubon.org. We'll send you NAMC instructions and a checklist. We'll also let you know which areas need coverage (or, you can let us know which area you wish to cover; it could be your own backyard, neighborhood, a local park or other natural area). It is important that there is no overlap or duplication of coverage areas, so please contact us before September 18.

Sat. Sept. 18 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Sun. Sept. 19 — Cutler Bay Birding

Roberto Torres will lead this tour of Cutler Bay birding locations. Meet at Bill Sadowski Park, 17555 SW 79 Ave., at 7:30am. Other stops may include Black Point, Dump Marsh and Cutler Wetlands. No fee.

Wed. Sept. 22 — 2011 Conservation Goals Meeting

TAS members and guests are invited to assist the TAS Conservation Committee in the development of conservation goals for the coming year.

Sat. Sept. 25 — Greynolds Park Bird Walk

Jim King, Interpretive Nature Coordinator for Miami-Dade Parks, will lead birders through Greynolds Park, 17530 West Dixie Highway in North Miami Beach. Meet at the park boathouse at 7:30am. Parking is available near the playground and the elevated mound opposite the boathouse. Return is at approximately 11:00am. No fee.

Sun. Sept. 26 — Matheson Hammock Bird Walk

John Boyd will lead birders through Matheson Hammock on Old Cutler Rd. immediately north of Fairchild Gardens. The group meets in the parking area on the left inside the park entrance at 7:30am. Return is at approximately 11:00am. No fee.

OCTOBER 2010

Sat. Oct. 2 — Corkscrew Swamp / Ft. Myers Beach Birding

Brian Rapoza will lead an all day carpool trip to Collier and Lee Counties. Meet at 6:00am at the east gate (on SW 55th Ave.) of the Doc Thomas property (5530 Sunset Drive, South Miami). There is an admission fee for Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary (discount for Audubon members). Bring lunch and wading shoes. Walkie-talkies are recommended.

Sun. Oct. 3 — Bird Day at Fairchild Tropical Garden

Mark your calendars for Bird Day 2010, an exciting all-day event at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. There will be workshops, presentations and, of course, birding adventures. This event is free for TAS members and will begin with a bird walk at 7am. Gates open to the public at 9:30.

The day's events include:

Bird Walks at 7am and 4:15pm, led by Joe Barros
Nature Art Workshop, 9:30am by Rafael Gálvez - (materials supplied)
Bird Gardening, 10am by Roger Hammer
Lecture, 11am by Ed Carlson (Corkscrew Swamp)
Keynote Address: How Birds Can Save the World, 1pm by John Fitzpatrick (Director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Nature Photography, 1pm
Lessons from the Gulf Oil Spill—Panel Discussion, 2:15pm
Birding 101, 3:15pm by Joe Barros
Bird walks for kids, led by Brian Rapoza and Laura Reynolds.

There will also be arts and crafts activities, and vendor's booths. Bird-attracting plants will be available for sale.

Bird Day 2010 is co-sponsored by Tropical Audubon Society, and is made possible by support from the James A. Kushlan Bird Conservation Program. Admission is free for TAS and Fairchild members. For more information visit the Fairchild Tropical Garden website.

Sat. Oct 9 — A.D. Barnes Park Bird Walk

Bill Boeringer will lead birders through A.D. Barnes Park. Enter on SW 72nd Ave. just north of Bird Rd. (SW 40th St.), turn left at the T intersection and park in spaces on either side of the road. Meet at 7:30am, returning at approximately 11:00am. No fee.

Sun. Oct. 10 — Bill Baggs Cape Florida Bird Walk

Robin Diaz will lead birders through Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne. The park opens at 8:00am. Participants should meet at No Name Harbor (from the entrance station, take your first right and drive west to the parking area). The walk will begin by 8:15am. Costs include an entrance fee to the park and the Rickenbacker Causeway toll.

Wed. Oct. 13 — Thomas E. Lodge, The Everglades Handbook, Understanding the Ecosystem

Dr. Lodge talks about his recently released 3rd edition of The Everglades Handbook: Understanding the Ecosystem. A new chapter entitled “Peripheral Ecosystems of the Everglades” explores coastal ecosystems altered by manipulation of water bodies: the Caloosahatchee/Charlotte Harbor system, the St. Lucie/Indian River Lagoon, the Loxahatchee River, Lake Worth, and Biscayne Bay. He will focus on how Everglades restoration affects these systems, and on the changing overall complexity of ecosystem restoration.

Sat. Oct. 16 — South Dade Birding

Roberto Torres will lead this all day carpool trip, which may include stops at Lucky Hammock, Castellow Hammock and Dump Marsh. Meet at 7:00am in the parking lot of the Burger King on US 1 in Florida City (just after the end of the turnpike). No fee. This is an all day trip. Bring lunch.

Sat. Oct. 16 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Sat.-Sun. Oct 23-24 — Audubon Assembly, St. Petersburg

Details TBA.

Sat. Oct. 23 — Everglades National Park Beginning Birding

Jeff Weber will lead this trip. Meet in the parking lot of the Coe Visitor Center at Everglades National Park at 7:30am. There is an entrance fee to the park. Bring lunch.

Wed. Oct. 27 — Conservation Meeting

Discussion of conservation issues.

Sat. Oct. 30 — Shark Valley / Loop Road Birding

Paul Bithorn will lead this carpool trip. Meet at 8:00am at the airboat concession on the north side of Tamiami Trail (US 41), one mile west of the Shark Valley entrance. There is an entrance fee to Shark Valley. Bring lunch.

NOVEMBER 2010

Sat. Nov. 6 — Everglades National Park Birding

John Boyd will lead this all day carpool trip. Meet in the parking lot of the Coe Visitor Center at Everglades National Park at 7:30am. There is an entrance fee to the park. Bring lunch.

Sat.-Sun. Nov. 6-7 — Native Plant Sale at Doc Thomas House.

Our native plant sales are famous and fun. We have a great selection of South Florida plants with knowledgeable sales people to help you choose the best ones for your yard. Come early for the best selection, stay late to enjoy the company.

Wed. Nov. 10 — Jerry Lorenz, Roseate Spoonbills in Florida Bay: Pink Canary in a Coal Mine

Dr. Lorenz pulls together Audubon's 80-year record on spoonbill nesting patterns with his personal experience in studying the fish on which spoonbills feed, thereby constructing a story of how the human population explosion in southern Florida has had a multilevel effect on spoonbills. Like the canary in a coal mine, Roseate Spoonbills are letting us know that there is something drastically wrong with our environment and that continued runaway development will not only ruin our remaining wildness areas but our lifestyles as well.

Sat. Nov. 13 — Fakahatchee Strand / Marco Island Birding

Brian Rapoza will lead this carpool trip, which will include stops at Big Cypress Bend boardwalk in Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park and Tigertail Beach on Marco Island. Meet at 7:30am at the Oasis Visitor Center on Tamiami Trail (US 41). Shared gasoline costs, plus entrance fee at Tigertail Beach. Bring lunch and wading footwear. Walkie-talkies are recommended.

Sat. Nov. 20 — Wakodahatchee / Green Cay / Okeeheelee Birding

John Hutchison will lead this carpool trip. Meet at 7:30am at Wakodahatchee Wetlands (13026 Jog Road, about 1.5 miles north of Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, Palm Beach County.) No fee. Bring lunch.

Sat. Nov. 20 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Wed. Nov. 24 — Conservation Meeting

Discussion of conservation issues.

DECEMBER 2010

Sat. Dec. 4 — South Florida Exotics Trip

Paul Bithorn will lead birders in search of parrots, bulbuls, mynas, and other introduced species in this carpool trip. Meet at 1:00pm at the east parking lot of Baptist Hospital (8950 N Kendall Drive). No fee.

Sat. Dec. 11 — Plantation Preserve Birding

South Florida Audubon Society's Paddy Cunningham invites TAS to join her for a tour of Plantation Preserve in central Broward County. The preserve is on Broward Blvd., two miles east of University Drive. Meet Paddy at 8:00am at the trailhead past the playground. The tour includes a stop at Target Wetlands; lunch at a local restaurant will follow. No fee.

Sat. Dec. 18 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Christmas Bird Counts

Join the Bird Counts! Every year since 1900 teams of interested birders have joined together across the country to count the number of individual birds within each species occurring on the same date in the same place. This huge task is coordinated by the National Audubon Society. The consistency of the count creates a viable set of statistics that can be compared and used to measure the effects that changes in the environment have had on the bird population. These measurements act as important warnings of environmental deterioration that should be heeded. In addition to the serious consequences of the bird counts, they are a fun way to spend a day with fellow birding enthusiasts. This is an all day event. Volunteers are needed for all areas.

Fri. Dec. 17 — Biscayne National Park CBC

Coordinated by Max Tritt. For additional information, email Max.

Sat. Dec. 18 — Miami-Dade County CBC

Coordinated by Brian Rapoza. For additional information, email Brian.

Sun. Dec 19 — Broward CBC

Coordinated by Bryant Roberts. For information, email Mary Butterfield or BCAS field trips..

Mon. Dec 20 — Long Pine Key CBC

Coordinated by Robin Diaz. For additional information, email Robin.

Sun. Dec. 26 — Kendall CBC

Coordinated by Bill Boeringer. For additional information, contact Bill via email.

Sun. Jan. 2 — Coot Bay / Everglades CBC

Coordinated by Brian Rapoza. For information, email Brian.

JANUARY 2011

Sat. Jan. 8 — Everglades National Park Birding

John Boyd. will lead this all day carpool trip. Meet in the parking lot of the Coe Visitor Center at Everglades National Park at 7:30am. There is an entrance fee to the park. Bring lunch.

Wed. Jan. 12 — Monthly Membership Meeting at DTH

Fri.-Mon. Jan. 14-17 — North Florida Birding

Brian Rapoza and Paul Bithorn will lead this four day, three-night van trip to the Tallahassee area. Costs ($400.00 per person double occupancy: $100.00 single supplement) include hotel and van/gas. Email Brian for further information.

Sat. Jan. 15 — Crandon Park Birding

Jim King, Interpretive Nature Coordinator for Miami-Dade Parks, will lead birders through Crandon Park on Key Biscayne. Meet at 7:30am at the Crandon Visitor and Nature Center at Parking Lot #1, accessed via the North Beach entrance to the park (no fee before 8:00am). The tour will start at the Coastal Dune Trail, followed by a walk along the beach to the mud flats for shorebirds.

Sat. Jan. 15 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Sat. Jan. 22 — North Broward Birding

John Hutchison will lead this carpool trip to birding locations in northern Broward County. Meet at 8:00am at Easterlin Park (change of location) at 1000 NW 38th Street Oakland Park. There is a park fee. Enter park and continue to the right, there is a playground on the left. Park there. This is a full day trip. Bring lunch.

Wed. Jan. 26 — Conservation Meeting

Discussion of conservation issues.

Sat. Jan. 29 — Wakodahatchee / Green Cay / Okeeheelee Birding

Nancy Freedman will lead this carpool trip. Meet at 7:30am at Wakodahatchee Wetlands (13026 Jog Road, about 1.5 miles north of Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach.) No fee. Bring lunch.

FEBRUARY 2011

Sat. Feb. 5 — South Dade Birding

Roberto Torres will lead this all day carpool trip, which may include stops at Lucky Hammock, Castellow Hammock and Dump Marsh. Meet at 7:00am in the parking lot of the Burger King on US1 in Florida City (just after the end of the turnpike). This is an all day trip. No fee. Bring lunch.

Wed. Feb. 9 — Monthly Membership Meeting at DTH

Sat. Feb. 12 — Everglades Nature Photography

Jeff Weber and Trey Mitchell will lead all-day event in Everglades National Park, which will focus on the many opportunities the park offers for taking stunning wildlife images—from alligators to tiny damselflies. We'll use both telephoto and macro lenses to capture shots of whatever birds and beasts we encounter. The walk will start early and end at dusk to take advantage of the best light conditions. Meet at 7:00 a.m. at the Coe Visitor Center. There is an entrance fee to the park. Bring lunch.

Sat. Feb. 19 — STA-5 Birding

Hendry Glades Audubon Society invites TAS to join them for a tour of Stormwater Treatment Area-5 in Hendry County. For those planning to carpool, this trip is limited to 20 participants and reservations are required. No fee. Contact Brian Rapoza for details, including meeting place and time.

Sat. Feb. 19 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Wed. Feb. 23 — Conservation Meeting

Discussion of conservation issues.

Sat. Feb. 26 — Shark Valley / Loop Road Birding

John Hutchison will lead this trip. Meet at 8:00am at the airboat concession on the north side of Tamiami Trail (US 41), one mile west of the Shark Valley entrance. There is an entrance fee to Shark Valley. Bring lunch.

Sat.-Sun. Feb. 26-27 — Native Plant and Book Sale at Doc Thomas House.

MARCH 2011

Sat. Mar. 5 — East Everglades / Chekika Area Birding

Carlos Sanchez leads this carpool trip to the east Everglades, including Chekika Day Use Area of Everglades National Park. Meet at 7:00am at the C-357 sparrow fields. From Krome Avenue, drive west 3.0 miles on Richmond Drive (SW 168 Street). Park at a red gate on the left (south) side of the road, 0.2 miles past the water control structure at the C-357 Canal. No fee.

Wed. Mar. 9 — Monthly Membership Meeting at DTH

Sat. Mar. 12 — Everglades National Park Birding

John Boyd will lead this all day carpool trip. Meet in the parking lot of the Coe Visitor Center at Everglades National Park at 7:30am. There is an entrance fee to the park. Bring lunch.

Sat. Mar. 18-20 — Audubon Academy, Gainesville

Audubon Academy will take place March 18-20 at the Paramount Plaza in Gainesville, FL. Right now we only have the date and location. Check Audubon of Florida's News Blog for the latest update.

Sat. Mar. 19 — Wakodahatchee / Green Cay / Okeeheelee Birding

Nancy Freedman will lead this carpool trip. Meet at 7:30am at Wakodahatchee Wetlands (13026 Jog Road, about 1.5 miles north of Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach.) No fee. Bring lunch.

Sat. Mar. 19 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Sun. Mar. 20 — Spring Wildflower Walk with Roger Hammer

Well known South Florida plant expert, Roger Hammer, will lead this walk down the Long Pine Key Nature Trail in Everglades National Park. See the wildflowers, butterflies and birds that share the varied habitat of pine rockland, Everglades prairie and upland hammock communities. This is an excellent chance to see the grass-pink orchid in bloom. Meet at the Ernest Coe Visitor Center in Everglades National Park at 8am, return approximately 11:30am. There is an entrance fee to the park. Reservations and fee required: $40 members/$45 nonmembers includes an autographed copy of Roger's recent book, Everglades Wildflowers. Call 305-247-1634, or e-mail Roger to register or for more information.

Wed. Mar. 23 — Conservation Meeting

Discussion of conservation issues.

Sat. Mar. 26 — Porter-Russell Pine Rockland Walk

Joe Barros will lead this walk through Tropical Audubon's own pine rockland, a remnant of Miami-Dade's most threatened habitat. See wildflowers, butterflies and birds and witness the struggles involved in preservation of this fragmented and globally imperiled habitat. This walk will provide an excellent opportunity to see Mosier's False Boneset, a plant endemic to this habitat, and other pine rockland specialties. Meet at 7:30am. From Florida's Turnpike, exit at SW 216 Street. Turn right and drive west on SW 216 Street, across US-1, to SW 124 Avenue. Turn left and drive south to SW 220 Street. The pineland is on the right, just south of SW 220 Street. No fee.

APRIL 2011

Sat. Apr. 2 — South Broward Birding

John Hutchison will lead this carpool trip to birding locations in southern Broward County. Meet at 8:00am at Markham Park's Meadow Nature Trail. From I-75, exit at Royal Palm Parkway (Exit 15). Drive west 0.5 miles to Weston Road. Turn right and drive west 2.8 miles to the park entrance. From I-595, exit at 136 Street (Exit 1A) and drive west 2.0 miles on SR 84 (I-595 service road) to the park entrance. Turn left after the entrance station (fee) to reach the nature trail parking area. Bring lunch.

Sun. Apr. 3 — A.D. Barnes Park Bird Walk

TAS 9th Annual Birdathon!!!
Saturday, April 9 – Sunday, April 24

Raise money for TAS! Tropical Audubon's Ninth Annual Birdathon is coming in April. Bird for up to 24 consecutive hours anytime during April 9-24. Collect pledges per bird seen or for the whole day. Win prizes! Stay tuned for more information about our exciting Birdathon...fun teams, good prizes, all day birding and all for a good cause!

Sun., Apr. 9 — Kendall Indian Hammock Park / MDC Environmental Center Bird Walk

Bill Boeringer will lead birders through Kendall Indian Hammock Park, 11395 SW 79 St. (entrance is on SW 107 Ave.), followed by a visit to the Environmental Center on the Miami-Dade College Kendall Campus. Meet at 7:30am at the parking area near the Kendall Indian Hammock ballfields. Return is at approximately 11:00am. No fee.

Sun. Apr. 10 — Fairchild Tropical Garden / Matheson Hammock Bird Walk

Wed. Apr. 13 — Monthly Membership Meeting at DTH

Sat. Apr. 16 — Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park Bird Walk

Sat. Apr. 16 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Fri.-Sun. April 22-24 — Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas Birding

Brian Rapoza and Paul Bithorn lead this three-day, two night van trip through the Florida Keys, including a one day boat trip to Dry Tortugas National Park.

Costs ($595.00 per person double occupancy: $125.00 single supplement) includes two nights hotel in the Key West area, van/gas, park fees and ferry to the Dry Tortugas. Email Brian for further information.

Sat. Apr. 23 — Greynolds Park Bird Walk

Wed. Apr. 27 — Conservation Meeting

Discussion of conservation issues.

Sat. Apr. 30 — Big Cypress Swamp Birding

Jeff Weber will lead this carpool trip to Big Cypress National Preserve. Meet at 7:30am at the Oasis Visitor Center on Tamiami Trail (US 41). Bring lunch and insect repellant. No fee.

MAY 2011

Sun. May 1 — Matheson Hammock Park Bird Walk

John Boyd will lead birders through Matheson Hammock on Old Cutler Rd. immediately north of Fairchild Gardens. The group meets in the Matheson parking area on the left, inside the park entrance, at 7:30am. No fee.

Sun. May 1 — TAS Wingding: 4-7pm, Doc Thomas House

Celebrate another great year with us at the 2010 Wingding, TAS's Annual Meeting, Silent Auction, and Picnic. Potluck and silent auction items are welcome. Please let us know if you can bring something. Our Annual Meeting is from 4 to 7 pm, at Doc Thomas House, 5530 Sunset Dr., Miami, 33143. Call 305-667-7337 for more information.

Sat. May 7 — North Key Largo State Botanical Site: Birds, Butterflies and Native Plants

Joe Barros will lead this trip to the largest remaining tract of coastal tropical hardwood hammock in the Florida Keys. Meet at 6:30am in the parking lot of the Burger King on US 1 in Florida City (just after the end of the turnpike). Bring water and insect repellant. There is an entrance fee to the botanical site. Lunch at a Key Largo restaurant.

Sat. May 14 — North American Migration Count

The North American Migration Count (NAMC), sponsored in Florida by the Florida Ornithological Society, with the assistance of local Audubon chapters, bird clubs and other interested organizations, is a semi-annual snapshot of the progress and shape of bird migration. On Saturday, May 14, birders from around the country will be collecting information on the abundance and distribution of both migrant and resident birds. If you can find and identify birds and would like to participate in the count in either Miami-Dade or Monroe County, contact us at fieldtrips@tropicalaudubon.org. We'll send you NAMC instructions and a checklist. We'll also let you know which areas need coverage (or, you can let us know which area you wish to cover; it could be your own backyard, neighborhood, a local park or other natural area). It is important that there is no overlap or duplication of coverage areas, so please contact us before May 14.

Sat. May 21 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

JUNE 2011

Sat.-Sun. June 4-5 — Native Plant Sale at the Doc Thomas House

Sat., June 18-Sun., June 26 — Trans-Pecos Birding

Brian Rapoza and Bill Boeringer lead this nine-day, eight-night trip to the Davis Mountains, Big Bend, Guadalupe Mountains and Carlsbad Caverns National Parks and other birding hotspots in the Trans-Pecos area of western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. This trip, which begins and ends in El Paso, Texas, involves eight full days of birding, with strenuous hikes in both mountain and desert habitats, and is designed for intermediate to advanced birders. Group size will be no more than ten (10) participants.

Costs: $995.00 per person double occupancy, $440.00 single supplement. Cost includes van transportation, hotel accommodations and park entrance fees. Not included is air fare to El Paso, tips, laundry costs and other incidental expenses. Meals will be eaten in local restaurants and are paid for by each participant.

Sat. June 19 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

JULY 2011

Sat., July 9-Sun., July 17 — Ecuador: The Northern Andes

Brian Rapoza and a local leader, arranged through Tropical Birding Tours, lead this nine-day, eight-night trip to the northern Andes of Ecuador, beginning and ending in Quito. This trip involves seven full days of birding, and is designed for intermediate to advanced birders. Group size will be no more than eight (8) participants. Costs: $2,295.00 per person double occupancy, $140.00 single supplement. Cost includes transportation, meals, lodging and guides. Not included is round-trip air fare to Quito, tips, laundry costs and other incidental expenses. Click here for a trip itinerary. For a detailed itinerary and trip application, with reservation requirements, email Brian Rapoza.

TAS 2010-11 Calendar

TAS 2010-11 Event Calendar

Sat. July 17 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Sat. Aug. 21 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Wed. Aug. 25 — Conservation Meeting

Sat. Aug. 28 — Everglades Agricultural Area Birding

Sat. Sept. 4 — Fairchild Tropical Garden / Matheson Hammock Bird Walk

Sun. Sept. 5 — Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park Bird Walk

Wed. Sept. 8 — Jeff Bouton, Digital Photography through a Scope

Sat., Sept. 11 — Kendall Indian Hammocks Bird Walk

Sat. Sept. 11 — South Dade Digiscoping Workshop

Sun. Sept. 12 — A.D. Barnes Park Bird Walk

Sat. Sept. 18 — North American Migration Count

Sat. Sept. 18 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Sun. Sept. 19 — Cutler Bay Birding

Wed. Sept. 22 — 2011 Conservation Goals Meeting

Sat. Sept. 25 — Greynolds Park Bird Walk

Sun. Sept. 26 — Matheson Hammock Bird Walk

Sat. Oct. 2 — Corkscrew Swamp / Ft. Myers Beach Birding

Sun. Oct. 3 — Bird Day at Fairchild Tropical Garden

Sat. Oct 9 — A.D. Barnes Park Bird Walk

Sun. Oct. 10 — Bill Baggs Cape Florida Bird Walk

Wed. Oct. 13 — Thomas E. Lodge, The Everglades Handbook, Understanding the Ecosystem

Sat. Oct. 16 — South Dade Birding

Sat. Oct. 16 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Sat.-Sun. Oct 23-24 — Audubon Assembly, St. Petersburg

Sat. Oct. 23 — Everglades National Park Beginning Birding

Wed. Oct. 27 — Conservation Meeting

Sat. Oct. 30 — Shark Valley / Loop Road Birding

Sat. Nov. 6 — Everglades National Park Birding

Sat.-Sun. Nov. 6-7 — Native Plant Sale at Doc Thomas House.

Wed. Nov. 10 — Jerry Lorenz, Roseate Spoonbills in Florida Bay: Pink Canary in a Coal Mine

Sat. Nov. 13 — Fakahatchee Strand / Marco Island Birding

Sat. Nov. 20 — Wakodahatchee / Green Cay / Okeeheelee Birding

Sat. Nov. 20 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Wed. Nov. 24 — Conservation Meeting

Sat. Dec. 4 — South Florida Exotics Trip

Sat. Dec. 11 — Plantation Preserve Birding

Sat. Dec. 18 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Fri. Dec. 17 — Biscayne National Park CBC

Sat. Dec. 18 — Miami-Dade County CBC

Sun. Dec 19 — Broward CBC

Mon. Dec 20 — Long Pine Key CBC

Sun. Dec. 26 — Kendall CBC

Sun. Jan. 2 — Coot Bay / Everglades CBC

Sat. Jan. 8 — Everglades National Park Birding

Wed. Jan. 12 — Monthly Membership Meeting at DTH

Fri.-Mon. Jan. 14-17 — North Florida Birding

Sat. Jan. 15 — Crandon Park Birding

Sat. Jan. 15 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Sat. Jan. 22 — North Broward Birding

Wed. Jan. 26 — Conservation Meeting

Sat. Jan. 29 — Wakodahatchee / Green Cay / Okeeheelee Birding

Sat. Feb. 5 — South Dade Birding

Wed. Feb. 9 — Monthly Membership Meeting at DTH

Sat. Feb. 12 — Everglades Nature Photography

Sat. Feb. 19 — STA-5 Birding

Sat. Feb. 19 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Wed. Feb. 23 — Conservation Meeting

Sat. Feb. 26 — Shark Valley / Loop Road Birding

Sat.-Sun. Feb. 26-27 — Native Plant and Book Sale at Doc Thomas House.

Sat. Mar. 5 — East Everglades / Chekika Area Birding

Wed. Mar. 9 — Monthly Membership Meeting at DTH

Sat. Mar. 12 — Everglades National Park Birding

Sat. Mar. 18-20 — Audubon Academy, Gainesville

Sat. Mar. 19 — Wakodahatchee / Green Cay / Okeeheelee Birding

Sat. Mar. 19 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Sun. Mar. 20 — Spring Wildflower Walk with Roger Hammer

Wed. Mar. 23 — Conservation Meeting

Sat. Mar. 26 — Porter-Russell Pine Rockland Walk

Sat. Apr. 2 — South Broward Birding

Sun. Apr. 3 — A.D. Barnes Park Bird Walk

TAS 9th Annual Birdathon!!! Saturday, April 9 – Sunday, April 24

Sun., Apr. 9 — Kendall Indian Hammock Park / MDC Environmental Center Bird Walk

Sun. Apr. 10 — Fairchild Tropical Garden / Matheson Hammock Bird Walk

Wed. Apr. 13 — Monthly Membership Meeting at DTH

Sat. Apr. 16 — Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park Bird Walk

Sat. Apr. 16 — Workday at the Doc Thomas House

Fri.-Sun. April 22-24 — Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas Birding

Sat. Apr. 23 — Greynolds Park Bird Walk

TAS 9th Annual Birdathon!!!
Saturday, April 9 – Sunday, April 24