American Oystercatcher at Madeira Beach, Florida. Credit: Photo via jsguenette/Shutterstock

Snowbirds are set to land in Tampa Bay soon, but actual hawks, owls, vultures, falcons and eagles are part of a big festival coming to Apollo Beach this fall.

Over four days, the Florida Birding and Nature Festival offers field trips to floating classrooms, pictures with falcons, and the synaesthetic treks of hundreds of bird species during four days of programming at Suncoast Youth Conservation Center.

Synchronized to peak migration season for birds across central Florida, the festival runs Thursday-Sunday, Oct. 17-20.
According to Bay Soundings, “more than 180 species have been seen in previous festivals.” For parents, the family friendly festival has activities to keep the kids busy and entertained. The news journal dedicated to covering our local estuary says there’ll be a brand new nature expo that features fishing workshops and a bird show offering up close looks at our winged neighbors.

Expert guides will lead walking, wagon, boat and canoe outings through the preserved land managed by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

For art connoisseurs and history nerds, there’s a “special” field trip to the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts on Thursday. Bay Soundings says the trip “will feature a behind-the-scenes look at a traveling exhibit, “Audubon’s Birds of Florida,” featuring nearly 80 original prints, paintings and artifacts Audubon documented on his trips to Florida in the early 1830s.”

New to the Florida Birding and Nature Festival in 2024 is a trip to Sarasota High School’s floating classroom at the Roberts Bay Bird Colony Island. There Roberts Bay’s wildlife—like little blue herons, roseate spoonbills, American oystercatchers are more—will be on full display in its natural habitat.

Also new are photography workshops led by veteran National Geographic photographer and filmmaker, and well-known ornithologist, Tim Laman.

Field trip space is limited so early registration is advised.

There’s no cover for the Florida Birding and Nature Festival happening Oct.17-20 at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation’s Suncoast Youth Conservation Center in Apollo Beach.

Readers are invited to submit their own events to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s things to do calendar.

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This article appears in Sep 5-11, 2024.