SCHEDULED PROGRAMS         February 2012

13th Annual Everglades Day Family Festival

Saturday, February 11, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 

“Mysteries of the Everglades” is the theme for our annual all-day family festival with tours, nature walks, bird walks, wildlife demonstrations, canoeing, presentations, exhibits, games, food, music, dance and much more! 

Jim Currie, producer and star of the TV Series “Birding Adventures” will present in the Visitor Center theater at 1pm.  If you’ve watched his show or heard him speak, you know this is a treat not to be missed!  http://blog.aba.org/james_currie

At noon Murder On the Beach Bookstore in Delray Beach is sponsoring a panel discussion “Mysteries in the Everglades” at the Marsh Trail pavilion. Confirmed authors to date are Jonathon King and Eliot Kleinberg.
 
Others on the Everglades Day program include
Lance Warley - Photographer - Birds Life Cycles from “Fuzzy to Finery”
Dr. Laura Brandt - Alligators
John Lopinot - Everglades Photography
Dr. Michelle Williams - Archaeology
Roadside Revue - Music
Live Animal presentations by the Palm Beach Zoo and Okeeheelee Nature Center
                     and much much more!

Come join us and wear your walking shoes for this free family fun and educational outdoor festival!

Park just south of the Refuge in Monty’s parking lot and ride the bus to the Visitor Center.  On the Refuge, buses will be running continuously between the various activities.

Admission is free all day.

Featured Presentations  
12:00 - Mystery Writers Book Panel - Eliot Kleinberg and Jonathon King - Marsh Trail Pavilion
 1:00 - The Making of Aerial Assassins - James Currie - Birding Adventures TV - Visitor Center Theater

Presentations - Visitor Center Theater
 9:00 - Fuzzy to Finery - Birds from Birth to Full Plumage in Photos - Lance Warley
10:00 - Art of Nature - Photography in the Everglades - John Lopinot
11:00 - What can Alligators & Crocodiles tell us about Everglades restoration?  Laura Brandt
12:00 - Magical Mystical Mudbugs - Everglades Crayfish - Peggy VanArman
 1:00 - The Making of Aerial Assassins - James Currie
 2:00 - Who Made the Everglades?  Michelle Williams
 3:00 - Everglades Restoration - Where do we go from here?  Nick Aumen
 
Presentations with Live Animals - Marsh Trail Pavilion
11:00 - Raptors… Different from Other Birds?  Clive Pinnock - Okeeheelee Nature Center
 1:00 - Florida Wildlife - Amanda Clough - Palm Beach Zoo
 2:00 - What are Burmese Pythons doing in the Florida Everglades?  Jenny Ketterlin-Eckles & Liz Barraco

Presentations - Interpretive Area next to Visitor Center south side
10:00 - Nature Detective 101:  Whose Scat is That?  Becky Wolff
11:00 - Northern Everglades - Mysterious Gem - Hal Albertson & Harvey Eisen
 1:00 - So You Think You Know Your Native Snakes?  Marcie Kapsch
 2:00 - What do Hatchineha Lake, Loxahatchee and the Everglades have in Common?  Charlie Pelizza

Performances - Stage (Pavilion at Old Admin Bldg Location)
10:00 - Into the Mystery - Gaynelle Gosselin - PBA Instructor
11:00 - Roadside Revue
12:00 - G-Star Students
 1:00 - Roadside Revue

Canoe Trips - Boat Ramp - SignUp near Initial Bus Arrival Area
 9:00 - 3:00  Every Half Hour

Fishing Pier Activities
 9:00 - Kids Fishing Clinic - Marvin Badler
10:00 - Kids Fishing Clinic - Marvin Badler
12:00 - Electro-Shocking - John Galvez
 1:00 - Kids Fishing Clinic - Marvin Badler
 2:00 - Kids Fishing Clinic - Marvin Badler

Swamp Strolls on Cypress Swamp Boardwalk
 9:00 - 3:00  Every Half Hour - Tour Guides Lew Hecker, Lee Wrubel, Bruce Rosenberg

LILA Walking Tours - Start at Marsh Trail - Head West on “Great Blue Heron Trail”
  Three 2-Hour Tours of Loxahatchee Impoundment Landscape Assessment areas:
10:00 - 12:00, 12:00 - 2:00, 2:00 - 4:00

Bird/Nature Walks on Marsh Trail - Head West on “Great Blue Heron Trail”
 7:30 - Bird Walk - Pat Canning - move car afterwards if buses from Monty’s not running this early
 8:00 - Bird Walk - Fred Test
10:00 - The Wonders of the Wetlands - Howard Bernstein
12:00 - “B” is For… Kathy Walters
 1:00 - The Wonders of the Wetlands - Howard Bernstein
 2:00 - “B” is For… Kathy Walters
 
Bird/Photo/Butterfly/Nature Walks on Marsh Trail - Head South on “Turtle Trail”
 8:00 - Photo Walk - Claudine Laabs
 9:00 - Bird Walk - Al Pelligrinelli
10:00 - Where the Butterflies Are - Anne Swanson
11:00 - Nature Walk - Lisa Hanley
12:00 - Nature Walk - Mike Baranski
 1:00 - What Curious Factoids Lurk Along the Trail - Barry Mintzer
 2:00 - Nature Walk - Mike Baranski

Self-Guided Activities
Animal Olympics Trail - trail runs parallel to western section of Lee Road on south side
Hands-On Nature Table - next to Friends Sales Tent near Initial Bus Arrival Area
Exhibit Tent and Children’s Area - near Boat Ramp
Mystery Scavenger Hunt - look for clues in Cypress Swamp -
  Pick up your answer sheet from Information Table and return there for your prize

http://www.loxahatcheefriends.com/upload/Lox2012EvergladesDaySchedule.pdf

Guided Canoe Trip

Saturday, February 25, 8:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

Meet at the Headquarters Boat Ramp to enjoy a beautiful canoe tour through a portion of the Refuge interior. 
You may rent a canoe for $25 from Loxahatchee Canoeing or bring your own.  (One canoe seats 2 to 3 people.)

RESERVATIONS REQUIRED.  Call the Visitor Center at 561-734-8303.

Enjoy this 3-minute video made on the canoe trail: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW49VXaOvGU&feature=related

Full Moon Guided Canoe Trip

Saturday, January 7, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, February, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Friday, March 9, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Friday, April 6, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 5, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 2, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Tuesday, July 3, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Wednesday, August 1, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Friday, August 31, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Meet at the Headquarters Boat Ramp to enjoy a guided moonlight canoe tour through a portion of the Refuge interior.  Wear long-sleeved shirt and long pants and bring a flashlight and bug spray.

Cost for this tour is $10.00 per person besides the regular Refuge entrance fee. 
(Tour price includes canoe rental; you may not bring your own.)

RESERVATIONS REQUIRED - PLEASE CALL LOXAHATCHEE CANOEING at 561-733-0192.

Swamp Stroll

Every Sunday, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Every Friday, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Meet a naturalist for a guided tour of the Cypress Swamp Boardwalk.  Learn about the swamp ecosystem from cypress tree knees to animals that call the swamp home.  Meet at the pavilion behind the Visitor Center.

Butterfly Garden Tour

Every Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Join a naturalist for a morning stroll through the Refuge Butterfly Gardens to look for these delicate, colorful insects.  Meet outside by the Visitor Center front door.

Early Morning Bird Walk

Every Wednesday, 7:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Every Saturday, 7:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Join our naturalist for an early morning bird walk on the Marsh Trail.  Learn about our migratory and year-round residents of the Refuge.  Meet in the Marsh Trail parking lot.

Roving Naturalist on Marsh Trail

Every Tuesday, 7:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Every Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

A volunteer naturalist will be strolling around the Marsh Trail, discussing the marsh ecology, answering questions and identifying birds, butterflies, plants, reptiles and anything else you might find along the way.

Roving Naturalist on Cypress Swamp Boardwalk

Every Monday, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Every Tuesday, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Every Thursday, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

A volunteer naturalist will be strolling around the Cypress Swamp Boardwalk, answering questions and discussing flora and fauna of the swamp.

Dragonfly Walk and Talk

Sunday, February 12, 12:45 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 19, 12:45 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 26, 12:45 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

What can a dragonfly do for over 4 hours?  Have they been on Earth longer than the Dinosaurs?  Join the Dragon Lady for a PowerPoint presentation and walk as she leads us through the exciting life of dragonflies.  Meet in the Visitor Center theater.
 

***Programs subject to change, for more information on any of the activities and programs, please call the Visitor Center at (561) 734-8303 or the Administration Office at (561) 732-3684.

Check the Refuge event calendar online at:
http://www.my.calendars.net/marchloxahatchee/marchloxahatcheeGrid20122.html
The calendar can also be viewed by going to http://www.fws.gov/loxahatchee and selecting “Calendar of Events” on the right side.

29th Annual Photography Contest

Entries accepted:  Saturday, November 26 - Sunday, February 26
Reception and Award Presentation:  Sunday, March 18, 1:00 p.m.

Entries for the Friends’ 29^th annual Photography Contest will be accepted between November 26 and February 26.  All entries must be taken on the Refuge or in areas adjacent to the Refuge, including the Stormwater Treatment Areas STA1E & STA1W. 

Six categories will be accepted - Birds, Fauna, Flora, Landscapes, Artistic and Youth.  All entries must be submitted on a CD or DVD.  Winners will be announced at the Awards Reception on March 18 at 1:00 p.m.

The Everglades Photographic Society, conducting the contest on behalf of the Friends, will provide assistance with all aspects of photography, including camera settings, post-processing and digitizing upon request.  Contact loxcontest@evergladesphotosociety.org .

For the Contest Entry Form and the complete set of rules, go to:
http://www.loxahatcheefriends.com/PhotoContest2012Rules-Form.pdf

15^th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count 

Friday, February 17 -Monday, February 20

The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds.  For more information go to:

www.birdcount.org

Audubon-Guided Bird Tours in Stormwater Treatment Area 1

Guided birdwatching tours are now being offered twice a month in Stormwater Treatment Area 1, a manmade wetland just north of the Refuge, thanks to a partnership between the South Florida Water Management District and Audubon Society of the Everglades.  The next tour is scheduled for February 4.  Reservations are required.  For more information contact Linda Humphries at (561)742-7791 or hlindaase@aol.com.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/audubon-water-district-join-to-offer-bird-tours-2100275.html

Volunteer Needed to Design/Maintain Refuge Portion of USFWS Website 

The official Refuge website (as opposed to the Friends website) is about to undergo some major changes in order to comply with new guidelines from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  The Refuge is looking for a volunteer webmaster who would be able to design the new web pages that will be needed and then support and maintain them.  This volunteer position will require about 40 hours at the start of the job over a couple of weeks, rapidly tapering off to a few hours per month.  The webmaster will be working from CSS Templates generated by USFWS headquarters.  New Templates are being introduced within a number of weeks.  The volunteer must have the experience necessary to create new web pages to add to the existing web site, modify existing web pages, and follow all web rules (CSS, HTML 5, FLASH) and USFWS guidelines. The volunteer must be willing to submit to a background security clearance.  Sorry, prior clearances do not apply.  If you are interested, please contact Chuck Ryan at Charles_Ryan@fws.gov.

L-40 Levee and Canal Partially Closed Due to Site 1 Impoundment Project

The L-40 Levee and Canal will be closed periodically from Loxahatchee Road north for three miles to boating, hiking, bicycling, and all other public use.   The closure is due to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers construction of a reservoir southeast of the Refuge and is expected to last until October, 2012.  This project, known as the Site 1 Impoundment Project, will capture and store storm water that would otherwise be lost to tide during dry times and preserve clean water in the Refuge.

Loxahatchee Road itself will remain open.  Only the L-40 dike and canal will be closed from around the gate area.  Hunters and other visitors can still access the parking area and the marsh except for the canal and levee going north. 

For a map of the temporarily closed portions of the L-40 Levee go to:
http://www.fws.gov/loxahatchee/PDF_files/TemporaryClosure.pdf

For the latest updates, view the Site 1 Impoundment Community Newsletter here:
http://www.evergladesplan.org/news/site1_newsletter_archive.aspx

The January/February newsletter uses aerial photos to give us some history of the area from the construction of the Hillsborough Canal a century ago, the later construction of the L-40 Levee and Canal, the area’s subsequent division and drainage for agricultural purposes, and finally its preservation after being slated to become a solid waste dump and incinerator. 

Don’t Touch the Crayfish Traps on the Canoe Trail!

Thirty-eight crayfish traps have been placed throughout the canoe trail as part of a project run by a student from Palm Beach State University. With these traps she will capture and collect exotic apple snails and observe how far they have traveled into the Refuge by way of the canoe trail. 

Please do not touch or disturb these traps!  They are anchored by PVC poles and are pretty easy to spot as you canoe down the trail.  If you have any questions regarding the project, please contact Sarah Martinez (martinezsd@my.palmbeachstate.edu) or Meredith Wilson (meredith_wilson@fws.gov).