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Posted by Hawker on 14:13:37 04/14/09
In my many years of wildlife observation in South Florida, I am hard pressed to recall a weekend that even comes close to the quality of the Big "O" Bird Festival held between Friday April 3, and Monday April, 6, 2009 in Hendry and Glades counties, Florida.
I registered at the last minute, which increased my fee by $25 to $125 total. This is what the 100 or so birding participants got for their money and time.
Friday: Registration and Welcome Reception with displays in the Clewiston Inn lobby.
A 101 Birding Course from Mark Kiser of the Florida Birding Trail
A photo course by Bill Cox
An excursion, deluxe transportation included, to Fisheating Creek East, with Deen Mountain, where we saw, among many other birds, swallow-tailed kites, and a barred owl that stayed planted, and stared at us almost from the time we arrived until after we left.
Then on to Gatorama for even more birding, and one of the most incredible Florida Cracker dinners I have ever had, cooked by Patty Register, Gatorama's owner. Her culinary ability is stunning. Every item rated between outstanding and excellent. I had absolutely the best rendition of swamp cabbage (stewed hearts of palm) and banana pudding of my life. The dinner was completely devoured by the guests, but no one left hungry.
We then travelled to Fisheating Creek West for an owl hoot. We only heard the owls, but there were over 30 'gators directly in front of us at Burnt Bridge. The big crocodilians looked even more impressive when viewed through night vision binoculars.
Finally we returned to the Clewiston Inn and a welcomed bed. The room rate was $100 per night, before taxes, and included breakfast.
SATURDAY: The morning presented a choice of three tours: 6:00 a.m. STA-5, Boat Tour on Lake Okeechobee (hereafter referred to by its traditional South Florida name, simple, "The Lake"), or the one I chose, the Premier Loop Tour with Dr. Paul Gray. The trip included a free breakfast at the Sable Palm RV Resort & Campground. Some highlighted animals on the Loop were 2 river otters, another barred owl, swamp sparrow, short -tailed hawk, common myna, and Florida scrub jay.
We returned to the Inn for a program from Audubon's Birds of Prey, which included a live bald eagle, a kestrel, and a caracara.
Across from the Inn, Mossy purchased the best tasting organically grown tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and green beans either of us have eaten. Local artists also displayed their works.
We then enjoyed a box lunch, with a wild turkey calling demonstration by Lenny Ray Jimm, of the Seminole tribe, and Cracker cowhunter, Lance "Bubba" Whidden. Hearing these two experts became one of the unexpected treasures of the weekend. Bubba's specialty is imitating the calls of "jakes" using only his own voice. Although Bubba no longer hunts, he instead "calls" merely for the challenge of bringing young male turkeys in so close, that they are within touching range! As most of you know, the Osceola Wild Turkey is one of North America's most wary animals. I would love to go out with Bubba and listen to him practice his art with real birds.
During the afternoon, you had to decide among STA-5, Birding on the Boardwalk at the Ah-Tha-Thi-Ki Museum on the Big Cypress Indian Reservation, or a pontoon boat tour on The Lake with Captain James. I opted for the Lake: it yielded 7 least bitterns, flocks of skimmers and white pelicans flying low right over our heads, and the most incredible viewing of a peregrine falcon I have ever had. As we were returning to the marina, Dr. Gray spotted the bird perched on a channel marker. We spun around. The peregrine, after a relatively short time, became acclimated to us and walked boldly out to the edge of the platform in full sunlight. It was not very high above us, nor far away. Eventually the falcon became so calm, it began to scratch its head with its talon. After scanning the bird for a while, someone noticed a brown lump on the platform. It was the peregrine's kill, a mottled duck. We eventually left the falcon to its meal, and headed to our wine and cheese reception, followed by a filet mignon dinner, at the Inn. Joan Morrison, PhD., the authority on the crested caracara, provided an edifying presentation. After dinner, Mossy, my brother and I retired to the Everglades Room for a nightcap, and examined the famed, 1945 hand painted mural of the 'glades that graces the bar's wall. I had one martini and dragged my weary old body to bed. The fatigue of unrelenting, full contact birding was now extracting a heavy toll.
SUNDAY: Breakfast was complimentary with the room.
Choices included STA-5, Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest, or a Bird and Bike on the L.O.S.T.
I chose biking from Clewiston to Uncle Joe's Fish Camp on a new, reasonably priced rental trail bike. The views of The Lake marsh from the top of the Herbert Hoover dike were gorgeous. A bald eagle, parenting ospreys, and nesting red-shouldered hawks were some of the birds seen.
Buffet Lunch and Learn: Mark Renz spoke on a wonderful fossil find of prehistoric mega mammals he discovered at a quarry just west of The Lake.
Tour choices for the afternoon included Dinner Island Ranch or Fort Center Wildlife Management Area.
Fort Center it was. We hiked along Fisheating Creek to ancient Indian mounds with the Clewiston Museum's fascinating and informative curator, Butch Wilson. We did fairly well on birds, but the high point for me was spying a large, sun basking Florida snapping turtle. This was the first time I had ever seen one of these reptiles, "sucking up rays."
During dinner at Roland Martin's Marina, we ate very good cheesburgers at one of the few "on your own" meals of the festival. The marina was buzzing with purple martins occupying the martin houses that the Martins had erected.
Birders will watch anything with wings, including butterflies, dragonflies, and now bats. "Bats are OK at Okaloacoochee Slough" with George and Cindi Marks from Florida's Bat Conservancy, was very informative. We did not see any wild bats, but the Marks' brought listening gear, so we could hear bats as they hunted just above us. They also brought along a few bats that were being rehabilitated. The little mammals were adorable. I even got a chance to pet the yellow bat, as it was gorging itself on meal worms, while resting in Cindi's hand. The Marks identified at least three kinds of bats flying overhead.
MONDAY: The Big "O" Festival finished last night, but Mossy and I stayed over to hear the program "The Value of Eco-Tourists to Local Businesses." The previous three days of birding and wildlife viewing were an attempt by Hendry and Glades counties agencies to introduce themselves as nature destinations. In my opinion, the festival organizers just flatly overwhelmed all of us who attended. It was a fabulous experience that has been spinning around in my head for days.
We ended up with at least 134 bird species plus 5 mammals and 3 reptiles.
TUESDAY: "It isn't over until it is over." Throughout the previous four days, Florida Cracker hospitality, and friendliness had shined brightly. There were "Welcome Birders" signs on local establishments, and local government officials and elected officers came by to introduce themselves, and make sure we were enjoying our stay. Every local I met was genuinely interested in our hobby, and looking for ideas on how to improve the festival for the coming years. One of the Hendry County commissioners, Karson Turner, has a very real passion to make birding an important segment of his county's economy. He is affable, intelligent, and an outgoing young man. During a break in Monday's program Karson asked Mossy and me if he could take us early Tuesday morning on his personal flats boat for a trip to some of his favorite wildlife spots on The Lake. Of course, we were thrilled with another chance to explore the Big "O". Three great white herons, black necked stilts, American avocets, a wood stork being chased by an osprey, flights of shorebirds and waders were just some of the creatures that we viewed in the dawn's light. It was the perfect recap for the entire adventure.
The Lake and its surrounding environs, STA-5, Fisheating Creek, Dinner Island, Venus, Clewiston, and Okaloacoochee Slough, I believe, will become in future years, wildlife destination on equal footing with Everglades National Park and Corkscrew Swamp. Come to The Lake next year and be part of the Big "O" Birding Festival. If you don't wish to wait that long, email me and I can give you some pointers.
A special thanks goes out to Margaret England, Janet Papinaw, and Michelle Phillips. Without the hard work of these three ladies, none of this would have ever happened.
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