Renowned National Geographic photojournalist Tim Laman will counsel nature photography enthusiasts on how to capture the beauty and drama of the wild as part of the Florida Birding and Nature Festival, Oct. 17-20.
The festival, which coincides with the peak of fall migration, will feature field trips, boat excursions, seminars by experts, esteemed renowned keynote speakers and a free nature expo. The festival will be headquartered at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center, 6650 Dickman Road, Apollo Beach, just south of Tampa.
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Laman, who has published 24 feature stories in National Geographic as well as worked on nature films for the Society, will be the festival’s Saturday evening keynote speaker. He is the photographer of National Geographic’s spectacular “Birds of Paradise: The World’s Most Extraordinary Birds.” The former North American Nature Photography Association’s Nature Photographer of the Year also will lead two Friday morning seminars aimed at improving photography and birding skills. He is the photographer of National Geographic’s spectacular “Birds of Paradise” book.
In addition, he will help lead a Saturday morning boat trip to the Alafia Bank Bird Sanctuary in Hillsborough Bay. The sanctuary has the largest roseate spoonbill nesting colony on Florida’s west coast. The Bank is also a key nesting site for brown pelicans, herons and egrets, and white and glossy ibis. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission ranks Alafia Bank as the state’s most important waterbird nesting colony.
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Legendary environmentalist Clay Henderson, the former head of Florida Audubon Society, will give the Friday keynote address. He is the author of “Forces of Nature,” an environmental history of Florida and winner of the 2023 Stetson Kennedy Book Award.
Among the numerous field trips scheduled Friday through Sunday are outings to Egmont Key, the Cross Bar Ranch in Spring Hill, Fort Desoto Park and the Lower Green Swamp Nature Preserve.
In addition to Laman’s presentations, the in-person and Zoom broadcasted seminars on Friday and Saturday will include talks on killer whales; bird migration; gopher tortoise conservation; the health of Tampa Bay; and other topics.
The free Nature Expo on Friday and Saturday at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center will offer displays from numerous nature-related organizations, businesses and artists.
The Expo will have special activities for families, including Earthquest’s dramatic birds of prey show. For information and registration, see https://www.floridabirdingandnaturefestival,org/
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