In this presentation we will learn about the weekly bird banding sessions held at Lake Lotus Park in Altamonte Springs with the Wekiva Basin Banding Station. The project focuses on data obtained on bird site fidelity, migration times, bird longevity, and preferred habitat. They have added native plants and nest boxes to the site and are investigating whether numbers of birds and species diversity are increasing.

Rebecca Smith began banding shorebirds in Cape May, NJ in 2000 and through the years has worked on banding projects for songbirds, woodpeckers, waterfowl, and rails.

Tues., January 24, 2017 -- Larry Rosen -- Birding in Cuba

Larry will take you along on his March 2016 birding trip to Cuba. The group saw 20 of the 24 bird species endemic to Cuba, including Cuban Screech Owl, Cuban Tody, Cuban Trogon, and the Bee Hummingbird, the world's smallest bird. The talk will include information about the locations visited and what to expect when visiting this long-isolated island nation.

Larry Rosen is an Institutional Research Analyst at Valencia College and does a little birding almost every day.

Tues., February 28, 2017 -- Shawnlei Breeding -- EagleWatch

Shawnlei will bring a live Bald Eagle! She will tell us how to become citizen scientists by learning to become Eagle Watch volunteers. Osceola County has the densest concentration of nesting Bald Eagles in Florida and the need for eagle watchers is huge. 4-H'ers, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and families can all be great Eagle Watch volunteers. You can become a citizen scientist and adopt an eagle nest!

Shawnlei Breeding is Florida EagleWatch Coordinator and works at the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey in Maitland.

Tues., March 28, 2017 -- Gallus Quigley -- eBird: Your Destination for Birding on the Web

eBird, is a real-time, online bird checklist program. It has revolutionized the way that the birding community reports and accesses information about birds. Gallus will explain how it works and how it can help you organize your bird sightings and contribute to the science keeping track of changing bird populations.

Gallus Quigley is a a biologist with Lake County Parks and wears many hats, working not only as a Biologist but as Park Ranger, Trails Planner, and Events Coordinator. He is a conservationist, trip leader and highly competitive bird lister. His 2008 Florida Big Year resulted in a total of 359 species, the third highest Florida Big Year ever recorded.

Tues., April 25, 2017 -- Judith Milcarsky -- The Truth about "Toxo"

What could children's playgrounds, feral cats, homeless people, and schizophrenia possibly have in common? Dr. Milcarsky will let us know of a big public health threat in our communities. The Toxoplasmosis parasite is widespread worldwide and can have serious consequences to human health. It is spread in a cycle with rodents and cats as the main vectors. Come hear about this problem and what can be done about it.

Judith Milcarsky, DVM is a veterinarian in Daytona Beach who has done research and advocacy in animal-related public health problems.