Peter Magnin will be joining us for our March program to present on Outdoor Survival and Amazonian Indigenous Tribes. Peter is a survival instructor, primitive skills practitioner and expedition guide.

Peter Magnin has been studying survival and primitive skills since 2013. His first experience with survival training was with the Air Force’s SERE instructors before he retired from the military and started attending schools as a civilian. Early training started with Terry Barney’s beginner to advance survival classes. This inspired Peter to train under Mors Kochanski at Karamat Wilderness Ways, Winter Survival. His experiences range from living outdoors in various shelters for nine weeks under Master Maine Guide Tim Smith at the Jack Mountain Bushcraft School to spending 30 days in the desert with primitive and traditional technologies at the Boulder Outdoor Survival School (BOSS). Peter has taught at the first Global Bushcraft Symposium in Canada in 2019, and again in 2022 in Wales, UK. He has been a special instructor at multiple survival and primitive schools across the country and continually teachers at gatherings. As a wilderness EMT, he is an expedition guide and medic for Joe Flowers with Bushcraft Global since 2019, going to the jungles of Brazil and Peru and learning from indigenous tribes. He spoke as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) at the 7th Special Forces Group, Jungle Warfare Symposium on jungle survival in 2022. For the future he is continuing his education in primitive skills and testing his knowledge in the field.

Learn more a bout Peter on his website.

Event location: Zoom (virtual)

Register here for the event.

St. Pete Audubon will be hosting Audubon Florida’s former Director of Bird Conservation, Marianne Korosy, PhD, for our February speaker series. Dr. Korosy will guide us through the captivating realm of Birds and Wildlife of Antarctica, South Georgia, Falklands, and the Southern Ocean.

Event location: Boyd Hill Nature Center

We will be hosting Meredith Bradshaw on the captivating topic of Purple Martins. Join us for an enlightening evening as we welcome Bradshaw who will be sharing their wealth of knowledge about these fascinating birds.

Event location: Zoom (virtual)

Register here for the event.

Dr. Joan Strassmann, biology professor at Washington University in St. Louis and author of Slow Birding: The Art and Science of Enjoying the Birds in Your Own Backyard, will delve into the art of slowing down, honing our observation skills, and finding joy in the smallest avian wonders that grace our gardens. Whether you are an experienced birder or just starting out, Slow Birding promises to inspire, educate, and renew your appreciation for the feathered neighbors right outside your door.

More about Dr. Strassmann:

• New York Times article - After a Frantic Year, It’s Time for ‘Slow Birding’

• Purchase Dr. Strassmann’s book locally at Tombolo Books
  

Event location: Zoom (virtual) - Register here.

Join us as we welcome Jeff Liechty, Assistant Sanctuary Manager for Audubon Florida’s Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries, for an engaging talk on brown pelican banding. Jeff has been dedicated a portion of his career to banding brown pelicans that have been hooked and/or entangled by fishing gear. He will be presenting on his banding efforts and the importance of his work.

Event location: Zoom (virtual)

Beth Reynolds will kick off our 2023 / 2024 speaker series with a program on ethical bird photography. With her expertise and passion, Reynolds will enlighten the audience on the importance of ethical practices in capturing the beauty of birds through photography. This event will leave the audience equipped with the knowledge and motivation to capture the incredible moments of birdlife while ensuring their well-being.

Event location: Boy Hill Nature Preserve

In this talk Beth Forys, Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies, and two of her students will allow you a unique view of what birds do when we are not observing. Inexpensive solar and battery powered cameras that are triggered by changes in temperature or movements can monitor birds and potential threats.  Through photos and video we will share the unique birds and other species that roam Ft. De Soto County Park when it is closed at night and we'll visit inside black skimmer and least tern colonies, as well as a plover nesting site.  She will discuss how she is using game cameras to help educate the public at Ft. De Soto and beyond. 

Beth Forys is a Professor of Environmental Studies and Biology at Eckerd College. She is a Conservation Biologist who is passionate about waterbird conservation and has a strong interest in both the use of technology and citizen scientists to educate and protect.  Before coming to Eckerd she worked for the Florida Game Commission and received her PhD from the University of Florida and her Masters and undergraduate degrees at the University of Virginia.

Birders often seek out species at parks, the beach, or far away locations. Sensing Nature will talk with us about what you can see in your own backyard! This event will be virtual. You will need to register ahead of time.

Biologists at the Avian Research and Conservation Institute will be summing up the amazing data collected from the Raptors on the Move program. We will learn where the raptors have been and more! This event will be virtual. You will need to register ahead of time.

Emily Williams will talk about her research on the American robin! Sometimes the common, backyard bird species are overlooked but Emily is determined to reveal their migratory behavior. This event will be virtual. You will need to register ahead of time.

National Audubon Society wrote about Emily’s research on the American Robin’s mysterious migration. Find out why their migration is important not only for their species, but for indicating environmental health.

Join us for a comprehensive program with Francine Prager of Tampa Bay Bats highlighting bats throughout the world as well as Tampa Bay. This program includes mega and micro bats, fruit bats, insect eaters, pollinators, the smallest and largest bats, echolocation and the little cute, not-so-scary, vampire bat! Francine will also cover bat motherhood and more.

This event will be virtual. You will need to register ahead of time.