2024 Leader Profiles
December 2024 Keynote Speakers
Kyle Moon will be our Friday dinner keynote speaker. See Kyle's bio under Leaders below. He will share photos and stories of Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, where he is a photography guide for Wildside Nature Tours. Location will be the University of Florida's Mid-Florida Research and Education Center, 2725 S Binion Rd, Apopka, FL 32703, 2.6 miles south of the entrance to the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive.
Dr. Steven Whitfield will be our Saturday dinner keynote speaker. Dr. Whitfield is the founder and chair of the Florida Flamingo Working Group - a network focused on population recovery of flamingos in Florida. In 2015, he was among a group of biologists who captured a flamingo (named Conchy) who appeared in Key West, in an effort to understand the origins of flamingos in Florida. He now is Director of Terrestrial and Wetlands Conservation at the Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans and is being brought to our festival through a generous donation by past participant Bud Younts.
Dr. Whitfield will share the current state of flamingos in Florida, and what may happen in the future. He will present this Saturday dinner keynote at the St. Johns River Water Management District's Apopka Service Center, 2501 S Binion Rd, Apopka, FL 32703 in the conference room. This is 1.6 miles south of the entrance to the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive. Even those not going on field trips will enjoy this catered dinner and great keynote about an iconic Florida bird. See Schedule page for details.
December 2024 Field Trip Leaders
Rebecca Anthony, "Beck" to her friends, now leads birding tours with Gallus Quigley through Archaeopteryx Birding and Nature Tours, a festival sponsor. Since 2000 during her internship studying dotted skippers and diamondback terrapins in New Jersey, Beck's passion for biodiversity spread from entomology and herpetology to birding. A Certified Master Naturalist, she volunteers with Audubon Florida's Jay Watch, NABA butterfly counts and Christmas Bird Counts. She has been a bird bander with the Wekiva Basin Banding Station. Shown is a female Egyptian Vulture, one of only a handful of this endangered species involved in a captive breeding program in the US, this one at Hawk Creek Wildlife Center in NY. Beck will be co-leading Sunday 2.
Bill Asteriades has been actively birding for the last 25 years and more so since he retired a few years ago. He spends his time between Connecticut and Florida, and frequently birds the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive by car and bike. He has led many bird counts in both states and was actively involved in CT birding organizations. He has traveled extensively in the country and world, has 788 ABA species and close to 1,500 world species and has a passion for bird photography. He will be co-leading Thurs 8 and Fri 3.
Gian Basili is one of the people most responsible for guiding restoration efforts on the Lake Apopka North Shore and for opening the area to birding and other passive recreational use. He worked 2 years for Audubon Florida, 17 years for the St. Johns River Water Management District, and now works for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Jacksonville. Gian earned his Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison for his groundbreaking work on Dickcissels, the first year-round study of a neotropical migratory songbird. He will be co-leading Sun 3.
Brady Bailo is an avid birder who lives in Osceola County. He has participated in multiple Christmas Bird Counts and volunteered with the Nature Conservancy to monitor Florida Scrub-Jays and Red-cockaded Woodpeckers. He is a past winner of the June Challenge in Osceola County for 2020, 2021 and 2022. He will be co-leading Mon 1.
Michael Brothers is one of the country's leading gull experts. Retired as Director of the Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet, Michael has been leading pelagic birding expeditions off Florida and Georgia for nearly 20 years and natural history tours throughout Florida, the Galapagos Islands, Kenya, and the Amazon. He is a member of the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee and is the Florida regional editor of the journal North American Birds. Michael will lead Fri 7 and Mon 7.
Blair Clark is a 17-year-old high school senior from St Augustine, FL, who is an active member of St Johns Regional Audubon. He leads monthly walks for adults and youth and is on the advisory board of the Florida Young Birders Club and coordinates its Jay Chats, a virtual speaker series. He participates in local bird surveys and enjoys nature journaling. He will attend college in the fall to study conservation and ecology. Blair will lead Sunday 9.
Steve Coleman is “the dean of the Magnolia Park Lake Apopka sunset photographers.” Through his many posts on Facebook, he created a Magnolia Park sunset photography movement. Steve shares his photos on the Sunsets by Steven Facebook page and with Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive Facebook groups. The Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive now closes at 5 p.m. During the period that access at Magnolia Park was closed for renovations, Steve rode his bike on the Loop Trail to do his sunset photography. Steve will lead Sunday 17.
Alexander DeBear is an 19-year-old college student, naturalist, and young birder based in Winter Garden, FL. He has been birding for the past five years and participates in and helps lead bird surveys, particularly monthly surveys at Wekiwa Springs State Park. Alex was instrumental in the creation and development of the Florida Young Birders Club. In addition to birding and trip leading, he dabbles in photography, scientific and field illustration, and taxidermy. Alex will co-lead Friday 8, Saturday 11 and Sunday 4.
Gigi DelPizzo is a Freshwater Fisheries Biologist who worked many years for and now is a contractor for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. An avid birder, she participates in Florida Scrub-Jay surveys, North America Breeding Bird Atlas surveys, Bluebird Nesting Box surveys, EagleWatch, quarterly bird and butterfly surveys in Lake County, and numerous Christmas Bird Counts. She has assisted with the Wekiva Basin Bird Banding Station at Lake Lotus Park. Gigi enjoys extensive traveling and birding around the United States and abroad and in 2019 saw her 500th American Birding Association species. She will co-lead Saturday 8 and Sunday 6.
Casey Dorsch has been working as a Wildlife Technician for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in Christmas, FL. since 2001. She is active in land management and conducts grassland bird and eastern bluebird nesting box surveys each spring. Casey’s love for birding started almost 20 years ago when she began hosting birding tours at Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area. She will be co-leading Friday 2.
Lynn Marie Folts is a photographer and naturalist that visited the North Shore even before there was the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive. Her photos of birds in action, bugs and wildflowers have set the bar for future photographers on the Drive. A trip leader since 2018 but absent several years, the festival committee is happy to have Lynn Marie back. She will co-lead Saturday 1, Sunday 4 and Sunday 17.
Pamela Ford is an avid birder from the Charleston, South Carolina area who accompanies Craig Watson on birding adventures and has observed over 600 species in the ABA area. Pam still works in the health field but enjoys sharing bird identification for visitors, is active in the Carolina Bird Club and is a skilled photographer. Pam will co-lead, along with Craig, Thursday 2, Thursday 11, Friday 6, Friday 13, Saturday 11, Sunday 3 and Monday 6.
Greg Gensheimer became an avid birder through the 1998 Emeralda Marsh Christmas Bird Count and monthly counts at Emeralda and the Lake Apopka North Shore. He chairs the Friends of Green Mountain Scenic Byway (GMSB), which created the 45.2-mile Florida-designated Scenic Highway along western Lake Apopka, including acquisition of Ferndale Preserve and the Green Mountain Scenic Overlook and Trailhead. Retired from dual careers as an environmental and investment consultant, Greg now spends time on the GMSB and birding. He will lead Thursday 4, Friday 4 and Sunday 8.
Luis Gles is a naturalist from Colombia, currently living in Miami, and is a well-known member of South Florida’s birding community. He is lead hawk watcher for the Florida Keys Hawkwatch and volunteers at the Cape Florida Banding Station. He is a founding member of Valley of the Colors, an organization focused on developing ecotourism in Colombia and Florida and coordinating with bird tracking agencies. He and Mariah Hryniewich have recently formed their own tour company, Woodstars Birding & Nature Tours. He is also a Kowa USA ambassador and avid digiscoper. Luis will co-lead co-lead Friday 7, Friday 11, Saturday 13, Saturday 15, Sunday 5, Sunday 15, and Monday 3, with Mariah.
John Groskopf is currently an eBird reviewer for the state of Florida and is on the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee. Following a childhood fascination for birds, he started birding seriously in 2017, with 2018 the year he really got hooked. He did a Florida Big Year in 2019, which boosted his familiarity with birding throughout the state. John has continued to chase state and life birds throughout Florida since then. He grew up and lives in Sarasota and currently works as a Registered Nurse on a cardiac unit at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. He hopes to do more with avian research and bird banding and guiding tours. He will be co-leading Friday 7 and Friday 11, Saturday 6, Sunday 6 and Sunday 16.
Karen Hamblett is one of Central Florida’s top birders, with over 3500 species recorded on eBird and is also a skilled photographer. She frequently birds by bicycle on the Lake Apopka North Shore. Her most recent trips were to Borneo and Brazil. Karen will co-lead Friday 5 and Saturday 3.
Tim Hardin is Alachua County's top young birder and co-vice president of Alachua Audubon. He is winner of the Alachua County June Challenge for several years. Tim has led Orange Audubon on January trips to Gainesville birding hotspots for the past two years and has presented for us on Bird Chats. He will be co-leading Friday 9, Saturday 2 , Sunday 12 and 14.
Mitchell Harris has been interested in natural history from his earliest years growing up in Vero Beach. He began birding about twenty years ago after seeing a white morph Gyrfalcon, just north of the Brooks Range on the North Slope of Alaska. He is extremely interested in pelagic birds and leads trips for the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival and for Space Coast Audubon. Mitchell has found many rarities in Brevard County, including an American Flamingo at Canaveral National Seashore years ago. He will be co-leading Monday 6.
David Hartgrove was a backyard birder until 1986 when he helped with the Florida Breeding Bird Atlas. In 1987 he became Conservation Chair for Halifax River Audubon in Daytona Beach, and in 1996 he became compiler for the Daytona Beach Christmas Bird Count. David has led trips to the Dry Tortugas, Cuba and Panama. He will co-lead Friday 7.
Chuck Honaker of Lake Mary, FL is an avid birder and a Florida Master Naturalist. He is active in his local Audubon Society and a volunteer with Florida St. Parks, FL Audubon JayWatch, Eagle Watch, Big Sit and the Christmas Bird Count. At Blue Spring St. Park, he monitors FL scrub jays and leads interpretive Jay Walks. As an independent contractor, he leads birding hikes to help acquaint the public with Florida’s varied birdlife and unique habitats. Chuck has birded around the US, Costa Rica and Colombia. He will be co-leading Sunday 10 and Monday 4.
Jack Horton is a wildlife photographer whose photography has been used by Nikon USA, National Audubon Society, and the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey EagleWatch Program. Recently retired from a career as a high school math teacher and water polo, coach and referee, Jack serves on the board of Orange Audubon Society and assists the Water Management District on the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive. Jack will be co-leading Saturday morning Part 2 of the Photo Techniques workshop and Sunday 17 and helping with festival logistics.
Mariah Hryniewich is the keen-eyed partner of Luis Gles at the Florida Keys Hawkwatch from August through November. An avid naturalist from Port Charlotte, Mariah is a wildlife photographer and a rep for Kowa Sporting Optics and PhoneSkope. For the past few years, she and Luis have been birding guides on St. Paul Island in the Bering Sea. They have recently formed their own tour company, Woodstars Birding & Nature Tours. Mariah will co-lead co-lead Friday 7, Friday 11, Saturday 13, Saturday 15, Sunday 5, Sunday 15, and Monday 3, with Luis.
Pete Johnson is active in Duval Audubon and serves as director of their Crosby Sanctuary (500-acre nature preserve) near Jacksonville, Florida. He is also an experienced bicyclist having completed numerous endurance events and nature tours of backcountry areas by bike. Pete grew up in central Florida and still travels down to bird and bike Lake Apopka as often as possible! His dad is on the right. Pete will be co-leading Saturday 9 and Sunday 8
Haden Klinger is a freshman at Lake Brantley High School with an avid love of birds. He has been birding since he was 3 years old, with a goal of becoming an ornithologist since preschool graduation. Haden was a founding member of the Florida Young Birder’s Club in fall of 2021, and regularly attends surveys with the Orange Audubon Society including Wekiwa State Park, Oakland Nature Preserve, and most recently the Apopka Birding Park. He also enjoys assisting with the Mead Garden walks in Orlando. Haden will be co-leading Sunday 14.
Luddy Lambertson is an avid birder, nature lover, and world traveler. He has been an art instructor for junior high, high school, adult education and the learning disabled, and his artwork is represented in numerous private and public collections. His birding trips have taken him all over the United States and to Peru, Colombia, Thailand, Africa, and Costa Rica. Luddy will co-lead Saturday 11.
Ethan Landreville is only 14 years old but has been birding now for 5 years. His spark bird was a Great Shearwater that he saw at Canaveral National Seashore in 2020. He incorporates photography into his birding and recently won the ABA Young Birder of the Year Photo Contest and has won prizes in Orange Audubon's annual Chertok photo contest. Ethan is from Brevard County, where he birds with his father, Brennan Landreville. He has found rarities such as an Olive-sided Flycatcher in Orange County and Maine’s 2nd state record of Tufted Puffin. As an avid reader, he enjoys reading bird research articles in addition to studying field guides. Ethan and Brennan will co-lead Saturday 15 and Sunday 15.
Paul Lammardo is park biologist at Wekiwa Springs State Park, a position he has held since 2005. Paul's Master’s thesis at SUNY Stonybrook was on scrub-jays—comparing survival in natural and suburban settings. He now monitors Florida Scrub-Jays on park properties. Through monthly Wekiwa Springs State Park bird surveys, using Orange Audubon Society volunteers, he is documenting how species like Bachman's Sparrow, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Red-headed Woodpecker and Eastern Bluebird have increased at the park through years of prescribed burning. Paul will lead Monday 4 (to be confirmed).
Michael Legare is Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge's Supervisory Refuge Biologist and works to develop and implement recovery efforts for federally threatened and endangered species across public lands in east-central Florida. One of the species he focuses on is the Eastern Black Rail, recently listed as federally Threatened. The St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge, managed though Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, is a location where Black Rails still survive. Michael will be leading Thursday 11.
Lorri Lilja worked as a contractor for the St. Johns River Water Management doing bird surveys and other projects, which spawned her interest in birding. She earned an Environmental Studies degree from Rollins College and participates in bird and butterfly surveys, Bioblitzes, Florida Scrub-jay surveys and Christmas Bird Counts. Recently retired from a career in law enforcement, Lorri enjoys birding travel. Her American Birding Association (ABA) species list is over 600 and her worldwide total is over 800. Lorri enjoys pointing out birds to others and will be co-leading Thursday 7, Friday 1, Saturday 3, Sunday 5, Sunday 16 and Monday 1.
Philip Lintereur since childhood has loved nature and photography. After 35 years working as an engineer for NASA (most recently on the Artemis program) and near retirement, he has started Florida Wildlife Photos and Tours to teach nature photography. Phil loves teaching people about the use of their cameras and helping newcomers gain skills in identifying what they are photographing. He will co-lead Saturday 12, Saturday 15 and Sunday 1.
Ed Maldonado is a bird photographer, retired from a career in law enforcement. His passion for bird photography started three years ago when he took his oldest grandson to a Bird Rehabilitation Center. Taking photos of birds not only is satisfying in itself but he loves to share them with family and friends on social media. His gear for bird photography is a Sony A9 camera and a Sony 200-600mm lens. Ed will be co-leading Friday 5 Viaje de fotografía.
Kyle Moon is a wildlife photographer, based out of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, currently taking clients into Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks through Wildside Nature Tours. Kyle has been a board member of Sacajawea Audubon Society in Bozeman, MT and is an avid birder. With a bachelor’s in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, he has worked conservation jobs from Florida to Guyana, Alaska and Montana. Exploring new places and immersing himself with his subjects while observing their behavior is what he loves about wildlife photography. Kyle will teach the Friday afternoon 14/Saturday morning, two-part Techniques for Successful Nature Photography and other photo trips TBA. See his work at this link.
Bruce Matasick was inspired by birds many years ago when watching the long and noisy process of loons taking flight from lakes in northern Wisconsin. Birding took off from there and has become a favorite pastime. An increase in traveling since retiring has offered the chance to see birds in new places and habitats, fueling the interest. He has participated in Breeding Bird Atlases in several states, Christmas Bird Counts, EagleWatch, and other bird surveys. His time is split between home in Mount Dora and summers in northern Indiana. Bruce will co-lead Saturday 8 and Monday 2.
Eric Moore had a childhood love of nature and wildlife that led to him earning a degree in biology and later a medical degree. Medicine brought him to Florida in 1991; the abundance of wildlife has kept him here. Eric's photos have been featured in Florida media outlets and in photo galleries at Advent Health Hospital. Co-moderator for the Florida Backyard Birds Facebook group, one of his greatest joys was having his yard designated as a certified wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. Eric will be co-leading Thursday 9 and Saturday 1.
Chris Newton started birding at a young age with his father and uncle in the Northeast, including Christmas Bird Counts. His full-time job is night Zoological Manager of giraffes, lions, rhinos and zebras at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. He has monitored raptor nests in Nevada, done surveys on the Lake Apopka North Shore and enjoys guiding and seeking out lifers for fellow birders. He now guides for Archaeopteryx Birding & Nature Tours. Chris saw his 700th North American bird species in 2019, and now has seen 767. His Florida eBird list is at 471. He is an eBird reviewer for Osceola and Polk Counties. Chris will lead Thursday 2, Friday 3, Friday 10, Saturday 5, Sunday 12, Sunday 14, and Monday 1.
Tricia McDeed Newton worked 20+ years as an aviculturist, during which time she was able to travel to New Zealand and Antarctica. Since 2020, Tricia works as a field biologist, surveying endangered birds and Sand Skinks, relocating Gopher Tortoises, and recording Bonneted Bats. Throughout her life, drawing and creating art has been a major passion, and she now sells her artwork through her company Cry of the Loon Studio https://cryoftheloonstudio.com/. Tricia will lead Friday 10, the Drawing with Nature workshop.
Katrina Noland is a Land Management Specialist with the St Johns River Water Management District, assisting in management of 10 conservation areas totaling over 80,000 acres in Orange, Seminole, Brevard, and Volusia Counties. Keeping the natural lands healthy while offering public recreation opportunities makes for an extremely diverse work schedule. Katrina earlier worked as Land Manager for Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales and was an exotics spray technician and AmeriCorps member with the Florida Parks Service. Her BS degree is in Environmental Science from the University of Central Florida. Katrina will be co-leading Friday 1.
Lee Ann Posavad is an avid nature photographer who enjoys working with young photographers, having taught her grandchildren photography. She has taught Youth and Family Photo Workshops for Orange Audubon Society for several years including for our festival. Lee Ann is always learning by working with other photographers and taking photo workshops to improve her skills. See her photography at this link. Lee Ann will be co-leading Thursday 10.
Ben Powell frequents the Lake Apopka North Shore. He considers himself equal parts birder and photographer, inspired by grandmother and father and reading the National Audubon Society Field Guide for North America Birds as a kid. He gets great shots with his Nikon D700 / 200-500mm combo aided by Nikon bins for tracking. Professionally a Manager of Commercial Finance, Ben is Scoutmaster of a local Boy Scout Troop and a Bird Study and Photography Merit Badge Counselor. Ben will be co-leading Friday 4.
Lynn Proenza is a Wildlife Biologist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in Christmas, FL. In addition to land management activities, she conducts annual grassland bird and Eastern Bluebird nesting box surveys. Her true birding passion started while hosting birding tours each year at Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area. She looks forward to each migration and loves traveling to new destinations to add to her growing list of bird sightings. Lynn will be co-leading Friday 2.
Kim Ramos is one of the top local birders in east Volusia County. For the past ten years, she has joined other long-time birders on Sea Watches and other bird surveys. Six years ago, she retired after 30 years in the Air Force, in which she rose to the rank of Colonel and had worked training students at Embry-Riddle and other colleges in Daytona Beach. Kim frequents Lighthouse Point Park and the other coastal Volusia hotspots. She will be co-leading Friday 11.
Matt Richardson is a native Floridian whose interest in birds began when his family moved to the pine woods of Northwest Florida. At age 8 he requested a field guide for Christmas and set out to identify every bird he could find. Moving to Central Florida in 2005 for a career in corporate finance, he added photography to his birding hobby. Matt frequents the North Shore, St. Marks NWR, the South Carolina low country and birds on business travel. He enjoys fishing, camping and is a scratch golfer but easily distracted by birds. He will co-lead Saturday 4 and Sunday 13.
Kathy Rigling is an avid birder, eBirder and photographer who retired after 35 years as a middle school science teacher. She is part-time Education Coordinator for Orange Audubon Society, coordinates local bird survey and serves on the NORTH SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL committee. Each summer Kathy directs the Nature Studies program at the Wekiva Youth Camp. She will co-lead many trips (see At-A-Glance).
Ralph Risch for many years was Florida Scrub-Jay Biologist for Seminole State Forest in Lake County and now is principal forester for Flagler County. While studying for his zoology masters at University of South Florida, he worked at Archbold Biological Station with pioneering Scrub-Jay experts Reed Bowman, John Fitzpatrick and Glenn Woolfenden. He has birded in 45 states, 3 Canadian provinces, and 6 European countries, and worked as a bird biologist in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, New York, Oregon and Washington, and as a birding guide. He will be leading Monday 5.
Bob Sena has been doing scenic and nature photography for many years, beginning with trips to over 30 US national parks and continuing with trips to such places as the Galapagos Islands, China, and New Zealand. In recent years he has used his photos as a basis for more than 70 detailed color pencil drawings of birds and other wildlife, winning “Best of Show” and other awards at various competitions. Bob has a degree in Graphics Communication. He will be co-leading Saturday 10.
Steve Shaluta was the West Virginia Tourism Board’s primary photographer for 30 years. Upon retirement, he moved to Central Florida and has turned to nature photography, with the Lake Apopka North Shore, Emeralda Marsh, and Ocala National Forest among his favorite places. Steve had taught many photo workshops in West Virginia and now teaches in Central Florida. He will be co-leading Thursday 5 and Sunday 11.
Alan Shapiro owned a large native plant wholesale nursery in Gainesville, FL before retiring to Winter Garden several years ago. He now spends most of his time outside birding, botanizing, biking and kayaking - usually around Lake Apopka. As he had been active with Alachua Audubon, Orange Audubon has pulled him into our fold as board member and festival committee member. He will be co-leading Thursday 3, Friday 16, Saturday 9, Sunday 13 and Monday 2.
Scott Simmons was given a SLR camera in 2001. HIs interest turned to nature photography and a few years later, through the Central Maryland Photographer's Guild, he developed a passion for teaching. The more he learned about photography, the more he wanted to be out in nature photographing it and the more he “got into” birding. Scott is a fan of the Lake Apopka North Shore and submitting observations to iNaturalist. He is an eBirder, chaser of rare species and has a great ear for bird vocalizations. See learnoutdoorphotography.com to see his photos. Scott will be co-leading Friday 15 and Saturday 2.
David Simpson is one of Florida’s top birders, a life-
long resident of central Florida and holds many American Birding Association records, including Big Year and Big Day. He has spent over 25 years leading tours, both through his previous job as a ranger at the St. Sebastian Buffer Preserve and at festivals. He currently is active in the revival of the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival. He is a birding guide through his own company, Birding with David Simpson. David will be leading Thursday 7, Friday 2, Friday 17, Saturday 4, Saturday 14, Saturday 15, Sunday 10 and Monday 6.
long resident of central Florida and holds many American Birding Association records, including Big Year and Big Day. He has spent over 25 years leading tours, both through his previous job as a ranger at the St. Sebastian Buffer Preserve and at festivals. He currently is active in the revival of the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival. He is a birding guide through his own company, Birding with David Simpson. David will be leading Thursday 7, Friday 2, Friday 17, Saturday 4, Saturday 14, Saturday 15, Sunday 10 and Monday 6.
Mary Soule is one of the most dedicated birders on the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive—digiscoping and documenting on eBird the arrival of waterfowl and shorebirds as well as spotting rarities. In the Orange County June Challenge. Mary placed first in 2019 and second in 2020. Mary will be co-leading Thursday 1, Thursday 8, Friday 6, Friday 17 and Saturday 13.
Susan Thome-Barrett is an avid birder who now serves as Orange Audubon Society's conservation chair. She retired as a physical therapist and, in the past, worked in marketing. Susan is part of the team originating Bird Chats with Orange Audubon Society, the weekly online Zoom programs. She co-leads Orange Audubon Society's Beginner's Bird Watching Classes, was instrumental in the start of our Young Birders Club, and is an avid birder, here and in her home state Ohio. Susan will be co-leading Friday 10, Saturday 14 and Sunday 9.
John Thomton began birding during his junior year of high school in the Chicago suburbs. An avid birder in Central Florida for the past 15 years while working for Disney, John founded and is compiler for two local Christmas Bird Counts, Clermont and Bay Hill. He holds degrees in wildlife management and biology from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and particularly likes corvids. John will be co-leading Sunday 2.
Connor Wagner has been the Park Services Specialist and Volunteer Manager at Blue Spring State Park since September 2021. Connor has his B.S. in Environmental Science and Land Management from the University of West Florida, and his M.S. in Environmental Science and Policy from the University of South Florida. Before working for Blue Spring, he worked for the Longleaf Alliance in Northwest Florida doing prescribed fire and land management work on sensitive habitats. Connor enjoys birding and giving educational talks to curious park visitors. Connor will lead Thursday 3.
Craig Watson is recently retired from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the ACE Basin south of Charleston, SC, where he researched avian populations. Thirty-three years ago, he worked for the U.S. Forest Service in the Francis Marion National Forest when Hurricane Hugo hit and obliterated the population of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers. Craig led the installing artificial inserts into pine trees, now widely used to expand populations of this endangered woodpecker. He and partner Pam Ford lead trips and bird surveys for the Carolina Bird Club and other events. Craig will co-lead Thursday 2, Thursday 11, Friday 6, Friday 13, Saturday 11, Sunday 3 and Monday 6.
Maxfield Weakley has been immersed in wildlife since his earliest memories. Learning to photograph at the age of eight from his father, Kent Weakley, deepened his passion for wildlife (particularly the feathered variety). He graduated from the Univ. of Central Florida in 2019 after helping found the UCF Knighthawk Audubon Campus Chapter. His website, www.MaxBirdFacts.com, shares his passion for avifauna and photography with fellow bird nerds around the world. Max will co-lead Thursday 5, Saturday 7 and Sunday 11.
Danny Young is a birder and environmental consultant, owner at Young Bear Environmental / YBE Consulting. He is also on the Land Management Partners Committee at Florida Native Plant Society. He lives in Edgewater, Florida. He will co-lead Friday 9.
Bob Wexler is a Lake County birder who does bird surveys with Gallus Quigley and leads trips locally for Oklawaha Valley Audubon Society. Bob has been an avid birder for 65 years and moved to Central Florida in 2004 from the Catskill Mountains of New York. He will co-lead Thursday 5.
Graham Williams works for the St Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) managing 10 conservation areas totaling over 80,000 acres in Orange, Seminole, Brevard, and Volusia Counties. He balances public access and recreation with natural resource management and regularly employs prescribed burning. Graham has BS and MS degrees in Biology from the University of Central Florida and was a SJRWMD Land Management Specialist in north Florida, a Florida Park Service Environmental Specialist II, and worked for the Seminole County Natural Lands before becoming a SJRWMD Land Manager. An avid birder, Graham will lead Trip 10.
2023 Field Trip Leaders Who Can't Be With Us This Year
Gallus Quigley works as a planner, biologist and trails coordinator with the Lake County Parks & Trails Division. He also is a birding guide with Rebecca Smith through Archaeopteryx Birding and Nature Tours. An avid birder for over 25 years, he is the Cornell eBird regional reviewer for Lake and Sumter counties and coordinated the Florida Breeding Bird Atlas II for Lake County. He broke Lake County’s Big Year record in 2015 with 243 species. A past Orange Audubon board member, Gallus has contributed to the development of this festival. He will co-lead Thursday 4, Friday 4, Saturday 8, Sunday 2 and Monday 2.
Joan Tague walked through the doors of the Pittsburgh Aviary in 1987 and never looked back. Her path in birding is like so many others that love a hobby—studying, doing the field work, traveling, developing skills, giving back through volunteering and teaching both adults and children. She regularly guides field trips for Halifax Audubon Society and other organizations and looks forward to sharing her love for her adopted home of Central Florida. She will be co-leading Saturday 9.