Florida Birding and Nature Festival

04/13/2026

04/13/2026

This is not what I was expecting to find on the Upper Tampa Bay Kayak Trip during the 2026 Florida Birding and Nature Festival! Turn up the volume! This is what greeted me upon arriving early for our paddle trip at the Upper Tampa Bay Conservation Park.

02/08/2026

Good news! We're adding more field trips to make sure everyone gets a chance to see the best of Tampa Bay's birds, including a new daytime trip to Coffeepot Bayou, an additional trip to Cross Bar/Al Bar Ranch Preserve and a new trip to Roberts Key in Sarasota Bay. And don't forget: Early bird pricing ends on February 15!

Reddish egret at Fort De Soto Park by William Steele

01/08/2026

It's still 90 days away but some of our field trips already are sold out, or nearly sold out. If you had a trip in mind, please register now! Just seven seats remain availble for the bus trip to Circle B Preserve where over 240 species of birds have been reported including Osprey, Red-shouldered Hawks, Wild Turkey, Barred Owls, Wood Storks, White Ibis, Sandhill Cranes, Purple Gallinules, Pied-billed Grebes, Black-necked Stilts, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Eastern Meadowlarks, Savannah Sparrows, American Kestrels, Great Blue Herons, American White Pelicans, sandpipers, spoonbills, Great Egrets, ducks and other waterfowl, and wading birds. The Bald Eagles have a nest on the south side! We might also see otters, bobcats, grey fox, armadillos, squirrels (gray and fox), frogs, turtles, black racer snakes, five-lined racerunner lizards, and other reptiles, including almost certainly alligators. Don't miss this trip led by two of the region's top birders!

Annual Spring festival during Florida’s peak migration, with expert field trip leaders, professional seminars and workshops, and vendors for all nature-lovers.

12/22/2025

Stuck for a last-minute gift? Check out the field trips, workshops and keynote speakers at this year's Florida Birding and Nature Festival, held from April 9 to 12. You'll get to see Outback Key like an insider or many more of the region's top outdoor locations. Visit www.floridabirdingandnaturefestival.org to see all the exciting events and sign up early before your favorites sell out.

Annual Spring festival during Florida’s peak migration, with expert field trip leaders, professional seminars and workshops, and vendors for all nature-lovers.

12/09/2025

The perfect holiday gift -- a Platinum Pass to the Florida Birding and Nature Festival, which covers every event held during the four-day event, including bus, boat and caravan trips, plus keynote speakers and seminars.

Annual Spring festival during Florida’s peak migration, with expert field trip leaders, professional seminars and workshops, and vendors for all nature-lovers.

12/01/2025

This Cyber Monday, share your love of birding with the people you love most! Visit

Annual Spring festival during Florida’s peak migration, with expert field trip leaders, professional seminars and workshops, and vendors for all nature-lovers.

11/24/2025

Online registration is open now! Sign up soon for early bird pricing and your pick of field trips including longtime favorites plus new tours that highlight birds migrating through in the spring that would be difficult to see in the fall. Photo by William Steele

Annual Spring festival during Florida’s peak migration, with expert field trip leaders, professional seminars and workshops, and vendors for all nature-lovers.

10/19/2024

Saturday's seminars at a glance. Come on out to the Florida Birding and Nature Festival Expo tomorrow in Apollo Beach from 10 to 5. Attend a seminar and learn about gopher tortoises, butterflies, sharks, birds, and more!

10/19/2024

The buffet dinner during the Keynote tonight was delicious as always! Thanks to Econo Catering Company (Rick Carr), he always does a great job for our festival!