2013 Wakulla Wildlife Festival

Saturday, April 20th, 2013 Wakulla Springs State Park

8:00am - 10:30am   Bird Banding Encounter - Come and go as you please during this two hour attempt to gather information on some of the songbirds at Wakulla Springs. Meet Jim Cox with Tall Timbers Research Station as he demonstrates bird banding and the information  that can only be gathered with a bird in the hand.  Get up close and personal with winged wonders and learn how bird banding has unveiled the mysteries of migration and survival in the avian realm.  Meet behind the Concession Building at Wakulla Springs State Park. 

10:30am - 11:30am   Biscuit Boys - Get Ready to have some fun! The Biscuit Boys have been playing their special blend of country, bluegrass and blues for about 12 years.  Larry Deeb plays upright bass with Andy Moorer on banjo, Jack Quine on mandolin and John Lovett on guitar.  Brian Murray joins them on fiddle.  John and Jack are the main vocalists, but everyone sings when the mood strikes. 
Meet at the Azalea Shelter on the "Green".

10:30-11:30am  Reptile Show - Join Steve Hein and his assistant from the Center for Wildlife Education, Georgia Southern University, for an exciting show.  Be mezmerized as you safely witness what so many fear.  Discover firsthand the benefit native species play in our environment and how exotic reptiles threaten the stability of our fragile ecosystems.  Participate in a hands-on reptile encounter! 
Meet in the Outdoor Amphitheater by the Picnic Area in Wakulla Springs State Park.

11:00 - 12:00pm  “Flying Flowers” of the Florida Panhandle - Get to know the common butterflies that thrive in the Florida Panhandle. Let Bill Boothe, a local naturalist, writer, wildlife photographer, and president of the North American Butterfly Association, open your eyes to the joy of inviting these “flying flowers” to your back yard.  
Meet in the Dogwood Pavilion Building, Wakulla Springs State Park.

11:45am- 12:45pm   Pickin' and Grinnin'- come to the picnic area in front of the Azalea Shelter and feel your heart race to the jubilant bluegrass sounds of Pickin' and Grinnin'.  Pickin' and Grinnin' Band has its roots in Southwest Georgia.   Jerry Marlow is on guitar and vocals.  He has played with numerous country and gospel groups over the years.  C. B. Fincher entertains you with his harps and his joyful enthusiasm for music while Bobby Adams, on the dobro, adds to the harmony. Art Townsend strums along on banjo as Jan Lee plays bass fiddle and does vocals.  Together, it is their hope to lift your spirit through music and song. 
Meet at the Azalea Shelter on the "Green".

11:45am - 12:45pm   Birds of Prey Show - The showmanship and knowledge of Steve Hein create a dramatic combination as the Center for Wildlife Education, Georgia Southern University brings bedazzling bird of prey flight demonstrations to the skies of Wakulla Springs State Park.  Eagles, hawks, and owls swoop overhead while Steve and his assistant present predator/prey relations and raptors as indicators of environmental health.  There will be considerable audience participation as opportunities to get up close and personal with their feathered ambassadors are offered. 
Meet in the Outdoor Amphitheater by the Picnic Area in Wakulla Springs State Park.

12:30pm - 1:30pm  Preserving the Harvest - Shelley Swenson of UF IFAS Wakulla County Extension will enhance the quality and health of your culinary world as she reviews the latest techniques for canning and dehydrating your home grown or locally procured foods. 
Meet in the Dogwood Pavilion Building, Wakulla Springs State Park.

1:00pm - 2:30pm  Coon Bottom Creek-   "Coon Bottom Creek" is a local bluegrass band with musicians from Wakulla and Leon County. Crystallizing around the Austrian couple Maria and Mischa Steurer on the upright base and mandolin, respectively, the band also features Daryl Langston on guitar.  Dennis Hardin has contributed his special talents on the 5-string banjo and Dobro since the fall of 2012.  Unique to Coon Bottom Creek’s talents is that all of its members can sing. This provides a variety of lead and harmony vocals which is not typical for most bluegrass bands.  See if you can resit the urge to tap your toes to this great local sound.
Meet at the Azalea Shelter on the "Green".

1:30pm - 2:30pm  Reptile/Amphibian Show - Steve Hein and his assistant from the Center for wildlife Education, Georgia Southern University, return for a second show, same as the 10:30am presentation seen earlier.

1:45pm - 2:45pm  Tigers in the Sky -- OWLS - Join Sandy Beck, education director at the St. Francis Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, as she introduces you to the four owl species that reside year-round in North Florida.  Her four winged ambassadors are certain to mesmerize with their beauty, skills, and the unique adaptations which make them "tigers in the sky".  Find out how you can protect and invite these magnificent birds to your yard.
Meet in the Dogwood Pavilion Building, Wakulla Springs State Park.

2:45pm - 3:45pm  Birds of Prey/Raptor Show - Steve Hein and his assistant from the Center for Wildlife Education at Georgia Southern University repeat the Bird of Prey Show seen at 11:45am.  It is worth seeing twice!

3:15pm-4:00pm  Wakulla High School Jazz Band -  Enjoy the big sound of this talented ensemble of high school musicians.  They perform music encompassing the techniques of Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Doc Severinsen.  Their repertoire includes standard rock and Latin styles as well.  Make it a point to support and encourage this great local sound. 
Meet at the Azalea Shelter on the "Green".