February 19, 2016 meeting

Join Space Coast Audubon Society for our February 19^th Meeting

“Big Year: Lake County vs Osceola County”

WHO:  Space Coast Audubon Society (SCAS)

WHERE:  Rockledge Presbyterian Church, 921 Rockledge Dr, Rockledge, FL

WHEN:   February 19, 2016 at 7:30 pm

Gallus Quigley and Chris Newton will present Big Year:  Lake County vs Osceola County

Gallus Quigley is the planner/biologist/events coordinator and park ranger for the Lake County Parks and Trails Division.  He has been an avid birder for 25 years and is currently Cornell eBird regional coordinator for Lake & Sumter Counties and Florida Breeding Bird Atlas coordinator 2011-2016 Lake County.  He remains an avid birder since eighth grade and is third all-time in “Big Year” numbers for Florida with 359 bird species in 2008.  Gallus ended 2015 with 243 species + 1 non-countable species.

Chris first started birding in the late 80”s when his father and uncle took him on birding trips and he would tag along during Christmas Bird Counts.  The next 15 years Chris did some guiding in Michigan, New Hampshire, and Florida.   He worked, as an on-call field biologist, for an environmental firm and worked for 6 weeks in Nevada monitoring raptors nests.  In his spare time Chris loves wildlife photograph and his work can be found at Paper $ Roses in Peterborough, NH.  When Chris isn’t birding he works at Disney’s Animal Kingdom as an Animal Keeper.  He works with giraffes, zebras, lions and rhino’s on the Safari Nights Experience Team.  Chris has been with Disney for almost 11 years, working on the African Aviary Team, Night Team, and Savannah Team.  Chris ended 2015 with 236 + one Rufous/Allen’s type hummingbird.  

All of you have surely heard of “The Big Year” book by Mark Obmascik and the movie starring Steve Martin, Owen Wilson & Jack Black.  Well Gallus and Chris had a friendly competition with dual Big Years in their respective counties.  I kept up with their exploits, almost daily species updates and friendly back and forth banter.  After seeing this program this might inspire some of you to try your hand at a Big Year.   Try it first in your yard then branch out to your local patch, county or state. 

Visit the Space Coast Audubon Society website at www.spacecoastaudubon.org and check out the Space Coast Audubon Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/Space-Coast-Audubon

We look forward to another great turnout.

Jim Eager

Space Coast Audubon Society

Vice President

Program/Publicity Chair