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Birding on Amelia and Cumberland Islands and in the Okefenokee Swamp

Program Number: 14147RJ
Start and End Dates:
9/29/2013 - 10/4/2013;
Duration: 5 nights
Location: Fernandina Beach, Florida
Price starting at: $858.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Birding Activity Level: t (see description)
Meals: 13; 4 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 5 Dinners    
Meal Options: Vegetarian    

Situated along the Eastern Migratory Flyway, this is a birder's paradise. Habitats include open ocean, beach dunes, grasslands, maritime hammock, depression marsh, and estuarine tidal marsh. Amelia's rich and fish-filled waters create a veritable gold mine for birds. Visitors to the beautiful barrier island of Cumberland may encounter shorebirds, warblers, and hawks but keep an eye out for the wood stork, peregrine falcon, American oystercatcher, American redstart and painted bunting.




Highlights

• Join experts to explore and discover fascinating bird communities.
• Boat into the Okefenokee Swamp where virtually all species of wading birds and waterfowl native to the Southeast can be found during some season.
• Hike Cumberland and Amelia Islands and explore historic Fernandina Beach.



Activity Particulars

Day trip and hike 3.5 miles; Okefenokee boardwalk 1.5 miles round trip; Amelia Island birding walk 1-3 miles, uneven terrain.



Coordinated by Center for Educational Adventure.




Fernandina Beach

This is the largest town on beautiful Amelia Island, the southernmost of the Sea Islands that trail down the Carolina and Georgia coasts. The Victorian element of Fernandina Beach's 4,000-year history is on view in the 50-block historic district.
Accommodations
Comfortable hotel with ocean views and swimming pool.
Meals and Lodgings
   Residence Inn by Marriott Amelia Island
  Fernandina Beach, FL 5 nights
 Residence Inn by Marriott Amelia Island
Type: Hotel
  Description: Near Atlantic Ocean beach - three tenths of a mile - easy 5 minute walk Evening Reception Swimming Pool Pets Allowed-extra charge Kitchenette Interior Corridors Local restaurants within easy walking distance Barb que and/or picnic area
  Contact info: 2301 Sadler Road
Fernandina Beach, FL 32034 USA
phone: 904-277-2440
web: residenceinnameliaisland.com
  Room amenities: Alarm Clock, Coffee maker/tea service, individual climate control, iron and board Luxury bedding-crisp linens, thicker mattresses, custom comforters, fluffier pillows Pillows: down/feather Pillows: foam Pull-out sofa bed Roll away bed
  Facility amenities: Swimming Pool Non-smoking High-Speed Internet Pets Allowed Kitchenette Fitness Facility All-Suites Property Dry Cleaning/Laundry Meeting Rooms Interior Corridors
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior: Call hotel for seasonal rates. Participants are responsible for making additional nights reservations.
  Check in time: 4:00 PM
  Additional nights after: Call hotel for seasonal rates. Participants are responsible for making additional nights reservations.
  Check out time: 12:00 PM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
Check-in, 4 p.m. at hotel in Fernandina Beach, FL. You will be staying at Residence Inn by Marriott Amelia Island that night.
  End of Program:
Check-out, 11 a.m. at hotel in Fernandina Beach, FL. You will be staying at Residence Inn by Marriott Amelia Island the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required. Health/Information form must be returned to Center for Educational Adventure before start of program. This form will be included in your preparatory material that will be sent to you in advance of the program.
  Parking availability:
Parking is free at hotel for the duration of the program.
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Fernandina Beach, FL
  Nearest city or town:  Jacksonville, FL
  Nearest highway: I-95
  Nearest airport:  Jacksonville International Airprt
  From End of Program
  Location: Fernandina Beach, FL
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
Travel Details
 

Jacksonville, FL to Fernandina Beach, FL

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
ACE Transportation Group Incorporated
phone: 904-225-8888
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

Approximately $47 total for the van/shuttle up to 6 people.
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

35 - 40 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

25 - 30 miles
   

ACE Transportation Group Incorporated 850674 Us-17 Yulee, FL 32097
 

To Fernandina Beach from Jacksonville, FL

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
GO Airport Shuttle
phone: 904-353-8880
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$35 for 1-3 people, $8 for each additional person. Return trip to airport is a $55 flat rate.
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

35 - 40 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

25 - 30 miles
   

Call for most recent pricing. www.gojacksonvilleairportshuttle.com/ 5320 Springfield Blvd Jacksonville, FL
 
Driving Directions
  To Residence Marriott at Amelia Island -North to South on I-95 Take Exit 380, US-17 South toward Yulee. Turn left onto US-17/FL-5S. Take SR200 E/SR A1A toward Yulee/Amelia Island/Fernandina Beach. After the Shave Bridge, turn right at the 2nd traffic light onto Sadler Road/CR-108. Hotel will be located on your left - approximately 1.5 miles.
  To Residence Marriott at Amelia Island from I-95 driving south Take Exit 373, Callahan/Fernandina Exit. Take SR200 E/SR A1A toward Yulee/Amelia Island/Fernandina Beach. After the Shave Bridge, turn right at the 2nd traffic light onto Sadler Road/CR-108. Hotel will be located on your left - approximately 1.5 miles.
Equipment Requirements: Binoculars
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Registration/Orientation and Get Acquainted
(Sunday, September 29)
   
 Afternoon: Participants may pick up nametag and schedule for the week anytime between 4:00 - 5:00 PM followed by orientation and dinner in the hotel conference room. Guests hotel check-in is 4:00 pm in the main lobby.
 Dinner: Catered meal at hotel.
 Evening: Your Road Scholar coordinator will walk you through the weeks activities as you follow along on your schedule. Each person gives their name and where they're from. We don't play name games or get acquainted games. You'll have plenty of time to get to know one another during your weeks activities.
   
Accommodations: Residence Inn by Marriott Amelia Island
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Huguenot Park/Kingsley Plantation/Amelia Island/Pumpkin Hill State Park
(Monday, September 30)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast at Shoney's right next door.
 Morning: These are great birding areas for shorbirds, waders, and ducks. You will also explore Fort George Island and the grounds of Kingsley Plantation.
 Lunch: Lunch at hotel/local restaurant or picnic.
 Afternoon: Field trip to orient you to your surroundings on Amelia Island at the historic town of Fernandina Beach.
 Dinner: Dinner at hotel.
 Evening: Lecture or entertainment
   
Accommodations: Residence Inn by Marriott Amelia Island
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Bib Talbot and Little Talbot Islands/Entertainment
(Tuesday, October 1)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast
 Morning: Field trip to Big Talbot and Little Talbot Islands for more birding. Located on one of the sea islands unique to Northeast Florida, this is primarily a natural preserve and a premier location for nature study, bird watching, and photography. Little Talbot Island is one of the few remaining undeveloped barrier islands in NE Florida.
 Lunch: Lunch on field trip...could be picnic or at local restaurant.
 Afternoon: Field trip continues.
 Dinner: Dinner at hotel.
 Evening: Local Entertainment
   
Accommodations: Residence Inn by Marriott Amelia Island
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Cumberland Island Field Trip
(Wednesday, October 2)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast
 Morning: Ferry to Cumberland Island for a day of birding on one of the most beautiful barrier islands off the coast of Georgia.
 Lunch: Picnic lunch on Cumberland Island.
 Afternoon: Birding on Cumberland Island continues.
 Dinner: Dinner at hotel.
 Evening: Free evening
   
Accommodations: Residence Inn by Marriott Amelia Island
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Okefenokee Swamp Birding/Social/Farewell
(Thursday, October 3)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast at hotel.
 Morning: All day birding in the Okefenokee Swamp. Boat fleet consists of 24’ Carolina Skiffs with canopies overhead and includes a wheelchair-accessible boat. Watch birds through what is arguably the world's most famous birding window, trek into one of the most unusual and interesting places to see in the Okefenokee Swamp where hundreds of wading birds return to roost for the night. Search for warblers and thrushes and try to locate tiny songsters flitting in the tops of centuries-old cypress trees. Along the way you can see the rarest of the rare, the red-cockaded woodpecker; wild turkeys, wading birds such as wood storks, ring-necked ducks and other waterfowl, hear the Bob-white call of the northern bobwhite, see blue grosbeaks and indigo buntings looking much like brightly colored ornaments hung on shrubs growing in field borders, as well as Mississippi kites, ospreys and bald eagles exhibit their mastery of the air. All told, 263 species of birds have been identified at sites along the trail. We can't promise you'll see all of them but we do know they have been sited before and it may be your turn on this Road Scholar program.
 Lunch: Picnic lunch at the Okenenokee Swamp.
 Afternoon: Continuation of birding in the Okefenokee Swamp.
 Dinner: Dinner at Hotel
 Evening: Social and farewell
   
Accommodations: Residence Inn by Marriott Amelia Island
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


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