Going outdoors
By RODNEY PAGE
Published October 14, 2005
SCARY SOUNDS
OWL AND BAT PROWL: Florida Botanical Gardens is hosting an Owl and Bat Prowl starting at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The family-friendly event investigates the spooky sounds of an October night from the shelter of the Tropical Pavilion at the Botanical Gardens, located at 12520 Ulmerton Road in Largo. Park naturalist/wildlife biologist Jeanne Murphy will help kids and parents identify nighttime sounds such as screech owl coos, bat clicks and other critter calls. There is a $3 fee per person and a limit of 30 participants. Call (727) 582-2673 for information.
TOURNAMENTSSNOOK EVENT: Mote Marine Laboratory is sponsoring its eighth annual Snook Research Roundup Fishing Tournament, which starts today with a mandatory captain's meeting at Mote. Proceeds from the tournament help fund studies of snook. The tournament also helps scientists with their stock enhancement research. Fishing begins at 7:30 p.m. tonight and ends at noon Saturday. Registration is $55 for adults, $35 for children under 12 accompanied by an adult. For information call (941) 388-4441, ext. 417.
REDFISH CUP: The Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup will take place in Clearwater on Thursday through Oct. 22, but it is no longer the championship tournament. Instead, it is the last qualifying stop before the championship. Because Hurricane Katrina forced the cancellation of a tournament in South Padre Island, Texas, organizers decided to make the South Padre tournament the championship and moved it to Nov. 11-13. Clearwater's tournament will feature some of the top redfish teams in the country and has a first-prize of $50,000. Activities and weigh-ins will be at Coachman Park in Clearwater. There will be an exposition at the park starting at 3 p.m. Thursday and at 10 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
CHECK IT OUTART EXHIBIT: Weedon Island Preserve is sponsoring an art exhibit featuring the rain forest masks of the Borucan Indians of Costa Rica. There will be a special opening at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 21 at the Weedon Island Cultural and Natural History Center. Pre-registration is required for opening night. The exhibit opens to the general public Oct. 22 and runs until Dec. 18. For the first 10 days of the exhibit, two master Barucan carvers will be at the center conducting public demonstrations and teaching classes. The ceremonial masks are hand-carved using century-old traditions. Call (727) 453-6500 to register for the opening night.