Field Trips and Events
Fields trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Our 2024-2025 Field Trips are listed below. Click the title of each trip for more details.
Beginning Birding
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Beginning Birding
Friday, January 3, 2025
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Linda: lindalark85@gmail.com or text 352-428-2629.
Learn to identify birds or hone your existing birding skill. We meet on the deck behind the Conservation Center building to watch the feeders for birds. A short hike to the wetland at May's Prairie, where we can see more species, is optional. Binoculars will be available for use, but please bring your own if you have them.
Circle B Bar Reserve
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. We recommend comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen and water or other suitable beverages. Please contact the trip leader to indicate that you plan to attend and to get any information about changes in plan.
Circle B Bar Reserve
Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Wally: idocvb@gmail.com or 757-636-6229.
Meet in the parking lot at the end of the Reserve road at 9 a.m.
This 1,267-acre former ranch was acquired jointly in 2000 by Southwest Florida Water Management District and Polk County Environmental Lands Program. The former pastureland was restored to a marsh system, which has attracted a variety of wading birds and waterfowl, as well as Ospreys and Bald Eagles. 239 species of birds have been identified here.
Walking trails pass through freshwater marshes, oak hammocks, hardwood swamps, and along the shore of Lake Hancock. There are nine wide interconnecting trails on the property, covering more than six miles. It is flat, easy walking, affording great views of marshland with many varieties of birds. There should be plenty of photo opportunities. Admission is free. Bring your own lunch and beverages. You can walk any distance you are comfortable with, as there are many options for trails. Stay for more birding after lunch if you like.
SunWest Park
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
SunWest Park
Saturday, January 18, 2025
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Bonnie: compassrose360@gmail.com or 719-930-1856.
SunWest Park is a recreational waterfront facility in northwest Pasco, west of U. S. 19. The park has been developed around a former limestone mine creating a 70-acre spring-fed lake. It attracts ducks, shorebirds, gulls, and terns.
Daily passes can be purchased on site for $5.00 a day with debit/credit cards. NO CASH IS ACCEPTED.
Weekiwachee Preserve
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Weekiwachee Preserve
January 25, 2025
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Joe: naturecoastjoe@aol.com or 813-468-0870.
Meet at the entrance gate one mile west of U. S. 19 on Osowaw Blvd., north side of the road. We will walk about two miles on trails discussing the amazing success story of the preserve as well as challenges it faces, wildlife of the preserve, and the birds we hope to see. After that we will drive to the end of the road into the preserve to look for water birds.
When a limerock mine closed in coastal Hernando County, the area now known as Weekiwachee Preserve was slated to become a housing development. After a large public outcry in opposition, Southwest Florida Water Management District began purchasing the property in 1993. Subsequent acquisitions have increased the size to 11,206 acres. The main section of this property is a mix of xeric scrub, sandhill, and pine flatwood communities surrounding several deep lakes that were dug during limerock mining.
After the property was opened for public access, 260 species of birds have been sighted on the preserve, as well as 74 species of butterflies, in addition to larger animals such as black bear, deer, bobcats, coyotes, and rabbits, as well as gopher tortoises, a variety of snakes and other critters. Recent bird rarities include the third state record of a Hooded Oriole seen by scores of birders in December 2019. You can learn more about the preserve by clicking here: https://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/weekiwachee-preserve
Beginning Birding
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Beginning Birding
Friday, January 31, 2025
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Linda: lindalark85@gmail.com or text 352-428-2629.
Learn to identify birds or hone your existing birding skill. We meet on the deck behind the Conservation Center building to watch the feeders for birds. A short hike to the wetland at May's Prairie, where we can see more species, is optional. Binoculars will be available for use, but please bring your own if you have them.
Adopt-A-Road
Adopt-A-Road Cleanup
February 1, 2025
To volunteer: Steve.Smetko@frontier.com or 352-247-9793
Hernando Audubon Society participates in Hernando County’s Adopt-A-Road program by doing a 1.25 mile cleanup on Northcliffe Boulevard between U.S. 19 and Deltona Boulevard three times a year. Garbage bags and safety vests will be provided. Expect this task to take 2 hours.
High school students will receive credit hours for helping in this community service.
Meet at 8 a.m. at the parking lot of Good Shepherds Plaza, 8417 Northcliffe Blvd., on the north side of Northcliffe Blvd, just east of U.S. 19, in Spring Hill.
Crews Lake Wilderness Park
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Crews Lake Wilderness Park
Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Bonnie: compassrose360@gmail.com or 719-930-1856.
Crews Lake Wilderness Park is a 113-acre park with 2.5 miles of walking trails, as well as a long sightseeing/fishing pier and a tall observation tower. We’ll walk about 1.5 miles on the pier, on the trail along the lake shore, and then a wooded trail. We expect to see the resident Sandhill Cranes, wading birds, woodpeckers, and songbirds.
This park in north central Pasco County is approximately 5.7 miles south of County Line Road. When driving south on Shady Hills Road, after crossing under the Suncoast Parkway, turn left on Lenway Road, and right on Crews Lake Drive. Follow the signs to the pier. Park in the pier parking lot near the lake.
Work Day at Audubon Florida's Ahhochee Hill Sanctuary
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Bird Box Cleaning and Work Day at Audubon Florida's Ahhochee Hill Sanctuary
February 8, 2025
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Linda: lindalark85@gmail.com or text 352-428-2629.
Ahhochee Hill Sanctuary is at 24268 Lake Lindsey Road (County Road 476). A fire station is just east of U. S. 41 on County Road 476/Lake Lindsey Road. The entrance to the sanctuary is just east of the fire station. If you are traveling west on County Road 476 and you see the fire station, you have gone too far.
We will do annual maintenance on Eastern Bluebird nest boxes, removal of exotic plants, and other clean-up projects on the property. Please bring your own work gloves and wear a long-sleeved shirt.
Light refreshments will be provided.
Surrounded by publicly protected land, including the Withlacoochee State Forest, 270-acre Ahhochee Hill Sanctuary is part of a large greenway that remains untouched by urban sprawl. The property was left to Audubon Florida by Lisa von Borowsky, one of Hernando Audubon's first board members and a longtime supporter of Audubon Florida.
The property is open to group visits, with prior arrangements. Volunteers are very important to maintaining it for wildlife. rangements. Volunteers are very important to maintaining it for wildlife.
Hernando Big Day/Birdathon
Hernando Big Day/Birdathon
February 15, 2025
Can we identify 125 bird species in Hernando County on Saturday, February 15? It's up to you!
EVERYONE can participate in the Big Day/Birdathon this year! A birdathon is a fundraising event like a telethon or a walkathon, but with a focus on birds. In the past we have had one team scouting for birds all over the county. This year we want EVERYONE to participate. You can do so whether you are birding in your own backyard, your favorite birding spot, or stopping at multiple birding sites throughout Hernando County. Whether you can only participate for 15 minutes, or go birding all day, we hope EVERYONE will spend some time with the birds.
Because this is a fundraiser, we hope that EVERYONE will also make a pledge to Hernando Audubon Society. Please click here to download the pledge form. We assure you that 100 percent of your donation will be used to help Hernando Audubon provide conservation and wildlife education programs and work to protect wildlife habitat.
Please fill out the form and make your check payable to Hernando Audubon Society. If your employer will match your donation, please include a matching gift form. Your contact information will only be used to acknowledge your tax-deductible donation. This information will not be shared with any other organization or individual. It will also not be added to the Hernando Audubon mailing list.
At the end of the day on Saturday, we will compile a list of all of the species seen in Hernando County by the individuals participating. The easiest way to send your list to us is to enter your sightings in eBird. After you have submitted your list, on the right side of the page you will notice "Checklist Tools." Scrolling down, you will see "email yourself." Click on that link and you will receive an email listing all the birds you have seen on that checklist. If you made multiple stops throughout the day, make a trip report and email that. Forward the list to bevalhansen@gmail.com so that your list can be added to the countywide compilation. If you don't want to use eBird, you can still email your species list to Bev.
The countywide results will be published in Hernando Audubon’s e-NEWS.
Questions? Want to be paired up with another birder? Contact: bevalhansen@gmail.com or 352-686-0460.
Travelers Rest RV Resort and Golf Course
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Travelers Rest RV Resort and Golf Course
February 22, 2025
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Bev: bevalhansen@gmail.com or 352-686-0460, (Cell phone on the day of the trip: 352-442-5598.)
Tom Butler, a resident of the RV park, will guide us to view some of the eight bodies of water that attract various water birds and the wooded areas where Barred Owls, hawks, woodpeckers, and songbirds live. Tom has done a lot of work in the park to create an attractive habitat for birds and viewing areas for folks interested in seeing the birds. In recent years 171 species of birds have been reported on eBird!
When you reach the park entrance, continue on straight and park at the Post Office, the large building on the right. There are restrooms there.
Beginning Birding
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Beginning Birding
Friday, February 28, 2025
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Linda: lindalark85@gmail.com or text 352-428-2629.
Learn to identify birds or hone your existing birding skill. We meet on the deck behind the Conservation Center building to watch the feeders for birds. A short hike to the wetland at May's Prairie, where we can see more species, is optional. Binoculars will be available for use, but please bring your own if you have them.
Birding and Biking the Withlacoochee State Trail
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Birding and Biking the Withlacoochee State Trail
Saturday, March 8, 2025
Make reservations with Claudia: camsler36@gmail.com or 813-244-0305
Meet at Lake Townsen Preserve Park, 28011 Lake Lindsey Road (County Road 476).
We will ride a total of about 8 miles: 4 miles south from the park and then return.
This is a beautiful section of the state trail that passes through forests and fields. We will stop periodically to look for birds and other wildlife. This is a no-stress, no-rush ride.
The trip size is limited so please reserve your space above.
Chassahowitzka WMA
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area
Wednesday, March 15, 2025
Make reservations with Linda: lindalark85@gmail.com or text 352-428-2629.
Meet at 8 a.m. in the parking lot on the west side of U.S. 19 at 13243 Commercial Way, 6.7 miles north of S.R. 50. Entrance fee is $3.00 per person or $6 per car (free with senior free hunting and fishing license).
Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area preserves 24,243 acres of sandhill, mesic hammock, and forested wetland habitat. We'll carpool and drive on hard-packed roads, watching and listening for birds. Occasionally we will take short walks in areas that seem promising. A 0.4 mile walk through the swamp on a boardwalk to lovely Buford Spring is optional. 159 species of birds have been reported to eBird from this property, so we expect to see a variety of birds.
The group size is limited, so please reserve your spot above.
Heartwood Preserve
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Heartwood Preserve
Saturday, March 22, 2025
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Bev: bevalhansen@gmail.com or 352-686-0460, (Cell phone on the day of the trip: 352-442-5598.)
West Pasco Audubon President Christine Rowland will lead us as we explore Heartwood Preserve, which has both cypress wetlands and longleaf pine flatwoods. We hope to see or hear Brown-headed Nuthatch, Northern Bobwhite, Bachman’s Sparrow, etc. Later we may make an optional stop at another nearby birding site.
Directions: Heartwood Preserve is at 4100 Starkey Blvd., New Port Richey, FL. From the intersection of De Cubellis Road in New Port Richey, Pasco County, drive south 3.2 miles on Starkey Blvd. Heartwood Preserve is on the east side of the road, with a large sign. But it’s best to locate it with GPS, since it’s important to slow down on the approach from the southbound lane of Starkey Blvd because the turn is quite sharp, and vehicles may be coming in the opposite direction.
Beginning Birding
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Beginning Birding
Friday, March 28, 2025
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Linda: lindalark85@gmail.com or text 352-428-2629.
Learn to identify birds or hone your existing birding skill. We meet on the deck behind the Conservation Center building to watch the feeders for birds. A short hike to the wetland at May's Prairie, where we can see more species, is optional. Binoculars will be available for use, but please bring your own if you have them.
Florida Scrub-Jays at Cross Florida Greenway
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Florida Scrub-Jays at Cross Florida Greenway
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Make reservations with Ken: klarsson55@gmail.com or 352-346-4132
Laurie Dolan, a biologist with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the March presenter at Hernando Audubon’s monthly meeting, will lead a trip to see one of the larger populations of the endangered Florida Scrub-Jays. We will have an opportunity to observe management techniques used to maintain habitat for this species as described by Laurie Dolan during her presentation. This species, only found in Florida, has lost much of its original habitat due to development. These birds are unusual in that the young raised in previous years remain with their parents to help tend future generations.
How to get there: Googling “Greenway Triangle” should show you the meeting site.
Directions: We will meet at the Greenway Triangle, though there is probably no sign that says that. It is at the intersection of SW 110th St. and SW 38th Ave., Ocala. From I-75 Belleview/Dunnellon Exit 341, head west on CR 484 for 2.3 miles. Turn right on Marion Oaks Course at the traffic light. Follow it 0.8 miles as it curves and becomes Marion Oaks Trail. Turn right onto SW 49th Ave. and continue to SW 110th St. Turn right and drive to the end at SW 38th Ave. If you need to stop at a restroom, allow extra time and stop at Florida Trail 49th Avenue Trailhead. It is at 12555 SW 49th Ave. Rd., on the east side of the road, a little north of Marion Oaks Trail, at 12555 SW 49th Ave. Rd.
The trip size is limited, so please make reservations above.
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and Other Forest Breeding Birds, Croom Tract, Withlacoochee State Forest
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and Other Forest Breeding Birds, Croom Tract, Withlacoochee State Forest
Saturday, April 5, 2024
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Bev: bevalhansen@gmail.com or 352-686-0460. (Cell phone on the day of the trip: 352-442-5598.)
At 6:45 a.m., park on the south side of the intersection of Croom Road and Trail 7. There is a wood corral there and an open area for parking. Trail 7 is 7 miles east of U.S. 41. Croom Road is on the north side of Brooksville, Hernando County. We will walk through brush, so wear long pants and closed-toed shoes. Rest rooms and drinking water are a mile away. We will see Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Bachman's Sparrows, and perhaps early spring migrants.
Butterfly Walk at Weekiwachee Preserve North Loop
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Butterfly and Bird Walk at Weekiwachee Preserve North Loop
Saturday, April 12, 2025
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Clay: cjbird@bellsouth.net or 352-592-4949.
April is a prime time to view butterflies. Meet in the parking lot near the playground equipment at Linda Pedersen Park at Jenkins Creek, 6300 Shoal Line Blvd. (CR 595), in Spring Hill. We’ll explore trails in the northern section of the preserve looking for both migrant and resident birds as well as butterflies that should be flying in good numbers at this time of year. We’ll walk about two miles of walking on forest trails, but participants can cut it short, if desired. There are restrooms and drinking water in the park.
Big Pine Tract
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Big Pine Tract
Saturday, April 19, 2025
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Bev: bevalhansen@gmail.com or 352-686-0460. (Cell phone on the day of the trip: 352-442-5598.)
The entrance to the Big Pine Tract is 1 mile north of where Old Crystal River Road intersects with U.S. 41, just north of Brooksville. Meet in the parking lot, which is on the east side of the road.
We will walk the upland trail through longleaf pine habitat. The trail eventually leads down to the lowlands and into a lovely oak hammock. There is a forty-foot change in elevation making for a variety of vegetation and birds. Expect to see many woodpeckers, hawks, Great Crested Flycatchers, Summer Tanager, and other birds. The walk is about 2 miles. There is a restroom, but no drinking water.
Beginning Birding
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Beginning Birding
Friday, April 25, 2025
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Linda: lindalark85@gmail.com or text 352-428-2629.
Learn to identify birds or hone your existing birding skill. We meet on the deck behind the Conservation Center building to watch the feeders for birds. A short hike to the wetland at May's Prairie, where we can see more species, is optional. Binoculars will be available for use, but please bring your own if you have them.
Kayak the Chassahowitzka River
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Kayak the Chassahowitzka River
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Make reservations with Tom: tomstclair8@gmail.com or 904-303-0919.
Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the parking lot of the Chassahowitzka River Campground near the boat launch. The Chassahowitzka River Campground is located south of Homosassa Springs and west of U. S. 19 at 8600 W. Miss Maggie Drive, in Citrus County.
We will kayak the Chassahowitzka River for approximately two hours and expect to see various herons, egrets as well as Limpkins and nesting Ospreys. We hope to see migrating birds as they fly north to their breeding grounds. If lucky, we may also see manatees and river otters, which are always a highlight of this trip.
This outing is limited to experienced kayakers who can bring their own kayaks to the river.
Participation on this trip is limited, so please reserve a spot above.
Adopt-A-Road
Adopt-A-Road Cleanup
Saturday, May 10, 2025
To volunteer: Steve.Smetko@frontier.com or 352-247-9793
Hernando Audubon Society participates in Hernando County’s Adopt-A-Road program by doing a 1.25 mile cleanup on Northcliffe Boulevard between U.S. 19 and Deltona Boulevard three times a year. Garbage bags and safety vests will be provided. Expect this task to take 2 hours.
High school students will receive credit hours for helping in this community service.
Meet at 8 a.m. at the parking lot of Good Shepherds Plaza, 8417 Northcliffe Blvd., on the north side of Northcliffe Blvd, just east of U.S. 19, in Spring Hill.
Fickett Hammock Preserve
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Saturday, December 28, 2024
Make reservations with Joe: naturecoastjoe@aol.com or 813-468-0870.
We will explore the hardwood hammocks that comprise Fickett Hammock Preserve. This 155-acre preserve, part of Hernando's County's Environmentally Sensitive Lands Program, contains a 2.3 mile loop trail. The trail is generally level but does contain some sections with slightly uneven footing (sand, roots, etc.). Named after famed biologist and birder Steve Fickett, Jr., who co-founded the Hernando Audubon Society, this preserve borders Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Janet Butterfield Brooks Preserve, creating a large area of rich habitat. We will meet at the trailhead parking lot on the south side of Centralia Road. While we will be birding, this hike is for nature lovers of all types who enjoy exploring wild places in the Nature Coast and learning more about conservation.
There are no restrooms or drinking water.
Trip participation is limited because of the small parking area. Please car pool, if possible.
Aripeka-Bayport Christmas Bird Count
Aripeka-Bayport Christmas Bird Count
Monday, December 23, 2024
Help count all the birds in a circle that extends from Pine Island to Crews Lake.
To be assigned to a team, contact:
Bev: bevalhansen@gmail.com or 352-686-0460
ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT
Excerpted from the National Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count Website.
From December 14, 2024 through January 5, 2025, tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the Americas will take part in an adventure that has become a family tradition among generations. This will be the 125th count! Families and students, birders and scientists, armed with binoculars, bird guides and checklists go out on an annual mission -- often before dawn. For more than a century, the desire both to make a difference and to experience the beauty of nature has driven dedicated people to leave the comfort of a warm house during the Holiday season.
Each of the citizen scientists who annually braves snow, wind, or rain to take part in the Christmas Bird Count makes an enormous contribution to conservation. Audubon and other organizations use data collected in this longest-running wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations -- and to help guide conservation action.
Brooksville Christmas Bird Count
Brooksville Christmas Bird Count
December 14, 2024
Help count all the birds in a 7.5-mile-radius circle around Bystre Lake.
To be assigned to a team, contact:
Linda: lindalark85@gmail.com or text 352-428-2629
ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT
Excerpted from the National Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count Website.
From December 14, 2024, through January 5, 2025, tens of thousands of volunteers throughout the Americas will take part in an adventure that has become a family tradition among generations. This will be the 125th count! Families and students, birders and scientists, armed with binoculars, bird guides and checklists go out on an annual mission -- often before dawn. For more than a century, the desire both to make a difference and to experience the beauty of nature has driven dedicated people to leave the comfort of a warm house during the Holiday season.
Each of the citizen scientists who annually braves snow, wind, or rain to take part in the Christmas Bird Count makes an enormous contribution to conservation. Audubon and other organizations use data collected in this longest-running wildlife census to assess the health of bird populations -- and to help guide conservation action.
Brooksville Wetlands
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. We recommend comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen and water or other suitable beverages. Please contact the trip leader to indicate that you plan to attend and to get any information about changes in plan.
Brooksville Wetlands
Saturday, December 7, 2024
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Linda: lindalark85@gmail.com or text 352-428-2629.
Meet at 8 a.m. at the southwest retention pond at Walmart, 7305 Broad Street, Brooksville (the intersection of U. S. 41 and Wiscon Road), Hernando County. From there we will drive to look for ducks, waders, and songbirds at various wetlands near Brooksville.
Beginning Birding
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Beginning Birding
Friday, November 29, 2024
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Linda: lindalark85@gmail.com or text 352-428-2629.
Learn to identify birds or hone your existing birding skill. We meet on the deck behind the Conservation Center building to watch the feeders for birds. A short hike to the wetland at May's Prairie, where we can see more species, is optional. Binoculars will be available for use, but please bring your own if you have them.
Kayak the Chassahowitzka River
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Kayak the Chassahowitzka River
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Make reservations with Tom: tomstclair8@gmail.com or 904-303-0919.
Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the parking lot of the Chassahowitzka River Campground near the boat launch. The Chassahowitzka River Campground is located south of Homosassa Springs and west of U. S. 19 at 8600 W. Miss Maggie Drive, in Citrus County.
We will kayak the Chassahowitzka River for approximately two hours and expect to see various herons, egrets as well as Limpkins and Ospreys. If lucky, we may also see manatees and river otters, which are always a highlight of this trip.
This outing is limited to experienced kayakers who can bring their own kayaks to the river.
Participation on this trip is limited, so please reserve a spot above.
Fort Cooper State Park
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Fort Cooper State Park
Saturday, November 23, 2024
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Bev: bevalhansen@gmail.com or 352-686-0460, (Cell phone on the day of the trip: 352-442-5598.)
Meet at 8 a.m. at parking lot #2. After scoping the lake, we will walk a mile on a trail. There is a $3 park fee. Please bring exact change. There will be an optional trip extension to look for birds at the nearby Inverness Waste Water plant and Airport Road.
Hunters Lake
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Hunters Lake
Saturday, November 16, 2024
For more information, contact Clay: cjbird@bellsouth.net or 352-592-4949.
Meet in the boat ramp parking lot at Hunters Lake in Spring Hill. To reach the boat ramp, from the intersection of Kenlake Avenue and Applegate Drive, go south on Kenlake Avenue, and immediately turn left. We expect to see herons and egrets, resident songbirds, and perhaps some early arriving ducks. The section of the trail approaching the lake may be muddy, so wear appropriate shoes. We’ll walk about 1.5 miles.
Big Pine Tract
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Big Pine Tract
Saturday, November 9, 2024
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Bev: bevalhansen@gmail.com or 352-686-0460. (Cell phone on the day of the trip: 352-442-5598.)
The entrance to the Big Pine Tract is 1 mile north of where Old Crystal River Road intersects with U.S. 41, just north of Brooksville. Meet in the parking lot, which is on the east side of the road.
We will walk the upland trail through longleaf pine habitat. The trail eventually leads down to the lowlands and into a lovely oak hammock. There is a forty-foot change in elevation making for a variety of vegetation and birds. Expect to see many woodpeckers, hawks, and other breeding birds. The walk is about 2 miles. There is a restroom, but no drinking water.
Perry Oldenburg Wildlife and Environmental Area
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Perry Oldenburg Wildlife and Environmental Area
Saturday, November 2, 2024
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Tom: tomstclair8@gmail.com or 904-303-0919.
Along the 1.5-mile trail through sandhill and hardwood hammock and a powerline right-of-way, expect to see American Kestrel, Eastern Bluebird, hawks, woodpeckers, other woodland bird species, and butterflies.
Directions: From U. S. 41, turn east on Deer Run Road. At the intersection with Government Road, go straight in the right lane. (Don’t depend on your GPS; it might lead you to the wrong entrance.) There is no rest room or drinking water.
Beginning Birding
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Beginning Birding
Friday, October 25, 2024
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Linda: lindalark85@gmail.com or text 352-428-2629.
Learn to identify birds or hone your existing birding skill. We meet on the deck behind the Conservation Center building to watch the feeders for birds. A short hike to the wetland at May's Prairie, where we can see more species, is optional. Binoculars will be available for use, but please bring your own if you have them.
Ernie Wever Youth Park
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Ernie Wever Youth Park
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Bonnie: compassrose360@gmail.com or 719-930-1856.
Ernie Wever Youth Park, a 113-acre park, is a surprisingly birdy place, with 60 species reported to eBird, and is definitely under-birded! This park is the largest sports complex in Hernando County. The fields can harbor Eastern Bluebirds and Killdeer, while a variety of herons and egrets can be found in the stream. An abundance of trees provides food and cover for woodpeckers, warblers, and many other songbirds. There are restrooms and drinking water.
Birding and Biking the Withlacoochee State Trail
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Birding and Biking the Withlacoochee State Trail
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Make reservations with Claudia: camsler36@gmail.com or 813-244-0305
Meet at Lake Townsen Preserve Park, 28011 Lake Lindsey Road (County Road 476).
We will ride a total of about 8 miles: 4 miles south from the park and then return.
This is a beautiful section of the state trail that passes through forests and fields. We will stop periodically to look for birds and other wildlife. This is a no-stress, no-rush ride.
The trip size is limited so please reserve your space.
Aripeka Sandhills Preserve
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. . All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Aripeka Sandhills Preserve
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Bonnie: compassrose360@gmail.com or 719-930-1856
Aripeka Sandhills Preserves protects important habitat communities such as dense hardwood swamps and pine-covered sandhills. Aripeka Sandhills Preserve was acquired as part of the Weekiwachee Preserve on November 8, 2007. This is a joint acquisition with Southwest Florida Water Management District and Pasco County. Funding was provided by Penny for Pasco.
Over 200 species of birds have been reported to eBird. Along the two-mile woodland trail, we hope to see fall migrants as well as many resident songbirds.
The parking lot is a half mile west of US-19 on the north side of Aripeka Road. There is no drinking water or restroom.
Beginning Birding is Canceled
CANCELED DUE TO STORM
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Beginning Birding
Friday, September 27, 2024
Make reservations here
Trip leader: Linda
lindalark85@gmail.com or text 352-428-2629
Learn to identify birds or hone your existing birding skill. We meet on the deck behind the Conservation Center building to watch the feeders for birds. A short hike to the wetland at May's Prairie, where we can see more species, is optional. Binoculars will be available for use, but please bring your own if you have them
McKethan Lake Day Use Recreation Area
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
McKethan Lake Day Use Recreation Area
Saturday, September 21, 2024
Make reservations here.
For more information, contact Claudia: camsler36@gmail.com or 813-244-0305
McKethan Lake Day Use Recreation Area is on U.S. 41, 0.5 mile north of Lake Lindsey Road (County Road 476), north of Brooksville. At 8 a.m. meet in the parking lot on the left, just inside the entrance.
There is a $2 per person park fee. The trip leader will collect the $2 fee from participants and pay Forestry a lump sum. Please bring exact cash.
McKethan Lake Day Use Recreation Area habitat includes a hardwood hammock, a marsh, and a wetland prairie as well as open water on the lake itself. This provides an opportunity to view a variety of birds including waterfowl, herons, egrets, songbirds, and raptors. We will walk on a trail through the hardwood hammock and observe the lake, marsh, and wetland prairie. Total walking distance will be approximately 1.5 miles. There are restrooms and drinking water.
Adopt-A-Road
Adopt-A-Road Cleanup
September 14, 2024
To volunteer: Steve.Smetko@frontier.com or 352-247-9793
Hernando Audubon Society participates in Hernando County’s Adopt-A-Road program by doing a 1.25 mile cleanup on Northcliffe Boulevard between U.S. 19 and Deltona Boulevard three times a year. Garbage bags and safety vests will be provided. Expect this task to take 2 hours.
High school students will receive credit hours for helping in this community service.
Meet at 8 a.m. at the parking lot of Good Shepherds Plaza, 8417 Northcliffe Blvd., on the north side of Northcliffe Blvd, just east of U.S. 19, in Spring Hill.
Big Pine Tract Work Day
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. All trips are free unless the locale has an entrance fee or a charge for parking. We recommend sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen, and water or other suitable beverages. Please reserve your spot as indicated below so that you are informed of any change in plan.
Big Pine Tract Work Day
September 3, 2024
Help improve Gopher Tortoise habitat!
Hernando Audubon’s and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Volunteer Work Day at Big Pine
The goal of this event is to improve critical habitat for Gopher Tortoises and the species that
depend on their burrows by removing non-native rattlebox plants. FWC Land Management Staff
and Biologists will lead the effort. All are welcome to participate! All you need to bring is a pair
of leather or garden gloves, bottled water, bug spray, and sunscreen. We recommend wearing
long pants, long-sleeve shirts, and shoes appropriate for walking both on and off trail in the sand
and in areas with tall grasses and shrubs.
For more information and to RSVP, contact Chinsegut Conservation Center at 352-754-6722
or Chinsegut@MyFWC.com. Spread the word, bring a friend, and help protect a wild and
wonderful place!
Pine Island and Bayport Parks
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. We recommend comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen and water or other suitable beverages. Please contact the trip leader to indicate that you plan to attend and to get any information about changes in plan.
Pine Island and Bayport Parks
Thursday, August 29 2024
Trip leader: Bev
bevalhansen@gmail.com or 352-686-0460
(Cell phone on the day of the trip: 352-442-5598)
We’ll meet at Pine Island Park, when the gate opens at 8:30 a.m. We hope to see some early migrating shorebirds. Later we will go to nearby Bayport Park. There are rest room and drinking water at both parks.
Please note: the entrance fee for Pine Island is $5 and for Bayport Park is $10. If you expect to visit these parks again within a year, it will save you money to buy a park pass for all Hernando County parks at $53.25, including tax. Contact Hernando County Department of Parks and Recreation, 16161 Flight Path Dr., Brooksville, FL 34604, or 352-754-4031. Rest rooms and drinking water are available at both parks.
McKethan Lake Day Use Recreation Area
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. We recommend comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen and water or other suitable beverages. Please contact the trip leader to indicate that you plan to attend and to get any information about changes in plan.
McKethan Lake Day Use Recreation Area
Saturday, July 13 2024
Make reservations with Bev
bevalhansen@gmail.com or 352-686-0460
(Cell phone on the day of the trip: 352-442-5598)
McKethan Lake Day Use Recreation Area is on U.S. 41, 0.5 mile north of Lake Lindsey Road (County Road 476), north of Brooksville. At 8 a.m. meet in the parking lot on the left, just inside the entrance.
There is a $2 per person park fee. The trip leader will collect the $2 fee from participants and pay Forestry a lump sum. Please bring exact cash.
McKethan Lake Day Use Recreation Area habitat includes a hardwood hammock, a marsh, and a wetland prairie as well as open water on the lake itself. This provides an opportunity to view a variety of birds including waterfowl, herons, egrets, songbirds, and raptors. We will walk on a trail through the hardwood hammock and observe the lake, marsh, and wetland prairie. Total walking distance will be approximately 1.5 miles. There are rest rooms and drinking water.
Big Pine Tract
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. We recommend comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen and water or other suitable beverages. Please contact the trip leader to indicate that you plan to attend and to get any information about changes in plan.
Big Pine Tract
Saturday, June 1 2024
Make reservations with: Linda
lindalark85@gmail.com or text 352-428-2629
The entrance to the Big Pine Tract is 1 mile north of where Old Crystal River Road intersects with U.S. 41, just north of Brooksville. Meet in the parking lot, which is on the east side of the road.
We will walk the upland trail through longleaf pine habitat. The trail eventually leads down to the lowlands and into a lovely oak hammock. There is a forty-foot change in elevation making for a variety of vegetation and birds. Expect to see many woodpeckers, Great Crested Flycatchers, Summer Tanager, and other breeding birds. The walk is about 2 miles. There is a rest room, but no drinking water.
Perry Oldenburg Wildlife and Environmental Area
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. We recommend comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen and water or other suitable beverages. Please contact the trip leader to indicate that you plan to attend and to get any information about changes in plan.
Perry Oldenburg Wildlife and Environmental Area
Saturday, May 18 2024
Make reservations with Claudia
camsler36@gmail.com or 813-244-0305
Along the 1.5-mile trail through sandhill and hardwood hammock and a powerline right-of-way, expect to see American Kestrel, Eastern Bluebird, hawks, woodpeckers, other woodland bird species, and butterflies.
Directions: From U. S. 41, turn east on Deer Run Road. At the intersection with Government Road, go straight in the right lane. (Don’t depend on your GPS; it might lead you to the wrong entrance.) There is no rest room or drinking water.
Adopt-A-Road
Adopt-A-Road Cleanup
May 11, 2024
To volunteer: Steve.Smetko@frontier.com or 352-247-9793
Hernando Audubon Society participates in Hernando County’s Adopt-A-Road program by doing a 1.25 mile cleanup on Northcliffe Boulevard between U.S. 19 and Deltona Boulevard three times a year. Garbage bags and safety vests will be provided. Expect this task to take 2 hours.
High school students will receive credit hours for helping in this community service.
Meet at 8 a.m. at the parking lot of Good Shepherds Plaza, 8417 Northcliffe Blvd., on the north side of Northcliffe Blvd, just east of U.S. 19, in Spring Hill.
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and Other Forest Breeding Birds, Croom Tract, Withlacoochee State Forest
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. We recommend comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen and water or other suitable beverages. Please contact the trip leader to indicate that you plan to attend and to get any information about changes in plan.
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and Other Forest Breeding Birds, Croom Tract, Withlacoochee State Forest
Saturday, May 4, 2024
Make reservations with: Bev
bevalhansen@gmail.com or 352-686-0460
(Cell phone on the day of the trip: 352-442-5598)
At 6:15 a.m., park on the south side of the intersection of Croom Road and Trail 7. There is a wood corral there and an open area for parking. Trail 7 is 7 miles east of U.S. 41. Croom Road is on the north side of Brooksville, Hernando County. We will walk through brush, so wear long pants and closed-toed shoes. Rest rooms and drinking water are a mile away. We will see Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Bachman's Sparrows, and other summer breeders.
Fort De Soto Park
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. We recommend comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen and water or other suitable beverages. Please contact the trip leader to indicate that you plan to attend and to get any information about changes in plan.
Fort De Soto Park
Monday, April 29, 2024
Trip leader: Bev bevalhansen@gmail.com or 352-686-0460
Cell phone on the day of the trip: 352-442-5598
Meet at 8 a.m. in front of the bathrooms, at the boat ramp parking lot, which is on the right immediately after you cross the Bunces Pass Bridge on the park entrance road.
Fort De Soto Park is one of Florida’s most popular birding spots. Because of its location as the first landfall for many trans-Gulf migratory birds, many birds stop to feed and rest in the 1,136-acre park with a variety of habitats. Since this is the season of migration, we will have a chance of seeing many birds that are migrating to their northern breeding grounds, as well as numerous resident wading birds, gulls and terns, and shorebirds. Park fee is payable by credit card at many parking lot machines: $5.
Please note: You will need coins or SunPass for the toll booths on Pinellas Bayway and Pinellas Bayway South.
Beginning Birding
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. We recommend comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen and water or other suitable beverages. Please contact the trip leader to indicate that you plan to attend and to get any information about changes in plan.
Beginning Birding
April 26, 2024
Trip leader: Linda
lindalark85@gmail.com or text 352-428-2629
Learn to identify birds or hone your existing birding skill. We meet on the deck behind the Conservation Center building to watch the feeders for birds. A short hike to the wetland at May's Prairie, where we can see more species, is optional. Binoculars will be available for use, but please bring your own if you have them
Kayak the Chassahowitzka River
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. We recommend comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen and water or other suitable beverages. Please contact the trip leader to indicate that you plan to attend and to get any information about changes in plan.
Kayak the Chassahowitzka River
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Trip leader: Tom
tomstclair8@gmail.com or 904-303-0919
Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the parking lot of the Chassahowitzka River Campground near the boat launch. The Chassahowitzka River Campground is located south of Homosassa Springs and west of U. S. 19 at 8600 W. Miss Maggie Drive, in Citrus County.
We will kayak the Chassahowitzka River for approximately two hours and expect to see various herons, egrets as well as Limpkins and nesting Ospreys. We hope to see migrating birds as they fly north to their breeding grounds. If lucky, we may also see manatees and river otters, which are always a highlight of this trip.
If you need to rent a kayak, please contact trip leader Tom, so that he can reserve the proper number.
Butterfly Walk at Aripeka Sandhills Preserve
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. We recommend comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen and water or other suitable beverages. Please contact the trip leader to indicate that you plan to attend and to get any information about changes in plan.
Aripeka Sandhills Preserve
Saturday, April 20, 2024
Contact: Bev bevalhansen@gmail.com or 352-686-0460
(Cell phone on the day of the trip: 352-442-5598)
April is a prime time to view butterflies. Join Don Fraser as he helps us identify butterflies during the two-mile walk. We may see as many as eight species of hairstreak butterflies nectaring on sparkleberry as well as many other butterflies. Bring binoculars (close focusing, if you have them—or your regular binoculars will do). There will be good opportunities for close-up photography of butterflies.
The parking lot is a half mile west of US-19 on Aripeka Road. There is no drinking water or bathroom there.
[Note the 9 A.M. start time, which is later than our birding trips, because butterflies are more active when it is warmer.]
Honeymoon Island State Park
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. We recommend comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen and water or other suitable beverages. Please contact the trip leader to indicate that you plan to attend and to get any information about changes in plan.
Honeymoon Island State Park
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Trip leader: Bev bevalhansen@gmail.com or 352-686-0460
(Cell phone on the day of the trip: 352-442-5598)
Meet at 7:15 on the causeway, before the draw bridge, at the first pull-off on the south side of Curlew Road (State Road 586). We will bird along the causeway before we enter the park.
At the park, we expect to see a variety of waders, shorebirds, gulls and terns, as well as possible migrating songbirds. The state park admission is $8 for 2 to 8 people in a car, or $4 for a single driver and car.
To caravan from Spring Hill, meet at 6:00 a.m. in front of the Publix on the east side of U. S. 19, just south of Spring Hill Drive.
Directions for Honeymoon Island field trip:
From U. S. 19 at the southern border of Pasco County, turn right on Alternate U. S. 19, just south of Mile Stretch Dr./Bonita Road. Continue south on Alternate U.S. 19 to the intersection of Curlew Rd. (State Road 586) and turn right. There is a McDonald's (with a bathroom) on the northwest corner of this intersection. Continue west on Curlew Rd. just past the tall apartment buildings on the left, and turn left at the first pull-off along the shore.
Alternate route: Continue south on U. S. 19, passing the turn-off for Alternate U. S. 19. Turn right at the intersection of U. S. 19 and Curlew Rd. (State Road 586). Drive west, passing Alternate U. S. 19, and continue to the first pull-off mentioned above.
Beginning Birding
Field Trip Guidelines: Field trips are open to anyone interested in birding. Non-members are welcome. We recommend comfortable clothing, insect repellent, sunscreen and water or other suitable beverages. Please contact the trip leader to indicate that you plan to attend and to get any information about changes in plan.
Beginning Birding
March 29, 2024
Trip leader: Linda
lindalark85@gmail.com or text 352-428-2629
Learn to identify birds or hone your existing birding skill. We meet on the deck behind the Conservation Center building to watch the feeders for birds. A short hike to the wetland at May's Prairie, where we can see more species, is optional. Binoculars will be available for use, but please bring your own if you have them