Note: We do not charge for field trips unless our destination requires an entrance or tour fee, but membership is required to participate in any field trip. Trip leaders do not collect membership fees. If you wish to participate in trip, contact the trip leader within 3 months of the date of the trip.
General recommendations for bird watching: walking shoes, cameras, binoculars, water, sun screen. Eagle Audubon will not be responsible for personal injuries or losses incurred by anyone while taking part in its suggested activities. Carpooling is not recommended due to Covid.
Note: We are following current CDC Covid guidelines and the guidelines of Kings Point, and we ask for courtesy towards mask-wearers.
Tuesday, October 5, 2021
Myakka River State Park 13208 State Rd 72
Sarasota
Meet at the Myakka River State Park Birdwalk Pier at 9:30 AM. Upper Myakka Lake is a magnet for water birds, both shore birds and swimmers. A boardwalk and pier run along the shore and out into the lake for maximum viewing opportunities. Benches along the pier and at the end provide spots to sit and enjoy the view. There often is a member of a local Audubon group with a spotting scope to help see the birds on the far shore. Bring binoculars and a bottle of water. After our stop at the Birdwalk, we may stop at a bridge along the park road to see more shore birds (and a plethora of gators). Another option is to climb to the Canopy Walkway for a spectacular view. If the café is open, we can have a casual lunch there at your expense. Cost: $6 per vehicle park entry fee. Limit: 15. Leaders: John and Julie Stocksdale. To sign up for this trip, please call Julie Stocksdale at 727-418-5119. The first 15 to call will get a spot.
Please leave your contact information with Julie when you call.
Monday, October 25, 2021
Sunken Gardens
1825 4th Street N
St. Petersburg
Meet at the parking lot of Sunken Gardens at 9:30 AM. Come tour with a horticultural specialist at Sunken Gardens, a 100-year-old tropical paradise with more than 50,000 tropical plants, cascading waterfalls, beautiful demonstration gardens, flamingos, and other exotic birds. Lunch is on your own. Limit 15 people. Cost $10. Trip leaders are Don and Liz 813-642-0434.
Thursday, October 28, 2021
Sweet Bay Nursery
10824 Erie Road
Parrish
Gather at the nursery with a member of the Native Plant Society at 9:15 AM. Limit 25. Leader: Anne Whitehall 413-364-6948.
Friday, November 12, 2021
Lettuce Lake Park
6920 E Fletcher Av.
Tampa
Meet at the parking lot near the Lettuce Lake Visitors Center at 8:45 AM. Come join us birding on a boardwalk with Mary Keith, an expert birder and co-founder of BirdFest. Great opportunity to see herons, ibis, limpkins, egrets, woodpeckers, and warblers. Limit 20 people. No cost. Trip leaders are Don and Liz. 813-642-0434.
Tuesday, November 16, 2021
Latitudes Boat Eco Tour of Tampa Bay and the Little Manatee
580 Bahia Beach Blvd
Ruskin
Meet at 9:15 AM for boarding at Slip 10. The cost is $23 per person. Limit 24 members. Leader: Anne Whitehall 413-364-6948.
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
Oscar Scherer State Park
1843 S Tamiami Trail
Osprey
Meet at the Nature Center at 9:30 AM . Oscar Scherer State Park is an example of Florida sandy scrub habitat, which is home to our state’s only endemic bird: the Florida scrub jay. Our hike will take us into this habitat where we may see warblers, woodpeckers, vireos, possibly an eagle or two, and, if we’re lucky, a family of scrub jays. We’ll hike for about 2 hours on soft sand substrate, so sturdy shoes are recommended. Please bring binoculars and a bottle/thermos of water. Lunch will be at Casey Key Fish House at your expense. Limit 15. Leaders: John and Julie Stocksdale 727-418-5119.
Wednesday, December 8, 2021
The James Museum & Brick Street Farms
James Museum
150 Central Avenue
St. Petersburg
Brick Street Farms
2233 3rd Ave S.
St. Petersburg
Meet at the James Museum at 9:45 AM in downtown St. Petersburg. We will divide into smaller groups at the museum for docent-led tours. The special exhibition at this time is Warhol’s West. Lunch, at your own expense, will be at Datz, which is attached to the museum. Limit 30. Admission fee. $15. After lunch, we’ll visit Brick Street Farms in St. Petersburg’s Warehouse Arts District. This is an all-inclusive farming and retail company that has self-contained, environmentally sustainable THRIVE containers used in the vertical farming industry – especially important in urban centers. Leader: Joanne Finney 954-540- 5985
Monday, December 13, 2021
Bahia Beach Preserve
2513 W. Shell Point Road
Ruskin
Meet at the preserve parking lot at 9 AM. Bring your binoculars and bug spray. See ducks, roseate spoonbills, kingfishers, and many other birds. Limit 20 people. No cost. Trip leaders are Don and Liz. 813-642-0434.
Wednesday, January 12, 2022
Lake Morton Birding in Lakeland
Lake Morton Drive
Lakeland
Meet 10 AM at Lake Morton. This will be an easy walk around Lake Morton observing different birds. There are also many statues of swans around the lake. Last year we recorded 28 different species of birds, including white and black swans. Leader: Joanne Finney 954-540-5985.
Tuesday, January 25, 2022
Tampa Bay Watch Birding Boat Trip
3000 Pinellas Bayway South
St. Petersburg
Meet at Tampa Bay Watch building parking lot at 8:45 AM. Go out on the Tampa Bay Watch boat birding with one of the top birders in Florida, Eric Plage. You will see shorebirds on the sandbars, terns, gulls, and other water birds. Limit 20 people. Cost is $25. Leaders are Don and Liz. 813-642-0434.
Saturday, February 12, 2022
Eagles Nest Tour
Meeting time is TBD at the Celery Fields, 6893 Palmer Blvd., Sarasota for a morning bus ride to about 6 active nests in Sarasota County. The cost is $35 per person. Limit: TBD. Leader: Anne Whitehall 413-364-6948
Tuesday, February 22, 2022
Circle B Bar Preserve
4399 Winter Lake Road, Lakeland
Meet at 9:30 AM at the parking lot near the Circle B Visitors Center. Hopefully the trams will be taking groups out to bird, otherwise we will be walking the preserve. Either way you will see many birds such as terns, whistling ducks, wood storks, herons etc. Limit 25 people. Cost $5. Trip leaders are Don and Liz. 813-642-0434.
Tuesday, March 1, 2022
Birding at Rock Ponds
4221 Lavender Road
Ruskin
Meet at 8:45 AM at Borrow Pit Central Gate on Lavender Road. After 3 years we will hopefully tour the Rock Ponds with Nancy Norton, Site Engineer for South West Water Management. She will give us information on the building of the site and then take us on a birding trip around the north ponds to see many different shore birds. Limit 25 people. No cost. Leaders are Don and Liz. 813-642-0434.
Monday, March 21, 2022
Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation Little Red Wagon
4107-B Henderson Blvd.
Tampa
Time to meet is TBD. There will be a presentation at 10:00 AM showing butterflies in different stages and the plants needed to sustain them. Limit 30. Lunch to be arranged. Leader: Joanne Finney 954-540-5985.
Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Carefree Learners Audubon Birding Boat Trip
2 Marina Plaza
Sarasota
Meet at 11:00 AM at 2 Marina Plaza. A boat trip out in the Sarasota Bay to bird with Megan Ehlers. She and the captain plus a naturalist from Florida Audubon will help identify the birds as we cruise the Bay and circle Bird Key Rookery. Limit 20 people. Cost $20. Lunch at O’Leary’s Tiki Bar. Trip leaders are Don and Liz. 813-642-0434.
Monday, April 25, 2022
Birding at Ft. DeSoto
3500 Pinellas Bayway S.
St. Petersburg
Meet at the flagpole as you enter Fort De Soto at 9 AM. Spring migration brings all the warblers to the Oaks in Fort De Soto, and we will be there to see them. Later we will walk over to the Gulf side and view the shore birds. Limit 25 people. No cost. Lunch-bring your own or buy at the snack bar. Leaders are Don and Liz. 813-642-0434.
