Trips for our program for 2026–27 (October through September) are listed below:
Before You Go: Most trips are free; a $5 EAS donation is suggested. Park or admission fees may apply. Bring binoculars, water, sunscreen, and appropriate footwear. No dogs, please. A paid membership is required to participate in any field trip unless otherwise noted. For trips open to non-members, a liability waiver must be signed before or at the time of the trip (trip leaders carry this form). Sign up at a meeting or contact the trip leader within two months of the trip date. Check your email and the website for schedule updates.
First time signing up? Please check your spam or junk folder for your confirmation email and mark it “not spam” — this helps make sure you receive future trip updates too.
| Trip Date | Trip Title | Time | Trip Leader | Description | Sign Up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, October 10 | Florida Keys Hawk Watch | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Steve & Jan Burkholder | Count migrating raptors — Peregrines, Sharp-shinned Hawks, and more — from the deck at Curry Hammock State Park. Optional weekend trip, Oct 9–12. More Details » | Sign Up |
| Saturday, October 31 | Oscar Scherer State Park | 9:30 AM • Open to non-members • Park entry fee | Julie Stocksdale 727-418-5119 | Hike the sandy Yellow Trail for Florida Scrub-Jays. Optional lunch afterward. More Details » | Sign Up |
| Saturday, November 14 | Little Manatee River State Park | 9:00 AM • Open to non-members • Park entry fee | Julie Stocksdale 727-418-5119 | Meet at the Green Trail equestrian lot for fall migrants and late-season wildflowers. | Sign Up |
| Saturday, November 21 | Window in the Woods | 9:00 AM Meet at Tillers & Toilers Garden Club | Mike Rounds 419-704-1188 | Visit Window in the Woods and learn how EAS maintains the site and feeders. Please carpool; parking is limited. | Sign Up |
| Wednesday, December 16 | Felts Preserve | 9:00 AM at preserve • Open to non-members | Kim Jones 941-587-2037 | Bird the preserve and productive bunting blind. Carpool from Sun City Center at 8:00 AM. | Sign Up |
| December (date TBA) | Circle B Bar Reserve | 11:00 AM picnic • Limit 20 • Registration required | Chris Bouton 630-476-3500 | Ride the tram to view birds and alligators, then walk a trail. Bring lunch for a picnic afterward. Registration required by the end of November. | — |
| December (date TBA) | Christmas Bird Count (CBC) | Mike Rounds (Apollo Beach) 419-704-1188 Steve Burkholder (Sun City Ctr) 206-786-7618 |
Join the nation’s longest-running citizen-science bird count. No experience required. | — | |
| Friday, January 1 | First Day Hike — Little Manatee River State Park | 9:00 AM • Open to non-members • Park entry fee | Julie Stocksdale 727-418-5119 | Easy hike to Dude Lake. Note: January 1, 2027 is a Friday. | Sign Up |
| Friday, January 15 | Lake Apopka North Shore | 7:00 AM to carpool at North Clubhouse Kings Point, or 9:00 AM at the entrance | Jan Burkholder 206-786-7618 | Bird the 11-mile wildlife drive through Lake Apopka’s restored wetlands. Allow two to three hours; carpooling recommended. Optional lunch afterward. | Sign Up |
| Trip Date | Trip Title | Time | Trip Leader | Description | Sign Up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, February 16 | BIRDS & BREW Bahia Beach Nature Preserve | 3:00 PM • Open to non-members | John Stocksdale 813-841-7227 | Easy hike along fresh and brackish ponds; the trail may be wet. Optional dining afterward at Ybor Grille in Ruskin. | Sign Up |
| Friday, February 26 | Weedon Island Preserve | 9:00 AM carpool from Sun City Center or 10:00 AM at Weedon Island pavilion | Paula Reed 970-691-2607 | Explore accessible boardwalks through tidal flats and mangroves. Optional lunch and natural history center visit. | Sign Up |
| Wednesday, March 10 | Colt Creek State Park | 10:00 AM meet at the Little Lake parking lot | Chris Bouton 630-476-3500 | We will hike around the 3 lakes and some wetlands. Allow around 2.5 hours. | Sign Up |
| Tuesday, March 23 | Alderman’s Ford Conservation Park | 9:30 AM at park • 8:30 AM carpool • $2 parking • Open to non-members | Mike Rounds 419-704-1188 | Look for resident wildlife and spring migrants along the boardwalk; alligators and turtles are also possible. | Sign Up |
| Wednesday, March 31 | Edward Medard Conservation Park | 9:00 AM at park entry or 7:45 AM at SSC to carpool • $2 per car | Dennis Morris 570-814-2803 | Bird the reservoir, observation tower, boardwalk, and shaded trail. Optional lunch afterward. | Sign Up |
| Saturday, April 10 | Little Manatee River State Park | 9:00 AM • Open to non-members • Park entry fee | Julie Stocksdale 727-418-5119 | Meet at the picnic area for a 1.5-mile Oxbow Trail hike in search of spring migrants and wildflowers. | Sign Up |
| Wednesday, April 14 | Fort De Soto Park | 9:00 AM–noon • Open to non-members | Steve & Jan Burkholder 206-786-7618 | Join us at this world-renowned birding site during the height of spring migration. Park fee and tolls apply. | Sign Up |
| May – September | Birds and Breakfast | One trip each month; details closer to each date | TBA | We’ll do one Birds and Breakfast trip each month, meeting early to beat the heat and finishing up with breakfast at a nearby café. More details as we get closer. | — |
Tuesday Birding with Jan & Steve
When: Tuesdays, November through February (except the 2nd Tuesday of each month)
Time: 9:00 to 11:00 AM, weather permitting
Where: Meet in the parking lot in front of the main (North) Kings Point Clubhouse.
To enter through the gate, tell the guard you are part of the “Audubon Tuesday Field Trip.”
What: Easy local outings for beginning bird identification. If you don’t have a golf cart, come anyway — we’ll find you a ride. Binoculars available. Free and open to non-members. Email steve@steveandjan.com to join the mailing list.
HAPPY BIRDING!