Meet trip leader Bubba Scales at the Trailhead parking lot on Millhopper Road for a walk on the trail less traveled by recent AAS field trips. We’ll amble through shady hammocks, pinelands, and sandhills looking for migrating warblers, thrushes, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and Scarlet Tanagers.
Entry fee $4 per vehicle.
Difficulty: 3 (may involve elevation change, uneven terrain, and/or walking distances greater than two miles).
Trip leader Jonathan Mays will lead us along a 2.5-mile trail through a variety of habitats that include pinewoods, open oak woodlands, wetlands, and a bit of lakeshore. Plenty of migrant warblers and thrushes should be around.
Meet in the parking corral for the Pithlachocco Trails, directly across the road from the NFETC sign on State Road 26, three-quarters of a mile north of the junction with County Road 329B.
Difficulty: 3 (may involve elevation change, uneven terrain, and/or walking distances greater than two miles).
Over the last 15 years, Drew Fulton’s photography has taken him to some incredible and unexpected places. From the swamps of Florida Everglades to the outback of Australia, from the sea floor in Turkey to the high forest canopy of Borneo, join Drew as he takes you on a journey through his lens and shares some of the natural history stories he experienced along the way.
Millhopper Library, 6:00 social time 6:30 program
Meet trip leader Barbara Shea at Palm Point Park to search for spring migrants like American Redstart, Cape May and Blackpoll Warblers, and Scarlet Tanager. And we can scan the lake from the point for Bald Eagles, Laughing Gulls, and unexpected visitors from the coast.
Directions: Navigate using the map link above or follow Hawthorne Road (FL State Route 20) east from Gainesville, turning left onto Lake Shore Dr. which is one mile past the Kangaroo Express and Eastside HS.
Difficulty: 1 (trip within easy access to vehicle and/or level terrain one mile or less).
Meet Rex Rowan in the parking corral of the Longleaf Flatwoods Reserve (on CR-325 2.3 miles south of Hawthorne Rd.) to kick off The June Challenge. We’ll try to find Common Nighthawk and Bachman’s Sparrow at Longleaf. Next we’ll go to Windsor to scope Newnans Lake for Bald Eagles and Laughing Gulls. Our last stop will be Sweetwater Wetlands Park ($5 per vehicle entry fee) to search for Bobolink, King Rail, Least Bittern, and Purple Gallinule. We’ll be done by lunchtime with 40-50 species on our June Challenge lists.
$5 parking fee at Sweetwater Wetlands Park
Difficulty: 2 (may involve uneven terrain and/or walking distances one to two miles).
Meet at First Magnitude Brewery (1220 SE Veitch Street) for a stroll to Depot Park to look for birds, and return to First Mag for a cold brew and good conversation. Birds and Brew is a monthly event meeting on the 1st Sunday evening. The walks generally run 45 minutes to an hour.
Be sure to check the start time each month as it will vary through the year.
All birding skill levels are welcome; enthusiasm is what matters! Bring your binoculars and a thirst for good craft beer (but if you forget your binoculars, stop by anyway, because we’ll have some to loan out).
Scott Flamand is a former president of Alachua Audubon Society (2001-2005) and retired science teacher who taught over 5,000 students over his 37 years as a teacher (mostly Biology) at Gainesville’s Buchholz High School.
Scott will share stories and photos of birds and wildlife from his adventure in Thailand in early 2020. Join him for photos of dozens of bird species including: Bulbuls, Hornbills, Sunbirds, Treepies, and Laughingthrushes. He will also include many mammals and a handful of herps.
The Zoom link for the July 13 program is here, or find it on our Programs section. Join by clicking the link at the time of the program.
Many of you attended our standing-room only program when Scott shared his birding trip to India. We’re sure you will enjoy this talk too!