Meet trip leader Rex Rowan in the Target parking lot on Archer Rd. at I-75. The emphasis on this trip will be spring migrants – mainly warblers and shorebirds. We’ll also look for some uncommon and/or coastal-nesting species: Gray Kingbird, Swallow-tailed Kite, and Short-tailed Hawk. Some people stick around after the trip for lunch.
Difficulty: 1 (trip within easy access to vehicle and/or level terrain one mile or less).
Meet county biologist Steve Hofstetter in the preserve parking lot (see map above for navigation) on County Road 236 three tenths mile west of its junction with County Road 241. From US-441 in Alachua go north on State Road 241 (keeping left when 235 splits off) six miles to County Road 236.
This was the first purchase of the Alachua County Forever program, 1,190 acres of deep hardwood forest containing the southernmost stand of beech trees in North America. We’ll walk through this beautiful and ecologically valuable tract of conservation land, enjoying its flora and fauna.
Difficulty: 3 (may involve elevation change, uneven terrain, and/or walking distances greater than two miles).
*The Conservation Lands Educational Program (CLEP) is designed to bring attention to local land conservation efforts. These trips are conducted on properties purchased to protect natural resources and will be led by a representative of the agency in charge, who will discuss ecological features and history. CLEP trips will be educational experiences, so the emphasis will be on much more than birding.
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).
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).