Schedule of Events:

November 30, 2023

Trip 1. Sunrise Photography and Birding -Mostly driving, some walking.
McDonald Canal Pavilion, 24600 CR 448A, Mount Dora, FL 32757. $40, bring your own lunch. Leaders: Lee Ann Posavad (Orange Audubon Society) and Alan Shapiro (Orange Audubon Society). 6:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Maximum participants: 12. Lake Apopka has remarkable opportunities to photograph sunrises from northwestern locations like Clay Island. Sunrise will occur at 7:02 a.m. on this date. It takes a while to drive on the dirt roads of the North Shore, so we will meet at the McDonald Canal Pavilion at 6:00 a.m. and drive through normally locked gates to the Clay Island observation tower overlooking beautiful Lake Apopka. After sunrise, we will bird and explore other areas of the North Shore. Your trip leaders will provide both photo and bird identification tips throughout the morning.

Trip 2. Leader's Choice, Lake Apopka North Shore - Mostly driving, some walking.
Jones Road Stormwater Pond, 2990 Lake Level Canal Road Mount Dora, FL 32757 (Exit to Wildlife Drive). $40, bring your own lunch. Leaders: Mary Soule (Orange Audubon Society) and Kathy Rigling (Orange Audubon Society). 7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Maximum participants: 14. We will travel backwards from the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive exit on a day it is normally closed except to workers. We will traverse the canals, wetlands and shore of Lake Apopka in a rare opportunity to visit this birding hotspot in search of rarities.

Trip 3. Waterfowl of the Lake Apopka North Shore - Mostly driving, some walking.
Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, 2850 Lust Rd, Apopka, FL 32703. $50. Important  this trip goes until 2 p.m. and there is no opportunity to leave early. Bring your own lunch. Leaders: Chris Newton (Orange Audubon Society), Craig Watson and Pamela Ford (Carolina Bird Club). 7:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Maximum participants: 14. We will traverse the canals, wetlands and shore of Lake Apopka in a rare opportunity to visit this birding hotspot on a day that the Drive is not open to the public. We will focus on ducks and other waterfowl. Your trip leaders will point out ?eld marks to identify each species and distinguish the often brightly colored and distinctly patterned drakes from the often plainer and not- always-so-easy-to-identify hens. Possible sightings include Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Wood Duck and Mottled Duck, seen in the North Shore wetlands throughout the year, plus overwintering ducks like Blue-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Northern Shoveler and less common Ruddy Duck, Northern Pintail, American Wigeon, Green- winged Teal, Canvasback, Redhead and Lesser Scaup. We will see Common Gallinule, Purple Gallinule, American Coot and Pied-billed Grebe, along with Limpkin, American Bittern, Black-crowned Night-Heron and other wading birds on this morning trip. We may also turn up a Horned Grebe or Common Loon.

Trip 4. Neighborhood Lakes Scenic Trail & Trailhead - Accessible and inclusive outing - Walking (or wheelchair access), up to 2 1/2 miles roundtrip on paved multi-use trail. Neighborhood Lakes, 26656 County Road 46A, Mount Plymouth. $25, bring your own lunch. Leaders: Gallus Quigley (Lake County Parks & Trails) and Greg Gensheimer (Green Mountain Scenic Byway). 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Maximum participants: 14. Neighborhood Lakes Trailhead serves as the primary trailhead for the Neighborhood Lakes Scenic Trail and the soon to be completed Wekiva Trail. The paved multi-use trail, when completed to Kelly Park, will be the crossroads between the regional West Orange Trail and Wekiva Trail. Habitat includes former flatwoods and marsh. Burrowing Owls were once seen here and Lake County recently installed 6 artificial burrows in hopes of restoring the population. The trail surface is smooth paved asphalt and is navigable by wheelchairs/mobility equipment. Possible sightings include resident and overwintering songbirds.

Trip 5. T.M. Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area, near Fellsmere - Mostly driving, some walking. T.M. Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area, 3200 T. M. Goodwin Rd., Fellsmere, 32948. $55, bring your own lunch. Leaders: David Simpson (Birding with David Simpson), Susan Thome-Barrett (Orange Audubon Society) and Lorri Lilja (Orange Audubon Society). 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 pm. Maximum participants: 16. Note: This location is about 2 hours from Apopka, so leave enough time. Restrooms are not available at this location. In this trip, we will drive our own vehicles (or carpool) exploring the T.M. Goodwin Unit on the east side of the St. Johns River in southern Brevard County. Trip leader David Simpson lives nearby and birds the area regularly. Waterfowl and migratory bird populations are at a peak at this time of the year. Possible sightings include Roseate Spoonbill, White and Glossy Ibis, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Wood Duck and Mottled Duck, seen throughout the year, plus overwintering ducks like Blue-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Northern Shoveler and less common Ruddy Duck, Northern Pintail, American Wigeon, Green- winged Teal, Canvasback, Redhead and Lesser Scaup. We will see Common Gallinule, Purple Gallinule, American Coot and Pied-billed Grebe, along with Limpkin, American Bittern, Black-crowned Night-Heron and other wading birds on this morning trip. We may also turn up a Horned Grebe or Common Loon.

Trip 6. Afternoon on the Drive - Mostly driving, some walking.
Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, 2850 Lust Rd, Apopka, FL 32703. $40. Leaders: Alex Lamoreaux (Wildside Nature Tours) and Mary Soule (Orange Audubon Society). 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Maximum participants: 16. We will traverse the canals, wetlands and shore of Lake Apopka in a rare opportunity to visit this birding hotspot on a day it is not open to the public.

Trip 7. Dora Canal Birding Boat Photography Trip - Boating.
Rusty Anchor - Dora Canal Tours, 400 W. 4th Avenue, Mount Dora, FL 32757. $50, includes boat ride. Important note: Leave plenty of time to find parking in crowded Mt. Dora which has lots of holiday shoppers and diners. Leaders: Lee Ann Posavad (Orange Audubon Society) and Brian Miller (Orange Audubon Society). 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Maximum participants: 16. Travel with Captain Scott in his 38-foot pontoon boat across Lake Dora into the Dora Canal and back, with your trip leaders sharing bird identifications and photo tips. Possible sightings include overwintering Ruddy Ducks, Wood Ducks, Bald Eagles, Ospreys and Great Blue Herons, Limpkins, other wading birds, and wintering songbirds. This trip is led by two photographers, and focus is photography. Reminder: Allow time to locate parking in Mount Dora. Enjoy dinner in town afterwards.

Trip 8. Black Rail Quest at St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge - Walking (1/2 mile round trip, possibly wet to muddy conditions on a vegetated path. Flashlights or headlamps recommended). St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge, SR 50 west of Titusville. (GPS: 28°33'3.40"N, 80°53'20.11"W). $40. Leaders: Mike Legare (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service), Craig Watson (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) and Chris Newton (Orange Audubon Society). 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Maximum participants: 20. Note: Involves walking through tall grass/uneven surfaces, wet areas. Also requires good hearing  as the rails will likely only be heard, not seen. The Eastern Black Rail has been recently listed as a Threatened Species under the Endangered Species Act. It appears to be a species affected by climate change and coastal development. The St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge is a little-known refuge, not open to the public. Comprising over 6,000 acres, it was established in 1971 to protect the now extinct Dusky Seaside Sparrow. Mike Legare, refuge biologist, will lead our group through pristine salt marsh where secretive marsh birds survive. At various stops, he will talk about Black Rails, their secretive habits, salt marsh habitat and the research he conducts on these elusive marsh birds. These marshes west and northwest of Titusville are the only marshes along the St. Johns River where Black Rails are found. Saline water seeps to the surface from a layer of salty water that lies above the Florida aquifer in this area, creating marine type habitats in the midst of a huge freshwater floodplain. These biological islands are home to the same vegetation that you will find in the salt marshes of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. As the sun sets, Mike will  stop at different places and play tapes to entice Black Rails to call. Possible sightings: Least Bittern, King Rail, Virginia Rail, and Sora, herons, egrets, night-herons, Marsh and  Sedge Wrens. This is a birding by ear trip, as the chances of sighting the secretive Black Rail are low. Also walking through the saltmarsh is somewhat strenuous and there may be biting insects.

Trip 9. Woodcocks and Whip-poor-wills - Walking
Wekiwa Springs State Park, 1800 Wekiwa Cir, Apopka, FL 32712.
Meet at Sand Lake parking lot (end of park road). $25, plus park entrance: $4 per single person, $6 for 2-8 people or free for Youth Camp overnight guest or annual pass holder. Enter the park and pay fee at gate before 5 p.m. closing time. 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Maximum participants: 15. Leaders: Kathy Rigling (Orange Audubon Society) and Mary Soule (Orange Audubon Society). Possible sightings include American Woodcock, Eastern Whip-poor-will, Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl and Eastern Screech Owl, as well as Flying Squirrels.

December 1, 2023

Trip 10. Hal Scott: Red-cockaded Woodpeckers - Mostly driving, some walking.
Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park, 4500 Dallas Blvd, Orlando, FL 32833. The actual entrance is located at: https://goo.gl/maps/a7LNonHEP729WuWt5.  $40, bring your own lunch.  Leaders: Graham Williams (St. Johns River Water Management District), Katrina Noland (St. Johns River Water Management District) and Lorri Lilja (Orange Audubon Society). 5:30  a.m.-10:30 a.m. Maximum participants: 15. The vast expanse of pine flatwoods and open prairies of Hal Scott Preserve straddles the Econlockhatchee River in eastern Orange County, protecting the resources of this beautiful river.  This eco-buggy trip will be led by St. Johns River Water Management District biologists and may include sightings of alligators, deer, gopher tortoises, otters and bobcats. The trip starts at 5:30 a.m. to give us the best chance to see Red-cockaded Woodpeckers (RCWs) as the birds awaken from their roosts. Then we will explore the pine flatwoods and Econlockhatchee River swamp for other resident and overwintering species. Sightings may include Red-headed, Hairy and Pileated Woodpecker, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Bachman’s Sparrow, Eastern Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, Orange-crowned Warbler, Sedge and Marsh Wren, Whip-poor-will, Wood Duck, Wild Turkey, King Rail, Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawk, Sandhill Crane, Bald Eagle and Barred Owl.  For information about the preserve, see https://www.sjrwmd.com/lands/recreation/hal-scott/

Trip 11. Sunrise Photography and Birding - Mostly driving, some walking.
McDonald Canal Pavilion, 24600 CR 448A, Mount Dora, FL 32757. $50, includes box lunch. Leaders: Ben Powell (Orange Audubon Society) and  Mark Hainen (Orange Audubon Society). 6:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Maximum participants: 12. Lake Apopka has remarkable opportunities for sunrises from northern locations like Clay Island, and sunsets from Magnolia Park in Apopka and Newton Park in Winter Garden. Sunrise will occur at 7:02 a.m. on this date. It takes a while to drive on the dirt roads of the North Shore, so we will meet at the McDonald Canal Pavilion at 6:00 a.m. and drive through normally locked gates to the Clay Island observation tower overlooking beautiful Lake Apopka. After sunrise, we will bird and explore other areas of the North Shore before returning to the McDonald Canal to eat a box lunch. Your trip leaders will provide both photo and bird identification tips throughout the morning.

Trip 12. Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area - Mostly driving, some walking.
Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area, 3365 Taylor Creek Road, Christmas, FL 32709. $40, bring your own lunch. Leaders: Bert Alm (Space Coast Audubon Society),  Lynn Proenza (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) and and Casey Dorsch (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission). 6:30  a.m.-11:30 a.m. Maximum participants: 15.
Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area is a 28,000 acre state property east of Orlando south of SR 50. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists will take us on a trailer ride to some of the most wildlife-rich areas of the preserve. Tosohatchee is a mosaic of marshes, swamps, pine flatwoods and hammocks shaped by alternating cycles of fire and flood. It provides habitat for wading birds, marsh birds, waterfowl, raptors and pineland specialties. Threatened and endangered species found here include Bald Eagle, Wood Stork, eastern indigo snake, gopher tortoise, and Florida black bear. Possible sightings include such as Bachman’s Sparrow, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Eastern Bluebird and Red-headed Woodpecker.  

Trip 13. Birding Lake Apopka North Shore - Mostly driving, some walking.
Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, 2850 Lust Rd, Apopka and McDonald Canal Pavilion, 24600 CR 448A, Mount Dora. $50, includes box lunch. Leaders: Chris Newton (Kissimmee Valley Audubon Society) and Alex Lamoreaux (Wildside Nature Tours). 6:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Maximum participants: 16. The trip will traverse the canals and wetlands of the Lake Apopka North Shore in search of ducks and wading birds and then explore the North Shore’s sandy upland edge near Ranch Road. The trip has driving access where normally only hiking or bicycling is allowed. Possible sightings include Purple Gallinule, Limpkin, Wood Stork, Black-bellied and Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Wood Duck, Mottled Duck, Sora, American Bittern and Sandhill Crane, along with most of North America’s wading bird species and other waterfowl listed under Trip 3. Raptors usually seen are Osprey, Red- shouldered Hawk, Barn Owl, American Kestrel, Merlin and Peregrine Falcon. We are likely to see Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-throated, Yellow-rumped and Black-and-white warblers, American Redstart, Orange-crowned and Prairie warblers and Ovenbird. While most of our breeding Black-necked Stilts and Least Bitterns are on their more southerly wintering grounds, we'll be looking and listening for the few that are recorded each year on Christmas Bird Counts. Other possible sightings are Roseate Spoonbill, Black Skimmer and American Avocet. As many as 13 sparrow species are seen, including rarities like LeConte’s and Clay-colored. Western flycatcher species like Ash-throated and Vermillion are seen most years and Scissor-tailed, Least, Western, Cassin’s and Tropical have been seen. White-faced Ibis are out-of- range birds that are seen many years. Groove-billed Anis from the Southwest were seen each winter between 2015 and 2017, and a Smooth-billed Ani from South Florida was an exciting find in winter 2019. With such a large restoration area on the shore of Florida’s 4th largest lake, in the middle of the Florida peninsula, off-course rarities frequently show up. Past rarities have included Say’s Phoebe, Rough-legged Hawk, Swainson’s Hawk, Eurasian Kestrel, Wilson’s Phalarope, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Whooping Crane, White-cheeked Pintail and Ross’ Goose. With skilled leaders and many eyes, we will be searching for what has turned up.

Trip 14. Ferndale Preserve: Wintering Songbirds - Walking
Ferndale Preserve, 19220 County Rd 455, Clermont, FL 34715. $50, includes box lunch at McDonald Canal. Leaders: Gallus Quigley (Lake County Parks and Trails) and Greg Gensheimer (Green Mountain Scenic Byway). 7:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Maximum participants: 14.
Ferndale Preserve is a 192-acre Lake County Preserve on the western shore of Lake Apopka, a few miles from Sugarloaf Mountain, the highest point in peninsular Florida. We will bird on foot from the parking lot to the shore of Lake Apopka and back. With a mix of red maple-dominated wetlands, remnant oak hammocks, and other habitats in various stages of restoration, over 190 bird species have been recorded in the area. Possible sightings include wintering songbirds, like Painted Buntings and Ash- throated Flycatcher, and sparrows, like Savannah, Swamp, Vesper and Grasshopper. With luck, we may see Le Conte’s, Clay-colored and more of the 12 sparrow species known to winter in this area.

Trip 15. Waterfowl of the Lake Apopka North Shore - Mostly driving, some walking
Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, 2850 Lust Rd, Apopka, FL 32703. $50, includes box lunch. Leaders: David Hartgrove (Halifax Audubon Society),  Mary Soule (Orange Audubon Society), Craig Watson (Carolina Bird Club) and Pamela Ford ((Carolina Bird Club). 7:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Maximum participants: 15. We will traverse the canals, wetlands and shore of Lake Apopka, taking care not to get in the way of other visitors.

Trip 16. Sawgrass Island Preserve Photo Trip (Focus on Fill Flash)  - Walking. Sawgrass Island Preserve, 11931 Sawgrass Island Rd, Umatilla, FL 32784, North parking area. $40, bring your own lunch. Leaders: Steve Shaluta and Max Weakley. 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Maximum participants: 12. This 1,137-acre Preserve is close to the Ocala National Forest on the edge of Lake Yale and was purchased by the Lake County Water Authority to protect water quality and wildlife habitat for that lake. It encompasses a large sawgrass marsh as well as upland habitats and supports gopher tortoises, Florida pine snakes, Florida Sandhill Cranes, Bald Eagles, and migratory waterfowl. Sawgrass Island Preserve is a favorite of trip leader/ professional photographer Steve Shaluta, who uses fill flash to produce gorgeous bird photos. Learn from Steve and up-and-coming photographer and birder Max Weakley, who also lives nearby.

Trip 17. Trimble Park - Walking (moderate). Trimble Park, 5802 Trimble Park Rd, Mount Dora, FL 32757. $30, bring your own lunch. Leaders: Kathy Rigling (Orange Audubon Society), Alex DeBear (Young Birders Club) and Alan Shapiro (Orange Audubon Society). 8:00a.m. - 11:00a.m. Maximum participants: 12. Trimble Park is an Orange County park located near Mt. Dora on an isthmus between Lake Beauclair and Lake Carlton. Spanish moss-draped live oaks line the lake shore. The oaks and other trees should be full of over-wintering songbirds, as we walk the 1.3-mile loop trail. Possible sightings include Peregrine Falcon, Yellow-throated Warbler, Sora, Anhinga, and other songbirds, wetland and water birds.

Trip 18. Birding Lake Apopka North Shore - Mostly driving, some walking. McDonald Canal Pavilion, 24600 CR 448A, Mount Dora 32757. $40. 12:30 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. Leaders: Chris Newton and John Groskopf (Florida Ornithological Society). Maximum participants: 16.

Trip 19. Raptors of the North Shore - Mostly driving, a minimum of walking.
McDonald Canal Pavilion, 24600 CR 448A, Mount Dora, FL 32757.  $40. Leaders: Alex Lamoreaux (Wildside Nature Tours) and Mark Hainen (Orange Audubon Society). 12:30 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. Maximum participants: 12. The Lake Apopka North Shore, with marshes and grasslands that support rodents, gallinules and other prey, hosts many wintering and resident raptors (birds of prey). Possible sightings include Osprey and Bald Eagle plus American Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Northern Harrier, Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks. Other possible sightings include Short-tailed and Broad-winged Hawks. Past rarities have included Krider’s Red-Tailed Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Swainson’s Hawk and Eurasian Kestrel.

Trip 19a. Birding by Kayak - Wekiva River - Kayak or canoe trip.
Wekiwa Springs State Park, 1800 Wekiwa Cir, Apopka, FL 32712. $10 for trip; $42.61 for 3 hours kayak rental (paid at the park concession) or bring you own kayak. Leader: Brian Cammarano (Audubon Florida). 12:45 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. Maximum participants: 8. Plus park entrance fee ($4-$6) plus Possible sightings include Limpkin, Orange-crowned Warbler, Eastern Phoebe, Red-shouldered Hawk, Barred Owl, herons and egrets. While you are in the park, consider signing up for the keynote dinner and an owl prowl.

Trip 20. Caracara Quest in E. Seminole County - Some walking.
C.S. Lee Park, 4600 E State Road 46, Geneva, FL 32732. $40. Leaders: Scott Simmons (Learn Outdoor Photography) and Robert Gundy (Florida Natural Areas Inventory). 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Maximum participants: 12. The Little Big Econ State Forest includes the 1,646-acre Kilbee Tract, which abuts the St. Johns River near its confluence with the Econlockhatchee River. Caracaras have been seen in the area so the group will split up to check two locations, then reunite. You will be emailed your exact start location. Possible sightings include Crested Caracara, Bald Eagle, Wilson’s Snipe, and wintering songbirds.

Trip 21. Learning About Birds by Drawing, Waterfowl Edition - Indoor/outdoor Workshop. Wekiwa Springs State Park, 1800 Wekiwa Cir, Apopka, FL 32712. Adults $25, Students over 16, $10, Children $5, with registered adult. Leader: Natasza Fontaine. 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Maximum participants: 10. Natasza's goals are for participants to 1) learn something scientific about a target group of birds, including some bird anatomy that will help in field identification and 2) leave with something creative/beautiful. Preparing you for field trips the next day, the workshop is focused on drawing and learning to recognize waterfowl. Easy printing techniques will also be taught. Materials provided, or bring your own.

Friday Keynote, Dinner: "Galapagos Natural HIstory" by Kevin Loughlin, Wildside Nature Tours.  4:30 p.m. - 6:15p.m. Dinner starts at 4:45 p.m. Talk at 5:15 p.m. Maximum participants: 60. Planned is another delicious Bar-B-Q dinner with vegan chili and other options. Wekiwa Sprgs State Park, 1800 Wekiwa Cir, Apopka, FL 32712 in Dining Hall. $30 regular, $20 college student, $10 youth up to 17, plus park entrance fee ($4 [single]-$6 [up to 8]). Since you have to pay admission and enter the park by 5 p.m., why not combine Keynote Dinner with another activity, either an afternoon walk or workshop or an evening Tram Ride or Owl Prowl. If there is any gap time in-between activities, use your binoculars and enjoy the wonderful Wekiwa Springs State Park Youth Camp area.

Trip 22 Wekiwa Tram Flashlight Ride - Driving. Accessible and inclusive  outing.
Wekiwa Springs State Park, 1800 Wekiwa Cir, Apopka, FL 32712 - Driving. $30, $10 youth up to 17, plus park entrance fee ($4 [single]-$6 [up to 8]). Leaders: Natasza Fontaine (Audubon Florida), Robert Gundy (Florida Natural Areas Inventory) and Paul Lammardo (Wekiwa Springs State Park). 6:30pm - 8:00pm. Maximum participants: 10. Join a special evening tram tour through pristine sandhill to discover the habitats, wildlife, history and wonders of Wekiwa Springs State Park after dark. Nocturnal birds, deer and other mammals will be seen or heard. Please bring a small cushion or pillow -- road may be bumpy in some places, a flashlight of any color, and dress for the weather. Above all, come prepared with a sense of wonder and anticipation. Possible sightings include Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl and Eastern Screech Owl, White-tailed Deer, Raccoon, and Opossum.

Trip 23. Owl Prowl - Walking
Wekiwa Springs State Park, 1800 Wekiwa Cir, Apopka, FL 32712. $25, plus park entrance fee ($4 [single]-$6 [up to 8]). Leaders: TBA. 6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Maximum participants: 12. Owls possibly seen or heard are Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl and Eastern Screech Owl, as well as Flying Squirrels.

December 2, 2023

Trip 24. Sunrise Photography and Birding - Mostly driving, some walking.
McDonald Canal Pavilion, 24600 CR 448A, Mount Dora, FL 32757. $50, includes box lunch. Leaders: Lynn Marie Folts (Orange Audubon Society), Rebecca Smith (Archaeopteryx Tours) and Eric Moore (Orange Audubon Society). 6:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Maximum participants: 12. Lake Apopka has remarkable opportunities for sunrises from northern locations like Clay Island, and sunsets from Magnolia Park in Apopka and Newton Park in Winter Garden. Sunrise will occur at 7:02 a.m. on this date. It takes a while to drive on the dirt roads of the North Shore, so we will meet at the McDonald Canal Pavilion at 6:00 a.m. and drive through normally locked gates to the Clay Island observation tower overlooking beautiful Lake Apopka. After sunrise, we will bird and explore other areas of the North Shore before returning to the McDonald Canal to eat a box lunch. Your trip leaders will provide both photo and bird identification tips throughout the morning.

Trip 25. Birding by Ear - Walking.
McDonald Canal Pavilion, 24600 CR 448A, Mount Dora, FL 32757. $50, includes box lunch. Leaders: Scott Simmons (Learn Outdoor Photography) and Natasza Fontaine (Audubon Florida). 6:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Maximum participants: 16. This walking field workshop will focus on recognizing birds by their sounds. In Florida birds are not as vocal in December as they are in breeding season, but there are still vocalizations that can help with identification. The early morning start time may allow us to hear owls and see and hear American Woodcocks. Trip tip: To get a head start on this walk, download the Merlin app for your phone and explore the Sound recognition feature. Also review sounds posted on the website of Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Particularly review sounds of Common Gallinule, Red-winged Blackbird and Boat-tailed Grackle, as these are our most vocal wetland species.

Trip 26. Big Day Lake Apopka North Shore, Western Side - Mostly driving, some walking.
McDonald Canal Pavilion, 24600 CR 448A, Mount Dora, FL 32757. $80, includes box lunch. Leaders: David Simpson and Lorri Lilja. 6:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Maximum participants: 15. This all-day trip will explore the western part of the North Shore from McDonald Canal all day with lunch at the canal. There will be three Big Day trips going at the same time and a competition for seeing the most species will ensue. This will be an "Everyone seen it Let's move on" kind of trip, not the best for photographers.

Trip 27. Big Day Birding Lake Apopka North Shore - Mostly driving, some walking. Lake Apopka Wildlife Dr, 2850 Lust Rd, Apopka, McDonald Canal Pavilion, 24600 CR 448A, Mt Dora. $80, includes box lunch. Leaders: Chris Newton, John Thomton. 6:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.. This trip starts on the Wildlife Drive, exits to the McDonald Canal for lunch, and tours the Western side after lunch. Maximum participants: 14. There will be three Big Day trips going at the same time and a competition for seeing the most species will ensue. This will be an "Everyone seen it? Let's move on" kind of trip, not the best for photographers.

Trip 28. Young Birders Big Day - Mostly driving, some walking.
McDonald Canal Pavilion, 24600 CR 448A, Mount Dora, FL 32757. $20 for youth participants, and $30 for accompanying parents, includes box lunch. Ages 8-18; younger than 16 must be accompanied by a paid adult. Leaders:  Kathy Rigling, Alex DeBear and John Groskopf. 6:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Maximum participants: 16.  Possible sightings: See Trip 13. Even though the Young Birders Big Day starts a half hour later than the other two, remember that the youngsters have very sharp eyes.

Trip 29. Pine Meadows: Sparrows, Buntings, & Other Wintering Songbirds - Walking
Pine Meadows Conservation Area, 2280 Pine Meadows Golf Course Rd, Eustis, FL 32726. $40, bring your own lunch. Leaders: Gallus Quigley (Lake County Parks and Trails) and Gigi DelPizzo (Orange Audubon Society). 7:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Maximum participants: 12. Pine Meadows Conservation Area is a 770-acre Lake County conservation area with open water, wetlands, wet meadow and a small upland area of pine flatwoods. Habitat restoration continues to improve the wetlands, uplands and meadows to increase biodiversity of fish, birds and other animals. Possible sightings: Nearly 120 bird species have been seen, including the Henslow’s Sparrow and Bald Eagle.

Trip 30. Scrub-Jays and Southwest Volusia County Specialties - Walking, somewhat strenuous. Lyonia Preserve, 2150 Eustace Avenue, Deltona, FL 32725. We will start at Lyonia Preserve to see scrub-jays and other scrub-inhabiting birds and then, if your leader's scouting has revealed favorable conditions, will go on to Audubon Park, corner of Lush Lane and Doyle Rd. Deltona, FL 32738. $40, bring your own lunch. Leaders: Luddy Lambertson and Joan Tague. Strenuous.
Lyonia Preserve is a 400-acre preserve that has been managed since the 1990s for the Florida Scrub-Jay. $40, bring your own lunch. Leaders: Luddy Lambertson (West Volusia Audubon Society) and Joan Tague (Halifax River Audubon Society). 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Maximum participants: 14. The Lyonia Preserve and Audubon Park in Deltona are great birding locations within a forty-minute drive from Apopka. At Lyonia Preserve we will see birds of the scrub habitat and at Audubon Park we will see wetland birds. Note that the walk at Lyonia Preserve is in soft sand and up and down a hill, so is somewhat strenuous. Possible sightings: Florida Scrub- Jay, Eastern Towhee, and other scrub species, plus Wilson’s Snipe, Marsh Wren, Sedge Wren and other wetland species.

Trip 31. Bilingual Trip: Viaje de fotografía - Caminando. Lake Apopka Wildlife Dr., 2850 Lust Rd, Apopka, FL 32703. $30, sin almuerzo. Líderes: Rafael Gomez, Ed Maldonado and Paula Duenas. 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.  Participantes: 12. Conduciremos hasta la casa de bombas, estacionaremos y caminaremos tomando fotos. La salida será a través del Wildlife Drive, que puede estar bastante ocupado, así que asegurar tiene suficiente tiempo.

Trip 32 Birding By Bicycle on the Lake Apopka Loop Trail - Bicycling. McDonald Canal Pavilion, 24600 CR 448A, Mount Dora, FL 32757. $40, includes box lunch. Leaders: Alan Shapiro (Orange Audubon Society) and Robert Sena (Orange Audubon Society). 8:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Maximum participants: 12. Taking off from the McDonald Canal, we will explore the western part of the Lake Apopka North Shore by bicycle. Of course, we’ll be stopping to bird. Possible sightings: See Trip 13.

Trip 33. Oakland Nature Preserve and Newton Park Photo Trip - Walking
Oakland Nature Preserve, 747 Machete Trail, Oakland, FL 34760 and Newton Park, 31 W Garden Ave, Winter Garden, FL 34787. $30, bring your own lunch. Leaders: Lee Ann Posavad (Orange Audubon Society), Craig Watson (Ventures Birding Tours) and Pam Ford (Carolina Bird Club). 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Maximum participants: 14. Tailored for photographers, we will take time to get the shot.
Oakland Nature Preserve encompasses 128 acres of land—48 acres of uplands and 80 acres of forested wetlands with a boardwalk to Lake Apopka. After taking a birding walk at the preserve, we will stop by Newton Park in Winter Garden. This park on the south shore of Lake Apopka has become a birding hotspot. Possible Sightings: Painted Buntings, Grasshopper Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Eastern Bluebird, American Kestrel, Merlin, Snail Kites, Purple Gallinules and overwintering ducks.

Trip 34. Digiscoping /Phoneskoping - Stationary and a minimum of walking.
McDonald Canal Pavilion, 24600 CR 448A, Mount Dora, FL 32757. $20. Leader: Mariah Hryniewich (PhoneSkope), Luis Gles (Woodstars Birding & Nature Tours) and Mary Soule  (Orange Audubon Society). 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Maximum participants: 10. Learn how to take great photos through a spotting scope. Digiscoping—attaching a smart phone or camera to a spotting scope—minimizes impact on wildlife with extended focal lengths and eliminates the challenge of manual focus. Bring your own scope. If you don’t already have an adapter to connect your phone to the spotting scope, consider purchasing one before festival. Mariah is a rep for PhoneSkope. https://www.phoneskope.com/ that pioneered these adapters. Possible sightings: Wading birds are great subjects on which to focus, and Red-shouldered Hawks and Ospreys often perch cooperatively.

Trip 35. Techniques for Successful Nature Photography Workshop - Indoor Classroom Session. Wekiwa Springs State Park, 1800 Wekiwa Cir, Apopka, FL 32712. Meet in the Youth Camp Dining Hall. $80, price includes field session (Trip 43) Sunday morning. Additional charge Saturday is Wekiwa Springs State Park admission ($4 [single]-$6 [up to 8]) car. Leader: Kevin Loughlin (Wildside Nature Tours). 1:00p.m.-4:00 p.m. Maximum participants: 16. Topics include how to improve your images through the use of best techniques, select gear, solve problems in the field, and see nature from a documentary perspective. Sunday morning field session is on the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive.

Trip 36. Learning About Birds by Drawing, Sparrow, Bunting and other Songbird Edition -Indoor/outdoor Workshop. Wekiwa Springs State Park, 1800 Wekiwa Cir, Apopka, FL 32712. Adults $25, Students over 16, $10, Children $5, with registered adult. Leader: Natasza Fontaine. 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Maximum participants: 10. Natasza's goals are for participants to 1) learn something scientific about a target group of birds, including some bird anatomy that will help in field identification and 2) leave with something creative/beautiful. Preparing you for field trips the next day, the workshop is focused on drawing and learning to recognize sparrows and other songbirds. Easy printing techniques will also be taught. Materials provided, or bring your own.

Trip 37. Wekiwa Springs, Hotspots Birding - Some walking. Wekiwa Springs State Park, 1800 Wekiwa Cir, Apopka, FL 32712. $30; park entrance fee ($4-$6). Leaders: Matt Richardson (Orange Audubon Society), Craig Watson (Ventures Birding Travel) and Pamela Ford (Carolina Bird Club). 1:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Maximum participants: 14. Wekiwa Springs State Park is a 7,000-acre state park that is considered one of the crown jewels of Florida’s award-winning state park system. Particularly for those planning to enjoy the Keynote with dinner and/or Owl Prowl, we have set up this walking trip with Matt Richardson, who does monthly bird surveys here. Possible sightings include pineland specialties, including Brown-headed Nuthatches, Bachman’s Sparrows, Eastern Towhees, Eastern Bluebirds, Pine Warblers, Red-headed Woodpeckers, and overwintering songbirds.

Saturday Keynote, Dinner: “Birding St. Paul in the Pribilofs" by Luis Gles and Mariah Hryniewich.. Wekiwa Springs State Park, 1800 Wekiwa Cir, Apopka, FL 32712, in the Dining Hall. $30 regular, $20 student, $10 Youth under 17, plus park entrance ($4/$6). 4:30 p.m. - 6:15 p.m. Dinner starts at 4:45 p.m. Talk at 5:15 p.m. Maximum participants: 60. Luis and Mariah, who recently launched Woodstars Birding & Nature Tours, a festival sponsor, will tell us about birding an amazing place. Three hundred miles from mainland Alaska in the Bering Sea are St. Paul and St. George Islands, together known as the Pribilofs. St. Paul is home to dense colonies of almost three million seabirds, and at least 315 species have been recorded, including many rare birds off-course during their migration. The festival volunteers have catered another delicious meal. Since you have to pay admission and enter the park by 5 p.m., why not combine Keynote Dinner with another activity, either an afternoon walk or workshop or an evening Owl Prowl. Discounted combo prices are offered this year for Trip 38a, the additional Owl Prowl. If there is any gap time in-between activities, use your binoculars and enjoy the wonderful Wekiwa Springs State Park Youth Camp area.

Trip 38. Owl Prowl - Walking
Wekiwa Springs State Park, 1800 Wekiwa Cir, Apopka, FL 32712. Meet at Sand Lake parking lot (end of park road). $25, plus park entrance: Park entrance before 5 p.m. closing time is $4 per single person, $6 for 2-8 people or free for Youth Camp overnight guest or annual pass holder. Leaders: Natasza Fontaine (Audubon Florida) and Robert Gundy (Florida Natural Areas Inventory). 6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Maximum participants: 14. If you are attending the keynote dinner with us in the Dining Hall (reservations required), leave at 6:15 p.m. to drive to the Sand Lake parking lot to meet the group. Or enter the park and drive directly to the Sand Lake parking lot (end of the main park road). Possible sightings: We will listen and watch for Barred Owls, E. Screech Owls, Great Horned Owls, and may see flying squirrels.

December 3, 2023

Trip 39. Ocala National Forest Woodpecker Extravaganza - Walking
Clearwater Lake Recreation Area, 24511 Co Rd 42, Paisley, FL 32767. $40, bring your own lunch.
Leaders: Gallus Quigley (Lake County Parks and Trails) and TBA. 6:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Maximum participants: 12.
The well- burned pine forests of the Ocala National Forest host all of the species of woodpecker that breed or winter in Florida. Possible sightings: The endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker is our target species, but we will also search for Red-headed, Red-bellied, Pileated, Downy, and Hairy Woodpeckers, as well as Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and Northern Flickers. We should find Brown-headed Nuthatches and Bachman’s Sparrows, specialties of well-burned Southern pine habitats, and possibly other sparrows and winter songbirds.

Trip 40. Birding the Lake Apopka North Shore - Mostly driving, some walking.
McDonald Canal Pavilion, 24600 CR 448A, Mount Dora, FL 32757. $50, includes box lunch. Leaders: Gian Basili (USFWS), Craig Watson (USFWS), Pamela Ford (Carolina Bird Club) and Ben Guigliotti (SJRWMD). 6:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Maximum participants: 14. Dr. Gian Basili was the person most instrumental in the purchase of the farms for the restoration of Lake Apopka and is an ornithologist, one of our celebrity leaders. The group will look for overwintering Grasshopper Sparrows and various rarities on the North Shore.

Trip 41. Clay Island, Birding for Gen Z and Millennials - Mostly driving, some walking.  McDonald Canal Pavilion, 24600 CR 448A, Mount Dora, FL 32757. $40, includes box lunch at McDonald Canal. $25 for college students using .edu address. Young Birders, 8-17 years of age, $10. Leaders: Alex Lamoreaux (Wildside Nature Tours) and John Groskopf (Florida Ornithological Society).  7:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Maximum participants: 16. Register with your .edu email address. Younger birders without .edu email, please contact [email protected] for instructions.

Trip 42. Orlando Wetlands, Walking tour with Photography - Walking with tram ride for bathroom break
Orlando Wetlands, 25155 Wheeler Road, Christmas, FL 32709. $40, bring your own lunch. Leaders: Ethan Landreville and Brennan Landreville, Reinhard Geisler (Orlando Wetlands Volunteer) and Jutta Geisler (Orlando Wetlands Volunteer). 7:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Maximum participants: 12. The Orlando Wetlands is a man-made wetland designed to provide advanced treatment for treated wastewater from the City of Orlando. Located in the far eastern part of Orange County, the park is 1,650 acres in size and has 21 miles of crisscrossing berm trails. With cattail and bulrush marshes, mixed and open marshes, hardwood swamps and a lake, Orlando Wetlands is a wildlife haven and birding hot-spot. This is a walking tour but volunteers on a tram will take the participants back to the entrance for a mid-morning bathroom break. Possible sightings include Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Roseate Spoonbill, Limpkin, and Purple Gallinule and numerous wading birds and wintering ducks.

Trip 43. Techniques for Successful Nature Photography Workshop - Field Trip - Mostly driving
Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, 2850 Lust Rd, Apopka, FL 32703. Leaders: Kevin Loughlin (WIldside Nature Tours) with Jack Horton (Orange Audubon Society). 7:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.  Maximum participants: 16. Meet just inside the Wildlife Drive entrance gate at the welcome shelter on the left. This is part two of Trip 35, Techniques for Successful Nature Photography Workshop and you will have paid for it in registering for the Saturday trip. Includes box lunch at McDonald Canal. Local birder and photographer Jack Horton will assist Kevin to lead the group out of the way of weekend traffic on the Wildlife Drive to a spot where participants can practice techniques learned in Kevin's Saturday afternoon Trip 35 classroom workshop.  

Trip 44. Green Mountain Trail Hiking and Birding - Walking, approximately 4 miles.
Green Mountain Scenic Overlook and Trailhead, 20700 County Road 455, Montverde. $40, includes box lunch at McDonald Canal. Leaders: Greg Gensheimer (Green Mountain Scenic Byway) and Pete Johnson (Duval Audubon Society). 7:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Maximum participants: 12. This trip will start from the Green Mountain Overlook, sitting 132’ above sea level on the west side of Lake Apopka, with a view of Lake Apopka and the Lake Apopka North Shore Restoration Area, just a short distance from Sugarloaf Mountain (the highest point in peninsular Florida at 312’). The trail, part of the Lake Apopka Loop Trail follows an abandoned railroad bed and connects to Clay Island Trails two miles distant. Plan for a four-mile round-trip hike, pending on closer-in activity. We will look for passerines in the oak hammock and other birds common to wet areas. Possible sightings include Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-throated, Yellow-rumped and Black- and-white warblers, American Redstart, Orange-crowned and Prairie warblers, Ovenbird, various sparrows and other songbirds. In the wetter areas, green heron, anhinga, belted kingfisher, and more passerines.

Trip 45. Skimmers, Terns and Shorebirds, Disappearing Island - Boat trip, some walking.
Marine Discovery Center, 520 Barracuda Blvd, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169. $65, includes boat trip. Bring your own lunch or restaurants are available nearby. Leaders: Michael Brothers (Florida Ornithological Society), Luis Gles (Woodstars Birding and Nature Tours), Mariah Hryniewich (PhoneSkope) and David Hartgrove (Halifax Audubon Society). 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Maximum participants: 25. Disappearing Island is a sandbar island located inside of Ponce Inlet, in between New Smyrna Beach and the town of Ponce Inlet. It is a tidal flat that becomes dry at low tide and provides a relatively safe place for birds to rest between foraging. Its rich bird life throughout the seasons was discovered by gull expert Michael Brothers when he was Executive Director of the Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet, and we are lucky that Michael enjoys showing off this area and how to identify the gulls, terns and shorebirds. We will travel to Disappearing Island in the Marine Discovery Center’s pontoon boat and along the way learn about the Mosquito Lagoon. The Marine Discovery Center is a festival sponsor.

Trip 45a.. Leader’s Choice, Dunlawton and Ponce Inlet Shorebirds -Some driving, walking on jetty and beach. Our Deck Down Under, 78 Dunlawton Ave, Port Orange, FL 32127. $35, not including cost of lunch. Leaders: Brian Cammarano (Audubon Florida) and David Hartgrove (Halifax Audubon Society). 12:15 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Maximum participants: 26; carpooling encouraged. For those who have driven all the way to New Smyrna Beach for the Disappearing Island trip, we will probably have missed a few specialty birds of the area. Audubon Florida shorebird steward Brian Cammarano and long-time local birder David Hartgrove will show us as many species as possible in this Leader’s Choice add-on trip. Targets include American Oystercatcher near the Dunlawton Bridge, Purple Sandpiper on the Ponce Inlet Jetty and Clapper Rail at a site in between. Participants will drive north about 20 minutes from the Marine Discovery Center to the restaurant Our Deck Down Under, meeting there at 11:30 a.m.  While enjoying lunch on the deck, we will search for oystercatchers, Reddish Egrets and other birds. Then we will travel south, with a quick stop at a Clapper Rail spot, on to Lighthouse Point Park at Ponce Inlet, where we will walk the jetty in search of a rarity, the Purple Sandpiper. Northern Gannets are possible offshore. A walk on the beach may yield Piping Plovers and the chance to study winter gulls, terns and shorebirds.

Trip 46. Rock Springs Run State Reserve, Scrub-Jay Quest - Walking. Rock Springs Run State Reserve, 30601 County Rd 433, Sorrento, FL 32776. $40, bring your own lunch. Leaders: David Simpson (Birding with David Simpson) and Chuck Honaker (Seminole Audubon Society). 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Maximum participants: 12. Part of the 70,000-acre Wekiva River Basin and adjacent to Wekiwa Springs State Park, Rock Springs Run State Reserve now hosts Florida Scrub-Jays as well as other scrub and pineland species.

Trip 47: Waterfowl of The Villages by Golf Cart -Mostly driving, some walking. MEETING PLACE IN THE VILLAGES WILL BE EMAILED TO PARTICIPANTS $40, lunch after (not included) in The Villages. Leaders: Alice Horst (The Village Birders) and Lorri Lilja (Orange Audubon Society). 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Maximum participants: 18. The Villages is an enormous 55+ community spanning 32 square miles north of the Lake Apopka area in Lake, Sumter, and Marion Counties. Its many golf courses have retention ponds that attract some great waterfowl each winter.  Long-tailed Duck was seen in 2019, an occasional Snow Goose or White-cheeked Pintail will show up. Bald Eagles, Great Horned Owls, and many species of ducks usually found. Members of The Village Birders drive their 4-person golf carts with trip participants on a pre-scouted survey of waterfowl in the area.

Trip 48. Emeralda Marsh Photo Trip - Mostly driving, some walking
Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area, 36645 Emeralda Island Road Leesburg, FL 34788. $40, bring your own lunch. Leaders: Steve Shaluta (Oklawaha Valley Audubon Society), Bob Wexler (Oklawaha Valley Audubon Society) and Maxfield Weakley (Marion Audubon Society). 8:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Maximum participants: 12. Emeralda Marsh, on the eastern side of Lake Griffin near the headwaters of the Ocklawaha River, spanned 10,000+ acres before being utilized for farming. The St. Johns River Water Management District acquired approximately half of this current- day 6,577-acre area for restoration in 1991. We bird and do photography in Area 3, the 4.5-mile round-trip Wildlife Drive, from the comfort of our vehicles. Possible sightings include Northern Harriers, ducks and waders including American Bittern. Rare birds in the area have included Ash-throated Flycatcher, Snail Kite and White-faced Ibis.

Trip 49. Scrub-Jays and other Pineland Species at Seminole State Forest - Some walking (sandy surfaces). Seminole State Forest, south entrance, turn north off SR 46 just west of Wekiva River bridge, approximately 14 miles west of Sanford. $40, bring your own lunch.
Leaders: Ralph Risch (Florida Division of Forestry) and GIgi DelPizzo. 8:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Maximum participants: 15.
The endemic Florida Scrub-Jay is restricted to Florida’s ever- decreasing sandpine scrub habitat. The 25,812-acre Seminole State Forest hosts the nearest relatively stable population of this friendly and charismatic bird to Lake Apopka. After everyone gets up close and personal with scrub-jays, the group will search for other species throughout the afternoon. Possible sightings include Florida Scrub-Jay, Sandhill Crane, Wild Turkey, Eastern Towhee, Eastern Bluebird and pineland specialties such as Bachman’s Sparrow, Red-headed Woodpecker and Brown- headed Nuthatch.

Trip 50. Nature Journaling - Mostly driving, some walking.
McDonald Canal Pavilion, 24600 CR 448A, Mount Dora, FL 32757. Adults $25, Students over 16, $10, Children 10-16, $5, with registered adult. Leaders: Natasza Fontaine (Audubon Florida) and Kathy Rigling (Orange Audubon Society). 8:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Maximum participants: 10. In contrast to the other two Learning About Birds by Drawing workshops Natasza is teaching (Trips 21 and 36), which are indoor workshops that prepare participants to better learn bird identification on a field trip the next day, this four-hour workshop is in a different format. The first two hours will be birding, from the McDonald Canal area, and then the group will settle in or near the McDonald Canal Pavilion to draw what we have seen. Restrooms are at the McDonald Canal. Easy printing techniques will be taught. Materials provided, or bring your own.

Trip 51. Birding by Kayak on the A-B Canal -  Paddling
McDonald Canal Boat Ramp, 24600 CR 448A, Mount Dora, FL 32757. $40, box lunch included. Kayaks kindly provided by Lake County Water Authority. Includes box lunch. Leaders: Alan Shapiro (Orange Audubon Society) and Matt Richardson (Orange Audubon Society). 8:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Maximum participants: 10. Starting at the kayak launch by the McDonald Canal Boat Ramp, we will paddle down the McDonald Canal to where it meets the Apopka-Beauclair (A-B) Canal and then down the A-B Canal as far as conditions permit. It is about 5 miles round-trip to Lake Apopka. This paddling trip will provide a different view of the Lake Apopka North Shore, its birds and the lake restoration efforts. Possible sightings include Snail Kites eating the introduced apple snails, Limpkins, Purple Gallinules in the spatterdock, Common Yellowthroats, and other wetland and water birds. There is a chance to see a Barn Owl, and if conditions are good and we reach the lake, we may see nesting Bald Eagles.

Trip 52. Advanced eBirding - Stationary with optional walking to bird and test eBird skills. McDonald Canal Pavilion, 24600 CR 448A, Mount Dora, FL 32757. $25. Leader: Alex Lamoreaux (Wildside Nature Tours) and Susan Thome-Barrett (Orange Audubon Society).  12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Maximum participants: 12. eBird is a project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, an app that allows you to record your sightings in the field on your phone, either iPhone and Android, all for free. eBird data documents bird distribution, abundance, habitat use, and trends through checklist data collected within a simple, scientific framework. So when you record your sightings on eBird, you are contributing to science and at the same time documenting the progression of your hobby, birding. Alex Lamoreaux who primarily birds in the United States, has recorded over 800 species, most with photos, and has filed over 27, 000 eBird lists. Alex is eager to share advanced tips on how to use eBird. Co-leader Susan Thome-Barrett can assist any participants in this trip that are newer to eBird.

Trip 53. Leader's Choice, Rarity Chase, Afternoon - Mostly driving, some walking. McDonald Canal Pavilion, 24600 CR 448A, Mount Dora, FL 32757. $40. Leaders: John Groskopf (Florida Ornithological Society) and Kathy Rigling (Orange Audubon Society). 12:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Maximum participants: 12. Note: This trip may involve driving up to 45 minutes from the meeting site to see a particular rare bird. It is not a continuation of the morning Leader’s Choice trip —may involve visiting the same sites.

Trip 54. Sunset Photography and Birding - Some walking. Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, 2850 Lust Rd., Apopka, FL 32703. $30. Leaders: Steve Coleman (Sunsets by Steven), Lynn Marie Folts (Orange Audubon Society) and Jack Horton (Orange Audubon Society). 4:00 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Maximum participants: 12. Lake Apopka has remarkable opportunities for sunsets. On this date sunset will occur at 5:30 p.m. and the earlier start time will allow driving to the pump house and set up. Bring deet-containing bug spray. Your trip leaders will provide both photo and bird identification tips.

December 4, 2023

Trip 55. Joe Overstreet Road and Three Lakes- Mostly driving, some walking. Meet at Publix, 3372 Canoe Creek Rd., St. Cloud, FL 34772. $50, bring your own lunch or snacks. Leaders: Chris Newton (Kissimmee Valley Audubon Society), Lorri Lilja (Orange Audubon Society), and Brady Bailo (Kissimmee Valley Audubon Society). 7:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. Maximum participants: 14. Possible sightings include Crested Caracara, Red-headed Woodpeckers, Eastern Meadowlarks, Northern Bobwhite, Snail Kite, Bald Eagles, and Red-cockaded Woodpeckers at Three Lakes.

Trip 56. PEAR Park, Morning - Walking. Palatlakaha Environmental and Agricultural Reserve (PEAR) Park Wildlife Conservation Area, 4800 Univ. Ave., Leesburg, FL 34748. $40, no lunch included. Leaders: Gallus Quigley (Lake County Parks and Recreation) and Alan Shapiro (Orange Audubon Society). 7:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Meet at Nature Center. PEAR Park is 268-acre Lake County wildlife conservation area made up of scrub and sandhill restoration. Possible sightings include wintering songbirds and sparrows, like Savannah, Swamp, White-crowned, Vesper and Grasshopper. With luck, we may see Le Conte’s, Lincoln’s, Clay-colored and more of the 12 wintering sparrows. https://ebird.org/hotspot/L371829

Trip 57. Best of Birding the Lake Apopka North Shore - Mostly driving, some walking.
Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, 2850 Lust Rd, Apopka, FL 32703. $40, bring your own lunch. Leaders: Luis Gles (Birding Ecotours), Mariah Hryniewich (Florida Keys Hawkwatch) and Brian Silverman (St. Johns River Water Management District). 7:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Maximum participants: 16. This half-day trip will focus on the best birds seen on the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive trips in the previous four days.

Trip 58. Wekiwa Springs Sandhill Specialties - Walking
Wekiwa Springs State Park, 1800 Wekiwa Cir, Apopka, FL 32712. Leaders will coordinate early entry to the park and collect park admission. Park entrance: $4 per single person, $6 for 2-8 people or free for Youth Camp overnight guest or annual pass holder. $30, bring your own lunch. Leader: Paul Lammardo (Wekiwa Springs State Park). 7:30 a.m.- 11:30 a.m. Maximum participants: 8. Wekiwa Springs State Park is a 7,000-acre state park that is considered one of the crown jewels of Florida’s award-winning state park system. This will be a walking trip. Possible sightings include pineland specialties, including Brown-headed Nuthatches, Bachman’s Sparrows, Eastern Towhees, Eastern Bluebirds, Pine Warblers, Red-headed Woodpeckers, and overwintering songbirds.

Trip 59. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge - Mostly driving, some walking.
Parrish Park, 1 A Max Brewer Causeway, Titusville, FL 32796. $45, includes access permit. Bring your own lunch. Leaders: David Simpson (Birding with David Simpson), Mitchell Harris (Space Coast Audubon Society), Craig Watson (USFWS) and Pamela Ford (Carolina Bird Club). 8:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Maximum participants: 12. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is consistently rated as one of the top birding destinations in the United States with 357 species recorded. The refuge has one of three important populations of the threatened Florida Scrub-Jay. Possible sightings include Hairy Woodpecker, American Avocet, Roseate Spoonbill, and overwintering shorebirds and ducks. Note that this trip will NOT go to Black Point Wildlife Drive but to other good birding spots. This trip can be conveniently taken in combination with afternoon Trip 61, which is straight up I-95 in Daytona Beach Shores.

Trip 60. Orlando Wetlands Photo Trip - Tram ride, minimal walking.
Orlando Wetlands, 25155 Wheeler Road, Christmas, FL 32709. $40, bring your own lunch. Leaders: Gilberto Sanchez Perez (Orlando Wetlands volunteer), Brian Miller (Orange Audubon Society) and Eric Moore (Orange Audubon Society). 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Maximum participants: 20. The Orlando Wetlands is a man-made wetland designed to provide advanced treatment for reclaimed water from the City of Orlando and other local cities. Located in Christmas, in the far eastern part of Orange County, the park is 1,650 acres in size and has 21 miles of crisscrossing berm trails. It has become a birding and wildlife photography hot-spot. In this trip your leaders will take you by trailer tram to some great spots for photography and share some of their tips. Possible sightings include Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Roseate Spoonbill, Limpkin, and Purple Gallinule. This trip can be conveniently taken in combination with afternoon Trip 61, which is straight up I-95 in Daytona Beach Shores.

Trip 61. Gull Congregation at Daytona Beach Shores - Some walking.
Frank Rendon Park, 2705 S Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118-5701. $40. Leaders: Michael Brothers (Florida Ornithological Society) with Mitchell Harris (Space Coast Audubon Society). 3:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Maximum participants: 20. This location near Daytona Beach, about an hour northeast of Lake Apopka, hosts an amazing birding spectacle each late afternoon and evening during the winter months. Gulls from the northeastern U.S. and Canada winter here, feeding during the day at Daytona Beach’s Tomoka Regional Landfill. Tens of thousands of gulls fly for the evening to the beach at Daytona Beach Shores. After gathering (staging) on the beach, close enough to be identified, the gulls move at dusk to settle beyond the breakers offshore. Fast-flying Pomerine and Parastic Jaegers try to pick off the less aware individuals. Michael Brothers, gull expert and retired director of the Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet, discovered this amazing phenomenon over 10 years ago and has been monitoring the gulls every winter evening since. Possible sightings: Laughing, Ring-billed, Herring and Great Black-backed are common, with Bonaparte’s and Lesser Black-backed gulls also expected. Glaucous, Iceland, Thayer’s, Franklin's, Heermann's and California gulls are also possible. Vega, European Herring, Yellow-legged and Slaty-backed gulls are rarities that have turned up.

Date: November 30 - December 4, 2023

Location:

McDonald Canal Pavilion, 24600 CR 448A, Mount Dora, FL 32757
Audubon Park, corner of Lush Lane and Doyle Rd., Deltona, FL 32738
C.S. Lee Park and Little Big Econ State Forest
Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area, Emeralda Island Road, Leesburg, FL 34788
Ferndale Preserve, 19220 County Rd 455, Clermont, FL 34715
Frank Rendon Park, 2705 S Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118-5701
Green Mountain Scenic Overlook and Trailhead, 20700 County Road 455, Montverde,  FL 34715
Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park, 4500 Dallas Blvd, Orlando, FL 32833.
Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, 2850 Lust Rd, Apopka, FL 32703
Lyonia Preserve, 2150 Eustace Avenue, Deltona, FL 32725
Magnolia Park, 2929 S Binion Road, Apopka, FL 32703
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, From I-95, take Exit 220 (Titusville, SR 406).
Newton Park, 31 W Garden Ave, Winter Garden, FL 34787
Oakland Nature Preserve, 747 Machete Trail, Oakland, FL  34760
Ocala National Forest Clearwater Lake Recreation Area, 24511 Co Rd 42, Paisley, FL 32767
Orlando Wetlands Park, 25155 Wheeler Road, Christmas, FL 32709
Parrish Park, 1 A Max Brewer Causeway, Titusville, FL 32796
Palatlakaha Environmental and Agricultural Reserve (PEAR) Park Wildlife Conservation Area, 4800 Univ. Ave., Leesburg, FL 34748
Pine Meadows Conservation Area, 2280 Pine Meadows Golf Course Rd, Eustis, FL 32726
Rusty Anchor - Dora Canal Tours, 400 W. 4th Avenue, Mount Dora, FL 32757
Seminole State Forest, SR 46, Bear Pond Trailhead, Mount Dora, FL 32757
T.M. Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area, Broadmoor Marsh, 3200 T. M. Goodwin Rd., Fellsmere, 32948
Trimble Park, 5802 Trimble Park Rd, Mount Dora, FL 32757
Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area, 3365 Taylor Creek Road Christmas, FL 32709
Wekiwa Springs State Park, 1800 Wekiwa Circle, Apopka, FL 32712

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