Marion Audubon Society (MAS)

Join Citrus Audubon’s President, Molly Gurien, on a guided walk at Fort Island Gulf Beach!

Fort Island Gulf Beach is situated where the Crystal River and the Gulf meet, making it a great spot to find a variety of species. Primarily, we’ll look for Yellow-crowned Night Herons, shorebirds, migratory songbirds, and any incoming wintering ducks.

We’ll meet in the parking lot of Fort Island Gulf Beach (16000 W Fort Island Trail, Crystal River, FL 34429) at 8:00 AM and begin our walk from there.

Bring binoculars and a camera if you have them. We may have extra binoculars to lend for the walk. We will be walking mostly on even surfaces, but please wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes.

This is a PAID MEMBERS-ONLY event with limited capacity, so please ensure you’re up to date on your dues. If you sign up for this event and discover you will be unable to attend, please remove yourself from the registration so others on the waiting list can take your place.

You can join or renew your membership with the Marion Audubon Society on our website to access this or other future events.
https://marionaudubon.org/

This is an intermediate-to-advanced birding level event. During this trip, we will focus on more unique species that can be more difficult to spot or identify than on some of our other walks. While our primary focus may be on these more distinctive birds, our leaders will still point out and identify as many species as we can throughout the trip. As a mid-level event, expect to walk 1 to 2 miles at most on predominantly even trails but with the potential of sand, dirt, or grass sections. As always, please refer to the details in this MeetUp description above for the exact date, time, and location for this event.

Photo credit: Vicki Buchwald - Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) - https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/610190447

Join Marion Audubon’s David Rakes on a guided walk at Tuscawilla Park! Located just a few minutes from Downtown Ocala, this is the perfect location to start your birding journey!

This morning outing is for beginner or newer birders interested in learning more about spotting and identifying birds, but anyone is welcome to join. David is an excellent birder to help with this and has a wealth of knowledge.

We’ll meet in the parking lot of Tuscawilla Park (836 NE Sanchez Ave, Ocala, FL 34470) between the playground and the Discovery Center at 8:00 AM and begin our walk from there.

Bring binoculars and a camera if you have them. We may have extra binoculars to lend for the walk. We will be walking mostly on even surfaces, but please wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes.

This is a FREE PUBLIC event, so bring a friend! You can join or renew your membership with the Marion Audubon Society on our website to access this or other future events.
https://marionaudubon.org/

This is a beginner birding level event. While there’s always the potential for a rare sighting or an unusual bird at the location, the majority of our sightings on this outing will be our more typical species, giving an excellent opportunity for anyone wanting to learn more or hone their skills. The amount of walking/activity on this trip reflects the same level, with nice, even trails and an average of at most 1 mile in total. As always, please refer to the details in this MeetUp description above for the exact date, time, and location for this event.

Photo credit: Maxfield Weakley - Muscovy Duck (Domestic type) (Cairina moschata) - https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/611556032

Join Marion Audubon’s Tami Reece on a guided walk through the Ocala Wetland Recharge Park! Tami is a phenomenal birder, and we’re very glad to have her as a walk leader and member of our group!

This morning, we’ll look and listen for as many birds as we possibly can and provide helpful tips to those in attendance on how to identify the birds we see and hear.

We’ll meet in the parking lot of the Ocala Wetland Recharge Park at 8:00 AM and begin our walk from there.

Bring binoculars and a camera if you have them. We will have extra binoculars to lend for the walk. We will be walking mostly on even surfaces, but please wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes.

This is a FREE PUBLIC event, so bring a friend! You can join or renew the Marion Audubon Society on our website to access this or other future events.
https://marionaudubon.org/

This is a beginner-to-intermediate birding level event. We should have a nice array of easy-to-spot birds, as well as some more challenging sightings, because this location has a variety of habitats that offer a good mix of species. As a mid-level event, expect to walk 1 to 2 miles at most on predominantly even trails but with the potential of sand, dirt, or grass sections. As always, please refer to the details in this MeetUp description above for the exact date, time, and location for this event.

Photo credit: Michele Reyes - American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) - https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/609984530