Field Trip - Fort De Soto County Park (PAID members only)

Join Marion Audubon Society's Vice President, Maxfield Weakley, for a day at Fort De Soto County Park for spring migration! We will be prioritizing migratory songbirds, such as Cape May Warblers, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and many other rare species for our usual area. Fort De Soto is unique in that is the furthest west point of peninsular Florida, so it is typically a first stopping point for many species on their way back into their nesting sites along the East Coast. We will also walk along the North Beach to look for any migratory shorebirds, such as Red Knot, Dunlin, and Least Tern.

This should be a fantastic trip with a lot of potential, but there's no guarantee of what we'll see, and that's what makes it so exciting! Be sure to bring sun protection, water, and something to have for lunch. This will be a moderate level of activity with some walking, but it should be fairly relaxed. We will be wading through shallow water, so please make sure you wear appropriate clothing and footwear for this or are comfortable walking barefoot; the ground for this will be sand, but there are patches of silty mud that can be a little slick.

Please know that there is a $5.00 parking fee required. This is NOT included in your sign-up and you WILL be required to make this payment on the day of this outing. Failure to do so may result in receiving a citation from the park service.

We will meet at the East Beach and explore various locations and habitats as we go north along this beautiful and birdy park.