MAS October Big Day Trip 2 - Sholom Park - FREE Public Event

Join Marion Audubon and the On Top of the World Birders on a guided walk of Sholom Park as we continue the October 2026 Big Day! This day, the second Saturday of October, is when birders from around the world try to find as many species as possible within a 24-hour period. This is very similar to the Global or May Big Day, but allows us to observe our fall migratory birds.

Sholom Park is a very beautiful, well-maintained park located in On Top of the World, only 11.5 miles northeast of our first birding location for the October Big Day. We should have excellent chances for Black-and-white Warbler, Hermit Thrush, Pileated Woodpecker, and several other species at this stop.

We’ll meet in the parking lot of Sholom Park (7110 SW 80th Ave, Ocala, FL 34481) at 10:30 AM and begin our walk from there. Please keep in mind that all times for these events are flexible, depending on the activity and sightings at the previous location. If we are running early or late, we will post updates to the comments of this MeetUp listing.

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, as there may be areas of loose sand, dirt, and grass. If you plan to join multiple trips during the Big Day, please bring a packed lunch, plenty of water, bug repellent, sunscreen, and whatever else you might need for your health and comfort.

This is a FREE PUBLIC event, so bring a friend! The more eyes we have out during the October Big Day, the better!
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 - Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) - https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/644863430