MAS October Big Day Trip 3 - Ocala Regional Sportsplex - FREE Public Event

Join Marion Audubon’s President, Max Weakley, on a guided walk at the Ocala Regional Sportsplex 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.

The Ocala Regional Sportsplex is a surprisingly good birding spot, offering the chance to see several species that are very difficult to find elsewhere in Marion County. Birds like the White-crowned Sparrow, Ash-throated Flycatcher, and Orange-crowned Warbler are all great birds we would be lucky to get for the day.

We’ll meet in the parking lot of the Ocala Regional Sportsplex (3500 SW 67th Ave, Ocala, FL 34474) at 11:30 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 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: Maxfield Weakley - White-crowned Sparrow (Gambel's) (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii) - https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/653686059