Jan 17, 2026 Saturday

Circle B Bar Preserve - Polk County
(Always a member favorite)
Barred Owl, White Pelicans, Snail Kite, Painted Bunting and Bobcats have been seen at this restored preserve.
Natural wetland and berm trails around retention ponds.
Visitor Center has facilities but no food. Bring lunch if you want to spend the afternoon here.

For info Contact Christine Rowland president@pascoaudubon.com

Jan 31-Feb 1st, 2026

Panhandle Weekend
We are hoping to visit St. Marks National Wildlife Reserve and Tall Timbers Research Station. Many more details to come on this trip.

Feb 6-12, 2026 Saturday

Winter Shorebird Survey
This is when we participate in FWC’s survey of shorebirds. We are responsible for 4 locations within Pasco County and Fred Howard Park. If you are interested in helping, Please contact Christine at president@pascoaudubon.com

Feb 21st 2026

Field Trip
Paynes Prairie (Alachua County)
We visited here for the first time a couple of years ago. This is an excellent spot for a wide range of birds. There are a number of excellent trail options in the area, and we’ll be studying eBird closely as the date approaches in hopes of finding the best birding experience possible. We will likely see Snail Kites and White-crowned Sparrows (both common here in the winter) with a long list of other birds. There are almost always a good selection of rarities in the area, and we’ll see what we can find. While this can be taken as a single day field trip with a 2-hour drive there and back, some may want to turn it into a weekend. More details can be found in the February newsletter. The meeting place for Saturday morning, 8:00 AM, is Sweetwater Wetlands Park, 325 SW Williston Rd., Gainesville.
Contact Christine at president@pascoaudubon.com; christirow@aol.com for more details.

Feb 28th 2026

Field Trip
The Celery Fields (Sarasota)
Always another favorite with great looks at wetland birds such as Gray-headed Swamphen, Black-necked Stilt, Sora, and often rarities. Last year we were treated to both Crested Caracara and Tropical Kingbird! Details can be found in the February 2026 Newsletter.

Tampa Bay Native Planting Program
The vital role wetland plants play in the resilience of Tampa Bay’s ecosystems - by Tara Kok, the Native Plant Program Manager of Tampa Bay Watch

J. B. Starkey Education Center
Contact president@pascoaudubon.com

Columbia Trip
Birding the Central Andes (Colombia)
Contact president@pascoaudubon.com

March 21, 2026

Field Trip
Croom Tract and Chinsegut (Hernando County
This is always a popular trip with Croom providing excellent opportunities to see the Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers and Bachman’s Sparrows, while our second stop at Chinsegut has to be the very best spot in the region for Red-headed Woodpeckers, and has an outstanding feeder station where we were able to see Pine Siskin as well as a good selection of regular visitors. There are great photographic opportunities in this location. Details TBA.

March 28, 2026

Field Trip
Felts Audubon Preserve (Manatee) along with a second stop, TBD.

April 12th, 2026

Field Trip
Migration at Fort De Soto
This annual field trip is a week or two earlier than we would normally hold it as a result of our second international trip, but holding it earlier will increase the likelihood of seeing tanagers and grosbeaks along with the earlier migrating warblers, although we may well miss some of the later migrants we normally see here.
Contact president@pascoaudubon.com

Coasta Rica Trip
Birding Southern Costa Rica
Contact president@pascoaudubon.com

May, 16 2026

Field Trip
East Pasco - Appreciating Pasco's Rural Birds
Meet 8 AM McDonalds SR 50 exit of I 75