February Hernando Audubon Activities

Hernando Audubon meeting: What’s Happening to Florida’s Breeding Birds, with Speaker Dave Goodwin, Thursday, February 22.

Dave will discuss what has happened to the populations of breeding birds in Florida over the past thirty years, including changes in both bird species’ ranges and estimated population sizes. Dave is a founding member and two-term past president of the Florida Ornithological Society (FOS).

He was Regional Coordinator for both Florida Breeding Bird Atlas Projects. He was on the FOS Records Committee for seven years. He also served for four years as president of the St. Petersburg Audubon Society. Dave has participated in over 320 Christmas Bird Counts in Florida since 1971. He has led many hundreds of birding trips for various organizations.

The meeting will start at 7 p.m., at Brooksville Woman’s Club, 131 S. Main Street, Brooksville. Free, all are welcome. Contact Bev: 352-686-0460 or bevalhansen@gmail.com

Hernando Audubon birding trip to The Celery Fields in Sarasota, Thursday, February 1.

Meet at 9 a.m. at the Sarasota Audubon Nature Center parking lot picnic tables, 999 Center Road, Sarasota. The Celery Fields mainly consist of open marshland, shallow ponds, and canals which are edged by oaks, willows, and pines. Birds seen here can include sparrows, Marsh and Sedge wrens, Sora and Virginia rails, Black-necked Stilts, Least Bittern, Limpkin, and Purple Gallinule.

Behind the Nature Center is a small observation area with feeders that attract songbirds and seasonal migrants. Make reservations with Gwen, gwenfraley@comcast.net or 206-659-2677.

Hernando Audubon birding class: Birding with Merlin (bird identification) App, Saturday, February 3.

Meet at 8 a.m. at Chinsegut Conservation Center, 23212 Lake Lindsey Road in Brooksville. Learn how to use the Merlin bird app, which will help you identify birds that you see and hear. With the ID Wizard, you answer three simple questions, and the app will suggest what bird you might have seen. Sound ID listens to a bird in real time and suggests who it is.

And Merlin can identify a bird from your photo. This all-in-one app is free, developed by Cornell Lab of Ornithology. After the class, we’ll go for a short walk to practice what we have learned. The group size is limited, so make reservations with Claudia, camsler36@gmail.com or 813-244-0305. Download Merlin before the class.

Hernando Audubon birding trip to Travelers’ Rest (Pasco County), Saturday, February 10.

Meet at 8 a.m. at the Post Office at Travelers Rest RV Resort and Golf Course, 29129 Johnston Road, Dade City. Tom Butler, a resident of the RV park, will guide us to view some of the eight bodies of water that attract various water birds and the wooded areas where Barred Owls, hawks, woodpeckers, and songbirds live.

Tom has done a lot of work in the park to create an attractive habitat for birds and viewing areas for folks interested in seeing the birds. In recent years 159 species of birds have been reported on eBird! To make reservations, contact Bev: bevalhansen@gmail.com or 352-686-0460. 

Hernando Audubon Big Day/Birdathon, Saturday, February 17.

Everyone can participate by trying to find as many species as they can during the day, whether it is in your own yard or your favorite park. At the end of the day, submit your list of species to bevalhansen@gmail.com.

This is a fundraiser for Hernando Audubon Society, with proceeds going to help fund local conservation and education programs and Audubon Nature and Science Club at Eastside Elementary School. Mail a pledge to P.O. Box 1678, Brooksville, FL 34605. Contact Bev: bevalhansen@gmail.com or 352-686-0460.

Hernando Audubon Beginning Birding, Friday, February 23.

Meet at 8 a.m. at Chinsegut Conservation Center, 23212 Lake Lindsey Road, Brooksville. Learn to identify birds at feeders and during a short walk. There will be binoculars available for use. Make reservations with Linda: lindalark85@gmail.com or text 352-428-2629.