Grab your binoculars and field guide and go on an interesting local field trip. You do not have to be a member to participate.
All trips and times are subject to change. Check the news letter or call Ron Houser at 763-7485 or e-mail him at rdhouser@knology.net.
Be sure to confirm the trip before going (especially if it has rained), call Ron at 763-7485. Bring binoculars, field guides, insect repellant, sunscreen, drinks, water, snacks and lunch where noted.
Saturday, Sep 15 - Fall Migration Count - contact Lisa Keppner at
769-6247 or LKeppner@bellsouth.net to participate.
Saturday, Sep 15 - beginners bird walk "Breakfast with the Birds" at the Oaks by the Bay Park on Beck Avenue. Meet at 8:00 AM at the parking lot. Refreshments will be provided as well as loaner binoculars.
October 6 - Florida Panhandle Birding and Wildflower Festival in Port St. Joe. Check www.birdfestival.info for details.
October Field Trip - Saturday, Oct 13 - joint trip with Choctawhatchee Audubon for birding in the Freeport/Valparaiso area. Bring a snack and water. Meet at Taco Bell on Hwy 98 and Thomas Drive 6:15 AM departure. We will car pool from this locations. Call Ron Houser at 763-7485 for details.
Oct 20 - Audubon Sanctuary clean-up. Meet at the sanctuary on Cincinnati Avenue at 8:00 AM. Bring garden tools.
November Field Trip - Saturday Nov 17 - Laidlaw Audubon property near Vernon. Bring a snack and water. We will stop for lunch on the way back. Meet at Taco Bell at Hwy 98 and Thomas Drive for a 7:30 AM departure. We will car pool from both of these locations. Call Ron Houser at 763-7485 for details.
Christmas Bird Count. Saturday, December 29. Bay County Audubon Society’s 44th Annual Christmas Bird Count done in conjunction with the 108th Annual National Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Contact Lisa Keppner at 769-6247 or lkeppner@bellsouth.net to participate.
Saturday, Jan. 19 – St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. This is one of the best places in north Florida to see wintering waterfowl, wading birds, eagles and other raptors. We will spend Friday night (Jan 18) at the new Inn at Wildwood, a short distance away near the intersection of U.S. Highway 98 and Crawfordville Highway (Hwy 319). Rates are approximately $75 and other discounts (AARP, AAA, etc.) Phone the inn at (800) 878-1546 to make your own reservations. Be sure to tell them you are with Bay Co. Audubon to get the group rate. After a complimentary breakfast we will drive to the refuge. If you want to check them out on line, their web site is: www.theinnatwildwood.com
If you elect not to spend the night, you can drive over Saturday morning and meet the group at the visitor center at 9:15 (eastern time). You will need to leave Panama City at 6:00 to get there in time. Bring lunch and drinks. Most birding will be done from the road but there will be a couple of short hikes. Call Ron Houser at 763-7485 for details.
Saturday, Feb. 16 – Bike trip to the Blountstown Greenway, a one-hour drive from Panama City. We haven’t been here before, so we don’t know what to expect, but Richard assures us it will be a good trip. This is right by the Apalachicola River. Meet at the mall under the theater sign at 7:30 with your bike. Bring snacks and drinks, as well as binoculars and cameras. Call Ron Houser at 763-7485 for details.
Saturday, Feb 15-17 - Great Backyard Bird Count - go to www.birdsource.org/gbbc to participate.
March Field Trip - March 15. Birding trip to Torreya State Park lead by Gil Nelson. Leave from the Panama City Mall Theater sign at 6:30 AM. Call Ron Houser at 763-7485 for details.
March Field Trip - Saturday Mar 29 - Trip to St. Joe Buffer Preserve for plant and bird study. Meet at the theater sign at the mall for a 7:00 AM departure or at the Bagel Maker in Callaway for a 7:15 AM departure. Bring water and a lunch. Call Ron Houser for more details, if you want to carpool.
April 12 - there will be a bird count at the Shark's Tooth Golf Course. Anyone interested in participating call 541-2201 for details.
April Field Trip - Apr 19 - St. Joe State Park for spring migrants. Meet at the theater sign at the mall for a 7:00 AM departure or at the Bagel Maker in Callaway for a 7:15 AM departure. Bring water and a snack. We will stop at a restaurant in St Joe for lunch on the way back. Call Ron Houser at 763-7485 for details.
April 26th - Earth Day at Oaks by the Bay in St. Andrews.
May 10 - Spring Migration Count - contact Lisa Keppner at 769-6247 or LKeppner@bellsouth.net for details.
May 23 - 9:00 AM - Parker Preserve clean-up. Meet at the preserve on Cincinnati Avenue. Bring gloves and garden tools. Coffee and Danish for a morning snack will get things started.
May Field Trip - May 24 - Gulf County Loop for spring migrants. Meet at the theater sign at the mall for a 7:00 AM departure or at the Bagel Maker in Callaway for a 7:15 AM departure. We will probably stop for lunch at a local restaurant on the way back. Bring water and a snack. Call Ron Houser at 763-7485 for details.
