SCC Audubon Club Field Trips Dates and Information

FIELD TRIPS ARE IN DRIVING DISTANCE. WE CAR-POOL WHEN POSSIBLE.

Members of the club and their guests can join us on our field trips. Details and a sign up sheet are available at our meetings, and there is a sign-up form at the top of this page. You may also call the field trip leader (announced at our meetings) to sign up. Once you sign up, you will receive further instructions from the trip leader. Most of the time, we meet in a parking lot to carpool. Sometimes we go to lunch together after we tour the site. Details, again, will be available when you submit the form to the left, or when you sign up at our meetings. YOU MUST SIGN UP TO ATTEND A FIELD TRIP. REMEMBER TO HIT THE RED 'SUBMIT' BUTTON TO SIGN UP!

GUESTS MAY ATTEND ONLY ONE FIELD TRIP BEFORE THEY NEED TO JOIN THE CLUB AND PARTICIPATE IN ADDITIONAL FIELD TRIPS.



Thursday February 13, 2025 - Weedon Island Preserve

Located on Tampa Bay, Weedon Island Preserve is an expansive 3,190-acre coastal system, comprised of aquatic and upland ecosystems. It is home to numerous species of native plants and animals, an educational facility and a rich cultural history. It has ADA friendly paved walkways and wooden boardwalks. Our trip is scheduled to take advantage of low tides to view a wide variety of wading birds.

We will meet at 9 AM at the Community Hall on South Pebble Beach Blvd., and carpool from there. The site is easily accessible via the Selmon Expressway. Luncheon plans are pending.

Monday, March 10, 2025 - Gibbons Nature Preserve, Riverview

One of the few remaining natural tracts of land on the lower Alafia River, it is a refuge for wildlife and contributes to the protection of water quality in the river. This 60-acre site is protected by the Tampa Bay Conservancy. Bell Creek meanders through oak and pinewoods and mixed hardwood and cypress wetlands before its confluence with the Alafia River.

We will meet at 9AM at the Community Hall on South Pebble Beach Blvd., and carpool from there. We plan to luncheon at the Tiki Docks Restaurant following our trip.

Wednesday, March 19, 2025 - Camp Bayou, Ruskin

Discover the 'wilds' of Florida right here in south Hillsborough County at the 160-acre Camp Bayou Nature Preserve and Outdoor Learning Center! The canoe launch, visitor's center, nature center, trails and butterfly habitat are open for us to visit. Both the Eagle Audubon Society and our Sun City Center Audubon Club have invested time and effort in the improvement of this beautiful local property.

We will meet at 9 AM at the Community Hall on South Pebble Beach Blvd. Following our visit there, we will return to CR 674 for lunch at Bob Evans Restaurant.

Thursday, April 24, 2025 - Crossbar / A1 Bar Ranch

This date had been reserved for a field trip to Fort DeSoto Park. Due to hurricane Milton, the October field trip to Crossbar Ranch was postponed, and has been rescheduled for this date. The current status of Fort DeSoto Park, which was severely damaged by Milton, remains in doubt.

Crossbar Ranch is located in Spring Hill, Florida. we will be taken on a guided wagon ride at the Ranch. Species that may be seen include Florida scrub jay, burrowing owl and southeast American Kestrel. Details of meeting time and location will be forthcoming. THIS TRIP IS LIMITED TO 20 PARTICIPANTS.

Note: We now have 20 participants signed up. Any further signups will go into a standby file, first come, first served.