Northwest Lake Okeechobee - Sept 19, 2024
Join us on our next trip and bring a friend
Ten of us ventured the back roads by car down to the big O for our first birding trip of the season. We started at the Jaycee pier which is the beginning of the Audubon Sanctuary located in Okeechobee city. We then the drove to Okee-tanti where we found warblers feeding in the trees fueling up for their travels. Finally we drove to Harney Pond which is pretty much the end of the Audubon Sanctuary area. To see the entire area an airboat is needed.
Lake Okeechobee Sanctuary
Lake Okeechobee has marvelous qualities and spectacular wildlife resources. Everglade Snail Kites, wading birds, waterfowl, Purple Gallinules, and myriad fish, frogs, snakes and turtles rely on this sanctuary and few comparable remnants of wild Florida remain. Occupying submerged parts of Lake Okeechobee makes this one of Audubon’s most unique sanctuaries.
Contact Us
If you plan to take one of our birding trips, please choose from our Field Trip Tab and contact R Lake at 863-599-0124 and don't forget to bring your binoculars.
Photos of Dry Tortugas Two Day Outing for Five Members April 10 & 11, 2024. A Must Do Trip For All!
Corkscrew Sanctuary - April 4, 2024
Fort DeSoto March 25, 2024 (90 Species)
No photos yet but I'm sure with all the talented photographers and excellent birders who went to Fort DeSoto with us Monday, March 25, 2024 some will be posted. Posted Photos are on our facebook page (Highlands Audubon Group) What I do have to offer is the species list and for that I must thank these same amazing people especially Dale Knapp who compiles the sightings. In addition, I was fortunate enough to add a lifer to my list. We were able to view a Worm-eating Warbler. Another highlight for me was the hooded warbler. I'm not sure why but this little one makes me happy. I believe it's beautiful sunny yellow coloring being highlighted by the sun is the reason I'm so fond of it. If you visit our group fb page (Highlands Audubon Group) there may be this same post because I forward it. On this site there are always more photos. We only have two more trips before we stop for the summer months. I should have next season's trips and guest speakers posted on the website by September, 2024. Oh, did I mention we broke our own record with 90 species.
Pelican Island and the Environmental Learning Center - March 7, 2024
Pelican Island Photos above by Brian & Susan Woodworth Below by Brenda Fishbaugh
Nature's Wonders: A Gallery of Stunning Photos from Avon Park Air Force Range 2024
Circle B Bar Always an Excellent Event
Celery Fields January 3, 2024 Sarasota visit our fb page Highlands Audubon
Highlands Hammock State Park - 11.20.23- Photos by Brenda Fishbaugh and Leslie McConachie - Use the slide bar to view photos and species list
A fantastic group of birders. The structure was built by HCAS.
Ranger Blake Lewis - A special guy for sure
One of the bird's of the day. This Merlin was identified by Dorothy Harris and Dale Knapp after a serious comparison from the book.
Sideview of the Hairy Woodpecker with id confirmation in the next photo.
Hairy Woodpecker - Note the head is highlighted to show the white separated by the black which makes this a HAIRY Woodpecker, not a downy woodpecker!
Gray Catbird
American Kestral
A group of cormorants flying in a V
Cypress Swamp Boardwalk
Great Egret and White Ibis
Butterfly in the swamp
Rafter T - November 9, 2023
Species List - (60) Thank you Dale Knapp
Boat-tailed Grackle / Common Grackle / Red-winged Blackbird / White-winged Dove / Red-shouldered Hawk / Cattle Egret / Sandhill Crane / White Ibis / Osprey / Red-bellied Woodpecker / Mourning Dove / American Crow / Mockingbird / Pileated Woodpecker / Mottled Duck / Florida Scrub Jay / Eastern Meadowlark / Loggerhead Shrike / Red-headed Woodpecker / Pam Warbler / Wild Turkey / Eastern Phoebe/ Anhinga / Greater Yellowlegs / Great Egret / Wilson's Snipe / Killdeer / Belted Kingfisher / Little Blue Heron / Great Blue Heron / Tree Swallow / Tri-colored Heron / Starling / Wood Stork / Eastern Towhee / Blue Jay / Kestrel / Black Vulture / Bald Eagle / Turkey Vulture / Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher / Roseate Spoonbill / Northern Harrier / American Bittern / Pied-billed Grebe / Black-bellied Whistling Duck / Blue-winged Teal / Common Gallinule / Snowy Egret / Black-crowned Night Heron / Green Heron / Glossy Ibis / Crested Caracara / Downy Woodpecker / Carolina Wren / Ground Dove / Gray Catbird / Western Kingbird / Double-crested Cormorant / Tufted Titmouse
Rafter T is located in Highlands County Florida off of Arbuckle Creek Road
I would like to take this time to thank Jimmy Wohl for being such a gracious host. This ranch is under protection from development and is actively engaged in best practices toward our environment.
Photos of our trip to Myakka 10.26.23
