This remote gem in South Venice comprises 222 acres of protected land along Lemon Bay. We’ll search for Florida Scrub Jays, Bald Eagles, and various song bird species. Meet at Southern section, 6125 Osprey Road, Venice.
Host: Eileen Gerle, eileengerle@gmail.com
A four-day festival offering field and boat trips, presentations, keynotes, and a free nature expo of vendors and exhibits. Enjoy and learn from renowned professionals, experience peak migration, and shop unique products
Board of Directors meetings will take place on the 2nd Thursday of the month (except November) from 1:00-2:30 PM at the Venice Audubon Center. Board meetings are open to members; members may address the Board at the beginning of the meeting.
Winter birding here in past years has been great. We’ll look for waders, waterfowl, warblers and more. About 1.5 miles of walking. Meet in the parking lot, 5200 Beneva Rd., Sarasota.
Host: Bailey Cleveland, baileycleveland92@gmail.com
Ecuador is a county rich with beautiful birds in amazing environments. VAAS Board Member Roy Musick takes us on a photographic journey from his own birding travels to meet some of the most spectacular and sought-after species in Ecuador. Learn where these birds live and what makes them worth the trip to South America to see them in person.
All are welcome - members of the public as well as Venice Audubon Members.
Participants are strongly encouraged to follow current COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
6:00pm: Refreshments and conversation 6:30pm: Meeting to discuss plans for the coming year
Barred owls, woodpeckers, warblers, vireos, thrushes and more in a wooded urban oasis, one of the area’s hotter “hot spots”. The area is small, but some walking may be difficult. Meet in the parking lot, 1420 Gilbert Ave., Sarasota.
Host: Tom Litteral, tlitteral@comcast.net
Sarasota’s premier beach is the site for a wide variety of gulls, terns and shorebirds. Plenty of walking, but if you hit one birding location along the coastline, this is it. Meet in the Siesta Key Beach main parking lot near the pavilion.
Host: Lou Sharp, ljsharp@sbcglobal.net
A spectacular birding hotspot, with ducks, herons, egrets and a good chance at Purple Gallinules, bitterns, rails and hawks. Meet at the picnic tables at the Sarasota Audubon Nature Center, 6888 Palmer Blvd, Sarasota.
Host: Jack Foard, captainjackfoard@yahoo.com
We’re on the road again! This season’s day trips offer birding PLUS education opportunities at world-renowned conservation and research facilities, expanding our awareness of wildlife conservation, human impacts, and changing environments on the many bird and animal species we appreciate and strive to protect. Come along for the day, meet new people, enjoy the wildlife, and learn something new!
Register Now
An excellent hike when migrating birds stop by this beautiful 154 acre preserve which is part of the Lemon Bay watershed. Meet at 8:00 in the parking area at 2695 Bridge Street, Englewood.
This year marks the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count’s 124 th survey, continuing the longest running community science project in the United States. Venice Area Audubon’s participation began in the early years of our chapter and continues to add to the national assessment of the state of birds in our country. Our chapter’s Christmas Bird Count coordinator, Bob Clark, presents the purpose, outcomes, and significance of this annual survey, how it works and what we need as VAAS prepares for this year’s count on December 17, 2023.
More info coming soon.
This evening takes us back to the classroom for a look at this highly successful and long-standing VAAS education program. Learning about birds and their environment, along with a lesson on birdwatching and using binoculars, supports the students’ science curriculum and prepares them for putting their new skills into action. A fieldtrip to observe the nesting birds at Audubon Rookery Park is the highlight of the program for the students, leaving a lasting impression on both the children and the many VAAS volunteers who help. Linda retired from a successful Sarasota County Schools teaching career and now fills her time as a watercolor artist, Florida Master Naturalist, VAAS Board Member, and the coordinator of the 2 nd Grade Birdwatchers Program and the 5th Grade Scrub Jay Program.
Native plants gardens and reducing negative impacts on wildlife are ways homeowners can provide needed support to migratory birds and to also attract more songbirds and other wildlife to their gardens. Jayne Neville was the founder/president of Mount Vernon Songbird Sanctuary in Southington, CT, a non-profit organization focusing on the conservation of migratory songbirds. She has a long history in bird rehabilitation as well as habitat preservation and will share actions we can take to improve our home habitats for wildlife.
More information coming soon!
A second VAAS birding tour to exotic Ecuador has been arranged for March 13-22, 2024. Due to the overwhelming interest in the January tour, Holbrook Travel has arranged another VAAS group tour, for which only 6 openings remain. We hope you'll be able to join the 10 day tour to the lush region around Mindo Valley, home to 500 species of birds including Andean Cock of the Rock, Squirrel Cuckoo, Masked Trogon, Flame Faced and Glistening Green Tanagers.
The itinerary will be similar to our January trip and includes hotel, meals, local transportation, expert guide and our own ecologist and group leader, Eileen Gerle. The cost for our group will be slightly less than $3000 plus about $500 for round trip airfare from Miami to Quito. Carpooling to Miami will enable us to fly together.
Passports must be valid through September 2024, six months after the tour. Please note: Renewing passports can take up to three months. To obtain more details about this tour and to secure a reservation with a $200 deposit, please contact Roy Musick, VAAS co-president at rmusick@veniceaudubon.org.
We look forward to your joining us!
The threatened Least Tern has declined in population significantly in the last 50 years. These and other beach-nesting birds are threatened by numerous perils. Mary Lundeberg, conservation photographer, writer, and passionate shorebird protector, will talk about the life cycle of these birds, the challenges they face, and what people can do to help. Mary will illustrate her talk with images of the beautiful, threatened shorebirds and seabirds who nest on beaches in Florida (Least Tern, Snowy Plover, Wilson’s Plover, Black Skimmer and American Oystercatcher) and in Michigan (the endangered Great Lakes Piping Plover).
Email: info@veniceaudubon.org
Telephone: 941-496-8984
Sarasota County Call Center: 941-861-5000 (General information and directions)
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