- Calendar of Birding
- Checklist of the Birds of Alachua County
- History of Birding in Alachua County
- eBird recent sightings in Alachua County and bar charts
- Bird Counts
- Photos: Rare (and sorta-rare) Birds of Alachua County
- Download the June Challenge Checklist as an Excel file which automatically keeps tally or as a PDF. What’s the June Challenge? It’s a way to keep us birding when the migrants have left us for their breeding grounds and the summer doldrums are starting to set in.
- Download well known Alachua birder Howard Adams’ Map of Alachua County Birding Sites. This was a “Covid-19 stay-at-home” project for Howard. Pay attention to individual restrictions each site may have in place due to the pandemic (or otherwise; always know the guidelines in place where you bird!)
Last Updated June 24th, 2020, Michael Brock
September 6, 2020 at 3:56 pm
A black skimmer (juvenile) is on the lotus pads at Bivens Arm. I associate skimmers with the shore, don’t expect them inland.
Am I right?
September 6, 2020 at 5:55 pm
Definitely unusual. I suggest reporting this on e-bird (https://ebird.org/home) as well as on the Alachua County Birding facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/AlachuaCountyBirding). Posting it in those place will definitely bring the siting to those people who might want to seek it out. Thanks!
April 30, 2020 at 11:37 am
I’m seeing Mississippi Kites flying around my neighborhood, Windward Meadows, the last two days and I’d like to list them on this page. How do I do that?
I am a member of Alachua County Audubon Society, I think. I was told to join the National Audubon Society, which I did, and I will automatically be a member of the local chapter. True??
April 30, 2020 at 12:04 pm
Hi, Mr. Caraher, and welcome – Yes, you will automatically be a member of Alachua Audubon. You can look at our latest newsletter here: http://www.alachuaaudubon.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/CRANE-MAY-JUNE-2020-FINAL.pdf As to the Mississippi Kites, they’re a fairly common bird in Gainesville between April and August, and the best way to list them is to submit your sightings to eBird, the central database for North American bird sightings: https://support.ebird.org/en/support/solutions/articles/48000957911
February 11, 2019 at 10:06 pm
Hi,
I’ve heard that at certain times in March it’s possible to see loons migrating North from Gainesville. Could I get the details on that please?
Thank you.
February 11, 2019 at 10:31 pm
The loons are flying from the Gulf Coast in the vicinity of Cedar Key to the Atlantic Coast around Jacksonville or Fernandina Beach, and they fly over Gainesville. An ornithologist at the Florida Museum of Natural History has been documenting this phenomenon for fifteen years. He generally begins his watch on March 15th and ends it on April 10th; loons can be seen before and after those dates, but in smaller numbers. It’s not a daily thing – sometimes they fly and sometimes they don’t – and sometimes they fly so high that you can barely spot them. But on other days you’ll see them by the dozens. Here’s an article describing the ornithologist’s loon watch from four years ago: http://fieldguide.blogs.gainesville.com/62/loon-migration-over-gainesville/
November 8, 2018 at 6:23 pm
Hello,
My wife and I are going to be in Florida visiting family in the south (Boynton Beach) Dec 22-Jan 5 but will be visiting Cedar Key, Dec 26-29. My area of particular interest is sparrows and I saw that one of your members, Adam Kent, is leading a sparrow Id workshop for the Space coast Birding and Nature Festival, unfortunately for us after our visit.
I’m wondering if it might be possible to get word to Adam so as to communicate via email as to suggested places to go while in FL looking for some of the birds on my sparrow wish list, ie: Leconte’s, Field, Henslow’s, Nelson’s Saltmarsh and Seaside.
Best,
David Rudin
Colorado Springs, CO
dbrudin@yahoo.com
November 8, 2018 at 6:27 pm
Your message has been forwarded to Adam.
March 3, 2019 at 11:30 am
Hi Rex,
I found a couple of swans on a lake with a swampy fringe in northern Marion County between Shiloh and Macintosh that I think are a Whooper swan and a Trumpeter Swan. Is that newsworthy to you? There are also a few pairs of Canada geese that were dropping in and taking off again. I went back today and got some photos. Apparently over the winter there were a dozen or so swans in a flock, but I only saw these two.
March 3, 2019 at 11:49 am
Hi, Jeff – The lake you’re describing may be stocked with domestic geese and swans. I remember finding such a place when I used to drive around back there in the course of my job. I’ll check it out.