Birds, Brews and BBQ (Field Trip, Lunch and Bird Themed Regifting)

This is a 2-site birding trip followed by lunch at a local, Florida cracker style restaurant that serve local craft brews. To add more fun we’ll also engage in a White Elephant style gift exchange (re-gifting) with birding themed or birding destination items.
** PLEASE READ ALL LOGISTICS AND INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY**
Site#1: Stick Marsh (listed as Fellsmere Grade Recreation Area on Google Maps) parking lot. Look for signs from Babcock Rd. Allow plenty of time to get to the parking lot from the Babcock turn off due to road conditions. It is 6 miles of semi-improved road.
We’ll meet at Stick Marsh Parking Lot at 0700. The group will do some walking from there, a little north and south. Limpkins, roseate spoonbills (possibly nesting), whistling-ducks and green herons are among the species likely to be observed. Please plan accordingly to arrive in the parking lot by 0700, as the travel from the turn off takes a while due to slow speeds from unimproved road conditions.

Site#2: St. Sebastian Preserve State Park
We’ll travel to the St. Sebastian Preserve visitors center for a bathroom break and to consolidate cars. We will carpool from the office parking lot down the road to the Manatee Vista area. Parking at the eagle nest is limited and consolidation of cars is essential. Along the way, we’ll stop at a few spots to look for pine woods birds like Bachman’s Sparrow and Brown-headed Nuthatch. An active Eagle nest should be easily visible. Some short walking is required. Manatees may or may not be visible at the end. Red-cockaded Woodpecker is a slim possibility. Each car will have a walkie talkie radio to announce sightings and stopping locations.

Lunch: Marsh Landing Restaurant, 44 N Broadway St, Fellsmere, FL 32948. If you would like to participate in our White Elephant (just for fun) gift exchange/regifting, please bring a birding themed item (i.e. a gift with a bird on it you don’t prefer or no longer have a need for such as a book, a bag, coffee mug, notepad, items you got traveling to a birding destination or country).

Itinerary (Please allow enough time to arrive prior to the listed start time. Arrival to Site#2 may vary based on the birds we observe at Site#1).
0700 – 0900 Stick Marsh Birding
0900 – 0915 Travel to Site#2
0915 – 0930 Restroom break and car consolidation
0930 – 1115 St. Sebastian Preserve birding
1115 – 1130 Travel to Restaurant
1130 – 1330 Lunch at Marsh Landing

** Logistics – PLEASE READ ** Restrooms are available at the Visitors Center office at the St. Sebastian River Preserve. There is a very poorly maintained (barely useable) outhouse at Stick Marsh. The walking portion of both sites is on uneven, non-manicured trails (no boardwalks). Please bring bug spray, water, a hat, and sunscreen. Closed toed shoes and long pants or attire with high socks are suggested. Lunch is $13 plus tax and tip (paid to the restaurant). Indicate in your RSVP if you would like to join for lunch. Lunch will be a buffet style BBQ and side dishes. For any questions, or if you plan to join the group at the second site, please text Rochelle Hood (321-506-1493) or the trip leader, David Simpson (321-720-5516) and note this in your RSVP comments.
Appetizers and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided by the Chapter. Members of National Audubon and/or the Space Coast Audubon local chapter (and their family/guests) are free. We kindly request a $5 donation from non-members to attend the field trip and to coverage appetizers/beverages. (For $20 you can become a member of our Space Coast Audubon chapter for a year by using this link http://bit.ly/joinscas )

To see this events field trip report located on the Space Coast Audubon Society Website (48 hours after the event), follow the link
https://spacecoastaudubon.org/category/trip-reports/