EVENTS: Choctawhatchee Audubon Society home page

All events are free and open to the public. Bird Walks are usually 2-4 hours on Saturday mornings. Programs (slide shows, etc.) are held the first Thursday of all months except June, July, and August. People arrive between 6 PM and 7 PM, when the program begins. Programs are held in Room 800 on the 2nd floor of the Chandler Center (NW door of 519 Helms St.) at the Crosspoint Church in Niceville. CLICK the place (it's a map link). When there, use any parking lot nearby. Walk in the door (NW building corner) under the red map marker. For more information, click our Facebook link. Admission is free and open to the public. Children should be accompanied by an adult.

 

For most Bird Walks, binoculars are almost a must, especially to study birds and butterflies. If you have a spotting scope and/or camera, bring them. Don't have binoculars? We may have an extra pair or two to borrow, and your leader will to try to show you several birds through a spotting scope. Many bird identifications are made on sounds and behavior. We will teach you how. Be sure to bring drinking water; you may want to bring snacks too. Bird walks may lead down trails with chiggers and mosquitos, so wear long pants, socks, and water-resistant, closed-toe shoes. Bring a hat, sunscreen, and insect repellent, but please refrain from spraying in the immediate presence of others (e.g., nearer than 2 bus-lengths).

 

Click here to view Spring 2026 completed events

2026 JANUARY 8, EVENING PRESENTATION: Birding at 29 Below. Jim Anderton will speak about his February 2025 trip to the Sax-Zim bog and other locations in northern Minnesota. The program will be held in Room 800 on the 2nd floor of the Chandler Center (NW door of 519 Helms St.) at the Crosspoint Church in Niceville. Socializing begins at 6:30 PM, and the program begins at 7:00 PM. Admission is free and open to the public.

 

Upcoming events:

 

2026 JANUARY 24, SATURDAY MORNING BIRD WALK to the Lakes of north Walton County. Leader Jill Smith, (719) 688-1688. Meet at 7:30 AM in front of the Chautauqua Building, 95 Circle Dr. DeFuniak Springs. We will bird around Lake DeFuniak, followed by a 30 minute drive to Lake Jackson to look for Sandhill Cranes. Dress appropriately for the weather with long pants, closed toe shoes and hat. Bring water, binoculars, and a spotting scope if you have one.

 

2026 FEBRUARY 5, EVENING PRESENTATION: Bird Use of Non-Native Habitats: Navigating Strategies for Conservation by Kristal Cobb Walsh, GIS Lead/Wildlife Biologist, Office of Conservation Planning Services, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Kristal will discuss how the FWC approaches bird conservation through management of invasive plants, which displace the native plants that birds rely on for food, shelter, and cover. The program will be held in Room 800 on the 2nd floor of the Chandler Center (NW door of 519 Helms St.) at the Crosspoint Church in Niceville. Socializing begins at 6:30 PM, and the program begins at 7:00 PM. Admission is free and open to the public.

 

2026 FEBRUARY 7 EVENT: Camellia Festival at Eden Gardens State Park, Santa Rosa Beach, 10 AM-2 PM. CAS participants: Set-up is at 8:30 AM. Bring tables, cloths, signs, wingspan banner, binoculars, a scope, a lawn chair each. Also a hat, water, and a sack lunch. Educational stations will be set up throughout the park.

 

2026 FEBRUARY 21, SATURDAY MORNING BIRD WALK to Niceville & Valparaiso Shorelines. Leader Walt Spence (850) 582-7064. Meet 7:30 am in the Parking lot, Mattress Depot, Bayou Plaza, Rt 20 Niceville. Enjoy some local history as we look along local shorelines. Dress for windy and perhaps cold weather. Don’t forget your binoculars!

 

2026 MARCH 5, EVENING PRESENTATION: Endangered Beach Mice in the Southeastern United States by Jordan Wingate, Natural Resources Coordinator, Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The program will be held in Room 800 on the 2nd floor of the Chandler Center (NW door of 519 Helms St.) at the Crosspoint Church in Niceville. Socializing begins at 6:30 PM, and the program begins at 7:00 PM. Admission is free and open to the public.

 

2026 MARCH 14, SATURDAY MORNING OUTING to Big Sabine Point in Escambia county. Leader: Brian Cammarano. Meet at the Pensacola Beach Park east parking lot at (TBD) AM. Parking is free, and restrooms are available at the parking lot. There are no facilities elsewhere along the walk. This is a one-mile in and one-mile out walk to a large mudflat with shorebirds, terns, and gulls. Please be advised that the first half-mile in and last half-mile out can be challenging, as the terrain is soft sand. There is also a short stretch where the trail narrows and some low tree limbs must be stepped over, although this is not too difficult. Footwear that is waterproof up to six inches is advisable for best access, but most of the birds can be seen, possibly from a distance depending on water conditions, without getting your feet wet. Bring binoculars. A spotting scope is very useful if you have one, and are willing to carry it two miles on this out-and-back walk. Click here to see an eBird checklist from Big Sabine Point at approximately the same time of year in 2025.

 

2026 APRIL 2, EVENING PRESENTATION: Florida's Terns by Collette Lauzau, Panhandle Shorebird Program Manager, Audubon Florida. The program will be held in Room 800 on the 2nd floor of the Chandler Center (NW door of 519 Helms St.) at the Crosspoint Church in Niceville. Socializing begins at 6:30 PM, and the program begins at 7:00 PM. Admission is free and open to the public.

 

2026 APRIL 11, SATURDAY MORNING BIRD WALK to Veterans Park, Okaloosa Island. Leader Doug Adkisson, (850) 902-6854. We visit the bayshore, barrier island woodland, and 5 wetlands. Meet at 7:30 AM on the north side of the Destin/FWB Convention Center parking lot. Bring water and binoculars; wear closed-toed shoes, long pants, and a hat.

 

2026 APRIL 17 - 19 (FRI evening, all-day SAT, SUN morning), MEMBERS RETREAT to St Marks National Wildlife Refuge south of Tallahassee. Recommended lodging is at Shell Island Fish Camp, 440 Shell Island Rd, St Marks, FL. Meeting places and times will be posted here and on Facebook prior to the trip. Leader Jim Anderton (850) 543-2221.

 

2026 APRIL 25, Earth Day Expo at the E.O. Wilson Biophelia Center from 9 AM to 2 PM. Gail Glasgow, (502) 439-7895, is coordinating our participation in this event. CAS participants: Set-up is at 8 AM. Come help us celebrate Earth Day!

 

2026 MAY 7, EVENING PRESENTATION: Topic TBD. The program will be held in Room 800 on the 2nd floor of the Chandler Center (NW door of 519 Helms St.) at the Crosspoint Church in Niceville. Socializing begins at 6:30 PM, and the program begins at 7:00 PM. Admission is free and open to the public.

 

2026 MAY 9, SATURDAY MORNING BIRD WALK to the Okaloosa Holding Ponds. Leader: Jim Anderton (850) 543-2221. Meet at 7:30 am along west edge of Roberts Road, 200 feet NE of Task Force Pizza Company, in the electric station parking area. We will look for shorebirds, waterfowl, and other spring migrants. Wear long pants, sturdy closed-toe shoes, and a hat. Bring water, binoculars, and a spotting scope if you have one.

 

All Fall 2025 Choctawhatchee Audubon events have been completed! Please check back for Spring 2026 events, which will begin in January.

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