January 5 is National Bird Day and what better way to celebrate than to go bird watching? Whether you are a seasoned bird watcher or just looking to get started, the Alachua County Library District can help you in your Avian-spotting endeavors.
Thanks to a generous donation from the Alachua Audubon Society, the library has birding kits that are available for checkout. Each kit comes with a pair of binoculars and bird guides inside a backpack. There’s also a child-friendly version, with a children’s bird guide and child-size binoculars, so even kids can join in on the fun.
Of course, checking out a birding kit is the easy part. All you need to check one out is a standard library card, which you can sign up for one for free at your closest branch if you do not already have one. The tricky part can be figuring out where to go to be able to watch all those birds. Thankfully, there are plenty of locations around Alachua County that are ideal for birdwatching. These are just a few of the wonderful places that would make for a great outing.
Kanapaha Park/Chapman’s Pond
(Closest Library: Tower Road Branch)
Located at 3707 SW 75 St., in Gainesville.
This park in the middle of a suburban landscape has a decent nature trail in the back of the park, navigating around a small pond and into a forest cluster near the back. Even if you decide to stick along the paved path around the perimeter of the main park, you can expect to see plenty of songbirds, as well as some Ibis who wander in from the nearby pond.
Little Orange Creek Nature Park
(Closest Library: Hawthorne Branch)
Located at 24115 SE Hawthorne Road, in Hawthorne.
This nature park contains a variety of ecosystems, including wetlands and pinelands, which provides a home to a diverse range of bird species.
Morningside Nature Center
(Closest Library: Cone Park Branch)
Located at 3450 E University Ave., in Gainesville.
This nature park located near downtown Gainesville has trails running through flat pinelands, home to plenty of songbirds and woodpeckers.
La Chua Trail
(Closest Library: Headquarters Library)
Located at 4270 SE 15th St, in Gainesville.
This trail is part of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, and is a popular birding destination, especially during this time of year, when thousands of Sandhill Cranes come here for winter, as well as a multitude of other species, including herons and songbirds. Please note there is an admission fee of $4 per vehicle for this park.
Looking for supplemental material to help with your birding? There are plenty of birding guides. Here’s a brief list of recommended titles to help get you started:
Happy birding!