Want to try birdwatching? Pasco Audubon offers a way into the fall season

Archive photo: the entrance to Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park, photographed November 16, 2016. This venue image does not show a current birding outing. Resized image licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Paulfranklinherman. Photo source · CC-BY-SA-4.0.

Pasco residents curious about birdwatching do not have to identify every bird before joining a local outing. Pasco Audubon offers guided walks at Starkey Wilderness Park for beginners as well as experienced birders, alongside talks and field trips during its October–April season.

The practical first step is to choose a format that suits you, then confirm the next outing with the organizer. This is a guide to existing programs, not a report from an event.

Start with a walk or a talk

The group's programs page describes monthly Starkey walks that explore different habitats and discuss bird identification. Bring binoculars, water and comfortable walking shoes.

Educational meetings generally take place at 11 a.m. on the first Saturday of the month during the season. They are free and open to everyone, but holidays can shift dates. Check the calendar and current newsletter for the specific program.

Wednesday locations arrive by email

The informal Birding 102 outings usually last two to three hours. Their weekly meeting locations are not posted online: participants sign up to receive Monday emails with Wednesday's destination. Use the organizer's page to request the list. Do not head to Starkey assuming every Wednesday outing starts there.

Know which Starkey destination you need

Pasco Audubon lists its usual program venue as the Starkey Environmental Education Center, at J.B. Starkey Wilderness Park, New Port Richey.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District describes the wider preserve as three separate tracts. Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park is the county-managed regional park with hiking and cycling trails; Serenova has a different range of recreation facilities. Check the specific venue before setting off.

For a first visit, pick one confirmed activity rather than trying to fit a talk, a long walk and another destination into the same morning. Ask the organizer about the route and meeting point if you are unsure whether an outing fits your needs.

Program information checked October 3, 2026 against Pasco Audubon's published guidance and the water district's preserve information. Individual dates and destinations should be reconfirmed with the organizer.