Birding in Hernando County – Part 1
This is the first in a monthly series regarding birding opportunities in Hernando County which will appear on the Florida’s Adventure Coast Visitors Bureau’s website. Together we will investigate where the best birding sites are in Hernando County and the most opportune time of year to observe specific birds. On this journey we will have some interesting stories about the birds we have previously observed as well as inspiration for those who want to spend time bird watching on Florida’s Adventure Coast.
Hernando County has a plethora of public lands available for exploration and birdwatching. Over 30 percent of the land in Hernando County is publicly owned and designated for recreational use. These lands are available as regional parks, environmental preserves, and state forests. Popular spots for birding and other forms of recreation include the expansive Weekiwachee Preserve, the heavily wooded Withlacoochee State Forest, and one of the county’s environmentally sensitive lands – Cypress Lakes Preserve.
An excellent location to start your birding journey is the Chinsegut Conservation Center, located 7 miles north of Brooksville on Lake Lindsey Road. This 408-acre tract is managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Service (FWC). The center is noted for its Red-headed Woodpecker population. In fact, this region of Hernando County has one of the largest Red-headed Woodpecker populations in the state of Florida. Other birds frequently observed at Chinsegut include American Kestrels, Summer Tanagers, and Great Crested Flycatchers. The center is open to the public every Friday and Saturday from 8 am to 2 pm. The public is invited to attend the many scheduled conservation related activities and presentations held at Chinsegut throughout the year. From September through April on the fourth Friday of each month Hernando Audubon conducts a Beginning Birding outing that starts at 8:00 am. Visit HernandoAudubon.org for a complete list of events.
One of my initial birding experiences in Hernando County was at McKethan Lake Recreation Area, a 57-acre site located just around the corner from the Chinsegut Conservation Center within the Withlacoochee State Forest. The site has a 1-mile paved loop that encircles the lake. Designated as a bird sanctuary, McKethan Lake attracts a variety of birds, greatly influenced by the lake’s water levels. During my visit we observed six Swallow Tailed Kites circulating high in the sky above the lake. Then suddenly, they started diving about three to four feet above the water catching insects to eat. Once the Kites had finished their dive, they would ascend and continue circling the lake and then suddenly repeat their diving performance. As we continued our drive around the lake, we spotted five Roseate Spoonbills feeding on the shallow water’s edge near the southern shoreline. It was fun and educational watching the Spoonbills use their bills in a back and forth feeding technique. While I’ve been back to McKethan Lake many times, it has never been as exciting as this visit, which proves you never know what you are going to see when birding, which is part of the fun!
A resource designed to assist anyone interested in birding in Hernando County is a short pamphlet entitled Hernando County Birding authored by Hernando Audubon and published by the Florida’s Adventure Coast Visitors Bureau. This guide is designed to help both visitors and residents who have an interest in birding; indicating the location and times of year when birds are most likely to be found in Hernando County. The bird checklist at the back indicates the seasonal distribution and the probability of finding each species in suitable habitat. This pamphlet may be obtained from Hernando Audubon (Hernandoaudubonpresident@gmail.com) or the Florida’s Adventure Coast Visitors Bureau.
If you are a visitor to Hernando County and do not have binoculars or bird guides, fear not. Hernando Audubon has supplied each of the four county libraries with a birding backpack, containing binoculars, a birding field guide, the Hernando birding pamphlet, and a birding checklist, along with some basic instructional material. After finishing with the birding backpack, you must return it to the library with the field guide and binoculars, but you may keep the copy of Hernando County Birding pamphlet and the bird checklist for your next visit.
Taking time to appreciate birds outside can offer an escape from the burdens of daily life, replacing stress with moments of wonder and awe. From the thrill of hearing a new bird song to the joy of observing a familiar one returning to your home, birds bring us excitement that makes us come back for more.
Let’s go birding – hope to see you at one of Florida’s Adventure Coast’s many birding sites.
Tom St Clair, President Hernando Audubon