Spend the weekend birding with the American Birding Association in beautiful Fort Myers, Florida! Connect with fellow birders, explore some of the area’s best birding locations, and meet ABA staff Kelly Smith and Nate Swick. Kelly and Nate, in addition to handling logistics for the Community Weekend, will be happy to answer any questions you might have about SongBird Coffee, loaner optics from Vortex, joining & supporting the ABA...and anything else!

On Sat. morning, Oct. 25, we will bird the tidal wetlands at Bunche Beach Preserve on San Carlos Bay. After lunch, we will meet at Wa-Ke Hatchee Park for a presentation hosted by the Florida Young Birders Club. In the evening, join us at Backyard Social's open patio for great company, tasty bites from a variety of food trucks, drinks, and fun games—all while watching the skies above.

On Sun. morning, Oct. 26, we will visit Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve to explore the fully accessible boardwalk and Rock and Stroll native butterfly garden. Later we will return to Wa-Ke Hatchee Park for a hands-on digiscoping workshop by Jeff Bouton of Kowa Sporting Optics.

All bird walks, talks, and workshops are free and open to the public, but we do ask you to register for the weekend's activities you intend to participate in (with cash bar/food during the evening social). The ABA’s bird-friendly Song Bird Coffee will be served before each bird walk and presentation.

We are grateful for the support of Vortex Optics, who are providing a variety of binoculars for participants to use during our field trips. There are limited binoculars available for loan, and we will distribute them on a first-come first-served basis, so sharing might be needed and appreciated.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow bird enthusiasts and enhance your birding skills. Register now and join us for an unforgettable weekend!

Sat., Oct., 25, 2025, 8am–11am EDT: Guided Bird Walk at Bunche Beach Preserve

Sat., Oct. 25, 2025, 1pm–2pm EDT: Florida Young Birders Club Takes Flight by Sophia Hackman & Haden Klinger

Sat., Oct. 25, 2025, 4pm–7pm EDT: Birder Social at Backyard Social

Sun., Oct. 26, 2025, 8am–11am EDT: Guided bird walk at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

Sun., Oct. 26, 2025, 1pm–2:30pm EDT: Digiscoping Workshop by Jeff Bouton, Kowa Sporting Optics