Want to do some Christmas shopping and go birding, too? Join us at the Agricultural Center near St. Augustine in the morning and then, if you like, shop at the nearby Outlets Mall afterward. The Agricultural Center is an eBird hotspot where 102 species have been recorded. It’s a fun place to wander and observe the plantings as well.

We will meet at the Ag Center building at 8:00 a.m. Wild Birds Unlimited will be providing breakfast for attendees. A Master Gardener will be on hand to give a tour of the gardens at 8 a,m, for those interested.

For those who would rather look for birds, we will leisurely bird the grounds of the Center and check the ponds for activity. There are always Eastern Bluebirds, Palm Warblers, sparrows, woodpeckers and more around the gardens plus possible nuthatches, vireos, chickadees and titmice in the trees. As you approach the Ag Center, keep a sharp eye out for wild turkeys along the fields. American Kestrels and other raptors frequent the telephone wires so keep a lookout for these as well. This is a joint field trip with St. Johns Audubon.