Crosby Sanctuary (Orange Park, FL)
Schedule
Sun May 24 2026 at 08:00 am to 12:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
Crosby Sanctuary | Orange Park, FL
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Meet at 8:00 a.m. at Crosby Sanctuary. This will be a join trip between Duval Audubon Society and Alachua Audubon Society. Our trip leader will be Jessica Dyszel. What is Crosby Sanctuary? This 510-acre preserve is located along the Ortega River and is owned by Duval Audubon Society. Habitats include cypress swamp, herbaceous marsh, pine flatwoods, and live oak hammocks. 158 species of birds, as well as other wildlife, have been documented at this property. This is a unique opportunity, as Crosby is a limited access nature preserve that is not often open to the public.
Birds: Targets are Prothonotary Warblers and Yellow-crowned Night Herons, which nest here in the spring. Early morning has a better chance to view Yellow-crowned Night Herons. They often are close to the trail but flush back into the swamp as the day progresses. There is also a pair of breeding Short-tailed Hawks that can be hit or miss.
Participants can stay after the event to bird other areas of Clay County, such as Black Creek Park, Camp Chowenwaw, or "The Rookery" where historically Yellow-Breasted Chats were breeding.
Accessibility: The main trail is less than one mile. The main trail does have many cypress knees that present tripping hazards and can become flooded with heavy rains. The back trails go through pine flatwoods and are 2-3 miles. Our group will decide if we want to take the back trails on the day of the event. For those who want to walk less, you can sit at the picnic table at the main entrance to watch the feeders and search the skies for hawks. This area is not wheelchair accessible. There is only a composting toilet on the property.
What to bring:
☀️ Sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen, water, snacks
🦟 Bug spray - this is a MUST. Please note this is a Cypress Swamp therefore mosquitoes and biting flies are anticipated. Please dress appropriately.
🥾 Sneakers or hiking shoes
🔭 Binoculars
Directions: You can enter 425 Aquarius Concourse, Orange Park FL 32073 into your GPS but this is NOT the actual address. This is a residential house near the property.
Coming from Gainesville, you will take State Rd 21 (Blanding BLVD) about 20 minutes past Middleburg. You will turn left at the Bellair intersection, which will become Aquarius Concourse. If you want to use an actual bathroom, there is a Gate gas station across from the Bellair intersection. Red Owl Coffee is en route if you would like a coffee.
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Where is it happening?
Crosby Sanctuary, 427 Aquarius Concourse,Bellair, Florida, Orange Park, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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