Field Trip: Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area

Date: Tuesday, 29 October 2024

Location: Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area, near Kenansville

Leader Name: Ricky Ray

Trip/area Description, with any special characteristics: We’ll be hiking to Lake Marion through the shade of a hardwood hammock. Purpose is to look for migrating birds.

The 63,000-acre Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area in Osceola County was formerly a cattle ranch with large prairie and longleaf pine stands. Birds and butterflies are abundant in the fall and winter, including the federally endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker and the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow which live in a mosaic of dry and wet prairie, flatwoods, hammocks, cypress ponds and patches of scrub. Other birds of interest in the Longleaf Pine woods include Brown-headed Nuthatches and Bachman’s Sparrow.

Duration of trip in hours: 2-3 hours

Walking distance: 2-3 miles

Degree of difficulty, and any special instructions: Easy walk but there may be some wet spots.

Where you’d like participants to meet: Meet at the IHOP parking lot at 8800 20th St. in Vero Beach.

Time of meeting: 7:00 am for the 45-minute drive to the trailhead.

Number of participants limit (either individuals, or vehicles if a driving tour): No Limit.

Host or Publisher Pelican Island Audubon Society