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Bird watching in Citrus, Hernando and Pasco County: shorebirds, accessible boardwalks, and free walks

The Gulf coast here draws shorebirds, seabirds, and wading birds, and inland lakes and forests add songbirds and eagles. This page covers where to go, which spots have wheelchair-accessible boardwalks, and how to join a free guided walk.

Checked against the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the local Audubon chapters, and the other sources listed at the bottom. Last reviewed: October 5, 2026.

When to go

What month is best for bird watching?

It depends on the bird. The state birding trail's site pages for this coast say the cooler months bring ducks, loons, grebes, and white pelicans, and that shorebirds are good to see any time of year. Pasco's Robert K. Rees Park lists April as its peak month for migrating birds.

From late winter through summer, many shorebirds nest right on the beach. FWC sets the nesting season as March 1 to September 1 in Citrus County and February 15 to September 1 in Hernando and Pasco. During those months, stay out of any area posted with shorebird signs, keep dogs leashed, and back away if birds start calling or flying at you. FWC's shorebird page explains the rules.

Where to go

Where are some good birding hotspots in Florida?

Start with the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, a program of FWC. It lists 22 sites in Citrus County, 8 in Hernando County, and 11 in Pasco County. Each site page says what birds to look for and whether there's accessible parking and restrooms.

To see what other birders have spotted lately, eBird, a free bird-sighting site run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, keeps recent sightings and a list of hotspots for Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco.

Spots with wheelchair-accessible boardwalks

These are the places where an official page says the path or boardwalk is wheelchair accessible.

• Fort Island Gulf Beach, Crystal River. A 465-foot fishing pier and boardwalk, and a boardwalk to the beach, both wheelchair accessible, with accessible restrooms and parking. Black skimmers, American oystercatchers, and bald eagles. Free. As of October 2026, the county says repairs are still going on, with portable restrooms.
• Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Homosassa. The 1.1-mile Pepper Creek Trail is paved and fully accessible. The park also cares for birds you can see up close, including flamingos and whooping cranes. $13 for ages 13 and up.
• Robert K. Rees Memorial Park at Green Key, Pasco County. A wheelchair-accessible boardwalk through the mangroves, with accessible parking. The restroom isn't accessible. About 200 species recorded, with roseate spoonbills and reddish egrets all year. Free.

A few more have boardwalks or accessible parking, but no official page calls the whole path wheelchair accessible. Call ahead if that matters to you.

• Key Vista Nature Park, Pasco County. A 0.2-mile boardwalk and accessible parking. Over 220 species recorded. Parking fee.
• Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park, Port Richey. Viewing stands and an accessible boardwalk. $4 per car.
• Kings Bay Trail, Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. Free, with accessible restrooms and parking. Lesser scaup, coots, and white pelicans in winter.

More good spots on the coast

• Pine Island Park, Hernando County. The birding trail calls it one of the top shorebird sites in the county: black skimmers, reddish egrets, terns, and common loons. $5 parking, free with a handicap placard.
• Bayport Park, Hernando County. A large fishing and observation pier. Wood storks, ruddy turnstones, and loons in winter.
• Linda Pedersen Park, Hernando County. The birding trail calls it ideal for beginners, with a 40-foot observation tower. Free.
• Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, Homosassa. Most of the refuge is reachable only by boat. The Salt Marsh Trails on Mason Creek Road have a two-story viewing tower. The trails are mostly flat but often wet or muddy with the tide.
• Crystal River Preserve State Park, Crystal River. The 2.1-mile Eco-Walk Trail, with accessible restrooms and parking at the trailhead. Free.
• Weekiwachee Preserve, Hernando County. About 5.5 miles of paved and unpaved trails, where hundreds of wading birds roost. Free.

Guided walks and festivals

Each county has an Audubon chapter that leads field trips, mostly from fall through spring.

• Hernando Audubon Society says its trips "are open to anyone interested in birding" and are free unless the place charges admission or parking. Its Beginning Birding mornings at the Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville lend binoculars. The next ones are October 23 and November 27, 2026. Reserve with the trip leader.
• Pasco Audubon says "There is never a charge for these events and all are welcome." It runs a monthly bird walk at Starkey Park for every level, October through April.
• Citrus County Audubon Society holds 15 to 20 guided trips a year, usually September through April, for birders of every level. Its schedule lists Pepper Creek bird walks starting at the Homosassa Springs visitor center. Check its page for current dates.

The Nature Coast Birding Festival is planned for April 9 and 10, 2027, at FWC's Chinsegut Conservation Center in Brooksville and nearby sites. Details are still coming on FWC's event page.

Also worth reading

• Recreation for seniors: the overview of this whole section
• Beaches and paddling: Gulf-side parks, swimming, and kayak launches
• State parks, springs and camping: admission, kayaks, and boat tours
• Fishing: licenses, lakes, the Gulf, and boat ramps

Sources

• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail county and site pages; shorebird and seabird rules and nesting season contacts by county; Nature Coast Birding Festival event page
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge and Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge visitor pages
• Florida State Parks: Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park; Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park; Crystal River Preserve State Park
• Southwest Florida Water Management District, Weekiwachee Preserve
• Citrus County Parks and Recreation, Fort Island Gulf Beach
• Hernando Audubon Society field trips; Pasco Audubon events; Citrus County Audubon Society activities; National Audubon chapter locator
• eBird (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) county hotspot pages