Upcoming Events

For: Fall migrants, warblers, shorebirds and waterfowl

Place for Saturday: Cape May Point State Park Lighthouse parking lot, 7:30 a.m.

Place for Sunday: Higbee Beach parking lot, 7:00 a.m.

Leader: Barry Blust (610-458-5616, BarryBlust@comcast.net)

Note: Contact Barry for details. Please make your own reservations if you plan on staying overnight.

Note: This trip involves considerable walking, 2 to 4 miles each day, over relatively flat terrain, but some walking in sand will be involved. Please join us both days or either day.

Cape May Bird Observatory

Cape May Point State Park

For: Fall migrants

Place: The South side of Chambers Lake, 8:00 a.m.

Leader: Larry Lewis – Early Bird Tours (484-340-7672, earlybirdtours@comcast.net)

Note: A Big Sit is an all day affair, but everyone is welcome to come and go as they please. It is usually a fun time to see how many birds can be spotted while not moving out of a 15 foot circle. Great fun, with plenty of food and camaraderie, like tailgating.

Directions: From Coatesville, PA (in western Chester County): From the Rt. 30 By-pass north of Coatesville, take Rt. 82 exit north. Turn left at the 4-way stop sign (Rt.340) and go 1.3 miles to Wagontown Rd. Turn right on Wagontown Rd. and continue on this winding hill for 1.5 miles (you will pass the Hibernia Park entrance on your right). Continue up the hill and the lake will become visible on the right. If attending the “Big Sit”, continue a couple of tenths of a mile further along Wagontown Rd. past the lake parking lot and to the western dike of the lake. Carefully pull off the road and park in the grass near the dike. You will see us sitting on the dike near the road.

Chambers Lake

For: Fall migrants

Place: Bucktoe Preserve parking, 9:30 a.m.

Leader:  Larry Lewis – Early Bird Tours (484-340-7672, earlybirdtours@comcast.net)

Note:  A Big Sit is an all day affair, but everyone is welcome to come and go as they please. It is usually a fun time to see how many birds can be spotted while not moving out of a 15 foot circle.

Note: The watch goes everyday from September 1, 2018 through November 30, 2018 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. People can come and go as they want and are welcome to join Larry any of the days he is at the hawk watch.

Directions:  From Kennett Square, take Union Street south out of town.  This becomes Kaolin Road.  Make a right onto Hillendale Road.  Proceed about 1.5 miles to Sharp Road and make a left.  The entrance is on the left at 432 Sharp Road.  Look for the “BCP” sign.  Upon entering driveway, make a right on gravel road opposite first driveway you see.  Follow gravel road to the pavilion and parking area.

Bucktoe Creek Preserve

For: Shorebirds & herons

Place: Forsythe NWR Headquarters, 8:00 a.m.

Leaders: John Mercer (484-459-2062, mercer1135@aol.com)

Note: Meet at Forsythe at 8:00 a.m. Minimal walking involved. Bring a lunch, this is an all day trip.

Directions: Due to Covid concerns, check with leader to confirm if carpooling is occurring. Call leader for trip details, carpooling and directions. Forsythe NWR Visitor Center address: you MUST use 800 Great Creek Rd, Galloway NJ or Google will steer you 30 miles wrong.

Edwin B. Forsythe NWR

For: Fall  migrants

Place: Visitor Center, 2 Mark Bird Lane, Elverson, PA, 9:15 a.m.

Leaders: Patty Werth (484-985-8164- home, pattyww@comcast.net) and John Werth (215-859-1148- cell for day of walk)

Note: Due to Covid-19 concerns, please check with leaders to confirm if a participant limit is in effect. Established in 1938, this 848-acre park is a beautiful mix of dense woodlands, open pastures, and edge habitat surrounding the historic Hopewell Village.  This 1-2 mile walk on improved and unimproved trails will loop by French Creek SP’s Hopewell Lake. The terrain is mostly gently sloping, although there are a couple of short steep sections.

Note: The gate to the park does not open until 9:00 a.m. There is no access until that time.

Directions: From West Chester, take Route 100 north, to a left turn onto Route 401. Go about 6.4 miles to Route 345 (Bulltown Road). Turn right and follow Route 345 for 4.7 miles, crossing Route 23, to a left turn onto Mark Bird Lane to the Visitor Center.

Hopewell Furnace

For:  Migrants and local fall birds

Place: Parking area below dam, 8:30 a.m.

Leader: Rick Wolf (610-933-6414, randewolf@icloud.com)

Note: We will explore some of the fields looking for fall residents and migrants.  This will be a 2.5 hour trip with moderate walking.

Directions: From Route 202, take 252 north about 2.5 miles to Route 23.  Turn left on Route 23. Go about 1.5 miles, turn right on Ferry Lane, then right on Pawlings Road.  Go about 1 mile, turn right at Pawlings Farm sign. Park on lot after farm house.

For: Harlequins, eiders, loons and other waterfowl

Place: Barnegat Light State Park. Meet at Barngegat Light Borough Hall, 8:15 a.m.

Leader: Dorothy Bedford (609-658-1894, db@bt9.org)

Note: There will be a walk of about 1.5 miles between the dunes to get to the end of the jetty.  Brigantine is a fee area (per car); bring your National Park Service “Eagle Pass”. Bring  lunch, this is an all-day trip.

Directions: Meet at Barnegat Light Borough Hall, 10 E 7th St, Barnegat Light, NJ 08006. Follow NJ Route 72 onto Long Beach Island.  Turn left onto Long Beach Island Blvd. Go about 7 miles to 7th Street on right. Please make a rest-stop at Wawa, 370 NJ Rt 72, Manahawkin (approach from East Bay Ave. Plan 30 minutes to Barnegat Light from Wawa).  Forsythe NWR Visitor Center address: you MUST use 800 Great Creek Rd, Galloway NJ or Google will steer you 30 miles wrong.

Carpooling: Due to Covid concerns, check with leader to confirm if carpooling is occurring.  If so, meet at Gateway Shopping Center, 125 Swedesford Road, Wayne (junction of 202 and 252). Departure time is 5:45 a.m. (Estimated return no later than 5 p.m.)

Barnegat Light

EBForsythe

For: Winter Residents

Place: Assigned territories, any time from midnight to midnight.

Coordinators: Barry Blust (610-458-5616, BarryBlust@comcast.net) and
Tony Fernandes (610-647-7868, jets741@verizon.net)

Note: Contact coordinator early for questions or to let him know of your interest so that sector assignments and leaders can be identified.

There will be no meeting after the count for a tally or dinner.

For: Winter residents

Place: Assigned territories, midnight to midnight.

Coordinators: Jim Cook (610-587-7545, escjim@windstream.net)

Note: Contact coordinator early for questions or to let him know of your interest so that sector assignments and leaders can be identified.

For: Winter residents

Place: Assigned territories, midnight to midnight.

Coordinator: Vincent Smith (484-410-1157, nyctea34@aol.com)

Note: This annual event includes teams of birders surveying eleven sections within a prescribed 15 mile diameter circle, the center of which is the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove.  Beginning and experienced birders are welcome.  Section leaders will notify past participants. New volunteers please register by Dec. 17 to be assigned to a team.