Upcoming Events › Field Trips

For: Winter residents

Place: Your feeders and your yard, all day.

Coordinator: Carol Majors (610-399-1509, carolmajors@gmail.com)

Note: Count birds at your feeder, in your yard or any site of your choosing.  Although the bird count is Feb. 12 to 15, only lists for Feb. 13 will be counted in the report. Input data into eBird.org and send to coordinator. All results must be sent to Carol by February 22. For more information, see website at Great Backyard Bird Count.

For: Waterfowl and other late winter visitors

Place: Painters Crossing, 7:00 a.m.

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

Note: Minimal walking involved.  Bring lunch, this is an all day trip.

Directions: Meet at NWR, 2591 Whitehall Neck Rd, Smyrna, DE 19977 at 8:30 a.m. Do not leave the HQ; depending on birding on Whitehall Neck Rd, we may arrive to the HQ after 8:30. Please contact leader if you will meet the group at Bombay Hook. We will bird Bombay Hook and head north to various spots in Delaware.

Carpooling: Due to Covid concerns, check with leader to confirm if carpooling is occurring. Meet at Painters Crossing, PA, on the northwest corner of Routes 1 and 202. Departure time: 7:00 a.m.

Bombay Hook NWR

For: American Woodcock

Place: Park & Ride Route 113N, 6:30 p.m.

Leader: Holly Merker (610-733-4392 , HCybelle@aol.com)

Note: This is a joint trip with BCDC. Please check with leader in advance regarding weather conditions.

Directions: Meet at Park & Ride, Lionville, PA. Look for Park & Ride signs after turning from Route 100 onto 113 North. Turn right into Park & Ride.

Marsh Creek State Park

For: Migrants & residents

Place: Marsh Creek State Park, Park Road parking lot, 8:00 a.m.

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

Note: We will start out at Marsh Creek State Park and continue to Struble Lake, Chambers Lake, Coatesville Reservoir and other birding areas, ending up back at Marsh Creek. Bring lunch, this is an all day trip. Minimal walking involved. Covid protocols apply, please confirm attendance and bring your mask. Due to Covid concerns, check with leader to confirm if a participant limit is in effect and if carpooling is occurring.

Directions: The park is located 2 miles west of Eagle Village off of PA 100. The address is 675 Park Road, Downingtown, PA. Meet at the main parking lot by the (closed) snack bar.

Marsh Creek State Park

For: Wildflowers and migrating and resident birds

Place: Westtown School cabin parking lot, 8:30am.

Leaders: Tim and Janny Sterrett (484-678-8528, timsterrett@gmail.com)

Note: This is a half-day trip. This is a walk that will cover about 2 miles over some hilly areas and take around 3 hours.

Directions: From West Chester, follow Route 3 east to Westtown Way road, turn right. Take the next left, follow Walnut Hill Road until you see Westtown School entrance. Turn right then park in first parking lot on the right.

Westtown School

For: Local birds and early migrants

Place: Okehocking Preserve parking lot, 8:00 a.m.

Leaders: Bob Murray (610-644-5440, rmurray@murraymicro.com) and Lisa Tull (610-935-0817, pygmynut@comcast.net)

Note: Trip is an approximately two- to three-hour walk covering about 2 miles with some moderate hills.

Directions: From West Chester, take Route 3 East. After passing Route 926, at the next light (DelChester Road) make a u-turn and come back to the Okehocking Parking lot.

Okehocking Preserve

For: Learning the basics of birding by ear

Place: Parking lot by Pavilion #5 at Hibernia Park, 8:00 a.m.

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

Note: This trip is geared to beginner birders who would like to start to learn how to improve their birding skills by birding by ear. There will be a discussion of the basics followed by a short .6 mile walk over even terrain followed by a refresher of the birds heard on the walk. Trip will be between 1.5 and 2 hours.

Directions: From Downingtown, take Route 30 bypass to Reeceville Road exit (Brandywine Hospital). Turn left at end of exit ramp, thrn right onto Reeceville Road. Follow Reeceville Road until it crosses Route 82 and becomes Cedar Knoll Road. Follow Cedar Knoll Road to the second park entrance on the left. Turn left. Pavilion 5 is the first pavilion on the left.

Hibernia Park

For: Waterfowl, snipe

Place: Struble Lake Parking lot, 8:00 a.m.

Leader: Jim Russell (610-399-1580, jrussell73@verizon.net)

Note: This is a half day trip. There is minimal walking involved.  Due to Covid concerns, check with leader to confirm if a participant limit is in effect and if carpooling is occurring.

Directions: From Downingtown, take Route 322 west about 7 miles then take a slight right onto Chestnut Tree Road (after Sunoco gas tanks.) In about 3 miles bear left at stop sign onto Morgantown Road. The parking area for Struble Lake is 0.5 miles on the left.

Struble Lake

Marsh Creek State Park