Upcoming Events › Field Trips

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) and Judy White (610-429-1409, jwhite133@comcast.net)

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: 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: Waterfowl, snipe

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

Leader: Jim Russell (610-399-1580)

Note: This is a half day trip. There is minimal walking involved.

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

For: Seasonal birds

Place: Exton Park, 8:30 a.m.

Leader: Various leaders in conjunction with Friends of Exton Park

Note: Formerly known as Church Farm Pond and now a part of Exton Park, this pond and surrounding wetland had been a popular birding spot for years.

Directions: From the intersection of Routes 30 and 202, drive west along Route 30 and turn right on Valley Creek Blvd. At the end of the road, make a left on Swedesford Road and park in the gravel parking lot on your left where the perimeter trail starts. This is a 1.5 mile walk and will take between 1.5 and 2 hours.

Exton Park

For: Vireos, warblers and other passerines

Place: Lorimer Preserve parking lot, 8:00 a.m. Rain date: April 25, 2020.

Leaders: Grant Lashbrook (610-883-6807) and
Dean Lashbrook (610-213-0602, forestgreen39@hotmail.com )

Note: Half-day trip. This is a fairly easy walk of about 2 miles that goes down and back up a slight grade that will take around 3 hours

Directions: Turn into gravel driveway off North Valley Road north of Paoli, 0.4 miles north of Swedesford Road between Route 29 and Route 252.

George Lorimer Preserve

For: Seasonal birds

Place: Exton Park, 8:30 a.m.

Leader: Various leaders in conjunction with Friends of Exton Park

Note: Formerly known as Church Farm Pond and now a part of Exton Park, this pond and surrounding wetland had been a popular birding spot for years.

Directions: From the intersection of Routes 30 and 202, drive west along Route 30 and turn right on Valley Creek Blvd. At the end of the road, make a left on Swedesford Road and park in the gravel parking lot on your left where the perimeter trail starts. This is a 1.5 mile walk and will take between 1.5 and 2 hours.

Exton Park

For: Migrants and resident birds

Place: Parking lot on Pikeland Road just off Route 113, 8:00 a.m.

Leaders: Bob Pierce (610-594-0625, rwp61@verizon.net)

Note: This will be a 3 to 4 hour walk covering about 2.5 miles with a decent grade at one point. We will be looking for resident and migrating birds including Bobolinks, Yellow-breasted Chats and sparrows in grass fields and shaded woodland paths.

Directions: Call or email the leader for directions or use the link below.

Binky Lee Preserve

For: Migrants and resident birds

Place: Manor House 860 Springton Rd, Glenmoore, PA, 8:00 a.m.

Leaders: Kris Debolt and Peter Wade (215-219-5637, wadedeb@verizon.net)

Note: This will be a 3 to 4 hour walk. This walk is in conjunction with BCDC.

Directions: Take Rt. 322 West through Guthriesville, take a soft right onto Springton Road at traffic light, Cross Highspire Road, continue .5 miles to to park entrance on right.

Springton Manor Farm

For: Spring migrants, butterflies, etc.

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

Leaders: Kathy Mullen (610-594-9338, k.mullen.518@gmail.com)

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

Note: From West Chester, take Route 162 west for about 2 miles and turn left onto North Creek Road. The parking lot is on the right.

Stroud Preserve

For: Seasonal birds

Place: Exton Park, 8:30 a.m.

Leader: Various leaders in conjunction with Friends of Exton Park

Note: Formerly known as Church Farm Pond and now a part of Exton Park, this pond and surrounding wetland had been a popular birding spot for years.

Directions: From the intersection of Routes 30 and 202, drive west along Route 30 and turn right on Valley Creek Blvd. At the end of the road, make a left on Swedesford Road and park in the gravel parking lot on your left where the perimeter trail starts. This is a 1.5 mile walk and will take between 1.5 and 2 hours.

Exton Park