Stroud Preserve, Chester County, PA
2026-05-05 08:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York)
For: Summer residents, butterflies, etc.
Place: Stroud Preserve parking lot, 8:00 a.m.
Leaders: Armas Hill (302-529-1876, Armas@focusonnature.com)
Note: Trip is an approximately two- to three-hour walk covering about 2 miles with some moderate hills.
Directions: 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

Every Thursday Morning Exton Park, Exton, PA
2026-05-07 08:30 - 10:30, 2026-05-14 08:30 - 10:30, 2026-05-21 08:30 - 10:30, 2026-05-28 08:30 - 10:30, 2026-06-04 08:30 - 10:30, 2026-06-11 08:30 - 10:30, 2026-06-18 08:30 - 10:30, 2026-06-25 08:30 - 10:30 and 13 more dates
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

ChesLen Preserve
2026-05-09 08:00 - 12:00
For: Migrants and resident birds
Place: Newlin Township Maintenance Building 8:00 a.m.
Leaders: Cathy Huneke (610-368-2275, cathyhuneke@hotmail.com)
Note: From NLT building, we will walk the fields and woods, with some hills. We will walk the Purple Trail, about 3 miles. There is NO bathroom on site.
Directions: The Newlin Twp Bldg parking lot (1751 Embreeville Rd Coatesville PA 19320) is west of West Chester, on PA Rte 162, directly across from the marsh.
Cheslen Preserve

First State National Historic Park (formerly Ramsey Road), Wilmington, DE
2026-05-10 08:00 - 10:30
For: Migrants and resident birds
Place: Smith Bridge Parking Lot, 8:00 a.m.
Leader: Carol Majors (484-883-8311, carolmajors@gmail.com)
Note: A walk along the Brandywine Creek in Delaware. The walk is about 2 miles over fairly even terrain.
Directions: Route 202 South to Smithbridge Road. Turn right onto Smithbridge Road. Turn left onto Brandywine Creek Road. The parking lot is .3 miles on the right. GPS coordinates are 39°49’59.7″N 75°34’29.7″W. In Google Maps, navigate to “Smith’s Bridge Parking Lot, FSNHP Parking”. It is a large parking lot, and we will meet at the south end. New restrooms have been installed in the parking lot.

Fortescue Beach and Belleplain State Forest, NJ
2026-05-14 08:00 - 17:00
For: Shorebirds, migrants
Place: Multiple Cumberland County hotspots, 8:00 a.m.
Leader: Bruce Piecukonis (610-247-2205, Pterodroma@comcast.net)
Note: We will visit locations in the state forest and along Delaware Bay looking for passerine migrants and shorebirds. Bring along a lunch.
Directions: Meet at Wawa at the intersection of NJ Routes 47 and 347 (3904 NJ-47, Dorchester, NJ 08316). NOTE: this is a full-service Wawa.

E.B. Forsythe (Brigantine) NWR, NJ
2026-05-16 08:00 - 17:00
For: Shorebirds, herons
Place: Forsythe NWR Headquarters, 8:00 a.m.
Leaders: Bruce Piecukonis (610-247-2205, Pterodroma@comcast.net)
Note: Meet at Forsythe at 8:00 a.m. Minimal walking involved. Bring a lunch, this is an all day trip.
Directions: Meet at the refuge headquarters parking area (800 Great Creek Rd, Galloway, NJ 08205).
E.B. Forsythe NWR, NJ

The Great Marsh
2026-05-17 08:00 - 11:00
For: Spring Migrants
Place: 28 Moores Road, Elverson, PA, 7:00 a.m.
Leader: TBD. If you plan to attend please email the Great Marsh Institute at lori@greatmarshinstitute.org to let them know to expect you. This will help them to organize and keep groups small. This event is free but donations are always welcome via Paypal, Venmo, or cash donations at the door.
Note: Join a local birding expert who will guide us through the Great Marsh, an ancient periglacial marsh and the largest marsh in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
This event is hosted by the Great Marsh Institute, a non-profit with the mission of supporting scientific studies and educational opportunities for all! This event is free, but donations of any amount are welcome to support the Institute! For full trip details see here. This will be about a 3 hour walk. Conditions could be muddy and very wet so wear appropriate footwear.
Please note that the property is private but you can always visit during our planned trips.
Directions: The marsh is off of Rt. 401 four miles northwest of Rt. 100 at Ludwig’s Corner. Lat/Long = 40.127651, -75.767697 or use 28 Moores Road for GPS directions. Meet at the grassy parking area at the top of the hill near 28 Moores Road. Once you turn off of Rt. 401 on to Moore’s Road proceed 1/4 mile along the gravel road. You will cross a bridge and at the 1/4 mile mark make a right up the hill on the paved part of the drive. This is the first right after the bridge. At the top of the hill you should see other cars parked in the meeting area.

Hopewell Big Woods, French Creek State Park, Douglassville, PA
2026-06-07 08:00 - 12:30
For: The birds that inhabit this rare meadow terrain, such as Chat, Prairie and Blue-winged Warbler.
Place: 165 Center Rd. Douglassville, PA, 8:00 a.m.
Leaders: Jared Brandt (jabrandt@pa.gov), and Sheila Martin (610-858-6005, sheilamartin554@gmail.com)
Note: Join West Chester bird club and State Park Staff for a morning of birding along the ADA accessible Hopewell Big Woods trail. During the walk we will be spotting the birds that inhabit this rare meadow terrain. This trail is plentiful with indigo buntings, yellow breasted chats, and summer season warblers such as prairie and blue winged warblers. This is the best time of year to get a view of these birds! The walk will be easy terrain with some inclines. Binoculars provided for participants who do not have any.
Directions: The most direct route is to take Rt 100 N to Rt 724 W then, just before entering Birdsboro, go left on Center Rd to parking on the left.
Do not use the website below for directions, they will take you to the wrong place.
Hopewell Big Woods

Willisbrook Preserve, Malvern, PA
2026-06-13 08:00 - 12:00
For: Summer residents
Place: Lot .25 miles south of Paoli Pike (at the soccer field lot), 8:00 a.m.
Leaders: Sue Vanasse (484-459-4189, hsvanasse@verizon.net)
Note: Half-day trip, approximately a 3 mile walk over relatively flat terrain in both woods and open fields. Trail can be muddy, with roots, so wear sturdy shoes. There is a portable bathroom in the lot.
Directions: From Routes 202 and Paoli Pike, take Paoli Pike east between 3.5 and 4 miles to Line Road. Turn right on Line Road. Turn left into the soccer field parking lot.
Willisbrook Preserve

WCBC Annual Summer Picnic
2026-07-18 18:00 - 21:00
For: Good times!
Place & Time: Copeland School, 674 Copeland School Road, West Chester, PA, 6:00 p.m.
Hosts: Randy and Janet Aylam (aylamrs@verizon.net))
Notes: Covered dish picnic. As is our custom, the picnic will be pot luck. Everyone should bring some food to share and drinks for yourself. Please bring non-disposable plates and cutlery to avoid waste. There will be tables and chairs available in the building.
Please contact the hosts to let them know you are coming so they can prepare the tables for seating.
Directions: From West Chester, take Rt. 322 by-pass towards Downingtown. On the by-pass, stay in the right lane, to be able to turn right at Copeland School Rd. at the next light. On Copeland School Rd., turn left at the stop sign by the ball fields. Park at the top of the hill.

Bombay Hook NWR and Points South, DE
2026-08-08 08:30 - 20:00
For: Shorebirds, herons and summer residents
Place: Bombay Hook NWR Headquarters, 8:30 a.m.
Leader: John Mercer (484-459-2062, mercer1135@aol.com)
Note: This is an all day trip that will start at Bombay Hook and go South as far as we can get before we stop for dinner at a local restaurant and head home. Bring lunch. Minimal walking involved.
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.
Carpooling: Meet at Painters Crossing, PA, on the northwest corner of US Routes 1 and 202. Departure time 7:00 a.m.
Bombay Hook NWR

Turkey Point, Elk Neck State Park, North East, MD
2026-09-15 07:30 - 12:00
For: Migrants and resident birds
Place: : Parking lot at end or Route 272, 8:00 a.m.
Leader: Armas Hill (302-529-1876, Armas@focusonnature.com)
Note: A walk to Turkey Point in Elkton State Park, one of the best places in the Mid-Atlantic for bird migration in the late summer and fall. Mostly songbirds and raptors. The walk should be back to the parking lot around noon. Afternoon birding may be available if people wish to continue. There is a bathroom by the lighthouse.
Directions: Route 95 S to Maryland Route 272 south which takes you right to the parking lot.
Elk Neck State Park
Turkey Point Lighthouse

Cape May, Cape May, NJ
2026-10-03 07:30 - 2026-10-04 17:00
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.
Leaders: Barry Blust (610-996-7913, 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
