Field Trips

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 with a bridge to cross a stream.

Directions: Route 202 South to Smithbridge Road. Turn right onto Smithbridge Road.  At the end of 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 Bridge Parking Lot'.  It is a large parking lot, and we will meet at the south end.  There is a porta-potty at the entrance.

For: Shorebirds, herons

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

Leaders: Bruce Piecukonis (610-354-9471, 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

For: Migrating kites and shorebirds

Place: Bucktoe Creek Preserve parking lot, Kennett Square, PA, 3:00 p.m.

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

Note: Join Larry as he searches the skies for migrating kites and shorebirds. The watch goes every day from May 17 thru June 6 from 3:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The club will join Larry on May 24. People can come and go as they want and are welcome to join Larry any of the days he is at the 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: Migrants and resident birds

Place: TBD

Leader: John Mercer (484-459-2062, mercer1135@aol.com), Patty & John Werth (pattyww@comcast.net)

Note: The Chester County Parks system has seven wonderful parks which provide excellent birdwatching opportunities.  Join us as we explore all seven of the parks, one per month, in 2024 & 2025.

Directions: TBD

For: Local Birds

Place: Pavilion 4 Lot 790 Cedar Knoll Rd.

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

Note: 3 hr. trip, about 2 miles in mostly flat field or hard dirt paths

Directions: From Downingtown, take the Rt. 30 Bypass west, to exit for Rt. 82 north. Exit ramp, go left on Rt. 82 to the top of the hill then take a left onto Cedar Knoll Rd. Proceed about 1.9 miles to second park entrance on left, #790. DO NOT go to #720 which is the first entrance to the park.

Hibernia Park

For: Summer residents

Place: Lot .5 miles south of Paoli Pike (Not ball fields 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. Go past the soccer field parking to the preserve parking, about ½ mile.

Willisbrook Preserve

For: Warblers, Sandhill Cranes, Whip-poor-will and other upstate specialties

Place: Hotel Dushore, Friday, 1:00 p.m  to Sunday 12:00 p.m.

Leaders: Armas Hill (302-529-1876, Armas@focusonnature.com) and John Mercer (484-459-2062, mercer1135@aol.com)

Note:  This is a two-night trip, with accommodations at Hotel Dushore.  The rooms will be roughly $160 per night.  We will meet Friday at the hotel at 1:00pm, bird part of the day Friday, all day Saturday and Sunday until noon.  We have rooms for 8 people tentatively reserved. Some rooms have two twin beds so people can share to save costs, but most have only one queen, so we will be limited in the number of participants.  Early registration with the leaders is important. If you are interested in doing this trip, even if you are not sure, please let the leaders know as soon as possible so we save the correct number and mix of rooms before they sell out. There is time to cancel the reservations if you change your mind but may not be a chance to add a room if you decide to go last minute. Once at the Hotel, we will try to carpool if feasible.

Directions: From Interstate Route 80, take 42 north to Route 220 to Dushore Hotel.

Hotel Dushore