Field Trips

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.

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: Migrants and resident birds

Place: Natural Lands' Binky Lee Preserve at 1445 Pikeland Road in Chester Springs, 8:00 a.m.

Leaders: Luc Jacobs (484-706-1999, jacobsluc52@yahoo.com)

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. The Google Maps coordinates are: 40.095808, -75.603413.

Binky Lee Preserve

For:  Migrants and local birds

Place: 1399 Schoff Rd, Atglen, PA 19310, 8:00 a.m. Meet at the parking lot; there is a Portapotty there.

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

Note: This will be a 2 hour walk through woods and fields

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

Wolf's Hollow Park 

For: Spring migrants, butterflies, etc.

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

Leader: 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

Place: At Preserve at 9:00 a.m or Carpool from Painter's Crossing departing at 7:15 a.m.

Leaders: Lois Bryman (610-399-4613, lbryman25@gmail.com)

Michael Huber Prairie Warbler Preserve

For: Early migrants

Place: Newlin Township Maintenance Building, 8:00 a.m.

Leaders: Judy Ford (610-486-6061, RareJBird@verizon.net) and Mike Gardner (484-880-7083, birdnerd@zoominternet.net)

Note: Approximately 3 hours, walking over mostly flat, marshy terrain, about 1-2 miles. Waterproof boots or shoes a must.

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. This is a half-day trip.

Cheslen Preserve

Newlin Township Building map

For: Migrants and resident birds

Place: Wedgewood Rd. parking lot, 7:45 a.m. (39.715200, -75.7603524)

Leader: Bob Murray (610-644-5440, rmurraymmi@gmail.com)

Note: The walk will be on an abandoned railroad bed, along the banks of White Clay Creek, which forms a section of the Mason-Dixon trail. We will cover a total distance of about 3 miles. There will be bathroom facilities at the Nature Center, which is at the midpoint of the walk. We will finish up before noon.

Note: The park charges a fee of $8 per vehicle.

Directions: Call leader for directions if not carpooling.

Carpooling: Meet at Painters Crossing, PA, on the northwest corner of US Routes 1 and 202. Departure time 7:00 a.m.

White Clay Creek

For: Summer residents, butterflies, etc.

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

Leaders: Barry Blust (610-458-5616, barryblust@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 162 west for about 2 miles and turn left onto North Creek Road. The parking lot is on the right.

Stroud Preserve