Calendar of Events › Field Trips

For: Migrants and resident birds

Place: Parking lot off of Ramsey Rd., 8:00 a.m.

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

Note: A walk along the Brandywine Creek in Delaware. The walk is about 2 miles over fairly even terrain with one stream crossing.

Directions: Route 202 South to Rt. 92 just over the state line. Turn right onto Route 92 then follow it to the left. Take the first right on to Ramsey Rd. Look for the parking area on the right.

For: Migrants and resident birds

Place: Wedgewood Rd. parking lot, 7:45 a.m.

Leader: Bob Murray (610-644-5440, rmurray@murraymicro.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: Due to Covid concerns, check with leader to confirm if carpooling is occurring. 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: Spring migrants, butterflies, etc.

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

Leader: 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

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: There will be some walking involved, about 1 to 2 miles over mostly flat, marshy terrain. Waterproof boots or shoes a must. After the marsh, we’ll bird along the Brandywine around Embreeville.

Directions: The 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: More advanced practice at birding by ear

Place: Hibernia Park parking lot by pond on Lion Head Rd., 8:30 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 for everyone who would like to practice and improve their birding by ear skills. We start the day with a walk along the creek to picnic tables where we will review the birds heard. Then we will walk back along the creek listening for birds again. The total walking is about .4 miles, but the session can take up to two hours or more depending on the number of birds heard.

Directions: From Downingtown, take Route 30 bypass to Route 82 north (left turn). At the next left, turn onto Route 340 west. Go about 1.5 miles and turn right onto Wagontown Road. Follow Wagontown Road around to Park Road. (Be careful, at one point it seems Wagontown ends in a tee, but it continues to the right. Turn right onto Lyons Head Drive (between the pillars with lion faces on them.) Follow Lyons Head Drive until you see the pond on the right, the parking area is after the pond.

Hibernia Park

For: Spring migrants, 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

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: Migrants and resident birds

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

Leaders: Rick Wolf (610-933-6414, randewolf@icloud.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.

Binky Lee Preserve

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, about 0.4 miles north of Swedesford Road between Route 29 and Route 252.

George Lorimer Preserve

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