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.

Also there is a small wooded park, Jane I Reed Park, located a short walk from the schoolhouse if anyone would like to do a short birding walk. The park has a path about a .3 mile loop in the woods and it is about a .4 mile walk to the park, so allow 1 - 1.5 hours if you want to do a bird walk. If anyone is interested, let us know and we can try to set up something more formal for people to join together for the walk.

Parking: In the East Bradford township building lot, across from the schoolhouse. There is also a large lot on the north side of Copeland School Rd, before the stop sign. If you have to park there, use caution crossing Copeland School Rd. Please try the township building lot first, it should hold everyone.

For: Summer Residents

Place: 28 Moores Road, Elverson, PA, 8:00 a.m.

Leader: Barry Blust. 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 or donations at the door. Note that the day has been shifted from Sunday to Saturday this month.

Note: Join local birder Barry Blust as he guides 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.

For: Shorebirds, herons and summer residents

Place: Bombay Hook NWR Headquarters, 8:30 a.m.

Leaders: 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

For: Summer Residents & Early Migrants

Place: 28 Moores Road, Elverson, PA, 8:00 a.m.

Leader: Mike Coulter. 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 or donations at the door. Note that the time has been shifted an hour earlier this month.

Note: Join local birding expert Mike Coulter as he guides 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.

For: Early migrants such as Common Nighthawk

Place: Exton Park, 6:00 p.m.

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.

This 1-2 mile evening walk along level earthen paths will cover about a mile and take about 2 hours. Restrooms are available at the parking area where we will meet. This field trip is a collaboration between WCBC and Valley Forge Audubon Society.
Directions: Meet at the trailhead parking area for the Chester Valley Trail off of Church Farm Lane, NOT at the gravel lot on Swedesford Rd.

Exton Park

For:  Fall migrants and resident birds

Place: : 1 Park Rd. Coatesville, PA

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.

This outing will cover about 2 miles and will last approximately 2-3 hours. There is a modern restroom at the park office, where we will meet. This field trip is a collaboration between WCBC and Valley Forge Audubon Society.

Directions: We will meet at the park office near the mansion off of Park Rd.

Hibernia Park