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ChesLen Preserve (formerly Embreeville County Park), PA

For: Early migrants

Google MapPlace: 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

Every Thursday Morning Exton Park, Exton, PA

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

White Clay Creek, Newark, DE

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

Even More Recent Discoveries About Migratory Bird Ecology Using Radar and Telemetry

Jeff Buler

Dr. Buler will share highlights of recent and ongoing research by his lab and colleagues in the field of aeroecology: the study of the ecology of flying animals aloft. He will talk about how he uses radar and telemetry technologies to make new discoveries into 1) how the Mid-West corn belt is a man-made migration barrier for forest birds, 2) the aquatic nature of Purple Martins in our region, and 3) the reintroduction of Northern Bobwhites into Pennsylvania.

 

Jeff Buler is a Professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. His broad research interests include avian ecology, landscape ecology, remote-sensing, and conservation biology. Dr. Buler established the Aeroecology Program at the University of Delaware in 2011. He is an international leader in the development of novel methods and software for using weather surveillance radars to study the broad-scale distribution, movement, and habitat use patterns of birds, insects, and bats.

 

Note: This meeting will be held in person at the meeting house and via Zoom. Zoom signon will start at 7:15 to enable the meeting to begin at 7:30.

Stroud Preserve, Chester County, PA

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

Every Thursday Morning Exton Park, Exton, PA

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

For: Migrants and resident birds

Google MapPlace: Natural Lands Trust Building at 1199 Cannery Rd. Coatesville, PA 8:00 a.m.

Leaders: Cathy Huneke (610-368-2275, cathyhuneke@hotmail.com)

Note: We will walk the Yellow Trail, about 3 miles. There is a bathroom on site.

Directions: Take Rt. 842 south toward Unionville. Second road after Barnard’s Orchard take a right on to Cannery Road. The driveway to the Natural Land’s Lenfest Center is on the left. Park by the Center.

Cheslen Preserve

Ramsey Road, Wilmington, DE

For: Migrants and resident birds

Place: Parking lot off of Ramsey Rd., 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. New bridge over 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. In GPS, navigate to Ramsey's Farm, Ramsey Road, Wilmington, DE.  The parking lot is across the street from the entrance.

Every Thursday Morning Exton Park, Exton, PA

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

Sullivan County, PA

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 $140 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

The Great Marsh

For: Spring Migrants

Place: 28 Moores Road, Elverson, PA, 7:00 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.