Please contact trip leader in advance if you are planning to go on a field trip.

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  • The Great Marsh

    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, Venmo, or cash donations at the door.

    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.

  • 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 with one stream crossing.

    Directions: Route 202 South to Rt. 92 just over the state line.  Turn right onto Route 92 then follow it as it turns to the left.  Then 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.

  • Turkey Point, Elk Neck State Park, North East, MD

    For: Migrants and resident birds

    Place: Royal Farms at the junction of US Route 40 & MD Route 781. On the eastern side of Elkton, on the north side of Route 40, 7:30 a.m.

    Leader: Armas Hill (302-529-1876, Armas@focusonnature.com)

    Note: A walk to the marsh and other habitats at Elk Landing, the Elk River Park, and then to the Elk Neck State Forest including the arboretum. Lastly to the Elk Neck State Park, at the head of the Chesapeake Bay, one of the best places in the Mid-Atlantic for bird migration in the late summer and fall. Mostly songbirds and raptors. The walk should be completed around noon, and afternoon birding may be available if people wish to continue. If so, bring a lunch. There is a bathroom in the state park.

    Directions: Route 95 south to Delaware 896 south. Turn right on Rt. 40 to the parking lot at the intersection of Rts. 40 and 781.

    Elk Neck State Park
    Turkey Point Lighthouse

  • The Great Marsh

    For: Late Summer Residents & Fall 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, Venmo, or cash donations at the door.

    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.

  • Cape May, Cape May, NJ

    For: Fall migrants, warblers, shorebirds and waterfowl

    Google MapPlace for Saturday: Cape May Point State Park Lighthouse parking lot, 7:30 a.m.

    Google MapPlace for Sunday: Higbee Beach parking lot, 7:00 a.m.

    Leaders: Barry Blust (610-996-7913, barryblust@comcast.net)

    Note: Contact Barry for details. Please make your own reservations if you plan on staying overnight.

    Note: This trip involves considerable walking, 2 to 4 miles each day, over relatively flat terrain, but some walking in sand will be involved. Please join us both days or either day.

    Cape May Bird Observatory

    Cape May Point State Park

  • Introduction to Wildlife Photography

    Zoom

    Troy Bynum

    Join this introductory photography workshop and unlock the secrets of digital photography! This hands-on course delves into the essentials of Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO, empowering participants with a solid foundation on digital photography basics. Explore Exposure Compensation, Auto-Focus, Metering, and more, while mastering important terminology and troubleshooting techniques.
     
    Perfect for beginners and seasoned photographers alike, this workshop cultivates the skills needed to capture images with your unique artistic flair. By the end, you’ll confidently use manual settings to photograph wildlife and diverse subjects. The information covered in this course is applicable across various camera types – DSLR, mirrorless, bridge, superzoom, and even your phone. Elevate your photography journey with this workshop!
     
    Participants should bring a camera with a fully charged battery and the instruction/user manual for use during the hands-on portions.

     

    Troy Bynum, owner of TB Wildlife Photography LLC, is not only an enthusiastic birder but also a passionate wildlife photographer from Philadelphia, PA. Troy’s work focuses on capturing and showcasing the remarkable colors, intricate patterns, and rich textures that are abundant throughout the natural world. In his work, Troy draws attention to the oftentimes overlooked naturally occurring beauty found in the wild. Troy is on a mission to accentuate and celebrate the inherent magnificence of nature.

     

    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.

  • Chester County Parks Birding Series – Wolf’s Hollow

    For:  Migrants and resident birds

    Place: 1399 Schoff Rd, Atglen, PA 19310, 8:00 a.m.

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

    Note: Paths are both earthen and paved and gently rolling. We will travel 1-2 miles over 2-3 hours. There is a portable restroom on site. This field trip is a collaboration between WCBC and VFAS.

    Directions: Go west on Strasburg Road to Parkesburg, then south on 10 to Highland Drive. Turn right and go 3.4 miles to the intersection with Schoff Rd, then turn right on Schoff and go 1 mile to the park entrance on the right.

    Wolf's Hollow Park 

  • Barrett’s Meadow, Thornbury Township, PA

    For: Migrating and local birds

    Place: Barrett's Meadow, 8:30 a.m.

    Leader:  John Mercer (484-459-2062, mercer1135@aol.com)

    Note: Plenty of parking, no restrooms though. This will be a walk for Thornbury township open to all, especially beginners. This spot can be good for fall sparrows. It is only about 1 mile of easy although sometimes wet walking.

    Directions: At the corner of Creek Road and Tanguy Road in Cheyney, PA

     

  • Perched on the Edge: Birds of Newfoundland & Labrador

    Jared Clarke

    Join us for an overview of birds & birding at the eastern edge of Canada & North America. From spectacular seabird colonies to lush boreal forests and puffins to warblers, Newfoundland & Labrador offers a unique blend of habitats and a wide diversity of birds - along with may other natural and cultural highlights to enjoy along the way.

     

    Jared Clarke grew up on the northeast coast of Newfoundland and was introduced to the outdoors at a very young age, mostly by his grandfathers. Always a nature enthusiast, he became interested in birds while working for a local conservation group. Jared soon became one of the most avid birders in the province. Despite his “official” training as a health researcher (Ph.D. Medicine), his love of nature and sharing it with others increasingly led him astray. He currently runs a small bird and nature tour business, called Bird•The•Rock, and routinely leads trips at home and abroad for various tour companies. You can follow his adventures at www.birdtherock.com.

     

    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.

  • Bird migration in the Anthropocene: Opportunities and Challenges Defining the State of the Art in Studying Bird Movements

    Andrew Farnsworth

    BirdCast is a collaborative project that employs the expertises of computer scientists and ornithologists to harness the power of big data to study movements of birds and, more broadly, capture the spectacle of bird migration. I will be speaking about monitoring bird migration with data collected by citizen scientists and the US weather surveillance radar network to forecast where, when, and how many birds will migrate and to observe these movements in near real-time at a continental scale. I will discuss magnitudes and extents of migration, challenges of monitoring birds' nocturnal movements at scales relevant to their biology, and ways we use radar to remotely sense interconnected patterns in time and space. Birds truly represent dynamic and global communities, and recent trends in methods and analyses showcase what may be the future of bird migration research and conservation to study birds' complex roles in terrestrial, aerial, and aquatic systems. In the age of big data and observation, the potential of what remains for us to learn is inspiring.

     

    Andrew Farnsworth is a Visiting Scientist in the Center for Avian Population Studies at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Andrew began birding at age 5 and quickly developed his long-standing fascinations with bird migration. His current research applies remote sensing technologies, including weather surveillance radar, audio and video recording and monitoring tools, citizen science datasets, and machine learning techniques, to study bird movements. Andrew received his BS in Natural Resources from Cornell, MS in Zoology from Clemson University, and PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Cornell University. He lives in New York, NY with his wife Patti and two daughters Aja and Elle. Andrew is also active in his family foundation, whose mission includes support for climate change education, promoting women's health and rights, children's education, and land conservation. He is also a musician when time and space allow.

     

    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.

  • The Great Marsh

    For: Fall Migrants & Early Winter Residents

    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, Venmo, or cash donations at the door.

    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.

  • Chester County Parks Birding Series – Black Rock Sanctuary

    For: Fall Residents

    Place: 953 Black Rock Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460, 8:00 a.m.

    Leader: John Mercer (484-459-2062, mercer1135@aol.com)

    Note:  This outing will cover about 1-2 miles through woods and fields and will last approximately 2 hours.  A portable restroom is available on site.  This field trip is a collaboration between WCBC and Valley Forge Audubon Society.

    Directions: From Route 202N take route 29 towards Phoenixville. Turn left on to Main Street. After crossing the bridge, turn Right on High then left on Dayton Street which becomes Route 113. Follow Rt. 113 to Park on right side.

    Black Rock Sanctuary