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

Views Navigation

Event Views Navigation

Today

River of Raptors – Veracruz, Mexico with Pronatura

For: Raptors especially the migration of Swainson's Hawks plus local and migrating birds of Central Mexico.

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

Note1:  The primary target of this trip is to view the amazing raptor migration in Veracruz, Mexico. This is the count site for the "River of Raptors", the largest raptor migration in the world. Swainson's Hawks make up the majority of the migrants but many other hawk species will be moving with them. Besides going to the hawk watches, local guides from Pronatura (the nonprofit that runs the raptor counts in Veracruz) will take us to several other locations to find birds. Some of these are Juan Angel beach, Villa Rica Lagoon, the Quiahuixtlan ruins, Highlands of Perote, and Las Barrancas, a grassland and wetlands. A visit to the Museum of Anthropology of Xalapa and boat trip on la Antigua river are included. Some of the birds that may be found include Aplomado Falcon, Blue Mockingbird, Bearded Wood-partridge, Blue-capped Motmot, Green Jay, Elegant Euphonia, Red Warbler, Golden-browed Warbler, Crescent-chested Warbler, Lucifer Hummingbird, Mexican Violetear, Mountain Trogon, Olivaceus Woodcreeper, Black-headed Nightingale Thrush, Yellow Headed Parrot, Lineated Woodpecker and Canivet's Emerald.

Note2: This trip will be limited to 12 participants and has a minimum of 6 participants. Costs will be dependent on the number of participants. Early registration with the leader is important. If you are interested in doing this trip, even if you are not sure, please let the leader 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 any if you decide to go last minute.

Note3: Price range estimate. The price includes hotels, food and drinks except alcohol and transportation. It does not include tips for the guides, driver or maids if you are so inclined. Needless to say, I would like to get this to 10 people, it is a fantastic trip, that you can learn more about on May 1 when I give my presentation Veracruz, The River of Raptors with Hawk Mountain to the WCBC. If you have any interest in raptors, this is a trip you should do at least once in your lifetime.
10-12 people Single: $2900, Double $2700
8-9 people: Single 3500 Double $3300
6-7 people: Single $4700 Double $4400

The Veracruz River of Raptors Success Story
Veracruz River of Raptors

Event Series Every Thursday Morning Exton Park, Exton, PA

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

Event Series Every Thursday Morning Exton Park, Exton, PA

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

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 or 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.

Event Series Every Thursday Morning Exton Park, Exton, PA

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

Event Series Every Thursday Morning Exton Park, Exton, PA

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

Endangered Species & Erie Bird Observatory at Presque Isle State Park 

Mary Birdsong
 

Join Erie Bird Observatory’s Mary Birdsong, who will introduce us to EBO’s mission and programs and provide a recap of the 2023 nesting season for endangered Great Lakes Piping Plovers and Common Terns at Gull Point, Presque Isle State Park. She will also share general information about birding the park.

 

Mary Birdsong is co-founder and Lead Shorebird Monitor for Erie Bird Observatory. She has been monitoring shorebirds, particularly Piping Plovers since 2015. She active in Presque Isle Audubon, is also a freelance writer and artist. She shares her home with her husband Mike Plyler and two gray tabby cats, and is the proud Busia to three granddaughters. 

 

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.

Event Series Every Thursday Morning Exton Park, Exton, PA

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

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 our 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.

Event Series Every Thursday Morning Exton Park, Exton, PA

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

Frosty Forests and Frozen Fields:  Winter Birrrding in Ontario

Wayne Laubsher
 

Going north in the winter for birdwatching?  Yes!  It's quality more so than quantity as this program highlights the various far northern specialty bird species that appear in Ontario and even the northeastern U.S. during certain winters.  Irruptive species of raptors and finches, wintering northern species of waterfowl and gulls, and the occasional western vagrants will be covered.  Where and when to find them and reasons why they show up so far south of their normal range will also be discussed.  The emphasis of the program will be on the areas of southern and eastern Ontario and also a few nearby areas in Quebec.

 

Wayne is the Clinton County compiler for the PA Birds publication and a member of the Lycoming Audubon Society board as well as the Northcentral PA Conservancy Technical Committee. He also coordinates the Audubon CBC centered in the Lock Haven area. He is a native of the Lock Haven area in Clinton County, residing in Swissdale. Some of Wayne’s recent work was as a bio aide for the PA Game Commission. Since 2019 he has been the Mosquito Disease Control Coordinator for Centre, Clinton, and Clearfield Counties conducting WNV surveillance. Wayne also bands owls and hummingbirds in his spare time.

 

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.