Field trips

 Trip report from Linda Ingram:

After a streak of warm and sunny days, Sunday morning was clouded with light rain.  Remarkably, seven intrepid BOC birders gathered for our walk.  For a few it was a first-time visit to this open location which has become increasingly popular for field species and yields respectable numbers of woodland residents and migrants.  But not quite today.  As the rain shifted from drizzle to put-your-hood-up, we stalwartly phished and scanned the tall grasses adjacent to the trail.  Efforts were abandoned an hour into the morning, a respectable 17 species were sighted; including the spectacle of 133 robins in a few large flocks, flights and a perched flock of cedar waxwings totaling 40, a lone fox sparrow.

We will return here in the spring.

 View the eBird checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S121992037 

8:00 am 

Wide trail meanders through open fields bordered by woodland. Previous seasons were excellent for field and edge species, including late migrants and wintering birds. Meet at trail parking lot on Center Rd. adjacent to Union Twp. maintenance facility. Coordinators: Linda Ingram 610-621-7473, Peter & Jane Wolfe. Meeting Location: 165 Center Road, Douglassville PA 19518

Immature Song Sparrow photo by Mike Slater

 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Peak time for accipiter and falcon migration. Bald Eagles and Ospreys will probably be seen. Stay for a short time or all day. Bring a folding chair, lunch and non-alcoholic beverages. Experienced hawk watchers will help you identify birds.  Meet at the State Hill Boat Launch, Blue Marsh Lake, accessed from Brownsville Rd. Park in the first lot on the right at the top of the hill after you enter.  Coordinator: Russ Hoffman 484-794-7053, russhoff@yahoo.com  

Bald Eagle photo by Art Zdancewic 

 10:00 am

We will take a trip back through time with a visit to the Conservation History Museum at the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area's Visitors Center.  We will learn about the history of the Pennsylvania Game Commission and how conservation efforts have evolved since the commission's founding in 1895.  Meet in the parking lot at the Center to tour the museum. Participants can afterwards bird around Middle Creek.  Bill Uhrich, 610-698-1575.

Meeting Location: 100 Museum Rd, Stevens, PA 17578

2 Adult Bald Eagles at Middle Creek photo by Mike Slater

 8:00 am

Look for ducks, geese, grebes and other waterbirds at Berks County’s premier site for this group of birds. Meet at the dam on Rt. 73 between Rts. 61 and 222. We will carpool to other locations around the lake as time permits. Coordinator: Dale Beitzel  610-763-4330 , callpj07@verizon.net  

Meeting Location: at the west end of the dam on Rt. 73 between Rts. 61 and 222. (Lake Shore Dr, Shoemakersville, PA 19555, 40.4468, -75.9325) 

 Flash Birdwalk 

at Union Meadows East

FRIDAY OCTOBER 14TH 

at 8:00 am 

As we had hoped, we had good looks at many sparrows including Swamp, White-crowned, Lincoln's plus the regular ones like Song and White-throated.

We had a nice comparison of Downy and Hairy woodpeckers together on one tree which Russ Hoffman captured in the photo above! The full ebird checklist is here. 

Afterwards some of us went to the 2 year old butterfly meadow at Union Meadows west and got to enjoy over 100 American Goldfinches eating the seeds of the native perennial Swamp Sunflower (Helianthus giganteus)

as shown on our eBird list

We met at Union Meadows East parking lot, trailhead for the Schuylkill River Trail,  Rte.724/East Main St. in Monocacy, 2 miles east of Birdsboro. 

Coordinator: Mike Slater paplantings@gmail.com Meeting Location: 100 Campbell Ford Road, Douglassville PA 19518 

October 11 (Tuesday) Kernsville Dam Recreation Area - Desilting Basin 8:00 am

This recently augmented wetland habitat is continuing to produce interesting sightings. 

Coordinator Mike Slater was joined by 6 other birder for a lovely morning of birding. Even though the air was cold at the beginning the sun warmed thing up to a comfortable temperature.

The highlight was many amazing, close looks at palm warblers on the trail. We saw 46 species which are on the group's eBird checklist here. 

Afterwards four of us stopped at the storm-water detention pond at Hamburg Commerce Park off Rte 61 and saw some sandpipers, including a White-rumped, 3 pectoral and l0 least sandpipers along with 23 killdeer.  Some of Mike's video of them feeding is here and there are more pictures on 

the eBird Checklist

Photo of a palm warbler in the parking lot by Mike Slater

2 page Legal Size list 8.5x14)

3 page Letter size list (8.5x11)

9:00am – 2:00pm 

Peak time for Broad-winged Hawks. Walk down the steps at the front of the Pagoda and meet on the lawn. Bring a lawn chair. Coordinator: Bill Uhrich 610-698-1575 

Meeting Location: 98 Duryea Dr, Reading, PA 19602

Red-tailed Hawk 

Photo by Mike Slater

 9:00 am – 4:00* pm

Peak time for accipiter and falcon migration. Bald Eagles and Ospreys will probably be seen. Stay for a short time or all day. Bring a folding chair, lunch and non-alcoholic beverages. Experienced hawk watchers will help you identify birds.  Meet at the State Hill Boat Launch, Blue Marsh Lake, accessed from Brownsville Rd. Park in the first lot on the right at the top of the hill after you enter.  

*If no birds are flying or the wind direction is unfavorable as is now forcast, we will probably quit early. Possibly ending at 1 pm

Coordinator: Russ Hoffman 484-794-7053, russhoff@yahoo.com  

Bald Eagle photo by Art Zdancewic 

The latest eBird Reports for Berks County

Photo: A Merlin at Blue Marsh Lake.

 by Mike Slater