B.O.C. Field trips

  May 3, 2025 (Saturday)- Nolde Forest EEC – 8 AM 

Meet at the Sawmill Parking Lot at Nolde Forest to hike the trails of this deciduous and coniferous forested habitat. Warblers, thrushes, flycatchers are usually found, and there is a possibility of seeing a Barred Owl. Directions: Rt. 625 South from Shillington to sign for Sawmill Parking Area on right. Info Art Zdancewic  610-858-3315.  

Meeting Location: 2910 New Holland Rd, Reading, PA

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May 4, 2025 (Sunday) - State Game Lands 106, Pine Swamp Rd. - 8 AM 

Excellent location to find neotropical migrants at this time of year and hearing Ruffed Grouse conducting their spring mating ritual. Directions: From Hawk Mt. Sanctuary, go south 4 miles to a right turn on Pine Swamp Rd. and go 1 mile to lane on the right which leads to the parking area. From Rte 143 drive 4 miles on Hawk Mt Rd. to Pine Swamp Rd. on the left. Info Rudy Keller 610-845-7310 Meeting Location: Pine Swamp RD, Kempton PA, 40.6262, -75.9520

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May 6, 2025 (Tuesday) - Exeter Scenic River Trail, Gibraltar - 8 AM 

Walk the riverside path to see the migrating birds that use this riparian corridor on their northbound journey. Directions: At the traffic light at Rt. 724 and Gibraltar Rd. go north across the bridge to the lane at the end of the bridge. Make left and park.  

(the trail off of Gibraltar Road at 8:00AM.  Not at the recycling waste area.) Info Russ Hoffman 484-794-7053. Meeting Location: just before the Exeter Twp. Yard Waste Composting Area next to Trout Run Park, 914-920 East Neversink Rd, Reading, PA

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May 10, 2025 (Saturday) - Hamburg Reservoir – 8 AM 

The terrain for this walk is uphill through forested habitat where migrating warblers, thrushes and other songbirds will be seen and heard. Directions: Rt. 61 north to light at turnoff for downtown Hamburg. Turn right and proceed to State St. in downtown Hamburg. Take a right on State St. and proceed 4 miles to a left turn on Reservoir Rd. Info Linda Ingram 610-621-7473. Meeting Location: Pinnacle Trailhead access, 400 Reservoir Rd, Hamburg, PA

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May 13, 2025 (Tuesday) -Berks Nature/The Nature Place – 8 AM 

Join BOC birders as they check out this wetland habitat on a spring morning. Directions: From Lancaster Ave. take Rt. 10 (Morgantown Rd.) 1 ½ miles to the sign on right for The Nature Place and Alvernia U. Go right to parking area. Info Russ Hoffman 484-794-7053. Meeting Location: 575 St Bernardine St, Reading, PA 19607

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May 17, 2025 (Saturday) - Hopewell Furnace NHS – 8 AM 

A new BOC favorite in its 3rd year, 2025’s walk at Hopewell Furnace is moved back one week. E. Towhees, Balto. Orioles reliable; spring migrants, shorebirds likely at dam. Allow 2+ hrs. Coordinator: Sheila Martin 610-858-6005 Directions: Disregard HFNHS gate; still closed at 8a.m. Use 23 Clement Brooke Lane, Elverson 19520 exactly for GPS; turn at gravel driveway to their secondary/handicapped lot; orange cone indicates. Limited to ~8 spaces; if full, use grass expanse at start of driveway. Port-a-johns “iffy”.  

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May 18 (Sunday) – Great Marsh Bird Walk 

– Meet to carpool 8 am or meet at Great Marsh at 9 am

Join BOC birders at the private property known as the Great Marsh in Chester County, only a few miles from Berks, for a spring walk. The property consists of grassy footpaths, marshes and small ponds where both migrants and summer nesters can be found. The terrain is level and the possibly 2 mile walk is easy although may be wet depending on the weather. The property is located at 28 Moore's Rd., Elverson 19520 for GPS. Directions: Rte 176 to Morgantown, left on Rte 23 to a right on Rte 401, to Moore's Rd on right. Meeting time at the site is 9 AM. Carpooling will be available at Flying Hills in the deli (now closed) parking area. Information and to arrange transportation: Russ Hoffman, 484-794-7053.

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May 24, 2025 (Saturday) - Hopewell Big Woods Trail – 8 AM 

A downhill walk on an easy trail through grassland bordered by woodland. Great place for special birds in Berks. Birds seen here in previous years include Yellow-breasted Chat, Blue Grosbeak, Grasshopper Sparrow, Prairie and Blue-winged Warblers. Directions: Park at the parking area for Union Meadows East, 2 miles east of Birdsboro. We will carpool up Center Rd. to the Big Woods Trailhead and bird downhill to the Union Meadows parking lot. 7473 Meeting Location: 100 Campbell Ford Road, Douglassville PA Alternatively: Turn right off Rt. 724 on Center Rd. and go uphill to parking on left if you prefer to park on your own and walk back uphill. Info Irene Taylor 610-856-1116, 

Rudy Keller 610-845-7310. 

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May 31, 2025 (Saturday) - Dreibelbis Farm – 8 AM

After last year’s very successful BOC outing here, we will be exploring this historic area again. Hopefully the Red-headed Woodpeckers are here nesting again this year. Direction: Rte 222 north to round-about at Moselem Springs. Go left on Rt. 662 about a mile to Rt. 143. Make a right on Rt. 143 and go 1.6 miles to Dreibelbis Farm sign on left. This is a field lane. Proceed on lane to house and park. Info Dan Brennan 484-336-0455. Location: 356 Hard Hill Rd, Hamburg, PA

*(GPS addresses are included as given by Google Maps)

 June – August 2025 

Bird, butterfly and dragonfly walks will be listed in the spring newsletter and here on the BOC website as they are finalized. 

 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 

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The photo of a Downy and a Hairy Woodpecker on the same tree is by Russ Hoffman.

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

The latest eBird Reports for Berks County

Photo: A Merlin at Blue Marsh Lake.

 by Mike Slater