STATE COLLEGE BIRD CLUB

2021 Spring Calendar for Bird Club meetings and field trips,
and other birding events

Additional details of field trips may be posted to the State College Bird Club listserv group.

Due to COVID-19, please join us remotely through the Zoom link which will be available on the Listserv or by emailing the Bird Club President (see the main page for how to contact).

 Regular Meetings: 


January 27, 2021 (Wednesday)
Regular Meeting (ONLINE Zoom Meeting)
Program: Robyn Graboski will present a program titled "Get the Lead Out"

February 24, 2021 (Wednesday)
Regular Meeting (ONLINE Zoom Meeting)
Program:  Holly Merker will present a program titled "Ornitherapy: For Your Mind, Body, and Soul"

March 24, 2021 (Wednesday)
Regular Meeting (ONLINE Zoom Meeting)
Program: Eric Zawatski will present a program titled "Wood Thrush Nest Survival in Central Pennsylvania Contiguous Forests"

April 28, 2021 (Wednesday)
Regular Meeting (ONLINE Zoom Meeting)
Program: Nick Bolgiano will present a program titled "The Linkage of Evening Grosbeaks, Purple Finches, and Sharp-shinned Hawks to Spruce Budworm Infestations in the Boreal Forest"

May 26, 2021 (Wednesday)
Special Meeting
7:00 p.m. (ONLINE Zoom Meeting)
Our meeting will feature the work of several photogrphers. Each will share and narrate some of their favorite images from last year and include mostly birds of Central Pa.  Thanks to Ro Fuller for organizing this special event.
[More details later]


During each meeting, Greg Grove will provide a brief summary of the noteworthy birds from the last 30 days.
Winter and Spring Field Trips of the State College Bird Club
Sunday March 28,2021 8AM-11:30AM
Bald Eagle State Park

Join Bob Snyder for birding at BESP.  Meet at the Milesburg McDonald's at 8 am (in the back gravel lot). Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we will not double up in cars, but will caravan all the cars to the park.
We will follow Covid-19 guidelines:  wear or bring a mask, keep 6ft distance between individuals or family groups of birders.  Outside, where social distancing might be harder to maintain, wearing a mask is recommended.
In addition, please dress according to the predicted weather conditions.

We will leave the McDonald's lot and drive north on Rte.150 to the entrance of Bald Eagle SP.  Sites we will visit are;  the Marina, Swimming Beach, Winter/Spring boat launch and the Sunken Road Overlook.
In addition, we may decide to drive to the memorial overlook on the dam, or take a short walk (via paved road) to the Hunter Run Cove parking lot from the parking area for the Shrike Trail near Letterman Campground.

We will be looking for waterfowl and other water birds on the lake and will be watching for early spring migrants

Saturday April 10, 2021 8AM-10:30AM
Toftrees

Join Susan Smith and Karen Kottlowski for an easy 1.1 mile (one way) walk along gravel roads through fields edged with forest to Toftrees Pond.  We will wear masks and observe social distancing.

Directions: From Toftrees Ave. turn onto Cricklewood Dr.  Proceed 0.7 miles (past the American Ale House) to an unpaved road on the left. 
Or,
From Fox Hill Road, turn onto Cricklewood Ave., then take your first right turn (0.3 miles) onto the unpaved road

There is a gate, a sign for State Game Lands, and an unpaved parking area where we will meet.

Saturday April 17, 2021 8AM-10AM
Bald Eagle SF - Greens Valley Rd

Join Julia Plummer for a beautiful and lush forest walk on the James Cleveland Trail and surrounding Bald Eagle State Forest. This eBird hotspot has recorded over 80 species during spring migration. Participants will be led through an easy 1.5 mile trail. Wear your mask, sturdy shoes, and bring water.  No facilities.

Directions: Traveling south on Rt 144 from Pleasant Gap, turn left onto Greens Valley Road. Travel 3.5 miles to James Cleveland Memorial Trail Head.

This field trip is open to members and non-members

Sunday April 25, 2021 8AM-11AM
Spring Warbler/Water bird Trip to Bald Eagle SP

Join Bob Snyder to look for waterbirds such as ducks, grebes, cormorants, loons, geese and shorebirds at the Swimming Beach, the Winter launch, the Sunken Road overlook and the Sayer's Dam overlook.

We will meet at the Swimming Beach parking lot at 8 am.  The activity will run for approximately 3-3.5 hours, depending on weather and of course the birds.

Due to Covid-19 precautions, masks should be worn where distancing can not be maintained.
We will not double up in cars from the Beach, but will caravan to each site.

(You should bring a small bottle of hand sanitizer in case a visit to the primitive rest areas is needed.)
Bring your own water and a snack if preferred.

Bring your own binoculars and spotting scope if you have one.
Photographers bring your camera.
Please dress according to the NOAA weather forecast for Howard (16841).

Wear long pants and hiking boots as we may take a short walk from the war memorial at the Dam to the spillway marsh and Hunter's Run Cove to look for sparrows and migrating warblers. Perhaps we will get lucky and find an American Bittern at the spillway marsh? 
We will be on the lookout for Bald Eagle and Osprey activity around the main park area as well.

If the weather may threaten the trip, I will post to the listserve a couple of days in advance.

Wednesday May 5, 2021 9AM-10:30AM
Penn State Campus

Join Joe Gyekis at the flagpoles in front of Old Main for campus birding. 
This field trip is open to members and non-members.

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 (7:30am - 9:30am)
Search for Cerulean Warblers on the Lower Trail, Blair County

Please join Nick Bolgiano for a leisurely walk along a stretch of the Lower Trail in Blair County. The goal of this trip is to find Cerulean Warblers, in the core of their Lower Trail habitat. See keystonefund.org/success-story/a-perfect-habitat/ for more information on Nick Bolgiano's search for Cerulean Warblers. This stretch of the Lower Trail is also great for Acadian Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Wood Thrush, Louisiana Waterthrush, Yellow-throated Warbler, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Baltimore Oriole.

Please meet at the Mt. Etna trailhead parking lot at 7:30am (www.rttcpa.org/index.shtml). Travel West on Route 22 from the intersection of Route 453 at Water Street. Turn Left on Fox Run Rd at 3.3 mi (just after the westbound turns to 2 lanes, making this easier if traffic) or Left on Etna Furnace Rd at 4.6 mile. Continue Right near the river to reach the Mt. Etna trailhead parking lot. There is a modern outhouse available.

From the Mt. Etna trailhead parking lot, the group will walk South along the Lower Trail for 1 to 2 miles out and back..



Birding Events sponsored by partner organizations


Walks at Millbrook Marsh for Avian Aficionados 
Tuesdays, Mar. 23 - Apr. 27
8-9:30 AM
 
Start your day off right by observing birds that are migrating to and through the Centre Region. Led by members of the State College Bird Club, this program is open to all ages and excellent for beginners. Physical distancing is highly encouraged; masks are required when physical distancing is not possible. Please dress for the weather and bring binoculars. In the case of heavy rain, the walk that morning will be canceled. A suggested donation of $5 per participant is appreciated. Registration not required. 

Meet at the large pavilion at the Millbrook Marsh Nature Center.

Here are our club volunteer leaders for those walks:

March 23:  Doug Wentzel and Joe Gyekis
March 30: Jon Kauffman and Julia Plummer
April 6: Julia and Doug
April 13: Jon and Joe
April 20: Julia and Jon
April 27: Joe and Julia

Wednesday, April 14, 21, 28, May 5 & 12, 2021 (7:00am)
Shaver’s Creek Migration Morning Walks

Although the Shaver’s Creek visitor center remains closed, Migration Morning returns this spring, Wednesdays at 7:00 a.m.  Join Shaver’s Creek naturalists Doug Wentzel, Joshua Potter, and other special guests for a leisurely, physically distanced hike to see and hear the many bird species migrating through central Pennsylvania. We will identify the songs, calls, and field marks of species from thrushes and sparrows, to warblers and hawks. Bring a good pair of hiking boots, binoculars, any guidebooks you have, and an inquisitive mind! Migration Morning Bird Walks are open to birders of all experience levels. Some binoculars are available to borrow.Thanks to the sponsorship of Wiscoy for Animals and the generous support of our membership, this program is free and open to the public.

In the interests of the health and safety of our community, we are requiring that all participants register here. Registration is limited to 25 attendees. In addition to registration, participants are asked to take their temperature and do a self-health assessment just prior to joining the program. All leaders and participants must be masked during the walk and will seek to maintain a six-foot distance from each other. 

Friday, April 30, 2021, 7:00 p.m. to Saturday, May 1,  7:00 p.m. 2021
The Birding Cup

The Birding Cup, Shaver’s Creek’s annual fundraising tournament, is a contest among teams of birders to identify the most bird species in a twenty-four hour period in the central Pennsylvania region (Huntingdon, Centre, and adjoining counties). Click here for complete information and registration.



Previous schedules:

Spring 2020  Fall 2020
Spring 2019  Fall 2019
Spring 2018  Fall 2018
Spring 2017  Fall 2017
Spring 2016  Fall 2016
Spring 2015  Fall 2015
Spring 2014  Fall 2014
Spring 2013  Fall 2013
Spring 2012  Fall 2012
Spring 2011  Fall 2011
Spring 2010  Fall 2010
Spring 2009  Fall 2009
Spring 2008  Fall 2008
Spring 2007  Fall 2007
Spring 2006  Fall 2006
Spring 2005  Fall 2005