All field trips are open to members and
non-members.
Please contact Kathy
Bechdel for questions or information about the field
trips
Monday, August 25, 7:15 pm - 8:15 pm
Tudek Park Night Hawk Watch
Trip Leader: Joe Gyekis
Meet for a stationary bird watching event, hoping to see some
nighthawks fly by. You may want to bring a lawn chair. We will
meet in the field just southwest of Pavilion 1, near the
restrooms at the upper parking lot. Directions to Tudek Park:
from Martin Street, go down Herman Drive and park in the parking
lot near the restrooms or the larger parking lot if the other
one is full.
This field trip is open to members and non-members.
Tuesday, September 9, 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Heron Watch at Fisherman's Paradise
Trip leader: Julia Plummer
Heronry at Fisherman's Paradise, at the end of Spring Creek
Road, Bellefonte, PA. Watch the Great Blue Heron return to
their roosts on the hillside behind the fish hatchery.
Meet at the gate to the fish hatchery on the bridge between the
first two parking areas. Bring a folding chair to set up
along the fence.
This field trip is open to members and non-members.
Saturday, September 13, 8:00 am - 10:00 am
Chicory Lane Farm
Trip Leader: Joe Gyekis
Chicory Lane Farm is managed for wildlife habitat, including old
fields, young forest, and wetland. A network of mowed trails
loop around the property. We will look for a mix of resident and
fall migrant birds. First will be a gentle walking loop, then we
will climb the hill to look at the sky from the high meadow,
feel free to join one or both halves. If rain is heavy, we will
cancel, but we will continue with light rain.
Click
here for more details about the trip.
Restroom is available.
Drive east on Route 45 from Boalsburg about 1.5 miles past the
bridge in Spring Mills then turn left onto Brush Mountain Road.
Continue about 0.7 mile until you see a straight gravel driveway
heading back to the right, at blue & white sign #246, into
old field habitat. You can navigate in your GPS to 40.875564,
-77.549939 or
this link
https://maps.app.goo.gl/KihqbfSjUSy5TeJu6
This field trip is open to members and non-members.
UPDATE NOTE 9/2/2025: DETOUR TO THE
PROPERTY
Due to construction for bridge replacement on the property's
lane, follow either of these alternate routes:
From State College/Boalsburg on
Route 45: View map here.
Turn
north on Brush Mountain Rd. Travel to intersection
with Green Grove Rd, then east on Green Grove Rd. Travel past a
house, then a farmhouse with outbuildings at 822 Green Grove.
Watch for the Event sign. Beside the small red barn, turn
sharply right into the alternate farm entry at 40.878862,
-77.5482507. Drive slow; it’s bumpy. Park as directed.
From State College/Centre Hall on
Route 192:
Turn
south on Brush Mountain Rd. Travel to intersection
with Green Grove Rd, then east on Green Grove Rd. Travel past a
house, then a farmhouse with outbuildings at 822 Green Grove.
Watch for the Event sign. Beside the small red barn, turn
sharply right into the alternate farm entry at 40.878862,
-77.5482507. Drive slow; it’s bumpy. Park as directed.
Saturday, September 20, 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Tudek Park
Trip Leader: Constanza Ehrenhaus
This walk will be designed for beginner birders, especially
families with children. Of course, all are welcome. The area is
stroller-friendly, and the walk will be kept to one hour to fit
younger learners' attention spans. We will meet in the parking
lot.
This field trip is open to members and non-members.
Saturday, September 27, 7:30 am - 9:00 am
Centre Hall, James Cleveland/Ray Decker Trailhead
Trip Leader: Andrew Bechdel
This field trip will introduce you to birding in and around
Centre Hall. The location offers a variety of habitats,
including goldenrod field, forest edge and forest interior
within a short distance from the parking area. Migrants we
hope to see are blackpoll warblers, Swainson's and gray-cheeked
thrushes and Lincoln sparrows. If birds are not plentiful
here, we may move to Penn's Prairie Park, located nearby.
Meet at the parking area for the trailhead to James
Cleveland/Ray Decker Trailhead on Route 192 (Lower Brush Valley
Road) approximately 1 mile northeast of Centre Hall.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/7WaLQ6TKD7dEa3YF7
This field trip is open to members and non-members.
Sunday, October 5, 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Curwensville Lake Recreation Area
Trip Leader: Jerod Skebo
We travel out of the county to visit one of Clearfield County's
birding hot spots at Curwensville Lake Recreation Area (click on
link for directions and more information -
Curwensville Lake).
Jerod Skebo, a Curwensville resident and former Shaver's Creek
Environmental Center employee will lead a walk of approximately
1 mile through various habitats to search for birds.
Additional birding areas are in the park for those wanting to
extend the walk. Meet at the beach parking lot. Wear
weather appropriate clothing and footwear. Bring
binoculars and spotting scopes.
There is a $5 per vehicle fee to enter Curwensville Lake area.
This field trip is open to members and non-members.
Tuesday, November 4, 2025 4:15 pm - 5:45 pm
Sunset Bird Count at Sayer's Dam
Trip Leader: Joe Gyekis
Meet for bird watching at Sayer's Dam at the northeastern end of
Bald Eagle State Park. We will meet at the PFC Foster Joseph
Sayers Statue and War Memorial. If the birding is busy at the
dam, we will stay there, if not, we will walk half a mile down
to a small wetland nearby (see
map).
Target birds include various water birds on the lake and
possible robin/blackbird roost near the wetland.
This field trip is open to members and non-members.
Sunday, November 16, 8:00 am - 11:00 am
Bald Eagle State Park
Trip Leader: Bob Snyder
We will meet at the Swimming Beach at Bald Eagle State Park and
visit various locations around the main park area including the
beach, winter launch, the Sunken Road Overlook. Additional
possible locations will be a drive to the top of the dam for a
short walk down the service road to view Hunter's Cove and the
emergency spillway marsh at the dam.
We will be looking for waterfowl on the lake and also hope to
find winter birds such as Northern Shrike, Snow Buntings,
American Pipits and American Tree Sparrows.
Please consider the weather and wear appropriate cold weather
gear and sturdy boots. An orange vest is also
recommended. Binoculars, spotting scopes and cameras are
also encouraged.
This field trip is open to members and non-members.
Birding Events sponsored
by partner organizations
Shaver's
Creek Wednesday Migration Mornings
Meet in front of the Shaver's Creek
Environmental Center.
September 3, 7:30 am – 9:00 am
September 10, 7:30 am – 9:00 am
September 17, 7:30 am – 9:00 am
September 24, 7:30 am – 9:00 am
October 1, 7:30 am – 9:00 am
Bird Walks with The State College Bird Club
Millbrook Marsh Nature Center
Tuesdays, September 2 - 30, 8:00 am - 9:30 am
Observe birds that are migrating to and through the Centre
Region. Walks take place at
Millbrook
Marsh Nature Center and are led by members of the
State College Bird Club.
This program is open to all ages and is great for beginners.
Please dress for the weather and bring binoculars. In the case
of heavy rain, the walk that morning will be canceled.
Morning Bird Walks at PSU
Arboretum
Thursdays, September 4, 11, 18 and 25 from 8:00 am - 9:30
am
Meet at the Overlook Pavillion. There is paid parking available
at the Law School, and free parking at Sunset Park.
Local Christmas Bird Counts with contacts and compilers
Dec 14 2025 (Sun):
State College (Susan Braun, Bob
Fowles)
Dec 14 2025 (Sun):
Huntingdon (Deb Grove)
Dec 20 2025 (Sat):
Penns Valley (Cathy Pierce, Joe
Gyekis)
Dec 20 2025 (Sat):
Culp (Mark Bonta)
Dec 27 2025 (Sat):
Prince Gallitzin State Park (Eric
Oliver)
Dec 28 2025 (Sun):
Bald Eagle State Park (Bob Snyder)
Dec 30 2025 (Tue):
Lake Raystown (Jon Kauffman)