All field trips are open to members and
non-members.
Please contact Kathy
Bechdel for questions or information about the field
trips.
Sunday, January 11, 2026 10:00am – 12:00pm
Winter Bird Walk on Lower Trail (Huntingdon County)
Trip Leaders: Connor Schmitt and Amber Wiewel
We will meet at the
Mount Etna
trailhead and walk on the smooth and flat Lower Trail
along the Juniata River. We will look for eagles, ducks, and
kingfishers along the river and creepers, kinglets, Hermit
Thrush, and other usual forest/shrub birds along the trail.
A winter survey for the Pennsylvania Bird Atlas will be
conducted during the bird walk, so this will be a nice
introduction if new to the Atlas or an opportunity to ask
questions if a participating atlaser. All are welcome to attend
regardless of interest in the Atlas.
A vault toilet is available at the trailhead. Please consider
the weather and wear appropriate cold weather gear.
Contact
Amber
if interested in carpooling from the State College area.
The field trip is open to members and non-members.
Saturday, February 14, 2026 10:00am – 12:00pm
Winter Bird Walk on Lower Trail (Huntingdon County)
Trip Leaders: Connor Schmitt and Amber Wiewel
We will meet at the
Mount Etna
trailhead and walk on the smooth and flat Lower Trail
along the Juniata River. For those who attended this same field
trip in January, we will be walking in the opposite direction
along the trail this time. We will look for eagles, mergansers,
and kingfishers along the river and creepers, woodpeckers,
kinglets, and other usual forest/shrub birds along the trail.
Tuesday, March 3, 2026 (5:30pm - 6:30 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, March 29, 2026 (8:00 am - 11:00 am)
Bald Eagle State Park
(Note that this date is a change from the original one of
March15).
Trip Leader: Bob Snyder
Meet at the Swimming Beach parking lot.
We will be looking for migrating waterfowl: possibly various
ducks and other waterfowl, Tundra Swans, Bald Eagles and winter
hawks that may be in, or passing through the park while heading
back north.
Bring binoculars, a spotting scope (handy if you have one) and a
camera. Please dress for the weather and time of year; we
can still have snow squalls in late March and wear a pair of
sturdy hiking boots, as we might walk down from the war memorial
on the dam to Hunter Run Cove and the spillway marsh.
This field trip is open to members and non-members.
Saturday. April 18, 2026 (10:00am - 11:00 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 near the restrooms at the upper parking lot. To get to
Tudek park: from Martin St, go down Herman Dr 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.
Friday May 15, 2026 (7:30 am - 9:30 am)
Search for Cerulean Warblers on the Lower Trail, Blair
County
(Note the date change from the 13th to
Friday 15th)
Trip Leader: Nick Bolgiano
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
webpage
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.
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 1-2 miles out and back.
This field trip is open to members and non-members.
Saturday, May 16, 2026 (8:00 am - 9:30 am)
Chicory Lane Farm
Trip Leader: Doug Wentzel
NOTE: As of 4/8/2026, this event is
full. However, you can always click the link below to check
availability in case of cancelations.
Doug Wentzel will lead a bird walk at the Chicory Lane Farm
Symposium. For more details, click on the link to their website
below and in that webpage be sure to register for the Saturday
event by following another link and clicking on the link labeled
ChicoryLane Symposium.
Chicory
Lane Symposium
Saturday, May 30, 2026 (8:00 am - 9:30 am)
(THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED)
Penns Prairie at Tri-County Municipal Park, Centre Hall, PA
Trip Leaders: Andrew Bechdel
Penn's Prairie is a multi-purpose park integrating recreation,
wildlife conservation, and historical prairie restoration and
preservation. The park is located at
2400 Upper Brush
Valley Road, Centre Hall, PA 16828.
Join Andrew Bechdel for a leisurely walk throughout Penns
Prairie Park outside Centre Hall, Pa. This newly developed,
multi-purposed park provides opportunities for a variety of
avian life such as nesting grassland sparrows, Red-headed
Woodpeckers, and American Kestrels. Although this park has been
open to the public since August of 2018, an understanding of
avian life is still in the works and we hope to increase
community efforts in helping understand the changes throughout
the development of the park.
www.pennsprairie.com
This field trip is open to members and non-members.
Wednesday, July 1, 2026 (7:00 pm – 8:00 pm)
A screening of the documentary "The Extraordinary
Caterpillar" which tells the role caterpillars play in our
ecosystems at the Millbrook Marsh Nature Center
From blooming meadows to city parks and backyard gardens, this
inspiring film celebrates the magic of nature while showing
families practical ways to make a difference.
See the groundbreaking work of The Caterpillar Lab, entomologist
David Wagner, and Doug Tallamy, co-founder of Homegrown National
Park.
Hear inspiring stories about why caterpillars are essential to
healthy ecosystems, and learn simple steps you can take to
create habitat in your own yard or community
Watch the trailer here!
https://vimeo.com/1117213704
(to return here after the trailer finishes, click the back
button "<")
FREE ADMISSION, BUT REGISTRATION IS
REQUIRED
(LIMIT 60 GUESTS)
Registration opens May 11 at
https://crpr.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=3430
(to return here after registering, click the back button "<")
Sponsored by State College Bird Club, Millbrook Marsh, and PA
Native Plant Society
Wednesday,
July 15, 2026 (8:15 pm – 9:15pm or until the last swift
disappears)
Sweets and Swifts at Ferguson Township
Elementary School, Pine Grove Mills
Rain Date: Thursday, July 16, 2026
Come enjoy an amazing evening flight of Chimney Swifts as they
circle above Ferguson Township Elementary before they dive one
by one into the chimney to roost for the night. The town of Pine
Grove Mills and the nearby elementary school can observe dozens
of circling swifts during the day. During dusk, one may gain a
better understanding how many swifts are actually utilizing the
school's chimney during this unique time where swifts finally
come to rest. Historical counts range from 97 to 197
individuals!
Bring a lawn chair or blanket and a favorite baked or non-baked
sweet dish to share with others while enjoying the evening
sunset. Who will bring the best-looking and tasting Chimney
Swift themed cookie?
The field trip is open to members and non-members.
Trip Leader: To be announced