Meet at  8:30am Laurel Hill SP Parking lot near Boat Ramp

Leader: Georgia Shalek, gshalek@gmail.com, 724- 887-9210 / Vicky Bromyard, vbromyard@gmail.com, 724-221-4893

Directions: From the Donegal Turnpike Exit, travel east on Route 31 for 14 miles and turn right onto Trent Road.  Go about 2 miles to the main park entrance on your right. Follow Laurel Hill Park Rd to Boat Ramp Parking lot (first left immediately after bridge). The address is 1454 Laurel Hill Park Road, Somerset, PA 15501-5629

Description: We will explore one of the only old-growth hemlock forests in the region along Laurel Hill State Park’s Hemlock Trail. This trail parallels the scenic Laurel Hill Creek upstream of the lake and passes through a diverse flora community. This loop trail has several steep and occasionally slippery sections, but depending on conditions we may opt for an out-and-back focusing on the hemlock grove. In addition, we can explore the lakeside habitat via the Copper Kettle Trail for more species diversity. Resident breeding birds like Scarlet Tanagers, Black-throated Green Warblers, Eastern Kingbirds, and Wood Thrush are expected, and the mountain laurel should be in bloom!

Meet at 4:30 pm. Darlington Inn, Ligonier, PA

Leader: Vicky Bromyard, vbromyard@gmail.com, 724-221-4893

Directions: We will begin at the Darlington Inn just off Route 30.  Address is 1473 Darlington Rd, Ligonier, PA 15658.  Following Rt. 30 east from Latrobe, bear right onto Darlington Road (2043) just before you cross Longbridge.  In about a mile you'll see the restaurant on your right and the parking lot on your left.  Please RSVP your dinner reservation to Vicky Bromyard (contact above) no later than May 23.  A reminder that the Darlington Inn is Cash Only.  After dinner we will drive to the parking lot at Spruce Flats bog.  For the bog, from Rt 30, drive two miles east to Ligonier, turn south onto Route 381 and drive 2 miles to Rector.  In Rector, turn left onto Linn Run Road and drive 7.7 miles to Laurel Summit State Park.  Turn left as you approach the pavilion and drive into the parking lot.  Find a trail on the right side of the parking lot that leads to the bog boardwalk.

Description: An annual club tradition, join us for a Hungarian-style buffet at the Darlington Inn followed by a leisurely walk to the haunting songs of thrushes and high elevation warblers at the Spruce Flats Bog. It is always a bit colder at the bog and may be muddy, although the actual viewing is from an elevated boardwalk. The bog contains many special flora including white spruce, blueberries, cranberries, cotton grass, and carnivorous sundews and pitcher plants.

Meet at 8:30 am. at the Barn at Fallingwater

Leader: Alex Busato, busatoalex67@gmail.com, 724-963-6612

Directions: Parking located behind The Barn at Fallingwater, 1478 Mill Run Rd, Mill Run, PA 15464. From 119 S in Connellsville, turn left onto E. Crawford Ave for 1.3 mi then turn left onto Rt 711 N. Follow the road until it turns to PA 381 and past Mill Run. Look for signs for Bear Run Nature Reserve / The Barn at Fallingwater on the left. Turn into the first entrance and follow the road up the hill to the parking lot. If you see the sign for Fallingwater on your right, you’ve gone too far.

Description: At more than 5,100 acres, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy’s Bear Run Nature Reserve offers a true wilderness experience along the Pennsylvania Scenic River, Bear Run. This same wilderness inspired architect Frank Lloyd Wright to construct his famous Fallingwater on the property. We will navigate a portion of the reserve’s extensive trail network in search of resident breeding forest birds. Highlights include numerous Ovenbirds, Blackburnian Warblers in the stands of white pine, Black-throated Blue and Hooded Warblers among the rhododendron, Louisiana Waterthrush along Bear Run, and a chance to spy the elusive Swainson’s Warblers responsible for PA’s first confirmed breeding record of the species (banded at this site in 2023)! The trails are moderate-grade and can be uneven, so wear sturdy boots or shoes and have extra water.

Meet at 8:30am at Ackerman’s House in New Alexandria, PA

Leader: Ken Byerly & Margaret Ackerman, margd7@aol.com

Directions: 2523 PA-981, New Alexandria, PA 15670. From Route 22 in New Alexandria, turn north onto Route 981 and continue for 1 mile. Turn right onto the driveway immediately after Guthrie Rd. Continue down the long driveway to the house.

Description: Long-time WBNC members Margaret and Bob Ackerman have graciously extended an offer to host a club outing on their beautiful 130-acre property near the Loyalhanna Dam Recreation Area. With a forested stream and small pond to help to draw in a wide variety of forest birds, we will hopefully have a great experience with the wave of migrating warblers at its peak for the season. Nearly everywhere is a great place to bird this time of year, and we are thankful to Margaret and Bob for the invitation!

Date & Time:  Saturday, May 10, All Day

Leader: Steve Manns psuloon@yahoo.com, 724-963-6612

Directions: Bird your favorite areas and contribute to citizen science!

Description:  Be a part of birding’s biggest team! Global Big Day is an annual celebration of the birds around you. No matter where you are, join us virtually on 10 May, help celebrate World Migratory Bird Day, and share the birds you find with eBird. In addition, this data can be helpful to Pennsylvania’s 3rd Bird Atlas (PBA3) in its second summer of data collection.

How to participate

●       Get an eBird account: eBird is a worldwide bird checklist program used by millions of birders. It’s what allows us to compile everyone’s sightings into a single massive Global Big Day list—while at the same time collecting the data to help scientists better understand birds. 

●       Watch birds on 10 May: It’s that simple. You don’t need to be a bird expert or go out all day long, even 10 minutes of birding from home counts. Global Big Day runs from midnight to midnight in your local time zone. You can report what you find from anywhere in the world.

●       Enter what you see and hear in the Pennsylvania Bird Atlas Portal of eBird.com: You can enter your sightings via the website https://ebird.org/atlaspa/home or download the free eBird Mobile app and enter through the PA Bird Atlas portal. While entering on the regular eBird site will count for Global Big Day, entering through the PBA3 portal will also include your sightings in the PBA3 data set.

Date & Time:  Tuesday, May 6, 7:00 pm, doors open at 6:30 pm

Leader: Alex Busato, busatoalex67@gmail.com, 724-963-6612

Directions: Turn north onto Donohoe Road at the Route 30 traffic light near the overpass to the Westmoreland Mall in Greensburg. Drive north on Donohoe 1.7 miles until you see the sign on the right for the Donohoe Center. Address is 214 Donohoe Road, Greensburg, PA 15601.  “The Barn” is in the back.

Description: Please join us for our spring members meeting. We will provide updates on club goings-on including. Come, relax and enjoy socializing with other club members and listen to speakers, programs and other topics. Homemade snacks and baked good contributions are appreciated.

Special Guest Speaker – Bill Powers will be speaking about his recent trail camera efforts and the discovery of a Fisher in the Murrysville area.

Meet at 8:30am - Saltsburg Trail Parking lot

Leader: Tom Moser, mosertd@gmail.com, 412-478-5513

Directions: Follow Rt 981 north from New Alexandria about 8 miles to PA 286 and turn right across the bridge into Saltsburg.  After 0.2 miles, turn right on Salt Street and travel 0.4 miles to the playground and trail parking lot.

Description:  We will walk this section of the trail out and back across the bridge on the Loyalhanna Creek towards Sara Steele trailhead and turn around at our discretion. This should be the peak time for spring wildflowers and migration movements for various songbirds, providing us ample viewing opportunities! The Kiski River additionally provides an opportunity to view birds like Bald Eagles, Kingfisher, and waterfowl. This trail is level grade and easy walking overall.

Meet at 8:30am Morton Fields parking  (40.3284581, -80.0961753)

Leader: Alex Busato, busatoalex67@gmail.com, 724-963-6612

Directions: Meet at the Morton Fields parking lot located off of Morton Rd. just south of Bridgeville (40.3284581, -80.0961753)

Description: This large park has a lot to offer in terms of trails, flora, and fauna, including over 140 bird species seen in April alone, a resident Barred Owl, and one of the region’s largest accessible populations of locally-uncommon Toadshade Trillium. We will begin from the Morton Fields lot and descend to the bottoms of Chartiers Creek in search of Toadshade and migratory songbirds. Following this ~ 1.5mi walk, we will caravan to the Upper St. Clair Community Center at the north end of the park to access the Wingfield Pines Conservation Area. This location hosts additional habitat including a boardwalk over a portion of AMD treatment wetlands for additional habitat variety. Trails at this site are well-established though occasionally steep / rolling.

Meet at 8:30am at the Great Allegheny Passage Bike Trail Parking lot

Leader: Denny McCarthy, dennymccarthy@comcast.net, 412-913-9064

Directions:  Access is from the Great Allegheny Bike Trail lot near the Boston Bridge at the intersection of Rt 48 and Smithfield Street. 1906 Donner St, McKeesport, PA 15135

Description: This 450-acre conservation area is owned by the Allegheny Land Trust and is the largest protected tract in Allegheny County. Our spring walk on the GAP trail and side trails should have plenty of spring ephemeral wildflowers and some of the 111 bird species that have been observed on the property. The hike is low grade on the bike trail and well-used side trails surrounded by moist woodlands and steep-sloped ravines. There are no facilities at any ALT properties

More Info: https://alleghenylandtrust.org/green-space/dead-mans-hollow/

Meet at the Westmoreland Conservation District Parking Lot at  7:00pm

Leader: AAron Capouellez, aaron_capouellez@yahoo.com

Directions:  Turn north onto Donohoe Road at the Route 30 traffic light near the overpass to the Westmoreland Mall in Greensburg. Drive north on Donohoe 1.7 miles until you see the sign on the right for the Donohoe Center. Address is 214 Donohoe Road, Greensburg, PA 15601.  “The Barn” and trails are in the back.

Description: As the days grow longer and the temperatures rise, the forests come alive with the springtime symphony. One of the most captivating aspects of this season is the chorus of frogs serenading the night. Listen closely as the chorus of frogs fills the air with their melodic calls, creating a mesmerizing ambiance that you won't soon forget. Grab your flashlight and sense of wonder and join us for an evening of discovery and delight in the company of nature's finest musicians! Frog Walks are guided night hikes to educate the public on the diverse species native to their region and some of the challenges the frogs and toads face. Bring hiking boots, a flashlight, and raincoats, and consider taking pictures of the wildlife for your chance to have them featured in an upcoming project discussed at the event.

St Vincent Wetlands & Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve.  

Date & Time: Saturday, March 29, 8:30 am.  We will meet at the Gristmill parking lot off Beatty County Road.  After the wetlands hike, drive to WPNR and park in front of the barn.

Leader: Regina Gaison, rgaison1@gmail.com, 724-853-7715

Directions: Located on and adjacent to the St Vincent College campus just north of Rt 30 near Latrobe, PA.  For the Gristmill, from the Arnold Palmer airport crossroads, turn north on Rt 981.  Turn left at the first traffic light, go straight through the small traffic circle, and keep bearing right turning right at a paved road just before the gristmill.  Drive around back to the parking lot.  For WPNR, return to Rt 981, and turn right.  Turn right on Old State Highway 981, and right on Walzer Way.  The address is 744 Walzer Way, Latrobe PA.  15650

Description:  On the beautiful St Vincent College campus near Latrobe, we will tour 3 separate, but connected wetlands, originally set up to treat iron oxide pollution. There are also flows to lakes and streams. Next at Winnie Palmer, we will tour varying ecosystems with all sorts of wildlife along connecting trails which include a picturesque wetlands boardwalk.  The lakes and surrounding areas host various waterfowl and songbirds, and there are also a number of bird feeders behind the barn for close up viewing.

Yellow Creek State Park – Migrating Waterfowl

Date & Time: Saturday, March 15, 8:00 am

Leader: Denny McCarthy, dennymccarthy@comcast.net , 412-913-9064

Directions: Yellow Creek State Park is along Rt 422 between the towns of Ebensburg and Indiana.  The address is 170 Route 259 Highway, Penn Run, PA, 15765.  GPS Coordinates are 40°34’41”N, 79°0’2’W. 

Description:  Yellow Creek State Park covers 3,140 acres containing varied ecological areas and has been designated as Important Bird area #23. Its close proximity to Chestnut Ridge allows for viewing of large numbers of waterfowl and gulls stopping to use the lake as they traverse the state. March is typically the highest month for waterfowl diversity on the lake, with some single days historically yielding nearly every duck species found in the Commonwealth! Binoculars are a must and spotting scopes are appreciated.  It is easy walking to various points around the lake, including an observatory, and we will let the birds guide our day. Meet at the Dragonfly Pond lot near the Nature Center.

Morosini Reserve – Woodcock Walk

Date & Time: Friday, March 14, 6:30 pm

Leader: Alex Busato, busatoalex67@gmail.com, 724-963-6612

Directions: From Rt. 22, follow Rt. 66 North to the 2nd stop light in Delmont and turn left onto Old Route 22.  Follow Old Route 22 and take the 2nd right onto Ringertown Road.  Follow Ringertown Road about a mile and turn left onto Morosini Farm Road.  Once you drive under the RR overpass, the Morosini Reserve begins on your right.  Continue straight ahead past the curve to a paved upper parking lot. 

Description: Although taxonomically a shorebird, the American Woodcock lives in forests and scrub fields across Pennsylvania.  Known for the male’s amazing aerial displays, their sky dances are used to attract females.  The Morosini Reserve is a 183 acre former farm, with appropriate woodcock habitat that consistently has yielded good results in the past. Join us on this mini-outing to enjoy this annual early-spring spectacle! Please bring a flashlight and prepare for cold conditions, as we’ll be finishing our walk after the sun has set.

Armchair Bird Outing at the Home of Georgia Shalek / Great Backyard Bird Count

Date & Time: Saturday, February 22, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm

Leader: Georgia Shalek, 724- 887-9210, gshalek@gmail.com / Steve Manns,
724-516-2244, psuloon@yahoo.com

Directions: 1481 W. Pittsburgh St., Scottdale. 724- 887-9210. Take the Scottdale Exit off 119S. Make a left off the exit ramp onto 819 S toward Scottdale. Take a right at the light onto w. Pittsburgh St. and follow it through the 2nd light for 2 miles to the bottom of a large hill where you’ll cross a small cement bridge. Turn left immediately after you cross the bridge between the guard rail and fire hydrant. If you come to Creek Road, you’ve gone 5 feet too far.

Description: Georgia Shalek has once again invited us to her home for a feeder-watch get together. Time: 8:00 - 3:00 with a walk around the grounds and lunch. Throw some boots into your car if you want to do the walk. Bring any drinks or snacks you want to share. Arrive and depart at your convenience. No rain date.  Bad weather – still on for those who can make it.

If you can’t make Georgia’s, do your own armchair birding as part of the Great Backyard Bird Count.  Count the maximum # of each species at your feeder at any one time from Feb 16-19.  Walk the neighborhood to add non-feeder species. Count on as many of the four days as you wish. Turn data in to Steve Manns.  

Loyalhanna Dam – A Gathering of Eagles

Date & Time: Saturday, February 1, 8:30 am.  We will meet at the office parking lot.

Leader: Dale Matuza, 724-327-0826, dmmatuza@comcast.net

Directions: The site is located a few miles east of Saltsburg, PA off routes 286 and 981.  The address is 440 Loyalhanna Dam Road, Saltsburg, PA, 15681-9302.  GPS Coordinates are 40 degrees, 26' 49.16" N, 79 degrees, 26' 40.34" W. 

Description: We will hopefully be viewing a number of Bald Eagles and other waterfowl from the crest of the dam.  In addition, we may walk a portion of the Westmoreland Heritage Trail south from Saltsburg to search for additional overwintering species.  There are modern restroom facilities.  Dress for the season and weather conditions.

Carnegie Museum of Natural History Collections Tour  +  Panhandle Trail Owl Prowl

Date & Time: Saturday, January 18, times to be determined

Leader: Alex Busato, busatoalex67@gmail.com, 724-963-6612

Directions: The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is located at 4400 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.  Most direct routes from the east are via 376 (Parkway) and the Oakland Exit (Bates St.).  Restaurant directions will be provided.  To the Montour Panhandle Connector, proceed on the 376 (Parkway West) exiting on I 79 South past Carnegie.  The address is Montour Panhandle Connector, Montour Trail, McDonald, PA 15057.

Description: This is a dual-venue outing helping us to shed those winter blues.  We will start with a midday visit to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History to explore some of the museum’s 190,000 avian specimens on a private tour through the ornithological collection! We’ll also have time to roam the remainder of the museum before departing for a late lunch/early dinner (location tbd). From there, we will proceed to the Panhandle Trail for a late afternoon search for wintering grassland birds like Northern Harrier and Short-eared Owls.  Additional details will be provided prior to the event, please RSVP to Alex no later than January 6th so we can plan for appropriate reservations and perhaps organize carpooling.

Christmas Bird Count Dinner

Date:  Saturday, January 11, 2025, 6:00 pm

Leader:  Xina Matuza, dmmatuza@comcast.net, 724-327-0826

Directions: We have reserved a room at The Boulevard Restaurant in Greensburg, PA.  Address is 900 Towne Square Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601. 

Description:  We have gone retro with an event from the past!  Come and enjoy a night out with good food, socializing, and member reports on their Bushy Run CBC efforts.  Please RSVP to Xina by Friday, December, 15, 2024, and include the following:

·        Number attending

·        Attendee choice of one of the following entrees.  Note: Entrees include House Salad tossed in house made Italian dressing, bread and butter, Coffee, Tea, Iced Tea or Fountain Soda, Van/Choc/Rasp Sheet cake, Tax and Gratuity.  (Cash Bar)

1.      Penne Pasta with Meatball  - $24.00

2.      Baked Cod with Baked Potato - $31.00

3.      Bruschetta Chicken with Baked Potato - $31.00

·        Mail RSVP with check made out to Xina Matuza for the appropriate amount to:

Xina Matuza,   3264 Mayer Drive,  Murrysville, PA  15668

Christmas Bird Count - Bushy Run Circle

Saturday, December 28, 2024

Leader: Steve Manns, psuloon@yahoo.com, 724-516-2244

Description:  Please contact Steve to grab a spot or team up with another party. Want to bird yourself?  Great!!!  If you are in the circle you can tally the birds yourself for that day.  Check to see if you are in the circle on this map: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appi d=ac275eeb01434cedb1c5dcd0fd3fc7b4.  Zoom in to see if your yard is in the circle for the count.  Doesn’t matter if you are a night owl or an early bird.  You can count the birds in the circle between 12:00 a.m. and 12:00 a.m.  Turn data in to Steve.

Christmas Bird Counts:

Sunday, December 15, 2024 - Rector Circle

Leader:  Annie Lindsay, LindsayA@carnegiemnh.org, 724-331-0660

Description:  Please contact Annie to grab a spot or team up with another party. Want to bird yourself?  Great!!!  If you are in the circle you can tally the birds yourself for that day.  Check to see if you are in the circle on this map: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appi d=ac275eeb01434cedb1c5dcd0fd3fc7b4.  Zoom in to see if your yard is in the circle for the count.  Doesn’t matter if you are a night owl or an early bird.  You can count the birds in the circle between 12:00 a.m. and 12:00 a.m.  Turn data in to Annie.

Tuesday, November 12, 2024 - Donohoe Barn – Club Meeting

Meet inside at the Donohoe Center at 7:00 p.m. Doors open 6:30 p.m. for member’s night

Leader:  Alex Busato/Tom Moser, busatoalex67@comcast.net, 724-963-6612

Directions:  Turn north onto Donohoe Road at the Route 30 traffic light near the overpass to the Westmoreland Mall in Greensburg.    Drive north on Donohoe 1.7 miles past WOW Outlets until you see the sign on the right for the Donohoe Center.   The Barn is in the back.

Description:  After a short administrative meeting, you can share your seasonal experiences for the past year.  Let Tom Moser (mosertd@gmail.com, (412-478-5513) know prior to the meeting.  Bring your nature pictures on a flash/USB drive.  Limit your show to 10 minutes.  These “show and tell” pictures can be from actual outings, trips, vacations, other adventures or just shots from around your backyard or neighborhood.

Nature Paraphernalia Auction Fundraiser:  Have any nature paraphernalia to donate to the club – books, feeders, checklists, old binoculars, hand lens, working electronics, baked goods, a husband or wife or significant other, etc.?  Items donated to the club will be sold at silent auction for $1.00 a ticket or 5 for $3.00.  

Finally, we will appreciate members who can provide baked goods such as cookies and pies to share.  Please bring your own drinks, since coffee and tea are no longer provided.

Saturday, November 2, 2024 - Jacobs Creek Park (Greenlick Run Lake)/ Bridgeport Dam County Park/ Jacob’s Creek Wetlands:

 Meet at 8:30 am at the Jacobs Creek Park (Greenlick) parking lot near the boat launch.  Waterfowl often take off with the morning sun, so we’ll begin here where waterfowl most often gather.

Leaders: Georgia Shalek, gshalek@gmail.com, 724-887-9210 or 724-875-9222 Mike Smith, skeetor72@yahoo.com, 412-526-8360

Directions: From points east & west - Take Route 31 east through Mt. Pleasant toward the village of Bridgeport. Turn right onto Bridgeport Street and proceed 1.3 miles to a four-way stop sign.  Go straight through the stop sign and over the bridge, veering left along the stream. Follow this to the intersection (no stop sign) and turn left.  Jacobs Creek Park (Greenlick) will be on your right.  Follow to the entrance and park in the lot toward the boat launch.  From points North and South- follow Route 119 to Route 31 East. Follow the directions above to Jacob’s Creek Park (Greenlick).

Description: Bridgeport Dam is a multi-purpose flood control dam on Jacobs Creek, where Jacobs Creek and Brush Run converge. We’ll spend our day beginning at Jacobs Creek Park (Greenlick), then caravan to Bridgeport Dam and on to the Jacobs Creek Wetlands. These beautiful areas often boast large numbers of migrating waterfowl,            especially in rainy weather which brings them down to ride out the storms, usually overnight.  All of these sites are in close proximity with adequate parking.  Some of our hiking may take place in grassy, wet or muddy areas, so toss some boots and rain gear in your car.  A scope will also come in handy if you have one.

Saturday, October 12, 2024:  Various – Ebird’s October Big Day Bird Count

Leader:  Steve Manns,psuloon@yahoo.com, 724-963-6612

Directions:  Bird your favorite areas - Be a part of something bigger!

Description:  Like Global Big Day, October Big Day is an opportunity to unite around our shared love of birds. Last year, nearly 36,332 people from 191 countries submitted 83,735 checklists with eBird, demonstrating the power of birds to bring people together.  Each year more and more participants join in this global celebration, how many people will contribute this year?  Wherever you are on 12 October, take a few minutes to join in this global celebration.  Participate from anywhere—even from home!  By taking part in October Big Day, you’re also celebrating Global Bird Weekend and World Migratory Bird Day. Be a part of the global team and help set a new record for October birding.  Turn data in on eBird.  Steve will review the species counts, high counts, and unusual sightings for the day.  We will summarize in the next newsletter.