Upcoming Programs
- Hawk Watch at Rose Tree Park, Media 10/17
- Autumn Nature Walk 10/24
Future Meetings
- Saw-whet Owl Banding 11/14
CLICK HERE for a printable 2015 Fall Jr. Birding schedule! |
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Blake Goll
Nature Education Coordinator
Phone: 610-353-2562 Ext. 20
Email: bhg@wctrust.org
WCT Headquarters
925 Providence Road
Newtown Square, PA 19073
610-353-2562
wctrust.orgRushton Farm & Rushton Woods Preserve
911 Delchester Rd.
Newtown Square, PA 19073
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Willistown Wild Wings Newswire
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Hawk Watch
Saturday, October 17th from 9am-Noon Rose Tree Park (1671 N Providence Rd, Media)
Come join Holly Merker, top eBird reviewer for the area, and other expert hawk watchers at the official Rose Tree Park Hawk Watch in Media. Whether you stay for the whole morning or just an hour, you will learn identification tips from experienced birders and get to participate in the annual fall hawk watch. This local hawk watch affords great views of migrant raptors even though it's not at the top of Hawk Mountain! Bring your binoculars as there will only be a few to borrow.Free for members, $5 per child for non-members. Click here to register on our Signup Genius page.
Email Blake Goll with any questions at bhg@wctrust.org
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Autumn Nature Walk
Saturday, October 24th from 9:30-11:30am Ashbridge Preserve on Strasburg Road, West Chester |
 White-eyed Vireo. Photo by Jim Flowers
Take a leisurely stroll in the woods over stream crossings and bog bridges at our little known gem of Ashbridge Preserve. We will take in the beauty of the fall leaves on the trees and beneath our feet as we look for the last of the migratory birds as well as other creatures bustling about like harvestmen (or daddy longlegs), woolly bear caterpillars, and acorn hoarding squirrels. Bring your binoculars if you have them!
Free for members, $5 per child for non-members. Click here to register on our Signup Genius page. Email Blake Goll with any questions at bhg@wctrust.org
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Special Announcement about Northern Saw-whet Owl Banding |
November 14th is already full, so we will be offering the night of Halloween (October 31) exclusively to dues-paying Club Members, in a special invite next week. If there are remaining spaces after that, they will be offered to everyone on a first-come first serve basis.
Please go to our Signup Genius page and check to see if you have signed up for November 14th. Please remove your name from the list or let us know if you can no longer attend so that others may take your place (bhg@wctrust.org).
Thanks!
Bird Banding Staff
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What You Missed in September |
Junior Birders caught a glimpse of several nighthawks at the Nighthawk Watch at Haverford College. Their graceful yet erratic looping flight reminded everyone of bats! Then during the annual Open House, over 30 kids and family members observed the banding process of many beautiful migrant songbirds like the Swainson's Thrush below. Some of these birds were visibly storing fat, a good indicator that they will not stay at Rushton for long before continuing their long journeys to the tropics. The Discovery Table was a hit with kids identifying natural items ranging from flying squirrel tails and fox pelts to preserved salamanders and moths.
Swainson's Thrush banded at Rushton, Discovery Table full of natural wonders, and a child holding up the flying squirrel tail.
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Thanks for your interest in Willistown Conservation Trust's Junior Birding Club, a chapter of PA Young Birders. Studies have shown that regular experience with nature makes kids healthier, happier and significantly improves their performance in all school subjects. Getting your child involved with PA Young Birders is a wise choice that makes positive waves in your child's future.
Our Mission is to develop a culture of caring
for the natural world and desire to conserve
land, by providing meaningful, thought provoking
experiences with nature, especially birds.
Our Objectives for Your Child:
- Connect intimately to nature in order to foster a lasting love of the natural world.
- Nurture a spirit of discovery and wonder.
- Refine birding abilities and cultivate a wholesome lifelong hobby.
- Develop science skills and understanding of the scope of science.
- Create a confident conservation ethic by demonstrating the importance of preserving open space.
- Recognize the interconnectedness of habitat, birds and other wildlife.
- Ensure an ultimate understanding of the positive role humans can play in the natural world
Kids are only expected to bring a desire to learn about birds and explore nature as well as hiking shoes and clothes they don't mind getting dirty! Binoculars are a plus, but we always have a few on hand to borrow. All programs are appropriate for kids ages 8-12, but most are adaptable for younger or older kids as well; just ask me if you are concerned about the age appropriateness of a program.
 
The Willistown Conservation Trust is a non-profit land trust working to protect the rural beauty of the 28,000 acres surrounding Willistown,Pennsylvania. We're dedicated to permanently protecting our countryside from development and inspiring in people a lifelong love of the land and the natural world. Please visit our website to learn more about us, and subscribe to our bird blog to learn about what's been going on at our bird banding station this year.
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