Synopsis: Learn about the life, migration and unique human-dependent nesting habits of the Purple Martin, North America's largest swallow. Our presenter, Mercedes Leofsky is the Research Manager at the Purple Martin Conservation Association. www.purplemartin.org

When: Sunday, March 22nd, starting at 9:30 am at Core Creek Park, weather permitting.

Trip Leader: Sharon Furlong

This is a nice stroll, starting at the parking lot at Duchess Lane, and meandering around one side of the Lake and on the back trails that make their way towards another section of Core Creek we walk in the spring, up towards the Woodbourne Road entrance.

Birds, easy walking, looking for early spring growth, shaking off some of the doldrums of winter…..sound like something you wish to do? we will be rambling around two hours and hopefully, the weather will cooperate and the trails, not too too muddy…

There is no pre-registration for this walk, just show up before 9:30am at the Duchess Lane parking lot, close to where the lot ends and the trail to the Lake begins.

Chimney Swift Program Description

Bats? Birds? Minions of the Underworld? If you have found strange looking birds in your fireplace or heard a deafening cacophony of sounds from inside it, congratulations! You likely have Chimney Swifts! Once numerous, these birds have experienced sharp declines in their range across the Eastern U.S. due to habitat loss during the last century. Join us as we unravel the mystery behind these unique and fascinating birds while giving you behind-the-scenes footage of our work with them through our Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic.

Bethany Sheffer Bio

Growing up in the heart of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Bethany enjoyed spending time outdoors with her father and Ojibwa native daycare provider. Though she began her nonprofit career working in social development within Latino communities, she reconnected with her enthusiasm for the natural world whilst completing her master’s degree in public administration and subsequently obtained positions working for Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources, the Conservation Trust for North Carolina (as an AmeriCorps member), and other conservation-based nonprofits prior to her current one with the National Audubon Society. She is a certified Environmental Educator through the state of North Carolina and a certified Master Naturalist through Connecticut’s excellent Master Naturalist program. She has lived in parts of the Eastern United States and in South America and finds deep meaning in the connections between birds and people throughout the Western Hemisphere. If she could be any bird in the world, she would be a type of parrot.

Karla joined the CU Maurice River team in 2015 as the Program Manager. At that time, she was responsible for planning, organizing, and managing programs and activities. From the ground up, she designed many outdoor education and recreation opportunities, developed new outreach initiatives, incorporated CUMR in national citizen science initiatives, and built the foundation for large-scale stewardship projects. In January of 2021, Karla began her new position as CU Maurice River’s Executive Director. 

In this presentation, Karla will highlight the nationally recognized outstanding natural resource values of the Maurice River and its tributaries. The character and integrity of these values led to the river's inclusion in the National Park Service's Wild and Scenic Program. The Maurice River benefits from high-quality, contiguous habitats that support the system's notable biodiversity and abundance.  Karla will end her talk with an overview of CU Maurice River's focus on engaging the public in resource protection and management, utilizing one example of a community-powered wetlands restoration project currently underway. 

Compiler is Diane Allison. She can be reached at dalliso@mail.ptd.net . For more information please see the National Audubon Society website at https://www.audubon.org/community-science/christmas-bird-count/join-christmas-bird-count

Compiler for the Lower Bucks Christmas Count is Mark Gallagher. He can be reached at mgallagher@princetonhydro.com . For more information see the National Audubon Society website at https://www.audubon.org/community-science/christmas-bird-count/join-christmas-bird-count

Leigh Altadonna, President Emeritus of Liberty Bird Alliance (Formerly Wyncote Audubon), would like to share with us his efforts in local advocacy for bird preservation. That includes his work with Audubon, Birdtown and their new Habitat Recognition program, and Bird Safe Philly (preventing and educating about window strikes). The presentation will begin at 7pm but come early - after 6:30pm to catch up with your peeps.  The meeting will be held in the classroom at Peace Valley Nature Center. Enter the building around the side near the bird blind.

Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Bird. Vultures are often overlooked, underappreciated, and unloved, despite the vital roles they play in healthy ecosystems. Worldwide, vultures are primarily scavengers; they can help stop the spread of disease by quickly and efficiently removing dead animals from the landscape. Unfortunately, due to poisoning, direct persecution, habitat loss, and other threats, vultures are more likely to be threatened or endangered than any other group of raptors. But in the Western Hemisphere, Turkey and Black Vultures counter this trend and are increasing in number. Based on Katie Fallon’s recent book, this fun presentation will explore the life and times of the noble Turkey Vulture, including its feeding, nesting, and roosting habits, migratory behaviors, and common misconceptions. Katie will also discuss what it’s like to be up-close-and-personal with Turkey and Black Vultures through her work with the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia.

Katie Fallon is the author of the nonfiction books Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Bird (2020, 2017) and Cerulean Blues: A Personal Search for a Vanishing Songbird (2011), as well as two books for children. She is the Executive Director of the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia, a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving the region’s wild birds through research, education, and rehabilitation. She has also served as President of the Mountaineer Chapter of the National Audubon Society. Katie is a Certified Professional Bird Trainer and has worked with birds since 1998; over the last twenty-five years she has given educational presentations featuring live raptors, vultures, parrots, and corvids. She writes the column WINGBEATS for Bird Watcher’s Digest and has taught writing at West Virginia University, Virginia Tech, and elsewhere. In 2022 Katie tried something new; she ran for a seat in the West Virginia state legislature and lost by just 138 votes! Her first word was “bird.” For more: www.katiefallon.com.

Join us for a morning bird walk with a local guide to enjoy and appreciate joy of birding while the migrant birds moving through Bucks County in September & October. Bradford Dam reservoir is a fantastic location to watch migration in action with its variety of habitat along the Neshaminy creek.

Bird Walk Leader: Vin Pannerselvam

When: Friday Mornings 7am-9am from September 5th to October 10th 2025

Where: Bird walk starts sharply at 7 am from the gravel parking lot at John Paul Park at Lower Nike. The address is 301, Folly Rd, Chalfont, PA

Join the Big Sit! — Broad-winged Hawk Migration Watch
Peace Valley Park, Bucks County
📅 Date: September 14th
🕗 Time: 9:00am to 2:00pm
📍 Location: Peace Valley Park – The lawn near the last parking lot with boat launch south side of Creek Rd (closest to the spillway dam) https://maps.app.goo.gl/r9u9sXrDQHvVsgyK9

Calling all birders, nature lovers, and hawk enthusiasts!
Come be part of a Big Sit, a relaxed, all-day birding event where we stay in one spot and let the birds come to us. This is the perfect time to witness the spectacular migration of Broad-winged Hawks as they soar through Bucks County in swirling kettles.

Bring your binoculars, lawn chairs, snacks, your favorite coffee mug, and good vibes. Whether you're a seasoned birder or just curious, everyone is welcome!

Let’s count hawks, share stories, and enjoy the beauty of fall migration together. If it rains, consider it cancelled.

Bucks events are free for all. Register here to reserve your spot.

Join us for a morning bird walk with a local guide to enjoy and appreciate joy of birding while the migrant birds moving through Bucks County in September & October. Bradford Dam reservoir is a fantastic location to watch migration in action with its variety of habitat along the Neshaminy creek.

Bird Walk Leader: Vin Pannerselvam

When: Friday Mornings 7am-9am from September 5th to October 10th 2025

Where: Bird walk starts sharply at 7 am from the gravel parking lot at John Paul Park at Lower Nike. The address is 301, Folly Rd, Chalfont, PA

Join us for a morning bird walk with a local guide to enjoy and appreciate joy of birding while the migrant birds moving through Bucks County in September & October. Bradford Dam reservoir is a fantastic location to watch migration in action with its variety of habitat along the Neshaminy creek.

Bird Walk Leader: Vin Pannerselvam

When: Friday Mornings 7am-9am from September 5th to October 10th 2025

Where: Bird walk starts sharply at 7 am from the gravel parking lot at John Paul Park at Lower Nike. The address is 301, Folly Rd, Chalfont, PA

What to bring: Binoculars, hiking shoes, water, sun protection, and bug spray.

Program Description:

Last October, I joined an expedition to South Georgia Island, a wildlife paradise located a two- to three-day sail east from the Falkland Islands, and 900 mi north of Antarctica. Travelling to this remote location included three days in Santiago, Chile and three in the Falkland Islands. This presentation will showcase the beautiful landscapes and amazing wildlife of these distant places.

Biography for Susan Sherman:

The Covid lockdowns plus a random backyard bird-feeder spurred me to become the obsessed birder and photographer I am today. My first experience seeing common birds up close, and watching their behavior, was truly a revelation. 500+ life birds and counting later, I’m increasingly enthralled. Fortunately, I’ve been retired for several years now from a corporate job, so I have the time to indulge my new-found passion!

Trip Leaders: Sharon Furlong & Vin Pannerselvam

Where: Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain, Fiddler’s Creek Parking lot (Fiddlers Creek Rd, Titusville, NJ 08560)

Details: We will meet at the lower and larger Parking Lot located on Fiddler’s Creek Road, which is off Route 29, not far from the Washington Crossing Bridge. Here are a couple of links for those of you who are not familiar with this wonderful place to bird, picnic and hike:

https://njtrails.org/trail/ted-stiles-preserve-at-baldpate-mountain/

https://www.mercercounty.org/departments/mercer-county-park-commission/find-parks-facilities/baldpate-mountain

This gathering is for birds, so no trails…..we will be walking up the paved road starting from the Lot, and ending around the Visitor/Event Center. It is mostly uphill, but not too onerous of an uphill, and usually, the birds are so numerous that one barely registers the ascent. This is a place where one can count on double digit warblers, many vireos, tanagers, grosbeaks and little stripey sparrow things.

We are asking anyone interested to pre-register for this free (of course!) event, either through register link below or one of our private emails addresses. Please include ALL of your contact information (name, address, telephone number) and if you plan on bringing others. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact one of us. As we draw closer to the date, I hope to put out an email to our already-registered participants with some recent sightings.

So please consider joining us. It should be a blast.

Vin Pannerselvam: Bucksbirders@gmail.com

Sharon Furlong: sfurlong5@verizon.net