August 2003 Outings
Saturday, August 2 — Shenango Reservoir
Mike Fialkovich (412-731-3581) will lead this outing to what has become western Pennsylvania's best location for migrating shorebirds. Meet Mike at 8 AM at the Golden Access area. To get to Shenango, take I-79 north to the Grove City exit. At the exit turn left toward the Grove City shops. Cross the bridge over I-79, make an immediate right onto Route 258. Go approximately 9 miles to Mercer, then another 8 miles on Route 258 to the Shenango River Reservoir. Make a right at the Golden Run access sign. The road will "T" after one-half mile. Turn right, and go one-half mile to the end of the road. The parking lot is on your left. We will carpool from there. If you miss the right turn to Golden Access, you will end up at Route 18 at the Tara restaurant. Bring lots of water, food, a wide brim hat, and footwear for muddy conditions.
You can monitor the water level at
http://www.lrp.usace.army.mil/current/forecast.html
Summer pool is 896 feet. At 894 feet, good mudflats are available for the shorebirds. The water level has been drawn down intentionally in the last few years, exposing vast mud flats that attract a wide variety of shorebirds. Expect a minimum of 12 shorebird species, including both Yellowlegs, Dunlin, Pectoral Sandpipers, Least, Semipalmated, and Baird's Sandpipers, an occasional Red Knot, Black-bellied Plovers, and Semipalmated Plovers. The adjacent woods and fields host a nice variety of songbirds along with Red-headed Woodpeckers.
Saturday and Sunday, August 9-10 — Shorebirding Weekend
Bob Machesney (412-366-7869) and Margie Kern will co-lead this trip in search of shorebirds. It will start at Shenango Lake, then cross the Ohio line to Berlin Reservoir near Alliance. We will stay overnight in Ohio and do the same areas in reverse order on Sunday. The outing will be limited to 20 members, who should register with Bob. Carpooling will be necessary, so please be flexible in your travel arrangements. Details on overnight accommodations will be available from the leaders later. The trip is timed to coincide with the peak diversity of shorebird species in the fall migration.
Non-3RBC Outings
(Non-3RBC)
Friday, August 9 — Delaware Marshes and Bombay Hook
NWR
(Non-3RBC)
Saturday, August 10 — Delaware City to Bombay Hook
(Non-3RBC)
Saturday, August 23— E.B. Forsythe (Brigantine) NWR,
NJ
(Non-3RBC)
Friday, August 29 to Sunday, August 31 — Nighthawk
Watch
