March 2005 Outings
Saturday, March 5 — Lawrence County Farm Country
Bob Machesney (412-366-7869) will lead this outing in search of Snow Buntings, Horned Larks, Lapland Longspurs, Rough-legged Hawks, Sandhill Cranes, and Short-eared Owls. To minimize anxiety of the local residents, only two vehicles will be taken on this outing, requiring advance reservations. Call Bob to reserve a spot. We will meet at the park and ride lot in Cranberry to organize the two carpools at 12:00 PM.
Tuesday, March 15 — Allegheny Front
This outing is timed for the peak of the Golden Eagle spring migration. Bill Judd (412-571-2057) will lead this outing to one of the most reliable locations to observe Golden Eagle. The Allegheny Front is one of the closest hawk watches to western Pennsylvania that reliably produces good numbers of migrating hawks (weather permitting). It saves driving the long distances that are required for some of the more famous hawk watches further east. Parking is limited, however, so meeting at a remote location is necessary to make sure we don't exceed the capacity. Take the turnpike east to the Somerset exit, then Route 281 north to Stoystown, Route 30 east to Reels Corner. Go north to Central City. At one point you will come to a sharp left turn with a sign to go left for 160 North. Go straight here. This is Lambert Street; go straight 0.5 miles to its T-intersection with Shaffer Mt. Rd (straight ahead) and Main Street (on your left).
Go straight on Shaffer Mt. Rd (SR1018) for 0.9 miles, then right at Lambert Mt. Rd. (SR 1035). Go 2.8 miles thru State Game Lands 228 to where Lambert Mt. Rd. ends, turns sharp left and becomes Fliegle Rd.
Go straight instead of turning left, then straight for 0.5 miles. Turn right at the blue gate and go 0.2 miles to the parking lot for the Hawk Watch. Allow two hours from Pittsburgh. Meet at the hawk watch at 9:30 AM. Bring a lunch and dress warmly. Allow 2 hours drive time from Pittsburgh. Bring a lunch and dress warmly. Be prepared for changes in the weather!
Wednesday, March 16 — Woodcock Walk
Meet leader Tom Byrnes (724-275-7230) at the Ames/Giant Eagle parking lot just off the Harmar exit of Route 28 at 6:30 PM. Meet in front of the old Ames store. We will carpool and drive a short distance to a field in Harmar Township that has produced lots of American Woodcock last year. Be prepared for a muddy walk and bring a flashlight to witness the strange display of the Timberdoodle. This is the first of three walks Tom will lead to this location this spring.
Saturday, March 19 — Pymatuning Area
Meet leader Bob Van Newkirk (412-366-1694) at the Pymatuning Visitors Center (Waterfowl Museum) at 9:00 AM for this outing. Depending on ice cover, plenty of waterfowl and other winter specialties should be around for this trip. Bald Eagles are guaranteed. Rough-legged Hawks are likely, along with the famous albino Red-tailed Hawk that has been there for several years now. Other possibilities include Snow Buntings and Horned Larks. Carpool at 7:30 AM at the park and ride lot at the intersection of Rts. 19 and 228 (across from Denny’s) in Cranberry Township. Enter the lot from the service road behind, accessible from the Burger King on Rt. 19.
Sunday, March 20 — Lower Buffalo Creek Watershed
Chris Knoll will lead this outing to this exceptional IBA site. From Pittsburgh, take I-79 south to I-70. Take I-70 west to the Taylorstown exit. At the stop sign, take a left. At the next stop sign, take a right. After about one mile, you will come to a blinking red light. Proceed straight through this light and meet in the parking area about 200 yards on the left. Allow about 3/4 hour from Pittsburgh. In case you get lost, ask for directions to the S-bridge, which is a well-known local landmark at this intersection. Meet at 8:00 AM.
Saturday, March 26 — Lake Arthur
This outing will be led by Jack Solomon (412-521-3365) and Bernie Conley (412-461-5254). Meet in the Moraine State Park day use area (south shore) in the first parking lot on the right at 9:00 AM. From I-79, take route 422 east toward Butler and exit at the Moraine State Park exit. At the end of the ramp, turn left and go straight into the park until you see the first major parking area on your right. This is where we will meet. Allow one hour driving from Pittsburgh. Carpool at 8:00 AM at the park and ride lot at the intersection of Rts. 19 and 228 (across from Denny’s) in Cranberry Township. Enter the lot from the service road behind, accessible from the Burger King on Rt. 19.
