November 2006 Outings
Friday, November 3 to November 12 — East Coast Trip
Join Jack and Sue Solomon (412-521-3365) for this extended trip to the East Coast. As an option, this trip can begin on the evening of 11/3 by reserving the dinner and program featuring David Allen Sibley at the Ned Smith Nature Center in Millersburg near Harrisburg ($150 per individual/$250 per couple). Or start on Saturday 11/4 at the Ned Smith Nature Center, for the exhibit on The Life, Art and Birding of David Sibley. You can reserve a seat in an afternoon class with him on drawing birds. He will also have a gallery talk to discuss his art, and a session where he will sign copies of his field guides for visitors. See http://www.nedsmithcenter.org for details.
The rest of the trip schedule is tentative, and could include stops at Hawk Mountain, Cape May, NJ, Bombay Hook NWR in Delaware, and Chincoteague NWR in Virginia. Call Jack or email him snaggle719@yahoo.com for details.
Friday, November 3 at 10:00 A.M. Panhandle Trail, South Fayette Township, Allegheny County.
Note: *** NEW OUTING LOCATION *** This replaces Wissahickon's formerly posted Sewickley Heights Park outing.
This 3RBC/Wissahickon Nature Club joint outing is led by Esther Allen and Chuck Tague (412)488-8760 bluejay@city-net.com. They're great birders and top-notch all-around naturalists, so flowers, trees insects and more will be identified.
Directions: From Pittsburgh, travel I-79 south to Exit 54/PA 50/Bridgeville. Travel PA 50 west about 5/10 mile and turn right onto Millers Run Road. Travel 2.1 miles on Millers Run Rd and turn right onto Old Oakdale Road. (Look for signs to an elementary school). Continue 2.1 miles on Old Oakdale Road; you will pass schools on your right and then reach a stop sign. At this intersection, turn left onto Battleridge Road. At the first Y, bear left to travel on PA 978 south. At the second Y, make a right onto Robinson Run Road. Travel Robinson Run Road 1.2 miles, and make a sharp right onto Cemetery Hill Road. At the bottom of the hill, the road will cross over the Panhandle Trail in the village of Sturgeon.
Meet at the pavilion on the right.
Saturday, November 4 — Yellow Creek State Park
This outing will be a joint outing of the 3RBC and the Todd Bird Club. Meet Margaret Higbee (724-354-3493) at the park office at 8:00 AM. The park office is located on Route 259 just off Route 422 east of Indiana. Allow an hour and 15 minutes to drive from Pittsburgh. Yellow Creek State Park has been the prime outing location for the Todd Bird Club since the club was created. The park contains a wide variety of habitats and a large lake that attracts a wide variety of species. Some of the waterfowl numbers have been spectacular in the past with real rarities showing up on a fairly regularly.
Saturday, November 11 — Independence Wetlands Environmental Center
Susan Boser will be our host at the Beaver Community Environmental Center on Saturday, November 11. We will meet at 9:00 AM. Take Route 60 past the airport to the Hopewell exit. Go 151 West for three miles then turn right onto Cowpath Road (at the Amerigas building). Follow Cowpath Road for approx 1/2 mile and turn right though the iron gate entrance of the Environmental Center. Turn left before the parking lot to proceed up the road to the education building, where we will meet. We are invited to eat our bag lunch in the education building.
Sunday, November 19 — Moraine State Park
Jim Valimont (412-828-5338) will lead this outing. Besides the nice variety of waterfowl expected, other species could include Eastern Bluebird, Northern Mockingbird, Cedar Waxwings, Common Snipe, and Ruffed Grouse. Lake Arthur is a man made lake that is the heart of Moraine State Park. Although heavily fished, waterfowl are more comfortable with the fishermen than they are with hunters. Therefore, the lake gets good (sometimes spectacular) numbers and variety of waterfowl in migration. Meet in the Moraine State Park day use area (south shore) in the first parking lot on the right at 8:00 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. Allow one hour driving from Pittsburgh.
