FEBRUARY 2008 Outings
January-February - Lawrence County Farm Country
Jim Valimont (412-828-5338) will lead outing(s) in search of Snow Buntings, Horned Larks, Lapland Longspurs, Rough-legged Hawks, Sandhill Cranes, and Short-eared Owls. Call Jim early in January to reserve a spot. Preference will be given to those who have not been on previous Lawrence county winter trips. Jim will determine the trip dates in order to have the best chance of viewing these winter birds, which is when there is snow on the ground. We will meet at noon in the park-and-ride lot in Cranberry to organize the carpools. The park and ride lot is located at the intersection of Route. 19 and 228 (across from Denny's) in Cranberry Township. Enter the lot from behind the service road, accessible from the Burger King on Rt. 19.
Saturday February 16, 2008 - Sewickley Heights Park
Bob Van Newkirk (412-366-1694 or email at van126@comcast.net) will be leading bird counting groups in Sewickley Heights Park from 9am-11am and then again from 1pm-3 pm at Sewickley Heights Borough Park. This joint outing is in collaboration with the Fern Hollow Nature Center's Annual Backyard Bird Count Event. We want to take a snapshot of North American bird populations and you can help. Bob and other birders will be meeting at the upper parking lot of Sewickley Heights Borough Park.
Wissahickon Nature Club Outing - Sunday, February 17 Walks in the Park with Park Ranger Thad Jones
1:30 p.m. Not only is winter a season of unmatched beauty, but with the bones of the forest exposed, the plant diversity of the eastern forest becomes clear. Winter presents unique opportunities to identify trees and shrubs by bark, form, buds, fruit, etc. You are invited to shake off those hibernatory blues, bundle up, and join Thad for a series of walks that will shed some light on our wonderful diversity of native trees and shrubs and how to identify them at any time of year, even in winter. Please meet in upper parking lot of Sewickley Heights Borough Park. Free to the public. In the event of severe weather, call 412-716-5520 to check walk status.
Directions: Take I-79 to Mt. Nebo exit. Turn Left onto Blackburn Road. Follow Blackburn Road through the countryside until you come to a stop sign. Make right at stop sign onto Fern Hollow Road. You will pass Sewickley Boro Building on your right and the park entrance is immediately after that on right. Follow the drive all the way to the parking lot at end.
