Saturday, Oct. 14

EARLY MORNING TRIP

Center City Bird Collision Monitoring (WALKING)
Time: 5:00 – 7:30 am
Cost: $30/person
Meeting Location: 1900 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Parking is available on Market Street between 19^th St and 20^th Streets. GPS coordinates: 39.95337, -75.17266

Please be aware that there will be road closures in Philadelphia on Saturday morning from 7:00 am – 12:30 pm during the Philly Bike Ride. To view the bike course, please click here. You may want to leave early and plan around these road closures so that you can arrive on time for your field trip.

Join Audubon’s Keith Russell for a pre-dawn walk through downtown Philadelphia to observe Bird Safe Philly‘s bird collision monitoring program in action and learn more about Philadelphia’s new Lights Out program. Each year 365 million to one billion birds are estimated to fly into windows and other types of glass surfaces in the United States. Unfortunately most of the birds that collide with glass die from their injuries. As a result, bird-window collisions have become one of the leading causes of bird mortality and species declines in the world today. This problem affects birds throughout the state of Pennsylvania, including the enormous numbers of migratory birds that pass through the state (which is located on a heavily used portion of the Atlantic Flyway).

Because most collisions in the study area occur before sunrise, this field trip will begin at 5:00 am in order to find the dead or injured birds that would otherwise get removed by maintenance crews that begin cleaning downtown streets as early as 6 AM. This experience is limited to five participants.

MORNING TRIPS

Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education (WALKING)
Time: 8:00 – 10:30 am
Cost: $30/person
Meeting Location: 8480 Hagy’s Mill Road, Philadelphia, PA 19128. Meet your trip leaders in the parking lot. Restrooms are available. GPS coordinates: 40.056, -75.25267

*Blue-headed Vireo Photo: Doug Deneve/Audubon Photography Awards*

Founded in 1965, the Schuylkill Center is one of the first urban environmental education centers in the country, with 340 acres of fields, forests, ponds, and streams in northwest Philadelphia. Since 1999, the Center has focused efforts and resources on creating a preserve that supports the highest level of plant and animal diversity native to southeastern Pennsylvania. Academic study is integrated with recreation and enjoyment to establish a basis for meaningful programs and to help instill a sense of discovery in those who visit our grounds. 97 species have been recorded here during the month of October and 163 species have been recorded here overall.

John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge (WALKING)
Time: 8:00 – 10:30 am
Cost: $30/person
Meeting Location: 8601 Lindbergh Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19153. Park your car in the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge Parking Lot and meet your trip leader at the entrance of the Environmental Education Center. GPS coordinates: 39.89218, -75.2572

The John Heinz NWR field trip is sold out.

John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum is a unique, urban oasis where both people and wildlife can find their space outdoors. It is notably home to the largest remaining freshwater tidal marsh in Pennsylvania, known as Tinicum Marsh. The refuge has been designated as an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society. It’s diverse habitats provide a sanctuary for birds in Greater Philadelphia. 232 species have been recorded here during the month of October and 306 species have been recorded here overall.

Belmont Plateau (WALKING)
Time: 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Cost: $30/person
Meeting Location: 1800 Belmont Mansion Dr., Philadelphia, PA 19131. Park and meet our guides in the long, narrow parking area along the east side of the street across from the Belmont Mansion. GPS coordinates: 39.99067, -75.21253

Belmont Plateau has one of the best views of the Philly skyline in the entire city. The grassy hill is perfect for watching migrating raptors with Center City and West Philadelphia in the background. The forest trails course through habitat that supports vireos, warblers and woodpeckers. The park is close to other West Fairmount Park attractions including the Shofuso Japanese House and Please Touch Museum. 62 species have been recorded here in October and 146 species have been recorded here overall.

AFTERNOON TRIPS

Paddling at the Discovery Center (CANOEING)
Time: 1:00 – 3:30 pm
Cost: $45/person
Meeting Location: 3401 Reservoir Dr, Philadelphia, PA 19121. Park in the visitor lot, opposite the disc golf course and meet our trip leader at the green Discovery Center sign on the water’s edge just inside the main gates of the center. GPS coordinates: 39.981706, -75.191262

*Wood Duck Photo: Teri Franzen/Audubon Photography Awards*

Over 130 species of birds have visited the Strawberry Mansion reservoir since it was decommissioned. Now that nature has taken over the space, we’ll be going out in the canoes to find out exactly what draws them to this special place. We will be fitting everyone with paddles, Personal Floatation Device (PFD), and binoculars. Join us for the search for flora and fauna that call the reservoir home. No canoeing experience or bird/plant knowledge required! Participants will learn tips and proper canoe technique from Outward Bound Instructors. 103 species have been recorded here during the month of October and 171 species have been recorded here overall.

Please note: 2-person canoes are available. If you register without a paddling partner, we will pair you with another solo guest or a field trip leader.

Laurel Hill Cemetery (WALKING)
Time: 1:00 – 3:30 pm
Cost: $40/person
Meeting Location: 3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19132. Meet your guide outside of the gift shop off of Ridge Avenue. You can park in the lot (if spots are available) or along Ridge Avenue. GPS coordinates: 40.004197, -75.187484

Laurel Hill Cemetery is an historic garden cemetery in the East Falls neighborhood of Philadelphia. Founded in 1836, it was the second major rural cemetery in the United States after Mount Auburn Cemetery in Boston, Massachusetts. The cemetery is 74 acres in size and overlooks the Schuylkill River. 59 species have been recorded here during the month of October and 118 species have been recorded here overall.

Navy Yard (WALKING/DRIVING)
Time: 1:00 – 3:30 pm
Cost: $30/person
Meeting Location: Meet at nearby FDR Park, located at 1500 Pattison Avenue &, S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19145. There are two entrances to FDR park along Pattison Ave. The westernmost entrance leads directly to the parking lot in front of the golf course entrance. Meet your trip leader at the parking lot in front of the entrance to the park’s golf course. We will check in all participants at FDR Park, and then drive a short distance to the Navy Yard. We may ask participants to carpool from FDR Park to the Navy Yard. GPS coordinates: 39.904739, -75.182935

The Navy Yard has over 20 acres of open space and a mile of waterfront trail. These green spaces provide habitat during migration for songbirds, raptors and a large variety of additional species. The trails provide overlooks to search for gulls, terns, waterfowl, and other types of waterbirds along the Delaware River. The Navy Yard was certified as a Level-1 arboretum in 2018. The campus is open to the public daily from sunrise to sunset. This field trip may include driving short distances to several sites in the Navy Yard. 114 species have been recorded during the month of October and 211 species have been recorded here overall.

Houston Meadow (WALKING)
Time: 1:15 – 3:45 pm
Cost: $30/person
Meeting Location: Park along the street near Courtesy Stable, located at 901 E. Cathedral Road, Philadelphia, PA 19128. Meet at the park entrance on the north side of the street. GPS coordinates: 40.06738, -75.23002

Stop to smell the wildflowers at Houston Meadow. This 48-acre area of forest and meadow habitat within the upper portion of Wissahickon Valley Park was created by Audubon and Philadelphia’s Department of Parks & Recreation. Completed in 2013, the meadow was seeded with native warm-season grasses and wildflowers, while nesting boxes for bluebirds and kestrels were installed to further enhance the wildlife habitat. 167 species have been recorded at Houston Meadow since 2013 and 121 species have been recorded there just during the month of October.

TALLY RALLY

Tally Rally at the Discovery Center (SOCIAL)
Time: 4:30 – 6:30 pm
Cost: $25/person
Meeting Location: 3401 Reservoir Dr, Philadelphia, PA 19121. Meet us in the Multipurpose room on the left side after the main entrance. GPS coordinates: 39.981706, -75.191262

Audubon’s Philly Birding Weekend is more than a great opportunity to see unique local birds…it is also a time to meet unique local birders! Birders will enjoy great food and craft beer at the Discovery Center.

See what birds have been tallied on the Friday and Saturday field trips, and learn about local birding hotspots from our Philly Birding Weekend guides. Join us to swap birding stories and add to the species checklist for the weekend.

Event sponsor Jeffrey A. Miller Catering will provide a sumptuous spread for our birders, including the Harvest Table (cured meats, local cheese, olives, grilled vegetables, rosemary flatbreads, sourdough bread), the Mediterranean Harvest Table (grilled, raw, and marinated vegetables, stuffed grape leaves, hummus, baba ghanoush, flatbreads) and Southwestern Display (tortilla chips, black bean salsa, tomatillo salsa, guacamole). Beverages include Jasmine Unsweetened Iced Tea, Hibiscus Lime Lemonade, and Sweet Mint Iced Tea. Beer and wine will be available also.

Event sponsor Unique Photo will have lenses and binoculars to trial during the Tally Rally so that you can extend you birdwatching!

Photo Contest

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO TO AUDUBON’S PHILLY BIRDING WEEKEND PHOTO CONTEST!

Unique Photo is sponsoring a photo contest for shots taken during Philly Birding Weekend tours. Unique Photo will award prizes as well as printing and framing selected entries for exhibition. All entries must be submitted by November 5th. Click here for more information.

Please note:

No cancellations are accepted after September 25, 2023.
Trips will go rain or shine. If the trip is canceled due to dangerous conditions, a full refund will be provided.
Please read our waiver and photo release form prior to registering for field trips.