Valley Forge Audubon Society Calendar of Events

Are you looking to start a native plant garden and have no idea where to begin? On Saturday October 25, Valley Forge Audubon Society and West Whiteland Township's Bird Town Committee are sponsoring a native plant sale from noon to 2 pm. The event will be held in the pavilion at Catov Park in Exton.

Experienced native plant gardeners will be available to answer your questions and to recommend plants suitable for your space and habitat. Fall is an ideal season for planting because plants naturally direct their energy toward root development. This strong foundation helps the plants establish more quickly, resulting in healthier growth and earlier blooms compared to those planted in spring. And planting locally sourced native flowers and grasses is a great way to reduce the impact of stormwater while attracting butterflies and birds to your yard.

Don’t miss this opportunity to start your native plant garden this fall!

What is a “Little Sit”?

It’s a miniature version of a birding Big Sit, where observers remain within a 17-foot circle while counting every bird that comes along. This will not be a bird walk – it truly is a bird sit where we let the birds come to us!

Please join us as we remain in one location to see which birds come our way. We will be sitting near the front door of the museum under the covered portico, just yards from the parking lot. Volunteers from the Valley Forge Audubon Society will be present to lend their expertise. Come for the entire program, for an hour, or just drop in to say hello.

We encourage you to bring binoculars if you have them. A limited number will be available to borrow. The leaders will have a spotting scope to share. Please bring your own chair or blanket to sit on if desired.

Admission to the museum will be free all day.

Valley Forge Audubon Society is partnering with the John James Audubon Center to offer this program during Birdability Week – an annual celebration of accessible and inclusive birding. All levels of birding experience and those with disabilities or other health concerns are encouraged to join us, today and every day – we welcome everybody and every body.

As the calendar turns to November, the leaves are mostly gone from the trees and the weather is getting cooler. The majority of our summer resident birds have departed, but the birds that spend the winter in our area are arriving to join the ones that make their homes here year-round. Join us as we look for all things avian during a stroll through the arboretum and surrounding natural habitats of Welkinweir, a 224-acre private nature sanctuary in northern Chester County which is home to the Green Valleys Watershed Association.

All experience levels and ages are welcome and encouraged to join us, including those new to birding. This outing will cover a little over a mile and will last approximately 2 hours. Bring binoculars if you have them, and wear sturdy shoes with good tread as all footpaths are unpaved and uneven and may be slippery; there is also one steep hill to navigate.

Meet in the visitor parking lot west of the main entrance. A restroom is available on site.

Leader: Nick Wilson

Photo credit: Wood ducks, taken at Welkinweir by Richard Freeman