Valley Forge Audubon Society Calendar of Events

Visiting the Peter Wentz Farmstead is a great way to celebrate both the history and natural beauty of our country in this special 250th year. Join volunteers from Valley Forge Audubon Society and the Peter Wentz Farmstead for this special event – you may come for the birding tour, the house tour, or both!

Birding tour: 8 am - 10:15 am
House tour: 10:30 am - 11:30 am

We will first take a leisurely birding route that will cover a mile or so of the grounds, all of it easy to travel though some of it is unpaved. This peaceful land has provided a home and stopover site for various wildlife including 111 species of birds. The farmstead’s combination of trees, a stream, and fields is a main draw for the birds, offering habitat suitable for nesting and raising their young.

Then, join us for a tour of the restored 18th-century historic site and working farm first settled in 1744. The house is a remarkably unique example of colonial Pennsylvania German architecture and design. Visitors to the Farmstead will see the house as it would have appeared in 1777, when General George Washington and his staff used the property as a temporary headquarters.

This program is open to all ages (although children must be accompanied by an adult) and no registration is required. If joining us for the birding, bring binoculars if you have them - guides will have a few pairs to loan. Restroom facilities are available on site.
This event is co-sponsored by Valley Forge Audubon Society and Peter Wentz Farmstead, a Montgomery County Historic Site.

Welcome the weekend with a Friday evening "after hours" stroll around the beautiful grounds of Welkinweir, formerly a private estate and now a 224-acre nature preserve. Normally closed to the public in the evenings but open tonight only to us, we will enjoy the tranquility of this marvelous place during the 'golden hour' around sunset, delighting in the birds, mammals, plants, insects, and more that call this peaceful preserve home. Perhaps we'll be lucky enough to catch the beavers enjoying an evening swim in the pond, as we did during our program on this date last year.

This field trip is open to explorers of all ages, although children must be accompanied by an adult. Bring binoculars if you have them and wear sturdy shoes with good tread as all the footpaths are unpaved and uneven and can be muddy. Please note that there is also one steep hill to navigate.

This outing will cover a little over a mile and will last until sunset, which is around 8:30 pm. A restroom is available on site.

We thank Green Valleys Watershed Association and Welkinweir for hosting us for this event.

Leader: Nick Wilson

Meet in the visitor parking lot west of the main entrance.
GPS:5848+4H5

Photo: North American Beaver, taken at last year's June event at Welkiweir by Gina Hesh

Join us for a 2 to 3 hour birding field trip at Heebner Park and Zacharias Trail in Worcester Township. In addition to our year-round avian residents, spring arrivals like northern yellow warblers and indigo buntings are often seen here as well as brown thrashers and eastern towhees. Willow flycatchers can reliably be found in the fields and red-winged blackbirds and an occasional green heron are often seen in the pond area. Red-shouldered and red-tailed hawks, as well as bald eagles, are often spotted.

Beginning birders and children (accompanied by an adult) are welcome to join us on this 2 mile stroll. The trails are flat and mostly gravel-covered and there is a restroom on site. Bring binoculars if you have them. The leaders will have a pair to loan out. Use the entrance on Valley Forge Road (Rt 363). Drive to the back of the parking lot and park by the tennis courts. Do not use the Heebner Rd entrance.

Leaders: Pat & Tony Nastase (patnastase@gmail.com)

Northern yellow warbler photo taken at Heebner Park by Tony Nastase