Like the title says, I’m not sure if this is too specific a question to ask here, but if anyone knows any good birding spots in the winter (around now) near Philadelphia that’d be great. Thank you!
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Well, I do not know much about birding specifically, but I do know of some great lookouts for bird-watchers.
I live in SE PA. Hawk watch in Ashland Nature Preserve in northern Delaware is a neat option, as well as Brandywine creek state park in Delaware also. You might also like the birding opportunities in Wissahickon Valley Park in Philly.
Hope this helps
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Totally legit question to ask! I don’t know too much, but depending what you consider “close”, Bombay Hook is a little over an hour and has some good opportunities.
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eBird might be the better place to look for hot birding spots. Here are all the named eBird hotspots around Philadelphia with December stats: https://ebird.org/hotspots?env.minX=-75.4978108703125&env.minY=39.80273495396502&env.maxX=-75.0913167296875&env.maxY=39.97975228994602&mr=on&m=12&yr=all
You can click on them and see what people have posted recently. I’m sure there are other features, I’m not too familiar with eBird.
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You may be interested in this document that I put together. Not specifically for birding, but might identify some spots you’re not aware of: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-yZ130pCQmGa5z-Ja_5LDHbaKSy569IBzEL6RDzTPEg/edit#gid=291039139
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I’ll second Ashland as a fun spot.
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Lincoln Field is good for seeing Eagles
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This is actually insanely useful for my purposes. Thank you so much!
Got it!
I completely forgot this was a feature on eBird. Thank you!
Not bird or winter specific but here’s a list of parks etc with driving times from Old City
12 Cramer Hill Nature Preserve (Camden)
14 Wheelabrator Wildlife Refuge
15 Saddler’s Woods Conservation Association (defined street parking available, 250 Macarthur Blvd Haddon Township)
15 John Heinz NWR / Tinicum (front end)
17 Palmyra Cove Nature Park
16 Almonesson Creek Park
18 West Deptford Nature Trail
18 Somerdale Nature Trail. Small lot small park
18 Woodbury Creek Park (.6 mi, small but looks nice)
19 Bartram’s Garden
19 Wissahickon—White Trail entrance
19 Crows Woods Trails
19 Timber Creek Dog Park / Timber Creek Look
20 Mantua Creek Trail
20 Rolling Hill Park, Gladwyne
20 Tall Pines State Preserve. Old golf course.
21 Nehaunsey Park Walking Trail. No lot, roadside parking or park Nehaunsey School or street
24 Neshaminy State Park Trails
24 Amico Island
24 Boundary Creek Natural Resource Area (parking lot)
24 Little Woods on the Rancocas (parking “Creek Road, almost directly across from intersection with Laurel Creek Blvd Moorestown)
24 Ceres Park Nature Preserve
25 Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Center
27 Ridley Creek State Park
27 Elephant Swamp Nature Trail (parking lot; trail is old railway line)
27 Wissahickon—Forbidden Drive Upper Lot
27 Rancocas Nature Center
28 Black Run Preserve Trailhead
28 West Avenue Nature Trails
29 Wissahickon—Andorra Upper Lot
29 Glassboro Wildlife Management Area
30 Wilson Lake Trail
31 Rancocas State Park
31 PERT Trails Parking (Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust)
31 Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education (multiple trails)
31 Skunk Hollow Park
31 Narraticon Lake Park
33 Fort Washington State Park
33 Oldman’s Creek Preserve
36 Marilyn Beard Trailhead Park
38 Black Run Preserve / REI Trailhead
42 Supawna Meadows NWR
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I’ll have to go through the Google Doc I posted and see if I need to add any of these!
UPDATE: Completed (added 5 PA locations). Some of the others I had, but the vast majority of the sites were in NJ. If anyone wants to copy my document and populate it for Camden County and other areas on the NJ side of the river, have at it.
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Excellent list by @ginsengandsoon. Here are some of my favorite additions (I live near Media):
Hildacy Farm Preserve and adjacent Green Bank Farm Park
Taylor Arboretum in Wallingford (Not the same as Tyler Arboretum, which charges admission)
Rushton Woods Preserve (I don’t go here much in winter, but they have a banding station that is open to the public in the spring and fall.)
Newlin Grist Mill Park
- Celeste
The Google doc has been updated, and now has links to Google Maps for Bucks and Montgomery Counties: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-yZ130pCQmGa5z-Ja_5LDHbaKSy569IBzEL6RDzTPEg/edit#gid=291039139
Bucks Co. Google Map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&hl=en&mid=1_r9U5GTc4e9tPBXARJVTmOBfO3hdJm3I&ll=40.33213164808622%2C-75.06624112670896&z=10
Montgomery Co. Google Map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&mid=18Td_NgHK3VqkbNWyJHBWWjaW5K_ZS8Ic&ll=40.227591204883666%2C-75.38246708375027&z=10
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Awesome! What a valuable resource, thanks for creating it. :)
Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve in New Hope is on the Delaware River, about an hour north of the city. Wonderful preserve.
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