Field Trips

The Piedmont Bird Club schedules a wide variety of field trips throughout the year, to birding locations in the Piedmont area and the broader region. Most local trips are just for the morning or day; trips that venture farther afield may stretch over several days. Field trips are led by knowledgeable birders from the Club; we encourage birders of all experience levels to attend. Unless otherwise noted, field trips are free and open to the public.

In addition to the scheduled field trips, which are organized in June, at the beginning of the Club year, the Club occasionally offers “impromptu” field trips to take advantage of an unexpected opportunity. PBC members are notified of these impromptu trips via the Club’s email listserv.

Participating in a PBC Field Trip

When considering participation in a field trip, be sure to consult the full trip description found on the website calendar and in our Yearbook. In addition to describing the location and the likely birds to be seen, the trip description will also contain important information about any limitations or restrictions, such as limit to number of persons or vehicles; presence of challenging walking terrain; or deadline for registering for the trip.

To register for a field trip, contact the trip leader listed in the description. The leader will provide accurate up-to-date information about meeting location and time, and other pertinent information about the trip.

Be sure to wear clothing and shoes appropriate for the terrain and weather. It is generally useful to bring binoculars and a field guide, if you have them. This is not a requirement, though; others on the trip are usually happy to share. If you expect to want food or drink during the trip, be sure to bring it with you, along with appropriate means to carry any trash or leftovers until they can be disposed of properly.

Field Trip Code of Birding Ethics

All participants in PBC field trips are expected to abide by the following general principles:

Promote the welfare of birds and their environment.
Respect the law and rights of others.
Ensure that feeders, nest structures, and other artificial bird environments are safe.

Group birding, whether organized or impromptu, requires special care

Respect the interests, rights, and skills of fellow birders.
Share your knowledge and experience.
Be helpful to beginning birders.
Keep groups to a size that limits the impact on the environment.
Consider wearing neutral or drab colors when birding. Do not wear white

Field Trip Safety

The Piedmont Bird Club intends that participants enjoy a safe experience in all activities sponsored by the Club. To this end participants should to do the following:

Review all relevant information and discuss any safety concerns with the leader(s).
Provide appropriate clothing, provisions and necessary equipment.
Comply with precautions noted by leaders at the outset or during the events.
Note and comply with any safety/warning notices posted along trails or other sites of PBC activities.
Err on the side of caution when in doubt.
Inform the trip leader of any unsafe condition of which you become aware.

Safety is a top priority.

Schedule of Field Trips for 2023-2024

The 2023–24 PBC field trips scheduled so far are listed below. See the PBC Website Calendar for a description of each trip.

Saturday August 26, 2023 Guilford County Farm*
Saturday September 2, 2023 Audubon Natural Area*
Saturday September 9, 2023 Haw River State Park, Iron Ore Belt Access
Tuesday September 12, 2023 Reedy Fork Trail (Lake Brandt Rd Trail Head)
Saturday September 16, 2023 Glencoe Haw River Trail
Tuesday September 19, 2023 Swifts's Night Out*
Saturday September 30, 2023 Kayak Birding Trip, Lake Randleman
Saturday October 7, 2023 The Big Sit
Saturday October 14, 2023 Price Park & Highwoods Trail
Monday October 16, 2023 Bynum Bridge & Meadow
Saturday October 28, 2023 Chinqua-Penn Trail
Saturday November 4, 2023 Company Mill Preserve
Saturday November 18, 2023 Guilford County Farm
Saturday December 2, 2023 Audubon Natural Area*
Saturday January 13, 2024 White Street Landfill*
Saturday January 27, 2024 GSO Lakes for Waterfowl*
Saturday February 10, 2024 Price Park & Wetlands Area
Saturday March 9, 2024 NC A&T University Farm*
Wednesday March 27, 2024 Price Park & Wetlands Area
Saturday April 6, 2024 Glencoe Haw River Trail
Thursday-Sunday 18-21 April 2024 SC Trip to Huntington Beach SP
Thursday-Friday 2-3 May 2024 Warbler Road
Saturday May 11, 2024 Chinqua-Penn Trail
Tuesday May 14, 2024 Haw River State Park, Iron Ore Belt Access
Saturday May 18, 2024 Kayak Birding Trip, High Point City Lake Park Marina
Wednesday May 22, 2024 Richardson-Taylor Preserve
Saturday June 1, 2024 Audubon Natural Area*

Trips marked with * are joint trips with the T. Gilbert Pearson Audubon Society