Birding the Schuylkill River Trail: Spring City

The Schuylkill River Trail wanders through a variety of historic areas with wonderful birding environments. For this outing, our easy 1+ mile out-and-back route is located on a less-frequently birded, flat stretch of the trail with trees and brush edging the river on one side of the wide path, and fields and a pond on the other. This habitat especially provides shelter for mergansers, buffleheads and other waterfowl that rest and settle more inland for the colder seasons. We will take 1-2 hours to search for them as well as year-round and seasonal favorites including white-throated sparrows, woodpeckers, nuthatches and juncos.

Birding this particular stretch on a calm Wednesday offers opportunity to enjoy the beauty and birds of the trail while encountering less foot and bicycle traffic than on weekends. The path is fairly open so hats and sunglasses are recommended, as well as sturdy hiking/walking shoes. Birders of all experience and capability are welcome, including children if accompanied by an adult. Bring binoculars if you have them.  There are no restroom facilities available.

DIRECTIONS: We will meet at the large parking lot on Riverside Drive by the RiverEdge Shopping Center in Spring City.  Riverside Drive is one block west of the river off of E. Bridge Street.  PLEASE NOTE:  Riverside Drive LOOKS LIKE A DRIVEWAY, and is immediately next to the “RiverEdge Square” sign for this little strip mall.  GPS coordinates:  40.181170, -75.545929