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Photo credits: Neal J. Hohman, Matt Orsie and Jim Triplett
Welcome to the BBC Website!
Our website is loaded with present and past information about the Brooks Bird Club, birds & nature, and birding in West Virginia!
Please use the dropdown tabs above for event information, photos, books, checklists, chapters, affiliates and so much more!
Our website is loaded with present and past information about the Brooks Bird Club, birds & nature, and birding in West Virginia!
Please use the dropdown tabs above for event information, photos, books, checklists, chapters, affiliates and so much more!
What is the Brooks Bird Club?
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The club symbol is the American Redstart. The male Redstart is a black and orange wood warbler. American Redstarts migrate from South America to nest in West Virginia and other surrounding states. The male sings a beautiful high pitched variable song.
Let's Go Birding!
Newsletter ~ Journal
We now have all 85 years (1933 - 2018) of The Redstart available on our website for reading, reference and research.
BBC Administrator PassesOur friend, long time member of the Brooks Bird Club, and BBC Administrator Carl Slater passed away on December 5th. 2019
Carl had been a member of the BBC for over 60 years! He will be remembered and missed by all who knew him. BBC Helping Chimney SwiftsThe BBC is funding the construction of five Chimney Swift (CHSW) towers. Learn about The BBC Chimney Swift Project!
Two towers are complete! To see them, click on these links - Ohio County Tower ~ Kanawha County Tower Bird NoteBird Note ~ Stories about birds, the environment and more!
Bird FeedersLearn about different types of seed and how they attract birds and how to make your own suet on our Feed the Birds Page!
Create your own Wildlife Sanctuary!Did you know the BBC has a Wildlife Sanctuary program?
Learn how to have your own personal Wildlife Sanctuary! WV conservation begins with you.
You can make a difference... Please help where you can! Wanted: Birders!The Brooks Bird Club is always looking for new birders.
Are you new to birding? Do you enjoy the outdoors and nature? Have you been watching and enjoying birds for years? Come join us, we cater to all nature enthusiasts! Already a BBC Member? Now it's easier than ever to renew your membership or become our newest member, just click "How to Join" John James Audubon PrintsJohn James Audubon's Birds of America is a portal into the natural world. Printed between 1827 and 1838. Nearly 200 years later, the Audubon prints are coming to life once again, thanks to a vibrant digital library. Get your Audubon Prints.
Each print is available as a free high-resolution download. Bird School
Broaden your understanding of birds. Free premium content for all knowledge levels. Learn everything—from birding basics to comprehensive ornithology. The Cornell Lab Bird Academy
New: Be a better birder! Warbler Identification Course Bird Feathers
Finding a feather always sparks interest. What bird was it from?
Learn about feather forensics, check out the Feather Atlas! WV Bird Banding StationsAllegheny Front Migratory Observatory: (AFMO)
AFMO banding for 2019 is complete. The 2019 seasonal data & highlights will be posted soon. To learn more about the banding station history and to see past seasonal data, click on the AFMO link above. Northern Saw-whet Owl Bird Banding: (NSWO) To see photos and the seasonal data from the Valley Falls State Park banding station, click on the NSWO link above. The MAPS Banding Program: (MAPS) The MAPS program is a continent-wide collaborative effort to assist the conservation of birds and their habitats through demographic monitoring. Since 1989, more than 1,200 MAPS stations were started across North America. We currently have 3 stations in West Virginia. Click the MAPS link above to learn more about this bird banding program. Alpha Codes: What are Alpha Codes? It's the 4 or 6 letter code for all birds. Alpha Codes by common name or taxonomic order. WV State ParksThe state parks here in WV are a great place to find birds and explore nature. Explore all the West Virginia State Parks
Birding for Beginner's Are you a new birder? Do you want to learn more about birding? We have a new page dedicated to you, it was suggested by a young student who found it while working on a bird migration project. The page is loaded with information for new birders of all ages! Here it is Birding for Beginner's thanks to Hayley!
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2020 ~ Upcoming Special EventsThe Brooks Bird Club Early Spring Meeting:
The BBC Early Spring Meeting will be March 6th - 8th. Friends, field trips, food and great programs on Friday and Saturday evenings! Sign up early for this weekend, space is limited! The weekend event will be based at the beautiful North Bend State Park, in Cairo WV. Accommodations will be at the parks lodge. Our guest speakers are: American Birding Association President, Jeff Gordon and Hawk Migration Association of North America Director, Brian Wargo. The deadline to sign up for this event was January 31st. Contact Dick Esker for any possible late applications. To learn more about the event, speakers, and to sign up online go to our BBC Early Spring Meeting Page! FebruaryWintering raptors like Merlins, Rough-legged Hawks, Northern Harriers, and Short-eared Owls are always fun to look for during this time of year!
February is a great time to look for migrating gulls and ducks on our rivers and lakes. Brush up on migrating waterfowl, download the Merlin app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, it's free! Have you renewed your BBC membership? Join or renew your BBC Membership here on the website! The new 2019 - 2020 Federal Duck Stamp is now available! For more information go to the bottom of our Home Page! *Our Redstart Editor Casey Rucker is always looking for interesting observations. It's always a great time to get out and observe nature. Write a nature related article for The Redstart. Bird Nest Boxes and StructuresHere's a great year-round project from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Learn how to make perfect nest boxes & structures.
Just pick the bird species you're interested in and the Cornell Lab will give you the building plans. The information includes how and where to place the bird box/structure to be successful! Other Items of InterestThe moon in February!
Full Moon: November 9th ~ New Moon: November 23th Monongahela National Forest: Designated Wilderness Areas WV Christmas Bird Count Results: Want to know what birds were seen and how many birds were found during the 119th season in WV? Check out our WV CBC Results Page! West Virginia eBird: Explore current WV eBird data. Oglebay Nature News: The Schrader Environmental Education Center (Oglebay Park) Fall Newsletter 2019. WV Nature Conservancy: Learn about the Nature Conservancy's West Virginia Protected Preserves and Landscapes. WV Natural Area: The Forks of Coal Natural Area. Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge: The old Canaan Valley NWR visitor center has been torn down, a brand new center is under construction! WV Hiking: Many WV State Parks have organized hiking events. Get out and enjoy all that our parks have to offer! Looking for new places to bird in WV? Check the WVDNR list. You can also buy our Birding Guide to WV here on our website! BooksThroughout the history of the Brooks Bird Club a number of our members have written or co-written nature related books.
Here are a few recent books that are available. Neotropical Migrants120th Christmas Bird CountThe 120th NAS Christmas Bird Count (CBC) season was held between December 14th, 2019 and January 5th, 2020.
Thousands of CBC's were conducted all over the Western Hemisphere. Locally here in WV we have twenty counts located in various counties throughout the state. To learn more about our West Virginia Christmas Bird Counts go to our WV CBC Page! The 119th WV CBC seasonal analysis is now on the website. The NAS CBC is the longest running bird census on the planet! WV Rare Bird SpeciesRare birds are found in West Virginia every year.
If you see a bird that you believe is not normally seen in WV, take photos if possible, make notes on what you see and hear, call other friends/birders, and let others know quickly. Then report it to the WV Bird Records Committee. Rare birds are defined as birds never or rarely seen in the state. Keep updated of rare birds being reported in WV, learn what birds are on the WV State List, and on the WV Review List here! Download a Rare Bird Report Form here on our website. The WV Records page also includes: The list of submitted rare bird reports that the WV Bird Records Committee received and voted on in 2018 . To see past reports submitted, go to the WVBRC Archives Page.
Some of the rare birds seen in WV!
Past Events |
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Are you planning a bird or nature related outing? Let us know and we will post it on our Calendar of Events or Home Page.
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Federal Duck StampSupport bird habitat conservation! The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offers Duck Stamps for purchase. 98% of the price goes towards the National Wildlife Refuge Service.
The new 2019-2020 Mallards stamp is available now! Read more about them & buy yours here. |
2019-2020 Federal Duck Stamp, featuring Wood Duck and decoy, art by Scot Storm of Freeport, Minnesota. Credit: USFWS
Birding is Year Round!
Winter: Check out the rivers, lakes and ponds. Look for waterfowl and gulls. Help on a Christmas Bird Count.
Spring: Look for returning swallows, warblers, flycatchers, orioles and other birds migrating north.
Summer: Breeding birds are everywhere, look for nests and fledglings. Shorebirds begin migrating south.
Fall: The southward migration; look for shorebirds, songbirds and hawks. Visit a banding station and a hawk watch.
Spring: Look for returning swallows, warblers, flycatchers, orioles and other birds migrating north.
Summer: Breeding birds are everywhere, look for nests and fledglings. Shorebirds begin migrating south.
Fall: The southward migration; look for shorebirds, songbirds and hawks. Visit a banding station and a hawk watch.
~ Wheeling-Charleston-Parkersburg-Pipestem-Marlinton and beyond we are birding West Virginia ~
Find a BBC chapter or a BBC affiliate in your area!
BBC members are also affiliated with both local WV Audubon Chapters ~ Mountaineer and Potomac Valley
Find a BBC chapter or a BBC affiliate in your area!
BBC members are also affiliated with both local WV Audubon Chapters ~ Mountaineer and Potomac Valley