Photo credits: Neal J. Hohman, Matt Orsie and Jim Triplet
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!

What is the Brooks Bird Club?
  • It’s an independent, educational, nonprofit organization that promotes the study and enjoyment of birds and other elements of the natural world. 
  •  The club also undertakes studies that have lasting scientific value, e.g., population and breeding bird surveys.
  • Every year in June the Brooks Bird Club has a "Foray" held in different parts of West Virginia. Here members from the club's chapters and affiliates come together to find all the fauna and flora possible, while enjoying nature related programs, campfires and friendship.
  • ​Most of all we are a bird club...  Our members go out throughout the year enjoying and exploring nature while finding and identifying all the birds we can!
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!

To find a pre-scheduled BBC nature related outing, check out our Calendar of Events page.
​You can link our calendar to your computer, tablet or phone.

Newsletter ~ Journal
The 2018 3rd quarter Mail Bag (the BBC newsletter) is now available! 
​
​You can read The Redstart (our scientific journal) online as well!
​July ~ Issue 3 is now on the website.
We now have all 85 years (1933 - 2018) of The Redstart available on our website for reading, reference and research.

BBC Helping Chimney Swifts

The BBC is funding the construction of five Chimney Swift (CHSW) towers.  Learn about The BBC Chimney Swift Project! ​

​Make your own Suet

​Fall and winter is a great time to put out suet for birds such as woodpeckers, wrens, chickadees, nuthatches, and titmice.  
Find out 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!

​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 Prints

​John 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 Stations

​To learn more on bird banding in WV go to the links below.

Allegheny Front Migratory Observatory: (AFMO)
To learn more about the banding station history and the seasonal data, click on the AFMO link above.​  
​
Northern Saw-whet Owl Bird Banding:  (NSWO)
​To see photos and the seasonal data of the 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 on MAPS link to learn more. 

​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 Parks

The state parks here in WV are a great place to find birds and explore nature. Explore all the West Virginia State Parks

Past Events

To see past events that our BBC members enjoyed, click below!
Past events by year: 2018 ~ 2017 ~ 2016 
​Past BBC Homepage Articles with Links. Archives
WV conservation begins with you.
​ You can make a difference... Please help where you can!

2018 ~ ​Upcoming Special Events

Audubon Christmas Bird Count:
The 119th Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC) runs from December 14th 2018 to January 5th 2019. 
West Virginia has 20 Christmas Bird Counts that are located in various counties around the state. 
​Go to our BBC WV Christmas Bird Count Page to learn where the West Virginia counts are and who to contact to help!
​Join us this season for all the fun! How many counts can you do?

All twenty WV Christmas Bird Counts are also on the BBC Calendar of Events with details of all the counts!

December

Clean and fill those bird feeders!
​New to feeding birds?  Check out our Feed the Birds Page.

​Migratory waterfowl can be found throughout the state!

To help prepare for the Christmas Bird Count, download the Merlin app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, it's free!

Here's a great gift to give this season, a BBC Membership!

*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.
WV conservation begins with you.
​ You can make a difference... Please help where you can!

​Bird Nest Boxes and Structures

Here'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 Interest

New Moon:​ December 7th ~ Full Moon: December 22nd

West Virginia eBird:  Explore current WV eBird data.  

Mountain Nature Camp:  MNC is Oglebay Institutes nature camp established in 1929 for adults, located in Terra Alta WV.
​MNC will be celebrating its 90th anniversary next year!
Learn about Mountain Nature Camp
​
​Oglebay Nature News:
​The Schrader Environmental Education Center (Oglebay Park)    Summer Newsletter 2018 ~Just released  Fall Newsletter 2018

​WV Nature Conservancy:  Learn about the Nature Conservancy's West Virginia Protected Preserves and Landscapes. 

Monongahela National Forest:  Designated Wilderness Areas

WV Natural Area:  The Forks of Coal Natural Area.

​Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge: 
​The Canaan Valley NWR has programs and outings year round!  

WV Hiking:  Many WV State Parks have organized hiking events.
​Get out and enjoy all that our parks have to offer!

WV Christmas Bird Count Results: Want to know what birds were seen and how many birds were found last season in WV? Check out our WV CBC Results Page!

​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!

​Books

Throughout 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. ​

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!

​Neotropical Migrants

Learn about the birds referred to as Neotropical migrants. ​

​WV Rare Bird Species

​Rare birds are often found in West Virginia.
​If you see a bird that is not normally found in WV report it to the WV Bird Records Committee. 
Get a picture, take notes on what you see and hear, call other birders and let others know quickly.
​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 check out the review list here!
Download a Rare Bird report form here on our website.​​

The WV Records page also includes:  The list of submitted reports that the WV Bird Records Committee voted on in 2017.
​To see past reports submitted, go to the WVBRC Archives Page.
​​
Some of the rare birds seen in WV!
For the latest news in the birding world
​check out The Birding Wire.
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.

Federal Duck Stamp

Support 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 2018-2019 Mallards stamp is available now!
​Read more about them & buy yours here. 
2018-2019 Federal Duck Stamp, featuring a pair of mallards, art by Robert Hautman of Delano, 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.
               ~ 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

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Let us know what you think... Join us, let's bird West Virginia!

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