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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.
Due to current events
Please call or email leaders about possible cancelations to events/outings!
Please remember to practice social distancing while birding!
Please call or email leaders about possible cancelations to events/outings!
Please remember to practice social distancing while birding!
Let's Go Birding!
Newsletter ~ Journal
We now have all 88 years (1933 - 2021) of The Redstart available on our website for reading, reference and research.
Advanced Birding ~ Hawk TalkLearn about the rare Red-tailed Hawk sub-species, Krider's.
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" Note: Dues Increase ~ March 2020 the BBC Board & Officers voted to raise membership dues starting 2021 Report Spotted Lanternflies!West Virginians should continue to be on the lookout for a new invasive insect pest, the spotted lanternfly. Learn more.
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
Please protect clean air, clean water, and public health and conserve working farms, forests, and natural lands here in WV.
Past EventsTo see past events that our BBC members enjoyed, click below!
Past events by year: 2020 ~ 2019 ~ 2018 ~ 2017 ~ 2016 Past BBC Homepage Articles with Links. Archives 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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2021 ~ Upcoming Special EventsDue to current events
Many Brooks Bird Club Special Events are on stand by Events will be starting back up this year! 2021 BBC Foray ~ CancelledThe decision was made at the BBC Board meeting in March that the 2021 Foray would be canceled due to the pandemic.
2021 WV Wildflower PilgrimageGood news!
The annual West Virginia Wildflower Pilgrimage is a go! This wonderful event will take place May 6th - 9th 2021. To learn more go to our WV Wildflower Pilgrimage Page! WV Second Breeding Bird AtlasThe WV Second Breeding Bird Atlas is finally completed and being published, pre-orders are now available on Amazon.
The atlas features information on 170 bird species. All BBC members are eligible for a 30% discount on the atlas! This 30% BBC membership discount is on a first come first served basis, for up to 200 members. One discounted copy per member please. Thanks to all the volunteers who made this book possible. More information will coming soon on how to get your BBC discounted WV Breeding Bird Atlas. SpringPlease remember to practice social distancing while birding!
Brush up on your migrating birds, 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! Note: Dues Increase ~ March 2020 the BBC Board & Officers voted to raise membership dues starting 2021 The new 2020 - 2021 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 InterestMonongahela National Forest: Designated Wilderness Areas
WV Christmas Bird Count Results: Want to know what species were found, and how many birds were counted here in WV? Check out our WV CBC Archives page! West Virginia eBird: Explore current WV eBird data. Oglebay Nature News: The Schrader Environmental Education Center (Oglebay Park) 2020 Winter Newsletter. 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! Grand opening soon! 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! Please protect clean air, clean water, and public health and conserve working farms, forests, and natural lands here in WV.
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 Migrants121th Christmas Bird CountThe 121th NAS Christmas Bird Count (CBC) season was held between December 14th, 2020 and January 5th, 2021.
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. New: 121st WV CBC Results Results from our 21 WV counts will be posted on the BBC website as the data is confirmed by Audubon. To learn what birds were found here in WV during the past five CBC seasons, go to our WV CBC Archives page. 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 2020. Updated 3/18/21 To see past reports submitted, go to the WVBRC Archives Page.
Some of the rare birds seen in WV!
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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 2020-2021 duck stamp featuring Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, is available now! Read more about them & buy yours here. |
2020-2021 Federal Duck Stamp, featuring a pair of black-bellied whistling-ducks painted by Alabama artist Eddy LeRoy.
Used with permission by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Used with permission by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
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