Handlan (Charleston) Chapter
The Handlan Chapter is Charleston's oldest and only organized group dedicated to the study and enjoyment of wild birds.
In 1944 members of the Brooks Bird Club from the Charleston WV area formed the BBC Handlan Chapter.
In 1944 members of the Brooks Bird Club from the Charleston WV area formed the BBC Handlan Chapter.
Next Club Meeting/EventApril 8th, 2024:
Update: Due to storm damage the April meeting has been cancelled! Join us for a presentation by naturalist and photographer Joey Herron of Herron Birding in Fairmont, who will discuss "Why Birds Are One of West Virginia's Greatest (and Often Overlooked) Assets." The meeting begins at 6:30 pm at the South Charleston Library. Additional meetings/events are posted at the bottom of this page. Anyone interested in birds is welcome to our events.
Osbra Eye Spring Nature Walks April 20th, 2024Meet at the Nature Center Area in the Kanawha State Forest Registration opens at 8:30 am, walks begin at 9:00 am.
Walks 1 Native Plants and Forest Ecology – Johnson Hollow - Easy to Moderate 2 Trees, Flowers & Birds – Polly Trail – Moderate 3 Birds – Rattlesnake Road – Moderate – bring binoculars, or loaners available. 4 Geology – Overlook Rock Trail – Moderate 5 History and Remnants of Mining in the State Forest Davis Creek, Shrewsberry Hollow, Snipe Trail – Easy to Moderate identify evidence of early deep mining in KSF, learn about mining practices during that time period, view mine openings, benches, railroad grades, and trestle. 6 Scenic Hike – Polly Hollow, Beech Glen, Wildcat, and Polly Trail – Moderate explore a variety of habitats, including rock cliffs on the ridgetop. 7 Navigating the Trails – various trails in the Middle Ridge area – Moderate and Easy. Gain confidence in exploring the forest without getting lost; practice following blazes to navigate a path connecting multiple trails. Friends of the Mary Ingles Trail:
The Pianfetti Foundation has given the Mary Ingles Trail Blazers Chapter (MITB) of the WVSTA a grant to construct 50-feet long puncheon walkway through a wetland at the Winfield Trailhead of the AEP segment of the MI Trail. Birders Wanted!Want to join the BBC Handlan Chapter?
Here's a PDF membership form! Check out our new trifold brochure. Charleston Christmas Bird CountThe Charleston (WVCH) Christmas Bird Count (CBC) started back in 1912! That was back on the 13th National Audubon Society's count.
The Charleston count continues as one of the longest running Christmas Bird Counts in the state! Lets go Birding!To find a pre-scheduled Handlan Chapter or other BBC nature related outing, check out our Calendar of Events page. You can link our calendar to your computer, tablet or phone.
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Handlan Notes:You can look for additional Handlan Chapter bird outings/events on the WV Mountain State Birders Facebook page.
FYI ... The back, right-hand corner of the Walmart parking lot in Hurricane is an unusual, good birding spot. There's a very small wetland area and a scrubby hillside there. Russ Young will be leading bird walks at Spring Hill Cemetery in Charleston in April and MayRuss Young will be leading bird walks at Spring Hill Cemetery in Charleston on Sundays in April and May at 8 AM.
Walks are ~ April 21, 28, and May 5,12. Meet and park at office. Webster County Nature Tour – 2024Once again it is time to venture to the mountains of Webster County, WV. The Webster County Nature Tour May 3-5, 2024
To learn more, check out the WCNT Brochure. For complete details and directions to all events go to our Calendar of Events page! 2023 Outings ~ find them in the BBCHC 2023 ArchivesBirding Kanawha CountyHave a birding or nature event in Kanawha County that you want to let others know about? Contact the BBC Handlan Chapter member Jim Triplett jtrippy@gmail.com
WV Christmas Bird CountNational Audubon Society's 124th Christmas Bird Count
December 14th and running through January 5th, Christmas Bird Counts (CBC) will be conducted throughout the Western Hemisphere. West Virginia currently conducts twenty-two counts in 24 counties. Find a WV count near you and join us this season counting all the birds we can! Learn where all of our WV counts are and who to contact, come join in the fun! BBC WV CBC Page NAS CBC is the longest running avian censes in the world! Other Items of InterestHandlan Chapter builds Chimney Swift (CHSW) towers. Learn about The BBC Chimney Swift Project!
You can look for additional Handlan Chapter bird outings/events on the WV Mountain State Birders Facebook page.
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Regular Meetings:
Handlan Chapter meetings are normally held at the South Charleston Library
The South Charleston Library is located at 312 4th Ave, South Charleston, WV 25303
Doors open at 6:30pm.
Handlan Chapter meetings are normally held at the South Charleston Library
The South Charleston Library is located at 312 4th Ave, South Charleston, WV 25303
Doors open at 6:30pm.
2024 Meetings/Events: |
January 8th, 2024:
Be sure to mark your calendars for our January 8, 2024, meeting, when Dr. Tom Pauley, renowned herpetologist and Marshall University professor emeritus in biology, will present “Salamanders, Snakes, and Memories: 52 Years of Searching West Virginia’s Mountains and Valleys for Amphibians and Reptiles.” The meeting begins at 6:30 pm at the South Charleston Library.
February 12th, 2024:
Regular meeting - Laura Ceperley presenting on a Panama Canal trip.
March 11th, 2024:
Kaen Kish is making the presentation which will showcase birding and other activities at Ward Hollow and include public invite to Dow Total Health walk April 24th and World Bird Day Celebration on May 11th.
April 8th, 2024:
Join us for a presentation by naturalist and photographer Joey Herron of Herron Birding in Fairmont, who will discuss "Why Birds Are One of West Virginia's Greatest (and Often Overlooked) Assets."
Be sure to mark your calendars for our January 8, 2024, meeting, when Dr. Tom Pauley, renowned herpetologist and Marshall University professor emeritus in biology, will present “Salamanders, Snakes, and Memories: 52 Years of Searching West Virginia’s Mountains and Valleys for Amphibians and Reptiles.” The meeting begins at 6:30 pm at the South Charleston Library.
February 12th, 2024:
Regular meeting - Laura Ceperley presenting on a Panama Canal trip.
March 11th, 2024:
Kaen Kish is making the presentation which will showcase birding and other activities at Ward Hollow and include public invite to Dow Total Health walk April 24th and World Bird Day Celebration on May 11th.
April 8th, 2024:
Join us for a presentation by naturalist and photographer Joey Herron of Herron Birding in Fairmont, who will discuss "Why Birds Are One of West Virginia's Greatest (and Often Overlooked) Assets."
All BBC events with location maps can also be found on our Calendar of Events page!
History of the BBC Handlan Chapter
Handlan Chapter was established on February 29, 1944 and named in honor of its president John W. Handlan. Handlan had been one of the founders of Brooks Bird Club in Wheeling, WV, and wrote a nature column for the Charleston Gazette, "Signs Along the Trail". The new chapter held a Christmas count in 1944 and a spring migration count in 1947. Much research was conducted in the forties on the elusive Swainson's Warbler, with nests and populations finally documented in several Charleston local stream hollow locations. In 1952 club members started traveling to Monroe County each fall to count migrating raptors on the peaks of Peter's Mountain. In the sixties Handlan Chapter had a clubroom at Sunrise Museum and also hosted showings of the Audubon Wildlife Films. The 60's and 70's also found us helping with birds at nearby Coonskin Park, Kanawha State Forest, and at a South Charleston Purple Martin roost. We were feeding and banding birds and conducting nest counts. We published "Birds of the Kanawha Valley" in 1976. We helped with the statewide census for the "Atlas" project in 1984-89, leading to the publication of "The West Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas". In 1994 we changed meeting sites to First Presbyterian Church and three years later we published a new edition of "Birds of the Kanawha Valley". Most recently we published the "Swainson's Warbler" journal and partnered with Spring Hill Cemetery for bird walks and a bird checklist.
Wings over the Mountains ~ By former Handlan Chapter member J. Lawrence Smith With his stories about nature and state history spanning more than 40 years, J. Lawrence Smith was Wonderful West Virginia’s most enduring writer. Whether he told of the magnificence of an ancient spruce forest, the heyday of bateaus on the New River, or the poignant loss of the Bewick’s wren, John engaged readers with his wealth of knowledge and his lyrical prose. His deep love of nature, especially birds, continues to inspire us, as it shines through the pages of this volume. You can order your copy here on the BBC website! Wings over the Mountains |
Current Handlan Officers (2023 ~ 2024)
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Contact information:
Chuck Wirts
chuckwirts@gmail.com
Want to join the BBC Handlan Chapter?
Here's a PDF membership form!
Chuck Wirts
chuckwirts@gmail.com
Want to join the BBC Handlan Chapter?
Here's a PDF membership form!