Handlan Chapter, Brooks Bird Club

05/07/2026

From Sheila McEntee, President

Upcoming events:

Saturday, May 9
Century Count
Choose a birding spot—woods, park, riverside, or your own backyard—and record the species you see. No need to record numbers, just the species. Bird all day or just a few minutes. Our range for this count is the Kanawha Valley and the New River Gorge area. Can we reach 100 species?? We’ll find out! Report your findings to Doren Burrell at [email protected]. We’ll also share our lists at our end-of-year picnic on Monday, May 11.


Saturday, May 9
Osbra Eye Memorial Spring Nature Walk
Kanawha State Forest
Enjoy a nature hike and record the birds you see and hear for the Century Count! Registration begins at 9:30 AM and the hikes begin at 10:00. Meet at the Nature Center. This is always a fun learning event!

Monday, May 11
Annual Bird Club Picnic
Little Creek Park
Please come and share a bit of birding, a potluck dinner, and your recent bird sightings. We’ll also approve our slate of officers for next year. Please bring a dish to share. We’ll meet at Shelter 2 in Little Creek Park, located not far from the entrance to the park, on the left side, just up the hill and beyond the basketball courts. Hope to see you there

04/20/2026

From the “semi-regular” newsletter from the Handlan Chapter of the Brooks Bird Club.

APRIL AND MAY EVENTS
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Spring Hill Cemetery History Day
Saturday, April 25, 1:00 - 4:00 PM
Charleston, WV

On Saturday, the Spring Hill Cemetery will host a history day, featuring presentations, information tables, and historical recitations. These will be scattered around the cemetery to form an easy, walking tour. The Handlan Chapter will have a table there to introduce ourselves to the public.
Several of our regular members will be unavailable to attend, so if you have a couple hours to greet people here, please contact Michelle Platt at [email protected] to let her know that you can help. If folks are still around at the close of the event, there will be a bird walk to see what birds may be about.

Global Big Day/Century Count

Saturday, May 9th, is this year's Global Big Day, also known as the International Migratory Bird Day. Anyone with an interest in birds may participate in this event by going out and looking for birds on this day. The idea is to contribute to a worldwide effort to collect observations on birds wherever one may be. This year, we also will revive our annual Century Count in which our members will try to tally as many species as we can through the day, with a goal of finding 100 species of birds in the course of the day. Take some time to look for as many birds as you can find and submit your results to eBird. Our search area for this effort will be anywhere within Kanawha, Boone, Clay, Fayette, Jackson, Lincoln, and Roane Counties.

Club Meeting
Monday, May 11th
Little Creek Park

The club meeting will be held at Little Creek Park in South Charleston. This will be a potluck picnic; bring a dish to share with the group. The club will provide cups, plates, and utensils. Come early and join others for a bit of birding around the grounds in the vicinity of the shelter. We will have our picnic at Shelter #2 which is located just beyond the basketball and tennis courts near the park entrance on the right.

OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST

Tour of Avian Rehabilitation Facility
Three Rivers Avian Center
Saturday, May 2, from 1:00 - 5:00 PM
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The staff of the Three River Avian Center invites the public to tour its facilities for the treatment and rehabilitation of raptors and other wild birds. Visitors may meet some live raptors, view some educational displays, and learn about the tools and techniques for returning injure raptors back to the wild. Admission is free.

Mining History in Kanawha State Forest
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Dale Porter will give a slide presentation and then lead an interpretive walk in Kanawha State Forest on May 3rd, beginning at 2:00 PM, at the KSF Nature Center. He will tell vignettes and details about miners' lives, mining techniques, and mining history in the State Forest area. The interpretive walk is optional and visitors may choose to attend just the slide presentation/lecture.

04/09/2026

Bald Eagle sitting on its nest. Elk River, Kanawha County, WV.

This is the first observed nesting of a Bald Eagle in Kanawha County in more than 60 years.

04/06/2026

From the semi-regular newsletter from the Handlan Chapter of the Brooks Bird Club.

April 2026 Events

Monday, April 13 Chapter Meeting :
Birding in Senegal and The Gambia
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The featured talk for the April meeting of the Handlan Chapter of the BBC will be about birding in Senegal and The Gambia. Doren Burrell will give a presentation about his recent tour of those two countries in West Africa. The Meeting will be on Monday, April 13th, at 6:30 PM in the South Charleston Public Library.
We will also talk about our plans for the Global Big Day on May 9th, for which we plan to renew our annual Century Count.

Bald Eagle nest in Kanawha County.
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A pair of Bald Eagles have built a nest along the Elk River in Coonskin Park in Kanawha County. Last year, a pair built a nest in roughly the same location, but they abandoned it before any eggs hatched. This year's pair have been sitting on the nest and we hope that chicks may soon appear. If so, this would be the first eagle hatch in Kanawha County in several decades.

UPCOMING BIRD WALKS
:
Friday, April 10 Ward Hollow Wildlife Habitat, South Charleston
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chuck Wirts will lead a walk at this wildlife area, beginning at 9:00 AM

Directions to Ward Hollow:
From Kanawha Turnpike in South Charleston, turn into the entrance to Bridge Valley Community and Technical College, 2001 Union Carbide Drive.
Go straight in. At the tee intersection, turn left toward Bridge Valley
School. Follow the road about 3/4 mile. The road will circle around the large
glass-covered building on the left (Bridge Valley School). You will pass a large building on the right (BLDG 6000). Make a right into the parking area. The Ward Hollow entrance gate
is in back of the parking area. The gate is locked and we will
enter as a group. You will need to sign a waiver if you have not done
so before. Call Chuck (304-389-731) if you have any questions.


Saturday, April 11, Walk on the Wild Side
Saint Albans City Park
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This is an annual event that includes a self-guided loop hike with nature and history interpreters along the way.
Interpretive walks run between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., but you can hike the trail on your own anytime the park is open. Although this is not structured as a bird walk, it should be a good opportunity to see recent arrivals of migrant species.
Info is at this website: https://www.facebook.com/springnaturehikes

Saturday, April 18, Coonskin Park, Charleston
---------------------------------------------------------
Doren Burrell will lead a walk along the Elk River Trail at Coonskin Park. If we are fortunate, we may see some activity in the eagle nest along the Elk River.
Meet at 8:30 AM in the parking lot beyond the duck pond and near the start of the lower Elk River Trail. NOTE: This is NOT our usual meeting point for Coonskin walks.
Call Doren at 304-553-8592 if you have any questions.

OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST

Tour of Avian Rehabilitation Facility
Three Rivers Avian Center
Saturday, May 2, from 1:00 - 5:00 PM
--------------------------------------------------
The staff of the Three River Avian Center invites the public to tour its facilities for the treatment and rehabilitation of raptors and other wild birds. Visitors may meet some live raptors, view some educational displays, and learn about the tools and techniques for returning injure raptors back to the wild. Admission is free.

Mining History in Kanawha State Forest
--------------------------------------------------
Dale Porter will give a slide presentation and then lead an interpretive walk in Kanawha State Forest on May 3rd, beginning at 2:00 PM, at the KSF Nature Center. He will tell vignettes and details about miners' lives, mining techniques, and mining history in the State Forest area. The interpretive walk is optional and visitors may choose to attend just the slide presentation/lecture.

03/31/2026

Explore the Meeks Mountain bluebird trail.

03/13/2026

Saturday, March 14 Ward Hollow Bird Walk

Chuck Wirts will lead a hike to discover waterfowl and other birds at the pond at Ward Hollow. Meet at 9:00 AM. See directions below.

Directions to Ward Hollow:

From Kanawha Turnpike in South Charleston, turn into the entrance to Bridge Valley Community and Technical College, 2001 Union Carbide Drive.

Go straight in. At the tee intersection, turn left toward Bridge Valley School. Follow the road about 3/4 mile. The road will circle around the large glass-covered building on the left (Bridge Valley School). You will pass a large building on the right (BLDG 6000). Make a right into the parking area. The Ward Hollow entrance gate is in back of the parking area. The gate is locked and we will
enter as a group. You will need to sign a waiver if you have not done so before. Call Chuck (304-389-731) if you have any questions.

03/06/2026

Brooks Bird Club Reminder

Meet us tomorrow, March 7, at 10:00 AM outside the Kanawha State Forest Nature Center for a walk to explore the amphibian pools along the T. K. Pauley Amphibian Loop. Here's an update from KSF Naturalist Jess Blalock, who will lead the walk:

"I'm looking forward to seeing everyone Saturday morning for a visit to the Amphibian Loop! It has been busy, with both Eastern Newts and Wood Frogs visible and a growing number of egg clusters! Hopefully we will get to see some activity Saturday morning!"

At our Monday night chapter meeting on March 9, Jess will discuss her observations of American toads during their breeding season at Kanawha State Forest. The meeting begins at 6:30 PM at South Charleston Public Library. The board meets at 6:00 PM and all are welcome.

02/28/2026

Handlan Chapter of the Brooks Bird Club

February/March 2026 Events

Reminder:
Saturday, February 28 Bird Walk at Little Creek Park
Sheila McEntee and Michelle Platt will lead a bird walk in Little Creek Park in South Charleston. Meet at 9:00 AM at the picnic shelter just past the basketball courts, on the left soon after you enter the park.

Saturday, March 7 Amphibian Walk in Kanawha State Forest
As a lead-in to our March chapter meeting, Kanawha State Forest Naturalist Jess Blalock will lead a walk to explore the amphibian pools along the T. K. Pauley Amphibian Loop in Kanawha State Forest. Meet outside the Nature Center at 10:00 AM for a brief walk on the Davis Creek Trail to the Pauley Loop.

Monday, March 9 Chapter Meeting Talking Toads!
Kanawha State Forest Naturalist Jess Blalock will discuss her observations of American toads during their breeding season at Kanawha State Forest. What’s it like to spend hours a day crouched among American toads? What kinds of precautions do you have to take to protect their habitat, and what insights can you gain from squatting on the muddy banks of a pond? Be prepared to play a round of Toad Bingo! It will be toad-ily awesome!! The meeting begins at 6:30 PM at South Charleston Public Library. The board meets at 6:00 PM and all are welcome.

Saturday, March 14 Ward Hollow Bird Walk
Chuck Wirts will lead a hike to discover waterfowl and other birds at the pond at Ward Hollow. Meet at 9:00 AM. See directions below.

Directions to Ward Hollow:
From Kanawha Turnpike in South Charleston, turn into the entrance to Bridge Valley Community and Technical College, 2001 Union Carbide Drive.
Go straight in. At the tee intersection, turn left toward Bridge Valley
School. Follow the road about 3/4 mile. The road will circle around the large
glass-covered building on the left (Bridge Valley School). You will pass a large building on the right (BLDG 6000). Make a right into the parking area. The Ward Hollow entrance gate
is in back of the parking area. The gate is locked and we will
enter as a group. You will need to sign a waiver if you have not done
so before. Call Chuck (304-389-731) if you have any questions.

02/12/2026

Correction: dates on The Great Backyard Bird Count are Feb. 13-16. Read more about it at this link:

February 14-17 is the Great Backyard Bird Count — and before you scroll past thinking this is a cute hobby for retirees, understand what this data actually does.

Last year, 456,000 people in 200+ countries submitted 565,000 checklists over 4 days. That data — your data, from your window, during your coffee — directly feeds into eBird, the largest biodiversity database on Earth.

HERE'S WHAT 15 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME PRODUCES:

→ Real-time population tracking that detects species decline 2-3 years before traditional surveys
→ Migration timing data that updates protected habitat zones
→ Winter range expansion maps used by the EPA and USDA to adjust pesticide application windows
→ Evidence that has directly triggered emergency protections for 12 species since 2010

This is not symbolic. This is the largest coordinated wildlife census on the planet and it runs on volunteers who sit by a window and count.

HOW TO DO IT (it's absurdly easy):

1. Pick any 15-minute window between Feb 14-17
2. Sit somewhere you can see birds — window, porch, park bench
3. Count the highest number of each species you see at one time
4. Submit at birdcount. org (free, takes 2 minutes)

You don't need to identify every species. The Merlin Bird ID app (free, by Cornell) identifies birds by photo OR by sound — hold your phone up, it tells you who's singing.

WHY FEBRUARY MATTERS MORE THAN SPRING:

February counts reveal which species survived winter — and which didn't. A missing species in February is an early warning. Last year's count detected a 23% decline in Evening Grosbeaks across the Northeast — data that triggered an emergency habitat review within 6 months.

Your 15 minutes on Friday isn't birdwatching. It's surveillance. And the birds need witnesses.

02/04/2026

Handlan Chapter of the Brooks Bird Club

February 2026 Events

Monday, February 9 Monthly Chapter Meeting:

Here is something of growing concern for birders, hikers, and anyone who loves the outdoors. According to the Mayo Clinic, alpha-gal syndrome is a potentially life-threatening food allergy that can occur after a tick bite. Alpha-gal syndrome causes mild to intense allergies to red meat, such as beef, pork or lamb. It can also cause reactions to other foods that come from mammals, such as dairy products or gelatin. In the United States, the condition most often begins with a bite from the lone star tick. Other types of ticks can cause the condition in other parts of the world.

Our meeting presenter will be Huntington native Alecia Rice, a writer, speaker, and public education advocate who was diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome. Alecia will share her experience with the condition and discuss how to recognize its symptoms. The meeting begins at 6:30 PM at the South Charleston Library. The board will meet at 6:00 PM and all are welcome.

February 13-16 The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC):

This is an easy, fun, and free event sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Audubon, and Birds Canada. For the count, spend at least 15 minutes at a time noticing the birds around you. Identify them, count them, and submit your counts to help scientists better understand and protect birds around the world. If you already use eBird or Merlin, your submissions over the four GBBC days count toward the GBBC. To learn more, visit www.birdcount.org.

Saturday, February 28:

Sheila McEntee and Michelle Platt will lead a bird walk in Little Creek Park in South Charleston. Meet at 9:00 AM at the picnic shelter just past the basketball courts, on the left soon after you enter the park.

Send a message to learn more

01/08/2026

🌲 Ready to unlock the secrets of West Virginia’s winter woods? 🌳

Join WVSU Extension Service for a special Woodlot Management Series workshop at the Claudia L. Workman Wildlife Education Center! Learn how to identify trees in winter using bark, buds and other clues.

Participants will take home their own winter tree identification guide and hand lens.

✅ FREE event, open to all! Dress for the weather and light hiking.

📍 Claudia L. Workman Wildlife Education Center
301 Forks Of Coal Way in Alum Creek
📅 December 13 | 1:00 pm

Don’t miss out—come grow your knowledge with us!
Register here: https://bit.ly/48yixvO

For more info, contact Liz Moss at [email protected].