Join Wil Hershberger and Carol Winckler for a guided bird walk along the C&O Canal!

PVAS Host: Wil Hershberger, Carol Winckler

This is a free/donation-based program. For ages 12 and older. All youth must be accompanied by an adult. Pre-registration is required and limited to 15 participants.

Join Wil and Carol this spring migration season along the historic C&O Canal, when the green tunnel comes alive with birds on the move. We will enjoy a relaxed, guided bird walk together. Beginner birders welcome!

• Walking Distance: Approximately 1 -2 miles.
• Pace/Activities: Leisurely (meandering, many breaks to stop and observe)
• Exposure: Mostly shaded
• Terrain: Mostly gravel The route is generally flat.
• Restroom:
• Parking/Where to Meet: Park along Canal Road (https://maps.app.goo.gl/fZuc9hHn8tb26rJi6). Note there is a loop nearby after Canal Road turns sharply to the west, but that loop is for dropoff-only and you may be ticketed if you park there. After parking along Canal Road, head just a little into the woods to meet along the canal towpath.
• What to Bring: Wear sturdy shoes, dress for the weather (including a hat), and bring water. If you have them, binoculars and cameras are recommended. You may also want to consider installing free birding apps creating by the Cornell Lab or Ornithology to your mobile device: 1) Merlin (which helps you identify birds!) and 2) eBird (which you can use to submit your sightings!)

Register Here!

Registration will remain open until the start of the program.

If the required minimum # of people do not register by 4 pm the evening prior, the program will be cancelled.

Read our pricing structure & policies.

About Wil: Wil Hershberger is a lifelong naturalist whose award-winning photography and sound recordings reflect more than a decade of dedicated observation of the natural world. His work, especially of birds, frogs, and insects, has been published in books, magazines, and calendars, and his recordings are archived at the Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Wil and his wife Donna share their passion for nature through their West Virginia-based business, Nature Images and Sounds, LLC. Learn more at natureimagesandsounds.com.

About Carol: Carol has had an interest in birding since childhood when grandma would take her for walks on the family farm in Illinois, letting her hold her bird book and look through her binoculars. She is a retired elementary school teacher and has been a Master Naturalist since 2017. She became a PVAS member in 2007 while taking her first Birding 101 class. She continues to enjoy participating in bird walks, helping teach birding classes, and take part each year with the Christmas Bird Count and Birdathon.