Migratory Bird Day Walk Held

Our WSPA 2025 season of programs got off to a great start with our annual spring bird walk. The weather turned out to be just about perfect - no rain, mostly bright skies and cool temperatures.

Around 20 birders enjoyed the annual Weeks State Park Migratory Bird Day on Thursday, May 15, 2025. Our longtime leader, Dave Govatski, slowly led us on a walk up the auto road looking and listening for a variety of migratory birds that are settling in on territories. We saw and heard an assortment of warblers and flycatchers at this birding hotspot. We also stopped frequently to admire a wide array of spring ephemeral wildflowers. (Reminder: our spring flower walk is June 8, 1-4 PM).

At the summit, we were careful not to cross any of the construction area fences and barriers that are in place. This season, visitors will still be able to enjoy the views at the top, as our birding group did, by using the Pat Nelson and Ken Jordan Trails to go around the construction site. There is also an available path to our newly restored Tower which will be open this season as well.

Probably, one of the highlights of our walk on Mt. Prospect was seeing and hearing three Scarlet Tanagers.

At 11 AM, our group made a side trip to Martin Meadow Pond, where we saw a bald eagle, a pair of loons, spotted sandpipers, and heard a rare olive-sided flycatcher. 

The group saw 32 species of birds on Mt. Prospect, and 26 at the boat launch area of Martin Meadow Pond. A total of 18 species at Martin Meadow Pond were different from those observed on Mt. Prospect, bringing the numbers of species seen that morning to 50.

This link will take you to what was seen or heard at Mt. Prospect and Weeks State Park:

eBird Checklist - 15 May 2025 - Weeks SP, Lancaster - 32 species

This link will take you to what was seen at Martin Meadow Pond:

eBird Checklist - 15 May 2025 - Martin Meadow Pond, Lancaster - 26 species

Thanks so much to our leader, Dave Govatski for providing his expertise and guidance and for all who came out to make this event so enjoyable and informative.

The park will be opening this coming Memorial Day weekend on Friday, May 23 at 10 AM. The auto road will be open Friday - Monday (Memorial Day weekend). Please note that due to the extensive renovations taking place at the top of Mt. Prospect, the House Museum will be closed for the entire season.

Special Note to hikers and bikers! On Tuesday, May 27 (the day after Memorial Day) - the auto road will be completely closed to the public because of heavy construction vehicles that will be operating on the auto road that day.