Discover upper Rock Creek’s watershed with a variety of habitats. We will start along open fields and marshy areas next to Bowie Mill Park with the opportunity to see a variety of sparrows, hawks, fall migrants, and turkeys if we’re lucky. Previous lists included 8 species of sparrows including Fox, White-crowned, Swamp, and Savannah Sparrows. For those wanting a longer foray, a 4-mile loop that includes the stream valley will be possible, and we will likely see woodpeckers and other resident woodland species. The path at this point along Rock Creek is meandering and narrow with some steep sections. We will start at 8 a.m. at Bowie Mill Park (https://www.montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/bowie-mill-local-park/) next to Sequoyah Elementary School with the option to do the shorter paved walk or the longer loop. Limit: 16. For reservations (required) and more information, contact the LEADER: Jo Cox at [email protected] or 240-506-1723. Kathy Reitz will co-lead.

THIS TRIP IS FULL.  Morning walk through the woods. We’ll be looking for overwintering songbirds, waterfowl, and raptors. The trip will start at 8 a.m. in the parking lot at 8711 Snouffer School Road, Gaithersburg, Md. Limit: 12. For reservations (required), contact the LEADER: Mark England at [email protected] or 240-308-4114.

If you are just starting to sort out the sparrows, join us for our annual Veteran’s Day Sparrow Walk. We’ll work on ID-ing familiar species such as Song and White-throated while looking for less common ones like White-crowned and Swamp. This trip is geared to beginners. Limit: 8. For reservations (required), time, and directions, contact the LEADER: Jo Cox at [email protected].

The beautiful country of Taiwan, the Fragrant Isle, is rich in tradition—and spectacular wildlife. Its coasts, mountains, and parks host 33 endemic birds, as well as regional rarities like Fairy Pitta. It is no wonder that Taiwan is a “must stop” on every world birder’s travels. In 2016, Gail joined a BirdTour Asia trip that explored this beautiful country from top to bottom. All the expected (and some unexpected) bird species were seen, from tiny Flamecrests to a towering Siberian Crane. A short post-trip extension to China added more goodies, including Cabot’s Tragopan and the critically endangered Chinese Crested Tern.

THIS TRIP IS FULL. Full day (to dusk). Early waterfowl and lingering migrants plus late afternoon marsh watch. Brown-headed Nuthatch possible. Bring lunch and drinks. Limit: 12. For reservations (required) and starting place and time, contact the LEADER: Mark England at [email protected] or 240-308-4114.