Field Trip and Meeting Schedule
ABOUT OUR FIELD TRIPS AND MEETINGS:
The Beckham Bird Club conducts field trips throughout the year, except from the middle of June until the middle of August. We welcome birders of all ages and skill levels on our field trips, especially beginning birders. The Beckham Bird Club welcomes guests, non-members and out-of-town visitors to participate in field trips and meetings. Field trips mostly visit a variety of birding spots in the Louisville area, with regular outings to more distant locations.
Monthly meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month except March (annual dinner) and June (club picnic.) Meetings begin at 7 p.m. and are held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 2822 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY 40206, 38.254256, -85.689458. St. Mark’s is at the corner of Frankfort Avenue and Kennedy Ave. Please enter by way of the back door near the parking lot. Members and non-members are welcome. Speakers are announced a month in advance in the newsletter.
A NOTE ABOUT CARPOOLS AND SHARING RIDES
Due to potential liability issues, the Beckham Bird Club does not organize or arrange carpools or ride-sharing for its field trips or other activities. However, the BBC believes that sharing transportation is good for the environment and invites members to share rides if possible. The BBC suggests that one way to arrange ride sharing is via the Beckham Bird Club group on the Discord mobile app. DO NOT attempt to make such arrangements via the field trip channel, since its usage is restricted to offcial BBC communications. Instead, use the open "chit-chat-channel" to either search for or offer rides.
FIELD TRIP INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES
1. IMPORTANT: Field trips are subject to cancellation, rescheduling or relocation due to weather, habitat conditions or other circumstances. If there is constant rain, extreme hot or cold temperatures, ice or snow, you should contact trip leaders for the latest update on the trip. Trip leaders will post information about any changes on the birdky listserv and - time permitting - on the field trip list below. To look for updates, go to http://birding.aba.org/maillistdigest/KY. To subscribe, go to https://www.freelists.org/list/birdky.
2. Arrive a few minutes before the scheduled start time. Trips depart at the stated time. Arriving early will give you time to sign the release form and prepare to go.
3. Please stay with the leader. Do not go ahead of the leader(s) or lag behind. If you need to leave early, let the leader know when you do.
4. DOGS AND OTHER PETS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON FIELD TRIPS. The presence of even the best-behaved dogs disturbs birds and other wildlife and makes observing them that much more difficult.
5. Try to minimize disturbance to the birds by talking in quiet tones and keeping to paths and trails unless the leader directs otherwise.
6. Smoking and vaping are not permitted during field trips. Please refrain from smoking or vaping until the field trip has concluded.
7. Minimize disturbance to other birders. If you need to use your cell phone or have a long conversation be considerate of the other members on the trip and step away from the group.
8. A NOTE TO NON-MEMBERS: You are welcome to participate in BBC field trips. If you find them to your liking and attend regularly, we respectfully request that you consider becoming a club member.
Monthly meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month except March (annual dinner) and June (club picnic.) Meetings begin at 7 p.m. and are held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 2822 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY 40206, 38.254256, -85.689458. St. Mark’s is at the corner of Frankfort Avenue and Kennedy Ave. Please enter by way of the back door near the parking lot. Members and non-members are welcome. Speakers are announced a month in advance in the newsletter.
A NOTE ABOUT CARPOOLS AND SHARING RIDES
Due to potential liability issues, the Beckham Bird Club does not organize or arrange carpools or ride-sharing for its field trips or other activities. However, the BBC believes that sharing transportation is good for the environment and invites members to share rides if possible. The BBC suggests that one way to arrange ride sharing is via the Beckham Bird Club group on the Discord mobile app. DO NOT attempt to make such arrangements via the field trip channel, since its usage is restricted to offcial BBC communications. Instead, use the open "chit-chat-channel" to either search for or offer rides.
FIELD TRIP INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES
1. IMPORTANT: Field trips are subject to cancellation, rescheduling or relocation due to weather, habitat conditions or other circumstances. If there is constant rain, extreme hot or cold temperatures, ice or snow, you should contact trip leaders for the latest update on the trip. Trip leaders will post information about any changes on the birdky listserv and - time permitting - on the field trip list below. To look for updates, go to http://birding.aba.org/maillistdigest/KY. To subscribe, go to https://www.freelists.org/list/birdky.
2. Arrive a few minutes before the scheduled start time. Trips depart at the stated time. Arriving early will give you time to sign the release form and prepare to go.
3. Please stay with the leader. Do not go ahead of the leader(s) or lag behind. If you need to leave early, let the leader know when you do.
4. DOGS AND OTHER PETS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON FIELD TRIPS. The presence of even the best-behaved dogs disturbs birds and other wildlife and makes observing them that much more difficult.
5. Try to minimize disturbance to the birds by talking in quiet tones and keeping to paths and trails unless the leader directs otherwise.
6. Smoking and vaping are not permitted during field trips. Please refrain from smoking or vaping until the field trip has concluded.
7. Minimize disturbance to other birders. If you need to use your cell phone or have a long conversation be considerate of the other members on the trip and step away from the group.
8. A NOTE TO NON-MEMBERS: You are welcome to participate in BBC field trips. If you find them to your liking and attend regularly, we respectfully request that you consider becoming a club member.
FIELD TRIP AND MEETING SCHEDULE
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Tuesday, December 9
MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP MEETING - 7:00 p.m. - St. Mark’s Episcopal Church - 2822 Frankfort Ave – corner of Frankfort and Kennedy. Details in newsletter.
CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS BEGIN DECEMBER 14 - LOUISVILLE CBC IS THAT DAY
The Louisville Christmas Bird Count, sponsored jointly by the Kentucky Ornithological Society and the Beckham Bird Club, is scheduled for Sunday, December 14, 2025. Anyone interested in participating in the Louisville count should contact Louisville CBC Compiler and Kentucky Regional CBC Coordinator James Wheat by email ([email protected]) or, if you know one of the section leaders, by reaching out to them directly. If you can't be in the field on Count Day, please let James Wheat know if you can help out by watching your feeders in the Count Circle. We're hoping for a great count day, and our section leaders are already planning to scout their areas!
If you happen to go birding within the Count Circle during Count Week (Dec 11 - 17), please use eBird to record your checklists, so we can track Count Week species.
For information on other counts in the region over the three-week CBC period, including Shelbyville (December 20), Bernheim Forest (January 1, 2026), Otter Creek Park (TBD), Hardin County (TBD), Lincoln Birthplace (TBD) and others across Kentucky, consult the KOS website at https://www.birdky.org/annualcbc.php.
BBC FIELD TRIPS ARE SMOKE-FREE and VAPE-FREE
In response to member concerns and after careful consideration, the Beckham Bird Club board determined that, effective August 2022, field trips will be no-smoking and no-vaping events. The past policy of asking participants who smoke and vape to step away from the main group proved both ineffective and unworkable. Therefore, participants are asked to refrain from smoking or vaping for the duration of the field trip.
MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP MEETING - 7:00 p.m. - St. Mark’s Episcopal Church - 2822 Frankfort Ave – corner of Frankfort and Kennedy. Details in newsletter.
CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS BEGIN DECEMBER 14 - LOUISVILLE CBC IS THAT DAY
The Louisville Christmas Bird Count, sponsored jointly by the Kentucky Ornithological Society and the Beckham Bird Club, is scheduled for Sunday, December 14, 2025. Anyone interested in participating in the Louisville count should contact Louisville CBC Compiler and Kentucky Regional CBC Coordinator James Wheat by email ([email protected]) or, if you know one of the section leaders, by reaching out to them directly. If you can't be in the field on Count Day, please let James Wheat know if you can help out by watching your feeders in the Count Circle. We're hoping for a great count day, and our section leaders are already planning to scout their areas!
If you happen to go birding within the Count Circle during Count Week (Dec 11 - 17), please use eBird to record your checklists, so we can track Count Week species.
For information on other counts in the region over the three-week CBC period, including Shelbyville (December 20), Bernheim Forest (January 1, 2026), Otter Creek Park (TBD), Hardin County (TBD), Lincoln Birthplace (TBD) and others across Kentucky, consult the KOS website at https://www.birdky.org/annualcbc.php.
BBC FIELD TRIPS ARE SMOKE-FREE and VAPE-FREE
In response to member concerns and after careful consideration, the Beckham Bird Club board determined that, effective August 2022, field trips will be no-smoking and no-vaping events. The past policy of asking participants who smoke and vape to step away from the main group proved both ineffective and unworkable. Therefore, participants are asked to refrain from smoking or vaping for the duration of the field trip.