| Philadelphia |
| DESCRIPTION: Fairmount Park is not a single location, but a "system" of 62 parks comprising 9,200 acres, 215 miles of trails, and 34 miles of waterways. Diverse birding opportunities exist wherever you find yourself in the park. Usually, when birders refer to "Fairmount Park" they mean the "East Park" and/or "West Park," that is the extensive parkland bordering the east and west bank of the Schuylkill River, north of Girard Avenue and south of City Line Avenue. In contrast, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Pennypack and Andorra parks, Bartram's Garden, and Carpenter's Woods are part of the Fairmount Park system, but they retain their historical names along with their diverse habitats and accompanying species. In East Park the Belmont Plateau's open fields sport huge trees which catch migrants in spring and fall and the plateau has an expansive view of the sky during raptor and Common Nighthawk migrations. Nearby, the Horticultural Center's grounds extend to the Japanese House and Gardens where Red-eyed Vireo and Great-crested Flycatcher nest and where migrants feed on the many flowering shrubs. Northern Rough-winged Swallow often roost on the electric wires overhead. Across Belmont Avenue, the Centennial and Concourse lakes host waterfowl year-round, including breeding Green Heron and many Baltimore and Orchard orioles in summer, with shorebirds stopping in season. An extensive network of trails through deciduous woods with a good amount of "edge" and some brushy fields extends from the "Recycling Center" (well signed and close to the intersection of Ford Road and Chamounix Drive) to the Belmont Plateau. White-eyed Vireo, Yellow Warbler, and Indigo Bunting are easy to find. Wood Thrush and Veery can be heard calling. Although there are no maps of these paths, some of which are abandoned carriageways, orientation to the sound of traffic on the Schuylkill Expressway is a good guide and all trails eventually lead back to the Recycling Center. The Schuylkill River provides opportunities to watch grebes in winter, Brant during migration, and many species of diving duck and merganser in fall and winter. Although the river can be viewed easily from West Park, observation is especially good from the ramparts of the "waterworks" just north of the Art Museum in East Park. From Kelly Drive take W. Sedgely Drive to ample parking for the Waterworks Café at the river. Throughout the park, there are numerous small parking areas, usually in quiet places. Any place you can safely pull over can be a good spot to bird. |
DIRECTIONS: I-76 (Schuylkill Expressway) has several exits to the Park. For East Park and Kelly Drive, take Exit 342 to US 30 (West Girard Ave). Turn left (east) and go 0.5 mile (cross the Schuylkill River) and turn right (south) on Poplar Drive. Go 0.4 mile and bear left onto Aquarium Drive. Go to the end (0.25 mile) to the Waterworks to view the river. Reverse your route back to Polar Drive, continue north to Girard Avenue, cross Girard Avenue and go 0.4 mile and turn left (west) on Reservoir Drive. This takes you around East Park Reservoir. Explore the other roads in this section of the park. For West Park and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, take Exit 341. At the bottom of the exit ramp, turn west on Montgomery Drive. See the map for birding locations. |
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Maps - other than Google (Click on map for larger view)
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| Posted: 2009-10-24 00:00:00 Updated: 2009-10-26 00:00:00 |
