WILD READS BOOK CLUB

Meets Monthly on the 3rd Friday of each month (except December)

2:00pm - 4:00pm

Age: Adults

FREE/Donations kindly accepted

Love books? Fascinated by the natural world? Join Wild Reads, a monthly on the third Friday, book club hosted by the nature center, where we explore stories and ideas that deepen our connection to nature. From memoirs and essays to fiction and field guides, we read a variety of books that celebrate, question, and illuminate the wild around and within us.

August: Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver (no expectation to read the entire collection, just bounce around and come ready to share your favorites!)

September: No Impact Man - Colin Beavan

October: Demon Copperhead - Barbara Kingsolver 

November: Braiding Sweetgrass - Robin Wall Kimmerer

December: Returning Home to Our Bodies - Abigail Rose Clarke

NO REGISTRATION NEEDED

WHY MUSHROOMS MATTER

Sunday, September 13th

1:30pm - 3pm

Age: Age 15 & up

Free Members / $5 Non-Members

Join Dr. Marion Kyde for a fascinating exploration of the hidden world of fungi. Discover how mushrooms help recycle nutrients, support healthy forests, form partnerships with plants, and sustain countless organisms in the natural world. From decomposers to ecosystem engineers, fungi play a vital role in nearly every habitat. Learn why these often-overlooked organisms are essential to life on Earth and gain a new appreciation for the mushrooms you encounter on your next walk in the woods.

GLOW HIKE

Wednesday, October 7th

7pm - 8:30pm

Age: Adults

Free Members / $5 Non - Members

Experience the magic of Peace Valley Nature Center in a whole new light. Using a blacklight, we will reveal the hidden treasures of plants, animals, and fungi throughout the forest floor. Join us for this rare opportunity to see the woodland glow!

BIRDABILITY OUTING AT PEACE VALLEY PARK

Saturday, October 10th

9:30am - 11am

Age: All Ages (minors must be accompanied by an adult)

Free/ Donations Kindly accepted

Join us for a welcoming and accessible Birdability birding outing at Peace Valley Park. We will meet at the wheelchair-accessible parking area in the New Galena Village parking lot, which includes four accessible parking spaces and nearby accessible restrooms.

Accompanied by a certified Birdability Champion, participants will enjoy a relaxed 90-minute birding experience designed to be accessible to birders of all mobility levels. Our route follows a paved, wheelchair-accessible trail featuring mostly flat terrain with a few gentle inclines. We will travel at a comfortable pace, allowing plenty of time to observe birds, nature, and the beautiful surroundings.

Along the way, we will explore a variety of accessible habitats, including:

• Lake shoreline and water's edge
• Mature wooded forest
• Open mowed lawn areas
• Hedgerow and shrub habitats
• Accessible lake overlook and viewing areas

October is an excellent time for birding in Bucks County, offering opportunities to observe both resident birds and fall migrants. We hope to encounter a diverse selection of waterfowl, songbirds, raptors, and other seasonal species while enjoying the scenic beauty of Peace Valley Lake.

This outing will also support blind and low-vision birders. Before we begin the walk, participants will have an opportunity to explore a selection of tactile bird models and other touchable learning materials. During the outing, we will emphasize ear birding, using bird sounds and vocalizations to identify species and experience the rich soundscape of the park. Sighted participants are encouraged to join in this multi-sensory approach to birding, which highlights the many ways people connect with birds and nature.

Whether you are an experienced birder, new to birding, use a wheelchair, have mobility challenges, are blind or low vision, or simply appreciate a slower-paced outdoor experience, we invite you to join us for this inclusive morning of birding and community.

Meeting Location: Wheelchair-accessible parking spaces at the New Galena Village Parking Lot, 264 Creek Rd. Doylestown, Peace Valley Park

Start Time: 9:30 AM

Duration: Approximately 90 minutes

Trail Surface: Paved, wheelchair accessible, mostly flat with mild inclines

Come discover the birds of Peace Valley Park in an inclusive environment where birding is for everyone.

BUILD A BIRD - FRIENDLY BACKYARD

Saturday, October 10th

11am - Noon

Age: Adults

Free/ Donations Kindly accepted

Turn your yard into a healthier habitat for birds and other wildlife! This hands-on program explores how native plants provide essential food, shelter, and nesting resources while creating beautiful, resilient landscapes around our homes.

See examples of native plants and planting designs, then learn how to look at your own property through the eyes of a bird. Using a bird-friendly yard assessment, we’ll explore the key ingredients of a welcoming habitat—including food, water, shelter, and nesting sites—and identify practical improvements you can make at home.

You’ll also learn about Bird Town Pennsylvania, its work helping communities become more bird-friendly, and ways you can get involved.

Whether you have a large backyard, a small garden, or are simply looking for a place to start, you’ll leave with ideas for creating a space where native plants, birds, and people can thrive together.

FROM BIRD - FRIENDLY TO BIRD - SAFE: MAKING OUR HOMES AND COMMUNITIES SAFER FOR BIRDS

Saturday, October 10th: 1pm -2pm

Age: All Ages (minors must be accompanied by an adult)

Free/ Donations Kindly accepted

Creating a bird-friendly yard is an important first step—but inviting birds into our communities also means helping keep them safe once they arrive.

Join Leigh Altadonna and Vinobha Pannerselvam for a look at the hazards migratory birds face as they travel through our neighborhoods and developed landscapes, particularly window collisions and artificial light at night. Learn how the efforts of Bird Safe Philly and Bird Safe Doylestown are helping reduce these threats through community education, monitoring, and practical solutions.

Leigh will share data and success stories from local bird-safe initiatives and demonstrate simple actions you can take at home, including the use of Feather Friendly window treatments to reduce collisions and participation in the Lights Out Pledge during critical migration periods.

You’ll leave understanding that a truly bird-friendly property goes beyond providing food, water, shelter, and nesting sites—it also means recognizing and reducing the hazards birds encounter around our homes and communities.

SAFE PASSAGE: HELPING BIRDS SURVIVE MIGRATION

Sunday, October 11th:

1pm - 2pm

Age: All Ages (minors must be accompanied by an adult)

Free/ Donations Kindly accepted

Migration is one of the most remarkable—and dangerous—journeys birds undertake. Along the way, they face threats including window collisions, artificial lights, outdoor cats, and other hazards created by our built environment. Join Kelli Scarlett from Aark Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center to learn why birds most commonly arrive in rehabilitation, what these cases reveal about the challenges birds face in Bucks County, and how rehabilitators help injured birds recover and return to the wild. You’ll also discover simple actions we can all take to make our homes and communities safer for migrating birds.

BIG SIT HAWK WATCH

Sunday, October 11th: 8am - 2pm

All Ages (minors must be accompanied by an adult)

Free/ Donations Kindly accepted

Join Peace Valley Nature Center at 245 Creek Rd. (Peace Valley Park's 24hr lot) as we celebrate World Migratory Bird Day with a Big Sit Hawk Watch! Last year, over 30 people attended this event with expert birders guiding participants through peak autumn raptor migration.

We aren’t going anywhere—we’ll be setting up in one spot to scan the skies for migrating hawks, falcons, eagles, and other autumn travelers riding the October thermals. There will be spare binoculars and spotting scopes available to help you spot the birds. If you have your own optics to show off, please bring them along!

Who Should Attend

Everyone! All age groups are welcome—whether you are an experienced birder, a family looking for a fun morning outdoors, or just curious to see what’s flying overhead.

What to Bring

• Lawn Chairs & Blankets: Make yourself comfortable in the sun.
• Coffee, Tea & Snacks: Fuel for a relaxed morning of raptor watching.
• Optics: Binoculars or spotting scopes (spares provided if needed).
• Sun Protection: Sunglasses, hats, and sunscreen for open-sky viewing.

Accessibility & Facility Notes

• Accessibility: Full accessibility is not guaranteed, even though this is a stationary sit-and-watch event. Wheelchair users are welcome to join, but please note that you will need to navigate from the paved parking lot to the adjacent lawn area (a mowed grass area situated next to the parking lot).
• Restrooms: Restrooms are available approximately a quarter-mile away at both the New Galena and Angler's Pier parking lots.

NO REGISTRATION NEEDED

STORIES BEHIND PEACE VALLEY

Thursday, October 15th

Age: Adults

Free/suggested donation

Join author Kathryn McKenna as she shares tidbits from her  book, Stories Behind Peace Valley. This program offers a glimpse into the history, businesses, mining operations, lake project and the lives and activities of those who lived and worked there before the manmade lake was created.

FULL MOON WALKS

Monday, October 26th: 6pm - 7:30pm

Tuesday, November 24th: 4:30pm -6pm

Age: Adults

Free Members / $5 Non - Members

The Full Moon Walk series is your opportunity to explore the park after dark! This educational walk is all about our closest celestial neighbor and how it affects life on earth, both human and otherwise.

OWL PROWL

Friday, November 6th: 7pm - 8:30 pm

Age 15 & up

$8 Members / $10 Non - Members

Come discover the unique adaptations that make owls the top predators of the night sky. Indoor presentation followed by a hike in the woods. Please dress for the weather.



Registration open to Partner Level and Above Members until September 30th

NATURE CONNECTIONS: BIRDFEEDING 101

Saturday, November 7th: 1:30pm - 3pm

Age: 15 & up

Suggested Donation $5

Feeding wild birds is a great way to connect to nature. This workshop will show you the best way to entice our feathered friends to your yard with the right components: seed and feeder type, proper placement, shelter, and water. You will also learn how to enroll your yard in a variety of easy and accessible citizen science projects to make your backyard observations count!