Fayette County Birding Spotlight
April 24-27th, 2026

The Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology (PSO) is promoting counties across the state, to explore its hotspots and find as many birds as we can. This will be the 14th county we have spotlighted since we started this birding adventure several years ago averaging 3 a year. To see how and where others have been and fared out, check out this link. https://pabirds.org/county-spotlights/

On April 24th, join us as we lead a 4-day concentrated effort to bird Fayette County! This is a southern county that we are planning on hitting during the early spring migration season, we have had good luck picking a southern tier county in the past getting the jump on the early migrants and any lingering winter birds. We have bird outings lined up for several days.

Fayette currently sits 40th all-time for species out of 67 and 40th all-time for total checklists. Fayette County, Pennsylvania, covers a total area of approximately 790 square miles. Located in southwestern Pennsylvania, it is known for its mountainous terrain, including the Laurel Highlands and the Allegheny Plateau. The county seat is Uniontown.

As a group, we want to document as many birds as possible during this extended weekend. Birders are invited to tag along with others or explore the county’s game lands, water areas, fields and wild areas on their own terms.
Notable spots for the county can be found here https://pabirds.org/siteguide/pacountypage.php?CountyID=26

Here are the eBird hotspots link https://ebird.org/region/US-PA-051/hotspots
The Spotlight will be at or near peak blooming time for very many of Fayette County’s most spectacular spring wildflowers, so be sure to look down for posies as well as looking up for birds. While any of the outings can be good for wildflowers, Bear Run Nature Reserve and Ohiopyle State Park will certainly provide an opportunity to see many specialty species found in Western Pennsylvania. You can expect several varieties of Trillium, Wild Geranium, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Dutchman’s Breeches, Soloman’s Seal and multiple colors of violets; along with many other species of wildflowers to be blooming for your visit.

Day 1 – Friday, April 24th – Mill Run Reservoir and Indian Creek Valley Trail led by Mike Fialkovich. Meet at the trail head at Camp Christian at 8 am. https://maps.app.goo.gl/LQkyaBa2eHUaEb5RA

Coordinates: 39.97180266758243, -79.45947370576754 There is a large sign for Camp Christian on Route 381 where you turn to access the trail. Follow the gravel road off RT 381 to a gate where there is parking at the trailhead. This site is easy, level walking on a gravel road and dirt trails. Hiking shoes/boots are recommended but probably not necessary. The trail goes for a few miles but we can turn around whenever the group feels like stopping. The reservoir has brushy islands and open water, no cattails. The trail turns away from the lake and is forested. There is a port-o-john at the trailhead.

The Indian Creek Valley is a forested stream valley and is a good location for spring wildflowers that should add a nice component to the birding.

Lunchtime – on your own

Afternoon – on your own

Evening – Jacobs Creek Wetlands 6:30pm with Bolana https://maps.app.goo.gl/eud5gosBU9Daxd9L7

Good place for sparrows, warblers, and herons. Easy walking with flat, wide trails. Can be muddy if it has rained recently, so do suggest close toed shoes. Long pants suggested if you want to try to walk the back path to hopefully see some woodcocks. No bathroom access (Greenlick Dam is not terribly far and does have bathrooms). Parking for 3-4 cars at coordinates, several more by the pond on the way in although that lot can be very muddy/have pot holes.

Day 2 – Saturday, April 25th – with Bolana. GAP trail and Ferncliff area 7:30 am https://maps.app.goo.gl/eud5gosBU9Daxd9L7 We can hit this section early before it gets crowded. Ohiopyle Coffee Co is in town and opens at 7am. Bathroom access and parking is readily available by the Laurel Highlands information center. Meet at the info center at 7:30. Usually a variety of thrush, woodpeckers, and warblers. We should be able to see the swallow colonies by the info center. The GAP trail is easy walking with wide, clear paths, Ferncliff is mild to moderate hiking, mild elevation changes but can be rocky. At Ferncliff you will also see wildflowers and ferns scattered throughout a late successional forest.

From there we will check out Ohiopyle Audubon fields a little later in the morning once it’s warming up. https://maps.app.goo.gl/eud5gosBU9Daxd9L7 Great place for warblers, nesting bluebirds, and hawks. There is a small parking area on a dirt road (8-10 cars?), no immediate bathroom access. Long pants/close toed shoes and bug spray recommended as this area is known for having ticks. The parking area will usually produce a variety of woodpeckers and some thrushes.

Lunchtime – on your own

Afternoon – SGL 51 with Shannon Thompson Meeting at 1pm, at the parking lot located at https://maps.app.goo.gl/73DpzioY4tXnAd489 SGL 51 is a beautiful and truly wild place nestled in the Laurel Highlands. Over 140 species have been reported here with many breeding warblers on site. Black bears and rattlesnakes also call this beautiful area home. With clean trout waters below and cascades winding down the mountain, there’s always something enjoyable to experience here.

Camp Riamo Rd with Dennis T. 1pm, meeting at the corner of Camp Riamo Rd and Clark King Rd https://maps.app.goo.gl/f8PsHsd31JfWQJtJA Good place for grassland birds such as meadowlarks, bobolinks and sparrows. Also lots of brushy habitat that is prime warbler territory. We can slowly drive or walk along the road.

Evening/night time spots

Chestnut Ridge If the Whip-poor-wills are back, they will be here. People can start on Skyline Drive and drive down Kirby and Shepherd Rds. If they aren’t sitting on the road, they will be calling in the woods. Also owls. There are also several public parking lots along Skyline as well as gas wells and windmill pull-offs that people can park and sit listening for night birds.

Day 3 – Sunday, April 26th – Greenlick Dam (Greenlick Run Lake) 6:30a (sunrise) – with Bolana

https://maps.app.goo.gl/2LxiMgHZ1CkDaFTg7

Bathrooms are on site, plenty of parking. Not a lot of walking needed here. There are a few other parking areas for alternate views if needed. Expect migratory water fowl, and this is often a good site for bald eagles, osprey, and other raptors. If there is time or if Greenlick is not fruitful, we can return to Jacob’s Creek wetlands after to pick up some early morning warblers

Laurel Run/Quebec Run with Dennis T. Starting from the Laurel Run parking lot, 6:45 a.m. https://maps.app.goo.gl/BTgsvooqfis5rnd39

We will wander down an old logging road through some typical Laurel Highlands mountain laurel habitat down to the valley, where there are swampy alders along the stream, then continue as the trail goes through a hemlock forest. Then turn around and head back, uphill. The route is not on any maps or trail websites that I could find, but does exist. At one point we will be a few dozen yards from West Virginia, which is almost heaven because it’s almost Fayette County.

Lunchtime – on your own

Afternoon – on your own

Evening – still on the works for something official

Day 4 – Monday, April 27th – Day 4 – Nothing official yet, locals and leftover birding crew to do clean up of species missed in the spotlight tally.
We have created a Discord text/chat group for the spotlight for rarities and group info, to join that, here is the link or you can search for the Huntingdon County Birding Spotlight under the PSO Spotlights & Events. https://discord.com/channels/1111453242149306441/1463879171372748945

For anyone who is going to be birding during 4-day birding spotlight, we ask you share your ebird checklists with PSO Birding Data then we can keep track easier. We have also created an eBird Trip Report link where pictures, checklists, etc. will be available for everyone to enjoy.

Here is the link for the eBird trip report Fayette County Birding Spotlight – eBird Trip Report

We will be sharing pics and updates on the Fayette County Birding Spotlight event page on Facebook; here is that link https://www.facebook.com/share/16cbq6FEMe/

Birders of all skill levels are invited to join-in and contribute! If you just want to learn more about birds or you can help others and our challenge, we want you to be involved!

More details to be shared closer to the date.