download the full guide - Lehigh Gap Nature Center

Bucks335peace valley couNTY PARKLocation: About 3 miles northwest of Doylestown, in NewBritain Township.Owner & Contacts: Bucks County (1,500 acres)(Lake Galena – 365 acres)215-345-7860170 Chapman Rd., Doylestown, PA 18901www.peacevalleynaturecenter.org/index.htmlDirections, Access & Parking: From theintersection of Rt. 611 Bypass and Rt. 313 (Swamp Rd.) northof Doylestown, go northwest on Rt. 313 for about 2.2 miles andturn left (southwest) on New Galena Rd. Proceed 0.7 miles andturn left at Chapman Rd. Go another 0.3 miles to the PeaceValley Nature Center. For other access points to Lake Galena,go back to New Galena Rd. and turn left. Follow Lake GalenaRd. and look for the road to the public boat launch. There isanother public boat launch on the south side of the lake, justoff Creek Rd. about 0.3 miles from the dam.Site Description: The most prominent feature of thepark is the 365-acre Lake Galena. The lake is surroundedby a variety of prime birding habitats, nearly all of which areaccessible via a network of well-maintained trails; there are 14miles of trails, and a 6-mile paved hike and bike trail. Thereis a bird blind at the nature center’s feeding station, as wellas a species logbook for the park. The Chapman Road Bridgeis almost always a nice place to walk, especially in spring andsummer.Through the Seasons:Winter: Winter is a good time to search for unusualwaterfowl, especially vagrant geese, which often mix in with thehuge flock of wintering Canada Geese. Look for other winterbirds at the feeders near the nature center.Spring: This is another good season to look for unusualwaterfowl. Lesser Black-backed Gulls can be expected almostdaily up through early April. Warblers and other migratingsongbirds can be found in season.Summer: Breeding birds at this season are typical of thespecies that can be found in the proper habitat.Fall: Look for migrating warblers in late August andSeptember. Waterfowl arrive in late October and November.Lesser Black-backed Gulls are present most days starting inlate September.Other Comments: Bird records have been kept almostreligiously here for decades. The park has an impressive birdlist of over 280 species. • The park’s trails are very popularwith walkers, joggers and bikers on weekends. • Peace ValleyCounty Park has been designated as an Important Bird Area byAudubon Pennsylvania.Canada Goose, Corey HusicSpotted Sandpiper, R. Curtis/VIREO