The Potomac Valley Audubon Society will offer a winter tree-identification field trip at its Yankauer Nature Preserve in Berkeley County the morning of Feb. 12 and a birding trip to two popular winter birding sites in Jefferson County on Feb. 9.

There is no fee, and anyone with an interest is invited to attend.

West Virginia state forester Ben Kunze will lead the Feb. 12 trip. He will show how to identify trees through such clues as their branching habits and overall shape, twigs, buds and bark.

Participants will meet at the preserve parking lot at 10 a.m. The total time of the trip will be about two hours.

Pre-registration is recommended but not required; to pre-register contact Kelly Heldreth at or 304-229-6229 or 540-931-5945.

If there has been a major snow the day before or weather is especially inclement on the day of the trip, call 304-676-3397 to make sure the trip is still on.

If the trip is snowed out, it will be rescheduled to Feb. 26.

Those who participate should be sure to dress warmly and wear sturdy footwear.

The preserve is located on Whiting’s Neck about seven miles north of Shepherdstown. Detailed directions can be found on the PVAS website at www.potomacaudubon.org.

For the Feb. 9 event, the sites that will be visited are Flowing Springs Park in east Ranson and Altona Marsh west of Charles Town.

Flowing Springs Park has a variety of habitats that attract raptors, such as Red-Shouldered and Red-Tailed hawks and American Kestrals, Wilson Snipes, waterfowl and songbirds.

Altona Marsh is a well-known marl marsh that attracts large populations of Red-Winged Blackbirds, other songbirds, raptors, woodpeckers, shore birds and waterfowl.

Participants will meet in the parking lot of the Martins Supermarket at Jefferson Crossroads in Charles Town at 8 a.m.

For additional information or directions contact Sandy Sagalkin at monsansagalkin@myactv.net or 240-291-6465.

In case of inclement weather contact Sagalkin to see if the trip is still on.