PA Society For Ornithology Birding Festival Coming To Allentown Sept. 26-28: Field Trips; Awards; Holly Merker Co-Author Of Ornitherapy Keynote

The Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology is proud to bring its annual PSO Birding Festival to Allentown, September 26 – 28, 2025. 

PSO’s 34th gathering will take place at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Allentown Lehigh Valley and will be the first held in Lehigh County. 

The PSO Birding Festival is open to birders of all experience levels and features field trips led by local experts, engaging presentations, a variety of bird-related vendors, and more. 

New birders are encouraged to attend and will find a welcoming, supportive community of birders ready to help.

Field Trips

The festival’s field trips will visit 14 of the best birding locations in the region, including Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Leaser Lake, and Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge. 

The event is during the height of fall migration, so birders should expect an abundance of birds. 

Speakers

Saturday afternoon features an impressive slate of speakers. The full schedule and descriptions of each field trip and talk are available at the event website.

The Saturday evening banquet will feature a keynote address from Holly Merker, co-author of Ornitherapy: For Your Mind, Body, and Soul (Crossley Books, 2021). 

Awards

PSO will also present Lisa Kiziuk of Willistown Conservation Trust with the Earl Poole Award for contributions to Pennsylvania ornithology, and Conservation Awards to Wildlands Conservancy and to Jim Dunn and Brian Auman of the Robert Porter Allen Natural Area in Lycoming County.

Thanks to generous event sponsorship from Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Hillstar Nature, Audubon Mid-Atlantic, Bucks County Birders, and Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, basic registration for the conference is just $25 for members and $35 for non-members. 

Registration includes access to most field trips and events; banquet tickets are available for an additional charge. Some field trips will fill quickly, so birders are encouraged to register early. 

Click Here to register.  

Visit the PSO Birding Festival webpage for more information. Media inquiries about the PSO Birding Festival should be directed to Brian Byrnes, brianjbyrnes79@gmail.com or call 610-420-2264.

[Posted: July 7, 2025]  PA Environment Digest