Travel for the Birds There are more than 700 species of birds living in the US. To broaden your bird-watching experience beyond your own backyard, consider incorporating some bird-rich locales into your next vacation. Serious bird enthusiasts actually plan trips around visiting bird sanctuaries, nature parks and other natural locations where they can view birds in large numbers, in diversity of species and in their native habitats. Traveling to a region of the country other than the one in which you live will allow you to see species you may have never seen before except in books. Following are some highlights from some of the outstanding birding locales visited by DIY Bird Watching hosts and noted bird experts, Don and Lillian Stokes.
Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
- The Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge near Socorro, New Mexico -- just south of Albuquerque -- is the winter home to thousands of snow geese and sandhill cranes.
- The sandhill cranes forage in the fields, in great numbers, during the daytime (figure A).
- Snowgeese gather by the thousands on nearby lakes and marshes (figure B).
- Mixed in with the snow geese are the smaller Ross's geese and the dark-bodied blue goose -- a morph of the snow goose (figure C).
- Each night, the cranes and geese roost in the protection of the marshes. At dawn, they fly out in droves (figure D).
Chirachua Mountains, Arizona The terrain around Tuscon, Arizona is a great place to observe desert species such as flickers (figure E), woodpeckers and -- especially -- hummingbirds.
- The southeastern Arizona mountains known as "sky islands" -- and in particular the Chirachua mountains -- are home to many impressive species such as the acorn woodpecker (figure F).
- Other species native to this area include the black-headed grosbeak and the Mexican jay (figure G).
- One of the most distinctive attractions in this area, however, is the diversity of hummingbirds. As many as 14 different species may be observed here. The large magnificent hummingbird can only be found in the Southwest.
- The male black-chinned hummingbird has a black chin bordered by purple (figure H) and is found throughout the West.
- The broadbilled hummingbird is another Southwest specialty, and appears as if covered all over in green jewels (figure I).
Crane Creek Park and Magee Marsh Wildlife Area The Crane Creek Park recreation area near Oak Harbor, Ohio (figure J) is located on the southern shore of Lake Erie.
- The center offers a visitor's welcoming center and a viewing platform where bird-watchers can look out over the marshes (figure K).
- This is one of the best places in the region to view a variety of migrating warbler species (figure L). These fascinating songbirds come to this area in the fall where they inhabit the trees along the shoreline. The protected forests of this area provide shelter and food in the form of insects, allowing the warblers to rest up and "refuel" for their long migration later on.
- This bird sanctuary features a raised-boardwalk trail for birders and wildlife enthusiasts to view the diverse species in the wooded and marsh areas.
- Species commonly observed here include pied-billed grebe, magnolia warbler, Nashville warbler and black-and-white warbler.
In addition to birding-adventure travel, there are other less ambitious ways of enjoying the hobby of bird-watching. Consider joining a birding association in your area and taking part in nature walks in nearby wildlife areas. You can also expand your knowledge of the world of birds through books, magazines and videos devoted to avian life.
RESOURCES :
National Audubon Society
700 Broadway
New York, NY 10003
Phone: (212) 979-3000
Fax: (212) 979-3188
Web site: www.audubon.org
Stokes Beginner's Guide to Shorebirds
Model: 0316816965
Author: Donald Stokes, Thomas Young, Lillian Q. Stokes
Little Brown and Company (Time Warner, Inc.)
New York, NY 10020
Phone: 212-522-8700
Don and Lillian Stokes' website
Stokes Birds at Home
Website: www.stokesbirdsathome.com
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