A bird watcher will find a bird watching destination one of the best in the United States if there is a good local hotel, many places to hike, a changing variety of habitat, and a large number of birds likely to be found at the destination. Some of these areas may be seasonally better than others, but most will offer a new bird watcher plenty of birds to view and identify.
New York’s Cornell Ornithology Laboratory’s Sapsucker Woods in Ithaca
Sapsucker Woods in Ithaca New York is found at Cornell Ornithology Laboratory. Here, local visitors will find a excellent visitor center with lots of bird feeders and a good map. Hikers can follow an inner trail around the pond and an outer trail that leads to several swamps. There is a good variety of food plants planted in the acreage so that birds can find locally available food in addition to the feeders, with woodpeckers and sapsuckers a delight to find. The woodlands are quite lovely and cool on hot summer days. There are benches and access for the handicapped.
Florida’s Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp or Ding Darling National Wildlife on Sanibel Island near Fort Meyers
Florida’s Audubon Corkscrew Swamp and Ding Darling National Wildlife area on Sanibel Island are both within 50 miles of Fort Meyers, Florida. Visitor centers at both have bathrooms and maps and bird feeders. Corkscrew Swamp has the largest breeding area for wood storks. The boardwalks go through many habitats including woodlands, grasslands, swamps and many waders and seed eaters are found as well as raptors. Ding Darling National Wildlife Reserve has a drive with visitors able to stop at anyplace along the route and bird or fish(seasonally). Large populations of roseate spoonbills are fun to spot as are many waders, but ducks, song birds, raptors, fish, crabs, lizards and snakes and other wildlife are also plentiful, especially in late winter and early spring.
Texas’ Barrier Island Parks near Corpus Christi
Texas’ barrier island’s i.e. North and South Padre Island especially Corpus Christi’s Indian Point, Port Aransas have many places to bird and the Port Aransas park has many rails and other birds and a stay in the area can net many birds of interest. But Aransas National Wildlife Refuge is noted for their whooping crane population that even the crabbers try to keep alive when the populations of blue crabs diminish. Aransas National Wildlife Refuge has many, Hans and Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge, trails that follow creeks, pass around marshes or visit woodlands and beaches as well as a drive that takes you to the trails and to many habitats, especially in late winter and early spring. One of the specialties of the area is the elusive rail with many species located nearby, read “Where to Find those Elusive Rails”.
Arizona’s Tucson Area Ecosystems
Arizona’s Tucson area has many ecosystems-the most in the United States in one central area. Ramsay Canyon run by Nature Conservancy and Madeira Canyon are two of the best spots with hikes uphill into woodlands. Hikes along the San Pedro bird is also good as well as visits to the cactus lands. A week stay is minimal and likely to produce a list of over 100 birds with ease in the spring with hummingbirds a specialty with many species found. Spotting a Trogan is possible. The area offers a regular bird conference. A good place to stay is at Wyndham Canoa Ranch Resort in Green Valley, Arizona where you’re sure to spot a roadrunner on the premises. If you fly through Phoenix, try one of the “5 Fun Phoenix, Arizona Day Trips”.
Oregon’s Malheur National Wildlife Reserve
Oregon’s Malheur National Wildlife Reserve offers a drive through the property that passes through many ecosystems and is especially interesting in summer. Hawks fly over your car faster than you can identify them. Roadside birding can be active and many other animals like deer can be spotted.
Washington State’s Nisqually Delta National Wildlife Reserve
Washington State’s Nisqually Delta National Wildlife Reserve has bathrooms and maps at the visitor center with bird feeders. Trails follow a dike between two rivers in a huge loop, with a shorter interior loop and some inner loops. Birding at the visitor center can spot many birds for less active birders. Spring and summer time are best with a variety of ducks, waders, eagles and other raptors as well as woodpeckers and songbirds and owls. Deer and otters and other animals are possibly spotted. Winter time birding is also good with larger duck populations but sometimes the water levels are high and parts of the trail closed. Trails are also sometimes closed during nesting season.