Best summer birding spots

[arthuryeo]

What are the best summer birding (read bird photography) spots in the US/Canada?

After looking around, it seems like most of the migratory birds are now roosting in Alaska somewhere in the

Arctic National Preserve. :)

 

Any tips would be greatly appreciated. I would prefer a spot where there's a great congregation of our avian

friends. However, if you know of highly productive birding spots, please do share as well.

 

Thanks!

[kerry_grim]

Bosque del Apache in New Mexico. No cranes but still, lots of birds. No crowds of photographers either. Numerous hummingbird hot spots which attract south-bound migrants. The beginning of August may be better for hummers. I was only to New Mexico once for a week in August, but approximately 130 species of birds is not to shabby!

[arthuryeo]

Kerry,

 

I am surprised you recommend Bosque del Apache in New Mexico. Are there that many birds in this heat over there at this time of the year? I thot most of the migratory birds congregate there in the winter and then head north when the weather warms up.

[kerry_grim]

I've only been to that area once (from PA), but New Mexico had an excellent variety of birds. I've been a bit misleading as that variety of birds included a variety of habitat in NM. Surely it would not be very exciting for those that had visited during the stopovers by Sandhill Cranes. The hummingbird migration in Arizona/New Mexico along the continental divide is great and many B&B have feeders out which attract them by the hundreds.

[Two23]

Northeastern South Dakota. It's full of glacial lakes, the lakes are full of big birds. Mostly all public land, you could go weeks and not see another photographer. Waubay Lake is as good as any place to start. When I saw Ding Darling etc. in FL I was not impressed, having seen better within an hour of my home.

 

 

Kent in SD

[derek_thornton1]

I think most of the migratory birds are way up north during the summer (Canada/Alaska). However, there are many areas in the SE that have large populations of non migratory birds or birds with small migrations, like waders. Areas like Santee NWR, Cape Romain NWR, Ace Basin NWR, Savannah NWR, Cumberland NP, Everglades NP and Ding Darling are great for birds. I have heard the NWR's on the North Carolina coast are very good for the birds too. During the summer months I doubt any area in the US is better for birding than the SE.

 

Sorry but I wont say what my favorite spot is. One reason why I love it so much is the lack of human activity. I dont mean to be so selfish. I will say that I did mention it in the list. If you live out west, sorry. I just dont know of any spots other than Bosque del Apache.

 

Good Luck,

[camallard]

If you like it HOT, the southern tip of Texas (Brownsville) also known as the Lower Rio Grande. The World Birding Center (www.worldbirdingcenter.org & www.southtexasnature.com) has several areas, with several wildlife refuges, and plus the Gulf of Mexico is right there. So you get a mix of desert, wetlands, forest, and coastal birds all within 75 miles. Winter is best but summer is still good for birding. There are also more tropical birds coming north over the past few years. Great place to go.

[GlennS]

My favorite places for bird photos are sheltered bays at low tide. During the feeding frenzy at these times birds seem to ignore my presence being more concerned with hunting eagles that sometimes show up.

 

The eagles have provided some amazing shots as they chase gulls around the sky in a very serious aerial ballet.

 

The bird shots in my gallery are from southern Vancouver Island.

[arthuryeo]

Thanks, Glenn. Southern Vancouver is whole lot closer and a more viable option. I like the low tide tip.

[sandysocks]

It would be better during the migrations when you can pick up more eastern species, but a one day outing from Malheur NWR to the coast stopping in the Cascades and Willamette Valley refuges should net you a lot of species. For photography, I would visit a good refuge like Malheur or Tulelake-Lower Klamath and concentrate on that. Personal favorites of mine are Dungeness and Camas NWRs.

[arthuryeo]

RL Potts, thanks for your contribution.Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge is restricted where the birds are located. Humans are not allowed to walk on that side. Where do you go to shoot birds in Dungeness? Could you please throw some light on that?

[sandysocks]

I used to walk out to the end of the spit. Are these restrictions seasonal? Many things are restricted around here, but open up later after the Snowy Plover breeding season.

[arthuryeo]

If you heading towards the lighthouse direction, the entire strip along your right side beach facing inland is closed to the public due to conservation policy. That little bay on the right side is where all the birds are but humans have no access. That's what I meant.

 

Thank you for responding.

[dave_weber1]

I wholeheartedly second Kent's comments about South Dakota. Also, in the general area are the northern lakes of Minnesota. Late June and early July the Common Loons have their little ones. A nice bird photo is an adult loon with a chick on her back (make sure you can see the detail in the red eye). In most of your loon photos you'll have an opportunity to also include a background of a tree lined pristine lake. And, chances are really good you'll see bald eagles too.

[dave_weber1]

Almost forgot, here's a link to my favorite all time loon photo - by Jim Brandenberg...

http://www.jimbrandenburg.com/gallery/90%20day%20images/90day_htmls/day_10.html

[dandreisbach]

Pelee Island Ontario which is in the middle of lake Erie. Point Pelee on the mainland is also good. This is one of the main migration paths for the great lakes region. As it is more of a migration spot May and late September/early October are the best times. Bird watching is big business in this are during the migration seasons. I live in the Detroit area and enjoy going to the island for a day trip to ride my bike and take pictures.

[stemked]

Just like Ann noted, I just got back from South Texas (Santa Ana). I had only a day in the area, but added 15 birds to my life list, and I used to live in Texas, but never made it that far south before. Interesting birds I found over the day included: Green Jay, Buff-Bellied Hummingbird, Harris Hawk, Scissor Tailed Flycatcher (not in the park itself, but abundant everywhere else), Kiskadee Flycatcher, and two other flycatcher species, Road Runner, Browned Cowbird, Boat Tailed Grackel, Black Bellied and Fulvous Tree Ducks, several Heron/Egret species, Plain Chachalaca, White-Winged, White Fronted and Inca Dove, Yellow Billed Cuckoo (several),Pauraque, Lesser Nighthawk, Ladder backed and Golden Fronted Woodpeckers, Wren species (Bewick's?), Altamira Oriole, and Olive Sparrow to name some off the top of my head. Other wildlife I saw included Coyotes and Great Plains Rat Snake. Frankly, I'm not the best birder in the world and can't id birds well by sound so a real birder and someone with more time should do better than I did. North of the park I also saw a Vermillion Flycatcher, White-Tailed Kites, Mississippi Kites, Bald Eagle and (I think) Curve Billed Thrasher.

 

I can't even imagine what this place is like during migration season!

 

Looking through the list of other visitors recent bird sightings included (let me think here) Elf Owl, Clay-Colored Robin, Spoonbills, and Bobcats (said to be 'frequently seen', I would have loved to have seen one). It is also the hotspot for a couple of cat species (Jagurundi and Ocolot), but they are rare and noctural. Since the park is closed at night, don't expect to see them.

 

Mosquitos are as thick as molassas, but I didn't encounter any ticks or chiggars.

 

PS. Don't even THINK about sneaking into this park at night. It is right on the border. I was largely walking in the rain, not a person anywhere on the trails. I took a trail that goes down to the river (Rio Grande) did a look around, on my way back out of no where appeared two border guards, apparently I had set off a sensor when I went down to the river bank. I suspect they won't be all that sympathetic to budding naturalists or photographers on a night cruise through the reserve.