Where Birds Flock Together

Where Birds Flock Together

All the right places from coast to coast for spotting species

Virtually every setting – coastline, open prairie, big city park – makes for rewarding bird-watching. One of the joys of the sport is how little equipment it requires. Binoculars and a comprehensive field guide are all you need, through a telescope is best for observing waterfowl and other stationary birds. Roger F. Pasquier, an author of several books on birds, works at the Environmental Defense Fund. He chose the following locales as among America's best for bird watching. For information, contact the sources below:

Arkansas National Wildlife Refuge : The 54,000-acre refuge is most famous for its rarest bird, the whooping crane. More than 100 of this highly endangered species (there are only 150 left in the world) are usually here between mid-October and early April, visiting from breeding sites in Alberta. Vistors can view them only at a distance by boat. Five companies run cruises in season. For information, contact Rockport Chamber of Commerce.

Blackwater National wildlife Refuge : One of several outstanding sites on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Thousands of migrating ducks and geese congreagte in the refuge mid-October through November and mid-February through March (as long as the oibds aren't frozen). Bald eagles are permanent residents.

Cape May Point: Cap May Bird Observatory. The southern tip of New Jersey acts as a funnel for migratory birds between the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay, Mid-August into November, flocks follow the coastline south. North of Cape May, at Stone Harbor Point, look for herons and egrets in spring and summer. The nearby Edwin Forsythe National Wildlife refuge at Oceanville is a haven for waterfowl and shorebirds from fall through spring.

Cave Creek Canyon: U.S. Forest Service, Portal Ranger Station. One of many outstanding birding locations in southern Arizona. Cave Creek contains a wide variety of species in a small area. Of special interest are the many essentially Mexican birds that do not venture farther north of the border, including hummingbirds and the painted redstart.

Central Park in New York, a favorite of birds. Photo by Elena.

Central Park, New York City: Urban Park Rangers. Like its counterparts in other dense cities, Central Park serves as a green oasis, especially important to migratory birds in spring and fall. Late April through May is peak season; on a good day, 70 kg or more species can be seen, including thrushes, vireos, warblers, orioles, tanagers, and other migrants from the tropics. The Ramble, a wooded area on the north side of the park's main lake, lures most species. The reservoir is a winter favorite of ducks and gulls.

Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Management Area: Dept. of Wildlife and Parks. Cheyenne Bottoms. This western Kansas wetland is an important locale for waterfowl and other birds dependent on marshes. Thousands of ducks and geese use the bottoms, and as many as 15.000 American white pelicans land here during migration.

Dauphin Island: Audubon Bird Sanctuary, Al.: This 14-mile barrier island near Mobile is one of many landfalls along the Gulf Coast known for the vast numbers of northbound migrants every spring that need to rest and feed after their long flight across the Gulf of Mexico. The 164-acre Audubon Bird Sanctuary is one of the best birding spots on the island. Shorebirds, terns, marsh birds can be seen much of the year in the mudflats, lagoons, and other wetlands.

Everglades National Park, Homestead, Fl.: Some 2,200 square miles of wetland encompassing most of the undeveloped parts of southern Florida. A system of paved roads, trails and patches of woods. Many species of herons, egrets, and other wading birds are abundant. In spring and summer the spectacular swallow-tailed kite glides overhead. Many Everglade birds are tame enough to be photographed easily.

Grand Teton National Park, Moose, Wy: The park combines spectacular scenery and diverse habitats typical of the Rockies. The endangered trumpeter swan breeds here. Note the regular replacement of one species by a close relative as the elevation changes – a progression you can see among the jays (including the black-billed magpie and Clark's nutcracker), nuthatches, chickadees, thrushes, and sparrows.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association, Kempton, PA: This site along the Kittatinny Ridge (the eastern chain of the Appalachians), located 35 miles from Reading, is on a flight path for migrating birds of prey. Late August through November, all eastern North American species of hawks, eagles, and falcons take this aerial highway in numbers.

Monterey Peninsula, Pacific Grove Museum of Natural history,, Pacific Grove, Ca: The municipal wharf and the Coast Guard pier and breakwater allow for good views of saltwater ducks, gulls, and alcids (murres, guillemots, and other puffnlike birds). From Point Pinos, you can see shearwaters and alcids over the sea. Along the rocky shore look for Pacific coast species, including the black oystercatcher, the surfbird, and the wandering tattler.

Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, ME:  Habitats include oceanside cliffs, sphagnum bogs, spruce and fir forests, and bare mountain peaks, all accessible by roads and trails. Excellent birding throughout the year: common eiders, black guillemots, bald eagles, northern ravens, and gray jays. May through August, 200 wood warbler species and many other migrants from the tropics nest here. In winter, sea ducks are easily visible in the harbors.

Tule Lake, Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges, Tulelake, CA: Three national wildlife refuges – Lower Klamath, Clear Lake (not open to the public), and Tule Lake – are oases for waterbirds in the semidesert near the Oregon border. The refuges support significant breeding populations of grebes, ducks, gulls, terns, and cormorants. Rarely seen sage grouse live in the dry uplands.

Yosemite National Park, Merced, Ca: Elevations in the Sierra Nevada range from 2,000 to 13,000 feet, providing a cross section of habitats. Many birds typical of more northerly forests are easy to see, including the great gray owl and pine grosbeak. Rare in the East, they coexist with typical Rockies denizens like the calliope hummingbird and others. Spring and summer are the best seasons.