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Where do you Think is the Best Birding in the US? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Daddylion
- Start date
Mysticete
Well-known member
It's not in Wyoming, that is for sure 
I think Central California might have to be one of the best places. A good variety of western US birds, vagrant Asian shorebirds, and eastern warblers, birding is good most of the year, and some great pelagics.
In the midwest, my experience is limited, although I lived in Michigan when I was still new to birding. Tawas Point is amazing, but I hear Crane Creek is also awesome, and am hoping to visit this May.
I think Central California might have to be one of the best places. A good variety of western US birds, vagrant Asian shorebirds, and eastern warblers, birding is good most of the year, and some great pelagics.
In the midwest, my experience is limited, although I lived in Michigan when I was still new to birding. Tawas Point is amazing, but I hear Crane Creek is also awesome, and am hoping to visit this May.
Birdingcraft
Well-known member
In midwest, I agree with Crane Creek, Ohio- awesome for all sorts of migrants.
Whitefish Point, Michigan- great for migrants, especially raptors including owls, also boreal birds.
Chicago- excellent birding for a city especially during migration with many rarities showing.
Cheyenne Bottoms, Kansas- fantastic shorebirding.
Shorebirding is also very good at variosu lakes and wetlands in Illinois.
Whitefish Point, Michigan- great for migrants, especially raptors including owls, also boreal birds.
Chicago- excellent birding for a city especially during migration with many rarities showing.
Cheyenne Bottoms, Kansas- fantastic shorebirding.
Shorebirding is also very good at variosu lakes and wetlands in Illinois.
Hi daddylion,
Some of the best places I know about in the upper Midwest are Point Pelee National Park in Ontario, which is just a few miles west [EDIT: or rather, east] of Detroit. Never been there, but it is supposed to be spectacular during land bird migration-- at least if you hit it on a good day. Another nice place is Indiana Dunes State Park/National Lakeshore, which is on Lake Michigan between Gary and Michigan City. I have birded there several times, and it is a beautiful area with an exceptionally wide variety of habitats.
In terms of the whole country, California and Texas have the most species of birds, and in the Northeast Cape May, New Jersey is renowned as a place to bird during migration. Southeast Arizona is great for spectacular scenery and many species that can be found nowhere else in the country. The same could be said for Alaska and southern Florida. I think my own current home state (Massachusetts) is pretty special also; quite a variety of species recorded here considering its small size.
Cheers,
Jim
Some of the best places I know about in the upper Midwest are Point Pelee National Park in Ontario, which is just a few miles west [EDIT: or rather, east] of Detroit. Never been there, but it is supposed to be spectacular during land bird migration-- at least if you hit it on a good day. Another nice place is Indiana Dunes State Park/National Lakeshore, which is on Lake Michigan between Gary and Michigan City. I have birded there several times, and it is a beautiful area with an exceptionally wide variety of habitats.
In terms of the whole country, California and Texas have the most species of birds, and in the Northeast Cape May, New Jersey is renowned as a place to bird during migration. Southeast Arizona is great for spectacular scenery and many species that can be found nowhere else in the country. The same could be said for Alaska and southern Florida. I think my own current home state (Massachusetts) is pretty special also; quite a variety of species recorded here considering its small size.
Cheers,
Jim
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Robert / Seattle
Well-known member
Hi Jim,
I believe you meant to say east of Detroit.
Great info, though, all around.
Cheers,
Robert
The San Francisco Bay Area takes some beating, particularly if you define the area as running from Monterey to Bodega Bay. The climate and the facilities (e.g., restaurants) add to the enjoyment also.
However, for sheer variety I don't think you can beat the Texas coast: from spring warbler migration at High Island through the Whooping Cranes etc. in the Aransas area to the Greater Roadrunners, Vermilion Flycatchers, Buff-bellied Hummingbirds etc. of the area from Laguna Atascosa to the lower Rio Grande valley.
Jeff
However, for sheer variety I don't think you can beat the Texas coast: from spring warbler migration at High Island through the Whooping Cranes etc. in the Aransas area to the Greater Roadrunners, Vermilion Flycatchers, Buff-bellied Hummingbirds etc. of the area from Laguna Atascosa to the lower Rio Grande valley.
Jeff
Yes, you are correct. Curiously, I woke up this morning, realized that I had made a mistake, and came here to correct it before I even saw your post. Funny how your brain keeps working even when you are "unconscious"!
Best,
Jim
lockbreeze926
Well-known member
As noted above, Texas has the largest range of species, albeit spread over a huge area. The other birdiest states, I believe, are also those which border Mexico - Cali, Az and NM.
On the east coast, Florida is the birdiest, and also carries (along with Texas) the highest number of species that are hard to find elsewhere in the US.
On the east coast, Florida is the birdiest, and also carries (along with Texas) the highest number of species that are hard to find elsewhere in the US.
ovenbird43
Well-known member
My vote goes for south Texas and south Florida. Both are great year-round (if you can stand the heat, humidity, and insects of summer, particularly for Florida). Good numbers and variety of both seabirds and landbirds, with migrants passing through in spring and fall, and specialty breeding birds in the summer. South Florida gets a lot of western vagrants in addition to the occasional Caribbean vagrants.
My experience out west is limited, but of the places I've been, Oregon ranks pretty high for me. There you have spectacular scenery everywhere you go, great seabirds and pelagic birding, and lots of variety inland.
Of the places in the US I haven't been, southeast Arizona and Alaska are at the top of my wish list.
In the Midwest... the shore of Lake Erie in Ohio (and Ontario) gets my vote. Quite a variety of waterbirds show up in the winter, and the shores act as good migrant traps in the spring and fall.
My experience out west is limited, but of the places I've been, Oregon ranks pretty high for me. There you have spectacular scenery everywhere you go, great seabirds and pelagic birding, and lots of variety inland.
Of the places in the US I haven't been, southeast Arizona and Alaska are at the top of my wish list.
In the Midwest... the shore of Lake Erie in Ohio (and Ontario) gets my vote. Quite a variety of waterbirds show up in the winter, and the shores act as good migrant traps in the spring and fall.
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Robert / Seattle
Well-known member
MLoyko
d[-_-]b
Hi,
I haven't been off of the east coast at all since I started birding which really limits my knowledge of hot spots, but from my experiences on the forum I have picked up a couple good spots on the east coast of the country.
1. Cape May, NJ. been there once last year and the report of my trip according to J.Moore made him a tad bit envious lol http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=114917
2. Central Park, NY
3. Leaser Lake, PA been there many times and there is a lot of wild life there exspecially birds i.e osprey, coop's, RTH, Harrier, GBH, wilson's snipe, killdeer, cormorant, the list goes on.
4. Hawk mountain and bake oven knob, PA both good raptor watch site during migration
Thats about all I can think of..
-Matt
I haven't been off of the east coast at all since I started birding which really limits my knowledge of hot spots, but from my experiences on the forum I have picked up a couple good spots on the east coast of the country.
1. Cape May, NJ. been there once last year and the report of my trip according to J.Moore made him a tad bit envious lol
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=1149172. Central Park, NY
3. Leaser Lake, PA been there many times and there is a lot of wild life there exspecially birds i.e osprey, coop's, RTH, Harrier, GBH, wilson's snipe, killdeer, cormorant, the list goes on.
4. Hawk mountain and bake oven knob, PA both good raptor watch site during migration
Thats about all I can think of..
-Matt
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