birding road trip spring 2008

birding road trip spring 2008 Photography by Steph Abegg

birding road trip spring 2008 Photography, road trip, and book by Steph Abegg Cover Art: Green Jay on my Subaru, Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Reserve, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas (Artistic filter applied in Photoshop)

Painted Bunting Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina

table of contents Introduction Where I went on my birding road trip A summary of spring migration of birds Birding Stop #1: Southeast Arizona Western Bluebird, Lazuli Bunting, Curve-billed Thrasher, Unidentified Mexican Bird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Broad-billed Hummingbird, Elegant Trogon, House Finch, Band-tailed Pigeon. Birding Stop #2: Southern Texas Scarlet Tanager, Vermilion Flycatcher, Northern Cardinal, Summer Tanager, Black Phoebe, Greater Roadrunner, Dunlin, Groove-billed Ani, Harris's Hawk, Crested Caracara, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Couch's Kingbird, Great Kiskadee, Hermit Thrush, Brown Thrasher, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Least Grebe, Black-necked Stilt, Great Egret babies, Roseate Spoonbill. Birding Stop #3: Dauphin Island, Alabama Red-eyed Vireo, Black-billed Cuckoo, American Oystercatchers, Wood Thrush, Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Gray Catbird, Indigo Bunting, Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Birding Stop #4: Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina Green Heron, Long-billed Dowitcher, Yellow-throated Warbler, White-breasted Nuthatch, Boat-tailed Grackle, Snowy Egret, Brown Pelican, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Painted Bunting, Laughing Gull. Birding Stop #5: Cape May Area, New Jersey American Robin, Northern Tufted Titmouse, Mute Swan, Pine Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Prairie Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, Eastern Kingbird, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Birding Stop #6: Great Lakes Area Blackpoll, Blackburnian, Black-and-White, Magnolia, Wilson's, Canada, Cape May, Bay-breasted, Hooded, Mourning, Nashville, Chestnut-sided, Prothonotary, Kirtland's, and Connecticut Warblers, Northern Parula, American Redstart, White-eyed Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo, Cedar Waxwing, Tree Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Blue Jay, Purple Finch, Blackcapped Chickadee, Baltimore Oriole, Red-bellled Woodpecker, Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Phoebe, Olive-sided Flycatcher. Birding Stop #7: North Dakota Western Grebe, Wilson's Phalarope, Willet, Cliff Swallow, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Marsh Wren, Forester's Tern, American White Pelicans, Sprague's PipIt, Field Sparrow. Birding Stop #8: Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon Bobolink, American Goldfinch, Bullock's Oriole, Western Tanager, California Quail, Northern Flicker, Black-billed Magpie, Yellow Warbler, Common Nighthawk, Turkey Vulture. Birding Stop #9: Grand Teton National Park & Yellowstone National Park Yellow-rumped Warbler, Savannah Sparrow, Western Meadowlark, Swainson's Hawk, Mountain Bluebird, Sandhill Crane, House Wren, Pine Siskin, Chipping Sparrow, Black-headed Grosbeak. Birding Stop #10: Southwest Coast of British Columbia Rock Dove, Wood Duck, Barn Swallow, Spotted Towhee, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-crowned Sparrow, House Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Rufous Hummingbird, Western Wood-Pewee, Pacific-slope Flycatcher.

introduction In July 2006, my dad bought me a Canon Telephoto EF 400mm f/5.6l USM Lens, on the conditions that I "take a few bird photos so we can document the birds around where we live." After a few minutes stalking a friendly robin around our backyard, I was hooked. I soon discovered that there were many more kinds of birds than I would ever hope to see near Vancouver, British Columbia. I began dreaming of a trip across the country to find all these other (North American) birds. In the Spring of 2008, I was accepted into the geotechnical engineering program at the University of Washington for the coming Fall. So, I quit my brief professional engineering career, threw my sleeping bag and camera gear into my Subaru, and set out on the road to pursue the songbirds (and non-songbirds too of course) across the country. From mid-april to mid-june, my travels took me on a 14,908-mile round tour through many of the birding hotspots of the Lower 48 from the wet forests of the Pacific Northwest to the dry deserts of the Southwest, from the tropical Gulf Coast to the Atlantic views on the populated East Coast, from the sprawling pastures around the Great Lakes to the unique landscape of the Prairie Potholes, from the heights of the Tetons to the marsh oases at the foot of the southern Cascades. I focused my birding efforts to 10 major birding areas, spending 3-10 days photographing birds at various places within each area before continuing on to my next major birding destination. Each destination hosted a unique habitat and bird population. Although birds were my primary focus, over the course of my extensive travels I gained a new appreciation for the fascinating complexity of American culture and the stunning diversity of geologic landforms that make up this great country. I tried to get a photo of every kind of bird that I saw at each of the 10 birding destinations as a result, I not only amassed thousands of photos, but I often found myself stealthily stalking an American Robin or House Sparrow, just as eager to take its picture as I would be if it were a Kirtland's Warbler or Flame-colored Tanager. In all, I saw at least 370 different kinds of birds. Some of these birds I saw only at one location (like the Elegant Trogon) and others (like the Northern Mockingbird) I saw all over the country. I identified each new bird as I went, comparing my photos to my indispensable Sibley guide. I still find it tough to distinguish some of the flycatchers and peeps! This book details my birding road trip of a lifetime where I went, what birds I saw, and of course some of my favorite bird photos.

mytriponlybirds

migration

American Avocets in breeding plumage Bolivar Flats, Upper Texas Coast

INTRO_ARIZONA

birds i saw in southeast arizona (DM = Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, MC = Madera Canyon, P = Patagonia) (Birds highlighted in white were seen only in Southeast Arizona during my birding road trip.) BLACKBIRD: Hybrid Black-head x Yellow (DM) Black-necked (DM) Lark (MC) Turkey (MC, P) Yellow-headed (DM) HAWK: NUTHATCH: White-crowned (DM, P) WARBLER: BOBWHITE: Gray (P) White-breasted (MC) STILT: Lucy's (MC) Masked (DM) HERON: ORIOLE: Western (MC) Yellow (P) BUNTING: Great Blue (P) Hooded (DM) TANAGER: Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) (MC, P) Lazuli (MC, P) HUMMINGBIRD: Scott's (MC) Flame-colored (MC) WOOD-PEWEE: CARDINAL: Anna's (DM) PARROT: Hepatic (MC) Western (MC) Northern (DM, P) Black-chinned (MC) Lilac-crowned (DM) Summer (P) WOODPECKER: COOT: Broad-billed (DM, MC) PHOEBE: TEAL: Acorn (MC) American (P) Costa's (DM, (MC, P) Say's (MC) Blue-winged (DM) Gila (DM) DOVE: Magnificent (MC) PIGEON: Cinnamon (P) WREN: Inca (DM, P) Rufous (DM) Band-tailed (DM) THRASHER: Cactus (DM) Mourning (DM, MC) Violet-crowned (P) PYRRHULOXIA (DM) Curve-billed (DM) House (MC, P) White-winged (DM) JAY: QUAIL: TITMOUSE:! DUCK: Mexican (MC) Gambel's (DM) Bridled (MC)! Black-bellied Whistling (DM) JUNCO: REDSTART: TOWHEE:! FINCH: Gray-headed Dark-eyed (MC) Painted (MC) Canyon (MC) NEARBY: House (MC, P) Oregon Dark-eyed (MC) ROADRUNNER: TROGON: Oregon Dark-eyed Junco (Arches) House (yellow variant) (DM) Pink-sided Dark-eyed (MC) Greater (DM) Elegant (MC) Western Bluebird (Grand Canyon) FLICKER: KESTREL: SAPSUCKER: TURKEY: Scaled Quail (New Mexico) Gilded (DM) American (MC) Red-naped (MC) Wild (MC) FLYCATCHER: KILLDEER (DM) SISKIN: TYRANNULET:! Brown-crested (MC) KINGBIRD: Pine (MC, P) Northern Beardless (P) Vermilion (MC, P) Cassin's (MC, P) SNIPE: VERDIN (DM, MC) GOLDFINCH: KINGLET: Common (P) VIREO:! Lesser (MC, P) Ruby-crowned (MC) SPARROW: Bell's (P)! GROSBEAK: MOCKINGBIRD: Black-throated (MC) Plumbeous? (MC) Black-headed (DM, MC) Northern (MC) Chipping (DM, MC, P) VULTURE:!

Western Bluebird Grand Canyon Village area, Arizona Lazuli Bunting At the feeders of the Paton's Home in Patagonia, Arizona

Curve-billed Thrasher Edge of parking lot at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Arizona Unidentified Edge of parking lot at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Arizona

Female Black-chinned (?) Hummingbird Roadside Rest Area near Patagonia, Arizona Female Broad-billed Hummingbird Hummingbird Hut at Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Arizona

Elegant Trogon Just past the end of the road in Madera Canyon, Arizona

House Finch, yellow variant Aviary at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Arizona Band-tailed Pigeon Aviary at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Arizona

INTRO_TEXAS

birds i saw in southern texas (BB = Big Bend NP, RG = Lower Rio Grande Valley, UC = Upper Gulf Coast) (Birds highlighted in white were seen only in southern Texas during my birding road trip.) ANHINGA (RG, UC) CUCKOO: Scissor-tailed (RG, UC) IBIS: Hooded (BB, RG) ANI: Yellow-billed (UC) FINCH: White (RG, UC) Orchard (BB, UC) Groove-billed (RG) CURLEW: House (BB) White-faced (RG) Scott's (BB) AVOCET: Long-billed (RG) GADWALL (RG) JAY: OSPREY (BB) American (UC) DICKCISSEL (UC) GALLINULE: Blue (UC) OVENBIRD (UC) BLACKBIRD: DOVE: Purple (UC) Green (RG) PARULA: Brewer's (BB) Eurasian-collared (UC) GNATCATCHER: Mexican (BB) Northern (UC) Red-winged (RG, UC) Inca (RG, UC) Blue-gray (BB) KILLDEER (UC) PELICAN: BUNTING: Mourning (BB, RG) GRACKLE: KINGBIRD: Brown (UC) Indigo (RG, UC) White-tipped (RG) Common (UC) Couch's (RG) PHOEBE: CARACARA: White-winged (BB, RG) Great-tailed (BB, RG, UC) Eastern (UC) Black (BB) Crested (RG) DOWITCHER: GREBE: KISKADEE: Eastern (BB) CARDINAL: Long-billed (RG) Least (RG) Great (RG) PLOVER: Northern (BB, RG, UC) Short-billed (UC) Pied-billed (BB) KNOT: Black-bellied (RG, UC) CATBIRD: DUCK: GROSBEAK: Red (UC) Piping (UC) Gray (UC) Black-bellied Whistling (RG) Blue (UC) MALLARD (RG) Snowy (UC) CHACHALACA: DUNLIN (RG, UC) Rose-breasted (UC) MARTIN: Wilson's (RG) Plain (RG) EGRET: GULL: Purple (UC) PYRRHULOXIA (BB) CHAT: Cattle (RG) Laughing (RG, UC) MEADOWLARK: REDSTART: Yellow-breasted (BB) Great (RG, UC) HAWK: Eastern (RG) American (UC) COOT: Reddish (dark morph) (UC) Harris's (RG) MOCKINGBIRD: ROADRUNNER: American (RG) Reddish (white morph) (UC) HERON: Northern (BB, RG, UC) Greater (BB) CORMORANT: Snowy (RG, UC) Green (UC) MOORHEN: ROBIN: Double-crested (RG) FLYCATCHER: Little Blue (RG, UC) Common (RG) Clay-colored (RG) Neotropic (UC) Acadian (UC) Tricolored (RG, UC) ORIOLE: SANDERLING (UC) COWBIRD: Ash-throated (BB, RG) HUMMINGBIRD: Altamira (RG) SANDPIPER: Bronzed (BB, RG) Fork-tailed (UC) Broad-tailed (BB) Baltimore (UC) Purple (RG) Brown-headed (BB, UC) Vermilion (BB) Ruby-throated (RG, UC) Bullock's (BB) Semipalmated (UC)

SHOVELER: TERN: White-eyed (UC) Gold-fronted (BB, RG) Northern (RG) Caspian (RG) Yellow-throated (UC) Ladder-backed (BB) SHRIKE: Common (UC) VULTURE: Red-bellied (BB, UC) Loggerhead (UC) Forester's (UC) Turkey (BB) WREN: SKIMMER: Royal (RG, UC) WARBLER: Cactus (BB) Black (UC) Sandwich (RG) Bay-breasted (UC) Canyon (BB) SPARROW: THRASHER: Black-and-white (RG, UC) Carolina (RG) Chipping (BB) Brown (UC) Black-throated Green (UC) YELLOWLEGS: Lark (RG) Curve-billed (RG) Blackburnian (UC) Greater (RG, UC) Olive (RG) Long-billed (RG) Blue-winged (UC) YELLOWTHROAT: Rufous-crowned (BB) THRUSH: Cerulean (UC) Common (UC) Savannah? (UC) Gray-cheeked (UC) Chestnut-sided (UC)! SPOONBILL: Hermit (BB, UC) Golden-winged (UC)! Roseate (UC) Wood (UC) Kentucky (UC)! STARLING: TITMOUSE: Magnolia (RG, UC)! European (UC) Black-crested tufted (RG, UC) Prothonotary (UC)! STILT: TOWHEE: Tennessee (UC)! Black-necked (RG, UC) Canyon (BB) Townsend's (BB)! SWALLOW: Spotted (BB) Wilson's (BB)! Barn (RG, UC) TURNSTONE: Worm-eating (BB)! Cliff (UC) Ruddy (UC) Yellow (RG, UC)! Tree (RG, UC) TYRANNULET: WATERTHRUSH:! N. Rough-winged (BB, RG) Northern Beardless (BB) Northern (UC)! TANAGER: VEERY (UC) WILLLET (RG, UC)! Scarlet (UC) VIREO: WOOD-PEWEE:! Summer (BB, UC) Hutton's (BB) Eastern (RG, UC)! TEAL: Philadelphia (UC) WOODPECKER:! Blue-winged (UC) Red-eyed (UC) Acorn (BB)!

Scarlet Tanager Boy Scout Woods, High Island, Upper Gulf Coast, Texas Vermilion Flycatcher Rio Grande Village area, Big Bend National Park, Texas

Northern Cardinal Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas Summer Tanager Rio Grande Village area, Big Bend National Park, Texas

Black Phoebe Rio Grande Village area, Big Bend National Park, Texas Greater Roadrunner Rio Grande Village area, Big Bend National Park, Texas

Dunlin Bolivar Flats, Upper Gulf Coast, Texas

Groove-billed Ani Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Harris's Hawk Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas Crested Caracara Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Couch's Kingbird In the parking lot of Santa-Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas Great Kiskadee Santa-Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher On the telephone wires just outside Goose Island State Park, Gulf Coast, Texas Ash-throated Flycatcher In the parking lot of Santa-Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Hermit Thrush Rio Grande Village area, Big Bend National Park, Texas Brown Thrasher At the campground at Goose Island State Park, Gulf Coast, Texas

Yellow-billed Cuckoo Boy Scout Woods, High Island, Upper Gulf Coast, Texas

Least Grebe Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas Black-necked Stilt Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Great Egret babies Rookery at Smith Oaks Sanctuary, High Island, Upper Gulf Coast, Texas Roseate Spoonbill Rookery at Smith Oaks Sanctuary, High Island, Upper Gulf Coast, Texas

INTRO_DAUPHIN

birds i saw on dauphin island (Birds highlighted in white were seen only on Dauphin Island during my birding road trip.) BLACKBIRD: GROSBEAK: Black-bellied WARBLER: Red-winged Blue Semipalmated Bay-breasted BOBOLINK Rose-breasted REDSTART: Black-and-white BUNTING: GULL: American Chestnut-sided Indigo Laughing SANDERLING Kentucky CARDINAL: HERON: SANDPIPER: Magnolia Northern Great Blue Spotted Prothonotary CATBIRD: Green SPARROW: Yellow Gray Tricolored Chipping WATERTHRUSH: CUCKOO: HUMMINGBIRD: STARLING: Northern Black-billed Ruby-throated European WHIMBREL Yellow-billed JAY: STILT: WILLET DOVE: Blue Black-necked WOOD-PEWEE: Eurasian-collared KINGBIRD: SWALLOW: Eastern Mourning Eastern Bank WOODPECKER: DOWITCHER: KNOT: TANAGER: Red-bellied Short-billed Red Scarlet WREN: DUNLIN LOON: Summer Carolina FINCH: Common TERN: House MALLARD Least FLYCATCHER: MOCKINGBIRD: Royal Great Crested Northern THRUSH: EGRET: OVENBIRD Wood Cattle OYSTERCATCHER: TURNSTONE: Reddish American Ruddy Snowy PELICAN: VIREO:! GRACKLE: Brown Philadelphia Common PLOVER: Red-Eyed

Red-eyed Vireo Audubon Bird Sanctuary, Dauphin Island, Alabama Black-billed Cuckoo Shell Mounds, Dauphin Island, Alabama

American Oystercatchers Beach on west end of Dauphin Island

Wood Thrush Shell Mounds, Dauphin Island, Alabama Sanderling West beaches of Dauphin Island

Ruddy Turnstone East end of Dauphin Island, Alabama Northern Mockingbird mother and toddler North side of Dauphin Island, Alabama

European Starling Audubon Bird Sanctuary, Dauphin Island, Alabama Gray Catbird Shell Mounds, Dauphin Island, Alabama

Indigo Bunting Shell Mounds, Dauphin Island, Alabama Rose-breasted Grosbeak Shell Mounds, Dauphin Island, Alabama

INTRO_HUNTINGTON

birds i saw at huntington beach state park ((Birds highlighted in white were seen only at Huntington Beach State Park during my birding road trip.) BLACKBIRD: Great MOCKINGBIRD: TERN: Red-winged Snowy Northern Least BLUEBIRD: FINCH: NUTHATCH: THRASHER: Eastern House White-breasted Brown BOOBY: FLYCATCHER: ORIOLE: TITMOUSE: Masked Great Crested Orchard Northern Tufted BUNTING: GNATCATCHER: OSPREY TURKEY: Painted Blue-gray OWL: Wild CARDINAL: GOOSE: Barn TURNSTONE: Northern Canada Barred Ruddy CATBIRD: GRACKLE: Great Horned VULTURE: Gray Boat-tailed PELICAN: Turkey CHICKADEE: GULL: Brown WARBLER: Carolina Laughing PLOVER: Yellow throated CHICKEN Ring-billed Black-bellied WHIMBREL CORMORANT: HAWK: Semipalmated WILLET Double-crested Red-tailed ROBIN: WOOD-PEWEE: COWBIRD: HERON: American Eastern Brown-headed Black Crowned Night SANDERLING WOODPECKER: DOVE: Great Blue SANDPIPER: Red-bellied Mourning Green Semipalmated WREN: DOWITCHER: Little Blue SWALLOW: Carolina Long-billed IBIS: Barn YELLOWLEGS: DUNLIN White Tree Greater EAGLE: JAY: SWAN: Lesser Bald Blue Mute YELLOWTHROAT: EGRET: MERGANSER: TANAGER: Common Cattle Red-breasted Summer

Green Heron Along entrance road to Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina Long-billed Dowitcher Along entrance road to Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina

Yellow-throated Warbler Brookgreen Gardens near Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina White-breasted Nuthatch Brookgreen Gardens near Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina

Boat-tailed Grackle Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina Snowy Egret Along entrance road to Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina

Brown Pelican In marshes near the Education Center at Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina

Eastern Wood-Pewee Brookgreen Gardens near Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina Painted Bunting Near feeders at Education Center at Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina

Laughing Gull In marshes near the Education Center at Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina

INTRO_NEWJERSEY

birds i saw in the cape may area (Birds highlighted in white were seen only in the Cape May area during my birding road trip.) BLACKBIRD: American PARULA: THRASHER: Carolina Red-winged GOOSE: Northern Brown YELLOWTHROAT: BUNTING: Canada ROBIN: THRUSH: Common Indigo GRACKLE: American Wood CARDINAL: Boat-tailed SANDERLING TITMOUSE: Northern GROSBEAK: SANDPIPER: Northern Tufted CATBIRD: Blue Least TOWHEE: Gray Rose-breasted Solitary Eastern CHAT: GULL: Spotted VEERY! Yellow-breasted Laughing SCOTER: VIREO:! CHICKADEE: Ring-billed? Surf Red-eyed! Carolina IBIS: SPARROW: White-eyed! COWBIRD: Glossy Chipping VULTURE:! Brown-Headed KILLDEER Field Turkey! CROW: KINGBIRD: House WARBLER:! American or Fish Eastern Lincoln's? Black-and-white! CUCKOO: MALLARD STARLING: Black-throated Green Yellow-billed MARTIN: European Blue-winged! DOVE: Purple SWALLOW: Magnolia! Mourning MOCKINGBIRD: Barn Pine! Rock (brown adult) Northern Tree Prairie! EGRET: MUSCOVY: SWAN: Wilson's! Great Domestic Mute Yellow! FLYCATCHER: ORIOLE: SWIFT: WAXWING:! Acadian Baltimore Chimney Cedar! GNATCATCHER: Orchard TERN: WOODPECKER:! Blue-gray OSPREY Forester's Downy! GOLDFINCH: OVENBIRD Least WREN:!

American Robin Cape May State Park, Cape May, New Jersey Northern Tufted Titmouse Higbee Beach Wildlife Management Area, Cape May, New Jersey

Mute Swan Cape May State Park, Cape May, New Jersey

Pine Warbler Belleplain State Forest, New Jersey Common Yellowthroat Cape May State Park, Cape May, New Jersey

Prairie Warbler Higbee Beach Wildlife Management Area, Cape May, New Jersey Yellow-breasted Chat Cape May State Park, Cape May, New Jersey

Eastern Kingbird Higbee Beach Wildlife Management Area, Cape May, New Jersey Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Belleplain State Forest, New Jersey

INTRO_PELEE

birds i saw around the great lakes (MM = Magee Marsh (OH), OO = Oak Openings Metropark (OH), PP = Point Pelee (Ontario), G = Grayling (MI), WP = Whitefish Point (MI), S = Seney NWR (MI), N = Nicolet National Forest (WI), FC=Fish Creek (WI), CM = Crex Meadows (WI)) (Birds highlighted in white were seen only in the area around the Great Lakes during my birding road trip.) BLACKBIRD: DUCK: Red-necked (WP) NIGHTHAWK: Red-winged (MM, PP, FC, CM) Ring-necked (S, CM) GROSBEAK: Common (CM) BITTERN: Wood (MM, CM) Rose-breasted (N, CM) NUTHATCH: American (CM) DUNLIN (CM) GULL: Red-breasted (MM) BLUEBIRD: EAGLE: Some kind (PP, WP) White-breasted (OO) Eastern (OO, FC, CM) Bald (CM) HAWK: ORIOLE: BUNTING: EGRET: Broad-winged (N, CM) Baltimore (MM, PP, FC) Indigo (MM, OO, FC) Great (MM) Red-tailed (CM) Orchard (PP) CARDINAL: Snowy (MM) HERON: OVENBIRD (MM) Northern (MM, FC) FINCH: Great Blue (MM, CM) OWL: CATBIRD: Purple (WP) HUMMINGBIRD: Eastern Screech (MM) Gray (MM, PP, S) FLICKER: Ruby-throated (PP, OO, N, FC) PARULA: CHICKADEE: Northern (FC) JAY: Northern (MM) Black-capped (OO, WP, FC) FLYCATCHER: Blue (MM, PP, OO, WP) PELICAN: COOT: Alder (MM, N, CM) KILLDEER (MM, FC, CMs) American White (FC, CM) American (MM) Great Crested (MM) KINGBIRD: PHEASANT: CORMORANT: Least (MM, N) Eastern (MM, S, FC, CM) Ring-necked (CM) Double-crested (PP, FC) Olive-sided (CM) KINGLET: PHOEBE: COWBIRD: GNATCATCHER: Ruby-crowned (MM) Eastern (OO, S, FC, CM) Brown-headed (MM, PP, G, FC) Blue-gray (PP, FC) LOON: PLOVER: CRANE: GOLDFINCH: Common (S, CM) Semipalmated (CM) Sandhill (CM) American (MM, OO, WP, FC) MALLARD (MM, CM) REDSTART: CROW: GOOSE: MARTIN: American (MM, FC) American (OO) Canada (MM, CM) Purple (MM, CM) ROBIN: CUCKOO: GRACKLE: MERGANSER: American (MM, FC) Black-billed (MM) Common (MM, FC) Red-breasted (WP, CM) ROOSTER (CM) DOVE: GREBE: MOCKINGBIRD: SANDPIPER: Mourning (MM, PP) Pied-billed (CM) Northern (OO) Semipalmated (CM)

Spotted (CM) Black (CM) Blue-winged x Golden-winged (OO) Red-headed (OO) SISKIN: Caspian (FC) Blackpoll (MM, FC) WREN: Pine (OO) Forester's (PP) Canada (MM, FC) House (MM) SPARROW: THRASHER: Cape May (MM) YELLOWTHROAT: Chipping (OO, N, FC, CM) Brown (CM) Chestnut-sided (MM) Common (MM, FC, CM) Clay-colored (MM, CM) THRUSH: Connecticut (MM)! Field (OO, FC) Gray-cheeked (MM) Hooded (OO)! House (MM, PP, CM) Swainson's (MM, OO) Kirtland's (G)! Lark (OO) TITMOUSE: Magnolia (MM)! Savannah (S) Northern Tufted (MM, OO) Mourning (MM)! Song (MM, S, FC, CM) TOWHEE: Nashville (MM)! White-crowned (MM) Eastern (OO, FC, CM) Palm (MM)! White-throated (MM, N, FC) VEERY (MM) Pine (S)! STARLING: VIREO: Prothonotary (MM)! European (MM) Blue-headed (aka Solitary) (MM, FC) Tennessee (MM, FC)! SWALLOW: Philadelphia (MM) Wilson's (MM, FC)! Bank (MM) Red-Eyed (FC) Yellow (MM, PP, FC, CM) Barn (MM) Warbling (MM) Yellow-rumped (myrtle) (MM, S, FC) Northern Rough-winged (PP, FC) White-eyed (MM) WATERTHRUSH:! Tree (MM, PP, FC, CM) Yellow-throated (CM) Northern (MM, FC)! SWAN: VULTURE: WAXWING:! Trumpeter (MM, S, CM) Turkey (OO) Cedar (MM)! TANAGER: WARBLER: WHIP-POOR-WILL (MM) Scarlet (MM, FC) Bay-breasted (MM, FC) WOOD-PEWEE:! TEAL: Black-and-white (MM) Eastern (FC)! Blue-winged (CM) Blackburnian (MM, N) WOODPECKER:! Green-winged (CM) Black-throated Blue (MM) Downy (MM, PP)! TERN: Black-throated Green (MM, FC) Red-bellied (PP)!

American Redstart Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Ohio

White-eyed Vireo Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Ohio

Blue-headed (Solitary) Vireo Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Ohio Philadelphia Vireo Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Ohio

Cedar Waxwing Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Ohio

Tree Swallows Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Ohio Northern Rough-winged Swallow Point Pelee, Ontario

Blue Jay Whitefish Point, Michigan Purple Finch Whitefish Point, Michigan

Black-capped Chickadee Whitefish Point, Michigan

Baltimore Oriole Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Ohio

Red-bellied Woodpecker Point Pelee, Ontario Red-headed Woodpecker Oak Openings Preserve Metropark, Ohio

Red-winged Blackbird Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek, Wisconsin

Eastern Phoebe Seney National Wildlife Refuge, Michigan Olive-sided Flycatcher Crex Meadows Wildlife Area, Wisconsin

INTRO_NORTHDAKOTA

birds i saw in north dakota (LL = Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge, TR = Theodore Roosevelt National Park) (Birds highlighted in white were seen only in North Dakota during my birding road trip.) AVOCET: Ruddy (LL) HARRIER: American White (LL) Song (LL) American (LL) EAGLE: Northern (TR) PHALAROPE: STARLING: BITTERN: Golden (TR) HERON: Wilson's (LL) European (TR) American (LL) FLICKER: Black-crowned Night (LL) PHEASANT: SWALLOW:: BLACKBIRD: Northern (LL, TR) KESTREL: Ring-necked (LL) Barn (LL) Red-winged (LL) GADWALL (LL) American (TR) PINTAIL: Cliff (LL) Yellow-headed (LL) GODWIT: KILLDEER (LL) Northern (LL) Tree (LL) BLUEBIRD: Marbled (LL) KINGBIRD: PIPIT: TEAL: Mountain (TR) GOLDFINCH: Eastern (LL, TR) Sprague's (LL) Blue-winged (LL) BOBOLINK (LL) American (TR) Western (LL) REDHEAD (LL) TERN: BUNTING: GOOSE: LARK: ROBIN: Black (LL) Lazuli (TR) Canada (LL) Horned (LL) American (LL, TR) Common (LL) CHAT: GOSHAWK: MAGPIE: SANDERLING (LL) Forester's (LL) Yellow-breasted (TR) Northern (LL) Black-billed (TR) SANDPIPER: THRASHER: COOT: GRACKLE: MALLARD (LL) Semipalmated (LL) Brown (TR) American (LL) Common (LL, TR) MARTIN: White-rumped (LL) TOWHEE: CORMORANT: GREBE: Purple (LL) SCAUP: Spotted (TR) Double-crested (LL) Eared (LL) MEADOWLARK: Lesser (LL) WARBLER: COWBIRD: Western (LL) Western (LL, TR) SHOVELER: Yellow (LL, TR) Brown-headed (LL, TR) GROSBEAK: ORIOLE: Northern (LL) WILLET (LL) CROW: Black-headed (TR) Baltimore (TR) SPARROW: WOODPECKER: American (TR) GROUSE: Bullock's (TR) Chipping (TR) Downy (TR) DOVE: Sharp-tailed (LL) Orchard (LL) Clay-colored (LL) WREN: Mourning (LL) GULL: OWL: Field (TR) House (TR) Rock (natural adult) (TR) Franklin's (LL) Short-eared (LL) Grasshopper (LL) Marsh (LL) DUCK: Some kind (LL) PELICAN: House (LL) YELLOWTHROAT: Savannah (LL, TR) Common (TR)

Western Grebe Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota Wilson's Phalarope Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota

Willet Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota

Cliff Swallow Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota Yellow-headed Blackbird Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota

Marsh Wren Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota

Forester's Tern Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota American White Pelicans Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota

Sprague's PipIt Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota Field Sparrow Theodore Roosevelt National Park (north unit), North Dakota

INTRO_MALHEUR

birds i saw at malheur national wildlife refuge (Birds highlighted in white were seen only at Malheur NWR during my birding road trip.) AVOCET: FLYCATCHER: KILLDEER SCAUP: Black American Olive-sided KINGBIRD: Lesser Forester's BLACKBIRD: Willow? Eastern SHOVELER: VIREO: Brewer's Unidentified Western Northern Warbling Red-winged GADWALL MAGPIE: SISKIN: VULTURE: Yellow-headed GOLDFINCH: Black-billed Pine Turkey BOBOLINK American MALLARD SNIPE: WARBLER: CANVASBACK GOOSE: MEADOWLARK: Common Townsend's CHAT: Canada Western SPARROW: Wilson's Yellow-breasted GREBE: NIGHTHAWK: House Yellow COOT: Eared Common Song WAXWING: American Horned ORIOLE: STARLING: Cedar CORMORANT: Pied-billed Bullock's European WILLET Double-crested Western OWL: STILT: WOOD-PEWEE: COWBIRD: GROSBEAK: Great Horned Black-necked Western Brown-headed Black-headed PELICAN: SWALLOW: WREN: CROW: GULL: American White Barn House American Franklin's PHALAROPE: Cliff Marsh CURLEW: Ring-billed Wilson's Northern Rough-winged YELLOWTHROAT: Long-billed HARRIER: PHOEBE: Tree Common DOVE: Northern Say's Violet-green Mourning HAWK: QUAIL: SWAN:! DUCK: Red-tailed California Trumpeter! Ruddy HERON: RAVEN: TANAGER:! EGRET: Black-crowned Night Common Western! Great Great Blue REDHEAD TEAL:! FLICKER: IBIS: ROBIN: Cinnamon! Northern White-faced American TERN:!

Bobolink P-Ranch area, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon American Goldfinch Benson Pond area, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon

Bullock's Oriole Benson Pond area, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon Western Tanager Benson Pond area, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon

California Quail Near the campground at the south end of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon

Northern Flicker Benson Pond area, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon Black-billed Magpie (juvenile) Campground at south end of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon

Yellow Warbler Headquarters area, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon

Common Nighthawk Campground at south end of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon Turkey Vulture Benson Pond area, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon

INTRO_YELLOWSTONE

birds i saw at grand teton np & yellowstone np (GT = Grand Teton National Park, Y = Yellowstone National Park) (Birds highlighted in white were seen only at Grand Teton NP or Yellowstone NP during my birding road trip.) BLACKBIRD: Northern (GT) Eastern (GT) SPARROW: Brewer's (GT, Y) FLYCATCHER: KINGLET: Chipping (GT, Y) Red-winged (GT) Gray? (GT) Ruby-crowned (GT) Lincoln's (GT) Yellow-headed (GT) Olive-sided (GT) MAGPIE: Savannah (GT) BLUEBIRD: Willow? (GT) Black-billed (GT) White-crowned (GT, Y) Mountain (GT, Y) GADWALL (GT) MALLARD (GT, Y) STARLING: BUFFLEHEAD (GT) GOLDFINCH: MEADOWLARK: European (GT) CHICKADEE: American (GT) Western (GT) SWALLOW: Black-capped (GT) GOOSE: OSPREY (GT) Barn (GT) COOT: Canada (GT, Y) PELICAN: Cliff (GT) American (GT, Y) GREBE: American White (GT) Northern Rough-winged (GT) COWBIRD: Western (GT) PHALAROPE: Tree (GT, Y) Brown-headed (GT) GROSBEAK: Wilson's (Y) Violet-green (GT) CRANE: Black-headed (GT) RAVEN: SWAN: Sandhill (GT, Y) HAWK: Common (GT, Y) Trumpeter (GT) CROW: Red-tailed (Y) REDHEAD (GT) TEAL: American (GT) Swainson's (GT) ROBIN: Cinnamon (GT) CURLEW: HERON: American (GT, Y) Green-winged (GT) Long-billed (GT) Great Blue (GT) SANDPIPER: VEERY (GT) DIPPER: HUMMINGBIRD: Spotted (GT, Y) WARBLER: American (Y) Broad-tailed (GT) SAPSUCKER: Wilson's (GT) DUCK: Calliope (GT) Red-naped (GT) Yellow (GT, Y) Ring-necked (GT, Y) JUNCO: SCAUP: Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) (GT, Y) Ruddy (GT) Oregon Dark-eyed (GT, Y) Lesser (GT, Y) WREN: FINCH: KESTREL: SISKIN: House (GT) Cassin's (GT) American (GT, Y) Pine (GT) YELLOWTHROAT: Rosy (GT) KILLDEER (GT) SOLITAIRE: Common (GT) FLICKER: KINGBIRD: Townsend's (GT)

Yellow-Runped Warbler (Audubon's) Kelly Road area, Grand Teton National Park

Savannah Sparrow Kelly Road area, Grand Teton National Park Western Meadowlark Kelly Road area, Grand Teton National Park

Swainson's Hawk Kelly Road area, Grand Teton National Park

Mountain Bluebird Blacktail Plateau, Yellowstone National Park Sandhill Crane Near the parking lot to Taggart Lake, Grand Teton National Park

House Wren Blacktail Ponds Overlook area, Grand Teton National Park Pine Siskin Just south of Jackson, Wyoming at the south end of Grand Teton National Park

Chipping Sparrow Blacktail Ponds Overlook area, Grand Teton National Park Black-headed Grosbeak Blacktail Ponds Overlook area, Grand Teton National Park

INTRO_WISCONSIN

birds i saw on the southwest coast of bc (R = George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, S = Saturna Island) (Birds highlighted in white were seen only at Reifel Bird Sanctuary or Saturna Island during my birding road trip.) BLACKBIRD: Peregrine (S) KILLDEER (R) Barn (R, S) Pileated (S) Red-winged (R, S) FINCH: MALLARD: Northern Rough-winged (S) WREN: CHICKADEE: House (R, S) Mallard (R, S) Tree (R) Bewick's (S) Black-capped (R) FLICKER: Domestic (R) Violet-green (S) House (S) Chestnut-backed (S) Northern (S) NUTHATCH: TEAL: Marsh (R) CORMORANT: FLYCATCHER: Red-breasted (R, S) Blue-winged (R) Winter (S) Pelagic (S) Olive-sided (S) OWL: Green-winged (R) YELLOWTHROAT: COWBIRD: Pacific-slope (S) Great Horned (R) THRUSH: Common (R) Brown-headed (R) Willow (S) OYSTERCATCHER: Swainson's (S) CRANE: GADWALL (R) Black (S) Varied (S) Sandhill (R) GOLDFINCH: PINTAIL: TOWHEE:! CREEPER: American (R, S) Northern (R) Spotted (R, S)! Brown (S) GOOSE: RAVEN: TURKEY:! CROW: Canada (R, S) Common (S) Wild (S)! Northwestern (R, S) GROSBEAK: ROBIN: VULTURE:! DOVE: Black-headed (S) American (R, S) Turkey (S)! Mourning (R) GUILLEMOT: SHOVELER: WARBLER:! Rock (brown (R) Pigeon (S) Northern (R) Orange-crowned (S)! Rock (checkered (R) GULL: SISKIN: Wilson's (S)! Rock (dark (R) Some kind (R, S) Pine (S) Yellow-rumped (myrtle) (S) Rock (natural (R) HAWK: SPARROW: WAXWING:! Rock (pied) (R) Red-tailed (R) House (R) Cedar (R, S)! DUCK: HERON: Song (R, S) WIGEON:! Wood (R) Great Blue (R, S) Vesper? (S) American (R)! Unidentified (R) HUMMINGBIRD: White-crowned (S) WOOD-PEWEE! EAGLE: Rufous (R, S) STARLING: Western (S)! Bald (R, S) JUNCO: European (R, S) WOODPECKER:! FALCON: Oregon Dark-eyed (R, S) SWALLOW: Downy (S)!

Rock Dove (checkered adult) Reifel Bird Sanctuary, British Columbia Wood Duck Reifel Bird Sanctuary, British Columbia

Barn Swallow Reifel Bird Sanctuary, British Columbia Spotted Towhee Reifel Bird Sanctuary, British Columbia

Chestnut-backed Chickadee Winter Cove, Saturna Island, British Columbia Red-breasted Nuthatch Cliffside, Saturna Island, British Columbia

White-crowned Sparrow Winter Cove, Saturna Island, British Columbia House Sparrow Reifel Bird Sanctuary, British Columbia

Young Vesper Sparrow Winter Cove, Saturna Island, British Columbia Rufous Hummingbird At the feeders at the entrance to Reifel Bird Sanctuary, British Columbia

Western Wood-Pewee Winter Cove, Saturna Island, British Columbia Pacific-slope Flycatcher Thomson Park, Saturna Island, British Columbia

Contact Info: Steph Abegg sabegg@gmail.com http://sabegg.googlepages.com Right: Ovenbird, Belleplain State Forest, New Jersey