carmel birding tours

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• Acanthisittidae – New Zealand Wrens
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• Aegithalidae – Bush Tits
• Aegithinidae – Ioras
• Alaudidae – Larks
• Arcanatoridae – Dapple-throat & Allies
• Artamidae – Woodswallows, Butcherbirds & Currawongs
• Atrichornithidae – Scrub-birds
• Bernieridae – Malagasy Warblers
• Bombycillidae – Waxwings
• Buphagidae – Oxpeckers
• Calcariidae – Longspurs & Snow Buntings
• Callaeidae – Kokako & Saddlebacks
• Campephagidae – Cuckooshrikes, Cicadabirds, Trillers & Minivets
• Cardinalidae – Cardinals, Grosbeaks & Allies
• Certhiidae – Treecreepers
• Cettidae – Bush Warblers, Tesias & Allies
• Chaetopidae – Rockjumpers
• Chloropseidae – Leafbirds
• Cinclidae – Dippers
• Cisticolidae – Cisticolas, Prinia, Tailorbirds & Allies
• Climacteridae – Australasian Treecreepers
• Cnemophilidae – Satinbirds
• Coerebidae – Bananaquit
• Conopophagidae – Gnateaters
• Corcoracidae – Australian Mudnesters
• Corvidae – Crows, Jays, Magpies & Allies
• Cotingidae – Cotingas, Fruiteaters & Allies
• Dasyornithidae – Bristlebirds
• Dicaeidae – Flowerpeckers
• Dicruridae – Drongos
• Donacobiidae – Donacobius
• Dulidae – Palmchat
• Elachuridae – Spotted Wren-babbler
• Emberizidae – Buntings, New World Sparrows & Allies
• Erythroceridae – Yellow Flycatchers
• Estrildidae – Waxbills, Munias & Allies
• Eulacestomatidae – Ploughbill
• Eupetidae – Rail-Babbler
• Eurylaimidae – Broadbills
• Formicariidae – Antthrushes
• Fringillidae – Finches, Seedeaters, Euphonias & Allies
• Furnariidae – Ovenbirds
• Grallariidae – Antpittas
• Hirundinidae – Swallows & Martins
• Hyliotidae – Hyliotas
• Hylocitreidae – Yellow-flanked Whistler
• Hypocoliidae – Hypocolius
• Icteridae – Oropendolas, Orioles, Blackbirds & Allies
• Ifritidae – Blue-capped Ifrit
• Incertae Sedis – Uncertain Families
• Irenidae – Fairy-bluebirds
• Laniidae – Shrikes
• Leiothrichidae – Turdoides Babblers, Laughingthrushes, Barwings & Sibias
• Locustellidae – Grassbirds & Allies
• Machaerirhynchidae – Boatbills
• Macrosphenidae – Crombecs, Longbills & African Warblers
• Malaconotidae – Bushshrikes, Tchagras, Puffbacks & Boubous
• Maluridae – Australasian Wrens
• Melampittidae – Melampittas
• Melanocharitidae – Berrypeckers & Longbills
• Melanopareiidae – Crescent-chests
• Meliphagidae – Honeyeaters
• Menuridae – Lyrebirds
• Mimidae – Mockingbirds, Thrashers & Allies
• Mohoidae – O’os
• Mohouidae – Whitehead, Yellowhead & Brown Creeper
• Monarchidae – Monarchs, Paradise Flycatchers & Allies
• Motacillidae – Longclaws, Pipits & Wagtails
• Muscicapidae – Old World Flycatchers
• Nectariniidae – Sunbirds & Spiderhunters
• Neosittidae – Sitellas
• Nicatoridae – Nicators
• Notiomystidae – Stitchbird
• Oreoicidae – Australasian Bellbirds
• Oriolidae – Old World Orioles, Pitohuis & Figbirds
• Orthonychidae – Logrunners & Chowchilla
• Pachycephalidae – Whistlers & Allies
• Panuridae – Bearded Reedling
• Paradisaeidae – Birds-of-paradise
• Paramythiidae – Painted Berrypeckers
• Pardalotidae – Pardalotes
• Paridae – Tits & Chickadees
• Parulidae – New World Warblers
• Passeridae – Old World Sparrows
• Pellorneidae – Fulvettas, Ground Babblers & Allies
• Petroicidae – Australasian Robins
• Peucedramidae – Olive Warbler
• Philepittidae – Asities
• Phylloscopidae – Leaf Warblers & Allies
• Picathartidae – Rockfowl
• Pipridae – Manakins
• Pittidae – Pittas
• Pityriaseidae – Bristlehead
• Platysteiridae – Wattle-eyes & Batises
• Ploceidae – Weavers, Widowbirds & Allies
• Pnoepygidae – Wren-babblers
• Polioptilidae – Gnatcatchers
• Pomatostomidae – Australasian Babblers
• Prionopidae – Helmetshrikes
• Promeropidae – Sugarbirds
• Prunellidae – Accentors
• Psophodidae – Whipbirds, Jewel-babblers & Quail-thrushes
• Ptilogonatidae – Silky-flycatchers
• Ptilonorhynchidae – Bowerbirds & Catbirds
• Pycnonotidae – Bulbuls
• Regulidae – Goldcrests & Kinglets
• Remizidae – Penduline Tits
• Rhagologidae – Mottled Berryhunter
• Rhinocryptidae – Tapaculos
• Rhipiduridae – Fantails
• Sapayoidae -Sapayoa
• Scotocercidae – Streaked Scrub Warbler
• Sittidae – Nuthatches
• Stenostiridae – Fairy Flycatchers
• Sturnidae – Starlings, Mynas & Rhabdornis
• Sylviidae – Sylviid Babblers, Parrotbills & Fulvettas
• Tephrodornithidae – Woodshrikes & Allies
• Thamnophilidae – Antbirds
• Thraupidae – Tanagers & Allies
• Tichodromidae – Wallcreeper
• Timaliidae – Babblers
• Tityridae – Tityras, Becards & Allies
• Troglodytidae – Wrens
• Turdidae – Thrushes
• Tyrannidae – Tyrant Flycatchers
• Urocynchramidae – Przevalski’s Finch
• Vangidae – Vangas
• Viduidae – Indigobirds & Whydahs
• Vireonidae – Vireos, Greenlets & Shrike-babblers
• Zosteropidae – White-eyes, Yuhinas & Allies
• Accipitridae – Kites, Hawks & Eagles
• Aegothelidae – Owlet-nightjars
• Alcedinidae – Kingfishers
• Alcidae – Auks
• Anatidae – Swans, Geese & Ducks
• Anhimidae – Screamers
• Anhingidae – Darters
• Anseranatidae – Magpie Goose
• Apodidae – Swifts
• Apterygidae – Kiwis
• Aramidae – Limpkin
• Ardeidae – Herons, Egrets & Bitterns
• Balaenicipitidae – Shoebill
• Brachypteraciidae – Ground Rollers
• Bucconidae – Puffbirds
• Bucerotidae – Hornbills
• Bucorvidae – Ground Hornbills
• Burhinidae – Thick-knees & Stone Curlews
• Cacatuidae – Cockatoos
• Capitonidae – New World Barbets
• Caprimulgidae – Nightjars & Nighthawks
• Cariamidae – Seriemas
• Casuariidae – Cassowaries
• Cathartidae – New World Vultures
• Charadriidae – Plovers, Lapwings & Dotterels
• Chionidae – Sheathbill
• Ciconiidae – Storks
• Coliidae – Mousebirds
• Columbidae – Doves & Pigeons
• Coraciidae – Rollers
• Cracidae – Chachalacas, Curassows & Guans
• Cuculidae – Old World Cuckoos
• Diomedeidae – Albatrosses
• Dromadidae – Crab Plover
• Dromaiidae – Emu
• Eurypygidae – Sunbittern
• Falconidae – Falcons, Kestrels & Caracaras
• Fregatidae – Frigatebirds
• Galbulidae – Jacamars
• Gaviidae – Divers or Loons
• Glareolidae – Coursers & Pratincoles
• Gruidae – Cranes
• Haematopodidae – Oystercatchers
• Heliornithidae – Finfoots & Sungrebe
• Hemiprocnidae – Treeswifts
• Hydrobatidae – Northern Storm Petrels
• Ibidorhynchidae – Ibisbill
• Indicatoridae – Honeyguides
• Jacanidae – Jacanas
• Laridae – Gulls, Terns & Skimmers
• Leptosomatidae – Cuckoo Roller
• Lybiidae – African Barbets
• Megalimidae – Asian Barbets
• Megapodiidae – Megapodes
• Meropidae – Bee-eaters
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State of Israel

Birding Israel

Israel is a great place to go birding having over 500 resident and migrant species. This is due largely to its location in the eastern Mediterranean at the crossroads of Asia, Europe and Africa. Habitats from all three continents meet here: the snowy peaks of Mount Hermon, the temperate rolling mountains of the Galilee, the warm Mediterranean coastline, the semitropical Jordan Rift Valley, the varied deserts of the south and east, and the Red Sea shores of Eilat’s desert oasis. Part of the only land bridge between the three continents, Israel is along the major migration routes between them, with millions of birds making the trip twice a year. All this variety comes in a small package: the drive from north to south takes less than a day and the trip from west to east under two hours.

Northern Israel is blessed with an abundance of water sources, craggy volcanic mountains in the northeast and a temperate climate, all of which attract species not found in other parts of Israel. The north is home to many birds of prey, including Griffon vultures, imperial eagles, long legged buzzards and Egyptian vultures. A prime site for these species, especially Griffon vultures, is the Gamla nature reserve in the southern Golan Heights. A concrete hide has recently been built there atop one of the cliffs directly across from a vulture nesting site, with large screens relaying live scenes from a nest camera. Further north is the Banias nature reserve. Its streams, woods, ancient ruins and huge cave shelter Smyrna kingfishers, rock nuthatches, grey wagtails and other waterside and forest birds. For waterfowl in northern Israel, visit the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias) and the Hula Valley. Among the many birds these sites attract are cormorants, marbled teal, shovelers, moorhens, cranes, glossy ibis, various kingfishers, marsh harriers, black storks, white pelicans and the rare pygmy cormorant. Organized birdwatching tours are available within the Hula Valley Wetlands Nature Reserve.

Just south of the Sea of Galilee is the Jordan River Valley, warm in the winter, very hot and humid in summer. The valley, and in particular the Bet Shean region, is a good place to see an interesting mixture of native and migrating birds, many attracted by the fish ponds and fields of the surrounding agricultural villages. For some semi-tropical or desert birds this is the northernmost extent of their range. The village of Kfar Ruppin has a birdwatching centre, one of the best in the country. Birds in the Bet Shean Valley and northern Jordan Valley include black francolins, black storks, reed buntings, white pelicans, barn owls, ospreys, marsh harriers, Smyrna kingfishers and cranes, as well as assorted ducks, raptors, warblers and egrets, and multitudes of swallows.

Continuing further south one reaches the Dead Sea, a large saline lake nestled in the lowest place on earth, and the surrounding Judean Desert. The crags, lush oases and special vegetation of the Judean Desert are fascinating areas to explore and are home to birds such as fan-tailed ravens, brown necked ravens, Dead Sea sparrows, Arabian babblers, blackstarts, pale crag martins, sand partridges, trumpeter finches, desert larks, scrub warblers, mourning wheatears, white crowned black wheatears and sooty and Barbary falcons. Many of these are also found further south in the Negev and Arava areas. One of the most characteristic birds in this part of the country is Tristram’s grackle, a desert member of the starling family. Its loud distinctive call and flute-like song can be heard in many places around the Dead Sea, in particular in date palm groves.

Perhaps the most pleasant way to see birds near the Dead Sea is a hike in the Ein Gedi nature reserve. The natural springs of the Ein Gedi oasis nourish an unusual mix of desert, semi-tropical and waterside vegetation, attracting not only desert birds but also kingfishers and various garden birds such as sunbirds, bulbuls and bush robins. Over the years the little green bee-eater has extended its range north to include Ein Gedi and may often be seen perched on a branch over a stream hunting for flying insects. Other interesting birding sites in the Dead Sea area include the saline oases south of the sea in the Neot Hakikar area and the Metzukei Draggot cliffs over Nahal Darga north of Ein Gedi. Metzukei Draggot not only offers good views of the surrounding desert and nearby Dead Sea, but also puts you at the same height as the ravens and raptors soaring above the wadi.

A beautiful area for watching both desert and waterside birds is the Ein Avdat canyon south of Beersheba, part of the Wilderness of Zin that stretches south and west from the Dead Sea. The area around Ein Avdat is bleak desert but the Avdat spring keeps the canyon floor lush and wet year-round, providing the foliage that attracts many of the above oasis birds, as well as some waterfowl and sandgrouse. The steep cliffs above the canyon are home to wallcreepers, pale crag martins, bee-eaters, ravens and vultures. The fields and sewage ponds around Beersheba are also rich in bird life. Species found in the area include the uncommon houbara, cream-coloured courser, sand partridge and various types of sandgrouse.

At Israel’s southern tip is the Red Sea resort of Eilat, perhaps the best known place for birdwatching in Israel. Eilat is a major rest stop for birds migrating between Africa and Eurasia, as it is the first substantial oasis after crossing the Sinai Desert. A birdwatching park lies just north of the town itself, close to the Jordanian border. To get there, turn east at the Eilot Junction north of town and follow the signs for the tree-planting centre. The park includes both salty and freshwater ponds and various types of vegetation, along with a ringing station, which is open to visitors during the early morning and late afternoon or evening, depending on the time of year. If you visit while the ringing station is open they will allow you to ring one of the birds yourself. A huge variety of species pass through Eilat during the autumn and spring migrations and you will see many different birds depending on when you visit.

Typical local birds in and around Eilat and the Arava region include white-crowned black wheatears, Tristram’s grackles, desert larks and various types of buzzard, raven and bee-eater. Kibbutz Lotan, north of Eilat in the Arava desert, hosts its own birdwatching centre. Other areas of interest around Eilat include beautiful walking areas such as the Timna national park, the Red Canyon, and roadside lookout points in the Eilat Mountains north of town. In general areas around springs or with groves of acacia or other trees are naturally likely to be good birding spots in these desert regions.

The Hai Bar nature reserve north of Eilat offers a mixture of desert birds, including many raptors, such as Egyptian and Griffon vultures, which are attracted to the predator feeding area. The stars at the reserve, though, are the ostriches, once native to Israel’s desert regions but extinct since the mid-twentieth century. The reserve has an ostrich breeding project and there are plans to reintroduce them into the wild. One can tour the reserve with a ranger/guide, who can provide commentary on the birds in the area, as well as the many other desert animals on the reserve.

Moving to central Israel, the Jerusalem region, though more famous for its religious and historical sites, can be interesting for birdwatchers too, with temperate wooded and rocky slopes to the west and the arid Judean Desert to the east. Typical forest birds, many also common in town parks and gardens, include jays, Syrian woodpeckers, several types of warblers and doves, song thrushes, assorted shrikes, blackbirds, robins, hoopoes, sunbirds, bulbuls, kestrels, hobbies, chukars and Scops and barn owls. Lovely areas for hiking and birdwatching include the forested mountainous area just south and west of Jerusalem around villages such as Nes Harim, Ora and Sataf, and forested areas further south near the town of Beit Shemesh and the Beit Guvrin archaeological park.

The Jerusalem Bird Observatory (JBO) is located in the landscaped gardens between the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) and the Supreme Court, though you need to bring ID and be patient with security searches. The JBO holds guided birding walks in English every Monday afternoon and does ringing there too. The Israeli capital is also home to prime nesting sites for the endangered lesser kestrel. The Musrara neighbourhood in particular is home to several nests and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) occasionally arranges walking tours of the area.

Birding is also good on the Mediterranean coast, even though much of the coastal plain is densely populated. In Tel Aviv, Israel’s major conurbation, the Yarkon River Park provides refuge for many birds, including egrets and glossy ibis. North of the greater Tel Aviv region, coastal nature reserves and small national parks are home to many waterfowl, including many species of duck, egrets (little and great white); spoonbills and assorted waders. The Ma’agan Mikhael and Carmel coasts in particular are known for attracting a variety of bird life among the fishponds and dune wetland areas. Nahal Alexander and the remnants of the Hadera marshes north of Netanya, and Nahal Poleg south of Netanya are other potential birdwatching sites north of Tel Aviv.

About an hour’s drive south of Tel Aviv, between the cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon, is Park Nitzanim, a dune nature reserve, beach and campsite. A small reed-surrounded lake in the nature reserve is a lovely spot for birdwatching, with reed warblers, clamorous reed warblers, Cetti’s warblers, kingfishers and the odd purple heron. I love watching the antics of the lesser-pied kingfishers darting and diving over the water, resembling giant black and white butterflies. As with many of the above birdwatching sites, it’s a beautiful place to visit in its own right. If your spouse or travel companion is not into birding, they can still enjoy the lovely dune landscape and beach, especially well known for its beautiful sunsets.

In general there is great interest in nature and wildlife in Israel. Recreational hiking and a love of nature are part of the national culture. Organisations that have become cultural institutions include the Jewish National Fund (JNF); which operates reforestation programmes and manages forests and reservoirs across the country, and SPNI, an environmentalist group. In any given week SPNI runs dozens of walking and hiking tours all over the country, a few of them guided in English, with topics ranging from the natural environment to the human history of the region. A network of nature reserves and field schools across the country offer information for hikers and nature enthusiasts. There are many local hiking and walking groups, as well as 4×4 clubs for people who enjoy cross-country jeep excursions. In addition many communities have active environmental groups.

Twitching, per se, is not as widespread as in England or other European countries and tends to be part of a general interest in wildlife and nature. That said, word of a rare bird sighting can attract thousands of enthusiasts from around the country. Many local Israeli naturalists and ornithologists are active in studying and protecting Israel’s birds, while birdwatching centres such as the International Bird Centre in Eilat, the Jerusalem Bird Observatory and the birdwatching centres in Kfar Ruppin and Kibbutz Lotan are part of a reasonably well-developed birding infrastructure. Centres such as the Hai-Bar reserves and the Ramat Gan safari park have conservation projects focusing on preserving or reintroducing local species, including birds, especially raptors. In many parts of the country visiting birders can hire local birding guides to show them around.

In many of Israel’s national parks, such as Ein Gedi or Gamla, there will be at least one ranger with a detailed knowledge of the park’s birds, though it may depend on who is on duty when you visit. If you plan to visit a lot of national parks, consider buying an annual season ticket from the National Parks Authority, which may pay for itself with just 5 or 6 visits to national parks.

Aside from birds, Israel’s main tourism draws are its holy sites, along with a huge number of other historical and archaeological sites. The sun, sea and sand are also popular, with beach resorts in Eilat, the Dead Sea, Tiberias, Tel Aviv, Netanya and Nahariya, among others. Eco-tourism is growing rapidly too, especially in the desert regions. The small size of the country makes it easy to combine all of these with excellent birding opportunities.

In general, Israel has a well-developed tourism infrastructure and English is widely spoken. Many international hotel chains are represented here, along with quality local hotels and rural guesthouses. Low-cost accommodations include youth hostels, field schools and camping. In the peripheral Negev, Arava and Galilee regions one can find guesthouses and campsites oriented towards eco-tourism.

Of Israel’s population of 6.3 million, about 80% are Jewish, with most of the remainder Muslim Arabs. Smaller minority groups include the Druze, Circassians, Samaritans and many Christian groups representing western and eastern churches. The national language is Hebrew, but significant minority languages include Arabic, Russian, French, Amharic and Yiddish. Israel is a European style democracy, with a local culture influenced by both Europe and the Middle East.

The Israeli weekend is Friday and Saturday, though many people work a six-day week, taking off only Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. In Muslim and Christian areas the primary rest days are Friday or Sunday respectively. The Jewish Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday and ends after sunset on Saturday night. In most parts of the country there is no public transport during this time save for taxis. Many shops and places of entertainment are also closed over the Sabbath and most national holidays, though it varies from place to place.

Though the familiar western (Gregorian) calendar is the primary one in use here, the Jewish festivals, which are national holidays, are fixed according to the traditional Jewish calendar. The main festive seasons are in the autumn and spring, which are also usually the most comfortable times of the year to visit and coincide with peak bird migrations. Be aware that due to the festivals these can be the most expensive times of year to come, and many attractions will be at their most crowded. On the other hand, festivals are the time for many special events, including nature hikes and tours of national parks. When planning a visit, it`s advisable to check in advance when the festivals fall and take that into consideration.

Israel’s climate features hot, uncomfortable summers, with humidity high in the coastal areas. The summer is most bearable in the mountains of the Jerusalem area, the Galilee and Golan, where the heat is dry and there is usually a cool evening breeze. Rainfall is rare from May to September. Take care to drink a lot of water, wear a hat and protect yourself from the sun. Winter is the main rainy season, and can be cold in and around Jerusalem and the Galilee, as well as at night in the desert regions, though the temperature rarely dips below freezing. Especially in desert regions, there can be significant differences between daytime and night time temperature; a desert daytime high of 18C (64F) can plunge to a night low of 6C (43F); for example. Winter temperatures along the coast are mild and often pleasant when it’s not raining.

Leiah Elbaum

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Number of bird species: 535

Number of bird species:, igoterra checklist.

Birding in Israel

Birds of the bible, birds of the middle east, finding birds in israel, photographic guide to the birds of israel and the middle east, the birds of israel, *national bird, champions of the flyway, eliat birds festival, hula valley bird festival, the nili and david jerusalem bird observatory, friends of the arava institute, international birdwatching center - jordan valley, israel rarities & distribution committee, society for the protection of nature in israel, the israel ornithological center, the israeli bird ringing center.

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IBA Eilat Birdwatching Center

Iba hazeva field school birdwatching center, iba jordan valley birding center, iba ma'agan michael, iba ramat hanegev birding center, iba tel-aviv birdwatching center, nr carmel hai-bar, nr hula valley, nr yotvata hai-bar, national parks and nature reserves of israel, israbirdnet, israel birding, carmel birding tours in israel, alaemon birding, birding ecotours, 2014 [03 march] - mike neale, 2015 [07 july] - joshua bergmark, 2016 [01 january] - ben macdonald, 2016 [02 february] - mark hows, 2016 [03 march] - jason boyce, 2016 [03 march] - steve arlow, 2016 [05 may] - steve arlow - birding southern israel, 2017 [03 march] - steve arlow, 2017 [04 april] - julian thomas, 2017 [04 april] - nicolás ordax, 2017 [09 september] - nick moss, 2018 [02 february] - gergő gábor nagy, 2018 [03 march] - doug gochfeld, 2018 [04 april] - mike watson, 2018 [05 may] - steve arlow, 2019 [03 march] - simon boswell, 2019 [05 may] - steve arlow, 2022 [11 november] - gerard gorman, 2023 [05 may] - steve arlow, kibbutz lotan, 10 best birding locations, desert birds, flora and fauna in israel, southern israel birding sites, the israeli center for yardbirds, eilat birding, isring - the israeli ringing blog, oz horine - bird families of the world, yoav perlman - israeli birder in norfolk, photographer - avi blumen's birds photos, photographer - dubi shapiro - world photo galleries, photographer - edri shimon, photographer - erez avraham, photographer - ilia shalamaev, photographer - israel fichman, photographer - pablo rudaeff, photographer - roie galitz, photographer - yoram shpirer.

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Great birding site in Carmel by the Sea - Carmel River State Beach

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Great birding site in Carmel by the Sea

On our recent one-night stay in Carmel by the Sea, we discovered this beach and adjacent wetland which has been rehabilitated after long years of encroaching development. In a short walkabout of about 1.5 hours I discovered 22 bird species, including a lone Brant Goose, a diminutive goose which breeds on the Arctic tundra and migrates along the Pacific coast in winter. I would have loved to spend more time here, but time did not permit. Enjoy this lovely site at your leisure!

This beach is great for taking photographs of the ocean, birds and other sea life. There are so many Pelicans and Seagulls. it's like a bird sanctuary. Dogs are allowed on the beach as long as they are on a leash.

I would have to say that this is one of the best beaches in Northern California. The sand is soft. The beach is flat and easy to walk. It’s beautiful. You can see the fairways of Pebble Beach at the north end. A great place to swindle some time on a nice day.

We go to walk the beach there regularly. The colors are beautiful, the waves are dramatic and views of Lobos are great photos. CAREFUL there's a terrific undertow. I never swim this beach. Wading is even questionable.

We came to the beach when it was cold and rainy. And even then the water was so blue! I can definitely see how it would be perfect to enjoy this beach on a warm day - the sand is soft, the scenery around the beach is spectacular.

wonderful white sand and wide open spaces. wishing we could have spent more time here, you can walk up to Pepper Beach Golf club too.

9 Great California Coastal Birding Sites

A Brandt's cormorant near Monterey, California. Photo: Franco Folini/Flickr Creative Commons

This guest post is written by Jennifer Savage, of the Ocean Conservancy .

Whether novice or expert, birdwatchers in California delight in the avian abundance along the state’s coast. California also boasts the nation’s only statewide network of marine protected areas, providing not only gorgeous places to seek out a stunning diversity of birds but insurance that their most important breeding and feeding grounds have extra protection. Below is a list of the top bird-watching spots at these “ocean parks,” plus highlights. Additionally, there is information about visiting, plus a link to where you can learn more.

1. Point St. George Reef Offshore State Marine Conservation Area

Crescent City

Viewing site, interpretive panel on Pebble Beach Drive, just south of Point St. George

Originally inhabited by the Tolowa Dee-ni’, California’s northernmost coast boasts some of the most dramatic scenery in the state and is dotted with Audubon-designated Important Bird Areas. A wide range of bird species live and migrate around nearby Lake Earl, and the profusion continues at sea, where exposed rocks and underwater ledges make up the St. George Reef. Reaching the protected area requires a boat, but visitors can experience similar conditions from the safety of the shoreline just south of the point, where Castle Rock National Wildlife Refuge sits.

The refuge is a modest 14 acres, yet it supports several hundred thousand seabirds each year. Take a spotting scope to Pebble Drive from February to mid-April to catch the dawn fly-off of Aleutian cackling geese. Observe one of the largest breeding populations—100,000—of common murres making their nests along the island’s cliffs. Castle Rock is also home to three species of cormorants, pigeon guillemots, Cassin’s and rhinoceros auklets, Leach’s and fork-tailed storm-petrels, and tufted puffins. More info: fws.gov/humboldtbay/castlerock.html

2. South Humboldt Bay State Marine Recreation Management Area

Park along the South Spit or at the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Visitors come from all over the world to watch the birds of Humboldt Bay. More than 250 species—and world-class views—make the bay, a global IBA, endlessly enjoyable. Peak season for most species of waterbirds and raptors is late fall through mid-spring. Aleutian cackling geese, Pacific brant, and migratory shorebirds have a shorter window, peaking from March to late April. In summer birders can find terns, cormorants, and pelicans as well as resident egrets, herons, and migratory songbirds, including various warblers, sparrows, and swallows.

The very best way to birdwatch on the bay is by kayak (for rentals, check with Hum-Boats, on Woodley Island). Close to the protected area is the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, in southern Humboldt Bay, offering an interpretive center that describes local Humboldt Bay habitats and wildlife. Visitors can also view birds from the South Spit, one of the two peninsulas separating Humboldt Bay from the Pacific. Because tides have great influence on which birds are seen when, make sure to check the tides before going. More info: blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/arcata/south_spit.html and fws.gov/humboldtbay/

3. Point Reyes State Marine Reserve

Marin County, between Tomales Bay and Bolinas Lagoon

Travel via Highway 1, Sir Francis Drake Boulevard or Point Reyes/Petaluma Road

Guidebooks refer to Point Reyes as a little piece of “civilized wilderness.” The point, a global IBA, is just 35 miles north of San Francisco, but the sense of remoteness is a world away from the bustle of the city. Approximately 470 bird species have been noted in Point Reyes National Seashore, a unit of the National Park Service. Many of those have been very rare visitors, far off course during their spring or fall migrations, but the birding can be rewarding at any time of year. The Point Reyes Bird Observatory is located in the southern portion of the park and offers mist-netting demonstrations, a nature trail, and monthly trips to various locations around Marin County. Additionally, visitors can fish, kayak, ride horses, camp, or stay at the park hostel. More info: nps.gov/pore/index.htm

4. Southeast Farallon Island State Marine Reserve

27 miles west of San Francisco Bay

Tours depart from Pier 39, San Francisco

The famed Farallon Islands serve as one of the most vital seabird breeding locations in the United States south of Alaska. While the Farallones are closed to visitors, whale watching, shark cage diving, and other tour boats regularly offer cruises to and around the islands. Although the Farallones’ total land area is only 0.16 square miles, 13 different species—250,000 individual birds—breed here, including the largest colonies of Brandt’s cormorants and western gulls found anywhere. These islands also contain 40 percent to 50 percent of the world population of ashy storm-petrels, a declining species with a breeding range restricted to California and Baja. More info:  farallones.org/ and http://www.sanfranciscowhaletours.com/

Greater yellowlegs near Elkhorn Slough. Photo by Franco Folini/Flickr Creative Commons

5. Elkhorn Slough State Marine Reserve

Moss Landing

Access reserve via Highway 1

Some of the very best birdwatching in the western United States happens in Elkhorn Slough, located on Monterey Bay near the charming town of Moss Landing. Thousands of bird lovers visit this IBA each year to see the more than 340 species that stop or reside here year-round, including several rare and endangered species, such as the western snowy plover. At the north end of the reserve, Kirby Bay offers a boat ramp, plus a wheelchair- and stroller-accessible boardwalk for continued exploration along the slough. Rarities spotted here have included the white-faced ibis, tufted duck, long-eared owl, and yellow-billed loon. More info: http://elkhornslough.org

6. Point Lobos State Marine Reserve 

Enter 3 miles south of Carmel

Known as a place of spectacular beauty that inspires art and poetry, Point Lobos juts out south of Carmel Bay on California’s Central Coast and offers varied habitats, including oaks and pines, coastal scrub and meadows, rocky cliffs, sand coves, and offshore islands. Park enthusiasts know that the diversity of habitats at Point Lobos means that it has a long and diverse checklist of birds. However, all of the rocky shores and islets of Point Lobos offer an especially good place to view migrant and wintering shorebirds, such as wandering tattlers, surfbirds, and black turnstones, as well as black oystercatchers, which nest there. More info: http://pointlobos.org/

7. Morro Bay State Marine Recreation Management Area/State Marine Reserve

Access from Highway 1, exit Los Osos - Baywood Park offramp

Another prime birdwatching location is the Morro Bay Estuary, in San Luis Obispo County. A worldwide highlight for avian lovers takes place every January during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, when the Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival celebrates myriad species of birds returning to the area. Easily sighted birds include a variety of pelicans, gulls, terns, and shorebirds, including western snowy plovers along Morro Strand State Beach. Visit Morro Rock where two pairs of peregrine falcons nest annually, alongside gulls and even canyon wrens. Just south of Morro Bay, stop and hike or camp at Montana de Oro State Park and walk along the spectacular bluff trail. There you can observe black oystercatchers, pigeon guillemots, loons and cormorants, tidepools, and sea otters, and perhaps a glimpse of a whale offshore. More info: http://www.mpatlas.org/mpa/sites/7641/

The island scrub-jay is endemic to Santa Cruz island. Photo: Jeff&Amy/Flickr Creative Commons

8. Anacapa Island State Marine Reserve/State Marine Conservation Area

Channel Islands

Visit via Island Packers, Ventura

This state marine reserve and Global IBA is located in the ocean channel between Santa Barbara on the mainland and the islands of Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel. The mix of coastal scrub, oak and pine woodlands makes a perfect place to see birds, including brown pelicans, western gulls, pelagic and Brandt’s cormorants, black oystercatchers, pigeon guillemots, island scrub-jays, and San Miguel Island song sparrows. Thousands of seabirds use Anacapa Island as a nesting site due to a relative lack of predators. Boats ferry visitors out to the Channel Islands at 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. daily, and the area is popular with sea kayakers. More info: http://www.nps.gov/chis/planyourvisit/anacapa.htm and http://islandpackers.com/

9. Bolsa Chica Basin State Marine Conservation Area

Huntington Beach

Pacific Coast Hwy & Warner Ave.

Wildlife photographers love Bolsa Chica for the unobstructed view of more than 300 bird species, including northern pintails, western grebes, marbled godwits and other shorebirds, egrets, American white pelicans, and the occasional peregrine falcon. Located near Huntington Beach, this global IBAis a key stop on the Pacific Flyway—terns land in the late spring and stay through summer before returning to their winter homes in South America, while ducks that nest to the north spend their winters in Bolsa Chica’s milder climate. Visit in spring for the best of all worlds: nesting and hatching least terns and, very likely, sunny days on one of Southern California’s favorite beaches. More info: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/m/MPA/Details?mpaID=51

Based in Humboldt County, California, Jennifer Savage is the North Coast Coordinator for Ocean Conservancy’s Pacific Program.

Ocean Conservancy educates and empowers citizens to take action on behalf of the ocean. From the Arctic to the Gulf of Mexico to the halls of Congress, Ocean Conservancy brings people together to find solutions for our water planet. Informed by science, our work guides policy and engages people in protecting the ocean and its wildlife for future generations.

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Audubon's Field Guide to Birding Trails

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8 Great Summer Birding Trails: Audubon's guide to unforgettable trips that wend through charming towns and rural outposts while also connecting the dots between many Important Bird Areas.

Pledge to stand with Audubon to call on elected officials to listen to science and work towards climate solutions.

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Top Events and Things to Do in Hamilton County, Indiana: May

10+ Things to Do For Mother's Day in Hamilton County, Indiana

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A Guide to Birding in Hamilton County, Indiana

According to the American Audubon Society, there are more than 47 million birders in the United States. The observation of birds as a recreational activity has grown in popularity, and there are plenty of places to go birding in Indiana, including parks here in Hamilton County.

“How do I start birding? What do I need? How do I identify birds? Where are the best places to bird near me?” To answer these questions and more, we talked to Amanda Smith, Superintendent of Natural Resources & Education and resident birder for the Hamilton County Parks & Recreation Department .

What is Birding?

Birding tips for beginners, best places for birding, when to go birding.

You may hear the terms “birding” and “birdwatching” used interchangeably, but Smith said there’s a difference.

Birdwatching is a more casual, passive observation of birds in your environment. Think : admiring the birds that come to the bird feeder in your yard.

Birding, on the other hand, is a verb and refers to actively looking for birds. Think : you grab your binoculars, leave your house and venture out to specifically find birds at a local park or on a trail. Birding can be a competitive sport as birders compare how many species are on their “life list” or “year list,” referring to the number of unique species they’ve seen in their life or a single year, respectively.

Smith said the rise of social media has helped connect avid birders to meet up for bird hikes, share photos of birds, ask questions, get advice, and brag about the birds they’ve seen. It’s also a great way to socialize and meet new people with similar interests.

If you’re new to birding, Smith recommends going on a guided hike. An advanced birder can help you spot birds in the wild.

Smith said binoculars are helpful, but not necessary. Go for small and compact binoculars that are easy to carry. A bird guide can help adjust the settings on a pair of binoculars. Pro tip: if you pull binoculars away from your face and your eyes hurt, those are not the binoculars for you, she said.

In addition to binoculars, Smith recommends a bird guide or field guide specific to the region, or the Merlin app to search for birds based on their physical appearance or an uploaded photo. Focus on identifying a bird based on their size and color; it’s difficult to identify bird songs and calls unless you’re an expert.

You can see common birds like cardinals and mourning doves in backyard bird feeders, but only 20 to 25 percent of birds found in Indiana actually come and visit bird feeders. The rest are migratory species that don’t live in Indiana year-round – or they prefer to eat insects. That’s why birds are more plentiful in parks - it’s more heavily wooded than the average neighborhood, and parks don’t use pesticides or harmful chemicals.

In addition to Smith’s park recommendations, this section features information from Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation Natural Resources Coordinator, Joanna Scott.

Carmel Scott described this as an ideal spot to visit during spring and fall when migratory birds look for pockets of woodlands like Central Park East Woods and Woodland Gardens to gather food and rest while on their flyover journey. Birders might see varieties of warblers, like the Yellow, Prothonotary, Blue-Winged and Yellow-throated, in addition to species like Flycatchers, Grosbeaks, Orioles, Thrushes and American Redstarts. “With an array of native plant sources to eat from and habitat cover from the overstory trees, Central Park makes a great stop for our migrating birds,” Scott said.

Cool Creek Park and Nature Center

Westfield Smith leads beginning bird hikes here on alternating Sundays, and other birding groups informally gather here.

Flowing Well Park

Carmel This park is under construction through Spring 2021, but Smith highly recommends Flowing Well as a location to watch spring migration.

Founders Park

Carmel While this is not necessarily a birdwatching “hot spot,” Scott said visitors can often spot birds of prey at Founders Park, such as Red-tailed Hawks, Broad Winged Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawks, Coopers Hawks and occasionally a Bald Eagle. “With this park’s proximity to the White River, these larger birds of prey will pick up on air currents to soar over the park,” she said.

Hague Road Nature Haven

Noblesville Located between State Roads 32 and 38 on Hague Road is this undisturbed nature haven, described by visitors as a “hidden gem” and “excellent place for birding.”

MacGregor Park

Westfield The woods and prairies at MacGregor Park are described as serene and quiet, despite its location at the junction of US31 and Highway 38. Find the giant manmade birds’ nest for a fun photo op.

Ritchey Woods Nature Preserve

Fishers Ritchey Woods is one of only two state-designated nature preserves in the county on approximately 127 acres. Visitors are bound to see birds while walking on the nine trails totaling 2.25 miles, including a swamp trail.

The Rookery Preserve

Atlanta The preserve is open year-round from dawn until dusk, but visiting is recommended March-May when vegetation is low and birders can see the nearly 100 Great Blue Herons that nest in the area.

Noblesville Pronounced “Koh-TAY-wee,” this is Hamilton County’s largest park, encompassing more than 800 acres. Strawtown Koteewi Park includes eight miles of trails and stretches along three miles of White River, making it an excellent spot to see wildlife.

Carmel Birders can find a unique species of shorebird at West Park: the American Woodcock, a small but plump camouflaged bird with a long beak. Scott detailed the males’ impressive mating display to lure females. “The male will sit on the ground making a buzzing noise then will fly high up in the sky, circle and dive back down to the ground. Right around sunset on a spring night is the time to catch a glimpse – it’s a sight to see in the spring!” she said.

White River Corridor

Carmel Scott groups together the White River Greenway , Hazel Landing Park and River Heritage Park as Carmel’s “White River Corridor,” where birders can spot waterfowl like the Belted Kingfisher and varieties of ducks like Mallards, Wood Ducks, Mergansers and Teal. “All these parcels have areas of forest buffer along the White River, making excellent habitat with cover and food sources for a variety of birds,” Scott said. “I always listen for Belted Kingfishers along White River; they have a rattly noise they make especially as they plunge down from their perch to the water.”

Spring migration for songbirds is typically the last week of April through the third week of May, and fall migration is in September.

Smith said birds are active throughout the day, but early morning is ideal since birds need to eat when insects are active. Dusk is also a popular time for bird sightings.

Winter is the perfect time for beginners to try birding since there are no leaves on the trees and it’s easier to spot birds. Smith said most birds you’ll see in the winter months are residents birds of Indiana - think cardinals, woodpeckers and goldfinches. Spend time learning the common species now, and by the time the migration season arrives in spring, the novice birder will be able to differentiate the resident birds from the migratory birds.

Smith hosts a beginning bird hike at Cool Creek Park and Nature Center every other Sunday. A group of more advanced birders meets for a hike every Wednesday at 9 a.m. at Cool Creek, except for the first Wednesday of the month, when they meet at Strawtown Koteewi Park . Smith says guests can park in the north parking lot and gather there for the hike. Birdwatchers of all ages also gather on Saturdays, informally.

Smith recommends Ebird , a website where birders can record their findings and the data goes to Cornell University to help its research program.

Bird enthusiasts can learn more from the Indiana Audubon Society with the Indiana Birding Trail and Indiana Bird Checklist .

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Bird Watching in Monterey

Carmel river state beach, ca.

The famous Monterey Bay is one of the world’s top birding destination for its incredible range of habitats and endemic species. With hundreds of species of local and migratory birds, few places can match it for avid or novice bird watchers.

Take a drive to Asilomar’s restored coastal dune ecosystem to catch a glimpse of the snowy plover, and then dip over to nearby Carmel-by-the-Sea for the Carmel River State Beach, whose eastern marsh is a protected sanctuary for many rare birds. There, you’ll come across kites, harriers, swallows, mallards, and many other bird species.

If you’re interested in seeing egrets, rocky shorebirds, cormorants, passerine, and other seabirds, you’ll have to visit the Elkhorn Slough Estuary, 24 miles north of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The reserve is home to hundreds of species of bird and marine life, who live in the 2,500 acres of marshland that you can explore on a guided tour.

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5 Incredible Birding Spots Around Monterey Bay, California

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Monterey Bay, located in Monterey County, 2 hours south of San Francisco, is exceptionally fine for birding due to the diversity of habitats, including rocky and sandy beach shoreline, river mouth wetlands, oak woodlands, chaparral, closed-cone conifers, and the gem of all, Elkhorn Slough Estuary. Birding enthusiasts come to the Monterey area from all over the world. There have been a total of 489 species of birds recorded in the county, many from Monterey Bay.

The Monterey Bay is a designated marine sanctuary, rich in marine life largely because of the nutrient-rich cold waters generated by the deep submarine canyon running down the middle of the bay and the California Current that travels north to south along the coast from British Columbia to Baja California, Mexico. Mineral-rich sediments from the canyon dissolve in the seawater and support a vast variety of marine invertebrates that in turn provide food for a great number of dolphins, seals, squid, whales, fish, and birds. 

It is an especially prime area for both offshore (pelagic) and onshore birding because of the ocean’s productivity and high oxygen content and the diverse plant habitats. 

The Monterey Bay is so bountiful, that feeding “frenzies” can occur for many marine animals, including birds. The bay is a favorite spot for whale watching, fishing, and birding. The Monterey Audubon Society offers field trips to many areas in Monterey County, where it is possible to see many species of birds, including woodpeckers, shorebirds, owls, falcons, hawks, warblers, sparrows, and even California condors. There are ocean-boat tours available at Fisherman’s Wharf, accompanied by naturalists and guides, who are knowledgeable about a wide variety of marine animals, including birds. Here are five places I have frequented to view birds over the years. 

Pro Tip: I recommend binoculars that are 8 x 40 or 7 x 35 in power for most birding. Some birders of shore and water birds, like to bring a scope mounted on a tripod. A comprehensive and detailed book for the area is Monterey Birds by Don Roberson .

1. The Carmel River Mouth

The Carmel River Mouth is one of the prime birding areas on the Monterey Peninsula and has been a popular site for avid birders since the early 20 th century. In fact, the Monterey Peninsula Audubon Society organized field trips to the area in the 1930s that continue to this day. There have been a total of 350 species recorded within the Carmel River mouth area including terns, gulls, curlews, and sandpipers.

The mile-long beach features a bird sanctuary in a lagoon (just before the Carmel River empties into the sea) with a varied amount of waterfowl, plus incredible sweeping views of the bay.

This is because there is a diversity of habitats and feeding opportunities that attract birds. During fall bird migration, there are often some vagrant eastern warblers, but also a wide variety of ducks, shorebirds, and brown pelicans. The shores of the river are lined with willow and other riparian vegetation, which act as a green landmark for migrating birds. The Carmel Mission is close by, and the ornamental plantings around it also attract birds. There is a lovely trail starting at Bay School just south of the intersection of Highway 1 and Rio Road that leads to Carmel State Beach and the lagoon formed by the river flow. Visit the website to get specific directions to drive to the State Beach. 

Pro Tip: Dress in layers as the air coming from the bay is brisk and cool due to the cold water. After touring this site and working up an appetite, head for excellent restaurants in the city of Carmel or the mouth of the Carmel Valley at Rio Road. 

2. Pelagic Birding On Monterey Bay

Monterey Bay is also an excellent location to do some incredible pelagic birding. Pelagic birding involves boarding a seaworthy boat and traveling offshore out into the Monterey Bay to observe birds who live most of their lives on or around water. Pelagic trips give you the opportunity to see other marine animals who feed within the protection of Monterey Bay, such as humpback, gray, and killer whales, seals, dolphins, and birds.

Birds travel to this rich source of food from as far away as the Arctic, the Antarctic, and New Zealand. They travel thousands of miles to find the bay, surrounding the Monterey Peninsula. Here is an excellent opportunity to see birds such as auklets, puffins, skuas, petrels, and albatross. Their names alone should motivate you to go! Although offshore birding is a year-round activity, the recommended months to venture on these guided tours are mid-August through October. Monterey Seabirds is a well-known company that leads tours with high recommendations from its customers.

Pro Tip: Dress warmly and wear a hat and even gloves, as you will be leaving in the morning. If you are prone to seasickness, make sure you take the appropriate medication before the trip, as Monterey Bay can have significant swells and choppiness due to wind.

3. Moss Landing State Beach

Moss Landing State Beach is a popular birding spot 15 miles north of Monterey. You will see the twin towers of the Duke Energy Power Plant in the distance just east of the highway. Just past the plant, cross a bridge that goes over the mouth of Elkhorn Slough, the largest estuary south of San Francisco. On your right is the parking area for the Moss Landing Wildlife Area. Here are boardwalks and trails that lead close to the water and depending on the tides, many kinds of shorebirds, including snowy plovers (who breed here), avocets, stilts, egrets, and sandpipers, and water birds like grebes and loons. The traditional birding area in Moss Landing is along Jetty Road, left (west) off Highway 1 a bit north of the wildlife area. The road skirts to the left along the harbor and ends at a rocky jetty. Large flocks of gulls and terns frequent the area as well as diving ducks and cormorants. 

If you prefer to travel on the slough to observe birds and marine life, I recommend the Elkhorn Slough Safari , a highly stable pontoon boat that motors a few miles up the slough. The boat carries 26 persons, including a pilot and a naturalist to inform and answer your questions.

4. Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve

The Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve is an approximately 1400-acre reserve with amazing views of the slough and ocean. The estuary was once threatened by development, but due to the efforts of conservation groups and local people, the area is protected and part of the federal wetland reserve system.

At Elkhorn Slough, there is a small visitor center and 7 miles of trails that overlook the full extent of the curving slough. It’s an excellent place to see hawks, kites, swallows, western bluebirds, woodpeckers, and on the edge of the slough, egrets, herons, pelicans, and many shorebirds probing for clams and innkeeper worms in the mud. The reserve is an important stop along the Pacific Flyway for migrating birds. The Southern Pacific railway runs overland on the slough, so you may hear the wonderful sound of the train as it makes its way from north to south.

There are excellent tours led by docents on the weekends, knowledgeable about the plants, birds, local history, and origins of this amazing estuary habitat. Elkhorn Slough is open to the public Wednesdays through Sundays.

Pro Tip: Call ahead for times of the tours. Make sure to bring binoculars. Dogs and food are not allowed on the trail as they interfere with wildlife, but there are picnic tables where you can enjoy lunch or a snack after your adventure.

5. Garland Ranch Regional Park

Garland Ranch Regional Park is popular with hikers and lovers of nature, and there is much to love. The Carmel River flows through the park and to the Pacific Ocean and along the willow-covered banks you are likely to see warblers, towhees, kinglets, and wrens and hear the cries of the California quail. You may even see a few wild turkeys and in the spring the males put on quite a display, fanning their tail feathers to attract females.

There are towering sycamore trees on the floodplain which offer shade as well as homes to woodpeckers such as the acorn woodpecker. There are amazing views if you choose to ascend one of the trails to an elevation of 2,000 feet atop the crest of the Santa Lucia Mountains. Along the trail, there may be a Cooper’s or sharp-shinned hawk among the oak and maple trees, as well as chickadees and the oak titmouse. Before you hike and bird, pick up a species list of common birds at the visitor center. The Park is located 8.6 miles east of Highway 1 at 700 West Carmel Valley Road. It is a lovely place to spend an afternoon or morning.

Pro Tip: Consider visiting Kathy’s Little Kitchen at 13 W. Carmel Valley Road for a delicious breakfast or lunch.

For more on California , be sure to check out these articles:

• Exploring Steinbeck Country: 8 Fascinating Things To Do
• How To Spend A Day In Monterey, California
• 6 Reasons To Stop In This Charming California Town On The Way To Yosemite

Although she enjoys cities with museums, culture, and food, her favorite adventures are found in the natural world. She has kayaked among bat rays and dolphins, encountered gray whales, hiked among bighorn sheep, and snorkeled with tropical fish. She is a volunteer naturalist at Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

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Last Spots on a few upcoming tours CENTRAL ASIA: UZBEKISTAN, KYRGYZSTAN & KAZAKHSTAN Spaces: 1 May 22 - Jun 12, 2024 ($8975) with Jay VanderGaast & local guide Tour Limit: 12 A three-country tour exploring the scenic Central Asian steppes, deserts, canyons, and high mountains, for an enticing mix of localized resident species and northbound migrants, with the added cultural element of the beautifully preserved Silk Road cities of Samarkand and Bukhara. FRANCE'S LOIRE VALLEY: BIRDS, CHATEAUX & WINE Spaces: 1 May 31 - Jun 10, 2024 ($5775) with Marcelo Padua & Megan Edwards Crewe Tour Limit: 12 A tour of France's lovely Loire Valley, combining lowland birding with visits to the chateaux of Chambord, Chenonceau, and Villandry, as well as some of the region's famous vineyards. ICELAND Spaces: 2 Jun 7-16, 2024 ($6525) with Cory Gregory & John Coons Tour Limit: 12 Seabird colonies, endemic landbirds, spectacular scenery, and high-latitude natural history. ALASKA: THE GREAT LAND Spaces: 3 Jun 8-24, 2024 ($13075) with Micah Riegner & Sam Wilson Tour Limit: 14 Our fabulous survey of the best of Alaska birding: the Pribilofs, Kenai Fjords, Nome, and Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow). BRAZIL'S RIO ROOSEVELT: BIRDING THE RIVER OF DOUBT Spaces: 2 Jun 15-30, 2024 ($10875) with Bret Whitney Tour Limit: 8 A birding adventure on the remote Rio Roosevelt in the spirit of Teddy himself, as we search for bushbirds, ant swarms, up to 10 species described to science only in 2013, and, of course, the unknown.

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Hundreds of emotional bird lovers flocked to ny home to see rare lazuli bunting: ‘birdwatcher’s bucket list’.

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There was a lot to chirp about in this Long Island town.

A lazuli bunting, known for living on the West Coast, visited the bird feeder at Meigan Madden Rocco’s Flanders, Long Island home to the pleasant surprise of bird lovers near and far.

Hundreds of visitors, from Connecticut, New Jersey and even Buffalo and Ithaca, flocked there to see the blue songbird, which is a rarity in the Northeast and has only been spotted in New York once before, in 1998.

“There were people that would see this bird and start crying,” Rocco told The Post.

“They were praying, hugging each other, high-fiving when the bird would come. This is apparently on every birdwatcher’s bucket list.”

The creature first made an appearance on April 18 and returned every day until Monday, once an hour.

“That’s pretty much what they do during any migration, but especially such a long one. They’ll stop along the route and fill up and fuel themselves for the next leg,” she explained.

“And according to the bird experts I’ve spoken to, they said that Monday night’s conditions were prime for the birds to migrate and there were a lot of birds flying that night.”

When Rocco first saw the bird outside, she took its picture and sent it to her friend, a former wildlife officer at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

“She texted me back almost immediately and said, ‘I think that’s a lazuli bunting, but the location makes no sense.'”

When her friend confirmed it was in fact a lazuli bunting, she reported it as a rare bird sighting on the database eBird and even added its photo to the Facebook group New State Rare Bird Alert .

“I had no idea what was in store because then within probably three or four hours, I started getting text messages, emails, some people called me,” she said.

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Spectators wanted to repay Rocco for the once-in-a-lifetime sighting, so she asked them to donate to the Southampton Animal Shelter.

“They called me yesterday and a week later, they’re still trying to get through all the donations,” she said.

She said it didn’t bother her to have so many unexpected visitors.

“I didn’t mind at all because I really enjoyed watching the people and their reactions. But it was definitely different getting up in the morning and having binoculars and camera lens pointing in my kitchen window,” she said, laughing.

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Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce Had a Couples Vacation with Bradley Cooper & Gigi Hadid, Mom Donna Kelce Reveals

The NFL star sent his mom a photo from the famous foursome's beach excursion in Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif. last week

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce had some company on their most recent getaway.

The NFL star’s mom, Donna Kelce , shared on April 24 at QVC's Age of Possibility summit in Las Vegas that her son sent her a photo from the picturesque vacation town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif., where he and Swift were enjoying the beach with Bradley Cooper and girlfriend Gigi Hadid.

Donna explained that during the famous foursome's beach day, Travis realized Cooper would be appearing at the same QVC event as his mom.

When Cooper showed up in Vegas with his food truck Danny and Coops Philly Cheesesteak , Donna greeted him warmly, saying, “Travis told me you were going to be here."

The Maestro actor was on site to serve lunch to the Quintessential 50 (Q50), the event's honorees, who QVC describes as a group of 50 "authentic and inspiring female celebrities, activists, business leaders and lifestyle experts who exemplify the possibilities of life over 50.”

Gotham/GC Images; AP Photo/Julio Cortez

Christina Applegate, Patti LaBelle, Rita Wilson, Naomi Watts, Martha Stewart and Queen Latifah were among those being recognized.

Donna added that she wished Travis could’ve joined them for the event, but said the Kansas City Chiefs tight end was busy finishing production on Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity? , a new game show spinoff of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? that's set to stream on Prime Video.

Patrick Smith/Getty 

Hadid has been close friends with Swift for the past decade. She was first linked to Cooper, 49, in October. The 29-year-old model, who had enjoyed a star-studded night out in N.Y.C. with Swift that same month, said she was “over the moon” for her pal’s romance with Travis in November.

 Patrick Smith/Getty

In March, Travis and Swift, both 34, enjoyed another memorable vacation when they jetted off to the Bahamas in between international legs of her epic Eras Tour.

“They vacationed in the Bahamas for several days," a source told PEOPLE of the trip. "It was a much-needed break for both of them. They very much enjoyed it. They are so happy together.”

The pair also spent time traveling the world during the Eras Tour , spending quality time together in between the pop superstar's shows in Australia and Singapore in February and March.

Never miss a story — sign up for  PEOPLE's free daily newsletter  to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Before the April 19 release of Swift’s highly anticipated new album, The Tortured Poets Department , Travis got to hear her latest music.

Multiple sources close to the athlete told PEOPLE that he listened to tracks from the album early. "He is always in awe of her," one source said of his reaction to the album.

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Rapt tour group: Bird-watchers gather on Bradbury Mountain for a day of education on birds of prey

'Feathers Over Freeport: A Birdwatching Weekend' lured visitors to the state park in Pownal, where up to 1,800 hawks might pass over the mountain at the height of the season.

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Derek Lovitch, left, co-owner of Freeport Wild Bird Supply, points toward a broad-winged hawk during Hawk Watch Workshop atop Bradbury Mountain in Pownal on Saturday. Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer

After five seasons as lead Hawkcounter, Zane Baker was asked a question he’d never heard before atop Bradbury Mountain on Saturday.

Baker spends eight hours a day, six days a week for two months tracking migratory birds of prey with The Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch as they fly north for spring, passing over the 485-foot mountain in Pownal.

Normally, Baker is asked the same questions over and over, often multiple times a day. What is he doing? Why does he need to track raptors? How does he know he’s not counting the same bird twice? How doesn’t he get distracted staring at the sky from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day? How does a person get rid of hawks?

But during “Feathers Over Freeport: A Birdwatching Weekend” at Bradbury Mountain, someone managed to surprise Baker.

“What attracts hawks?” Kelly Greenwood asked.

Greenwood has a family horse barn in Westford, Massachusetts, where there is a major pigeon infestation. But one hawk has lent a hand by snacking on the pigeons. And Greenwood would like to get some more in there. Advertisement

“The pigeons are a really horrible problem. They poop all over our horses’ stuff, the blankets, the stalls,” she said. “So having a hawk come in and hunt them is very nice.”

It was a delightful question for Baker, Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch founder Derek Lovitch and general bird-watchers who all share a mighty adoration for these birds of prey.

“If it’s not a far commute, and there’s an abundant food source – like all the pigeons – trying to attract them in the first place is really just a matter of the birds noticing, ‘Hey, I can find food here,’” Baker told Greenwood.

Along with the essential research collected, Lovitch sees the Hawkwatch and day of bird-watching at Bradbury Mountain as an opportunity to educate, do away with negative perceptions and encourage conservation for the animals sitting atop many food chains.

“The first step to concern is compassion and care. But there is apathy, so some people just don’t care,” Lovitch said. “We had broadwing hawks flying right overhead. People were interacting because it was really fun and cool. With that, I have a better chance at teaching why you shouldn’t use rat poison than someone (else), for example.”

Zane Baker, of North Yarmouth, scans the sky for migratory raptors as part of his duties atop Bradbury Mountain in Pownal on Saturday. For six years now, Baker has spent his days on the summit keeping track of migratory birds. Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer

WHY HAWKS? Advertisement

The Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch was founded by Jeannette Lovitch and her husband, Derek, in 2007. From March through May, researchers observe and record the migratory patterns of all raptors. They do it at Bradbury Mountain, which Baker said is the most productive Hawkwatch site in the Northeast. That’s because Bradbury Mountain’s expansive south-facing views make for easier spotting and identification.

Baker identifies and counts 13 species of birds of prey, known as raptors, that migrate during the day. That includes eagles and falcons, but the research mostly amounts to the different hawk families.

At the height of the season, with the right wind patterns and weather, up to 1,800 hawks might pass over Bradbury Mountain.

That research helps track the raptor populations – hard to track outside of their travels – and inform research on how other species below them on the food chain are faring.

“Most raptors are at the top of their respective food chain. What happens in their population is an indicator of what’s happening everywhere below them,” Derek Lovitch said.

Derek Lovitch and Baker spent Saturday sharing that information with crowds that trekked up to the summit during a stacked day of events. There was a birdwalk, a vernal pool exploration, the Hawk Watch Workshop, an art class on bird drawing and a meet-and-greet with owls. Advertisement

Some attendees were devoted bird-watchers. Richard Fortin, of nearby North Yarmouth, had already been to the Bradbury Mountain summit to hawk-watch with Baker 10 times this season. Fortin made another visit Saturday because he couldn’t get enough.

Others were just there by coincidence but enjoyed the surprise lessons. A handful of attendees dressed in medieval garb stopped in from across the park at a cooking event with the Southern Maine Society for Creative Anachronism, a community for fans of the Middle Ages.

All in all, Park Manager Chris Silsbee estimated that 650 to 700 people came to the state park to do some bird-watching throughout Saturday.

A broad-winged hawk flied directly over Bradbury Mountain on Saturday during Hawk Watch Workshop. Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer

WHY HAWK EDUCATION?

Hawks, along with many other birds of prey, often get a bad rap.

“We do hear it up here a lot, like, ‘Hold on to your dog, there’s an eagle going by,’” Baker said. “Hawks have to eat, too, and some of them eat songbirds. And a lot of people don’t like the idea of that.” Advertisement

Long considered vermin, raptors have been persecuted, some studies say, since the 17th century. With conservation laws now in place, there’s less persecution out there, but it still happens, according to Derek Lovitch.

“People still will shoot a hawk because their chickens are outside,” Lovitch said. “Yes, a red-tailed hawk occasionally will kill a chicken. But they’re eating so many other things that would eat our crops. We wouldn’t have farming without raptors because we would be inundated with mice and voles, and we wouldn’t be able to grow a damn thing.”

Despite their reputation, bird-watchers at Bradbury Mountain were most eager to see a hawk.

“Hawks seem badass to me,” Baker said. “Birds of prey are agile, like the athletes of the bird world.”

“We don’t have curriculums that talk about how to be good stewards of the natural world. It’s up to us to do that,” he said. “If you never thought about it, how could you know how to do the right thing? Whether it’s identifying hawks at a distance or being a good consumer.”

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Opinion: Portland Museum of Art appears to have lost its way

Amtrak planners identify 3 possible sites for new train station in portland, maine state police investigate fatal crash on maine turnpike in wells, portland men’s pro soccer team unveils name: hearts of pine, casco bay lines oks first rate hike in 15 years, and it’s a big one – for tourists, daily headlines.

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