Travel Locations in the USA not traveling abroad anytime soon.....

OK so it's official any and all of my out of country trips have been and are on hold until the health crisis is over. Not a phobic jut not taking any chances. I know that many of our members here on the forum live in across this beautiful USA. I am asking or suggestion on areas of interest for birds as well as other wildlife. The weather is about to change and I would love to make travel arrangements in advance for flight and or driving so any and all information provided will be greatly appreciated....

kcrunchone wrote in post #19017183
OK so it's official any and all of my out of country trips have been and are on hold until the health crisis is over. Not a phobic jut not taking any chances. I know that many of our members here on the forum live in across this beautiful USA. I am asking or suggestion on areas of interest for birds as well as other wildlife. The weather is about to change and I would love to make travel arrangements in advance for flight and or driving so any and all information provided will be greatly appreciated....

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For now I'll just give you a few places within an easy day's drive; within a few hundred miles of you. . I have many, many more spots with excellent bird photography opportunities that are further out. . Just let me know if you're interested, and I will list some of those, too.

The jetty at Barnegat Inlet, New Jersey, RIGHT NOW for various sea ducks including all 3 species of Scoters, Harlequin Ducks, Long-tailed Ducks, and Common Eiders, as well as opportunities for Ruddy Turnstones, Purple Sandpiper, Snowy Owls, and many other species:
https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=JqVoq-Zr8Tc&t=2s
https://www.naturescap​es.net …ng-at-the-barnegat-jetty/

The Choptank River in Cambridge, Maryland, at the end of Oakley Street, RIGHT NOW for Canvasbacks, American Wigeon, Redheads, and Lesser Scaup. World class opportunities for these 4 species. Just make sure to get there within the next couple weeks, before the birds all leave:
https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=m8TxM3k3L-M
https://birdsandblooms​.me/tag/cambridge/

Magee Marsh, by Lake Erie, for many warbler species in May. . Arguably the best warbler venue in the United States:
https://www.mageemarsh​.org/
https://www.youtube.co​m …uery=magee+mars​h+warblers

Nickerson Beach, right near you on Long Island, for Oystercatchers, Skimmers, Plovers, and Terns, in May, June, and July:
https://www.greggard.c​om …land-ny-photography-guide
https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=ol_-e4l0Jos
https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=_IdMl7U3zSA

The Heron and Ibis rookery at the Ocean City, New Jersey Welcome Center, for 4 species of Herons and 2 species of Ibis, as well as a plethora of bonus species, throughout May and June:
https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=hXJMv28sPBg
https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=Fdq_BdGa5qk

I advise that before heading to any of these locations, you contact local birders and inquire about current conditions and bird numbers. . It'd be horrible to plan a trip, only to learn that the birds all left the week before you got there, or that they haven't arrived yet.


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You want to go birding?

Don't forget bird flu ...

I assume your interest in foreign travel was meant to photograph birds not generally found in the US. The best places I've found for this include the Rio Grande Valley in Texas and Southern Arizona. April would be a good time for AZ, not sure of best time for Texas.

Yes my friends and I were planning but until there's a change not going to be abroad any time soon. Thanks

Thank you Tom I am going to put this to use this coming weekend.

kcrunchone wrote in post #19017614
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Thank you Tom I am going to put this to use this coming weekend.
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That is great! I wish you success.

I know many other places all over the United States. . If you want some more locations and details, just ask! . Some of the opportunities I know about are easy to shoot, but others are not, and require hard work and patience ..... but your profile here says that you are a "perfectionist" and a "do it yourselfer", so I think you will be okay with that!


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kcrunchone wrote in post #19017183
OK so it's official any and all of my out of country trips have been and are on hold until the health crisis is over. Not a phobic jut not taking any chances. I know that many of our members here on the forum live in across this beautiful USA. I am asking or suggestion on areas of interest for birds as well as other wildlife. The weather is about to change and I would love to make travel arrangements in advance for flight and or driving so any and all information provided will be greatly appreciated....

Hi!

The northern Virginia area, just outside of DC, has some excellent parks and some good springtime nature viewing.

Huntley Meadows: I just did a couple shoots here in the last week or so. Below is the link to the park, and below that are the two sets of photos from the shoots.
https://www.fairfaxcou​nty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows
https://grahamglover.z​enfolio.com/p545103728
https://grahamglover.z​enfolio.com/p423952545

Mason Neck: It's been awhile since I've been there, but they have eagles and osprey.
https://www.dcr.virgin​ia.gov/state-parks/mason-neck

There are plenty of parks in Fairfax County (Huntley Meadows being one of them), so explore and see what looks good!
https://www.fairfaxcou​nty.gov/parks/

There's the Shenandoah area west of DC, about an hour or so away during non-rush hour. There's wildlife and hiking. I know there's bear out there; my officemate showed me some photos of bear around their "cabin" ("cabin" is loosely used as it's actually a rather nice place).

While I know you're looking for wild wildlife, there's also the National Zoo, the grounds of which open early to the public before the buildings (you can photograph the animals without crowds). For non-animal nature, around the beginning of April we have the Cherry Blossoms in DC. If you're late for that, Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA has cherry trees that bloom typically a week or two later. The US Botanic Garden in DC has an orchid festival that runs from tomorrow through May 3. I've a link to their regular orchid exhibit when I visited in the middle of January.
https://www.novaparks.​com …dowlark-botanical-gardens
https://www.usbg.gov/e​xhibits
https://grahamglover.z​enfolio.com/p866064307

You *will* need a car down here. While my favorite mode of transit to NYC is bus (Vamoose, Rosslyn, VA to Penn Station), and travel around the city is the subway and the bus system, you can take busses to the DC area, as well as Amtrak or airlines. Regardless, you'll need a car. Should you use Metro at all, know it isn't a 24/7 service. (My visits to NY have spoiled me.)

I hope this helps!

john crossley wrote in post #19017273
You may want to avoid the RED dots then.


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Great map, where did you source this from?

Here's a new map 3-3-20 from Daily Mail (UK) that I saw on Facebook...

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Geez - I'm right in the middle of the "most dead state".


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Well, that is a good reason to stay gone until this is over!
Good luck up there, I have a feeling that it will just infect most of us, but only do very few 'in'.

Tom Reichner wrote in post #19020576
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Geez - I'm right in the middle of the "most dead state".
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recrisp wrote in post #19020592
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Well, that is a good reason to stay gone until this is over!
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Well, I work on-call for a funeral home. . When someone dies, they need me to go get the body and bring it to the facility. . So it's actually a pretty good reason for me to stay right here in the midst of Death Central. . I'm not one to go traipsing off just when I'm needed the most.

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recrisp wrote in post #19020592
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Good luck up there .....
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Thanks!

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Me too. Just a little south of you. But a tornado took out 25+ people in TN. Life is just darn dangerous.

svizzerams wrote in post #19020633
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Me too. Just a little south of you.
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Of course, I remember you well!

It's been so long since I've seen your posets here on the forum. . Welcome back!


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