<BIRDCHAT at ARIZVM1.ccit.arizona.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list BIRDCHAT <BIRDCHAT at ARIZVM1.ccit.arizona.edu>
Subject: Re: Best Birding...

>Here is where to find America's best birding according to 'Travel & Leisure'
>August 1994:
>
>- Mount Desert Island, Maine
>- Central Park, NYC
>- Hawk Mountain, PA
>- Cape May Point, NJ
>- Blackwater NWR, MD
>- Everglades Natl. Park, FL
>- Dauphin Island, AL
>- Aransas NWR, TX
>- Cave Creek Canyon, AZ
>- Cheyenne Bottoms WMA, KS
>- Grand Teton Natl. Park, WY
>- Tule Lake, CA
>- Yosemite Natl. Park, CA
>- Monterey Peninsula, CA

...[stuff deleted]

>Dan Williams (215) 674-0200 (voice)
...

Hard for me to believe that High Island, TX was left off of this list. In the
month of April it has to be one of the best sopts in the World to observe
migrating songbirds (and shorebirds for that matter). Bring a can of OFF! if
you come though.

----- -------------------------------------------------
-gle- "Spare the duct tape, spoil the job." - Red Green
----- -------------------------------------------------

============================

From: "Byron K. Butler" <BBUTLER at yalevm.ycc.yale.edu>
Subject: Hot spots
From: Byron K. Butler, Guilford, CT

Source: Harrison, G. H. 1976. Roger Tory Peterson's Dozen Birding Hot Spots.
New York: Simon and Schuster. ["A guide to the 12 best locations in
North America for amateur bird watching."]

1) Everglades: a place for anhingas and avocados
2) Southern Texas: Down Mexico Way
3) The Platte: River of Cranes
4) Southern Arizona: Rising from the Desert Floor
5) Point Pelee: Funnel to the North
6) Bear River: Paradise for Water Birds
7) Coast of Maine: Down East Islands
8) Gaspe: Seabird Bastion
9) Hawk Mountain: Sailors of the Mountaintops
10) Cape May: The Morning of Birding Madness
11) Horicon: At the Sign of the Flying Goose
12) Tule-Klamath-Maltheur: Sound of a Million Wings

=======================

From: "Philip M. Bunch"
<pbunch%crash.cts.com%HARVUNXW.BITNET at ARIZVM1.ccit.arizona.edu>

Lets not forget Point Loma, San Diego area (California). This
coastal headland is an exceptional place to view winter migrants.

========================

From: Gail Mackiernan <GAIL%UMDD.BITNET at ARIZVM1.ccit.arizona.edu>

Re the "hot spots" list -- I also cannot believe that the Delaware Bay is not
on the list. Year-round, it is better than Blackwater NWR (by far, and I'm a
fan of Blackwater) and now is better than Chincoteague, until management of
the latter improves. It is also one of the best places in North America to
watch shorebirds in migration.

"Hot spot" of the future? I predict the Cape Charles, VA., area -- already
outstanding, as the Eastern Shore NWR comes together and the Kiptopeake State
Park as well, it could be another Cape May, without the houses. The rarities
that have shown up already, with minimal coverage, are impressive. And the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel adds another dimension...

I suspect that this "hot spot" list includes some places where folks
can go and see a good assortment of impressive birds -- lots of geese,
eagles, waders, etc. -- as well as some acknowledged birder "holy shrines"
like the Chiricahuas.

Gail Mackiernan, Gail at UMDD.UMD.EDU
Maryland

==============================

From: Michael Smith <whimbrel at U.WASHINGTON.EDU>

Really, I agree with Glenn. It's hard to take that article with more
than a grain of salt when you fail to see High Island, Point Pelee, the
Copper River Delta, Monomoy NWR, or Plum Island on there. That's the
problem with getting stuff from magazines like that, they rarely do any
research. Trust what you read in birding magazines, or what you learn
from fellow chatters/birders.

Mike Smith
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
whimbrel at u.washington.edu

================================