Recommendations for bird guide for Rickett Glen SP (1 Viewer)

Hi all: I am a new member and we are a family of 2 adults and 2 kids, hoping to spend spring break in PA. I have been told that Rickett Glen SP is a great place for bird watching, but being novices, I had thought that it would be great if we could go out with a more experienced bird watcher. I haven't been able to connect with teh Greater Wyoming Audobon Center (website link doesn't work), and I have no clue how to find someone to go out with. So my questions are:

1. Am I right that Rickett Glen is a great place to bird watch, or would you recommend any other place? We are fairly flexible, coming in from CT. The general circuit we had planned was Philly-Amish-Rickett Glen-Scranton home. but we can move things around.

2. Do you have any contacts of folk who might be interested in leading our small group for an early to mid-morning (lunch time maybe) bird hike? We'll then do some more hiking and then end the day.

Thanks for all your help!!!

BEst Chitra Sundaram

Welcome to BirdForum, Chitra!

I've never been to Ricketts Glen myself, so I can't help you with specifics there (and I also wonder when your spring break is: I suspect the best time to bird around there will be mid-May).

If you're headed north from Amish country and at all interested in birds, I highly recommend stopping at Middle Creek WMA, which is about half an hour north of Lancaster.

Thanks jthoppes. I will check it out. We went out on a spring bird walk this morning in CT, and there were warblers beginning to come back home, swallows, etc. So i was hopeful that we'd hit pay dirt at Ricketts Glen. The State park is listed as the 3rd best park to visit in PA on teh PA park website. lots waterfalls...

thx chitra

jthoppes said:

Welcome to BirdForum, Chitra!

I've never been to Ricketts Glen myself, so I can't help you with specifics there (and I also wonder when your spring break is: I suspect the best time to bird around there will be mid-May).

If you're headed north from Amish country and at all interested in birds, I highly recommend stopping at Middle Creek WMA, which is about half an hour north of Lancaster.

Click to expand...

Hi,
Maybe get in touch with someone from the Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology. They at least have some names to contact here:
http://www.pabirds.org/PSOOfficers.htm

Hi Chitra,
I don't live very far from Ricketts Glen. It is a very nice State Park but I have never heard of it being a birding destination. Inside the link below are 2 links to the Pocono Mountains that you may find useful. See the one for Skytop Lodge in particular as they have a Naturalist on their staff who guides birder's. You can get a day pass there, but call first.

http://forthebirdsboard.com/viewtopic.php?t=742

The link for Audubons Lehigh covers a self guided automobile tour over areas Audubon explored in the area. Hickory Run State Park is the highlight of the tour. It is much bigger than Ricketts Glen Park. If you contact the park office they may be able to put you in contact with a Guide.

Interstate 80 runs east/west through the southern Poconos and it would be an easy trip for you from or back to Connecticut. And Interstate 84 parallels Interstate 80 east/west through the northern Poconos directly from Connecticut.

Good birding,
Bob

PS: The links shown above are from my post.

I should have more info on options in the area, but will mention, if you're going to be in Philly, I've always wanted to go to the Heinz Refuge - I think they have some good birding there, and I see they have nature walks....

By the way, it's taken me some time to figure out which places actually support more (visible) bird life; a lot of nice state parks may not have a variety of birds, except at particular times or in particular habitats, so it is wise to look for specific info. A place with water (like the Heinz refuge) often will have more birds, but it depends on the kind of body it is too.

Hope you have a good time!