Eastern US Weekend Trip (1 Viewer)

J

jaco

Well-known member

• Oct 6, 2009

• #1

I'm looking for a last-minute road trip this weekend. I'm in Toronto, and want to leave for somewhere Friday and be back sometime on Monday.

Is there anywhere in particular on the Eastern Seaboard, no more south than North Carolina, that you'd recommend for some early October birding? Anywhere particularly good for shorebirds at this time of year?

 

Last edited: Oct 6, 2009

J

Jim M.

Member since 2007

Supporter

• Oct 7, 2009

• #2

Welcome to the forum. That's a big area to choose from. Cape May New Jersey is probably the most famous birding location in that area for fall migration. It is past the peak of shorebird migration, but some should certainly be around.

Other possibilities would be Plum Island (Parker River national wildlife refuge) in Massachusetts, and Cape Cod in Massachusetts, especially Monomy/South Beach (though you need to ride a boat to bird the latter effectively). A Fork-tailed Flycatcher was being seen as late as Monday at Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary on the Cape.

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware is good for shorebirds and waterfowl, though this season and has not been an especially good one there for shorebird rarities.

Hope this helps,
Jim

 

S

streatham

Well-known member

• Oct 7, 2009

• #3

I'd echo the Cape May trip - hit Brigantine on the way down. Shorebirds will be slim but you'll probably scrape a few together - this weekend a couple of mates did OK digging out some birds en route to Cape May - Spoonbill still around - prefer a Spoonbill Sandpiper meself

 

J

jaco

Well-known member

• Oct 7, 2009

• #4

Cape May it is, then. I'm not expecting much, shorebird-wise... but we should manage to get something.

I'll let you know how it was. Thanks!

 

E

etudiant

Registered User

Supporter

• Oct 8, 2009

• #5

Maybe try the Montezuma NWR birding area, which is by the NYS Thruway near Rochester.
It's a lot closer than Cape May and you can pick up some decent birds.
This site: http://www.birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NNYB.html will give you an idea of what is getting found currently.
Alternatively, head west to Point Pelee, on Lake Erie, a famous migration hotspot, somewhat like Cape May for Canada. See http://www.ojibway.ca/birding.htm for an overview.
I've done the Toronto-NYC drive often and it is a long haul, 500 miles each way. You would kill much of you free time cruising past birds on your way to Cape May, rather than watching them.

 

J

Jim M.

Member since 2007

Supporter

• Oct 8, 2009

• #6

etudiant said:

Maybe try the Montezuma NWR birding area, which is by the NYS Thruway near Rochester.
It's a lot closer than Cape May and you can pick up some decent birds.
This site: http://www.birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NNYB.html will give you an idea of what is getting found currently.
Alternatively, head west to Point Pelee, on Lake Erie, a famous migration hotspot, somewhat like Cape May for Canada. See http://www.ojibway.ca/birding.htm for an overview.
I've done the Toronto-NYC drive often and it is a long haul, 500 miles each way. You would kill much of you free time cruising past birds on your way to Cape May, rather than watching them.

Click to expand...

It is a lot of driving, but the OP requested locations on the "eastern seaboard", which I take it means he wants a location by the sea.

Best,
Jim

 

E

etudiant

Registered User

Supporter

• Oct 8, 2009

• #7

You are so right, I'd overlooked that specification.
Still seems like a brutal weekend though.

 

J

jaco

Well-known member

• Oct 9, 2009

• #8

Shouldn't be too bad. Haha.

I think I've heard of this Pelee place.

 

E

etudiant

Registered User

Supporter

• Oct 9, 2009

• #9

Try it some weekend.
It is is considered one of the top birding spots in North America.
A review link:
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/wildbird/5.htm

Hope you have a great trip!