Hot Spots for Bird Nerds - Travel and Birding Go Hand in Hand

Today, I am happy to share a blog guest post from Joe Laing, the Marketing Director for El Monte RV Rentals. — Karen Kefauver

Hot Spots for Bird Nerds
By Joe Laing, El Monte RV

We've all seen them -- maybe there's even one in your family. These types of travelers always have binoculars around their neck and a notebook and field guide in their pocket, eyes peeled on the forest canopy for a flash of color or a tell-tale song.

For an initiation into 'bird nerding' at its very best, take a wintertime trip through southern New Mexico. At roadside restaurants along desolate Interstate 25, you'll overhear travelers and locals carrying on about the spectacle of thousands of geese and sandhill cranes.
The hidden spots where migrating birds gather in the fall and spring, flocking in numbers that make their human visitors feel insignificant, are destinations that many RVers and weekend warriors hit the road in pursuit of finding.

Here are some of the best spots for seeing huge numbers of birds in the U.S.:

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico


This is bird country! Translating to 'woods of the Apache,' Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is a sprawling, unexpected wetland oasis in the middle of New Mexico, making it a logical stop on migration routes. Literally tens of thousands of sandhill cranes descend here in late fall and remain through the winter, along with equal numbers of Arctic geese.
There's no way to explain the sound or spectacle of 20,000 or more geese in one place, stretching for what looks like miles, or the awe that 100 sandhill cranes circling down and landing in unison can inspire.

Give yourself a full day or two here, making sure to arrive before sunrise and staying for sunset, when birds return from miles around to roost for the night. Campers can set up shop at the nearby Bosque Birdwatchers RV Park, where you're bound to encounter fellow recently christened bird nerds to revel about your day's adventures.

Cape May, New Jersey


At the Garden State's southern tip, Cape May stretches out into the ocean like a wild, windswept expanse, belying the urban jungle that lies just up the coast. Protected as a National Wildlife Refuge, the beach and maritime forest is ground zero for migrant and nesting songbirds, including warblers, flycatchers, orioles, and vireos. Snow Geese, Tundra Swans, and several species of ducks also winter here, before the spring brings huge numbers of shorebirds. It's a premier year-round birding destination on the East Coast, with plenty of local campgrounds and RV parks to stay for a weekend or longer.

Mono Lake, California


Considered to be the oldest lake in North America, Mono Lake's water is highly alkaline and far saltier than the ocean, but it still harbors billions of tiny brine shrimp. These serve as an all-you-can-eat buffet for tens of thousands of Eared Grebes and Wilson's Phalaropes that stop through on their migration route. If you're able to get on the water, the lake's volcanic islands also serve as primary rookeries for California gulls, attracting as many as 60,000 during the summer months to breed. It's a stunning but cacophonous spectacle.

Flamingo, Florida


Literally at the end of the road through the Everglades, Flamingo is aptly named, although no breeding flamingo populations still exist in the state. There are, however, plenty of tall pink birds (the real ones, not the plastic yard variety) called Roseate Spoonbills. Look out for massive wading flocks of these gorgeous, curious birds, along with huge numbers of wood storks, egrets, herons, and ibis. It's a great place to pitch a tent or park your RV and stay put for awhile -- after all, why turn around immediately when you hit the end of the road? The birds are staying put.
Have birds ever swept you off your feet? Where are your favorite places to see huge flocks of birds?

About the Author
Joe Laing is the Marketing Director for El Monte RV Rentals your nationwide source for RV rentals. El Monte RV also sells used motorhomes through eight different locations across the United States. For more information on purchasing a used motorhome see http://www.elmontervsales.com/.

Day trip to Charlotte Harbor in Punta Gorda, Florida

For a half-day excursion during my visit to Naples, in southwest Florida, my dad, stepmom and I decided to visit Charlotte Harbor in Punta Gorda on the Gulf Coast. After a quick hour's drive on the interstate (I-75) from Naples we reached our destination in time for lunch. Fishermen's Village (http://www.fishville.com) is right on the harbor, and it's a fun shopping and dining area.

Highlights from today:

• Grape Nut Bread Pudding at Village Fish Market. I didn't ask for the recipe because I'm not too confident in the cooking department. But it tasted so creamy and delicious (with a crust of the Grape Nuts, the high-fiber cereal) that I would be tempted to try one of these recipes: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/grape-nut-pudding-recipes.html. The casual dining spot on the water has award-winning seafood from New England and Florida. I especially enjoyed my tomato stuffed with tuna salad for my lunch entree.

• The Military Hertiage Museum was fascinating. I confess, it's not a spot I would usually visit, but I knew it would be intersting to go with my dad, who served in the army and is a history buff. I joined him in a self-guided tour of the homey museum packed with memorabilia. Every item in the museum had been donated and it had a very personal feel, seeing the clothes, the weapons, displays of a bunker, even Lucky Strike cigarettes. The helpful and friendly museum volunteers answered our questions and told stories. More than any other collection I have seen, this gave me an idea what life in the military may have been like. I would return there and my dad said he could spend hours more looking around.

• Shopping - After about half an hour at the military museum, (Dad could have stayed far longer) it was fun to visit the clothing stores, craft galleries and a great little bookstore that also carried used books.

For my next trip to Charlotte Harbor and Punta Gorda, here's my To Do list. Thanks to fellow traveler and blogger Jennifer Huber for the great recommendations:

• Take a boat tour on Charlotte Harbor: http://www.floridasecrets.com/nese.htm. Here's the website for the Charlotte Harbor VCB: http://www.charlotteharbortravel.com. Or maybe a lunch or dinner cruise on the Harbor Lady, the boat that departs from Fishermen's Village. Bookings at http://www.kingfisherfleet.com 

• Enjoy the gorgeous view and fresh seafood at The Laishley Crab House (http://ww.laishleycrabhouse.com). It opened in August 2009 and looks like a fun spot with a happening bar scene, too.

• Venture on a wading trip in Charlotte Harbor - they happen about twice a month. The website says, "Waders listen to, and participate in, a short lecture about the area and wildlife.  Then, armed with dip-nets and buckets, the participants enter the seagrass beds to find a nursery full of small and young aquatic creatures. http://www.checflorida.org

And yes, I think it would be fun to make a trip down memory lane:

• Even though it's not on the water, this newer museum looks like fun: the Muscle Car City (www.musclecarcity.net). Opened the first week of March 2009, Rick Treworgy's Muscle Car City features nearly 200 automobiles of every era dating back to the 1920's.

• I will put on my explorer outfit and join the swamp buggy tour at Babcock Wilderness Adventures (www.babcockwilderness.com)