Re: questions on national parks trip

GREGORY.B.MILLER@bge.com
Tue, 5 Jan 1999 10:37:29 -0500


Kevin,

It depends on what your definition of a good birding spot is. <grin> Here's
a few quick thoughts:

Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado
     Great Western montane birding but not very high species-wise.  If
you've never been to the Rockies, this would be a sensible decision. You
wouldn't get as many species as Minnesota, but what you saw would certainly
be different than what you get in the mid Atlantic.  Temps would be
bearable to cold in summer, depending on where you're at.  You have the
added benefit of a corresponding ABA/Lane guide [for Colorado].
 Some selected goodies might include White-tailed Ptarmigan, Pine Grosbeak,
Gray Jay, Mountain Chickadee, Northern Goshawk, Clark's Nutcracker,
Steller's Jay, Black-billed Magpie, and Brown-capped Rosy-Finch.

Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota
     I'm not familiar with this park, but North Central Minnesota offers
more than 90 breeding species--one of the highest in North America.  Kim
Eckert's book on birding there is the best reference.  You can also get a
smattering of suggestions from Jerry Cooper's Planning N.A. Birding Trips,
too.

Great Smoky Mountain National Park in TN
     Pleasant scenery, lots of humidity, and decent, but not terrific
birding.  You'll get a few goodies, but many of the birds would be the same
as what you can find in the mid Atlantic.

Big Bend National Park in Texas
     A great birding place in April-May.  June-August can be unbearably
hot.  July rains help cool things off, though.  This is your best shot
among your choices to pick up a true rarity.  ABA/Lane guide for Texas Rio
Grande covers Big Bend well.  Even with the heat, I might be tempted to
make this my first choice.  Some selected goodies might include Colima
Warbler (sings from April thru June), Varied Bunting, Gray Vireo, Lucifer
Hummingbird (find a blooming agava and sit and wait!), Phainopepla, Hepatic
& Summer Tanagers, Inca & Com Ground Doves, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher,
Canyon Towhee, Spotted Towhee, Black-chinned & Black-throated Sparrows,
Blue-throated, Black-chinned, and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Band-tailed
Pigeon, Western Screech-Owl, etc...

-Greg Miller
Lusby, MD