Travelogue

This travelogue is intended to document my travels and explorations during 2018, particularly throughout my sabbatical semester. Bird counts are for the 2018 year. I will attempt (but will most certainly fail) to post daily. 

1 Jan 18: Woke up in Glamis Hot Springs. First bird of the year…Loggerhead Shrike, with Carly and Lina. Birded Wister Unit (Salton Sea) with Carly and family. Saw a beautiful Vermilion Flycatcher. Birded visitor center and Unit 1. Added a Common Ground-dove to my life list and ended the day with a beautiful sunset then pizza and beer in Brawley, CA.Bird Count: 63 species

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Vermilion Flycatcher at Salton Sea, 1 Jan 18.

2 Jan 18: Woke up in Brawley, CA. Watched the sunrise and thousands of Snow and Ross’s Geese take flight, alongside Sandhill Cranes, at Unit 1 of Salton Sea. Had a stunning encounter with a Peregrine Falcon along Poe Rd, before finding some Snowy Plovers. Drove home through Anza-Borrego with stops along the way. Bird Count: 71 species

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Peregrine Falcon perched on Poe Rd, Salton Sea.

4 Jan 18: Woke up in Costa Mesa, CA. Bird Count: 86 species

6 Jan 18: Woke up in Costa Mesa, CA. Participated in Sea and Sage Audubon’s CBC Rarities Tour – a whirlwind search for rare birds reported during Christmas Bird Count. Added Clay-colored Sparrow (being chased by Chipping Sparrows at HCP) and Chestnut-sided Warbler (such a beauty! gleaning in Eucalyptus at HCP) to my life list. Met some great new folks. Bird Count: 133 species.

7 Jan 18 – 10 Jan 18: Woke up in Costa Mesa, CA. Time with family and friends. Local park explorations with Stella. Packing and preparing for upcoming adventure!

11 Jan 18: Woke up in Costa Mesa, CA and drove to Arroyo Grande, CA (5 to 166 because of 101 closure due to SB mudslides). Added a Yellow-billed Magpie to my life list while driving along the 166. Checked-in on the Garganey in Waller Park (still there!). Enjoyed a relaxing evening with Carly, Lina, and Viola. Bird Count: 136 species.

12 Jan 18: Woke up in Arroyo Grande, CA, before the sunrise. Checked-in at the Morro Bay Birding Festival where I joined the Big Day event. Birded Montana de Oro SP, Pecho Willows, Sweet Springs Nature Preserve, and various locales around Morro Bay. Added Eurasion Wigeon to my life list. Bird Count: 169 species.

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Morro Rock and distant shore birds.

13 Jan 18: Woke up in Morro Bay, CA. Hiking Big Day with Carly! Birded on foot for 8 miles around Morro Bay. Added Canyon Wren to my life list at Morro Rock. Watched tons of Surf Scoters take cover from the heavy winds. Loved sharing the day and the moments with a dear friend. Listened to keynote speaker, George Armistead, talk about the oddness and wonder of birders. Finished it off with big belly laughs that make you cry over cocktails named after birds. Bird Count: 170 species.

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Osprey in Morro Bay, observed during Hiking Big Day.

14 Jan 18:Woke up in Morro Bay, CA. Birded El Chorro Regional Park with Carly. Departed Morro Bay for home, via the Carrizo Plain. Winter in the Carrizo Plain is a stark contrast to the spring “superbloom”, but the scenery is just as impressionable and surprises still lurk around many corners. And, no humans!

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Red-tailed Hawk. Soda Lake Rd, Carrizo Plain National Monument.

15 Jan 18 – 21 Jan 18: Woke up in Costa Mesa, CA. Home exploring and getting ready for South Africa trip! Bird Count: 180 species

22 Jan 18: LGB –> JFK

23 Jan 18: Woke up in NY. Enjoyed some time with mom before my big flight!

24 Jan 18: Woke up in NY. JFK –> JNB. 15 hour flight. No WiFi. No outlets and only ebooks.

25 Jan 18: Woke up somewhere over the Atlantic en route to South Africa. Made my way to Sunrock Guest Hotel. Sleep, bird, eat.

26 Jan 18: Woke up in Joburg. Birded around guest lodge. Bird Count: 200 species

27 Jan 18: Woke up in Joburg. Drove to Rue-de-Winter Nature Preserve and found over 100 species in the Bushveld and Wetlands. Ate lunch under the attentive eyes of a Vervet Monkey. Back to the Sunrock Guest Lodge for dinner and some much needed sleep. Bird Count: 292 species.

28 Jan 18: Woke up in Joburg then drove to Kruger National Park. Beautiful bushveld and highveld scenery en route. Afternoon drive through Kruger NP. Elephants, Impala, Kudu, and…..LEOPARD. Bird Count: 320 species

29 Jan 18: Woke up in Skukuza camp in Kruger NP (early! Left the Skukuza gates at 4:20 am). Continued our explorations of the southern portion of the park. Ridiculously beautiful and colorful birds – bee-eaters, rollers, hornbills, raptors, owls, kingfishers, etc. The Pygmy Kingfisher below was a lifer for our bird guide (and for me, of course) and he’s been guiding in Kruger for over 20 years. And more incredible mammal sightings (see: A Big Day for Big Cats). Bird Count: 370

30 Jan 18: Woke up in Skukuza camp, Kruger NP. More park explorations in mostly remote areas of the southern portion of the park. Ticked off the “Big 5” – Lion, African Elephant, Leopard, African Buffalo, and Rhinoceros. And, of course, a whole bunch of new birds. Beautiful landscapes. And the heart-spotting Cheetah encounter followed by a lion pride. We ended with a night-drive and although mammal activity was scarce, we saw both a Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl and a Spotted Eagle-Owl. Bird Count: 402

31 Jan 18: Woke up in Skukuza Camp, Kruger NP. Sad to leave Kruger, but excited to explore other areas of South Africa. After some morning birding, we departed for the rather long drive to Wakkerstroom, a birder’s paradise in Mpumalanga, on the border of KwaZulu-Natal. Arrived at a lovely bed and breakfast where we were greeted by Malachite Sunbirds frequenting honeysuckle, Sacred Ibis, and African Wood Hoopooe foraging on the ground. Bird Count: 418

1 Feb 18: Woke up in Wakkerstroom. Larks and Pipits! Quite a different birding experience from Kruger! Wakkerstroom is home to some super rare regional endemics in the high-altitude grasslands around Wakkerstroom, including a Botha’s Lark who we found on a nest, so took a quick look then left it alone. We flushed a Rudd’s Lark at Fickland Pan. We enjoyed a wonderful meal and some wine to reward ourselves after a day of challenging birding. Bird Count: 458

2 Feb 18: Woke up in Wakkerstroom. Birded around Wakkerstrom Wetlands and picked up a few new birds, including a Little Bittern and two magnificent Gray-crowned Cranes. Had the most amazingly delicious breakfast at the Wetlands Guest Lodge and then made the drive to the Mkuze region in northern KwaZulu-Natal. It is lush and humid and unlike the grassland and savannah habitats we’ve been in up to this point. It’s as close to a rainforest as one would get in South Africa. My room is nestled down a dirt path in a Sand Forest and I’m getting ready to fall asleep to the sound of heavy winds, rain, thunder and lightning. Looking forward to exploring new spots tomorrow! Bird Count: 473

3 Feb 18: Woke up at Umkhumbi Lodge and made our way to iSimangaliso Wetland Park, in the Umkhuze area. iSimangaliso means miracle and wonder…yup, that’s about right. This region is renonowned for its habitat diversity – including Sand Forest, a rare and localized dry forest biome. We added quite a few new bird species to our list, including the Little Bee-eater below. I was also quite excited to finally see some Dung Beetles in action! Bird Count: 497

4 Feb 18: Left Umkhumbi lodge and spent some time in Sand forest before traveling to the coastal town of St. Lucia. Checked-in at the Kingfisher Lodge than explored the Igwalagwala Forest Trail and St. Lucia Estuary – first time seeing the Indian Ocean! Found a couple new weaver species (African Golden Weaver and Southern Brown-throated Weaver) and watched as a male constructed a nest. Bird Count: 529

5 Feb 18: Woke up in St. Lucia. Early morning forest walk on Igwalagwala trail. Found a few target birds (Woodward’s Batis) and had an incredible run-in with a Buff-spotted Flufftail, after hearing it call from the forest understory. This bird belongs to Africa’s most skulking and elusive bird family and is rarely seen (even by those desperately trying to tick it!). Made it to the coast, and put my toes in the Indian Ocean for the first time. Shortly after, a Blue Monkey jumped in my lap while I was eating lunch and tried to grab a sandwich right out of my hands. Had our closest looks yet at Water Buffalo, Black Rhino, and Hippo. Bird Count: 539

6 Feb 18: Woke up at Kingfisher Lodge in St. Lucia. Morning in the subtropical forest of Dlinza (near Eshowe), climbed up to the forest canopy and enjoyed the views from a 20 m high forest canopy. Back to the forest floor, lucky to get great views of a Spotted Ground Thrush and Tambourine Dove. Another highlight of the day – Palm Nut Vulture in Mtunzi. Ended the day in Hilton, getting us closer to the Midlands and, ultimately, the Sani Pass! Bird Count: 546

7 Feb 18: Woke up in Hilton. Early morning drive to Karkloof. Explored the beautiful Benvie gardens – lush forest with oaks and cedars, ferns growing on trees, Lycopodium everywhere, moss-covered starts, streamside wild strawberries. Impendle Nature Preserve (no Blue Swallows, but beautiful views). Bird Count: 564

8 Feb 18: Woke up in Heimvele at Karmichael Farms. Sani Pass to Lesotho – most beautiful landscapes yet! Bird Count: 593

10 Feb 18: Woke up somewhere between South Africa and NY. Sad to be leaving and wishing I could stay longer. Final South Africa Bird Count: 421 species, 407 of which were lifers! The final new bird on my South Africa list was a Blue Crane, the national bird of South Africa.

15 Feb 18: Woke up in NY, where I will stay for a bit to take care of a post-surgical mom. Managed to walk around Hempstead Lake SP and see Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, and American Black Duck. Bird Count: 599

19 Feb 18: Woke up in my own bed, in Costa Mesa, CA, for the first time in awhile.

22 Feb 18: Woke up in Costa Mesa ridiculously early and drove to San Diego for “Birding the Borders” with the San Diego Bird Festival. More on the trip here. Rainy and cold, but good to spend time with some familiar birds for the first time in awhile! Bird Count: 609

23 Feb 18: Woke up in San Diego. Birding Big Day was a whirlwind tour of SD hotspots. A whole bunch of year birds including an unexpected American Redstart and a lifer Little Blue Heron and a pair of very distant Nazca Boobies! Bird Count: 626

24 Feb 18: Woke up in San Diego and drove to  Cuyamaca and Laguna Mountains, covered in a dusting of snow. Ecstatic to have fantastic views of a beautiful Williamson’s Sapsucker and Lewis’s Woodpecker. Love mountains and love mountain birds. Bird Count: 632

25 Feb 18: Woke up in San Diego and got on a boat. Full day pelagic trip followed by “booby cruise” to get closer looks at Nazca boobies. Bird Count: 641

26 Feb 18: Woke up in San Diego. Found a Lifer Painted Redstart in Crown Point Park. Explored Ramona Grasslands Preserve and found a Western Screech-Owl in an Oak cavity. Watched the Ramona Harris’s Hawk soar then perch in a tree. Arrived in Anna-Borrego SP. Bird Count: 645

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27 Feb 18: Woke up in Anza-Borrego, to the smell of Creosote after the rain. Hiked Yaqui Well….it’s dry in the desert, not many blooms, but some nice birds along the trail – Costa’s Hummingbird, Verdin, Orange-crowned Warbler, American Kestrel, Loggerhead Shrike, Black-throated Sparrow and a lovely Long-eared Owl in a Tamarisk tree. Drove and hiked to see an Elephant Tree. Bird Count: 640; California Count: 219.

28 Feb 18: Woke up in Anza-Borrego to chilly temperatures and sunny, clear skies. 6-mile hike through Hellhole Canyon. So few flowers blooming and such a dramatic contrast to last year’s “superbloom”, but still so gorgeous. Very birdy along the trail… Cactus Wrens acting all dramatic, Loggerhead shrikes posing nicely, Phainopepla calling, Black-throated Sparrows feeding and following me up the trail. The trail takes you to a waterfall which is just a trickle at the moment, but still enough to support Maidenhair Ferns, Stream Orchids, and a stand of Desert Fan Palms. Canyon Wrens are singing along the trail and a confiding individual posed for a photo. Bird Count: 651; California Count: 230.

3 Mar 18: Woke up in Costa Mesa and drove to Ojai, with a few stops along the way. Tacos and brews at Poseidon Brewing Co. with Samantha then exploring for birds with Samantha, Adrienne, and baby Mazzy Rue around Ormond Beach and Ventura Settling ponds.

4 Mar 18: Woke up in Ojai, CA. Coffee with Nathan and Samantha, while checking out their yard birds. Lovely walk through Ojai Meadows Preserve with snow covered Topa Topa Mountains in the background. A pair of Lawrence’s Goldfinces and a Great Horned Owl sitting on a nest were the bird highlights of the morning. A stroll through Carpinteria Salt Marsh was capped with a Greater Roadrunner crossing our path. Birding was followed by a Green Tea IPA at Brew Lab.

6 Mar 18: Woke up in Ojai, CA and made my way to the absolutely beautiful Sedgwick Reserve in Santa Ynez, CA. Bird Count: 656; California Count: 235.

7 Mar 18: Woke up in Santa Ynez, CA at the Sedgwick Reserve. Met up with a group of birders that conduct weekly surveys of the reserve, Fred and Fred and Laura. We started at the pond, which is mostly filled with cattails, and saw Lawrence’s Golfinch, Oak Titmouse, Lark Sparrows, and loads of White-crowned Sparrow and Golden-crowned Sparrows. We heard Virginia Rail and Sora calling from the cattails. We then explored the Blue Oak Woodlands and saw a soaring Bald Eagle, a Red-tailed Hawk on a nest, and my favorite Yellow-billed Magpies. Bird Count: 657; California Count: 236.

8 Mar 18: Woke up in Santa Ynez, CA at the Sedgwick Reserve. Explored more areas of this gorgeous 7,000 acre preserve. Hiked the Blue Schist Trail – so gorgeous. A few flowers starting to bloom and a quite a few more looking like they are on their way. Beautiful Dudleyas along trail and lichens bursting with color. Incredible views as the trail climbed up to a Gray Pine Forest. Bird Count: 657; California Count: 236.

9 Mar 18: Woke up in Santa Ynez, CA at the Sedgwick Reserve. Photographed a confiding Sage Thrasher and spent some time watching Red-winged Blackbird antics at the Sedgwick Pond. Hiked trail near Figueroa Mountain Rd. Evening amphibian adventures, exploring ponds and troughs for Western Toads and eggs. Western Screech-owl, Barn Owl, and Great Horned Owl. Wild Turkeys roaming the ranch near sunrise.

17 Mar 18: Woke up in Costa Mesa, CA and drove to Carrizo Plain NM. Cool and stormy weather, but pretty fun adventuring off-road in the rain. Not very birdy, and few flowers in bloom, but Carrizo Plain is always magical.

18 Mar 18: Woke up in Arroyo Grande, CA. Hiked Cal Poly Canyon with Carly and the girls. Drove to Big Sur via Nacimiento Rd, because southern route is still blocked due to last year’s landslide. Arrived at Treebones in time to watch a spectacular sunset over the Pacific.

19 Mar 18: Woke up in Big Sur, CA. Happy Birthday to me! What a glorious way to spend the first day of the last year of my thirties. Lounged and enjoyed the spectacular view at Treebones then made my way to Limekiln SP. Hiked to the falls and the Limekilns and explored the beach. Added my first lifer since SD Harris’s Hawk – a Pacific Wren singing his heart out alongside the Limekiln Creek. Watched northbound Gray Whales from a hot tub. Bird Count: 659; California Count: 239.

20 Mar 18: Woke up at Treebones in Big Sur, CA. Enjoyed a lazy morning, with coffee and a view and a second reading of East of Eden. Drove the PCH in the rain, but managed a quick stroll at Julia Pfeiffer SP to check out the falls. Birded Pt. Pinos and watched a raft of sea otters and a northbound Humpback Whale quite close to shore (note to self: go back to Pt. Pinos when its not raining…what a spectacular spot!). Bird Count: 660; California Count: 240.

21 Mar 18: Woke up in Monterey, CA. I meant to drive all the way to Greenwood, but the rain (and beautiful Pt. Pinos) caused me to pause. Enjoyed a drive through a part of the world I used to live near and my heart still longs for! Made a random stop at Bernal Creek in Pleasanton and enjoyed a lovely walk under stormy skies and some good birds! Drove through Auburn, across the American River, and arrived in Greenwood, CA.

22 Mar 18: Woke up in Greenwood to pouring rain! So nice to sleep late and listen the rain on the roof of my little studio at Skylark. Spent the late afternoon at the Colusa NWR. We spotted a Bald Eagle upon arrival and took our time on the auto route. What a great place to bird! Hundreds of Snow Geese and Greater White-fronted Geese and my first Ring-necked Pheasant of the year!

25 Mar 18: Woke up in Costa Mesa, CA, drove to San Diego, then to Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains. Sunset walk through an oak-juniper woodland, where Coues’ deer foraged and feisty Bridled Titmouses taunted us alongside marauding Mexican Jays and cheerful Painted Redstarts.

26 Mar 18: Woke up in Bog Springs Campground in Madera Canyon. Lifer Canyon Towhee hopped around at breakfast. Within 30 minutes of exploring the Madera Creek picnic area, we spotted the bird of the trip!….the incredible Elegant Trogon. Feeders at Santa Rita Lodge were quite an experience….including a visit from a family of Coatimundis!

27 Mar 18: Woke up in Bog Springs Campground for another awesome day of exploring the Sky Islands. After a nice drive along Proctor Rd, and a great Crissal Thrasher sighting, we headed to Patagonia Lake State Park and spent time birding around the visitor center and along the Birding Trail. So fun to visit this park that I first learned about from “The Big Year” movie 🙂 We also stopped at the Paton Center for Hummingbirds and enjoyed more of the “feeder experience”, including a Violet-crowned Hummingbird!

28 Mar 18: Woke up at Bog Springs Campground and packed up to leave for Ramsey Canyon! We discovered, upon arrival, that it was closed and so decided to explore Carr Canyon instead…what a fortunate mistake! We arrived at the Reef Townsite CG and found Buff-breasted Flycatcher and a Tufted Flycatcher!! And…..a tip on where to located a Spotted Owl! Explored Miller Canyon and then San Pedro Riparain NCA and ended the day in Bisbee, AZ.

29 Mar 18: Woke up in Bisbee, AZ and drove to Cave Creek Canyon in the Chiricahua Mountains. Set up camp at Sunny Flat CG. Majestic views! And, Lifer #800…Blue-throated Hummingbird.

30 Mar 18: Woke up in Cave Creek Canyon. Drove up to Rustler Park and Barfoot Park and enjoyed the high altitude views. Nuthatches and Kinglets and Woodpeckers, and Northern Pygmy-Owl! Montezuma Quail adventure.

31 Mar 18: Woke up at Sunny Flat CG in Cave Creek Canyon, packed up camp, headed home to California!

5 Apr 18: Woke up in Costa Mesa, CA and drove to Yucca Valley to explore the Burns Piñon Ridge Reserve. Desert birds and wildflowers and a beautiful sunset.

7 April 18: Woke up at Burns Pinon Reserve and spent the day exploring Joshua Tree NP. Lifer Scott’s Oriole!

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13 Apr 18: Woke up in Ojai, CA. Left in morning to drive through Eastern Sierra. Stopped in Randsburg, CA. Yellow-headed Blackbird at Dirty Sox Springs. Ended day in Alabama Hills.

14 Apr 18: Woke up in Lone Pine, CA. Explored White Mountains and Aspendell and areas around Bishop. Watched a huge flock of American White Pelicans soar over the 395.

15 Apr 18: Woke up in Bishop, CA. Explored Benton Crossing, drove through Mono Lake, then headed north and west, arriving in Greenwood, CA.

16 Apr 18: Woke up at Skylark in Greenwood, CA. Rainy, stormy, lazy day.

17 Apr 18:Woke up at Skylark in Greenwood, CA. Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area for Marsh Sandpiper!!

20 Apr 18: Woke up, sad, in New York. I am here to spend time with family and to mourn the passing of my “little” cousin Gardner. He had a big smile and an adventurous spirit. He was loved by dogs and he loved trees and plants and farming – all things that earn someone very high status in my book. He will be missed.

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28 Apr 18: Woke up at Skylark in Greenwood, CA. Hiked and explored Table Mountain Ecological Reserve. Gorgeous spring wildflower blooms, waterfalls, Lazuli Bunting!

3 May 18: Woke up at Skylark in Greenwood, CA and drove to Elko, NV!

4 May 18: Woke up in Elko, NV. Explored the gorgeous Ruby Mountains and Lamoille Canyon. Continued on to Utah.

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5 May 18: Woke up in Wyoming. So much Big Sky! Randomly found a great birding spot along the road – Sweetwater Wetlands. Lots of ducks, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, and Phalaropes, with a Bald Eagle perched nearby. Beautiful Drive through Medicine Bow NF.

6 May 18: Woke up in a random motel in Ogallala, NE. I was initially turned out by smells and sights of Nebraska but then I found the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center and the Rowe Sanctuary. Beautiful tallgrass prairies and amazing grassland birds. And, a wonderful look at this juvenile Bald Eagle soaring over the Platte River.

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7 May 18: Woke up in Iowa, determined to make it to NW Ohio for the Biggest Week in American Birding. A whole lot of driving without many stops. Crossed the Mississippi River! Made it to the festival just in time to register for a few events AND for my first stroll on the Magee Marsh Boardwalk!

8 May 18: Woke up in Elmore, OH! Promptly headed to Michigan…haha! Birded Erie Marsh Preserve and Point Mouillee State Park. Ended the day at the Magee Boardwalk (how could I stay away!!). Even more warblers….including a CERULEAN WARBLER!

9 May 18: Woke up in Elmore, OH. Attended a day trip with the “Biggest Week in American Birding” festival. Great birding and an inspiration day – listed to a panel of Big Year Birders (who all also happened to be women) and met the incredible Kenn Kaufman.

10 May 18: Woke up in Elmore, OH. Another amazing day at the Magee Marsh Boardwalk…pretty much all day! Lifer Yellow-billed Cuckoo!!!!!!!!!

11 May 18: Woke up in Elmore, OH (and can’t even begin to think about leaving!). Explored the Metzger Marsh and Pearson Metropark. Its chilly, but so enjoy wandering through these eastern deciduous woodlands. Another evening at Magee Marsh – it is new every time I go!

12 May 18: Woke up in Elmore, OH (yes, i’m still here). Rainy day, perfect to drive the auto route through Ottawa NWR. Everyone was quite excited about the Black-necked Stilt 🙂 I was happy to see Dunlin in their breeding plumage. Rain cleared up just in time for an evening walk through Magee Marsh….first look at a Blue-winged Warbler and more general Warbler Wonderland. I never want to leave.

13 May 18: Woke up in Elmore, OH. I was supposed to attend a festival trip, and I slept late….well, kind of. I chose to go back to sleep after determining that no one in their right mind would go out in the midst of the crazy thunder, lightning, and torrential rain that I woke up to. So, I slept in and headed to Oak Openings solo. A really beautiful park with lovely trails and some great birds – Indigo Bunting, Wilson’s Warbler, Field Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Eastern Phoebe. As I am preparing to leave, I spot the festival group that I was supposed to have been with. So…I start to walk over to see how they did, and notice that they are all freaking out. As I get closer, I see why….a KIRTLAND’s WARBLER!!!!! He stayed long enough for me to get some good looks, and then took off (much to the disappointment of birders who quickly rushed to this spot). Such good luck on my part! Ended the day with another magical evening at Magee Marsh.

14 May 18: Still here, Elmore, OH. Spent a rainy morning catching up on photos, and then back to Magee!

15 May 18: Last morning in Elmore, OH! Spent the morning at Magee Marsh. So hard to leave, even after taking extra days!

16 May 18: Woke up in Defiance, IN and drove to Eagle Creek State Park. So impressed by the Ornithology Center and trails. Had incredible views at this Pileated Woodpecker that landed right in front of my car as I was lacing up!

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17 May 18: Woke up in Bloomington, IN and drove to John James Audubon State Park. Spent time in the museum reveling in Audubon’s original works. Hiked around lake, checked into incredibly cute cottage.

18 May 18: Woke up in Henderson, KY. Waited out the thunderstorms in my lovely cottage. Went for a beautiful hike during the late afternoon break in the rain. Pileated Woodpecker, Indigo Bunting, Scarlet Tanager, Wood Thrush. Bird Count: 790; ABA Count; 380; California Count: 270

1 Aug 18: Woke up in Costa Mesa, CA. Bird Count: 828; ABA Count; 419; California Count: 313

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