Mid-Atlantic - May 2025 - Trip List

We vistited six States and finished on 131 species, a decent return for just three days. Delaware headed the list, with West Virginia a surprising second. New Jersey, added just because, trails on 33. For me Delaware and West Virginia were entirely new, but I also added birds for the first time in Pennsylvania and Virginia, whilst Maryland felt new as I'd constructed a list of perhaps two birds that I definitely remembered from visiting my Aunt a few years ago before eBird came into my life.

The full list of species has been lovingly curated below in the usual format - this is actually pretty straightforward once you have a method. As you can see a lot of Warblers, 20 I think, despite seemingly missing loads. Late April or early May is prime time.

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Mid-Atlantic - May 2025 - Day 3 - West Virginia and Virginia

We had arrived in West Virginia overnight and this being a new State it was important to get the list going immediately. This involved standing around the car for a couple of minutes ticking all the usual suspects like Mockingbird, Robin, Grackle and so on. This early in the morning there were a couple of Chimney Swift quite low - we hardly ever saw these during the day, not sure where they go. Perhaps they are very high up?

Our destination was Stauffer's Marsh, just over one of the first of the Appalachian ridges. We had to follow a very slow school bus for a while, bear in mind that this is 6.30am....poor kids. Once clear of this we found ourselves on a fabulous road that went up and then along a ridge. It looked like excellent birding as and soon as we found a place to stop we did. It was so productive we stayed in this one spot for over an hour generally being frustrated by Merlin which heard everything, almost none of which we could actually see. The tactic was to see what was being heard and then see if we could triangulate that and home in on it. This included pishing which was once again remarkably effective on some species. Birds we actually saw included Red-bellied Woodpecker and Northern Flicker and Pileated Woodpecker. On the Warbler front we added two Worm-eating Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler and Yellow-rumped Warbler, but the full list of Warblers present was sadly much longer. Also of note was a Yellow-billed Cuckoo which we could hear higher up on the ridge calling repeatedly but which never came near us. Once we had actually seen this later on at Stauffer's Marsh we added it retrospectively.

Stauffer's Marsh

Stauffer's was excellent. There is small area to park that will hold perhaps half a dozen cars, and then you walk out to the water's edge and around a small section of it before heading into the forest and the creek. Yellow-billed Cuckoo seemed to be everywhere, the trees in front, behind, and on one occasion flying over the water. There were several Solitary Sandpiper and Spotted Sandpiper, and a Belted Kingfisher surveyed the pool. Tree Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow and Barn Swallow sallied over the water, and a Eastern Kingbird flew from perch to perch. 

Within the treeline we found five species of Woodpecker, Red-headed being new, and a very smart Louisiana Waterthrush was on the small stream by the bridge and later relocated to the creek. Yellow Warblers were common, as were Common Yellowthroat, and a male American Redstart responded to pishing. The trail took us back via a meadow, and in this open area we had views of a fly-over Red-shouldered Hawk as well as a couple of Field Sparrow. In short this was an excellent area and we saw a lot in a short space of time.

A Killdeer flew over the car as we headed back east towards Maryland and Virginia. Our destination was Harper's Ferry, a famous Civil War site where three states intersect at the Shenandoah River. We stayed on the West Virginia bit, birding Murphy Farm where the focus is on the historic battlefield. One of the cannons on display had an Eastern Bluebird nesting in the barrel, and the grassy meadow had Eastern Meadowlark displaying. We went into the woods here, there are several trails that head towards the river. We didn't go especially far as it was already nearly midday, but we went far enough to find Eastern Wood-Pewee, Wood Thrush, Hermit Thrush, Baltimore Oriole, Parula, Redstart, Scarlet Tanager and Indigo Bunting. Yellow-rumped Warbler were especially common.

In the historic village/museum of Harper's Ferry itself we went down the to water to look at the Shenandoah. I've heard this name mentioned I don't know how many times in various songs and literature, it was interesting to actually be here. I'd imagine this place is very popular with history buffs. I do sometimes think is shame I only really focus on birds given how much other interest there can sometimes be at the places I visit. Best stick to sewage farms to ensure you know you're not missing out on anything else. Chimney Swift were over the buildings, and we finally picked out American Black Vulture amongst the commoner Turkey Vultures. 

At 2pm or so we crossed into Virgina, the final State of the trip. The sky was beginning to look ominous and as we arrived at Sweet Run State Park it started to bucket down. Thoughts of going on a long walk receded. Instead we birded along Arnold Lane near the sawmill and this was actually pretty good, with Raven breeding on a pylon, a pair of American Kestrel, Red-headed and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, another Meadowlark, Bluebirds, Chipping Sparrow, a vocal Orchard Oriole and a distant Red-shouldered Hawk. 

We diverted south to Lake Frederick to add Great Northern Diver to the list, a bird rather incongruously floating around on a somewhat suburban lake, along with three Spotted Sandpiper, Brown Thrasher and Warbling Vireo.

The final site I had earmarked for the trip was the State Arboretum. This was picked for its proximity to Dulles rather than sensational birding, although the eBird lists looked decent. In the end it was rather a let-down really, very quiet at 4.30pm. We gamely struggled on though, building up a list of 23 species but it felt like the trip was over. A nice colony of Purple Martin were perhaps the highlight but we barely added anything new here. A last hurrah close to the airport resulted in driving in circles around some habitat that we had no idea how to access, at which point a dramatic thunderstrom called an end to proceedings. The rain was torrential as we closed in on the rental car centre, with dramatic forked lightning and dark charcoal skies. 

Eastern Meadowlark

Purple Martin

Northern Cardinal

Mid-Atlantic - May 2025 - Day 2 - Maryland and Pennsylvania

Today was about Maryland and Pennsylvania. Our first stop of the day was in the former, Swan Harbor Farm where the Susquehanna river empties into Chesapeake Bay. Arriving just after daybreak we found a Wood Duck in the water near the bridge just before you turn down the entrance lane. A good start and another new bird for the trip. We spent a bit of time in this area as it got light, listening mainly, picking out Hairy Woodpecker, White-throated Sparrow, Carolina Wren, Eastern Wood Pewee, Great Crested Flycatcher and American Robin. Once at the Farm we parked in the visitor area and started on a circuit of the marsh - this on the left as you drive down and is a surprisingly large area. It was dull and overcast but with great birding all the way around, with a Solitary Sandpiper, and several of each Yellowlegs. More Wood Ducks, lots of Canada Geese, Red-winged Blackbird and Great Blue Heron, several Osprey and a Northern Harrier. We also heard a Sora and saw the American Moorhen which is apparently quite a scarce bird and which was being twitched by a couple of birders we saw later. A fair few Tree Swallow, Chipping Sparrow and American Goldfinch in this area too, and Northern Mockingbirds along the track. 

The wearther was holding (for now at least) and so crossing the entrance lane we walked around the south-western raised containment area. This seemed to be mostly dry, and contained lots of White-throated Sparrow, Cardinals, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher and a singing Prairie Warbler. Down by the Bay was not as birdy, but we added lots of Bald Eagle and a few Cormorant, and a Merganser flew north towards Harvre de Grace. Overall we spent about two and half hours here, really decent birding - the full list is here.

By now it was approaching 9am and the weather was deteriorating. It had been breezy all morning but now the first spots of rain were arriving. We drove up to Susquehanna State Park on the west side of the river with the intention of birding the Ridge trail near Rock Run, but before we could really get started the heavens opened. We added a Baltimore Oriole, a Northern Waterthrush and an American Redstart before being forced to rapidly retreat - fortunately we were not especially far from the car. It seemed very localised though, and sure enough a short distance south at the Lapidum boat ramp it was dry enough to start birding again. The trees around the car park held Northern Parula, Yellow-throated Warbler and a few other bits, and yet again we were bamboozled by singing birds that we simply could not get eyes on. Moving on to the Picnic area we experienced much the same, spending an hour under the cover of the canopy whilst hearing a constantly singing Kentucky Warbler that never showed. We did however manage to see both Nashville Warbler and Black-and-White Warbler here, and our first Eastern Phoebe.

By now the rain had set in properly and birding was impossible. Pausing for breakfast seemed like a good idea and we found a Denny's just over the river in Perryville. It was completely clear this side of the river but rather than go birding we stuffed our faces. I had a lumberjack slam which was totally ridiculous, that I couldn't finish, and that ensured I did not to eat for the rest of the day. We stayed here for an hour or so, consulting the rain radar whilst being restored by hot coffee and hash browns. It seemed that whilst not done there was a temporary gap we could use to add a few birds we had missed earlier.

Back at Lapidum we rapidly added a Caspian Tern and several Ring-billed Gulls on the river, and huge rafts of Double-crested Cormorants. Close to the crossroads here we had views of three Yellow-throated Warbler together, brought in by pishing, and a brilliant Worm-eating Warbler. Back at Rock Run a short session near the bridge added Spotted Sandpiper, Belted Kingfisher, Prothonotary Warbler and a friendly White-breasted Nuthatch. Driving north along the river and stopping at various points added Wood Thrush and Cerulean Warbler, but with the rain now starting to return and Pennsylvania beckoning we decided to call time on Maryland and get going.

White-breated Nuthatch

We crossed the State Line shortly before 3pm and could not resist stopping to get the list going. So a random pull-in near Stewartstown was where we kicked off with Yellow Warbler, Tree Swallow, Blue Jay and Song Sparrow amongst other species. Our first destination was still some way away though and we did not arrive until close to 4pm. This was the Lake Redman Boardwalk and was thoroughly enjoyable with a Green Heron, some nesting Warbling Vireo and Orchard Oriole, and some really showy Red-winged Blackbirds. The trees held some unexpected Cedar Waxwing, I guess we associate the family with cold weather but it's just a regular bird here in the US. This tiny trail also had Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Kingbird, Baltimore Oriole, Song Sparrow, Rough-winged Swallow, Northern Flicker and several Yellow Warbler.

Red-winged Blackbird

Our final destination of the day was Gifford Pinchot State Park near Harrisburg which has several sites you can bird around a large lake. We chose the east side as it was closest, but I later felt the west side had better trees. Mick talked me out of it and we spent the rest of the day here seeing quite a lot. The best area was perhaps around the car park and a little further south, with our first Yellow-rumped Warblers in the trees with a Palm Warbler, a Veery near the lake and a Scarlet Tanager along a trail near the frisbee course (yes, this is a thing). Overall we saw close to 40 species here ensuring that our Pennsylvania list ticked over quite nicely, but it wasn't until the end of the day the we found any Warblers and as ever they were right at the top of the canopy. American Robins were everywhere, and Wood Thrush began to sing as the day drew to a close. 

Chipping Sparrow

Tufted Titmouse

American Robin

We were not quite done though. Using eBird's target function we found that between us and West Virginia was a reliable site for Eastern Whip-poor-will in the Michaux State Forest. We were astounded as we arrived close to the pin along a quiet mountain road just after dark to see a bird in the car headlights. There were perhaps two or three present, feeding along the road, sometimes perching on it, and making a huge racket. Fantastic! I had only ticked this bird for the first time in Maine two years ago, and had not actually seen the birds, so get a view of one was really quite special. Our lodgings for the night were in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and we arrived pretty late. Luckily the Denny's extravaganza meant we didn't need to find somewhere to eat.

Pick a side

We pause the Mid-Atlantic for a few words from one of its greatest sons. Bruce Springsteen. This is what he had to say in Manchester last night. How I wish I had been there. I've said a few words here from time to time, but Springsteen nails it. He tells it like he is. I could not be more proud of a true American. Pick a side. Bruce has.

In my home, the America I love, the America I've written about that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous administration.

[...]

Now, there's some very weird, strange and dangerous shit going on out there right now.

In America, they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent. This is happening now.

In America, the richest men are taking satisfaction in abandoning the world's poorest children to sickness and death. This is happening now.

In my country, they're taking sadistic pleasure in the pain that they inflict on loyal American workers, they're rolling back historic Civil Rights legislation that led to a more just and plural society, they're abandoning our great allies and siding with dictators against those struggling for their freedom.

They're defunding American universities that won't bow down to their ideological demands. They're removing residents off American streets and, without due process of law, are deporting them to foreign detention centers and prisons. This is all happening now.

A majority of our elected representatives have failed to protect the American people from the abuses of an unfit president and a rogue government.

They have no concern or idea of what it means to be deeply American. The America that I've sung to you about for 50 years is real, and regardless of its faults, is a great country with a great people.

So we'll survive this moment.

Now, I have hope because I believe in the truth of what the great American writer James Baldwin said. He said, in this world, there isn't as much humanity as one would like. But there's enough.

Let's pray.

Mid-Atlantic - May 2025 - Day 1 - Delaware and New Jersey

The drive from Dulles to Dover takes you around Washington DC, past Annapolis and over Chesapeake Bay, through the east side of Maryland and finally into Delaware along country roads. It was a very late night and I didn't go to sleep until the time I would normally be waking up. The trip had been planned like this so at to be in position near Bombay Hook NWR first thing on Saturday morning. This had seemed like the best birding spot in northern Delaware in terms of species diversity, a good place to start the trip. 

Remarkably we started the first eBird list at 6.47am, sleep playing second fiddle to a deep desire to get out birding. Like many nature reserves in the US Bombay Hook is a drivable loop, and I am sure you will not be surprised to learn that the vast majority of birders and photographers don't even get out of their cars, they simply cruise along with optics pointing out of the window, stopping when they see something interesting or vaguely close. This of course then leads to small gaggles of vehicles (engines running!) all stopped together as the people behind are curious as to what the car in front has seen. Not really my style. That said, it was a great reserve with vast numbers of waders and as such it was a great shame that I did not have a scope - I really need to invest in a tiny travel scope, possibly not even of tremendous quality, just to cater for these situations. Our first stop was the tower at Raymond Pool, a short walk from a small car park - naturally we were the only people there. The pool is enormous, and was carpeted with Dunlin, Semipalmated Plover, Short-billed Dowitcher, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs and Least Sandpipers. We identified these by virtue of them being on the closest shoreline, but there were birds as far as the eye could see. Bald Eagles cruised overhead with Osprey, and a Northern Harrier passed over. In the scrub underneath the tower were a Yellowthroat, White-eyed Vireo and numerous Catbirds and Red-winged Blackbirds, whilst Orchard Oriole and Yellow Warbler sang at eye level and a Brown Thrasher dashed through. As we headed back towards the car a Pileated Woodpecker started to drum, Carolina Wrens sang, and a Red-eyed Vireo was high above us. Why are the trees in America so tall?

Raymond Pool

The Boardwalk Trail was having some work done so we carried on the Shearness Pool which was probably six times the size of Raymond's. The first Willet, more Great Blue Heron and Snowy Egret, Mute Swans, Green-winged Teal and Grey Plover out on the saltmarsh, with Prothonotary Warbler, Swamp Sparrow, Marsh Wren and loads of Common Grackle along the margins. A good stop was at the head of the Parson's Point Trail, with another Pileated Woodpecker, a pair of Red-bellied Woodpecker, the first Ovenbirds, Great Crested Flycatcher, Wood Thrush, Blue Grosbeak and Indigo Bunting, and various warblers that Merlin picked up but that we couldn't locate - Black-and-White and Blackpoll amongst them. Our rules for using Merlin are quite straightforward. For a first sighting you can't count anything until you have actually seen it. For subsequent pick ups you can only count it if you can recognise it which obviously this early in the trip was extremely hard. By the end of the three days though we were confidently identifying lots of species on song, often before Merlin got there, including Ovenbird, Parula, Cardinal, Wood Thrush, Carolina Wren, Great Crested Flycatcher and Red-bellied Woodpecker. It is a great tool if used properly, and can really help the unfamiliar birder eke out species they would not have known were present. We found it indispensable. We did see a lot of absurd use though, of people simply wandering around with a phone in their hand. No binoculars, perhaps a camera, and Merlin presumably then became their eBird list. 

Red-winged Blackbird

Wood Thrush

Smaller pools along Dutch Neck Road gave up American Coot, a Black-necked Stilt, Green Heron, and close enough views of waders to be able to pick out definitive Semipalmated Sandpipers. We drove the full circuit at Bombay Hook over five hours, ending up with a list of 68 species which we thought was pretty decent. We had however burned tons of time not seeing at least 10 more species that Merlin had said were present, so the time was now close to midday and we were only just leaving our first stop. Per the itinerary I had carefully planned this was still within tolerance, in fact we were leaving slightly earlier than I had predicted so we were able to stop in the Augustine Wildlife Area a little further north whilst heading up to Wilmington where we turned left for Jersey. We chose Ashton Tract as this short stop, adding Downy Woodpecker, Cattle Egret, Field Sparrow and Pine Warbler to the ever-growing list.

We arrived at Fort Mott State Park in the great State of New Jersey just before 3pm, now perhaps later than I had planned, and birded the obvious forest trail to the east of the old gun emplacements towards the Civil War cemetery. This was excellent if a little quiet at this point in the day. Highlights included excellent views of Northern Waterthrush and Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, and Fish and American Crows side by side vocalising, which is always helpful for the uninitiated. New Jersey was a not a State tick, simply a side excursion to ensure we passed through all six in this area, as well as an opportunity to boost a feeble State list of just 37 gained from a few hours on Cape May in 2019 whilst in transit back to London. Fort Mott was chosen simply as it was the best looking site just over the Delaware border.

The woodland trail at Fort Mott SP

At about 4pm we crossed back into Delaware and headed back to Augustine, somewhat of an arse about tip way of doing things, but using eBird on the fly had meant we were alerted to a good area, Thousand Acre Marsh, that we had driven right past a few hours earlier. Seeing as it was not much of a detour to get back there that's what we did, picking up some Wild Turkey on the way. What had brought us back was recent and very precise news of a Wilson's Phalarope, Glossy Ibis and a Shoveler - the latter is admittedly not very exciting but we were pretty keen on the other two, especially the Phalarope. Our lack of scope let us down again and we could not find it. To be fair it should have shone out light a bright white beacon so I suspect it simply wasn't visible and was hiding in one of the smaller pools, however the duck was asleep on the far bank and some Glossy Ibis were feeding around the corner from where they had been reported. Yay! We also pulled a Sand Martin out of the many hirundines here. Of note were 14 Bald Eagles in one scan, all lined up along the shore. A pretty cool sight. With the day running out we birded a couple of sites close to here, Dragon Run Marsh, just over the canal, as well as the Canal Wildlife area, adding Pied-billed Grebe and Chimney Swift to the list. Disappointingly, and despite having taken great care, I also discovered a Deer Tick crawling on my clothes at this spot, as well as one in the car and one on my head. These had either come from standing stationary just that little bit too close to some grass, or they had parachuted commando style from overhanging branches as I passed. I constructed a brief strip search of myself, or as best I could manage in public, before we headed west to Maryland and our accomodation in Aberdeen which is a satellite town of Baltimore and close to Chesapeake Bay and the Susquehanna River which we would be birding tomorrow. It had been a long day but a good sleep beckoned. 84 species the tally.

Mid-Atlantic - May 2025 - Itinerary and logistics

The Mid-Atlantic, 3rd - 5th May 2025

This trip is another in my series of visits to the US aiming to travel to and bird in all fifty States. The Mid-Atlantic was rather an empty block despite my Aunt living in Maryland for many years and visiting several times. I also passed through Pennsylvania on a family trip about a decade ago without recording a single bird. As so many States abut each other in this area I constructed a route which over a long weekend would take in six different ones, three of them completely new, and righting the two wrongs above. Starting in Washtington DC I would drive east to Delaware, and then follow an anticlockwise loop passing through New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia before ending up back at Dulles. Early May is a wonderful time of year to be on the East Coast. Migration is in full swing so there is plenty of interest (Warblers!) and despite some massive storms the trip went exactly as planned. Mick joined me for the fun and to get a few world ticks. The possibilities for any US ticks for my list were slim - Nothern Bobwhite, Chuck-Will's-Widow and Ruffed Grouse. We didn't see any of them!

Logistics

• A three day trip over the early May bank holiday.

• Flights: from Heathrow to Washington DC on British Airways, leaving on Friday night and returning on Monday evening. The outbound journey was particularly exhausting as once we had arrived in DC it was nearly a three hour drive to the Delaware coast. I think we arrived at 1am which was 6am UK time, just as I would normally be getting up and I hadn't been to bed!

• Car Hire: Naturally I had wanted a Dodge Challenger but Avis didn't have any, and had to settle for a Toyota Camry. It was fine, the usual sloppy big-engined American nonsense but it did the job. As ever it was a competitive price, with little to choose between firms and models. Avis seems to have snuck a sneaky charge in after our return so beware of this.
• Driving: Ridiculously easy. A lot of the route was toll roads so we went for the EZ Pass flat fee.
• Weather: Decidedly awkward, with massive thunderstorms, lightning and torrential rain that washed out part of our second morning in Maryland, and which seemed to never be too far away at other times. We only had to run for the car once. Other than that it was warm and humid.
• Insects: Having been to New England in the spring I knew what to expect - mosquitos and ticks. I am not too bothered by the former but the latter I am hugely paranoid about. Despite being incredibly careful there were at least two occasions where we discovered deer ticks on our clothes, and I also found one in my hair. Speaking to locals there is nothing you can really do to prevent this and you just have to make sure you get them off before they settle in. Shower when you get in, and scrub the parts you can't see with a flannel.

• Accommodation: All three nights booked in advance based on the route and where we wanted to be for the morning birding. Regular chain motels like Super 8s. Cheap and cheerful.

• Food: OMG.

• Optics: No scope but we really could have used one at Bombay Hook NWR and at Augustine WA, both in Delaware, to scan the large pools for the numerous and often distant waders. Most of our birding was either in woodland or along forest edges though, so it was only really that one morning where we struggled. I need to invest in a travel scope.

• Literature: eBird! Merlin was also incredibly useful in working out what was around and then homing in on it.

Itinerary
Day 0: Arrived in Washington DC at around 9pm and then drove east over Chesapeake Bay to Dover, Delaware in order to be in position to bird Bombay Hook NWR from first light. We did not arrive until after 1am local time, and we were seriously flagging by the time we arrived.
Day 1: Bombay Hook NWR all morning. Then up the coast and over into to New Jersey to bird Fort Mott SP in the early afternoon. Back to Delaware late afternoon to try and clean up on a few species we had missed at Augustine WA, before driving east to Maryland and positioning just above Baltimore at a town called Aberdeen.

Day 2: Birded Swan Harbor Farm on the shores of Chesapeake Bay at first light, and then went up the river to Susquehanna SP. Unbirdable heavy rain curtailed this latter area almost immediately so we went and had an enormous brunch nearby before trying again. We had to dodge what were by now isolated showers, but the birding was really good with loads of birds out and feeding after the deluge. By mid afternoon we had moved north into Pennsylvania, birding Lake Redman and Gifford Pinchot SP near Harrisburg. Evening drive west into West Virginia staying overnight at Martinsburg.
Day 3: Early morning on one of the Appalachian slopes for a Warbler-fest before birding Stauffer's Marsh. Then east to Harper's Ferry, a notable Civil War site where WV, MD and VA collide. Then south into Virginia to bird a few sites for the rest of the day a whilst dodging the increasing storms as best we could. Late evening flight back to London and straight into work. Usual story.

Another four years

The nightmare has begun, another four years. How depressing. I felt fairly certain that it would happen, the only glimmer of hope when Kamala's candidacy rocketed out of the gates in August. Had the election been held there and then I had felt there was a chance. The Republicans had no answers, their entire campaign had been based on Joe Biden's age, they were high and dry. But they rallied, and somehow this crook of a man has just entered the White House again. Just think about Donald Trump's first term, and think about the things he and his clan have said and done since then. Any sane voter would have sent him and his odious family packing. But this is America.

I have a little skin in the game of course and it pains me that it should have come to this. The brilliance of turning the GOP of tea parties and country clubs into a baying mob of halfwits should not be underestimated. It's actually quite sensational. Whether he is all hot air or whether he does systematically dismember and neuter American democracy remains to be seen. He has already told his first lie, which is when he pledged to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution whilst taking his inaugural oath. Who sees that happening? Look forward to a flurry of Executive Orders later this evening, they're well publicised even if some of them are hugely impractical. But he has four years in which to dismantle centuries of good work and he's starting tomorrow.

On the eve of the inauguration I note that Melania has launched her own cryptocurrency. How very presidential. These days I suppose we should expect nothing less, and I have no doubt that all over the Midwest supporters will be parting with their hard-earned wages in order to further enrich what is essentially a dynasty of con artists. And all in the name of patriotism. Meanwhile Biden has felt moved to issue pre-emptive pardons for people who stood up for the rule of law on January 6th 2021, as well as for members of his family (beyond Hunter) for fear that the incoming administration will pursue them out of spite. I can see it happening, it is all part of the normalisation strategy. 

So another four years of hatred and lies beckons. The morals of tech CEOs need to be mentioned at this point. Through sheer greed, all of them already being richer than God, they have pivoted to Trump and will allow their platforms to spread his message of disinformation and division for the next four years. Fact-checking is so 2024. They're a big part of why we're where we are now, and it boils my blood to see them all lined up at the Capitol today in front row seats. So all those people who barely leave their houses and whose grasp of current affairs and geopolitics is essentially nil will now dominate the conversation unimpeded by anything as inconvenient as the truth. Conspiracy theories and bullshit are the new currencies. Well, and the $MELANIA of course. 

And as for Musk, a special place is reserved for him. What a dick, what a monumental bloated piece of shit. People should remember he's unelected, and the only thing that distinguishes him from one of the bedroom vigilantes is money. Lots of it, and money talks. He must be delighted at how easy it has been, a wad of cash and a few sycophantic words keenly lapped up by the world's second-largest egomaniac and he's been given the keys to the nation. To see him on a polictal stage and being given a role is an outrage. It's hard to say who will do more damage, but I think I dislike him even more than I dislike Trump. My hope is that he'll get bored and go back to rockets or whatever the next dalliance is.

But back to Trump. American illiteracy is going to shape the world, make no mistake. Putting this man in the White House has global implications that will touch us all. He is a man with no morals, with fewer guard rails than before, and with a much bigger chip on his shoulder than last time. His ego and temper is going to get us all in trouble. And he's surrounded himself with people who won't stand up to him, have you seen the list of nominees for all of the critical posts? Wow. And I suspect that this time it won't be the revolving doors shit show that it was last time, they've wised up now.

My biggest worry in all of this is that there are younger Trumps out there (and I don't mean the shifty sons, I mean please no) who will take up the baton in 2028. This is how politics in the USA works now. Trump may only have eight years as President across two terms, but everything has changed now and forever. I just don't know how we get back to decency and common sense. What does that path look like, and who will lay it? The Democrats? Ha, don't make me laugh. They are also part of the problem, whether they can see it and do something about it is what we all have to cross our fingers for. Realistically they've got two years. Hopefully they've already started.

Southeastern USA - Trip List

Well that was a lot of fun. My only trip to the USA in 2024, normally I go a lot more often but time is as ever on the short side and I had had other things that I had wanted to do. The full eBird trip list is here, with all checklists and locations. Since Bradders had joined me we had seen 177 species, of which five were ABA ticks. As usual I've also prepared the below summary, but rather than day by day I've done it State by State which has been one of the major reasons for the trip in the first place. We visited ten if you count Texas at the beginning and New York at the end. Top honours went to Arkansas with 88 species, followed by Louisiana with 77 and Alabama with 75. Of the core eight States I'd been birding in Illinois before, and visited Kentucky on a non-birding trip, but the other six were completely new to me and thus I've managed to fill in another big block of the eBird map which I am so keen on. I've now birded in 36 States, and visited 40, so it's going reasonably well. If you look at the map below, with the exception of Alaska the grey ones are in blocks and look doable in exactly this kind of trip. I do worry about Iowa though!

 

Southeastern USA - April 2024 - Day 5 - Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and home

We were in a big hurry today, our last day of birding, and in reality only a morning as the flight from Nashville to New York left early afternoon. Today more than ever we would need immense discipline to stay on track. We planned an early morning session in Illinois, a bit of time just over the river in Kentucky, and then to get across to Tennessee and bird there for as long as had left after the two and a half hour drive to Nashville.

We started birding at 5.56am in Fort Massac State Park on the banks of the Ohio River. Our progress here was stymied by floods, the road we had planned to walk unpassable. But in this flooded landscape we found our one and only Hooded Merganser of the trip, and the only Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Woodpeckers were very good here, with four Pileated Woodpecker, two Downy Woodpecker, and one each of Red-headed and Red-bellied Woodpeckers. As we took a smaller path inland we picked up something we did not think we had heard yet, and Merlin told us we were looking for (appropriately enough, given where we were) a Kentucky Warbler, which we soon found in small tree. Also here were yet more Prothonotary Warblers, Parulas, a Pine Warbler and a Yellow-throated Warbler. An hour and a quarter zipped by and it was time to leave.

Northern Parula

Just over the river we stopped at Stuart Nelson Park to start our Kentucky list. We were not sure quite how far we should go given our extremely tight schedule, so leaving our car near some baseball pitches we walked along a wooded path and then over a small creek before following a vegetated ditch alongside the trees. A small pond just after the bridge had some Canada Geese in it, as well as two Solitary Sandpiper. The ditch itself was really good birding, with all sorts of things hiding in it including a Northern Waterthrush, a Common Yellowthroat, an Eastern Towhee and a Chipping Sparrow. Eastern Bluebirds dashed through the trees, Cardinals were everywhere, and we also found only our second Cedar Waxwing. On a hill behind the ditch a couple of Eastern Meadowlark sang. We managed 33 species here in about an hour and then got on the road.

We continued birding as we drove southeast towards Tennessee which we reached in about an hour having closed our Kentucky account on 39. But of course the fun part about this trip was that we also had a Tennessee list that had been temporarilty halted on 35 a couple of days previously, and when we crossed the State Line we were able to pick it up again. Our final destination was Shelby Bottoms on the north side of the Cumberland River and only a short hop from the airport. We arrived at almost exactly 11am and felt that we could safely bird for an hour before having to pack up and go. We walked a loop of about a mile, first of all through some low woodland, and then back along the river edge. Yellow-rumped Warbler were very common here, but whilst we managed to get Tennessee up to 56 in our short visit we didn't get anything new at this point. Back at the car we packed up pretty quickly, dismantling all the gear and stowing it away, and then made the short hop to Nashville Airport. Unfortunately there was no time to stop at the Grand Ole Opry which would have been rather a pligrimage for me. We had also driven right past the boyhood home of Johnny Cash in Arkansas which had been just north of Wapanocca. In fact we had done nothing cultural at all, just birded from dawn until dusk! Next time!

Prothonotary Warbler

Southeastern USA - April 2024 - Day 4 - Arkansas to Illinois via Missouri

At the end of day 4 we had reached the landmark 150 species, not bad going given the coast had actually not been as productive as it could have been. We were now far inland, in Arkansas northeast of Little Rock and west of Memphis. America is such a vast country that we were probably only a third of the way to the Great Lakes - it's a 15 hour non-stop drive from New Orleans to Chicago. 

Today we were starting at Bald Knob NWR, seemingly the pre-eminent birding spot in these parts. As we approached from the north along Coal Chute Road it began to live up to expectations, with Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and several Swamp Sparrows. Indigo Bunting, Blue Grosbeak and Common Yellowthroat were in the margins here, and we found Blue-winged Warbler and Barn Swallow close to the Admin compound. Gradually the landscape opened up and we left the woods behind to emerge into a huge patchwork of flooded fields. To our right one of the largest tractors I had ever seen was attempting to plough one of these, creating huge eddies and literally waves as it displaced the water. As it did so countless small Waders lifted up to resettle elsewhere, many of them Pectoral Sandpiper. This was going to be some morning.

Barn Swallow

We stayed here until exactly midday, slowly driving around the lanes and tracks, stopping wherever it seemed good, which was basically everywhere, but once again only really covered a relatively small part of the area. Some of the fields were wetter than others, and some were shallow lakes. One of these held good sized flocks of Green-winged Teal, and on another, amongst the Blue-winged Teal and Shoveler were a handful of Pintail, two Mallard and two Ruddy Duck. On yet another we counted over 100 American Coot. A few more waders made themselves known as we slowly worked our way past each pool or field - a dozen Black-necked Stilt, a single Spotted Sandpiper, four Greater Yellowlegs and and handful of Long-billed Dowitcher. Raptors were very much in evidence as they patrolled this rich habitat, with Bald Eagle and Northern Harrier, and also Red-shouldered Hawk. 

Bald Eagle

Lesser Yellowlegs

And this was just the open areas. Along the well vegetated ditches we found White-eyed, Warbling and Red-eyed Vireo, Baltimore Oriole, Eastern Meadowlark, White-throated Sparrow, more Swamp Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, and a Yellow-breasted Chat played very hard to get and I am not sure we ever laid eyes on it. On the Warbler front Northern Waterthrush with their sharp zik calls were quite numerous, as well as another Blue-winged Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Parula and Yellow-rumped Warbler. 

Blue Grosbeak

Right in the middle of the reserve is a farm with large grain silos, and we had seen that a flock of Yellow-headed Blackbird had been visiting the spilled grain - unusual for this area. A bit of a stakeout got us these as they came down to feed, along with Brown-headed Cowbird and White-crowned Sparrow. What I am trying to say is that Bald Knob NWR is fantastic, and our during our four hour visit we tallied 76 species, easily the largest list from any single site.

Yellow-headed Blackbird

White-crowned Sparrow

We spent the middle part of the day driving northeast, arriving at Otter Slough in Missouri at around 3pm. This was another spot identified via eBird as being promising. It's another big area with multiple places to go birding, and we tried a number of paths that led into the forest away from the main lake. There were what must be dodgy Snow Geese here, as well as Wood Duck and more Ruddy Duck, and some shallow reedy areas held a Stilt Sandpiper, both Yellowlegs, Dunlin, Pectoral Sandpiper, Wilson's Snipe and more Long-billed Dowitcher. There was a good selection of smaller birds here, including yet more Prothonotary Warblers which seemed to be pretty common in this part of the country, and our first Grey-cheeked Thrush. We spent nearly two hours here, finishing on 47 species. The end of the trip was on the horizon now and we were properly in the zone and trying to add as much as we could.

Grey-cheeked Thrush

Final stop of the day was a nice boardwalk at Mingo NWR a further thirty minutes or so north. We walked the loop which took us alongside the canal where we finally got views of Yellow-breasted Chat, and Great Crested Flycatcher flicked through along with two each of Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker and Hairy Woodpecker. Somewhere a Barred Owl called, and another Bald Eagle flew over. We then drove two hours east to the town of Metropolis which is just into Illinois over the Ohio River. We had managed to see 88 species in Arkansas and 61 in Missouri in just over a day.

Yellow-breasted Chat

Southeastern USA - April 2024 - Day 3 - Mississippi to Arkansas

We started the day at 6.30am just north of Columbus, Mississippi, and boy what a good call that was! We had identified this spot only recently - Section Line Road - as a potential site for one of my most-wanted ABA ticks, Swainson's Warbler. It was one of the few places where this hard to see Warbler had been reported in more than single figures in recent days. Why not give it a go, especially as it was less than 15 minutes from our hotel in Columbus? 

What a great spot! We spent two hours working our way slowly down this perhaps two mile long gravel road, consuming Warblers at every point we stopped. We would walk a bit, then one of us would retrieve our crazy car and drive it past the other person and stop again, meeting in the middle. Rinse and repeat. Five Prothonotary Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Hooded Warbler, American Redstart, four Northern Parula, Magnolia Warbler, three Pine Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, and finally at nearly the end of the road, a Swainson's Warbler in a dense tangle. I think Bradders also had a Chestnut-sided when I was fetching the car. The Swainson's was of course the most boring Warbler there by some distance, top prize probably went to the Magnolia which was a stunning male. There were also tons of Vireos - White-eyed, Yellow-throated, Blue-headed and Red-eyed. Incredible how one small patch of woodland could have such a density of migrants. At one point I imagined I heard a dog bark, but some sixth sense caused me to think of Barred Owl. I played it back just in case and the response was instant, an enormous Owl flew through the trees and on out of sight. It was perhaps the best birding session of the entire trip. 

Our main destination for the day was Noxubee NWR, about an hour away from Warblerville. We arrived just before 10 and started on the boardwalk at Bluff Lake. Of note here were large numbers of Egret on the far side, including an unexpected and out-of-range Tricoloured Heron. Acadian Flycatcher and Great Crested Flycatcher were in the trees above the path. Later on, on the Woodpecker Trail, we found White-breasted Nuthatch, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Carolina Chickadee, Chipping Sparrow and our first Bald Eagle of the trip. At Morgan Hill four species of Swallow cruised over the lake with numerous Chimney Swift, and a flock of 50 White Ibis went over. 

We had to leave by mid-morning, our punishing schedule was taking no prisoners. Places to be, birds to see. We needed to get up to Memphis for mid-afternoon to get as much of a Tennessee list as we could before we crossed into Arkansas in the evening. The obvious spot was the Maxson Water Treatment Lagoons on the southwest side of Memphis. This then allowed a quick exit over the I55 crossing and into Arkansas.

The lagoons were Wader central and saw the list tick on nicely. Whilst we only found one  each of Wilson's Snipe, Wilson's Phalarope and Stilt Sandpiper there were hundreds of Lesser Yellowlegs and Long-billed Dowitcher, good numbers of Least, Solitary and Pectoral Sandpipers, and Black-necked Stilt. Also large numbers of Blue-winged Teal, a few Shoveler and Canada Geese, and three Sora. I am not sure of the access arrangements here, but it was a Sunday and the gates at front were open so we just drove in through a maintenance area and up onto the lagoons where we left the car on a large bund and proceeded on foot. As we left, there were a number of Wood Duck with young in the water alongside the road on the opposite side from the river, as well as Pied-billed Grebe and a Belted Kingfisher.

Lesser Yellowlegs

Red-winged Blackbird

Our last stop the day was in Arkansas, at Wapanocca NWR. This was gated but open, and it seemed we had until sunset so in we went. Doubtless we only scratched the surface as we drove along large ditches in a swampy woodland habitat, but what we saw we quite liked. Red-headed Woodpecker were everywhere, pairs chasing each other round, as well as Red-bellied Woodpecker and Downy Woodpecker. Wood Duck moved from one area to another, and there were Pied-billed Grebe too. We also saw more Yellow-rumped Warbler and Fish Crow than we had seen anywhere else, and a Swamp Sparrow was pinned down in a tangle near the water. All in all a really good site and one we would have like to have visited early morning. But that wasn't in our schedule and reluctantly we got on the road. I sometimes wonder about a birding trip that has no set agenda, no start and no finish, and where I could just bird wherever the trip took me and for as long as I wanted. How long would it take me to cross the United States I wonder? I might never arrive on the other side. Or if I had a year, a whole year, where would I go? And in what order? A straight line, a big loop, a zig-zag? It's a tempting thought for a future stage of my life. Although perhaps the US is best avoided until 2028 or so...