Bird Watching on the RV Road

RVers get the royal treatment with this bird

2008-06-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

We pulled into the parking lot of the visitor center at Padre Island National Seashore and were greeted by a flock, no a herd of shore birds of all kinds. They were just hanging out in the parking lot enjoying each other’s company while the guys were posturing in order to win the affection of a girlfriend. The Royal Tern, always the gentleman, stood elegantly amid the noise and rancor surrounding him. He didn’t even take notice of the car pulled up beside him. Some of these terns look like balding men while others have a full head of plumage. This dark “cap” is acquired early and briefly in the breeding season. The bill is dark orange and they have a forked tail. You will see these birds along the Gulf Coast and the eastern seaboard and in southern California during the winter months. I discovered how they acquired their name when one of them flew over the car leaving a royal mess. Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Crazy bird dance entertains RVers

2008-06-11T15:44:00.000-07:00

RVing around the country we see thousands of egrets. However one egret, the Reddish Egret, had us enthralled by his behavior. This guy would be a hit at any disco bobbing and weaving, tossing and turning delivering a fantastic dance performance all without the help of music. This guy is in his breeding plumage and performs this dance when he is hunting for fish. His bill is pink with a black tip and his legs are cobalt blue. His favorite dance floor is the salt marshes along the Gulf Coast and he usually prefers to dance alone. Very entertaining and delightful bird. Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

An RV bird observation platform

2008-06-04T04:00:00.000-07:00

We just pulled out of the Passport America RV Park on our way to Arkansas when a handsome red-headed woodpecker flew across the road in front of us. My wife and I instantly identified the bird and expressed our appreciation to each other about seeing this fabulous bird at the beginning of your trip. We often see spectacular birds while driving in our RV across this great land. Sometimes we see our first life birds from our seats in the RV. I like to photograph all the birds we see, so it's kind of frustrating for me because it is difficult to drive and take great photos at the same time. So these photos were taken of this grand bird while on foot. It's hard to sneak up on woodpeckers so I have to work especially hard to get photographs of them. I have collected many since we've been full time RVing and will share some fabulous photos of these creatures in future blog entries. Knowing what this guy can do to wood I'm glad our RV doesn't have a wood exterior. Keeping an eye on the sky - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RVer gets red crowned parrot surprise

2008-05-28T18:23:00.000-07:00

Scouting around Brownsville, Texas in our RV towed we were in search of red-crowned parrots. I had read there was a colony roosting at the University of Texas at Brownsville campus. We were hanging out at the Old Fort student housing watching Whistling Ducks perform their antics while Muscovy Ducks occasionally waddled by. As the sun began to set a flash of green caught our attention as a flight of and green parakeets circled and landed in a nearby tree. Next we saw a red-crowned parrot land on a stump in front of the car. As we were admiring this view a head poked up out of the palm tree stump and this is what we saw. I just love this picture of a nesting parrot and I was lucky to get it because it only emerged for a few seconds and we didn't see it again. We were delighted to see both the red-crowned parrots and the green parakeets in the same area. RVing is a great way to see the country and do some serious birding at the same time. The same is true for those of you who enjoy butterfly and moth watching. In fact, many hobbies are enhanced through the use of RVs because they provide a cost effective way to combine travel, lodging and meals. RVers can cover vast areas or focus on one specific area all the wile living comfortably in the shelter of their RV. Always looking up - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RVer Bitten By Aggressive Pelican

2008-05-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

RVing in the Corpus Christi, Texas area brought me and my fishing pole out to Mustang Island. Mrs. Professor was there to do some serious birding and I was there to do some serious fishing. Some folks next to me were feeding the pelicans small perch they were catching and apparantly the birds came to believe us fishermen were their personal food service providers. My fishing neighbors left and these two freeloaders came calling. I pulled up a little perch and one of the pelicans scarfed him into his bill hook and all. I yanked the fish out of his mouth knowing that a fish hook is not the way he should get his daily iron requirement. As I was pulling the fish off the hook Peter the Pelican holding up a sign "Won't Work For Food" grabbed the fish out of my hand and in the process punctured my hand with the tip of his bill. He actually drew blood requiring immediate medical attention and a tetanus shot for the bird. I scolded him asking him where he had left his Texas manners. The fish was completely traumatized caught in a dark peristaltic tunnel wishing he had not dropped out of school. And me, well, I was thinking that I'm sure glad Pterodactyls don't exist anymore. In fact, I'm burning those old Pterodactyls in my RV fuel tank at over $4.00 bucks a gallon. Now I'm thinking about how I can do that with pelicans. Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

High Island RV Birding Adventure

2008-05-15T16:11:00.000-07:00

High Island, Texas is one of the top birding spots in the United States. Boy Scout Woods is a great place to view warblers during migration and the occasional "fall-out" where birds just land exhausted after crossing the Gulf of Mexico frequently pushed off course by a storm. The Houston Audobon Society manages the bird sanctuaries on High Island. An admission fee, based on the honor system, is $5.00 per person and includes admission to all the birding areas on the island. There is a white board at Boy Scout Woods where birders leave messages about bird sightings. This birder with an obvious sense of humor tells everyone there were "Emperor Penguins sited matting at Broadway and 45th." Boy Scout Woods has wood plank walkways and a nice photo blind which will accommodate about seven photographers at one time. There wasn't much happening at Boy Scout Woods since we were there late in the season. The real action was at Smith Woods where No Dogs are allowed. Apparently a dog with a Smith and Wesson expressed his dismay with some target practice. Smith Woods has a rookery that is simply amazing. There are numerous birds nesting here including egret, roseate spoonbill, tricolored heron, cormorant and others. There are also alligators, turtles and frogs to greet the observers who can view them from several platforms scattered around the refuge. The bird noise is tremendous and you get to pretend you're a National Geographic photographer. Here is a spoonbill doing a tight rope routine. Here he is waiting for applause. These nests are literally full of hatchings. These two egrets are almost old enough to leave as one of the parents disgorges (don't you just love that word) the catch of the day. There is no doubt about it, South Texas is a birding paradise and if you are a serious RVer and birder, you need to explore these places. Oh, don't forget to bring bug repellent. There is a nice RV park at High Island and several on the Bolivar Peninsula. If you are arriving from the South you can take your RV on the free ferry from Galveston to Bolivar Peninsula. RVing the Texas Coastal Birding Trail - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVng

Bird Watching in WalMart?

2008-04-16T16:44:00.000-07:00

WalMart is not only a great place to overnight in your RV, it’s also a great place for birding. Our “low price leader” is reaching out to our feathered friends who are enjoying the fresh produce. Oops, is that a clean-up in aisle one? This female grackle perches on the rafters, then swoops down to check out the low prices. So, next time you’re in WalMart keep an eye skyward because you never know what you might see. Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Southern Texas Is Alive With Color

2008-04-15T19:02:00.000-07:00

We are RVing in southern Texas and have visited Bentsen State Park and the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge considered two of the prime birding locations in North America. There are many species of birds migrating through during April and your time here is well spent. The Green Jay is without doubt one of the favorite birds that may be found hanging around in these parks. If you want to see these stunningly beautiful birds in person, you'll need to come to southern Texas because it's the only place in the United States that you will likely see them. The Green Jay lives predominately in Mexico and South America. There is a 900 mile separation between the two breeding groups and some bird experts believe the Green Jays of South America are a different species. I wouldn't know because I'm only an expert on ice cream. Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RV Snowbirds View Their Namesake

2008-03-18T21:35:00.000-07:00

West of Yuma, Arizona is the town of Winterhaven, California. There are a lot of canals and waterways in this area. Anywhere you have water in the desert, you're sure to find birds. This time of year they're in abundance as it's the beginning of spring migration and this area is part of the "Pacific Flyway." The area pictured below is just north of the Algodones, Mexico border crossing.
A closer look reveals Ring-necked Duck, American Coot, Cinnamon Teal, American Wigeon,
Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Duck
Northern Shoveler
Hooded Merganser
and Redhead.
This is always fun to see. These are mostly Ring-necked Duck.
We also saw Cormorants, Pied-billed Grebe and Eared Grebe. In another nearby canal we saw Bufflehead.
As April approaches, this area promises to provide even more great birding opportunities!

Monks Do More Playing Than Praying

2008-03-12T23:04:00.000-07:00

RVers are in a great position to view rare bird species on the North American continent. Many birds are not native to the United States but are fun to observe nonetheless. One of my favorite immigrants is the Monk Parakeet also known as the Quaker Parrot. There is a colony of these busy birds in the bus parking lot of the Casa Grande, Arizona Middle School. They are talkers and builders. While we were watching them they were cutting branches off the trees for nest making material. They build huge nests that in their native Argentina can be as large as a small car. They live inside these nests in colonies with each pair having their own apartment. The female lays between 5 to 12 eggs which hatch in 24 days. We had a lot of fun watching them work and play. They are considered pests by many states but I really don’t understand why. They are not going to eat more crops than a flock of starlings (which are also not native to the USA). They have established many colonies in the USA and are even in Chicago of all places. They are able to withstand the cold weather because of the way they build their community nests. Keeping an eye on the sky - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Northern Jacana Puts In Rare Appearance

2008-02-23T20:51:00.000-08:00

I was holding my binoculars to my face searching for the fabled Northern Jacana hoping a stray golf ball didn't hit me. That sounds odd, but this rare bird chose a golf course in Casa Grande, Arizona as his temporary lodging. This bird has only been seen in Arizona about three times in the last 50 years. It's hanging around a golf course water trap foraging along the bank for food as golfers chip up to the green oblivious to the VIP visiting their links. The Jacana is about the size of a large pigeon with stilts for legs. His feet are spread wide so that he can easily stand on top of water plants while foraging. He is also unique because of spurs in his wings. He uses them for self defense and showing off for girls. He has yellow under his wings and a bill like an Oyster Catcher. Now there's a name for you - just how hard is it to "catch" an oyster anyway? This rare bird still has golfers wondering why people with spotting scopes and binoculars keep showing up. Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Ten interesting birds to see when RVing Colorado

2007-08-11T19:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a short list of birds that an RV birdwatcher should watch for when visiting the state of Colorado. So, when lounging in your lawn chair in the RV park or campground, keep your telescope handy and your eyes open.

Northern Goshawk -- Rare and regal, this short-winged hawk inhabits lowland pine forests. Try the Arkansas River Valley or the canyons of the South Platte River.

Cinnamon Teal -- A magnificent duck that is coated from bill to tail in a maroon-colored sheen. Migrates through Colorado in spring and fall in numerous areas statewide.

Gunnison Sage Grouse -- One of the rarest birds in North America, this recently designated species consists of a breeding population in the Gunnison River drainage that has distinctly evolved from the sage grouse. Two other members of the grouse family that are also worth seeing are the lesser and greater prairie chickens.

White-tailed Ptarmigan -- Few animals sum up the majesty of the tundra like the camouflaged white-tailed ptarmigan. Test your spotting acumen with these birds on Guanella Pass — they’ll see you, but you might not see them.

Mountain Bluebird -- Blend the deep azure of the Rocky Mountain sky with the slate cobalt color of a snow-fed stream, and you’ll be pretty close to the glorious blue of the mountain bluebird. Look for these meadow dwellers in spring, summer and fall. See the photo.

Western Tanager -- Arguably the show-stealer in Colorado, Western tanagers usually appear as a fleeting flash of gold, black and deep crimson in summer time. Their habitat includes the lower mountains, willow-lined streams and wooded urban parks.

Sandhill Crane -- Tall, slender and steely-eyed, sandhill cranes are one of the state’s most majestic birds. Follow their throaty chortles carried on the wind to the San Luis Valley in spring and fall, or Steamboat Lake in summer.

Burrowing Owl -- Taking up residence in prairie dog colonies across Colorado, these yellow-eyed and fluffy owls can be seen most commonly on the eastern plains.

Hooded Merganser -- With their fan-shaped head, elegant white-on-black stripes and striking yellow eye, this species of diving duck possesses a rare splendor. Catch sight of these bashful beauties on the South Platte River in the middle of Denver in winter, among other places.

Calliope Hummingbird -- While their more aggressive relatives duke it out for a spot at the feeder, these tiny and passive hummingbirds can be seen sneaking a sip of nectar in late summer and early fall. However, these 0.1-ounce gems are very rare.

Moma Robin Nests On RV Bath House

2007-05-10T21:26:00.000-07:00

Last week's GUEST BIRD #2 is a Clark’s Grebe. We photographed it at Klamath Lake in Klamath Falls, Oregon in 2006. As is common, the Clark’s Grebes were with Western Grebes. Here are photos of both. Clark’s is white around the eye; Western is black. Here they are for comparison, Clark’s on left, Western on right. We’re still not sure about our mystery bird mentioned in the previous blog. Song Sparrow was suggested, but according to our bird book Song Sparrows are 6.25”. These birds were much smaller than that. See photos in the last blog… any other ideas?

Today we had the pleasure of seeing a nest with newly hatched robins, eyes still closed. Momma Robin built her nest on the outside window ledge of the restroom at an RV park in New Paris, Ohio. We’re wondering why there rather than in one of the many trees all around. Hope they stay safe. Here’s a photo of three hungry little birds.

This RVer’s Favorite Birding Hangout

2007-05-04T21:12:00.000-07:00

We appologize for the delay in posting to the blog this week. We've been a little busy purchasing a new motorhome, moving in, paperwork, insurance, and, well... thank you for your patience. We also want to thank those of you who left comments, telling us your favorite birding locations. Our favorite place so far has been Huntington Beach State Park in South Carolina. As you enter the park, to the left are tidal saltwater marshes and on the right is a managed freshwater marsh. And the ocean is just a short walk from the campground. We saw many bird species for the first time. Also, it’s a great campground. We had a very private spot, with trees and bushes on three sides, which made for great birding even from our RV windows!

“GUEST BIRD #1”
Yes, you all guessed it – White-crowned Sparrow. Here’s another picture.“GUEST BIRD #2”
Okay, here’s this week’s “guest bird.” Write your answer in the COMMENTS section.HELP NEEDED
Here’s a very small bird I photographed last August, in an area with a lot of underbrush near the water, in Cobscook State Park in Maine. My wife has a guess, but wants a positive ID. Anyone know?

Feeling “Blue”? This Will Cheer You Up!

2007-04-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

Today’s blog is dedicated to Rose, who commented that the Blue Grosbeak was beautiful. We think you’ll enjoy this little fellow, the Indigo Bunting. He’s that same beautiful blue, just in a smaller package. He enjoyed hanging out on the ladder of our 5th wheel. These photos were taken in early April in Columbus, Georgia, which has proven to be an incredible location for photographing a variety of birds! As many birds do, here’s the Indigo Bunting looking at his reflection in our RV window. It makes us wonder what he is thinking. Since we’re discussing “blue birds,” here’s the Eastern Bluebird. These pictures were taken here in Columbus, Georgia earlier this month when all the azaleas were in bloom.

"Guest Bird" Identification Project Challenges RVers Birding Knowledge

2007-04-25T18:50:00.000-07:00

The most fun thing for me about bird watching is being able to correctly identify a bird in the wild. It isn't always easy and sometimes it takes a few days of searching books and the internet to arrive at the answer. So to help you practice your bird identification skills, Bird Watching on the RV Road will feature a "Guest Bird" each week and your job is to correctly identify this bird. Register you official guess in the "comments" section below. The following week, we will tell you what it is. OK, here is our first "Guest Bird" what is it? This photo was taken in Pacific Grove, California about 50 yards from the ocean in December.

Shouting Match In RV Campground

2007-04-24T07:07:00.000-07:00

Haven’t seen any Grosbeaks for a couple days, but a female Rose-breasted did finally show up. Here she is… These are good-sized birds and their presence at our feeder often sent most of the regulars (chipping sparrows, finches, titmice, chickadees) flying away. They did, however, have to squabble it out with the cardinals and brown-headed cowbirds, which are more their size. Here’s a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, perched on our RV ladder, telling a female Brown-headed Cowbird at the feeder that it’s time to move on!

Blue Grosbeak Makes His Debut

2007-04-21T15:39:00.000-07:00

The Blue Grosbeak appears to be more cautious than his cousin the Rose-breasted Grosbeak. He doesn’t come to our feeder nearly as often and is more easily scared away. But we did finally get some photos. Here he is on the ground behind our RV. Without being hidden behind tinted RV windows, we would never have been able to get these next pictures. He finally came to the feeder and we were ready… As a side note, you pronounce this birds name like "gross" because his bill is so large. Notice that his top bill is black and the bottom is white.

RVer Surprised By Snowbird Returning North

2007-04-20T08:34:00.000-07:00

My wife likes to get up early and watch the birds. From inside our RV, with tinted windows, she gets quite a show since the birds can’t see her. She saw a flash of black and white in her peripheral vision and figured it was probably a mockingbird. Imagine her surprise to see this Rose-breasted Grosbeak at our feeder!She said she thought I’d moved the RV to a rain forest overnight! That was yesterday morning. Today we had a Blue Grosbeak show up but we’re still trying to get a good picture of him. We’re in Columbus, Georgia and Grosbeaks migrate through this time of year. So if you’re in the area, hurry and get that bird feeder up while these beautiful birds are passing through. This is a photo of a breeding male. He has a warbled song and a call that sounds like this “eek” like a basketball player’s shoes on the gym floor. They range primarily on the East Coast of the USA during the spring and summer. These are truly snowbirds because they winter in Mexico and Central America. They like wooded habitat along waterways. Their diet consists of insects, fruit and seeds. They especially like to eat insects that are pests to crops like beetles, gypsy moths, locusts, cankerworms, tent caterpillars and others. So, these guys are good to have around!

The RV Blind Is A Great Platform For Bird Watching

2007-04-17T20:00:00.000-07:00

RVing lends itself to enjoying birds because RVers are usually close to nature! But how do you go about attracting our feathered friends close enough to the RV that we can enjoy them? Simple, hang a $4 feeder full of birdseed outside your window and you’re in business! You have basically created a birding “blind” from which you can enjoy the feeding birds. Your RV blind is even more effective if you have tinted windows because they will not be able to see into your coach and be frightened away. I used a plant hanger I bought at WalMart and attached it to the rear ladder with spring clamp. Then I simply hang the bird feeder on it and when we are ready to hit the road it's easy to remove. Don't worry, the birds won't starve to death when you leave, they'll just have to work a little harder.

At dawn and dusk you will have many visitors at your feeder. When the outside light is dim it's better to turn off all lights in your coach. This way you can see out but the birds can’t see in. It may take a day or two for the birds to “find” your bird feeder, but once they find it, they will be all over it. Since so many birds will be visiting your bird feeders I suggest that you keep your satellite dish, bikes and any other possible “perching” devices away from the feeders otherwise you’ll be doing some cleaning. There are many types of bird feeders because birds feed in different ways. This open shelter feeder attaches to the window with suction-cups. Birds are messy eaters and they will throw seed out of your feeder onto the ground. Not to worry, many birds, like doves and cardinals, will eat the leftovers off the ground. Squirrels also like birdfeeders. Sometimes we enjoy watching them perform acrobatics to get at the seed, but eventually I have to chase them off. If you persist in going outside and “running them off” they will stay away until they think it’s safe to try again. The RV birding blind is an ideal platform for bird watching!

Full Time RVers Jim & Marilyn Twamley Share Their Birding Photos & Knowledge With RV Travel Readers

2007-04-16T19:30:00.000-07:00

This blog is about a hobby my wife and I share – and that we have in common with many RVers – birding! We don’t claim to be experts but we derive a great deal of enjoyment from observing, photographing, identifying and learning about birds. For us it began two years ago in Arizona. Seeing other RVers with bird feeders, we put up several. Soon we had hummingbirds, orioles, finches and even woodpeckers right outside our windows. On the ground were quail, doves, ravens, wrens, grackles … we were hooked! Since then we’ve photographed birds wherever our travels take us – the California coast, the Arizona desert, the Chattahoochee River in Georgia, state parks in South Carolina and Maine. Since birds are everywhere this is a hobby anyone can enjoy! RVers have the wonderful advantage of traveling around the country and visiting different areas, affording the opportunity to see birds in a myriad of habitats, at different seasons, and possibly even to see some that are rare and located only within a limited area.

If, like us, you’re fairly new to birding, join us each week and we’ll learn together! If you’re already a pro, check in to share your knowledge with us! If you’re thinking this whole subject is “for the birds,” stick around for several weeks and you just may change your mind! Previously, the list of birds we could identify would have been limited to few more than robins, cardinals, bluebirds, blackbirds and hummingbirds. Now we’ve photographed the phainopepla and anhinga, which we’d never even heard of before. Besides being fun to watch, birds are fascinating!

Please click on the word “COMMENTS” below and tell us where your favorite bird watching campground is located.