Is there an AT bird list?

[Idealist]

Is there a bird list for the Appalachian Trail, and if so, could someone please point me in its direction?

Also, is there a super light-weight pair of binoculars you recommend?

Our SOBO thru-hike begins June 20th, 2008, and we are studying up on the calls and identification markings for birds we may encounter since we will not be carrying a guide. We have not decided whether or not we are bringing binoculars (we are leaning towards the not), but I am interested in knowing what people suggest. Thanks for your assistance.

[TJ aka Teej]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Arial]Is there a bird list for the Appalachian Trail, and if so, could someone please point me in its direction?
Also, is there a super light-weight pair of binoculars you recommend?
Our SOBO thru-hike begins June 20th, 2008, and we are studying up on the calls and identification markings for birds we may encounter since we will not be carrying a guide. We have not decided whether or not we are bringing binoculars (we are leaning towards the not), but I am interested in knowing what people suggest. Thanks for your assistance.

to WhiteBlaze, Idealist!
Southbounders will find the Maine and New Hanpshire woods chock full of breeding plumage and singing warblers and other birds, you'll be amazed!
I'm sure individual hikers have kept 2000 mile lists, but none of the personal lists would have all of the birds you might find. Here's one from the Blue Ridge that has most of the birds you might find all along the trail.
Almost every non-sea/non-shore bird native or migrant to the US East Coast can be found on the AT, so an Eastern field guide would aquaint you with what you might see.
When I'm birding on purpose on backpacking trips, I carry a 10 oz par of Brunton 8x25s, that cost $59. I have a $16 pair of 8x25 no-names that weigh about 8 oz I normally carry in a baggie on all trips, 'just in case'.
Have fun!

[Alligator]

I sawed a pair of cheapie 8X25 binoculars (Bushnell) in half and now have two monoculars . They were a Christmas present. I think each one weighs three ounces now.

[mudhead]

Peterson's = book.

I have 10x25 LL Bean Nikon. 11oz. OK optics, not great.

What I want: http://www.opticsplanet.net/zeiss-spotting-scopes.html

[Rain Man]

"The Appalachian Trail - A Visitor's Companion" by Leonard M. Adkins has a chapter on birds of the AT. The author thru-hiked five times, I believe.

I got the book from http://www.alibris.com.

RainMan

.

[Cookerhiker]

I have a pair of Brunton LiteTech 10x26 binoculars which I bought for the express purpose of taking along while backpacking. Their case fits on my sternum strap. I took them a few times but no more. I found that when I heard or saw a bird and wanted to use them, invariably my eyes were sweaty and I had trouble focusing. I don't think there was a single instance backpacking where I sucessfully identified a bird with the help of the glasses.

That's just me with my limitations and preferences. You're probably more knowledgable and experienced as birders so it may be worth your while (and weight).

Doing a SOBO starting June 20 means that every time you stop to scan for birds, you'll be attacked by black flies and mosquitos. Are you prepared?

[Nightwalker]

Is there a bird list for the Appalachian Trail, and if so, could someone please point me in its direction?

The appendix for the 2005 Companion has one, with the calls identified as well. PM me your email address, and I'll send it to you.

[Idealist]

Thank you all for your assistance. (And for the warning about the black flies/mosquitoes – it won’t be the first time we’ve wrestled those tiny rascals in an attempt for a life-lister!) I feel we have a more specific place to begin studying as opposed to our previous “birds of North America” list.

Also, thanks for the input about the binoculars. I am particularly delighted with the idea of the monocular.

mudhead, I appreciate your desire for a Zeiss. On our last birding trip, we were telling our group’s driver about our wimpy little scope. We said we reckoned that whatever you had there would always be a better scope out there, to which he modestly replied, “Not better than mine!” Then he whipped out his Zeiss Diascope 85. It was something pretty for sure.

[rickb]

I feel we have a more specific place to begin studying as opposed to our previous “birds of North America” list.

Keep in mind that in the USA a number of the best bird book "standards" have an edition that is limitted to birds that are found East of the Mississippi river (more or less). Each of these has a list for EASTERN birds in the back, of course.

Most books also have maps right next to the bird's picture, so it would be relativley eacy to put an X through the shorebirds that won't come inland, those few that stay down in Florida, etc. With the exception of the shorebirds/seabirds you can spot most anything in an Eastern Bird Book along the AT.

We have some great bird books like "Stokes" and "Audubon" and "Petersons", but for hiking I like carry a "Golden Field Guides to Eastern Birds" (James Coe). http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...nce&s=booksIts not perfect and has a few omissions, but it is OK and much lighter than the better alternatives.

I suppose a monocular would work, but ....

Bon Voyage.

[burger]

When I carried bins on the AT, I used Zeiss Diafun 8x30s (or something like that) that weighted 16 oz. They were a bit heavier than some of the ultra-light bins, but the image quality was great. Whatever you get, I'd recommend something waterproof. Even if you keep your bins in your pack when it's raining, the humidity and temperature changes you'll experience are a recipe for getting condensation inside your binoculars.

As for whether or not to carry binoculars, if you want to see birds, bring them. Starting June 20th, you'll hear a million birds, but given that the forests tend to be pretty dense along the AT (especially up north), you'll see very few close enough to identify them with the naked eye.

If carrying the weight is an issue, you can probably mail your binoculars home by mid-August. Once the breeding season is over, the birds get very quiet, and there won't be many to see.

[bigcranky]

Dragonfly uses the Zeiss 8x20 compact binoculars while hiking. They are very small and fairly light (I can weigh them when I get home), and fit in a pouch on her hip belt. The optics are pretty good -- not as good as full-sized binocs, but not bad for compacts. I think they were in the $250 range.

We're pretty enthusiastic birders. That said, we rarely do any serious birding while hiking. It's just too frustrating with tiny binocs and no field guide. If we're going on a backpacking trip with the express intention of birding -- say, a May weekend in the Virginia mountains, when they are full of migrating warblers -- then we take field guides and full-size binocs. But on long distance trips, we usually can't justify the weight for something we'll use so seldom. I'm not sure how much longer the little Zeiss compacts will make the cut.

[rickb]

we are studying up on the calls and identification markings for birds we may encounter since we will not be carrying a guide.

Are there any birds that you are particularly eager to see on the AT?

[Blissful]

Just a side note - I must say the birds on the AT where fantastic to listen to. Main reason I shut off the MP3 the second week out. I'd rather listen to the bird songs instead. When I got to New England and the higher elevations and they were gone, I really missed them. Truly feathered friends. If anyone knows a web site that has bird calls youcan listen to, love to see / hear it so I know what birds they were.

But the loons in ME could be very loud. Esp when they get angry, like at Moxie Bald shelter.

[Idealist]

Are there any birds that you are particularly eager to see on the AT?

There are several birds particularly in MA & NH that would be life-listers for us if we see them. They include black-billed cuckoo, northern saw-whet owl, black-backed woodpecker, long-eared owl, gray jay, pine siskin and boreal chickadee.

And then there are some birds that I anticipate distracting us because they are so darn charming. The brilliant red of the scarlet tanager, the enchanting call of the loons, the flaming orange of a blackburnian warbler…Oh, I am excited to be getting back into the woods.

If anyone knows a web site that has bird calls youcan listen to, love to see / hear it so I know what birds they were.

We have several bird call CDs that we use to identify calls. We most often use Stokes. Using the suggestions from this thread, I have now used range maps to organize my bird audio files in AT playlist for our studying.

But there are several places to find bird calls on-line if you google “bird calls.” For example, you might try http://www.math.sunysb.edu/~tony/birds/ .

[woodsy]

Idealist;432745]There are several birds particularly in MA & NH that would be life-listers for us if we see them. They include black-billed cuckoo, northern saw-whet owl, black-backed woodpecker, long-eared owl, gray jay, pine siskin and boreal chickadee.

And then there are some birds that I anticipate distracting us because they are so darn charming. The brilliant red of the scarlet tanager, the enchanting call of the loons, the flaming orange of a blackburnian warbler…Oh, I am excited to be getting back into the woods.

Yes of course, getting back into the woods
The lil Golden Crowned Kinglet is out/up there in the northeast too. Oh, Ruby Crowned Kinglet also.
Sounds like you'll be busy, that's quite a list of rarer sightings. Gray Jays are fairly common on parts of the northeast trail, steal your food if unattended.
Wow, you guys have done some traveling!

[Hokie]

I know binoculars are better, but there are several monoculars you might consider:

Zeiss 0.8 oz Miniquick 5X scope (Cabellas $120) - very nice optics - less than an ounce

Brunton Echo Pocket Scope Monocular 7X18 - 1.8 oz


Optics is one area I think you get what you pay for hence my preference for the Zeiss.

Good luck,
Hokie

[Peaks]

Bird species vary by location. The White Mountain National Forest has a list for their area, and the AMC has a list for each hut. So, probably other national forests, national parks, and game areas also have their own lists.

[burger]

There are several birds particularly in MA & NH that would be life-listers for us if we see them. They include black-billed cuckoo, northern saw-whet owl, black-backed woodpecker, long-eared owl, gray jay, pine siskin and boreal chickadee.

And then there are some birds that I anticipate distracting us because they are so darn charming. The brilliant red of the scarlet tanager, the enchanting call of the loons, the flaming orange of a blackburnian warbler…Oh, I am excited to be getting back into the woods.

Starting southbound in June, I can almost guarantee you'll see gray jays, siskins, and the chickadee in Maine or New Hampshire. The cuckoo will be much harder--they may be around, but they're uncommon along the trail in my experience. As for the owls, I'd be shocked if you saw a long-eared owl anywhere on the trail--they're quiet and inconspicuous most of the time. Saw-whets may be around; I heard them in a couple of places in New Hampshire, if I recall correctly. Good luck...

[warraghiyagey]

I saw juncos right at the Katahdin tree line and red chested (forgot their real name) groesbeaks at Maine NH line.
Also saw a couple ivory billed woodpeckers. What a treat.

[mudhead]

Rose breasted?

So that's where my woodpeckers went...