10 great places to experience spring on the wing
You know it must be springtime when you wake up to the sound of singing birds instead of snow blowers. To help usher in this season of warmth and renewal, John Flicker, president of the National Audubon Society, shares his list of favorite spring bird-watching sites with TimSmight for USA TODAY.
Kern River Preserve Weldon, Calif.
"Southern California's Kern River Valley sits at the juncture of six major eco-regions, providing a microcosm of California's rich bird diversity all in one place," Flicker says. "During the spring months, visitors can spot more than 200 species of birds here." The Kern River Valley Spring Nature Festival, held annually at the Preserve (April 30 through May 6 this year), offers guided bird walks, exhibits and other activities for birding enthusiasts. kern.audubon.org
Francis Beidler Forest Sanctuary Harleyville, S.C.
Located in the heart of South Carolina's Low Country between Columbia and Charleston, this sanctuary sprawls over 15,000 acres of swamp forest, some of which is old growth that's more than 1,000 years old. "A 1.75-mile boardwalk takes visitors into a virtual cathedral of ancient cypress trees, a truly spectacular setting," Flicker says. "Birds are everywhere in the spring, with tiny warblers singing their insistent songs, and owls calling out even in midday." Guided night walks and canoe trips are also available. 843-462-2150; sc.audubon.org/centers_fbf.html
Rowe SanctuaryGibbon, Neb.
Each spring along Nebraska's Platte River, more than half a million sandhill cranes stop off to rest and refuel during their northward migration. This annual long-haul flight takes the cranes from their winter home along the Texas Gulf Coast to summer breeding grounds in Alaska and Eastern Siberia. "The viewing blinds at Rowe Sanctuary are the place to be pre-dawn, as these magnificent birds wake up and then fly out for breakfast," Flicker says. "Viewers are treated to an amazing spectacle of sound and flight." 308-468-5282; rowesanctuary.org
