old man 88 Loc: Palmview, TX when not on road

Planning a trip thru the western states starting May 1, 2017 lasting 4 to 5 months.

Will be leaving from Junction, TX (South Llano River State Park)

Any western state except CA, then just north of Sacramento.

I want to see and photo HBs, Song birds, Hawks, Owls, don’t care for Shore birds.

I will be traveling in a Motorhome w/toad, so I can stop almost anywhere.

Any Great places you know of Please share with me.

~

SterlingRachel

You might want to check out birders groups on FB since members there will also have good ideas where to see and photograph birds of their areas.

akretiree Loc: Anchorage

SE Arizona - a must. Portal, Sierra Vista area, Patagonia, Madera canyon.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

There is a raptor center on the west side of Tucson. The birds are trained, but they put on a great show and the photo ops are good.

I too travel in a motorhome looking for wildlife. It is hard to get the owls and hawks to pose for me.

Kissel vonKeister Loc: Georgia

Avoid the politicians in CA. OR, and WA.

We lived in the West for decades, and the best all-around destination we found was Vancouver Island, BC. Lots to see and photograph, friendly contented people, and great climate - especially in the south. Butchart Gardens in the spring, Telegraph Cove whale watch boat ride, Victoria Harbour, etc. Just make sure your distemper shot is up to date and that you take your passport(s). You don't need one to enter Canada, just to return to the US. Some states will give you a residency verification on your drivers license. Best part: C-bucks are selling for $.754 today.

Hallu Loc: Redmond WA

Hi Goldwinger, what are HB's that you want to shoot?
Hal

Hallu Loc: Redmond WA

I agree with Kissel, Vancouver BS and Victoria are very spectacular cities. Plan to spend time in Seattle if you get this far north. It's also a beautiful city by Puget Sound waters with stunning views. The space needle is an awesome place to visit and photograph from ground level to the top decks. Out of downtown Seattle about 15 miles to the east is Snoqualmie Pass which takes you to eastern washington with totally different geography than the western half of the state. Lots of birds, especially hawks, in the east and central part of Washington. Lots of parks and interesting geographical sites.

Hal

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

With Yosemite, Sierra-Nevada Mountains, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Mojave Desert, Pacific Ocean, etc., etc., etc., you might as well skip the entire trip if you are not going to California.

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

I can't offer any suggestions related to Birding, but I have traveled throughout the West quite a bit. Are you only interested in birds? (I'm assuming "HB" is some kind of bird.) Or do you want to see the beautiful places available there?

A 4 to 5 month trip is quite an adventure. My longest auto trip was 85 days, just about 2/3 what you are planning.

For sightseeing, I would definitely include Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming--there are a bunch of National and State Parks in those states that are just brimming with wonderful scenery. Glacier NP in Montana is stunning (and there are eagles and ospreys galore). I would also recommend going through South Dakota and stopping by Mount Rushmore--every American should see those giant granite busts on the cliff, I think.

I have many photos of my trips through the western United States and I think it inappropriate to attempt to link to them here. Since they are not "birding oriented" they might not even be of interest to you. I will, however, give the link to my overall Flickr® account in case someone might like to browse: https://www.flickr.com/photos/8712554@N02/collections/.

You might find this link useful: http://www.wildbirds.com/Find-Birds/State-by-State-Information/Western-US-States. I'm guessing that Birding is quite seasonal in nature, and that certain months are best at specific locations. Have you thought about making a list of when you want to be where? It could be very helpful in planning a route. With as much time as you are willing to devote, the route need not even be very efficient or compact, traveling to each location at the appropriate time.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Southern Arizona as mentioned for sure if you want birds. Don't miss the Sonoran Desert Museum just west of Tucson while you are there. I don't know how it is for birding, but you should plan on spending some time in Durango, Colorado. A beautiful spot, with the nearby Mesa Verde NP and with the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad - a great experience not to be missed. The road heading north from Durango to Grand Junction is one of the most spectacular drives in the country. From Durango head west through Monument Valley towards Sedona - all very nice. Canyon de Chelley in Chinle, in the heart of the Navajo Reservation - a beautiful system of narrow canyons filled with cliff dwellings.

old man 88 Loc: Palmview, TX when not on road

HummingBird

old man 88 Loc: Palmview, TX when not on road

I lived in Compton, CA back in 1958, have seen and play in the whole state many times.

Have ridden motorcycle there as late as 2007.

But for this trip there is nothing in CA I want to see or do south of San Francisco.

Thanks for the other info. I will use it.

Thanks again

old man 88 Loc: Palmview, TX when not on road

I will add the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad to my things to do.

Thanks for the info.

old man 88 Loc: Palmview, TX when not on road

[quote=

For sightseeing, I would definitely include Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming--there are a bunch of National and State Parks in those states that are just brimming with wonderful scenery. Glacier NP in Montana is stunning (and there are eagles and ospreys galore). I would also recommend going through South Dakota and stopping by Mount Rushmore--every American should see those giant granite busts on the cliff, I think.[/quote]

I agree will stay at East Glacier NP for weeks.

AnnaZ Loc: SW Wis.

What is the "toad" you are taking? I cannot, for the life of me, figure out what it is. And I am not blond, BTW.