Oh, we Love the Denver area, Durango - Silverton railroad, Mesa Verde, etc. We own a place in Breckenridge, so we spend a lot of time there. Anyplace where there are mountains and lots of trees, we are happy. And we love the North and Northwest. Mountains, mountains, mountains. And we count the day wonderful when we see wildlife. Elk, antelope, deer, bear, wolves, coyotes,... We can't see that here in Florida.
Since I retired from full time work in 2007 and went to part time, my wife and I have traveled the all of the lower 48 and driven at least 75,000 miles. Our favorite part of the US is Ohio and westward, especially the Rockies and westward. The desert southwest is beautiful and important to see, but I wouldn't want to live there. The mountainous part of southern CA is beautiful, and San Francisco is a "must" to see at least once. The best food is at Boudin's Restaurant (Origin of Sourdough bread) and The Stinking Rose (a Garlic restaurant). But going north of SF up the coast gets you in the redwoods, and at Crescent City, there is a trip thru the redwoods on a dirt road that is "breathtaking." On the south side of Crescent City, take Elk Valley Road or Humboldt Road to Howland Hill Road. This will take you into the Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park. The dirt road is 1 lane, with passing spots. You will drive between mammoth redwoods and may have to pull in your side mirrors to get thru if you are in a truck. (No motorhomes will fit.) There are places to park and walk out thru the trees and see even larger redwoods. We have been there 5 or 6 times and are still in awe. And driving from SF up to Crescent City you are almost guaranteed of seeing elk and other wild life. The Pacific Northwest is beautiful, especially the Olympic Peninsula. And take a ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria, Canada (passport necessary). In Victoria, go to the Butchart Gardens, possibly the most beautiful garden you will ever see. TONS of photos there, alone. Have a great trip.
These images appear to be HDR processed. Am I correct?
For the Robin, because it is only one bird, showing more of the bush gives a great sense of presence for the image. With the 3 birds, the attention is really on them and the closer crop is preferred.
I like my Canon Powershot SX 610 HS. With a small tripod, this camera has 18X zoom and is WiFi enabled. 20.2 MP w/ 3" LCD on back. It easily fits in a shirt pocket. About $225.
Look up Lassen Volcanic National Park. Every "kind" of volcano (none active) is in that park. Beautiful scenery. Lots of birds in the sky. Lots of vantage points to set up a camera.