Other sites outside DC

Waggoner’s Gap is a small gap in the Kittatinny Ridge (also called Blue and North Mountain) where PA Route 74 crosses between Cumberland and Perry Counties. The main site sits on the spine of the mountain 75 yards east of the highway. This site is essentially a rock pile with steep descents on both sides. This enables watchers to see both sides of the ridge from one spot. This gives the advantage of being able to see off wind birds easily and increases the wind directions that are productive without requiring a physical move.

This 3,700-acre park near Clarksburg is known for a good concentration of breeding birds. The park has a mix of habitats in various stages of succession, including fields, scrub, and woodlands. A Red-headed woodpecker was seen in recent years. Yellow-breasted Chat, Louisiana Waterthrush, Prairie, Kentucky, Worm-eating, and Blue-winged Warblers are possible, along with various vireos, tanagers, orioles, thrushes, and others. Wild Turkeys are possible but not guaranteed.

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge is located near Dover, Delaware. This spectacular refuge contains 15,978 acres of salt marsh, ponds, forests, and open fields. Because of the habitat diversity, participants can expect to see many other land and water birds as well. Past DC Audubon field trips to Bombay Hook have sighted close to 90 species in one day.

Hughes Hollow, part of the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area, consists of an array of freshwater impoundments, fields, and wooded swamps. The impoundments are good for finding waterfowl, shorebirds, and swallows. The fields and forests are good for finding woodpeckers, flycatchers, sparrows, and finches. Red-headed woodpeckers are a possibility here. The C&O Canal near Sycamore Landing Road is a good spot to look for Cerulean Warblers in late spring.

The Atlantic coast, from Ocean City in Maryland to Cape Henlopen in Delaware, provides many locations to look for wintering seabirds. Below are a few of the best, listed in the order of DC Audubon's usual winter itinerary.

Huntley Meadows has 1,425 acres of wetland and forest habitat in Fairfax County, Virginia. The park is open from dawn to dark daily. It offers a boardwalk, observation towers, and several miles of trails. There is a beaver pond along Dogue Creek and Barnyard Run. Herons, rails, egrets, sparrows.

Established as a preserve for bald eagles. Take US 1 south to VA 242 (Gunston Road). Left on Gunston Road, past Pohick Park on left to small parking lot on right.