Great tips on birdwatching for hikers

• How to find a bird's nest on a day hike
• Traits to look for when identifying birds on a day hike
• Meet the red-shouldered hawk
• Meet the Canada warbler
• Meet the Louisiana Waterthrush
• How to make birdwatching fun for children on a day hike

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Meet the red-shouldered hawk

Red-shouldered hawk. Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Red-shouldered hawk
Buteo lineatus

Appearance: Peachy to red barred underparts, black with white banded tail, broad rounded black and white checkered wings

Song: A whistled rising kee-rah

Habitat: Tall woods near rivers or swamps

Nest: Stick nests built into the crotch of a tree

Trails it can be seen: Bear Trail; Five-Mile Bluff Prairie Trail; Ice Age National Scenic Trail at Straight Lake State Park; Lower Chippewa River State Natural Area Trail; Moose Ear Creek Trail; Snuss Trail (all trails in Wisconsin)

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Meet the Canada warbler

Canada warbler. Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Canada warbler
Cardellina canadensis

Appearance: Yellow throat, chest and belly; dark gray back; white undertail; dark streaks form a “necklace” on chest; white eyering with yellow line in front of eyes

Song: Single chirp then series of sputtering warbles.

Habitat: Forest

Nest: Dry grass and leaves on near ground

Trails: Houghton Falls Trail (Wisconsin)

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Meet the golden-winged warbler

Golden-winged warbler. Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Golden-winged warbler
Vermivora chrysoptera

Appearance: Silvery gray with striking yellow marks atop head and along wings

Song: Long, high-pitched note followed by 3-6 shorter, lower-pitch notes. Listen.

Habitat: Tangled shrubs in wet areas

Nest: Cup on ground on low in a bush

Trails: Moose Ear Creek Trail (Wisconsin)

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Meet the Louisiana Waterthrush

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Great Day Hikes for Kids in New York State

Mount Tremper Fire Observation
Station on Phoenicia Trail

With thousands of miles of hiking trails in New York state – from the famous Appalachian Trail to those crisscrossing the Adirondacks and Finger Lakes areas – you’ll have no trouble finding a great place for you and your children to put the boots to the dirt. Here are five great Empire State trails that you’ll want to day hike:
g Baxter Mountain summit trail – The summit trail to one of Adirondack State Park’s most famous mountains runs 2 miles round trip through a forest of pines and boulders left by glaciers during the last Ice Age.
g High Falls Gorge – Crossing a bridge over the Ausable River, the trail passes an anorthosite boulder to where the waterway falls over ancient granite cliffs.
g Mashomack Preserve’s Green Trail – Hikers can follow the 6-mile round trip Green Trail to white sand beaches on the Atlantic Ocean’s Smith Cove.
g Phoenicia Trail – This 2.75-mile trail in the Catskills takes you to a lookout tower atop Mount Tremper with Esopus Creek flowing below.
g Morton National Wildlife Refuge beach trail – More than 300 birds, including the threatened Piping Plover, make their home along or near the 3.5-mile beach trail.

Read more about day hiking with children in my Hikes with Tykes guidebooks.