A Birding Year for the Books

2023 marked an enormous milestone in my ornithological career. I graduated from college, published a paper in a scientific journal, and met many great people in places I never expected to be. I’m incredibly grateful for the experiences I made through another 365 days of life. Please enjoy this list of my top 5 favorite birding moments of 2023!

Note: All media on this page was taken by me, Elliott Ress, unless noted otherwise.

5. Southwest Sampler (November)

I was fortunate enough to spend a few days in Arizona for Thanksgiving. This was my first time birding the southwest, so I was incredibly excited to explore the unique diversity of birds and habitats Arizona has to offer. It did not disappoint. I found many extraordinary species like Greater Roadrunners, Canyon Wrens, Phainopeplas, Vermilion Flycatchers, and much more. In only three days, I saw more than 98 species of birds!

An Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna) I found in dense shrubbery, taking naps in the brisk morning weather.

Just 15 minutes east of Phoenix International Airport is Gilbert Water Ranch, an expansive riparian preserve rich and teeming with all sorts of bird life. This hotspot proved extremely productive, as every corner you turned produced a new type of habitat, and with it, different species of bird. I especially enjoyed the time I spent with a stunning male Vermilion Flycatcher. I was able to spend some very up-close moments with this bird, watching it fly catch from a pole just about two feet in front of me. He was also very photogenic, which made my job of getting quality pictures that much easier.

In only a few days, Arizona’s rich biodiversity has fully convinced me to return soon. I only scratched the surface of what this state, and more broadly, the entire region of the southwest United States, has to offer. Here’s to hoping I can get back soon!

Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus)

4. A what showed up in New Jersey?! (December)

November and December are interesting times for birds. Though the majority of migratory birds have already traveled to their expected winter locations, sometimes birds can make exceptionally late or completely unexpected appearances. This was the case with a Red-flanked Bluetail, a bird native to northern Europe and eastern Asia. This bird showed up at a residence in a small town in New Jersey! The sheer improbability of this bird prompted me and a few friends to chase it the following morning. It took us about four-and-a-half hours to reach Ocean County, New Jersey. Sadly, by the time we arrived on scene, it was already getting quite dark, and the bird hadn’t been located for a few hours since our arrival. We felt a bit defeated, however, if there’s one thing I’ve learned about being a birder, it’s that you never give up and always try and stay optimistic. We decided to stay the night and try again tomorrow morning before having to head back to New York.

After a few more hours of uncertainty the following morning, we were alerted that the bird had been seen briefly from another residence a few houses down. This was good news, as we knew the bird was still in the area, and hadn’t taken off elsewhere overnight. Twenty frustrating minutes later, the bird reappeared again through the thick tangles across the way. My friends and I ran over, knowing that this was our best shot to find this crazy rare bird. As we watched the bushes intently, we saw minute movements from a petite bird with a blue tail and, you guessed it, reddish-orange flanks. The bird proceeded to forage on a lawn for only a few seconds before disappearing back into the dense thickets. We felt incredibly relieved that our efforts didn’t end in failure. This bird marks the first East Coast record of this species in the United States, with most sightings, rare nonetheless, occurring in California and other states on the West Coast.

Red-flanked Bluetail (Tarsiger cyanurus)

3. Exploring the Mediterranean (June)

As a graduation gift to myself, I traveled to three beautiful countries that border the Mediterranean Sea: Italy, Greece, and Croatia. I was traveling with family members on this trip, which meant that birding would not be my primary focus. However, it would’ve been illegal if I didn’t at least get a little birding time in! Until this trip, I had never birded Europe, so I was stoked to see even the most common European species.

Italy

My journey started in Venice, where I spent a day birding Parco San Giuliano, probably the most reliable park in Venice to get a good spread of staple Italian bird species. The park’s diverse habitats attracted many birds including White Wagtails, Eurasian Marsh-Harriers, Pygmy Cormorants, Common Cuckoos, Greater Flamingos, and much more. In addition to Parco San Giuliano, I was able to find more inner-city parks within the crowded streets of Venice itself; these parks were great for finding urban birds such as Great Blue Tits, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Eurasian Jays, Italian Sparrows, etc. I ended my short birding stint in Italy with 48 species!

A female Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) feeds its fledgling in a downtown Venice park.

Croatia

Croatia was the next destination on my list. Here, I visited the beautiful Krka National Park, a picturesque park located along the Krka River. The scenery was stunning, with lush greenery, crystal clear water, and plenty of wildlife. Besides the chorus of frogs overwhelming the forest, birds like Eurasian Blackcaps, Common Chaffinches, and Western House-Martins actively foraged for food and sang, illuminating the enchanted forest.

Krka National Park, Croatia

Italy

Unfortunately, my time in Croatia didn’t last long, and I soon found myself staring off the Port of Athens, astounded by the hundreds of Yelkouan and Cory’s Shearwaters hunting offshore. European Shags, Great Cormorants, Mediterranean Gulls, Sandwich Terns, and many other seabirds littered the busy port as well. I, of course, visited all the tourist destinations while I was in Greece, but I always kept my binoculars at the ready, waiting for birds to call or fly by. Alpine Swifts and Common Swifts were the more common birds I saw flying about.

Even though my time in Europe wasn’t long, nor fully invested in birding, I felt content and happy with what I was able to see. I’ve been keen on birding Spain one day; it seems like one of the premiere birding destinations in western Europe; I hope to visit soon!

2. Birding Florida: Old Memories, New Purpose (September)

I spent my childhood growing up in South Florida, oblivious to the astounding bird life that was at my fingertips. After I graduated from college, it felt almost mandatory to return. So I did just that! I navigated through the depths of Florida for two weeks. I birded hard every day, starting at the crack of dawn and not stopping until sunset, no matter how brutally hot and humid it got.

Miami-Dade County

I decided to bird by county from south to north. I started in Miami-Dade County, where most birding occurred in the deep southern portions of the state (not including the keys). Here, houses and humans are sparse while scattered, open farmland dominates the landscape. I birded along sketchy canals, abandoned airstrips, and various hammock preserves. I found many migrating warblers at these spots, including but not limited to Worm-eating Warblers, American Redstarts, Prairie Warblers, etc. Gray Kingbirds and Blue Grosbeaks made many appearances as well. Apart from these locations, I also birded the crowded downtown streets of Miami, where many introduced and exotic parrot species make the concrete jungle their home. By the beach, I located some White-crowned Pigeons and Magnificent Frigatebirds, however, I missed out on a Smooth-billed Ani that was reported only 20 minutes before my arrival.

Broward County

Broward County proved a lot more productive than originally thought! I was able to see all my target birds for this county and then some. I spent most of my time birding the Plantation Preserve, a relatively small stretch of habitat that meanders through a golf course. Deep in the dense shrubbery, I spotted a Swainson’s Warbler, foraging low in the bush with some Ovenbirds! This species has a reputation for being more difficult to find due to their skulking habits.

Swainson’s Warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii)

Burrowing Owls were also at the top of my bucket list for Broward County. I found them at Vista View Park, a former landfill that has since been converted into hilly grassland terrain. This park holds several families of Burrowing Owls which are scattered throughout. The park has delineated all the burrows by bordering them with bright orange stakes in hopes of avoiding any potential complications with humans and/or their pets.

Palm Beach County

I spent 85% of my time in Florida in my home county of Palm Beach. It feels like I birded damn near every city and town in this county! I frequented local hotspot destinations such as Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and Spanish River Park. Not only did I meet many local birders (it was a pleasure meeting everyone!), but I also found some fun species of birds! Some notable species for me included a Thick-billed Vireo, a rare visitor from the Bahamas, a Canada Warbler, an extremely scarce migrant in southern Florida, and lifer Short-tailed Hawks in both color morphs. One morning, I also took a drive to see an American Flamingo found near a very (and I mean very!) busy bridge. Long live the flamingo invasion!

Thick-billed Vireo (Vireo crassirostris)

Just south of Lake Okeechobee lies the humble, antiquated city of Belle Glade. For birders, Belle Glade is known for its almost endless amounts of farmland that holds thousands and thousands of migrating shorebirds, blackbirds, and ducks, as well as a plethora of other species. You can easily get lost in the maze of unmarked, unpaved backroads here. In fact, this happened to me multiple times; I found myself entering through the rear entrances of many private farms by mistake. Cars are scarce here, and only intermittently will you see a truck or tractor drive by.

One of the most productive spots for me to see birds in Belle Glade was along a rice mill. When light first starts to fall in the evenings, many birds begin to fly to their roosts. Every day I went, I’d see large numbers of swamphens, gallinules, ducks, ibis, egrets, herons, Anhingas, whistling-ducks, plovers, sandpipers…you name it, it probably flew over. However, these weren’t even the most exciting sightings I had here. At the mill itself, around 500 Brown-headed Cowbirds were foraging on spilled grains by the silos. In the chaos of the feeding, I picked out a Bronzed Cowbird and a Shiny Cowbird, two species of blackbird that have fairly small populations in the US, especially the Shiny. It was a great surprise to say the least!

Left: Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis). Right: Bronzed Cowbird (Molothrus aeneus)

On the flooded farm fields, it was common to see hundreds to thousands of shorebirds (mostly peeps) like Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers, as well as overwhelming amounts of Wood Storks, Roseate Spoonbills, and Western Cattle/Great/Snowy Egrets. At dusk, Barn Owls came out to play, flying parallel to the roads in hopes of picking off scattering rodents. Birding here was definitely sketchy and a bit daunting, especially once the light got dim (there are no street lights either!), but most of all, it was unforgettable in all the best ways possible.

A typical Belle Glade scene. This canal, adjacent to a flooded farm field, hosted large crowds of Wood Storks (Mycteria americana) and various egret species. Bonus points if you can find the alligator!

Osceola County

For the last few days of my trip, I ventured north to Osceola County. Here, the landscape changes to mostly open pine woodlands and scattered oak scrub. These niche habitats attract several unique, threatened species of bird. In the oak scrubs, I found a raucous family of Florida Scrub-Jays, Florida’s only endemic bird species. Further west in the pine woodlands, I came across a handful of Bachman's Sparrows and Red-cockaded Woodpeckers. These three species are habitat specialists, living and breeding strictly in these areas; unfortunately, with the increase in deforestation in these areas, the populations of these birds are decreasing at a steady rate. Other notable species I saw in this county include Crested Caracara, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Snail Kite, and a family of Northern Bobwhites.

Left: Bachman’s Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis). Right: Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Dryobates borealis).

Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)

1. Prudhoe Bay and the Bird Crew (June, July)

Over the summer, I was lucky enough to secure a field job working for the Wildlife Conservation Society in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Prudhoe Bay is considered the largest oilfield in North America and is also the northernmost terminus of the Pan-American highway! My job was to locate and monitor nests of tundra-breeding birds throughout the breeding season to evaluate the impacts and effects of increased oil rig infrastructure and predators on nest success rates.

When I arrived, I was greeted by the rest of my team for this field season: Sarah, native Alaskan and the crew lead, Philipp, expert bander and Nordmann’s Greenshank connoisseur, and Parker, a recent Iowa State University graduate. The oil riggers knew us as “The Bird Crew”.

For two months and six days a week, we patrolled the expansive tundra, searching for birds and their nests within staked-off areas; these were known as our plots. We had close to two dozen plots to check and manage throughout our time there. We walked about 8-10 miles daily and averaged around 18,000 steps per day. Although many days the conditions were unfavorable, with some days being brutally cold and windy while other times it was uncomfortably warm and mosquito-ridden, I was ultimately mesmerized by the wildlife; my passion for birds, my commitment to the study, and understanding first-hand how lucky I was to be apart of such a cool project, kept me greatly motivated.

A typical day on the tundra. Note the oil rigs in the background.

After we’d find a nest on a plot, we would mark them with popsicle sticks and save the coordinates. We would return to those same spots a few days later to monitor the progress of the nest. Sometimes, predators like ravens, jaegers, and foxes got to the eggs first, but other times, parent(s) were doing their jobs, incubating their eggs, and protecting their nests with passion. For the nests that did make it through the incubation period, we sometimes had the honor of being present for their hatch days! One of my favorite moments from the trip was watching innocent baby Red Phalaropes slowly emerge from their shells; what a beautiful moment that was.

Hatching Red Phalaropes! (Phalaropus fulicarius)

Around us, bird life always seemed to be flourishing. The most common birds seen at our plots were Greater White-fronted Geese, Cackling Geese, King Eiders, Pacific Loons, Lapland Longspurs, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Parasitic Jaegers, Glaucous Gulls, Red-necked Phalaropes, and Long-tailed Ducks. However, this was only a sliver of the complete avian diversity present in Prudhoe Bay. We also saw some extraordinary mammal species such as Muskox, Red Foxes and Arctic Foxes (including their kits!), as well as Grizzly Bears, which were seen more often than we would’ve liked (this was a great concern when working on our plots, especially the plots close to the local garbage dump). We also witnessed the great Caribou migration and were even lucky enough to have a herd walk literally inches away from us!

Top left: King Eider (Somateria spectabilis). Top right: Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes). Bottom left: Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus). Bottom right: Caribou (Rangifer tarandus)

One special thing about observing wildlife in remote places such as Prudhoe Bay, is that everything seems relatively unbothered by humans. This is at least partially because these birds and other animals have had little to no human interactions before and therefore did not label us as an immediate threat. This made the birds naturally curious about who we were and what we were doing. Oftentimes, birds would let you get a foot in front of them before they decided that we were getting a little too close to their bubble.

Apart from nest monitoring, we also placed geotags on Stilt Sandpipers in hopes to monitor their migration behaviors like their stopover sites on their migration back south, as well as their final wintering destinations. With a little luck and a lot of patience, we were able to band 4 or 5 stilts!

I thought I would include a more expansive list of some of the bird species we saw while working in Prudhoe Bay I did not mention previously. Although I won’t list every species, they all hold a special place in my heart!

Spectacled Eider, Common Eider, Willow Ptarmigan, Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-bellied Plover, American Golden-Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Long-billed Dowitcher, Dunlin, Pectoral Sandpiper, Long-tailed Jaeger, Pomarine Jaeger, Slaty-backed Gull, Sabine’s Gull, Arctic Tern, Yellow-billed Loon, Snowy Owl, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Hoary Redpoll

Top left: Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus). Top Right: Spectacled Eider (Somateria fischeri). Bottom Left: Long-tailed Jaeger (Stercorarius longicaudus). Bottom right: Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus)

Once our monitoring period ended and we finished entering data, our hard work was finally done! All that was left was to make the long journey back to Fairbanks. We took the Dalton Highway south, eventually traversing through the mountainsides. The habitat changed from tundra to montane grasslands, eventually into boreal forests. Of course, we birded along the way, getting even more Alaskan life birds like Golden-crowned Sparrows, Northern Wheatears, Short-billed Gulls, and even a hunting Gyrfalcon! After a restful few days in Fairbanks, I finally made my way back home, full of unforgettable moments and memories to share.

Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus)

I’m still and will always be incredibly grateful for this incredible opportunity. Sarah, Philipp, and Parker were not only great crew members, but they were also great friends.

If you read to the end, thank you. I hope you enjoyed reading about some of my favorite birding moments of 2023. Here’s to many more memories (and more blogs)!