From the Editor
Birding travel means different things to different people. For some of us, it’s a short walk to to visit a migrant trap or the local duck pond. You seldom have to go far to see something cool that you can’t find at home. Others hop in the car to take day trips on the weekends. Some of us chase local rarities. And some of us, who travel trans- and intercontinentally, have truly been bitten by the travel bug!
For those who live in the Southeastern U.S. and like to stay closer to home, Loren Merrill has given us a detailed site-by-site description, in the classic bird-finding guide style, of Florida’s St. Mark’s National Wildlife Refuge. You’ll want to make sure you have his article with you on your next visit! If you live in coastal British Columbia or Nova Scotia and enjoy being on the water, John Geary’s article on birding by boat will be of interest. Or maybe, like me, you’ll be so enticed you’ll want to travel quite a distance to experience what he describes for yourself.
Just a bit south of the ABA Area, in west Mexico, an exciting new birding destination has suddenly become accessible: the Tres Marías Islands. And who better to give us the skinny than the dean of Mexican birding himself, Steve Howell? Further south in Middle America, Serge Arias tells us why fall in such an underappreciated season for birding in Costa Rica. Like me, many of you are concerned about the ecological impact of our birding travel, so Roger Rodríguez Ardila explains how visiting certain locations can be a net positive for local communities and ecosystems, such as the Colombian llanos where Hato La Aurora is located.
Across the great eastern sea lies the Iberian Peninsula, which is a fabulous birding and cultural destination. With the help of a couple colleagues, local Andalusian bird expert and guide María Harana waxes on what she thinks are the 20 Best Birds in Spain and Portugal.
The ABA strives to make heard the voices of historically marginalized and under-represented groups in birding, and though we’re making progress, the lack of diversity among our authors is concerning. We urgently want and need to hear more and varied perspectives in these pages, and we enthusiastically invite them to appear here.
I hope that there is something of use and interest to you in this issue. Please don’t ever hesitate to contact me at mretter@aba.org with your ideas for future content. Even better: Write about it yourself for the next issue! Finally, please consider sharing this issue by giving your hard copy to a friend or family member when you’re done.
However and wherever you travel, I wish you a happy, safe, and bird-filled trip!
Michael L. P. Retter
Editor, Birding Special Issues
OTHER USERS BOUGHT THIS!!!
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