July 2, 2025 [LINK / comment]
My Great Train Odyssey, June 2023
Two full years after the fact, I now present a fairly complete description of the amazing rail journey across the United States which I took in June 2023. I took advantage of a special Amtrak deal whereby you can book ten train trips of any length over a 30-day period for just $499. (I had used the "USA Rail Pass" once before, to travel to the Midwest via New York City in 2008.) It was motivated in part by news reports last April (later confirmed) that the Oakland Athletics intended to relocate to Las Vegas; I just had to see Oakland Coliseum before it was too late! (I'm on a lifetime quest to see all 30 MLB stadiums and all 50 state capitol buildings.)
NOTE: My last travel-oriented blog post, about the road trip to Canada that Jacqueline and I took, was on August 4, 2022. Since then, we have also traveled to the Outer Banks of Norther Carolina (in August of 2023) and to New York City (last August), and I took a solo road trip to South Dakota, Colorado, and Wyoming one year ago. Obviously, I've got a lot of catching up to do!
Unfortunately, a few days after I bought the pass from Amtrak, I learned that a landslide had shut down rail service between Los Angeles and San Diego. Then, while considering alternative travel plans, I just couldn't get a straight answer from Amtrak [personnel] about the emergency bus connection between those cities. Anyway, here is a brief recapitulation of my lightning-paced itinerary, entirely by train except for one segment in California. The major urban destinations are in bold face, and the overnight stops (mostly the same) are underlined.
June 10-11 (Saturday-Sunday; 2.5 miles walked): I departed Charlottesville aboard Amtrak's "Crescent" train after dusk, and fell asleep by the time we reached Charlotte, North Carolina. I woke up as we entered Georgia, and I was disappointed that the train did not go to downtown Atlanta. Instead, we skirted the north edge of the city. In the early afternoon, we reached Birmingham, passing some of the steel mills that give the city its nickname "Pittsburgh of the South." Jacqueline and I had visited it briefly two years earlier, but did not see the downtown, where the buildings seem to be mostly from the early 20th Century. The next stop was Tuscaloosa, which features an attractive train station; it is the home of the University of Alabama. The bridge across the wide Tombigbee River provided an impressive view of white cliffs on the west side. We passed through southern Mississippi and crossed Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana after dusk, arriving in New Orleans just before 9:00 -- on time! I considered walking a few blocks to get lodging for the night, but I learned that the streets are dangerous at night, so after checking with the security guard, I simply sat down in the waiting area of Union Station and slept as well as I could.
June 12 (4 miles walked): Early in the morning I did some hasty sightseeing in New Orleans, getting a closeup view of the nearby Superdome and Smoothie King Arena next door. (When I was there in 2021, it was called "Mercedes Benz Superdome"; now it's called "Caesar's Superdome.") Breakfast at Hurt's Donuts (a new business) was very satisfying. Then I boarded Amtrak's "Sunset Limited" train, which traversed several towns in the low bayou country, passing above-ground cemeteries, industrial areas, and residential neighborhoods, including some very poor ones. We also passed quite a few sugar cane fields. In the mid-afternoon we crossed into Texas, and in the port city of Beaumont I saw a U.S. Navy "roll-on, roll-off" transport ship, the MV Cape Taylor.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: a sugar cane field near Thibodaux, Louisiana, New Orleans, Atlanta (north), and Birmingham, Alabama. (June 11-12)
We arrived in Houston at 6:40 PM, and I was surprised that the train station was so modest in size. The walls were adorned with photos of the old Grand Central Station, which was built in 1934 but replaced only 25 years later by a much smaller facility, reflecting the decline in passenger rail traffic. I had to walk several blocks to make a connection on a local bus, crossing the Buffalo Bayou (as lowland rivers are called in the Gulf region) into downtown Houston. In a riverside park is a monument honoring President George H.W. Bush (senior), who in retrospect is the last American president who truly deserved unqualified respect. After a long bus ride a few miles south I arrived at the Wanderstay Hostel, which caters mainly to young international travelers. I met several interesting folks during my two evenings there.
Two views of the Houston skyline, the old Harris County Courthouse, and the Buffalo Bayou, which is what they call the river that flows through the center of the city. (June 12)
June 13 (5.7 miles walked): I spent all morning trying in the hostel to finalize Amtrak train reservations in California and the return leg of my trip, having had to change my plans due to the aforementioned landslide south of Los Angeles. [I should give credit to the helpful and understanding Amtrak agent who assisted me in making those reservations.] Given the uncertainties and my tight time constraints, I decided that the idea of trying to see a Padres game in San Diego was just too risky. Even worse, my hopes of stopping in Denver and/or Kansas City on the way back east were foiled when I found out that all trains going that way from Los Angeles were sold out at least ten days in advance. So much for my plans to see family members! Instead, I had to go "East by Northwest." (More on that later.) In the afternoon, I took a light rail train to see the Astrodome for the first time. That historic indoor stadium closed in 1999, but it served a vital role in housing refugees during and after Hurricane Katrina in September 2005. The city of Houston is still trying to figure out what to do with the aging structure. Then I boarded another commuter train to downtown Houston, and walked a few blocks to see the Nationals vs. Astros game at Minute Maid Park. (See my June 28, 2023 blog post about my baseball experiences during that trip.) The following composite "montage" photo shows all the MLB stadiums I saw during my trip out west, along with the dates.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Oracle Park (June 19), T-Mobile Park (June 21), Oakland Coliseum (June 18), Minute Maid Park, which has since been renamed "Daikin Park" and the Astrodome (both on June 13), and Dodger Stadium (June 16).
June 14 (3.5 miles walked): On Wednesday I rented a car and, at the recommendation of my brother John, I drove to Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge (about 25 miles east) to watch birds! Once again, it was very hot, probably over 100 degrees! (See my August 1, 2023 blog post about the birds I saw there.) In the evening I had a very good Mexican dinner in downtown Houston before returning to the train station to board Amtrak's "Sunset Limited" train. During the middle of the night we stopped for over three hours in San Antonio, and I got off to stretch my legs and take photos of the area, including the nearby Alamodome. (I wish I could have walked a few blocks to see the Alamo itself.) I was awake a couple hours later when we briefly stopped in the town of Uvalde, scene of a terrible elementary school massacre that had happened about a year earlier.
Scenes at the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge. Some reptiles are more dangerous than others! (June 14)
June 15 (1 mile walked): Dawn broke on Thursday soon after our train crossed the the Amistad Reservoir (part of the Pecos River) near the border town of Del Rio. About an hour later we passed over a canyon that I later determined (after returning home and consulting my maps) was within a mile or so of the village of Langtry, Texas, made famous by the eccentric Judge Roy Bean, who was actually a real person. (Paul Newman played him in that 1972 movie.) The terrain in west Texas is rocky and not much grows other than cactus and scrub brush. A couple hours later the train stopped in the town of Alpine, which features some impressive artistic murals on some buildings. Three hours later the landscape became greener, as we approached the Rio Grande valley once again. Finally, we pulled into Old El Paso and stopped for a while, so I got out and stretched my legs. The up-close views of the Mexican border as we left town were quite dramatic! After we crossed the Rio Grande into New Mexico, I was amused to see a section of the imposing steel wall abruptly stop where it reaches a steep, barren hillside, with some folks on the Mexican side peering across. (Were they planning to cross?) We passed saguaro cacti around dusk and reached Tucson as night fell. I was sound asleep as we passed Yuma (around 3:10 AM, perhaps?) and crossed the Colorado River into California -- the "Golden State"! Likewise, I entirely missed seeing the Salton Sea or Palm Springs, both of which we passed.
Looking across the Rio Grande toward Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, from El Paso; and various scrubland scenes in southern Texas. (June 12)
June 16 (10.8 miles walked): I gradually woke up as our train passed Pomona and the eastern suburbs of Los Angeles in the predawn hours of Friday morning. We crossed the Los Angeles River (fully "paved" and with very little water) just before arriving at historic Union Station. For many years I had studied L.A. geography, marveling at how close the train station was to downtown. As I emerged from the station I could see the iconic City Hall building only a few blocks away. The large presence of homeless people was immediately evident, and I tried to exercise due caution. I walked about a half mile to the "modest price" (relatively speaking!) hotel where I had made reservations in the Little Tokyo district, on the east edge of downtown. After a brief nap, I headed out for a busy day of touristing. Even in mid-morning it was still cool and overcast, to my surprise. I walked uphill past L.A.P.D. headquarters, which is located near City Hall, boarded the L.A. Metro subway, and headed west. In sharp contrast to the old days, Los Angeles now has a modern and comprehensive mass transit system. After the train emerged from the tunnels I could recognize Baldwin Hills, which are visible in the background of several Hogan's Heroes episodes. (The former "Stalag 13" set in the Culver City area has long since been replaced by new building developments, however.) After a half-hour ride, I got off and reached the Pacific Ocean at the Santa Monica pier, which is a major center of entertainment and commerce. There is a sign noting that it is the terminal point of the historic "Route 66," from Chicago to L.A. The clouds had lifted by noon, and the temperatures finally climbed into the 80s. The view of the coastline was spectacular, with the palm trees and lush flowering shrubs atop the palisades overlooking the sandy beaches. Little did I know that 15 months later that whole area to the north (known as Pacific Palisades) would be consumed by a massive wildfire that destroyed thousands of houses.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: L.A. City Hall (seen from Dodger Stadium) at night, Union Station, Santa Monica beach & palisades, and the Los Angeles River. (June 16 & 17)
After lunch at the "1986 Taco" restaurant I headed back east and got off at the University of Southern California, about two miles southwest of downtown. There I walked around Memorial Coliseum, home of the USC Trojans and former home of the L.A. Rams and the L.A. Dodgers, who played from 1958 to 1961, before Dodger Stadium was built. Then I walked for nearly two miles through a mostly middle-class neighborhood, passing a homeless encampment on the overpass over the Harbor Freeway. Finally I arrived at a park named for benefactors Kirk and Anne Douglas where the L.A. version of Wrigley Field once stood. (The L.A. Angels played there during their first year, in 1961.) Some of the houses had nice gardens, and the area seemed to be relatively safe. I couldn't find the historical marker (which I later learned is located 100+ yards from where the old stadium actually stood), so I got on a bus and returned to my hotel and then to Union Station, from whence a shuttle to Dodger Stadium departs. The Dodgers and Giants were playing that evening, but I missed the first three innings because of traffic jam delays caused a protest by certain religious activists against Pride Night. The Giants won that game, and in fact they swept the weekend series.
June 17 (9.3 miles walked): On my second day in Los Angeles (a Saturday), I did my laundry, checked out of the hotel, checked my backpack at Union Station, and then took the Metro subway to the Hollywood and Vine station. (I had considered going to see Angel Stadium, but just getting to Anaheim and back would have taken nearly two hours, and I figured it wouldn't have been worth my precious time just seeing the outside of the stadium.) I saw some of the stars embedded in the Hollywood Walk of Fame (such as Doris Day, James Dean, Katherine Hepburn, Boris Karloff), took note of some eccentric characters and tourists, and marveled at the famous cylindrical Capitol Records building. Then I walked a few blocks past some very posh houses toward Griffith Park, where the trail leading up to the famous Griffith Observatory begins. (I previously described my birding adventures in Los Angeles on October 28, 2023.)
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The hillside Hollywood letters, Griffith Observatory, palm trees at the corner of Hollywood & Vine, a mural of Sidney Poitier and Judy Garland, and the Capitol Records tower. (June 17)
Late in the afternoon I strolled along the historic Olvera Street district, only a few blocks from Union Station, and bought a few souvenirs. That is the historic heart of Los Angeles, from back when it was a part of Mexico, and there are numerous plaques displaying the city's Hispanic cultural heritage. A mariachi singer was entertaining the local folks in a park, and it was just delightful. As dusk fell, I settled in to wait for the 1:00 AM Amtrak bus to Bakersfield. (There hasn't been any train service from L.A. to the San Joaquin valley since the 1970s, which is a major and annoying gap in their national rail network.) I was barely awake as the weary passengers got on the "Pacific Surfliner" train in Bakersfield.
June 18 (4.3 miles walked): As the sun rose over the San Joaquin Valley on Sunday morning, I could see the intensively irrigated fields for which California is famous. (But is it environmentally sustainable??!) I was surprised that the train didn't go directly toward the San Francisco Bay, but instead detoured around the east side of the mountain range, going north through Modesto and Stockton, and then looping back south along the Sacramento River.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Mount Diablo, Benicia-Martinez Bridges, palm trees, and irrigated fields in the San Joaquin Valley. (June 18)
Just before 11:00 AM our train arrived in Emeryville, on the north side of Oakland, and after checking in at a nice hotel (Four Points, by Sheraton) I quickly headed back to the train station to go see the Phillies vs. Athletics game. Unfortunately, there was a long delay (again!), so I didn't get inside Oakland Coliseum until the third inning. After the game I took the train back to Emeryville, and grabbed dinner (a veggie bean wrap) at a trendy grocery store called Trader Joe's.
June 19 (6.5 miles walked): I began the day by taking the BART subway to downtown San Francisco, my second time in that fabled city. (The first time was in 1987, when I had a pre-arranged rendevous with my friend Lanny Evans.) I soaked in the highly varied architectural styles of the buildings, and walked about a half mile downhill to Oracle Park (home of the Giants), taking a tour that lasted over two hours. Time well spent!
Then I walked back uphill and boarded a streetcar west from downtown through the historic Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. I was aware that this was the heartland of the 1960s hippie counterculture movement, but even so I was surprised to see a completely naked woman walking along the sidewalk! We then passed Kezar Stadium, which was the home of the San Francisco 49ers in the 1960s, but very little of the original structure remains. Finally we arrived at my main objective, Golden Gate Park, where I saw some interesting birds. I had a nice view of Mount Sutro, which is topped by a very sturdy (earthquake-proof?) communications tower. On the return trip I walked past the world headquarters of what was then called "Twitter," soon after Elon Musk acquired it in a highly leveraged buyout. (Now it's called just "X.")
Scenes from San Francisco (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): the downtown skyline, the Transamerica tower, an antique trolley car, the corner of Haight and Ashbury Streets, and the Bay Bridge leading to Oakland. (June 19)
June 20 (7.5 miles walked): In the morning, I took a BART train to the Merritt Lake area south of downtown Oakland. It's not really a lake, but an inlet connected to the San Francisco Bay. I passed a museum with an exhibit about the radical activist Angela Davis, which happened to be located next to the courthouse where she once (allegedly) helped some prisoners escape. Then I walked down to the waterfront where the Athletics were hoping to build a new baseball stadium, but that scheme fell apart. That's why the Athletics are playing in Sacramento for the next few years, pending the construction of a new stadium in Las Vegas. It's all a terrible tragedy.
Scenes from Oakland (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): downtown buildings and a new housing development, cranes handling port cargo, the Alameda County Courthouse, and Lake Merritt. (June 20)
In the afternoon, I took a bus northeast from Emeryville through the city of Berkeley, getting off at the campus of the University of California. From there I walked uphill to the Strawberry Canyon Natural Area, where I hiked and watched birds for about an hour. Then I toured the U.C. campus, famed as a center of the antiwar protest movement in the 1960s, seeing California Memorial Stadium, Sather Tower, and other landmarks. I had not previously realized that the entire campus is situated on a broad slope, with downtown below and the foothills above. From the top you can see the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance! It's extremely picturesque, and it was nice to see Redwood trees, even if they weren't as big as the ones that I saw at Redwood National Park in 1987.
Scenes from Berkeley (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): Redwood trees, Strawberry Canyon Natural Area, and the Sather Tower on the campus of the University of California. (June 20)
June 21 (1.2 miles walked): My train (the "Coast Starlight") left after midnight, and I was half asleep as we passed through the state capital of Sacramento toward the north. As morning broke we were entering the Cascade Mountains, with an excellent view of Mount Shasta. Then we crossed into Oregon and stopped at the Klamath Falls station, which seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. The train passed a large lake where I was surprised to see many pelicans, as well as a Bald Eagle. Then we turned west and began ascending the mountains, through some scenic but precarious passes, and then back down to the lush agricultural Willamette Valley. A couple hours later we entered the city of Portland, as the sun was setting in the west. Unfortunately, our train was delayed by nearly three hours, so I didn't arrive in Seattle until well after midnight. Fortunately, I had reserved a room within a couple blocks of the train station, and grabbed a few hours of precious horizontal sleep.
Cascade Mountains: Willamette Pass, and Mount Hood from the north (across the Columbia River, top right) and southwest (near Salem, bottom left). (June 21 & 22)
Scenes from Portland (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): Union Station, palm trees and high rises, the downtown skyline at dusk, and port facilities on the Willamette River. (June 21 & 22)
June 22 (3.8 miles walked): In the morning I did a rapid tour of Seattle, passing Lumen Field (home of the NFL Seahawks) and then T-Mobile Park (home of the MLB Mariners). Fortunately, they were both within a few blocks of the train station, so I was ready to board my next train, which departed at 9:50 AM. We headed straight south to Portland, which I had just passed the night before. Why the sudden round trip from Portland to Seattle and back? Well, I had some unused rides left on my Amtrak pass, and figured I might as well use one of them to see Seattle, but unfortunately all the trains eastbound from Seattle were booked, so I had to go back to Portland to catch the eastbound "Empire Builder" train! I had a three-hour layover in Portland, but decided to stay near the station rather than venture toward downtown. We left late in the afternoon, and began following the Columbia River through some deep, lush gorges into the arid countryside where apple orchards abound. As the sun set we left the Columbia River.
Scenes from Seattle (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): the downtown skyline, the Space Needles, the Chinese gate, and the historic Triangle building. (June 22)
Views of the Columbia River Valley from the northern side (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): Bridge of the Gods, "Lake" Bonneville (a reservoir), the Bonneville hydroelectric dam, and an apple orchard a hundred or more miles upstream. (June 22)
June 23 (1.2 miles walked): Around midnight the train stopped at the city of Spokane, Washington, where a male passenger boarded and sat down next to me. As dawn broke the next day he struck up a conversation about his evangelical mission. Eventually I decided to buy his book, Still Standing: a Testinmonial and a Warning, by "Prophet Roach." It tells the story of his harsh younger years growing up as a poor black boy in a small Louisiana town. He got involved in alcohol, drugs, and other vices, but eventually found God and got clean. Anyway, our train crossed the Rocky Mountains during the night, and passed through Glacier National Park during the morning. It was the first time I had been there, or indeed anywhere in northern Montana but unfortunately I couldn't see much. Then we headed straight east across the rolling plains of northern Montana, getting off for a while in the towns of Shelby and Havre, where there is a historical railroad monument with a steam locomotive. Later on the train tracks approached the Missouri River, following it for the next few hours. Just before crossing the state line, we passed the Fort Union Trading Post National Historical Site. As dusk approached we crossed northern North Dakota (another first time for me), where more and more oil wells and oil storage tanks were visible. After sunset we stopped for a while at the station in Minot, and I did some back-and-forth walking along the train platform to fulfill my daily exercise quota. After midnight we passed through Grand Forks and Fargo, my first time to either city, but I have only vague recollections of that.
Scenes from Montana (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): leaving Glacier National Park, the Whitefish train station, Fort Union historical site, and a marshy pond with some swimming grebes of some sort. (June 23)
June 24 (2.0 miles walked): As dawn broke on the last full day of my journey, our train stopped in St. Cloud, Minnesota. I was disappointed that we did not go through downtown Minneapolis, and likewise that our stop in the state capital of St. Paul did not afford any good views. After a while we crossed the Mighty Mississippi River into Wisconsin, where I was pleased to see American Family Field, home of the Milwaukee Brewers, but more importantly, I had some good closeup views of downtown Milwaukee for the first time. (I had passed by there once before, in 2010.) Next came Chicago, Illinois, where I had a short layover before getting on board the "Cardinal" train back home.
Scenes from downtown Milwaukee (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): the Hilton Hotel, construction, and building along the Menomonee River. (June 24)
June 25 (1.2 miles walked): During the night we passed through Indianapolis and Cincinnati, and early in the morning we stopped in Charleston, West, Virginia. An hour or so later I was mildly amused to see the women's prison in the town of Alderson, where TV mogul Martha Stewart was incarcerated a few years ago. Then back into the Old Dominion of Virginia, arriving in Staunton at 2:38 in the afternoon, and Jacqueline was there to pick me up. After a brief rest, I went to play music as part of a Beatles commemorative event, leading in the finale "Hey Jude," and finally got a good night's sleep!
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is that! Thank you for taking interest in my long-distances sojourns. [UPDATE: I would be remiss not to emphasize how enjoyable traveling on a train is. Aside from a few delays (probably stemming from having to share tracks with freight trains), Amtrak is very efficient and well run. I saw many, many sights that I simply never could have seen from a jet airplane or from an automobile. If you have time, it's a very convenient, relaxing way to travel.] Larger-size versions of most of the above photos can be found (either now or in the near future) at Chronological Photo Gallery, 2023
July 3, 2025 [LINK / comment]
Birding out west (& in Virginia), June 2024
NOTE: This is another "catch-up" blog post based on Facebook posts from June of last year.
June 3: My first day of serious birding while traveling out west was at the Atkins Slough Wildlife Protection Area, on the west side of the town of Tea, about ten miles southwest of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. There were several Common Yellowthroats, Swamp Sparrows, Eastern Kingbirds, Killdeers, and even a couple Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Blue-winged Teals, and Black Terns. (The latter stayed too far away for me to get a good photo.) I did manage to photograph a Marsh Wren but was frustrated in trying to spot a nearby Ring-necked Pheasant lurking among the reeds. At a Little League game in the evening in a small town farther north, I saw a Baltimore Oriole and a pair of Eurasian Collared Doves.
(Atkins Slough Wildlife Protection Area, SD, June 3)
June 5: As I headed west and then south from Sioux Falls, my first major "nature break" was at the Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge. Along the way I spotted a Ring-necked Pheasant in a farm driveway and did a U-turn, but it was gone by the time I had returned. I did, however, hear and then see a Willow Flycatcher. As I approached Lake Andes, I was very happy to get great closeup looks at Bobolinks as well as Western Kingbirds and Lark Sparrows. Near the shoreline I was thrilled to get excellent looks at several Yellow-headed Blackbirds for the first time in my life! (I had previously only seen them from a distance.) Also present were Orchard Orioles, Killdeers, Eurasian Collared Doves, and an Upland Sandpiper in an uncharacteristic location: the water! In the town of Lake Andes, SD I had a nice view of a couple Red-headed Woodpeckers. There weren't many birds as I crossed Nebraska into Colorado, however.
(Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge and nearby parts of South Dakota, June 5)
June 6: My next birding expedition earlier this month took place in the Rocky Mountain National Park, where it's so crowded that you need a special entry reservation. Horrible traffic jams! Early on I was delighted to see a Wilson's Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon subspecies with the yellow throat), Mountain Chickadees, and even a Lincoln's Sparrow! Just as I was leaving I got nice photos of two species I had seen for the first time last summer in the San Francisco Bay area: a Pygmy Nuthatch and a Violet-green Swallow -- wonderful! I'll post other bird photos (including some from the tundra) in a separate batch later.
(Rocky Mountain National Park, June 6)
June 7: My second day of birding in Colorado focused on the area in and around the city of Boulder. I began at the Sawhill Ponds Wildlife Preserve, where I immediately heard the first of many Common Yellowthroats and Yellow Warblers. Soon I spotted a pair of American White Pelicans up above, and then a Swainson's Hawk. Aside from the typical water-oriented birds such as Belted Kingfisher and Great Blue Heron, I also saw some Warbling Vireos, House Wrens, Northern Flickers (the western red-shafted subspecies!), other woodpeckers, Willow Flycatcher, and a pair of Ospreys on a distant nest platform. (The above birds are included in the top composite photo.)
(southeast of Boulder, CO, June 7 A.M.)
It was a hot day, so I rested a while before proceeding to my next destination, the Chautauqua Park which is next to the scenic Flatiron rock formations southwest of Boulder. As I hiked up the trail in an open grassland I was amused to see three Broad-tailed Hummingbirds engaged in an aerial battle -- my very first hummingbirds of the year! Then I entered a brushy transitional area and heard an odd song, and thanks to Merlin identified it as a Lazuli Bunting. Before long I had my eyes on a life bird! My only closeup photo was a side view, shown at the bottom left. (The Lazuli Bunting on the top right was 80+ feet away.) I also saw some Black-billed Magpies and a Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler. In the late afternoon I saw some American Goldfinches, and in evening a group of Bushtits in some evergreen trees. Quite a big day!
(southwest of Boulder, CO, June 7 P.M.)
June 8: For my third and final day of birding in Colorado, I took my brother John's advice and explored the Pawnee National Grassland, about an hour northeast of Boulder. As expected, there were plenty of Western Kingbirds, Western Meadowlarks, Horned Larks, Lark Sparrows, and my main target bird: Lark Buntings! (Bottom right; that's the state bird of Colorado.) In short, lotsa larks! I also photographed what I believe is a juvenile Chestnut-collared Longspur (middle left), which would be a life bird. At one stop I witnessed a Western Kingbird defending his nest from a Swainson's Hawk; high drama! Then a fierce thunderstorm came upon me, so I had to leave and drive into Wyoming. As the afternoon turned toward dusk I was lucky to see some Mountain Bluebirds at close range, and then a Gray Partridge just sitting along the side of the road. Another life bird!!! Also some antelopes running at high speed. It was a wonderful day!
(Pawnee National Grassland, Colorado, and south of Casper, Wyoming, June 8)
June 9: My main destination in Wyoming was Devil's Tower, where Jacqueline and I had seen a Western Tanager back in 1998, when I was still a novice birder. Sure enough, I managed to spot and photograph my main target bird after I had hiked about 2/3 the way around the massive rock formation. Beautiful! I also had nice views of Western Wood Pewee, Bullock's Oriole, Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Red-headed Woodpecker, Black-billed Magpies*, various nuthatches, and -- finally -- a Black-headed Grosbeak! Yet another fun and successful day of birding out west!
* For some reason, the Devil's Tower bird checklist indicates that Black-billed Magpies are rare in the summer. Not at all!
(Devil's Tower National Monument, June 9)
June 10: My main objective as I re-entered South Dakota from Wyoming was sightseeing in the picturesque Black Hills, especially at Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial. I did, however, set aside time for birding, with one particular target species: the American Dipper. At my brother John's recommendation, I drove up Spearfish Canyon and must have made ten or more stops along the way in my quest for this unusual bird. Early on I came across several Wild Turkeys and a Red-breasted Nuthatch, and along a big cliff I had very good views of a dozen or more White-throated Swifts. I even managed to get some decent photos of them! Further upstream I came upon some birds that would be considered common in the east: Red-eyed Vireos, American Redstarts, and Common Yellowthroats. Finally, as I was walking along the rapids, I saw a dark, chunky-shaped, medium-small bird darting around a big boulder: an American Dipper, a life bird for me! I waited ten or more minutes, but never saw it again, and failed to get a photo. Oh well. An hour or so later, along a trail near the Stratosphere Bowl historical site (about ten miles from Mount Rushmore), I had a nice closeup view of a Black-headed Grosbeak.
(Black Hills of South Dakota, June 10)
June 11: Leaving the Black Hills and heading east across South Dakota, my first stop was in the Badlands National Park. (Actually, I first spent quite a while shopping in the world-famous tourist shopping mecca of Wall Drug.) The Badlands scenery is awe-inspiring, as the green prairie suddenly changes to stark, barren, other-worldly landscape not unlike the Grand Canyon. For a while, the only birds I saw were swallows, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Western Meadowlarks, and a Brown Thrasher or two. Then finally I hit the jackpot at one of the overlooks, with a Western Kingbird and Orchard Oriole in close proximity (photos merged to compensate for different focal lengths), along with a Lark Sparrow, and best of all, a Rock Wren that perched just a few feet away and sang up a storm. Later in the afternoon, on a big pond south of the state capital Pierre, I saw some Blue-winged Teals, American Wigeons, and a Killdeer. It's amazing how many ducks, grebes, and even pelicans the isolated prairie lakes and ponds can sustain!
(Badlands National Park and central South Dakota, June 11)
June 13: A few days before I headed back east, I went hiking along the woodland trails at Beaver Creek Nature Area and then the Mary Jo Wegner Arboretum. There I saw several bird species that one could see just about anywhere in the eastern states, but are either much less common or not found at all in arid western South Dakota: Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Indigo Buntings, Common Yellowthroats, and American Redstarts. This shows how the state is a transition zone in terms of the ranges of many bird species. I also saw a few House Wrens and American Goldfinches that day, as well as several 13-lined Ground Squirrels, commonly called "gophers."
(Beaver Creek Nature Area and then the Mary Jo Wegner Arboretum, near Sioux Falls, SD, June 13)
June 15: On my next-to-last day in South Dakota, I spent about an hour south of Vermillion in the Missouri River valley. There I finally saw two of the most typical (but not always prominent) bird species of the Great Plains: a very close Grasshopper Sparrow and a distant Dickcissel. Also present were the quite widespread Lark Sparrow, Eastern Kingbird, and Brown Thrasher and a Red-headed Woodpecker. The day before while golfing I had seen a Bald Eagle (for the only time in my trip), and I was told that there was a nest of them near the Vermillion River, but I could not find it.
And that wraps up my western birding adventures of June 2024!
June 25: It was quite hot and dry after I returned to Virginia, but I took advantage of a mild day to make a visit to Bell's Lane. Among the highlights were several Orchard Orioles (including a mother feeding a fledgling), a House Wren, a Gray Catbird adorned with human-provided "jewelry," a Brown Thrasher, a Red-bellied Woodpecker, an Eastern Towhee, an an Eastern Kingbird, and an Indigo Bunting.
June 29: Today was another hot one, so I went to the shadiest trail I could think of: Chimney Hollow, near West Augusta along Rt. 250. There were several Acadian Flycatchers, which are usual summer residents there, but NONE of the expected Louisiana Waterthrushes. A result of the drought, perhaps? There was hardly any water in the stream. I also saw a Worm-eating Warbler, a Black-throated Green Warbler, several noisy Ovenbirds (including one that was faking an injury to distract me, just like a Killdeer!), a Scarlet Tanager, and a Blue-headed Vireo.
(Chimney Hollow, June 29)
Additional photos and montages, including individual photos of some of the birds in the above montages, will soon become available on the Wild Birds chronological (2024) page.
July 4, 2025 [LINK / comment]
Birding in Virginia, July 2024
NOTE: This is yet another "catch-up" blog post based on Facebook posts from last July.
July 5: I hiked up Betsy Bell Hill this morning, curious as to what birds might be there. Highlights included some Great Crested Flycatchers, Eastern Wood Pewees, Eastern Towhees, Red-eyed Vireos, White-breasted Nuthatches, Downy Woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and at least FIVE Pileated Woodpeckers making quite a racket! No photos of them, however. No warblers either.
(Betsy Bell Hill, July 5)
July 10: I braved the heat and did a late morning walk along Bell's Lane, and fortunately my efforts were rewarded. Eastern Kingbirds were in three different locations, and I don't recall seeing so many in the Bell's Lane area before. No Eastern Phoebes, however. The highlight of the day was a White-eyed Vireo, singing its curious staccato song. Also present were the usual Indigo Buntings, Eastern Bluebirds (family group!), Eastern Towhees, Gray Catbirds, American Goldfinches, and House Finches. Also a Brown Thrasher!
July 12: I went for a short walk along the trails at Sunset Park in Waynesboro for the first time today. (Actually, a few of us club members were given a tour of the site three or so years ago, before the development began.) It is quite an impressive facility, with a huge parking area and modern bathrooms, and provides a great view of Waynesboro and the Shenandoah Valley. It just opened in May. Anyway, I saw mostly the usual woodland birds in the forest: Red-eyed Vireo, Eastern Wood Pewee, Pileated Woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Eastern Bluebird, Indigo Bunting, a Scarlet Tanager, and several Tufted Titmice.
July 13: I drove all the way up to Reddish Knob today, in faint hopes that the Mourning Warbler(s) might still be there, but my efforts were not in vain. I had nice views of Canada Warblers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Scarlet Tanagers, Black-and-white Warblers, American Redstarts, Indigo Buntings, Blue-headed Vireos, Black-capped Chickadees, a Downy Woodpecker, and a Brown Thrasher.
(Reddish Knob, July 13)
July 15: I did my walk along Bell's Lane this morning before the temps got into the 90s, and I had some nice surprises. The White-eyed Vireos are still singing, and I also heard an Eastern Screech Owl repeatedly whinnying in the vicinity. Wow!! I was also surprised to see a Black-and-white Warbler as well as a Worm-eating Warbler, along with the "usual suspects": Eastern Towhees, Field Sparrows, Eastern Kingbirds (not shown), and Indigo Buntings. I also saw an Eastern Phoebe that was either a youngster or a molting adult.
July 19: I saw a Great Crested Flycatcher (or maybe two) along Bell's Lane this afternoon, for the first time in a while. Also a Black-and-white Warbler again, as well as the usual Eastern Towhees, Eastern Kingbirds, and Indigo Buntings. Not pictured: Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, American Goldfinch, and Gray Catbirds.
July 21: Jacqueline and I went for a big hike, starting at Milam Gap in the Shenandoah National Park and descending about 800 feet along the Mill Prong Trail to Rapidan Camp, where President Herbert Hoover built a summer retreat compound in 1929. Along the way we saw quite a few good birds, but it was hard getting photos of them. We saw Eastern Phoebe bringing a tasty treat to his/her nestlings, right at Hoover's cabin, a Blue-headed Vireo, an American Redstart, an American Goldfinch, an Acadian Flycatcher, and a House Wren. Jacqueline spotted a young Ruffed Grouse just a few feet a way, but all I could see was a rustle in the bushes. Also seen were a Least Flycatcher, a probable Yellow-billed Cuckoo, some Black-and-white Warblers, Downy Woodpeckers, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird (first of year for me!?), an Ovenbird, and a Dark-eyed Junco. It was quite a big day!
(Mill Prong Trail, Shen. Nat. Park, July 21)
July 23: Jacqueline and I went for another big hike today, this time along the Falls Hollow trail, which begins along Rt. 42 a few miles before Augusta Springs. It was my first significant visit there this year, and conditions were mild but humid. (Recent rains have benefited the greenery.) We heard and saw multiple Blue-headed Vireos and Acadian Flycatchers, as well as Eastern Towhees, but only one notable cluster of warblers, flitting about the tree tops. ID is hard, given the poor light conditions, but I think that's a Worm-eating Warbler and a Black-throated Green Warbler at the top right. The other two are a Red-eyed Vireo and a White-breasted Nuthatch. On the way back down we heard and saw a couple Louisiana Waterthrushes.
July 26: On Bell's Lane in the afternoon I once again saw Black-and-white Warblers as well as American Redstarts, but could only get photos of the former. This one is evidently a young male practicing to sing, as his throat was almost all white. Also present was a Great Crested Flycatcher, as well as the usual Indigo Buntings, Eastern Towhees, etc.
July 29: I had to go up to Harrisonburg today, and made several birding stops along the way. At Leonard's Pond were a couple Solitary Sandpipers, along with at least a dozen Killdeers. At Lake Shenandoah I saw some American Goldfinches, Eastern Bluebirds, and Eastern Kingbirds, but no egrets or herons. The lake is still in miserable condition, overgrown with weeds. At the JMU Arboretum I saw an Eastern Wood Pewee, an Eastern Phoebe, and a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. My first photo of the latter all year! Also, a pathetic-looking male Northern Cardinal in the process of molting. At Hillandale Park I saw some Eastern Towhees, Carolina Wrens, and a Downy Woodpecker.
(Leonard's Pond and Hillandale Park, Harrisonburg, July 29)
Additional photos and montages, including individual photos of some of the birds in the above montages, are now available on the NEWLY UPDATED (easier to navigate, etc.) Wild Birds chronological (2024) page. (I am in the midst of a major reorganization of my bird photos, so that they will be sorted year by year.)
July 31, 2025 [LINK / comment]
July: the Nationals remain mostly moribund
After recording their worst-ever win-loss record for the month of June (7-19, or .269), as grimly recounted here on June 29, the Washington Nationals improved slightly in July (9-15, or .375). There wasn't much improvement until after the All-Star break, however. Ever inconsistent with up-and-down gyrations, the Nats started the month (at home in Washington) being drubbed by the Detroit Tigers 11-2, but then bounced back to win the next two games by large margins. In that first game, starting pitcher Trevor Williams only lasted 3 innings, and was put on the injured list soon thereafter. He has not pitched since then. In the next game, Nathaniel Lowe led the way with 4 RBIs, and in the final game of the series against the Tigers, Paul DeJong and James Wood both homered. Prevailing over the then-best team in the American League in a series was a big accomplishment, raising fans' hopes. But then followed a dismal 3-game series against the Boston Red Sox, who easily swept the Nats. Only the third game was close, 6-4, so the less said about all that, the better. It was the major league debut of starting pitcher Shinnosuke Ogasawara, who only lasted 2 2/3 innings.
Martinez and Rizzo get fired
On June 19 I asked "Will Davey Martinez get fired?" It almost seemed like the Lerner family who own the Nationals didn't really care how well the team was doing, and such a perception can easily fester and spread if corrective action is not taken. So very shortly after the loss on July 6, the team owners announced that not only the manager but the general manager Mike Rizzo were being dismissed, with temporary replacements. Miguel Cairo is now filling the dugout role formerly held by Martinez, and Mike De Bartolo has replaced Rizzo in the front office. To me, replacing Martinez was long overdue, but I was taken aback by the dismissal of Rizzo. He had been with the team since the early days, taking over after Jim Bowden was obliged to resign as G.M. due to a recruiting scandal in March 2009. Rizzo played a key role in acquiring Jayson Werth prior to the 2011 season, and made other key acquisitions along the way, including Daniel Murphy and Howie Kendrick. But he also must be faulted for risking so much on the big Stephen Strasburg contract extension soon after the 2019 World Series triumph. That deal turned out to be disastrous for the franchise as a whole. With so much money tied up in one player, the Nats could not afford to field a truly contending team, and soon their top stars such as Max Scherzer and Juan Soto were gone.
The last time the Nationals changed managers in mid-season was June 2011, when Jim Riggleman abruptly resigned after the Nationals swept the Seattle Mariners. That was a strange situation in which he evidently didn't think he was getting proper credit for making the team better. Three years before that, on July 13, 2009 Manny Acta was fired, and few people argued with that move. Acta simply lacked big-league leadership capacity. In that regard, it is worth pointing out what I wrote about the Nationals' owners explanatory "letter to their fans" back then:
One element is missing from the letter, however: any sense of responsibility for the debacle on the part of the owners themselves. Unless they start laying out enough salary money to create a first class team, they should be part of the shakeup in team leadership!
Does all that sound familiar? Well, it should! Indeed, a couple years later the Lerners made a huge commitment by signing free agent Jayson Werth to a fat and juicy contract, and all of a sudden the Nationals fortunes turned sharply upward. Will history repeat itself in this regard?? Let's hope so.
Under new management:
The Nationals show flickers of life
After a day of rest (and reorganization), the Nationals hit the road but were beaten in their first game in St. Louis, on July 8. On the next day, however, their ace pitcher Mackenzie Gore got a rare win, thanks to home runs hit by Nathaniel Lowe, Amed (pronounced "Ahmed") Rosario, and James Wood. In the rubber match game, the Cardinals won by a score of 8-1, with 5 of those runs coming in the sixth inning.
Then they headed up to Miller Park American Family Field in Milwaukee, where the Nats lost all three games. In the Saturday July 12 game, rookie Daylen Lile homered in the second inning, and another rookie, Brady House, homered in the fourth and ninth innings -- the latter being a 2-run shot that put the Nationals ahead 4-3. A sac fly by CJ Abrams gave the Nats a crucial insurance run, but in the bottom of the ninth, closing pitcher Kyle Finnegan wasted it all away, giving up two walks and three hits, as the Brewers won it in walk-off fashion, 6-5. That one really hurt. The next day the Brewers easily completed the series sweep, 8-1.
The 2025 All-Star Game
As widely expected, two Washington Nationals players were chosen as backups for the 2025 All-Star Game, which was played in Atlanta's Truist Park: outfielder-slugger James Wood and pitcher Mackenzie Gore. Wood grounded out in his only at-bat, pinch-hitting in the eighth inning, whereas Gore had a fine 1-2-3 fifth inning on the mound. The Midseason Festivities began in suburban Atlanta with the Home Run Derby, presented by T-Mobile. The first batter was the Nats' James Wood, who got off to a slow start but managed to hit 16 homers, one of which sailed 486 feet, over the "Chop House" beyond right field. That proved to be not quite enough, however, as he was eliminated in the first round. One of the two players who hit 17 homers in the first round, the amazing Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, went on to win the contest.
In the actual All-Star Game, on July 15, the National League took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning thanks to a 2-run double by Ketel Marte. In the sixth inning, Pete Alonso (of the Mets) hit a 3-run homer, and then Corbin Carroll (of the Diamondbacks) hit a solo homer, seemingly putting the game away. But in the very next inning, Brent Rooker (of the Athletics) hit a 3-run homer, and the AL scored one more run to reduce the lead to just two runs. The AL tied it in the top of the ninth inning, setting up the very first "swing-off" tie-breaker. It's much like the Home Run Derby, not very satisfying for baseball purists but at least better than a frustrating tie game such as in 2002. (Commissioner Bud Selig took so much heat for allowing that to happen that he pushed for a change such that the winning All Star Game league would get home field advantage in the the World Series. That rule was done away with in 2017, unfortunately.) Anyway, Kyle Schwarber was the hero for the Senior Circuit, who were deemed to have prevailed 7-6, without actually scoring an extra-inning run.
The Nats finally start to click
Back in Washington to welcome the San Diego Padres on July 18 after a 4-day break, the Nationals rallied to tie the game 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning on a home run by CJ Abrams. But once again, closing pitcher Kyle Finnegan failed to hold the line, giving up five runs in the top of the ninth. Final score: 7-2. That was the Nats' fifth consecutive defeat, a possible sign of lousy morale. But somehow they managed to pull together and win the next game. Second-string catcher Drew Millas hit a clutch 2-run single in the second inning to give the Nats an early lead, and Nathaniel Lowe later homered, as the Nats won it, 4-2. On Sunday, however, Mackenzie Gore had a poor outing, being replaced in the third inning, as the Padres won it, 8-1.
Then the Cincinnati Reds came to town, and the first game (on July 21) was a real slug-fest. Jake Irvin only lasted 3 2/3 innings, but the Nationals still won, 10-8. In Game 2, Brad Lord took the mound as starting pitcher, after Shinnosuke Ogasawara was sent back down to the minors. Lord did a fine job but was pulled after four innings, probably because he is not accustomed to pitching that much. The hero of that game was Josh Bell, who homered for the second day in a row, as the Nats won it easily, 6-1. But any hopes of a series sweep came crashing down as the Nats were blanked by the Reds on Sunday, 5-0.
It should be mentioned that one bright spot in the mostly-bleak Nationals landscape this month is Josh Bell, who was batting well below .200 for the first three months of the 2025 season. He is currently batting .228, with 13 homers and 40 RBIs; in other words, pretty respectable. James Wood, however, remains mired in a slump. Perhaps his experience at the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game was discouraging.
After resting for a day, the Nats flew to Minneapolis to face the Twins. In the first game, the only run scored by either team was in the fifth inning, when Mackenzie Gore walked a batter, allowed him to advance two bases on wild pitches, and then gave up a sac fly RBI. The only run scored was achieved without an actual hit! But the Nats bounced back and won by a score of 9-3 thanks largely to homers by Luis Garcia and Alex Call. The Nats also won the final game of the series, as Jake Irvin lasted 7 innings on the mound, and CJ Abrams homered again.
Then the Nats flew south to Houston (on July 28), where fans on both sides still remember the amazing 2019 World Series. Brad Lord was the starting pitcher, and this time he stayed until the sixth inning. The decisive play in that game was when catcher Riley Adams (who is frankly only an average-at-best player) hit a solo home run in the seventh inning. Nats 2, Astros 1. In the second game, a homer by Luis Garcia put the Nats ahead 2-1 in the third inning, but the Astros scored in the next four innings, and won it, 7-4. Then on Wednesday the crucial play came in the second inning, when diminutive veteran Jose Altuve hit a 3-run homer. Mackenzie Gore remained as starting pitcher until the sixth inning, when Cooper Hummel hit a 2-run blast, followed by another one after Cole Henry took the mound. It quickly became an ugly blowout. Final score: Astros 9, Nats 1.
So while the month ended on a down note, at least the Nationals have won 5 out of their last 10 games. Whether they can remain above the .400 "threshold of respectability" with a reduced roster (after the end-of-month trades) remains to be seen.
Nats trade away key players
Given their bleak near-term prospects, it came as little surprise that the Nationals officially parted ways with several of their most reliable players as the trading deadline arrived today. Closing pitcher Kyle Finnegan, who has been one of the Nationals' few consistent performers since 2020, will be joining the Tigers. The team in Detroit was looking dominant until early July, more or less, but they seemed to hit a "ceiling." Last week they lost six games in a row, but then they won their last four games of the month. Veteran Michael Soroka will be pitching for the first-place Chicago Cubs, who traded two of their top prospects to the Nationals. And one of my personal favorites, Alex Call, was traded to the L.A. Dodgers, who are so overloaded with talent that Call may not get much playing time. After blossoming as a regular left fielder with the Nats this year, he will probably spend most of his time in the dugout as a utility player and/or pinch hitter. Baseball would be a better sport if more players emulated Call's determination and hustle. Finally, the Nats traded away relief pitchers Andrew Chafin and Luis Garcia (NOT the Luis Garcia who plays second base) to the L.A. Angels for a couple minor league pitchers. You can read an analysis of the trades at washingtonpost.com.
All in all, it could have been worse. I was really dreading the possibility that Mackenzie Gore might get traded. He has been in a slump lately, but his past performance leaves no doubt that he will be a top-notch pitcher for years to come.
Nick Kurtz's FOUR 4-baggers!
In other baseball news, on Friday evening in Houston the Athletics rookie Nick Kurtz had one of the biggest offensive nights of any player in MLB history. The 22-year old designated hitter debuted on April 23, and has already hit 23 home runs this year. By the season's end, he will probably have set all sorts of records for a rookie player. In the first inning he singled and then scored a run, in the second inning he hit a two-run homer, in both the sixth and eighth innings he hit solo homers, and in the ninth inning he hit a 2-run homer. Yes, FOUR (4) home runs in one game!! Kurtz became the 20th major leaguer in history to have achieved that awesome feat of slugging. The last player to do so was Eugenio Suarez of the Arizona Diamondbacks, on April 26 this year. (SOURCE: Wikipedia; [the list on that page shows that two such feats were also recorded in 2017, but none otherwise since 2012. Weird.]) Including the above-mentioned single and a double, Kurtz went 6 for 6, as the Athletics crushed the Astros 15-3. It's too bad that Kurtz doesn't have much of a home fan base to cheer him on. The A's owner John Fisher is [evidently] not getting along very well with officials in his team's "temporary" home city of Sacramento, [and attendance is lagging]. It is a travesty that they are not still playing in Oakland, even if they do end up playing in Las Vegas some day.
Frustration for the Braves
The Atlanta Braves have lost virtually their entire pitching rotation to injuries this year, and earlier this month fell behind the Miami Marlins, who now occupy third place. In Kansas City on Wednesday, the Braves were tied 0-0 with the Royals until the tenth inning, when a leadoff single by aging veteran Salvador Perez drove in the game's only run. In Cincinnati tonight, they were tied with the Reds 3-3 going into the eighth inning, whereupon they scored 8 runs: an 11-3 lead. But then the Reds did exactly the same thing, scoring 8 runs in the eighth inning. Believe it or not!!! For a second day in a row, the Braves went into extra innings, but this time they won it, 12-11. They'll play a day game tomorrow (Friday), and then the two teams will head down to eastern Tennessee, where they will play in Bristol Motor Speedway. Believe it or not!!!
