International birding usually requires passing through an airport or two, interrupted by several hours of birdless flying – the worst version of flying possible. Whereas the flight can be made more enjoyable by studying the field guide or listening to bird calls, the airports are a different matter. Some are actively anti-bird while others resemble windowless bus terminals. There are some notable exceptions, but beware: looking at flying objects comes with a security warning. This collaborative post explores both friendly and unfriendly airports around the world. Join us with your examples in the comments, please.
Scooping between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean at the tip of Florida in the United States lies a crescent string of islands. In the middle is an eight square mile piece of land called Marathon Key. On the northwestern side is a one-runway airport built by the U.S. Navy in 1943. It is here that small piles of feathers gather on the runway waiting for dusk – the Antillean Nighthawk. From April to September in the U.S., this “mosquito hawk” is a rare occurrence; only known to visit the Florida Keys. At this specific and unlikely location, stand just outside the chain link fence and wait for them to launch, then buoyantly dive and catch their insect dinners on the wing. (Angela Minor)
Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta Airport always had a lot going for it: the shops selling bird guidebooks, bars laden with Tusker beer, the impossibility to miss a plane as they would always wait for you and Little Swifts. Terminal 1’s big windows have a moulding of swift nests that guarantee a continuous stream of Little Swifts slamming at high speed into their nests. No need for binoculars to enjoy this spectacle, which may just be a very good thing as David will testify next. (Peter Penning)
In November 1982 I was flying back from a trip to Kenya on Ethiopian Airways. After taking off from Addis Ababa, the plane made the relatively short hop to Asmara, which at the time was part of Ethiopia. (It’s now the capital of Eritrea). According to my diary “we left almost on time, and were at the point of take-off when one of the engines sucked in a bird, most likely a Black Kite. We came back to grinding halt, but with a burst tyre, so had to abandon the plane”. We then had a wait of seven hours before a replacement plane arrived to allow us to continue our flight to Europe. Those seven hours could have been well used, as there was a steady but impressive movement of raptors over the airfield. Sadly, there was no chance to identify them, for as soon as I got out my binoculars I was warned that the airport was a security zone, and the use of binoculars, or cameras, was strictly forbidden. My binoculars went straight back into my bag: the security men weren’t friendly. (David Tomlinson)
After leading a birding holiday in Cyprus, I arrived early for a flight from Paphos back to the UK. With plenty of time to spare I took my group to look for Black Francolins: the airfield and its environs are a favoured habitat for this shy but handsome bird. We did see our Francolins, but moments later a 4×4 police vehicle raced up and the unsmiling policeman asked us what we were doing. My little group of middle-aged English birdwatchers hardly looked like spies, but the police clearly thought that we might well be. We narrowly avoided being arrested: ever since I’ve been very wary about using binoculars anywhere near airports. (David Tomlinson)
Boston’s Logan International Airport has been sited on a coastal saltmarsh habitat. Within earshot of the airport lies Belle Isle Marsh Reservation. Earshot needs to be taken quite literally – the landing planes will thunder overhead while you explore the reserve. It is arguably the best place in the USA to see Saltmarsh Sparrow. On the mudflats (a scope comes in handy) large flocks of waders can be observed. Expect American Oystercatcher, Short-billed Dowitcher, Lesser Yellowlegs, Greater Yellowlegs, Semipalmated Sandpiper, but also American Herring Gull, Snowy Egret, Great White Egret, Great Blue Heron and Osprey. In the wooded areas and clearings, I saw Downy Woodpecker, Barn Swallow, Yellow Warbler, Song Sparrow, Northern Mockingbird, American Robin and Eastern Towhee. Throw in American Black Duck and Mallard on the numerous ponds and you can spend a happy morning here before catching your next flight. (Peter Penning)
Photos by the authors (Angela and David) or from the 10000birds archive (Peter of course). Featured image of landing plane at Boston is by Fletcher, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Although product placement was not our intention, we will graciously accept a donation from JetBlue.
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