On my way to visit my family in Pennsylvania, I decided to stop at the Bashakill Wildlife Management Area in Sullivan County, New York, to see what birds might be in and around the giant marsh.

I used to canoe there frequently when I lived closer to that spot, but I hadn’t been there in many years. I didn’t have my canoe with me this time, but luckily there is a trail that follows the edge of the water and offers many expansive views.

As a bonus, the trail is wooded, so you get the shallow water on one side and the woods on the other. The Bashakill has a navigable channel winding through the middle, but the surrounding area is shallow water with thick aquatic vegetation where wood ducks and other birds find refuge. 

I parked at the boat ramp where I had launched my canoe many times in the past and took a glance at the water before hitting the trail. Canada geese and red-winged blackbirds were the only birds I saw on the water at the moment. As soon as I started on the trail, however, I was surrounded by birdsong like only spring can offer. 

The red-winged blackbirds’ familiar “conk-a-tee” call was the dominant sound, but the trees were filled with the songs of yellow warblers, warbling videos, yellow-throated videos, least flycatchers, American redstarts, Baltimore orioles, and blue-grey gnatcatchers.

I followed the trail for less than a mile when I came across a platform. It was about 15 feet high and overlooked the water. I noticed as soon as I got to the top of the platform that I was eye-to-eye with a Baltimore oriole nest with a female poking her head out of the leaves that surround the nest. She had soft nesting material in her bill, so I’m guessing she was in the process of finishing up the nest.

The high platform offered a great view of the surrounding trees. It was almost like being among the birds. On many occasions, I looked down on birds such as yellow warblers, warbling vireos and eastern phoebes. 

In the same direction, but further into the woods from the oriole nest, I noticed a white-breasted nuthatch coming and going from a hole in a tree. Again, I was about eye level with this hole, which turned out to be a nest for the nuthatches. The male came and went and brought caterpillars back to the female inside the nest. She made a brief appearance at the opening of the hole when the male returned with worms and other goodies. 

It was the first time I can recall finding an active nuthatch nest. As well-designed and camouflaged as oriole nests are, I have found those nests during the spring many times.

The action was so fast, yet peaceful, that I stayed on the platform for about an hour watching the birds. In the water, I saw several wood ducks as well as dozens of red-winged blackbirds and Canada geese. I didn’t see any ospreys or eagles, however. I found an eagle’s nest eye in a tall pine, but no birds appeared to be in it, and I never saw them flying or perched in a different tree. 

I was surprised because eagles were always a very reliable sighting there. The same goes for osprey. 

When I eventually climbed down from the platform, I was greeted at the bottom by a yellow warbler in a shrub almost within arm’s reach. This bird had no fear of me and flitted among the shrubs for a good five minutes before ascending to a higher spot in a nearby tree.

I am not usually the type to take detours when I am driving somewhere. When I drive, it is almost always about getting to the destination as quickly as possible and not about enjoying the journey. I do wish I could make it more about the journey sometimes, and I am glad I made this exception. Maybe this will inspire more journeys.