The only thing as predictable as birds flying south for winter are the flocks of birding buffs who migrate from city to city this time of year, spotting scopes in tow, turning their favorite pastime into a rather unconventional way to take in fall's colors.
Touch the Earth Adventures, a nature-based travel adventure company in Athens, Ohio, helps birders appreciate the season and keep an eye out for hard-to-find species with guided birding-by-kayak trips on the tranquil lakes surrounding southeastern Ohio's Appalachian foothills. "The goal of my business is to get people to slow down and enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer," says company owner Mimi Morrison, who holds the trips through October. "In this part of the country, fall is one of the most beautiful times to do that."
Trips are BYOB (bring your own binoculars), and with three hours of guided paddling and birding, plus equipment and basic kayaking instruction, guests need not be experienced birders or boaters. Julie Davis, vice president of Columbus Audubon, leads the birding. She eagerly anticipates the views at Lake Hope, one of three lakes used for excursions and one her favorite bird-watching spots for its wealth of migrating warblers and herons. "The red-headed woodpeckers should be there in the fall," she says. "[Trip participants] might expect to see their young that fledged earlier this summer. It's very exciting!"