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Bird Tours at a Glance

Ecuador: Mindo

Ecuador: East Slope

Ecuador: La Selva

Ecuador: Jocotoco

Costa Rica Quetzals

Costa Rica Caribbean

Florida Specialties

Arizona in May

Alaska Highlights

Arizona Monsoon

Peru Manu

Peru Machu Picchu

Panama Canopy Tower

Panama Canopy Lodge

Custom / Private Tours

 

Tour Teasers

 

Burrowing Owls - one of the specialties in South Florida

 

Vermilion Flycatcher seen regularly on our Southeastern Arizona Tour in May and July

 

There's nothing quite like birding in the tropics, especially in Costa Rica in March!

 

It is difficult to imagine a bird this bright inside of a dark cloud-forest. Come see Andean Cock-of-the-Rock on our Peru and Ecuador tours.

 

The Jocotoco Antpitta was first discovered in 1997 - it is a regular feature of our Southern Ecuador tour in March.

 

Bohemian Waxwing is one of many specialties looked for in the interior of alaska near Denali National Park.

 

Inca Wren was described to science in the 1980's, and Machu Picchu in southeastern Peru is still the most reliable place to see this specialty.

 

Sometimes lumped with Collared Aracari, the "Pale-mandibled" Aracari is common around Mindo in western Ecuador.

 

Black-throated Sparrow is one of the quintessential Sonoran Desert specialties in southeastern Arizona.

 

Baird's Trogon is one of the Pacific endemics we see on the Costa Rica: Quetzal and Endemics tour.

 

May is an excellent season to potentially see Western Spindalis in South Florida.

 

Willow Ptarmigan is one of three species of ptarmigan possible on the Alaska tour in June.

 

Southern Ecuador is fantastic for fancy hummingbirds, such as this Violet-bellied, which is common at the feeders at Umbrellabird Lodge.

 

Keel-billed Toucan is commonly seen from the roof of the Canopy Tower in the Canal Zone of Panama.

 

One of the main reasons to travel to Saint Paul Island in the middle of the Bering Sea is to see the Red-legged Kittiwake, which is a common nesting bird on the cliffs there.

 

A Cream-colored Woodpecker, uniquely colored, in early morning light from the canopy platform at La Selva Lodge.

 

One of the more spectacular hummingbirds possible on the Costa Rica: Caribbean Highlights tour is this Black-crested Coquette.

 

Crested Owl is widespread in the Neotropics and possible on a number of tours, such as Ecuador La Selva and Manu.

 

Bar-tailed Godwith is one of several species of wader that breed at Nome on the Alaska tour.

 

The Many-colored Rush-Tyrant is possible at the Huacarpay Lakes on the Peru Manu tour.

 

Spotted Owl on the Arizona tour.

 

AVIAN JOURNEYS

Tours at a Glance

 

Ecuador: Mindo and the Western Andes

January 23 - 31, 2010

 

Seven full birding days to wonderfull Western Ecuador. We spend six nights at Septimo Paraiso Lodge and visit Tandayapa, Mindo, Milpe, Rio Silanche, and Angel Paz's property. Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Giant Antpitta, and nearly 40 species of hummingbirds.

 

Ecuador: East Slope to San Isidro and Wildsumaco

January 30 - February 7, 2010

 

Seven full birding days to Cabañas San Isidro and new Wildsumaco Lodge. We visit Antisana Reserve, Papallacta Pass, and wonderful, fun birding lodges. Chance for Andean Condor, fabulous hummingbirds, incredible diversity of tanagers.

 

Ecuador: La Selva Lodge

February 6 - 14, 2010

 

Six nights at comfortable La Selva Lodge, one of the finest birding lodges in Amazonian Ecuador. Beautiful oxbow lake setting, with chance for Zigzag Heron. Serene canoe rides, great birding from canopy tower, parrot clay lick, and excellent rainforest birding. Practically gourmet food.

 

Ecuador: Jocotoco Reserves in the South

March 6 - 21, 2010

 

Visits several Jocotoco Foundation reserves in Southern Ecuador, including Buenaventura, Tapichilaca (home of the Jocotoco Antpitta), and Jorupe for most of the Tumbesian regional endemics. Also visits wonderful Podacarpus National Park and stays at Copalinga Lodge. Sees nearly 500 species in two weeks - including many incredible specialties such as Long-wattled Umbrellabird.

 

Costa Rica: Quetzals and Endemics

March 27 - April 4, 2010

 

Seven birding days to Cerro de la Muerte for Resplendent Quetzal and most of the montane regional endemics, then to Carara National Park on the Pacific coast, where the birding is fantastic and more than 350 species have been recorded.

 

Costa Rica: Monteverde and Caribbean Highlights

April 3 - 11, 2010

 

Seven birding days that visits famous Monteverde where both Resplendent Quetzal and Three-wattled Bellbird are possible, then covers Arenal Volcano, La Selva Biological Station, and Braulio Carrillo National Park for Caribbean slope specialties. Wonderful for scenery and hummingbirds.

 

Florida: Florida Specialties and Dry Tortugas

May 1 - 9, 2010

 

Early May is a wonderful time to bird south Florida for specialties such as Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Roseate Spoonbill, Limpkin, and birds restricted to the Florida Keys, such as White-crowned Pigeon, Mangrove Cuckoo, Gray Kingbird, and Black-whiskered Vireo. Includes a day trip to The Dry Tortugas, and the chance for a rarity from the Bahamas.

 

Arizona in May: Trogons, Warblers, and Owls

May 22 - 30, 2010

 

Late May is one of the best times to visit Southeastern Arizona. All of the specialties have arrived, and it is the best season to see a high diversity of breeding Owls, including Elf, Flammulated, and Spotted. The tour will concentrate on Sonoran Desert and "Sky Island" montane species, including the incredible Elegant Trogon.

 

Alaska:  Pribilof Islands Extension

June 6 - 9, 2010

 

This "pre-tour" extension will visit wonderful Saint Paul Island in the Pribilofs located out in the middle of the Bering Sea. Excellent for seeing and photographing nesting Alcids and specialties such as Red-legged Kittiwake and Red-faced Cormorant. There is the added excitement of the ppossibility of an "Asian stray", and early June is an excellent season for finding one.

 

Alaska Highlights: Seward, Nome and Denali

June 9 - 20, 2010

 

We'll visit wonderful Nome for four days, where we'll concentrate on arctic specialties such as Bristle-thighed Curlew, Aleutian Tern, Bluethroat, and nesting waders. The tour also visits Seward, where we'll take a full day boat trip to scenic Kenai Fjords National Park, and Denali National Park, where we can see Grizzly Bear and Northern Hawk-Owl, not to mention incredible Mount McKinley.

 

Peru: Manu: Manu National Park and Machu Picchu

July 10 - 25, 2010 with Machu Picchu to July 28

 

Manu is one of the last real wild remaining, accessible National Parks in South America, covering territory from the high Andes to lowland Amazonian rainforest, and has a park list of more than 1000 species of birds! We'll bird the Manu Road to Cock-of-theRock Lodge and Amazonia Lodge, then visit Cocha Salvadore on the Rio Manu, finishing at wonderful Manu Wildlife Center. A post-tour extension to incredible Machu Picchu is also available.

 

Arizona: Summer Monsoon and Sparrows

August 7 - 15, 2010

 

August is generally a cooler, wetter season in the mountains of Southeastern Arizona, after the onset of the summer monsoons. The rains create a "second spring", and it is an excellent season for breeding sparrows, such as Botteri's, and rare hummingbirds, not to mention all the usual specialties seen during the May tour.

 

Panama: A Week at the Canopy Tower

December 4 - 12, 2010

 

The unique Canopy Tower in the Canal Zone of Panama is a wonderful place to spend a week birding, and allows access to many great locations such as Pipeline Road and Achiote Road on the Caribbean side of the Canal. The lodge looks funky but is very comfortable and has great service, and the tropical birding can not be beat. Ealry mornings sipping coffee scanning the canopy for Blue Cotingas, is one definition of birding heaven!

 

Panama: A Week at the Canopy Lodge

December 11 - 19, 2010

 

A wonderful compliment to the Canopy Tower is their new Canopy Lodge, located in the central mountains north of Panama City. This very comfortable lodge offers access to foothill and lower montane birding, with lots of tanagers, and wonderful hummingbirds, including the incredible Snowcap.