November 2006 Birdletter
The November 2006 issue of VENT's printed newsletter, the Birdletter, includes articles about our Arizona Winter Birding Festival, California & Arizona, Costa Rica, Central and Northern Spain, Bhutan, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Northern Tanzania, Taiwan, Northeastern Brazil, and Winter Washington & British Columbia.
...............................................................................................................................................................................
In this issue:
Arizona Winter Birding Festival
Winter Washington and British Columbia
ARIZONA WINTER BIRDING FESTIVAL
BY BARRY LYON
To celebrate the winter birding season, VENT has planned a birding festival which will take place January 10-15, 2007. The region we have chosen for this event is one of North America's greatest wintertime birding locations: the beautiful Sonoran Desert and "sky island" mountain ranges of southern Arizona. Few other parts of the country can offer such a rich assortment of resident "specialty" birds combined with a wealth of tantalizing wintering species. All the desert birds occur in abundance, and the canyons and grasslands are filled with quail, curlews, thrashers, shrikes, sparrows, and longspurs. Sandhill Cranes winter in the thousands and as many as 15 species of raptors patrol the farms and fields.
Aside from the birding, southeast Arizona offers terrific scenery. Bold deserts and stark mountain ranges are accentuated by crystal-clear days and broad vistas. Each day begins with a sublime sunrise and culminates in a glowing sunset.
Our festival will be based at the Embassy Suites hotel, located near the airport in Tucson. We will have four exciting days to explore southeast Arizona in search of a variety of resident and winter birds. We have identified four distinct regions to which we will operate daily field trips: the Sulphur Springs Valley; the Upper Santa Cruz River and Sonoita Creek; the Lower Santa Cruz River; and Madera Canyon and Green Valley. Over the course of the festival, every participant will have a chance to experience each of these great areas and spend time in the field with all of the tour leaders.
Many of the highly sought Arizona specialty birds are resident and readily found, and are joined by a tremendous number of more northerly nesting species. Birds of prey populate the grasslands and deserts in greater numbers and diversity than almost any other part of the country. Sparrows abound in nearly every habitat, with over 15 species possible. Several species of thrashers are just beginning to breed and are, perhaps, easier to see in late winter than at any other season. Sandhill Cranes invade the Sulphur Springs Valley, often covering bare winter fields by the thousands.
Among the many species expected are Gambel's and Scaled quail, Ferruginous Hawk, Mountain Plover, Gilded Flicker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Lewis's Woodpecker, Vermilion Flycatcher, Pyrrhuloxia, Rufous-winged Sparrow, and Chestnut-collared and McCown's longspurs.
The winter season reliably hosts rare birds from other parts of the country as well. A sampling of out-of-range species that have graced the southern desert in recent winters includes Long-eared and Northern Saw-whet owls, Red-breasted and Yellow-bellied sapsuckers, Brown Thrasher, Varied Thrush, Prairie Warbler, Harris's Sparrow, and Lawrence's Goldfinch.
For an added bonus, winter has proven to be a peak time for encountering vagrant species from Mexico. Ruddy Ground-Dove is annual, and Rufous-backed Robin nearly so. Black-capped Gnatcatcher has turned up with increasing regularity, and other exotic species such as Streak-backed Oriole and Nutting's Flycatcher have made periodic appearances.
Participants at our Arizona Winter Birding Festival will also be treated to social hours, dinners, and evening presentations. There will be numerous opportunities to interact with VENT tour leaders and other festival participants.
In anticipation of this event, we have assembled an excellent team of leaders, some of whom include Victor Emanuel, Kenn Kaufman, Steve Hilty, Barry Zimmer, and Barry Lyon. This festival is guaranteed to be an exciting and successful event. Join us in Tucson this January and make new friends, renew old acquaintances, and help us celebrate winter in the Southwest!
ARIZONA WINTER BIRDING FESTIVAL
January 10-15, 2007
With Victor Emanuel, Kenn Kaufman, Barry Zimmer and Barry Lyon
$1995 from Tucson
CALIFORNIA & ARIZONA
BY BARRY ZIMMER
Our winter California & Arizona tour is touted as a trip with a large overall list, lots of Southwest and California specialties, a good chance for Mexican vagrants and other rarities, and generally good weather. In 2006 we nailed every one of these categories to the fullest extent.
For starters, we tallied an impressive 255 species in just eight days of birding. No other winter United States tour can come close to this number. Over the 18 years I have led this tour, we have amassed an astonishing 368 species cumulatively, or roughly 60% of the regularly occurring U.S. avifauna. Among this sizable list are many highly sought specialty birds of the Southwest or California. On this year's trip we had excellent luck in the San Diego area with the endangered California Gnatcatcher, as well as other targets like Surfbird, Black Turnstone, Wandering Tattler, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Oak Titmouse, California Thrasher, Wrentit (one literally two feet away!), California Towhee, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Tricolored Blackbird, and the erratic Lawrence's Goldfinch. Further east we found Yellow-footed Gull at the Salton Sea (the only U.S. location for this species), 8,000 or more Ross's Geese in one field, 150 Mountain Plovers in the nearby agricultural areas, and Costa's Hummingbird at a desert oasis.
Arizona also produced a long list of Southwestern specialty birds with the likes of Montezuma Quail; Whiskered and Western screech-owls; Magnificent Hummingbird; Arizona Woodpecker; Gilded Flicker; Hammond's, Dusky, and Gray flycatchers; Vermilion Flycatcher; Painted Redstart; Green-tailed Towhee; Rufous-winged, Brewer's, Black-chinned, and Sage sparrows; and Yellow-eyed Junco.
Special mention needs to go to the thrasher family with an astonishing seven representatives seen on our trip. The aforementioned California Thrasher was in San Diego, but the fifth day of our trip yielded six thrashers in one day including stunning views of the hard-to-find Le Conte's, as well as Bendire's, Curve-billed, Crissal, and Sage!
As for rarities, we began running out of room on our checklists for write-ins! Topping the list were three great Mexican vagrants: we had eight Ruddy Ground-Doves, three Black-capped Gnatcatchers, and a Rufous-backed Robin. Superb views of all these species were had. In addition, we had many other aseasonal or out-of-range surprises including Reddish Egret, Eurasian Wigeon, Thick-billed Kingbird, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (a discovery by our group), Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Varied Thrush, Plumbeous Vireo, and Smith's and McCown's longspurs to name a few. Other noteworthy goodies included seven roosting Long-eared Owls at very close range, three Prairie Falcons, eight Peregrine falcons, two Golden Eagles, Scaled Quail, 76 Snowy Plovers in one spot, Parasitic Jaeger, Heermann's and Glaucous-winged gulls, Townsend's Warbler, and Lazuli Bunting. In all we tallied 24 species of waterfowl, 26 species of shorebirds, 22 species of raptors (including owls and vultures), and an amazing 29 species of sparrows.
The weather for our tour was just the icing on the cake. Every day of the trip the high temperature reached the mid 60s, and a couple of days climbed into the low 70s. Nighttime lows were above average with upper 30s to low 40s the majority of the days. For most birders who are suffering through bitter cold, icy, and snowy Januarys elsewhere, this trip offers a pleasant respite.
This tour continues to be one of my very favorites for its great bird diversity, the annual promise of rarities (including strays from Mexico), and the great weather. From the rocky coasts of the Pacific Ocean through pine forests, agricultural valleys, and Sonoran Desert, the wealth of the avifauna will astound you.
January 22-31, 2007
With Barry Zimmer
$2695 from San Diego (ends in Tucson)
COSTA RICA
BY ANDREW WHITTAKER
My return visit to Costa Rica (after a three-year gap) was truly a memorable one. Birding this remarkably diverse country is always a treat; from the lush Caribbean slopes and lowlands to the Pacific dry forests and the temperate forests at high elevations, each region and its distinct habitats results in highlights galore.
What a dream start: a fruiting avocado tree, containing not one, but seven Resplendent Quetzals, including three dazzling males! Witnessing the antics of the males as they chased the females was almost overwhelming! Those that claim the Resplendent Quetzal is the most beautiful bird in the world would get little argument from anyone in our group! The parade of quetzals was followed by a stunning pair of Golden-browed Chlorophonias. The chlorophonias fed at point-blank range, at eye level, allowing us to delight in their multiple brilliant colors, from emerald-green to violet-blue, to turquoise and yellow! We were also treated to stunning, close-up studies of Crimson-collared, Golden-hooded, and Silver-throated tanagers, closely followed by the most cooperative pair of Prong-billed Barbets one could ever hope for. It was an amazing first few hours, and a portent of things to come.
Our relaxed stay at the secluded Bosque de Paz reserve rewarded us with a fantastic feeder show that included hummers galore (including multiple spectacular Violet Sabrewings), and as many as 20 Black Guans mobbing the seed trays, not to mention a rarely seen paca coming in by night. Forest birds included the immaculate Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher and Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher, Red-faced Spinetail, and the diminutive Barred Becard.
En route to the drier Pacific lowlands we stopped for scope-filling views of a pair of roosting Black-and-white Owls, and an odd, shaggy looking two-toed sloth. A stop on a bridge high above the Rio Tarcoles treated us to several huge (15 to 20 feet in length) American crocodiles basking in the sun on the riverbanks below us! A distant white spot in a treetop turned out to be a snazzy looking male Yellow-billed Cotinga. After sitting still for scope views, this rare bird obligingly flew right at us, passing closely at eye level!
Carara National Park was as birdy as ever. Scarlet Macaws, feeding in perfect morning light, presented lovely studies, and were followed by a noisy group of Fiery-billed Aracaris, their vividly colored bills catching the first rays of the sun to penetrate the canopy. A wide forest trail provided great studies of a stellar lineup of gorgeous trogons, with Baird's, Slaty-tailed, Black-throated, and Black-headed all in attendance. Woodpeckers were also much in evidence, and we were lucky to see both the range-restricted Golden-naped Woodpecker, and the massive Pale-billed Woodpecker as it hammered on a huge trunk.
By walking quietly along forested trails, we were rewarded with stunning Orange-collared Manakins displaying at their lek, and a pair of Long-tailed Manakins. A Streak-chested Antpitta responded well to tape playback, giving excellent studies, and we observed not one, but two different Great Tinamous at point-blank range. Then there was a confiding male Ruddy Quail-Dove feeding right in the open in front of us! Both Riverside Wren and Stub-tailed Spadebill gave exceptional looks too, and we were both surprised and delighted to find the extremely rare Slate-colored Seedeater. An afternoon visit to nearby drier habitats provided studies of the odd-looking White-throated Magpie-Jay, a Turquoise-browed Motmot, perched White-fronted Parrots, Olive and Stripe-headed sparrows, Banded Wren, Nutting's Flycatcher, and our mascot, the Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl that followed us everywhere! Excellent studies of Double-striped Thick-knees were a bonus.
Lush, forested Caribbean slopes produced some nonstop hummingbird action, including the endemic Coppery-headed Emerald and striking male Green Thorntail. Here, our walk produced a huge mixed-species flock that rewarded us with stunning prolonged views of a pair of colorful Red-headed Barbets at eye level. At the valley bottom we were even able to observe the underwater antics of an American Dipper in the magnificent crystal-clear river.
La Selva Field Station was, as expected, extremely birdy and, at times, almost overwhelming. Highlights of our first day in these rich lowlands were: Pied Puffbird; Black-capped Pygmy-Tyrant (at its nest at eye level); an army ant swarm, attended by the stunning Ocellated Antbird; and a magnificent pair of Great Curassows crossing the trail. The afternoon produced a Spotted Antbird visiting the previously mentioned ant swarm (somewhat of a surprise here, where the species has become very uncommon), and Dusky-faced Tanagers. Further exploration the next day produced Crested Guans, a stunning close view of a male Snowy Cotinga, Chestnut-colored Woodpecker, Red-lored and Brown-hooded parrots, and the odd Bare-crowned Antbird. Detailed scope views of Keel-billed Toucans left us spellbound as we observed the multitude of bright colors on their huge beaks, and around the clearings we sorted through a host of flycatchers, wrens, and tanagers.
The cooler climate of Braulio Carillo National Park found us thrilling to the antics of a family group of Central American spider monkeys. Here the birding was a little slower than normal due to the inclement weather. However, Braulio always provides some memorable highlights, such as the Yellow-eared Toucanet doing its see-saw display, a confiding Dull-mantled Antbird, White-throated Shrike-Tanager, and Emerald and Black-and-yellow tanagers.
Our final days afield were spent in the very different, temperate forests of Cerro de la Muerte, where we tracked down all the unique highland endemics, including Large-footed Finch, Volcano Junco, and Timberline Wren. A very successful night excursion rewarded us with superb studies of Dusky Nightjar and Bare-shanked Screech-Owl. Even our last morning produced yet another trip highlight, as we witnessed a tremendous raptor migration of more than 20,000 Broad-winged and Swainson's hawks passing low against a cloudless blue sky. And who among us will forget the amazingly obliging pair of Wrenthrushes that paraded around in the open, right in front of us? It just doesn't get better than this!
February 10-18, 2007
With David Wolf and Mimi Wolf
$2645 from San Jose, Costa Rica
Limit 14
March 17-29, 2007
With David Wolf and Mimi Wolf
$3565 from San Jose, Costa Rica
Limit 14
CENTRAL AND NORTHERN SPAIN
BY PETER ROBERTS
Our Spain tour has consistently been one of our most popular and successful tours. After reading the following report by Peter Roberts, you'll know why this tour gets such rave reviews. — V.E.
This was my 14th Spain tour?and it still brought surprises and new birds! While all the sought-after species are nowadays just about guaranteed and we know precisely when and where we'll find them, there are odd, quirky, and unexpected sightings to keep Alberto and myself as keen as ever to run this delightful tour.
During our stay on the Spanish steppes, in the cool dawn redolent with the fragrance of crushed herbs, as the sun cast orange and ochre patterns on the mesas, we stood quietly listening and looking for the elusive Dupont's Lark. A wonderfully enigmatic "LBJ with attitude," this bird's world range is confined to central Iberia and a small area in northern Africa?and declining all the while as its habitat is destroyed by conversion into unneeded cereal fields. This wistful little lark sings its plaintive song only before and just after dawn. It usually sings from the sparse saltbush cover that is its entire life. With patience it eventually makes a move, sits atop a 6-inch-high shrub, and gives us that most precious and privileged view before slipping away into obscurity again. Into this hallowed vigil interjected the most bizarre sight and sound, as the throbbing hum of a huge white Mute Swan flew directly overhead in this waterless semi-desert landscape! Alberto and I were speechless with mirth. The localized, globally-threatened, and secretive Dupont's Lark is found virtually every year in this one spot; the swan was our first ever on this tour. Which was the rarer bird?
On the last day of an excellent tour we experienced another of those odd moments that make birding such a fascinating experience. Working our way up through the wetlands of the Ebro Delta, we had stunning views of Little Bitterns, Collared Pratincoles, Pied Avocets, and Slender-billed, Mediterranean, and Audouin's gulls?all the riches and specialties of this great birding region, and especially exciting for a group of American birders fairly new to Europe. A phone call from the birding grapevine in Spain alerted us to something technically far more special. We pulled up to a tidal inlet full of glorious breeding-plumaged Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stints, and there in their midst was a Wilson's Phalarope?only the second or third record for Spain. I was elated; the group was politely interested to see this virtual "yard bird" somewhere different. Birding is a very personal experience!
In between these extremes were moments that we all agreed were memorable: phenomenal aerial displays and sparring from a magnificent pair of Spanish Eagles in Monfrague; a Bonelli's Eagle on its nest; the high Pyrenean picnic with virtually hand tame Alpine Accentors, Ring Ouzels singing around us, and immense wheeling flocks of Yellow-billed Choughs in the air?with one disappearing into the ground right before our eyes, as it dropped into its cave-like nest site in the weathered limestone; good looks at that most special of raptors?Lammergeier?at a magically remote spot in the sierras; those flamboyant pink and black flights of sunlit Greater Flamingos and the equally dazzling Wallcreeper on those immense sheer rock faces; the ethereal Barn Owl feeding young in the floodlit ancient church tower; and Great Bustards in flight, gently grouped and feeding, can't be forgotten. All in such wonderfully rich and historic settings, and with time to enjoy both the birds and their environment.
This tour is so finely honed now that it would be difficult to improve upon it, but Alberto, my steadfast Spanish co-leader, and I always rack our brains to tweak it into something even more productive. For 2007 we are going to adjust the itinerary slightly, adding a new location where we hope to show you three other highly localized and sought-after species: the globally-threatened Marbled Teal and White-headed Duck, plus Red-knobbed Coot.
April 28-May 13, 2007
With Peter Roberts and Alberto Bueno
$4850 from Madrid
Limit 12
BHUTAN
BY SUSAN MYERS
VENT has virtually pioneered birding in Bhutan. Our Bhutan tours have been the most popular and highly sought-after departures we've ever conducted. They offer the most complete and extensive Bhutan birding and natural history experience because they cover more of Bhutan, and because our leaders have many years of experience and are experts on Asian birds.Our 2007 Bhutan tour has filled up so early that we have added a second departure, March 21-April 15, 2007, that will be led by Susan Myers. As you read Susan's article about Bhutan, you'll sense her enthusiasm and will understand why she has become such a popular leader. — V.E.
The Himalayas?like the Amazon or the Antarctic, the word conjures up images of a majestic place full of incredible animals. There are few places more inspiring, more untamed, or more mysterious. Deep in the heart of this mountain range lies a little-known kingdom of gentle people and wild places. Bhutan is a magical realm clothed in a rare pristine environment peppered with small, charming villages of low wooden houses, and populated by a deeply spiritual people.
With more contiguous forest than any other country in Asia, "The Land of the Thunder Dragon" is one of the few places where the birds of the Himalayas are easily accessed. From lowland forests, pastures, and wetlands to montane forests and alpine grasslands, the array of birds populating this small country is simply astounding. The entire sweep of the Himalayas is exceptionally species-rich, and nowhere more so than in Bhutan where more pristine forest can be found than anywhere else in the eastern part of this unimaginably massive mountain range.
 |
Bhutan — Photo: Susan Myers |
The very charismatic, endemic golden leaf-monkey is often encountered as we travel the quiet roads. And there is always the chance of seeing a snow leopard?now that would be a dream come true! There is a greater chance of red panda, though, in rhododendron cloud forests on high mountaintops. This diversity of flora and habitats is reflected in the wealth of birds, which includes several threatened species of pheasants, babblers, and hornbills?all of which need mature forests and have low tolerances to disturbance. Species such as the gorgeous Rufous-necked Hornbill, Himalayan Monal, the very scarce White-bellied Heron, Satyr Tragopan, and Ward's Trogon are considered to be indicators of habitat integrity, in other words, of a very healthy ecosystem.
Other top birds that we regularly see are Ibisbill, Beautiful Nuthatch, Fire-tailed Myzornis (a tiny precious gem), the almost mythical Wedge-billed Wren-Babbler, Yellow-rumped Honeyguide, and Fire-tailed Sunbird. Upon first glancing at the field guide you may be excused for thinking that babblers are all rather brownish and dull, but just a day in Bhutan will cure you of that particular misconception! Take a look at Rufous-headed Parrotbill, White-browed Shrike-Babbler, Silver-eared Mesia, and Red-billed Leiothrix. The brown ones are super-exciting, too! Try Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-Babbler, Spotted Wren-Babbler, or Whiskered Yuhina. Laughingthrushes of various species abound and other evocatively-named birds?Sapphire Flycatcher, Pink-browed Rosefinch, Sultan Tit, Blue-capped Rock-Thrush, and many more?are nothing short of thrilling!
Bhutan is a unique experience, totally unlike any other birding tour. Western clothing is rarely seen and this must be one of the few places on earth where Western chain stores are mercifully nonexistent. There are no tourist resorts, no shopping malls or department stores, and no freeways. The Bhutanese people are not concerned with the Gross National Product; instead, they see their future in terms of Gross National Happiness. A quaint idea from another era, or a progressive outlook in an otherwise cynical world? I prefer to think the latter. The Bhutanese steadfastly insist on making their own way in this rapidly changing world.
On our tour the climate varies from subtropical to temperate and cold. The pace is moderate with gentle walking, usually on level ground. Accommodations are in comfortable lodges and luxury camps. The photographic opportunities are excellent. But first and foremost, the birding is superb, with one of the main attractions being the captivating, mixed feeding flocks that are such a feature of Himalayan birding. We can expect to see over 300 species, including many highly sought-after species that are difficult or impossible to find elsewhere.
March 21-April 15, 2007
With Susan Myers
$12,695 from Delhi
Limit 8
JAMAICA
BY BRENNAN MULROONEY
Birders love Jamaica?known for having the most endemic bird species of any Caribbean island. It is also relatively easy to see most, if not all of Jamaica's endemics on a birding tour. This year's tour was no exception, as all 28 extant Jamaican endemics made fantastic appearances along our journey across this enchanting island. In addition we tallied ten Caribbean endemics, four Caribbean near-endemics, and 123 species in total.
We began our birding efforts at the justly famous Rocklands Bird Sanctuary. Here we all had the opportunity to hand-feed two of Jamaica's spectacular endemic hummingbirds. Both the stocky, purple and black Jamaican Mango, and the flamboyant, black and emerald Red-billed Streamertail buzzed around our heads and perched on fingers, imbibing offerings of sugar water. Also on the grounds we had our first glimpses of several other wonderful species including both Black-faced and Yellow-faced grassquits (also feeding out of our hands), Caribbean Dove, Vervain Hummingbird (the second smallest bird in the world!), Orangequits, Bananaquits, and Jamaican Orioles.
Soon we had to tear ourselves away and start our trek across the spine of the island to our lodging for the next three days, Marshall's Pen. Our drive took us through some beautiful landscapes amongst hills draped in dense, deep green forest. As we drove we were accompanied by a nearly constant parade of Jamaicans making their way on foot to Sunday church services. We must have passed more than 25 different churches in a less than three-hour trip!
Ann Sutton, our gracious host for the next three nights, greeted us at Marshall's Pen. This is also where we met our superb local leader, Brandon Hay. Brandon's guidance for the rest of the trip ensured that our expedition would be a total success. Marshall's Pen was a fantastic base for our birding efforts. We were able to see more than half of the island's endemic species on the grounds, including the difficult Jamaican Owl, which nests right in the driveway! We saw both an adult and a fuzzy juvenile on our first night there. The endemic subspecies of Northern Potoo added to the nightlife at Marshall's Pen. It was from here that we visited the famous Cockpit Country of Jamaica's interior. Our morning visit produced fantastic scope views of the endemic Black-billed and Yellow-billed parrots, as well as the shy and difficult to see Ring-tailed Pigeon. Back at Marshall's Pen we were treated to delectable authentic Jamaican cuisine, and on our last morning Ann gave the group a fascinating tour of the Great House. More than 200 years old, the house has been in the Sutton family for many generations.
The remainder of our trip would be based out of Kingston, and our final two days offered both spectacular scenery and fantastic birding. Our day in the Blue Mountains, or more specifically the Port Royal Mountains, was magical right from the start. At our first stop, just as dawn was breaking, we all gathered together to slowly creep down a quiet road in search of the elusive Crested Quail-Dove. It wasn't 30 seconds before our quarry was in view, comically tottering down the road away from us. Several times we were able to sneak up on this bird and watch as it would slowly walk back out of view around the next bend. Soon we moved on to the many other birding opportunities that awaited us.
Our first order of business was to track down the bird that had been wonderfully serenading us since we stepped off the bus. It wasn't long before we had our initial glimpses of a Rufous-throated Solitaire, one of the few birds that look just as impressive as they sound. The endemic White-eyed Thrush may be another that fits that description, and we enjoyed watching and listening to several that morning. But perhaps our crowning achievement of that action-packed morning was tracking down our first Jamaican Blackbird. This is perhaps the least numerous of the remaining endemics, and its quiet, retiring demeanor doesn't help when trying to locate one. With a little patience and persistence we eventually found one, creeping along branches and poking into bromeliads, acting very unlike any blackbird we were familiar with. An authentic Jamaican buffet at a remote mountain chalet was the reward for our morning's efforts, and a visit to a Blue Mountain coffee plantation broke up our drive home.
Our final lunch, at a traditional jerk stand in Boston Bay, was an adventure not soon to be forgotten, and a taste of real Jamaica. It was the perfect ending to a trip full of indelible memories of birds, natural beauty, hospitality, and island paradise.
February 18-25, 2007
With Brandon Hay and Brennan Mulrooney
$2675 from Montego Bay (ends in Kingston)
Limit 14
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
BY BOB SUNDSTROM
A ten-day tour of Trinidad and Tobago is an ideal introduction to tropical birding in the Americas. The first three days of the tour take place on Tobago, birding the best spots on the island. Some of the group often arrive a day early to relax and acclimate at Cuffie River Nature Retreat, a very private setting with wonderful food and rooms. After Tobago, we spend five full days on Trinidad, which has considerably greater bird diversity, with six nights lodging and meals at famed Asa Wright Nature Centre. A sampling of highlights from our February 2006 tour captures the magic of this trip:
February 20: Our first full day on Tobago, we walked the near grounds of Cuffie River Nature Retreat before breakfast. We had a nice view of a pair of Barred Antshrikes near the bridge, and a female Rufous-tailed Jacamar a little further out the entrance road. White-necked Jacobins swarmed the feeders and fed at brilliant orange immortelle trees. We scoped a Blue-crowned Motmot, compared Gray and Tropical kingbirds, and had good looks at Black-faced Grassquit, Orange-winged Parrot, and Chivi Vireo. After breakfast we departed for the rainforest trail known as Gilpin Trace. At the rest stop above the trail, we had good views of a pair of Great Black Hawks, as well as a diversity of birds in a fruiting tree. Sightings of rare White-tailed Sabrewings began with hovering birds, and later we scoped perched sabrewings and one on a nest. Blue-backed Manakins nearly stole the show, as we had scope views and close-ups of multiple males, brilliant blue with velvet-red caps.
February 22: On our final day on Tobago, we took a boat trip to Little Tobago. Elegant Red-billed Tropicbirds flew in profusion, as did Magnificent Frigatebirds. We scoped Red-footed Boobies of two color morphs, and walked very close to a Brown Booby on its nest. A downhill trail got us very close to multiple Red-billed Tropicbirds with nestlings, and two different nesting Audubon's Shearwaters in shallow cavities. The same evening we caught a brief 5:00 p.m. flight to Trinidad, and soon we were headed up to Asa Wright Nature Centre for dinner and our first night there.
 |
Asa Wright Nature Centre and Lodge — Photo: Steve Hilty |
February 23: Our first, brilliant morning on the famed Asa Wright veranda. As the sun rose, the bats dispersed, and the birds began to visit the feeders. First, a Cocoa Thrush and a pair of Blue-crowned Motmots attended the fruit trays, as agoutis scampered underneath. Before long, it was as busy as a beehive. Purple and Green honeycreepers jockeyed for space with Bananaquits. A male Red-legged Honeycreeper shone like a glittering gem. Crested Oropendolas clacked and trilled, bumping smaller fruit eaters aside. Velvety Silver-beaked Tanagers, wing-flashing White-lined Tanagers, noisy Great Kiskadees, and a furtive Great Antshrike were on the scene, among others. Hummingbirds jousted at a series of feeders and systematically patrolled blossom-rich shrubs: flashy White-necked Jacobins, feisty White-chested Emeralds and Copper-rumped Hummingbirds, and richly iridescent Blue-chinned Sapphires. A tiny female?and then a dashing male?Tufted Coquette drew everyone's full attention. A Green Hermit visited, its long tassel tail hanging like a tufted brush. A Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl that had tooted all morning finally revealed itself, perched on a high branch, its tail marking time with each hoot. And then it was time for breakfast.
A walk after breakfast down the Discovery Trail brought us views of gem-like Bay-headed Tanagers, Violaceous Euphonias, and brilliant Blue Dacnis, among a flurry of birds visiting a fruiting tree. A Common Potoo sat on its day roost, and a male White-tailed Trogon?its breast a deep yellow?was a sensation. A male Golden-headed Manakin, with an all-black body and golden-yellow head, was acclaimed amid scope views.
The afternoon was just as pleasant and productive. Walking along the entrance road, we scoped one of the day's three Violaceous Trogons, and watched a trove of Turquoise Tanagers, Violaceous Euphonias, and Bay-headed Tanagers as they preened in a cecropia tree. Back on the veranda, toward the end of tea time, two Channel-billed Toucans flew in, a study in rich yellow and red. And, rum punch in hand, we saw a Short-tailed Nighthawk fly almost onto the veranda!
February 27: Our last full day of birding had arrived, and we would make the most of it. The final morning on the veranda was sensational, including a pair of Chestnut Woodpeckers at the feeders, exquisite in their rich brown and buff. After breakfast, we walked down to Dunstan Cave for superb views of Oilbirds, as dozens of adults perched on nests, some shrieking wildly.
The final afternoon event took us into the immense mangrove estuary known as Caroni Swamp. Aboard the boat, we stopped for Green-throated Mangoes, a Cook's tree boa outstretched on a horizontal limb, and a reddish-brown silky anteater rolled up in a ball on a branch. A Straight-billed Woodcreeper nearly landed in the boat. By 5:30 p.m. we were tied to the mangroves, rum punch in hand, watching Scarlet Ibises begin their flights across the estuary, streaming by in unbelievably crimson skeins. Large flocks of Tricolored Herons and Snowy Egrets flapped low over the bay. The Scarlet Ibis flocks grew in size as sunset came, some numbering in the hundreds, and a roost islet was soon heavily flecked with the reds, whites, and blues of the many wading birds?a splendid culmination to a memorable tour.
February 23-March 4, 2007
With Bob Sundstrom
$3075 from Tobago (ends in Port of Spain)
Limit 14
NORTHERN TANZANIA
BY PETER ROBERTS
I had arrived early in Tanzania, and found a parched country that had not had the usual "short rains" in November. Dust swirled everywhere, and the usual migration route of a million wildebeest was disrupted, the vast herds wandering in smaller groups all over the Serengeti, far west of their normal path. As our group arrived, the welcome rains began! The showers often came at night in short, spectacular storms, and the land greened up instantly. The wonderful smell of new rain on dry ground was evocative to us all?it must have driven the wildebeest into ecstasies! Their response was stunning and perfectly timed: as we arrived in the traditional short-grass plains of the Ndutu area of Serengeti, so did the vast herds, already with their calves in tow. This was classic stuff that the best African wildlife film footage shows?endless trails of those strange, stupid-looking, yet stoic and determined animals trailing eastwards, grunting and cavorting in long lines, sometimes single file in mad canters, sometimes stopping in thick groups to graze. They relentlessly pushed on as we slithered through their midst in the dust-turned-mud, safe in our sturdy 4×4s.
All else came to life at the same time; it is remarkable how much of the natural world here?from flowers to birds and elephants?suddenly emerges in almost instant response to the vital stimulus of the seasonal rains. Where dust and dry tussocks had been, beautiful bright Ipomeas suddenly carpeted the savannah. The birds had been elusive in non-breeding, drab feathers. Now, "from out of nowhere," the sunbirds, weavers, bishops, widowbirds, whydahs, and cuckoos appeared more prominently and sported proper, full nuptial plumages of bright iridescent colors. Low water levels on Lake Victoria at the start of the tour had been wonderful for finding masses of shorebirds, egrets, herons, storks, and rare and localized species. Now the lake beds at Ndutu and beyond at Manyara suddenly began to fill, prompting the corpulent hippos to wander about feeding on the new green flush in the cooler damp weather of the middle of the day. Thousands of absurdly pink Greater and Lesser flamingos returned from who knows where they'd gone in the drought, performing stunning, florid, aerobatic, balletic maneuvers in dramatic skies.
The rivers suddenly swelled into torrents as they coped with the sudden surge of floodwater?everything from kingfishers to crocodiles having a bonanza as the water washed food their way. The game was no longer dependent on traveling to a few isolated waterholes where ambushes were more likely. But that unforgettable sight of tens of thousands of wildebeest and zebra grazing their way unstoppably eastwards must have been mouthwatering indeed for the lucky lion prides and hyena packs on their route: food aplenty at last!
By the time our journey came to an end we had experienced the effects of one of the most important primal elements governing the Serengeti ecosystem?the seasonal rains. We'd witnessed nature's speedy responses to weather, and the vital links between the big game and over 400 species of birds, and such a simple thing as a few drops of water. Absolute magic?and we didn't get mired in mud, or soaked in rain, or have to abandon our activities once!
February 8-24, 2007
With Peter Roberts
$6750 from Arusha
Limit 12
TAIWAN: THE BEAUTIFUL ISLAND
BY SUSAN MYERS
Imagine a small, picturesque, and mountainous island just over the pond, a stone's throw from America; a modern country, very safe with an enviable infrastructure; a country that values and preserves its special natural heritage in an impressively comprehensive reserve system; a country with a stunning avifauna consisting of a whole suite of eye-catching endemics, near-endemics, and Himalayan outliers. This perfectly describes Taiwan?the Beautiful Island.
Taiwan, known in the past by the Portuguese as Isla Formosa, "The Beautiful Island," lies off the southeastern coast of mainland Asia, across the Taiwan Straits from China. The imposing peaks, rolling hills, and coastal plains of Taiwan harbor a rich and varied flora and fauna. With at least 15 endemic species and 69 endemic subspecies, birding excitement awaits around every corner! Just recently it has been proposed that at least 10 of these subspecies would be better treated as full species; this would take the total of Taiwanese endemics to 25.
 |
Taiwan — Photo: Susan Myers |
The extraordinary and dramatic scenery of this unique island rivals that of anywhere in the world, but one of the most exciting aspects of birding in Taiwan is that it is possible to see all of the endemic species in one visit. And the endemics are, without exception, super-exciting birds! Names like Mikado Pheasant, Swinhoe's Pheasant, Taiwan Blue Magpie, Collared Bush-Robin, Steere's Liocichla, White-eared Sibia, Yellow Tit, and Flamecrest certainly spark the imagination. And the added attraction of non-endemic (or future endemic) spectacular species such as Chinese Bamboo-Partridge, Fairy Pitta, Island Thrush, Rusty Laughingthrush, Golden Parrotbill, Pygmy Wren-Babbler, and Rufous-faced Warbler make Taiwan a very difficult birding destination to resist.
The egg-shaped island straddles the Tropic of Cancer and has a mountainous backbone and extensive lowland plains, hence a variety of habitats are found. This has led to a very diverse avifauna from lowland subtropical species to montane specialists. It is a major passage site for migrating shorebirds.
Taiwan is a great complement to VENT's wide-ranging schedule of Asia tours?the most comprehensive available. Our Asia-Pacific team specializes in the region; we offer a more complete experience than any other company.
Given the many attractions and ease of travel in Taiwan, surprisingly few international birders have taken advantage of the many fabulous opportunities on offer. After all, this small island possesses all the elements that constitute a perfect birding tour! Taiwan is a safe, modern country with excellent infrastructure, friendly people, great food, and excellent photographic opportunities, but most importantly the flora and fauna of this enigmatic island are simply captivating.
March 2-14, 2007
With Susan Myers
$5,575 from Taipei
Limit 8
NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL
BY ANDREW WHITTAKER
As deep indigo blue filled the scope, two bright yellow areas of bare skin, the first a fine teardrop around the eye, the second a neat triangle at the base of the huge black bill, confirmed that we were enjoying spectacular views of Lear's Macaw! Deep in the immense sertão (the arid interior of northeast Brazil) we had located a flock of 35 Lear's (or Indigo) Macaws, one of the world's rarest and most spectacular parrots. The late afternoon sun bathed these exquisite birds in near-perfect light as we watched them feed at close range. It was fascinating to see the macaws delicately separate individual palm fruits from the clumps before neatly slicing through the rock-hard nuts to extract the prized seeds within.
In spite of a major drought, our trip was one of our best ever, with many memorable trip highlights and superb birding throughout. Above all, 2006 will be remembered as the year of the Ruby Topaz, as we saw hundreds, the majority of them stunning males!
We began at Fortaleza and, from there, ascended to the cooler forested slopes of the Serra do Baturité. Before we had even completed check-in at our hotel, the gardens had produced breathtaking views of Red-necked Tanagers. The next day, forested trails treated us to our best views ever of the highly threatened Gray-breasted Parakeet, as well as close encounters with Ochraceous Piculet, Gould's Toucanet, Buff-breasted Tody-Tyrant, Ceará Gnateater, Band-tailed Manakin, Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, and the rarely seen Spot-winged Wood-Quail, a pair of which serenaded us with their amazing antiphonal duet.
The Chapada do Araripe produced an array of special birds, from the outrageous Blond-crested Woodpecker to the rhythmic White-browed Antpitta and the unique Great Xenops, not to mention dazzling White-naped Jays, abundant Rusty-margined Guans, and the improbable Red-billed Scythebill. But it was the Araripe Manakin, a stunning study in crimson, black, and white, that really stole the show. Described to science in 1999, it remains known from only a couple of locations. We have been fortunate to find it on every tour to this region since its discovery.
Farther south, we penetrated the most arid part of the caatinga, where columnar cacti, thorn-scrub, and terrestrial bromeliads dominate the landscape. Here, as usual, birds were abundant, particularly around isolated pools of water. Caatinga Parakeet, Spot-backed Puffbird, Caatinga Cacholote, Red-shouldered Spinetail, White Monjita, Greater and Lesser wagtail-tyrants, Scarlet-throated Tanager, Red-cowled Cardinal, and Campo Oriole were just a few of the many special birds seen well in this region.
A stop in the Itabuna area once again paid off in a stellar performance by the odd Pink-legged Graveteiro, an acrobatic member of the Furnariidae just described to science in 1996. Jequié produced great studies of the newly described and flashy São Francisco Sparrow, Golden-tailed Parrotlet, Blue-winged Macaw, Spotted Piculet, Silvery-cheeked Antshrike, Slender Antbird, Narrow-billed Antwren, and Black-billed Scythebill. The nearby humid forest at Boa Nova was alive with birds, among them Crescent-chested Puffbird, Striated Softtail, Bahia Spinetail, Tufted Antshrike, Spot-breasted Antvireo, Fork-tailed Tody-Tyrant, and the stunning Brazilian Tanager. In the higher forest, a tiny Brazilian Pygmy Owl acted as a reluctant magnet, attracting a mob scene of smaller birds that included the range-restricted Bahia Tyrannulet, as well as visually stunning Blue-naped Chlorophonia and Pin-tailed Manakin.
Chapada de Diamantina always provides an exceptional scenic backdrop for some very special birds, and this time was no different. We particularly enjoyed the always stunning male Hooded Visorbearer, as well as point-blank looks at a pair of a soon-to-be-described species of Formicivora antwren. Pectoral Antwren, Collared Crescent-chest, Buff-throated Serra Finch, and the tiny but bold Gray-backed Tachuri were just a few of the many other specialties recorded from this area. Chapada de Diamantina also produced the mammal highlight of the trip in the form of a rarely seen Oncilla (a species of spotted cat).
All in all, a great group of birders shared many marvelous birding and cultural experiences, good times, and much good food while racking up 421 species of birds. I eagerly await my next trip in 2007 to this wonderful corner of Brazil.
February 3-21, 2007
With Andrew Whittaker
$4895 from Fortaleza (ends in Salvador)
Limit 8
WINTER WASHINGTON AND BRITISH COLUMBIA
BY BOB SUNDSTROM
Our 2006 Winter Washington and British Columbia tour took place during a week of almost spring-like weather, amid sunny days, blue skies, and temperatures reaching into the 50s. Our tour route ran from Seattle to the Olympic Peninsula to Vancouver Island, and then on to mainland British Columbia before returning to the North Puget Sound region. Birding extensively along the edges of marine bays and straits, along forest edges, among vast, diked fields of delta flats, and from the bows of ferries, we had many terrific birding experiences. Together with wonderful food, very nice lodging, and great company, it was a week to remember.
Quite likely the bird of the tour, for just about everybody, was the Snowy Owl—and we saw at least 19 different Snowies! The first was an extremely white individual, scoped nicely along Port Susan Bay on our first day of birding. But along Boundary Bay in British Columbia, we truly soaked up the Snowies. One late afternoon we counted ten at one spot, as we saw Snowy Owls on driftwood, on grassy mounds, and atop small trees. On two occasions we had superb morning light views of Snowies, in one instance of two heavily marked immatures at Point Brunswick that sat so close by you could see every feather. We also had wonderful views of Short-eared Owls flying moth-like across the Flats, as well as superb views of birds sitting on the ground or in a bare tree, showing their tiny, "short ears." And it was our good fortune to see not one, but three different tiny Northern Saw-whet Owls on day roosts, with each view a bit better than the last.
Perhaps the most impressive wildlife spectacles of the entire tour were the immense flocks of Snow Geese numbering in the tens of thousands. Bald Eagles sat on the ground like sentries around the flock edges. On the Skagit Flats, we watched thousands of Snow Geese rise together, all giving voice at once, as a Bald Eagle winged toward the flock. The final morning of the tour, the Snow Geese were shoulder to shoulder, right up to the edge of the road—close enough to reveal the diminutive Cackling Goose weaving through the massive flock of white geese. Near the mouth of the Dungeness River, we scoped a flock of at least 100 "Black" Brant at the tidal edge, close enough to see nicely the Brant's white, lace-like collar.
Swans were truly plentiful. With both Tundras and Trumpeters in the same swan flocks, we could make direct comparisons of their field marks, while also seeing the size difference between the species. Huge Trumpeter Swans were seen every day of the trip, with some flocks numbering in the hundreds.
There were many, many Northern Pintail to admire, often at close range, and with the winter sun lighting up every detail of their elegant plumage. Handsome Eurasian Wigeon drakes were spotted at several locations, and we had close studies of stunning male Harlequin Ducks. All three scoter species and both Barrow's and Common goldeneyes were seen in excellent light, and we scoped several immaculate Long-tailed Duck drakes, their sharply pointed tails angling backward, as they floated on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. There were memorable views of Hooded, Red-breasted, and Common mergansers, all at the seasonal peak of beauty. For the tour, we logged 32 species of waterfowl!
Bald Eagles of all age categories were a daily sight, often surprisingly conspicuous and numerous. At one spot along Boundary Bay in Canada, we counted 86 from one viewpoint.
On the ferry crossing to Victoria, British Columbia, a flock of Ancient Murrelets flew up right in front of the ferry, and then kept pace with the ferry for a moment or two—showing gray backs and black heads—before diving underwater directly from flight. Near Victoria, our experience with Sky Larks was superb. Even as we arrived at the site, Sky Larks were singing loudly overhead. Walking just a short distance along a path in the field, we flushed more Sky Larks at close range, then watched as others hovered low and high nearby, singing and fluttering their wings—a very satisfying encounter, both in sight and sound. Varied Thrushes provided another tour highlight, as we watched two beautifully marked males feeding at close range on a roadside on the Olympic Peninsula.
Other birds seen included hundreds of loons, grebes, and cormorants, Marbled Murrelet, Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, Thayer's Gull, Virginia Rail, Winter Wren, "Sooty" Fox Sparrow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Northwestern Crow, Hutton's Vireo, and Golden-crowned Sparrow, among others.
WINTER WASHINGTON AND BRITISH COLUMBIA
February 3-10, 2007
With Bob Sundstrom and TBA
$2195 from Seattle
Limit 14