VENTflash #94 November 04, 2008
Posted by Victor Emanuel
Victor Emanuel
Victor Emanuel started birding in Texas 63 years ago at the age of eight. His travels have taken him to all the continents, with his areas of concentration being Texas, Ari...November 4, 2008
Dear Friends:
October is the beginning of our tour year. Even though the month just ended, we have already received wonderful tour reports from our leaders. Highlights on our Barranca del Cobre tour included an unprecedented 10 Eared Quetzals and sightings of the rare Aztec Thrush. Our Southeast Brazil tour recorded over 400 species. Almost 150 of those birds were regional endemics (birds found only in Brazil or nearby Argentina or Paraguay). The number one highlight from the first part of the trip was a male Black-and-gold Cotinga in full display, showing off the golden color of its wings to maximum advantage. On the extension to Espiritu Santo, the favorite bird was an exquisite displaying male Pin-tailed Manakin. Another highlight was the morning the group saw a record-breaking 13 ultra-rare Red-billed Curassows. I'm looking forward to more great reports from VENT tours.
In this issue:
REPORT FROM THE CENTRAL TEXAS COAST
MEMORIES OF PANAMA
MYANMAR (BURMA)
TWO ADDITIONAL COLOMBIA TOURS ADDED
NEWS FROM OUR LEADERS
FINAL THOUGHTS
REPORT FROM THE CENTRAL TEXAS COAST
Last week I had the pleasure of scouting Falcon Point Lodge on the central Texas coast with VENT leaders David and Mimi Wolf. Driving down from Austin, I thought about the early days of VENT, in the 1970s, when we created the Rockport Wildlife tours, based out of the Sea Gun Lodge. David led many of those trips, which were designed for people who had gone out on the Sea Gun Whooping Crane boat trips and wanted to participate in a land-based trip. VENT owned a blue and white Mercedes Benz bus, which was used for those half-day excursions. When I met David and Mimi at Falcon Point Lodge, I shared with them my memories of the Rockport Wildlife tours. David told me he recently had a couple with him on a tour in Costa Rica who had been with him on one of those trips over thirty years ago!
Falcon Point Lodge was all we had hoped it would be. I was especially impressed by the location (with lots of birds near the lodge), the quality of the food and accommodations, and the peacefulness of staying in a facility that is away from highways, traffic, and noise. The sunrises, sunsets, and stars were marvelous.
David will co-lead our first Spring on the Central Texas Coast: Falcon Point Ranch at Seadrift tour, April 19-24, 2009. The tour has already attracted interest and is starting to fill up.
People sometimes ask how we find such marvelous places as Chan Chich Lodge in Belize, Cibolo Creek Lodge in West Texas, the Canopy Tower and Canopy Lodge in Panama, and now Falcon Point Ranch in Seadrift, Texas. Sometimes the owners of such facilities contact us; we have learned of others from our tour leaders, tour participants, or researchers. In the case of Falcon Point Ranch, it was Richard Whittington, who designs our catalogs and newsletters, who told us about Falcon Point. He had spent a weekend there this past spring with his wife Michelle and thought it was exactly the type of facility VENT would like to use.
Spring on the Central Texas Coast: Falcon Point Ranch at Seadrift, April 19-24, 2009, with David Wolf and a leader to be announced; $1,795 in double occupancy from Corpus Christi. Single supplement is $495. Limit 14.
MEMORIES OF PANAMA
During my first trip to Panama in December 1979, I developed a strong affection for that small country, its birdlife, its people, and its history. I have visited Panama in most of the past 30 years. With each visit I have been delighted with my experiences and with the positive changes I have noted.
My memory, which usually serves me well, let me down this fall. I had not been to Panama for three years. I remembered wonderful days there, but on the first morning, when I went onto the top level of the famed Canopy Tower and looked out at the sea of forest, I listened to the marvelous sounds of Rufous Motmots, Great Tinamous, and howler monkeys as dawn came, and then gazed at Keel-billed Toucans, a Green Shrike-Vireo, and Blue-crowned Manakins. I quickly realized that Panama was much more wonderful than I had remembered it.
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Panama's Canopy Tower— Photo: Courtesy of Canopy Tower |
That morning was just the start of a superb week in Panama co-leading our Fall at Panama's Canopy Tower tour with Barry Zimmer. We spent all our nights at the Canopy Tower. There is no other facility like this place in the world. It is truly unique. It was the creation of Raul and Denise Arias, who transformed a defunct U.S. military radar tower into a one-of-a-kind eco-lodge. With my first visit, in 2000, Raul and Denise became good friends of mine and of VENT. Their personal attention to detail ensures that everything at the Canopy Tower—the accommodations, the food, and the opportunities to see birds and wildlife—is excellent.
The Canopy Tower is one of the few lodges where you can wake up to the sounds of the forest and have the possibility of looking out the window of your room at a troop of howler monkeys feeding on cecropia leaves, or see colorful honeycreepers, tanagers, and manakins feeding in a fruiting tree nearby.
The view from the top is always marvelous. During the first hour of the day it offers non-stop action: a trio of Collared Aracaries in trees close by; perched Red-crowned Parrots further off; several Geoffry's tamarins moving through the treetops; a three-toed sloth hanging from a branch; White-shouldered Tanagers and Blue-crowned Manakins feeding on small fruits; and much more.
After breakfast, as the air thermals started to build, the top of the Tower offers great hawk-watching. I noted a pair of White Hawks circling down below, a Zone-tailed Hawk flying by, a family group of Hook-billed Kites getting up, and a Gray-headed Kite in a courtship flight.
Our groups formerly had to stay at a hotel near the airport and drive almost two hours to get to the best birding locations; now, the Canopy Tower offers us a wonderful base from which to bird a variety of marvelous locations, most of which are no more than 30 minutes from the Tower.
We had a great group of 14 participants. A man from Oregon who had never traveled with VENT told me that this had been the best trip of his life. Not only did he see almost 300 species of birds in six days, but he said he had not had so much fun in ages.
I am excited to announce that we have negotiated a $300 early registration discount with our friends at the Canopy Tower for our next Panama's Canopy Tower tour, January 31-February 7, 2009. The regular fee is $2,975 from Panama City. However, if you register prior to December 1, 2008, the fee will be $2,675.
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Collared Aracari— Photo: Greg Lasley |
A visit to the Canopy Lodge at El Valle, sister property to the Canopy Tower, provides a superior option for concluding your adventure in Panama. Lying west of Panama City in the cooler middle elevation, this part of the country is strikingly different from the region around the Canal Zone. A luxurious lodge, misty forests, and a range of beautiful tropical birds offer a lovely complement to a stay at the Canopy Tower. Panama: El Valle's Canopy Lodge Extension, February 7-12; $1,775 from Panama City.
The Chiriquí region of far western Panama is a remarkable place of volcanic mountains, cloud forest, and one of Central America's most remarkable highland avifaunas. A trip to the Chiriquí highlands combines perfectly with a Canopy Tower tour, offering a plethora of distinctive bird species (including Resplendent Quetzal), attractive lodging, and a pleasantly cool mountain climate. Panama: Chiriquí Highlands, January 26-February 1; $1,995 from Panama City. Combine this tour with Panama's Canopy Tower and receive a $125 discount in double occupancy.
Kevin Zimmer will lead all three of these Panama tours. I have led many trips with Kevin and consider him one of the best bird-finders I have ever known. He possesses a wealth of knowledge about tropical birds that is almost unequalled and is also great fun to be with. His travel stories alone are almost worth the trip!
A few spaces remain available on all these trips, and I hope you will register for one or more of them. From your first morning in Panama until your last day, you will be glad you took my advice.
MYANMAR (BURMA)
Susan Myers, one of our highly skilled Asian experts, was in the VENT office recently. She reported to us that our Burma tour can operate smoothly despite the damage caused by the typhoon earlier this year. She regards Burma as the best area in Southeast Asia for birding, thanks to its extensive forests remaining intact. As a result, we are reinstating our Burma tour. It will operate as originally planned, limited to 8 participants, and will be led by Susan.
Myanmar (Burma), February 10-March 3, 2009, with Susan Myers; $8,550 in double occupancy from Bangkok; single occupancy rate available soon. Please contact our office (800) 328-8368, or info@ventbird.com for more information.
TWO ADDITIONAL COLOMBIA TOURS ADDED
Since our 2009 winter and summer Colombia tours sold out so quickly (both now have waiting lists), we have decided to add two more Colombia tours. Both tours will be led by veteran VENT leader Steve Hilty, who authored the monumental guide to the birds of Colombia. I cannot imagine a richer experience than birding Colombia with Steve.
Colombia, March 21-April 5, 2009, with Steve Hilty; $6,198 in double occupancy from Bogota. Limit 8. 4 spaces remain.
Colombia, May 28-June 12, 2009, with Steve Hilty; $6,198 in double occupancy from Bogota. Limit 8.
NEWS FROM OUR LEADERS
Kevin and Susan Zimmer's daughter, Marina, will be married to Gary Stiefvater on November 8th in Santa Rosa, California. Congratulations to the proud parents and the newlyweds.
Peter English's wife Laura Jones gave birth to their first child, Elinore Riley English, on October 31 in Austin, Texas. Peter teaches biology at the University of Texas, Austin and Laura is on the staff of the LBJ School of Public Affairs.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I am looking forward to co-leading our Galapagos Islands cruise in late November and to participating in the Freeport Christmas Bird Count in December. When I was scouting Falcon Point Ranch, I saw flocks of geese and Sandhill Cranes that had recently arrived. Fall is an exciting time. I hope you enjoy it and that you come on a VENT tour soon.
Best wishes,
Victor Emanuel