VENTFLASH #107 March 12, 2010
Posted by Victor Emanuel
Victor Emanuel
Victor Emanuel started birding in Texas 62 years ago at the age of eight. His travels have taken him to all the continents, with his areas of concentration being Texas, Ari...Dear friends,
I recently returned from co-leading our birding and natural history cruise of the Lesser Antilles. For this wonderful trip we chartered the historic Sea Cloud, a vessel we have used on three previous occasions for this same program. Once again, we visited the five remarkable islands that form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean: St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Martinique, Dominica, and Guadeloupe. Like a string of pearls, these Caribbean islands are unique and beautiful, and each is home to birds found nowhere else in the world. Not only did we see all the endemic island birds, but observed many other regional specialty species as well. The Lesser Antilles is filled with species representing a variety of bird families, but is perhaps most renowned for its beautiful parrots and hummingbirds. We saw all four endemic parrots, including the highly endangered Imperial Parrot, and all four special hummingbirds. All the birds were so striking that it would be hard to pick a favorite. Other notable bird families of the islands are the orioles, thrashers, and warblers. A special treat was locating the scarce Martinique Oriole on Martinique's Caravelle Peninsula. We enjoyed superb views of the bird as it gleaned insects from leaves and vine tangles. On Guadeloupe we saw the strange Guadeloupe Woodpecker and the Bridled Quail-Dove, a species we believe has never previously been seen on a VENT tour.
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Sea Cloud— Photo: Courtesy Sea Cloud Cruises |
One of the delights of this cruise was being on the Sea Cloud, a magnificent four-masted vessel considered by many the most beautiful ship in the world. A typical day saw us birding on an island in the morning followed by cruising and sailing toward the next island in the afternoon. With its sails up, Sea Cloud presented a spectacular sight.
Our leadership team consisted of VENT guides David Ascanio, Barry Lyon, and me; historian, John Harrison; and botanist, Peter Zika. John delivered three superb lectures including one called "Columbus: Redrawing the World," and another entitled "The Real Pirates of the Caribbean." Peter gave two extremely informative and entertaining lectures: "Island Biogeography" and "Orchids: Liars and Cheaters."
A number of Caribbean birds, particularly the parrots, are endangered by habitat loss and other threats. Through education campaigns and other measures, the RARE Center for Tropical Conservation has played a key role in protecting the forests, birds, and wildlife of these islands. On the last night of the cruise, we held a silent auction that raised over $10,000 in support of the wonderful work RARE does.
Our next tour to the Lesser Antilles will be March 1-10, 2011. This will be a land-based trip led by David Ascanio and will be limited to 14 participants.
In this issue:
JOYS OF THE TROPICS
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS: SUMMER 2010
NORTHERN RING OF FIRE CRUISE: 1 CABIN AVAILABLE!
BORNEO
TOURS WITH A FEW SPACES REMAINING
INTERIOR SECRETARY SALAZAR PRESENTS: STATE OF THE BIRDS 2010
FINAL THOUGHTS
JOYS OF THE TROPICS
One of the joys of being in the Lesser Antilles is simply being in the Tropics. My first visit to the Tropics was in l955 when I went to northeastern Mexico with one of my mentors, Armand Yramategui, to participate in the Xilitla Christmas Bird Count. After seeing my first Blue-crowned Motmot, I knew I was hooked on the Tropics.
The great ornithologist Frank Chapman expressed best how many of us feel about the Tropics when he wrote the following lines in his book, My Tropical Air Castle:
"For my own northern woods and fields I have an affection born of long and close association; but they lack the romance, the mystery, the enchantment, the inexhaustible possibilities of tropical forests.
"One forms a lasting and intimate friendship with nature in the north, but falls hopelessly in love with her in the south. But even while she lures she repels and perhaps herein lies her endless fascination. One is never quite sure of her. Her most winsome aspect may be deceptive; or it may be a dream of rare delight."
If you haven't been to the tropics I encourage you to go. Here in the United States, we are fortunate in having several wonderful tropical locations not far away. Among the VENT tours I recommend for a first visit to the Tropics are departures to Belize, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, West Mexico, and Trinidad.
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS: SUMMER 2010
Rugged, primitive, and still wild, the Galapagos Islands are the essence of unspoiled nature. I am excited that VENT will once again travel to this remarkable destination this coming summer, July 9-18, 2010. For this trip we have reserved space aboard the 32-passenger M/V Evolution, one of the best ships of its size in the Galapagos.
Cabins for our Galapagos Islands Cruise begin at $4,995 in double occupancy from Guayaquil. Register before March 25, 2010 to receive a $500 discount and pay just $4,495/person in double occupancy. A limited number of spaces are available for children under 18 at an additional discount of $500.
The summer is one of the best times to visit the Galapagos, and our itinerary provides visits to most of the major islands, including less-visited Tower and San Cristobal. Participants will have a chance to see a majority of the endemic birds of these wonderful islands in addition to the other charismatic species for which the Galapagos are so well-known. Of the diversity of seabirds occurring here, six are endemic breeders, including the world's northernmost penguin, the only equatorial albatross, the strange Flightless Cormorant, and Lava Gull, one of the world's rarest gulls.
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Blue-footed Booby— Photo: Greg Lasley |
The comical and absurdly tame Blue-footed Booby is one of the most abundant birds here, nesting on many of the islands and fishing the shallow inshore waters. The Nazca and Red-footed boobies, on the other hand, are more restricted in their choice of nesting areas, and fish the deeper waters farther offshore. Elegant Red-billed Tropicbirds are a frequent sight, and cruising between the islands yields pelagic species like Galapagos Shearwater, Galapagos Petrel, Elliot's and Galapagos storm-petrels, and Great and Magnificent frigatebirds. Outstanding among the landbirds are, of course, the famous Darwin's finches, Galapagos Hawk, and several species of mockingbirds.
As wonderful as the birding is, a trip to the Galapagos is also a complete natural history trip. Daily landings at each of the islands on our itinerary will put us in the company of basking marine iguanas, fleet lava lizards, gorgeous sally lightfoot crabs, and sea lion pups playing at our feet. Guided interpretive walks will allow us to experience the remarkable botany of the islands and witness fabulous geologic features.
In addition to the legendary natural history, participants will enjoy a true tropical paradise filled with glorious sunrises and spectacular sunsets, relaxing strolls on white and black sand beaches, fascinating snorkeling, and a chance to walk in the footsteps of Darwin.
Our Galapagos Islands Cruise will be led by Michael O'Brien, July 9-18, 2010 and is limited to 24 participants. Please contact our office for more information or to register for this trip.
NORTHERN RING OF FIRE CRUISE: 1 CABIN AVAILABLE!
I wanted to let you know that one cabin is still available on our Ring of Fire cruises in the North Pacific Ocean this summer.
In cooperation with Zegrahm Expeditions, we are offering two Northern Ring of Fire voyages this summer. Voyage I: Bering Sea & Aleutians, July 25-August 11, 2010, is a Bering Sea cruise from Seward, Alaska to Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, including the Pribilof and Aleutian Islands. Voyage II: Kamchatka & Kuril Islands, August 9-21, 2010, will start at Russkaya Bay on the Kamchatka Peninsula and end in Sapporo, Japan, and includes more time on the Kamchatka Peninsula and visits to the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin Island. Both of these trips visit some of the world's richest areas for seabirds and marine mammals, and both offer tremendous coastal and mountain landscapes. These trips may be taken separately or combined for a full North Pacific experience. VENT leader Jeri Langham will accompany both of these voyages.
As far as we know, this cruise will not be offered in 2011 by any U.S.-based cruise company.
Call us soon if you want to reserve the last cabin on this spectacular trip!
BORNEO
With the recent publication of the field guide to the Birds of Borneo, by Susan Myers, much of the attention of the birding community is focused on this extraordinary southeast Asian island. In my opinion, Borneo is one of the top 10 birding and wildlife destinations in the world. The birds are plentiful, exotic, rare, and colorful, and the spectacular megafauna includes orangutans, Borneo pygmy elephants, proboscis monkeys, clouded leopards, and a profusion of "flying" animals—flying squirrels, gliding frogs, geckoes, lizards, and even an airborne snake.
I am proud to announce that VENT will operate three tours to Borneo this year. Our two summertime Best of Borneo tours will be led by Susan Myers and will visit the most important birding and wildlife viewing sites on the island, while our longer Borneo tour in September, with David Bishop and Dion Hobcroft, offers a more comprehensive Borneo experience.
Susan, one of our three Australian-based tour leaders, has traveled extensively in Borneo and possesses a remarkable level of expertise of the island, its wildlife, and its people. She contributed the following description of Borneo and her Best of Borneo tour:
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Borneo Pygmy Elephants— Photo: K. David Bishop |
"Borneo is rightly regarded as one of the great storehouses of our planet's incredible biological diversity. Charles Darwin called Borneo, "one great, wild, untidy, luxuriant hothouse made by nature herself." What a fabulous summation of this remarkable place! It succinctly conjures an image of an Henri Rousseau jungle painting. While the island's forests have long been under assault, the Malaysian state of Sabah in the north harbors the largest remaining tracts of lowland and montane rainforest in Borneo. From here the towering spinal mountain range dominated by Mount Kinabalu emanates, and the teeming, complex rainforests still fan out below them to the lowlands and ultimately to the coast. The wildlife of this remarkable island includes a host of enticing birds (including 48 endemics), from the shy Blue-headed Pitta to the sublime Whitehead's Trogon; a charismatic mammal fauna; colorful butterflies; many strange and unusual reptiles; and the world's largest collection of carnivorous pitcher plants. It's not surprising that naturalists are irresistibly drawn to this island.
"Our Best of Borneo tour is really a Greatest Hits tour. We visit the island's three major birding and wildlife sites: Mount Kinabalu, the Kinabatangan River, and Danum Valley. Mount Kinabalu is one of those memorable mountains that seem to burst from the ground. It dominates the west coast and is pivotal to the identity of the local people. The cool montane forests on the slopes of Kinabalu and the surrounding Crocker Ranges are home to most of Borneo's endemic species. By contrast, the meandering passage of the lazy Kinabatangan River feeds the low-lying swamp forests that harbor rambunctious troops of proboscis monkeys, herds of gentle Borneo pygmy elephants, and a vast array of wonderful birds including eight species of hornbill and the strange Bornean Bristlehead. To complete the picture, we travel to the remote Danum Valley, one of the largest remaining stands of primary forest in Borneo where luxuriant forests host a dazzling cast of pittas, babblers, trogons, barbets, broadbills, and many other mouth-watering goodies!"
Best of Borneo, July 23-August 5, 2010 with Susan Myers; $5,995 in double occupancy from Kota Kinabalu. Limit 8. 4 spaces remain.
Best of Borneo, August 6-19, 2010 with Susan Myers; $5,995 in double occupancy from Kota Kinabalu. Limit 8. Sold out! Waitlist registration available.
If you are seeking a more comprehensive Borneo experience, I urge you to consider our longer tour: Borneo, September 1-20, 2010 with David Bishop and Dion Hobcroft; $8,155 in double occupany from Kota Kinabalu. Limit 14.
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Birds of Borneo Cover |
David pioneered our first Borneo tours and knows the country, and its remarkable wildlife, as well as anybody. This tour incorporates all aspects of the Best of Borneo tour, but goes further by including extra days at the wonderful Borneo Rainforest Lodge in the Danum Valley and at Mt. Kinabalu; a night at the Abai Lodge for another chance to explore a lowland swamp forest; visits to bird-rich coastal wetlands north of Kota Kinabalu and the Rainforest Discovery Center in Sepilok; and finally, a visit to the Australian War Memorial and Chinese temple at Sandakan Bay. We feel that David's itinerary offers the most extensive and thorough Borneo tour available.Regardless of which tour you prefer, your trip to Borneo offers a chance to use the highly regarded new field guide, Birds of Borneo, published in 2009 by Princeton University Press.
In the publisher's words, "This is the first comprehensive field guide to illustrate and describe the varied bird species of Borneo, an ecologically significant island comprising Brunei, the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, and the Indonesian provinces of Kalimantan. With close to 1,600 beautiful color illustrations and 630 color distribution maps, this up-to-date guide identifies and details more than 620 bird species by key characteristics and habitat information. It also includes all recently split species, and provides full coverage of the Bornean endemics and distinctive races when they differ from their counterparts on neighboring islands or in mainland Southeast Asia."
Thanks to Susan, this new field guide is destined to become the standard resource for birders and wildlife enthusiasts looking to discover Borneo's extraordinary avian riches.
TOURS WITH A FEW SPACES REMAINING
Over the past six months we have witnessed a steady increase in tour registrations, indicating that the economy is slowly recovering. Many of our tours are sold out while waiting lists have been established for others. I thought you would be interested to know that a few spaces are still available on a number of upcoming departures. Each of these tours offers travel to wonderful locations, where outstanding birding is often matched by compelling landscapes and ecosystems. I hope you will consider joining one of these fine tours:
Spring in South Texas, April 4-16, 2010 with Barry Zimmer; $3,875 in double occupancy from Corpus Christi (ends in San Antonio). Limit 7. 2 spaces available.
This tour provides a premier Texas birding experience, incorporating Whooping Cranes, Golden-cheeked Warblers, and Black-capped Vireos into a program that focuses on South Texas specialty birds. As evidence of how exciting birding in the Valley can be, our recently completed Winter Rio Grande Valley tour saw Hook-billed Kites, a male Blue Bunting, and a Roadside Hawk!
Bhutan, April 9-May 4, 2010 with Dion Hobcroft; $13,795 in double occupancy from Delhi. Limit 8. 1 space available. NOTE: We will waive the single supplement for anyone registering for the final space on this tour, and who wants a roommate, but cannot be accommodated with one.
One of those epic destinations, Bhutan offers a spellbinding trip to a seldom visited Himalayan mountain kingdom, featuring marvelous birding, enchanting primeval forest, glorious mountain scenery, and rich Buddhist culture.
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Greater Sage-Grouse— Photo: Brian Gibbons |
Colorado Grouse, April 9-18, 2010 with Brian Gibbons and Michael O'Brien; $2,575 in double occupancy from Gunnison (ends in Denver). Limit 14. 2 spaces available.
Colorado Grouse, April 23-May 2, 2010 with Kevin Zimmer; $2,575 in double occupancy from Gunnison (ends in Denver). Limit 7. 2 spaces available.
This, the ultimate "chicken" tour, centers on one of North America's most interesting bird families. Seven species of grouse including prairie-chickens and ptarmigan are possible.
High Island Migration, April 16-21, 2010 with Bob Sundstrom and Brad Schram; $1,495 from Houston. Limit 14. 2 spaces available.
The upper Texas coast is a tremendous birding destination, and no place in North America captures the spirit of the spring songbird migration like High Island.
Spring Birding in Central and Northern Spain, April 22-May 8, 2010 with Peter Roberts and Alberto Bueño; $5,400 in double occupancy from Madrid (ends in Barcelona). Limit 12. 2 spaces available.
This is a comprehensive tour of the Iberian Peninsula from the Extramadura south of Madrid to the central steppes near Zaragoza, up to the Pyrenees and their superb foothill Sierras, and the rich wetlands of the Ebro Delta on the Mediterranean coast. As arguably Europe's birdiest country, this trip promises memorable spectacles and such avian standouts as Lammergeier, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Great and Little bustards, Azure-winged Magpie, and White Storks nesting on village rooftops.
South Florida, April 20-29, 2010 with Brennan Mulrooney and Louise Zemaitis; $2,895 in double occupancy from Fort Lauderdale. Limit 14. 3 spaces available.
South Florida specialty birds, migrant songbirds and waterbirds, beautiful wading birds, and a collection of ecosystems unlike any other in the country make South Florida a "must-do" destination.
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Yellow-billed Magpie— Photo: Brad Schram |
California Specialties, April 24-May 3, 2010 with Jeri Langham; $2,495 in double occupancy from San Diego (ends in Santa Barbara). Limit 7. 2 spaces available.
Join Jeri Langham for a journey from San Diego to Santa Barbara searching for a host of regional specialty birds including Heermann's and Yellow-footed gulls, Xantus's Murrelet, Island Scrub-Jay, Yellow-billed Magpie, Wrentit, California Gnatcatcher, California Thrasher, California Towhee, and more. Bird the coast, mountains, and deserts, with visits to such notable sites as the Salton Sea and the Channel Islands.
Classic China: Beijing & Sichuan, May 10-June 2, 2010 with Dion Hobcroft; $8,155 in double occupancy from Beijing. Limit 8. 3 spaces available.
Our China tour offers the country's finest birding locations in combination with visits to its greatest cultural sites. Enjoy the best of Beijing (Great Wall, Summer Palace, Ming Tombs, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Wild Duck Lake), then travel to Sichuan province to experience incredible mountain forests, great scenery, and a host of birds including rosefinches, laughingthrushes, warblers, parrotbills, bush robins, redstarts, woodpeckers, Lammergeier, falcons, buzzards, eagles, accentors, dippers, tits, cuckoos, grosbeaks, buntings, and more.
Grand New Mexico Part II, June 1-6, 2010 with Barry Zimmer; $1,630 in double occupancy from Albuquerque. Limit 7. 3 spaces available.
Northern New Mexico is a beautiful and bird-rich region linking the Rocky Mountains and the drier Southwest. The avifauna here takes on a distinct flavor of its own with Dusky Grouse, Lewis's Woodpecker, Williamson's and Red-naped sapsuckers, Three-toed Woodpecker, Gray and Hammond's flycatchers, Pinyon Jay, Mountain Bluebird, Townsend's Solitaire, Green-tailed Towhee, and Evening and Pine grosbeaks among the possibilities. This tour will also visit Native American ruins and the historic Santa Fe Plaza, and marvel at the countless breathtaking vistas that the "Land of Enchantment" has to offer.
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Great Gray Owl— Photo: Brian Gibbons |
Rivers and Mountains of Oregon and Washington: An Introductory Birding Tour, June 6-12, 2010 with Bob Sundstrom; $1,935 in double occupancy from Portland. Limit 7. 1 space available. NOTE: We will waive the single supplement for anyone registering for the final space on this tour, and who wants a roommate, but cannot be accommodated with one.
Explore the Columbia River Gorge, scenic Mt. Adams, and Oregon's Blue Mountains on this introductory birding tour. Great Northwest nesting season birding offers chances for Great Gray and Flammulated owls and eleven species of woodpeckers.
North Carolina, May 29-June 5, 2010 with Michael O'Brien; $2,795 in double occupancy from Wilmington (ends in Norfolk). Limit 7. 3 spaces available.
Our inaugural North Carolina tour offers prime birding in a variety of interesting locations. Travel from the pine forests to the famed Outer Banks searching for southeastern specialty birds. Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and Swainson's Warbler are likely, while two Gulf Stream boat trips promise a host of pelagic specialties.
Mongolia, May 29-June 16, 2010 with David Bishop and a local leader; $5,295 in double occupancy from Ulaanbaatar. 2 spaces available.
Join us on this rare opportunity to experience an unusual and fascinating tour combining antiquities, fabulous birding and wildlife, exceptional photographic opportunities, and stunning landscapes.
INTERIOR SECRETARY SALAZAR PRESENTS: STATE OF THE BIRDS 2010
Yesterday, March 11, I attended an event of considerable importance to the world of birds and to me personally. United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar came to Austin, Texas for a press conference to announce the release of the 2010 State of the Birds report.
The ceremony was held at the Zilker Botanical Garden, only a few minutes from the VENT office, on a beautiful spring-like day. My friend and naturalist Greg Lasley was the official event photographer. Also present with Secretary Salazar were Paul Schmidt, Assistant Director Migratory Bird Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; John Hoskins, National Chair, North American Bird Conservation Initiative; Miyoko Chu, Director of Communications, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; and Glenn Olson, O'Brien Conservation Chair, National Audubon Society.
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Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Victor Emanuel |
The first State of the Birds report, released in March 2009, revealed that nearly a third of the nation's 800 bird species are considered endangered, threatened, or in significant decline, and recommended actions that can be taken to help reverse those declines. The 2010 report, a collaboration of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and experts from the nation's leading conservation organizations (including the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, American Bird Conservancy, National Audubon Society, and Nature Conservancy), shows that climate changes will have an increasingly negative effect on bird species in all habitats, with oceanic and Hawaiian birds in greatest danger. Among a list of key findings, the report identified common bird species such as the American Oystercatcher, Common Nighthawk, and Northern Pintail that are likely to become species of concern as a result of climate change.
Commenting on the report, Dr. Kenneth Rosenberg, Director of Conservation Science at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology said, "Birds are excellent indicators of the health of our environment, and right now they are telling us an important story about climate change. Many species of conservation concern will face heightened threats, giving us an increased sense of urgency to protect and conserve vital bird habitat."
VENT is very glad to see the issues of bird conservation and the future of bird populations getting this needed attention, and hopes that more bird habitat will be protected as a result.
We have posted excerpts from the News Release on our website. To see the report in its entirety, please visit stateofthebirds.org.
FINAL THOUGHTS
For birders and anyone who is attuned to the natural world, we are entering one of the most exciting times of the year. In the weeks and months ahead we will witness one of nature's greatest spectacles: the arrival of spring. Trees and shrubs will put on new bright green foliage, a succession of flowers will appear, resident birds will engage in courtship, and hundreds of thousands, even millions, of birds that spent the winter in the Tropics will return to their breeding grounds. Every day will reveal new sights and sounds, starting slowly and then picking up tempo like the notes of a great symphony.
Most areas of our country experience a special springtime event that birders and naturalists look forward to with great anticipation. For Central Texans, that event is the return of the Golden-cheeked Warblers in early March. I am looking forward to another wonderful spring and to seeing my first Golden-cheek. I hope you enjoy a marvelous springtime as well.
Best wishes,
Victor Emanuel