VENTflash #123 June 10, 2011
Posted by Victor Emanuel
Victor Emanuel
Victor Emanuel started birding in Texas 64 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,
In the second half of May, I co-led our fourth ever Birding Across America by Train tour. Once again, we enjoyed a spectacular trip, with a fine group of participants and exposure to a marvelous array of birds, flowers, mammals, and scenery. This tour is one of my favorites, primarily because its premise is so unique: a cross-country birding trip that visits three distinct regions, from the Northeast to the Pacific Northwest, with each area linked by travel aboard Amtrak trains.
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Blue-winged Warbler — Photo: Barry Zimmer |
Working west from the Adirondack Mountains of New York to the Great Plains of North Dakota and the deep forests and rocky shoreline of Washington State's Olympic Peninsula, no other North American birding tour offers such a variety of wildlife and landscapes or such an unlikely combination of birds.
Among the many highlights of this year's trip were a stunning Blue-winged Warbler, a male Black-backed Woodpecker, a displaying American Woodcock, and a Ruffed Grouse for part of the group in New York; 20 species of shorebirds on our first day in North Dakota, followed by views of displaying Sharp-tailed Grouse, Sprague's Pipits, Bobolinks, and Upland Sandpipers; 25 species of warblers including six Cape May Warblers; four moose; and a fine selection of woodland flowers in the Adirondacks and Washington's Olympic National Park. Perhaps best of all, I was thrilled to share with the group the finest look at a Baird's Sparrow I have ever had.
It was gratifying to know how much the group enjoyed the trip. One woman wrote, "This trip was a life-changing trip for me. I realized that I need to spend more time in nature and birding. I rediscovered my love of the outdoors."
Our next Birding Across America by Train tour will operate May 20-June 2, 2012 with Michael O'Brien and Louise Zemaitis.
In this issue:
AUTUMN GRAND MANAN
FALL ECUADOR TOURS DISCOUNTED
A VISIT TO ITHACA, NEW YORK
PACIFIC NORTHWEST INTRODUCTORY TOUR
SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL
DENVER HOLT IN THE NEW YORK TIMES
POLAR BEARS OF CHURCHILL
SUMMER & FALL TOURS WITH A FEW AVAILABLE SPACES
RECENT REPORTS FROM THE FIELD
CLOSING THOUGHTS
AUTUMN GRAND MANAN
Over a lifetime of travel, I have been to many marvelous places around the world; however, I retain a special feeling for North America, where high quality birding and scenic splendor go hand in hand. Not surprisingly, I am a big fan of our North American tours. One such tour of which I am especially fond is Autumn Grand Manan, a trip I have co-led with Barry Zimmer on several occasions.
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Great Shearwater— Photo: Barry Zimmer |
Although many people are unaware of Grand Manan, it is, in fact, a superb place to experience the thrill of fall migration on the northeast coast. Located in Canada's Bay of Fundy, picturesque Grand Manan Island features incredible seabird spectacles, marine mammals, and large numbers of migrant landbirds and shorebirds. Birding the forests and coast in early September may turn up 20 species of warblers, as well as Great Cormorant, Common Eider, and Black Guillemot. A Bay of Fundy pelagic trip often produces exciting seabirds such as Manx and Great shearwaters, Wilson's and Leach's storm-petrels, Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, and Northern Gannet. The impressive North Atlantic right whale, the world's rarest whale species, is recorded in most years.
Leading this tour is Barry Zimmer, one of our longest-serving leaders and a veteran of many previous Autumn Grand Manan tours. Joining Barry again this year is Brennan Mulrooney, a leader known for his skill as a bird finder and teacher.
I can't recommend this trip highly enough. In addition to the birding, the weather in September is often the best of the entire year on Grand Manan, with fair, sunny days and calm seas the norm. This trip is only a week long, and a stay here is all the more pleasant due to the charm and atmosphere of the Marathon Inn, a grand old country inn with delicious home-cooking and fine birding right on the grounds.
Autumn Grand Manan, August 29-September 4, 2011; $3,025 in double occupancy from Bangor, Maine.
FALL ECUADOR TOURS DISCOUNTED
VENT has been taking birders throughout Ecuador for over 30 years, but the species-diverse, well-developed northwestern Andes remain our flagship destination. We are offering discounts on two fall 2011 tours: Ecuador: The Northwestern Andean Slopes, November 13-21, 2011 and Ecuador: Tinalandia Pre-trip, November 9-14, 2011.
A discount of $300 per person is available for all registrations received before July 1 for Ecuador: The Northwestern Andean Slopes. A discount of $200 per person is available for all registrations received before July 1 for Ecuador: Tinalandia Pre-trip. Register for both tours and receive an additional combined tour discount of $80 ($105 in single occupancy). Register for both tours before July 1 and receive a total discount of $580!
Both of these tours will be led by veteran leaders Paul Greenfield and Steve Hilty.
Ecuador: The Northwestern Andean Slopes, November 13-21, 2011 with Paul Greenfield and Steve Hilty; $2,795 in double
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Andean Cock-of-the-rock— Photo: Robert (Spike) Baker |
occupancy from Quito. Register before July 1 and pay $2,495.
In a little over a week amid lush mountain forests, we will see 20 or more species of hummingbirds in breathtaking profusion, leks of displaying Cocks-of-the-rock, and perhaps most extraordinary of all, a collection of antpittas that must be seen to be believed. For added pleasure, species such as Golden-headed Quetzal, Toucan Barbet, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Turquoise Jay, the extraordinary Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan, and an incredible assortment of jewel-like tanagers are standouts among hundreds of other wonderful tropical birds.
Ecuador: Tinalandia Pre-Trip, November 9-14, 2011 with Paul Greenfield and Steve Hilty; $1,995 in double occupancy from Quito. Register before July 1 and pay $1,795.
Ecuador's western Andean slopes offer the world's most incredible biodiversity, and this pre-trip to Tinalandia is designed to complement our Ecuador: Northwestern Andean Slopes tour. We will spend three nights at the comfortable Tinalandia Hotel, situated in the Andean foothills, where we will bird the reserve's diverse grounds, exploring gardens, edge vegetation, and forest trails. We'll also make a day-trip to the very rich Río Palenque Scientific Station, a famous birding hot spot, where we will enjoy lowland habitat with many additional avian species.
A VISIT TO ITHACA, NEW YORK
Last weekend I attended my final meeting of the board of directors of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York. I have been a member of that body for six years and now the time has come for me to rotate off. My service has been very gratifying and I am immensely proud of the relationship that exists between the Lab and VENT.
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Hooded Warbler— Photo: Greg Lasley |
The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology plays an enormous role in bird study, conservation, and birding. The breadth of its programs is huge and growing. As an example, the Macaulay Library is the world's leading scientific collection of biodiversity media, with more than 175,000 audio and 60,000 video recordings documenting the behavioral diversity of birds and other animals. Recently, attention has been focused on the Spoon-billed Sandpiper, considered by many the most endangered bird in the world. This spring the Lab sent a researcher to the Siberian breeding grounds of this rare sandpiper to obtain video and sound recordings.
I am gratified that the Lab also plays a significant role in education and outreach to young birders. A large number of young people who have participated in VENT's summer camps have gone on to attend Cornell University, and several are now members of the Lab staff.
The Lab's success is due to its excellent staff and the leadership provided by Dr. John Fitzpatrick. "Fitz" is a passionate conservationist, a top notch ornithologist, and a skilled administrator. It has been an honor to serve on this board. As a parting gift, I was thrilled when I was informed that the account of the Hooded Warbler in the Birds of North America Online will be dedicated to me.
PACIFIC NORTHWEST INTRODUCTORY TOUR
Four spaces remain available on our upcoming departure, The Pacific Northwest: An Introductory Birding Tour, July 22-26, 2011. This trip will be led by Bob Sundstrom and Barry Zimmer.
On this short tour, Bob Sundstrom shares his passion for Washington through a five-day exploration of the east side of the majestic Olympic Peninsula, where we will encounter a suite of birds that reflect the region's considerable geographic and botanical diversity. In the process, we will not only see a range of Pacific Coast specialty birds, but take time to learn the basics of birding including the use of field marks and field guides to identify birds, understanding habitats, and learning bird songs. Tufted Puffin, Marbled Murrelet, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Sooty Grouse, Varied Thrush, and Townsend's Warbler are some of the unique species we may encounter.
Scenic highlights include the lofty Olympic Mountains, towering coniferous forests, and a bounty of rushing streams and rivers.
The Pacific Northwest: An Introductory Birding Tour, July 22-26, 2011 with Bob Sundstrom and Barry Zimmer; $1,555 in double occupancy from Seattle. 4 spaces available.
SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL
This fall we will operate a three-part Brazil tour that emphasizes the super-diverse southeastern corner of South America's largest country. Southeastern Brazil is our flagship Brazil tour and an excellent choice for those wishing to experience the richness of Brazilian birding and wildlife. Brazil is also one of the most stable and economically successful countries in Latin America. Brazilian people are very friendly, and welcome visitors to their country. All these qualities make for a delightful travel experience. Our tours are led by Kevin Zimmer and Andrew Whittaker, the two men who are writing a comprehensive field guide to the birds of that country. These tours may be taken singly, or combined for a complete Southeastern Brazil extravaganza. Space is still available on all three tours.
Southeastern Brazil Part I: Coastal Paraná, Santa Catarina & Rio Grande do Sul, October 1-12, 2011 with Kevin Zimmer and Andrew Whittaker; $4,395 in double occupancy from Curitiba (ends in Pôrto Alegre).
Part one of our tour emphasizes the cloud forests, marshes, high plateau grasslands, and spectacular canyons of the Brazilian states of Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul. Over 400 species of birds are likely including many rare and range-restricted endemics. Beautiful scenery, good accommodations, and excellent cuisine are also attractions of this tour.
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Golden Lion Tamarin, Brazil— Photo: Kevin Zimmer |
Southeastern Brazil Part II: Heart of the Atlantic Forest & the Serra do Mar, October 10-26, 2011 with Kevin Zimmer and Andrew Whittaker; $5,945 in double occupancy from Sao Paulo (ends in Rio de Janeiro).
Part two centers on the heart of the endemic-rich Atlantic Forest, but includes the Itatiaia highlands as well as the white-sand beaches and forest-cloaked mountains that define much of Rio's famous coastline. A special bonus will be a unique opportunity to see one of the most spectacular primates of the New World, the endangered and beautiful golden lion tamarin monkey.
Southeastern Brazil Part III: Espirito Santo's Montane & Lowland Endemics, October 24-November 3, 2011 with Andrew Whittaker and Kevin Zimmer; $3,495 in double occupancy from Vitoria.
Part three focuses on the many Atlantic Forest endemics of Espirito Santo, with a special search for the Cherry-throated Tanager. This tour promises loads of other Atlantic Forest endemics including parrots, cotingas, hummingbirds, and colorful tanagers. Other highlights are visits to at least two critically important forest reserves.
DENVER HOLT IN THE NEW YORK TIMES
The Science section of the May 23, 2011 edition of The New York Times recognizes the work of international owl expert Denver Holt with a feature-length article entitled Getting Wise to the Owl, a Charismatic Sentry in Climate Change.
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Denver Holt |
Denver is widely respected as one of the world's leading owl researchers. As the director of the non-profit Owl Research Institute, he has spent two decades leading long-term studies of owls of several species, from the prairies of Montana to the tundra of the Alaskan arctic. The Times piece profiles Denver as an avid and meticulous scientist who takes special pride in deriving data that only long-term studies can provide—most critically, the article emphasizes, what that data could mean in relation to a changing climate. His Snowy Owl research in the Arctic, and his studies on Long-eared and Short-eared owls in Montana are all approaching 20 years in longevity—a rarity in today's scientific community. John Fitzpatrick, Director of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, is quoted as well, praising the importance of Denver's scientific contributions through prolonged research.
Getting Wise to the Owl, A Charismatic Sentry in Climate Change is available through the website of The New York Times.
Denver has been a part-time tour leader for VENT for many years as well, having guided trips to Montana, Yellowstone, and Panama. His Montana Owl Workshop has traditionally been a popular spring tour. Unlike our other tours, this tour focuses primarily on one family of birds—owls, of course. Amid exquisite Montana scenery, Denver teaches the basics of owls—anatomy, distribution, and other aspects of their natural history. Past tours have recorded as many as 8 species of owls including Boreal and Great Gray owls on a regular basis.
Our next Montana Owl Workshop will operate April 20-25, 2012 with Denver Holt and Victor Emanuel; tour fee to be announced in double occupancy from Missoula.
POLAR BEARS OF CHURCHILL
Churchill, Manitoba is the world's premier site for observing and photographing polar bears. This fall, VENT will offer another Polar Bears of Churchill tour, November 5-11, 2011 with Brennan Mulrooney. A discount of $1,000 per person is available to anyone who registers before July 15. The fee for this tour is $5,595 in double occupancy from Winnipeg; register before July 15 and pay $4,595.
The annual gathering of Polar Bears at Churchill is an event I regard as one of nature's greatest spectacles. For several weeks each fall, dozens of hungry bears are drawn to the southwest edge of Hudson Bay in anticipation of the coming winter and the opportunity to hunt seals on the ice after the Bay freezes. At this time, more polar bears are present here than any other place in the world.
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Polar Bears— Photo: Doug Hanna |
Our tour spends four days in Churchill where we travel aboard Tundra Buggies seeking polar bears and other wildlife. Typically, we encounter numbers of these magnificent creatures on a daily basis and at very close range, including mothers with cubs, enormous males, and sparring younger animals. On our most recent tour, our group recorded an astonishing 39 bears in a single day, followed by 19 others the next! The diversity of birds is light, but the species that remain are among the far north's hardiest inhabitants, including such favorites as Common Eider, Gyrfalcon, Willow and Rock ptarmigan, Purple Sandpiper, Snowy Owl, and Snow Bunting.
I feel the VENT tour to Churchill is the best polar bear tour available for several reasons: our tour fee includes internal round-trip airfare from Winnipeg to Churchill; the tour fee is less expensive than what is offered by other operators; we have chartered a full Tundra Buggy exclusively for the VENT group so everyone has his own window; and you are virtually assured of seeing 20–30 bears per day!
We do not plan to offer this trip in 2012 or 2013.
Polar Bears of Churchill, November 5-11, 2011 with Brennan Mulrooney; $5,595 in double occupancy from Winnipeg (fee includes internal air ticket); Register before July 15, 2011 and receive a $1,000 discount.
SUMMER & FALL TOURS WITH A FEW SPACES AVAILABLE
The late summer and fall is an exciting time at VENT as this is when we operate some of our favorite tours. Trips to Borneo, Australia, and Kenya provide epic travel experiences while a host of other fine departures offer scenic marvels and wonderful birding and wildlife viewing opportunities. A few spaces are still available on each of the following tours:
Indonesia: Java and Bali, August 6-18, 2011 with David Bishop; $6,235 in double occupancy from Denpasar (ends Jakarta). 3 spaces available.
Java and Bali are verdant islands of great beauty, dominated by high peaks and smoking volcanoes. With over 300 bird species, 30 or so of which are strictly endemic and several others that are endemic to the region, Java and Bali offer a birding and cultural experience not to be missed.
Grand California, August 13-25, 2011 with Jeri Langham; $4,225 in double occupancy from San Francisco (ends in Monterey). 1 space available.
From the mountains to the coast, California exhibits a superb set of landscapes and an equally marvelous birdlife. Highlights of this tour include visits to the Muir Woods redwoods, Lake Tahoe, ancient bristlecone pine forests, hallowed Mono Lake, and peerless Yosemite National Park. We anticipate finding such specialty birds as Greater Sage-Grouse, Nuttall's Woodpecker, California Thrasher, Wrentit, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Tricolored Blackbird, Lawrence's Goldfinch, and Yellow-billed Magpie.
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Borneo Pygmy Elephant— Photo: K. David Bishop |
Grand Borneo, September 12-27, 2011 with David Bishop and Dion Hobcroft; $8,995 in double occupancy from Kota Kinabalu.
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. Highlights of this tour include a visit to famed Mt. Kinabalu, exploring the riverine forests along the Kinabatangan River, and a stay at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge.
Grand Australia Part I: New South Wales & The Northern Territory, October 1-17, 2011 with Dion Hobcroft; $7,295 in double occupancy from Sydney (ends in Ayers Rock). 1 space available.
This is our finest, most comprehensive tour of Australia—a grand Australian tour de force. We will travel the entire continent, searching out birds from the common to the rare and most elusive. We begin in Sydney, then wing our way northwest to Darwin, the capital of the vast Northern Territory, before ending at Alice Springs in the "Red Center." We'll visit Kakadu National Park, the Great Barrier Reef, and Ayers Rock.
Grand Australia Part II: Queensland, Victoria, and Plains-wanderer, October 15-November 1, 2011 with Dion Hobcroft; $5,995 in double occupancy from Brisbane (ends in Melbourne). 1 space available.
Part II of our Grand Australia adventure focuses on the southern half of the island continent. A highlight of this tour is a stay at world famous O'Reilly's Guest House, but other high points include birding around Victoria and New South Wales seeking a variety of parrots, brush-turkeys, cassowaries, plains-wanderers, and many others. When taken with Grand Australia Part I, we may compile a total trip list that represents 80% of Australia's bird species.
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Apapane— Photo: Brian Gibbons |
Fall Hawaii, October 18-26, 2011 with Bob Sundstrom and Brad Schram; $3,665 in double occupancy from Honolulu (ends in Hilo). 2 spaces available.
Our tour of the famed Hawaiian Islands explores three of the chain's most distinctive islands, and features stunning seabirds, endemic forest birds, and volcanic marvels. We will search out a large proportion of the native land birds from the Hawaiian Hawk and Nene to the I'iwi, Palila, Omao, Akepa, three Elepaio and Amakihi species, and the rare Akiapolaau, to name a few. Rivaling the birding for attention are the scenic wonders of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Waimea Canyon.
Kenya: Birds & Wildlife, October 28-November 15, 2011 with David Wolf; $9,875 in double occupancy from Nairobi. 1 space available.
With a well-deserved reputation for top birding and game-viewing, outstanding parks, good tourist facilities, and excellent field guides, Kenya offers the African trip of a lifetime. Nowhere else can such a broad slice of the best of Africa be found in a small and accessible area. This tour promises about 500 species of birds and excellent mammal viewing, including a chance for all of "The Big Five."
RECENT REPORTS FROM THE FIELD
During this past April and May, VENT operated about 30 tours to such diverse localities as the Upper Texas Coast, Bhutan, Point Pelee and Crane Creek, Spain, Arizona, Kazakhstan, Big Bend National Park, and Scotland. I encourage you to read some of the tour reports our leaders submitted following the conclusion of these trips. Many of our leaders write well and are adept at describing exciting birding experiences and conveying a sense of spirit in the places where they guide tours. Tour reports can be found by clicking the Tour Reports button on the homepage of our website. Here are some excerpts from recently submitted reports:
Spring Grand Arizona, May 2011 – Barry Zimmer
"Almost immediately a Flammulated Owl called back. Suddenly the moonlit sky revealed a small object darting directly over our heads. I spun around and there in a small oak, at eye level, sat our tiny dark-eyed quest. A total of four minutes had elapsed since we had exited the van. The next morning we headed to Madera Canyon. Migrants seemed to be everywhere with numerous Empidonax flycatchers, Townsend's and Wilson's warblers, Western Tanagers, Black-headed Grosbeaks, and Lazuli Buntings. Magnificent and Broad-billed hummingbirds, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Bridled Titmouse, Mexican Jay, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Painted Redstart, Hepatic Tanager, and Yellow-eyed Junco—the action was fast and furious. As we were about to leave the canyon, I received a third-hand tip from a friend about a nearby roosting Spotted Owl. I had never seen a Spotted Owl in the Santa Rita Mountains before, and the area where we typically get the bird requires a difficult uphill hike. We followed the directions and, a short 150 feet or so from the parking lot, someone in the group spotted the owl along the edge of the creek bed. It was only about 10 feet off the ground and no more than 30 feet away from us. We had lengthy and completely unobstructed views of this endangered species."
Spring Birding in Spain, April/May 2011 – Brian Gibbons
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Booted Eagle— Photo: Brian Gibbons |
"Spain did not disappoint. Birds, wine, amazing scenery in the mountains and plains, and delicious cuisine satisfied every sense. Each of these aspects was brought to the forefront at some point during the tour, particularly the alpine scenery, which was unforgettable. The rugged peaks dominating the skylines of the Picos de Europa and the Pyrenees were sublime. We saw flamingos, spoonbills, storks, bustards, eagle-owl, eagles, hawks, falcons, harriers, sandgrouse, pratincoles, eight species of larks, Firecrest, Bluethroat, Snowfinch, bee-eaters, Lammergeier, Wallcreeper, and Golden-Orioles. Our remarkable raptor list topped 23 species including Booted, Spanish Imperial, Bonelli's, Short-toed, and Golden eagles. Other fauna were spotted too: ocellated lizard, Spanish ibex, chamois, roe, and red deer."
High Island Migration, April 2011 – Bob Sundstrom
"Over the following days of the tour we would revisit the coastal woods sanctuaries, as well as breeding areas a short drive north, in search of trans-Gulf migrants. Our patient searching paid rich dividends. We watched a male Swainson's Warbler—one of the most notorious skulkers—singing in the open from a series of perches, including a utility wire. A Blackburnian Warbler, perhaps the most brightly colored of all warblers, gleaned methodically through the leaves of an oak, as we followed it in our binoculars. Prothonotary Warblers, feathered in the deepest of yellows, sang from cypress knees. A male Painted Bunting sang from atop a bush, patiently waiting for all to view it in the spotting scope. A Kentucky Warbler walked calmly out into the open at the edge of a small pond, posing for all to see.
"In one field alone there were American Golden-Plovers, Buff-breasted Sandpipers, Stilt Sandpipers, and 18 Hudsonian Godwits, plus 10 other species of shorebirds. Whimbrels strode the fields by the hundreds, and a few Wilson's Phalaropes spun in the shallow water."
Big Bend National Park and the Texas Hill Country, April/May 2011 – Barry Zimmer
"Starting in San Antonio, we spent a little more than two days scouring the famous Texas Hill Country. A male Black-capped Vireo in a small, isolated shrub just 20 feet away provided superb views, as did five stunning Golden-cheeked Warblers, the other Hill Country specialty, on a private ranch north of Concan.
On our all-day hike to Boot Canyon, we had only two Colimas (due to the dry conditions); they were right over the trail and put on a show for nearly five minutes. In addition, we had a stunning Blue-throated Hummingbird, a few more Lucifers, Hammond's Flycatcher, the black-eared form of Bushtit, two pairs of Painted Redstarts, Black-throated Gray Warbler, a Hermit Warbler, 12+ Townsend's Warblers, and a male Hepatic Tanager."
CLOSING THOUGHTS
The summer is another season that offers great birding opportunities in many parts of the world. Looking ahead to the next three months, VENT will operate trips to a variety of wonderful locations both at home and abroad. I hope you will be on one of them.
Best wishes,
Victor Emanuel