VENTflash #128 September 16, 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,
This year I have been enjoying fall migration more than ever. Perhaps I'm feeling this way as a result of the truly brutal summer we've had, with Texas afflicted by record high temperatures and extreme drought. In any case, I have been savoring every migrant bird I find. I have especially enjoyed seeing many Baltimore Orioles and, of course, a variety of warblers. Orioles have always been among my favorite birds because they are big, conspicuous, and colorful. While most orioles are found in the Tropics, we do have seven native species that breed in our country. Each is very beautiful and adds a splash of intense color to any place where they are seen.
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One reason I savor fall migrants is the knowledge that I won't see these birds for another seven or eight months unless I travel to the Tropics. Seeing them now is like telling them goodbye until they return in the spring. We have some wonderful winter resident birds that follow, but the winter is a time when we see fewer colorful birds. One of the many aspects of birds that make them the most sought after of all animals is the amazing array of colors that adorn many species. As a result, the color one sees on a stunning male Baltimore Oriole is something to savor with long looks.
In this issue:
FEE REDUCTIONS FOR TOURS TO GHANA, SW CHINA & NORTHERN INDIA
GALAPAGOS CRUISE UPDATE: ONLY 2 FULL CABINS AVAILABLE!
NEW ZEALAND HIGHLIGHTS
NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL
COLOMBIA: THE SANTA MARTA GETAWAY
JANUARY TOURS WITH AVAILABLE SPACES
VENT WEBSITE: FOCUS ON PHOTO GALLERIES
CLOSING THOUGHTS
FEE REDUCTIONS FOR TOURS TO GHANA, SW CHINA & NORTHERN INDIA
I am pleased to announce that negotiations with several of our foreign operators have resulted in fee reductions for upcoming tours to Ghana, Southwest China: Yunnan Province, and Northern India. Each of these fine tours presents opportunities to observe an abundance of birds and other wildlife in fascinating and seldom visited parts of the world.
Ghana
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White-necked Rockfowl— Photo: K. Schafer/VIREO |
As West Africa's most stable country, Ghana offers plenty of opportunity for the traveling birder. A fine system of parks and refuges is home to a profusion of specialty birds, none more alluring than the amazing White-necked Rockfowl.
As we gear up for our upcoming tour to Ghana, I wanted you to know that the fee for this departure has been reduced by $1,000 from the original fee of $7,795 to $6,795—a savings of almost 15%!
This departure represents the first Ghana tour we have offered in many years. Working with one of that country's top operators and visiting the best birding sites, we are able to present an outstanding itinerary.
Ghana, January 1-12, 2012 with David Bishop; $6,795 in double occupancy from Accra. Limit: 8.
Situated along the Gulf of Guinea on Africa's Gold Coast, Ghana is a country rich in natural history, ancient tradition, and the history of European colonialism. Today it is one of the safest and friendliest countries in the entire West African region. Featuring a variety of landscapes and terrains, Ghana boasts glorious sandy-white beaches, lush rainforests, and open savanna. Over 750 bird species occur here in addition to a range of mammals, reptiles, and butterflies.
This tour will visit the country's top preserves including the Shai Hills, Kakum National Park, Ankasa National Park, and Bobiribi Forest Reserve seeking hundreds of species of waterbirds, open country birds, and forest birds. While Ghana may not carry the imposing allure of an East African safari, it is truly a spectacular destination nonetheless, where the birding is some of the best on the continent including many species that do not occur in East Africa.
Southwest China: Yunnan Province
In January VENT will operate its first-ever tour to China's Yunnan province. Located in the country's southwest, along the borders of Burma, Vietnam, and Laos, Yunnan is a region rarely visited by birders, yet, surprisingly, is the most avian diverse part of China. I am pleased to announce that the fee for this inaugural tour has been reduced by $780 to $6,495, which represents a reduction of more than 10% off the original fee of $7,275.
Southwest China: Yunnan Province, January 31-February 17, 2012 with Dion Hobcroft; $6,495 in double occupancy from Kunming, China. Limit: 8.
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Silver Pheasant— Photo: K. David Bishop |
Yunnan lies at the crossroads of Asian bird diversity. It is the most bird-rich region of China and home to a range of specialized and globally endangered species. This trip will operate at a wonderful time of year, when resident birds are joined by thousands of wintering birds from the north. Beyond birding, this tour promises spectacular mountain scenery, fascinating botany, mammal viewing, colorful tribal groups, tasty traditional food, and excellent tea.
From the Burmese border to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the birding and scenery on this tour will be sublime. Over 300 species are possible including many of the most dazzling and highly sought birds in Asia. Specialties such as Bar-headed Goose, Falcated Duck, Black-necked Crane, Chinese Bamboo-Partridge, the incredible Lady Amherst's Pheasant, Silver Pheasant, Green Magpie, Rufous-tailed Laughingthrush, and Giant Nuthatch are anticipated highlights among a larger collection of babblers, thrushes, bulbuls, and flycatchers.
This tour will be led by Dion Hobcroft, who developed our other China tours and has emerged as an authority on the distribution and identification of birds of that country. I hope you will consider joining him for this outstanding adventure.
Northern India: Three Great Tours
Through my years of travel, I have come to regard India as the world's greatest wildlife viewing area outside of East Africa. The country's remarkable system of parks and preserves hosts an incredible array of birds, while the preponderance of large mammals such as elephant, rhinoceros, tiger, leopard, antelope, deer, wild cattle, and monkeys validates its standing as a top-tier destination. Further accentuating the remarkable qualities of India, it is also home to exquisite Himalayan scenery, some of the world's richest culture, historical and architectural attractions, and wonderful cuisine.
In January 2012 VENT will operate a three-part Northern India tour that visits the premier parks and preserves of the country's northern half. I wanted you to know that the tour fee for each part of the tour has been reduced by $500. All three parts of our Northern India tour may be taken separately as stand-alone tours or together for a total Northern India experience. All of these tours will be led by David Bishop, who has years of experience traveling and leading tours in India. Space is still available on all of these remarkable trips.
Please note that a combined tour discount is also available in addition to the $500 price reduction for each tour segment. Participants combining Northern India Part I and Part II will receive a discount of $150 per person in double occupancy or $200 in single occupancy. Participants combining Northern India Part II and Part III will receive a discount of $150 per person in double occupancy or $200 in single occupancy. Participants combining Parts I, II and III will receive a discount of $300 per person in double occupancy or $400 in single occupancy.
Northern India Part I: Kaziranga and Nameri National Parks, January 14-23, 2012 with David Bishop; original fee was $6,250 in double occupancy from Delhi. The fee is now $5,750.
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Tiger — Photo: K. David Bishop |
Part I of our Northern India tour explores the remarkable wildlife refuges of Kaziranga and Nameri national parks. Situated at the base of the Himalayas, these parks hold some of India's finest wildlife sanctuaries. Kaziranga, with its swamps, marshes, grasslands, and forests, supports large numbers of birds and mammals. The epithet applied here, "Asia's Serengeti," is well-deserved. Nowhere else in the world can you sit atop an elephant and watch great one-horned rhinoceros, wild Asian elephants, globally-threatened Bengal Floricans, and Greater and Lesser adjutants against a backdrop of towering, snow-capped Himalayas. Kaziranga hosts the highest density of Bengal tigers anywhere in the world, in addition to other outstanding wildlife such as Pallas's Fish-Eagle, Asian water buffalo, and Hooloch gibbon to mention a few.
Northern India Part II: Tigers and Kipling Country, January 22-February 4, 2012 with David Bishop; original fee was $8,155 in double occupancy from Delhi. The fee is now $7,655.
The magnificent tiger is synonymous with India. This tour provides the finest opportunity to watch and photograph this most spectacular of all cats. We will visit the four best tiger reserves: Panna, Bandhavgarh, Kanha, and Melghat where, in addition to searching for tigers, we will also search for a wonderful assortment of birds and a fine selection of mammals characteristic of "Kipling Country" including Asian elephant, leopard, Indian hunting dogs, gaur, and a host of great birds.
Northern India Part III: Corbett National Park and the Northwest Himalayas, February 3-16, 2012; original fee was $6,995 in double occupancy from Delhi. The fee is now $6,495.
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Great One-horned Rhinoceros — Photo: Brian Gibbons |
Cradled in the foothills of the Himalayas, Corbett National Park is widely considered one of the finest reserves in the entire Indian subcontinent. We will spend three nights at the delightful Quality Inn, overlooking the pristine Khosi River valley. Corbett is so much more, however, with over 50 species of mammals, including tigers, 530 birds, and 25 reptiles recorded within the reserve. These include such gems as Asian elephant, tiger, leopard, sloth bear, the peculiar and endangered gharial (a snub-nosed croc), Kalij Pheasant, Pallas's Fish-Eagle, Collared Falconet, the very rare Tawny Fish-Owl, Crested and Stork-billed kingfishers, Himalayan Flameback, the exquisite Wallcreeper, and Red-billed Blue Magpie.
From Corbett, we will ascend into the Himalayas and ensconce ourselves in the charming hill station of Naini Tal. Here, at nearly 7,000 feet and surrounded by the high Himalayas, we will explore pine-clad ridges and temperate woodlands for Lammergeier and a variety of other birds.
GALAPAGOS CRUISE UPDATE: ONLY 2 FULL CABINS AVAILABLE!
We are now down to only two full cabins available for our upcoming Galapagos Islands Cruise, November 28-December 7, 2011! Two other cabins are available, however, on a share basis. We have a single male and a single female traveler registered for the cruise, both of whom have requested a roommate.
This departure represents the last time we are able to offer a trip that visits most of the islands in a 7-night voyage. I hope you can take advantage of this special opportunity.
Galapagos Islands Cruise, November 28-December 7, 2011 with Paul Greenfield and Bob Sundstrom; cabins available at $5,750 in double occupancy from Quito (ends in Guayaquil).
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Kea — Photo: Barry Zimmer |
NEW ZEALAND HIGHLIGHTS
As the postcards and travel literature attest, New Zealand is one of the world's most beautiful countries. Snow-covered mountains and dramatic coastline are some of the wonderful qualities of our New Zealand Highlights tour, which also features marvelous endemic landbirds including Kea, Kokako, Tui, Stitchbird, Kiwis, and more!
New Zealand Highlights, November 29-December 16, 2011 with Dion Hobcroft and a local leader; $6,895 in double occupancy from Auckland (ends in Invercargill). 4 spaces available.
NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL
The largest country in South America, Brazil is home to a marvelous diversity of birds and other wildlife. It 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.
In January we will operate a two-part tour to Northeastern Brazil that emphasizes that region's numerous endemics and specialty birds from the caatinga brushlands to the humid Atlantic Forest. This is a seldom visited region, yet one that boasts a highly endemic avifauna, a multitude of habitats, unique plant associations, and scenic landscapes. Both parts of this trip will be led by Andrew Whittaker, a resident of Brazil and the coauthor, with Kevin Zimmer, of the upcoming Birds of Brazil.
Please note that we will not offer this tour again for at least two years! Space is still available on both parts.
Northeastern Brazil Part I, January 7-21, 2012 with Andrew Whittaker; $5,845 in double occupancy from Fortaleza (ends in Maceio).
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Araripe Manakin — Photo: Ciro Albano |
Part I of this tour focuses on the caatinga, a unique habitat of thorn-scrub, columnar cacti, and huge terrestrial bromeliads. The caatinga teems with birdlife—from flocks of Comb Ducks flying in formation to a distant marsh at dawn, to immaculate White Monjitas perched atop bare acacias, to Least Nighthawks quartering over the desert at dusk. Foremost among the birds, however, is the spectacular Lear's Macaw, rediscovered in 1978, and numbering fewer than 250 birds remaining in the wild. Other specialties include White-browed Guan, Pygmy Nightjar, Stripe-breasted Starthroat, Spot-backed Puffbird, Silvery-cheeked Antshrike, Araripe Manakin and many others.
Northeastern Brazil Part II, January 19-30, 2012 with Andrew Whittaker; $3,195 in double occupancy from Salvador (ends in Ilheus).
Part II of our Northeast Brazil tour explores the avian riches of the fascinating state of Bahia, from the caatinga and cerrado of the interior badlands or sertão, to the humid foothill and lowland forests and white-sand beaches of the litoral. Chapada de Diamantina embraces landscapes of spectacularly eroded mesas, sheer cliffs, and plunging waterfalls. A beautiful and endemic plant community harbors such specialties as the stunning Hooded Visorbearer and Yellow-billed Blue Finch, in addition to many widespread species and other specialty birds.
COLOMBIA: THE SANTA MARTA GETAWAY
More than two-and-a-half years ago, VENT's return to Colombia marked the end of a twenty- year absence from that country. Early in 2009, we offered an initial tour that included the Bogotá region, the Magdalena Valley, and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. That trip was so successful that we followed it in 2010 with two more departures to the same areas, in addition to a tour that focused on the Andes. This year we offered four Colombia tours, and all were very sucessfull.
I have been so pleased and encouraged by the success of our revitalized Colombia tour program. Looking ahead to 2012, we will debut still another Colombia tour, a trip we call The Santa Marta Getaway. At only a week in length, this trip is a perfect choice for those with limited time while offering an excellent introduction to the birds of northern Colombia.
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Santa Marta Parakeet — Photo: ProAves Colombia/www.proaves.org |
Situated in the north of Colombia, the Santa Marta Mountains are one of the country's most unique sites. This lofty, pyramid-shaped range springs up from the shores of the Caribbean to nearly twenty thousand feet and is a birder's dream. Almost twenty species of endemics, gorgeous scenery, and a new and comfortable mountain lodge are situated in a perfect climate zone. It's an ideal site for a short getaway. To top it off, a completely different set of birds can be found just a few hours away on the nearby Guajira Peninsula, which we'll visit. The birding will be superb, and we expect to record many widespread Colombian birds in addition to a range of highly localized species found nowhere else including Santa Marta Parakeet, Santa Marta Screech-Owl, Santa Marta Foliage-Gleaner, Santa Marta Antpitta, Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant, Santa Marta Wren, Santa Marta Brush-Finch, Santa Marta Warbler, and Santa Marta Tapaculo.
This tour, and all our Colombia tours, will be led by Steve Hilty. Steve is one of our longest serving leaders and has led tours in South America for decades. With an expertise on the birds of Colombia and Venezuela, he is among the most respected of tropical ornithologists. His seminal achievement is his writing of Birds of Colombia, whose publication in 1986 represented the first modern field guide for any South American country. Joining Steve is David Ascanio, a popular leader and one of Venezuela's leading ornithologists.
Colombia: The Santa Marta Getaway, January 1-7, 2012 with Steve Hilty and David Ascanio; $3,395 in double occupancy from Santa Marta or Barranquilla. Limit 10; 4 spaces available.
Note: Participants who desire more time in South America beyond what is offered on the Santa Marta Getaway can also join our Machu Picchu Pre-trip to our Amazon River Cruise.
Machu Picchu Pre-trip, January 7-13, 2012 with Doris Valencia and Steve Hilty; $3,950 in double occupancy from Lima.
JANUARY TOURS WITH AVAILABLE SPACES
Although a week of summer remains, now is a good time to consider travel plans for 2012. VENT will kick off the new year with tours to a variety of domestic and tropical destinations. Among these, departures to the southwestern United States, Ecuador, and Panama offer exciting birding and mild weather conditions. Moreover, these trips are short to moderate in length. Space is still available on all these fine departures.
Winter New Mexico, January 5-11, 2012 with Barry Zimmer and a second leader to be announced; $2,285 in double occupancy from El Paso.
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Snow and Ross's geese, Bosque del Apache NWR — Photo: Kevin Zimmer |
Winter in New Mexico is a time of mild conditions and warm sunny days. This region annually hosts a remarkable diversity of wintering birds and some amazing birding spectacles. Highlights include thousands of geese and cranes at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, southwestern desert specialties, and thousands of other wintering raptors, waterfowl, and landbirds.
Winter Southern Arizona, January 17-22, 2012 with Barry Zimmer and Brennan Mulrooney; $2,035 in double occupancy from Tucson.
Join Barry and Brennan for a wonderful wintertime birding getaway in Southeast Arizona. In addition to seeking such resident specialty birds as Whiskered Screech-Owl, Arizona Woodpecker, Mexican Jay, and Painted Redstart, our activities emphasize viewing special winter resident species including Ferruginous Hawk, Mountain Plover, Baird's Sparrow, and stray vagrant species from Mexico. Mild weather and beautiful conditions are norms for this trip.
Ecuador: Amazonia at Napo Wildlife Center, January 6-15, 2012 with David Wolf and Paul Greenfield; $3,635 in double occupancy from Quito. Register before October 21 and receive a $300/person discount and pay $3,335.
Combine this tour with Ecuador: Eastern Slope of the Andes and receive a discount of $500 in double occupancy or $565 in single occupancy.
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Napo Wildlife Center — Photo: Peter English |
A visit to Ecuador's Napo Wildlife Center offers an extraordinary Amazonian wilderness experience. A high quality lodge in a gorgeous jungle setting provides a gateway to amazing birding, indigenous culture, and a true "get away from it all" kind of experience. Highlights include a soaring canopy tower, miles of undisturbed habitat, quiet canoe rides up a secluded jungle river, and visits to boisterous parrot licks. Four species of macaws, outrageously colored tanagers, many species of hawks, and flocks of forest birds are not to be forgotten. We have recorded Harpy and Crested eagles on past trips in addition to giant river otters. In my opinion, it is by far the best lodge in the Amazon region of Ecuador. We simply cannot say enough about the Napo Wildlife Center!
Ecuador: Eastern Slope of the Andes, January 13-23, 2012 with David Wolf and Paul Greenfield; $3,485 in double occupancy from Quito. Register before October 21 and receive a $300/person discount and pay $3,145.
Combine this tour with Ecuador: Amazonia at Napo Wildlife Center and receive a discount of $500 in double occupancy or $565 in single occupancy.
Join David and Paul for a spectacular survey of the cloud forest and foothill forests of Ecuador's eastern slope of the Andes. An amazing collection of trogons, tanagers, hummingbirds, mountain-toucans, and flycatchers is guaranteed among many other species. David and Paul know Ecuador as well as anybody. Paul Greenfield co-authored the landmark field guide, The Birds of Ecuador.
Panama's Canopy Tower, January 28-February 4, 2012 with Kevin Zimmer and a local leader; $2,975 in double occupancy from Panama City.
Kevin Zimmer leads this exciting weeklong trip to the always popular Canopy Tower. A stay at one of the most unique lodges that we know of promises a wealth of outstanding birds, mammals, and history. Highlights include birding the forest canopy from the top of the tower, walking in pristine jungle on Pipeline Road, and a visit to the engineering marvel that is the Panama Canal.
Note: For a comprehensive Panama experience, this tour can be combined with the following tours:
Panama: Chiriquí Highlands, January 21-29, 2012 with Kevin Zimmer and a local leader; $2,845 in double occupancy from Panama City.
Panama: El Valle's Canopy Lodge Extension, February 4-9, 2012 with Kevin Zimmer and a local leader; $1,775 in double occupancy from Panama City.
VENT WEBSITE: FOCUS ON PHOTO GALLERIES
On occasion I like to emphasize certain features of our website that I think our travelers will find especially interesting. One of these is Photo Galleries, where we showcase beautiful images of the birds, mammals, lodges, landscapes, and people encountered on VENT tours all over the world.
The majority of our galleries are submitted by our tour leaders, but a few are contributed by our tour participants from time to time. And in case you didn't know, our travelers are always encouraged to contribute more!
With the development of digital photography and higher quality cameras, our leaders and participants are taking better shots than ever. I suggest you check our website, www.ventbird.com, so you can see for yourself what others are seeing on VENT tours!
Our Photo Galleries may be viewed by clicking the Photo Galleries button on the toolbar that appears under the banner at the top of each webpage. Our most recent galleries feature images from 2011 tours to Texas, Spain, Minnesota and North Dakota, and Belize. Please check our site regularly as we post new photo galleries throughout the year.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
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Photo: Victor Emanuel with Otis and Henry Hutchison |
I often write about our summer youth camps because they have been such a big part of my life and have brought me so much satisfaction. Since the camp program's inception, approximately five hundred young birders have attended one or more VENT youth birding camps. I wish I could have stayed in touch with all the persons who attended our camps over the past 25 years. Although this was not possible, I have maintained contact with a number of camp "graduates."
On a recent trip to the Northeast, I visited Willy and Jecca Hutcheson in Concord, Massachusetts. Willy attended Camp Chiricahua in l987 and l988, and Camp Cielo in Mexico in l989. He now teaches biology at the Middlesex School, along with his wife Jecca, who teaches English. Their two sons, Otis and Henry (ages 8 and 6), are both interested in birds and nature. We spent a delightful day together on Plum Island, and it was very gratifying to see another generation of young birders coming along. I expect that someday Otis and Henry will follow their father's footsteps and attend one of our camps.
Best wishes,
Victor Emanuel