VENTflash #130 November 18, 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,
I have recently returned from co-leading a marvelous birding and natural history cruise to the subantarctic islands of New Zealand. This remarkable voyage, VENT's second to the region in the last three years, began in Auckland, on the North Island, and ended in Hobart, Tasmania, and in between, showcased a series of wild and remote oceanic islands lying between 44° and 54° south latitude. Each of these island groups—the Chatham Islands, Antipodes Islands, Campbell Island, Enderby Island, and the Australian outpost of Macquarie Island—contained a wealth of seabird species, endemic landbirds, seals and sea lions, and fascinating botany.
The highlights are too many to recite, but some of our most memorable experiences included seeing Little Penguins and Shore Plover, one of the world's rarest shorebirds, in the Chatham Islands; the flightless Campbell Island Teal, the world's rarest duck, on Campbell Island; and Subantarctic Snipe on Enderby Island. Over the course of the voyage, seven species of penguins were recorded including Erect-crested Penguin, a species that nests only on New Zealand's Bounty and Antipodes islands. Macquarie Island, meanwhile, was unforgettable with its huge colonies of King and Royal penguins and elephant seal harems.
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Royal & King Penguins, Macquarie Island — Photo: Orion Expedition Cruises |
With 41 species of seabirds breeding in New Zealand, the country is rightly dubbed the "seabird capital of the world."As evidence, few days at sea went by without our seeing at least 20 species. Overall, we saw an amazing collection of seabirds that included 13 varieties of albatross (among which were Shy, Salvin's, Chatham Island, and Campbell Island albatrosses) and numerous other petrels (White-headed, Gray, Mottled, Gray-faced, and Cook's petrels), storm-petrels, prions, and shearwaters.
We enjoyed remarkably good weather on most days, and our ship, the Australian-based Orion, was a superb vessel on which to travel. On board, an excellent expedition staff presented interesting lectures on the history and culture of New Zealand, conservation of New Zealand's seabirds, and other aspects of the region's biogeography.
A cruise to these islands is the perfect complement to a trip to Antarctica and South Georgia Island. The seabirds of these waters comprise a largely different suite of species while the wildlife spectacles are among the world's best.
VENT will offer a similar voyage in December 2012, a trip that will visit many of the same islands along with spectacular Fjordland on the southwestern coast of New Zealand's South Island. Once again, we will travel aboard Orion, and the trip will be led by Dion Hobcroft and Brian Gibbons. I hope you will join them. Please watch for future announcements about this departure.
In this issue:
JANUARY PANAMA TOURS: DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE!
FABULOUS CENTRAL AMERICA: HONDURAS, COSTA RICA & BELIZE
TOUR REPORT: SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL
GHANA: TOUR FEE REDUCED & LAST CALL
EASTERN VENEZUELA WITH DAVID ASCANIO
BHUTAN HIGHLIGHTS: DISCOUNT AVAILABLE
GUARANTEED DEPARTURE POLICY FOR U.S. TOURS
SPITSBERGEN: LAND OF THE ICE BEARS
TOURS WITH SPACES AVAILABLE
CLOSING THOUGHTS
JANUARY PANAMA TOURS: DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE!
In the late January/early February period, we will operate several Panama tours: Panama: Chiriquí Highlands, January 21-29, 2012; Panama's Canopy Tower, January 28-February 4, 2012; and Panama: El Valle's Canopy Lodge Extension, February 4-9, 2012. I am pleased to announce that discounts are available for anyone who registers for our Canopy Tower ($500 per person) and Canopy Lodge ($250 per person) tours before December 1, 2011! All these tours may be taken individually or combined for a "grand" Panama experience.
Through the years, I have been to Panama many times for personal travel and for leading tours. Since my first visit, in 1979, I have always considered that country among the world's greatest birding destinations. In the early days, there were no ecotourism facilities anywhere in the country, but that changed dramatically when Raul Arias de Para opened the Canopy Tower in 1999 and its sister property, the Canopy Lodge, in 2005. Both facilities offer superb birding experiences and good accommodations and cuisine.
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Panama's Canopy Tower — Photo: Canopy Tower |
These tours will be led by Kevin Zimmer. I have led many trips with Kevin and consider him one of the best bird-finders I have known. He possesses a wealth of knowledge about tropical birds that is almost unequalled and is also great fun to be with.
I hope you will consider joining us on one or more of these fine departures.
Panama: Chiriqui Highlands, January 21-29, 2012 with Kevin Zimmer and a local leader; $2,845 in double occupancy from Panama City. Combine with Panama's Canopy Tower and receive a discount of $145 in double occupancy; $195 in single occupancy.
Panama's western highlands are home to a collection of upper elevation birds not found on any of our other Panama tours. This tour makes a great complement to our Canopy Tower tour as it records such sought-after higher elevation specialties as Resplendent Quetzal, Fiery-throated and Volcano hummingbirds, Flame-throated Warbler, and many others. Fine accommodations and cloud forest birding are features of this tour.
Panama's Canopy Tower, January 28-February 4, 2012 with Kevin Zimmer and a local leader; $2,975 in double occupancy from Panama City. Register before December 1 and pay $2,475. Combine with Panama: Chiriquí Highlands and receive an additional discount of $145 in double occupancy or $195 in single occupancy.
This is a signature Panama tour. With a full week to experience central Panama's best birding region, you'll encounter a spectacular diversity of tropical birds including hawks, parrots, trogons, motmots, toucans, puffbirds, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, antbirds, flycatchers, warblers, tanagers, and much more! Trips to Gamboa, Pipeline Road, the Bayano lowlands, and the Panama Canal are part of our itinerary.
Panama: El Valle's Canopy Lodge Extension, February 4-9, 2012; $1,775 in double occupancy from Panama City. Register before December 1 and pay $1,525.
A stay at the Canopy Lodge provides the perfect complement to our Tower tour. El Valle provides cool respite from the warmer lowlands around the Canal Zone. Here, at the middle elevations, one may enjoy the comfort of a first-rate lodge with lush and inviting gardens, outdoor dining, and wonderful birding.
FABULOUS CENTRAL AMERICA: HONDURAS, COSTA RICA & BELIZE
North American birders are blessed to live in close proximity to one of the world's richest tropical birding areas. Located only a few hours from the U.S. border, Central America is famous for a pageant of colorful and exotic birds that serve as the clearest indicator of the region's astounding biodiversity. Birders who visit this dynamic region, whether for the first time or tenth time, will be delighted to see some of the world's most beautiful birds. Underpinning the birding possibilities are opportunities to stay in first-rate forest lodges.
VENT has operated tours in Central America for over 30 years. This February and March we will offer a superb slate of tours to the countries of Belize, Honduras, and Costa Rica. If you have visited one or more of these countries, you will find the others equally appealing. If you have never birded the Tropics, wonderful experiences are in store for you on tours to any of these fine destinations:
Honduras
Honduras: The Lodge at Pico Bonito, February 11-18, 2012, with David Wolf and a local leader; $3,695 in double occupancy from San Pedro Sula.
Honduras: The Lodge at Pico Bonito, February 22-29, 2012, with Kevin Zimmer and a local leader; $3,695 in double occupancy from San Pedro Sula.
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Pico Bonito Lodge — Photo: Courtesy Pico Bonito Lodge |
Situated on the Caribbean coast, the five-star Lodge at Pico Bonito can boast some of the finest accommodations we have ever used plus great birding on the lodge grounds. Two standout species that are seen with greater ease here than anywhere else are the striking and beautiful Lovely Cotinga and the Keel-billed Motmot, the most range-restricted member of the fascinating motmot family. Honduras also boasts the Honduran Emerald hummingbird, the country's only endemic bird, as well as many other wonderful tropical birds. We offer two trips to the Lodge at Pico Bonito and either can be combined with an extension to Copán.
Honduras: Copán, February 17-22, 2012, with Brian Gibbons and a local leader; $2,295 in double occupancy from San Pedro Sula.
On this short trip to Copán in far western Honduras, participants will be immersed in the world of the ancient Maya through a visit to one of its most renowned sites. Complementing the fascinating history and archaeology are several field trips into the surrounding highlands in search of a suite of higher elevation birds that do not occur around the Lodge at Pico Bonito. We'll stay at the Hacienda San Lucas, a charming family-owned eco-lodge offering excellent accommodations, meals, birds, and scenery. This short tour may be taken as a stand-alone tour or in conjunction with our Lodge at Pico Bonito tours.
Costa Rica
The tiny country of Costa Rica is always a top destination for nature-oriented travelers. It was the first Central American country to attract large numbers of birders, thanks to its great diversity of birdlife, abundance of ecotourism facilities, and world-renowned national park system. In 2012 we will again offer two Costa Rica tours during the February/March period: Short Costa Rica and Best of Costa Rica. Both will be led by David and Mimi Wolf, who have birded Costa Rica for over 20 years.
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Rufous Motmot — Photo: Barry Zimmer |
Short Costa Rica: Toucans to Quetzals, February 25-March 4, 2012; $3,385 in double occupancy from San José.
This weekend-to-weekend tour centers on two of the country's best birding areas: La Selva Field Station in the Caribbean lowlands and Cerro de la Muerte in the cool highlands. Together these locations form the basis of a tour that is perfect for those new to the Neotropics as well as the seasoned tropical birder. Tinamous, toucans, motmots, trogons, tanagers, and the incredible Resplendent Quetzal are all expected.
Best of Costa Rica, March 20-April 1, 2012; $4,965 in double occupancy from San José.
We call this trip Best of Costa Rica because it visits four of the country's top birding eco-regions. In addition to the renowned Caribbean lowlands at La Selva and the cloud forests of Cerro de la Muerte, this tour includes the lush subtropical forests of Bosque de Paz and the profusely rich Pacific lowlands at Carara. This tour annually records well over 400 species including endemic species and many of Central America's most spectacular birds.
Belize
Grand Belize Part I: Crooked Tree & Hidden Valley, March 1-5, 2012, with Barry Zimmer and Brennan Mulrooney; $2,495 in double occupancy from Belize City.
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Orange-breasted Falcon — Photo: Marie Jordan |
Grand Belize Part II: Chan Chich Lodge, March 5-11, 2012, with Barry Zimmer and Brennan Mulrooney; $3,995 in double occupancy from Belize City.
Register for both parts and receive a combined tour discount of $175.
This is our most complete Belize tour. Divided into two parts, you may take either trip separately, or both together for the full Belize experience. Part I visits Crooked Tree Sanctuary and the Mountain Pine Ridge. Crooked Tree is an extraordinary wetland ecosystem that offers chances to see Jabiru, Agami Heron, Gray-necked Wood-Rail, American Pygmy-Kingfisher, and many other species. The Mountain Pine Ridge is home to forests and waterfalls where participants may see such special birds as Orange-breasted Falcon, King Vulture, and Stygian Owl. The very rare Solitary Eagle was seen on our 2009 tour. Part II focuses exclusively on the famed Chan Chich Lodge, one of Central America's most beautiful forest lodges, where participants spend almost a week.
Machaca Hill Rainforest Canopy Lodge, March 13-18, 2012 with Michael O'Brien and Louise Zemaitis; $3,995 in double occupancy from Belize City. This tour can be combined with our Belize: Relaxed & Easy tour.
Located in southern Belize, the Machaca Hill Rainforest Canopy Lodge offers everything one could want in a forest lodge: superb accommodations, beautiful surroundings, and marvelous birding opportunities. On this new, short tour, we will travel to a less-visited part of Belize for a stay at one of its newest lodges. The pleasures of a visit to this site are revealed through its superior hilltop location and excellent cuisine, boat trips on the Caribbean coast and Rio Grande River, and visits to the Maya Mountains and ruins of Lubaantun. A wonderful diversity of birds associated with rainforest, water, and open country are expected.
Belize: A Relaxed & Easy Tour, March 18-25, 2012, with Michael O'Brien and Louise Zemaitis; $2,995 in double occupancy from Belize City. This tour can be combined with our Machaca Hill Rainforest Canopy Lodge tour.
This tour offers some of the very best of Belize in a "relaxed and easy" fashion. Experience the joys of birding famous Crooked Tree and the Lamanai Outpost Lodge while seeking a wealth of herons, kingfishers, motmots, toucans, trogons, tanagers, and more. Highlights include boat trips on the Crooked Tree and New River lagoons, a visit to the magnificent Maya ruins of Altun Ha, and searching for an exquisite assortment of tropical birds such as Boat-billed and Agami herons, Jabiru, American Pygmy-Kingfisher, and Yucatan Jay, along with Yellow-lored Parrot, Slaty-tailed Trogon, Keel-billed Toucan, Tody Motmot , and Black-cowled Oriole.
TOUR REPORT: SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL
Our Southeastern Brazil tour offers an incredible collection of special birds and landscapes. This, our longest running Brazil tour, is led by Kevin Zimmer and Andrew Whittaker, two leaders who know Brazil as well as anyone, and the men chosen by Princeton University Press to write the authoritative field guide to the birds of that country. This year our Southeastern Brazil tour operated in three parts, along with a pre-trip to Iguacu Falls. I recently heard from Kevin and Andrew, who have just returned from leading this year's tours, and I wanted to share with you their glowing reports from what was clearly a remarkable set of trips.
From Kevin Zimmer:
"The final tally for the Southeast Brazil Trilogy (all 3 parts combined) was a staggering 536 species, of which 181 (33.7%) were regional and/or Brazilian endemics! And that doesn't include many more endemic subspecies that are likely to be raised to full-species status at some point in the future. Particularly noteworthy is that we racked up an incredible 14 species of owls seen, which may well be a record for any tour.
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Kevin J. Zimmer — Photo: Shrike-like Cotinga, male |
However, numbers don't begin to capture the quality of the experiences that we had. From spotlight views of Giant Snipe at our feet, to pronlonged scope-filling studies of a singing Shrike-like Cotinga, to spending over an hour watching a troop of rare golden lion tamarins, the 2011 Southeast Brazil tour was packed with quality views of of some rarely seen birds and mammals. Along the way, we were treated to point-blank views of male Blue-bellied Parrots, multiple rare Black-legged Dacnises, scope stuides of ghostly Stygian Owl, and a rare Sickle-winged Nightjar at our feet. We also enjoyed marvelous studies of one bird that has yet to be formally described to science (the "Sao Paulo"), two others described since 1995 (Marsh Antwren and Wetland Tapaculo), and two more that had been "lost" for decades, the Black-hooded Antwren (rediscovered in 1987 after nearly 100 years), and the Kaempfer's Tody-Tyrant (rediscovered in 1992 after 62 years). Perhaps, most amazing of all, is that all 15 of us enjoyed nice views of the aforementioned Wetland Tapaculo, a bird that must rank as one of the more difficult birds in all of South America to show a group."
From Andrew Whittaker:
"I just got back home after leading an excellent series of Southeastern Brazil tours with Kevin. Part III (Espirito Santo) went very well too. Highlights included great views of Weid's Tyrant-Manakin, a family of Striated Softtails, breeding Black-legged Dacnises at Pedra Azul, and even scope studies of a male Plumbeous Antvireo! The hummingbird show at Santa Teresa was fabulous, as always.
Linhares, as expected, provided the icing on the cake with 7 Red-billed Curassows, 13 Solitary Tinamous, including a perched roosting bird, and scope studies of both Minute Hermit on a lek and male Ocellated Poorwill singing in the spotlight.
We got into Sooretama briefly, where we saw a family of Striated Softails, which was later voted the number 1 bird of the trip!
I'm sure Kevin will agree with me, but I most certainly should also mention our amazing record- breaking 14 owl species seen well on the three combined Southeastern Brazil tours!"
We will again offer Southeastern Brazil in three parts in 2012. All sections may be taken individually, or combined for a longer trip.
Southeastern Brazil: Iguacu Falls Pre-Trip, September 26-30, 2012 with Kevin Zimmer; fee to be announced in double occupancy from Iguacu Falls.
Southeastern Brazil Part I: Coastal Paraná, Santa Catarina & Rio Grande do Sul, September 29-October 10, 2012 with Kevin Zimmer and Andrew Whittaker; fee to be announced in double occupancy from Curitiba (ends in Porto Alegre).
Southeastern Brazil Part II: Heart of the Atlantic Forest and the Serra do Mar, October 8-24, 2012 with Kevin Zimmer and Andrew Whittaker; fee to be announced in double occupancy from Sao Paulo (ends in Rio de Janeiro).
Southeastern Brazil Part III: Espirito Santo's Montane & Lowland Endemics, October 22-November 1, 2012 with Andrew Whittaker and Kevin Zimmer; fee to be announced in double occupancy from Vitoria.
GHANA: TOUR FEE REDUCED & LAST CALL
This January VENT will offer a tour to the West African nation of Ghana, the first departure to this destination we have offered in many years. As this trip begins in a little over a month, I wanted to announce a "last call" along with a reminder that the fee for this departure has been reduced by $1,000 from the original fee of $7,795 to $6,795. This represents a savings of almost 15%!
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, including many "Upper Guinean" endemics; however, none are more alluring than the amazing White-necked Rockfowl.
Working with one of that country's top operators, we are able to present an outstanding itinerary that visits many of the country's best birding sites 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 a visit to Ghana may not initially carry the allure of an East African safari, it is truly a spectacular destination nonetheless, where the birding is some of the best on the continent and includes many species that do not occur in East Africa.
Ghana, January 1-12, 2012 with David Bishop; $6,795 in double occupancy from Accra. Limit: 8.
EASTERN VENEZUELA WITH DAVID ASCANIO
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Harpy Eagle— Photo: Kevin Zimmer |
This February we are offering a superb tour to Eastern Venezuela, a region that is so rich, yet so little-known. Our tour, Eastern Venezuela: Tepui Endemics and the Orinoco River Delta, provides an incredible South American birding experience that features a lineup of large, showy species and some of the continent's most majestic scenery.
Eastern Venezuela presents perhaps the best opportunity anywhere for seeing a Harpy Eagle, and VENT tours in years past have consistently had good luck in finding this species. You'll also see the famed flat-topped mountains known as "tepuis," giant rainforests, and the Orinoco River. Beyond Harpy Eagle, an impressive list of birds for this area includes as many as five guans and curassows, 13 parrots, 12 woodpeckers, 10 woodcreepers, over 30 antbirds, and more than 50 flycatchers. Traveling through this remarkable region of cloud forests, gallery forests, waterfalls, elevated grasslands, and mesa-like mountains offers immersion into a world of extraordinary tropical birding where macaws, cotingas, cocks-of-the-rock, and tanagers abound. Those with an interest in botany will find the trees and plants of this region fascinating.
The trip concludes with a day on the Orinoco River, one of South America's greatest landmarks. The numerous tributaries, marshes, and swamp forests of this mighty river offer superb birding. A full-day boat trip, in the vicinity of the delta, accesses areas where hoatzins, macaws, and puffbirds all thrive.
This tour will be led by David Ascanio, a popular VENT leader and also one of Venezuela's top ornithologists. David is known for his easy-going personality, remarkable bird-finding skills, and teaching ability. If you choose to travel with him on this tour or any other, I know you will have a great time.
Eastern Venezuela: Tepui Endemics and the Orinoco River Delta, February 22-March 3, 2012 with David Ascanio; $3,485 in double occupancy from Caracas. Limit 8.
BHUTAN HIGHLIGHTS: DISCOUNT AVAILABLE
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Bhutan — Photo: K. David Bishop |
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. In 2012 we will operate a Bhutan Highlights tour designed as a shortened version of our full-length Bhutan tour so that participants who are unable to take the longer tour we usually operate still have the opportunity to explore this extraordinary country. To encourage registrations, we are offering a discount of $1,000 per person to anyone who registers for this tour before January 1, 2012.
I regard Bhutan as among the greatest of all destinations, a place where the visitor is immersed in one of the world's least known but most extraordinary cultures. Situated in the mountains between India and Nepal, Bhutan is a Buddhist enclave nestled among the magical forests and valleys of the mighty Himalayas. Our tours annually record hundreds of Indian and Himalayan birds and a dazzling assortment of mammals. This tour will be led by David Bishop. David developed VENT's first Bhutan tours and has led people to that remarkable destination for more than 20 years.
Bhutan Highlights, April 9-24, 2012 with David Bishop; $9,895 in double occupancy from Delhi. Register before January 1, 2012 and receive a $1,000 discount.
GUARANTEED DEPARTURE POLICY FOR U.S. TOURS
A number of years ago I made the decision that ALL VENT tours in the United States, except tours to Alaska and Hawaii, would operate regardless of the number of people registered. This Guaranteed Departure Policy was enacted for several reasons. First, we are keenly aware of the disappointment our travelers experience when a tour is canceled due to low registration numbers. Second, after registering for a tour, the logical next step, for many, is purchasing an airline ticket. If a tour is canceled after a ticket is purchased, a participant could be stuck with a costly airline ticket that is no longer needed. Third, our travelers often use vacation time to take a tour. A tour that gets canceled can significantly inconvenience someone who is planning around a specific window of time.
With our Guaranteed Departure Policy, you can register for any VENT tour in the United States (except Alaska and Hawaii), book your flights, set aside your vacation time, and know that the tour will operate.
This is a tremendous advantage that we offer our participants and one more reason to travel with VENT!
SPITSBERGEN: LAND OF THE ICE BEARS
In July 2012 we will operate a birding and natural history cruise to Spitsbergen, a destination that is often described as the world's greatest place to experience the High Arctic.
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National Geographic Explorer— Photo: Sven-Olof Lindblad |
Our voyage, Spitsbergen: Land of the Ice Bears, July 6-16, 2012, will provide encounters with the Arctic's most captivating wildlife including polar bears, walrus, and Ivory Gulls, in addition to remarkable natural features such as calving glaciers and expansive sea ice. We will travel with Lindblad Expeditions aboard the National Geographic Explorer, one of the finest expedition vessels available, on which VENT has reserved space.
In case you are unaware of Spitsbergen, it is an island in the Svalbard Archipelago located due north of Norway and sitting only 600 miles from the North Pole. People are experiencing this destination in ever-increasing numbers because the spellbinding wildlife and scenic wonders found there provide an irresistible allure.
Spitsbergen may be the best place in the world to see polar bears. Our last expedition, in 2010, recorded a remarkable 25 of the great white bears. Other wildlife we'll seek includes walrus (hundreds seen at close range in 2010) and Ivory Gull (about 15 seen), as well as nesting Pink-footed and Barnacle geese, King Eider, Red Phalarope, Purple Sandpiper, Great Skua, all three jaeger species, Atlantic Puffin, Black Guillemot, Thick-billed Murre, and blizzards of Dovekies. Cruising at sea, we'll follow the boundary of the northern ice cap, watching for a variety of marine mammals such as bearded and ringed seals, and blue, fin, and Beluga whales.
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Ivory Gull — Photo: K. David Bishop |
We will maximize our efforts to go ashore wherever possible to enjoy tundra ablaze with beautiful Arctic wildflowers. We will also make a number of Zodiac excursions in order to bring us closer to glaciers and colonies of breeding seabirds.
I hope you will join us on this fine departure.
Spitsbergen: Land of the Ice Bears, July 6-16, 2012 with Victor Emanuel and Barry Lyon; cabins begin at $8,240 in double occupancy from Oslo.
Our Norway Pre-trip offers a marvelous pre-cruise option for participants interested in experiencing more of the country's birdlife and scenic grandeur. We will spend almost a week exploring the renowned mountains and fjords of the southwestern mainland and coast seeking an exciting assortment of northern European birds, including Arctic Loon, Eurasian Dotterel, White-tailed Eagle, Black and White-backed woodpeckers, and Eurasian Bullfinch.
Norway Pre-trip, June 30-July 7, 2012 with Brian Gibbons; $5,195 in double occupancy from Oslo.
TOURS WITH SPACES AVAILABLE
VENT will operate more than 30 tours in the first couple of months of the new year including trips to North and South America, Africa, and Asia. Many departures are sold out, but I wanted to let you know that spaces are still available on a number of our exciting winter tours.
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Crested Quetzal, Ecuador — Photo: David Wolf |
Ecuador: Amazonia at Napo Wildlife Center, January 6-15, 2012 with David Wolf; $3,635 in double occupancy from Quito. 2 spaces available. Discount of $500 in double occupancy or $565 in single occupancy if combined with Ecuador: Eastern Slope of the Andes.
Ecuador: Eastern Slope of the Andes, January 13-23, 2012 with David Wolf and Paul Greenfield; $3,485 in double occupancy from Quito. Discount of $500 in double occupancy or $565 in single occupancy if combined with Ecuador: Amazonia at Napo Wildlife Center.
Winter Southern Arizona, January 17-22, 2012 with Barry Zimmer and Brennan Mulrooney; $2,035 in double occupancy from Tucson. 5 spaces available.
Southwest China: Yunnan Province, January 31-February 17, 2012 with Dion Hobcroft; $6,495 in double occupancy from Kunming. 1 space available.
Colombia: Bogotá, the Magdalena Valley, and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, February 3-17, 2012 with Steve Hilty and Luis Uruena; $6,895 in double occupancy from Bogotá. 1 space available.
Colombia: The Central & Western Andes, February 19-March 6, 2012 with Steve Hilty and Luis Uruena; $7,195 in double occupancy from Bogotá. 3 spaces available.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
The autumn is one of my favorite seasons. At this time of year the weather is good almost everywhere, the days are beautiful, and birds are on the move. Whereas September sees the passage of our Neotropical songbirds out of the country, October and November mark the appearance of waterfowl, sparrows, and other winter birds in our favorite local birding areas.
This past weekend I went birding at my favorite local area, Hornsby Bend. Over a productive morning of birding, the highlights for me were a couple of Brown Creepers and a group of four Rusty Blackbirds. Both of these birds are uncommon autumn migrants that grace the Austin area only occasionally.
This is also the time of year when I like to express thanks for the things that give my life the most meaning—good friends, family, wonderful employees, the time I spend in nature, and you, the people who choose to travel with VENT. Your support means a great deal to me.
I hope you and your family enjoy a most pleasant Thanksgiving and that you have the opportunity to experience the joys of autumn birding as well.