2023 Birding Summary (Late Post)
Last year’s birding started with the most anticipated trip of my life, but a few work trips added little sprinkles of feathered friends to fluff out my life list. India In January, I traveled to Asia for the first time. I spent about 3 weeks in India on a tour with Rockjumper Birding. My priorities went something like this: tigers, gharial, Indian rhinoceros, birds. Luckily, we hit all the targets AND saw about 400 birds. It was a really great trip with a great group. But the tigers were, by far, the bird of the trip. I will die on this hill Hawaii In April, I was extraordinarily lucky to…
Birding Tours: Finding the Best Guide for Your Travels
I always use the same birding tour company when planning a big trip. Why? Because they’re great. And also because I’m lazy. This technique can work for you too! But maybe not. Who am I to tell you how to live your life? Now get out there and bird, folks. But first, find a good bird guide! Decisions, Decisions Okay, look. There are loads of companies out there providing wildlife-oriented tours, especially of the feathered persuasion. Birding companies aren’t remotely rare. So I’m just going to tell you who I’ve used before (and recommend), and a tiny bit about why (when I feel like it). And, full disclosure, no tour…
A Paradise Paradox in Hawai’i
People recommend Hawaii for its beaches and coffee and volcanoes. And those might all be great reasons to go to a place, but I’ll put a word in here for these islands’ amazing diversity. This may not be a reason many go to Hawai’i – the average tourist is unlikely to witness much of the State’s remaining native biodiversity. Instead, this is a gentle encouragement to appreciate the unique wonders that flourish on isolated tropical islands. — Disclaimer: I went to Hawai’i, mostly for work-related responsibilities. This was probably a once-in-a-career meeting destination for me, and it means my itinerary was focused on wildlife conservation efforts rather than personal travel.…
Bird of the Week: Blue-Footed Booby
Who doesn't love a blue-footed booby? This bird of the week dances like everyone is watching.
Jaguar Safari in the Pantanal: The Best of Brazil
I decided to take a trip to Brazil based almost entirely on the appeal of the Pantanal. I’m not sure how well-known this site is to the general public, but it is a tremendously popular ecotourism destination. There’s plenty of cool critters and beautiful birds to see in Brazil, but the most people come to the lowlands for one specific target – one of those charismatic big cats everyone loves to see. It’s almost certain that a visit to the Pantanal will include a search for the Jaguar. That Darned Cat I had never seen a big cat before my trip to Brazil. At that point, my only trip to…
An Amazon Ecolodge Experience at Rio Cristalino
Brazil is a great wildlife destination. But it’s also a huge country with an overwhelming number of possible birding destinations – from coastal Atlantic forests and cerrado to cloud forests and the Pantanal. But despite all the options, it’s almost impossible to skip the rain forests of the Amazon River, especially when the itinerary includes a comfortable Amazon ecolodge like Cristalino Jungle Lodge. My trip to Brazil was a packaged tour with Rockjumper Birding Tours. I spent ten days traveling through the Pantanal and the cerrado habitats north of Cuiaba. But they also offered an option to extend the tour, adding a 4-night/5-day excursion to the Amazon. So although my…
