inside az-birding.com: afreeservicefromwingswingsbirds.com/files/spring-09.pdf · 2014-03-24 ·...

Az-Birding.com:A Free Service from WINGSAlongside our full range of regularly scheduled tours worldwide,WINGS also has a long history of arranging private birdingexperiences for visitors to our home base in Tucson. We’re notalone in providing guiding services here: the four counties thatmake up the birder’s southeast Arizona are home to a large num-ber of excellent and experienced professional guides.

To make it easier for travelingbirders to connect with the best ofthose local guides, WINGS has created a new online reservationservice. Free to all users, AZ-Birding.com lets you select yourdates and, if you wish, specify a guide; the new website also pro-vides some very useful trip-planning tools to help you get themost out of your visit.

If you have any questions, please give me a call at the WINGSoffice, or simply visit AZ-Birding.com for full details on usingthis new service. — Rick Wright, Managing Director

Recent Price ReductionsThe financial headlines have been dire, but even this dark cloudhas a brighter lining for traveling North American birders. Withthe recent strength of the US dollar, WINGS has been able toreduce the prices of many of its international tours—some by asmuch as 25%. As always, our actual invoices are recalculatedusing the exchange rate then in effect; in a few recent cases, thishas meant even greater savings passed on at invoicing. This justmay be your year to scratch that international birding itch!

For details on all WINGS tours please visit our website at www.wingsbirds.com

Spring 2009

WINGS1643 N. Alvernon WaySuite 109Tucson, AZ 85712Tel: 888-293-6443

(toll free in the U.S.)520-320-9868

Fax: [email protected]

I N S I D ENew Tour Previews

� Cape May� Guyana� Hawaii� Midway Atoll

Trip Reports� California� Brazil: Pantanal and

Mato Grosso� Madagascar

Some Recent ToursBriefly Noted

The Wingbeat

Profiles� Jon Feenstra� Narca Moore-Craig

Private Tours Design: Julie Hecimovich.

New Jersey: Cape MaySeptember 20-26, 2009

Cape May is theplace to observe thespectacle of fallmigration in NorthAmerica. This sandypeninsula juttingout into the AtlanticOcean funnelssouth-boundmigrants to its nar-row terminus.Renowned theworld over for mag-nificent morningflights with more

than 20 warbler species and daytime flights of nearly a dozen species ofraptors, September in Cape May is as exciting as it gets for seeing a newsuite of birds every day. Furthermore, nearby areas in coastal southernNew Jersey and in adjacent Delaware hold staggering numbers of stagingshorebirds and waterfowl. In addition to the famous migrants, we shouldsee a number of the uncommon and local species resident along the NewJersey coast. Jon Feenstra and Jon Dunn lead.

GuyanaOctober 16-29, 2010

Long overshadowed by its better-known neighbors to the west and thesouth, English-speaking Guyana preserves vast expanses of unbroken forestamong its startling range of habitats. The sun rises relatively late here onthe northeast coast of South America, making it possible to take advantageof dawn birding without keeping extreme “birder’s hours,” and the coun-try’s impressive system of rivers makes for easy travel by boat to many ofthe best birding areas. This tour to South America’s best-kept secret is anideal introduction to thecontinent’s birds and aunique opportunity toenjoy the region’s manyendemics, some of themrecently split.

The Guyanese govern-ment is working closelywith indigenous peoplesto create a sustainableecotourism economy in

For details on all WINGS tours, visit www.wingsbirds.compage 2 … WINGS News Spring 2009

New Tour Previews

Birds and birdersgather at TheMeadows as thesun sets overCape May Point.

Photo: Jon Feenstra.

The GuiananCock-of-the-rockis just one of thecolorfully garbedspecies to befound in itsnamesake region.

Photo:Wilderness Explorers.

the country’s interior, and our use of indigenous guides and lodges inlocal communities contributes directly to that effort, an experiment inconservation on the grandest possible scale. Gavin Bieber and aGuyanese guide lead.

Hawaii: A Rainbow of BirdsMarch 2010

A tropical terrainof fire, mist, andrainbows, theHawaiian Islandsare the world’smost isolatedarchipelago.Only a few land-birds managed tocolonize theislands, but fromthose humblebeginnings therehas evolved anavian radiationwithout parallel.We’ll seek Kauai’sendemic birds inthe remoteAlakai wilder-ness, and those of the Big Island in the beautiful native koa and ohia for-est of Hakalau National Wildlife Refuge. Adding to the splendor are themany introduced birds, most of which do not appear to harm theendemics. As we are charmed by the antics of an Elepaio and the shim-mering plumage of an Iiwi, we’ll be mindful of the important conserva-tion work that has preserved at least part of this splendid avifauna.

Offshore, strong currents and upwellings attract an abundance of whalesand other marine mammals. Weather permitting, we’ll voyage into thosedeeper waters ourselves to look for pelagic birds, to snorkel, and to enjoythe play of rainbows in the mist. Narca Moore-Craig leads.

Hawaii:The Albatrosses of Midway AtollMarch – April 2010

Awash in history, the subtropical islands of Midway Atoll NationalWildlife Refuge are famous world-wide for their nesting seabirds, espe-

For details on all WINGS tours, visit www.wingsbirds.com page 3 … WINGS News Spring 2009

New Tour Previews

The weird Nene,Hawaii’s statebird, stalks thelava flows onpartially webbedfeet.

Photo:Narca Moore-Craig.

cially Laysan Albatrosses.The great “gooney birds” willstill be engaged in theirextravagant courtship rituals,and many pairs will betending downy chicks. Thisrelaxing tour also offers oneof the best chances anywherein the AOU Area to seeShort-tailed Albatross. Thenights thrum and flickerwith the wings of BoninPetrels at their burrows.Thanks to the eradication ofintroduced rats, evenTristram’s Storm Petrel maybe breeding on Sand Islandagain. Among the other spe-cialties we hope to see are

Christmas and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, two species of tropicbird andthree boobies, Gray-backed and White Terns, and the introduced LaysanDuck. Migrating Bristle-thighed Curlews forage beneath ironwood trees,and vagrants from both sides of the Pacific appear regularly.

Midway’s seabirds give famously close views, and to sit with albatrossesright in front of us is a once-in-a-lifetime privilege. We’ll have plenty oftime to spend with these legendary birds, and the opportunities forsketching, photography, or simply close observation are unparalleled.Narca Moore-Craig leads.

California: The Southern Coast,Santa Cruz Island, the SaltonSea, and the Mohave DesertJon Dunn’s most recent tour to that birdiest state, California, produced allthe famous chaparral and oak woodland specialties—and more than a fewsurprises, too. Southern California may call to mind rampant development, butas Jon reports, it still boasts many areas that are as wild as they are beautiful:

Birding southern California’s chaparral and oak woods produced Nuttall’sWoodpecker, Oak Titmouse, California Thrasher, and the distinctiveWrentit. We were able to find a few Island Scrub-Jays on Santa CruzIsland, and the always unpredictable Lawrence’s Goldfinch was present innumbers in the Cuyamaca Mountains east of San Diego. At the SaltonSea, Yellow-footed Gulls were present in numbers along with severalSavannah Sparrows of the distinctive “Large-billed” taxon and a wide


New Tour Previews

Midway is world-famous for itsnesting seabirds,such as thisWedge-tailedShearwater chickhuddled at themouth of its nestburrow.

Photo:Narca Moore-Craig.

Trip Reports

variety of desert species and migrants. In the Mohave Desert, we had fineviews of two Le Conte’s Thrashers and plenty of migrants. On our returnto Los Angeles we found 14 juvenile Sabine’s Gulls on the Lancastersewage ponds, a very high number for any inland location.

Our tour began with a drive up the coast to Malibu Lagoon. Along thebeach were cryptic Snowy Plovers and a Black Skimmer, and severalmigrant Vaux’s Swifts were overhead. Farther up the coast we found asmall flock of exotic Mitred Parakeets in Zuma Canyon and a larger flockof Black-hooded Parakeets in Big Sycamore Canyon. There we also founda nice variety of chaparral species including California Quail, Wrentit,and California Thrasher. A Cassin’s Kingbird there was uncommon, andfarther up the coast on the Oxnard Plain we had several TricoloredBlackbirds and a few migrant warblers including Townsend’s and thestriking Hermit.

Our pelagic trip to SantaCruz Island producedBlack-vented and Pink-footed Shearwaters and alarge number of Long-beaked Saddleback Dolphins.At Prisoner’s Cove we wereable to find a few IslandScrub-Jays. A few migrantswere present, too, includingan unusual AmericanRedstart. A Virginia Railseen along the stream isconsidered casual in theChannel Islands. The Island Gray Fox and a small Gopher Snake of theendemic Santa Cruz Island subspecies also made brief but noteworthyappearances. On the return we carefully checked the jetties of VenturaMarina and found Black Oystercatcher, Black Turnstone, and Surfbird.

We left the next morning for Los Angeles, where the freeways were bliss-fully traffic-free on a Saturday. In the eastern part of Los Angeles we wereable to locate a couple of Spotted Doves, an exotic species that is declin-ing for unknown reasons. Later in Orange County we found numerousmigrants at Huntington Beach Central Park, including a very unusualPrairie Warbler found there the day before. Also present were WesternTanagers, Black-headed Grosbeaks including a late adult male, and a cou-ple of Bullock’s Orioles. Particularly memorable was the perched adultmale Allen’s Hummingbird, which remained to give us outstanding scopeviews. Up the coast at Bolsa Chica we had good comparisons of Royaland Elegant Terns, along with numerous shorebirds, including severalRed Knots, and two unusual Reddish Egrets. Near Laguna Beach wefound the threatened California Gnatcatcher. We concluded the day inurban Santa Ana, where hundreds of exotic parrots descended at dusk.Most were Red-crowned, but there were also many Lilac-crowned and afew Red-lored.


Trip Reports

Here justrevealing histrademark whitewingbar,TricoloredBlackbird is onethe many near-endemics southernCalifornia isfamous for.

Photo: Paul Lehman.

We departed the next morning for San Diego. On Pt. Loma we saw anadult Little Blue Heron in the flood control channel, and later in theCuyamaca Mountains at Green Valley Campground we had outstanding

views of manyLawrence’sGoldfinches, aspecies that isnotoriouslyerratic, especiallyoutside thebreeding season.Late in the daywe met with GuyMcCaskie at CattleCall Park inBrawley, where westudied a winteringGray Flycatcher.Guy would accom-

pany us for the next two days, and we were most grateful for his assis-tance: no one knows the area better.

Highlights of our time at the Salton Sea are too numerous to list in full,but they included, of course, the distinctive and very localized Yellow-footed Gull and several of the very distinctive “Large-billed” SavannahSparrows, currently considered a subspecies rostratus of Savannah Sparrowbut unquestionably distinct from at least the mainland SavannahSparrows. These birds breed at the mouth of the Colorado River, andsome move north after breeding to the Salton Sea region. Other high-lights included Greater White-fronted and Cackling Geese, two adultSwainson’s Hawks, three Peregrine Falcons, Baird’s and Stilt Sandpipers,half a dozen Franklin’s with hundreds of Laughing Gulls, a juvenileParasitic Jaeger, several perched Lesser Nighthawks, Barn and BurrowingOwls, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, and Abert’s Towhee.

We finally left the Salton Sea region, stopping briefly at Morongo Valley,where we had excellent studies of an adult male Vermilion Flycatcher anda briefly seen adult male Phainopepla. Later, high on Table Mountain, wehad good studies of Pygmy Nuthatches and a single Cassin’s Finch. Wecontinued to the Silver Saddle Ranch at Galileo Hill, an oasis in theMohave Desert, where we spent the next two nights.

Galileo Hill is one of the best known migrant traps in the West, and weencountered numerous migrants literally right outside of our rooms.These included such species as Willow Flycatcher and MacGillivray’sWarbler. Sage Sparrows lurked around the desert edge. More unusualmigrants included Northern Waterthrush (probably two birds) and aBobolink. At nearby California City we located a pair of the striking LeConte’s Thrasher. Several of our group found Chukars at the mouth ofJawbone Canyon to the north of California City.

On our final full day we stopped at the Lancaster sewage ponds in the


Trip Reports

The Salton Sea isthe only locality inthe United Stateswhere the hand-some Yellow-footed Gull can beexpected.

Photo: Paul Lehman.


Antelope Valley. Here we had good studies of Snowy Plovers and Baird’sSandpipers, along with an astounding 14 juvenile Sabine’s Gulls. Later atTujunga Wash in the San Fernando Valley near Los Angeles, we finallylocated a Cactus Wren (an isolated population is present here). TwoCassin’s Kingbirds gave us excellent, prolonged studies. Our birding con-cluded at Playa del Rey among the Surfbirds and turnstones, followed bya sumptuous dinner in Marina del Rey.

Our next tour, scheduled for September 2009, once again visits the GoldenState when migration is at its peak, and focuses on birds difficult or impossi-ble to see elsewhere in the United States.

Brazil: The Pantanal and MatoGrosso RainforestJudy Davis reports from the renowned Pantanal, the largest freshwater wet-land in the world, and from the Mato Grosso Rainforest, where participantson her latest Brazil tour experienced firsthand the incredible diversity of theBird Continent:

From the moment we left the city ofCuiabá, the vastness and diversity ofthe Pantanal revealed itself to us.The brakes of the bus were inconstant use as Southern Screamerswere sighted in a field, Giant RiverOtters appeared unexpectedly in aflooded area, parrots were spottedlanding in nearby trees, andkingfishers and herons stood guardover every bridge. Each flooded poolappeared to have its own residentSnail Kite, Limpkin, and apopulation of caimans. Ourcomfortable and welcoming lodgewill always be equated with itsflagship species, the HyacinthMacaw, which was evident on thegrounds at all hours of the day—butneither will we soon forget our host’suncanny ability to show us thereptiles of the fazenda.

Our walks along forest trails hadus using auditory and scanning skills to spot a Great Potoo on a daytimeroost, a Mato Grosso Antbird, and many small passerines. A leisurelyboat trip provided a more relaxed but no less productive birding experi-ence with guans, raptors, otters, and nighthawks. Night drives alwaysstimulate the senses and heighten expectations, and our decision to forgoan hour’s sleep one night was rewarded with unparalleled views of tapir,

Trip Reports

The rare HyacinthMacaw,emblematic birdof the Pantanal,is one of a vastarray of endemicsfound in Brazil.

Photo: David Fisher.


The nearlymythical HarpyEagle holds on inBrazil’s tropicalforests.

Photo: Judy Davis.

Boat-billed Herons, Crab-eating Foxes, nightjars, a Great Potoo, andthousands of red caiman eyes staring from the watery edges. And always,our hosts greeted our return with smiles, and the excellent food and serv-ice combined with the incredible birding to make it difficult to sayfarewell as we moved on to explore the southern Amazonian forest.

From the spotting of the first Helmeted Curassow along the river’s edge,Cristalino Lodge offered something new and exciting each day. Antbirdsdispelled the myth of their invisibility by actually showing themselves;puffbirds, jacamars, and macaws appeared, perched and in flight; andmanakins and many other species all provided opportunities to becomefamiliar with Neotropical bird families during our five-day stay.

What is it that makes a tropical forest lodge one of the quintessentialexperiences for a birder? Is it because birding commences the moment

you step outside the door to yourbungalow? Is it the boat trips along atranquil river? Or is it the canopytower, which allows a differentperspective for viewing birds? Ourexperience at Cristalino wouldindicate that it is the combination ofall these things and more, includingthe unexpected comfort of accommo-dation in such a remote setting, thediversity of food (including the ever-present chocolate cake) no matterhow early we wanted to begin birdingeach morning, and the quality ofbirdlife by whatever means we choseto experience it: forest trails, boattrips, canopy tower!

Whether standing still while aBanded Antbird circled us, enjoyingthe brilliance of a Spangled Cotinga,

watching a pair of Red-fan Parrots at eye level from high in the canopy,seeing a Sunbittern in flight, or self-inflicting whiplash as we tried to fol-low a Varzea Schiffornis as it flew back and forth in front of the boat,each hour provided new and exciting experiences. Five days allowed us totouch only the surface of this diverse ecosystem.

The Chapada, our third ecosystem of the trip, gave us some welcomerelief from the constant attention that tropical forest birding demands.We spent early mornings in the cerrado, with open spaces and low treesand vegetation, while White-rumped and White-banded Tanagers andChapada Flycatchers all made the expected appearances. As the heat ofthe open habitat descended upon us, we welcomed the opportunity toretreat into the shade of the forest, where we found the birds very cooper-ative. Our encounters with a male Band-tailed Manakin and a PavonineCuckoo were a couple of the mega-highlights of our short time here.Sunset from our lodge grounds, with views of Blue-winged Macaws

Trip Reports


perched and in flight, rivaled the sunsetswe experienced during our time in thePantanal and at Cristalino.

A Tropical Screech-Owl in the pre-dawndarkness was most cooperative on ourfinal morning just before we tookin the scenic beauty of aChapada sunrise from alookout point. The outdoordining area, a Brazilian barbecue, ourcomfortable rooms, our host rapidlybecoming one of the group rather than adetached hotel owner: all of these thingsmade it difficult to pack for our flights andput an end to this incredibly diverse andbird-rich tour, which had merged threeecosystems into a birdingexperience not soon forgotten.

Join Judy’s next Brazil tours, inJuly 2009, for an unbeatable birdingextravaganza featuring more than 80 ofSouth America’s 92 bird families—all incivilized comfort.

MadagascarEven by Madagascar standards, our 2008 tour was exceptional. As BrianFinch reports, the group was introduced to most of the region’s endemics, awide array of mammals including 23 species of lemur, and some extremelygood food:

On the rarity side we found a Pectoral Sandpiper at Tulear, the first orpossibly second Madagascar record of this Asian/American vagrant. ASandwich Tern discovered at Nosy Ve appears to be the island’s secondrecord. A colony of 20 nesting Little Swifts in Tana was also a great dis-covery, and Madagascar Black Swifts behaved as if they were nesting inthe same building. A superb and confiding Madagascar Cuckoo-Hawkwas located at Ampijoroa. Madagascar Partridges were feeding in theopen on the shore at Isalo.

On our first walk outside our Mahajanga hotel, we caught up withMadagascar Bulbul, Common Jery, and Madagascar White-eye. The nextmorning we left for Ampijoroa, stopping briefly at Amboromalandy forBlack Egrets and our first Humblot’s Heron. The specialties of Ampijoroafell one by one, including Red-capped and Coquerel’s Couas, RufousVanga, and several widespread endemics. On the lake we picked upMadagascar Fish Eagle, Madagascar Jacana, and a few African Darters.We returned for our picnic, a casual affair beginning with freshly pre-pared spring-roll pastries with shallot handles. The lobster went down

A pair of RufousHorneros attendtheir elaboratemud nest in Brazil.

Photo: Judy Davis.

Trip Reports


well, especially with the béarnaise, and no one complained about the spit-roasted king prawns. And there was fresh fruit and welcome coffee, withranono-sirimamy for that extra taste. The chocolates that went with thecoffee were just too much after tucking into fresh honey crepes. A noc-turnal sojourn rewarded us with the Golden Mouse Lemur, endemic toAmpijoroa and found only around Lake Ravelobe. We also found a sleep-ing Rhinoceros Chameleon with its chainsaw-like nasal appendage.

The next morning we had much better views of White-breasted Mesites.Our encounter with lemurs was an “ooh” and “aah” experience, withbouncy Coquerel’s Sifakas, endearing Yoda-like Milne-Edward’s SportiveLemurs, and sleepy Western Avahis. Reptiles and butterflies were equallyeye-catching, with watchful Nile Crocodiles, indifferent day-geckos,somewhat brazen Collared Iguanids, and the enormous Madagascar GiantSwallowtail.

A boat trip on theBetsiboka River gave ustwo of the country’srarest species, Bernier’sTeal in the mangrovesand the dapper Bernier’sIbis on the oozy mud.The assemblage alsoincluded two LesserFlamingos, manyWhimbrels, and a partyof comical TerekSandpipers. The dark-phase Dimorphic Egretswere a startling shade of

blue, flying ahead of the boat to land back in the mangroves. Next morn-ing we set off for Ranomafana. After a shopping stop in Antsirabe and atasty lunch in Ambositra, we located many Madagascar Larks andCisticolas in a swampy area. Our first Madagascar Brush Warblers,Madagascar Swamp Warblers, and Madagascar Wagtails were also here,but the prize went to a Cuckoo Roller attacking a Yellow-billed Kite over-head.

The expertise of our local guides led us to all of the local specialties,including one-and-only-chance species such as Pollen’s Vanga, Gray andBrown Emutail, and Forest Rock Thrush. A pair of roosting CollaredNightjars at a distance of ten feet was one of the most staggeringendemics. We also had ample opportunity to photograph Fossa, and thecutest imaginable Brown Mouse Lemurs leapt from branch to branchlicking up squashed bananas. There were at least 60 people present, chat-tering softly among themselves, but everything went very silent when aFossa jumped up, grabbed an unsuspecting Mouse Lemur, and ate it!

During our picnic at Vohiparara, a male Yellow-bellied Sunbird-Asityarrived in gleaming splendor. Climbing to the highest point atVohiparara, we eventually found four Meller’s Ducks, one of the most

A cuckoo relative,the terrestrialGreen-cappedCoua is one of sixrepresentatives ofits tribe found insoutheasternMadagascar.

Photo: Brian Finch.

Trip Reports


endangered species of Madagascar. In the evening a Rufous-headedGround Roller was brashly feeding on the path. Nearby we studiedWedge-tailed Jerys busily bathing in a stream.

The Relais de la Reine was as superb as ever, and the meals helped makeus a very contented collection of birders! The Benson’s Rock Thrusheswere their obliging selves in the dawn light, and we also found two coveysof Madagascar Partridge, plus other nice birds such as Gray-headedLovebirds and Madagascar Hoopoes. Our winding route through the for-est to Zombitse produced much of interest. A rare Standing’s Day-Geckowas discovered on a tree trunk, Three-eyed Iguanids with their pineal eyewere scurrying about, and quaint Red-necked and Madagascar Skinkswere basking near the picnic area. One Oustalet’s Chameleon we foundwas more than two feet long! We were shown many orchids, as well as theendemic and endearing Appert’s Greenbul. Giant and Coquerel’s Couasobliged, and Cuckoo Rollers put on a fine loud display. Delightful Red-tailed Sportive Lemurs peered at us from their daytime retreats.

Our boat trip to Anakao treated us to close encounters with Risso’sDolphins and Southern Right Whales. At Anakao our first male LittoralRock Thrush perched atop a spiky euphorbia while a few SubdesertBrush Warblers hopped clicking over the sand. This exquisite island para-dise of Nosy Ve welcomed us with a Sandwich Tern—only the second forMadagascar. Red-tailed Tropicbirds greeted us with their strident calls,while offspring of various ages waited quietly under the bushes to be fed.Dapper White-fronted Plovers skittered along the tidal wrack with theirprecocial chicks only days old.

The next morning we searched the gray dry scrub for Verreaux’s Couaand Red-shouldered Vanga. The vanga, one of the rarest of birds with amaximum of just six known individuals, came in to our guide’s whistles,then led us a merry chase; along the way we had a remarkably obliging

Trip Reports

A Ring-tailedLemur storms offin a huff atBerenty.

Photo: Brian Finch.


Verreaux’s Coua sunning in a small tree. A stop at the airport pool pro-vided us with a Pectoral Sandpiper, only the second record for the island.We made it down to the St. Augustin road just as five MadagascarSandgrouse arrived at their drinking site. The prize on the way to Ifatywas a pair of Madagascar Plovers posing on a ridge. A roostingMadagascar Nightjar offered us ideal conditions for studying its delicatecamouflaged plumage.

By 8:30 the next morning we had had good views of all our main targets:Subdesert Mesite, Running and Green-capped Coua, Ground Roller, andArchbold’s Newtonia, in addition to Hook-billed, Sickle-billed, and

White-headed Vangas. Inthe afternoon we back-tracked towards Tulear tosearch the swamps, find-ing several White-throatedRails and a pair ofMadagascar Rails. Wealso saw two LittleBitterns of the endemicrace, two Greater PaintedSnipe, and about sixBaillon’s Crakes.

The next morning webumped and bounced ourway to Berenty. We

arrived in time to see the White-browed Owls at their daytime roost.White-footed Sportive Lemurs were equally obliging, and a visit to theMadagascar Flying Fox colony was something special. We located a fewHamerkops on the way to Perinet, where our guide promptly led us to apair of roosting Rainforest Scops Owls.

Over the next few days, Nuthatch Vangas were met with on several occa-sions, Short-legged Ground Roller taunted us from the slopes,Madagascar Flufftails timidly inspected the group, and Velvet Asitiesglowed in the forest shade. We also had beautiful Diademed Sifakas,striking Black-and-white Ruffed Lemurs, and appealing Greater DwarfLemurs.

Tsaratsaotra Private Reserve sheltered a few Hottentot Teal and sevenspecies of herons raising young. The recently arrived Madagascar Squacco(Pond) Herons were waving their exaggerated plumes in the faces of theirintended. Dimorphic Egrets were in all stages, from nest building to feed-ing nearly independent young, and noisy clusters of Cattle Egrets incu-bated in the stands of bamboo. Scattered pairs of Black Egrets were build-ing nests. Among the large numbers of waterfowl were numerous Knob-billed Ducks.

Our Cap Masoala extension took us back to the Indian Ocean coast. Onour evening walk we photographed a sleeping Panther Chameleon. The

Trip Reports

The amazing Long-tailed Ground-Roller is asecretiveinhabitant ofMadagascar’sspiny forest.

Photo: Brian Finch.


next morning’s crossing was very smooth, and on arrival we found theincomparable Helmet Vanga behind our lodge. In the afternoon we locat-ed an extremely obliging Scaly Ground Roller, and in the evening nearthe lodge we saw Weasel Sportive Lemur and several new frogs.

The next morning we found a Bernier’s Vanga attacking a BandedKestrel, a Madagascar Sparrowhawk, a confiding pair of Short-leggedGround Rollers, a pair of Brown Mesites showing nesting behavior, and aParson’s Chameleon that looked three feet long! A walk on the beachrewarded us with displaying Madagascar Pratincoles and equally delight-ful mudskippers grazing on algae on rocks, like piscine sheep.

It soon came time to leave the Cap, and we enjoyed another smoothcrossing to Nosy Mangabe. After lunch we found one of the world’ssmallest reptiles, a terrestrial leaf-litter chameleon. The next morning onthe way to the airport we stopped off at Tamatave for our last new bird ofthe trip, House Sparrow—a specialty of Tamatave. Many thanks are dueto the participants, whose wonderful group dynamics were a complementto a very merry holiday full of birds, buffets, and barrels of laughter.

September 2009 will find Brian back on the Red Island, in search of themore than 100 birds that are endemic to this place where evolution runswild. Like all of Brian’s tours, this one will also take in everything natural,from plants to butterflies, and put you in contact with some of the friendliestand most hospitable people anywhere.

September’s Austria: Birds and Music tour was greeted by unprecedent-ed warmth—and by Crag Martins, apparently the northernmost recordfor the country, and by Rock Buntings, rare and local in Austria. Thesewere accompanied by the more expected Nutcracker and Crested Tit.Down at lake level, one small patch of mud provided us with an especial-ly memorable sight: a Spotted Crake and a Water Rail walking together,with Wood and Green Sandpipers and a Bluethroat as supporting cast.Lake Neusiedl’s twenty species of shorebirds included Black-winged Stilt,Avocet, Kentish Plover, Spotted Redshank, Pectoral Sandpiper, CurlewSandpiper, and Red-necked Phalarope. The music was as satisfying as thebirds: magnificent performances of Haydn’s “Ritorno di Tobia,” a fineselection of symphonies, and his violin concerto. Equally inspiring wereHandel arias sung by Vesselina Kasarova. And the evening of songs deliv-ered by the French soprano Patricia Petibon was extraordinary. Bulgaria,too, enjoyed warm temperatures moderated by a comfortable sea breeze.The tour’s raptor list included five species of eagle, incredible views ofLevant Sparrowhawk, numerous Marsh and Montagu’s Harriers, and aRed-footed Falcon. Our high count of White Storks was 500, while GreatWhite Pelicans numbered in the thousands. Passerine highlights includedscores of Red-backed Shrikes along with Woodchat and Lesser GrayShrikes, Calandra and Short-toed Larks, Pied and Isabelline Wheatears,

Trip Reports

Some Recent Tours Briefly Noted


Red-breasted Flycatcher, Tawny Pipit, Ortolan Bunting, and—best ofall—a very showy Citrine Wagtail. Maine’s Monhegan was, as always,absolutely lovely. We didn’t have a big push of migrants, but we hadenough, and we saw them well—in most cases very well. The Monhegan

specialties, Larkand Clay-coloredSparrows andDickcissel, wereall represented,and falcons wereeverywhere: atone point fivePeregrines werelined up on thewindward side ofManana, a formi-dable peril forany smallmigrant that flewby. The islandwas as charming

as ever, the Maine coast spectacular, and the night skies unbelievablybright. South Africa’s Western Cape had a cool and late spring this year,but the heat—and the birding—in the Kalahari Desert lived up to expec-tations. Namaqua and Burchell’s Sandgrouse drinking at waterholes werea classic spectacle of the northern Cape, and they were joined by hugeflocks of Red-headed Finches, Cape Sparrows, Cape Turtle Doves, anddainty Namaqua Doves. Away from the waterholes we found a sleepyVerreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters, Gabar Goshawks,Lappet-faced and White-backed Vultures, an obliging Kalahari ScrubRobin, Ashy Tit, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Secretarybird, Lanner Falcon,and numerous Tawny Eagles. Southeast Peru and the Manu BiosphereReserve once again proved that few places on earth can produce such anincredible list of birds in so short a time. From Machu Picchu to theManu Road to the lowland rainforest at Manu Wildlife Center, our tourwas chock-full of exciting experiences and fantastic birding. We saw andheard more than 620 species in less than three weeks: 22 species of parrot(including seven macaws!), 35 hummingbirds, eight toucans, more than50 antbirds, 75 flycatchers, and 50 tanagers. Among the exciting birds


A EuropeanBee-eater flashespast in Bulgaria.

Photo: James Lidster.

Maine’sMonhegan Islandoffers a rest totired migrantssuch as this Bay-breasted Warbler.

Photo: Derek Lovitch.


encounteredwere HornedScreamer,Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, Black-and-chestnutEagle, a stun-ning CollaredForest Falcon,Sungrebes andSunbitterns,Andean Cock-of-the-rock,and forestdelights suchas Hairy-crest-ed Antbirdand Band-tailed Manakin. Nine species of monkey was also a treat. Chile onceagain impressed with its remarkable contrasts, from windswept Tierra delFuego to the rich Humboldt Current, and fromfecund altiplano bofedales to the barrenAtacama Desert. Highlights this year included afamily group of Magellanic Woodpeckers,impossibly long-winged Northern RoyalAlbatrosses wheeling around our boat, a flockof the endemic Slender-billed Parakeets thatappeared as if out of the ether, Andean Condorsdrifting along postcard-perfect Andean ridges,and a beautiful Andean bog surrounded bymassive purple and green scree slopes reachingup to snow-capped peaks where DiademedSandpiper-Plovers entertained us for an hour.The trip list was very respectable for Chile:among our 269 species were two rheas, threetinamous, two penguins, 15 tubenoses, twoflamingos, 22 waterfowl, 11 raptors, 33 shorebirds, 27 furnariids, six

Some Recent Tours Briefly NotedThe stunningcolors of Africanlaniids like thisCrimson-breastedShrike are asurprise to birdersused to thesubdued plumageof northernspecies.

Photo: Steve Rooke.

A big-eyedRufescent Screech-Owl emerges fromits daytime roostnear Peru’s Cock-of-the-rock Lodge.

Photo: Gary Rosenberg.

A Buller’sAlbatross fromNew ZealandencountersPeruvian Pelicansin Chile’sHumboldtCurrent.

Photo: Steve Howell.


tapaculos, 23 tyrant flycatchers, and all five Chilean siskins. In Ethiopia,Hammerkops picked up fish at our feet and ranks of ugly MarabouStorks waited for just about anything to come their way. The birds atLangano included the endemic Black-winged Lovebird, African Orange-bellied Parrot, Black-billed Woodhoopoe, Rufous Chatterer, AbyssinianBlack Wheatear, Little Rock Thrush, and Rüppell’s Weaver. The pinkhaze at Lake Abiata resolved into thousands of Greater and LesserFlamingos, and two Black Crowned Cranes mingled with the 50 or soCommon Cranes. A pre-breakfast wander at Wondo Genet gave us ourfirst White-cheeked Turacos and sightings of the endemic AbyssinianWoodpecker, Black-throated Wattle-eye, and Red-shouldered

Cuckooshrike. A superbday on the gray andgreen Roof of Africaproduced MoorlandFrancolins, Blue-winged Geese, RuddyShelducks, WattledCranes, Spot-breastedLapwings, TheklaLarks, Black-headedSiskins, and, of course,several elegantEthiopian Wolves.South Florida inNovember took in the“sea of grass” of the

Everglades, cypress bottomlands, upland pine-oak scrub and grasslandsavannas, coastal mangroves and bays, and sparkling white beaches. Wehad repeated outstanding views of White and Glossy Ibis, Wood Stork,Roseate Spoonbill, 11 heron species, and Limpkin. We also found sevenspecies of parrot, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Common and Hill Mynas, andSpot-breasted Oriole among the wide variety of exotics that thrive inFlorida’s tropical climate. Other specialties included 23 species of shore-bird, Short-tailed Hawk, White-crowned Pigeon, Smooth-billed Ani,

Red-cockadedWoodpecker, GrayKingbird, and FloridaScrub-Jay, while amongthe rarities were a familyof Least Grebes, anAmerican Flamingo, twoLesser Nighthawks, aTropical Kingbird, and aRusty Blackbird. NewZealand’s SubantarcticIslands in Novemberfeatured seven species ofpenguins (four of themendemic to the region)and 41 species of


Erect-crestedPenguins dot therocks of theAntipodes, the“other end ofthe earth.”

Photo: Steve Howell.

An AmericanCrocodile watchesthe birds of SouthFlorida’s swampswith an interestas great as anybirder’s.

Photo: Laura Robinson.


tubenoses (31 on a single day!), including the legendary Magenta Petrel.The mesmerizing Southern Ocean, dotted with islands of biodiversity,has to be seen to be believed: from lush swaths of megaherbs to a point-blank pod of hunting Killer Whales, from prion identification to themajesty of Southern Royal Albatrosses on their nests, from New ZealandPipits walking over your shoes to White-faced Storm Petrels skipping overthe waves. Our base for all this: a comfortable ship with great food and astaff intent on sharing their appreciation for this unique heritage—lifedoesn’t get any better! Our 2008 tour to Papua New Guinea could easilyhave been called WINGS in Paradise. As we traversed the highlands,explored the forests and waterways of the lowlands, and wound our waythrough the hill country around Port Moresby, birds-of-paradise capturedour emotions day after day. Lekking Lesser and Raggiana Birds-of-para-dise let us admire every aspect of their remarkable plumage, and the callsof Brown Sicklebills in the forests of the Tari highlands will remain asvivid in memory as the blue of their eyes. A King of Saxony Bird-of-para-dise flipped his remarkable crown plumes as he displayed from a treetop,and the tail feathers of a Ribbon-tailed Astrapia floated as effortlessly as asatin ribbon. Each “paradise” species seemed more surreal than the onebefore. No video, no painting, no description could prepare us for howremarkable this family of birds is—and the same goes for all the wondersof New Guinea. Brazil’s Southeast Atlantic Rainforest once again gaveus ten days of excellent birding in comfortable settings, with sightings ofmany of the region’s sought-after endemics. Just the names Saw-billedHermit, Three-toed Jacamar, Star-throated Antwren, Hooded Berryeater,or Buff-throated Purpletuft are enough to get a birder salivating. Colorfultanagers that have you clamoring for a repeat viewing, hummingbirds atfeeders allowing you to actually study their plumage for identification,cotingas ranging from big and noisy to small and silent, antbirds of everysize and vocalization, andtapaculos that didn’t alwaysremain invisible were justsome of the superb birdsthat left us longing to returnfor more. Our Uganda tourrecorded 521 bird species in19 days, among them morethan 30 birds of prey, 17pigeons, six turacos, 15cuckoos, 11 kingfishers, ninebee-eaters, 12 swallows, 16cisticolas, nine apalises, 21bulbuls, 24 chats (includinga staggering eight robin-chats), 21 sunbirds, 34 weavers, and 25 estrildidfinches! The 44 species of mammals included 13 primates and wonderfulexperiences with Gorillas and Chimpanzees. We also recorded more than200 butterflies, including Africa’s largest, Giant African Swallowtail. InMurchison we found a Western Savannah Monitor—likely the firstrecord for the East African region. Uganda is a magically beautiful andcaptivating country, far beyond the descriptions of any travel literature.Our first Butterflies and Birds tour to Brazil’s Cristalino Jungle Lodge


The well-namedGreater PaintedSnipe favorssmall temporarypools in Uganda.

Photo: Brian Finch.


was a terrific success. Not surprisingly, we tallied more butterflies thanbirds, and both were amazingly diverse. Even with a few hours off eachafternoon, we tallied more than 360 species of butterflies and skippers.The five species of morpho, several eighty-eights, owl-butterflies, and aViolet-tipped Diaph were especially well received. We also managed tosee around 300 species of birds. These mostly took the stage at dawn(especially from the canopy tower), but were also featured in the lateafternoon, from the delightful boat rides on the Cristalino River, whereSunbittern and Kawall’s Parrot were seen, or coming to freshwater pondsat dusk. A Snow-capped Manakin, several Bare-eyed Antbirds, SpottedWood Quail, and Spot-backed Antbird were especially noteworthy.WINGS returned to Panama with a very successful trip to the CanopyTower and Canopy Lodge. Our highlight species included a Tiny Hawkon a nest; a Striped Cuckoo, teed up and singing; close views of a stun-ning male Blue Cotinga; 19 hummingbird species including extendedviews of the endemic Veraguan Mango and a White-tipped Sicklebill; sixspecies of trogons; ant swarms attended by Bicolored, Spotted, and theincredible Ocellated Antbirds; and gaudy Rufous-winged, Bay-headed,Emerald, Silver-throated, Golden-hooded, Crimson-backed, and Flame-rumped Tanagers. All this accompanied by superlative fresh food, variedflora, beautiful landscapes, and great camaraderie! Gambia always amazeswith how many birds there are or how showy they can be. The rarest birdof our December tour was undoubtedly a Brown-necked Raven, a

Gambian tick forboth of our localguides. The ravenlost out in thebeauty stakes tothe Shining-blueKingfisher (oneof eight speciesincluding Gray-headed, AfricanPygmy,Malachite, andGiant). Equallyexciting was anAfricanGoshawk,

perched close in an area of forest that has recently opened up for birding.This year’s Arizona in Winter tour experienced excellent weather andwonderful birding. The big highlight was a wintering Northern Jacana,only the fourth for Arizona. We also found most of the famous winterspecialties, including Mountain Plover, Ferruginous Hawk, Chestnut-col-lared and McCown’s Longspurs, and thousands of Sandhill Cranes. Thealmost unending array of raptors, a wide variety of wintering ducks,Western Grebe, 12 species of sparrows, and winter residents such asVermilion Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, Lazuli Bunting, and Pyrrhuloxiamake Arizona a wonderful place to visit in winter. Our first tours toGhana offered an impressive demonstration of what this bird-rich coun-try has to offer. For most people there is one key bird here, the Yellow-


The RiverGambia offersa chance at thestriking butelusive AfricanFinfoot.

Photo: James Lidster.


headed Picathartes or Rockfowl; we saw not one but up to five birds attheir secret cave. The only safe place to see this enigmatic species any-where is Ghana. Our back-to-back tours produced quality bird after qual-ity bird including African Finfoot, Congo Serpent Eagle, BlackSparrowhawk, African Cuckoo Hawk, Brown Nightjar, Fraser’s EagleOwl, Red-billed Helmet Shrike, Sabine’s Puffback, Blue-headed WoodDove, Yellow-throated and Emerald Cuckoos, Red-billed and BlackDwarf Hornbills…the list goes onand on! Our first WINGS tour toWestern India: Gujurat and theRann of Kutch focused on the region’sdesert specialties and yieldedimpressive numbers of great birds andmammals in dramatic settings. Ourfinal poll for “Bird of the Trip” revealsjust how productive it was: our “bestof” list included Laggar Falcon, threebustards (Great Indian and Macqueen’s,plus Lesser Florican), Crab-plover,Sociable Plover, Indian Courser, IndianEagle- and Mottled Wood Owls, Sykes’sNightjar, Marshall’s Iora, White-napedtit, and White-browed Bush Chat. Wehad excellent looks at Asiatic Lion,Leopard, Asiatic Wild Ass, and BlackBuck on our game drives. Our finaltally of 294 species included up toten Paddyfield Warblers on six differentdates, Asian Desert Warblers on threedays, and Sykes’s Warbler on six, withanother nine globally threatenedspecies and no fewer than 25 speciesendemic to the Indian subcontinent. This year’s Fall Migration atGambell and the Pribilofs was blessed with several days of very lightwinds, when we recorded such mega-goodies as Brown Shrike, WillowWarbler, “Siberian” Stonechat, Pechora Pipit, and a ridiculous total offour Dusky Warblers. It isn’t often that a tour records a first NorthAmerican record, but this tour did just that on the extension to St. PaulIsland, where a Solitary Snipe was found and photographed atHutchinson Hill. This enigmatic highland snipe was entirely unexpected,but now joins the 2002 Willow Warbler on the list of North Americanfirsts discovered on this dependably great Alaska tour. Birding inArgentina is always incredible, whether reveling in the abundance ofbirds in the Yungas forests, searching for flamingos on high Andean lakes,or seeing the snow-capped peaks of the Andes surrounding the BeagleChannel. Record high temperatures and dry weather were a bonus as weexplored reserves close to Buenos Aires. Though we wondered about theeffect of the heat on the Magellanic Penguin colony in Punta Tombo, ourmorning there was free of the winds that often make it nearly impossibleto hold optics steady while viewing Chubut Steamer Ducks. The leg-endary winds of the Beagle Channel picked up during our journey and


Western India’sGujarat is anexcellent placeto seeHypocolius, thesole member ofan enigmaticavian family.

Photo: Paul Holt.


were enjoyed byalbatrosses glid-ing against thebackdrop of theAndes andMagellanicDiving-Petrelsflying close tothe water. By thetime it was over,Argentina haddelivered bird

families ranging from the tropical to the sub-Antarctic, including tou-cans, antshrikes, flamingos, seedsnipes, rheas, penguins, plantcutters,tinamous, albatrosses, and diving-petrels, all against the spectacular scenicbackdrops that always make these tours a sensational birding experience.Even after two weeks in Kenya, this country of endless wonder was still

producing new birds. Animpressive 603 species wereseen, with another 15 speciesheard. These totals includedseven storks, 48 birds of prey,nine hornbills, 12 barbets, 18owls and nightjars, 16 cisticolas,19 sunbirds, 17 starlings, and16 Ploceus weavers—togetherwith 69 identified mammalsand 27 identified reptiles andamphibians, plus a few frogsthat got away. A whole host ofbutterflies and dragonflies werepointed out, as well as the fasci-

nating flora. Oaxaca, Mexico, at Christmas provided a great backdropfor our explorations of Zapotec ruin sites, local markets, and the impres-sive 2,000-year-old cypress, El Tule. The avian highlights this timeincluded great views of endemics such as Beautiful Hummingbird,Pileated Flycatcher, Golden Vireo, and the amazing Bridled Sparrow. Ourgroup tallied an excellent 297 species, including an astounding 14 newspecies added to the cumulative list from the past 13 years! Just as impor-tant on a Christmas trip to Oaxaca is the opportunity to sample thevibrant local culture of Oaxaca City, steeped in a mixture of Catholic andZapotec traditions. Christmas processionals through the town squarecontribute to the festive atmosphere in this pretty colonial city, and noneof this year’s participants will ever look at a radish in the same way afterwitnessing the amazing sculptures created for the Day of the Radishes.For the second year, our tour of Australia: Tasmania, Victoria, and thePlains-wanderer found all the endemics of Bruny Island. Drought wasstill in evidence around Deniliquin, but we still located specialties includ-ing Inland Dotterel and Superb Parrot, and our seven Plains-wandererswere the most we hadever seen in a single night. Chiltern, newly addedto the tour this year, also produced some excellent highlights: Regent


The rare andbrilliant TacazzeSunbird is one oftwenty specieswe regularlyrecord in Kenya.

Photo: Brian Finch.

A Red-leggedSeriema trotsalongArgentina’saltiplano.

Photo: Judy Davis.

Honeyeaters at the nest, our first PaintedHoneyeater in 22 years, and only our thirdTurquoise Parrots ever—this locality willdefinitely be on the 2009 itinerary, too.Australia: South Australia and NorthernTerritory was a chance to visit Gluepot Reserve,which turned up a number of species rarely seenon our old itinerary: a confiding pair of White-browed Treecreepers, stunning Striated Grass-wrens, and nearby the next morning a maleRedthroat. In Alice Springs we watched aWestern Bowerbird decorate its bower, trackeddown a pair of Bourke’s Parrots, and found twoLong-toed Stints at the sewage ponds. In Darwina Chestnut Rail performed well for once, nofewer than three Beach Thick-knees showed upat East Point, and the Rainbow Pittas were asobliging as ever. And at Yellow Water we enjoyed two Great-billedHerons, our only Rufous Night-Herons of the tour, and five species ofkingfisher including point-blank views of Little. Our tour to Queenslandand New South Wales started this year with our first-ever visit to

Kingfisher Lodge, where high-lights included PapuanFrogmouth and two MaskedOwls, the latter a lifer for every-one including both leaders!Near Mount Molloy, displayingAustralian Bustards competedwith Square-tailed Kites forbird-of-the-day honors. Closeencounters with SouthernCassowary proved to be every-one’s trip favorite. Six Red-foot-ed Boobies were unprecedentedat Michaelmas Cay, and aMasked Booby in flight waseven rarer. Point-blank views ofMarbled Frogmouth atO’Reilly’s took some beating,

though the Albert’s Lyrebird feeding at our feet did its best to compete.No fewer than three Superb Lyrebirds sang and strutted their stuff atMinnamurra, while our pelagic trip was quite simply the best ever: 24pelagic bird species as well as Humpbacks and Orcas. This year’sSoutheast China in Winter featured six species of crane, but two unex-pected birds triumphed in our end-of-trip poll for “Bird of the Tour:”Reed Parrotbill, arguably the most attractive parrotbill on the planet,rocketed to the top of the list, with an incredibly cooperative CollaredOwlet hard on its heels. Other highlights included more than 7,600Swan Geese and excellent looks at Lesser White-fronted; Mandarin andFalcated Ducks, Baikal Teal, Smew, and Scaly-sided Merganser; two first-year Saunders’s and no less than 26 Relict Gulls; 905 Oriental Storks,


The AustralianBrush-turkeybuilds itsenormous nestmounds inQueensland’srainforests.


Striking HoodedPlovers nestabove the tide-line on thebeautiful beachesof Australia’sPhillips Island.



4,500 EurasianSpoonbills, and fourgorgeous PiedFalconets in a singleday; Bull-headedShrike and JapaneseWaxwing; six speciesof thrush includingsome incredibly co-operative White’s;Red-billed Starlings;and nine species ofbunting includingYellow-browed andPallas’s. Next year’stour adds a new site,where we’ll hope tosee Spoon-billedSandpiper.

Are you reading The Wingbeat? Birders from around the world are visit-ing the new WINGS e-journal, wingsbirds.com/blog, for the latest in rar-ity news, tour updates, leader happenings, birding quizzes, and more.

Jon FeenstraWINGS is happy to wel-come Jon Feenstra as ournewest Associate Leader.Raised in the Appalachianridges of northwesternNew Jersey, Jon’s play-ground was the outdoors.He grew up holding afishing pole and a pair ofbinoculars. After college,he moved from NewJersey to Los Angeles,where he completed hisgraduate work in physical

chemistry at the California Institute of Technology. There he becameactive in southern California birding: leading field trips, writing articles on



The Wingbeat

Profiles

An inquisitiveBramblingwatches itswatchers on thewinteringgrounds insoutheast China.

Photo: BlakeMathesen.

bird distribution and local issues, and spending time exploring the diverseand bird-rich area. He finished his Ph.D. and decided to make birding hisfull-time passion. When not traveling the country or the world, Jon livesin urban Los Angeles and works as a free-lance ecological consultant. Hevolunteers for the Pasadena and Los Angeles Audubon Societies, serves onthe board of directors of Western Field Ornithologists, leads most ofsouthern California’s pelagic trips, and has contributed to several publica-tions on terrestrial and pelagic bird distribution. During any other time hereads widely, supports the local music scene, and plans his next adventure.

Jon will be leading our tour of Cape May this September with Jon Dunn.

Narca Moore-CraigWINGS is delighted tohave Narca Moore-Craig join our corps ofprofessional leaders. Anative of Texas, Narca’searly memories are ofhours spent in treetopswith Red-headedWoodpeckers. Her pathhas wound from thePermian Basin of Texasthrough the RockyMountains ofColorado, coastalOregon, the deciduous

forests of Illinois, the Gray Ranch of New Mexico, and the deserts ofCalifornia and Arizona. Along the way, she first majored in Spanish at theUniversity of Colorado, then built a profession as a wildlife artist andearned a B.A. in biology from the University of California, Riverside,where she was the first woman to win the Jaeger Award in Field Biology.Narca was also the first woman president of Western Field Ornithologistsand has served on the Arizona Bird Committee.

In addition to field research, Narca has led natural history and birdingtours to six continents, including five voyages to Antarctica. She has guid-ed for many nonprofit organizations, including World Wildlife Fund, theSmithsonian Institution, and Harvard’s Museum of ComparativeZoology. Among her many interests as a birder are seabirds and the birdsof oceanic islands. For decades Narca has focused on bird art, and heraward-winning art has been featured in numerous publications. Wildlifeart and birding work hand-in-hand for Narca, both teaching us to becareful observers, both immersing us in wilderness. Narca lives with herhusband, Alan Craig, in Portal, Arizona, in the shadow of the ChiricahuaMountains, and treasures the time spent with friends there.

Narca’s first WINGS tours will take her to Hawaii and Midway Atoll inspring 2010.


Profiles

WINGS offers customized itineraries for individuals and groups to desti-nations all around the world. If you find it especially appealing to birdwhere you want, alone or with friends, and at your own pace, consider aprivate tour with a WINGS leader. Where would you like to go?

For more information on arranging a private tour anywhere in the world,call the WINGS office at 520 320-9868. We’ll be happy to help!


WIN

GS

1643

N.A

lvernonWay

Ste.109

Tucson,

Arizona

85712

U.S.A.

ChangeServiceRequested

Pres

orte

dSt

anda

rdU.

S.Po

stage

PAID

Tucs

on,A

ZPe

rmit

No.7

92

Private Tours

inside az-birding.com: afreeservicefromwingswingsbirds.com/files/spring-09.pdf · 2014-03-24 ·...

Documents