fieldguides2 800-728-4953 / region of the country formerly known as Manchuria (Jilin Province and Inner Mongolia). We spend our time in the Northeast at a couple of venues that are

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Also in this issue: 3/El Triunfo • 4/Fresh From the Field • 9/Upcoming Tours • 10/Where’s That Guide?

B I R D I N G T O U R S W O R L D W I D E

fieldguidesNOVEMBER 2013

®

2014 � Our 30th Year of Birding Tours

Puerto Rico is just a quick hop from Miami—and it is, of course, part of the US—but fromthe moment you touch down in San Juan, itfeels like you’re somewhere far, far away. The

excitement of tropical island birding, highlighted by 17endemic species and numerous regional specialties,combined with the convenience of no passport, nocurrency exchange, no jet lag, and pleasantaccommodations, make it an irresistible getaway.

Puerto Rico is the easternmost and the smallest ofthe four large islands comprising the Greater Antilles.From San Juan, our itinerary makes a lap of the island,

Are There Any Birds in China?Dave Stejskal

I’ve been lucky enough to co-lead our last two toursto China with China birder extraordinaire JesperHornskov. It was a remarkable experience—thecountry, the avifauna, and Jesper.

But in talking to people about China, I’ve had, more than a fewtimes, to answer a rather odd question: “Are there any birds leftthere?” Well, the obvious short answer is “You bet!” and a quicklook at our 2013 triplist for the China: Manchuria & the TibetanPlateau tour will attest to that. But the question leaves mescratching my head. Do people really think that the birds, or most

of them, are gone? It may be that they’ve heard that there aren’t anybirds in the cities, where most tourists end up going; but surelybirders can’t be thinking that there aren’t any birds left in a countryas big and diverse as China!

Most birders know very little about birding in China, so here’s aquick summary of what we do on our May trip. We begin thiswonderful tour in Beijing, at a hotel that actually does have somebirds on the grounds, before heading to the Northeast, into the

visiting all the major habitat types. Our focus is on theendemics, but we’re traveling at a Caribbean pace, sothere’s plenty of time to enjoy the rest of the aviancommunity as well. Lowland forests at Cambalache andRio Abajo, the highland elfin-woods at Maricao, the dryforest of Guanica Biosphere Reserve, the coastal marshesand lagoons at several national wildlife refuges, and theonly tropical rainforest in the US at El Yunque are all onthe itinerary. En route, we enjoy plenty of fresh fish andtasty mofungo, the fried plantain-based national dish ofPuerto Rico.

Puerto Rico—The Island of EnchantmentEric Hynes

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A single rider passes near Chaka. (Photo by guide Dave Stejskal)

The tiny, endemic PuertoRican Tody often getsvoted the favorite bird ofthe tour. (Photo by guideEric Hynes)

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region of the country formerly known asManchuria ( Jilin Province and InnerMongolia). We spend our time in theNortheast at a couple of venues that are rich inwaterbirds, migrants, scarce resident landbirds,and, best of all, cranes. Two reserves, Momogeand Xianghai, are the focus of our efforts. It ishere that what is essentially the world’s entirepopulation of Siberian Cranes stages beforecontinuing to the north to breed, and whereboth Red-crowned and White-naped cranesbreed in small numbers. Three other cranespecies—Demoiselle, Common, andHooded—also migrate through these reserves in varying numbers.Throw in the critically endangered Rufous-backed ( Jankowski’s)Bunting (probably east Asia’s most endangered landbird species),Oriental Stork, a host of migrant and resident waterfowl andshorebirds, displaying Great Bustard, plus many other enticingspecies, and the first half of this tour is a great place to get your feetwet in China!

In sharp contrast to the flat lowlands of Manchuria, our nextdestination is near the geographic center of the country inmountainous Qinghai Province to the southwest. Here we relish awealth of redstarts, raptors, warblers, finches, tits, larks, and otherswhile searching for prizes like Blue Eared-Pheasant, Severtzov’sGrouse, Lammergeier, Pallas’s and Tibetan sandgrouse, both White-browed and Crested tit-warblers, Pere David’s and Elliot’slaughingthrushes, Ala Shan (Przevalski’s) Redstart, SiberianRubythroat, Mongolian Ground-Jay, Wallcreeper, and TibetanRosefinch. There are still waterbirds to see, too, at the huge highlandlake of Koko Nor (China’s largest natural lake). Here we have a

chance to find what might be our seventh species of crane on the tour,the scarce Black-necked, along the shallow margins of the lake.

This region of China and the Tibetan Plateau are also home to thephenomenal Przevalski’s Rosefinch (Pink-tailed Bunting), recentlyelevated to its own family. There’s no other place in the world to seethis beauty, and we have a very good shot not only to see it but also towatch it perform its remarkable song-flight display above the scrubhabitat it calls home. And the backdrops for all of these birds rangefrom dense spruce forest to Great Basin-like juniper-clad mountains,to dry desert flats with towering snow-covered mountains in thedistance, to high alpine tundra and scree above 15,000 feet. TheTibetan Plateau is a place that must be seen—and birded—to bebelieved! Join us in May for a tour unlike any other—in China!

Dates for next spring’s tour are May 5-26. For 2014 we’ve added acultural and historical extension to Beijing from May 26-30. A few ofthe places we plan to visit include the Forbidden City, the botanicalgardens, the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, and more.

Red-crowned Crane, at top, is fairly rare in China; above left, a stunning Blood Pheasant inthe forests around Xining; and Przevalski’s Rosefinch, the sole member of its family.(Photos by guide Dave Stejskal)

Are There Any Birds in China?Continued from page 1


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Cloudforests of El Triunfo:The Horned Guan & MoreJohn Rowlett

Join our Jay Vandergaast and Mexico’s Jorge Montejo for aworld-class adventure to this unimaginably beautifulmontane cloudforest holding spectacular Oreophasis—thenoble Horned Guan, surely the most legendary bird of MiddleAmerica. This monotypic Cracid typifies what Aldo Leopold

would have called the imponderable “numenon,” thecharacteristic spirit, of its phenomenal world. The BiosphereReserve at El Triunfo, located in the Sierra Madre de Chiapas, isby far the best place to see this threatened “mountain pheasant,”along with its supporting cast of nesting Resplendent Quetzals,Fulvous Owls, Black-throated Jays, Blue-throated Motmots,Highland Guans, Wine-throated Hummingbirds, Azure-rumpedTanagers (on the slope down), and a breathtaking checklist ofavian others! So don’t deny yourself this splendid opportunity tocelebrate a triumph that will stay with you forever.

Dates are March 8-17 for this camping tour to Mexico’s splendidcloudforest reserve. As for the camping, well, it’s camping—butpretty comfortable camping—with the availability of flush toiletsand hot water showers at El Triunfo.

In our five days of relaxed birdingwe typically encounter close to 120species, many of them threatened orhighly endangered. The Elfin-woodsWarbler, a parulid that resembles Black-and-white Warbler, remainedhidden in the Maricao Highlands until it was discovered almost byaccident by two researchers in 1969. Last year my friend JulioGallardo, a PhD candidate studying the gorgeous and criticallyendangered venator subspecies of Sharp-shinned Hawk, put us righton one of the few known remaining pairs of this bird. It was a triphighlight that we hope to repeat in 2014. Puerto Rican Nightjar, witha population of just 1500 to 2000 mature birds, is limited to a fewpatches in the southwest of the island—but we know where to findthem. And thanks to a successful captive-breeding program, thePuerto Rican Parrot is back from the brink, and in 2014, with the helpof a local guide and an expanding wild population, we hope to trackdown this gem for the first time!

Puerto Rico is a place where even the more common species are atreat. The tiny, charismatic Puerto Rican Tody is about as cute as abird gets. Puerto Rican Woodpecker with its black body and brightred throat is a standout, reminiscent of its cousin, Lewis’sWoodpecker. Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge, where webegin our tour, and the Humacao wetlands, where we end it, are full ofwaterbirds—including the tough-to-see Masked Duck and WestIndian Whistling-Duck.

With great experiences on our 2012 and 2013 tours, I’m itching toget back. There’s still space available…why not join us this comingMarch?!

Dates for Eric’s tour are March 23-29. You may download and itineraryfrom our web site or call our office and they’ll be happy to mail you a copy.

Puerto Rico—The Island ofEnchantmentContinued from page 1

National wildlife refuges like Cabo Rojoat the southwest tip of the island canbe loaded with a delightful mix ofshorebirds such as these Black-neckedStilts. The critically endangeredvenator subspecies of Sharp-shinnedHawk is more colorful than most and isrestricted to the highlands of PuertoRico. (Photos by guide Eric Hynes)

Horned Guan (Photo by Will Carter)

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The ruins at Machu Picchu are truly one of the world’s archaeological treasures and theprincipal destination for our Machu Picchu & Abra Malaga, Peru tour. Guide JesseFagan (a.k.a. The Motmot) is always delighted to point out birds, and spotting amagnificent Andean Motmot (left) got him particularly jazzed. White-throated Quail-Dove (right) is known to be a shy and retiring species but Jesse shared a hotspot forthem so everyone could savor frame-filling looks. (Photos by participant Marshall Dahl)

Reaching 80 degrees North latitude, ourSpitsbergen & Svalbard Archipelago: A Cruise tothe Norwegian Arctic tour is truly a high-arcticadventure. Only 650 miles from the North Pole,these islands host tens of thousands of seabirdsand charismatic marine mammals like Walrus(middle left) and Polar Bear. In fact, our groupsaw almost two-dozen Polar Bears on this tour.Long-tailed Jaeger (lower left), an uncommonbut regular breeder, exemplifies that the trip listfor this outing is about quality, not quantity.The finer details of the enormous glaciers alongour route made for great viewing from Zodiacslaunched from the comfortable ship (above).(Photos by participant Peggy Keller)

Prevailing winds in latesummer bring rejuvenatingrain to the desert.Wildflowers and insectsflourish, which stimulateslocal birds to breed anddraws vagrants fromMexico. Our Arizona’sSecond Spring tourpurposefully coincides withthis spike in bird activity.Mississippi Kite (upperleft), Montezuma Quail(lower left), and Say’sPhoebe (below) wereenjoyed on the tour, but allpaled in excitement to themega-rarity Slaty-throatedRedstart that turned up inHuachuca Canyon. (Photosby guide Chris Benesh andparticipant Mary LouBarritt)


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The images shared byparticipants Roy Giles andGregg Recer from ourEcuador: Rainforest & Andestour were absolutely burstingwith color. Black-chinnedMountain-Tanager (upperright) and Paradise Tanager(lower right) were twostandouts among the dozensof brilliant tanager speciestallied. The parrot lick atSacha Lodge is always a hitand on our visit was loadedwith Cobalt-wingedParakeets (left).

Participants on the Rio NegroParadise: Manaus, Brazil tourcruised remote and unspoiledstretches of the crown jewel ofAmazonia in comfort aboard asplendid riverboat. Some of theavian treasures they experiencedwere a dazzling Guianan Cock-of-the-rock (above), a cryptic White-winged Potoo (upper right), andthis striking Waved Woodpecker(right). And no one complainedwhen we were eating fresh-caughtfish and sipping caipirinhas(Brazil’s national cocktail) eachevening while going over thechecklist! (Photos by participantsDavid & Judy Smith)

The southeastern region ofBrazil, often referred to as theAtlantic Forest, is a hotbed foravian endemism. A remarkable59 endemic birds occur just onthe grounds of the lovely lodgewe use for our Serra dosTucanos, Brazil tour. You haveto get to this part of the worldto see gems like Gilt-edgedTanager (near right), Maroon-bellied Parakeet (upper right), and Saw-billedHermit (lower right). Streamer-tailed Tyrant(above) enjoys a slightly wider range, butsoutheastern Brazil is still your best bet to takein their showy courtship behavior. (Photos byparticipant Max Rodel)

Cape May is widely regarded as one of North America’s finest funneling pointsfor birds in migration. The numbers of common species like Tree Swallows,American Robins, and Yellow-rumped Warblers can be staggering, and raritiesturn up regularly. Our Cape May Megan’s Way tour is guide Megan EdwardsCrewe’s (far left) exploration with you of her favorite local patches. MarbledGodwit (above) and Black Skimmers (near left) were just a couple of thenumerous highlights encountered. (Photos by participant Nancy Newman)



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The stark landscapes of the High Andes can be sublime. Guide Dan Lane captured this perspective well in the imagebelow from our Bolivia’s Avian Riches tour. Wedge-tailed Hillstar (near left) is nearly endemic and definitely a target for this tour. Guira Cuckoo (far left) always seems to be having a bad hair day but this individual was looking particularlydisheveled. Considering the limited vegetation in its high-elevation habitat, Gray-breasted Seedsnipe (lower right) reliesheavily on camouflage. (Photos by participants Paul Koker & Keith Betton)

Ecuador’s Shiripuno Lodge:Heartland of the Waorani was another new tour for us in 2013, and judging fromthe response we received, we will definitely be offering it again. This new lodgeprovides access to the wildest Amazonian rainforest in Ecuador, and a numberof species were easier to find here compared to our other tours. Cruising theShirpuno River gave us access to the rich diversity of habitat (top). SpottedPuffbird (left) is rare and poorly known in Ecuador, but this site seems to be ahotspot. The Blue-throated Piping-Guan is a conspicuous canopy-dweller(right). (Photos by participants Barbara Williams & Ken Havard)

Southeastern Peru is widely regarded as the most species-rich birdingregion on Earth, and one of the reserves we visit hosts the largestknown clay lick. So it didn’t take much arm-twisting to get guides DaveStejskal and Pepe Rojas to lead our first tour to Peruvian Rainforests ofthe Tambopata after a five-year hiatus. Dave returned with someexcellent photos including Hoatzin (above right), White-bellied Parrot(upper left), and a snazzy Sunbittern (below).


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Guide Chris Benesh beats the summer heat back home in Arizona by heading to Newfoundland &Nova Scotia. Co-leader Lena Senko and an agreeable bunch of birders (above) got to join him. Thistour visits some major seabird colonies, and the thousands of Northern Gannets (near right) swirlingaround the cliffs at Cape St. Mary’s will blow your mind. Ruffed Grouse (far right) in the northernforest can be accommodating at times. (Photos by guide Lena Senko)

One of the richest biomes on Earthis literally just outside your door onour Amazonian Ecuador: Sacha Lodgetour. This impressive rainforestdestination offers a vast network oftrails, waterways, and its signaturecanopy walkway. At almost 100 feetup, you gain the perspective of thewildlife in the treetops. The gianttowers that anchor the walkway arewonderful observation platforms (upper right). White-eared Jacamar(above) and Yellow-rumped Cacique (right) were just a couple of thehundreds of confiding birds reported by guide Willy Perez and friends.(Photos by participants Jean Rigdon & Marsha Morris)

For many of us, a trip to PapuaNew Guinea is as far from home as we can get geographically,culturally, and biologically. Theelaborate plumes and exoticcourtship behaviors of themarvelous birds-of-paradise arethe primary attraction. Guide PhilGregory caught this Blue Bird-of-paradise in flight (above). PNGhas an impressive number of fancydoves and pigeons; this massiveGreat Cuckoo-Dove (left) was justone of the notables. Locallysourced material helps this bridgethat participant Virginia Kubic iscrossing blend into the forest.(Photos by participant LaszloCzinege and guide Phil Gregory)

Guides Dave Stejskal and Pepe Rojas (lower middle)led our inaugural Barrow, Alaska: Search for Ross’s Gulltour. The final tally of over 1200 Ross’s Gulls (nearleft) placed them firmly in the successful category.Scoping the unforgiving landscape (above) producedadditional highlights. A few Snowy Owls (far left) anda couple of Polar Bears were just gravy. (Photos fromparticipants Marshall Dahl & Bernie Grossman)


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Our last offering for thisbatch of Fresh From the Field photos comes from one of our Jaguar Spotting:Pantanal & Garden of theAmazon tours. Marcelo Paduaand Dave Stejskal teamed upto guide this once-in-a-lifetime experience. We havequite a streak going withseeing Jaguars on this tour,and thanks to Dave’s images,you know we kept that streakalive. Waders abound on thispredominantly wetland tour,but we tally hundreds ofother species as well,including the likes of Black-bellied Antwren (upper right)and Southern Screamer(lower right).

September was a wonderful time to enjoy the birds, landscapes, andcuisine of France: Camargue & Pyrenees. Our group easily found GreaterFlamingoes (left) in the Camargue. Other lowland highlights were LittleBustard, Eurasian Dotterel, and Eurasian Eagle-Owl. Megan EdwardsCrewe (above left) and Jay VanderGaast were our guides. Ascending intothe Pyrenees (above) really got the list rolling with highlights such asLammergeier, Black Woodpecker, Alpine Accentor, Eurasian Wryneck, andthe tour favorite: Wallcreeper. (Photos by guide Megan Edwards Creweand participant Randall McFarlane)

Participant George Sims shared some wonderfulimages from his Mountains of Manu adventurewith guides Rose Ann Rowlett and Pepe Rojas.They explored the upper elevation of the world-famous Manu Biosphere Reserve, from the highpuna zone, down through temperate andsubtropical cloudforests, to the eastern base ofthe Andes. The patchwork plumage and bill ofa Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan (left) adds upto one handsome bird. The sparkling Golden-tailed Sapphire (above) ended up on thefavorites list for hummingbirds. Andean Cock-of-the-rock (upper left) might be the mosticonic species of the Andes.

Combining New Caledonia, Fiji & Vanuatuinto one tour provides a fantastic getawayfor lovers of island endemics and thetropical Pacific. Sand underfoot and saltyair on the nose are never far away (above). This part of the world iswhere the Columbidae family (pigeons and doves) really shines.Once again, we got great looks at the likes of Orange Dove andCloven-feathered Dove (a New Caledonia endemic). But the star ofthe show on this tour is reliably the legendary Kagu. The onlymember of its family and endemic to New Caledonia, this grayghost of the forest came out and put on quite a performance for us(above right). (Photos by guide Phil Gregory)



Valley & Santa Marta,” reached by a directflight from Miami, and with a couple moredays for a more leisurely approach.

Costa Rica—March 15-30, 2014 with MeganCrewe & local guide. Resplendent Quetzals,Three-wattled Bellbirds, Scarlet Macaws in abeautiful country with easy travel.

Dominican Republic—March 16-23, 2014with Jesse Fagan & local guide. Short tour formany specialties and endemics including theunusual Palmchat.

Borneo I—March 16-April 2, 2014 with RoseAnn Rowlett. Three prime areas in some ofEarth’s richest forests while based in comfortright in the wild.

Spring in South Texas—March 22-30, 2014with Chris Benesh. Magnificent WhoopingCranes, lots of South Texas specialties, andspring hawk migration on this exciting tour.

Ghana—March 22-April 8, 2014 with PhilGregory. In search of numerous West Africanspecialties as well as White-necked Rockfowl.

Puerto Rico—March 23-29, 2014 with EricHynes & Lena Senko. A week of respite to avery birdy and beautiful Caribbean island, amix of North American and local culture andcuisine; 16 endemic birds and a number ofother Caribbean specialties.

Ethiopia: Endemic Birds & Ethiopian Wolf—April 4-24, 2014 (Lalibela Extension) withTerry Stevenson & Richard Webster. Aremarkable journey through a remarkableland, from Rift Valley lakes to the BaleMountains and south for Prince Ruspoli’s

Turaco and the strange Stresemann’s Bush-Crow.

Hawaii—April 5-14, 2014 with Dan Lane. We’llvisit three of the major islands—Oahu, Kauai,and Hawaii—giving us a chance to sample agreat portion of the Hawaiian endemic birdsand the seabird specialties.

Colorado Grouse I & II—April 5-15, 2014 withMegan Edwards Crewe & Pepe Rojas and April13-23, 2014 with Eric Hynes. A short tour toseek out the state’s prairie-chicken and grousespecies.

Belize—April 6-12, 2014 with Peter Burke. Aterrific introduction to (or continuation of!) yourtropical birding, including some regional birdspecialties.

Texas Coast Migration Spectacle I & II—April12-18, 2014 and April 19-25, 2014 with JohnCoons. The migration mecca of High Islandplus specialties of the Big Thicket and myriadwaterbirds and shorebirds.

Birding Plus: Scotland: Famous Grouse in theLand of Whisky—April 18-May 1, 2014 withJohn Rowlett & local guide. Imbibing HighlandScotland’s famous grouse, distilling birds inthe Hebrides, sorting through geese, sortingout crossbills, and sampling Scottish whiskyand culture sum up the smooth shots to betaken on this Birding Plus tour.

Texas’s Big Bend & Hill Country—April 19-28,2014 with Chris Benesh & Lena Senko. Colimaand Golden-cheeked warblers, MontezumaQuail, and other southern borderlandspecialties in Texas’s grand desert mountainlandscapes.

May-JuneChina: Manchuria & the Tibetan Plateau—May 5-26, 2014 with Dave Stejskal & JesperHornskov. A truly fabulous adventure—sixpossible crane species and a multitude ofcoveted waterbirds and scarce landbirds inManchuria and the monotypic Przevalski’sRosefinch high in the mountains of the remotenortheastern Tibetan Plateau.

Arizona: Birding the Border I & II—May 9-18,2014 with John Coons and May 16-25, 2014with Chris Benesh. One of the most excitingdestinations in North America with a backdropof spectacular mountain scenery.

Point Pelee Migration Spectacle—May 10-17, 2014 with Peter Burke. Exciting migrationbirding at several premier hotspots on the LakeErie shore.

NEW/Spring in Cape May—May 18-24, 2014with Megan Edwards Crewe & Lena Senko.Spring migration at one of the country’s famedbirding hotspots.

Uganda: Shoebill, Rift Endemics & Gorillas—May 22-June 12, 2014 with Phil Gregory &Jesse Fagan. The rare Shoebill and a wealth ofother birds and many Central Africanspecialties combined with opportunities to trekfor Chimps and Mountain Gorillas.

Virginias’ Warblers—May 28-June 1, 2014with John Rowlett. Unsurpassed locale forbreeding wood-warblers; cool, mountainclimate in both beautiful states.

Alaska I & II—May 30-June 7, 2014 (Part I)and June 6-16, 2014 (Part II) with ChrisBenesh & Pepe Rojas and June 6-14, 2014(Part I) and June 13-23, 2014 (Part II) withMegan Edwards Crewe & Lena Senko. Surveyin two parts: Part I to the Pribilofs and Denali;Part II to Nome, Seward, and Barrow.

Northern Arizona’s Canyons & Condor—May 31-June 5, 2014 with John Coons. Thistour features mountain and high-desert birdsof the western US amidst stunning scenerywith California Condors at the Grand Canyon,

all guided by our own Flagstaff-based residentexpert, John Coons.

NEW/Maine: Birding Downeast—May 31-June8, 2014 with Eric Hynes. A new summer birdingtour for warblers, boreal specialties, puffins,“lobstah,” and more.

NEW/Northern Ecuador: Andes, Cloudforest &Otavalo Market—June 5-15, 2014 with WillyPerez. New tour for stunning landscapes fromthe central Highlands of the Quichuas downthrough the cloudforests of the Intag andMindo Valleys, full of unique dry-valleyspecialties and Choco endemics.

Montana: Yellowstone to Glacier—June 7-17,2014 with Terry McEneaney. Great westernbirding and wildlife on this tour amidst thescenery of Big Sky country.

Borneo II—June 8-25, 2014 with DaveStejskal. Three prime areas in some of Earth’srichest forests while based in comfort right inthe wild.

Galapagos: An Intimate Look at Darwin’sIslands—June 14-24, 2014 with Willy Perez.A must for any naturalist and birder; small-group, broad coverage of the islands withplenty of time for the birds, exploring, andphotography.

Amazonian Ecuador: Sacha Lodge III—June 27-July 6, 2014 with Willy Perez. One-site tour to one of the most comfortablelodges in western Amazonia with some of thebirdiest canopy platforms anywhere.

Newfoundland & Nova Scotia—June 27-July 7, 2014 with Chris Benesh & LenaSenko. Boreal specialties, seabird colonies,and numerous breeding landbirds in thebeautiful Canadian Maritimes.

Spitsbergen & Svalbard Archipelago: ACruise to the Norwegian Arctic—June 29-July 11, 2014 with John Coons. A high-arcticadventure aboard a comfortable vessel forfantastic seabirds, marine mammalsincluding Walrus and Polar Bear, andfabulous scenery.

Arizona Nightbirds & More I & II—April 24-28, 2014 with Dave Stejskal and May 8-12, 2014 with Chris Benesh. A shorttour focused on this area’s many owl andnightjar specialties.

Classical Greece—April 25-May 9, 2014with Megan Edwards Crewe & local guide.Fine southeast European birding at the peakof migration with archaeological and culturalstops.

Rainforest & Savanna: Alta Floresta & theNorthern Pantanal, Brazil—April 26-May 12,2014 with Marcelo Padua. Pristine rainforeston the beautiful Rio Cristalino combined withthe wilds of the Pantanal in search ofHyacinth Macaw, Harpy Eagle, Jabiru, Jaguar,and a large piece of the meaning of life.

Birding Plus: Do the Charleston! Spring inSouth Carolina—April 27-May 4, 2014 withJesse Fagan. Our tour combining springmigration and a touch of the mountains withlovely and historic Charleston, SouthCarolina.

March-AprilNEW/Cloudforests of El Triunfo, Mexico: TheHorned Guan & More—March 8-17, 2014with Jay VanderGaast & local guide. Hikingand camping to see the fabulous Horned Guanand much more while birding the Sierra Madreof Chiapas.

Brazil Nutshell: Intervales, Iguazu Falls & thePantanal—March 8-22, 2014 with MarceloPadua & Pepe Rojas. This medium-length tourhits three of Brazil’s premier birding venues,staying several nights at each to ensure anunhurried pace as we rack up some 400species of birds.

Southwestern Ecuador Specialties: JocotocoFoundation Reserves—March 8-22, 2014with Mitch Lysinger. Focuses on the manyspecialties of the southwest, in particular thevery local endemics of the humid foothills andmountains and Tumbesian specialties.

Bahamas: Abaco, Eleuthera & Kirtland’sWarbler—March 11-16, 2014 with JesseFagan. Small-group tour for four Bahamianendemics, several Caribbean endemics, a fewearly migrants, Kirtland’s Warbler, and asampling of West Indian butterflies; excitingbirding at a relaxed pace.

Ecuador’s Wildsumaco Lodge—March 14-24,2014 with Willy Perez. Exploring the riches ofthe eastern Andean foothills of northernEcuador for numerous specialties atWildsumaco Lodge.

Colombia: Santa Marta Escape—March 15-23, 2014 with Richard Webster & local guide.An easier subset of “Bogota, the Magdalena

UPCOMINGTOURSFor details on any trip or trips,please call our office or checkour web site, where you maydownload tour itineraries.

JulyKenya Highlights—July 2-20, 2014 with TerryStevenson. Kenya’s best birding and mammalviewing areas in less than 3 weeks.

Machu Picchu & Abra Malaga, Peru I & II—July 4-13, 2014 with Dan Lane and August 7-16,2014 with Jesse Fagan. Southern Peru’s east-slope, temperate birding at its best, featuringseveral endemics and scenic Andean puna; alsoMachu Picchu and great subtropical birding onand near lovely hotel grounds.

Galapagos: An Intimate Look at Darwin’sIslands II—July 5-15, 2014 with MeganCrewe. A must for any naturalist and birder;small-group, broad coverage of the islandswith plenty of time for the birds, exploring, and photography.

Papua New Guinea—July 6-24, 2014 with Jay VanderGaast. Birds-of-paradise andbowerbirds are the crown jewels of one of themost remarkable bird faunas, set against afascinating cultural backdrop far removedfrom our own.

Mountains of Manu, Peru—July 12-27, 2014with Dan Lane. Our in-depth transect of thehigher-elevation half of the Manu BiosphereReserve.

Montane Ecuador: Cloudforests of theAndes—July 25-August 3, 2014 with MitchLysinger. Superb Andean subtropical birding onboth East and West slopes.

Arizona’s Second Spring I & II—July 26-August 4, 2014 with John Coons and August 2-11, 2012 with Chris Benesh. An ideal time for

visiting one of the best birding regions inNorth America: great for local specialtiesand Mexican vagrants.

Peru’s Magnetic North: Spatuletails, OwletLodge & More—July 31-August 11, 2014with Dan Lane & Dave Stejskal. A 12-daytaste of northern Peru’s east-slope Andes!Five nights at Long-whiskered Owlet Lodge;much time in the field, yet no camping.



“Field Guides is the complete package: guides, office staff, trip planning and assistance, destinations, and our first look when planning and shopping for a new tour. In other words, our first choice.”

B. & N.D., Louisiana: Yellow Rails & Crawfish Tails

PEPE ROJASSo where in the world is Pepe Rojas? He couldbe anywhere in the New World from Alaska toPeru—check out the photo of Pepe in Barrow on page 7 and Pepe on page 12 dressed like amummy in the Manu.

Brazil Nutshell: Intervales, Iguazu Falls & The Pantanal,

March 8-22

Colorado Grouse, April 5-15

Alaska, May 30-June 7 (Part I) and June 6-16 (Part II)

Bolivia’s Avian Riches, September 6-21

Peruvian Rainforests of the Tambopata, October 4-17

Northern Peru: Endemics Galore, November 2-22

Iquitos, Peru: Canopy Walkways & Ancient Forests, December 20-31

TERRY STEVENSONWhile it’s hard for the rest of us to bevery sympathetic, Terry does like to getout of Africa every now and then, and hethoroughly enjoys his annual tours to bothnorthern and southern India—and don’tforget Terry’s new Hungary & Romaniatour coming in April of 2015.

Ethiopia: Endemic Birds & Ethiopian Wolf, April 4-24

Kenya Highlights, July 2-20

Kenya Safari spectacular, August 29-September 25

South Africa, October 9-November 1

Southern India: Western Ghats Endemics, November 16-December 7

JAY VANDERGAASTAfter some time off to be with his young family, Jay is back in thesaddle at Field Guides. And he’s got a couple of new tours in 2014—one in two parts to Costa Rica in January and a new and improvedversion of our El Triunfo tour (see page 3 for details).

Cloudforests of El Triunfo, Mexico: The

Horned Guan & More, March 8-17

Papua New Guinea, July 6-24

New Guinea & Australia, October 2-20

Spectacular Southeast (Brazil Part I),

October 31-November 16

WHERE’S THAT

GUIDE?March through December tours for eleven of our guides.

For complete listings, please visit our web site(www.fieldguides.com/guides).

PHIL GREGORYFollowing three Asia tours in Januaryand February, Phil will enjoy an Africandiversion with tours to Ghana andUganda—and return in the fall forMadagascar. Maybe in between he’ll getto spend a little time at home, where hehas Southern Cassowaries and Red-necked Crakes as yard birds. Youwonder how he ever leaves.

Ghana, March 22-April 8

Uganda: Shoebill, Rift Endemics & Gorillas, May 22-June 12

New Caledonia, Fiji & Vanuatu, September 1-19

Madagascar, Mauritius & Reunion, November 8-December 4

MARCELO PADUABeginning his tour year in Chileand Argentina (for Birds &Wines!), Marcelo will be back inBrazil for the rest of 2014, doingtours to nearly every part of thathuge country. Marcelo knowsBrazil and its birds like the backof his hand, and as a bonus, hespeaks fluent Portuguese—withcharm!

Brazil Nutshell: Intervales, Iguazu Falls &

The Pantanal, March 8-22

Rainforest & Savanna: Alta Floresta & The Northern Pantanal, April 26-May 12

Jaguar Spotting: Pantanal & Garden of the Amazon, August 2-13

Safari Brazil: The Pantanal & More, October 4-19

Spectacular Southeast Brazil (Part II), November 14-30



BRET WHITNEYAs one participant put it, “Bret is legendary.”Seems like every time you turn around, he’scome up with a new bird species. And havingBret show you one of those species is almost asmuch fun as hearing his stories to go with it.

Nowhere but Northeast Brazil, January 29-February 15 (Part II)

Rio Negro Paradise: Manaus, Brazil, September 8-21

Spectacular Southeast Brazil, October 31-November 16 (Part I) and November 14-30

(Part II)

PETER BURKETour participants often commentthat Pete is a great guide—a“polished gem” according to aparticipant on one of his tours.And he’s also an artist, workingwith both Bret Whitney on hisBirds of Brazil and Jesse Fagan onhis Birds of Northern CentralAmerica—he’s already illustratedNorth American and Chilean birds.

Belize, April 6-12

Point Pelee Migration Spectacle May 10-17

Chile, October 26-November 15

DAN LANEAnyone who has paged through the plates of the Birds of Peru can seethat Dan is an accomplished artist. But combine his discerning eyewith a great ear, a wealth of knowledge, and a lively sense of humor,and you have a first-rate birding companion.

Hawaii, April 5-14

Machu Picchu & Abra Malaga, Peru, July 4-13

Mountains of Manu, Peru, July 12-27

Peru’s Magnetic North: Spatuletails, Owlet Lodge & More,

July 31-August 11

Bolivia’s Avian Riches, September 6-21

Louisiana: Yellow Rails & Crawfish Tails, October 23-27

New Zealand, November 9-27

Iquitos, Peru: Canopy Walkways & Ancient Forests,

December 20-31

MITCH LYSINGERAt Field Guides it’s impossible to think ofEcuador without also thinking of Mitch.And with good reason—since hisknowledge of and know-how withNeotropical birds are the result of morethan two decades of living there. After atour with him, Ecuador and Mitch will besynonyms for you, too.

Southwestern Ecuador Specialties: Jocotoco

Foundation Reserves, March 8-22

Montane Ecuador: Cloudforests of the Andes, July 25-August 3

Ecuador’s Shiripuno Lodge: Heartland of the Waorani, September 26-October 5

Holiday at San Isidro, Ecuador, December 27-January 5

LENA SENKOThe newest member of our Field Guides team has jumped into thefield with a full schedule, and as you can see, Lena will be busy seeing alot of great birds and more importantly, showing them to participantson her tours, which include several encores from her 2013 scheduleand several new ones, too.

Puerto Rico, March 23-29

Texas’s Big Bend & Hill Country, April 19-28

Spring in Cape May, May 18-24

Alaska, June 6-14 (Part I) and June 13-23 (Part II)

Newfoundland & Nova Scotia, June 27-July 7

Ecuador: Rainforest & Andes, September 7-21

Australia, October 2-23 (Part I)

Trinidad & Tobago, December 27-January 5

ERIC HYNESWe hear nothing but good things about Eric in post-tour evaluations:great eyes and ears, skillful at getting participants on birds, alwayseager to share his deep knowledge of the natural world withparticipants on his tours. We’re lookingforward to his 2014 tours, as we bet youare, too! (Be sure to check Eric’s article on page 1 on his Puerto Rico tour.)

Puerto Rico, March 23-29

Colorado Grouse, April 13-23

Maine: Birding Downeast, May 31-June 8

Galapagos: An Intimate Look at Darwin’s Islands,

August 2-12

Barrow, Alaska: Search for Ross’s Gull, October 3-7

Australia, October 21-November 5 (Part II)

“I stick with a good thing once I find it! I have never had a complaint about any experience with Field Guides and I have been traveling with them since 1989.”

C.M., Jaguar Spotting: Pantanal & Garden of the Amazon


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BIRDING TOURS WORLDWIDE

Machu Picchu & Abra Malaga, Peru—July 4-13, 2014 & August 7-16, 2014Mountains of Manu, Peru—July 12-27, 2014Peru’s Magnetic North: Spatuletails, Owlet Lodge & More—July 31-August 11, 2014Peruvian Rainforests of the Tambopata: Macaw Lick Extraordinaire—October 4-17, 2014Northern Peru: Endemics Galore—November 2-22, 2014Iquitos, Peru: Canopy Walkways & Ancient Forests—December 20-31, 2014


fieldguides2 800-728-4953 / region of the country formerly known as Manchuria (Jilin Province and Inner Mongolia). We spend our time in the Northeast at a couple of venues that are

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