|
Welcome to our June emailing!
Greetings, birding friends, and welcome to summer! (Or for you Southern Hemisphere readers, welcome to winter!) For most folks in the U.S., that first furnace blast of heat has certainly arrived. For you lucky ducks living in places that haven't heated up quite yet, you are the envy of many!
Speaking of heating up, we are certainly in overdrive right now with our tour schedule. As you read this, we have tours ramping up and winding down in Mongolia, Iceland, Borneo, Alaska, Galapagos, Brazil, and folks taking in Marvelous Spatuletails in Peru. Before this month comes to a close, we'll have participants headed out to Newfoundland & Nova Scotia and others embarking on an Arctic cruise around Norway. Every one of those tours sounds like a great way to beat the summer heat!
If you haven't booked any birding-related travel yet this year, we've got a few tours for you to ponder below. One of those is our Birds & Art tour to Holland, a fabulous way to explore European waterfowl, a variety of other European birds, and the Dutch masters. We also have a few Thanksgiving offerings to the tropics that might sound appealing—most just a short flight away. We have a couple East Coast tours, too, that are designed to take in the wonders of fall migration. And we've got a reminder that we can arrange private tours for you, both for groups of friends and for organizations. Depending on the tour, it might not be too late to get something together for 2026.
As always, we also have our regular features. There's a new Recent Photos Gallery, with 125 images from a dozen tours to ten countries on three continents. We also have a couple short videos from recent tours that you might enjoy watching. There's our list of upcoming tours with available spaces for the next six months, a link to our Field Guides Store, and 11 tour reports from recent tours and eight fresh itineraries for upcoming tours next year.
We'd like to thank guide Eric Hynes for contributing the photo above of a Purple Honeycreeper that he took while leading a recent Trinidad & Tobago tour. We have another departure of this same fun tour coming up later this year, guided by Micah Riegner. It departs December 1, and there is space available.
Our thanks, too, to participant Mary Kenney for the photo below of some folks headed out to Lamanai Outpost Lodge during our Belize tour this past February.
As always, we appreciate you opening and reading through this emailing, and if a tour seems interesting and you'd like to find out more, just contact our office and we'll help you get on your way.
| | Holland: Birds & Art in November | | |
If you're interested in art as well as birds, our Holland—Birds & Art: Waterfowl Spectacle & Dutch Masters tour might be a perfect fit for you. This relaxed tour weaves together the Netherlands’ rich birdlife and the country's profound and enduring artistic heritage. The tour's lead guide is Godfried Schreur, who was born and raised in the Netherlands. This year he'll be joined by Jay VanderGaast—who has just a little bit of Dutch in his name. The tour, Nov 30-Dec 9, seeks large numbers of wintering waterfowl and waders of many species, plus a fine sampling of northern European landbirds. Tufted Duck, Smew, Great Crested Grebe, Water Rail, Bearded Reedling, Black Woodpecker, and White-tailed Eagle are just a few of the species we hope to see.
The museums we visit house some of the world's finest art. At the Rijksmuseum we'll be awed by the works of Rembrandt (including his expansive and famous canvas, The Night Watch) and other Dutch masters. We'll visit the Mauritshuis, where we'll have a chance to see Vermeer's masterpiece, Girl With a Pearl Earring. In the picturesque town of Haarlem, we will visit the oldest museum in the Netherlands, Teylers Museum, with works by Michelangelo and Raphael. And we'll also take in the Kroller-Muller Museum—located right in the Hoge Veluwe National Park—which houses the world's second-largest collection of Van Gogh's works.
If you've ever thought about a week in Europe rich in birding and art, contact our office to sign up.
| | Thanksgiving birding in the tropics | | If you're looking to get away this Thanksgiving to partake in some birding that doesn't involve pre-heating an oven, we've got a few spaces left on four fantastic tours to Belize, Jamaica, Mexico, and Colombia. Most of these are compact trips, with relatively short flights to the destination. | | |
Thanksgiving in Belize, Nov 21-29 with Chris Benesh (only one space!)
If you've never been to the tropics, this is a fine way to ease into tropical birding. We'll experience Belize’s rich birdlife from two outstanding lodges—Lamanai Outpost Lodge and Black Rock Lodge—each offering access to distinct habitats and a remarkable range of species, including many birds in families associated with the New World tropics. Belize requires relatively minimal travel, offers English-speaking ease, and we've crafted a short (but fun!) itinerary making this tour perfect for first-time Neotropical birders or seasoned travelers seeking a quick tropical getaway.
| | |
Jamaica III, Nov 22-29 with Cory Gregory (2 spaces)
Our quick Jamaica jaunt seeks the island's 28 unique species found nowhere else, plus regional specialties and wintering warblers. Jamaica is a top Caribbean birding destination—just a short hop from the U.S. Enjoy a relaxed, week-long tour based mostly from one comfortable hotel, with great food, vibrant culture, and a high chance of seeing all the island’s endemics—including dazzling Streamertails and the unusual (and mis-named!) Orangequit.
| | |
Mexico: Yucatan & Cozumel, Nov 22-Dec 1 with Megan Edwards Crewe & Alex Sundvall (4 spaces)
The Yucatan Peninsula combines rich tropical birding with a spectacular cultural setting, where we'll discover a rich array of tropical birds and regional endemics and explore ancient Mayan ruins like the stepped pyramids at Uxmal and Chichen Itza. Birds we seek include the Yucatan Wren, Mexican Sheartail, and Cozumel Emerald, to mention a few. We’ll take a boat trip onto the Estero de Celestun to see its famed concentration of American Flamingos. At night we'll try for Yucatan Poorwill and Yucatan Nightjar. If all that isn't tempting enough, we'll also be dining at several elegant, restored Mexican haciendas.
| | |
NEW TOUR! Colombia's Inirida: Land of Many Waters, Nov 24-Dec 1 with Jesse Fagan & local guide (only one space!)
We've added this new tour to far eastern Colombia to explore the rich birdlife of the Inírida region—the transition zone between the Venezuelan and Colombian llanos (or savanna), and the Amazon Basin. Here we find over 500 species of birds, including regional specialties like Yapacana Antbird, Yellow-crowned Manakin, Orinoco Piculet, and Capuchinbird. This tour offers exceptional white-sand forest and varzea (floodplain) birding, striking scenery at the Mavecure "hills" (a trio of towering, dome-shaped outcroppings that rise above the flatlands of eastern Colombia), and memorable cultural and culinary experiences with local Indigenous communities.
For more information about a tour, or to reserve a space, please contact our office.
(Above photo credits: Tody Motmot from Belize by participant Doug Clarke; Orangequit, Jamaica, by guide Cory Gregory; Great Pyramid at Uxmal by guide Chris Benesh; Yellow-crowned Manakin, Colombia, by guide Jesse Fagan.)
| | East Coast fall migration | | We're offering two tours this fall to witness the East's fabled fall migration. The first is our Maine in Fall: Seabirds & Coastal Migrants, which explores the spectacular coast of Maine at peak migration. Dates this year are September 7-16. From shorebird-rich marshes near Portland to the rugged terrain of Acadia National Park and the timelessness of Monhegan Island, this tour with guide Sam Wilson aims to see as much of fall migration as possible. We'll search for coastal specialties like Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, and Great Cormorant; and when we're Downeast we'll delve into some coastal boreal habitat, hoping for Spruce Grouse and Black-backed Woodpeckers. We'll also embark on two exciting boat trips that may yield views of shearwaters, storm-petrels, Little Gull, and even Great or South Polar Skua. While birding along the shore, we might catch massive flocks of shorebirds, like the Semipalmated Sandpipers that Sam photographed above. At just about every stop we'll be looking for migrating warblers, vireos, and thrushes, while Maine's striking, dramatic scenery and local flavor (yes, lobster too!) round out this rich New England experience. | | |
The second is our Fall for Cape May tour. Each fall, Cape May, New Jersey, fills with birdlife. Hawks and falcons pump their way down the coast above the dunes. Warblers flit in just about any patch of habitat. Shorebirds amass on tidal flats. Few places in North America offer such an unobstructed view of fall migration, which is why birding Cape May in fall is a bucket list item for many birders. We stay in one beachside hotel for the duration, and there's very little driving throughout. That, plus good meals and easy birding will make our Cape May experience a memory not soon forgotten. Our dates this year are September 20-26, with Doug Gochfeld guiding. (Photo of a group looking skyward by participant Mae Sander.)
To sign up or get more information about any of these tours, please contact our office.
| | Private tours for your group or organization | | Would you like to organize your own tour with a group of special birding friends or for your local birding club with one of our world-class guides? We regularly put together private departures for groups of 6 or more to many different destinations, and they are invariably a big hit. Just contact our office to start planning your group's next great birding trip. Examples of some private group departures coming up with us in the next few months include Guatemala, Spain, New Guinea, and New Zealand. Where would you like to go? We're certain we can help make it an unforgettable adventure. | | Short videos from recent tours | | |
Many of our tour reports contain highlight videos from the tour that might showcase the birds, other wildlife, the scenery, the culture, or any combination thereof.
Our first video is a short highlights clip from our Jamaica tour, courtesy of guide Megan Edwards Crewe. Click here or on the Jamaican Tody below to watch the video.
The second clip is a highlight video from our recent Ghana: Window into West African Birding tour, provided by guides Phil Gregory & Tarry Butcher. You can view this video by clicking here or on the Egyptian Plover below.
| | Field Guides merch is available! We've got shirts, hats, hoodies, mugs, stickers, tote bags, and more—all a click away at our Field Guides Store. Fashionable and functional—sure to keep you comfortable and looking spiffy—check it all out at the store. | | Reports from recent tours | | We have annotated and illustrated reports from recently completed tours linked below, each with some lovely images and some with video clips, and all with great texts by our guides. Enjoy! | | Comments from participants | |
We carefully read each post-tour evaluation we receive from our participants, so that we can continue to offer the best possible birding experiences and service on Field Guides birding tours. Here are two representative recent comments. From all of us at Field Guides, our thanks for all your valuable feedback. | | |
“The tour was wonderful! Our guides Godfried Schreur and Willy Perez were knowledgeable, helpful, and fun! I have toured with other agencies, and while their guides know the birds, not all of them have the people skills that the Field Guides guides have. Your guides are the primary reason I prefer Field Guides. Godfried is not only knowledgeable about the birds, but he also knows so much about the history of the various areas of Spain where we birded or traveled through. He is also a kind man who really wants to make sure everyone is getting what they want (assuming the birds cooperate, of course!). I was on a trip to Brazil with Willy Perez once before, so I knew what to expect. He did not disappoint! In fact, I noticed that his confidence as a leader has grown and matured, yet he maintains his authenticity that makes him who he is. Our tour manager was Ruth Kuhl, and she was friendly, helpful and good about answering emails. She emailed information in a timely manner. Field Guides is THE best in my experience!” K.O., Spain: La Mancha, Coto Doñana & Extremadura 2025
“Our overall tour experience was excellent. Our guide, Doug Gochfeld, has the most amazing eyes! He could spot a cicada perfectly camouflaged on a tree 50 feet away! I was sure that he never missed anything! He was also very organized and kept us informed of all upcoming plans. I would definitely travel with Doug again and might even do a search for his tours. The tour manager was excellent. Karen Turner really helped us with difficult flight arrangements. We often just book our own flights, but the final leg in the flights wasn't even visible to me in an online search. So she really saved the day! Field Guides is our go-to birding tour company, and we are happily faithful clients! We're already trying to decide what FG tour to do next!” D.D., Borneo I, 2025
| | Tours with openings through year's end | | Each month we list in this section the Field Guides departures over the next six months that still have at least two spaces available (unless otherwise noted). | | |
Oaxaca is in a region in Mexico with a high concentration of endemic species, and the city itself boasts a rich archaeological and cultural heritage. Our Mexico: Oaxaca Valley tour takes it all in—up to 20 Mexican endemics (including the Red Warbler pictured here, courtesy of guide Sam Wilson), fascinating ruins, and cuisine loaded with bold flavors. This is a great tour for bird and nature lovers, cultural explorers, and seekers of fine cuisine. If you consider yourself all of the above, then it is a must-visit destination. Our next departure is with Doug Gochfeld & Jay VanderGaast, and it runs December 20-27. For more information or to book a space, please contact our office.
SOUTH AMERICA
-
Amazonian Ecuador: Sacha Lodge, Jul 3-12 with Willy Perez & local guide
-
Galapagos: An Intimate Look at Darwin's Islands II, Jul 12-22 with Willy Perez & local guide (1 space)
-
Brazil: Parrots & Cotingas — The Mouth of the Mighty Amazon, Aug 1-14 with Marcelo Padua
-
Iquitos, Peru: Canopy Walkways & Ancient Forests, Aug 1-15 with Micah Riegner
-
Rio Negro Paradise: Manaus, Brazil, Sep 13-28 with Marcelo Barreiros & Bret Whitney (1 space)
-
Safari Brazil: The Pantanal & More, Sep 20-Oct 5 with Marcelo Padua
-
Central Peruvian Endemics: The High Andes, Oct 4-20 with Dan Lane
-
NEW TOUR! Bolivia's Lowland Lodges: Blue-throated Macaws & Beyond, Oct 5-18 with Micah Riegner
-
Spectacular Southeast Brazil (Part I), Oct 17- Nov 3 with Bret Whitney & Marcelo Barreiros
-
Antarctica, South Georgia, & the Falklands, Oct 20- Nov 12 with Doug Gochfeld
-
Spectacular Southeast Brazil (Part II), Nov 1-14 with Bret Whitney & Marcelo Barreiros
-
Chile: The Classic Tour, Nov 3-23 with Willy Perez & local guide (1 space)
-
NEW TOUR! Colombia's Inirida: Land of Many Waters, Nov 24-Dec 1 with Jesse Fagan & local guide (1 space)
-
Trinidad & Tobago I, Dec 1-10 with Micah Riegner
-
Ecuador's Wildsumaco Lodge, Dec 29-Jan 8 with Willy Perez
NORTH AMERICA
MIDDLE AMERICA & WEST INDIES
AFRICA
EUROPE
ASIA & AUSTRALASIA
To learn more about any of these tours or to hold a space, please contact our office.
| | Recently posted upcoming itineraries | | Click on any image or link below to see the detailed itinerary for the following tours. All of these itineraries are packed with information (and have a few nice photos as well). | |
Field Guides Incorporated, 4425 South Mopac Expy, Bldg 3-Ste 505, Austin, TX 78735
1+800-728-4953 • 1+512-263-7295
| | | | |
