Eco Travel

Winter in Northeast Minnesota

January 23-28, 2025

With Scott Barnes and Tom Reed

GENERAL INFORMATION:

While nowhere near the top of the average traveler’s list of winter destinations, Northeast Minnesota offers a remarkable amount of excitement for any birder at this season. The lively port cities of Duluth and Superior, Lake Superior’s picturesque North Shore, the famous Sax-Zim Bog, and the vast Superior National Forest all come together to present a unique blend of wildlife and general experiences that are not to be missed!

Given the cyclical and irruptive nature of many of the birds we seek in these northern environs, the “list of possibilities” will be slightly different winter-to-winter and sometimes even month-to-month. Species we hope to find on this short tour include Great Gray, Snowy, and Northern Hawk Owls, Spruce, Sharp-Tailed, and Ruffed Grouse, Canada Jay, Black-backed Woodpecker, Common Redpoll, Pine and Evening Grosbeaks, Boreal Chickadee, Northern Shrike, Black-billed Magpie, and Crossbills. Rarer species that occasionally appear here include American Three-toed Woodpecker, Boreal Owl, Townsend’s Solitaire, Harlequin Duck, and Gyrfalcon. Mammals can also be a highlight, with possibilities including Porcupine, Snowshoe Hare, Pine Marten, Ermine, and if we’re very lucky – Moose, Gray Wolf, or Canada Lynx.

PACE, WEATHER, AND TRAVEL CONDITIONS:

We will typically leave our hotel around 6-6:30am, depending on how far we intend to travel to reach our first stop of the day. Sunrise is around 7:30am with sunset around 5:30pm here during late January, meaning days in the field will never be extremely long. Temperatures generally range from 0-30ºF but can potentially be a bit lower or higher than this at times; effects from windchill can be a concern in more open areas. Being prepared for the cold is key! Snow and sleet are the most likely precipitation types to be encountered. There will be extended time spent in the tour vehicles, with a couple of longer (~2 hour) drives possible.

GROUP SIZE: Travel during this tour will be in vans, with no more than 7 participants plus a leader in one “12 person” van. Tour size is limited to 13 participants.

ACTIVITY LEVEL:  Easy to Moderate
The trip involves light to moderate amounts of walking but no strenuous hikes. Expect cold to possibly below-zero temperatures. We’ll mitigate this by spending much of our time birding in or near the tour vehicles where you can warm up. Some walking in snow or on ice-covered surfaces is possible.

DATES:

Thursday January 23, 2025 to Tuesday January 28, 2025

PRICE:

Cost for the tour is $2,895 per person, based on double occupancy.  Single supplement (if we cannot find you a roommate, or you request single) is $300. A deposit of $500 will hold your place until November 20, 2024 when full payment becomes due.

PRICE INCLUDES:

Hotel accommodations for five nights lodging, tour leadership, ground transportation while in Minnesota, and entry fees.

Price does not include: meals, personal incidentals or airfare to/from Duluth.

SEND DEPOSITS & OTHER PAYMENTS TO:

NJ Audubon, c/o Rene’ Buccinna/Eco-Travel, 2350 Route 47 North, Building 1, Woodbine, NJ 08270 tel. 609-400-3852. Email [email protected]

Please make checks payable to New Jersey Audubon.  Visa, MasterCard and Discover are also accepted.

ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrival to Duluth during afternoon. Arrangements for transportation to hotel, or participants with own transportation can go birding in the immediate Duluth area. Group meets at hotel at 6:00pm for introductions and then dinner.

Days 2-5: Our daily schedule will be flexible on account of weather and road conditions, and the latest information on bird sightings. We plan to dedicate at least one full day to exploring Sax-Zim Bog and nearby environs, where many of the trip’s target species can be found. This will include visiting the Friends of Sax-Zim visitor center, traveling various roads that cut through the bog and adjacent farmland, checking out a few feeding stations, and maybe even taking a few short walks to truly experience this amazing place. Some of the birds we’ll seek at Sax-Zim include Great Gray and Northern Hawk owls, Common Redpoll, Boreal Chickadee, Black-backed Woodpecker, Black-billed Magpie, Canada Jay, Sharp-tailed and Ruffed grouse, Evening and Pine Grosbeaks. Mammal sightings could include Porcupine, Pine Marten, Ermine, Snowshoe Hare, or with a lot of luck, a Gray Wolf or Moose. We’ll visit a local café for lunch.

Another day will be spent exploring the Superior National Forest and parts of Lake Superior’s North Shore. On this day, we’ll leave a bit earlier to account for the 90-minute drive that is needed to get up into the forest. We’ll hope this early start gives us a good chance to find Spruce Grouse, and it’s also possible that Red or White-winged Crossbills, Black-backed Woodpecker, and other goodies may be about. We’ll also keep our eyes open for Moose and other mammals. We’ll then return to the lakeshore, with a few different options for the remainder of the day including the productive Two Harbors area. Ornamental trees and shrubs in small towns can attract frugivores like Pine Grosbeak or Bohemian Waxwing, and an occasional rarity. We’ll again seek out a local eatery for lunch. Other interesting species we hope to connect with include Rough-legged Hawk and Northern Shrike.

During the rest of the trip, we will mix and match locations to give ourselves opportunities to connect with birds we previously missed, see some again or better, and to also allow for any weather-related issues we may encounter. We will also spend some time seeking out Snowy Owls at Superior’s small airport, watch for white-winged gulls at a couple locations including Duluth’s Canal Park, and just generally enjoy this beautiful, unique, and wild part of the country.

Day 6: Tour ends with your departure from Duluth. No activities scheduled today.

TOUR LEADERS:

Scott Barnes began birding in the mid-1980’s and has been an avid naturalist ever since.  Encouragement and learning came from his parents and many birders, including members of the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club and staff of New Jersey Audubon. An interest in travel and natural history has led him from the Bering Sea to the desert southwest to the tropics of Central America in search of birds and other wildlife. Scott has compiled the Sandy Hook Christmas Bird Count for over twenty years, served for thirteen years on the New Jersey Bird Records Committee, led for See Life Paulagics tours for nineteen years and leads on Hillstar Nature Pelagic trips, serves on the NJ Waterfowl Stamp Advisory Committee, teaches Beginner Birding Courses for Princeton Adult School, and is an eBird reviewer for NJ. He is the assistant director of the NJ Audubon Travel Program.  Scott has led NJ Audubon tours in 23 states in the U.S., Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Spain, and Trinidad & Tobago. Scott co-led the Minnesota in Winter 2024 Tour.

Tom Reed is the Migration Count Coordinator for NJ Audubon’s Cape May Bird Observatory, responsible for overseeing the observatory’s migration monitoring programs, community science initiatives, and the Monarch Monitoring Project. In addition to Eco-Travel, “TR” also plays a role in our Guide-for-Hire and School of Birding programs. Each year he pens Cape May’s annual bird report- a full accounting of every species recorded in a given year, and the only effort of its kind in North America!  Tom Reed has a passion for birds and birding and is passionate about sharing his knowledge with others.  As the Migration Count Coordinator, Tom has studied bird migration not only in Cape May but at other internationally known migration watches including Hawk Ridge in Duluth.  He has traveled widely throughout the US, along with multiple trips to Central America, Europe, and the Middle East. Tom co-led the 2024 Minnesota in Winter Tour.

TEXAS: THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY

November 12—20, 2025

Led by Scott Barnes and Dave Irons

GENERAL INFORMATION:

One of the premier destinations for birding in the U.S., the Lower Rio Grande Valley has over 30 species of birds found nowhere else in the states. Ecologically, this area is the northern most extension of the Tamaulipan thorn-scrub habitat of northeastern Mexico. From colorful Green Jays and Great Kiskadees to more subtle specialties like Long-billed Thrasher and Olive Sparrow, there are always lots of birds to see and search for in the valley. In some years rarities from Mexico appear—and although not expected, past NJA tours have seen Masked Duck, Hook-billed Kite, Tropical Parula, and Blue Bunting. Many resident species should be active and visible, and wintering waterfowl, shorebirds, and warbler flocks should keep us busy. Places we are likely to visit include Laguna Atascosa and Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuges, Estero Llano Grande, Resaca de La Palma, and Falcon State Parks, and Frontera Audubon Thicket. Some of the many species we should encounter include Least Grebe, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Common Paraque, White-tailed and Harris’s Hawks, Plain Chachalaca, Ringed and Green Kingfishers, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Black-crested Titmouse, Altamira and Audubon’s Orioles.

PACE, WEATHER, AND TRAVEL CONDITIONS:

Our days in the field usually begin about 7:00 a.m. and will generally end by 6:00 p.m.  A few evening outings are possible to see parrots coming to roost (mostly Red-crowned Parrot and Green Parakeet) and to bird the Rio Grande at a productive time of day. The trip involves easy walking on flat ground. One some days we may spend 2-3 hours walking and standing as we bird.

Temperatures can be variable at this time of year, but will likely be warm to hot, with high humidity.  Expect a temperature range from lows in the mid-50’s to highs in the mid-80’s.  Rain is always possible, so bring a poncho or rain jacket.  Biting insects such as mosquitoes or chiggers may be present.

Travel during this tour will be in vans, with no more than 7 participants plus a leader in one van. Additional van if warranted. Tour size is limited to 12 participants.

Additional information about the tour, with specific meeting times, a list of participants, addresses of motels, lists of things to bring, a reading list, a list of probable/possible birds, further information about weather, dress, etc., will be mailed to all participants well in advance of the tour.

DATES: Wednesday November 12, 2025 (meet at our hotel in at 7:00 p.m.) to Thursday November 20, 2025 (flights home anytime that day).

PRICE: Estimated cost for this tour is $3,195 based on double occupancy; single supplement (if we are unable to find you a roommate, or if you request single occupancy) is $400.  A deposit of $500 will hold your place until September 6, 2025 when full payment becomes due.

PRICE INCLUDES:

Hotel accommodations for seven (7) nights, tour leadership, ground transportation while in Texas, and entry fees.  It does not include meals, incidentals, personal items or airfare to/from Texas.

SEND DEPOSITS & OTHER PAYMENTS TO:

NJ Audubon, c/o Rene’ Buccinna/Eco-Travel, 2350 Route 47 North, Building 1, Woodbine, NJ 08270 tel. 609-400-3852. Email [email protected]

Please make checks payable to New Jersey Audubon.  Visa, MasterCard and Discover are also accepted.

TOUR LEADERS:

Scott Barnes began birding in the mid-1980’s and has been an avid naturalist ever since. Encouragement and learning came from his parents and many birders, including members of the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club and staff of New Jersey Audubon. An interest in travel and natural history has led him from the Bering Sea to the desert southwest to the tropics of Central America in search of birds and other wildlife. Scott has compiled the Sandy Hook Christmas Bird Count for over twenty years, served for thirteen years on the New Jersey Bird Records Committee, led for See Life Paulagics tours for nineteen years and leads on Hillstar Nature Pelagic trips, serves on the NJ Waterfowl Stamp Advisory Committee, teaches Beginner Birding Courses for Princeton Adult School, and is an eBird reviewer for NJ. He is the assistant director of the NJ Audubon Travel Program.  Scott has led NJ Audubon tours in 23 states in the U.S., and internationally in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Spain, and Trinidad & Tobago. Scott has led five previous tours to south Texas and has birded the valley several additional times.

Dave Irons had the good fortune to have parents who were birders and went on his first birding outings at age six. During his senior year of high school, he made connections with other birders his age and birding has been a driving force in his life ever since. His curiosity about vagrancy, biogeography, and the finer points of field ID sustain his passion nearly five decades later. Dave is a past member of the Oregon Bird Records Committee, and he served for more than a decade as the Oregon/Washington regional editor for North American Birds. He finds great joy in passing forward what he’s learned over a lifetime of birding through writing and teaching. Dave has been a field trip leader annually on the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival since 2011. He authored the ABA Field Guide to the Birds of Oregon (published in 2018) and has written articles for several other publications. Over the past two decades Dave has lead field trips and taught birding classes for Lane Community College, the Pacific Northwest College of Art, the Siskiyou Field Institute, the Audubon Society of Portland (OR), Lane County Audubon Society, Western Field Ornithologists, Oregon Birding Association. He and his wife Shawneen Finnegan make their home in Beaverton, Oregon and they are the eBird review coordinators for Oregon.

GENERAL: Late autumn is a wonderful time to visit the bird-rich Delmarva Peninsula.  We’ll visit Bombay Hook and Prime Hook NWR’s in Delaware where huge flocks of waterfowl reside, Bald Eagles hunt, and late-season migrants such as pipits, larks, and perhaps a longspur may be found.  From our base in Chincoteague, Virginia, we’ll spend two days birding Virginia’s Eastern Shore at places like Kiptopeke State Park and Chincoteague NWR.  Kiptopeke is strategically situated at the bottom of the Delmarva Peninsula and funnels migrants just like Cape May.  We should expect to see a large variety of waterbirds, raptors, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and perhaps a rarity or two.  Previous trips have recorded such goodies as Eurasian Wigeon, American White Pelican, Swainson’s & Rough-legged Hawks, Sandhill Crane, Bar-tailed Godwit, White-winged Dove, Western Kingbird, Cave Swallow, and Yellow-headed Blackbird, among others.  Expect approximately 120 species of birds, plus the Chincoteague ponies, Sika Deer, other mammals, and late-season butterflies and odes.

PACE, WEATHER AND TRAVEL CONDITIONS: Most days in the field should begin around 7am and end no later than 5pm.  The trip involves light to moderate amounts of walking but no strenuous hikes.  Some walking may last up to two hours and be on uneven terrain like tree roots and mud, but there are no steep climbs.  Breakfast will be at the hotel, with lunch in the field.  Dinners at a local restaurant.

The weather can be variable during late fall, but temperatures are likely to be cool to cold on this trip.  Layers are preferable to adjust to fluctuations in temperature.  Bring a windproof jacket, sweater or vest, light gloves, a warm hat, and comfortable walking shoes.  Rain gear is also recommended.

TOUR SIZE: Travel during this tour will be in vans, with no more than 7 participants plus a leader in one passenger van.  Tour size is limited to 12 participants.

Additional information about the tour, with specific meeting times, a list of participants, hotel names, lists of things to bring, a reading list, list of probably/possible birds, further information about dress, weather, etc., will be sent to all participants well in advance of the tour.

PRICE: Cost for this tour is $1,395/person, based on double occupancy.  Single supplement (if you request single or we are unable to find you a roommate) is $200. Price includes round-trip van transportation from NJ to Virginia, three nights’ accommodation, tour leadership, and entrance fees.  Meals are not included.  A deposit of $500 will hold your place until Oct 9, 2024 when full payment becomes due.

SEND DEPOSITS & OTHER PAYMENTS TO: NJ Audubon, Attn: Rene’ Buccinna/Eco-Travel, 2350 Route 47 North, Building 1, Woodbine NJ 08210 tel. 609-400-3852. Please make checks payable to New Jersey Audubon  (Note: NJ Audubon MUST be the first address line).  We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express for credit card payments.

Tour Leaders:

Scott Barnes began birding in the mid-1980’s and has been an avid naturalist ever since.  Encouragement and learning came from his parents and many birders, including members of the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club and staff of New Jersey Audubon.  An interest in travel and natural history has led him from the Bering Sea to the desert southwest to the tropics of Central America in search of birds and other wildlife. Scott compiles the Sandy Hook Christmas Bird Count, served for thirteen years on the New Jersey Bird Records Committee, was a leader on See Life Paulagics boat trips for 19 years, serves on the NJ Waterfowl Stamp Advisory Committee, and is an eBird reviewer for NJ. He is the assistant director of the NJ Audubon Travel Program.  Scott has led NJ Audubon tours in 23 states in the U.S., and Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Trinidad & Tobago.

Linda Mack’s interest in birding began more than twenty-five years ago on a Cape May Weekend and she has been hooked ever since.  She served as a member of New Jersey Audubon’s Board of Directors for fourteen years and is an Associate Naturalist for All Things Birds.  She is a past President, Program Chair, and Conservation Chair for Monmouth County Audubon Society and served as a voting member of the New Jersey Bird Records Committee. Linda has traveled extensively throughout North America and to Trinidad & Tobago, Belize, Costa Rica, and Panama in Central America. Her infectious enthusiasm and willingness to share knowledge are well known.  She has co-led tours to 22 states in the U.S., and is a regular leader on long weekend trips to coastal Massachusetts, the Adirondack Mountains, and Bombay Hook.

SPAIN: Andalucia (Doñana National Park & Gibraltar) & Extremadura
with Birds & Nature Tours Portugal
Monday September 30 to Sunday October 13, 2024

GENERAL INFORMATION: This birding tour is designed by Birds & Nature Tours Portugal. It allows us to visit several rich species-protected areas in two provinces (Andalucia & Extremadura) during the peak of fall migration in Spain. Note that the tour begins/ends in Lisbon, Portugal.

After an easy journey by motorway, we reach the Spanish region of Andalucia in order to visit the world famous Doñana National Park. This remarkable protected wetland has extensive bird lists that include Marbled, Ferruginous and White-headed Ducks, Red-crested Pochard, Greater Flamingo, White and Black Storks, Eurasian Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis, Little Bittern, Squacco and Purple Herons, Booted Eagle, Purple Swamphen, Little Owl, Pallid Swift, Eurasian Hoopoe, Common Kingfisher, Bluethroat, Sardinian and Dartford Warblers, Penduline Tit, Iberian Grey Shrike, Iberian Magpie, Spotless Starling, European Serin and an excellent selection of waders, gulls and terns. The following days of the trip will be spent exploring the famous Tarifa/Gibraltar region, with great opportunities to watch active migration, with an emphasis on soaring birds. This part of the trip should also provide excellent possibilities for participants to see a wide range of seabird species as well.

After another comfortable journey by motorway, we reach the Spanish region of Extremadura. Here, we will visit both the Monfragüe National Park and the plains of Cáceres, Magasca and Trujillo, among other interesting spots. These two protected areas boast a fantastic bird list that includes Great and Little Bustards, Iberian Imperial, Golden and Bonelli’s Eagles, Eurasian Black, Griffon and Egyptian Vultures, Red Kite, Black-winged Kite, Lesser Kestrel, Stone Curlew, Black-bellied and Pin-tailed Sandgrouse, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Eurasian Scops Owl, Alpine and White-rumped Swifts, Iberian Green Woodpecker, Calandra Lark, Eurasian Crag Martin, Red-rumped Swallow, Tawny Pipit, Black Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Crested Tit, Red-billed Chough, Spanish Sparrow, Rock Sparrow, Hawfinch and Cirl and Rock Buntings.

All this birding activity is combined with visits to some of the most interesting historical and cultural sites of Spain, namely Trujillo and Mérida, two historical towns in Extremadura, which are also fascinating from the urban birding perspective. We’ll have numerous opportunities to sample Spain’s many culinary delights and great wines.

PACE, WEATHER, AND TRAVEL CONDITIONS: The tour is not strenuous: leisurely walking is the only physical requirement. Virtually all the walking is fairly easy and on good paths or tracks. The pace of the tour is relaxed. Our daily routine will largely be dependent on weather conditions. Normally we have breakfast before departing for the day’s main birdwatching excursion. We stop for lunch in a roadside cafe or restaurant. We will return to our hotel in time to shower before going for dinner in nearby towns or at the hotel (as previously mentioned, dinner is usually taken late in Spain, between 8:00-9:30 pm!).

We can expect mainly sunny weather with average temperatures between 8°C (46°F) and 26°C (79°F). Rain is possible throughout. The wind is very variable and can change between no wind on some days and moderate wind on others (especially near the coast). It is always advisable to check the weather forecast before leaving home.

Transportation will be in a bus driven by a professional driver. Participants should be able to ride in any seat in the vehicle.

TOUR SIZE:  Travel during this tour will be in a mini-bus. Tour size is limited to 12 participants.

Additional information about the tour, with specific meeting times, a list of participants, addresses of hotels, lists of things to bring, a reading list, a list of probable/possible birds, further information about weather, dress, etc., will be mailed to all participants well in advance of the tour.

DATES: Monday September 30, 2024 to Saturday October 12, 2024

PRICE: Cost for this tour is $7,150 per person, based on double occupancy; single supplement (if you request single occupancy or we are unable to find you a suitable roommate) is $845.  Deposit of $500, along with a completed registration form, will hold your place until July 6, 2024 when full payment becomes due.

PRICE INCLUDES:  Guiding fees, airport transfer to/from the Lisbon hotel, ground transportation throughout tour in air-conditioned minibus with a driver, accommodations (including breakfast at hotel, lunches in local cafes and dinners in local restaurants, including quality wine at dinner), bottled water throughout the tour, free use of optical equipment (quality binoculars and telescopes) and field guides, bird list, entrance fees to private or protected areas and VAT.  Not included are flights to/from Lisbon, Portugal, gratuities to local guide/driver and items of a personal nature.

DOCUMENT REQUIREMENT: US citizens need a valid passport that is good for at least six (6) months beyond the travel dates of this tour.

SEND DEPOSITS & OTHER PAYMENTS TO: NJ Audubon, Attn: Rene’ Buccinna/Eco-Travel, 2350 Route 47 North, Building 1, Woodbine NJ 08210 tel. 609-400-3852. Please make checks payable to New Jersey Audubon  (Note: NJ Audubon MUST be the first address line).  We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express for credit card payments.

Tour Leaders

Scott Barnes

Scott Barnes began birding in the mid-1980’s and has been an avid naturalist ever since. Encouragement and learning came from his parents and many birders, including members of the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club and staff of New Jersey Audubon. An interest in travel and natural history has led him from the Bering Sea to the desert southwest to the tropics of Central America in search of birds and other wildlife. Scott has compiled the Sandy Hook Christmas Bird Count for nineteen years, served for thirteen years on the New Jersey Bird Records Committee and chaired the committee for six years, leads on See Life Paulagics seabirding trips in the mid-Atlantic, serves on the NJ Waterfowl Stamp Advisory Committee, and is an eBird reviewer for NJ. He is the assistant director of the NJ Audubon Travel Program. Scott has led NJ Audubon tours in 23 states in the U.S., and Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Trinidad & Tobago.

João Jara

João Jara was born in Lisbon and studied biology at the Faculdade de Ciências de Lisboa, from where he developed his professional career in the pharmaceutical industry, as senior manager and director of various multinational companies. With some 35 years of field experience, he has an intimate knowledge of the birds and birding in Portugal. He has travelled extensively in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas with birding as the main objective. João was a member of the board of SPEA (the Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds, currently BirdLife in Portugal) and was a voting member of the Portuguese Rarities Committee from 2005 until 2011 and chairman of the committee from 2007 until 2011. Author and co-author of articles about birds, João has led many field tours (in Portugal, Spain and other destinations), as well as bird identification courses. In 2008, he launched the first Portuguese company totally dedicated to the organization of birdwatching tours, Birds & Nature Tours www.birds.pt, which he manages as well as guides many of its tours. Besides birds, he has an active special interest in amphibians, reptiles and fish.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

 Get ready to leave the noise and bustle of everyday life behind as we venture to this picturesque and serene island off the coast of Maine! Its remote location 10 miles offshore and diverse habitats help to make Monhegan one of the top migrant “traps” on the East Coast. Our time will be filled observing some of the incredible array of birds that reside on or visit this island, such as flycatchers, thrushes, vireos, warblers (over 20 species possible), sparrows, finches, and blackbirds. We will scan the ocean waves for waterfowl, alcids, shearwaters, jaegers, and other seabirds, while raptors pass by in their search for prey on the island. The list of possibilities reads like a checklist, and we’ll search for species such as Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant, Black Guillemot, Manx Shearwater, Wilson’s Storm-Petrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Parasitic Jaeger, Red-necked Phalarope, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Philadelphia Vireo, Connecticut Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, Clay-colored Sparrow, and many more!!  Regularly sighted vagrants include Western Kingbird, White-eyed Vireo, Dickcissel, Lark Sparrow, Orchard Oriole, Blue Grosbeak, and more. Monhegan has also hosted a stunning list of rarities, topped by the likes of Magnificent Frigatebird, Bridled Tern, Swallow-tailed Kite, Say’s Phoebe, White-winged Dove, Northern Wheatear, Bell’s Vireo, Virginia Warbler, Lazuli Bunting, and Lark Bunting! We will be leaving our vehicles on the mainland and soaking it all in while covering some of the many trails on this small and peaceful island (only 1.7 miles long and .5 miles wide), which includes a freshwater ice pond, nine-acre meadow, and the tallest cliffs on the eastern seaboard (160’). Wonderful birding, breathtaking scenery, and an enchanting atmosphere – Monhegan has it all!

The tour starts/ends in Port Clyde, Maine. Besides the spectacular birding, coastal Maine has a natural beauty beyond compare. Monhegan itself has a quaint fishing village and artist’s retreat, with several shops and galleries; it is a favorite tourist day-trip destination in the summer. Maine is also famous for its historical lighthouses, one of which is located right on the island. This tour will truly be a memorable coastal experience!

Additional information about the tour, with specific meeting times, accommodations, lists of things to bring, a reading list, further information about weather, dress, and so forth, will be mailed to all participants well in advance of the tour.

TOUR SIZE: This tour is limited to 10 participants.

ACTIVITY LEVEL: Moderate. This tour has been given an activity level of Moderate. It is considered a more active tour with daily intermediate to long-distance walking on sloping or uneven terrain, and/or climbing stairs. It also involves a water crossing over open ocean, with the possibility of rough seas. Those with physical limitations or trouble with seasickness should take these factors into consideration or contact the tour leader for details.

PACE, WEATHER, AND TRAVEL CONDITIONS: The focus of the tour will be birds and scenery, but we will have time for other wildlife, botany, and photography. We will be walking throughout the tour, as there is not ground transportation. All accommodations are at an inn or guesthouse; stairs are required for any rooms above the ground floor (there are no elevators). Expect a warm to cool climate, depending on current weather systems, with daily high temperatures usually in the 60s and lows in the mid to upper 40s. The pace is relaxed, with some hikes of one-two miles on easy to moderate terrain (some woodland trails with exposed roots and uneven ground).

DATES: Wednesday, September 18 to Monday, September 23, 2024

PRICE: $2295 based on double occupancy; $650 single supplement (payable if you request single occupancy or if we cannot find you a suitable roommate). A deposit of $500 will hold your place until July 15, 2024 when full payment becomes due.

PRICE INCLUDES: Professional guide services are included for the duration of the tour. This tour also includes five nights of seaside accommodations at a hotel/inn or guesthouse. Each room has a private bath. All rooms are furnished with one queen or king bed (a sofa bed is also available in some rooms). Smoking is not permitted inside the building. Dinner at two of the fine local restaurants is provided (Wednesday and Sunday), as well as breakfast each morning. All other meals are the responsibility of the individual tour participants. The cost of the ferry crossing is included. Transportation to/from Port Clyde is not included – for those flying into Portland, there are several options to travel to Port Clyde. For those driving to Port Clyde and leaving a car on the mainland, parking will be arranged for the duration of the time on Monhegan.

SEND DEPOSITS AND OTHER PAYMENTS TO:

NJ Audubon Eco-Travel
c/o René Buccinna
2350 Route 47 North, Bldg. 1
Woodbine, NJ  08270
Phone: (609) 400-3852
Please make checks payable to New Jersey Audubon

OR

by email to [email protected]

Call 609-400-3852 with questions.

PRICE: $2295 based on double occupancy; $650 single supplement (payable if you request single occupancy or if we cannot find you a suitable roommate). A deposit of $500 will hold your place until July 15, 2024 when full payment becomes due.

PRICE INCLUDES: Professional guide services are included for the duration of the tour. This tour also includes five nights of seaside accommodations at a hotel/inn or guesthouse. Each room has a private bath. All rooms are furnished with one queen or king bed (a sofa bed is also available in some rooms). Smoking is not permitted inside the building. Dinner at two of the fine local restaurants is provided (Wednesday and Sunday), as well as breakfast each morning. All other meals are the responsibility of the individual tour participants. The cost of the ferry crossing is included. Transportation to/from Port Clyde is not included – for those flying into Portland, there are several options to travel to Port Clyde. For those driving to Port Clyde and leaving a car on the mainland, parking will be arranged for the duration of the time on Monhegan.

SEND DEPOSITS AND OTHER PAYMENTS TO:

NJ Audubon Eco-Travel
c/o René Buccinna
2350 Route 47 North, Bldg. 1
Woodbine, NJ  08270
Phone: (609) 400-3852
Please make checks payable to New Jersey Audubon

OR

by email to [email protected]

Call 609-400-3852 with questions.

TOUR LEADERS:

Brett Ewald is the Director of New Jersey Audubon’s Cape
May Bird Observatory, facilitating the appreciation and understanding of birds and nature through their full schedule of walks, workshops, presentations, and research. He has been enthralled with birds for over 40 years, specializing in migration and distribution patterns, including as Director of the Hamlin Beach Lakewatch for Braddock Bay Raptor Research in New York. These endeavors have taken him from the mountains of New Mexico to the beaches of New Jersey – including a stint (no pun intended) as the Cape May hawkwatch counter in 1990. For sixteen years, he was the owner and guide for Lakeshore Nature Tours, focusing on the birdlife of North America at the premier destinations, from the Arctic Ocean in Alaska to the Rio Grande Valley of Texas (including multiple tours to Monhegan Island). He currently resides in Cape May Beach and shares his favorite moments with his wife, Sheryl, and their energetic companion, Neah Bay, a Treeing Walker Coonhound. He looks forward to putting his knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm to work for you.

RESPONSIBILITY:

The New Jersey Audubon Society, as tour operator, does not act as an agent for any person or firm providing transportation, accommodations, or services on the tour; and the Society accepts no responsibility for any loss, damage, expense, injury or claim arising from any defect in any vehicle, conveyance, or accommodation provided by any such person or firm.  Neither shall the New Jersey Audubon Society be held responsible for any loss or delay caused by changes in transportation services, strikes, illness, weather, or other cause.  We strongly recommend the purchase of trip cancellation insurance to protect yourself.

TERMS:

The New Jersey Audubon Society reserves the right to alter itinerary or arrangements, if necessary, without penalty; and to prorate any increases or decreases in trip price caused by such alterations; and to cancel the tour at any time prior to departure, with full refund as settlement to tour participants.

REFUND POLICY:

For cancellations more than 60 days before the starting date of the trip, deposits will be returned less a $25.00 service charge.  Cancellations made 60 days or less before the starting date of the trip will be charged $250.00, unless the space can be filled (in which case the $25.00 service charge would apply).  Deposits are non-transferable from tour to tour.  If cancellations take place after hotels and vans have been booked and other services contracted for, hotel, van rental and other service policies will determine what portion, if any, of payments are recoverable.  No refunds will be made to no-shows or for any unused portion of the tour, unless arranged prior to departure date.  All cancellations must be in writing and are presumed final.