South Florida and the Dry Tortugas
April 16 – 23, 2026
Bradford/Percival
(This Tour Is Full)
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Brandon and I have led a spring and a winter trip to Florida in the past, and we plan to return once again during the spring when migration is in full swing. This tour was put together after a request was made to go to Florida in the spring. We will probably offer this and a winter tour to Florida in 2027.
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Northern Colorado and Southern Wyoming
May 13 - 18, 2026
Bradford/Percival
(This Tour Is Full)
This tour came about when a past participant asked about seeing longspurs and on the heels of Brandon, just last year, spending five days birding in SE Wyoming finding Chestnut-collared and Long-billed Longspur and other prairie birds. We have led quite a few tours to Colorado over the years and even went to Wyoming on two of them, so this is nothing new. Plus, Colorado is Brandon’s home state.The second week in May is an ideal time for migrants passing through the state and birds returning from their wintering grounds that make Colorado home for the spring and summer. After a night in Denver, we will bird around Denver before working our way north. At Rocky Mountain Arsenal we will look for numerous species of ducks, Solitary and Baird’s Sandpiper, Eared and Western Grebe, Swainson’s Hawk, Say’s Phoebe, Western and Eastern Kingbird, Black-billed Magpie, Black-capped Chickadee, Horned Lark, Bank Swallow, Lark Sparrow, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Bullock’s Oriole, and Blue Grosbeak. This is a very birdy location close to the Denver Airport. We will eventually work our way north to Fort Collins making birding stops as necessary. There is no telling what might be present during spring migration.
We will spend three nights in the college town of Fort Collins, luckily school will not be in session so the town will be less busy and less crowded during our visit. Here we have two full days of birding with one devoted to an excursion over the border into Wyoming and the other day we will follow the Cache la Poudre River west over 10,000-foot Cameron Pass to the town of Walden within North Park. In Wyoming we plan to see numerous duck species up close, American Avocet, Black-necked Stilts, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson’s and Red-necked Phalarope, Stilt and Semipalmated Sandpipers, Franklin’s and California Gulls, Clark’s Grebe, Northern Flicker, five species of swallows, Horned Lark, Clay-colored and Brewer’s Sparrow, Lark Bunting, Chestnut-collared and Thick-billed Longspur, Western Meadowlark, Western Tanager, and Lazuli Bunting. At this time of year all birds will be in the brilliant breeding plumage, longspurs included.
On the day we travel to Walden we will leave Fort Collins and work our way up to 10,000 feet as we cross over Cameron Pass into Jackson County. At the Moose Visitor Center at the top of the pass we might find some high elevation birds and possibly some wind. The visitor center is just a kiosk, but it is fun to bird the parking lot and look at the metal moose. In and around Walden we hope to encounter many species of ducks, Sandhill Crane, Semipalmated Plover, Long-billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit, Wilson’s Phalarope, Willet, Franklin’s Gull, Eared, Western and Clark’s Grebe, Golden Eagle, Red-naped Sapsucker, Violet-green Swallow, Sage Thrasher, Mountain Bluebird, Lark Sparrow, Yellow-headed Blackbird and other species.
Fee: The cost of the tour for double occupancy is $1,850. Single occupancy is an additional $500 per person. The cost of the tour covers most meals, though meals are no longer a major production, but a more relaxed and casual affair.
Flights: We will fly in and out of Denver
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Deposit: A deposit of $500 is needed to hold a spot on this tour.
Deposit checks can be mailed to David Bradford 18046 Green Hazel Dr. Houston, TX. 77084. 281 744 6486 leave message or text.
MAINE
Atlantic Puffins/Razorbills/Black Guillemots/Common Murres/Warblers
June 3-9, 2026
Bradford/Percival
(One Spots Remains Open)
Each spring and summer Atlantic Puffins gather in great numbers to breed on islands off the coast of Maine. The plan is to go out of Bar Harbor to get close looks at Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, Common Murre, and Black Guillemot. Last year we went out of the small town of Machias with Bold Coast Charter hoping to land on Machias Seal Island, however, an island landing did not happen in what I thought were calm seas. Looking on ebird, I see they make very few island landings, so we are going to go out of Bar Harbor and have looks at these birds from the boat, just as we did last year. Views from the boat are just fine with birds close and easy to view.
Before and after our boat trip we will spend time looking for land birds. Early June is a great time to be in Maine as many migrants have recently arrived and are singing to establish territories. A few birds we hope to see include American Black Duck, Common Eider, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Glossy Ibis, Yellow-bellied and Alder Flycatchers, Winter Wren, Veery, Saltmarsh Sparrow, Ovenbird, Black-and-white, American Redstart, Magnolia, Blackburnian, Chestnut-sided, Prairie, and Black-throated Green Warblers.
We will enjoy the atmosphere of Bar Harbor, take a drive-up Cadillac Mountain, and birding Acadia National Park. This year we are going to spend three nights in Bar Harbor allowing more time to fully explore the park. Aside from the scenery in the park, we will have numerous opportunities to hear and see warblers galore.
If you want to see Atlantic Puffins, other alcids, and warblers resplendent in their breading plumage this is the tour for you. Here is the trip report from last year. We expect to see about the same species of birds, plus or minus a few.
We plan to fly in and out of Portland, Maine
Fee: The cost of the tour for double occupancy is $2,850 and includes most meals. Single occupancy is an additional $650 per person.
Meals are no longer a major production, but more relaxed casual affairs.
Deposit: A deposit of $500 is needed to hold a spot on this tour.
Deposit checks can be mailed to David Bradford 18046 Green Hazel Dr. Houston, TX. 77084 281 744 6486 leave message or text.
MAINE--Atlantic Puffins/Razorbills/Black Guillemots Common Murres/Warblers
June 3-9, 2026 (One spot remain)
Bradford/Percival
Each spring and summer Atlantic Puffins gather in great numbers to breed on islands off the coast of Maine. The plan is to go out of Bar Harbor to get close looks at Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, Common Murre, and Black Guillemot. Last year we went out of the small town of Machias with Bold Coast Charter hoping to land on Machias Seal Island, however, an island landing did not happen in what I thought were calm seas. Looking on ebird, I see they make very few island landings, so we are going to go out of Bar Harbor and have looks at these birds from the boat, just as we did last year. Views from the boat are just fine with birds close and easy to view.
Before and after our boat trip we will spend time looking for land birds. Early June is a great time to be in Maine as many migrants have recently arrived and are singing to establish territories. A few birds we hope to see include American Black Duck, Common Eider, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Glossy Ibis, Yellow-bellied and Alder Flycatchers, Winter Wren, Veery, Saltmarsh Sparrow, Ovenbird, Black-and-white, American Redstart, Magnolia, Blackburnian, Chestnut-sided, Prairie, and Black-throated Green Warblers. We will enjoy the atmosphere of Bar Harbor, take a drive-up Cadillac Mountain, and bird Acadia National Park. This year we are going to spend three nights in Bar Harbor allowing more time to fully explore the park. Aside from the scenery in the park, we will have numerous opportunities to hear and see warblers galore.
If you want to see Atlantic Puffins, other alcids, and warblers resplendent in their breeding plumage this is the tour for you.
Here is the trip report from last year. We expect to see about the same species of birds, plus or minus a few. https://ebird.org/tripreport/380581
We plan to fly in and out of Portland, Maine bird woodlands, the coast, and the ocean.
Fee: The cost of the tour for double occupancy is $2,850 and includes most meals. Single occupancy is an additional $650 per person. Meals are no longer a major production, but more relaxed casual affairs.
Deposit: A deposit of $500 is needed to hold a spot on this tour. Deposit checks can be mailed to David Bradford 18046 Green Hazel Dr. Houston, TX. 77084 281 744 6486 leave message or text.