281.744.6486
WINTER IN SE ARIZONA
January 6 - 12, 2024 | David Bradford & Brandon Percival
Four Participants Only (Two Spaces Remain)
Difficulty Level - Easy walking. No long hikes.
We have led bird tours to SE Arizona numerous times in the Spring/Summer/Fall, but not in the winter. Brandon has birded in SE Arizona in the winter quite a bit while visiting family and building his Arizona state list. There is an area west of Phoenix that is a traditional breeding ground for the very local and secretive LeConte’s Thrasher that we will visit as we look for this hard-to-find species. January is the start of the nesting season for LeConte’s Thrasher, and they tend to be more vocal at this time of year hopefully allowing us to track one down.
While looking for the thrasher we hope to find Anna’s and Costa’s Hummingbird, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Verdin, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Sagebrush Sparrow, and Abert’s Towhee. There are other birdy areas around Phoenix like Gilbert Water Ranch, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, and a few smaller parks. At Gilbert Water Ranch we will be looking for winter ducks and more wintering ducks, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, American White Pelican, herons and egrets, Curve-billed Thrasher, and Abert’s Towhee. There is no telling what will be at Boyce Thompson Arboretum, the location where Brandon saw is lifer Rufous-backed Robin, but expected birds include Gila Woodpecker, Cactus Wren, Verdin, Black-throated Sparrow, Phainopepla, and Abert’s Towhee.
After two nights in the Phoenix area, we will head to the Tucson area for our last four nights. Here we will visit several small, but birdy parks in and around Tucson. Sweetwater Wetlands should allow a very close study of numerous ducks, Black Phoebe, Verdin, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, and Pyrrhuloxia. We will also spend time birding the grasslands to the south and east of Tucson as well as other “water holes” within the Sonoran Desert. In the grasslands we will look for raptors including Northern Harrier, Harris’s, Red-tailed, Ferruginous Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin, and Prairie Falcon. Elsewhere we also hope to track down Acorn Woodpecker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Gray Flycatcher, Vermilion Flycatcher, Bridled Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Bewick’s Wren, Crissal Thrasher, Hermit Thrush, and Western Bluebird.
If you are looking for a bird filled tour with hopefully mild temps this is the tour for you. We will be staying in two hotels and driving to the necessary bird locations.
The cost of this four person, six night tour is $1950 for double occupancy with an additional $550 for single occupancy. The cost of the tour covers most meals, though meals are no longer a major production, but a more relaxed and casual affair.
To save time driving we plan to fly into Phoenix and out of Tucson.
A deposit of $500 is needed to hold your spot on this winter tour. Please mail your check to David Bradford 18046 Green Hazel Dr., Houston, TX. 77084
RIO GRANDE VALLEY OF TEXAS
2/3/2024 - 2/8/2024 | David Bradford & Brandon Percival
Four Participants Only (Three Spaces Remain)
As winter maintains a firm and icy grip on most of the US, the Rio Grande Valley of Texas can be pleasant and loaded with not only resident and winter birds, but possibly a handful of vagrants slipping across the border. We will use Harlingen as our base of operations, staying in just one hotel and making bird excursions to the east and west. We will focus on the lower and middle Valley, not the upper Valley, therefore no Falcon Dam area.
This short tour allows us to focus on areas in a rather close geographical area that might include Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley SP, Edinburg Scenic Wetlands, Estero Llano Grande SP, Frontera Audubon, Oliveira Park, Santa Ana NWR, and Quinta Mazatlan. Bird distribution will determine which of these marvelous birding locales we will visit. Our efforts will be focused on finding Valley specialties like Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, White-tipped Dove, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Harris’s Hawk, Ringed and Green kingfisher, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Black-crested Titmouse, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Green Jay, Long-billed Thrasher, Clay-colored Thrush, Olive Sparrow, and Altimira Oriole. There are always a few wintering warblers, and usually a vagrant or two present like Rose-throated Beccard, White-throated Robin, Crimson-collared Grosbeak, or Blue Bunting. However, the appearance of these rarities varies from year to year and there is no telling which, if any, will be present while we are in the Valley. As we look for Valley specialties, we will also be looking for rarities.
This is a short trip that does not include the upper Valley. We will keep our travel distances reasonable and spend a lot of time in the field birding.
Fee: The cost of the tour for double occupancy is $1,950 and includes most meals. Single occupancy is an additional $450 per person. See my website for a list of birds seen previously.
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.
WEST TEXAS AND and NEW MEXICO and HOPEFULLY SOME ROSY-FINCHES
February 29 - March 7, 2024| David Bradford & Brandon Percival
Four Participants Only (Four Spaces Remain)
Difficulty Level - Easy walking. No long hikes. Half a day at 10,000 feet in elevation.
Here we go again, New Mexico and West Texas with only four participants. We are going to repeat our successful 2018, 2019, and 2022, 2023 tours in 2024. We will once again visit the famous Sandia Crest, home to the three Rosy-Finches, Brown-capped, Black, and Gray-crowned. For many years these hardy birds, and others, have come to seed feeders on Sandia Crest and here we plan to spend time viewing these high elevation, nomadic birds. Species other than the finches that we hope to see at the feeders include Hairy Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Mountain Chickadee, Steller’s Jay, Cassin’s Finch, and others. Weather conditions in the Sandia Crest area might alter our plans or even prevent us from reaching the crest. The past few years has seen a drastic decline in the number of rosy-finches that return to Sandia Crest. Please be advised, last year we saw two rosy-finches of two different species. No telling what 2024 will bring.
Sandia Crest is near Albuquerque, NM. and while in the area we plan to visit other nearby locations like Rio Grande Nature Center State Park that harbors many birds year-round. There should be plenty of species to view along the well-maintained trails and in the numerous small ponds present in this lovely city park. An early morning walk up Embudito Canyon will prove great for an introduction to some desert birds like Canyon Towhee, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Cactus Wren, and Black-throated Sparrow to name a few. Petroglyphs National Monument is also good for desert scrub birds such as Curve-billed Thrasher, Rock Wren, and Sagebrush Sparrow. After two nights in Albuquerque, we will work our way south toward Texas, however, we will spend two nights in Socorro, NM allowing us the opportunity to visit Bosque del Apache NWR.
While at Bosque del Apache NWR we should have good looks at plenty of Snow and Ross’s Geese along with numerous Sandhill Cranes. In addition to these birds there will be plenty of other birds for us to view on the refuge. The refuge is located along the Rio Grande River in New Mexico and provides different habitats that attract different species of birds. There is riparian habitat along the river, flooded wetlands, upland agriculture fields, and the nearby desert. This mix of habitats should ensure us a nice mix of bird species. We will take the two different loops through the refuge in search for other species such as Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Gambel’s Quail, Black Phoebe, and Greater Roadrunner. In addition to the refuge, we plan to spend time birding other areas of New Mexico including Percha Dam State Park and Caballo Lake State Park, these two locations can be very productive.
In El Paso, a border city sitting in the foothills of the Franklin Mountains, we will visit wetlands, mountains, and portions the Chihuahuan Desert. Species we hope to see in the mountains in El Paso area include White-throated Swift, Golden Eagle, Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay, Rock and Bewick’s Wren, Spotted and Green-tailed Towhees. In the wetlands we should see Eared Grebe, ducks, herons, egrets, Brewer’s and Yellow-headed Blackbird. Desert birds will be a major attraction as we search for Say’s Phoebe, Horned Lark, Chihuahuan Raven, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Verdin, Cactus Wren, Crissal and Sage Thrasher, Black-chinned, Black-throated, and Brewer’s Sparrows, Pyrrhuloxia, and Western Meadowlark. On occasions we visit private property view wintering hummingbirds and other rare birds, if any are present.
The 2023 tour was one of the best tours Brandon and I have led in a very long time and must try another in 2024. Here is a list of species seen in 2023.
https://ebird.org/tripreport/107971
The cost of the tour is $2,250 for double occupancy and a supplement of $550 for a single room. A $500 deposit is needed to hold your spot on this tour. The cost of the tour covers most meals, though meals are no longer a major production, but a more relaxed and casual affair. This tour is designed to take just four participants, no more.
To save miles of driving, we plan to fly into Albuquerque and out of El Paso or into El Paso and out of Albuquerque. To be determined later. This saves us a lot of driving.
Please contact David Bradford at ddbrdfrd@aol.com or 281-744-6486 if you call, leave a message and I will call back. Or sent me a text and I will respond.
EL PASO AND THE DAVIS MOUNTAINS/RENOVATED INDIAN LODGE
April 20-27, 2024| David Bradford & Brandon Percival
Four Participants Only (Two Spaces Remain)
Difficulty Level - Easy walking. No long hikes.
Any of the mountain ranges in West Texas during spring migration can be a wonderful place to bird, and we will bird the Davis and Franklin Mountains. But here is the catch, we are going to be staying in the newly renovated Indian Lodge in the heart of the Davis Mountains. Sitting at 5,200 feet in elevation the lodge was originally built by the CCC in the 1930s, further expanded and updated in 1967, and renovated again in 2023. I have been going to the Indian Lodge since the late 1980s and Brandon and I have used the lodge for bird tours many times over the past twenty years. However, we have not been there since the 2023 renovations, duh. So, let’s go check out the new digs and see some birds, maybe a lot of birds.
In El Paso we will bird tree lined parks, desert scrub, the mountains, maybe a private home, and a few bodies of water. If we are lucky, we will find time to visit a wastewater treatment facility. You just never know. This makes for a wide variety of habitats within a small geographic area, and El Paso seems to produce interesting birds year after year. At Memorial Park we hope to encounter migrants like Cassin’s and Warbling Vireo, Bullock’s Oriole, Yellow, Black-throated Gray, Townsend’s, Hermit, Virginia’s and Wilson’s Warblers, and Lazuli and Indigo Buntings. In the desert scrub locations Swainson’s Hawk, Gambel’s Quail, Western Kingbird, Bell’s Vireo, Chihuahuan Raven, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Rock, Canyon, and Cactus Wrens, Curve-billed and Crissal Thrashers, Brewer’s, Black-throated, and Lark, Sparrows. At some of the water locations like Keystone Heritage Park and Crossroads Pond we should encounter many duck species, including Wood Duck and Cinnamon Teal, Common Gallinule, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Western Sandpiper, Wilson’s Phalarope, Solitary Sandpiper, Franklin’s Gull, White-faced Ibis, and both yellowlegs and both cormorants. If we can, we will visit a private residence for Black-chinned, Anna’s, Rufous, and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds. With that said, remember migration in the west, like in the east, can be influenced by weather conditions and sometimes there are few migrants present.
After a full day of birding en route to the Davis Mountains we will reach the newly renovated Indian Lodge where we will spend the next three nights. This will allow us ample time to drive/bird the scenic loop, bird the state park and other locations in and around the Davis Mountains. In the mountains we hope to find Common Poorwill, Common Black Hawk, Acorn and Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Western Wood-Pewee, Gray Flycatcher, Say’s Phoebe, Cassin’s Kingbird, Black-crested Titmouse, Bushtit, Bewick’s Wren, Phainopepla, Lesser Goldfinch, Rufous-crowned and Black-chinned Sparrows, Nashville and MacGillivray’s Warblers, Scott’s Oriole, Hepatic, Summer, and Western Tanagers, and Black-headed Grosbeak. In the surrounding grasslands we will look for Western Bluebird, Clay-colored, Black-chinned, and Vespers. If we are lucky, we might encounter the new species of meadowlark, Chihuahuan Meadowlark. The Montezuma Quail have been extremely difficult to locate in the Davis Mountains, however, if they are coming to the seed feeders in the park, we will try to see them. If they are not coming to the seed feeders, finding Montezuma Quail is very unlikely.
This is a wonderful time to be in West Texas seeing the sights and looking for lingering winter birds, migrant birds, and resident birds. Sounds like the perfect storm so to speak.
The cost of the tour is $2,450 for double occupancy and a supplement of $550 for a single room. A $500 deposit is needed to hold your spot on this tour. The cost of the tour covers most meals, though meals are no longer a major production, but a more relaxed and casual affair. This tour will take just four participants.
To hold a spot on this tour, please mail your deposit check of $500 to David Bradford 18046 Green Hazel Dr. Houston, TX. 77084
MICHIGAN AND THE KIRTLAND’S WARBLER
May 14-22, 2024
Bradford/Percival
Four Participants Only (Three spots remain on this tour)
Difficulty Level: Easy walking except when we are on a sandy beach, not very often are we on sand. There can be a stiff wind coming off the Great Lakes.
Our main target for this tour will be Kirtland’s Warbler, a recovery success story that starts and ends in Michigan. Kirtland’s Warblers breed exclusively in young jack pines that are about five to fifteen feet tall. The US Forest Service has established areas meeting these requirements and it is on these properties that we plan to see Kirtland’s Warbler. The Kirtland’s is bright yellow underneath, with gray upper parts and black streaking on the back. At this time of year males should be vocal and perched up defending their territories.
This is also the time resident birds are arriving and getting ready to start nesting and migrants are still passing through the state. We plan to spend a day at Tawas Point on the west shore of Lake Huron searching for the many migrants that pass along the point. Here we hope, weather dependent, to view migrants like vireos, orioles, and warblers. Before passing over the Mackinaw Bridge leading to the Upper Peninsula, we plan to stop at Wilderness State Park on the northeastern shore of Lake Michigan for a half day of birding.
We will eventually end up in Paradise, MI on the Upper Peninsula within easy striking distance to Whitefish Point Bird Observatory, an excellent area for migrants and residents alike. Whitefish Point is tucked away at the very southern end of Lake Superior and makes for wonderful birding, though lake winds can be a bit chilly. Paradise is located right along the shore of Lake Superior and can offer some nice birding as well. If all goes according to plan on this trip we will see migrants, resident species, and three of the five Great Lakes.
The birds we will be looking for can be found at the link below. Note the large number of warblers expected on this trip.
https://ebird.org/tripreport/111391
Fee: The cost of the tour for double occupancy is $2,950 and includes most meals. Single occupancy is an additional $650 per person.
Deposit: A deposit of $500 is needed to hold a spot on this tour.
Deposit checks can be mailed to David Bradford at 18046 Green Hazel Dr., Houston, TX. 77084. If you have any questions, please contact David at ddbrdfrd@aol.com or 281 744 6486 and leave a message and he will call back.
GUNNISON SAGE-GROUSE AND COOL MOUNTAIN BIRDING
July 19-23, 2023| David Bradford & Brandon Percival
Four Participants Only (Four Spaces Remain)
Difficulty Level - Easy walking, though at high elevation. No long hikes.
July in Houston and other parts of the country can be rather hot, while the mountains of Colorado can offer a brief respite from the oppressive heat. So, with that in mind I decided to put together a short tour to seek out the elusive Gunnison Sage-Grouse away from their leks. Five or six years ago there was a lek in Gunnison, CO. that offered pretty good views of the grouse in April, however, the leks are now about a half mile away making for poor grouse viewing. This tour takes advantage of the fact that in the late summer the grouse visit the sides of roads to gather sand for their gizzards to help with the digestion of hard to digest winter food items. Of course, there is no guarantee of seeing these birds, and really the chance is not all that good. Though Brandon did bring a group of three people to successfully see the grouse a few years ago near Gunnison.
We will fly in and out of Denver, though some might choose to fly in and out of the more expensive Gunnison. We will spend two nights in Gunnison allowing two mornings and two evenings to look for the grouse. These will be early morning for sure.
After Gunnison we will work our way up into the mountains of southern Colorado, Brandon’s home turf looking birds, like Calliope Broad-tailed, and Rufous Hummingbirds, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Western Wood-Pewee, Mountain Bluebird, Say’s Phoebe, Western Kingbird, Lark Sparrow, Black-headed Grosbeak, and a lot more.
We will fly in and out of Denver. Some might fly directly into Gunnison to save the four hour drive from Denver to Gunnison. Remember, there is no guarantee of seeing the grouse, but Brandon does have some inside knowledge of the area and the grouse.
The cost of this tour is five day tour is $1600. For single occupancy add $375.
Deposit checks can be mailed to David Bradford at 18046 Green Hazel Dr., Houston, TX. 77084. If you have any questions, please contact David at ddbrdfrd@aol.com or 281 744 6486 and leave a message and he will call back.
MORE TOURS COMING SOON
WINTER IN SE ARIZONA
January 6 - 12, 2024 | David Bradford & Brandon Percival
Four Participants Only (Two Spaces Remain)
Difficulty Level - Easy walking. No long hikes.
We have led bird tours to SE Arizona numerous times in the Spring/Summer/Fall, but not in the winter. Brandon has birded in SE Arizona in the winter quite a bit while visiting family and building his Arizona state list. There is an area west of Phoenix that is a traditional breeding ground for the very local and secretive LeConte’s Thrasher that we will visit as we look for this hard-to-find species. January is the start of the nesting season for LeConte’s Thrasher, and they tend to be more vocal at this time of year hopefully allowing us to track one down.
While looking for the thrasher we hope to find Anna’s and Costa’s Hummingbird, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Verdin, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Sagebrush Sparrow, and Abert’s Towhee. There are other birdy areas around Phoenix like Gilbert Water Ranch, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, and a few smaller parks. At Gilbert Water Ranch we will be looking for winter ducks and more wintering ducks, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, American White Pelican, herons and egrets, Curve-billed Thrasher, and Abert’s Towhee. There is no telling what will be at Boyce Thompson Arboretum, the location where Brandon saw is lifer Rufous-backed Robin, but expected birds include Gila Woodpecker, Cactus Wren, Verdin, Black-throated Sparrow, Phainopepla, and Abert’s Towhee.
After two nights in the Phoenix area, we will head to the Tucson area for our last four nights. Here we will visit several small, but birdy parks in and around Tucson. Sweetwater Wetlands should allow a very close study of numerous ducks, Black Phoebe, Verdin, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, and Pyrrhuloxia. We will also spend time birding the grasslands to the south and east of Tucson as well as other “water holes” within the Sonoran Desert. In the grasslands we will look for raptors including Northern Harrier, Harris’s, Red-tailed, Ferruginous Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin, and Prairie Falcon. Elsewhere we also hope to track down Acorn Woodpecker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Gray Flycatcher, Vermilion Flycatcher, Bridled Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Bewick’s Wren, Crissal Thrasher, Hermit Thrush, and Western Bluebird.
If you are looking for a bird filled tour with hopefully mild temps this is the tour for you. We will be staying in two hotels and driving to the necessary bird locations.
The cost of this four person, six night tour is $1950 for double occupancy with an additional $550 for single occupancy. The cost of the tour covers most meals, though meals are no longer a major production, but a more relaxed and casual affair.
To save time driving we plan to fly into Phoenix and out of Tucson.
A deposit of $500 is needed to hold your spot on this winter tour. Please mail your check to David Bradford 18046 Green Hazel Dr., Houston, TX. 77084
RIO GRANDE VALLEY OF TEXAS
2/3/2024 - 2/8/2024 | David Bradford & Brandon Percival
Four Participants Only
As winter maintains a firm and icy grip on most of the US, the Rio Grande Valley of Texas can be pleasant and loaded with not only resident and winter birds, but possibly a handful of vagrants slipping across the border. We will use Harlingen as our base of operations, staying in just one hotel and making bird excursions to the east and west. We will focus on the lower and middle Valley, not the upper Valley, therefore no Falcon Dam area.
This short tour allows us to focus on areas in a rather close geographical area that might include Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley SP, Edinburg Scenic Wetlands, Estero Llano Grande SP, Frontera Audubon, Oliveira Park, Santa Ana NWR, and Quinta Mazatlan. Bird distribution will determine which of these marvelous birding locales we will visit. Our efforts will be focused on finding Valley specialties like Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, White-tipped Dove, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Harris’s Hawk, Ringed and Green kingfisher, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Black-crested Titmouse, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Green Jay, Long-billed Thrasher, Clay-colored Thrush, Olive Sparrow, and Altimira Oriole. There are always a few wintering warblers, and usually a vagrant or two present like Rose-throated Beccard, White-throated Robin, Crimson-collared Grosbeak, or Blue Bunting. However, the appearance of these rarities varies from year to year and there is no telling which, if any, will be present while we are in the Valley. As we look for Valley specialties, we will also be looking for rarities.
This is a short trip that does not include the upper Valley. We will keep our travel distances reasonable and spend a lot of time in the field birding.
Fee: The cost of the tour for double occupancy is $1,950 and includes most meals. Single occupancy is an additional $450 per person. See my website for a list of birds seen previously.
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.
WEST TEXAS AND and NEW MEXICO and HOPEFULLY SOME ROSY-FINCHES
February 29 - March 7, 2024| David Bradford & Brandon Percival
Four Participants Only (Four Spaces Remain)
Difficulty Level - Easy walking. No long hikes. Half a day at 10,000 feet in elevation.
Here we go again, New Mexico and West Texas with only four participants. We are going to repeat our successful 2018, 2019, and 2022, 2023 tours in 2024. We will once again visit the famous Sandia Crest, home to the three Rosy-Finches, Brown-capped, Black, and Gray-crowned. For many years these hardy birds, and others, have come to seed feeders on Sandia Crest and here we plan to spend time viewing these high elevation, nomadic birds. Species other than the finches that we hope to see at the feeders include Hairy Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Mountain Chickadee, Steller’s Jay, Cassin’s Finch, and others. Weather conditions in the Sandia Crest area might alter our plans or even prevent us from reaching the crest. The past few years has seen a drastic decline in the number of rosy-finches that return to Sandia Crest. Please be advised, last year we saw two rosy-finches of two different species. No telling what 2024 will bring.
Sandia Crest is near Albuquerque, NM. and while in the area we plan to visit other nearby locations like Rio Grande Nature Center State Park that harbors many birds year-round. There should be plenty of species to view along the well-maintained trails and in the numerous small ponds present in this lovely city park. An early morning walk up Embudito Canyon will prove great for an introduction to some desert birds like Canyon Towhee, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Cactus Wren, and Black-throated Sparrow to name a few. Petroglyphs National Monument is also good for desert scrub birds such as Curve-billed Thrasher, Rock Wren, and Sagebrush Sparrow. After two nights in Albuquerque, we will work our way south toward Texas, however, we will spend two nights in Socorro, NM allowing us the opportunity to visit Bosque del Apache NWR.
While at Bosque del Apache NWR we should have good looks at plenty of Snow and Ross’s Geese along with numerous Sandhill Cranes. In addition to these birds there will be plenty of other birds for us to view on the refuge. The refuge is located along the Rio Grande River in New Mexico and provides different habitats that attract different species of birds. There is riparian habitat along the river, flooded wetlands, upland agriculture fields, and the nearby desert. This mix of habitats should ensure us a nice mix of bird species. We will take the two different loops through the refuge in search for other species such as Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Gambel’s Quail, Black Phoebe, and Greater Roadrunner. In addition to the refuge, we plan to spend time birding other areas of New Mexico including Percha Dam State Park and Caballo Lake State Park, these two locations can be very productive.
In El Paso, a border city sitting in the foothills of the Franklin Mountains, we will visit wetlands, mountains, and portions the Chihuahuan Desert. Species we hope to see in the mountains in El Paso area include White-throated Swift, Golden Eagle, Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay, Rock and Bewick’s Wren, Spotted and Green-tailed Towhees. In the wetlands we should see Eared Grebe, ducks, herons, egrets, Brewer’s and Yellow-headed Blackbird. Desert birds will be a major attraction as we search for Say’s Phoebe, Horned Lark, Chihuahuan Raven, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Verdin, Cactus Wren, Crissal and Sage Thrasher, Black-chinned, Black-throated, and Brewer’s Sparrows, Pyrrhuloxia, and Western Meadowlark. On occasions we visit private property view wintering hummingbirds and other rare birds, if any are present.
The 2023 tour was one of the best tours Brandon and I have led in a very long time and must try another in 2024. Here is a list of species seen in 2023.
https://ebird.org/tripreport/107971
The cost of the tour is $2,250 for double occupancy and a supplement of $550 for a single room. A $500 deposit is needed to hold your spot on this tour. The cost of the tour covers most meals, though meals are no longer a major production, but a more relaxed and casual affair. This tour is designed to take just four participants, no more.
To save miles of driving, we plan to fly into Albuquerque and out of El Paso or into El Paso and out of Albuquerque. To be determined later. This saves us a lot of driving.
Please contact David Bradford at ddbrdfrd@aol.com or 281-744-6486 if you call, leave a message and I will call back. Or sent me a text and I will respond.
EL PASO AND THE DAVIS MOUNTAINS/RENOVATED INDIAN LODGE 2024
April 20-27, 2024| David Bradford & Brandon Percival
Four Participants Only (Two Spaces Remain)
Difficulty Level - Easy walking. No long hikes.
Any of the mountain ranges in West Texas during spring migration can be a wonderful place to bird, and we will bird the Davis and Franklin Mountains. But here is the catch, we are going to be staying in the newly renovated Indian Lodge in the heart of the Davis Mountains. Sitting at 5,200 feet in elevation the lodge was originally built by the CCC in the 1930s, further expanded and updated in 1967, and renovated again in 2023. I have been going to the Indian Lodge since the late 1980s and Brandon and I have used the lodge for bird tours many times over the past twenty years. However, we have not been there since the 2023 renovations, duh. So, let’s go check out the new digs and see some birds, maybe a lot of birds.
In El Paso we will bird tree lined parks, desert scrub, the mountains, maybe a private home, and a few bodies of water. If we are lucky, we will find time to visit a wastewater treatment facility. You just never know. This makes for a wide variety of habitats within a small geographic area, and El Paso seems to produce interesting birds year after year. At Memorial Park we hope to encounter migrants like Cassin’s and Warbling Vireo, Bullock’s Oriole, Yellow, Black-throated Gray, Townsend’s, Hermit, Virginia’s and Wilson’s Warblers, and Lazuli and Indigo Buntings. In the desert scrub locations Swainson’s Hawk, Gambel’s Quail, Western Kingbird, Bell’s Vireo, Chihuahuan Raven, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, Rock, Canyon, and Cactus Wrens, Curve-billed and Crissal Thrashers, Brewer’s, Black-throated, and Lark, Sparrows. At some of the water locations like Keystone Heritage Park and Crossroads Pond we should encounter many duck species, including Wood Duck and Cinnamon Teal, Common Gallinule, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Western Sandpiper, Wilson’s Phalarope, Solitary Sandpiper, Franklin’s Gull, White-faced Ibis, and both yellowlegs and both cormorants. If we can, we will visit a private residence for Black-chinned, Anna’s, Rufous, and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds. With that said, remember migration in the west, like in the east, can be influenced by weather conditions and sometimes there are few migrants present.
After a full day of birding en route to the Davis Mountains we will reach the newly renovated Indian Lodge where we will spend the next three nights. This will allow us ample time to drive/bird the scenic loop, bird the state park and other locations in and around the Davis Mountains. In the mountains we hope to find Common Poorwill, Common Black Hawk, Acorn and Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Western Wood-Pewee, Gray Flycatcher, Say’s Phoebe, Cassin’s Kingbird, Black-crested Titmouse, Bushtit, Bewick’s Wren, Phainopepla, Lesser Goldfinch, Rufous-crowned and Black-chinned Sparrows, Nashville and MacGillivray’s Warblers, Scott’s Oriole, Hepatic, Summer, and Western Tanagers, and Black-headed Grosbeak. In the surrounding grasslands we will look for Western Bluebird, Clay-colored, Black-chinned, and Vespers. If we are lucky, we might encounter the new species of meadowlark, Chihuahuan Meadowlark. The Montezuma Quail have been extremely difficult to locate in the Davis Mountains, however, if they are coming to the seed feeders in the park, we will try to see them. If they are not coming to the seed feeders, finding Montezuma Quail is very unlikely.
This is a wonderful time to be in West Texas seeing the sights and looking for lingering winter birds, migrant birds, and resident birds. Sounds like the perfect storm so to speak.
The cost of the tour is $2,450 for double occupancy and a supplement of $550 for a single room. A $500 deposit is needed to hold your spot on this tour. The cost of the tour covers most meals, though meals are no longer a major production, but a more relaxed and casual affair. This tour will take just four participants.
To hold a spot on this tour, please mail your deposit check of $500 to David Bradford 18046 Green Hazel Dr. Houston, TX. 77084
MICHIGAN AND THE KIRTLAND’S WARBLER
May 14-22, 2024
Bradford/Percival
Four Participants Only (Three spots remain on this tour)
Difficulty Level: Easy walking except when we are on a sandy beach, not very often are we on sand. There can be a stiff wind coming off the Great Lakes.
Our main target for this tour will be Kirtland’s Warbler, a recovery success story that starts and ends in Michigan. Kirtland’s Warblers breed exclusively in young jack pines that are about five to fifteen feet tall. The US Forest Service has established areas meeting these requirements and it is on these properties that we plan to see Kirtland’s Warbler. The Kirtland’s is bright yellow underneath, with gray upper parts and black streaking on the back. At this time of year males should be vocal and perched up defending their territories.
This is also the time resident birds are arriving and getting ready to start nesting and migrants are still passing through the state. We plan to spend a day at Tawas Point on the west shore of Lake Huron searching for the many migrants that pass along the point. Here we hope, weather dependent, to view migrants like vireos, orioles, and warblers. Before passing over the Mackinaw Bridge leading to the Upper Peninsula, we plan to stop at Wilderness State Park on the northeastern shore of Lake Michigan for a half day of birding.
We will eventually end up in Paradise, MI on the Upper Peninsula within easy striking distance to Whitefish Point Bird Observatory, an excellent area for migrants and residents alike. Whitefish Point is tucked away at the very southern end of Lake Superior and makes for wonderful birding, though lake winds can be a bit chilly. Paradise is located right along the shore of Lake Superior and can offer some nice birding as well. If all goes according to plan on this trip we will see migrants, resident species, and three of the five Great Lakes.
The birds we will be looking for can be found at the link below. Note the large number of warblers expected on this trip.
https://ebird.org/tripreport/111391
Fee: The cost of the tour for double occupancy is $2,950 and includes most meals. Single occupancy is an additional $650 per person.
Deposit: A deposit of $500 is needed to hold a spot on this tour.
Deposit checks can be mailed to David Bradford at 18046 Green Hazel Dr., Houston, TX. 77084. If you have any questions, please contact David at ddbrdfrd@aol.com or 281 744 6486 and leave a message and he will call back.
GUNNISON SAGE-GROUSE AND COOL MOUNTAIN BIRDING
July 19-23, 2023
Bradford/Percival
Four Participants Only: Four Spots Remain
Difficulty Level: Easy hiking, though at high elevation. Possibly up to 12,000 feet for a little time.
July in Houston and other parts of the country can be rather hot, while the mountains of Colorado can offer a brief respite from the oppressive heat. So, with that in mind I decided to put together a short tour to seek out the elusive Gunnison Sage-Grouse away from their leks. Five or six years ago there was a lek in Gunnison, CO. that offered pretty good views of the grouse in April, however, the leks are now about a half mile away making for poor grouse viewing. This tour takes advantage of the fact that in the late summer the grouse visit the sides of roads to gather sand for their gizzards to help with the digestion of hard to digest winter food items. Of course, there is no guarantee of seeing these birds, and really the chance is not all that good. Though Brandon did bring a group of three people to successfully see the grouse a few years ago near Gunnison.
We will fly in and out of Denver, though some might choose to fly in and out of the more expensive Gunnison. We will spend two nights in Gunnison allowing two mornings and two evenings to look for the grouse. These will be early morning for sure.
After Gunnison we will work our way up into the mountains of southern Colorado, Brandon’s home turf looking birds, like Calliope Broad-tailed, and Rufous Hummingbirds, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Western Wood-Pewee, Mountain Bluebird, Say’s Phoebe, Western Kingbird, Lark Sparrow, Black-headed Grosbeak, and a lot more.
We will fly in and out of Denver. Some might fly directly into Gunnison to save the four hour drive from Denver to Gunnison. Remember, there is no guarantee of seeing the grouse, but Brandon does have some inside knowledge of the area and the grouse.
The cost of this five day tour is $1600. For single occupancy add $375.
Deposit checks can be mailed to David Bradford at 18046 Green Hazel Dr., Houston, TX. 77084. If you have any questions, please contact David at ddbrdfrd@aol.com or 281 744 6486 and leave a message and he will call back.