We lead 3 trips for the Bird of a Feather Fest and met lots of new birders and had a great time. Beck got Ruff as a state bird on Saturday’s trip. Friday’s trip nabbed Ash-throated and Vermilion Flycatchers. Got to spend more time with Greg Miller as well.
Greg Miller, Rebecca Smith, and Gallus QuigleyPaynes PrairieRuff Sweatwater Wetlands by Rebecca SmithPellicer CreekLake Apopka
5% DISCOUNT FOR TOURS PAID IN FULL 120 DAYS PRIOR TO TOUR
10% deposit is required to reserve your space.
50% is due 120 days prior to start of tour.
100% is due 90 days prior to start of tour.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT IS $500.00 UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE
Refunds and Cancellations
100% Refund 120 or more prior to start of tour.
50% Refund 90-119 days prior to start of tour.
25% Refund 60-89 days prior to start of tour.
NO REFUNDS LESS THAN 60 DAYS PRIOR TO START OF TOUR UNLESS SPOT CAN BE FILLED IN WHICH A 25% REFUND WILL BE ISSUED.
Harlequin Duck
Road Trip Birding Tour to Southern New Jersey
January 20-27, 2021
Cost: $1399 per person, minimum 2 – maximum 4 double occupancy. please add $600 for singles supplement
COVID-19 REQUIREMENTS – ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST SHOW A NEGITIVE COVID-19 TEST 73 HOURS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE
We’ve decided to try something a little different for our January tour of 2021. We’ll be offering a road trip tour from the Orlando, Florida area to Southern New Jersey. We’ll be renting a minivan to give everyone plenty of space for their gear and luggage. Because of covid-19, many people do not wish to fly and do not view it as a safe mode of travel until the vaccine can become more readily available. Everyone on the tour will have to show proof of a negative covid test and we’ll have disposable masks and hand sanitizer available. We’ll begin our journey from Orlando and spend the night in Fayetteville, NC (about an 8-hour drive straight through, but longer since we’ll be making stops occasionally). We’ll do some local birding in the morning and continue on the rest of the drive up to New Jersey. Southern New Jersey has a unique variety of habitats and therefore a diverse number of bird species that spend the winter in this area. We’ll be targeting Evening Grosbeak, Black, Surf, and White-winged Scoters, Harlequin Duck, Purple Sandpiper, Red-throated Loon, Canvasback, Brant, American Black Duck, Long-tailed Duck, and perhaps even a Snowy Owl or a Snow Bunting if we’re lucky. Between Cape May Point State Park, Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, and Barnegat Lighthouse in the north, we won’t run out of things to do, or birds to see. Here is a breakdown of the itinerary: 1/20- Depart Orlando, Florida in the morning and begin our drive north. We’ll be making stops for food, gas, or restrooms along the way. We’ll be spending the night in Fayetteville, NC 1/21- A visit to Smith Lake Recreation Area in Fort Bragg, NC. We’ll bird until around 10am and target species such as Dark-eyed Junco, Red and White-breasted Nuthatch, Field and Fox Sparrow, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Northern Flicker, Bufflehead, and American Woodcock. We’ll get to Atlantic county, New Jersey late at night and check into our accommodations 1/22- We’ll start birding a little later in the day to make sure everyone is well-rested after the long drive. At 10am, we’ll start the tour at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR wildlife drive to look for Brant, American Black Duck, Canvasback, Peregrine Falcon, Clapper Rail, and wintering shorebirds. Possibility for rarities such as Short-eared Owl, Snowy Owl, and Rough-legged Hawk. We’ll take a break for a late lunch at Mott’s Creek where we’ll have additional opportunities to locate Short-eared Owl, Rough-legged Hawk, and Snow Bunting 1/23- Barnegat Lighthouse State Park for Purple Sandpiper, Harlequin Duck, Long-tailed Duck, American Pipit, and Common Eider. Rarities include Razorbill and King Eider as well as assorted gulls and terns. 1/24- A trip to Cape May county. We’ll begin the morning at South Cape May Meadows for American Woodcock, Tundra Swan, Bufflehead, and other wintering waterfowl. Then head to Cape Island/Sunset Beach for Surf Scoter, Black Scoter, Northern Gannet and Red-throated Loon. Also, Cape May Point State Park for Evening Grosbeak, Fox Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Golden-crowned Kinglet and Winter Wren. Possibility for Purple Finch, Brown Creeper, Red-breasted Nuthatch, and Nashville Warbler. On our drive back up north to Atlantic county, we’ll make a quick stop at the 8th Street Jetty in Avalon to check for any additional species we may have missed the previous day. 1/25- Pole Farm at Mercer Meadows County Park for Short-eared Owl, Great Horned Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Northern Harrier, American Tree Sparrow, and Ring-necked Pheasant 1/26- Get on the road early for our drive south. We’ll be making a short stop at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware for American Avocet, Tundra Swan, shorebirds, and waterfowl that can Harlequin Duck be seen along the wildlife drive. We’ll then continue driving south and spend the night in Florence, South Carolina 1/27- Continue our drive back to Orlando. Stop at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia for a little birding from the wildlife drive. We should be able to see Sora, shorebirds, Ruddy Duck, Redhead, and Vesper Sparrow. We’ll arrive back home in Orlando that evening. Cost per person will be $1399 (+$600 singles supplement). The price includes professional guide, lodging, transportation, park entry fees, and light snacks/water. A checklist of all birds seen will be provided to each participant upon completion of the tour. Please contact us at archaeopteryxtours@gmail.com or call/text 609-553-0757 if you’re interested in more information or to book a space on this tour.
Golden-fronted Woodpecker
Bird & Butterfly Tour of Rio Grande Valley, Texas
March 24-29, 2021
Cost: $1729.00 per person double occupancy. Minimum 2 – Maximum 4
Join Archaeopteryx Birding and Nature Tours this March for a 6—day tour of the Rio Grande Valley, TX! Starting March 24th through 29th, 2021, we’ll visit such iconic places as the Santa Anna National Wildlife Refuge, the National Butterfly Center, and the Estero Llano Grande State Park. Also included in the cost is a boat tour on the Rio Grande river- the perfect location for viewing and photographing waders, Long-billed Curlew, and Green and Ringed Kingfishers! We’ll also be targeting such local specialties as Great Kiskadee, Plain Chachalaca, Altamira Oriole, Green Jay, Olive Sparrow, and Pyrrhuloxia. Not only is this area unique for birding and butterflying, but it’s also a known source for delicious Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants! Afternoon/evening activities will alternate between the National Butterfly Center and the parrot roost, depending on what we’d like to see. Here’s a breakdown of our daily morning activities:March 24th: Arrival by 3pm at the McAllen airport. Eat dinner and check into hotel. Parrot roost for Red-crowned Parrots and Green Parakeets. Possibility for Yellow-headed and Red-lored Parrots as well.March 25th: Santa Ana NWR for Olive Sparrow. Possibility for Franklin’s Gull, White-faced Ibis, Broad-winged Hawk, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Plain Chachalaca, Inca Dove, Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Black-crested Titmouse, and Stilt Sandpiper, as well as wintering ducks and shorebirds.March 26th: Estero Llano Grande State Park for Lesser Nighthawk, Common Pauraque, and more wintering ducks and shorebirds.March 27th: Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park for Couch’s Kingbird, Swainson’s Hawk, Verdin, Least Grebe, White-tipped Dove, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Neotropic Cormorant, Curve-billed and Long-billed Thrashers, Lesser Goldfinch, Olive Sparrow, Long-billed Curlew and possibility for Green Kingfisher.March 28th: Rio Grande Riverboat tour for additional waterbird species and possible Ringed Kingfisher!March 29th: Morning birding and butterflying at the National Butterfly Center for Pyrrhuloxia, Green Jay, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Clay-colored Thrush, Hooded Oriole, and Altamira Oriole Flights home in afternoon or evening.We’ll also attempt to locate any rare birds that are reported in our tour area, or visit the Brownsville area depending on remaining time. Cost per person will be $1729. The price includes professional guide, lodging, transportation, park entry fees, and light snacks/water. Rooms will be double-occupancy. A checklist of all birds and butterflies seen will be provided to each participant upon completion of the tour. Please contact us at archaeopteryxtours@gmail.com or call/text 609-553-0757 if you’re interested in more information or to book a space on this tour. Minimum 2 participants to run this tour.