Naturalist Journeys is pleased to return to the beloved Texas Hill Country again this spring, with senior guide Pat Lueders. This Texas Hill Country birding tour really does have it all. Here are our top 5 reasons to join us.
The Golden-cheeked Warbler is the only species of bird that nests only in the state of Texas—amazing, right? On our 2019 Texas Hill Country birding trip, the group had several successful encounters with the Golden-cheeked Warbler.
At the Frio Bat Cave, witness anywhere between 1-10 million Mexican Free-tailed Bats soar into the sky at sunset! An incredible site, this is the second largest bat population open to the public in the world.
The Black-capped Vireo is a vulnerable bird species and has an estimated population of only 20,000. The group that went on our Texas Hill Country birding trip last year got fantastic looks, right on the grounds at Neal’s lodge.
4. Stunning Butterflies
Pipevine Swallowtail by Terry PetersonGulf Fritillary by Terry Peterson Giant Swallowtail by Terry Peterson
When visiting the Lost Maples Nature Area on our Texas Hill Country birding tour, the kaleidoscope of butterflies that can be seen is magical—over 140 species have been spotted here. From previous Texas Hill Country birding trips, Nysa Roadside-Skipper, Red Admiral, Gulf Fritillary, and Pipevine, Spicebush, and Giant Swallowtail have flourished in numbers.
This small kingfisher, with a disproportionately long bill, can be spotted on this Texas Hill Country birding tour and Texas is one of the only hotspots it can be seen in the US.
Bonus: Stay at Neal’s Lodge–Unpack and Relax
Neal’s Lodge, located in Concan, Texas, is our comfortable accommodation for the week. Neal’s grounds host birds from the Eastern and Western U.S., as well as the Lower Rio Grande Valley. This area has been a bucket list destination for naturalists for decades!
Special Offer!
If you opt to pair this Texas Hill Country tour with our Texas Big Bend tour, we’ll reimburse your connecting flight up to $100.
Naturalist Journeys’ guide Pat Lueders leads our Texas Hill Country birding trip again this year. Find all the details for our Texas Hill Country trip, April 17 – 22, 2020 here. Priced at $2090 per person, based on double occupancy. Read the full itinerary here.
In April of 2019, Naturalist Journeys returned to the south Texas coast for a fun week during spring migration. On this Texas migration tour, our group of 10, plus guides Bob Behrstock and Robert Gallardo tallied an impressive 23 species of warblers! What fun.
Birding Jones Forest, Naturalist Journeys Stock
You can join us this April for another Texas migration tour, this year with guide James P. Smith.
Take a look at the 23 Warbler species seen on our 2019 Texas Migration tour.
American Redstart This darling little bird is always a fan favorite on our Texas migration trip. Busy, busy we look for the male’s bursts of orange as it flits from branch to branch.
Bay-breasted Warbler by Tom Dove
Bay-breasted Warbler A rich brown and cream in the spring, don’t let the Bay-breasted fool you outside of breeding season … it changes drastically to green and white.
Black-and-white Warbler by Doug Greenberg
Black-and-white Warbler Dramatic and bright, the beautiful Black-and-white Warbler lives up to its name. This is one of the first migrants to arrive back in the US.
Blue-throated Blue Warbler by Tom Dove
Black-throated Blue Warbler Rare to see in Texas, it was a treat for our group last year to see this black-masked warbler.
Black-throated Green Warbler by Ruth Guillemette
Black-throated Green Warbler A bold black throat, this showy warbler, though not very green, is known for its ceaseless buzzy song. We listen for this beauty on our Texas migration trip.
Blackburnian Warbler by Tom Dove
Blackburnian Warbler Oh-so bright and beautiful, you won’t forget your first sighting of a Blackburnian Warbler on our Texas migration trip.
Cerulean Warbler by Tom Dove
Cerulean Warbler Aptly named, the Cerulean is another treetop denizen, flashing its sky blue head. The Cerulean flies from the Andes to get to its US nesting territory.
Chestnut-sided Warbler by Doug Pratt
Chestnut-sided Warbler This jaunty little warbler looks quite handsome with its golden cap, black mask, and chestnut sides.
Common Yellowthroat by Peg Abbott
Common Yellowthroat So, so bold and beautiful, the Common Yellowthroat’s markings are always a favorite. That black racoon mask is just so vivid.
Golden-winged Warbler by Tom Dove
Golden-winged Warbler Another black masked beauty, this mostly grey warbler’s sunny yellow shoulders and cap make it stand out.
Hooded Warbler, Naturalist Journeys Stock
Hooded Warbler We’re suckers for the Hooded Warbler. It’s bright yellow body is offset by greenish-gray tinged wings. And the black hood … swoon! Watch for flicks of white tail feathers in the understory.
Kentucky Warbler Another bright and sunny warbler, its yellow belly and throat can’t be missed. The Kentucky Warbler is loud and much easier to hear than see.
Magnolia Warbler by Doug Greenberg
Magnolia Warbler One of our favorites, by name and by markings, the drama of gray, black, yellow, and white make the Magnolia a stunner. Watch for them feeding at the very ends of branches.
Northern Parula by Carlos Sanchez
Northern Parula Almost a seal-blue on top with a burnt orange necklace, the Northern Parula’s breeding range interestingly skips a large swatch of the upper Midwest before starting back up again in Canada.
Northern Waterthrush Big and not brightly patterned, it’s the Northern Waterthrush’s song that’s so attractive. Look for them at water’s edge as they hunt insects and sometimes even salamanders. Not your typical warbler!
Ovenbird Also not a bright warbler, the Ovenbird does have a boldly striped chest and belly. Why “Ovenbird”? Their name comes from the covered nest the female builds.
Pine Warbler by Bob Hill
Pine Warbler Almost never seen in any tree but a pine (what else), the Pine Warbler makes us work as it works the tops of the trees.
Prairie Warbler by Carlos Sanchez
Prairie Warbler A chestnut-colored triangular patch at the nape of the neck and streaky belly help with ID. Fun Fact: The female Prairie Warbler eats her eggshells after they hatch. Crunch.
Prothonotary Warbler by Ruth Guillemette
Prothonotary Warbler Everybody loves a Prothonotary Warbler. Their full yellow head and gray back end are a giveaway, and they are a flash of bright as they work the understory.
Tennessee Warbler The Tennessee is a small warbler and is happiest breeding in the boreal forests of Canada. Their favorite food? Spruce budworm.
Yellow Warbler by Doug Greenberg
Yellow Warbler Brilliantly bright yellow with gentle vertical stripes, the Yellow Warbler can be seen throughout the United States and up into Canada and Alaska during breeding season.
Yellow-throated Warbler by Carlos Sanchez
Yellow-throated Warbler Lucky for birders the Yellow-throated’s throat is bright! They like to hang out at the top of the canopy, so we look for flits of yellow on this Texas migration trip.
We’ve described each species’ male in breeding plumage.
Naturalist Journeys’ guide James P. Smith leads our Texas migration trip to the Big Thicket and High Island this year. Find all the details for our Texas Coast & Big Thicket trip, April 23 – May 1, 2020 here. Priced at $2390 per person, based on double occupancy.
Look no further than the breathtaking mountains on this Southeast Arizona birding tour for a New Year getaway—so good we have two trips in January with popular guide, Bob Meinke.
A January Southeast Arizona birding tour is a fascinating experience. Enjoy warmer weather (fingers crossed!) and the fascinating birds and wildlife of the Arizona Sky Islands.
Highlights from our Southeast Arizona Birding Tour
We enjoy plenty of opportunities to marvel at many wintering species of warblers, raptors, and sparrows, as well as tens of thousands of Sandhill Cranes that call Southeast Arizona home for the winter. See Vesper, Grasshopper, and Baird’s Sparrows, as well as Horned Lark, and possibly Longspurs as they enjoy these productive wintering grounds. Raptors are also a highlight in the Sulphur Springs Valley.
There are an abundance of trails for exploring paired with gazing views of the sky islands in the sea of desert. Popular hotspots like Ramsey and Miller Canyons, Ash Canyon, and the San Pedro River are on the agenda for those keen. Choose to do as much or as little as you like—simple!
5 of Our Favorite Birds on this Southeast Arizona Birding Tour
The Montezuma Quail is super interesting in its behavior! It will wait till the very last minute when it feels threatened, and bursts into flight if danger comes too close for comfort! It can leap around 2 meters straight up, even with clipped wings!
A unique flycatcher in the sense that it spends most of the time (around 90%) perching conspicuously, making moves mostly to catch its prey! A must-see bird in the Southwest area of the United States!
The Broad-billed Hummingbird cannot walk or hop just like other hummingbirds, but can definitely dance! It shows a courtship display by hovering in repeated arcs, roughly 12 inches above the female!
The Olive Warbler loves open pine forests and the mountains – perfect for this tour! Male Olive Warblers take around 2 years to establish the orange hood of an adult!
The Sandhill Cranes that winter here number in the tens of thousands. We watch them as they feed in ponds and fields during the day. We make special time to see them fly into roost for the night—a real spectacle!
Hotel Highlight
Our tour is based out of the lovely Casa de San Pedro, our favorite, most comfy place to stay for a Southeast Arizona birding tour. Grab yourself a slice (or 2!) of the famous homemade pie.
Naturalist Journeys is heading to Veracruz, Mexico this fall for a raptor migration tour: a bamboozling bird count!
By Dave Mehlman,
I was recently at a meeting and heard my good friend and colleague, Dr. Ernesto Ruelas, recount the history behind the establishment of the Veracruz River of Raptors hawk migration project many years ago. Ernesto, now on the faculty of the Universidad Veracruzana in Xalapa, Mexico, first became interested in the hawk migration there many years ago when he was a young boy, and he became inspired by the sheer number of migrating birds. His talk got me very excited about our upcoming raptor migration tour to Veracruz from September 25 to October 5, 2019—you will not want to miss it!
Birders in action at the Dr. Mario A. Ramos Migratory Bird Observatory in Chichicaxtle, in 2016.
The talk also reminded me to look up the data on the fall 2018 hawk count in Veracruz, and as usual, the numbers were outstanding! A total of 2,122,814 raptors were counted in the town of Cardel, and 2,270,056 in the nearby town of Chichicaxtle! Even though I’ve been there before, it’s still hard to imagine that many hawks passing through a single site – the perfect destination for our raptor migration tour.
Here’s what the “River of Raptors” looks like from below—a mixed group of vultures and buteos from October last year.
As has generally been the case, the most popular species in 2018 were Turkey Vulture (1,081,774 in Cardel), Broad-winged Hawk (844,258 in Chichi), Swainson’s Hawk (321,064 in Chichi), and Mississippi Kite (131,813 in Chichi). However, a total of 16 other raptor species were counted during last year’s fall season, illustrating the diversity. Plus, certain species that were not known to be very migratory have regularly been recorded there, such as Hook-billed Kite (101 in Chichi).
An intriguing neotropical raptor during the fall 2016 migration.
The thing is, there’s so much more to this trip than migrating raptors! Pelicans, storks, flycatchers, subtropical and tropical birds, archaeology, museums, good food—this trip has it all!
Group of folks birding AND learning in 2017, about pre-European civilizations along the coast of Mexico.
Naturalist Journeys’ upcoming Southern Belize: Pristine & Wild tour is a gem! Our group enjoys birding with top Belize birding guide Estevan (Steve) Choco in 2019. Here’s why you should sign on to this exciting Southern Belize nature tour.
By Bob Meinke, Guide with Naturalist Journeys
Mountain Pine Ridge Habitat by Kelly Amsberry | Old Growth Tropical Forest by Bob Meinke
Intact Ecosystems & Sought-After Species
Belize retains the highest percentageof its original old growth tropical forest of any Central American country, much of it in southern districts. Exploring on this Southern Belize nature tour is an impressive experince, but it’s not all about birds: Charismatic land mammals such as Black Howler Monkey, Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey, Tayra, Kinkajou, and Baird’s Tapir are not unexpected during treks here along wooded trails. (We even crossed paths with a Jaguar on a recent trip.) But did you know that Belize also has extensive Honduran Pine forests at the cooler, higher elevations, with a completely different set of species? We explore both ecosystems during this intriguing trip. Continue reading Why a Southern Belize Nature Tour?→
Find out why YOU should take a Guyana Nature Tour with Naturalist Journeys. One of our favorite trips, Guyana is a country that is off the radar for many travelers, but oh so rich in biodiversity.
We asked guide Greg Smith about his photos of iconic Alaskan mammals, how he finds them, and how they fit into the stunning Denali landscape. Here are his responses.
At Naturalist Journeys we are thrilled to offer a grand array of Neotropical birding tours. Our expert guides vie for the chance to lead groups in Belize. For many reasons, we love birding Belize! Find out ….
Deciding where to bird in the Neotropics, which includes both Central and South America, can seem like a daunting task, and rightfully so. There are many lodges to choose from, and each country has its own draw. We suggest a stair-step approach in which you gain skills and knowledge with each visit, making the most of your time and budget.
Every winter, Naturalist Journeys heads to Belize for a number of fun-filled trips. Here are highlights from a 2016 Belize birding tour.
Group at Pook’s Hill Ruins, Naturalist Journeys Stock
The highlights detailed in this blog post were from a February 2016 Belize birding tour … and this trip was extra special: Naturalist Journeys‘ owner Peg Abbott celebrated her 60th birthday on the trip; it was a bit of a reunion with long-time travel companions, which made for a whole lot of fun. You can read the full trip report here.
In February of 2017, a Naturalist Journeys group embarked on a spectacular 13-day Tanzania safari. Here are the highlights.
Naturalist Journeys‘ owner, Peg Abbott, is just wrapping up her trip in Botswana, and it got us thinking about this past February’s Tanzania safari … what a treat! East Africa is the ULTIMATE wildlife watching destination, and Peg is known to say that if she had just one more trip left in her lifetime, it would be to East Africa. What follows are the highlights, by location, from our 2017 Tanzania safari. Enjoy! Continue reading Best Memories from our Tanzania Safari→
Our Adventures in Nature, Birding, and Ecotourism www.naturalistjourneys.com
Bonus Bird: Sandhill Crane
