Zugunruhe Birding Tours is offering an alternative to the traditional pelagic trip: Seabird Fest.  Seabird Fest features pelagic birding with some of North America's top leaders, informative talks, and opportunities to socialize with other birders on board a 950-foot-long cruise ship, Princess Cruises' Golden Princess, as it travels from Vancouver, BC to Los Angeles, CA.

We're big fans of traditional pelagics, but cruise ship pelagic birding has some advantages.  The most obvious being the size of the boat.  Its size makes it much more stable, greatly reducing the chances of motion sickness and allowing us to use spotting scopes.  A cruise ship spends more time in deep water and less time traversing shallow near-shore waters that many pelagic species avoid.  There's also the traditional ammenities of a cruise ship: dinner, a bed, and a hot shower are just a short walk away.  You also don't have to wake up at 4 AM to get to the dock in time.  Just roll out of bed, walk down the hall, and you're there.  There's also a lot for non-birders to do, so if you're looking for a vacation that you and you're non-birding partner can both enjoy, this is it.  (There are a few disadvantages compared to the traditional pelagic: the birds may be far away – a stable deck and the ability to use scopes helps counteract this, but it does limit photographic opportunities – and we can’t stop the boat or alter course for anything.)

The trip begins in Vancouver, BC (Sep 23, 4:30 PM departure) and ends in Los Angeles, CA (disembarking 7 AM, Sep 26).  In between there will be 2 full day of pelagic birding and other activities:

- Pelagic birding and marine mammal viewing with eight expert leaders.  We will be birding from the bow of the ship, about 40 feet above the water line.  While we won't be able to chum or chase anything, the ability to use spotting scopes provides the opportunity for quality looks and the elevated deck means few birds, if any, disappear into the trough of a wave never to be seen again.

- Talks from seabirding experts and a social hour every night to meet the leaders and your fellow birders.  Jim Danzenbaker will present a class on seabird identification during the first morning of the cruise, featuring a classroom and outdoor sessions.  It’s perfect for beginners and those who want a refresher.  Paul Guris will give a talk on winter pelagic birding on the Atlantic.  Todd McGrath will also be onboard to give a talk.  (Speakers and leaders may be subject to change.)

- Pre-dawn birding walks to look for birds on the ship.  Passerine migrants are attracted to the lights of the ship and often land on it.  Sparrows and warblers are the most common passerines on deck.  Seabirds can be found on deck, too, though unfortunately they are often injured or dead.

Pre- and post-cruise tours (additional fee)

We are also offering tours before and after the cruise to help you find the regional specialties of coastal British Columbia and Southern California:

 - Pre-cruise tour of the Vancouver area, Sep 20-23, targetting Sky Lark, Sooty Grouse, Northwestern Crow, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and more. 

- Post-cruise tour of southern California visiting Santa Cruz Island for the endemic Island Scrub-Jay, the Salton Sea, and other stops for southern California specialties. The itinerary for this tour is not available yet.  Please contact us if you are interested, and we'll notify you when it is available.

SPEAKERS & LEADERS

We'll have eight leaders, including one marine mammal expert: Jim Danzenbaker, Shawneen Finnegan, Greg Gillson, Paul Guris, Dave Irons, Todd McGrath, John Puschock, and Brenda Rone.  Click here to learn more about them.