Home Tours About Z Photos Contact Us SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SHORT TOUR 5 – 7 Sep 2008 Zugunruhe
Birding Tours, in cooperation with Searcher Natural History
Tours, is offering a
short tour of southern California from the San Diego coast to the Salton Sea.
We will target regional specialties such as Yellow-footed Gull, California
Gnatcatcher, Wrentit, “Large-billed” Savannah Sparrow, and
Lawrence’s Goldfinch, among others.
While offered as an extension to the Searcher’s pelagic trip, the tour
can also be taken on its own. The
tour begins early Friday morning, 5 Sep, in San Diego when The Searcher returns
to port after its 5-day deepwater cruise. We’ll
begin the drive east to the Salton Sea, stopping along the way to bird the
foothills and mountains where we should see birds such as Nuttall’s and
Acorn Woodpeckers, Oak Titmouse, Pygmy Nuthatch, and “Bell’s”
Sage Sparrow. Night in Brawley near the Salton Sea. We’ll
begin the tour’s second day with birding around the Salton Sea.
This is the only reliable site in the U.S. for Yellow-footed Gull,
a visitor from Mexico’s Gulf of California.
“Large-billed” Savannah Sparrow, another visitor from the Gulf
and a potential split, will also be targeted.
Other expected species include Black
and Gull-billed Terns, Burrowing
Owl, Lesser Nighthawk,
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher,
and Abert’s Towhee. As the day heats up,
we’ll head back west towards the cooler temperatures of the higher elevations
and coast. Night in San Diego. Sunday,
the final day of the tour, will focus on the coastal areas of San Diego County.
California
Gnatcatcher, a federally-threatened
species, should be one of the highlights of the day. Shorebirds and other target birds that we may have missed up
to this point should occupy us the rest of the day. The tour will conclude in the late afternoon at the San Diego
International Airport. If you’re
staying overnight in the vicinity of the airport, we can take you to your hotel.
TOUR FEE: $875 per person based on double occupancy (single accommodations may be available for an additional charge of $220). The tour fee includes lodging for two nights, all meals from breakfast on Sep 5 to lunch on Sep 7, ground transportation during the tour, and guide services. It does not include transportation to and from San Diego before and after the tour, phone calls, laundry, room service charges, alcoholic beverages, or any items of a personal nature. LEADER:
Bob Miller, a native of California’s
Imperial Valley, will be your leader for this tour.
Bob has been birding around Southern California for most of his life.
Few know this area as well as he does. GROUP SIZE: This tour is limited 6 participants. A minimum of 2 is required to confirm the tour. PHYSICAL CONSIDERATIONS/WEATHER: Participants should be able to sit in a vehicle for up to 2 to 3 hours and be able to walk at a slow to moderate pace on uneven terrain for up to 2 to 3 hours. High temperatures at the Salton Sea may exceed 110 degrees Farenheit. Please notify us if you have any medical conditions that may affect your participation. REGISTRATION and DEPOSIT: A deposit of $200 and a signed registration and release form will reserve your spot on this tour. Please e-mail for more information on the registration procedure and forms (contact info below). The balance of the fee is due by 60 days prior to the tour. CANCELLATION POLICY: All fees received will be refunded with more than 90 days notice of cancellation. With 60-90 days notice of cancellation, all fees except the deposit will be refunded. No refund is possible with less than 60 days notification. TRIP INSURANCE: We strongly recommend that you purchase trip insurance to protect yourself in case you need to cancel, luggage is lost, stolen, or damaged, a medical emergency occurs, or other unforeseen circumstances. Note that many insurance policies require that you purchase it at the time you make the initial deposit for the tour and terms and coverage differ among policies. For more information and registration forms, please e-mail us at . |
