HAWK MOUNTAIN & BIRD TREKS invite you to travel with us to enjoy

Transcription

1 HAWK MOUNTAIN & BIRD TREKS invite you to travel with us to enjoy The LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY of TEXAS, the SOUTH TEXAS GULF COAST & WHOOPING CRANES Saturday, December 5 to Thursday, December 10, 2015 Six Days, 5 Nights to Visit: o Aransas Bay on the Wharf Cat to see the federally-endangered Whooping Crane and many other aquatic species. The great news is that Whooping Crane numbers continue a slow but steady annual increase. o Special locations for special birds, such as Sinton to search for Mountain Plover, and several residential areas for flocks of Red-crowned Parrots and Green Parakeets. o Laguna Atascosa, Santa Ana, Anzalduas, Bentsen - Rio Grande Valley oases of native vegetation, home to great birds on the Mexican border. The American Birding Association rates TEXAS as the # ONE birding destination in the Lower 48 States! We hope you join us to discover why. SOUTH TEXAS target species include: American White Pelican Whooping Crane, John Puschock Least Grebe Long-billed Curlew Cactus Wren Eared Grebe White-winged Dove Sedge Wren American White Pelican Inca Dove Black-tailed Gnatcatcher Neotropic Cormorant Common Ground-Dove Long-billed Thrasher Anhinga White-tipped Dove Curve-billed Thrasher Reddish Egret Red-crowned Parrot Sprague s Pipit White Ibis Green Parakeet Loggerhead Shrike White-faced Ibis Greater Roadrunner Orange-crowned Warbler Roseate Spoonbill Common Pauraque Black-throated Gray Warbler Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Buff-bellied Hummingbird Pyrrhuloxia Ross s Goose Ringed Kingfisher Olive Sparrow White-tailed Kite Green Kingfisher Lark Sparrow Harris s Hawk Ladder-backed Woodpecker Yellow-headed Blackbird Gray Hawk Couch s Kingbird Brewer s Blackbird Crested Caracara Eastern Phoebe Bronzed Cowbird Plain Chachalaca Vermilion Flycatcher Altamira Oriole Sandhill Crane Great Kiskadee Audubon s Oriole Whooping Crane Green Jay Lesser Goldfinch

2 RARITIES found on past winter tours include... Masked Duck Green-breasted Mango Gray-crowned Yellowthroat Hook-billed Kite Elegant Trogon Golden-crowned Warbler Roadside Hawk Tamaulipas Crow Le Conte s Sparrow Mountain Plover Clay-colored Thrush Crimson-collared Grosbeak Northern Jacana White-throated Thrush Blue Bunting Tropical Parula South Texas & the Gulf Coast December 5 10, 2015 Day Agenda 1 **Plan to arrive at Corpus Christi Airport by early afternoon. We ll drive north along the coast where species such as Roseate Spoonbill, Longbilled Curlew, American White Pelican, Reddish Egret, Vermilion Fly-catcher, and Neotropic Cormorant are just a few of the many exciting birds that we may see. Overnight in Rockport. (See bottom of itinerary) Plain Chachalaca, abundant and noisy! Photo by Diana Schnelbach 2 A morning boat trip out of Rockport Harbor on the Wharf Cat will give us our best chance to see the endangered Whooping Crane, hopefully at close range, very likely close enough to photograph. Nearly 300 have wintered in this area in recent years. We should find 50 or more additional species during our morning on Aransas Bay, which could even include an American Bittern and Long-billed Curlews. We ll spend late afternoon at Goose Island State Park. There we'll see lots of American Wigeon and Ring-necked Ducks and look for mixed flocks of songbirds in the oaks. Among many wonderful observations, we can guarantee one gigantic Live Oak Tree. Second night in Rockport. 3 After breakfast we ll search fields near Sinton for the increasingly rare Mountain Plover, where we may also find Horned Lark, Crested Caracara, and Harris s Hawk. Near Kingsville we are likely to see Great Kiskadee, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, and Long-billed Thrasher. Masked Duck and Northern Jacana are two rarities that are always possible, especially in the wetlands near Riviera. We ll search as many of these ponds as time allows. Our next two nights are at the Best Western in Harlingen.

3 4 We look forward to a full day of birding in the 45,000-acre Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, on the inland side of Laguna Madre. We ll look for Aplomado Falcon, Harris s Hawk, Marbled Godwit, Long-billed Curlew, Sedge Wren, King Rail, and Olive Sparrow. Thousands of Redheads winter here, along with an abundance of additional waterfowl. Late in the day we may see Greater Roadrunner, Plain Chachalaca, Wild Turkey, and Ninebanded Armadillo, as we have in past years. If recent sightings warrant, we will save time for any one of several smaller refuges and parks that have become true magnets for rarities. A second night in Harlingen. 5 Santa Ana is considered The Jewel of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Our morning here should produce Green and Ringed Kingfishers, Least Grebe, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, and perhaps a Hook-billed Kite. Previously we have seen Bobcat and Texas Coral Snake. After a stop at the refuge visitor center and bookstore, we ll finish the day at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park. Target birds at Bentsen include lots of Plain Chachalaca, Altamira Oriole, Eastern Screech-Owl, and Common Pauraque. Clay-colored Thrush and Blue Bunting can sometimes be found here. One year we were lucky enough to discover an immature Roadside Hawk, the fourth ABA area record! We will stay overnight in McAllen. 6 We ll have time for a visit to the Frontera Audubon Sanctuary or Estero Llano Grande State Park. Both are especially good locations for Texas rarities. You will be at the McAllen Airport for your mid-afternoon flights home. Great Kiskadee is a large and vividly marked flycatcher. PLEASE NOTE: This tour includes a half-day boat trip to look for Whooping Cranes, plus a nice amount of time birding in the avian-rich Rio Grande Valley. Click this link for a map of the tour route:

4 Leaders Our Texas Gulf Coast Lower Rio Grande Valley Tour will be led by Bob Schutsky and Dan Heathcote. Bob is intimately familiar with this great region and will enjoy sharing its natural riches with you. Dan loves to bird South Texas and is always anxious to return. The coastal inlets and flats are teaming with shorebirds, gulls, and terns. Birding such special places as Santa Ana NWR and Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park makes for fun and exciting birding memories. Dan and Bob are anxious to share the birds of South Texas with you. It is an exciting destination. Mary-Therese Grob will add fine leadership and hospitality from the internationally famous Hawk Mountain Association. Bob, Mary-Therese, and Dan will show you many of the exciting birds and locations of South Texas and the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Price Includes Note $1895 per person ased upon double occupancy. Single accommodations available for an extra charge of $295. The maximum group size is limited to 11 participants, with three leaders. Expert guide service, comfortable lodging for all five nights, ALL meals and entrance fees, ground transportation within Texas, and the Whooping Crane boat ride. We will be traveling in two 15-passenger vans to ensure all participants have a window seat and experienced guide with them at all times. ALL tips are also included in the tour fee, except for anything extra that you may wish to give to your tour leaders, and to the person who cleans your motel room. Does not include airfare arrival in Corpus Christi and departure from McAllen, Texas. BIRD TREKS will, upon request, gladly help you obtain the best possible airfare. Also not included are the cost of alcoholic beverages and items of a personal nature.

5 Whooping Cranes are simply magnificent! Les Eastman Extra Services. We offer the services of our exclusive BIRD TREKS travel agent, Lori Heathcote, in arranging your air travel. Lori has 30 years of experience in the travel industry and is a veteran birder. Lori can be reached through Travel Time at x564 or , or via at lori@trvltime.com. By dealing with Lori you have the security of a 24-hour tollfree telephone number in case of any travel emergency. Please note, as with most agencies, there is an additional service fee on top of the airline cost. The current service fee is $35 per ticket. Deposit. A $400 deposit will assure your reservation on the tour. Balance due October 5, Refund and Cancellation Policy. With written notice more than 60 days prior to Tour departure, 100% of your deposit will be refunded, minus a $75 service fee. Within days notice, a 50% refund of the full cost of the tour will be refunded. No refund can be made with less than 30 days notice. You will receive a full refund if you provide a replacement for your spot on the tour. No partial refund can be given once the tour begins. We STRONGLY RECOMMEND that you purchase trip cancellation insurance to protect your investment. Contact Allianz Global Assistance and mention BIRD TREKS, ACCAM # F You can apply via the Internet at or by phone at TRAVEL NOTE. Most participants choose to arrive in Corpus Christi one day prior to the start of the tour. That would mean an arrival date of December 4, with the tour beginning December 5. This eliminates any possible problems with missed or delayed flights. It is most convenient to spend the extra night in the same motel in which the entire group will be staying on the first two nights of the tour. The extra night will be at your expense. Lori, our travel agent, will gladly help you with these arrangements. All three leaders will be arriving in Corpus Christi one day early. Doing this takes so much stress out of your travel!

6 2015 Hawk Mountain & Bird Treks Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, the South Texas Gulf Coast & Whooping Cranes December 5 10, 2015 Reservation Form Yes! Sign me/us up for the 2015 Texas birding excursion. Enclosed is my $400 deposit to guarantee my space with final payments due by October 5, I have signed and attached the participant release form and I enclose it herein. Participants: Name Name (write full name as found on driver s license, and nickname if you use one.) Address Phone Number address Emergency Contact Information In case of emergency, please notify: Name Relationship Phone(home): (cell) Accommodations: I would like single accommodations, if/when available at additional cost Please try to find a roommate for me, but if none is available, I understand there will be an additional single supplement fee. I will be rooming with: Name Additional Information: Please list any health concerns and/or special dietary requirements we need to be aware of: Deposits can be made with check (to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary) or credit card: Visa or Master Card number: Exp. Date Signature Submit Reservation Form and payment to: Mary-Therese (MT) Grob, Texas Birding Excursion, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, 1700 Hawk Mountain Road, Kempton, PA Questions may be directed to Mary-Therese (MT) Grob: , or at grob@hawkmountain.org.

7 Hawk Mountain 2015 Texas Birding Excursion Participant Release and Indemnity Agreement I am willingly participating in a birding tour in the state of Texas between December 5 th and December 10 th, 2015, and I acknowledge that there are inherent dangers and risks that may occur with this expedition, known or unknown, relating but not limited to: travel in remote areas by means of aircraft, boat, automobile and other conveyances, without the means of rapid evacuation or medical facilities; nature walks or hikes, swimming, use of camera and birding equipment, accidents and/or illness, and acts of nature, man, or God. I recognize and agree that I am taking part in this trip at my own risk. I acknowledge that Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association and Bird Treks make no warranty or representation, express or implied, regarding the conditions that may be encountered during the trip, and/or the safety of any means of transportation during the trip, and that Hawk Mountain and Bird Treks will have no liability for any defect in or dangerous conditions pertaining thereto. I further certify that I am in good health and able to and have taken any precautions recommended by my physician or trip leaders. In consideration of the right to participate in this expedition, I hereby release Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association and Bird Treks and their agents, their trip leaders, associates, related parties, directors, and staff, from all responsibilities for damages, injuries, losses, or delays due to any reason whatsoever and hereby assume all risks and dangers in connection with this trip. I have read the itinerary and related information pertaining to this trip and I am aware of the terms and conditions of the trip involving refunds and cancellations, responsibility and liability. Signature Date Printed Name in Full: Signature Date Printed Name in Full: (If a couple is registering, please have both sign the document)

8 Terms and Conditions: 1. Reservations: $400 deposit, along with a completed and signed registration form, will reserve a place for you on the Hawk Mountain Texas Birding Excursion. The balance of the fee is due October 5, All prices are quoted in US dollars, and must be paid in US dollars. 2. Cancellation and Refund Policy: With written notice more than 60 days prior to the first day of the tour, 100% of your deposit will be refunded, minus a $75 service fee. With days notice, you will receive a 50% refund of the full cost of the tour, minus a $75 service fee. No refund can be made with less than 30 days notice. You will receive a full refund if you provide a replacement for your spot on the tour. No partial refund can be given once a tour begins. We strongly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance to protect your investment. 3. Medical Information: Participation on a tour requires that you are in generally good health. It is essential that persons with any medical problems and related dietary restrictions make them known before departure. The tour leader has the right to disqualify any participant at any time during the tour if he feels the participant is physically incapable and/or if a participant's continued participation will jeopardize either that individual or the group. There will be no refund given under these circumstances. 4. Itinerary Changes & Trip Delay: Hawk Mountain and Bird Treks reserves the right to change a program's dates, itineraries, or accommodations as conditions warrant. If a trip must be delayed, or the itinerary changed due to bad weather, road conditions, transportation delays, government intervention, sickness, or other contingency for which Hawk Mountain and BIRD TREKS or its agents cannot make provision, the cost of delays or changes is not included. 5. Itinerary Cancellation: Hawk Mountain and Bird Treks reserves the right to cancel an itinerary before departure for any reason whatsoever, including too few participants or logistical problems such as strikes, wars, acts of God, or any other circumstances which may make operation of the tour inadvisable. All tour payments received will be promptly refunded, and this refund will be the limit of our liability. 6. Hawk Mountain and Bird Treks are not responsible for any expenses incurred by tour members in preparing for the tour, including non-refundable or penalty-carrying airline tickets, special clothing, visa or passport fees, or other tour related expenses. 7. Hawk Mountain and Bird Treks reserves the right to decline to accept any individual as a trip member for any reason whatsoever. 8. Limitations of Liability: This section defines Hawk Mountain and Bird Treks responsibility with respect to all of our tours. Please read it carefully. Hawk Mountain and Bird Treks, our Owners, Agents and Employees give notice that they act only as the agent for the owners, contractors, and suppliers providing means of transportation and/or all other related travel services and assume no responsibility howsoever caused for injury, loss, or damage to person or property in connection with any service resulting directly from: acts of God, detention, annoyance, delays, expenses arising from quarantine, strikes, thefts, pilferage, force majeure, failure of any means of conveyance to arrive or depart as scheduled, civil disturbances, terrorism, government restrictions or regulations and discrepancies or changes in transit or hotel services over which it has no control. Reasonable changes in the itinerary may be made where deemed advisable for the comfort and well-being of tour participants. On advancement of deposit to Hawk Mountain and Bird Treks the depositor acknowledges that he/she has read and understands the above recited terms and conditions, and agrees to be bound by them.

9 Texas Birding Excursion Cancellation Policy With written notice more than 60 days prior to the first day of the tour, 100% of you deposit will be refunded, minus a $75 service fee. With day notice, you will receive a 50% refund of the full cost of the tour, minus a $75 service fee. No refund can be made with less than 30 days notice. You will receive a full refund if you provide a replacement for your spot on the tour. No partial refund can be given once the tour begins. We strongly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance to protect your investment. Persons for whom cancellations may be possible, are urged to purchase trip insurance. Information on trip insurance can be obtained from the travel agent or from your own insurance agent. Also, check on coverage for items you will carry. Responsibility: For and in consideration of the opportunity to participate in the tour, each tour participant agrees to release, indemnify, and hold harmless Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association and Bird Treks, its agents, trip leaders, employees, officers, directors, attorneys, and contractors as more fully set forth in the Release Agreement attached. Bird Treks, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association acts only as an agent for the passenger in regard to travel, whether by railroad, motorcar, motor coach, boat, airplane, or other means, and assumes no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity caused by defect inn such vehicles, or for any reasons whatsoever, including the acts, defaults, or bankruptcies of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger or in carrying out the arrangements of the tour. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association and Bird Treks, accept no responsibility for losses, or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, war, quarantine, or other causes. The Tour participants shall bear all such losses and expenses. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association and Bird Treks, reserve the right to make any changes in the itinerary where deemed necessary. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association and Bird Treks reserve the right to decline to accept or retain any person as a member of any tour. Baggage is at the owner s risk entirely. Participants should be in good health and should consult a physician before undertaking the tour. If you have questions regarding the physical requirements, contact the Mary- Therese (MT) Grob at Hawk Mountain. Weather is unpredictable. Each participant is responsible for bringing the appropriate clothing and equipment as recommended in postreservation materials. The receipt of your tour deposit shall be deemed to be your consent to the above conditions. Each tour participant also shall sign and deliver the release and indemnity agreement at the time of registration.