BIRDING TOURS WORLDWIDE. ITINERARY CLOUDFORESTS OF EL TRIUNFO, MEXICO THE HORNED GUAN & MORE March 8-17, 2014

Transcription

1 field guides BIRDING TOURS WORLDWIDE ITINERARY CLOUDFORESTS OF EL TRIUNFO, MEXICO THE HORNED GUAN & MORE March 8-17, 2014 We include here information for those interested in the 2014 Field Guides Cloudforests of El Triunfo, Mexico tour: a general introduction to the tour a description of the birding areas to be visited on the tour an abbreviated daily itinerary with some indication of the nature of each dayʼs birding outings Those who register for the tour will be sent this additional material: a detailed information bulletin with important logistical information and answers to questions regarding accommodations, air arrangements, clothing, currency, customs and immigration, documents, health precautions, and personal items a reference list a Field Guides checklist for preparing and keeping track of the birds we see on the tour after the conclusion of the tour, a list of birds seen on the tour Nestled in the remote sierras of southern Pacific Chiapas lies a cloudforest of unsurpassed natural beauty. It is composed of bowing tree ferns, tall boles laden with countless epiphytes and bromeliads, and a moist, somewhat open understory characterized by decaying treefalls and leaf litter piously cloaked in lichens and mosses. Clouds, mist, and other water droplets quietly dominate the atmosphere of this elevated world that exists precariously and discontinuously about the globe. Yet this particular cloudforest supports a Neotropical combination of spectacular flora and fauna all its own. Its most noteworthy inhabitant is without question the rare and endangered Horned Guan perhaps the most mystifying of all the remarkable cracids. Our camping trip into Mexicoʼs finest Biosphere Reserve is first and foremost a quest for this noble and celebrated creature a form so isolated in its evolution that the taxon is assigned to a monotypic genus. Indeed, of the three monotypic genera within its family, the only two ranging north of South America are well represented at El Triunfo, since the sexually dimorphic Highland Guan commonly inhabits the same ridge slopes favored by its much scarcer cousin. Despite our unwavering aim, there will be much more to nourish us with pleasure, both during our stay at the humid enclave so aptly named El Triunfo, as we spend three full enchanting days at about 6500 feet birding the trails and nearby ridges; and en route, as we bird our way up from Finca Prusia on the Atlantic-influenced north slope of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas, completing transposition into the world of our destination in but one day, and as we enjoy three days to bird our way down the dry, conifer-forested south slope, through lovely tropical oak woods interrupted by wet canyons, into hot, lowland Pacific deciduous forest. Inflecting our passage down the Pacific slope, a descent of some 6000 feet in elevation along a well-defined, thirty-kilometer trace, we plan to camp at two sites first at Limonar and then at Paval before completing our journey downward with the rushing Rio Novilleros to Tres de Mayo. Our tour is strictly limited to eight participants and is designed to allow sufficient time to locate Oreophasis, his extancy (and weather) permitting. Though strenuous, our hike into and out of El Triunfo will be at a relaxed pace, horses will bear our equipment and gear, solar-heated showers will be furnished for bathing in the cool cloudforest, and tasty meals will be provided in full this all in an effort to make El Triunfo one of our most pleasurable wilderness tours. In order to promote the well-being and continued preservation of the Horned Guan, its interrelated fauna, and the precious habitat so crucial to their support, Field Guides conducts this wilderness tour with the Reserveʼs economic needs in mind. Field Guides Incorporated 9433 Bee Cave Road #1-150 Austin TX fax

2 About the Pace & Physical Requirements: The climate at El Triunfo is pleasant, with warm days and cool nights (4-20 Celsius, F). Be prepared for mist and some rain, especially in the cloudforest. About ninety days prior to departure, you will be sent a tour packet, which will include a detailed information bulletin outlining necessary clothing and equipment. We will be camping in a remote region with the benefit of outfitters. You are only asked to bring your own portable sleeping bag and pad or air mattress. Our outfitters will provide tents (participants are more than welcome to bring their own), water, lanterns, cooking equipment, and food. During our four nights at El Triunfo, weʼll have access to showers and flush toilets as well as dormitory style accommodation in one large room with comfortable beds. If you prefer more privacy, a tent can be provided. While weʼll have horses to carry our gear, the hike to the campsite at El Triunfo is a fairly strenuous 7.5 mile climb. You should not take this tour unless you are in good health (we will be a long hike and drive from the nearest medical facilities) and excellent physical condition and are willing to tolerate the primitive conditions. For those fit and willing, the difficult conditions will be well worth the tradeoff for the rare opportunity to visit such a rich wilderness area. If you are uncertain about whether this tour is a good match for your abilities, please donʼt hesitate to contact our office; if they cannot directly answer your queries, they will put you in touch with the guide. Itinerary for Cloudforests of El Triunfo, Mexico Day 1, Sat, 8 Mar. Afternoon arrival into Tuxtla Gutierrez. Upon arrival, you will be met by your guides. After checking into our hotel, weʼll meet again for dinner. Night in Tuxtla Gutierrez. Day 2, Sun, 9 Mar. Morning birding at Sumidero Canyon; afternoon drive to Jaltenango. This morning weʼll visit the spectacular Sumidero Canyon, which lies just northeast of town. Breathtaking views of the Rio Grijalva hundreds of feet below the rim of the canyon are in store, along with bird possibilities such as Russet-crowned Motmot, Slender Sheartail, Red-breasted Chat, Canivetʼs Emerald, Belted and Flammulated flycatchers, Blue-and-white Mockingbird, Ridgwayʼs Rough-winged Swallow, and Great Swallow-tailed Swift. Flowering trees can produce as many as five species of orioles including Bar-winged. After lunch at a local restaurant, we will drive to Jaltenango. The road is not great and the drive will take 4-5 hours with a few birding stops en route. Night at very basic hotel in Jaltenango. Day 3, Mon, 10 Mar. Jaltenango to Finca Prusia. After an early breakfast, weʼll transfer via open air trucks with bench seats in the back to the trailhead at Finca Prusia. Prusia is a large coffee plantation situated on the Atlantic slope of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas at almost 4000 feet along the border of the buffer zone protecting the Reserve. Though a long haul by road, driving to Prusia will enable us to begin our hike to the clearing at El Triunfo at a substantially higher elevation than the traditional approach from the Pacific slope, which will result in a less demanding climb. Weʼll hike and bird at a relaxed pace about 7.5 miles up through the buffer zone to the bowl at El Triunfo. The last two hours of our hike are especially beautiful as we pass from a luxuriant mixture of sweetgum and oak into dripping, epiphyte-festooned cloudforest. And we expect to be interrupted on numerous occasions by the avifauna. Weʼll reach El Triunfo by lateafternoon with plenty of daylight to get encamped. Night at El Triunfo. Days 4-6, Tue-Thu, Mar. El Triunfo. Weʼll have three full days and part of another to do some justice to this exquisitely beautiful region. Even though species variety is typically not overwhelming, birding within the cloudforest here is superb. In the damp pockets near the ridge crests, Blue-throated Motmots, Ruddy Foliage-gleaners, Tawny-throated Leaftossers, and numerous Brown-backed Solitaires place their respective nests within and against the overhanging earthen banks beside a user-friendly path. Hang variety! Who could tire of Resplendent Quetzals etherealizing the day and Fulvous Owls bearing the night away? Or the intoxicating gorget-dance of the tiny Wine-throated Hummingbird fixed atop a twig? Although our daily excursions will be organized around the keen pursuit of el Pavon, as we investigate favored fruitbearing flora in the secluded stream valleys or along the flanks of Cerro Triunfo and listen intently for the sublime low mooing from upon the ridge tops, we should encounter numerous other species along the way, including: Highland Guan, Singing Quail, White-faced Quail-Dove, Blue-throated Motmot, Emerald Toucanet, hummers like Black-crested Coquette and Green-throated Mountain-gem, Spectacled and Ruddy foliage-gleaners, Spotted and Spot-crowned woodcreepers, Scaled Antpitta, Black-throated and Unicolored jays, Ruddy-capped and Spotted nightingale-thrushes, Black and Mountain robins, Blue-and-white Mockingbird, Crescent-chested and Golden-browed warblers, Blue-crowned 2

3 Chlorophonia, Yellow and Hooded grosbeaks, and Black-headed Siskin. The songfests of Brown-backed Solitaires, nightingale-thrushes, Black Robins, and Yellow Grosbeaks are to some naturalists alone worth the trip. Unforgettable nights at El Triunfo. Day 7, Fri, 14 Mar. El Triunfo to Limonar. This morning weʼll bird our way out of the cloudforest, beginning our descent south down the Pacific slope of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas. In but a few hours, having climbed gradually up to the ridge crest at about 7000 feet, weʼll be winding our way down the switchbacks through the dry, conifer-forested slopes into the wet-oak, Ficus-laden Canada Honda whose most fabled inhabitant is the Azure-rumped Tanager! We should arrive shortly after lunch. In the afternoon weʼll hike a relatively short distance to Limonar, where weʼll set up camp in a beautiful oak grove where the nocturnal Sumichrastʼs Cacomistle often punctuates the night with its barking cries. Prior trips have had excellent spotlight looks at this seldom-seen mammal feeding in the trees above camp. Birding possibilities in this area include Crested Guan, Pheasant Cuckoo, Rufous and Violet sabrewings, Emerald-chinned Hummingbird, Tody Motmot, Stub-tailed Spadebill, Long-tailed Manakin, Rufous-and-white Wren, Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Chestnutsided Shrike-Vireo, Fan-tailed Warbler, Blue-hooded Euphonia, and White-eared Ground-Sparrow. Night at Limonar camp. Day 8, Sat, 15 Mar. Limonar to Paval. Todayʼs hike will again be relatively short to allow plenty of time to search for birds yet unseen, such as Northern Bentbill, Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Ruddy Woodcreeper, and Collared Aracari. Upon reaching Paval, weʼll pitch camp a few yards above a riverside settlement where in previous years weʼve had good luck with Mottled and Black-and-white owls. Weʼll have time for an optional dip in the river before supper. Night at Paval camp. Day 9, Sun, 16 Mar. Paval to Tapachula. Weʼll get an early start this morning in hopes of seeing White-bellied Chachalaca, White Hawk, Royal Flycatcher, Prevostʼs Ground-Sparrow, Spot-breasted Oriole, and Turquoise-browed Motmot. Weʼll walk out downstream along a river whose width will increase with each bend, and with White-fronted and Mealy parrots overhead. We should arrive at the community of Tres de Mayo (el fin del camino) by early afternoon, where weʼll meet our drivers. After ice-cold drinks and lunch, weʼll drive to Tapachula. Weʼll look for Giant Wren (and Orangechinned Parakeet) on our way out to the Mapastepec highway, but if we donʼt see it, there is usually a nesting pair on the hotel grounds in Tapachula. Night in Tapachula. Day 10, Mon, 17 Mar. Tapachula to final destination. The tour ends this morning after breakfast. For those departing early, we will provide transportation to the airport. If your scheduled departure is after that of our guides, weʼll help arrange a taxi for you in advance. Vayan bien! 3 About Your Guides Jay Vandergaast was introduced to birding by his father, and his obsession with birds was evident by age seven when he memorized the plates in Peterson's eastern field guide. He went on to earn a B.S. in biology at university and briefly contemplated a career in research, but two years on the buggy arctic tundra watching ptarmigan do little other than occasionally getting eaten by Gyrfalcons soon put an end to that plan! Instead, he strapped on a backpack and a pair of bins and began roaming the world in search of birds. His travels eventually led him to Costa Rica, where he stumbled into a job as a birding guide at Rancho Naturalista Lodge. Amazed that he was actually getting paid to watch birds, he jealously guarded his position there for six years. His career with Field Guides coincided with the dawn of the new millennium (if you believe that began in 2000!), and since then he has guided more than 100 tours on several continents. When he's not on tour, Jay's native habitat is his home near Montreal, where he lives with his partner, Annie, and their growing family daughter Ariane, son Noah, and youngest daughter Elodie. Though Jay has birded extensively in Middle America including much of Mexico this will be his first visit to El Triunfo, so regardless of group size, both guides will accompany the tour. Jorge Montejo was born in Yucatan, Mexico and developed a passion for nature from a very early age, exploring the surroundings of his native Merida where he began to observe birds and learn how to trap them! His interest in birds and nature continued to grow during his college years in Veracruz when Jorge and a group of friends discovered the great

4 coastal migration in the state, now known as the Veracruz River of Raptors. Since the late 90ʼs, Jorge has guided birding tours throughout Mexico. His explorations have taken him across Mexico and to other parts of the world, including Venezuela, Brazil, and much of the US and Canada. Because of both the beauty and importance of birds, he considers the opportunity to watch them and share his passion with others a great honor, as well as a great responsibility. On the rare occasions when he is not in the field, Jorge shares his bird observations with his partner, Amy, from their base in the city of Xalapa, set in the foothills of central Veracruz. Over the years, Jorge has led dozens of tours to El Triunfo. Financial Information FEE: $3150 from Tuxtla Gutierrez AIRFARE: Please check with our office. Flights are available from most cities to Tuxtla Gutierrez via Houston or Mexico City. DEPOSIT: $315 per person FINAL PAYMENT DUE: November 8, 2013 SINGLE SUPPLEMENT (Optional): $80 LIMIT: 8 Other Things You Need to Know TOUR MANAGER: The manager for this tour is Marissa Lenoir. Marissa will be happy to assist you in preparing for the tour. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call her! DOCUMENTS: For US citizens traveling to Mexico, a current passport is necessary to reenter the United States. If you are not a US citizen, please check with the Mexican consulate nearest you for entry requirements. Information about consulates and entry requirements is generally available online or you can contact us and we will be happy to look this up for you. Passports should have an adequate number of blank pages for your entire journey. Some countries require a blank page for their stamp and as a precaution it is best to have one blank page per country you will visit or transit. AIR ARRANGEMENTS: Please note that the tour begins in Tuxtla Gutierrez and ends in Tapachula. Flights are available from most cities to Tuxtla Gutierrez via Mexico City or Houston. Field Guides is a full service travel agency and your tour manager will be happy to assist you with flights to join this tour. Field Guides does not charge a service fee for these services to clients booking a tour. However, we understand that tech-savvy clients often prefer to shop online or that you may wish to use mileage to purchase tickets. Regardless of which method you choose, your tour manager will be happy to provide assistance regarding ticket prices and schedules, along with rental cars and extra hotel nights as needed. Please be sure to check with your tour manager prior to purchasing your ticket to make sure the flights you have chosen will work well with the tour itinerary and that the tour is sufficiently subscribed to operate. Once purchased, most airline tickets are non-refundable and carry a penalty to change. Field Guides cannot be responsible for these fees. Also, it is imperative that we receive a copy of your comprehensive flight itinerary including any and all flights not covered in the tour fee so that we may track you in the event of missed connections, delays, or other mishaps. LUGGAGE: Please be aware that many airlines have recently modified their luggage policies and are charging additional fees for checked bags. Updates could easily occur before your departure, so you may wish to contact your airline to verify the policy. Additional charges for bags on any flights, whether these are covered by the tour fee or not, will be the client s responsibility. TOUR INCLUSIONS/EXCLUSIONS: The tour fee is $3150 for one person in double occupancy from Tuxtla Gutierrez. It includes all lodging from Day 1 through Day 9, all meals from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on Day 10, all ground transportation (except your transfers to/from the airport), entrance fees, tips for baggage handling, meal service, maids, local guides and local drivers, and the guide services of the tour leader(s). 4

5 The above fee does not include your airfare to and from Mexico, airport taxes, visa fees, airport transfers, any checked or carry-on baggage charges imposed by the airlines, any alcoholic beverages, optional tips to local drivers, phone calls, laundry, or other items of a personal nature. The single supplement for the tour is $80. Singles will only be available in Tuxtla Gutierrez and Tapachula. If you do not have a roommate but wish to share, we will try to pair you with a roommate from the tour; but if none is available, you will be billed for the single supplement. Our tour fees are based on double occupancy; one-half the cost of a double room is priced into the tour fee. The single supplement is calculated by taking the actual cost of a single room and subtracting one-half the cost of a double room (plus any applicable taxes). 5 TOUR REGISTRATION: To register for this tour, complete the Registration/Release and Indemnity form and return it with a deposit of $315 per person. If registering by phone, a deposit must be received within fourteen days, or the space will be released. Full payment of the tour fee is due 120 days prior to departure, or by November 8, We will bill you for the final payment at either 120 days or when the tour has reached sufficient subscription to operate, whichever date comes later. Since the cost of your trip insurance and airline tickets is generally non-refundable, please do not finalize these purchases until you have received final billing for the tour or have been advised that the tour is sufficiently subscribed to operate by your tour manager. SMOKING: Almost all of our clients prefer a smoke-free environment. If you smoke, please be sensitive to the group and refrain from smoking at meals, in vehicles, and in proximity to the group on trails and elsewhere. CANCELLATION POLICY: Refund of deposit and payment, less $100 handling fee, will be made if cancellation is received up to 120 days before departure. If cancellation occurs between 119 and 70 days before the departure date, 50% of the tour fee is refundable. Thereafter, all deposits and payments are not refundable. This policy only applies to payments made to Field Guides for tour (and any services included in those fees). Airline tickets not included in the tour fee and purchased separately often carry penalties for cancellation or change, or are sometimes totally non-refundable. Additionally, if you take out trip insurance the cost of the insurance is not refundable so it is best to purchase the policy just prior to making full payment for the tour or at the time you purchase airline tickets, depending upon the airlines restrictions. The right is reserved to cancel any tour prior to departure, in which case full refund will constitute full settlement to the passenger. The right is reserved to substitute in case of emergency another guide for the original one TRIP CANCELLATION & MEDICAL EMERGENCY INSURANCE: We strongly recommend you consider purchasing trip cancellation (including medical emergency) insurance to cover your investment in case of injury or illness to you or your family prior to or during a trip. Because we must remit early (and substantial) tour deposits to our suppliers, we cannot offer any refund when cancellation occurs within 70 days of departure, and only a partial refund from 70 to 119 days prior to departure (see CANCELLATION POLICY). In addition, the Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and if it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. US medical insurance plans seldom cover health costs incurred outside the United States unless supplemental coverage is purchased. Furthermore, US Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for medical services outside the United States. When making a decision regarding health insurance, Americans should consider that many foreign doctors and hospitals require payment in cash prior to providing service and that a medical evacuation to the United States may cost well in excess of $50,000. Uninsured travelers who require medical care overseas often face extreme difficulties. When consulting with your insurer prior to your trip, please ascertain whether payment will be made to the overseas healthcare provider or whether you will be reimbursed later for expenses that you incur. US and Canadian citizens will receive from us a brochure regarding optional tour cancellation/emergency medical insurance. Our agent, CSA, will insure for trip cancellation and interruption, medical coverage, travel delay, baggage loss and delay, 24-hour accident protection, and emergency medical transportation. If you purchase the insurance when making final payment for the tour, pre-existing conditions are covered. The CSA brochure includes a contact number; you may also purchase your CSA policy on-line by visiting our website at and clicking the link to CSA. Please note, once the insurance is purchased it is non-refundable, so please check with your tour manager prior to making the purchase to assure the tour will operate as scheduled. Citizens of other countries are urged to consult their insurance broker.

6 RESPONSIBILITY: For and in consideration of the opportunity to participate in the tour, each tour participant and each parent or legal guardian of a tour participant who is under 18 agrees to release, indemnify, and hold harmless Field Guides Incorporated, its agents, servants, employees, shareholders, officers, directors, attorneys, and contractors as more fully set forth in the Release and Indemnity Agreement on the reverse side of the registration form. Field Guides Incorporated acts only as an agent for the passenger in regard to travel, whether by railroad, motorcar, motorcoach, boat, airplane, or other means, and assumes no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or irregularity caused by defect in such vehicles or for any reason 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. Field Guides Incorporated accepts no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other causes. The tour participant shall bear all such losses and expenses. Field Guides Incorporated reserves the right to substitute hotels of similar category for those indicated and to make any changes in the itinerary where deemed necessary or caused by changes in air schedules. Field Guides Incorporated reserves the right to decline to accept or to retain any person as a member of any tour. Baggage is at owner s risk entirely. Participants should be in good health and should consult a physician before undertaking a tour. If you have questions about the physical requirements of a tour, please contact our office for further information. Participants should prepare for the tour by reading the detailed itinerary, the information bulletin, and other pertinent matter provided by Field Guides. Each participant is responsible for bringing appropriate clothing and equipment as recommended in our bulletins. THE RECEIPT OF YOUR TOUR DEPOSIT SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE CONSENT TO THE ABOVE CONDITIONS. EACH TOUR PARTICIPANT AND EACH PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN OF A TOUR PARTICIPANT WHO IS UNDER 18 SHALL SIGN AND DELIVER THE RELEASE AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT AT THE TIME OF REGISTRATION. 6/13ADR 6