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2007-08 Birding Tours |
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| Introduction | Bird Tours | Artwork | Chris Doughty | Contact Us | ||
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2007-08 Birding Tours |
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| Introduction | Bird Tours | Artwork | Chris Doughty | Contact Us | ||
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Following are the exciting Peregrine Bird Tours scheduled for 2007/2008. Booking Procedures: To reserve your place on these exciting tours, contact Peregrine Bird Tours now. We will send you a printed copy of the brochure and a booking form. When you return the completed booking form with your accommodation preferences
and deposit, we will send you a confirmation with a complete bird list,
travel information, and invoice for the final balance which is due 60
days prior to departure.
AUSTRALIA
Often referred to as the 'Timeless Land', this island continent has been cut off from the rest of the world for more than sixty million years and as a result has evolved a remarkable and unique flora and fauna. This isolation has enabled the marsupials to flourish and diversify; we will encounter such remarkable creatures as kangaroos, wallabies, possums, Koala and the strange Platypus. The birdlife has also followed its own evolutionary path, resulting in Australia having more endemic bird species than any other country in the world and many bird families which are restricted to Australasia. These include megapodes, lories, cockatoos, owlet-nightjars, lyrebirds, Australian creepers, fairy-wrens, honeyeaters, pardalotes, woodswallows, butcherbirds, bowerbirds and birds-of-paradise. To date about 780 species of birds have been recorded from Australia, a staggering 332, are endemic to Australia and found nowhere else on earth. Australia's immense geographical area means that it is simply impossible to see all of its endemic birds during one visit, any attempt to do so would result in far too much time travelling and too little time actually spent in the field. In the harsh environment of the arid interior of Australia relatively few species are able to survive; in complete contrast, the forested mountains of Australia's only major mountain range, the Great Dividing Range, which runs parallel to the east coast for a distance of 2000 kilometres, are simply alive with birds. In these forested mountains the highest diversity of both animals and birds occur and this is where we will concentrate our efforts. Our journey begins on the beautiful island of Tasmania, where we explore stunning mountain forests in search of a host of island endemics. Continuing on to mainland Australia we visit the arid, bushy terrain of the 'Mallee', in northwestern Victoria, where we shall enjoy the many specialties of this unique area. We then spend several days amidst the wet sclerophyll hill forests, coastal heathlands and spectacular beaches of southernmost Victoria. Flying northwards we go birding in the magnificent subtropical rainforests of Lamington National Park in southern Queensland. Moving northwards yet again we come to the rich tropical rainforest and coastal habitats of northern Queensland. Here in the jungles of the Atherton Tablelands exotic bowerbirds and riflebirds will compete for our attentions with enormous birdwing butterflies. As well as looking at the wonderful selection of waders on the coastal mudflats we shall have a chance to explore the famous Great Barrier Reef, marveling at both the riches of the coral reefs and a superb array of tropical seabirds. When: Fri 27th Aug - Sun 9th Sep 2008 (14 days) Where: Departing Melbourne / Returning to Cairns Cost: US$3876 Leader: Chris Doughty Accommodation: Accommodation will be in comfortable good quality
hotels/motels, with attached facilities and a very comfortable Wildlife
Lodge. Price Includes: All ground transportation, twin share accommodation and all meals, service charges, entrance fees, services of leader..
Other Australian Tours If the timings of the above tour do not suit your requirements. Contact us about organising a tailor made tour to suit your group, or alternatively join our Southwestern Australia, Christmas and Cocos Keeling Islands tour in December 2008, details at the bottom of this page..
Africa south of the Sahara is one of the wonders of the natural world; and South Africa has the greatest diversity of habitats, of any country in Africa. On this exciting tour we will explore rolling savannah grasslands, lush forests, wetlands teaming with birds and extensive coastal heathlands. More than 700 different species of birds occur in South Africa, birdlife is abundant and easy to see, but even more tantalising, is the high degree of endemism of the avifauna. Over 165 species of birds occur only in Africa south of the Zambezi and Cunene Rivers; and most of them can be readily found in South Africa. This wild and beautiful country, posses the greatest concentration of endemic birds in the whole of Africa. It is a country of spectacular scenery; the inland plateau, or Highveld, is rimmed by the Drakensberg Mountains, which fall away in steep escarpments to the sub-tropical coastal plains far below. With good roads and accommodation, and a quiet, rural atmosphere over much of the country, South Africa offers some of the most exciting and most comfortable birding in Africa. We start our journey in Johannesburg; driving eastwards we begin our search for rare and sometimes elusive endemics in the high grasslands around Dullstroom, in the southern Transvaal. Moving on we visit the world-famous Kruger National Park; bordered on its eastern flank by the mighty Limpopo River, and encompassing almost two million hectares of lowland savannah, grassland and scrub, the Kruger is the largest of all South Africa's national parks. In excess of 500 species of birds have been recorded in the park, together with an abundance of large mammals. Reluctantly leaving Kruger National Park we visit the rolling grasslands at Kaapsehoop, home to a few pairs of the critically endangered Blue Swallow. Continuing southwards, we go birding in montane grassland close to Wakkerstroom, in the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains. This area supports a number of rare and localised endemics, including the stately Blue Korhaan and the extremely range restricted Botha's Lark. We then travel high into the majestic Drakensberg Mountains, the 'mountains of dragons'; which will include a visit to the mountain Kingdom of Lesotho, as we search for the bizarre Drakensberg Rock-jumper, the attractive Buff-streaked Chat and many other montane specialties. From here we descend to the coastal lowlands at Durban and fly to Cape Town. The city is dominated by the 1,300 metre high Table Mountain, during our time here we will visit the scenically dramatic Cape of Good Hope, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. Travelling inland, our final destination will be the semi-desert scrubland of the Tanqua Karoo. When: Fri 16th Nov - Sat 8 Dec 2007 (23 days) Where: Departing Melbourne / Returning to Melbourne Cost: AUS$12,665 Leader: Chris Doughty and local leader. Accommodation: Accommodation in comfortable hotels and lodges
with attached facilities and tented safari camps with good facilities
. Price Includes: Economy class air travel, ground transportation, twin share accommodation and all meals, service charges, entrance fees and services of leader(s).
As a wintering ground for wildfowl, the still relatively little-known western shore of the Black Sea ranks amongst the best in the world. Even today, it remains a wild landscape of wide open spaces, endless reedbeds and vast coastal lagoons. At this time of year huge numbers of birds, have no other alternative but to fly south and seek out a winter refuge, in order to escape from the big freeze that envelops the vast Russian tundra. A spectacular number and variety of birds choose to winter along Bulgaria's Black Sea coast; and the main focus of our tour will be the tens of thousands of geese that spend the winter here. Numbers fluctuate from year to year, and the geese often wander widely, even so, it is estimated that up to 120,000 Greater White-fronted Geese and almost the entire world population, of up to 70,000 spectacular Red-breasted Geese are concentrated here; along with much smaller numbers of Bean and Greylag Geese and the critically endangered Lesser White-fronted Goose. Foremost among them is the rare Red-breasted Goose, one of nature's great triumphs; the striking combination of black, white and chestnut-red plumage, makes it by far the most attractive of all of Europe's wildfowl. Several other globally threatened species also occur here at this time of year, they include Dalmatian Pelican, Pygmy Cormorant, Ferruginous and White-headed Ducks and White-tailed and Greater Spotted Eagles. We will also do some forest birding in the Vitosha and Rhodope Mountains searching for typical woodland species such as woodpeckers, larks, tits, finches and buntings. The tour commences in the forested Vitosha Mountains, close to Bulgaria's bustling capital city of Sofia. Travelling south through the mountains we go birding in the picturesque eastern foothills of the Rhodope Mountains, close to the border with Turkey. This area supports a large variety of raptors and woodland species. Moving on we enjoy an impressive array of waterbirds which congregate around Vaya and Mandra Lakes. Continuing northwards along the Black Sea coast we cross the Balkan Range and pass through rugged limestone escarpments and wooded valleys on our way to the Danube Valley and the borderlands with Romania. Here we visit the rolling steppes of Cape Kaliakra Nature Reserve, the southern edge of Romania's great Dobrugean Plain. However our main areas of focus will be Lake Shabla and Lake Durankulak and the large flocks of geese that winter there. It will undoubtedly be very cold at this time of year; however, this will be more than compensated for by the warmth of Bulgarian hospitality and Europe's most exciting winter birding destination. When: Sun 10 Feb - Sat 23 Feb 2008 (14 days) Where: Departing Melbourne / Returning to Melbourne Cost: AUS$6,655 Leader: Chris Doughty and local leader. Accommodation: Throughout most of the tour accommodation is in
very comfortable hotels with attached facilities. Price Includes: Economy class air travel, ground transportation, twin share accommodation and all meals, service charges, entrance fees and services of leader(s).
Vietnam is rich in history and culture; for 2000 years Chinese emperors treated Vietnam as a tributary state of China, greatly influencing the culture of the country. Even the words Viet Nam, are of Chinese origin, meaning 'people of the south.' Vietnam gained independence in the 10th century, when China was weakened by the disorder of a crumbling Tang dynasty. In more recent times, the country has been ravaged by thirty years of constant struggle; in an independence war against the French and a long and bitter civil war. Vietnam became inaccessible, for more than half a century. Like the regeneration of a forest after a bushfire, Vietnam has now risen from the ashes and has once more opened its doors to outsiders, providing natural history enthusiasts access to the least known and most unexplored region, in Southeast Asia. Stretching for 1,600 kilometres along the east coast of Southeast Asia; Vietnam contains a staggering array of habitats including montane cloud forest, tropical rainforest, open dry forest, mudflats, saltpans and coastal mangroves. Little wonder then that Vietnam is home to 850 species of birds, including 10 endemics; which is significantly more than any other country in Southeast Asia. Vietnam offers the visiting birder an unparalleled opportunity to observe a large number of endemic birds and Indochinese specialities, which include colourful pheasants, trogons, kingfishers, minivets and sunbirds. Our journey begins in Ho Chi Minh City, where we drive north-eastwards to the unique Da Lat Plateau in south-central Vietnam where forested peaks rise to over 2,000 metres. The forests here harbour a fine selection of Indochinese endemics such as Indochinese Green Magpie, Vietnamese Greenfinch and the strange Grey-crowned Crocias. Returning to the south we visit Cat Tien National Park, which protects one of the largest remaining areas of lowland forest and wetlands in the country. Here we will be hoping to see a long list of specialities such as Siamese Fireback, Green Peafowl and Pale-headed Woodpecker. Next we fly north to Da Nang in central Vietnam where we explore Bach Ma National Park in search of some of Vietnams' least known birds which include Annam Partridge, Sooty Babbler, Black-crowned Barwing and White-winged Magpie. On to the Red River Delta where we will carefully scan through flocks of migratory waders searching for the very rare Spoon-billed Sandpiper and the endangered Nordmann's Greenshank. Then we explore Cuc Phuong, the oldest of Vietnam's national parks. Here in the moist evergreen forest we will look for Blue-rumped Pitta as well as other exciting birds ranging from Pied Falconet to Limestone Wren-Babbler. Our final destination will be the old French hill station at Tam Dao, haunt of Grey Laughingthrush and Short-tailed Parrotbill. When: Sat 15 March - Thur 3 April 2008 (20 days) This tour is fully booked. If interested in this tour, please contact us regarding a possible February departure. Where: Departing Melbourne / Returning to Melbourne Cost: AUS$5,610 Leader: Chris Doughty and local leaders. Accommodation: Accommodation in comfortable hotels with attached
facilities. Price Includes: Economy class air travel, ground transportation, twin share accommodation and all meals, service charges, entrance fees and services of leader(s).
.South America is a tropical wonderland; the very name conjures up images of dense tropical rainforests, giant trees festooned with creeping vines and ariel orchids, inhabited by a spectacular variety of reptiles, birds, butterflies and animals. Brazil is no exception. Everything about this country is impressive; with a territory of 8,500,000 square kilometres, it is slightly larger than Australia, it contains most of the great Amazon Basin and almost the entire length (6,470km) of the world's longest river, the mighty Amazon. It contains almost one fifth of the world's birds, a staggering 1,700 species, including 190 endemic birds, found nowhere else on earth. The itinerary has been carefully planned, concentrating on the three major habitats found in Brazil, the Atlantic coastal forests, the cerrado grasslands of the interior and the Amazonian rainforests. All three areas provide exceptional birding and good quality accommodation in close proximity to the best birding areas. The tour begins in Sao Paulo, from here we drive a short distance to the Atlantic coastal forests, home to 160 endemic species of birds which occur nowhere else on earth, unfortunately it is one of the world's most endangered tropical forest ecosystems. These forests once stretched for over 3,000 kilometres, sadly only isolated patches now remain. We visit three areas, the superb mountain forests of Intervales State Park, the beautiful cloud forests of Itatiaia National Park and remnant coastal forests around the beach resort town of Ubatuba. From the coastal forests of the southeast we drive into the interior, to the celebrated Serra da Canastra National Park which contains some of the finest cerrado and campo remaining in Brazil. We go birding in a vast area of rolling grasslands with scattered trees and patches of gallery forest quite unlike other parts of tropical South America and more reminiscent of the plains of East Africa. Returning to Sao Paulo, we fly deep into Amazonia for a stay of several days at the Rio Roosevelt Lodge, which lies deep in undisturbed Amazonian rainforest, along the remote Roosevelt River, in southwestern Amazonia. Here we will search for a dazzling array of parrots, hummingbirds, trogons, puffbirds, jacamars, woodcreepers, antbirds, tyrant flycatchers, cotingas, manakins, honeycreepers and tanagers. Each day we will explore jungle trails, with our local birding guide, travel in small boats to superb oxbow lakes and seasonally flooded forests, as we search for some of the least known birds in South America. We will be amazed by the abundance and diversity of the birdlife and the immense richness and complexity of the flora and fauna of the rainforest. When: Sat 2 Aug - Mon 25 Aug 2008 (24 days) Where: Departing Sydney / Returning Sydney Cost: AUS$13,938 Leader: Chris Doughty and local leaders. Accommodation: Accommodation in comfortable hotels, wildlife lodges,
all with attached facilities. Price Includes: Economy class air travel, ground transportation, twin share accommodation and all meals, service charges, entrance fees and services of leader(s).
In 1481 King John II of Portugal commissioned Diego d'Azambuja to build a castle on the coast of present day Ghana, at Elminia. He was soon followed by adventurous Europeans who came in the hope of amassing great personal fortunes, in their search for gold, ivory and slaves. We too will be searching for some of Africa's most prized possessions, but in the form of jewel-like kingfishers, dazzling beep-eaters and brightly coloured sunbirds. Situated on the beautiful West African coast just north of the Equator, Ghana stretches inland from the Gull of Guinea. Moist equatorial rainforest once extended across the entire southern half of the country; much of this has now been cleared, however, large areas still remain which offer some of the most exciting and productive birding in West Africa. The northern part of the country is typical savanna grassland, dotted with acacias and low scrub, where we will search for the very impressive Egyptian Plover, the stately Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill and a variety of large mammals. Ghana is a politically stable, English-speaking nation that is widely acknowledged as the friendliest country in the region. It has a network of well-protected national and regional parks and a good tourism infrastructure including a number of eco-tourism facilities, such as the world-famous Kakum canopy walkway. We begin our West African adventure in the capital city of Accra, where we go birding at the very productive Sukumona Lagoon. Moving inland we enjoy an extended stay at the world famous Kakum National Park with its canopy walkway; which will help us to see a wealth of birds including many sought-after Upper Guinea forest endemics, such as Congo Serpent-Eagle, Long-tailed Hawk, Yellow-throated Cuckoo and the diminutive Tiny Sunbird. In the nearby Assin Fosu area we shall make a concerted effort to find the little-known Yellow-headed Picathartes, at one of its nesting colonies. One of the highlights of the tour will be our visit to Mole National Park; which is situated on a raised escarpment overlooking vast tracts of pristine, broad-leaved Guinea woodland, where some of the more interesting birds include Senegal Thick-knee, Blue-bellied Roller, Bearded Barbet along with a fine selection of savanna mammals including Patas Monkey, Waterbuck and African Savanna Elephant. Continuing northwards we enter rolling sub-Saharan savanna plains, where we will explore Tono Dam, a seldom visited and remote region, on the Burkina Faso border. Finally, we climb up to the Atewa Forest, a picturesque area which supports remnants of upland evergreen rainforests, one of the rarest and most interesting habitats in Ghana. When: Sat 6 Sep - Thur 25 Sep 2008 (20 days) Where: Departing Sydney / Returning Sydney Cost: AUS$9,954 Leader: Chris Doughty and local leader. Accommodation: Accommodation will be in comfortable, good quality
hotels/motels, with attached facilities and a very comfortable Wildlife
Lodge. Price Includes: Economy class air travel, ground transportation, twin share accommodation and all meals, service charges, entrance fees and services of leader(s).
The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven sheikdoms, encompassing an area of 83,000 square kilometres along the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. The federation literally sits on top of some of the world's largest oil reserves. In the past 20 years or so, the resulting oil revenues have transformed the federation into a modern, prosperous country. Today, it is hard to believe that less than 50 years ago, it was virtually in a medieval state. It is an unspoilt land of spectacular landscapes, with a diverse mix of habitats; ranging from starkly beautiful, rugged mountains with deep gorges and rocky ravines, to vast desert plains, wind-blown sand dunes, wooded mountain slopes, irrigated farmlands, endless sandy beaches, sparkling blue lagoons and extensive mudflats. The United Arab Emirates offers a host of Middle East specialities including Sand Partridge, Sooty Gull, Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse, Striated Scops-Owl, Greater Hoopoe-Lark, Hume's Wheatear and House Bunting. It is also strategically situated on a major migration route for birds moving between Asia and Africa and the tour has been specifically timed to coincide with the peak of the autumn migration; when literally millions of Asian birds are pouring through the country, on their way to spend the winter months in Africa. Little wonder, then, that the birdlist of the UAE is rapidly approaching 420 species. Our travels start at the island of Abu Dhabi, the nation's capital city. At this time of year its many parks and gardens act as a magnet for migrating birds and we shall search for such gems as Menetries's Warbler and the beautiful Masked Shrike, while nearby Wathba Lake, hosts shimmering pink flocks of Greater Flamingoes. In complete contrast, our next destination will be the oasis city of Al Ain, where we will search for Asian Desert Warbler, Arabian Babbler, Brown-necked Raven and House Bunting, along the edge of the famous and much feared Empty Quarter. In the east, by the shores of Oman, one of the tours highlights will be a visit to the mangroves and mudflats at Khor Kalba where the globally threatened Crab Plover can still be found, along with Sooty Gull, White-cheeked and Saunder's Terns and Sykes' Warbler. In the rugged Hajar Mountains, in a remote corner of neighboring Oman we will search for Hume's and Red-tailed Wheatears and Plain Leaf-Warbler. A visit to Khassab will enable us to see the very localised Socotra Cormorant, one of the least-known members of its family. The final leg of our journey will take us to the island of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf, famous for its large autumn gatherings of the little-known and much sought-after Grey Hypocolius. When: Fri 31 Oct - Fri 14 Nov 2008 (15 days) Where: Departing Melbourne / Returning Melbourne Cost: AUS$8,969 Leader: Chris Doughty and local leader. Accommodation: Accommodation in comfortable hotels with attached facilities. Climate: Hot to very hot, with lots of sun. Rain is unlikely but possible. Price Includes: Economy class air travel, ground transportation, twin share accommodation and all meals, service charges, entrance fees and services of leader(s).
For millions of years the temperate southwestern corner of Australia has been isolated from the rest of the island continent by an extensive barrier of desert. As a result of this isolation, this remote corner of Australia has evolved a remarkable and unique flora and fauna. The birdlife has followed its own evolutionary path and this fascinating area harbours 20 endemic and near-endemic species of birds. Amongst the eucalypts and shrubbery of Dryandra State Forest we shall search for the very uncommon Square-tailed Kite, the delightful Blue-breasted Fairy-wren and the attractive Western Yellow Robin. In the coastal heathlands of Two Peoples Bay National Park we will search for three of Australia's most skulking birds; Western Bristlebird, Western Whipbird and the notoriously difficult to see, Noisy Scrub-bird. At this time of year we will also be able to enjoy the added bonus, of a spectacular and bewildering array of colourful wildflowers. Leaving mainland Australia behind, the remainder of the tour will be spent exploring the little-known Cocos Keeling Islands and Christmas Island. These small, remote and almost forgotten Indian Ocean islands rise out of a deep blue sea, covered in tropical rainforests which harbour a sprinkling of endemic and near-endemic birds, ringed by walls of fossilized coral and surrounded by the sparkling blue waters of the Indian Ocean. The rich and well-protected rainforests of Christmas Island are home to the entire world population of the endangered Abbott's Booby, Christmas Island Frigatebird and the extraordinary Golden Bosunbird, a race of the White-tailed Tropicbird. The island is also home to three endemic species of land birds; Christmas Island Imperial-Pigeon, Christmas Island Hawk-Owl and Christmas Island White-eye. We have allowed ample time to ensure we locate and enjoy all of the special birds on both island groups. On Christmas Island we will also be able to witness the remarkable mass crab migration, the most amazing crab spectacle on earth. At this time of year crabs are not the only creatures on the move; literally millions of birds from the central Siberian Plateau and the Soviet Far East, have no option but to migrate southwards, to winter in Eastern or Southeast Asia. Each year a few of the many millions of birds on migration, 'overshoot' their regular wintering grounds and find refuge, amongst the vastness of the Indian Ocean, on both Cocos Keeling and Christmas Islands. On this tour we can expect the added excitement of finding an extreme rarity, or perhaps even a species of bird which has not previously been recorded on Australian territory. When: Tues 25 Nov - Fri 12 Dec 2008 (18 days) Where: Departing Perth / Returning Perth Cost: AUS$7,389, US$ 6505, Pound Sterling 2970 Leader: Chris Doughty Accommodation: Accommodation in comfortable hotels with attached facilities. Climate: Variable, although mainly mild and sunny; some rain could be expected. Price Includes: Economy class air travel, ground transportation, twin share accommodation and all meals, service charges, entrance fees and services of leader(s).
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