Bird Treks - A Quality Birdwatching Tour Company

Filter by region

...please select All Regions Alabama ALASKA Argentina Arizona Brazil British Columbia California Costa Rica Delaware Ecuador GALAPAGOS Guyana Kenya Louisiana Maine Manitoba Maryland Mexico Mississippi New Brunswick New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina NOVA SCOTIA Oregon PANAMA Peru Quebec TEXAS THAILAND Virginia Washington West Virginia

Expired tour dates at the top of this schedule will be updated as soon as possible. The dates are likely to be close to what is listed, simply one year later. Check back for recent updates.

---

. . . . . 2013 TOUR SCHEDULE . . . . .

---

ADAK ISLAND, ALASKA

FOR WHISKERED AUKLET & ASIAN STRAYS!

12 May 2013 - 19 May 2013, 7 days & 7 nights

Located in the Aleutian Islands 1200 miles southwest of Anchorage and only 400 miles east of Attu is Adak, a 280-square mile island. It is the westernmost outpost in the Aleutians in the entire ABA area that is accessible by commercial flights. Until very recently, Adak was the site of a naval base, and access was restricted. The Navy has left the island, opening it to birders and leaving behind an infrastructure and modern facilities not found at other western Alaska birding hotspots. We'll stay in comfortable houses that formerly were housing for naval officers when the base was active.  The houses are all furnished, well-equipped, and comfortable. We'll travel in vans or trucks for some of the most comfortable birding that you can experience in the Aleutians. Birding coverage of Adak has been sparse through the years due to the former restricted access, so its birding potential is still largely unknown. But based upon recent reports from other islands in the Bering Sea region and our own Adak trips, we know that Adak gets its share of Asian vagrants. A great bird that we certainly hope to see is Whiskered Auklet, a species that you cannot see at Gambell or St. Paul. There's a chance for a view from shore, along with other alcids, Laysan Albatross, Short-tailed Shearwater, and other seabirds. But we make every attempt, and have never failed, to arrange a boat trip to look for these species.  We can't make any predictions about what vagrants we'll see, though we'll have an excellent chance for Wood Sandpiper and maybe Lesser Sand-Plover, Gray-tailed Tattler, Olive-backed Pipit, Siberian Rubythroat, Hawfinch, and additional Asian species. Past spring tours also yielded Eyebrowed Thrush, Long-billed Murrelet, Greenshank, Brambling, and Eastern Yellow Wagtail. Some of the regular birds that we expect to find include Red-faced Cormorant, "Eurasian" Green-winged Teal, Common Eider, Harlequin Duck, Gyrfalcon, Rock Ptarmigan, Black Oystercatcher, Rock Sandpiper, Parasitic Jaeger, Glaucous-winged Gull, Aleutian Tern, Common Murre, Pigeon Guillemot, Marbled, Kittlitz's, and Ancient Murrelets, Parakeet Auklet, Horned and Tufted Puffins, Lapland Longspur, Snow Bunting, Pacific Wren, and the Aleutian races of Song Sparrow and Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch. The Adak birding adventures will be led by John Puschock and/or Bob Schutsky.

Price: $3795.00 from Adak, Alaska    

Itinerary Photos Previous Tours Past Checklists Pay Balance Due

---

ADAK ISLAND, ALASKA

FOR WHISKERED AUKLET & ASIAN STRAYS!

19 May 2013 - 26 May 2013, 7 days & 7 nights

Located in the Aleutian Islands 1200 miles southwest of Anchorage and only 400 miles east of Attu is Adak, a 280-square mile island. It is the westernmost outpost in the Aleutians in the entire ABA area that is accessible by commercial flights. Until very recently, Adak was the site of a naval base, and access was restricted. The Navy has left the island, opening it to birders and leaving behind an infrastructure and modern facilities not found at other western Alaska birding hotspots. We'll stay in comfortable houses that formerly were housing for naval officers when the base was active.  The houses are all furnished, well-equipped, and comfortable. We'll travel in vans or trucks for some of the most comfortable birding that you can experience in the Aleutians. Birding coverage of Adak has been sparse through the years due to the former restricted access, so its birding potential is still largely unknown. But based upon recent reports from other islands in the Bering Sea region and our own Adak trips, we know that Adak gets its share of Asian vagrants. A great bird that we certainly hope to see is Whiskered Auklet, a species that you cannot see at Gambell or St. Paul. There's a chance for a view from shore, along with other alcids, Laysan Albatross, Short-tailed Shearwater, and other seabirds. But we make every attempt, and have never failed, to arrange a boat trip to look for these species.  We can't make any predictions about what vagrants we'll see, though we'll have an excellent chance for Wood Sandpiper and maybe Lesser Sand-Plover, Gray-tailed Tattler, Olive-backed Pipit, Siberian Rubythroat, Hawfinch, and additional Asian species. Past spring tours also yielded Eyebrowed Thrush, Long-billed Murrelet, Greenshank, Brambling, and Eastern Yellow Wagtail. Some of the regular birds that we expect to find include Red-faced Cormorant, "Eurasian" Green-winged Teal, Common Eider, Harlequin Duck, Gyrfalcon, Rock Ptarmigan, Black Oystercatcher, Rock Sandpiper, Parasitic Jaeger, Glaucous-winged Gull, Aleutian Tern, Common Murre, Pigeon Guillemot, Marbled, Kittlitz's, and Ancient Murrelets, Parakeet Auklet, Horned and Tufted Puffins, Lapland Longspur, Snow Bunting, Pacific Wren, and the Aleutian races of Song Sparrow and Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch. The Adak birding adventures will be led by John Puschock and/or Bob Schutsky.

Price: $3795.00 from Adak, Alaska    

Itinerary Photos Previous Tours Past Checklists Pay Balance Due

---

ATTU, ALASKA

We’re Going Back!!

26 May 2013 - 9 June 2013, 15 days & 14 nights

Attu!  A legendary place that needs little introduction to birders. Closer to Russia than mainland Alaska and located in the Eastern Hemisphere, it's been the site of many first North American records. The island has been seldom visited by birders since the last Attour trip in 2000. We will travel to Attu aboard the M/V Pukuk, a 72-foot boat custom built for Alaska charter cruises, giving us ample opportunity for pelagic birding.  We should see almost all of Alaska's alcid species including Whiskered Auklet.  Short-tailed Albatross is very likely, while Red-legged Kittiwake and Mottled Petrel are possible. The tour begins from Adak Island, Alaska.

A fuel surcharge will be added to the price of the tour.  The amount is dependent on the price of fuel and the number of participants.  Expect a surcharge of about $500 to $900.

Price: $7650.00 from Adak Island, Alaska    

Itinerary Photos Previous Tours Past Checklists Pay Balance Due

---

ST. PAUL ISLAND, ALASKA

RED-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, SEA BIRD NESTING CLIFFS & ASIAN STRAYS

1 June 2013 - 5 June 2013, 5 days & 4 nights

St. Paul, one of the Pribilof Islands, is THE place to see Red-legged Kittiwake, an endemic of the Bering Sea region that breeds at only four locations in the world. Nesting alcids such as Parakeet, Crested, and Least Auklets, Horned and Tufted Puffins, plus Red-faced Cormorant and Northern Fulmar are another major attraction. We'll get close looks at them on their nesting cliffs, sometimes from only a few feet away. Additional interesting breeders include Rock Sandpiper (Pribilof subspecies), Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, Snow Bunting, and perhaps McKay's Bunting, another Bering Sea endemic. We'll be on the island for five days to increase our chances of encountering Asian strays. Recent early June sightings include Bewick's Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Lesser Sand-Plover, Common and Wood Sandpipers, Red-necked Stint, Black-headed and Slaty-backed Gulls, east Asian race of Common Tern, Common Cuckoo, Snowy Owl, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Olive-backed Pipit, Eyebrowed Thrush, and Gray-streaked and Dark-sided Flycatcher Flycatchers. Also, Arctic Foxes are common and Northern Fur Seals will be present. Bob Schutsky is your scheduled leader. The approximate tour fee is $3695.

Price: $3695.00 from Anchorage, Alaska    

Itinerary Photos Previous Tours Past Checklists Pay Balance Due

---

ALASKA'S KENAI PENINSULA & THE DENALI HIGHWAY

BIRDS, MAMMALS & FANTASTIC SCENERY

7 June 2013 - 15 June 2013, 9 days & 8 nights

This adventure will take you from the tidewater glaciers of Kenai Fjords National Park to the taiga and alpine tundra of the Denali Highway. Starting in Anchorage, we bird our way to Seward, looking for Trumpeter Swan, Barrow's Goldeneye, Spruce Grouse, American Three-toed Woodpecker, American Dipper, and White-winged Crossbill, plus Dall's Sheep and Beluga. We'll take an offshore boat trip from Seward for Alaskan specialties such as Red-faced Cormorant, Kittlitz's Murrelet, and Horned and Tufted Puffins, along with other pelagics and alcids. Sea Otter, Orca, and additional marine mammals are commonly seen from the boat. After more exploration of the Kenai Peninsula, the next stop will be the Denali Highway where some of the targets include Willow Ptarmigan, Long-tailed Jaeger, Great Gray and Northern Hawk Owls, Bohemian Waxwing, and Lapland and Smith's Longspurs. We should also see some of the mammals for which Alaska is famous, species such as Moose and Mountain Goat, and perhaps even Brown Bear. And the scenery is simply fantastic. Dan Heathcote is the scheduled tour leader.  The price is approximate, but should be very close.

Price: $4695.00 from Anchorage, Alaska    

Itinerary Photos Previous Tours Past Checklists Pay Balance Due

---

ALEUTIAN PELAGIC TRIP

BEGINS & ENDS ON ADAK ISLAND, ALASKA

9 June 2013 - 12 June 2013, 4 days & 3 nights

This pelagic trip targets three of North America's most-wanted pelagic species: Whiskered Auklet, Short-tailed Albatross, and Mottled Petrel. Other birds that are very likely include Laysan (usually in big numbers) and Black-footed Albatross, Northern Fulmar, Short-tailed Shearwater, Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel, Red-faced Cormorant, Black-legged Kittiwake, Common and Thick-billed Murre, Pigeon Guillemot, Ancient Murrelet, Cassin's, Parakeet, Least, and Crested Auklets, and Horned and Tufted Puffin. Both Marbled and Kittlitz's Murrelet can be seen fairly easily at Adak after the trip. This trip is an excellent opportunity for photographing some of these hard-to-get species, and we'll be making a special effort to get you close to Whiskered Auklets.
We will be on board the M/V Puk-uk, a 72-foot vessel custom-built for Alaska charters.  The Puk-uk has an advanced electronic stabilization system, high railings around the deck plus a large number of other safety features, four staterooms, two heads (bathrooms) with showers, a washer and dryer, and a galley with a full-time cook. John Puschock, owner of Zugunruhe Birding Tours, and Jess Findlay of Jess Findlay Photography will be trip leaders.  This trip is limited 10 participants.

Price: $2450.00 from Adak, Alaska    

Itinerary Photos Previous Tours Past Checklists Pay Balance Due

---

ADAK ISLAND, ALASKA

Alcids, Asian Strays & Best Time for Marsh Sandpiper

8 September 2013 - 15 September 2013, 8 days & 7 nights

Located in the Aleutian Islands 1200 miles southwest of Anchorage and only 400 miles east of Attu is Adak, a 280-square mile island. It is the westernmost outpost in all of North America that is accessible by commercial jet airline.  Until recently, Adak was the site of a naval base and access was restricted.  Now the Navy has left the island, opening it to birders and leaving behind an infrastructure and modern facilities not found at other western Alaska birding hotspots. We'll stay in comfortable houses that formerly were housing for naval officers when the base was active.  They are all well equipped and furnished. We'll travel in vans for some of the most comfortable birding that you can experience in the Aleutians. Our recent fall tours to Adak have yielded some incredible birds: FOUR Marsh Sandpipers, a flock of at least 23 Fork-tailed Swifts, Eurasian Kestrel, Little, Red-necked, and Temminck’s Stints, Gray Wagtail, Oriental Greenfinch, Garganey and Baikal Teal, several Lesser Sand-Plovers, a Common Tern of the east Asian race (a potential split), multiple Gray-tailed Tattlers and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, Common Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Ruff, several Common Snipe, Eyebrowed Thrush, Brambling, Siberian Rubythroat, several Olive-backed Pipits, and Gray-streaked Flycatcher. Some of the regular species that we expect to see include Red-faced Cormorant, "Eurasian" Green-winged Teal, Common Eider, Harlequin Duck, Gyrfalcon, Rock Ptarmigan, Black Oystercatcher, Rock Sandpiper, Parasitic Jaeger, Glaucous-winged Gull, Common Murre, Pigeon Guillemot, Marbled and Ancient Murrelets, Horned and Tufted Puffins, Lapland Longspur, Snow Bunting, and the Aleutian races of Pacific Wren, Song Sparrow, and Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch. John Puschock will lead these exciting tours. The tour fee remains unchanged from 2011.

Price: $3495.00 from Adak, Alaska    

Itinerary Photos Previous Tours Past Checklists Pay Balance Due

---

ADAK ISLAND, ALASKA

Alcids, Asian Strays & Best Time for Marsh Sandpiper

15 September 2013 - 22 September 2013, 8 days & 7 nights

Located in the Aleutian Islands 1200 miles southwest of Anchorage and only 400 miles east of Attu is Adak, a 280-square mile island. It is the westernmost outpost in all of North America that is accessible by commercial jet airline.  Until recently, Adak was the site of a naval base and access was restricted.  Now the Navy has left the island, opening it to birders and leaving behind an infrastructure and modern facilities not found at other western Alaska birding hotspots. We'll stay in comfortable houses that formerly were housing for naval officers when the base was active.  They are all well equipped and furnished. We'll travel in vans for some of the most comfortable birding that you can experience in the Aleutians. Our recent fall tours to Adak have yielded some incredible birds: FOUR Marsh Sandpipers, a flock of at least 23 Fork-tailed Swifts, Eurasian Kestrel, Little, Red-necked, and Temminck’s Stints, Gray Wagtail, Oriental Greenfinch, Garganey and Baikal Teal, several Lesser Sand-Plovers, a Common Tern of the east Asian race (a potential split), multiple Gray-tailed Tattlers and Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, Common Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Ruff, several Common Snipe, Eyebrowed Thrush, Brambling, Siberian Rubythroat, several Olive-backed Pipits, and Gray-streaked Flycatcher. Some of the regular species that we expect to see include Red-faced Cormorant, "Eurasian" Green-winged Teal, Common Eider, Harlequin Duck, Gyrfalcon, Rock Ptarmigan, Black Oystercatcher, Rock Sandpiper, Parasitic Jaeger, Glaucous-winged Gull, Common Murre, Pigeon Guillemot, Marbled and Ancient Murrelets, Horned and Tufted Puffins, Lapland Longspur, Snow Bunting, and the Aleutian races of Pacific Wren, Song Sparrow, and Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch. John Puschock will lead these exciting tours. The tour fee remains unchanged from 2011.

Price: $3495.00 from Adak, Alaska    

Itinerary Photos Previous Tours Past Checklists Pay Balance Due

---