BEERING and BIRDING: California Edition
november 8-14, 2015
Wrentit is one of the species that we expect to see much of
on this tour.
California is famous for many things, two of which are world-class birding and craft breweries. This tour, which we believe is the first of its kind, takes advantage of what the Golden State has to offer in both of these realms. During the day, we'll explore habitats from the open ocean and coastal areas to chaparral and mountain forests, targetting many of the state's specialties, including the endemic Island Scrub-Jay and Yellow-billed Magpie. In the evenings, we'll stop at breweries from Marin County in the north to Los Angeles in the south and sample what they have to offer.
This tour will have a relaxed pace, because while we expect everyone to drink responsibly, who really wants to wake up at 5 AM the morning after you visit a brewery? Our itinerary will focus on the brewery visits with a flexible birding schedule built around that. We'll have some leeway each day to "call an audible" and go places to maximize the number of target species we see. For example, if we see a lot of coastal species early in the tour, we can spend more time in the foothills and mountains later on, or vice versa. We'll also have flexibility to chase any rarities that might show up.
Some of the West Coast specialties that we'll target include California Quail, Black-vented Shearwater, Brandt's and Pelagic Cormorants, White-tailed Kite, Black Oystercatcher, Wandering Tattler, Black Turnstone, Surfbird, Heermann's and Thayer's Gulls, Band-tailed Pigeon, Greater Roadrunner, White-throated Swift, Allen's Hummingbird, Acorn, White-headed, Lewis's, and Nutall's Woodpeckers, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Black and Say's Phoebes, Cassin's Kingbird, Hutton's Vireo, Western and Island Scrub-Jays, Yellow-billed Magpie, Wrentit, Oak Titmouse, Mountain Chickadee, Pygmy Nuthatch, California Gnatcatcher, California Thrasher, Phainopepla, California Towhee, Bell's and Golden-crowned Sparrows, Tricolored Blackbird, Lawrence's Goldfinch, and Nutmeg Mannikin.
This tour will have a relaxed pace, because while we expect everyone to drink responsibly, who really wants to wake up at 5 AM the morning after you visit a brewery? Our itinerary will focus on the brewery visits with a flexible birding schedule built around that. We'll have some leeway each day to "call an audible" and go places to maximize the number of target species we see. For example, if we see a lot of coastal species early in the tour, we can spend more time in the foothills and mountains later on, or vice versa. We'll also have flexibility to chase any rarities that might show up.
Some of the West Coast specialties that we'll target include California Quail, Black-vented Shearwater, Brandt's and Pelagic Cormorants, White-tailed Kite, Black Oystercatcher, Wandering Tattler, Black Turnstone, Surfbird, Heermann's and Thayer's Gulls, Band-tailed Pigeon, Greater Roadrunner, White-throated Swift, Allen's Hummingbird, Acorn, White-headed, Lewis's, and Nutall's Woodpeckers, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Black and Say's Phoebes, Cassin's Kingbird, Hutton's Vireo, Western and Island Scrub-Jays, Yellow-billed Magpie, Wrentit, Oak Titmouse, Mountain Chickadee, Pygmy Nuthatch, California Gnatcatcher, California Thrasher, Phainopepla, California Towhee, Bell's and Golden-crowned Sparrows, Tricolored Blackbird, Lawrence's Goldfinch, and Nutmeg Mannikin.
Itinerary (subject to change depending on birds):
Day 1 (Nov 8): Meet at San Francisco airport (SFO) and travel to Petaluma. Lagunitas Brewery. (Plan on arriving by 5 PM.) Overnight in Petaluma.
Day 2 (Nov 9): Bird around Point Reyes and surrounding areas. Russian River Brewery (and possibly Bear Republic too). Overnight in Petaluma.
Day 3 (Nov 10): Birding in the Central Valley region for Mountain Plover, Ross's Goose, etc. Peter B's Brew Pub. Overnight in Hollister.
Day 4 (Nov 11): Head south from Hollister to look for California Condor and desert birds. Surf Brewery. Overnight in Ventura.
Day 5 (Nov 12): Day trip to Santa Cruz Island for Island Scrub-Jay. Anacapa Brewery. Overnight in Ventura.
Day 6 (Nov 13): Bird around the greater Los Angeles area for California Gnatcatcher and more. El Segundo Brewing Company. Overnight in LA.
Day 7 (Nov 14): Departure from Los Angeles (LAX)
Day 1 (Nov 8): Meet at San Francisco airport (SFO) and travel to Petaluma. Lagunitas Brewery. (Plan on arriving by 5 PM.) Overnight in Petaluma.
Day 2 (Nov 9): Bird around Point Reyes and surrounding areas. Russian River Brewery (and possibly Bear Republic too). Overnight in Petaluma.
Day 3 (Nov 10): Birding in the Central Valley region for Mountain Plover, Ross's Goose, etc. Peter B's Brew Pub. Overnight in Hollister.
Day 4 (Nov 11): Head south from Hollister to look for California Condor and desert birds. Surf Brewery. Overnight in Ventura.
Day 5 (Nov 12): Day trip to Santa Cruz Island for Island Scrub-Jay. Anacapa Brewery. Overnight in Ventura.
Day 6 (Nov 13): Bird around the greater Los Angeles area for California Gnatcatcher and more. El Segundo Brewing Company. Overnight in LA.
Day 7 (Nov 14): Departure from Los Angeles (LAX)
Wandering Tattler is another species we expect to connect with.
TOUR FEE: $2195 per person, based on double occupancy.
The tour fee includes lodging for six nights, breakfast and lunch from Nov 9 to Nov 13 and breakfast on Nov 14 (evening meals NOT included), ground transportation during the tour from San Francisco airport to Los Angeles International airport, a boat trip to Santa Cruz Island, and guide services. It does not include airfare to San Francisco or from Los Angeles, phone calls, laundry, room service charges, evening meals and alcoholic beverages, or any items of a personal nature.
Payments can be made by check, money order, or PayPal.
LEADERS: Rob Fowler and John Puschock and will be your leaders for this tour. Rob is a California native and is the owner of his guiding service that specializes in Northwestern California, Fowlerope Birding Tours. John is the owner and lead guide of Zugunruhe Birding Tours. As a former resident of San Diego, he's birded extensively in southern California.
GROUP SIZE: Minimum 4, maximum of 12.
PHYSICAL CONSIDERATIONS/WEATHER: Participants should be able to hike on trails and gravel roads for several hours. Weather may vary from cool to hot, and there may be occasional showers or rain. Please notify us if you have any medical conditions that may affect your participation. The trip to Santa Cruz Island involves a one-hour boat ride each way, so tour participants may want to bring along a seasickness remedy.
REGISTRATION and DEPOSIT: A deposit of $1000 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 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 Zugunrughe Birding Tours.
The tour fee includes lodging for six nights, breakfast and lunch from Nov 9 to Nov 13 and breakfast on Nov 14 (evening meals NOT included), ground transportation during the tour from San Francisco airport to Los Angeles International airport, a boat trip to Santa Cruz Island, and guide services. It does not include airfare to San Francisco or from Los Angeles, phone calls, laundry, room service charges, evening meals and alcoholic beverages, or any items of a personal nature.
Payments can be made by check, money order, or PayPal.
LEADERS: Rob Fowler and John Puschock and will be your leaders for this tour. Rob is a California native and is the owner of his guiding service that specializes in Northwestern California, Fowlerope Birding Tours. John is the owner and lead guide of Zugunruhe Birding Tours. As a former resident of San Diego, he's birded extensively in southern California.
GROUP SIZE: Minimum 4, maximum of 12.
PHYSICAL CONSIDERATIONS/WEATHER: Participants should be able to hike on trails and gravel roads for several hours. Weather may vary from cool to hot, and there may be occasional showers or rain. Please notify us if you have any medical conditions that may affect your participation. The trip to Santa Cruz Island involves a one-hour boat ride each way, so tour participants may want to bring along a seasickness remedy.
REGISTRATION and DEPOSIT: A deposit of $1000 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 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 Zugunrughe Birding Tours.
