We were all sad when Eddie Bartley and Noreen Weeden decided to retire from their “Palm Deserts and the Salton Sea” trip.  So many of us were fortunate enough to experience this favorite GGBA birding adventure.

We are not going to tell you that we have replaced this trip.  That’s not possible.  But we are going to tell you that we have an amazing new southern California desert experience for you. To make it even more special, the trip is run by the GGBA-beloved guide Ivan Phillipsen of Wild Latitudes. Ivan was born and raised in southern California and is excited to take us to his old haunts.

The tour begins and ends in Palm Springs, in the Coachella Valley. This is the western edge of the Sonoran Desert—a landscape of sand dunes, cacti, dry flood channels, and boulder-strewn slopes. Surrounding the valley are the snow-dusted peaks of several mountain ranges. A fascinating mixture of birds, other vertebrates, insects, and desert plants awaits you in this unique environment.

Our exciting and educational journey will take us to nature hotspots across the Coachella Valley, through Joshua Tree National Park, to the shores of the Salton Sea, and into Anza Borrego Desert State Park. You’ll not only see wonderful birds on this trip, but you’ll also learn about desert ecosystems and the region’s fascinating geology.  Several of the most magnificent sites we’ll visit are lush desert oases, shaded by native California Fan Palms.

Some special birds we hope to find include Greater Roadrunner, Phainopepla, Verdin, Gambel’s Quail, Common Ground Dove, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Neotropic Cormorant, Burrowing Owl, Cactus Wren, Canyon Wren, Abert’s Towhee, and Black-throated Sparrow.

Wild Latitudes is offering us a very attractive price:

$1,885 per person

$485 single supplement

Check out the beautiful full itinerary.

Questions?  Contact Dawn at travelprogram@goldengatebirds.org.

Ready to register?  Contact Dawn first.  She will register you and put you in contact with Wild Latitudes.