This trip is led by the GGBA-beloved podcaster and 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.

And Ivan has added something new for this year’s trip—a trip up the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway into the wilderness of the San Jacinto Mountains. At 8,516 feet you’ll be high above the desert, surrounded by coniferous forest where we’ll look for some high-elevation species, including White-headed Woodpecker, Mountain Chickadee, and Clark’s Nutcracker. After an afternoon of birding, we’ll enjoy dinner at the tram’s Mountain Station before heading back to our hotel.

Wild Latitudes is offering us a very attractive price:
$2,375 per person
$585 single supplement

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.…

GGBA is going to Cuba with Holbrook! Get to know the birds of Cuba during this exploration of the country’s western and Cayo regions.  Cuba’s geography makes it the perfect classroom to study island endemism and biodiversity as you make your way through a selection of ecosystems, including wetlands, forests, coastal lagoons, and limestone hills. 

Together with your ornithologist guide, you’ll have the opportunity to seek out and identify specialties like the Cuban Trogon—Cuba’s national bird, known locally as the Tocororo—and the world’s smallest bird, the Bee Hummingbird. Not only will you visit prime birding hotspots, but you’ll also encounter the lively spirit of the Cuban people as you interact with and learn from local residents.

A trip to Cuba is like a step back in time, with its colonial buildings, classic American cars, and oxen pulling wooden plows through the fields. Evidence of the Cuban population’s passion is apparent at every turn, from their music, dance, love of life, and appreciation of the natural beauty found on this small Caribbean island. Beyond its cultural legacy, Cuba has a wealth of natural resources, including the distinctive limestone hills known as mogotes, unspoiled coral reefs, miles of beaches, two UNESCO Natural World Heritage Sites, and a Ramsar site, among others.

MORE information about Cuba.

Limited to 10 participants.

PRICING:
$5,095, per person, based on double occupancy
Single Supplement = $750

Questions?  Ready to register?  Contact Dawn at travelprogram@goldengatebirds.org.

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Costa Rica’s remarkable avian diversity stems from its varied habitats, geographic positioning, topography, and climate.  With over 935 bird species recorded, including 7 endemic species, Costa Rica boasts one of the highest levels of bird diversity in the world, all within an area smaller than West Virginia.

The southernmost mountain range in Costa Rica, the Talamanca, stretches across the southern half of the country into Chiriqui Province in western Panama. These mountains host numerous endemic bird species. Highlight species in this region include Volcano Hummingbird, Scintillant Hummingbird, Black-capped Flycatcher, Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Sooty Thrush, Timberline Wren, Ochraceous Wren, Dark Pewee, Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatcher, Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher, White-throated Mountain-Gem, Talamanca Hummingbird, Streak-breasted Treehunter, Ruddy Treerunner, Spangled-cheeked Tanager, Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Sulphur-winged Parakeet, Sooty-capped Chlorospingus, Volcano Junco, Costa Rican Pygmy Owl, Large-footed Finch, Yellow-thighed Brushfinch, Ochraceous Pewee, Flame-throated Warbler, Black-cheeked Warbler, Collared Redstart, Peg-billed Finch, and Yellow-winged Vireo.

The Osa Peninsula, originally an island, became part of the mainland due to tectonic activity. It remains isolated from other rainforests by drier habitats to the north and south, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and the high Talamancas to the east. This isolation has allowed many
species, including birds, flora, and other fauna, to evolve uniquely. In the Costa Rican south Pacific lowland rainforest, including the Osa Peninsula, species restricted to this region include Charming Hummingbird, Costa Rican Swift, Baird’s Trogon, Fiery-billed Aracari,
Golden-naped Woodpecker, Chiriqui Foliage-gleaner, Black-hooded Antshrike, Yellow-billed Cotinga, Orange-collared Manakin, Riverside Wren, Spot-crowned Euphonia, and the endemic Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager.

Our tour will primarily focus on the Talamanca Mountain Range and Osa Peninsula but we will also visit the intermountain valleys of San Vito and El General. Between these regions, 70 endemic bird species can be found. Our objective is not only to observe these endemics
but also to learn about these crucial areas of biodiversity.

Our guide, Mario Cordoba, will provide illustrated lectures throughout the tour to enhance this educational experience. Our tour coincides with the peak of spring migration, with species from Central and South America moving north.

During our trip we’ll visit:

• Talamanca mountains in San Gerardo de Dota
• Las Cruces Biological Station in San Vito area
• Los Cusingos Bird Sanctuary & El General Valley
• Pacific rainforest lowlands near Golfito and Osa Peninsula

PRICE
$3800 per person for double occupancy
Single Supplement: $650

For questions, or to register, contact Dawn at travelprogram@goldengatebirds.org.

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Bhutan—Birds, Mammals & Monasteries

20 April–06 May, 2026

Our first trip to Bhutan (scheduled for spring of 2021) fell victim to COVID. We waited two years before we were able to offer it. That year we ended up sending two groups. Was it worth the wait? I think you’d get a resounding “yes” from those who went, including GGBA Travel Coordinator Dawn Lemoine. This past spring it was our other Travel Coordinator, Eric Schroeder, who went, and he adds his voice to the chorus  (along with those of former GGBA Trip Leaders Bob Lewis, Eddie Bartley, and Noreen Weeden). For a complete list of the 340 species seen by this group, check out the trip report.

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It’s no wonder that it’s possible to see so many birds in a trip that’s less than three weeks long. Bhutan, a country roughly the size of Maryland, has almost 600 species of birds. Over 70% of its land is forested with 25% protected by National Parks. You’ll visit a range of environments varying from sub-tropical at 150m to alpine at over 4,500m. On this 19-day trip, some of the major targets you’ll be looking for include the big three pheasants—Himalayan Monal, Satyr Tragopan, and Blood Pheasant—as well as some unusual birds like the Ibisbill, some beautiful birds like the Fire-tailed Myzornis, Ward’s Trogon and the aptly named Beautiful Nuthatch, and some critically endangered birds like the Rufous-necked Hornbill and the White-bellied Heron. You can also expect to see 10-15 species of mammals (the group this year was fortunate enough to see Red Panda). Our Bhutanese guide from Langur Eco Travels will not only introduce you to the fauna but also the flora of Bhutan (we’re visiting during the spring peak rhododendron bloom) and its culture (our trip includes visits to several famous sites, including the Tiger’s Nest Monastery).

60 Minutes recently ran a fascinating segment on Bhutan. Click here to watch it.

Date: April 20 – May 6, 2026

TOUR COST
Group Size: 3 – 8 guests
Total: US$4,985 per person, double occupancy
Total: US$5385 per person, single occupancy

FLIGHTS

Druk Air/Bhutan Airlines

Bangkok to Paro and Guwahati to Bangkok + US$935 per person

Note: Flight costs are current prices and are subject to change 

For more information, or to sign up for this trip, contact Dawn Lemoine at travelprogram@goldengatebirds.org.…

Have you ever wanted to see them all?  By “them all” we mean the Warblers, of course!

This trip, run by She Flew Birding Tours, ventures into Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan to see all the eastern warblers plus many other passerines. Expect 200+ species including the rare Kirtland’s Warbler in their Jack Pine habitat.

Each spring, this region explodes with migrating warblers and other beautiful passerines all dressed up in their best feathers. As they migrate through, the males are singing and many of the leaves aren’t fully out yet. This makes for great viewing and photographing.

Dawn is doing this trip in May 2025, so she will be able to tell you all about it!  

Sam Zuckerman, GGBA member, took the trip in 2024.  Here’s his list of warblers observed.  (They got them all – 36!)

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Ovenbird, Worm-eating Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Northern Waterthrush, Golden-winged Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Swainson’s Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Connecticut Warbler, Mourning Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Hooded Warbler, American Redstart, Kirtland’s Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Northern Parula, Magnolia Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Palm Warbler, Pine Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler. Prairie Warbler. Black-throated Green Warbler, Canada Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler

PRICE:
Double Occupancy – $3,995
Single Supplement = $700
Deposit:  $1,300

Questions?  Ready to sign up?  Contact Dawn at travelprogram@goldengatebirds.org.

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