Bhutan – Birds, Mammals and Monasteries

Bhutan – Birds, Mammals and Monasteries

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.

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 tr***********@*************ds.org. Please do not contact the vendor.…

Warbler Grand Tour

Warbler Grand Tour

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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Kentucky Warbler / Sue Riffe

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 tr***********@*************ds.org.

Alaska

Alaska

This trip with Wild Latitudes has become a GGBA favorite. The itinerary is perfect for first-time visitors to Alaska, but also for returning nature lovers who want to learn more about this fascinating place. Our focus will be birding as well as wildlife watching (Moose, Grizzly Bears, Dall Sheep, Caribou, and Sea Otters) with some geology and ecology in the mix. Special birds we’ll be looking for include Horned Puffin, Willow Ptarmigan, Long-tailed Jaeger, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Bluethroat, and Arctic Warbler. We’ll explore several major

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ecosystems across Alaska, including rugged coastlines, boreal forests, and subarctic tundra. The tour begins in Fairbanks, then we head to Denali National Park. Next, we visit the Kenai Peninsula, where we’ll take a day-long boat ride into beautiful Kenai Fjords National Park. The final few days are an exciting exploration of Nome in the far west. We’ll venture out on backroads to experience the subarctic tundra ecosystem. This tour will be an exciting, educational adventure all around!

If you are interested in this trip, please contact Dawn first.  She will put you in contact with Wild Latitudes.

Cost for the 11-day tour: $6,995 Single Supplement: $1,600

Photo: Willow Ptarmigan by Ivan Phillipsen

Brazil & Argentina

Brazil & Argentina

This trip was so popular in 2025 (we ran two trips–both full) that we’re bringing it back in 2026. On our 12-day tour to the Pantanal and Iguazú Falls, we’ll explore two very different ecosystems; in Brazil we’ll visit a huge wetlands system while in Argentina we’ll visit the Atlantic forest. This is a version of a trip we ran in 2022—on that trip we recorded 325 bird species and 14 mammal species (for a complete list, see the trip report). October is the end of the dry season and the perfect time to explore both of these fascinating places.

We begin this trip with a visit to the world’s largest wetland, the Pantanal, which provides us with the best opportunity on the planet to see Jaguar, and of course it hosts a large suite of birds. Target birds include five kinds of kingfishers (Amazon, Ringed, Green, Green-and-rufous and American Pygmy), Red-billed Scythebill, Bare-faced Curassow, Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Agami Heron, Jabiru, Golden-collared Macaw, Golden-collared Macaw, Black-collared Hawk, Sungrebe, and Gretter Rhea. In addition to the Jaguar, other charismatic mammal targets include Giant Otter, Giant Anteater, Crab-eating Fox, Marsh Deer, and Lowland Tapir.

Our visit to the Atlantic Forest starts on the Argentine side of Iguazú Falls, which not only provides dramatic scenery, but excellent birding. The Iguazu River, where it tumbles over the edge of the Parana Plateau, is by many people considered the world’s most spectacular waterfall. The falls span over 1.6 miles and are comprised of 275 distinct falls. But the birds are spectacular, too. One of our target birds occurs at the fall, the Great Dusky Swift, which roost on the waterfall cliffs. Our target Atlantic forest birds include Red-rumped Cacique, Toco Toucan, Chestnut-eared Araçari, Blonde-crested Woodpecker, Ochre-collared Piculet, Swallow-tailed Manakin, Southern Antpipit, Eared Pygmy-Tyrant, Chestnut-bellied Euphonia, Green-headed Tanager, Streak-capped Antwren, Surucua Trogon, Rufous-capped Motmot, Greenish Schiffornis, Rufous Gnateater, Dusky-tailed Antbird, and the elusive Black-fronted Piping-Guan.

For questions or to sign up, contact Eric Schroeder at tr***********@**************on.org.  

Price: $8870 per person, based on double occupancy
Single Supplement: $940
Price includes internal transportation (e.g., domestic flights worth $500).

Tasmania Endemics

Tasmania Endemics

We’ll be traveling with Inala Tours, a Tasmanian-based tour company, to see the highlights of this unique island. These include twelve endemic bird species (you’ll have an excellent chance to see them all) as well as all four robin species and raptors such as the Tasmanian subspecies of the mighty Wedge-tailed Eagle and the ghostly white morph Grey Goshawk. Mammals we’ll be seeking include Eastern quoll, wombat and platypus, echidna, and—with some luck—the Tasmanian devil, endemic to Tasmania. 

Tasmanian Devil / Eric Schroeder

The trip will begin with a visit to Maria Island off the east coast that will give us a chance to see Cape Barren Geese, Flame Robin and Swift Parrot. It’s also home to eleven of the twelve Tasmanian endemics, including one of the rarest, the Forty-spotted Pardalote. Mammals we should see include Forester Kangaroos, Bennett’s Wallaby, and Common Wombats.

Next we’ll do a pelagic trip on the Southern Ocean; Tasmania is famous for its pelagic birding and our targets include a wide variety of shearwaters, petrels, storm petrels, albatrosses, and the Fairy Prion

We head back south where we’ll visit another endemic-rich island, Bruny, where we’ll be staying at “Inala” a 1,500-acre wildlife sanctuary where our tour company is headquartered; all twelve of the endemics can be found on the grounds here. We’ll visit a variety of habitats on Bruny and look for shorebirds, raptors, and endemics, of course, including four honeyeater species and the Green Rosella. We’ll have a chance to see the Tasmanian sub-species of Short-beaked Echidna, one of Australia’s two egg-laying mammal (monotreme) species. On an evening walk we’ll look for nocturnal mammals (including the Eastern Quoll, the Tasmanian Pademelon, and, with luck, the Long-nosed Potoroo) and birds (Tawney Frogmouth and Tasmanian Boobook.) 

Heading north, we’ll visit the Mt. Field area where our target will include Tasmanian Native Hen, Black Currawong and Yellow Wattlebird (all Tasmanian endemics). We’ll have our first chance to look for the bizarre Platypus (when members of London’s Royal Academy saw their first dead specimen, they thought it the greatest fake they’d even seen because they couldn’t find the stitches that held its disparate parts together). 

We end our trip in the Cradle Mountain area, another fabulous place to see endemic birds and mammals. In addition to great birding, we’ll view endemic Tasmanian rainforest flora with ancient Gondwanan connections such as Pencil and King Billy Pines, Myrtle and the famous Tanglefoot Beech which is Tasmania’s only deciduous tree.…