INCLUDED:

• Guided birding for 8 days.

• Lodging for 7 nights.

• Transportation including airportpickups and drop-offs.

• All meals from dinner on Nov. 8 to breakfast on Nov. 15.

• Half day private tour on the Santa Margarita Ranch plus option owling at night if available.

• Full day private tour of the Norias Section of the King Ranch.

• Half day private boat tour of the Aransas NWR.

• Optics – I will have a Kowa 99mm scope available throughout the tour.

• Entrance fees to all state parks.

NOT INCLUDED:

• Flights to Laredo Int’ll Airport (LRD) and from Corpus Christi Int’ll Airport (CRP).

• Lodging before or after the tour dates: Nov. 8-15.

• Personal items such as alcohol with meals, laundry, etc.

Sunday, Nov. 8 – Arrivals – night in Laredo.

After checking into our lodging for the night, we’ll have an early dinner.

Monday, Mon. 9 – Max A Mandel GC – night outside Rio Grande City.

We’ll visit the municipal golf course first thing in the morning, where both Red-tipped Pigeon and Morelet’s Seedeater are possible, then have a late breakfast before making our way south toward Rio Grande City. If we miss the seedeater, we can stop at Bravo Park in Zapata where they are often reported, otherwise a stop at Falcon Dam State Park will give us the chance to stretch our legs.

In the afternoon we’ll arrive at our lodging for the next two nights. It’s a fun spot, off the beaten path! The Rancho Lomitas Native Plant Nursery has a few casitas for rent, and they have active feeders on the property where Scaled Quail are often seen. There is often a Roadrunner around and other birds that prefer arid scrub.

Tuesday, Nov. 10 - Santa Margarita Ranch – night outside Rio Grande City.

Another early morning will find us at the amazing Santa Margarita Ranch. This will be a half-day tour with targets like Brown Jay, Hook-billed Kite, Rose-throated Becard, Audubon’s and Altamira Orioles. Anything can show up on the ranch, which is right on the Rio Grande. Previous years have seen mega-rarities like Bear-throated Tiger-Heron, Crane Hawk, Mottled Owl and Amazon Kingfisher!

After lunch we can have some downtime at the casitas, or if you prefer, we can head out for some local birding.

In the evening, we may have the option to return to the ranch for some owling (if available).

Wednesday, Nov. 11 – Estero Llano Rio Grande SP – night at the Hampton Inn Brownsville.

This fantastic state park just north of the Rio Grande has a bird list of nearly 350 species. We’ll start by looking for roosting Common Pauraque. The pond has Clapper Rails and Sora, plus a selection of ducks including both species of whistling-duck. Olive Sparrow, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Altamira Oriole, Clay-colored Thrush and many more are here. We’ll try to get a look at the local “McCall’s” subspecies of Easter Screech-Owl.

After lunch, we may visit Santa Ana NWR, Resaca de la Palma, or another destination in the Brownsville area, depending on what is being seen.

Thursday, Nov. 12 – RGV Birding – night at the Hampton Inn Brownsville.

We’ll keep this day open so we can decide where to go depending on what we’ve seen and what’s around. There are many terrific birding hotspots in and around Brownsville!

Friday, Nov. 13 – King Ranch – night at Hampton Inn Rockport.

We’ll spend the whole day birding the famous King Ranch! This is the most reliable place in the U.S to see Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, but there are many more possibilities including White-tailed Hawk, Northern Beardless Tyrannulet, Tropical Parula, Harris’s Hawk, Audubon’s Oriole and more.

Saturday, Nov. 14 – Aransas NWR and farewell dinner – night at Hampton Inn Rockport.

This morning we’ll start the day with a guided boat trip through the Aransas NWR where the Whooping Cranes winter. We’ll likely see other waders, shorebirds, gulls and terns.

After lunch, we’ll visit the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center that can be fantastic for waterfowl, shorebirds, waders, terns and gulls. American Flamingo is possible, and 15+ species of warblers are possible in November! On the way, we can drive by the Mustang Island SP to look for Aplomado Falcon.

Sunday, Nov. 15 -- Departures. Book afternoon flights home, if possible, to give us time for local birding.

Please read through Rocky Mountain Birding terms and conditions here.