Field Trips

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Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park	Better Birding w/Jon Dunn	Big Day Vans
Bird Banding Demo	Birding 101	Birding by Ear w/Michael O’Brien
Breakfast w/the Birds	Brownsville East	Brownsville West
Butterflies-Birders Gone Buggy	Canoe the Arroyo Colorado	Chase Vans
Colley’s Private Island	Easy (But Not Less) Birding	Enjoying Bird ID w/Kenn Kaufman
Estero Llano Grande	King Ranch Norias	King Ranch w/Jeff Gordon
Laguna Atascosa NWR	Leps and Odes	Parrots of the Area
Raptor Banding w/Bill Clark	River Pontoon and Quinta	Sabal Palm Sanctuary
Santa Ana NWR	Secret Jewels	Seedeater Sojourn
Photo Ops Ranch Style w/Ruth Hoyt	Shorebird ID w/Kevin Karlson	South Padre Island
Upper Rio Grande	Valley Raptors w/Bill Clark	Weslaco
*South Texas Photo Safari (Pre-Festival Trip)	*Whoopers! (Post-Festival Trip)

 

2011 RGVBF Field Trip Descriptions

The RGV Birding Festival has long been famed for its low ratio of participants to leaders, and, also, the quality of its leaders. You may find yourself in the field with Kenn Kaufman, Kaufman Focus Guides, Jon Dunn, National Geographic Field Guide, Michael O’Brien and Kevin Karlson, The Shorebird Guide, William Clark, Peterson’s Hawks of North America…and the list doesn’t end there!

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IMPORTANT NOTES ON TRIPS: Scopes and Camera are fine on most trips–the icons just designate a better opportunity for their use. Be prepared for sun and bugs on all trips. The bus/van designation may change, as we reserve the right to make adjustments as needed.

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FIELD GUIDE TO THE ICONS

 

 

 

 

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! Important note for King Ranch Grand Santa Gertrudis, Brownsville East, and Whooper trips: Vehicles for these trips travel through a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Check Station.  Each vehicle is subject to a quick visual inspection and brief questions to determine citizenship.  The process is routine, and most stops are brief.  All passengers need to carry one piece of proper identification to verify U.S. Citizenship such as a Drivers License, Passport, Student ID card.  Foreign nationals planning to cross a checkpoint should be sure to carry the appropriate documentation to avoid unnecessary delays, as Border Patrol agents are required to determine the immigration status of every traveler.  Participants who do not have proper identification will not be permitted to board vehicles for these trips.

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NEED A TRIP RECOMMENDATION?  HAVE A SPECIAL INTEREST?  CHECK OUT THE BELOW CATEGORIES:

EASIER (For those that need minimal walking)

Bird Banding Demonstration

Breakfast with the Birds

Easy, But Not Less

Parrots of the Area

Raptor Banding

River Pontoon

South Padre Island

FAMILY (Families are welcome on any trip, and the following would be a special experience)

Bird Banding Demonstration

Birding 101

Parrots

River Pontoon

South Padre Island

CLASSICS (First trip to the Valley? Here are the famous not-to-be-missed sites)

Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park

Estero Llano Grande State Park

King Ranch

Laguna Atascosa NWR

Sabal Palm

Santa Ana NWR

South Padre Island

Upper Rio Grande

Weslaco

BEEN BEFORE? (Interesting choices beyond the famous parks)

Better Birding with Jon Dunn

Big Day Van

Birding by Ear with Michael O’Brien

Canoe the Arroyo Colorado

Colley’s Private Island

Enjoy Bird ID with Kenn Kaufman

King Ranch Santa Gertrudis with Jeff Gordon

Raptor Banding with Bill Clark

Secret Jewels

Shorebird ID with Kevin Karlson

BEGINNER (Beginners are always welcome on all our trips. Some sites are easier for new birders to spot birds and enjoy their trip.)

Birding 101

Bentsen State Park

Laguna Atascosa NWR

River Pontoon

Santa Ana NWR

Weslaco