Paraguay Trip Attendees 2017
travel with georgia audubon
Georgia Audubon was founded to foster the joy of birding and to protect bird-friendly habitat around the state. In the decades since our founding, the organization has evolved into one of Georgia's leading conservation and education organizations. The Georgia Audubon Travel Program strengthens current goals to protect the region's birds by instilling a love of nature that will impact conservation, education, and community engagement on a local level.
Georgia Audubon's Travel Program offers small-group travel with knowledgeable guides to exciting regional, domestic, and international locations. Special care is taken to develop custom itineraries for each tour that will appeal to all levels of bird and nature enthusiasts.
Current members of Georgia Audubon and subscribers to our twice-monthly BirdBuzz e-newsletter receive the latest information related to upcoming trips and registration dates. Join Georgia Audubon as a member (or renew your membership) or subscribe to the BirdBuzz e-newsletter to stay up to date.
Georgia Audubon's Travel Program offers small-group travel with knowledgeable guides to exciting regional, domestic, and international locations. Special care is taken to develop custom itineraries for each tour that will appeal to all levels of bird and nature enthusiasts.
Current members of Georgia Audubon and subscribers to our twice-monthly BirdBuzz e-newsletter receive the latest information related to upcoming trips and registration dates. Join Georgia Audubon as a member (or renew your membership) or subscribe to the BirdBuzz e-newsletter to stay up to date.
upcoming trips
COVID-19 Travel Update: At this time, all participants in the Georgia Audubon Travel Program must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of their travel date. According to the CDC, individuals are considered fully vaccinated when they are at least two weeks past the 2nd dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or at least two weeks past the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Participants will also be expected to adhere to all travel guidelines and restrictions at the destination at the time of travel.
st. marks nwr & wakulla springs, fl
January 28 to 30, 2022
This trip is now full. Continue with the registration process to place your name on the waiting list. We will contact you if a space opens and will collect your payment at that time. Please register for wait-listed trips separately from any other registrations or transactions to ensure your registration is processed successfully.
Snowy Egret / Frank Lomagistro / Audubon Photography Awards
Georgia Audubon Guides: Melanie Furr and Dottie Head
Group Size: Limited to 16 participants
Master Birders in good membership and volunteer standing: $300 per person
Georgia Audubon Members: $325 per person
Non-members: $360 per person (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Join Melanie Furr, Director of Education, and Dottie Head, Director of Communications, for a fun three-day tour exploring St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge and Wakulla Springs State Park in the Florida Panhandle. Established in 1931 to provide wintering habitat for migratory birds, St. Marks NWR is one of the oldest refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System. This Globally Important Bird Area encompasses more than 70,000 acres of coastal marshes, islands, tidal creeks and estuaries of seven north Florida rivers, supporting to a diverse community of plant and animal life, including more than 300 species of birds. In addition to large numbers of wintering waterfowl and shorebirds, we expect to see beautiful wading birds like Roseate Spoonbills, nesting Bald Eagles, and possibly even Red-cockaded Woodpeckers. In recent years, the refuge has also provided a winter home for rarities like Vermilion Flycatchers, Red-throated Loons, and an American Flamingo. We’ll also explore Wakulla Springs State Park, including a short riverboat tour of the world’s largest and deepest freshwater springs. This wildlife viewing trip among majestic bald cypress trees offers great looks at waterfowl and wading birds, as well alligators, turtles, and possibly otters and manatees.
Group Size: Limited to 16 participants
Master Birders in good membership and volunteer standing: $300 per person
Georgia Audubon Members: $325 per person
Non-members: $360 per person (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Join Melanie Furr, Director of Education, and Dottie Head, Director of Communications, for a fun three-day tour exploring St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge and Wakulla Springs State Park in the Florida Panhandle. Established in 1931 to provide wintering habitat for migratory birds, St. Marks NWR is one of the oldest refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System. This Globally Important Bird Area encompasses more than 70,000 acres of coastal marshes, islands, tidal creeks and estuaries of seven north Florida rivers, supporting to a diverse community of plant and animal life, including more than 300 species of birds. In addition to large numbers of wintering waterfowl and shorebirds, we expect to see beautiful wading birds like Roseate Spoonbills, nesting Bald Eagles, and possibly even Red-cockaded Woodpeckers. In recent years, the refuge has also provided a winter home for rarities like Vermilion Flycatchers, Red-throated Loons, and an American Flamingo. We’ll also explore Wakulla Springs State Park, including a short riverboat tour of the world’s largest and deepest freshwater springs. This wildlife viewing trip among majestic bald cypress trees offers great looks at waterfowl and wading birds, as well alligators, turtles, and possibly otters and manatees.
sax-zim bog & northern minnesota in winter
February 10 to 14, 2022
This trip is now full. Continue with the registration process to place your name on the waiting list. We will contact you if a space opens and will collect your payment at that time. Please register for wait-listed trips separately from any other registrations or transactions to ensure your registration is processed successfully.
Great Gray Owl by Shirley Donald/Audubon Photography Awards
Georgia Audubon Host: Michelle Hamner, Director of Development
Local Guide: Josh Engel, Red Hill Birding (2nd local guide with more than 6 participants)
Group Size: Minimum group size of 6 / Maximum group size of 13
Member Price: $1,870*
Non-member Price: $1,920* (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Single Supplement: $350
*Based on double occupancy
Only to a birder does a trip away in the middle of winter to northern Minnesota seem like a good idea. But this is a classic "quality over quantity" birding experience, where species diversity may be low but the quality of birds is through the roof. The boreal forests in winter are home to mouth-watering birds like Great Gray Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, Bohemian Waxwing, Evening Grosbeak, Boreal Chickadee, Black-backed Woodpecker, and Spruce Grouse. The northern woods at this time of year are a real winter wonderland -- snow-covered, quiet, and peaceful, the silence occasionally punctuated by a noisy flock of crossbills or the tapping of a woodpecker on a tamarack.
This trip, led with local support by Red Hill Birding, is designed to take in the best birding that Northeast Minnesota offers in winter. We will visit the world-famous Sax-Zim Bog, the forests of Superior National Forest, and the North Shore of Lake Superior. We will be based in a single Duluth lakefront hotel for the duration of the trip. Because of the short nature of this trip and the short day length of the northern winter, we will be eating early breakfasts and spending full days in the field to see as many of the specialty birds as possible. If we're lucky, we may even come across a Northwoods mammal like a wolf, moose, porcupine, or pine marten.
Local Guide: Josh Engel, Red Hill Birding (2nd local guide with more than 6 participants)
Group Size: Minimum group size of 6 / Maximum group size of 13
Member Price: $1,870*
Non-member Price: $1,920* (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Single Supplement: $350
*Based on double occupancy
Only to a birder does a trip away in the middle of winter to northern Minnesota seem like a good idea. But this is a classic "quality over quantity" birding experience, where species diversity may be low but the quality of birds is through the roof. The boreal forests in winter are home to mouth-watering birds like Great Gray Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, Bohemian Waxwing, Evening Grosbeak, Boreal Chickadee, Black-backed Woodpecker, and Spruce Grouse. The northern woods at this time of year are a real winter wonderland -- snow-covered, quiet, and peaceful, the silence occasionally punctuated by a noisy flock of crossbills or the tapping of a woodpecker on a tamarack.
This trip, led with local support by Red Hill Birding, is designed to take in the best birding that Northeast Minnesota offers in winter. We will visit the world-famous Sax-Zim Bog, the forests of Superior National Forest, and the North Shore of Lake Superior. We will be based in a single Duluth lakefront hotel for the duration of the trip. Because of the short nature of this trip and the short day length of the northern winter, we will be eating early breakfasts and spending full days in the field to see as many of the specialty birds as possible. If we're lucky, we may even come across a Northwoods mammal like a wolf, moose, porcupine, or pine marten.
costa rica: quetzals to macaws
from the highlands to the coast
March 17 to 27, 2022
This trip is now full. Continue with the registration process to place your name on the waiting list. We will contact you if a space opens and will collect your payment at that time. Please register for wait-listed trips separately from any other registrations or transactions to ensure your registration is processed successfully.
Scarlet Macaw by Adam Betuel
Georgia Audubon Guide: Adam Betuel, Director of Conservation
Local Guide: Carlos “Charlie” Gomez, Costa Rica Expeditions
Group Size: Maximum group size of 12 participants
Georgia Audubon Member Price: $4,100* per person
Non-member Price: $4,150* per person (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Single Supplement: +$555
*Based on double occupancy
Let’s do it again! In early 2020, Georgia Audubon offered a memorable trip to Costa Rica with local ecotourism operators Costa Rica Expeditions (leaders for 40+ years). Ten days and 382 species later, it was clear that we needed to come back sooner rather than later. Thus, we are thrilled to announce our 2022 return trip to the tropical bird haven that is Costa Rica. This small and safe country is synonymous with green landscapes, ecotourism, and avian life. On this 11-day tour, we will sample as much as we can, including cool highland forests, dense lowland jungles, mangroves, and everything in-between. Hundreds of bird species are likely, including some of the region’s most famous like Resplendent Quetzal, Scarlet Macaw, Keel-billed Toucan, numerous tanagers and antbirds, and a nice variety of temperate birds who will be preparing for their journey northward. Along with stellar birding and breathtaking landscapes, the group will visit a shade-grown coffee farm and will have the opportunity to join bird banders from the Costa Rica Bird Observatories. Join us on an amazing opportunity that will be overloaded with birds, good company, and adventure.
dauphin island:
spring migration on the gulf coast
April 7 to 10, 2022
This trip is now full. Continue with the registration process to place your name on the waiting list. We will contact you if a space opens and will collect your payment at that time. Please register for wait-listed trips separately from any other registrations or transactions to ensure your registration is processed successfully.
Reddish Egret / Melissa Rowell / Audubon Photography Awards
Georgia Audubon Guides: Michelle Hamner and Dottie Head
Group Size: Maximum 16 participants
Georgia Audubon Master Birder Price: $550 per person
Georgia Audubon Member Price: $575 per person
Non-member Price: $605 per person (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Few places in the United States offer the birdwatching excitement that can be found along the Gulf Coast during the spring. Songbirds adorned with the brightest of plumages pour into the region after safely traversing miles and miles of open water. In addition to these feathered jewels, northbound shorebirds and dancing waders cover the beach, skulking rails and sparrows fill the marshes, and year-round residents sing alongside their temporary neighbors. If this sounds like a birdwatching experience you would like to be a part of, then join Georgia Audubon as we visit the hotspots of Dauphin Island, Alabama, and the Mobile Bay.
We'll explore songbird havens, productive coasts and marshes, and the local river delta. On this trip, we hope to find 15-20 species of warblers, 20+ species of shorebirds, almost if not all of the wading birds of the eastern U.S., and numerous other highlights like Painted Buntings, Baltimore Orioles, and possibly Magnificent Frigatebirds. We’ll also keep an eye out for vagrant species, such as Black-whiskered Vireo, a Caribbean species that occurs in small numbers along the Gulf coast and that the 2020 Dauphin Island group was lucky to find! Join us as we take in the splendor of spring migration and the unpredictable excitement this area can bring.
Group Size: Maximum 16 participants
Georgia Audubon Master Birder Price: $550 per person
Georgia Audubon Member Price: $575 per person
Non-member Price: $605 per person (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Few places in the United States offer the birdwatching excitement that can be found along the Gulf Coast during the spring. Songbirds adorned with the brightest of plumages pour into the region after safely traversing miles and miles of open water. In addition to these feathered jewels, northbound shorebirds and dancing waders cover the beach, skulking rails and sparrows fill the marshes, and year-round residents sing alongside their temporary neighbors. If this sounds like a birdwatching experience you would like to be a part of, then join Georgia Audubon as we visit the hotspots of Dauphin Island, Alabama, and the Mobile Bay.
We'll explore songbird havens, productive coasts and marshes, and the local river delta. On this trip, we hope to find 15-20 species of warblers, 20+ species of shorebirds, almost if not all of the wading birds of the eastern U.S., and numerous other highlights like Painted Buntings, Baltimore Orioles, and possibly Magnificent Frigatebirds. We’ll also keep an eye out for vagrant species, such as Black-whiskered Vireo, a Caribbean species that occurs in small numbers along the Gulf coast and that the 2020 Dauphin Island group was lucky to find! Join us as we take in the splendor of spring migration and the unpredictable excitement this area can bring.
spring in southeastern arizona
April 20 to 26, 2022
This trip is now full. Continue with the registration process to place your name on the waiting list. We will contact you if a space opens and will collect your payment at that time. Please register for wait-listed trips separately from any other registrations or transactions to ensure your registration is processed successfully.
Greater Roadrunner by Trudy Walden
Georgia Audubon Host: Dottie Head, Director of Communications
Local Guide: Ken Blankenship and Allee Forsberg, East-West Birding Tours
Group Size: Maximum group size of 9 participants
Georgia Audubon Member Price: $2,750* per person
Non-member Price: $2,800* per person (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Single Supplement: +$550
*Based on double occupancy
Ask any American birder to name their favorite regional birding destination and a significant percentage would choose southeastern Arizona. Within this relatively small, compact region, you can visit Sonoran Desert, oak woodland, high-elevation conifer forest, and riparian areas. The list of special species is long, but a few highlights are Montezuma Quail, Gray Hawk, Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Elegant Trogon, Arizona Woodpecker, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Olive Warbler, Rufous-winged Sparrow, and Yellow-eyed Junco. Join Georgia Audubon and East-West Birding Tours for this amazing trip!
SOUTHWESTERN SPAIN'S BEST BIRD SANCTUARIES: EXTREMADURA, COTO DONANA, AND TARIFA
April 25 to May 4, 2022
We have met our minimum group size of 7 participants for this trip. Due to logistics, we are unable to offer the tour for a group of 8-11, but if we reach 12 participants, we can run the tour for up to 15 participants. If you are interested in this trip, please add your name to the waiting list. We will re-open registration once we are able to confirm 12 participants, and you will be contacted for payment to reserve your spot at that time.
European Roller by Billy Dodson/Audubon Photography Awards
Georgia Audubon Host: Melanie Furr, Director of Education
Local Guide: Manuel Soler, owner and guide of Wild Donana Tours
Group Size: Minimum group size of 7 participants / Maximum group size of 15 (please see note below about group size)
Georgia Audubon Member Price: $3,995* per person
Non-member Price: $4,045* per person (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Single Supplement: +$325
*Based on double occupancy
Unforgettable birding awaits in southwestern Spain! White Storks nesting on medieval rooftops, soaring Griffon Vultures, the “foam bath” display of Great Bustards, the announcement of spring’s arrival by European Bee-eaters, and thousands of migratory birds making incredible flights across the Strait of Gibraltar are just a few of the sights participants will witness during our tour of southwestern Spain’s best birding sanctuaries, enjoying fine Spanish food and culture in spectacular landscapes along the way. Join Georgia Audubon and Manuel Soler, owner and guide of Wild Donana Tours, for this incredible 10-day tour.
SOUTH FLORIDA:
MIAMI, THE KEYS, & THE DRY TORTUGAS
May 3 to 8, 2022
Brown Noddy / Dan Vickers
Leader: Adam Betuel, Georgia Audubon's Director of Conservation
Group Size: Maximum group size of 14 / The tour can run with fewer participants at a higher per person cost
Member Price: $2,775* per person
Non-member Price: $2,825* per person (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Single Supplement for non-shared hotel room: $800 per person
*Based on double occupancy and 14 participants.
Must-see parks, must-visit destinations, must-chase birds. South Florida is a dream. All possible shades of blues and greens, transformative and transportive foods ranging from medianoches to fresh seafood to a certain jiggly pie. On this Georgia Audubon tour, not only will we experience all of the above, but we will also see some of the most exciting birds in United States while witnessing migration at one of our southern entryways. On this 6-day tour, we will visit the world-renowned Everglades National Park, island hop across the keys, take a day trip to the breathtaking Dry Tortugas, all while logging new birds and enjoying life. We will target Roseate, Sooty, and Bridled Terns, Masked Boobies, Brown and the much rarer Black Noddies, as well as less common marine birds like Brown Booby or Audubon’s Shearwater. On land, our efforts will be spent tracking down birds whose ranges just barely creep into the states; birds like Mangrove Cuckoo, Black-whiskered Vireo, White-crowned Pigeon, and Antillean Nighthawk. Finally, we’ll enjoy other species that are representative of peninsular Florida’s expansive wetlands and swamps, in addition to a diversity of northbound migrants who have just arrived from the Caribbean or places further south.
Group Size: Maximum group size of 14 / The tour can run with fewer participants at a higher per person cost
Member Price: $2,775* per person
Non-member Price: $2,825* per person (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Single Supplement for non-shared hotel room: $800 per person
*Based on double occupancy and 14 participants.
Must-see parks, must-visit destinations, must-chase birds. South Florida is a dream. All possible shades of blues and greens, transformative and transportive foods ranging from medianoches to fresh seafood to a certain jiggly pie. On this Georgia Audubon tour, not only will we experience all of the above, but we will also see some of the most exciting birds in United States while witnessing migration at one of our southern entryways. On this 6-day tour, we will visit the world-renowned Everglades National Park, island hop across the keys, take a day trip to the breathtaking Dry Tortugas, all while logging new birds and enjoying life. We will target Roseate, Sooty, and Bridled Terns, Masked Boobies, Brown and the much rarer Black Noddies, as well as less common marine birds like Brown Booby or Audubon’s Shearwater. On land, our efforts will be spent tracking down birds whose ranges just barely creep into the states; birds like Mangrove Cuckoo, Black-whiskered Vireo, White-crowned Pigeon, and Antillean Nighthawk. Finally, we’ll enjoy other species that are representative of peninsular Florida’s expansive wetlands and swamps, in addition to a diversity of northbound migrants who have just arrived from the Caribbean or places further south.
MONTANA & YELLOWSTONE:
WHERE THE MOUNTAINS MEET THE PLAINS
June 22 to 27, 2022
(optional Cassia Crossbill extension June 27 to 29)
(optional Cassia Crossbill extension June 27 to 29)
Only 4 spaces remain in this trip!
Greater Sage-Grouse by Dorian Anderson/Audubon Photography Awards
Georgia Audubon Host: Michelle Hamner, Director of Development
Local Guide: Adam Sell, Red Hill Birding (2nd guide and van will be added for >6 participants)
Group Size: Maximum group size of 13 participants
Georgia Audubon Member Price: $3,050* per person
Non-member Price: $3,100* per person (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Single Supplement: +$405
Optional Cassia Crossbill Extension (June 27 to 29): +$840* per person (member and non-member price)
Extension Group Size: Minimum 4 participants / Maximum 13 participants
Extension Single Supplement: +$190
*Based on double occupancy
Where the Great Plains of Montana meet the grandiose peaks of the Rocky Mountains is a place known as Big Sky Country: a land where the beauty of the vistas is surpassed only by the birds that inhabit them. In the expansive grasslands we will look for Baird’s Sparrow, Sprague’s Pipit, Mountain Plover, Long-billed Curlew, Ferruginous Hawk, Lark Bunting, and Thick-billed and Chestnut-collared Longspurs. These grasslands abut grand, snow-capped mountains, with a totally different but equally alluring set of birds, including Black Rosy-Finch, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Dusky Grouse, and Clark’s Nutcracker. We will also visit wetlands that will be crowded with breeding waterbirds and sagebrush flats populated with Sage Thrashers and other sagebrush specialties. We will also pass through Yellowstone National Park, giving us a chance to see some of the West’s iconic mammals.
This trip will find some of North America’s most highly-sought species on their breeding grounds. We also offer a two-night extension to look for the recently described Cassia Crossbill in neighboring Idaho. Bozeman is a great jumping-off point if you would like to visit Yellowstone National Park or Grand Teton National Park before or after the birding trip.
ARGENTINA:
THE PAMPAS & NORTHERN PATAGONIA
September 17 to 30, 2022
This trip is now full. Continue with the registration process to place your name on the waiting list. We will contact you if a space opens and will collect your payment at that time. Please register for wait-listed trips separately from any other registrations or transactions to ensure your registration is processed successfully.
Above: Magellanic Penguins / Charles Bergman / Audubon Photography Awards
Leaders: Adam Betuel, Georgia Audubon's Director of Conservation, and local guide Mark Pearman, ornithologist and author of Birds of Argentina and the South-west Atlantic (2020). Mark is a British native and resident of Argentina for 30 years.
Group Size: Maximum group size of 10 / The tour can run with 8 participants at a higher per person cost.
Member Price: $4,630* per person
Non-member Price: $4,680* per person (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Single Supplement for non-shared hotel room: $235 per person (Note that we are limited to 4 single supplements on this tour)
*Based on double occupancy and 10 participants.
With a species list topping 1,000, miles and miles of coastline, a diverse variety of breathtaking habitats, and of course the food and wine, there is no doubt that Argentina is a destination that should be on every birdwatcher's and traveler's bucket list. For this Georgia Audubon trip, we will specifically focus on the central and southern portions of this elongated nation, travelling between northern Patagonia, through the fertile Pampas, and up to the buzzing capital of Buenos Aires, sticking pretty close to the coast. While a lot of effort and time will be spent tracking down local avian targets such as Yellow Cardinal, South American Painted-Snipe, Magellanic Penguin, and Burrowing Parakeet, this tour is also timed for the arrival of the North American shorebirds that often use Georgia’s coastline during migration. If lucky, we will spot White-rumped Sandpipers, Buff-breasted Sandpipers, Pectoral Sandpipers, and both Yellowlegs thousands of miles from the Glynn or Bartow County hotspots they would have visited weeks or months before.
Join Georgia Audubon's Director of Conservation, Adam Betuel, as well as Mark Pearman, author of the new Birds of Argentina and the South-west Atlantic field guide, on this amazing two-week journey. In addition to the hundreds of bird species that will be seen, including many endemics, this trip will provide great opportunities to see mammals and grand vistas. The group will be taking three separate boat trips focusing on breeding Southern Right Whale, Commerson’s Dolphin, and pelagic birdwatching. On land, many other mammals are possible including Guanacos, Patagonian Maras, Elephant Seals, and more.
Group Size: Maximum group size of 10 / The tour can run with 8 participants at a higher per person cost.
Member Price: $4,630* per person
Non-member Price: $4,680* per person (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Single Supplement for non-shared hotel room: $235 per person (Note that we are limited to 4 single supplements on this tour)
*Based on double occupancy and 10 participants.
With a species list topping 1,000, miles and miles of coastline, a diverse variety of breathtaking habitats, and of course the food and wine, there is no doubt that Argentina is a destination that should be on every birdwatcher's and traveler's bucket list. For this Georgia Audubon trip, we will specifically focus on the central and southern portions of this elongated nation, travelling between northern Patagonia, through the fertile Pampas, and up to the buzzing capital of Buenos Aires, sticking pretty close to the coast. While a lot of effort and time will be spent tracking down local avian targets such as Yellow Cardinal, South American Painted-Snipe, Magellanic Penguin, and Burrowing Parakeet, this tour is also timed for the arrival of the North American shorebirds that often use Georgia’s coastline during migration. If lucky, we will spot White-rumped Sandpipers, Buff-breasted Sandpipers, Pectoral Sandpipers, and both Yellowlegs thousands of miles from the Glynn or Bartow County hotspots they would have visited weeks or months before.
Join Georgia Audubon's Director of Conservation, Adam Betuel, as well as Mark Pearman, author of the new Birds of Argentina and the South-west Atlantic field guide, on this amazing two-week journey. In addition to the hundreds of bird species that will be seen, including many endemics, this trip will provide great opportunities to see mammals and grand vistas. The group will be taking three separate boat trips focusing on breeding Southern Right Whale, Commerson’s Dolphin, and pelagic birdwatching. On land, many other mammals are possible including Guanacos, Patagonian Maras, Elephant Seals, and more.
NEW JERSEY:
WINTER BIRDING IN THE MID-ATLANTIC
December 1 to 7, 2022
Only 2 spaces remain!
Harlequin Duck / George Armistead
Leaders: Adam Betuel, Georgia Audubon's Director of Conservation, joined by local guide George Armistead
Group Size: Maximum group size of 9 / The tour can run with 6+ participants at a higher per person cost.
Member Price: $3,500* per person
Non-member Price: $3,550* per person (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Single Supplement for non-shared hotel room: $350 per person
*Based on double occupancy and 9 participants.
New Jersey? In the winter? Yes!!! While the Garden State is most famous for its migratory seasons at well-known hotspots like Cape May, it has lots of interesting avian life during the cooler months as well. After the summer crowds wind down, the birds wind up, with sea ducks, raptors, and sparrows featuring well. Snowy Owls, Snow Buntings, Harlequin Ducks, eiders, and Brant make their way to the Jersey shore during the winter and are just a few of the possible highlights. Additionally, early December is the peak of rarity season for the region, so you never know what might turn up! Join Georgia Audubon's Director of Conservation, Adam Betuel, and special guest guide George Armistead for this winter adventure.
Group Size: Maximum group size of 9 / The tour can run with 6+ participants at a higher per person cost.
Member Price: $3,500* per person
Non-member Price: $3,550* per person (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Single Supplement for non-shared hotel room: $350 per person
*Based on double occupancy and 9 participants.
New Jersey? In the winter? Yes!!! While the Garden State is most famous for its migratory seasons at well-known hotspots like Cape May, it has lots of interesting avian life during the cooler months as well. After the summer crowds wind down, the birds wind up, with sea ducks, raptors, and sparrows featuring well. Snowy Owls, Snow Buntings, Harlequin Ducks, eiders, and Brant make their way to the Jersey shore during the winter and are just a few of the possible highlights. Additionally, early December is the peak of rarity season for the region, so you never know what might turn up! Join Georgia Audubon's Director of Conservation, Adam Betuel, and special guest guide George Armistead for this winter adventure.
trips we're planning...
Be sure to join Georgia Audubon as a member to ensure you receive all updates regarding the Georgia Audubon Travel Program.
Registration is scheduled to open in March 2022 for the following trips:
Please check back for more information!
Registration is scheduled to open in March 2022 for the following trips:
- Colombia
- Southeastern Arizona
- Maine
- Madagascar
Please check back for more information!
past trip reports
Video Trip Reports
You can find videos of some of our past trip reports on our YouTube Channel. Simply visit our YouTube Channel and select the playlist "Georgia Audubon Travel."
You can find videos of some of our past trip reports on our YouTube Channel. Simply visit our YouTube Channel and select the playlist "Georgia Audubon Travel."
Maine 2021
June 4 to 8, 2021
Trip Leader: Michelle Hamner
Maine is unique. It is as large as the rest of New England combined and is the most forested state in the U.S. Over 10 million acres are too sparsely populated to have local governments. “Downeast,” in and around Acadia National Park, the coast of Maine is wild and dotted with fishing villages. A spruce/fir maritime forest dominates the ocean’s edge and just inland, the world’s largest lowbush blueberry fields create unique habitat. Due to precautions for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the original itinerary of this trip was altered to base the group out of the Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park for the duration. The cool, coastal temperatures on campus were a welcome respite from the heatwave the entire region was experiencing at the time of our trip, however!
June 4 to 8, 2021
Trip Leader: Michelle Hamner
Maine is unique. It is as large as the rest of New England combined and is the most forested state in the U.S. Over 10 million acres are too sparsely populated to have local governments. “Downeast,” in and around Acadia National Park, the coast of Maine is wild and dotted with fishing villages. A spruce/fir maritime forest dominates the ocean’s edge and just inland, the world’s largest lowbush blueberry fields create unique habitat. Due to precautions for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the original itinerary of this trip was altered to base the group out of the Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park for the duration. The cool, coastal temperatures on campus were a welcome respite from the heatwave the entire region was experiencing at the time of our trip, however!
Costa Rica 2020
January 2020
Trip Leader: Adam Betuel
In January 2020, Director of Conservation Adam Betuel led a group of Georgia Audubon members on an international birdwatching adventure to Costa Rica. For many Americans, there is no place more synonymous with tropical birds and luxuriant landscapes than Costa Rica. Long known as a safe, diverse, and biologically rich country, Costa Rica is a true birdwatchers' heaven. The group saw hundreds of bird species, including regional specialties, colorful gems, and some of our overwintering visitors. Along with stellar birding and breathtaking landscapes, the group visited a shadegrown coffee farm and had the opportunity to join bird banders from the Costa Rica Bird Observatories.
January 2020
Trip Leader: Adam Betuel
In January 2020, Director of Conservation Adam Betuel led a group of Georgia Audubon members on an international birdwatching adventure to Costa Rica. For many Americans, there is no place more synonymous with tropical birds and luxuriant landscapes than Costa Rica. Long known as a safe, diverse, and biologically rich country, Costa Rica is a true birdwatchers' heaven. The group saw hundreds of bird species, including regional specialties, colorful gems, and some of our overwintering visitors. Along with stellar birding and breathtaking landscapes, the group visited a shadegrown coffee farm and had the opportunity to join bird banders from the Costa Rica Bird Observatories.
Michigan 2019
May 28 to June 2, 2019
Trip Leader: Adam Betuel
With over 3,000 miles of coastline, an extensive state forest system, and a diversity of habitats, it is no wonder that Michigan is a top birding destination. What may be less apparent are the ways birds connect both Michigan and our own Peach State. Upland Sandpipers migrate south from breeding grounds and visit our rural sod farms. Over 60% of the endangered Great Lakes breeding population of the Piping Plover overwinter on the Georgia coast. In addition, one of the rarest birds in our country, the Kirtland’s Warbler, breeds almost exclusively in Michigan and in migration is found in its highest density in Georgia.
May 28 to June 2, 2019
Trip Leader: Adam Betuel
With over 3,000 miles of coastline, an extensive state forest system, and a diversity of habitats, it is no wonder that Michigan is a top birding destination. What may be less apparent are the ways birds connect both Michigan and our own Peach State. Upland Sandpipers migrate south from breeding grounds and visit our rural sod farms. Over 60% of the endangered Great Lakes breeding population of the Piping Plover overwinter on the Georgia coast. In addition, one of the rarest birds in our country, the Kirtland’s Warbler, breeds almost exclusively in Michigan and in migration is found in its highest density in Georgia.
Paraguay 2017
August 5 to 18, 2017
Leaders: Adam Betuel (Georgia Audubon) & Paul Smith (Fauna Paraguay)
When it came to choosing our inaugural destination, unlimited possibilities existed. However, one often-overlooked destination quickly became the top choice–Paraguay. Paraguay may be off the beaten path for many travelers (and birders) but it is a nation with amazing wildlife. A country of conservation importance on the hemispheric level, a nation highlighted by the National Audubon Society’s International Alliances Program, and a place that Adam himself had previously spent months conducting avian research; Paraguay had to be the place. This, we hope, will serve as the first of many trips as Georgia Audubon intends to offer a series of birdwatching and conservation-themed adventures.
August 5 to 18, 2017
Leaders: Adam Betuel (Georgia Audubon) & Paul Smith (Fauna Paraguay)
When it came to choosing our inaugural destination, unlimited possibilities existed. However, one often-overlooked destination quickly became the top choice–Paraguay. Paraguay may be off the beaten path for many travelers (and birders) but it is a nation with amazing wildlife. A country of conservation importance on the hemispheric level, a nation highlighted by the National Audubon Society’s International Alliances Program, and a place that Adam himself had previously spent months conducting avian research; Paraguay had to be the place. This, we hope, will serve as the first of many trips as Georgia Audubon intends to offer a series of birdwatching and conservation-themed adventures.
