Bob's Travels

Here you'll find some descriptions of birding trips, with references to field guides, site guides, restaurants places to stay, along with some personal comments on what we saw, where we went, and who we met. Also, there are usually a few photographs or links to a photo site. Hopefully it's useful to others for planning their own birding trips.

2011 Trips

Trinidad and Tobago, February

This was a family reunion - My dad had taken the family to Tobago 50 years ago, so 25 years ago on his 75th birthday we took him and Mom back.  This was his 100th, had he still been with us, so we toasted his memory with a few friends, and then did a little birding.  Trinidad followed at Asa Write, and Eleanor and Peter joined us.     Scarlet Ibis at Caroni Marsh, Trinidad -->

Click here for T&T images

Susanville, CA - March 28 - 31

Back to Susanville and Eagle Lake, and my friend's grouse blind.  Day one was cold.  Day 2 was cold.  Day 3 warmed up, the grouse were booming, and photographs were good.  Stopped in Sierra Valley on the way home, and it was full of water.  It will be a good spring trip there            Male Grouse -->

See Sage Grouse images

West Cape, South Africa - October 12 - 17

This was one-week "pretrip" with guide Keith Valentine of Rockjumper bird tours.  The focus was on photography, and my target was Rockjumper!  Along with a variety of other cape specialties, of course.  We had good success, and I picked up 29 lifers in addition to a bunch of good images.      Rockjumper -->

See Southern Africa images
See Trip Report

Madagascar - October 18 - November 1

This was a photo tour with Oryx, a new company allied with Rockjumper and specializing in wildlife photography.  The guide for our 6-member group was professional photographer Marius Coatzee.  We covered 3 different wildlife areas plus Tana, and saw members of all the endemic bird families, as well as photogenic lemurs and chameleons.                               Crowned Sifaka-->

Click here for all Madagascar images
See Trip Report