MBWeeks
March 2013 - February 2014
MINNESOTA BIRDING WEEKS
MARCH 2013 - FEBRUARY 2014
~ Our 28th Season ~
Minnesota Birding Weekends & Weeks (MBW) is now entering its 28th season offering unique, modestly priced birding trips in association with the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union – we originated in 1986 as MOU Birding Weekends. After 27 years, we have now had a total of more than 380 MBWeekends and nearly 70 MBWeeks, approximately 6,350 registrations, a composite list of 357 species seen within Minnesota, and all 87 Minnesota counties have now been covered as of last season.
In addition to our schedule of MBWeekends (please visit the MBWeekends page elsewhere on this website for further information), our selection of out-of-state MBWeeks will continue to destinations like Nebraska’s Platte River, Colorado, Newfoundland, Big Bend, Washington & British Columbia, California, Arizona, and South Texas. And please be sure to note the relatively inexpensive cost of MBWeeks – typically less than half (sometimes closer to a third) of other tour company fees for similar trips.
Note as well our policy of providing refunds to MBWeeks participants if the final total of trip expenses is less than the total amount of fees collected (and there has never been a surcharge for a MBWeek which was over budget).
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MBWeek registrations and deposits will accepted on a “first-come-first-served" basis, based on U.S. mail postmarks (i.e., the date the registration is mailed, not the date it is received), and please note that SOME MBWEEKS BECOME FILLED SEVERAL MONTHS IN ADVANCE, SOMETIMES ON THE FIRST DAY THAT REGISTRATIONS ARE ACCEPTED. Maximum registration for most MBWeeks is 11 participants.
Multiple MBWs can be included on a single registration form and on a single check: please make checks payable to M.B.W. All MBW registrations must include an e-mail address. Unless a MBW is filled, checks are deposited as they are received and registrations are confirmed by e-mail.
Confirmed registrants canceling at least two months in advance of a MBWeek will receive a refund of 80% of their deposit; refunds for later cancellations would depend on the individual circumstances. Full payment of the MBW fee is generally due one month before the MBWeek begins. Those remaining on waiting lists who are not confirmed for a MBW receive full refunds of their deposits.
Please note that the cost of a MBWeek depends on the number of participants. Those who cancel out of a MBWeek for which they were confirmed may still be obligated to cover certain expenses: e.g., if any non-refundable payments had been made on their behalf, or if their cancellations result in higher per-person costs for shared trip expenses.
MBWeek information on flight options, lodging, the meeting time and place, the itinerary, updated cost estimates, etc. is sent by e-mail to those registered, usually about 3 months before the MBW. MBWeek fees generally include transportation expenses (usually by rented vehicles), leader’s fees and expenses, entry fees/permits, and lodging during the MBW. Air fares (or other travel expenses to the base city) and meals are not included in the tour costs.
MBW participants are encouraged/expected to be members of the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union (http://moumn.org/join.html).
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CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR MBWEEKS
NOTE: Registering for a MBWeek after it is FILLED is still
worth considering since there could be cancellations, or an extra MBWeek
can sometimes be scheduled to accommodate those on the waiting list.
(Full refund of the MBW deposit is provided if no vacancies develop.)
~ 2013-14 MINNESOTA BIRDING WEEKS ~
CLICK on the HIGHLIGHTED NAME of the MBWEEK
for a summary of this MBWeek from a previous year
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• MARCH 24 - 28, 2013 / PLATTE RIVER & SANDHILL CRANES
– CLICK HERE FOR SUMMARY OF THIS MBW –
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• APRIL 13 - 21, 2013 / COLORADO GROUSE
– CLICK HERE FOR SUMMARY OF THIS MBW –
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• JUNE 30 - JULY 13, 2013 / NEWFOUNDLAND & NOVA SCOTIA
(NOTE: Because of the long waiting list, no additional registrations are being accepted)
This MBWeek has to be two weeks long with so much to see. Vast seabird colonies at Cape St. Mary's and Witless Bay seabird sanctuaries in Newfoundland host Northern Gannets, Atlantic Puffins, Razorbills, both Common and Thick-billed murres, Black Guillemots, and Black-legged Kittiwakes – most of these nesting by the thousands, even tens of thousands, and many of these as close as 50 feet away! If fog-free, our two ferry crossings between provinces should yield Leach's and Wilson's storm-petrels, Northern Fulmar, three shearwaters (Manx, Great, and Sooty), a jaeger or two, and maybe even a skua or Red Phalarope. Elsewhere in these two provinces are Common Eider, all three scoters, both Rock (atop Gros Morne National Park) and Willow ptarmigans, Great Cormorant, Black-headed Gull (nesting in Newfoundland), Arctic Tern, Bicknell's Thrush (Cape Breton Highlands), and Nelson's Sparrow. All this plus whales (four species possible – especially Humpbacks) and other marine mammals, caribou in the barrens, moose, spectacular scenery, fresh lobster and other seafood, a unique mix of cultures and the rich history of this Atlantic Canada region – even some of the bird names and highway signs are uniquely cryptic! (Per-person fee on 2012 MBW: $1,910 double-occupancy + air fare + meals.)
STATUS as of 15 May 2013: FILLED (limit 9 participants) / 6 on waiting list.
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• JULY 27 - AUGUST 4, 2013 / BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK / $100 deposit
Big Bend National Park is probably our most remote national park outside of Alaska, it's easily one of the most scenic, and its Chisos Mountains are renowned as the only U.S. site where Colima Warblers can reliably be found. Even into late July/early August, this specialty will still be singing and visible for birders who make the 10-mile round-trip hike (often it's only 6 miles). But there are many other southwestern specialties here and at the nearby Davis Mountains which will still be vocal and active at this time – like southeast Arizona, Big Bend can have a somewhat cooler "monsoon" season. Accordingly, we will also search for Montezuma Quail (probably easier to find here than anywhere else in the U.S.), Mississippi Kite, Common Black-Hawk, Gray and Zone-tailed hawks, Western and Elf owls, Common Poorwill, hummingbirds (especially the local and often elusive Lucifer), Gray, Cordilleran and Buff-breasted flycatchers, Tropical, Couch's and Cassin's kingbirds, vireos (especially Black-capped and Gray), Cave Swallow, Western Bluebird, Crissal Thrasher, Lucy's Warbler, Black-chinned Sparrow, Hepatic Tanager, Varied and Painted buntings, Bullock's and Scott's orioles – and note some of these are absent/often missed nearby in southeast Arizona. (Per-person fee on 2009 MBW: $860 double-occupancy + air fare + meals.)
STATUS as of 15 May 2013: FILLED (limit 11 participants) / 2 on waiting list; see Note above on registering for MBWs which are filled.
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• SEPTEMBER 5 - 13, 2013 / WASHINGTON & BRITISH COLUMBIA I
• SEPTEMBER 14 - 22, 2013 / WASHINGTON & BRITISH COLUMBIA II
(NOTE: Because of the long waiting lists, no additional registrations are being accepted)
The Pacific Northwest provides some of the best fall migration anywhere in the U.S. and Canada – accordingly, our MBWeek to the Olympic Peninsula and elsewhere along the Washington coast plus around Victoria and Vancouver in southwestern British Columbia will have much to offer. Of particular interest will be the established population of Sky Larks near Victoria, a species found nowhere else in North America. As many as 30 shorebird species are possible, with such rarities as Pacific Golden-Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Ruff, and Red Phalarope often seen. A Westport Seabirds pelagic trip will be featured, with Black-footed Albatross, Northern Fulmar, 4-5 shearwaters (including Pink-footed, Buller's, and maybe a Flesh-footed or Short-tailed), Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel, South Polar Skua, perhaps all three jaegers, and Sabine's Gull all likely. As if all that weren't enough: Sooty Grouse, Brandt's and Pelagic cormorants, "non-Minnesota" gulls, alcids (Pigeon Guillemot, Marbled Murrelet, Cassin's and Rhinoceros auklets), Northern Pygmy-Owl, perhaps Vaux's or Black swifts, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Northwestern Crow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Golden-crowned Sparrow, and more will enhance our list. (Per-person fee on 2012 MBW: $1,060 double-occupancy + air fare + meals.)
STATUS as of 15 May 2013: BOTH MBWs FILLED (limit 11 participants each) / combined total of 12 on the 2 waiting lists.
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• DECEMBER 26, 2013 - JANUARY 1, 2014 / SOUTH TEXAS I / $100 deposit
(NOTE: This extra MBWeek could be scheduled for February 24 - March 2, 2014
instead, if these dates would accommodate more participants)
See South Texas II below for description of this MBWeek, scheduled for those with time off at the holidays: it will be two days shorter and will consequently have an even lower fee. Birding in the Zapata-San Ygnacio-Laredo area, primarily for White-collared Seedeater, will not be included on this itinerary. (Per-person fee on 2011-12 MBW: $735 double-occupancy + air fare + meals.)
STATUS as of 15 May 2013: 0 registered / 9 vacancies (limit 9 participants); this MBWeek was recently added to the the MBW schedule to accommodate extra participants.
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• JANUARY 11 - 18, 2014 / SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA / $100 deposit
This MBWeek and winter vacation includes a full week in California's highly varied coastal, montane, and desert habitats near San Diego, along with the unique Salton Sea region. Some 200 species are possible, including a long list of non-Minnesota species: e.g., Brant, Eurasian Wigeon, Black-vented Shearwater, Brandt's and Pelagic cormorants, White-tailed Kite, Clapper Rail, several shorebirds (including Mountain Plover, Wandering Tattler, and Surfbird), Heermann's and Yellow-footed gulls, Royal Tern, Black Skimmer, Band-tailed Pigeon, Burrowing Owl, Anna's, Costa's, and Allen's hummingbirds, Nuttall's and White-headed woodpeckers, Gray Flycatcher, Cassin's Vireo, Mountain Chickadee, Oak Titmouse, California Gnatcatcher, Wrentit, California, Crissal and Le Conte's thrashers, California and Abert's towhees, Sage and Golden-crowned sparrows, Tricolored Blackbird, and many others. Unexpected strays are always possible, as evidenced by sightings of Pacific Golden-Plover, Thick-billed and Tropical kingbirds, and Red-throated Pipit on the recent MBWeeks here. Note this trip will start in San Diego, end in Phoenix, and can be combined with Arizona – for two weeks of temperatures in the relatively balmy 60s and 70s! (Per-person fee on 2012 MBW: $870 double-occupancy + air fare + meals.)
STATUS as of 15 May 2013: 4 registered / 5 vacancies (limit 9 participants).
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• JANUARY 19 - 26, 2014 / SOUTHEAST ARIZONA / $100 deposit
As noted above, you can take this MBWeek alone, or along with California for a full two-week winter vacation. Though many summer Arizona specialties are absent in winter, the weather then will be much more moderate, and around Phoenix and southeast of Tucson we can still expect: Gambel's Quail, Ferruginous Hawk, Mountain Plover, Barn Owl, Western and Whiskered screech-owls, Broad-billed and Violet-crowned hummingbirds, several woodpeckers (e.g., Acorn, Gila, Arizona, Red-naped Sapsucker, and Gilded Flicker), Ash-throated Flycatcher, Plumbeous and Hutton's vireos, Mexican Jay, Bridled Titmouse, Verdin, Rock and Canyon wrens, Black-tailed and Black-capped gnatcatchers, Western Bluebird, five thrashers (including Bendire's, Crissal and Le Conte's), Phainopepla, Black-throated Gray and Townsend's warblers, Green-tailed and Abert's towhees, several sparrows (including Rufous-winged, Brewer's, Black-throated, Sage, and Yellow-eyed Junco), Hepatic Tanager, Pyrrhuloxia, and more. Mexican rarities are regularly seen here, with Ruddy Ground-Dove, Rufous-backed Robin, and Rufous-capped Warbler on recent MBWeeks as examples. Combine this with California’s MBWeek, and some 250 species are likely. (Per-person fee on 2011 MBW: $950 double-occupancy + air fare + meals.)
STATUS as of 15 May 2013: 5 registered / 4 vacancies (limit 9 participants).
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• FEBRUARY 15 - 23, 2014 / SOUTH TEXAS II / $100 deposit
Our 29th South Texas MBWeek – and vacation from Minnesota's winter weather! In the lower Rio Grande River Valley there's a long list of birds not found in Minnesota, many which normally occur nowhere else in the U.S. These include: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Muscovy Duck, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Hook-billed Kite, White-tailed Hawk, Aplomado Falcon, Whooping Crane (at Aransas N.W.R.), Red-billed Pigeon, White-tipped Dove, Green Parakeet, Red-crowned Parrot, Groove-billed Ani, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Common Pauraque, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ringed and Green kingfishers, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Great Kiskadee, Tropical and Couch's kingbirds, Green Jay, Cave Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Clay-colored Robin, Tropical Parula, White-collared Seedeater, Olive Sparrow, Altamira and Audubon's orioles, and more. Mexican rarities (the possibilities too numerous to mention) also occur each winter, with Masked Duck, Roadside Hawk, Northern Jaçana, Rose-throated Becard, Brown Jay, Yellow-faced Grassquit, Crimson-collared Grosbeak, Blue Bunting, Black-vented Oriole on recent MBWs. Also likely: 210-220 species and 70º+ highs – 50º warmer than in Minnesota. (Per-person fee on 2012 MBW: $960 double-occupancy + air fare + meals.)
STATUS as of 15 May 2013: FILLED (limit 11 participants) / 0 on waiting list; Note – also see the South Texas I MBWeek above, a recent addition to the MBW schedule.
