PLATTE RIVER CRANE TOUR
March 21 to March 27, 2010
Regretfully, this tour has been cancelled.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Nebraska’s Platte River hosts one of the most impressive avian spectacles in America. More than half a million Sandhill Cranes—80% of the world’s population—and hundreds of thousands of waterfowl (especially geese) stop here during spring migration to feed and rest. Experience the cranes moving to and from their evening roosts along the river at the Rowe Nature Center and other vantage points, plus incredible numbers of Snow Geese, Greater White-fronted Geese, and ducks in the Rainwater Basin and area reservoirs. We’ll make a pre-dawn visit to a Greater Prairie Chicken lek to watch these birds perform their unique mating displays, and with some luck find a Sharp-tailed Grouse. The Rainwater and Platte River basins offer more opportunities for viewing waterfowl, and we’ll look for uncommon prairie species such as Ross’s Goose, “Harlan’s” Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Shrike, and Harris’s Sparrow. Weather permitting, we’ll head west one day into dryer habitats and visit large reservoirs in the southwest part of the state where we might view American White Pelican, Black-billed Magpie, Loggerhead Shrike, and thousands of gulls.
PACE, WEATHER, AND TRAVEL CONDITIONS
The pace of the tour will be generally moderate. Most days typically begin at 7:00 am and end around 5-6 pm. One day we’ll need a very early start in order to visit the prairie-chicken lek, and one evening we’ll stay in a crane blind along the river until after nightfall. Most of the terrain is flat and we’ll do some easy to moderate walking.
Temperatures will be cold to cool, with early morning and evening temperatures downright freezing. Expect a temperature range from approximately 30-55F degrees. Bring warm layers, gloves, and heavy socks! Raingear is advised, with about a 30% chance of a rain day during the tour.
Travel during this tour will be in vans, with no more than 7 participants plus a leader in one "12 person" van. Tour size is limited to 12 participants.
Additional information about the tour, with specific meeting times, a list of participants, addresses of motels, lists of things to bring, a reading list, a list of probable/possible birds, further information about weather, dress, etc., will be mailed to all participants well in advance of the tour.
TOUR SIZE:
Travel will be in vans or large SUVs, with no more than 7 participants plus a leader in one 12-passenger van. Tour size is limited to 12 participants.
DATES: Sunday, March 21st, 2010 (Meet at our hotel in Council Bluffs, Iowa (part of the greater Omaha, Nebraska metro area) at 7:00 p.m.) to Saturday, March 27th, 2010 (flights home from Omaha departing no earlier than 2pm)
PRICE:
Cost for this tour is $1,590 per person, based on double occupancy. Single supplement (payable if you request single occupancy or if we cannot find you a suitable roommate) is $260. A deposit of $500.00 will hold your place until February 12, 2010, when full payment becomes due.
PRICE INCLUDES:
A motel accommodation for six nights, expert leadership, land transportation from Council Bluffs, Iowa and all entry fees, but does not include airfare or meals
PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
Not included in the cost: Round-trip transportation from your home to Omaha; Meals
SEND DEPOSITS AND OTHER PAYMENTS TO:
NJ Audubon Eco-Travel
P.O. Box 126
Bernardsville, NJ 07924
(908) 204-8998
Make checks payable to: New Jersey Audubon
Or by e-mail to: travel@njaudubon.org
TOUR LEADERS:
Scott Barnes began birding at the age of twelve and has been an avid naturalist ever since. Encouragement and learning came from his parents and many birders, including members of the Urner Ornithological Club and staff of New Jersey Audubon. An interest in travel and natural history has led him from northwestern Alaska to the desert southwest to Trinidad and Tobago in search of plants and animals. He began birding at Sandy Hook, where he is currently the Senior Naturalist for the Sandy Hook Bird Observatory. Scott is the Region 3 Editor for Records of New Jersey Birds, compiles the Sandy Hook Christmas Bird Count, six-year member of the New Jersey Bird Records Committee, leader on See Life Paulagics boat trips, and a tour leader for the NJ Audubon Travel Program. Scott has led NJ Audubon tours to North Dakota, Idaho, Minnesota, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Florida, Utah, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Linda Mack’s interest in birding began twenty-five years ago on a Cape May Weekend and she has been hooked ever since. She is a member of the New Jersey Audubon's Board of Directors, an Associate Naturalist, and bookstore co-manager at Sandy Hook Bird Observatory. She is a past President, Program Chair, and Conservation Chair for Monmouth County Audubon Society. Linda has a special interest in seabirds and other coastal species; she co-leads pelagic birding trips off New Jersey with See Life Paulagics. Linda has traveled extensively throughout North America studying birds and natural history, with multiple trips to Washington, California, Montana, Arizona, Texas, and Florida. Her infectious enthusiasm and willingness to share knowledge is well known. She has co-led tours to New Mexico, Nebraska’s Platte River, the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, Big Bend and the Davis Mountains, Southeast Arizona, Minnesota/North Dakota, and is a regular leader on SHBO's long weekend trips to coastal Massachusetts, the Adirondack Mountains, and Bombay Hook, as well as the Cape May Spring and Fall Weekends.