BOSQUE DEL APACHE: New Mexico Tour
November 15 to 23, 2008
 

Photo courtesy Art Morris

GENERAL INFORMATION:
Visit one of America’s most photographic places, the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, and other splendid birding locations. The refuge is home to as many as 10,000 Sandhill Cranes and thousands of Snow and Ross’s Geese and other waterfowl; dawn and dusk flights are unforgettable! Sandia Crest’s 10,000 foot elevation offers chances for all three species of Rosy-Finches, Red Crossbills and other high elevation passerines, as well as remarkable scenery and views. Many consider Percha Dam, near Truth or Consequences, to be New Mexico’s best birding location, with such specialties as Crissal Thrasher, Mountain Bluebird and Phainopepla.  Petroglyphs National Monument may yield Sage and Rufous-crowned Sparrow. We will find Western and possibly Clark’s Grebes at a large reservoir. The tour features staying at only two motels. Our primary outpost will be Socorro, a pleasant community in central New Mexico with lots of nice restaurants and excellent lodging.

PACE, WEATHER AND TRAVEL CONDITIONS:
The pace of the tour will be moderate to easy, as a typical day will begin about 7:00 a.m. following breakfast and end about 6:00 p.m. We will begin and end the tour at a motel in Albuquerque followed by the luxury of having all our activities emanating from our motel in Socorro for the remainder of the tour. This virtually eliminate the need to pack and unpack every night.

The weather will be cool in the morning, with temperatures near 30F degrees, warming up to about 60F degrees in the afternoon. Temperatures atop Sandia Crest could be in the 30 to 40F degree range. Inclement weather is possible, but not likely, as New Mexico is usually bathed in sunshine at this time of year.  Nevertheless, you should be prepared.

Birding will be primarily on refuge roads, back roads, and in campgrounds with some walking on local trails, but none of the hiking will be strenuous.

Transportation for this tour will be in 12 or 15 passenger vans with no more than 7 participants in one van.

The tour size is limited to 14 participants.

You will receive an additional pre-tour information packet including a list of things to bring, lists of motels and information regarding accessing the motel and meeting the group. This information will be mailed well in advance of the tour.

DATES: Saturday, November 15 (Meet in Hotel Lobby) to Sunday, November 23, 2008 (Flights Home)

PRICE: The tour price is $1,550 per person, double occupancy, single supplement (payable if you request single occupancy or if we cannot find you a suitable roommate) is $350. A deposit of $500 will hold your place until September 15, 2008 when full payment is required.

PRICE INCLUDES: Motel accommodations for eight nights, expert leadership, land transportation from Albuquerque and all entry fees, but does not include airfare or meals.

SEND DEPOSITS AND OTHER PAYMENTS TO:
NJAS Eco-travel
9 Hardscrabble Rd
Bernardsville, New Jersey 07924
(908) 204-8998
Make checks payable to the New Jersey Audubon Society

TOUR LEADERS:

Pete Bacinski is Director of the New Jersey Audubon Society’s Sandy Hook Bird Observatory with over 25 years of tour and workshop experience. He grew up in Lyndhurst, NJ with an interest in natural history since early childhood. He attended Pace University in New York City, receiving a B.S. in biology followed by M.S. in biology, specializing in entomology, and an MBA in marketing both from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Pete began volunteering for New Jersey Audubon in 1971, leading his first field trip for the organization in 1973. He has participated in every World Series of Birding competition since the event’s inception in 1984 including winning teams in 1984, 1988 and 1990. Pete was a member of the New Jersey Bird Records Committee for eleven years and was a regional field notes editor for Records of New Jersey Birds for eight years. He established and directs the Sandy Hook Bird Observatory for NJAS and is co-compiler and voice of the Voice of New Jersey Audubon rare bird alert for the state of New Jersey. Pete has also been a steering committee member and regional coordinator for the Birds of New Jersey atlas project and currently writes a weekly column in the Newark Star Ledger entitled Seen in New Jersey. Pete’s favorite natural history interests are birds, butterflies, wildflowers, ferns, insects, “herps”, and mammals. Other interests include classical music, American History, audio-books, weather, public speaking and photography. Pete currently resides in Atlantic Highlands.

Don Freiday is Director of Birding Programs for New Jersey Audubon Society’s Cape May Bird Observatory.  A New Jersey native, Don’s degree in Natural Resource Management and Applied Ecology is from Rutgers University, where for several years he taught Wildlife Ecology to undergraduates.  Don has worked in the field of nature interpretation and/or wildlife biology for over 20 years, during which time he has led numerous nature tours to Arizona, Colorado, California, Montana, Newfoundland, Oregon, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming, among others.  He has also sought and studied birds and other wildlife in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Kenya.   A regional coordinator for the New Jersey Breeding Bird Atlas, Don is also a member of the New Jersey Bird Records Committee and of the executive board of the NJ Chapter of the Wildlife Society.  Don is an author and columnist on nature, with two books to his credit:  A Precious Place: a Naturalist Explores New Jersey, and Wild Journeys:  Migration in New Jersey, which he co-authored with Brian Vernachio and Dale Rosselet.  In his free time, Don enjoys birding, fishing, hunting, cycling, canoeing, and cooking.

For tour itineraries, to register, or for more information contact:

NJAS Eco-Travel at: (908)-204-8998
9 Hardscrabble Road
Bernardsville, NJ 07924
or email travel@njaudubon.org

If you are not a member and would like to become one, consider Joining New Jersey Audubon Society.