The Holbrook Explorer
Birding
Trip report: Birding in Cuba from a First-Timer's Point of View
Stefanie Plein, educational travel consultant, recently traveled for the first time to Cuba on “Birding in Cuba: Discover the Island’s Endemic & Native Species.” As Holbrook’s program in association with Road Scholar, the journey began in Havana, Cuba’s capital, and then on to the western town...
Join the "Big Sit" in October
Birders, save the date: October 13-14, is the annual Big Sit! birding event. This international event is hosted by Bird Watcher’s Digest and it was founded by the New Haven (Connecticut) Bird Club. The event, which is non-competitive and purely for fun, is free and open to any person in any country...
Café Colibrí: Stop for the food, stay for the birds
Nestled along the east side of the main road in between the towns of Vara Blanca and San Miguel in Costa Rica is Café Colibrí—a little-known gem of a birding hotspot frequented by local birders and visiting “lifers.” Along with the promise of great birding opportunities, people stop for the...
What Makes Ecuador So Appealing to Birders?
Considered one of 17 “megadiverse” countries in the world, Ecuador contains a variety of ecosystems at differing elevations, which helps explain why it's among the top 10 countries in the world for bird diversity. In fact, more than 1,600 species have been recorded here, including an astonishing 40...
BirdsCaribbean: Protecting Birds in Cuba and Beyond
Cape May Warbler. Baltimore Oriole. Louisiana Waterthrush. Philadelphia Vireo. In North America, we often think of the birds we see at our backyard feeders as “ours,” even going so far as to name them after our own cities or states. But for part of the year, many of them “belong” to someone else,...
Notes from the San Diego Bird Festival
By Debbie Sturdivant Jordan I just got back from another amazing trip to San Diego, our eighth year supporting the San Diego Audubon Bird Festival! It’s always great fun to visit with so many old friends and trip leaders, as well as meet birders from around the country! The winner of our drawing...
The 2018 Great Backyard Bird Count
This weekend, bird-watchers all over the world can help researchers better understand bird populations during a four-day, worldwide event. The Great Backyard Bird Count began in 1998 as a joint project between the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. This year, the GBBC...
Holbrook's Holiday Birder Gift Guide
As the holiday season comes upon us, it’s time to start thinking about buying gifts for friends and family. If you know someone who is a birder, whether they’re just starting out or an expert in their field, here are some gift ideas for birding enthusiasts. Who knows? Maybe you’ll end up adding a...
Birds of Ecuador
Thanks to its many varied elevations, Ecuador is home to more than 1,660 species of birds including 44 endemic species. Professional photographer Tom Ulrich has been leading tours around the world and considers Ecuador one of his favorite destinations for bird photography. Blue-winged Mountain...
Canopy Tower, Panama: A Birder's Paradise
Located in the heart of the rainforest within Soberanía National Park, Canopy Tower is a dreamland for birders and nature enthusiasts alike. Canopy Tower reaches 9 meters in height, and sits just a few feet away from the canopy layer of the rainforest, providing eye-level views of birds such as...
Holbrook Attends 2017 American Birding Expo
Members of the Holbrook Travel team will be attending the third annual American Birding Expo in Philadelphia, PA at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center from September 29 through October 1. Team members include Debbie Jordan, Stefanie Wolf and Chris Bensley. Exhibitors from the 2016 Expo Photo by...
For Birders, Bahamas’ Outer Islands are Paradise
Visitors provide economic opportunity to support conservation In the 30 minutes that Samuel Nelson has spent walking through Nicholls Town at the north end of Andros Island, he’s seen 17 species of birds. But his most-desired quarry has, thus far, eluded him. Following his ear, Nelson comes to a...