Waved Albatross © 2009 Andrew Griswold
Connecticut Audubon
Society
EcoTravel
Support Environmental Education and Conservation
by traveling with our small, personal groups!
All proceeds support Connecticut Audubon Society's
environmental education and conservation programs.
Click Here for Full Details of
Day Trips
Click Here for Descriptions of
Overnight Tours
Featured Overnight Tour
The following two trips can be taken singly or can be combined for an extended adventure. Add the Iguacu Falls extension at the end for a true
“trip of a lifetime!”
Amazon Cruise
Our Most Popular Cruise!
October 4 - 11, 2009
(departs New York on the evening of October 2 - a one
night stay in Manaus is required before the cruise)
This trip explores some of the most untouched rainforest in all of the Amazon. On your eight cabin expedition vessel, you will venture far up some of the least inhabited rivers in the Amazon Basin. Travelers explore areas very rarely visited, and seek out the mysterious life of the wilderness that stirs in the forest and in the heart of the Amazon Basin. This is the most thorough, detailed, and sophisticated trip offered in the entire Amazon and comes with rave reviews from past CT Audubon Society participants. The guides are accomplished naturalists and you will see creatures almost never seen by other visitors. This trip is like being on a time machine in that one is able to visit places that have not changed for millions of years. Truly the trip of a lifetime and an easy tour for seniors and families! Fee: $2,400. Call for dates! Extensions available! Great trip!
Brazil’s Pantanal
October 11 - 19, 2009
(departs from New York on the evening of October 10
and returns on the morning of October 20)
Iguacu Falls Extension. (starts October 19)
Amazonia Pre-Trip Cruise (see above)
Journey to the Brazilian Pantanal, the world’s largest freshwater wetland and some of the richest wildlife viewing in the Americas! Covering an area of 360,000 square miles, the Pantanal is a huge wilderness region of wetlands. The Pantanal offers a complex of aquatic and terrestrial environments with a varied topography resulting in an extremely rich fauna. The variety of birds is astounding, touting 26 species of parrots including the endangered and beautiful Hyacinth Macaw, the world’s largest parrot. The Pantanal is also a refuge for many threatened mammals like the Jaguar, Ocelot, Maned Wolf, Giant Anteater, and Giant River Otter! This is a unique opportunity to travel at the peak time for wildlife viewing. Fee: $3,598 plus air, includes all meals, hotels, and ground transportation. Leaders: CAS Director of EcoTravel Andrew Griswold and Brazilian guide Braulio Carlos. Call for pricing on the Iguacu Falls Extension. The falls are considered by many as one of the Natural Wonders of the World. Four times the width of Niagara Falls, Iguazu Falls are divided by various islands into separate waterfalls; a perpetual veil of spray draped high over the falls. Not to be missed!
Call 800-996-8747 for detailed itineraries.
Featured Day Trip
Swallow Spectacular Returns
September 2,6,9,13,16,20,25,27 & 30
Here in the lower Connecticut River Valley, we are lucky enough to be able to witness two spectacular avian happenings. The first of the year is the amazing concentration of eagles that join us to winter. The other highlight of the birding year on the river is the Tree Swallow concentrations that can be found each September and October. This has become known as the Swallow Spectacular.
During fall migration, thousands of swallows congregate on the lower Connecticut River and at sunset settle in on a giant communal roost. The birds come from as far away as 35 miles and converge at dusk, often creating a “ballet” or “funnel” of birds before they settle down to roost. The renowned ornithologist and artist Roger Tory Peterson wrote, “I have seen a million flamingos on the lakes of East Africa and as many seabirds on the cliffs of the Alaska Pribilofs, but for sheer drama, the tornadoes of Tree Swallows eclipsed any other avian spectacle I have ever seen.” Each year the trips sell out faster and faster as the word of this awe inspiring display of nature gets out to people. Trips are often concluded with rousing applause from the many satisfied travelers. Join Connecticut Audubon Society naturalists and cruise from Eagle’s Landing State Park in Haddam to see this spectacular display. Bring a picnic supper and your favorite beverage to enjoy your trip. If you only take one trip with Connecticut Audubon Society EcoTravel this fall, make sure it is this one!
Spaces sell out quickly and it is not too soon to reserve now by calling 1-800-996-8747 or 1-860-767-0660 or emailing pwood@ctaudubon.org. Fee is $35 per person.
Upcoming Lecture
More than One Way to Escape from a Courtroom
CT Audubon Society EcoTravel is proud to present Sally A. Roberts, Esq. of Hartford who will present a lecture and slide show on her extensive natural experiences and love of the outdoors on Tuesday June 30th at 7pm at the Essex Library. Sally will discuss her experiences “outside of the courtroom” while on trails and waterways throughout New England and what kind of gear one needs for a proper trek. Roberts is an avid hiker, kayaker, snow-shoer, cross-country skier and a member of numerous nature, hiking and birding clubs. For more information or to register, call our office at 860-767-0660 or email pwood@ctaudubon.org.
Day Trip Listing
Click Here for Full Details of
Day Trips
Paddlin’ Essex
Thur., June 11, 2009 5:30-7:30pm
Garden in the Woods
Wed., June 17, 2009 All Day!
Fisher’s Island
Wed., June 24, 2009 All Day!
Brunch & Birding
Sun., June 28, 2009 9:30am-12pm
Barn Island - CT’s TOP 20 Birds!
Tues., June 30 8AM-12PM
Biking Block Island
Sat., July 11 ALL DAY
Day Cruise To Greenport – CT’s Top 20!
Wed., July 14 ALL DAY
Newport Cliff Walk and Mansion Tour
Wed., July 29 All Day
South Beach Shorebirds
Wed., Aug. 5 ALL DAY
Sandy Point Shorebirds
Sun., Aug. 9 9AM-12PM
Paddle Great Island
Fri., Aug. 14 8-10AM
New York Botanical Gardens
Wed., Aug 19 ALL DAY
Whale Watch
Sat., Aug. 22 ALL DAY
Hiking East Rock & Beyond
Wed., Sept. 9 ALL DAY
Harkness Memorial Park Migration
Wed. Oct. 7 7:30AM-12PM
Central Park Colors
Sat., Oct. 17 ALL DAY
Cruisin’ the Poor Man’s Amazon
October 9-11AM Call for date!
Swallow Spectacular
September-October 2009 Dates TBD - Call!
Overnight Tour Listing
Click Here for Descriptions of
Overnight Tours
Call 800-996-8747 for detailed itineraries.
Canada’s Northern Territories
Wild Northern Adventure
Multiple Departures! June - September!
Gaspe
Peninsula
Northern Cliff Nesters
July
1 - 8, 2009
Nova
Scotia Escape
Shorebird Migration
July
29 - August 6, 2009 9 Days!
Central and Southern California
Pelagics, Santa Cruz Island, and Inland Hotspots
September 11 - 22, 2009 12 Days!
Monhegan Island
Fall Migration Hotspot
September 24 - 27, 2009 4 Days!
Block Island Migration
Annual Migration Destination
October
2 - 4, 2009 3 Days!
Amazon Cruise and Brazil's Pantanal
"Trip of a Lifetime!"
Combine both tours for a truly special experience!
Cruise - October 4 - 11, 2009
Land Tour - October 11 - 20, 2009
Hawk Mountain
Migration Madness
October 16 - 18, 2009 3 Days!
Mid-Atlantic Coast Adventure
Delaware to North Carolina
October 31 - November 8, 2009 9 Days!
Boston’s Wild North Shore
Early Winter Arrivals
November 13 - 15, 2009 3 Days!
Mexico's Highlands
Monarch Butterfly Winter Sanctuary
Wonderful, Relaxing, Holiday Week
December 27, 2009 - January 3, 2010 8 Days!
Arkansas
Adventure
Ivorybills,
Trumpeter Swans, Henslow's Sparrow and Smith's Longspur
January 3 - 9, 2010 7 Days!
CALL NOW to book your private small group departure!
January
- March, 2010
Nantucket Escape
Long-tails and Razorbills
January 15 - 18, 2010 4 Days!
Minnesota
Winter Specialties, Bogs and Northern Forests
February 1 - 6, 2010 6 Days!
Peru’s Birds and Machu Picchu
Natural and Archiological Wonders
February/March 2010 15 Days!
Cuba
Bird Survey Program
March 2010 11 Days!
This trip is beginning to fill! Call Now!
Sandhill Crane Migration
Ducks, Geese, and Cranes
March 21 - 26, 2010 6 Days!
Florida Everglades
Keys, and Dry Tortugas
Limited to seven participants!
March 2010 8 Days!
The Peoples' Attics
In the Nation’s Capital
April 2010 5 Days!
Grand Texas Tour
Our Number One Birding Destination
April 8 - 17, 2010 10 Days!
Galapagos Islands
Islands of Discovery
April 10 - 19, 2010 10 Days!
Ecuadorian Highlands Pre-Trip Available.
The Connecticut Lakes
Origin of the Connecticut River
June 10 - 13, 2010 4 Days!
Click Here for Descriptions of
Overnight Tours
Connecticut Audubon Society EcoTravel
Call 800-996-8747 for detailed itineraries.
Altimira Oriole weaving a nest © 2008 Andrew Griswold
Grand Texas again offered April 2010
Ramsey
Canyon, AZ © 2004 Andrew Griswold
Arizona
Monsoon next Offered July 2010
Pearl
Kite © 2006 Alison Olivieri
Look
for the Pearl Kite on our Costa Rica Tour
Call for dates .
Broad-winged
Hawk, Buteo platypterus © 2007 Mark
Jankura
Enjoy
hundreds of migrating birds of prey on our Cape
May trip
scheduled
for October 2009.
Magnificent
Frigatebird © 2007 John McGinley
See
this tallented flyer on our Galapagos Adventure
departing
April 2010.
Ring-necked
Duck, Aythya collaris © 2006 Peter
Swap
Look at our listings and
call us if you would like to join us
on
one or more of these exciting outings.
