SUNRISE BIRDING TALKS
Fully illustrated, one-hour lectures
For fee information, contact Gina Nichol at gina@sunrisebirding.com
FIELDCRAFT FOR BIRDERS
Birders in Colombia. Photo by Gina Nichol.One of the most satisfying aspects of bird watching is getting a good close view of a wild bird, one that allows you to study plumage features, observe behavior or simply enjoy the aesthetic experience. Try as we may, getting close to birds is not so easy. Binoculars and spotting scopes help and most birders know not to wear white in the field but what are some other ways to improve your chances of getting a prolonged, satisfying view of a bird? This program will focus on "Fieldcraft", the field practices and specialist skills for observing birds at close range. Techniques intended to advance birding proficiency and get those killer views will be revealed with the goal of raising gratification and lowering frustration that can accompany our favorite pursuit.
COLOMBIA'S AVIAN TREASURES
Munchique Wood Wren. Photo by Steve Bird.The avian riches of Colombia are legendary. With at least 1870 species, Colombia boasts more species than any country in the world! The country holds at least 73 endemics and 21 species new to science discovered since the first major field guide was published in 1986. From a birding perspective, the opportunities here are unsurpassed. Until now however, Colombia has been off limits to birders. Security concerns have kept Colombia closed for decades. In recent years, efforts by the Colombian government and military to address safety problems have significantly improved the situation and Colombia is now open for birding! Gina Nichol spent the better part of two months birding Colombia in 2009 and has been working with the Colombian government and ornithological community to develop tours to this bird-rich country. This program will reveal the avian riches of this once taboo birding destination and depict what it is like to bird Colombia with vivid photographs of many of the colorful species in this wonderful country.

Above: Munchique Wood Wren, Colombia.
Great Sapphirewing. Ecuador. Photo by Steve Bird.HUMMINGBIRDS: Feathered Gems
With 330 species known in the world, hummingbirds are the second largest family of birds after flycatchers. These tiny aeronautic marvels have the ability to hover, fly backward, and migrate long distances. The physiological capacity of hummingbirds to raise and lower their heart rate and body temperature to survive cold nights is unmatched in the animal world. This program illustrates the amazing adaptations of these glittering gems and describes their fascinating life histories. Vivid photographs of hummingbirds in the United States, Costa Rica, and Ecuador tell the story of how these birds survive in habitats that range from tropical forests to the forests of the Andes Mountains.

Great Sapphirewing , Ecuador
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Safari Brazil
 The seasonal wetlands of the Pantanal region of west central Brazil offer some of South America’s finest wildlife viewing opportunities. In an open, safari-type setting along the famous Transpantaneira Highway, spectacular concentrations of egrets, herons, storks, and ibis can be seen in vast, open wetlands. Five foot tall Greater Rheas (South America’s equivalent to the Ostrich) roam the open pasturelands. The air is filled with the raucous calls of Hyacinth, Red-and-Green, Red-bellied, Golden-collared Macaws and tropical animals including Yellow Anaconda, Black-and-Gold Howler Monkey, Crab-eating Fox, Giant Anteater, Capybara, and Jaguar live in the surrounding habitats. This program describes the stunning habitats and remarkable wildlife of the Pantanal region. Striking photographs illustrate the area’s extensive marsh and river habitats, huge waterfalls, cerrado, and gallery rainforest and vividly document its intriguing, exotic, wild residents.

Toco Toucan (right) & Giant Otter (left)
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Galápagos: The Trip of a Lifetime
First discovered in 1535, the Galápagos Islands have fascinated the world for centuries. Darwin’s famous visit in 1835 and the subsequent publication of his Origin of Species revealed the many wonders of this living laboratory of evolution, population dynamics, ecology, and behavior. These extraordinary, isolated islands are home to a fascinating diversity of animals—from giant land tortoises weighing as much as 600 pounds to nesting Waved Albatrosses and Blue-footed Boobies. Using a wide array of stunning photographs, this travelogue illustrates the unique location, geology, flora, and fauna of the Galápagos, brilliantly documenting its intriguing wild residents—marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, tortoises, penguins, Darwin’s finches, and many more.

Blue-footed Booby
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Puma: Tracking America’s Big Cat
Known by various names—puma, cougar, catamount, panther—the mountain lion (Felis concolor) is one of the largest wild cats in the Americas, second in size only to the jaguar. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, mountain lions have the widest distribution of any native mammal in the western hemisphere. Once ranging from northern British Columbia to southern Chile and from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the mountain lion’s North American range has been reduced to the western United States and Canada. A small population of endangered Florida panthers still survives in South Florida. In 1994, scientists confirmed a sighting in Vermont of a female cougar with two kittens, and cougar hair and scat were identified in Massachusetts in 1997. Gina Nichol worked with a team of Earthwatch scientists tracking and studying these magnificent animals. This program, generously illustrated with striking photographs, will feature highlights of her mountain lion study and will discuss the potential for the reoccurrence of mountain lions in New England.

Mountain Lion
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© Sunrise Birding.  All rights reserved.
All photos by Gina Nichol unless otherwise noted.
Contact Gina Nichol at gina@sunrisebirding.com