COSTA RICA 12-Day: Birding Volcanos & Valleys

Loved the beautiful birds we saw on this trip! It is difficult to pick just one as a favorite. The pine marten was an amazing sight and who could forget the regurgitations of the Northern Hawk Owl who was so accommodating to stay in the same area all four days for all to enjoy? Adrian, Alex and Chris were wonderful guides who worked HARD to find all the birds who cooperated. As usual, a couple species were elusive, but that just gives us an opportunity to visit the area again in the future. Thank you Wildside Nature Tours!

Adrian was an amazing guide, knowing virtually every bird we heard and saw. In addition to knowing them on sight or sound, he planned special stops to find individual birds that would not be available anywhere else.

In addition to identification, Adrian was also a font of knowledge about the animals we saw (birds and otherwise); I learned about more than just birds on the trip.

The lodges we stayed at were all great, giving us the opportunity to see wildlife in public spaces in the buildings, and sometimes even from our rooms.

All in all, it was a really amazing trip and I’m glad I got to see the animals I did!

This was my sixth Wildside trip. All have been fantastic! This is my second trip with Alex as my guide. Alex is very knowledgeable and very well prepared. The highlight birds for me were the Ridgway’s rails, the THREE Ruffs and the 25 YES 25 California Condors and most were feeding only 100 yards away! The Pelagic trip was a real bonus seeing the Tufted Puffin and two Blue Whales. Looking forward to the two trips I’ve already booked for 2020.

One of my favorite tours! Good mix of birds and mammals. Fantastic photographic opportunities. Great food and lodging. Wildside does it right!

Trinidad is a place like no other. There is the magic of seeing so many birds of different species and many very close. Time to practice those action shots. I learned so much about my camera and shooting from the photographer Roger Neckles. His enthusiasm was contagious. He knows where to go to find the birds. The background scenery is also special in your photos. Roger tries very hard to fulfill your every need. I requested to see the Gold and Blue Macaw not dreaming I would see one on my trip. We saw 2 very close up. Roger talks you through what you should be doing while shooting which is very helpful. My photography has greatly improved.

The pace of the tour was fine, went to many good birding places including new ones for us, loved all the time we got to spend at raptor counts and marveled at the locations where we saw them; Chalchihuecan early in the AM, Cardel, Chichi, and west of Chichi later in the afternoon. We were privileged to go to the banding station. And the trip was flexible enough that we went to Cantona, where history combined with birds. The food was excellent. – Veracruz ‘River of Raptors”

The Pantanal wildlife is spectacular. You couldn’t ask for better photo ops of jaguars and an ocelot. We had over 250 bird species with good views on almost all of them. Adrian Binns and our local guide, Fisher, were very knowledgeable and helpful in spotting and identifying the birds. Adrian is the only guide that called before a trip to make sure it was what I was looking for. At the airport, Fisher made sure everyone was checked in before he left. Highly recommended.

The prairie chicken tour was fabulous. Gary and I were so happy with Chris’ leader abilities that we would love to go the FL + Dry Tortugas tour with him next April.
– Colorado, April 2018

This was my third trip to the Dry Tortugas. Unlike all of the others, the boat ‘Makai’ was very comfortable and far more private. The group was small and friendly. The food excellent. The crew worked well together. Adrian worked hard to find every possible bird and to ensure the comfort of all aboard. Thanks for a great trip.

Birding in Spain with Adrian was a truly spectacular trip. We saw an extraordinary number of migratory and resident birds, admired gorgeous landscapes, and ate the most delicious food at every single meal! From wetlands and waterbirds at Donana, and raptors soaring the cliffs of Monfrague, to bustards at Belchite, and the amazing Wallcreeper at the Pyrenees, we experienced new sights and adventures each day. Such a wonderful trip!

We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Adrian in Spain. Thank you for sharing your expertise with us. We appreciate your patience and sense of humor especially. We had great birds and great times – thanks to you.

Thanks for a really wonderful trip to Spain. Adrian put together a great itinerary and Yeray was an excellent local guide. I really enjoyed Adrian’s sense of humor and easy-going approach to the trip. There was a great sense of camaraderie amongst our group that I believe you fostered. I would definitely do another birding trip with you. I had a spectacular time.

The Dry Tortugas is one of those “must visit” places for every birder! Wildside Nature Tours offers a fantastic experience, with comfortable living quarters on the boat and delicious, freshly prepared food each day. Adrian Binns and Chris Brown are exceptional guides. True professionals – they made sure that all eyes connected with every bird. Their passion for the birds, and their appreciation of the surrounding beauty of the island, ocean and landscape was contagious. Their enthusiasm enhanced the level of excitement and fun for everyone on the entire trip. I can’t wait for my next birding adventure with Wildside!

I would recommend Wildside Nature Tours for anyone who wants to explore this area of Alaska and I suggest that you do. The glaciers are grand and amazing (and shrinking), the bears are grand and I was in awe watching them, the whales are majestic and graceful, the scenery is beautiful.

Seldom does a trip touch my heart where I know I will remember all the details. Well there were too many details to remember, but the experience of seeing Alaska touched my heart and the best part was sharing it with my best friend in the world, my wife Misse.

As a side note, my wife Misse is not that interested in photography and this was advertised as a photography tour. I can tell you that although she was concerned with this, she had an amazing time and did not feel that she lost out on anything just because her spouse happens to be a little obsessed with taking photos. She also had an amazing time.

Thank you Adrian for 3 fabulous weeks of wildlife watching. I expected this to be a birdy trip and it far exceeded my expectations. Your enthusiasm, knowledge and wit made every sighting, bird and mammal, into a lasting memory. I particularly enjoyed spending time sitting and watching the wildlife and waiting for the unexpected to happen. It never disappointed and neither did the entire trip.

This trip to Kenya was an AMAZING experience of a lifetime! Couldn’t believe we could see over 450 birds in so short a time. Seeing all three types of giraffes, 2 species of zebras, elephants, blk and wh rhinos, wildebeests, etc. in their natural setting was wonderful. And that lake of flamingos! WOW! The drama of the gnu and the crocodiles was truly an experience one could only have in Africa.
Adrian was the best of leaders and his Kenyan birding helpers were fabulous. We loved the unique and beautiful accommodations also. Thank you so much for all of it!

Gabriel’s birding tour was one of the best birding tours we’ve ever taken. Based on the excellent reviews we found online, we booked a private half-day tour and the price was very reasonable. Gabriel is a well known birding expert in Puerto Rico and he knew all the best locations for spotting PR endemics and other sought after species. He is very professional, friendly, and a good driver. He picked us up at the hotel in a nice, clean car and had an excellent spotting scope. The tour turned out to be much more than just a successful birding trip, we saw a lot of the island including unique landscapes and beautiful wildlife areas. We highly recommend his birding tours.

Superb trip! Let’s start with the snowy scenery — just gorgeous. And then the birds. We saw many we had never seen before, and never could have expected to see otherwise. Adrian or Alex or Chris would spot a tiny dot at the top of a tree and say, “That’s a ….” and we’d pull over and, sure enough, they’d be right. They were generous with their exhaustive knowledge, and we learned a lot. Their friendliness and good natures made the trip so much fun in so many ways. We came home exhausted and happy.

Wildside Nature Tours are THE best, we enjoyed Belize so much, the locations chosen for this 25th anniversary trip allowed more time at a particular location which we really enjoyed. You are as busy as you choose to be and still get the field opportunities offered. Belize was our second Wildside trip, what we have found was we arrived as strangers on both trips and left as family. Each day was filled with history, culture and Kevin’s team know how to find those AWESOME shots. You can sit in your easy chair, google many companies for information. Our decision to travel with Wildside is one we highly recommend. You will be glad you did!!!!

The Botswana trip with Adrian Binns was truly a trip of a lifetime.

As a new birder, I learned so much from Adrian’s instruction and loved the camps we stayed at in Botswana. In addition, Adrian and the other folks on the tour were delightful travel companions.

Botswana is a magical place (and we saw many, many elephants in the wild, which I wanted so badly to see). I highly recommend this tour!

My wife and I joined Kevin on his Belize tour March 2019. We both had a wonderful time and experience. My wife, not a photographer, came along and really enjoyed herself. The tour had ecology related info, area history, bird watching and photography. The lodges we stayed in were perfect and the food was even better.

The Dry Tortugas had been on our bucket list and this trip allowed us to check it off in style. The boat was roomy and comfortable easily housing the eleven participants. The crew was friendly and accommodating, and the food was excellent (which is typical of Wildside tours). We enjoyed pelagic birding both to and from the islands and excellent birding on the islands. Adrian, our tour guide made sure everyone got on the birds. And he looked at hundreds of Brown Noddys to find the one Black Noddy in the mix, which we all then got to see. Highly recommended.

Our Wildside trip to Cuba in April 2019 was fantastic. For a long time I wanted to visit Cuba and this trip was one of the best tours I have been on and exceeded my expectations. The trip was so well organized and included some of the most beautiful locations in Cuba. We had a small group and a wonderful guide, Gabriel Lugo who met us in Miami and took care of the details for the whole trip. He is an experienced knowledgable birder and showed a great deal of patience to make sure we all saw the birds we set out to find each day. I was the least experienced in the group but learned a lot about birding and have a new appreciation for wildlife and birds in particular. Our local guide Ernesto was friendly and knew so many of the local people and where to find the endemic species, some in the most out of the way locations that only a specialist would know about. We also had a dedicated bus driver who shepherded the group for the whole trip.

The trip was well-organized and included all the accommodations at B&Bs, delicious food, dinner in private restaurants in the countryside and in the cities, travel, introductions to and conversations with Cuban bird specialists, a ride in classic cars and a visit to Hemingway’s house and a tobacco farm and more. Going with Wildside was the perfect way to see and get to know the country and its people.

As the most novice birder on the trip, I was treated to a wonderful group of helpful participants–leaders, naturalists and fellow travelers. Patience abounded! What a store of information I have gathered, my head swims in colorful birds and other animals. Our stop at riverside villages was enlilghtening.

I want to thank you for helping make our Dry Tortugas so enjoyable. We had a great time and the birding was impressive.

Wildside Tours’ four-day Dry Tortugas boat trip produced the goods in spades. Leaders Adrian Binns, who legally changed his name to suit his profession, and actor/birding guide Andy Samberg/Chris Brown were wildely funny – and effective guides…we had SO much fun!

This trip to Southern California was my seventh Wildside trip. This trip was, as all of my trips with Wildside, fabulous! This was also my third trip with Alex Lamoreaux as guide. Alex is a superb all around birding, flora and fauna expert. As a bonus he has a great knack for picking great dinner spots. My wife and I have been on five North American tours and two international tours, with two more trips with Wildside to come this year. Treat yourself to one of their many trips – you won’t be disappointed.

I traveled with Gabriel on the 5 day 4 night Puerto Rico tour and was delighted by his professionalism as both a guide and tour leader and was very impressed by his birding skills. Gabriel showed great care in making sure all members of our group got good views of a select group of endemics. He is a very capable photographer and was quite patient and helpful in providing assistance to me with my photography. Gabriel’s ability to handle all aspects of our trip while keeping a watchful eye on our bird targets is very impressive.

The Puerto Rico trip is a great way to see a unique and memorable set of endemic birds while touring the island. There is opportunity to see very varied terrain while observing a varied group of birds.

I’ve been on 18 Wildside tours and Hawaii is among the best. Mandy and Chris were terrific guides and hosts. As hosts they thought of every detail including places to eat, snacks for the road and most importantly bathroom stops! Their knowledge of the birds is only one part of their expertise. Mandy is well versed in all things Hawaii including the vegetation, animals, bugs, whales etc. The accommodations and meals were all first class. Again, a terrific trip that I highly recommend!!!

Not enough superlatives to describe this tour. Great leader from Alyce Bender, putting us right where the whooping cranes were in morning light and afternoon in the photo blinds. Boating on the bay was fun, finding the crane families with the best light was easy as Alyce knew the area and crane lore. Boating back after cranes went to feed in fields was eventful as we stopped at oyster bars and reefs to shoot oyster catchers, terns, and many other shore birds. Tour leader Alyce displayed great knowledge of fauna and flora of the area and assisted members with camera questions and shooting techniques that greatly improved my photos. Now to sort through a couple of thousand photos! I recommend this trip to anyone interested in whooping cranes and birds of the Gulf Shore!

Best birds in the country? Spring in Arizona makes an awfully strong case. Best guides in the country? That’s an even easier debate. This Wildside Tour was a real pleasure and an excellent value, packing in so many good birds in so many unforgettable places, all from one convenient central site. For the raptor-lover, Southeast Arizona in March will offer great looks at some of the most unique and specialized birds of prey that we have. The Tubac Hawkwatch is a terrific place to observe the very consistent, very condensed migration of the regal Common Black Hawk. The unique community around this hawkwatch made every visit exciting; the 2024 crowds were impressive and the energy and excitement were palpable. We finished just short of 20 species of raptors; with excellent looks at all of the Arizona specialties.

In terms of the other birds, the wildly varied habitats we were able to explore on our trip showed many different sides of Arizona and how the extraordinary birds of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts are able to make a living. Some of my favorite spots we visited were full of desolate beauty – Saguaro National Park, the San Rafael Grasslands, and Box Canyon. Other spots, however, were full of unique community spirit and showed how well people and birds can co-exist together: the Paton Center for Hummingbirds, Desert Meadows Park and the Santa Rita Lodge. Uncommon gems like the Green Kingfisher, Violet-crowned Hummingbird, and Painted Redstart created exhilarating moments.The common locals like Vermillion Flycatcher, Greater Roadrunner and Cactus Wren most certainly lived up to their charming reputations.

All in all, I was most impressed with our guides; their experience and naturalist skills were incomparable and ensured that we were always just moments away from the next exciting encounter. Alex and Chris balanced seeking out the local specialties with regional rarities, all while showcasing the desert landscape and ensuring the guests got the experience they were looking for out of the trip. I hope to have the opportunity to bird with them again someday soon.

Lee is a great teacher both about camera settings and birds. The photography sessions had a great number of photo opportunities and the local guide was very knowledgeable.

My biggest benefit was the amount of personal instruction on settings and techniques from Lee. I now shoot totally differently and the keeper rate has greatly increased. Besides that Lee is just a fun guy to be around!

It’s not the quantity but definitely the quality of birds on this trip. We didn’t have too much snow and no colder than 15F each day.
Our guides Alex and Steve , who was a local, knew exactly where to find each species. No matter how long it took to find.
I really enjoyed the quiet locations, the forests and thankful for the 12 lifers.

This was the trip of the year. Despite the tour only being four days, Alex manages to jam it full of incredible experiences that will leave you in awe of the natural beauty of Texas as well as his knowledge of the birds who call it home.

The tour transitioned from birding spot to birding spot seamlessly without any awkward pauses. The trip is well planned and perfectly executed to ensure that all time is well utilized to see as many birds as you can. This is a short trip so there’s very little time spent resting which we were very happy about.

Every day was memorable and remarkable but the species that will stick in our mind as especially amazing, out of the 163 our tour saw, were the Golden-Cheeked Warblers, Black-Capped Vireos, Scott’s Oriole, Scissor-Tailed Flycatchers, Lark Sparrows, Nashville Warblers, Wilson’s Phalaropes, Bell’s Vireos, White-Faced Ibises, Black-Chinned Hummingbirds, Ladder-Backed Woodpeckers, Black-Throated Sparrows, Tropical Parula, The Common Poorwill, The Mountain Subspecies Of The White-Crowned Sparrow, Macgillivray’s Warbler, Canyon Towhee, Hutton’s Vireo, Olive Sparrow, and the Rufous-crowned Sparrow.

Birding with someone as skilled as Alex is a special experience. You walk without the hyper-focus that can come with birding, not worried that any lapse in attention can lead you to miss a bird. Instead, you walk immersed in nature with the assurance that you have a keen ear and a fast eye that will undoubtedly find the birds you want to see and point you in the right direction. You can ask him anything about the birds and 99.9% of the time he will have a well researched answer ready for you. He does all this without pretension or an air of superiority, despite being an absolutely incredible birder with a rare level of skill. All levels of experience will feel welcomed on this tour, beginner birders should feel comfortable signing up as well as the most advanced.

I was on a tour at Macgee Marsh that was led by Glenn and some others. It was fabulous! I learned so much and even got to speak Spanish with him. He was very knowledgable, enthusiastic and patient with those of us with limited birding experience. What a wealth of information!

Great tour that all four of us enjoyed very much. We got to see and photograph a lot of the animals on our list including a grizzly bear and a wolf. Kyle worked hard to teach us about the animals we were spotting as well as many interesting features and history of Yellowstone. We would highly recommend him to anyone going to Yellowstone with an interest in all of the amazing wildlife there.

We just spent 5 adventurous days birding in Puerto Rico with a Wildside Nature Tours group and then 3 days privately, all with the amazing birding guide, Gabriel Lugo, from December 3 to 11, 2024. Gabriel was a paragon of professionalism and proficiency: he could hear, see and find birds that were not even noticeable to many, certainly not us, and his skills as a tour organizer and cool-headed, even-tempered group leader made the trip memorable. Gabriel took us to his many “secret spots” around the island that were most likely off the beaten path of other tour groups yielding us close up views of “hard-to-find” birds without a having to do protracted searches – efficient? – Yes, indeed! By the numbers we added 31 birds to our “Life List” and encountered 85 birds previously seen elsewhere for a trip total of 116 different bird species. We saw all of the Puerto Rican endemic birds with ease and plenty of viewing time and most of the “soon-to-become-endemic” birds as well. We also got eyes on a variety of established “introduced” species from Africa and SE Asia. With Gabriel at the wheel, we circumscribed the entire Puerto Rican coastline and crossed through the central mountains twice. Doing so we had the pleasure of seeing the beauty and breadth of ecosystems in Puerto Rico, as well as enjoying learning about the history and culture of the people of the island first-hand. Breath-taking birding moments included seeing 100 critically endangered endemic PR Amazons (parrots) fly in all at once from nowhere to feast on date palm seeds, a pair of majestic White-tailed Tropicbirds flying together along the cliffs at Merendero de Guajataca, finding the Yellow-breasted Crake – not once, but twice – at Laguna Cartagena and finally getting a good look at the “difficult-to-find” PR Owl on our third try at Arecibo! Gabriel merits our wholehearted recommendation; if you’re planning on a complete tour of birding in Puerto Rico, contact Gabriel Lugo through Wildside Nature Tours. In our opinion you will be birding with the best.

This was my Sixteenth Wildside trip and my sixth plus trip with Alex. I’m losing count !!
This was a great bird packed couple of days!! Alex is the energizer bunny of bird guides! As with all of Wildside’s trips you are getting a great guide and host.
The standout moments for me were the Poorwill that we got to examine closely, the Golden Cheeked warbler feeding its baby chick, and the one and a half million Mexican Freetail Bats flying out from underneath the bridge in Austin !!! What a great trip, put it on your to do list !

I am so happy to have been able to grab a spot on this tour. Adrian was amazing – he is not only able to find the birds, but he also made sure everyone had a look! How he found the Black Noddy I will never know, but I think it has to do with Adrian’s “Noddy Rules!!” We saw beautiful Sooty, Bridled and Roseate terns and so many nesting Magnificent Frigatebirds and Sooty Terns with young. We also saw lots of warblers, thrushes and even a Rose-breasted Grosbeak! The Makai was so comfortable and Mark and Billy took excellent care of us. Kathy fixed us the most delicious food and Captain Joe made sure everything was ship-shape! I would definitely go again!!

The trip was one of the best trips I have experienced this year. Chris was a wonderful tour guide, he truly went above and beyond when it came to the birding experiences. I highly suggest that this organization should keep up with the birding tours. As long as Wildside keeps doing birding tours you will still have customers, myself including. If you are taking suggestions for potential new places. I think that Wildside should look into the far east, Thailand and Vietnam just to name a few. Also, I feel that Wildside should organize a birding tour in the state of Alaska. Those are just my suggestions that people like me would gladly sign up for.

An excellent trip! There is a good possibility of seeing all endemics, plus many other birds. The guide is terrific, the lodging and meals are great, the van is comfortable. We visited many different habitats with different birds. A nice way to see much of Puerto Rico.

Gabriel is a super knowledgable and talented guide. He knows exactly where to look for each of the Puerto Rican endemics and more. He takes great care of everyone in the group. Can’t recommend him highly enough!

This was a trip of a lifetime and Adrian Binns is a remarkable leader — who includes culture, and his knowledge of the life history of mammals, birds, and other wildlife we see. You can’t truly immerse yourself in a county if you don’t get to know the culture and the people along with the wildlife and their interesting behaviors. He also is a good listener if you have concerns. The places we stayed at were wonderful, different and fascinating. Adrian’s love and knowledge of Africa really shines through. He’s the leader you want for a trip that required lots of planning and saving.

The 2020 Amazon Riverboat Photography workshop provided all participants a multitude of interesting and challenging photography opportunities. From macro shots of frogs and insects, to shots of nine species of primates, to screen filling birds, like the horned screamers and pterodactyl-like hoatzins, there were not many moments when we were not photographing something. The pros offered continuous suggestions and reminders to help assure we had great images.

The riverboat was large, comfortable and the crew saw to our every need. As with all Wildside trips, local culture was not ignored and we had opportunism to relate to indigenous people.

A Wildside feature of every trip, outstanding local guides, was no exception on this trip. I would recommend this wholeheartedly to any nature photographer or birder.

No photo of Machu Picchu does justice to it. Seeing it is awe inspiring, and I use that phrase very sparingly. But it was not the highlight of the Birding Machu Picchu trip.

THE highlight was, and always will be, Edison Buenaño. His skill as a guide and his encyclopedic ecological knowledge are unparalleled. This was my eighth trip with Wildside and I never had a guide who wasn’t first rate but Edison is the apex of that very tall pyramid. We saw a wide variety of avian species at every birding location, including high in the Andes where the air was thin but not the bird tally.

Beyond Machu Picchu other cultural sites were not ignored in and around Cusco. And Aguascalientes, the tourist town jumping off point for Machu Picchu was, itself, quite photogenic. Accessed only by train the trip back featured lively music, wild costumes and a fashion show! Not exactly Amtrak!

I would recommend this trip to any birder who seeks the best in guides, birds and cultural immersion.

Thank you for another wonderful trip filled with stunning scenery, magnificent cultural landmarks, delicious food, and of course great wildlife.
Additional thanks for your kindness and friendship towards me and everyone. It is greatly appreciated.

Fantastic photographic adventure! Wolves, fox, coyotes, buffalo beyond imagination, eagles (Bald and Golden), panoramic views, you name it — we saw it and the leaders provided it.

Tour leader Kevin is the consummate host and trail guide plus we had Lee Hoy who must be the greatest Olympus Camera technician. I was impressed at how much better my photography became as the week progressed. Night seminars about composition techniques and histogram usage were excellent.

Home now, laundry done and planning my next trip with Wildside. Can’t encourage folks more to take advantage of this adventure tour or any other offered. Small groups, lots of instructors, and fun!

I just returned from this excellent birding tour. Glenn Crawford is one of the very best bird guides I have traveled with; his eyes and ears are amazingly attuned to birds, and he is very skilled (and patient) in describing a bird’s location in dense tropical foliage. He is personable and quite attuned to the individual needs of participants. The two lodges where we stayed are wonderful, with friendly staff, excellent food, and terrific accommodations. People considering the tour should know in advance that tropical woodland birding is CHALLENGING, as these birds tend towards the secretive and furtive, and yes, there are mosquitoes sometimes. But the birding is rewarding, and around the lodges there are some fantastic birds that are easily seen and photographed. There are a couple of pleasant boating excursions that add variety to the trip. I had a wonderful tour experience and recommend this trip highly.

This is my second tour with Alex and will be far from my last. He is such a gentle, even-keeled young man besides being an excellent birder, guide and group leader. It was a relaxed and fun trip. We saw almost every bird we targeted and some. He was so patient in his explanations and making sure everyone was catered too. Thanks

This was my first trip with Wildside and my first guided birding trip, and it was more than I ever thought possible. Once I hooked up with Alex, the guide, everything was taken care of. I didn’t have to worry about directions to the best birding sites, and each stop seemed to be made specially for the group. Alex’s knowledge is encyclopedic, and his understanding of habitat and ability to ID mammals, insects, and reptiles only enhanced the overall positive feel of the excursion. Numerous birds were easy to encounter, but the trip wasn’t just about numbers. Alex made each bird seem more than a number and related a bit about the natural history surrounding each one. The trip was jam-packed with stops and birding, but there was never any pressure on any trip member to push beyond limits or comfort levels. I can’t speak highly enough about my experience. Book this trip! You won’t be disappointed.

Our trip to the Brazilian Pantanal exceeded our expectations. Adrian’s spotting skills are phenomenal – expert eyes and ears. We were particularly impressed by his determination that every trip participant see the target species he, our local guide, or fellow participants have identified. Adrian’s knowledge of the natural world is vast and deep, and his enthusiasm for sharing that knowledge contagious. His experience, professionalism and sense of humor made him a pleasure to travel with. Everything from the itinerary, lodging, selection of local guides – Fisher, you are the best!, boat drivers and support staff gave testimony to a well organized trip. Looking forward to upcoming trips with you!

My wife and I plus two close birding friends just returned from a 1 week birding tour of the Dominican Republic led by Gabriel Lugo. It exceeded our expectations! The weather was cooperative, planning by Wildside was excellent and our leader Gabriel was amazing. My wife and I had used Gabriel before when we did a birding tour of Puerto Rico back in 2012. Once again he displayed a vast array of knowledge about the birds calls, habits and his sighting was excellent. What a great trip we had. Can’t wait till we can travel with Wildside again and more specifically with Gabriel.

The trip I took to Kenya and Tanzania, in Feb 2025, was my first experience using Wildside Nature Tours. The outcome was simply spectacular.

Accommodations exceeded expectations. Food and drink were plentiful and satisfying. Our driver, Abraham, has strong connections to the community and is on excellent terms with his fellow drivers. Thus he was able to track down not only lions, leopards and cheetahs, but genets, two rhinos, two servals and the elusive caracal!

Our guide, Adrian, is a patient and kind leader ( even after being asked ” what kind of bird is that again?”, for the 15th time ). He has excellent photography skills and helped all of us improve our own picture-taking abilities.
Adrian has great depth of knowledge of the ever changing East African ecosystem. His love of the land and of the people shine through every day of the tour. He is highly proficient in identifying birds from a great distance; can discern a species in and out of breeding plumage; and can identity creatures by their calls.

Adrian knows more than birds, though. He is well versed in native butterflies, insects, reptiles and all mammals great and small. The trip was further enhanced by his interesting stories and tidbits about local culture, history and animal behaviors.

The days flew by too fast. It was a joyful two weeks to spend with a fun group of fellow travelers and with a leader who clearly loves and respects his subject matter.
I highly recommend this adventure to be added to anyone’s bucket list.

Thanks, Kevin, for an awesome and amazing week [in Glacier Nation al Park] and for sharing your terrific knowledge and experience with us. Your expert photography knowledge helped me to grow and be a better photographer. Your birding and nature skills have inspired me! Your passion for your work is contagious!

I just returned from the Tetons very enthusiastic about the leader, Kevin Loughlin. Not only does Kevin run a terrific workshop, he’s a wonderful photographer and a charming man. during the workshop he was always teaching and helping all the attendees. Although he was not familiar with the Olympus OMD, he solved all of my issues because he knows photography so well!

Thanks again Adrian for another great trip (#13 I think) of birding in a wonderful location. You’re a great guide, but you’re also an outstanding teacher. I know Kenya is one of your favorite destinations, and it was so enjoyable to see things through your eyes.
Best birding activity – at Lake Baringo with Francis, five owl species, and on the boat ride, the Fish Eagles, Little Bittern and Allen’s Gallinule.
Best animal-bird interaction – the Red-billed Oxpecker going into the Rhino’s ear and then come shooting out!
Best quiet observation – along the Ewaso Ngiro River at Buffalo Springs, we stopped and a herd of Elephants slowly, quietly ate their way across the road on all sides of the vehicle – so wonderful to quietly observe them.
Best birds (not expected) – White-spotted Flufftail, Doherty’s Bushshrike, Rufous-bellied Heron.
Most unforgettable – the Wildebeest crossing the Mara River.

Watching bats fly out at dusk from the Austin bridge; seeing spinning phalaropes at Hornsby water treatment plant; tracking down target Golden-cheeked Warblers at Balcones NWR; observing up-close Painted Buntings from multiple blinds at South Llano State Park. Austin and surrounding locales hosted a whirlwind of wonderful birds, habitats, and experiences! Guide Alex Lamoreaux provided great leadership and expertise in this highly-rewarding short trip.

Adrian, thank you for a wonderful Kenyan adventure. Your superb birding skills, knowledge, and your patience and good humor make traveling with you a delight. Assante sana!

Thanks again for another wonderful birding trip. I really enjoyed the islands and the hidden corners of Scotland. Your good humor and friendship add so much to the trip.

Adrian – Thanks for a fabulous trip! The chickens really were spectacular, and Colorado is beautiful!

Adrian – I am still humming with all the adventures we had in East Africa. Just wanted to let you know that our Tanzania-Kenya safari was unbelievable!

You have the best coverage for getting all the Florida specialties, and you allow extra time to ‘get the birds.’

Naturally, the hawk flights were the highlight of the trip but we enjoyed everything else as well; the morning bird walks, the boat rides, the museum in Xalapa, the food, and the very nice camaraderie between the participants and the guides. Robert is certainly a class act! He did his best to make sure all involved were happy with everything and, of course, he is an excellent birder.

I also want to offer high praise in regards to Alex. He is as gifted a birder as I have been with as his identification skills with distant raptors as well as momentary glimpses of close song birds is extremely impressive. Alex taught me a lot with his ability to explain the subtle nuances of structure and plumage related to my beloved raptors. He is also a very personable young man. In my opinion, Wildside has a true gem in the hiring of Alex Lamoreaux.

This was the most productive photo tour I have ever experienced, Kevin! Thanks!

Wow! This trip was a stunner, and I am highly recommending it to everyone I know. I hope to take many more trips with you, Adrian. Having spent a month in Morocco almost 40 years ago I was thrilled to return with you. You are a terrific guide; you know Morocco, its birds, customs, people, places, language and cuisine. The enjoyment you provided surpassed my highest expectations. It was fun to see you greeting old friends there with hugs, and your comfort and ease were infectious to participants. Just as enjoyable were your hilarious sense of humor, and the fun our group had together exploring this beautiful and timeless country.

The birds were great – you found and delivered them to us. Your spotting and identifying skills are truly impressive, and you are so patient and dedicated to providing participants with the ultimate birding experience, always with lots of 
fun.

You are to be complemented on your excellent planning, and the materials you provided to participants – the detail and depth of the itinerary and the General Information sheets prepared us well for the experience. The bird list was invaluable, enabling us to study & prepare for what we might see, & it was helpful to have the list of birds seen on each of your prior trips.

Adrian, I was so impressed with your enthusiasm for the birds and constant effort to teach us, not to mention your ever-engaging wit.

Robert Straub is fluent in Spanish and very knowledge about the area. There were no ‘language problems’ anywhere, making the trip run very smoothly.

Robert Straub is a tour leader who is enthusiastic and patient (and who seems to enjoy himself, too).

Robert Straub is the best guide that I have ever worked with. He really enjoys showing ‘his’ birds and ‘his’ chosen place to others.

I just returned from your fantastic trip to Arizona. I had 70 life birds including Elegant Trogan, Montezuma Quail and Five Stripe Sparrow!!! Chris and Steve were great guides. I plan on going to your Maine and Northern California trips next year. Thanks for another great birding trip!

Just back from the amazing River of Raptors tour—Robert and Alex were incredible guides.

The spectacle of thousands and thousands of raptors streaming and kettling overhead cannot be described in words. Every birder should experience this in Veracruz at least once in their lifetime. – Veracruz 2013

Robert Straub is the best guide I have ever worked with. He really enjoys showing ‘his’ birds and ‘his’ chosen place to others. – Veracruz ABA tour 2009

Kevin, I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed the Amazon trip and your expertise in photography, birds, and the tropics in general. Truly, I don’t know how you had the time in your life to acquire your depth of knowledge; didn’t you ever sleep? In any event, keep doing what you are doing–I think you were born to lead eco-trips!

The Wildside Cuba trip was a winner from start to finish. From all the endemics checked off; to our wonderful, hard working Cuban guides; to principal guide, the indomitable Gabriel Lugo; this trip is a must for your Western Hemisphere bucket list.

I can’t begin to offer enough praise for Glenn. He was extraordinary on all counts. He was one of the most skilled birders I’ve had the pleasure of birding with, and his people skills were off the charts. It was a pleasure and an honor to have the chance to meet and spend time in the field with him. He’s an amazing guy!

Our small crew thoroughly enjoyed each hour of every day and weren’t shy about saying so. I know they loved their Wildsides experience in Belize.

I would recommend Wildside Nature Tours for anyone who wants to explore this area of Alaska and I suggest that you do. The glaciers are grand and amazing (and shrinking), the bears are grand and I was in awe watching them, the whales are majestic and graceful, the scenery is beautiful.

Seldom does a trip touch my heart where I know I will remember all the details. Well there were too many details to remember, but the experience of seeing Alaska touched my heart and the best part was sharing it with my best friend in the world, my wife Misse.

As a side note, my wife Misse is not that interested in photography and this was advertised as a photography tour. I can tell you that although she was concerned with this, she had an amazing time and did not feel that she lost out on anything just because her spouse happens to be a little obsessed with taking photos. She also had an amazing time.

There was no way we were going to Alaska on our own (for both knowing all the little tidbits and for safety… i.e. bears). I was more than impressed with Kevin’s care, interest, knowledge, patience, and enthusiasm.

I first met Edison Buenaño in person at Biggest Week in American Birding in 2012. I have now birded with him several times in the U.S. and South America. Edison’s combination of keen eyes, gifted ears, and great leadership skills make Edison one of the best birding guides I have ever met. He is patient with his customers and is not condescending in any way. I would not hesitate to recommend Edison as a guide to any person or group. He has earned both my trust and admiration.

Edison loves the birds of South America (his home turf) like the Sword-billed Hummingbird loves a trumpet flower! He’s a walking encyclopedia of field marks and call notes – an expert on neotropical birds and conservation, and equally as passionate about sharing his knowledge with the rest of us. He’s also excellent company in the field and seems to know half the people in Latin America on a first name basis. Can’t wait to go birding with Edison again!

I’ve been lucky enough to go birding with Edison in a variety of places, and it’s always a blast. His skill at finding and identifying birds, his enthusiasm for every bird, and his personal warmth and sense of humor all combine to make him a great leader in the field.

Spain provided fantastic birding, culture, and food. We arrived a day early to visit Seville, a wonderfully walkable city with great architecture and parks. Donana wetlands teemed with ducks, waders, and shorebirds. We were mesmerized by vultures and eagles at the rocky cliffs. It was great fun to look for bustards in flowing grasslands. Scenery was stunning in the Pyrenees mountains; it was amazing to watch the Wallcreeper cling to crags high in a vertical cliff. We ate the most mouth-watering delectable dishes at every stop. Adrian and Santi were brilliant guides – I highly recommend this tour!

From the tropical Pacific coast, to ancient oak cloud forests, to stark treeless habitat at 11,000 feet, the Wildside Nature Tours Costa Rica birding adventure was a great success. Thanks to our guide – arguably the best birder I ever met and commanding an encyclopedic knowledge of natural history – we tallied 346 species in a little over nine full days of birding!

The India tour, with great views of birds, mammals, and iconic palaces as well as Rajasthan culture was easily the most memorable of some dozen overseas trips we have taken in the past few years.
– India, 2008

Just wanted you to know what a WONDERFUL time we had with you in India – a TERRIFIC guide, wonderful participants, great birds and SPECTACULAR TIGERS. Yes, ours was a great trip; I was so impressed with your enthusiasm for the birds and constant effort to teach us, not to mention your ever-engaging wit.
– Northern India 06

You really want to see tropical birds but don’t like to constantly change hotels? Can’t or don’t want to do a lot of jungle hiking? Not familiar with the tropical bird groups? The riverboat base with skiff rides along the water edges give an up-close look at a wide variety of birds, monkeys, sloths, and river dolphins. The few walks are not difficult and can be optional. Partner not a birder or a photography buff? As space allows, they can learn photography tips on one trip and go looking at birds on the next, or sit on top of the riverboat and watch life along the river.

The guides were incredible and always willing to help. Edison led the birding skiff and Kevin the photography skiff. There was always additional help in the skiffs to answer questions, share tips/advice, and assure everyone had the best chance to see the target or get the photo. Highly recommend the trip and the guides, even if you are experienced birders.

Our trip has been wonderful. The falcons were amazing, a true wonder of the natural world. Like witnessing a a massive snow storm, except instead of snowflakes, the sky was filled with falcons. The people of Pangti were warm and welcoming and their accommodations entirely satisfactory. Though the falcons were the crown jewels, the rest of the trip was also thrilling, from watching the primates of the gibbon sanctuary to seeing rhinos up close from the back of an elephant. We were well taken care of all along the way. Thank your you for making this extraordinary experience available to us.

How many ways can we say thank you for this wonderful experience? During this trip we’ve enjoyed so much not only your expert bird identification but also all the side info on many species including mammals. You have a very sharp eyesight and excellent skills in getting us onto the bird. You are patient, keep all situations light with a nice sense of humor and calm demeanor that instills trust from your clients. Suffice it to say that we would not hesitate to travel again with you. – Kenya & Tanzania Feb 2017

Thank you for a tremendous custom trip you put together and led us on throughout Kenya and Tanzania this past month. From beginning to end it was a spectacular success due in principle to your masterful planning, professional work ethic and calm, deliberate and patient demeanor. – Feb 2017

This trip was a spectacular exploration of an amazing unique habitat. Mind-boggling non-stop variety of waders, raptors, caiman, capybara and jaguars! A memorable moment included paddling alongside remarkable Giant Otters crunching fish as they fed and communicating with eerie ear-splitting screams. – Pantanal 2010

Chickens close on the leks were the most unique N. American birding experience we have ever had, even after birding for about 40 years.

This was so much more than a birding tour of Morocco; it was truly a cultural experience.

Thank you sooo much for the Dry Tortugas tour. It was everything I was hoping it would be and more.

Your birding expertise and spotting ability are amazing. Thanks so much for your patience, kindness, stories and great attitude, it was a memorable and fun trip.

The trip was really something, getting around to all the chicken leks…and finding all the great birds. Thanks for making my 700th ABA bird (Gunnison Sage-Grouse) special with the champagne celebration.

Thank you so much for sharing your expertise and leadership. Jim and I thoroughly enjoyed our time with you and Toby in beautiful Scotland.

Thank you again Adrian and Toby for a wonderful trip, and thanks for the excellent report. I read it while sweltering in our heat, so the mention of rain only made me want to return to Scotland. – June 2018

What can I say? It was a trip of a lifetime. Even now, three weeks later, I have scenes of Africa in my night dreams and day dreams. – Tanzania, March 2009

Mammals and birds were everywhere. The crater was amazing as were the sheer number of wildebeest in the Serengeti. You certainly put us right in the middle of migration. This safari far exceeded my expectations. Thank you! – Feb 2015

Joel and I wanted to thank you again for the wonderful trip to the Tortugas. We appreciate you sharing your knowledge with us and making the trip so enjoyable. It was truly a memorable trip!

Thank you for making the Dry Tortugas an enjoyable experience. You are a terrific guide, full of information and very caring about your ‘flock’. – April 2017

Thanks for making this a wonderful trip! Your skill, knowledge, patience and good humor are stellar 🙂 – Florida April 2017

Thank you for all your efforts in arranging this wonderful trip, finding us all the target birds and for my surprise birthday celebration. – Morocco April 2017

Winter birding can be challenging but Alex, Chris and Adrian kept our spirits high with their laughter, expertise, and unmistakable talent for spotting target species. This trip would not have been the same without these amazing guides. As always, expectations were exceeded and I can’t wait for my next Wildside adventure!