Tropical Birding Tours

Third bunch of photos from our recent Madagascar Photo Tour (Oct 2024). Our next tour will be running on October 2025.
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Second bunch of photos from our recent Madagascar Photo Tour (October 2024)

Our Madagascar Photo Tour finished couple weeks ago, here you can see the first bunch of photos of this great trip.
Ask for our next Madagascar Photo Tour on October 2025, [email protected]

Chestnut Antpitta endemic species to Peru was seen during our custom Northern Peru trip, in which they were very reliable at Owlet Lodge, come and join us on our next year trips. Jose

One of the mysterious and elusive species to get in my experience is this Long-whiskered Owlet, but finally we been able to nailed for picture during our current Northern Peru Custom trip near Owlet Lodge, come and join us on our future northern Peru trips. Jose

This past September, I visited one of the most incredible birds on planet Earth - Wilson's Bird-of-Paradise. Having heard the legendary David Attenborough wax lyrical about this bird more than 25 years ago, it is had been on my discrete "must-see" bird list for some time. This Indonesian bird made things tricky initially, appearing only fleetingly by the designated blind during our first two attempts, showing only flashes of his crimson cloak and cerulean blue skull cap. By the time we visited for our third try, our nerves had been frayed down to a nub! We opened the day watching Red Birds-of-paradise displaying in the treetops, then came for our third try at the "King of Birds". This time a couple of females dropped in, sending the male into a frenzy, when he gloriously displayed in front of us, letting us see every, absurd inch of him, as he went full pelt close to the forest floor. It was touted as one of the best birds in the World by the many, and they were right. Believe the hype! Sam (West Papua, Indonesia)

Ecuador is so jam-packed with birds even in 2 days the group I was just with at Tandayapa Bird Lodge were overwhelmed. Within the siege of birds was this handsome Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan and Toucan Barbet, two specialties of this Choco Bioregion...Sam

In the Andes of South America, this bird can rightly be described as iconic, the glorious Andean Cock-of-the-rock. This gorgeous male was photographed during a a 2-day stay at Tandayapa Bird Lodge. We visited in the late afternoon when the light was best and half a dozen vermilion males went into a frenzy of display activity shortly before the sun came down on a magnificent day that had also included confiding Toucan Barbets, and impressive Sword-billed Hummingbirds and White-booted Racket-tails to name but a few. Ecuador is a truly Epic birding destination...Sam

Producing some photos from our Northern Peru custom and very productive Trip, this afternoon we been honored with this Marvelous Spatuletail Peruvian endemic and very restricted species at Huembo Lodge. Jose

Suriname's only endemic bird species is a tiny jewel, the ornate Arrowhead Piculet (male on left, female the other left). This dwarf woodpecker is common by voice in any woodland area in or near the country's capital. We got this target within the first half hour of the tour that I just finished leading in this nice country.

Andres Vasquez

Second bunch of photos from our Australia Photo Tour ( Sept 2024)

Here is a bunch of photos from our recent Australia Photo Tour (Sept 2024)

Bedankt Suriname, for an unbelievable birding experience!!! On my way home, at the moment at the airport, I cannot stop thinking about this culturally diverse, naturally rich, socially happy, and mode-wise relaxed awesome country. The birding and photography tour I just finished co-leading was an immense success nailing basically ALL of the birds any first time visitor to the so-called Guianan Shield would have on his/her target list; you name it: Guianan Cock-of-the-rock, Crimson Fruitcrow, Capuchinbird, Crimson Topaz, Gray-winged Trumpeter, Guianan red-Cotinga, Blue-backed Tanager, Ferruginous-backed Antbird, Arrow-headed Piculet, Blood-colored Woodpecker, Dusky Purpletuft, White-winged Potoo, Crimson-hooded Manakin, Black-spotted Barbet, Guianan Toucanet, Cayenne Jay, Tufted Coquette, Racket-tipped Throntail, and the list extends for over 330 species in 10 days. This one below was one of my “secondary” favorites: the gorgeous White-fronted Manakin.

Andres Vasquez
www.tropicalbirding.com

Marbled Frogmouth is probably the trickiest Australian Frogmouth to catch up with. This is the northern 'Papuan' race, which even fewer folks have seen in Australia as they are restricted to Cape York. This was seen on our Australia Enigmatic Wildlife Custom Tour itinerary.

~ White-necked Rockfowl ~

Also known as the Picathartes, this is quite possibly the most sought after bird on any tour to Ghana. A cartoonish rock-loving ground bird that definitely lives up to its hype. I got to see this bird for the second time this last August on a tour through Ghana with a wonderful family from the U.K.

For the next 30hrs or so I will be working my way over to Darwin, in the Northern Territory of Australia. Until then I'll be working on some video content for my new editing project :)

Cheers,
Ben

After a super productive stay at Fredberg in Suriname, we are heading back to civilization loaded with unforgettable experiences and some long awaited lifers that will be treasured memories of this custom tour to this very welcoming joyful county!!!

This was on my personal target list from many years ago, Guianan Cock-of-the-rock. We were very fortunate to see this glowing male at a very quiet (for this time of the year) Lek.

Said that, this was not even the best Cotinga that we got during the stay at Fredberg since it was eclipsed by the bizarre and unique , and matched by the rare Guianan Red Cotinga and Crimson Fruitcrow in terms of localized bird tick satisfaction. The same day I also saw my 3rd and last Purpletuft (Dusky, also very local) and my 7th and last Potoo (White-winged, last one of that family). Such a great felling to complete a bird family.

Keep an eye on this destination, we can run it as a custom tour for anyone interested in Guianan Shield endemics.

Andres Vasquez
www.tropicalbirding.com

~ Moustached Grass-Warbler ~

A sweet LBJ for your Tuesday morning. I photographed this individual on my last Ghana tour but it can be found throughout Western and Eastern Africa.

Captured with OM System OM-1 and 150-400mm f4.5 IS PRO

Cheers,
Ben

Just a few days now until I head off to Australia to lead my last tour for the 2024 year. A solid 28-Day traverse of the 'land down-under' starting in Darwin in the Northern Territory and finishing up on the small southern island of Tasmania...should be epic.

Here a few photos I took in 2022 and 2023 from the Northern Territory section...looking forward to another great season and I will hopefully have some fun photos to share from this years Tropical Birding Tours Australia: Birding from Top to Bottom tour.

*ID's on individual images

Cheers,
Ben Knoot

Our Australia season is off and running with multiple trips done and dusted this year. And more on the way. Australia must have the planets best developed country birding. Always fun! And this Gang Gang Cockatoo photographed a few days ago in Barren Grounds agrees.

A farewell beauty that we got today at Brownsberg at the end of the first leg of our ongoing Suriname Tour with Tropical Birding Tours was this patient Collared Puffbird that, surprisingly despite its scarcity and shyness, was not a lifer for anyone in the group since this is a Guianan Shield endemics focused tour. It is an always-amazing species to get regardless so we were all happy campers.

Andres Vasquez