Viewing: Ivan Phillipsen

May, 2020 The COVID-19 crisis has been keeping many of us at home a for the last couple months, social distancing to slow the spread of the virus. If you’re like me, you’ve been spending more time watching birds in the backyard this spring. I’ve really enjoyed getting even more acquainted with my neighborhood bird […] Read more

Day 1 – Local Birding in Reykjavík The adventure begins! Once the whole group had arrived, we had an orientation gathering at our hotel in downtown Reykjavík. Then we walked a couple blocks to an alehouse where we had lunch at long tables, Viking style. Our first birdwatching outing followed. We drove out to the Seltjarnarnes […] Read more

Day 1 – Great Falls Our group assembled for the first time in the early afternoon on this sunny, beautiful day in Great Falls, Montana. After an orientation gathering at our hotel, we took a short drive to the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center on the banks of the Missouri River. We […] Read more

So you’re interested in birds and birdwatching, but you feel a little overwhelmed by all the different species that are out there. No problem! Just start with a few bird species in your backyard or in your local park. This is a perfect way to get into birding. There are a lot of little brown […] Read more

As a birding and nature tour Trip Leader, I’m routinely responsible for the safety and well-being of the people who travel with me. I’m cautious and take as many preventative measures as I reasonably can to avoid mishaps. But cuts, scrapes, insect bites, and illness aren’t always avoidable while traveling. A first aid kit is […] Read more

When you think of a falcon, the image that comes to mind is probably of a compact, sleek-winged, speedy bird of prey that hunts in the sky. That describes the Peregrine Falcon, which is the fastest animal on Earth. There are about 60 falcon species around the world, and most are fast, aerial hunters. But […] Read more

If you have the travel bug and have been to a few far-flung places around the globe, you may feel a certain drive to discover new and exotic natural wonders to add to your bucket list. And, if you’re like me, you don’t necessarily want to visit the same places that the teeming masses are […] Read more

If someone on your gift list likes to travel the country–or the world– looking for birds, wildlife, and other natural wonders, I’ve got some great gift ideas for them. These are all things that I’ve found really useful while out leading birdwatching and nature tours. Here we go! Daypack Pretty much indispensable for most nature […] Read more

Check out this short video of our tour: Day 1 – Arrival in Oaxaca I met our group as they arrived at Oaxaca International Airport late tonight. We loaded into our comfortable van and whisked away to the quiet town of Teotitlan, east of the big city. We would be staying here for three nights. […] Read more