Photography, rowing and the pursuit of data.....and Renee  

​

Context from multiple views, 3D from motion parallax, visual surprises from point of view and hidden gems.  Surprise reveal to create drama by looking for visually engaging views and then find a surprising  transition in. Hide behind foreground and  track  side/vertical to interest, pan to interest.

 

iPhone 14 

12MP Ultra Wide: 13 mm, ƒ/2.2 aperture and 120° field of view

48MP 1x Main: 24 mm  60 deg FOV  30 arcsecs optical resolution.  9 mm diagonal  1X1um pixel.

​12MP 3x Telephoto: 77 mm 20 deg FOV, up to 15x with digital zoom = 400mm store RAW and denoise (soft), 25 asec l/s resolution with sharpening. 

Video 9x max = 200mm.  20 asecs pitch resolution. HDTV pixel count. 

Sony 7as 100mm 2 x better resolution.

​

For walking landscape track use  cell pone + Hyperlapse 5x  + Active track and move slowly.

Turntable side track use Activetrack to maintain orientation.

For forward, back  or close side track use cell phone + full lock + Action mode 1x. 

 

For telephoto up to 200mm, use cell phone 2x (50mm) lens w/o Hyperlapse, wave stabilize in PP, zoom and sharpen in PS.

 

Beyond 200mm, use NikonP1000 stepped frames with carefully alignment to target, in roughly 0.5degree increments to cover at least 10 deg, combine into movie and zoom in PS, stretch using 10% speed  with Optical Force, wave stabilize in PP.  0.5 deg  = 1 stride for every 100 m of distance from target, needs at least 20 frames.

 

For max realism in pan use fast follow, slow joystick  and slow zoom.   

​

Boat stationary -

Video with  gimbal cell phone - No extra pixels to do image stab. Full lock gimbal - fast follow and Action mode up to 9x (200mm fl ) with post sharpening and stabilize.  Camera on centerline of boat. 

​

Still cell phone 15x (400mm fl) and 25 asec l/s resolution. 

Nikon P1000 manual focus to deal with moving boat - resolution 5 asec l/s @ 400mm, 5x better than cell phone. 

​

Boat driven - Action video handheld ,

Use 1x (24mm) for max stabilization

100mm for human perspective, so use 4x (100mm) lens on cell phone with gimbal. 

Car 

Cycle - Lock or Active track 

Horse/Camel

Plane 

​

Night view stills or time lapse -

cell phone Apple Night mode. Sony 7as 20mm or 100mm.  Human ISO1 daylight, ISO800 low light.

Night view stills on boat - cell phone Mimo gimbal  Lock, photo using Apple Night, or Procamera for RAW.

​

Moon, or eclipse  sun, with foreground needs extreme depth of field using f16-f32 only on Sony 7as . 100mm lens at f32 has a 6m -inf DOF.

Planets - Nikon P1000 + Fornax stage, or Celestron SCT + Svbony +AVX stage

Galaxies - Celestron RASA + QHY RGB + AVX Stage

Nebula - Celestron RASA + QHY SHO + AVX or 100mm + QHY SHO + Fornax.

Milky Way - 20mm or 8mm + Sony7a, 100mm <5 secs exposure. 

​

Wildlife - 

P1000  still and video

Night wildlife still and video -  Sony 7as no filter + f2 100mm +  moon light or spot light. - 1/50 ISO12,800 --- Denoise (soft v.blurry), Autocolor, Hue to blue, Autocolor, Vib&Sat.

                                                                                     +  f6 400mm                       ---

C6 RASA f2 300mm - Sony 7as with USB to lap top running imaging edge. 

​

Use spot light source as aiming aid, particularly for 400mm. An aiming light should be camera shoe mounted. Exposure light source needs to be 2 ft away from camera to create depth shadows. Using 3 stacked 10" brackets for 20" of distance. 1000lm focusable torch as light source, dim enough to not disturb animals and provide color images out at 20 meters and a 400mm lens. 

Test - Dark corner 100mm S7as  with IR filter ISO409k 2s S/N=1, 100mm QHY 183 = 230(35)mm  -15C G30 0.5s. S/N = 10. 

​

At home Celestron RASA +Svbony or Cooled QHY camera for real time. 100mm lens. shot noise ? Run night test. 

​

The Earth at Night series uses full moon light and a  Canon ME20 camera $20K !. Featuring an astonishing 4M ISO rating 0.0005lux , the Canon ME20F-SH Multi-Purpose Camera captures video at up to 1920 x 1080p 60 and supports both NTSC and PAL broadcast frame rates. The camera incorporates a full frame 35mm-sized sensor with approximately 2.26 million pixels. This results in a pixel that is about 19 microns, 3 x larger than the pixels on Sony 7as Full-frame DSLR cameras,  10x more sensitive reflected in the 10x higher ISO maximum. Used large f 100mm, and a large catadioptric lens f8 1000mm full frame. 

​

People - Nikon P1000 or Cell phone + ProCamera stabilized. Collect RAW, denoise and sharpen for best results, avoid source jpeg. 

​

Underwater snorkle - need a GoPro 11, 27 Mpix, 8mm diagonal chip, 10 bit color, better stabilization using crop. 

​

GoPro Hero 11 FOV focal length  lens (SuperView) FOV (16mm DSLR)  170 degrees. ​Linear FOV (19mm – 39mm DSLR) - no fisheye. 90 degrees using 2.5x  digital crop.   Only reason to use GoPro is waterproofing, is 10 bit RAW just for underwater for  Gopro 11 worth it probably yes !

​

+ Movo dual light long 12" each side bracket.  Use baffles to create a dark region in front of camera out to target, to minimize backscatter. 

​

Underwater from boat, when swimming not an option - Gopro attached to selfie stick  -. SANDMARC Pole - Metal Edition: 15-50" Waterproof Extension Stick (Pole) for GoPro Hero 11, 

​

Rely on clear water to see targets. Tilt down makes screen visible. Use a 45 degree mirror or bucket view to see through surface.  https://www.westmarine.com/marine-sports-underwater-viewer-bucket-2001931.html

​

Other action - running, biking, rowing, kyacking, white water.   For Kyacking use head mount and safety. 

​

Building stills, verticals need to be Y aligned. Use wide angle lens and keep camera level. For more resolution, use iPhone panorama in portrait mode, 

​

Overhead view - need a drone.

​

​

Example scenarios; 

Start with Sphinx dominating scene and then track showing the pyramids behind.

Use a window start with side view and then reveal what is through window. Walls, lintles and pillars all act as blocks.

Walk into room using door as block and panorama around.

Start low horizontal hold and move to max reach- about 3 meters. 

Look for a tower view point  track up over edge and out and then rotate down to overhead view. 

Track down to low view of vegetation or water fall.

​

Transition between 2 views - , to avoid people use camera overhead. Start with view1 side track, pan or joystick to view2, zoom and front track towards new target.  Best Activetrack pointing and side track best using slow follow, Best handle pan & tilt  use fast follow.   Use blocks for transitions, pillars, walls, traffic etc. 

​

Story telling; travelogue, highlights, theme. For instance - Botswana travelogue, wildlife, White water, boating. 

​

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TARGETS 

Austin Zoo - Coatis ​​

Costa Rica - Leatherback Turtles birds, Coatis

Dominica - Sperm Whales

India - Tigers birds,

Chile - Puma,

N Canada  - Polar bear  Walrus Beluga

​China - Pandas,

King Ranch - ​Owls - 3.5 hrs drive to Kingsville.  6 am start 2 nights. 

Point Reyes - Bobcat, Badger

​​

Barred Owl -   Hornsby Bend Platt Lane, West Bouldin Creek Greenbelt, Lake Sommerville SP - Nails Creek & Flag Pond. 1.5 hrs .  www.bafrenz.com/birds/Somer.htm​

​

Common Nighthawk May only  at Webb Co Martina Rd... v high frequency .  Hornsby Bend (far end) in May to August. Breeding range.

​

Nautilus Only in New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands, and Vanuatu can nautiluses be observed in very shallow water, at depths of as little as 5 m (15 ft). Monterey Bay Aquarium - living Ammonites

​

Horseshoe Crabs in Chesapeak and Delaware Bay. S Carolina Aquarium in Charleston  - living Trilobites

​Pangolin - African savannah nocturnal. 

Aardvark - relative of elephants. African savannah nocturnal. 

​Anteaters - relative of armadillos S and C America nocturnal

Coatis - Costa Rica & Austin Zoo

Fossa - Abiline Zoo 

Porcupine - rodent in N Am & Africa nocturnal​

Hedgehog - Europe. ​

Leatherback Turtles​​

Tigers in Jim Corbett NP in foothills from Delhi OR Rathambore from Jaipur 

Puma, Jaguars - S America​

Panda - China

Polar Bear - Churchill ​

Bobcats - common - try Point Reyes along with American Badger​​ (Point Reyes), european and honey badger all Carnivora related to weasels 

Maned Wolf - Southern Brazil Savannah, Abiline Zoo,  Dallas Zoo + 29 other in US.

Wolverine - in Vancouver narrows

Walrus, Polar Bear, Beluga Whale, Narwal - N Canada​

Manatee - Carabeen / Florida

Amur Falcon in India

Snails & bivalves

​

Mountain goats - Mt. Evans, Grays Peak, Torreys Mountain, the Gore Range near Dillon, the Collegiate Mountain Range, and the Weminuche Wilderness in the San Juan Mountains.

​

​Ringtail Possum - Photo in CO and Tuson A ​

Here in Colorado ringtails are most often found in desert areas, especially in the southwest and western slope; however, a few have been recorded in the Front Range foothills,   Cañon City Burger King! E of Pueblo.https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/colorado-front-range-ringtails also Pedernales

Reported at Pedernales in 2024, by river southern flow loop. Nocturnal Feb-May.

Seen in Circle C off of La Crosse 5/10/25

​

Coatis (racoon family) in Southern border USA, Central Am, North Amazonia. Madera Canyon AZ, Rincon de la Viega in Costa Rica, Austin Zoo.​​​​

​

Sperm Whales. .. Tonga, Dominica, Norway and New Zealand, sperm whales can be found all year round. Only males live there; as soon as they are big and strong enough, they move to warmer waters to mate. Until then, they remain in their hunting grounds all year round. Sperm whale safaris start in Norway from Andenes and in New Zealand from Kaikoura. Some sperm whales live in the Mediterranean off France, Italy and Spain, as well as off the Canary Islands, where they constantly migrate back and forth between Lanzarote, Tenerife and La Gomera. There is also a good chance of spotting them in the Ligurian Sea and the Strait of Gibraltar.  Sperm whales are also regularly spotted in Iceland in summer, especially off the Snaefellsnes peninsula in the north-west of the island.

​​

Stromatolites - Western Australia, Fossilized stromatolites in the Hoyt Limestone (Cambrian) exposed at Lester Park, near Saratoga Springs, New York, north of Albany. Stromatolites at Highborne Cay, in the Exumas, The Bahamas. 

FIELD TRIP STOP – HONEYCUT BEND (Ordovician Supratidal & Intertidal

Stromatolites)  LOCATION:  Almost 5 miles east of Highway 281 near Johnson City, Texas. Here the Pedernales River loops south, coming close to Highway 2766. Access to the outcrop is through private property, so proper measures should be taken to access the outcrops  4631 Ranch to Market Rd 2766. Also Inks Lake, Enchanted Rock & Balcones, Longhorn Cavern SP south of Buchanon Dam as in 

https://www.touristsecrets.com/destinations/hidden-stromatolite-reefs-of-texas-llano-uplift/

​https://headforthehillcountry.com/

​

Fossil Stromatolite reefs jut from the cliffs on the Llano River in Mason County, Texas. These world-class examples of Stromatolites are located on the Llano River between Whoites Crossing (Highway 1871) and the James River Crossing (Highway 2389).   Bloody Bucket (432) 296-0831

https://www.facebook.com/LlanoRiverRegionAdventures/photos/a.635196496549346/2464229276979383/

https://www.junctiontexas.com/kayak-tube-canoe-llano-rivers​​

​

DONE

Short Eared Owl at Brita Olsen Road just North of New Sweden and Manor. Go up 130 to Manor. 

White tailed Kite (hover) Brazoria NW Big Slough Auto trail, San Luis Pass,  Galveston Island SP ++ , San Bernard NWR on way home.​ also Black Skimmer,

Alligator Snapping Turtle - Caldwell Zoo in Tyler TX. 4 hrs from Austin.

Lemurs in Madagascar

Chimps and Mountain  Gorillas, Shoebill Stork  in Uganda

Quoll, Tazmanian Tiger, Possums, Encinda - Tazmania

Beaver  lodge  in Kyle  revisit April/May. McKinney north of Dallas. Ft Worth Nature Center Refuge, Arcadis Trail Park north of Watuga, 6465 Refuge Rd Sherman (Hagerman) . ​

Dugong - Indo/West Pacific/ Tropical Australia - Sydney Aquarium

​

Fossils

​

Danging Museum in China  Dinos 

Megafauna - Charleston, Le Brea Tar Pits, National M NH Smithsonian in NY, Texas MNH. 

Idaho, Denver, Utah, Fossil NHM's 

​

​Mountain Museum of Anchient Life in Lehi 20 miles from SLC Utah. Trilobites & Dinos

Trilobites  U Dig Fossils

Death Canyon Road, Delta, Utah 84728, United States - SW of Provo

(435) 864 - 3638

​​

Uk 2026 

Fossil beach just west of Lyme Regis 

Old Harry Rocks near Swanage 

​

​

Bobcats 

https://www.pointreyessafaris.com/safari

Full Day Safaris (10 hours): $795 for 1 person

​

https://amwestphoto.com/Safari%20Galleries/Images/Bobcat%20Safari/BobcatSafaris.htm

We meet at 7am at the Harris Ranch Intersection Chevron Station, or at the hotel lobby you are at the night before - located at the intersection of Highway 198 and Interstate 5 in Visalia. 

2-day Safaris  $800
Oct 8-9, Oct 29-30, Nov 4-5, Nov 25-26
Dec 3-4, Jan 7-8, Feb 19-20, March 3-4

​

​

https://www.pumapix.com/bobcat-photography-tour/

In Marin $1495 for December 13th-16th = 3 days

​

La Lomita Photo Ranch in Uvalde

​

Cost Rica Turtles ​

Costa Rica, Malaysia, and Gabon

 

July to October is turtle nesting season.  Jan in 2024

Ridly Turtles nesting. 

• Nancite Beach is one of two sites in Costa Rica where the mass annual arribadas of olive ridley sea turtles take place. In early October, thousands of olive ridleys come to shore to nest in the thousands. Nancite Beach is remote. It will require some hiking to get to, and permission from the ranger station.

• Ostinal beaches Aug-Nov - a few days before new moon. 

 

https://costaricaexperts.com/costa-rica-sea-turtle-nesting-where-to-go-when

In Tamarindo - Best time for Las Baulas National Park -- N Pacific coast: October to February with the peak time in December and January. 

Guided tours are available at night with a guide, but cannot be made more than eight days in advance.

When to visit for leatherback sea turtles: October – mid-February

​

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g309253-d19440234-Turtle_Nesting_Tour-Tamarindo_Province_of_Guanacaste.html

​​

Leatherback Turtles - in 2024  Tortuguero canals

• May 18 - 24 (full)

• June 1 - 7 (new date!)

https://www.seeturtles.org/costa-rica-leatherback-turtle-volunteer-trip?msclkid=33492854caf818949d0f4df180851fa6 

 

Leather back in May.  Gandoca Manzanillo beach

​

https://ecoadventurescr.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/May-2026-Sloths-Leatherbacks-Volcanoes.pdf.pdf

May 11-19 2026. Lirio Lodge, adjacent to the Pacuare Reserve.

​​

Coatis (racoon family) Rincon de la Viega in Costa Rica in NW Cost Rica near Atlantic. 

​

Belize Wildlife 

Snorkle with turtles

Birding 

Ruins 

​

5 day research support  2.2K pp

https://www.seeturtles.org/belize-wildlife-research?msclkid=43c5c6b04d3e149fe731a13ab28265ee

​

Dominica in Lesser Antilies 

Sperm Whales  Nov-July

​

Fossils

Ammonites at Monmouth Beach & Church Cliff, Lyme Regis

​

Scenery

Devils Tower and the Missouri Buttes about 12 miles distant on a moody October morning as seen from the Bearlodge Mountains.

​

Belize Wildlife 

Snorkle with turtles

Birding 

Ruins 

​

​

India Feb best climate  (70-83 F), April for good Tiger visibility (88-95 F) in Bangalore 

If a tiger safari is something you would like to do then would it be possible to visit at the beginning of April 2027? Tigers are much easier to see during the hot months since water is limited and they have to drink thrice a day so they come to waterholes in the national parks to cool off and drink water.  It is going to be hot right before the monsoon. 

 

The largest number of endemic birds is found in the western ghats of India which is in the South. My suggestion would be to fly into Bangalore and then do a short drive to the historic city of Mysore. We will spend two days birding around Mysore in scrub and around large water bodies. After Mysore we will move to Coorg in the western ghats which is a two hour drive from Mysore. The district of Coorg is surrounded by the Nagarhole National Park on all sides which has over 150 wild tigers in addition to many large mammals like the asian elephants and the worlds largest bovine the Indian Gaur. We could do two tiger safaris into the Nagarhole national park and spend the remaining time birding in the cloud forests of the western ghats. Expect 250 species of birds on this tour. Departure at the end of the tour will be from Bangalore. 

 

Cost includes all transport during the tour, accommodation at a premium B&B with air-conditioning and ensuite bath, breakfast and lunch, guiding and two safaris into Nagarhole national park. Cost will be USD 300 per person per day for this tour.  Nominal 10-11 days. 8 actual 2 bird + 1 travel + 2 tiger + 3 bird

Bopanna Pattada www.indiabirding.com bopannap@gmail.com. ​

​

​​

​

2026

​​

​

Australia 

$8k  Utd Biz class  via Houston. Houston - Sydney  18hrs.

Sewing class​

Sydney

Tazmania​​​​​​

​

​

Summer

​

Madagascar 

​

Uganda

https://www.silverbackgorillatours.com/gorilla/gorilla-trekking-for-the-elderly-old-and-disabled

Mission Africa Safaris (silverback gorilla tours) seems to be focused on gorilla tours for the elderly. 

​​

Arrive from Kigali Rwanda instead of Entebbe in Uganda. The driving time and distance from Kigali to Bwindi impenetrable forest is shorter. Driving from Entebbe to Bwindi can take 8 hours or more. From Kigali, it takes only 3 hours to reach Bwindi forest.

​

5 day tour  $3700 inc. passes. $400 for sedan chair

1. Kibale -  chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park

2. Visiting the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary

3. QE park 

4. Gorilla tracking in Bwindi

5. Fly back to Entebbe

​

​

The best time of the year when you should go for gorilla trekking in Uganda is June, July, August and September. If that is not possible, January and February should be relatively okay.

​

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for Gorillas  It is important to note that among the gorilla trekking national parks, Bwindi is the most ideal for the elderly. Why? Because it is situated in less mountainous areas. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is not part of the Virunga ranges of mountains like the other three national parks. It sits on lower altitude and the trails are relatively flat compared to Mgahinga and the Volcanoes National Park.

​​

​

Silverback Gorilla Expeditions have the best 8 day itinerary $5200 inclusive. 

WT seems fuzzy on coping with oldies - $1500 for sedan ?  Not enough local knowledge.

​

​​

​

UK trip  October 

One way car drop off $100. 

London to Edinburgh 8 hrs drive - 2 days one driver ! 

​

London - Classes, British Museum 

Winchester

Cotswolds - Classes,

Birmingham - Classes - drop off car.

Dundee

Inverness - rent a car. 

Skye & islands

​

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2027 ​

​​​​

Costa Rica May 17-25, 2027   may be Belize

Leatherback turtles and other wildlife. In May Lirio Lodge  beach between Limon and Torturego .​

https://ecoadventurescr.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/New-May-Costa-Rica-2025-Leatherback-Tour.pdf

  8 days  $ 5,200 pp​

​

Coatis (racoon family) Rincon de la Viega in Costa Rica in NW Cost Rica near Pacific. 

Wilderness Travel  8 days $7500 + 530 air pp

San Jose  Museo de Oro in San Jose ?,Corcovado. Tiskita Jungle Lodge Set on a verdant hillside between Pavones and Punta Banco, Tortuguero on Carabean, Arenal

​

Eagle eye tours 12 days $5250 6 locations by car in Central CR

Carara, Central Valley, Highlands, Midlands, Arenal, La Selva

​

Washington State & NE  July

​Stay in Campbell River at gate  Vancouver Narrows $800 pp pn - photo tour Orcas, bears, eagles. Probably fly in. 

OR drive up to Campbell River 3hr from Victoria with day trips. 

Olympic penninsula - Ron and Caryl.

Day trip to Portland to see Leslie and Mac

​

Fly to San Francisco - north to Portland   

See Zavoli, Scott, Miller, Jaya

Point Reyes - Bobcats, Badger and Owls

​​

​

FALL  9/1/27-9/25/27

GREECE
Athens

Crete - Knossos

Santorini  - Akrotiri - Beaches - edge of caldera - tour of crater.

​

Transfer with overnights on Myconos and Samos 

​​

TURKEY - Boat transfer 

Epheysus - Roman ruins

Izmir

Cappodocia - Ancient dwelling.

Istambul  - Agia Sofia,  

​​​

​

Backup

Thessaloniki - Monasteries  - Lake Kerkini for Dalmatian Pelicans

Verginia nr. Thessaloniki and  the Place of Aigai where Alexander the Great  was started. 

https://www.natural-greece.gr/tours/northern-greece-birdwatching-holiday/

​​​

Costa Rica  - wildlife similar to Amazon ​

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2028

 

Nova Scotia & NE Canada

Bay of Fundy at top of Nova Scotia bay has worlds largest tidal swing

​

Newfoundland Birding, Eagle Eye tours June 3-11, 2027 

St Johns & Witless NP for for sea birds and puffins

Trinity Eco tours for whales and icebergs.

Cape St Mary NP.

Iceberg Alley stretches from the coast of southern Labrador down along the eastern shore of Newfoundland, ending just below the Avalon Peninsula. This cold ocean corridor is fed by the Labrador Current, which transports icebergs that have calved off Greenland glaciers thousands of kilometers away. These icebergs drift southward along this path during the spring and early summer, making it one of the best places in the world to see these majestic frozen giants.

​

• Day 1: Diving gannets and whales

  We will depart from St. John’s at 11:00 AM this morning, heading to the southern tip of the Avalon Peninsula for our first wildlife outing. We’ll have a welcome dinner, followed by a session to photograph gannets diving and whales feeding.

  Overnight in Trepassey.

• Day 2–3: Northern Gannet colony

  These two days are dedicated to photographing the most accessible Northern Gannet colony in North America. You will photograph Thick-billed Murres, Common Murres, and one of North America’s largest colonies of Northern Gannets.

  Overnight in St. Bride’s. 

• Day 4–5: Puffins, whales and icebergs

  During these two days, we will visit an area called Elliston, home of a friendly and easily accessible colony of Atlantic Puffins. We’ll photograph the colony multiple times each day for different lighting conditions. Additionally, a local fox den often yields photos of playful foxes.  

  We will also charter a private boat to take you to see whales and, hopefully, an iceberg or two that have floated down from Greenland.  or Trinity Eco tours for whales and icebergs.

​

Greenland/ Baffin Island cruise with Eagle eye.  

​​

​

China March flowers​

Japan de lag 6 nights 

Fly to Tokyo 2 nights delag

To Beijing

​​

Proposed itinerary 17 nights in March

Beijing, 3 nights with its contemporary and past glories, includes the Great Wall, Ming Dynasty Forbidden City, Summer Palace, National Natural History Museum of China, and local fabric markets. Skip the Great Wall.​​

​​

(Xian - Han and Tang Dynasty 3 nights, City Walls, Warriors,  Pagoda, Huaqing Palace, Longmen Grottos)

​

Chengdu 4 nights  

Wolong Panda Base  5000ft Wolong National Nature Reserve, Wenchuan County, Sichuan 2 hrs from Chengdu .  According to China's Third National Giant Panda Survey, about 150 wild giant pandas live in . The reserve is also a home to many other endangered species including snow leopards, red pandas, golden snub-nosed monkeys and white-lipped deer.

​

Red Pandas - Yaan Labahe - best in Fall  short walk 

Golden Monkey  in either Pingwu 4 hrs from Chengdu or Jiuzhaigou. Stay in Tangjahe  1 night 5000ft  short walk

https://www.sichuantravelguide.com/wildlife/golden-monkey-tour.html

​

​​​​

Guilin 3 nights  for Karst scenery and then Yangshuo, cruising the Li River on the way.  

​

Shanghai  4 nights , Pearl of the Orient, with its sophisticated culture and colonial past, evident in Yuyuan Garden, The Bund, and Shikumen Museum. Bringing together ancient history, natural landscapes, and modern China. Include a day trip Suzhou - to visit silk markets and city. just outside Shanghai. 

 

To Tokyo & Train to Nara 2 nights 

Nara ​

Place X 2 nights Cherry blossom - late March 28-30

Back to Tokyo 1 night

Home 

​

Standard 11 days tour takes you to the ancient and modern capitals of China, as well as cruising you through some of China’s most iconic and beautiful natural landscapes. Visit Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin and Shanghai, and cruise along the Li River mid-tour. You’ll marvel at the incredible history and be equally astounded by breathtaking pace of modern China.

https://www.chinatours.com/china-tours-reviews/

https://www.chinatours.com/tour/11-days-beauty-of-china/

this tour includes all in country transfers, 10 nights hotel accommodation, daily buffet breakfast, half day Li River cruise, high speed train travel, fully guided tour with driver transport, airport transfers, and more this tour includes all in country transfers, 10 nights hotel accommodation, daily buffet breakfast, half day Li River cruise, high speed train travel, fully guided tour with driver transport, airport transfers, and more!​​

​

Contacts Pauline Smith, David O, Di/Bethan Thomas. 

​​

National Natural History Museum of China, Beijing. 

 

First trip visited Shanghai, Beijing (The Great Wall of China) and Guilin(Li River).

The next time  travelled with her to Xian (Terracotta Warriors) and Chengdu (pandas and world heritage mountain tour).

The next trip was visited the tea areas of Wuhan and also the tulous (ancient roundhouses each still lived in by generations of Hakka families and their animals)

And the most recent visit when we visited Potoshuan, a Buddhist temple on an island in the archipelago off the coast from Shanghai ( about 4 hours on the ferry I think).

​

Bob Garrison Firebird Tours  bob.g@firebirdtours.com

https://www.firebirdtours.com/tours/china-natural-wonders-and-pandas

​March is genuinely one of the best times to visit the route you're considering. The spring weather in Guilin is particularly magical — the karst peaks along the Li River emerge through morning mist in a way that's hard to describe. And Chengdu in early March tends to be quieter before the peak tourism season kicks in, which makes experiences like the panda base feel much more personal. Xi'an, Beijing, and Shanghai each bring such a different energy to a trip — moving through all five cities over 15 days gives you real range without feeling rushed.  16 days $6K lunch, dinners extra.   Looks like best bet. 

3 nights  5 sites    Biejing/Xian/Chengdu/Guillin/Shanghai  2 dyas at each.
 

Meet Pandas Up Close & Search for Rare Wildlife on Remote Nature Reserves

12 Days / Mar–Apr, Oct–Nov 12  From $13795

https://www.nathab.com/asia-adventure-travel/wild-china-panda-tour

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N America

Nova Scotia 

Newfoundland 

Montana NP's

La to SF coast road

New Orleans 

Great Lakes

Meteor Crater AZ

Wildlife Rehab  Scottsdale AZ

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Salt Lake City 

Mountain Museum of Ancient Life in Lehi 20 miles from SLC Utah. Trilobites & Dinos

U dig it March 20-22 and following weekend. 

Washington DC 

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Lake Erie - North early May migration

Quebec penninsula late May/early June raptor migration

Floe edge tour June, Narwahl and Polar Bear

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Switzerland 

Shilthorn

Eiger

Geneva

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​Hungary

Danube delta

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North Canada

Newfoundland  - Twillingate or Iceberg alley in June. 

NF to Labrador and Greenland cruise with WT.

North west passage cruise. 

Yukon 

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Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan

Silk road tour with WT - 25 days  $11k  reveal a rich historical and ethnic canvas, filled with dazzling scenery and a multitude of architectural wonders. From the blue-domed Silk Road oasis of Samarkand, where Tamerlane once held sway, to Issyk-Kul, a vast alpine lake surrounded by the forested peaks of the Tien Shan,

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MOROCCO / TUNISIA

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SCOTLAND

Edinburgh 

Glen Coe 

Skye - Lewis 

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Norway 

Fyords

Bergen​

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South America

Falklands and South Georgia Photo cruise with WT 

Chile - with Justin . Torres Del Paine - Mountain Lions. 

Pantanal in South Brazil towards Paraguay. close to Iguwara Falls.  

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Thailand

Khao Sok NP good for animals in wetter season. 

Phang Nga - Karst scenery

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Cambodia

Ankor Wat

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Myanmar

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Italy 

Rome

Pompeii

Sicely 

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HISTORY OF IDEAS

See history page. Egypt, Greece, France, Spain, UK.  

Pharoses, Greek Enlightenment, Crusading monarchs, Renaissance, Secular democracy. 

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Scenic

Palo Duro Canyon - lighthouse rock. just south of Amarillo 

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Monument Rock, Oakely KS om I70 close to CO border. 

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Underwater Targets

coral, turtles, whales, fish, birds. 

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Turtle nesting on South Padre Is

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Grebe mating   Clear Lake, Lake County, California, USA  https://www.jstor.org/stable/26428102. end of Feb early March

                            Klamath Falls - near Crater Lake

                            Balmoreha, at turn off for Fort Davis. Note: Google Maps directions are incorrect and will take you to a private road. Instead, drive into the center of town and turn left (east) on Houston Street. Then continue straight until at the lake.

The 5 main spots to bird are:  https://birdinglocations.com/balmorhea-lake/

• Entrance road

• Lake Dam

• South Shore

• Desert Shrub

• Southwest Overlook

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Osprey fishing

Owls - LBWC entry way

Hummer nest 

Gold Cheeked Warbler - South Llano River State Park & Lost Maples

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Nocturnal animals best during full moon. 

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https://birdinglocations.com/texas-owl-species/

Locations to see Elf Owls in Texas:

• Bentsen Rio Grande State Park – hole in a telephone pole just before La Familia Nature Center

• Kickapoo Caverns State Park – around the campsites

• Fort Pena Colorado Park (Marathon, TX) or Camp Pena Colorado Post Park. (southbound Avenue D, aka Post Road,

• Davis Mountains State Park

• Big Bend National Park – Dugout Wells, Chisos Mnts. Basin, Rio Grande Village, Cottonwood Campground

• These tiny owls are migratory and breed in Texas during the spring and summer, but then fly south in the fall. So be sure to look and listen for these guys in the warmer months, starting in late April.
  Wait until evening at last light when they begin poking their heads out of tree cavities can start vocalizing. 

Locations to see Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl in Texas:

• King Ranch (Norrias Division) – requires a paid birding tour. The King Ranch is the go-to place for these owls. The Norrias Division of the ranch hosts the largest known population of Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl in the United States. It’s private property, but they offer day-long birding tours where a guide will take you right to the owls. The cost for the 9 hour tour is $170. https://king-ranch.com/visit/our-tours/nature-tours/  (361) 592-8055.  Trips start in March W/F/Sa. No overnights in 2024.

• Brush Line Road – north of Edinburg. North side of Hwy 186.

• Hwy 186 – east of Raymondville, along the road between San Perlita and Port Mansfield.

Good areas in Texas to search for Barn Owl include:

• Katy Prairie Conservancy – Northwest Houston

• Granger Lake – roads along the open fields in this area.

• Rio Grande Valley – especially around Bentsen State Park, Estero State Park, and Laguna Atascosa.

• Lubbock Area – County roads outside city limits, especially early before 6:30am.

• Far West Texas – Marathon (Gage Gardens), Dell City agricultural fields, around Balmorhea after dark.

• Greater Corpus Christi Area- back roads from Kingsville, to Three Rivers, and over to Goliad.

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