Tag Archives: tour

Yellowstone National Park – Bikes offer up-close wildlife adventures in the world’s first national park

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BY DAVID N. LEE, ECOTRIPS UNLIMITED… Continue Reading PUBLISHER.
“Hold up a second, and keep back!,” says Phil Knight, our good friend and Yellowstone wildlife guide. Just yards ahead of us, a herd of several
dozen shaggy beasts amble onto the road from West Yellowstone. Seeing bison in Yellowstone is always a thrill, even more so on bikes, with nothing but thin air between you and the huge creatures.

My wife, Pamela and I have joined Phil for a spring bike ride in the park. We chose to go in late April, since the snow has melted, yet the park isn’t open to cars. We have the road to ourselves – except for the bison.

The burly beasts eventually make their way

Santa Barbara Open Space a Hotspot for Birders

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BY DAVID N. LEE, ECOTRIPS UNLIMITED… Continue Reading PUBLISHER.
“Up there, in that sycamore,” our leader, Jack Sanford says in an excited voice. “Does everyone see it?”
A dozen binoculars point skyward. Way up in the tree is a bright orange and black bird, only visible to most when magnified. Closer inspection reveals his dramatic black markings – it’s a male hooded oriole for sure.
Thanks to Jack’s leadership and the Santa Barbara Audubon Society, a group of about 20 of us birders are in for a treat today as we roam the riparian edges of San José Creek at the University Circle Open Space in Goleta, just west of Santa Barbara, Ca. Although the open space is relatively small, the trails

Cachuma Lake – a haven for wildlife

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A Western grebe chick gets a ride on its mother's back.

Nature cruise features mule deer, nesting swallows and Western grebes
BY DAVID N. LEE, ECOTRIPS UNLIMITED PUBLISHER.
As red-tailed hawks float on the breeze, a feeling of freedom and expansiveness fills me as our boat leaves the dock. Before us is Cachuma Lake; seven miles of open water and a fantastic wildlife area just a half hour north of Santa Barbara.
Surrounded by rolling hills and mountain wilderness, the lake is a haven for water-loving birds like Western grebes, ospreys, bald eagles, cliff swallows and a host of migrating waterfowl.
I’m aboard the Osprey, a 48-foot pontoon boat with 30 padded, swivel seats joined by a group of 20 other passengers. The Osprey… Continue Reading is dedicated to showing people the

Bolsa Chica Wetlands – great birding in SoCal’s Huntington Beach

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Sunset at Bolsa Chica Wetlands.

BY KRISTIN CIOFALO
We’ve just crossed the wooden footbridge at Bolsa Chica Wetlands when an animated birder stops to announce his prize sighting of the day. “Keep your eye out for a Mongolian Plover!” the man exclaims.
“Birders love unusual sightings,” says Greg Leo, the docent guiding us through this 1,200-acre ecological reserve. Rumor has it that a rare Sooty Tern has also been spotted this morning. These sightings bode well for the day ahead. Although my husband, daughter and I live just a few miles from the wetlands and frequently hike here, this is the first time we actually have a tour guide to tell us what we’re seeing.
My family has joined Greg on his inaugural bird tour… Continue Reading