Birding Southern California
and Beyond
with Martin Byhower
Would you like to see the birds and wildlife of Southern California, including the Greater Los Angeles area, with an acclaimed*, enthusiastic expert on the natural history of the region, at an affordable price? Customized individual or group, guided excursions can be tailored for birders and nature enthusiasts with any level of experience and can be matched to any and all comfort levels.
Birding is by many accounts the second most popular outdoor activity in the U.S.— and it is possible to see more species in Southern California than in all but two STATES! There is always something of interest to see, whatever the season. Planning a visit to the Los Angeles area, Orange County, or nearby counties? Weekends, business trips, school breaks, holidays–all are good times for your very own birding adventure.
Would you like to enrich your "life bird list" with species like Allen's Hummingbird, Spotted Dove, Mountain and California Quail, Western and Island Scrub Jays, Wrentit, CA Thrasher, and Oak Titmouse? How about White-headed, Acorn and Nuttall's Woodpecker, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, California Gnatcatcher, California Thrasher, Tricolored Blackbird, Lawrence's and Lesser Goldfinches and the western/California species of loons, cormorants, rocky shorebirds (including tattlers, turnstones, surfbirds and tattlers), near-shore shearwaters, gulls, terns, thrashers, warblers, towhees, and other residents and migrants? Naturalized parrots, such as Mitred and Yellow-chevroned Parakeets, and finches such as Nutmeg Mannikin and Orange Bishops are also on the list of birds you can see here.
HOW TO BOOK YOUR BIRDING TRIP
Contact me to schedule a personalized trip. You may use my PV Area or Southern California Checklists to help you choose your "target species" to round out your life list. Keep in mind that not all species are here at any given time, and that some require special trips! It takes about three full days (plus a pelagic trip or two) to fully cover the varied habitats and specialty species found here. You may simply elect to be shown the wonder and diversity of California's birds in the best habitats, selected by your guide, according to the season in which you visit. If you are interested in regional butterflies, dragonflies, or flora, additionally or exclusively, you are in luck!
I am happy to help arrange local lodging specific to your needs and pocketbook, and to suggest birding locations wherever you might travel beyond the scope of my own range before or after our trip together. If you fly into So CA, I can pick you up from LAX (Los Angeles International) or Long Beach airport and deliver you to local lodging.
How to Contact me:
1. Call 310.539.0050, or...
2. Click here to email me (avitropic@sbcglobal.net)
BE SURE TO INCLUDE the following information in your inquiry or booking: -Your name, phone number/email and any other contact info -The number of people in your party -The dates that can work for you -Target species, if you wish to include them -Whether or not you wish me to provide transportation and/or lodging info -Where you will be staying, if you already have that planned.
THE DETAILS I charge $150 for a full day, 1 or 2 people or family. Add $50 for each additional person. $75 transportation fee if I provide transportation in my van (up to 5 passengers; highly recommended in the traffic and freeway maze of Southern CA.) If we use your rental vehicle and your insurance stipulates that an additional driver is covered, I will drive at no charge. To reserve a trip, I request that you send me a $50, non-refundable deposit, no later than 60 days before our trip, payable to Martin Byhower.
THE BOTTOM LINE: This is your trip, and I will make every effort to give you what you want and expect from a guide, and more!
*Author of “Palos Verdes Peninsula” chapter in the American Birding Association’s Guide to Birding in Southern California (2007 version in press.)
