BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//jEvents 2.0 for Joomla//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT UID:2510460f1c18d511f2ff80c5ce547959 CATEGORIES:Australasia CREATED:20160727T160424 SUMMARY:Australia & Tasmania DESCRIPTION:Fall in North America comes as springtime ignites the vast eucalypt forests Down Under, signaling the rattling hilarity of Laughing Kookaburras initia ting courtship and defending their territories on the ancient island contin ent of Australia. Approximately the size of the conterminous 48 states of the U.S., our tour in Southeast Australia is designed for anyone who has ev er imagined gazing straight into the eyes of a curious, 6’ tall Emu—second largest bird on earth, watching a powerful Malleefowl adding compost to its enormous nest, or witnessing flights of indescribably colored Rainbow Lori keets and dazzling Crimson Rosellas. Australia is not only a continent whe re over 300 birds—40% of its 776 species—are endemic, it is a place where p igeons are often as colorful as parrots and where male wrens—actually membe rs of the fairywren tribe—wear brilliant shades of blue, red, or purple for their November nuptial plumage. Boasting about 50 species of kangaroos an d their kin alone, Australia has been the center of speciation for the mars upial clan since Australia drifted free of Gondwanaland 55 million years ag o. We hope to see three of the largest species of the kangaroo clan. We wi ll also make a special effort to find the primitive Short-beaked Echidna, p ossible on either the mainland or in Tasmania, an egg-laying mammal resembl ing a hedgehog or a miniature porcupine. Our route additionally provides u s with a realistic opportunity to spot an endangered Koala. Southeast Aust ralia is vast, and the enormity of the country is amplified by the variety of its landscapes. Our loop through the states of New South Wales and Vict oria will take us over the Great Dividing Range through the tallest eucalyp tus forest in Australia—some trees are over 300’—into the vast plains of th e Murray River. Here we will bird savannah, salt bush flats, and river red gum riparian groves, before striking out for the chaparral-like habitat kno wn as mallee. Some of the birds we may see include Chestnut Quail-Dove, Au stralian King-Parrot, Major Mitchell’s or Pink Cockatoo, Powerful Owl, Aust ralian Owlet-Nightjar, Tawny Frogmouth, Painted Honeyeater, Superb Lyrebird , and a host of other endemic birds. One evening we’ll make a special effo rt to see the enigmatic Plains-wanderer, a nocturnal bird that Phil Maher o nly pinned down for birders and scientists alike in 1980. Aside from this unusual species that looks like a cross between a quail and a shorebird, a Plains-wanderer excursion gives us a chance for other birds such as Inland Dotterel or one of world’s truly unique marsupials, the Fat-tailed Dunnart. Next we’ll hop 160 miles offshore to Tasmania. The island state of Tasman ia hosts an additional 12 species of endemic birds, and we may see them all in our first 24 hours. Beyond endemics, however, the wet temperate forest of Tasmania is home to one of the most beautiful avifaunas in all the worl d. Species here include both Green and Eastern Rosellas, Shining Bronze-Cu ckoo, Masked Owl, Superb Fairy-Wren, Southern Emu-Wren, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Fieldwren, and New Holland Honeyeater, along with lovely Pink, Fla me, and Scarlet Robins. A full day pelagic trip from Eaglehawk Neck on the southern coast of Tasmania brings us into the purlieu of no fewer than sev en species of albatrosses, as well as a wide assortment of petrels, storm-p etrels, prions, and shearwaters. Evening spotlighting forays may reveal ma mmals as varied as Platypus, Eastern Barred Bandicoot, or the furtive Tasma nian Devil. If you have always wanted to see the birds and the wildlife of Australia, we invite you to join us this November for spring “down under” in the southern hemisphere. \nLeaders: Steve Davidson (index.php?option=com _content&view=article&id=37:steve-davidson&catid=18:leaders-and -staff&Itemid=155), P hil Maher & Rick Taylor (index.php?option=com_content&view=arti cle&id=23:rick-taylor&catid=18:leaders-and-staff&Itemid=155)\nC ost of Australia & Tasmania includes all accommodations, all meals, all ground transportation, and all entrance fees beginning and ending in Melbo urne—$9,195.\nTO REGISTER: Print out a PDF Registration Form, call us at (520) 558-2351 or This email addr ess is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view i t. document.getElementById('cloak6662a1a1d361a73451ef1df28fbf6eab').inn erHTML = ''; var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; var pa th = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; var addy6662a1a1d361a73451ef1df28fbf6eab = ' 05;nfo' + '@'; addy6662a1a1d361a73451ef1df28fbf6eab = addy6662 a1a1d361a73451ef1df28fbf6eab + 'borderland-tours' + '.' + 'com?subject=Tour%20registr 97;tion'; var addy_text6662a1a1d361a73451ef1df28fbf6eab = 's& #101;nd us an email';document.getElementById('cloak6 662a1a1d361a73451ef1df28fbf6eab').innerHTML += ''+addy_text6662a1a1d361 a73451ef1df28fbf6eab+''; .\nPhoto: Pretty-faced Wallaby\nPhoto by: Rick T aylor \n (/component/joomgallery/australia-photo-gallery.html?Itemid=161)\n View Photo Gallery X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:
Fall in North America come s as springtime ignites the vast eucalypt forests Down Under, signaling the rattling hilarity of Laughing Kookaburras initiating courtship and defendi ng their territories on the ancient island continent of Australia. Approxi mately the size of the conterminous 48 states of the U.S., our tour in Sout heast Australia is designed for anyone who has ever imagined gazing straigh t into the eyes of a curious, 6’ tall Emu—second largest bird on earth, wat ching a powerful Malleefowl adding compost to its enormous nest, or witness ing flights of indescribably colored Rainbow Lorikeets and dazzling Crimson Rosellas. Australia is not only a continent where over 300 birds—40% of i ts 776 species—are endemic, it is a place where pigeons are often as colorf ul as parrots and where male wrens—actually members of the fairywren tribe— wear brilliant shades of blue, red, or purple for their November nuptial pl umage. Boasting about 50 species of kangaroos and their kin alone, Austral ia has been the center of speciation for the marsupial clan since Australia drifted free of Gondwanaland 55 million years ago. We hope to see three o f the largest species of the kangaroo clan. We will also make a special eff ort to find the primitive Short-beaked Echidna, possible on either the main land or in Tasmania, an egg-laying mammal resembling a hedgehog or a miniat ure porcupine. Our route additionally provides us with a realistic opportu nity to spot an endangered Koala. Southeast Australia is vast, and the eno rmity of the country is amplified by the variety of its landscapes. Our lo op through the states of New South Wales and Victoria will take us over the Great Dividing Range through the tallest eucalyptus forest in Australia—so me trees are over 300’—into the vast plains of the Murray River. Here we wi ll bird savannah, salt bush flats, and river red gum riparian groves, befor e striking out for the chaparral-like habitat known as mallee. Some of the birds we may see include Chestnut Quail-Dove, Australian King-Parrot, Majo r Mitchell’s or Pink Cockatoo, Powerful Owl, Australian Owlet-Nightjar, Taw ny Frogmouth, Painted Honeyeater, Superb Lyrebird, and a host of other ende mic birds. One evening we’ll make a special effort to see the enigmatic Pl ains-wanderer, a nocturnal bird that Phil Maher only pinned down for birder s and scientists alike in 1980. Aside from this unusual species that looks like a cross between a quail and a shorebird, a Plains-wanderer excursion gives us a chance for other birds such as Inland Dotterel or one of world’s truly unique marsupials, the Fat-tailed Dunnart. Next we’ll hop 160 miles offshore to Tasmania. The island state of Tasmania hosts an additional 12 species of endemic birds, and we may see them all in our first 24 hours. B eyond endemics, however, the wet temperate forest of Tasmania is home to on e of the most beautiful avifaunas in all the world. Species here include b oth Green and Eastern Rosellas, Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, Masked Owl, Superb F airy-Wren, Southern Emu-Wren, Spotted Pardalote, Striated Fieldwren, and Ne w Holland Honeyeater, along with lovely Pink, Flame, and Scarlet Robins. A full day pelagic trip from Eaglehawk Neck on the southern coast of Tasmani a brings us into the purlieu of no fewer than seven species of albatrosses, as well as a wide assortment of petrels, storm-petrels, prions, and shearw aters. Evening spotlighting forays may reveal mammals as varied as Platypu s, Eastern Barred Bandicoot, or the furtive Tasmanian Devil. If you have a lways wanted to see the birds and the wildlife of Australia, we invite you to join us this November for spring “down under” in the southern hemisphere .
Leaders: Steve Davidson, Phil Maher & Rick Taylor
C ost of Australia & Tasmania includes all accommodations, a ll meals, all ground transportation, and all entrance fees beginning and en ding in Melbourne—$9,195.
TO REGISTER:
Photo: Pretty-faced Wallaby