We begin this month's gallery with a male Brown Sicklebill in flight from our 2017 Papua New Guinea tour. Males like this are more than three feet in length! Photo by guide Doug Gochfeld.
The New Guinea highlands are a beautiful destination for our birds-of-paradise search. Here's an early-evening view from Ambua Lodge out across the Tari Valley. Photo by guide Doug Gochfeld.
Beautiful Fruit-Dove—New Guinea and Australia are home to a fantastic array of doves and pigeons. Photo by participant Claudi Racionero.
Belford's Melidectes, one of New Guinea's large, endemic honeyeaters, at Kumul Lodge. Photo by participant Betsy Fulmer.
A male Blue Bird-of-Paradise peeks out of the foliage, showing those distinctive eye-crescents. Photo by participant Claudi Racionero.
A fine portrait of a beautifully barred Brehm's Tiger-Parrot by guide Doug Gochfeld.
Chestnut-backed Jewel-Babbler is one of three species of these beautiful but hard-to-see forest birds possible in New Guinea. Photo by guide Doug Gochfeld.
Crested Berrypecker at Kumul Lodge. With Tit Berrypecker, it comprises a tiny family of birds endemic to New Guinea. Photo by guide Doug Gochfeld.
Crested Satinbird fairly glows in the moist forest habitat it prefers. Photo by participant Claudi Racionero.
Running up the Elevala River, near Kiunga in westernmost Papua New Guinea—huge crowned-pigeons ahead! Photo by participant Betsy Fulmer.
An impressive Southern Crowned-Pigeon (nearly 30 inches!) takes flight near Kiunga, showing its plumage to full effect. Photo by guide Doug Gochfeld.
Guide Doug Gochfeld's photo shows the cat-like whiskers of this Feline Owlet-Nightjar well.
Jay and Doug a few folks scouted New Britain for next year's tour, and this endemic Golden Masked-Owl was a highlight. Photo by participant Myles McNally.
Two male Greater Birds-of-Paradise try their best to impress a female visiting the lek in this digiscoped shot by guide Doug Gochfeld.
Here's a male Greater Bird-of-Paradise in fantastic detail, photographed by participant Myles McNally.
Sleeping while hanging upside down is not our cup of tea, but it's part of the daily routine for Greater Flying-Foxes. Photo by guide Doug Gochfeld.
Guide Jay VanderGaast, with three kids at home himself, clearly was a magnet for these Papuan children checking out what was going on. Photo by guide Doug Gochfeld.
Look at the amazing occipital plumes on this male King-of-Saxony Bird-of-Paradise! Photo by guide Doug Gochfeld.
A Madarasz's Tiger-Parrot forages on a mossy bank. Photo by participant Betsy Fulmer.
Avian cotton candy: A male Raggiana Bird-of-Paradise in full display. Photo by participant Betsy Fulmer.
A male Ribbon-tailed Astrapia takes flight—that tail is about three feet long! Photo by participant Betsy Fulmer.
The big Rufous Owl always has a somewhat surprised look with those golden eyes. Photo by guide Doug Gochfeld.
Huli Wigmen in full finery, with hornbill beaks and the amazing feathers of birds-of-paradise, cassowaries, and lorikeets. Photo by participant Betsy Fulmer.
Next stop is one of our East Africa Highlights tours to Kenya & Tanzania with Terry Stevenson. Here's a Brown Snake-Eagle by participant Jean Rigden.
A Cheetah at rest in the shade, by participant Mary Krentz.
Crested Francolin is a particularly handsome species, with that fine pattern on its neck. Photo by participant Jean Rigden.
Fischer's Lovebirds bring a huge flash of color to a drinking pool. Photo by participant Jean Rigden.
The visage of a Kori Bustard. Photo by participant Mary Krentz.
A three-headed Lion? Triple trouble. Photo by participant Jean Rigden.
There was a female nearby, and this male Ostrich was doing his best to impress, waving wings and neck. Photo by participant Jean Rigden.
A Rufous-tailed Weaver by participant Becky Bradley.
Rufous-naped Lark showing off a very scaly pattern. Photo by participant Jean Rigden.
We had fine daylight looks at this Verreaux's Eagle-Owl. Photo by participant Jean Rigden.
White Rhinoceros with young (and oxpeckers). Photo by participant Mary Krentz.
Few birds have other animals as their "habitat," but Yellow-billed Oxpeckers do. Photo by participant Jean Rigden.
A Grayish Eagle-Owl blends into its surroundings. Photo by participant Jean Rigden.
Switching continents, we head to the Southwest and one of our two Arizona's Second Spring trips. Here's some mountain alpenglow by guide Chris Benesh.
This positioning is why Montezuma Quail can be hard to see..!. Photo by guide Chris Benesh.
Gotta be one of the great vistas in the US: the entrance to Cave Creek Canyon in SE Arizona. Photo by participant Annette Mathes.
Rose-throated Becard was a highlight rarity on the tour. Photo by guide Chris Benesh.
Here's a great view of the bill profile of a Thick-billed Kingbird. Photo by guide Chris Benesh.
Tufted Flycatcher was another exciting rarity find for this Arizona trip. Photo by guide Chris Benesh.
Western Screech-Owl made an appearance. Photo by guide Chris Benesh.
As did this Yellow-breasted Chat, which was fully aglow. Photo by guide Chris Benesh.
Here we see the Turkey Vulture-like profile of a Zone-tailed Hawk--but the pattern on wings and tail, the yellow feet, and the bigger head give it away.. Photo by guide Chris Benesh.
Let's go briefly off-tour: Here, guide Dan Lane provides ladder service for a young eclipse enthusiast who came by. Quite a few Field Guides folks went to watch the full eclipse in Wyoming before our annual meeting.
Tom Johnson tests the eclipse-viewing equipment by projecting through the scope on Doug Gochfeld's shirt, minutes before the full coverage.
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