News

My daughter, Natalia, and I were interviewed for the PBS TV show, America's Heartland, with cameo appearances by John Luther, Todd Easterla and Lisa Jorgensen.  We talked about birding in rice fields in the Central Valley.  It first aired on January 23rd, 2013 (episode #819).  Watch the segment online at http://www.americasheartland.org/episodes/episode_819/rice_and_wildlife.htm

I will be the Leica Sports Optics representative at bird festivals in California, so come by the booth and attend my field trips to view the fancy optics.

My photos of Large-billed Savannah Sparrow and Alameda Song Sparrow have been published in a great paper on sparrow ecology by my friend and former boss (Russ Greenberg) at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center: read the paper at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.474/full

My California County Birding mapping system was cited in Susan Schneider's book, "The Science of Consequences: How they affect genes, change the brain and impact our world", published by Prometheus Books this year.

I was interviewed for the Cache Creek Nature Preserve's multimedia program at http://www.restorerestory.org/storytellers/john-sterling

The next Panama tour on will be from February 1-19, 2014. Click on Panama Tour tab above for details.  The tour in 2012 was a great success with 350 species including Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo, Black-crowned Antpitta, Violaceous Quail-Dove on nest, Pheasant Cuckoo, Sunbittern, Spectacled Owl family, Common Potoo, White-tipped Sicklebill, Tody Motmot, and Stripe-cheeked Woodpecker!  While I cannot promise all of these species, we'll have great opportunities to find them.  See new photos in photo gallery. 

Colombia Tour in 2014: March 30- April 13th.  Click on tab above for details.  We'll be looking for recently described species as well as numerous other endemics in the Central Andes region.  This will be a golden opportunity to see quite a few birds that were difficult to impossible to see just a decade ago.  Contact me if you are interested as space is limited.  Restricted to 3-4 participants with Diego Calderon as the local birding guide.

Argentina Tour in 2013: Oct 29 - Nov 9 in central and NW Argentina with an extra week extension to NE Argentina.  Click on tab above for details.

Philippine Birds: Two-week Smithsonian research trip to Mindanao with two days on Luzon with Matt Brady in March 2012.  See photo gallery.

Back from the coffee growing region in March 2011, the Gayo Highlands of Aceh Province in northern Sumatra.  Matt Brady and I were there on a quick trip (one week) for the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center to see what birds were in the shade coffee plantations.  Bird photos are on a Featured Gallery on my photo gallery page (click on tab above).

I presented my birds and coffee talk at the Pacific Coast Coffee Roasters Association at the Silverado Resort on September 24th.  This was a wonderfully receptive audience.  I discussed the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center's "Bird Friendly Coffee" program.  See the coffee website at http://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/migratorybirds/coffee/default.cfm

Back from Cali, Colombia.  See photo gallery. 25 lifers among the many bird species that I saw.  Highlights include Cauca Guan, Multicolored Tanager, Gold-chested Tanager, Crested Ant-Tanager, and Red-ruffed Fruitcrow.

Check out new annotated Trinity County list (CA County Birding tab)

Currently working with Audubon Canyon Ranch on obtaining funding for joint research on heron, egret and ibis ecology and conservation in the Central Valley of California.