Holbrook Travel Calendar 2017

2017

A LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT

COSTA RICA |

LEARNING CENTER MOBILE LIBRARY

I recently watched Before the Flood, a powerful documentary film produced in part by Leonardo DiCaprio about climate change. It is an extremely relevant and timely work that I encourage everyone to watch.

As individuals, one of the ways we effect change is by deciding how we want to spend our time, talent, and treasure. It is exciting to be a part of ideas, actions, and plans that point toward a sustainable future. We’d like to share some of those projects and initiatives that are part of the Holbrook community: National Audubon Society created the International Alliances Program, a multi-year effort focused on creating bird-based tourism and offering guide training, equipment, marketing, and other resources to ensure that local communities benefit from our activities.

We are currently offering programs that focus on this initiative in Colombia, Guatemala, and Belize.

Honduras Conservation Tour 2016 happened this year in November.

CONSERVATION BIRDING TOUR

Five birding conservation projects were selected to be funded by the Honduras Birding for Conservation Tour. Donations came from government and private sources, including Holbrook Travel, and will help protect threatened species such as the Honduran Emerald, Three-wattled Bellbird, Scarlet Macaw, Resplendent Quetzal, and Harpy Eagle, among others.

Dear Holbrook Traveler,

At Holbrook, we understand the paradox of bringing travelers to the stunning yet fragile areas of our world while knowing that travel usually requires tremendous energy consumption. For this reason, we believe it is essential that there be agreement on the challenges we face on climate change, both nationally and globally, and support investment in sustainable systems. Agreeing to a price on carbon, for example, is a key solution we can implement.

HONDURAS |

This year at the Sarapiquí Conservation Learning Center (SCLC) we implemented the Mobile Library. With the guidance of the Ministry of Public Education, the Center selected one community in a remote area of the Sarapiquí county called Caño Negro. We visited that community for five months, for two hours per month, and worked with 10 families there to do activities and read out loud.

The culmination of the project involved bringing the families to the Center from Caño Negro for a day of celebration and recognition for their participation in the program. This program was implemented with just over $1,600, which was donated from our annual appeal last year! For 2017 we will do this with two different communities.

COLOMBIA |

BIRD-BASED TOURISM

A hallmark of our new partner program with Audubon is extensive local guide training, a natural extension of Holbrook’s longstanding commitment to community support and sustainability. Pictured here in Colombia, guides are provided advanced levels of training including bird identification, biology, ecology and conservation, guiding ethics, and group management.

Together with others in the tourism community, Holbrook and Selva Verde Lodge & Private Reserve raised a $35,000 donation to support conservation projects in Honduras.

Holbrook continues to offer voluntary Carbon Offsetting. Since we started this program in 2008, 1,079 travelers have offset 3,550 tons of CO2 for a cost of just over $20,000 (not including 2016). This represents roughly 10% of our travelers.

National Audubon’s bird-based tourism initiative links poverty reduction and economic development directly with nature conservation. By building capacity within communities, especially on the edge of protected areas or Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, and working with tour operators and local organizations to support the initiative, we all can make a vast difference for conservation and reduce the loss of habitat and birds.

HONDURAS |

CONSERVATION BIRDING TOUR

Those cited above are only a few of the incredible organizations that we have the pleasure of cooperating with – to say nothing of the amazing work that many of you do in your classrooms, organizations, and communities.

COSTA RICA |

The Sarapiquí Conservation Learning Center (SCLC) is funded through community rural tourism activities. This reforestation activity that so many teachers, students and others have enjoyed fulfills many goals all at the same time. Firstly, as a member of the local committee of the La Selva Biological Sub-Corridor, participants are helping to reforest small, privately owned farms that other reforestation programs don’t touch.

Secondly, the income from the rural tourism activity goes partly into the farmers’ hands and the rest helps to fund the Center.

Finally, it puts a big smile on the face of those that plant. A seed is then planted in their heart and they wonder about their tree long after they have arrived back home.

Though it may take time and willpower, I believe we must take action. I see hope in the way my 13-year-old daughter Agatha views the world with an understanding that our planet is in need of protection.

Finally, thank you for your support of our team, Holbrook Travel and Selva Verde Lodge. On behalf of all of us, we are profoundly grateful for your trust and support. You are part of our family.

If this is a year marked by an unprecedented need for going to the source and seeking solace in nature, reaching out to other cultures, and reconnecting with family and friends – there is nothing like travel and adventure to fulfill that need.

With every good wish,

Andrea Holbrook

REFORESTATION PROJECTS

Five teams took part in the Honduras Birding for Conservation Tour, a friendly birding competition benefitting species conservation, habitat protection, and community education projects. Debbie Sturdivant Jordan, whose team took third place, said, “On the narrow trail, I noticed that we had been joined by a small group of boys. They were so quiet and intent on listening to the forest. En route, via my limited Spanish, the 11-year-olds told me they wanted to be bird guides.”

ABOUT THE IMAGE This lovely Lesser Violetear was perched near the main building at La Savegre Lodge in the central highlands of Costa Rica. It was in perfect light, but the background – windows of a building – was in the shade, a combination that highlights the sparkling green and violet feathers of the Violetear. This was one of those lucky situations that gets photographers and birders up in the morning!

The Lesser Violetear species was formerly the Green Violetear, a species that was split in the most recent taxonomy revisions into Lesser Violetear and Mexican Violetear.

The Lesser Violetear occurs in mountains from southern Central America to northern South America.

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DIXIE SOMMERS

Costa Rica | Birding with Audubon Society of Northern Virginia

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ABOUT THE IMAGE Our trip couldn’t have been more perfect: outstanding bird watching, spectacular photographic opportunities, and unique cultural experiences. I took this photo in the early evening as a tour guide drove by, pointing out the nearby Bacardi Building, a famous art deco landmark in Havana. His eyes never left the road! As dusk approached my camera didn’t have sufficient light to use a fast shutter speed to freeze motion so I decided to try panning with the camera, following the motion of the cars with a slow shutter speed. This technique provided more light for the exposure and produced a slightly blurred background. Problem solved!

Visiting Cuba should be a top priority for anyone with an interest in Caribbean culture and classic American cars. Cuban cars are distinguished by their creative mechanical repairs, and are lovingly maintained as dailydrivers using Cuban “engine-uity.” Cuba: so close in distance, so far away in time!

FEBRUARY 2017 SUNDAY

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DAVID HOITT

Cuba | Birding, Conservation, and Culture

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ABOUT THE IMAGE During a July workshop trip to Costa Rica, we were making a visit to Poás Volcano National Park en route back to San José.

This 8,800-foot stratovolcano lies within two vast calderas and is one of Costa Rica’s most active volcanoes and a breathtaking sight. The cold rain and fog increased as we drove higher, and we feared the worst for our mountain outing. Nearing the top of the mountain our driver spotted a couple of two-toed sloths on the power lines and we stopped to watch like paparazzi! We had seen Great Green and Scarlet Macaws, basilisk lizards, and red-eyed tree frogs, but no sloths. We softly cheered one large beast on as he or she hurried toward the potential mate, but this meeting was not to be. Once they met, the sloth quickly turned around and left as fast as he or she had advanced.

Everyone sighed! What a great sighting, but had we ruined the rendezvous? We’ll never know, but this show was pretty spectacular!

LAURA HARE

MARCH 2017 SUNDAY

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Costa Rica | Rainforest Ecology and Field Science Workshop

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ABOUT THE IMAGE The Kenai Peninsula, south of Anchorage, proved to be a scenic wonder. Towering mountains, aqua-tinted glacier ice, Bald Eagles, and of course, whales! On our boat trip into the Kenai Fjords, we would see a swarm of seabirds on the surface of the sea, followed by a humpback whale surfacing in that very spot! We were so close; water from their blows misted over us. What could top that? We continued south, treated to views of puffins, rafts of Common Murres, and other seabirds. But that was not all. Just as we were about to turn for home, tall fins were spotted. Orca had not been seen in the area for several weeks, but suddenly a pod surfaced near us. They evidently decided to check us out and swam parallel to us for a short time, conveniently on my side of the boat. The pod included several adults, a couple of juveniles, and two babies. One of those babes is spouting in this photo, slightly trailing the adults!

SHERRY KITTRELL

APRIL 2017 SUNDAY

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Alaska | Birding with Seminole Audubon

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ABOUT THE IMAGE It was such a treat to see the many and varied chameleons in Madagascar, but it wasn’t always easy to get the perfect photograph! As bright and colorful as they are, they are often camouflaged and blend well with their surroundings. I was happy to finally capture this shot of the Parson’s chameleon as it moved down the branch without any interfering twigs and leaves to hide its magnificent head.

CINDY CONE CINDY CONE PHOTOGRAPHY

Madagascar | Exploring the Riches of the Red Island

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ABOUT THE IMAGE Collana Corazón is a tiny, manmade island on Lake Titicaca, made out of the very reeds that grow in the lake. The reeds, called totora, serve as land, shelter, and even a source of nutrition for the families that have made their lives on these islands for generations. When our boat arrived, we were greeted by families eager to share their way of life with us—the children especially! They toured us around the island, shared handicrafts with us, and taught us one more secret of totora—that it makes a great landing pad during one of their favorite games, jumping off the reed roof of a structure onto the floating totora below!

TERESA DELFÍN WHITTIER COLLEGE

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Peru | Natural History, Cultural Studies, and Adventure Learning

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ABOUT THE IMAGE I was participating in the Cuba’s Protected Natural Landscape Photo Contest, which brought us to the Topes de Collantes nature reserve. Dr. Hiram González, a prominent Cuban ornithologist, spotted a Cuban Tody, a small, colorful, endemic Cuban bird with a large head. I was able to photograph it in early morning light. To shoot the minnows (below), I attached an underwater WiFi-controlled camera to a selfie stick, which was attached to a tripod.

One of the highlights of the trip was meeting a great group of photographers from various countries, including Cuba.

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STEVEN GRUNFELD

Cuba | Nature Photography Contest: Cuba’s Protected Natural Landscape

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ABOUT THE IMAGE During a once-in-a-lifetime seven-day sailing trip in the Galรกpagos, we had the opportunity to see many unusual and unique species of animals and ecosystems.

Each day was filled with amazing sights I had only seen on nature shows. On Rรกbida Island, we walked along a volcanic trail and saw fur seals feeding their young, Sally Lightfoot crabs scurrying as the sea washed over the rocky shore, marine iguanas sunning on the warm black rocks and others swimming in the sea. A Galรกpagos Hawk soared close by and landed on a nearby outcropping, and Blue-footed Boobies and Magnificent Frigatebirds fished in the sea. As we sat on a lava rock and looked into a very deep tidal pool, a green sea turtle poked its head up out of the water and peered at us as if to ask what we were doing. The morning hike was full of remarkable sightings.

SANDEE HARRADEN SANDEEHARRADEN.COM

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Galรกpagos Islands | Nature and Photography with Reinier Munguia

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ABOUT THE IMAGE A sunrise drive at Sabi Sands, a consortium of private landholdings just outside Kruger Park in eastern South Africa, produced some electrifying action between two leopards. The nine of us were quietly watching this young female leopard from an open safari vehicle.

She had hung what was left of her nyala kill high in a tree, and was lazing with a full belly on a bank at eye level to us. Unbeknownst to us, she caught sight of an old male leopard across a gully. He had come to steal last night’s kill. Her head shot up; her pupils narrowed to pinpoints, and it seemed she was trying to stare a hole in me! The hair on my arms stood up, and I was riveted and more than a little freaked out. The realization that she was watching another cat dawned only after I got the shot. Her golden eyes with seaglass green inner circles; the rising sun playing on her richly spotted pelt; her piercing stare all conspired to make a near-perfect shot.

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JULIE ZICKEFOOSE ARTIST/NATURALIST

South Africa | Birding and Wildlife

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ABOUT THE IMAGE Glacial lagoon near Svéitarfelagio Hornafjörour, Iceland. I was one of a group of six Jacksonville University Alumni (all former biology majors) led by Dr. Quinton White, Executive Director, Jacksonville University Marine Science Research.

CHARLES DUGGINS JR.

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Iceland | Jacksonville University Alumni with Dr. Quinton White

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ABOUT THE IMAGE I decided that 2016 would be my “Year of Cuba.” I joined a group of avid birders on a Holbrook trip in hopes of experiencing as much of the country as possible. Being a travel photographer, my birding skills are fledgling at best but the itinerary fit the bill. We visited diverse habitats, from semideciduous forest to coastal wetlands and sandy beaches. The highlight was our stay at Hacienda La Belén, a livestock-breeding ranch near La Belén National Park. Birding was excellent, with clear views of several endemics. As we hiked the trails in search of birds I found myself lagging behind to watch the cowboys going about their daily lives. Neighbors on horseback stopped to greet each other warmly and chat. People were gracious and welcoming. I felt as if I had stepped back in time to a quieter, less hurried world—into the heartland of Cuba.

JUDY BELLAH BELLAHPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

NOVEMBER 2017 SUNDAY

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Cuba | Birding and Photography with Rick Greenspun

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Image by Todd Gustafson

ABOUT THE IMAGE I love going to the ends of the Earth to find dramatic, uncommon, extraordinarily beautiful subjects. One of those subjects is the clear night sky. It’s fascinating, especially when viewed from remote locations where there is no light pollution. Here, in Namibia, the Milky Way stands out from a velvet backdrop with the stark black shapes of quiver trees in the foreground.

Below: We stood on the edge of a Cape fur seal colony on Namibia’s rugged Atlantic coast. With 180,000 seals it seemed like an easy task to go out there and make great photographs. However, the challenge was to find a scene-within-a-scene—a graphic composition or an action-filled moment that would turn into a powerful photographic image. Hidden in this massive gathering of animals were scenes of conflict, humor, and in this picture, protection and love. Four seal pups nestled against a mother with her flipper snuggling them tells a powerful story.

TODD GUSTAFSON GUSTAFSON PHOTO SAFARI

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Namibia | Gustafson Photo Safari: The Wild Namibia

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JANUARY - COSTA RICA

FEBRUARY - CUBA

MARCH - COSTA RICA

APRIL - ALASKA

MAY - MADAGASCAR

JUNE - PERU

JULY - CUBA

AUGUST - GALÁPAGOS

SEPTEMBER - SOUTH AFRICA

OCTOBER - ICELAND

NOVEMBER - CUBA

DECEMBER - NAMIBIA

ABOUT THE COVER IMAGE Flamingos are among my favorite birds. Long legs, elegantly curved necks, and pastel pink hues make for a beautiful photographic subject.

Making an outstanding photo requires more factors that just a pretty bird. Here we have two flamingos, feeding in the mirror-like surface of one of Namibia’s salt ponds, making it seem as if there are four flamingos. Having soft overcast clouds for beautiful, even light and waiting for them to form dramatic patterns as they feed was the key.

COVER - NAMIBIA

TODD GUSTAFSON | GUSTAFSON PHOTO SAFARI

Gustafson Photo Safari: The Wild Namibia

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