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september, 2018

10sep(sep 10)8:47 AM20(sep 20)9:47 PMCuba bird survey hosted by PIB/ABA September 10thSold Out

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My ten-day tour with Arturo Jr, my first organized birding tour outside the U.S., was well represented and organized. What called my attention to it was being in the “out back” of Cuba, seeing the countryside and getting to know the people outside of the cities. I was not disappointed. At every destination, we had lovely experiences awaiting us, delightful Casas particulares – similar to B and Bs in the States_ with gracious hosts and charming accommodations. Arturo has a wonderful network of people prepared to allow his “charges” to have the most all-encompassing experience possible in Cuba, be it birding, local products, city tours, restaurants or anything else.

Arturo is persistent in that he perseveres in finding, not only as many birds as possible but those elusive ones as well. It is nice to see someone passionate about what he does yet with a warm and caring attitude. His English is great but he is always willing to learn the latest slang, descriptive phrase or joke.

For a successful birding tour of Cuba, I highly recommend Arturo, you will encounter so much more than just the birds.

Betty in Denver Colorado

Cuban Tour Oct 2017
Birders

After a truly wonderful trip to Cuba led by Arturo (Jr.), I can’t sing his praises highly enough. As I expected, the guiding was superb. It was all the extra efforts to make the trip as enjoyable as possible that really made a difference. In addition to fantastic bird watching, we had culture, sightseeing, and even some live music, making it a memorable trip in a myriad of ways. I hope to be able to revisit Cuba one day and would hope to again have Arturo as a guide!

Patricia

Birding trip to Cuba
Birders

I cannot say enough about the fantastic birding in Cuba, thanks to our guide Arturo Kirkconnell, Jr. Arturo made sure that we all heard the calls, saw the birds and were able to get good photos as well. Arturo has great contacts and was able to put us on even the most reticent birds. The accommodations were very good, the food excellent & plentiful and the country beautiful. I was able to add 57 birds to my life list and we saw over 150 species in our time there. Kirkconnell Birds set up an amazing 10 day trip for us and I would highly recommend them!

Cuba Birding
Birders

What a great time I had birding in Cuba! The birds are stunning – from the diminutive bee hummingbird to the endless flocks of flamingos, they will take your breath away. Exploring the countryside to find these birds was equally thrilling. Our guide, Arturo Jr., took us on a journey across this stunning landscape to locate almost every Cuban and West Indian endemic possible. He went the extra mile to find me a mangrove cuckoo! All in all, I had 60 life species while there! Come with an appetite. The Cubans love to feed you amazing, wholesome, home-cooked fare in very large portions. This is just a fabulous trip and I would recommend it – just don’t bring a dry bag ; ).

Kathy Minch

Cuba birding just a blast
Birders

My sister and I signed up for this Cuba birding tour from a site we found on the Internet. What we hoped for was to see a few Cuban endemics and maybe add in some snorkeling. What we got was way beyond our expectations. Our companions (luck of the draw) were hilarious. Our driver, Hernan, was skilled, especially at dodging potholes. Our accommodations and victuals were varied and interesting. And the Cuban countryside, culture, and companeros were superlative. Best of all was our guide, Arturo. He knows every bird’s secret hiding place and they seem to appear upon his command, a genuine bird whisperer. Our ten days in Cuba in summary: good food, great company, birds and more birds, some beautiful fish and just a rollicking good time. Wish we had signed up for longer.

Ellen Przyuski

April 2 to 12, 2017 Cuba trip
Birders

Arturo: I am not very good at the computer thing, and could not get the reference you sent for the testimonies to work on my computer. But I wanted for sure to send you a message of thanks for one of the best trips of my life (and my sister’s too) We have been to many birding festivals and on guided trips in other places, but none like the one we went on with you. It seemed nearly miraculous that every day you would tell us what the target birds for the next day would be– and then march us out to whatever surrounding terrain there was, and there were just exactly those birds, plus many others! So many new birds, plus lots of information about their habits and habitat. You were amazingly patient with us rather novice birders, helpful to our photographer friend, and really good with our fellow traveller expert. Finally, we were very pleased with our accommodations and if anything overfed! The only place we were less happy was the final resort, which seemed a bit overdone to us; but I understand that the ordinary accommodations are not available there, plus we really loved the snorkeling trips and you and the others seemed very happy there. All in all a wonderful trip, way beyond our hopes and expectations. I am sending your website to other birders I know in the hopes that more people will want to join you in the future. Ellie and I hope to meet up with you in October when you come to the US. Please let us know where and when if you can.

Muchas Gratias!

Fran OReilly

Thanks for the wonderful trip
Birders

I had a great time visiting Cuba with Arturo. We had great views of lots of endemics. The places we stayed at were great and the food was always delicious. The driver of our van was friendly and got us safely to where ever we needed to go. There was time to visit museums, old cities, gardens and the beach which made it extra enjoyable. Going into the swamp and seeing the Zapata Wren and Sparrow was especially exciting. Getting great views and photos of the Bee Hummingbird near Playa Giron was a true pleasure.

Loren Hintz
BIrders

What a wonderful tour! Arturo’s keen eyes and ears led us to see so many endemics. His knowledge made the journey a true cultural learning experience. His humor put all of us in a good mood no matter how early in the morning we were off to bird.

Thank you so much!!

Our Birding Trip By Thomas Carlisle April 2017
Birders

My husband and I enjoyed a wonderful first-time trip to Cuba in early February. Thanks to Arturo’s lifelong experience with local habitats and species’ ranges, we were able to document even some of the most uncommon endemics. His sharp eye and persistence yielded sightings of species that we would otherwise have missed entirely. Since Arturo is himself a great bird photographer, he naturally steered the photographers in our group into spots providing optimal lighting and proximity to get the best possible photos. In addition to the birding, Arturo arranged fine lodging for us, and took us to restaurants spanning the spectrum of Cuban food. He also served as our cultural guide, answering our questions on Cuban customs, culture, and history. I felt like we were able to see and do a lot in our short time in Cuba and would like to do it again.

Thanks so much for this great adventure!

Mindy and Doug

February 2017 Cuba Trip
Birders

I have so enjoyed reading the testimonials posted by other birders who, like me, have so thoroughly enjoyed a birding experience with Arturo! Everything that the others have said applies equally to my trip in Cuba February 1-10, 2017. Arturo is such an incredibly talented birder (and photographer), locating and identifying the endemic and migratory birds by song and sight and sharing his knowledge of their habitat and habits. By my count, our small group of five saw 146 species in eight days. Arrangements for lodging and meals were excellent, and the support offered by Adrian and our driver Miguel were most welcome. I also enjoyed learning about life in Cuba today and the care and oversight to protect and conserve Cuba’s extensive national park system. I highly recommend Kirkconnell Birds and Partnership for International Birding for a fascinating and rewarding birding experience in Cuba!

Deedee

Birding with Arturo Jr (February 2017)
Birders

Arturo Kirkconnell Jr

Photographer, Tour Leader & Founder

Arturo Kirkconnell Jr, born and race in Havana Cuba, he studied Computer Science, but since the age of 12 he has been birding and traveling through all the country with his father Arturo Kirkconnell, participating in many of his expedition and bird research as his field assistant. The first tour he leads was for British…

Arturo Kirkconnell

Tour Leader & Founder

Arturo Kirkconnell is the bird curator at the National Museum of Natural History of Cuba. His curriculum vitae includes 77 scientific papers and he is the co-author of two books: A Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba, and A Birdwatchers’ Guide to Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and the Caymans. At present he is working in…

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