BIRDING THE WORLD:
PERSONAL TRIP CHRONOLOGY
Don Roberson
INTERNATIONAL BIRDING TRIPS

This is a summary of my international birding trips. As I was born and still live in California, I do not include the continental 48 states of the United States, or southern Canada, among "international" travel. Various non-birding trips with my father and sister (e.g., a 1969 world tour or various SCUBA diving vacations with my dad) that were not primarily bird trips are listed; I was only a casual birder in 1969 but during later trips I did search for all birds that could be found at each locale. The remaining trips were focused birding, and sometimes mammal, trips although they may have included visits to historical or cultural sites. I do include trips to Alaska, Hawaii, and Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, as "foreign" birding trips. In the last column, all my lifer totals are NIB [= "No Introduced Birds" are included]. All my daily checklists on all trips are entered in eBird.

 
Destination
Month/Year
Length
Companions (for tours approx. no. participants)
Birds recorded
DR lifers
Western Europe Trip
England, Germany, Liechtenstein,
Austria, Italy, San Marino & Vatican, Monaco, France,
Belgium, Netherlands

photo: Yellow-billed Chough

 July-Aug
1969		 30-day tour with just
casual birding

with non-birding father & sister when I
was 17 years old. I had binoculrrs and a small
'point-and-shoot' camera. I identifed
birds at tourist sites we visited, incidentally at lodgings, or during travel. I had one focused birding afternoon alone
in the Bois de Bologne, Paris

 35 33

COLOMBIA
w & c Andes, plus Leticia &
adjacent Brazil on Amazon
River, and Cayaru River, Peru

photo: Amazon River at sunset
July 1975
20 days
group of Bay Area, California, friends
organized by Van Remsen:
Alan Baldridge, Gordon Bolander, Mike Parmeter, Ted & Zoe Chankik, Garth Alton, and John & Susanne Luther; one day
guided by Steve Hilty
487
465

Round-the-World Trip
England, Iran, India, Nepal, Japan, Guam, Truk, Ponape, Hawaii

photo: local at Persepolis ruins
Aug 1978
4 week world tour
with only 7-8 days
of birding
Non-birding father & sister; 2 days in India w/Raj Singh, 1 day in Nepal with R.L. Fleming, Sr.,
focused birding on Truk and Ponape
178
62


Caribbean
Grand Cayman, U.S. Virgin Is., Cozumel I.

photo: Banded Shrimp
Aug-Sep 1979
3 week diving trip
with only a few
days of birding
My father
115
36

Attu I. & St. Lawrence I.
& parts of mainland
ALASKA

photo: birders on Attu Island
May-June 1980
24 days
Attour tour (40), incl. leaders Dan Gibson, Thede Tobish, Ben King & others
169
44

San Salvador, Bahamas

photo: French Grunt
 Nov 1980,
May 1983
2 trips, each a week diving, with only a bit of birding
My father & sister
55
3

central & eastern
PANAMA

photo: Don & local with
captive sloth
Jan 1981
15 days
GGAS tour (12) w/ Chris Carpenter, Joe Morlan, J.M. Langham; local guide Jaime Pujals
342
164

England, Israel & Sinai

photo: Palestine Sunbird
Oct-Nov 1981
16 days
My father & sister on diving trip; 1 day in U.K. w/J. Marchant; 9 days in Israel & Sinai (day w/ B.Oddie, D.Hunt, K.Mullarney)
178
62
KENYA

see
Trip Report

photo: Leopard
Nov 1981
23 days
Steve Wilson
560
505

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

photo: Steve, Don, and Chris
at Lesser Bird of Paradise lek

Oct 1983
16 days 
(plus 4 days diving Madang before birding trip)

Steve Wilson, Chris Spooner;
sev. days w/Brian Fitch, day w/Peter Kaestner

313
234

eastern & southern
AUSTRALIA

photo: Regent Bowerbird

Nov 1983

continuation
of previous trip

13 days
(plus 21 days diving Great Barrier Reef
before birding trip)
Steve Wilson, Chris Spooner; (plus day in Sept w/car full of local Sydney birders)
337
261
VENEZUELA
including pre-tour week in
Tepuis of southeast
Jan 1985
22 days
Jeri Langham, Shawn Hayes, Mike Lippsmeyer (first 8 days); GGAS tour (6) led by Langham (last 14 days)
554
222

Bonaire,
Netherlands Antilles

photo: Lizardfish
Aug 1985
1 week SCUBA diving with 1 day birding
My father & sister
46
2

El Triunfo, Chiapas,
MEXICO

photo: trail to El Triunfo
Apr 1986
10 days
Vent tour (15)
led by Victor Emanuel, Kevin Zimmer
204
59

Sinaloa & Nayarit,
MEXICO

photo: Tufted Jay
Feb 1987
8 days
Bob & Rose Tintle, Robin Abbey
145
32

PERU
Paracas, c. Andes, and
Amazon Basin in northeast at
ExplorNapo & southeast
at Explorer's Inn

photo: Machu Picchu
June 1987
23 days
Bob Tintle, Dan Singer, Donna Lion, Robin Abbey
494
202

Churchill, Manitoba,
CANADA

photo: Ross's Gull
June 1988
6 days
Robin Abbey
68
3

BORNEO
Sabah, Malaysia

photo: Chestnut-crested Yuhina
Aug 1988
11 days
alone
141
128

SUMATRA, JAVA & BALI
Indonesia

photo: Green Peafowl

Aug 1988

continuation
of previous trip
19 days
Kingbird tour (7)
led by Ben King, Dennis Yong
201
128

EASTERN TROPICAL PACIFIC
w/ 5 days Hawaii; stops at
Santa Cruz I., Galapagos &
Cocos I.; 5 days Costa Rica;
5 days Ecuador

photo: NOAA ship McArthur
Aug-Nov 1989
4 months on research cruise; brief port calls monthly
As a seabird observer aboard
NOAA ship McArthur w/8 others
82 at sea
298 on land
25 at sea
63 on land
PHILIPPINES
Luzon, Palawan, Bohol, Cebu, Mindanao

see Trip Report

photo: Philippine Eagle
Feb-Mar 1990
27 days
Kingbird tour (6) led by Ben King,
joined by Tim Fisher at Mt. Katanglad camp
276
148

Netherlands

photo: Siberian Stonechat
Oct 1991
6 days
Attend Euro rarities committees mtg on Texel; 50+ hotshots present but mostly w/Graham Catley, Andreas Berg
95
12

northern & eastern
ECUADOR
(incl. week at La Selva Lodge)

photo: La Selva Lodge
Apr 1992
14 days
Rita Carratello
321
54

SEYCHELLES

photo: Seychelles Magpie-Robin
Nov 1992
5 days
Field Guides tour (8) led by Rose Ann Rowlett & Terry Stevenson; w/Rita Carratello et al.
36
14

MADAGASCAR

photo: Madagascar Pygmy-Kingfisher

Nov-Dec 1992

continuation
of previous trip

17 days
Continuation of tour (now 12) led by Jan Pierson +; w/Rita Carratello
163
127

MAURITIUS & REUNION

photo: Mauritius Kestrel

Dec 1992

continuation
of previous trip
6 days
Continuation of tour (12) with Bret Whitney, T. Stevenson+;
w/Rita Carratello
27
17

IRIAN JAYA
New Guinea [Indonesia]

photo: market day in Wamena
July 1994
26 days
J. Spencer tour led by S.F. Bailey & Will Betz; w/ Rita Carratello, Mark Sokol, Laney Langlois, John Rothman & Bill Keener
270
76

Oaxaca & western Veracruz,
MEXICO

photo: Bochard's Wren
Dec 1995
12 days
Rita Carratello, Bob & Rose Tintle
207
28
GABON

see
Trip Report

photo: African Pied Hornbill
July 1996
15 days 
ABA tour (6) led by Ian Sinclair & Patrice Christy; w/Rita Carratello, Bill Bouton +
281
179

SAO TOME e PRINCIPE

photo: Principe Golden Weaver & nest

July 1996

continuation
of previous trip
6 days
Continuation of preceding tour
47
23

eastern
SOUTH AFRICA

photo: Nyala

July-Aug 1996

post-tour extension
of previous trip
by just Rita & me

10 days
Rita Carratello
143
37

NEW ZEALAND (North I.), e & s AUSTRALIA, NEW CALEDONIA

photo: Kagu
Dec 1997-Jan 1998
18 days
Rita Carratello
1 day w/ Yves Letocart in New Caledonia, 2 days w/Phil Maher in N.S.W.
295
72

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
& PUERTO RICO

photo: Palmchat
Jan 1999
7 days
Rita Carratello
88
33

southwestern & central
BRAZIL
[Pantanal & Rio Cristalino]

photo: Hyacinth Macaw
Aug 1999
17 days
Rita Carratello
Pantanal part guided by Paulo Boute
401
130

LESSER ANTILLES
[St. Lucia, Dominica, St. Vincent, Grenada, 1 day Puerto Rico]

photo: Purple-throated Carib
Mar 2000
10 days
Font tour (6)
led by Armas Hill & locals
Donald Anthony, Bertrand John-Baptiste +
109
28
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

see
Trip Report

photo: feral Dromedary Camel
Mar 2001
5 days
Rita Carratello, Dan Singer, Steve Bailey
half-day with Colin  Richardson
128
22
northwestern & northeastern 
INDIA
[Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan,
Assam]

see Trip Report

photo: Ibisbill
Mar-Apr 2001
25 days
Rita Carratello, Dan Singer, Steve Bailey
plus local guides arranged by Raj Singh
421
163

southwestern
England

photo: Rita & Don get engaged

Apr 2001

extension of
previous trip
5 days but only 1 day birding

Rita Carratello
1 day w/local Neil Lukes

~50
2
El Triunfo, Chiapas,
MEXICO

see
Trip Report

photo: Horned Guan
Mar 2002
10 days
Vent tour (19)
led by Victor Emanuel,
Greg Lasley, Brad Boyle
230
10
UGANDA

see
Trip Report

photo: Shoebill
July 2002
15 days
Rita Carratello
with driver/guide
Hassan Mutebi & local guides as needed
392
90

northern
TANZANIA
with brief stop in Kenya

photo: Serval
Aug 2002

continuation
of previous trip
14 days
Rita Carratello
11 days in Tanzania w/John & Elaine Sorensen;
driver/guide
Yoda Mkai
305
23
BORNEO
Sabah & Sarawak, Malaysia

see Trip Report

photo: Golden-naped Barbet
July-Aug 2003
25 days
Rita Carratello
sev. local guides, especially Wangkong Intel
at Borneo Rainforest Lodge
240
41
northern CHINA
[Manchuria & Qinghai Plateau]

see Trip Report

photo: Mongolian Ground-Jay
June 2004
20 days
Sunbird tour (8)
led by Paul Holt; w/David Fisher et al.
244
93
southwestern AFRICA
South Africa, Namibia, Botswana

see Trip Report

photo: White-tailed Shrike
July 2005
29 days
Rita Carratello
private Rockjumper tour
with Richard White
282
114
PHILIPPINES
Luzon, Mindoro, Palawan, Negros, Bohol, Cebu, Mindanao

see Trip Report

photo: Wattled Broadbill
Dec 2005 –
Jan 2006
30 days
private tour led by Tim Fisher
with Blake Matheson, Jon & Anne King,
Volker Schmidt
308
[group total ~345]
48

TRINIDAD

photo: Trinidad Piping-Guan
Dec 2006
3 days
Rita Carratello
and guide David Ramlal for 1 day
95
6

COSTA RICA

see trip report

photo: White-throated Mountain-Gem
Dec 2007
12 days
Rita Carratello
local guides at times: Alex Martinez, Kevin Martinez, Kenneth Alfonso, Abram Gallo, Luis Sandoval
285+
39

AUSTRALIA
southwest, Red Centre & Tasmania

see trip report

photo: Western Spinebill
Aug 2008
20 days

Rita Carratello
plus Murray Lord in Tasmania & Sydney

183
44

northern North I.,
NEW ZEALAND

see trip report

photo: New Zealand Storm-petrel
Nov 2009
5 days
alone
but for Derek & Carol Detlef
as kiwi guides
one night, plus pelagic trip
53
4

South
AUSTRALIA
[Birdsville Track & more]

see trip report

photo: Inland Dotterel

Nov 2009

continuation
of previous trip
5 days
South Australia tour led by
Peter Waanders
with Murray Lord & Bruce Wedderburn
129
29

southern
BRAZIL
Pantanal & Emas

see trip report

photo: Jaguar
late July
2010
11 days
Rita Carratello, Dan Singer, Chris Tenney
private tour led by Marcelo Padua
252
30

southeastern
BRAZIL
Intervales & Itatiaia

see trip report

photo: Star-throated Antwren

late July –
early Aug 2010

continuation
of previous trip
8 days
Rita Carratello, Dan Singer, Chris Tenney
private tour led by Edson Endrigo
218
129

central
CHINA
Qingling Mountains

see trip report

photo: Crested Ibis
Nov 2010
10 days
INDRI tour (9)
led by Simon Bellingham
94
28

Panti Forest
MALAYSIA

photo: Banded Woodpecker
Sep 2011
1.5 days
Kim Lim Seng (local guide), Brian Beers
42
6

SULAWESI &
HALMAHERA
Indonesia

see BirdTourAsia trip report

photo: Moluccan Owlet-nightjar

Sep–Oct 2011

continuation of
preceding trip
21 days
private BirdTourAsia trip
led by Rob Hutchinson
with Lois & Wally Goldfrank, Jude Power, Brian Beers
263
128

HAWAII
Maui, Oahu, Hawaii

see trip report

photo: Hawaiian Goose
Dec 2011 –
Jan 2012
8 days
Rita Carratello
local guides Chuck Probst
& Jack Jeffrey on 2 days
56
2

ALASKA
Denali, Kenai, and Katmai
National Parks

photo: Brown Bear
June-July 2012
9 days
Rita Carratello,
John & Elaine Sorensen
81

0
but 3 new mammals

central
THAILAND

photo: Orange-headed Thrush
Dec 2012
12 days
Rita Carratello, with private
guide Nik Upton
310
73

SVALBARD

photo: Polar Bear
July 2013
9 days
Rita Carratello
aboard a Plancius cruise
25
1
but 3 new mammals

Norway & Netherlands
brief visits to Oslo & Amsterdam
enroute to and from Svalbard

photo: European Redstart
July 2013
3 days
Rita Carratello
37
0

GHANA

see Rockjumper
trip report

photo: White-necked Rockfowl
Nov-Dec 2013
24 days
Rockjumper tour
led by David Erterius and local
guide Paul Mensah, with
John Baker, Dotty Robbins,
and Janet Schumacher
459
124

LADAKH, India

photo: Blue Sheep
Oct-Nov 2014
11 days
Rockjumper tour (8)
led by David Erterius
44
6

northern PERU
mostly San Martin, Amazonas

photo: Scarlet-banded Barbet

Nov 2014
12 days
Rita Carratello
on private tour led by
Saturnino Llactachuaman
and local guides at times
310
63

Maui, Hawaii

photo: Akohekohe
March 2015
3 days
Blake Matheson
with local guides
Teia Schwiezer, Chuck Probst
22
2

southeast Queensland, AUSTRALIA

photo: Magpie Goose
Sep 2016
5 day
Rita Carratello
with local birder Mat Gilfedder
on 2 days in Brisbane area
134
5

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

see
Rockjumper tour report
that includes some of my photos

photo: Blue Bird of Paradise
Sep 2016
10 days
Rita Carratello with
Rockjumper tour (8)
led by Adam Walleyn
and local guides
213
17

Dominican Republic

very short visit
enroute to Cuba
photo: Eastern Chat-tanager

Feb 2017

2 days
private, single-goal tour
[for chat-tanager]
with Mael Moisan
and local guides
22
3

CUBA

photo: Cuban Trogon

Feb 2017

continuation of
preceding trip

8 days
Rita Carratello with
Rockjumper tour (8)
led by Chris Sharpe
and local guides
159
32

JAMAICA

photo: Jamaican Tody

Feb 2017

continuation of
preceding trip

6 days
Rita Carratello with
Rockjumper tour (10)
led by Chris Sharpe
and local guides
92
27

north and northeastern
TANZANIA

photo: Red-and-yellow Barbet
Sep 2018
12 days
Rita Carratello on
private tour led by
Anthony Raphael
of Tanzania Birding tours
343
34

Assam
INDIA
pre-trip extension to
next trip

photo: Great Hornbill

Mar 2019
5 days
Rockjumper tour (11)
led by David Erterius,
André Bernon, and local
guides
215
5

BHUTAN

photo: Himalayan Monal

 Mar-Apr 2019 18 days Rockjumper tour (10)
led by David Erterius,
André Bernon, and local
guides 		320 88

mostly southern
TANZANIA

photo: White-tailed Cisticola

 July 2021 14 days Rita Carratello on
private tour led by
Anthony Raphael
of Tanzania Birding tours 		286 28

central & eastern
PANAMA

photo: Dusky-backed Jacamar

 Feb 2022 14 days Rita Carratello &
Terence Degan on
private tour led by
Edwin Campbell
of WhiteHawk tours		 322 24

ARGENTINA

photo: Magellanic Plover

 Nov 2022 15 days Rita Carratello on
private tour organized by
Birding Ecotours, with local
guides Alejandro Baranchetti,
Alejandro Capelli, Esteban
Daniels & Diego Oscar		 308 104

COLOMBIA
western, central &
eastern Andes

photo: Multicolored Tanager

 July 2023 13 days Rita Carratello on private tour
with Edwin Campbell of
WhiteHawk tours; UAL delays
wiped out 1st day		 406 60

EGYPT
Nile cruise

photo: White-crowned Wheatear

 March 2024 8 days

Rita Carratello on public tour and
Nile cruise with Great European Travel
(vacation trip not a birding trip)

58 3

INDONESIA
Flores, Komodo, Bali, Sumatra

photo: Bali Myna

 July 2024 12 days Rita Carratello, Jana Shaker &
Mark Chappell on private tour by
Rockjumper Tours, with Raja Sumaraja
as primary guide, with local guides
on each island
204 47

PHOTOS: All photos on this page are © Don Roberson; all rights reserved.

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Page created 8-10 Dec 2001, last updated 1 Feb 2025