An excerpt from Peter Alden's memoir: My Wild Life, Chapter 7 Nearly every eco traveler has the Galápagos Islands on his or her top-ten bucket list, and for good reasons. Located 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, the archipelago is home to iconic species like giant tortoises, marine iguanas, Blue-footed Boobies, and Darwin’s finches, all living in habitats that are remarkably untouched by human development. What makes the Galápagos especially appealing is how fearless and a

A recap of Spark Birding’s nature safari to witness “the greatest wildlife spectacle on Earth” Our safari vehicle pulled over to the side of the road. At first glance, we saw the enormous flow of zebra and wildebeest herds grazing across the vast Serengeti plain. A lone vulture circled above, then another. Slowly, the camouflaged head of a lion rose slowly from the tall grass. The giant herd froze. The hunt was on. As the scene unfolded, it became clear that the circle of lif

A Small Team Set the Standard for Eco-Adventures Mass Audubon Travel and Tours group in Kenya in 1980 Jacquie Manley Colman of Acton, MA remembers a moment 50 years ago when she had just returned from Venezuela on her first international birding trip. At that time, Venezuela was not only safe for Americans, it was an emerging birding destination. Manley was working for the pioneering Mass Audubon Travel and Tours program. Her colleagues, Peter Alden and Chris Leahy, would d

Peter Alden’s upcoming memoir will feature stories from his pioneering nature journeys the world over. This chapter takes us into the jungles of South America to find new exotic species. Warning: Peter and his group end up having to spend a night in a house of ill repute! Scarlet Ibis, Orinoco River, Venezuela By Peter Alden South America is known as the bird continent, hosting more species than any of the other continents. There are over 11,000 bird species in the world, and

A new film by Owen and Quentin Reiser Until a friend recommended the new feature documentary, Listers , I hadn’t seen a decent birding film that riveted me. Listers , by Owen and Quentin Reiser, is a wild, funny, and unexpectedly heartfelt look at what happens when two brothers decide to do something totally ridiculous: tackle a Big Year across the Lower 48 states with no birding experience. It’s a spoof that will entice you to learn more about the curious world of birds. A "

Plum Island and Parker River Field Trip 9/20/25 Peter Alden and Lillian Stokes guided us on an early autumn outing to see migrating shorebirds at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. The weather was perfect. Highlights including viewing Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, and an American Avocet in winter plumage. Bird photos courtesy of Lillian Stokes and Tony Troppito.

Peter Alden’s upcoming memoir will feature stories from his pioneering nature journeys the world over. This chapter follows his Arizona...

American Redstart in Flight | Photo by Tom Johnson Imagine you're a bird leaving your cozy nest for the very first time. You’ve...