Tour Information
Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for this tour. Its purpose is solely to give readers a sense of what might be involved if they take this tour. Although we do our best to make sure taht what follows here is completely accurate, it should not be used as a replacement for the formal document which will be sent to all tour registrants, and whose contents supersedes any information contained here.
ENTERING THE UNITED STATES: Non-U.S. citizens will need a valid passport and may need a tourist visa. Consult your nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate for details. Canadian citizens should carry proof of citizenship in the form of a passport or birth certificate.
Note: All participants, will be required to present government issued photo I.D. when we board the craft for our boat trips.
PACE OF THE TOUR: All walking is of short to at most moderate (two hours) duration, with no major climbs. We will take numerous short walks, often many in one day. Some trails will be over uneven surfaces, (with exposed tree roots) but the longer walks are on level surfaces (usually dirt roads). Due to very early sunrise, departure times will sometimes be as early as 4:30 or 5:00 AM in order to capture peak bird activity. However, these will be balanced by afternoon siestas whenever possible.
HEALTH: Birdwatching in New Hampshire and Maine poses no major health hazards.
Altitude: We will reach 6200 feet (briefly) when on the top of Mount Washington.
Insects: Black flies, mosquitoes and deerflies may be locally bothersome, depending on rainfall amounts.
Smoking: Smoking is prohibited in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you are sharing a room with a nonsmoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, do so well away and downwind from the group. If any location where the group is gathered has a stricter policy than the WINGS policy, that stricter policy will prevail.
CLIMATE: The weather can vary from very warm (80’s) and humid to possibly cool, wet, and very windy at the top of Mount Washington. We could experience cold (40-50’s) and damp weather on boat trips off the Maine coast and just about everything in between. Rain is possible, especially in the White Mountains. Layered clothing and proper rain gear are essential to accommodate a variety of weather conditions.
ACCOMMODATIONS: We will be staying in comfortable, standard motels throughout the trip. Our hotels have reasonably good Wi-Fi connections. Mobile phone access is very good near our lodging locations but can be intermittent when in the field.
FOOD: We’ll dine in local restaurants where the food is generally American standard except in Maine where lobster and other seafoods are available. Expect several picnic breakfasts and lunches. A few of our favorite lobster restaurants have limited menus, but we will always have food in the cooler to accomodate needs.
Food Allergies / Requirements: We cannot guarantee that all food allergies can be accommodated at every destination. Participants with significant food allergies or special dietary requirements should bring appropriate foods with them for those times when their needs cannot be met. Announced meal times are always approximate depending on how the day unfolds. Participants who need to eat according to a fixed schedule should bring supplemental food. Please contact the WINGS office if you have any questions.
TRANSPORTATION: We will be traveling by 15-passenger window van or minivan, depending on the group size. When using 15-passenger window vans, we will take a maximum of seven passengers plus the leader/driver. Participants should be able to ride in any seat in tour vehicles.
Updated: 17 July 2019