Tour Information
Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for Tours to Minnesota and North Dakota. Its purpose is solely to give readers a sense of what might be involved if they took this tour. Although we do our best to make sure 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-United States 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.
HEALTH: Birdwatching in Minnesota poses no major health hazards. Biting insects can be numerous on several of the mornings and evenings. Mosquitoes are the major adversary, although we will also encounter blackflies. We can expect wood ticks at a few locations, and deer ticks are present in small numbers in Aitkin County.
PACE OF THE TOUR: The sun rises early and sets late at this northern latitude. As a result we will be rising very early each morning in order to maximize our birding opportunities. There will also be several late evenings during the course of the tour although evening forays will always be optional. We’ll make every effort to mitigate the effects of these long days by scheduling time to rest in our motels before supper. There will be moderate to long drives between destinations on several days. This time spent in the van can also be used to nap. As a rule breakfasts and lunches will either be purchased in advance or will be taken in sandwich shops and will either be eaten on the road or in the field. With unforeseen exceptions suppers will be relaxed sit-down affairs in restaurants near the motels.
All walking will be gentle along well-maintained gravel roads and trails. The exception will be walking in the McGregor Marsh (IF we do so whether- we do or not will depend upon how deeply into the marsh Yellow Rails are heard to be and we do not venture in every year) which is strenuous. If we do venture into the marsh we will be walking in ankle- to knee-deep water across hummocks which will require being able to lift your feet relatively high and set each down again on potentially unstable substrate, balancing ability and stamina (although the pace will be slow). Forays into the marsh are always optional and this is not for everybody.
CLIMATE: Early mornings may be as cool as 35-40º F (-4º C) in some locations with temperatures warming to 65-90º F (18-32° C) during the day. On rare occasions, we have experienced highs only in the 50s F (10-16° C) to as high as 103F. Rain is possible anytime and we can expect it at some point during the tour (though it is usually brief).
ACCOMMODATIONS: We will be staying in comfortable standard motels throughout the trip, all within close walking distance of a restaurant or restaurants.
DRESS: Informal throughout.
TRANSPORTATION: Travel will be by fifteen-passenger van or minvan, depending on the size of the group.
SMOKING: Smoking is prohibited in vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklist sessions, etc. If you are sharing a room with a non-smoker please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field we ask that you smoke well away from the group and downwind.
GENERAL INFORMATION & CONDITIONS OF WINGS TOURS: Please take a moment to read the WINGS General Information & Conditions. This section contains important information about how we conduct tours, e.g., what is included in the tour price, refund and cancellation policies, pace of the tours and other information that will help you prepare for the tour.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A more complete General Information for Tours to Minnesota and North Dakota will be sent to each registrant on receipt of their booking. Final information with instructions for meeting the group, hotel addresses, etc., will be mailed about three weeks before trip departure. Other news will be communicated as necessary. If you have any questions, please let us know.
Updated: July 2011