About Me

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Mission, Texas, United States
I'm Tiffany Kersten, a professional bird guide based in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. I spent 2021 traveling, birding, and gifting personal safety alarms to women birders I met on the trails along the way during my Lower 48 States Big Year. In 2022, I founded Nature Ninja Birding Tours, offering customized private tours in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond.

Private Tours

Private Guiding - Texas Day Tours 

Email us at NatureNinjaBirding@gmail.com to inquire about available dates. We are currently booking for all dates through April 2025. A non-refundable deposit is due to reserve the dates, payable by Zelle (tiffanykersten@gmail.com), Venmo (@NatureNinjaBirding), or PayPal (@TiffanyKersten). The remaining balance is due upon completion of the tour, payable by the above methods, or by cash. Check payment details will be sent via email. 

Our team has grown! Check out our guides' bios!

Four, six, and eight hour Birding Tours are now available in the Rio Grande Valley (Starr, Hidalgo, and Cameron Counties), Corpus Christi and Rockport areas, and Austin area. Half day Butterfly Tours are now available in the Rio Grande Valley as well. 

Full Day Birding Tour (8 hours)                                    For 1-3 people: $350. $50 deposit / $300 balance due to guide at the completion of the tour.           For larger groups, add $75 per person, per day.*                                                     Available October through May. 

Three-Quarters Day Birding Tour (6 hours)                For 1-3 people: $300. $50 deposit / $250 balance due to guide at the completion of the tour.           For larger groups, add $50 per person, per day.*                                                     Available October through May.

Half Day Birding Tour (4 hours)                                     For 1-3 people: $250. $50 deposit / $200 balance due to guide at the completion of the tour.           For larger groups, add $25 per person, per day.*                                                                 Available Year-Round 

Half Day Nature Tour (4 hours)                                        For 1-3 people: $200. $50 deposit / $150 balance due to guide at the completion of the tour.                        For larger groups, add $25 per person, per day.*                                                                 Available Year-Round

Half Day Butterfly Tour (4 hours)                                    For 1-3 people: $200. No deposit required due to uncertain cold weather / rain circumstances.                        For larger groups, add $25 per person, per day.*                                                                 Available Year-Round

*Max fee for large groups: $700 per full day, $550 for three-quarters day, or $400 for half day, regardless of size. 

Please review all policies prior to booking, and again prior to your trip! 

Travel Logistics: All private day tours are caravan-style. Your guide will meet you at the first birding site at your decided start time. Please note: We do not carry commercial vehicle insurance and therefore cannot take clients in our personal vehicles. Be sure to plan your trip accordingly. You will NOT need four wheel drive or high clearance for any of the sites in the Rio Grande Valley. 

Guiding Fee: Includes guiding services only; it does not cover your party's site entrance fees, snacks, or meals. 

Food & Drink: We can stop somewhere for a quick lunch, or you can bring snacks or a sack lunch to be eaten onsite at one of the birding sites. Fully up to you! If you would like to stop for lunch, please let your guide know in advance so we can work it into the itinerary in a way that makes sense. 

Attire: Sturdy, closed-toe shoes such as tennis shoes or hiking boots are required. Long pants are recommended for thorny plants and insects, and long-sleeves are also recommended due to insects and sun. A baseball cap or wide brimmed hat is recommended for sun. Dressing in layers is suggested, as we often have cooler mornings and warm afternoons. Rain gear is always a good idea; we sometimes have cool, misty mornings even if rain is not in the forecast. 

Sun / Insects: Sunscreen and bug spray will be available for use, for those who prefer not to travel with it. There are chiggers in the area during warmer weather, but we will do our absolute best to stay out of areas with tall grass. 

Date Changes: In the event you are needing to change your booked date(s) a minimum of one month prior to your scheduled tour, your deposit will be transferred and applied to those dates. Date change requests or cancellations within one month of scheduled date will result in a lost deposit. Deposits are non-refundable and must be used within 12 months of the originally scheduled dates. 

Weather Cancellations: In the event of inclement weather, a discussion will be had and a decision reached by both parties. Deposit will be applied to dates rescheduled due to weather. 

Contact us at NatureNinjaBirding@gmail.com to schedule your private tour!

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