Lady Birders Weekend

Join us as Nature Ninja Birding Tours hosts our inaugural Lady Birders Weekend! 

This event will be held February 13 - 16, 2025 based at Peculiar Nest B&B on Lake Conception in McAllen, Texas 

This weekend will begin with field trips on Thursday morning and finish with an afternoon social / lunch on Sunday. While led by expert guides, this mini-festival will also center around camaraderie, a welcoming environment of birders of all experience levels, and an opportunity to grow new friendships during the social hours. 

Step 1: REGISTER HERE! 

Step 2: Submit Your Registration Fee (Payment options listed in registration form). 

Step 3: Book Your Lodging at Embassy Suites (as of Sept, all lodging at Peculiar Nest has already been filled). 

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EVENT VENUE: 

Main Venue - Peculiar Nest B&B 

Field Trips will depart from and return to Peculiar Nest B&B, for those wishing to carpool. Lunch and early afternoon social will be held outdoors on the covered patio on the side of the B&B opposite the main parking lot. There is great birding right there on the lake, so be sure to keep your binoculars with you for lunch and social hour! The official Lady Birders Weekend social hour will conclude at 5 pm each afternoon. 

Informal Social Hour Venue - Embassy Suites 

An informal social hour will continue from 5 pm - 7:30 pm at Embassy Suites, with a complimentary happy hour for hotel guests including two free drinks and light snacks in the main lounge area of the hotel. For those staying elsewhere, there is a cash bar available as well as a restaurant, On the Border, located adjacent to the bar / lounge area at Embassy. 

FIELD TRIPS: 

All field trips are drive yourself / caravan style (caravanning with other participants if desired). Carpools leaving from Peculiar Nest B&B at 6:45 am, or meet onsite at the field trip destination around 7 or shortly thereafter. All field trips are within approximately 30 minute drive of Peculiar Nest B&B. You can see the bios of our lady guides here. 

Due to the fledgling nature of this inaugural event, for at least this year, each participant will be auto-assigned one of four tours each day, so all participants will visit all four tour locations offered. There is an option during registration for you to request to attend the same field trip as any friends who might be joining you. Here is a tentative schedule for field trips. Please note: Field trip locations may change based on the bird activity in the area (most notably, which parks have water in their wetlands) in January. 

• Bentsen State Park & National Butterfly Center with Stephanie Lopez 
• Quinta Mazatlan & Edinburg Scenic Wetlands with Susan Foster 
• Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge with Tiffany Kersten 
• Estero Llano Grande State Park with Jen Bristol 

LODGING: 

Room blocks are available at Embassy Suites McAllen at a discounted rate of $189 per night for a two queen suite (room rates are per room and not per person). These rates are valid February 10 through February 18th in case you would like to come early or stay late! One remaining single room is available at Peculiar Nest B&B  or if you are with a larger group, you can rent the nearby 5 bedroom house. All recommended lodging is 5 minutes or less from the event venue and less than 10 minutes from the McAllen International Airport. Book your room from Wednesday, February 12 to Sunday, February 16th so you're ready to join us bright and early on Thursday!

MEALS: 

Lunch will be served outdoors at Peculiar Nest B&B upon completion of the tours, including non-alcoholic refreshments. 

Breakfast and dinner are not included in your tour fee. A free breakfast buffet begins at 6 am for Embassy Suites guests. For dinner options, On the Border is located within Embassy Suites, and many other restaurants are within walking distance of Embassy Suites as well. 

REGISTRATION: 

Your $300 registration includes: 

• Four days of drive-yourself guided birding tours (Thursday - Sunday; approx. 7 am to 1 pm). 
• Admission to nature sites during your birding tours 
• Lunch and refreshments Thursday - Sunday 
• Swag bag 

Not included: 

• Airfare 
• Lodging
• Transportation
• Breakfast or dinner 
• Alcohol 

Note: You may notice that the registration cost for this event is a bit more than the average birding festival. Most birding festivals are not-for-profit, with guides donating their time or being paid a small stipend. We strive for a living wage for all of our bird guides. Thank you for supporting women birders & women bird guides alike! 

All Nature Ninja Birding Tours events are welcoming and inclusive, regardless of birder skill level, orientation, and more. All birders who identify as women, non-binary, or agender are welcome to register and attend the RGV Lady Birders Weekend. Any participant who is disrespectful to another with regards to identity, presentation, skill level, etc, may be dismissed from the event by group organizers. Please respect your fellow participants.