Lady Birders Weekend

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

This event will be held February 12 - 15, 2026 based at Peculiar Nest, a beautiful B&B on Lake Conception in McAllen, Texas. 

This weekend will begin with check-in and a casual birding social on Thursday evening 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 Peculiar Nest or Embassy Suites! 

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EVENT VENUE: 

Main Venue - Peculiar Nest B&B 

Lunch for Series A, 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 here on the lake, so be sure to keep your binoculars with you! 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 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 located adjacent to the bar / lounge area at Embassy. There are many restaurant dining options in the near vicinity. 

FIELD TRIPS: 

All field trips are drive yourself / caravan style (caravanning with other participants if desired). All field trips will meet at the designated spots at 7:15 am.  You can see the bios of our lady guides here. 

• Trip Series A field trips are all within approximately 45 minute drive. 
• Trip Series B field trips venture farther afield for greater species diversity, with the farthest 90 minutes away.

Trip Series A consists of a grouping of 3 field trips that were included in our 2025 itinerary, and Trip Series B consists of a second set of 3 field trips. 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 slightly based on the bird activity in the area (most notably, which parks have water in their wetlands, which parks are hosting rare birds, etc) in January. 

Trip Series A: 

• Bentsen State Park & National Butterfly Center with Stephanie Lopez 
• Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge with Tiffany Kersten 
• Estero Llano Grande State Park with Susan Foster 

Trip Series B: 

• Salineno & Falcon State Park with Brooke Ross 
• Coastal Prairie & South Padre Island with Janice Travis 
• Cameron County locations TBD with Jen Bristol 

LODGING: 

Room blocks WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON 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). 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 at least from Thursday, February 12 to Sunday, February 15th! Special room rates are available from Wednesday, February 11th to Monday, February 16th. 

MEALS: 

Lunch for Trip Series A will be served outdoors at Peculiar Nest B&B upon completion of the tours, including non-alcoholic refreshments. Lunch for Trip Series B will be brought by your guide so you can enjoy it at your birding location. 

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, there is a restaurant located within Embassy Suites, and many other restaurants are within walking distance of Embassy Suites as well. 

REGISTRATION: 

Your non-refundable $300 registration includes: 

• Three days of drive-yourself guided birding tours (Friday - Sunday; approx. 7:15am to 12:30 pm). 
• Admission to nature sites during your birding tours 
• Appetizers and refreshments Thursday evening 
• Lunch and refreshments Friday - 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 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.