Our birding guide Sammy did a fantastic job! We met early and traveled up north a bit on a search for three birds. We were able to hear and see two of the three, which was great! Both of these birds (northern pygmy owl and mountain quail) are relatively rare and difficult to observe. He found the right place at the right time. We tried to see the yellow-billed magpie but didn't this time but he gave us some pointers about where to look later. We also saw and heard a bunch of other birds which were less rare but still enjoyable to observe. He also helped us fix a flat tire in our rental car using a spare. After birding we had a nice lunch.

Max was an amazing guide. His attention to detail made for a well organized plan to see more birds than I expected to from my extensive list. He made a google map of the places we were going each day and added information so we could continue finding new birds on the days we were not with him. He was personable and made our two days fun. We didn't feel rushed and were able to easily change plans based on the birds we were finding because of his extensive knowledge of the local birds and ecosystems. We enjoy the experiences that go with seeing the birds and Max provided us with great birds and memories.

Emmet was my guide for 2 full days in the Santa Cruz/Watsonville/Monterey area. He did a great job of setting an itinerary for us, and flexed the itinerary as we went, to maximize our time and the number of life birds I was getting. He is skilled at identifying birds by ear and by sight. And, he was a delight to talk to. I highly recommend him!