Birds, Butterflies and Blooms in the Rio Grande Valley (TX) NANPA Photo Tour (Oct 30-Nov 2, 2026)

Register

Early Registration: $775 NANPA/ASMP Members, $ 975 non-members by July 31, 2026

After July 31, 2026: $ 875 NANPA/ASMP Members, $ 1075 non-members

If you are not currently a member, you may want to consider joining NANPA to take advantage of member pricing on NANPA photo tours (1 year membership $100)

Maximum number of attendees: 10

Last date to register: September 30, 2026

DATES:

• Friday October 30, 2026 at 5 pm to Monday November 2, 2026 at 12:00 pm
• October 1, 2026, 7-8 pm (Eastern Time) (optional) Preparatory Webinar for participants
• November 30, 2026, 7-9 pm (Eastern Time) (optional) Post event Image Sharing and Feedback Webinar for participants

Event Check-in and Meet & Greet
Friday October 30, 2026 at 5 pm in the hotel lobby.

EVENT OVERVIEW: 

Join Kathy Adams Clark for an exciting trip to southern Texas to photograph birds and butterflies. This event will be based in the Rio Grande Valley, home to the Texas Butterfly Festival and the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival.  This photo tour will occur between these two festivals so you can expect great opportunities to photograph birds and butterflies like Green Jays, Altamira Orioles, Plain Chachalaca, Mexican Bluewing, Guava Skipper and more.  During the event we will visit several different sites of the World Birding Center as well as the National Butterfly Center. Both bird and butterfly photography are subjects Kathy offers classes on, so we’re delighted that Kathy will be leading this event for NANPA – she has literally written the book on Texas Birds!

WHAT TO EXPECT: 

The Rio Grande Valley is an ecosystem unlike anything else in the United States. This subtropical environment lies in deep south Texas. It is very humid and can be hot even in the autumn. You’ll find birds here that are usually only found from Mexico to South America.  The same holds true for butterflies.  Many of the butterflies we’ll see and photograph are found nowhere else in the United States.  We’ll photograph butterflies in gardens or edges with nectar-rich flowers.  Birds will be found in the same areas, attracted to the abundant supply of insects, nectar, and natural fruits.

YOUR TOUR LEADER:

Kathy Adams Clark

Kathy Adams Clark has been a professional nature photographer since 1995.

Kathy’s photos have been published in hundreds of places including Family Fun, Nature’s Best, New York Times, Birder’s World, and Ranger Rick.  AAA Journey, Texas Parks & Wildlife and Texas Highways magazines have used Kathy’s photos on their covers.  Her photos have also appeared in numerous books and calendars including the Barnes & Noble Ireland Countryside Calendar, the cover of the Arbor Foundation Rainforest Calendar, and the Sierra Engagement Calendar.   Kathy’s photos of Houston were compiled into a calendar offered in Costco.

Her photos appeared every week for 26 years in the “Nature” column in the Houston Chronicle written by her husband, Gary Clark.  Kathy and Gary have worked with national publishing houses to produce ten books that combine their photography and writing skills.  Their latest books are Book of Texas Birds published by Texas A&M University Press and Backroads of Texas published by Voyageur Press.

Kathy’s photography is featured in Portrait of Houston published by Farcountry Press.  Photographing Big Bend National Park, published by Texas A&M Press, is written by Kathy and uses her photography throughout.

Kathy is Past-president of the North American Nature Photography Association.  She teaches photography and is a popular speaker at local and national events.  She leads photo tours through Strabo Tours to countries including Costa Rica, Brazil, Spain, Africa, Italy, Peru, Morocco, and Norway.

NEAREST AIRPORT(S):

Texas’ Rio Grande Vally is served by three airports.  McAllen (MFE), Harlingen (HRL), and Brownsville (BRO).  McAllen is in the central part of our area.  Harlingen and Brownsville are on the eastern side.  You might consider flying in and out of different airports.  The event begins in McAllen and ends near Brownsville.

EVENT TRANSPORTATION:

Transportation to and from the hotel and during the event is not included and is the attendees’ responsibility. Participants will meet the group at each location.  So, it’s necessary that participants have a vehicle.  A regular car is okay for all locations. There will be a considerable amount of driving to the different locations.

RIDE SHARING:  Ridesharing is encouraged to reduce the size of our vehicle presence and improve the traveling/following experience. You are welcome to either drive or ride with someone. This is also a great way to meet people and make new friends during the event!  If you are a passenger in another participant’s car it is customary to offer the driver some gas money as a courtesy.

Note that NANPA and Kathy Adams Clark do not have insurance for carpooling arrangements and assumes no liability for them. Carpooling, ride sharing or anything similar is strictly a private arrangement among the participants. Participants assume the risks associated with this travel.

LODGING:

We will be based in McAllen, Texas during this photo tour.

Lodging is not included in the event fee, but NANPA is holding a block of rooms for event participants at the rate of $129 per night plus tax/fees for a King Bed room or a 2 Double Bed room. The rate includes breakfast.

Hotel details and reservation procedure will be shared with registered participants.

The last day to register in the NANPA room block is September 30, 2026.

MEALS:

Breakfast is included in the NANPA group rate at the hotel.

Dinner on November 1, 2026 (included) is planned for a Mexican restaurant, Costa Messa, near the hotel.

All other meals are on your own.

PHOTOGRAPHY LOCATIONS:

Your leader is familiar with the areas that you’ll be visiting, and locations will be based on what’s most photogenic at the time, wildlife activity, weather conditions, etc.

Some of the locations that we will most likely photograph include:

• Bentsen State Park
• Estero Llano State Park
• Edinburg Scenic Wetlands
• South Padre Island Birding, Nature Center & Alligator Sanctuary
• National Butterfly Center
• Frontera Audubon Sanctuary

PARK PASS AND ENTRANCE FEES:

We will be visiting two Texas State Parks. If you have a Texas State Park pass, please bring it, otherwise be prepared to pay a $5 entrance fee to each State Park.

NANPA will provide tickets to other locations like Edinburg Scenic Wetlands, South Padre Island Birding Center, National Butterfly Center and Frontera Audubon Sanctuary so long as you arrive and meet the group at the designated time. Late arrivals will need to pay for their own entrance fees.

• Edinburg Scenic Wetlands Adults $3, Seniors 55+ $2
• South Padre Island Birding Center Adults $10, Military or Seniors 65+ $8
• National Butterfly Center Adults $10
• Frontera Audubon Sanctuary Adults $5, Seniors 65+ $4

PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE:

Please note schedules are fluid due to weather conditions, recent wildlife sightings and other variables. More specific details on photo shoot locations will be provided to registered participants during the event.

Friday October 30

• “Meet and Greet” at 5pm at the hotel meeting room
• Dinner on your own

Saturday, October 31

• 8:00 am on-location meeting for photo shoot.
• Lunch on your own
• 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm afternoon photo shoot.

Sunday, November 1

• 8:00 am on-location meeting for photo shoot.
• Lunch on your own
• 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm afternoon photo shoot.
• Dinner as a group (included).

Monday, November 2

• Check out early from the Hotel
• 8:00 am to 11:30 am morning photo shoot.
• The event wraps up at 12:00 noon

HEALTH AND FITNESS

Please note a minimal fitness level is required.  Walks at parks and preserves may be less than a mile. The terrain is usually flat and not a lot of walking is necessary unless you’d like to explore.

WEATHER

The Rio Grande Valley can be hot or it can be cold.  It can be humid or it can be rainy.  It is always windy.

Mornings are usually in the 65-70 degree range. Daytime temperatures historically are in the low 80s degree range. High temperatures are usually reached around 4:00pm.

CLOTHING

Bring tropical weight clothing.  Long pants are recommended because there are thorns on many plants.  Comfortable walking shoes are fine.  A long-sleeved overshirt with t-shirt underneath is usually adequate.  Hat, sunglasses, and sun protection are needed.  Bring a windbreaker or fleece in the event a cold front blows through.

CAMERA GEAR:

Camera – DSLR or mirrorless, full frame or cropped sensor.  Also, bring the camera manual should you need to consult it. Cellphone camera as backup is better than no camera and good for snaps of your group.

• Lenses – There will likely be photo opportunities for your full range of lenses, from your favorite bird lens to a mid-range zoom like a 24-105mm for landscapes. Butterflies can be photographed with a macro lens but a close-focusing bird lens works well, too.  Your leader will be carrying a 100-500mm RF lens with a 1.4x extender.  That works for birds or butterflies.
• Extension Tubes (optional)
• Close-up diopter e.g. Canon 500D or ProOptic 500D (optional)
• Lens Cleaning Cloth and Wipes.
• Tripod – Not necessary unless you regularly use it to photograph birds or insects.
• Memory Cards for 1/2 day to full day of shooting in the field.
• Camera Battery Charger and Extra Batteries.
• Sensor Cleaning Tools
• Polarizing filter(s) if you’d like to photograph landscapes.
• Towel to cover your camera in the event of a brief shower. The towel is also good protection from the dust.
• Laptop Computer – for downloading, processing and viewing your images.
• Image Processing Software – Good choices include Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, or Elements.
• Back-up device – Such as an external hard drive.
• Flash Drive – For sharing images.

ADDITIONAL ITEMS:

• Battery-powered Alarm Clock/Watch – In case cell phone service isn’t available. It’s better to bring your own alarm than miss a morning shoot!
• Cell Phone
• Water bottle
• Energy bars or other snacks

GENERAL:

This event is designed for nature photographers at all levels of experience. For the best experience, please know your camera before you arrive, and bring your manual in case we need to look up something.

Assistance will be available in the field for those who wish to improve their photographic skills. If you already have plenty of photography experience, Kathy will ensure you get to the best locations at the best times to capture those perfect shots.

Please keep in mind this NANPA Event is designed to be a photo tour, not a photo workshop. In other words, there are no formal instruction sessions planned, there are no assignments, you will not be receiving any handouts or the like. That being said, your leader Kathy has extensive experience as a photography workshop leader and is available to answer questions and give you guidance. If you need help, please advocate for yourself and speak up and ask for help – Kathy is happy to help. Be aware that many of your fellow participants may also be accomplished photographers and may be able to help you too.  Part of the photo tour experience is the camaraderie that comes from sharing experiences and lessons learned among participants. If you notice someone with the same or similar camera, perhaps they can help you with an issue you’ve been wondering about, and maybe you can return the favor.

Attendance and participation at NANPA Photo Tours is limited to registered attendees only.  Anyone wishing to participate in any portion of, or travel with a registered attendee during the group event must contact the NANPA office and pay the full registration fee.

RESOURCES:

• World Birding Center https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_br_p4502_0058q.pdf
• National Butterfly Center (https://www.nationalbutterflycenter.org/)

If you are considering extending your stay, you may want to visit additional area sites we won’t have time to visit during the event, including:

• Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
• Quinta Mazatlan World Birding Center
• Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge
• Valley Nature Center

NANPA Photo Tour Cancellation and No Refund Policy:  

NANPA Photo Tour registration fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. If participant cancels their event registration, NANPA will not offer any refunds for event registration fees for this event regardless of when the cancellation is made or the reason for the cancellation.

NANPA reserves the right to cancel any event or activity due to insufficient registration or any unforeseen circumstances. It also has the right to substitute event leaders, or adjust the number of event leaders if those originally scheduled cannot attend, or other unforeseen circumstances arise.

If NANPA cancels the event, NANPA will offer a variety of options to participants, including the transfer of their registration fees to a future NANPA event or a refund of the event registration fee unless the cancellation is due to a force majeure* occurrence. NANPA assumes no liability whatsoever for fees, penalties, or other costs incurred by you from airlines, hotels, or any other sources outside of the event registration fees.  

*Force Majeure 

“Force Majeure” means that NANPA will not be liable for any alleged damages because of any circumstances including, but without limitation, explosion, flood, storm, fire, war or threat of war, civil disturbance, sickness, pandemic, quarantine, weather conditions or other unexpected occurrences. If a Force Majeure event occurs, NANPA will notify you of the nature and extent of the incident. NANPA may unilaterally vary or cancel an itinerary in cases of Force Majeure. Refunds or partial refunds will be at the sole and absolute discretion of NANPA. NANPA will attempt to reimburse you where possible however we will deduct from any refund the reasonable actual and potential costs to NANPA of the Force Majeure event. 

Please know that sometimes unanticipated and uncontrollable circumstances will force us to alter expected plans during a photo tour. NANPA cannot be held responsible for unanticipated events (such as park closures, natural disasters, civil unrest, weather, etc.) that either prevents you from attending or us altering our location shoots. NANPA will do their best to work around any unforeseen circumstances.

Tour participants without travel insurance will be considered “self insured” meaning you assume all risks and losses for any condition requiring your cancellation.

NANPA strongly encourages participants to protect their investment and purchase travel insurance. NANPA is affiliated with two different travel insurance providers.

Event Registration Fee Cancellation Insurance:

We offer event cancellation insurance (which solely covers your event registration fee if you need to cancel your participation) as part of the registration process through NANPA’s partner, Allianz. More information on this option will be shown during the checkout process for the event registration.

NOTE: If you do not purchase event (registration fee) insurance at the time that you pay for your registration, you will NOT be able to go back and purchase it with Allianz later. However, you can add the NANPA event registration fee to the expenses you cover with an alternative travel insurance policy. 

Travel Insurance: 

We understand that the need to make last minute cancellations due to illness, family, or business matters can happen to anyone. For maximum coverage, you may want to consider an alternative travel insurance policy that offers a “cancel for any reason” clause. However, be aware that such options may only be available if you purchase your travel insurance within 1 to 2 weeks of your tour payment. A “cancel for any reason” option is not available with the Allianz insurance option we provide during registration, but is available with other travel insurance purchased separately.

If you want coverage for other travel expenses like flights, you will need to purchase travel insurance separately, you can do so with your own insurance carrier, or NANPA members can receive a special travel insurance rate that covers other travel-related expenses besides your registration fee through USI Affinity/Travel Insurance Services.

Feel free to use any travel insurance company you choose. Compare rates, shop around. However, to protect your investment, we recommend purchasing travel insurance whenever a non-refundable amount such as your NANPA registration fees has been paid. You may increase the amount of coverage as the date of departure nears and additional non-refundable payments are made. The sites www.travelinsurance.com and www.insuremytrip.com can be useful for comparing policies.