I made my first foray into video-making last weekend, with the able assistance (she might claim direction) of my sister Rebecca. We headed down to Montrose harbor and environs and filmed some clips of me, birds, and me talking about birds, and put it all together into a single, semi-coherant video. Enjoy!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Working the migrant traps
Not my usual destinations, I realize, but I had a great time working this spring at some of the world's best migrant traps, High Island, Texas, and Magee Marsh, Ohio. These two spots are world renowned birding spots during spring migration (especially High Island), and deservedly so. While I missed the peak of spring migration at High Island, it was still a good time (I even saw a new bird: Black-whiskered Vireo).
Magee Marsh, if anything, is underrated. Simply put, it rocked my world. The birds, the crowds, and the general atmosphere were unlike anything I've ever encountered in the birding world. The birds are amazing and the crowds of birders don't detract from the ambience. Indeed, the combination of thousands of warblers and thousands of birders creates a completely unique experience that must be seen to be believed. As Iain Campbell said, if you're anywhere else on the planet during May, you're in the wrong place.
Seeing as how (roughly) billions of bird photos are taken over the course of May at Magee Marsh (for some good ones, look at Sam Woods' many posts from Magee here), I'm posting more interesting photos: the crowds. One of the great things about Magee is that when something particularly interesting is found, you hear about it. Then again, so does everybody else, but if all goes well (as it did in all the cases below), everyone gets to see the bird.
The biggest crowds of the spring were for the Mothers' Day Golden-winged Warbler. Suffice it to say, a lot of people saw that bird. In the green hat and gray jacket in the bottom-middle of the picture is my colleage Sam Woods, who also saw the one Golden-winged Warbler in history that was seen by more people--the only one ever seen in England.
Yes, they are looking at a bird. A Kentucky Warbler, no less. There is about two feet of land between the boardwalk, where everyone is standing, and a pond, and the warbler was walking around on the ground on that narrow strip of dirt and willows.
A popular bird later in the season was a female Cerulean Warbler that proved faithful to one particular area of the boardwalk (you'd never know it, but this is the same spot in the Kentucky Warbler-watching picture above).
Magee Marsh, if anything, is underrated. Simply put, it rocked my world. The birds, the crowds, and the general atmosphere were unlike anything I've ever encountered in the birding world. The birds are amazing and the crowds of birders don't detract from the ambience. Indeed, the combination of thousands of warblers and thousands of birders creates a completely unique experience that must be seen to be believed. As Iain Campbell said, if you're anywhere else on the planet during May, you're in the wrong place.
Seeing as how (roughly) billions of bird photos are taken over the course of May at Magee Marsh (for some good ones, look at Sam Woods' many posts from Magee here), I'm posting more interesting photos: the crowds. One of the great things about Magee is that when something particularly interesting is found, you hear about it. Then again, so does everybody else, but if all goes well (as it did in all the cases below), everyone gets to see the bird.
The biggest crowds of the spring were for the Mothers' Day Golden-winged Warbler. Suffice it to say, a lot of people saw that bird. In the green hat and gray jacket in the bottom-middle of the picture is my colleage Sam Woods, who also saw the one Golden-winged Warbler in history that was seen by more people--the only one ever seen in England.
Yes, they are looking at a bird. A Kentucky Warbler, no less. There is about two feet of land between the boardwalk, where everyone is standing, and a pond, and the warbler was walking around on the ground on that narrow strip of dirt and willows.
A popular bird later in the season was a female Cerulean Warbler that proved faithful to one particular area of the boardwalk (you'd never know it, but this is the same spot in the Kentucky Warbler-watching picture above). I hope to see you out there next spring!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Back again: Victoria Falls and eastern South Africa
I just finished up guiding a two week tour that started with three nights on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls, then flew to Johannesburg and spent the rest of the time traveling around eastern South Africa before spending a final night in Swaziland.
This time of year is late in the rainy season, so most areas were extremely lush. The grass was long, the foliage was green and the bush was thick. Roads were also very muddy; we were lucky to be helped out of some soft mud by a couple of friendly South Africans while in Nylsvlei Reserve north of Johannesburg.
Victoria Falls was certainly impressive this time of year. The amount of water going over the falls was incredible, and it certainly lived up to its local name--Mosi-oa-Tunya, The Smoke that Thunders. At times you could scarcely see the falls because of the mist created from the falling water. It was incredible walking along the paths just opposite the falls. Despite the blue sky overhead, at times you thought you were walking through a huge storm so much water was raining back down.
This is the gorge below Zambezi River's gorge below Victoria Falls, with a very small section of the falls mostly obscured by mist in the background. With all of the water particles in the air, it's a rainbow-laden place.
We experiences a lot of wet mornings on this trip, but this guy was truly soaked after walking through the high, dew-soaked grass. This is a Slender Mongoose that paused on the road to check us out at Nylsvlei Reserve in South Africa.
On our final morning in Kruger, we came across a group of Spotted Hyenas. A few of them were in a culvert next to the road eating a freshly-killed warthog.
This time of year is late in the rainy season, so most areas were extremely lush. The grass was long, the foliage was green and the bush was thick. Roads were also very muddy; we were lucky to be helped out of some soft mud by a couple of friendly South Africans while in Nylsvlei Reserve north of Johannesburg.
Victoria Falls was certainly impressive this time of year. The amount of water going over the falls was incredible, and it certainly lived up to its local name--Mosi-oa-Tunya, The Smoke that Thunders. At times you could scarcely see the falls because of the mist created from the falling water. It was incredible walking along the paths just opposite the falls. Despite the blue sky overhead, at times you thought you were walking through a huge storm so much water was raining back down.
This is the gorge below Zambezi River's gorge below Victoria Falls, with a very small section of the falls mostly obscured by mist in the background. With all of the water particles in the air, it's a rainbow-laden place.
We experiences a lot of wet mornings on this trip, but this guy was truly soaked after walking through the high, dew-soaked grass. This is a Slender Mongoose that paused on the road to check us out at Nylsvlei Reserve in South Africa.
On our final morning in Kruger, we came across a group of Spotted Hyenas. A few of them were in a culvert next to the road eating a freshly-killed warthog.Friday, February 13, 2009
Just back from Namibia and Botswana
Namibia is my favorite country in which I guide. High on my list of reasons why I like Namibia so much is the fact that it is the second least densely populated country in the world (right there after Mongolia) with a mere 2.5 people per sq. km (fewer than 7 people per square mile). It has an excellent system of paved and dirt roads which have virtually no traffic. I've driven hundreds of kilometers without seeing a single other vehicle. This is not to mention the great birding and fantastic mammals, good food and wide variety of accommodations, including many places it would be fair to call unique, in a way that only a Namibian hotel can be. On this trip we spent five nights in Botswana--more than our usual two--so I got to see more of that country than I had previously seen.
On my most recent trip, which ended earlier this month, I got to take the company camera, a proper SLR, to play around with. Here are a few photos from the trip.
This is a Rueppell's Korhaan, a species only found in the deserts of Namibia and southwest Angola. I particularly like this photo because it really encapsulates the region this species which it lives: an endemic bird, dry grass, mountains constantly in the backdrop, blue skies and the region's most iconic plant in the foreground, Welwitschia mirabilis.
One of my personal highlights of the trip was seeing my first Cape fox. We found a female at a den on an afternoon drive in Etosha National Park, then the next morning found two cubs (one pictured here) playing at the entrence of the den. We then watched the female emerge from the den, run off about 100 meters, catch a large rodent and bring it back to be devoured in one piece by one of the cubs. It was an extraordinary event to witness.
The mousebird family (Coliidae) is found only in Africa. White-backed Mousebird is a common inhabitant of dry scrub in western South Africa and Namibia. This one was photographed on an afternoon outing to Windhoek's sewage treatment plant (maybe I'll make a separate post about birding sewage treatment plants of the world).
African Jacana is a very common resident of wetlands throughout Africa, including the Okavango Delta, where this one was photographed in a channel near Nxamaseri Island Lodge. They are colloquially known as lilytrotters for their habit of walking on lily pads, as this one is doing.
I like this bird, Fan-tailed Widowbird, in part because it reminds of a Red-winged Blackbird. It's sitting on a stalk of papyrus, with a piece of papyrus in its beak that it will use as nesting material. The photo was also taken near Nxamaseri.
On my most recent trip, which ended earlier this month, I got to take the company camera, a proper SLR, to play around with. Here are a few photos from the trip.
This is a Rueppell's Korhaan, a species only found in the deserts of Namibia and southwest Angola. I particularly like this photo because it really encapsulates the region this species which it lives: an endemic bird, dry grass, mountains constantly in the backdrop, blue skies and the region's most iconic plant in the foreground, Welwitschia mirabilis.
One of my personal highlights of the trip was seeing my first Cape fox. We found a female at a den on an afternoon drive in Etosha National Park, then the next morning found two cubs (one pictured here) playing at the entrence of the den. We then watched the female emerge from the den, run off about 100 meters, catch a large rodent and bring it back to be devoured in one piece by one of the cubs. It was an extraordinary event to witness.
The mousebird family (Coliidae) is found only in Africa. White-backed Mousebird is a common inhabitant of dry scrub in western South Africa and Namibia. This one was photographed on an afternoon outing to Windhoek's sewage treatment plant (maybe I'll make a separate post about birding sewage treatment plants of the world).
African Jacana is a very common resident of wetlands throughout Africa, including the Okavango Delta, where this one was photographed in a channel near Nxamaseri Island Lodge. They are colloquially known as lilytrotters for their habit of walking on lily pads, as this one is doing.
I like this bird, Fan-tailed Widowbird, in part because it reminds of a Red-winged Blackbird. It's sitting on a stalk of papyrus, with a piece of papyrus in its beak that it will use as nesting material. The photo was also taken near Nxamaseri.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Geckos alive
Among my favorite animals are geckos, those funny pad-toed, round-headed and often very vocal lizards. They are frequent inside buildings in warm climes, and more often then not my hotel room will have a resident gecko or two. One room I stayed in in Namibia (at Erongo Wilderness Lodge) had 11 geckos at one time--six in the bathroom alone. Fortunately, they eat lots of bugs so they're a good addition to the furniture. They tend to go after bugs which have been attracted to lights. (An aside: birds also tend to be attracted to such bugs, and in turn, birders. I have spent many early morning hours, particularly in Ecuador, watching birds munching on bugs that had been attracted to lights left on all night.) In Madagascar one time I noticed a bug stuck behind a curtain of a dining room window. I watched as a gecko came from the other side of the room, fifteen feet away, walking in spurts towards the bug, before dashing behind the curtain and having itself a nice snack.
Nonetheless, I was surprised when I walked into my bedroom in Cape Town last night to find a very tiny gecko adorning the wall (in the photos below). I hope he likes eating cockroaches.
Madagascar has an incredible diversity of geckos. One very common endemic genus is the day geckos--genus Phelsuma. This is a very common one, Phelsuma lineata, on an endemic Pandanus (sometimes in English called screwpine) in the rainforests of Madagascar.
However, there is no question as to the world's most remarkable geckos. That title belongs to another genus endemic to Madagascar, the Uroplatus leaf-tailed geckos. They are nocturnal, ultra-camouflaged rainforest reptiles, who pass the day looking exactly like whatever it is they are resting on. The photo below is of the largest species, Uroplatus fimbriatus, giant leaf-tailed gecko. I took the photo on the island of Nosy Mangabe (Nosy meaning 'island' in Malagasy). They are virtually impossible to find without the assistance of a local guide.
Nonetheless, I was surprised when I walked into my bedroom in Cape Town last night to find a very tiny gecko adorning the wall (in the photos below). I hope he likes eating cockroaches.
Madagascar has an incredible diversity of geckos. One very common endemic genus is the day geckos--genus Phelsuma. This is a very common one, Phelsuma lineata, on an endemic Pandanus (sometimes in English called screwpine) in the rainforests of Madagascar.
However, there is no question as to the world's most remarkable geckos. That title belongs to another genus endemic to Madagascar, the Uroplatus leaf-tailed geckos. They are nocturnal, ultra-camouflaged rainforest reptiles, who pass the day looking exactly like whatever it is they are resting on. The photo below is of the largest species, Uroplatus fimbriatus, giant leaf-tailed gecko. I took the photo on the island of Nosy Mangabe (Nosy meaning 'island' in Malagasy). They are virtually impossible to find without the assistance of a local guide.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Guiding Statistics 2008
Like 2007, I kept track of what went on in my life over the course of 2008. I saw some amazing places, incredible birds and (of course) had a wide variety of excellent adventures. Here is 2008 by number:
1465: Species of birds seen (incredibly close to last year's total of 1474, despite going to completely different places)
147: Days of guiding
112: Different beds slept in
65: clients that I guided (ranging in age from 7 to 79, from 5 different countries, in two languages)
57/28: flights taken/airports visited
14/6: countries visited/countries in which I guided (favorite guided trip: South Africa; favorite solo trip: Sichuan, China)
24: percent of income that came from tips (in four different currencies)
Only two months were spent entirely in a single country. February was spent in South Africa (but I visited three countries in the first two days of March--South Africa, India and Bhutan), and October was spent in Madagascar (but, again, I visited three different countries in the first two days of November--Madagascar, South Africa and Namibia). I spent less than one full day in three countries--Singapore, England and Germany--but I managed to get in some birding and/or sightseeing in all three.
Among my favorite places that I visited this year were the Tibetan Plateau in China, Madagascar's Masoala Peninsula, Bhutan's high Himalayan passes, Dzalanyama Forest in Malawi, the Erongo Mountains of Namibia and Yosemite National Park. Birding highlights are virtually impossible to narrow down, so here are a few that spring to mind: Ground Tit in China, Satyr Tragopan and Slender-billed Scimitar-Babbler in Bhutan, the great variety of rosefinches in China and Bhutan, Great Knot in Namibia, Boulder Chat in Malawi and Helmet Vanga in Madagascar. Mammal highlights were also many: Himalayan black bear in Bhutan, blue goat in China, red ruffed lemur in Madagascar, sperm whale in South Africa, leopards in Namibia and South Africa and tracking black rhino on foot in Namibia. And I can never see enough elephants.
I stayed in an incredible variety of hotels during the year. The best overall were Jardin du Roy in Isalo, Madagscar, Mvuu Wilderness Lodge in Liwonde National Park, Malawi and Erongo Wilderness Lodge in Namibia (all three are in incredible locations, have great birding, delicious food, spectacular rooms and outstanding service). The best in terms of location was Chez Arol on Madagascar's remote Masoala Peninsula, nestled between primary lowland rainforest and a deserted beach. Sichuan, China had the best and most interesting food, although breakfasts in Namibia and South Africa are second to none. Madagascar is far ahead in the worst service category (though the food is good), while the food was particularly unmemorable in Bhutan (though the service is excellent).
The best airport (in a class entirely of its own) was Singapore (free Playstation, movies and Internet, as well as comfortable places to rest). Singapore Airlines was the most impressive I flew this year. The worst airplane food was on Air Madagascar, showing absolutely no improvement from previous years. Apart from seafood, I count 16 different animals that I ate (though it was the various parts of the animals that I ate in China that were most interesting).
There are loads of good stories from the year--from crashing a car into a kudu in Namibia in January to going to a nightclub in Chengdu, China for my birthday in March to climbing a mountain in search of Boulder Chat in December in Malawi. But those I'll save for when I see you next.
1465: Species of birds seen (incredibly close to last year's total of 1474, despite going to completely different places)
147: Days of guiding
112: Different beds slept in
65: clients that I guided (ranging in age from 7 to 79, from 5 different countries, in two languages)
57/28: flights taken/airports visited
14/6: countries visited/countries in which I guided (favorite guided trip: South Africa; favorite solo trip: Sichuan, China)
24: percent of income that came from tips (in four different currencies)
Only two months were spent entirely in a single country. February was spent in South Africa (but I visited three countries in the first two days of March--South Africa, India and Bhutan), and October was spent in Madagascar (but, again, I visited three different countries in the first two days of November--Madagascar, South Africa and Namibia). I spent less than one full day in three countries--Singapore, England and Germany--but I managed to get in some birding and/or sightseeing in all three.
Among my favorite places that I visited this year were the Tibetan Plateau in China, Madagascar's Masoala Peninsula, Bhutan's high Himalayan passes, Dzalanyama Forest in Malawi, the Erongo Mountains of Namibia and Yosemite National Park. Birding highlights are virtually impossible to narrow down, so here are a few that spring to mind: Ground Tit in China, Satyr Tragopan and Slender-billed Scimitar-Babbler in Bhutan, the great variety of rosefinches in China and Bhutan, Great Knot in Namibia, Boulder Chat in Malawi and Helmet Vanga in Madagascar. Mammal highlights were also many: Himalayan black bear in Bhutan, blue goat in China, red ruffed lemur in Madagascar, sperm whale in South Africa, leopards in Namibia and South Africa and tracking black rhino on foot in Namibia. And I can never see enough elephants.
I stayed in an incredible variety of hotels during the year. The best overall were Jardin du Roy in Isalo, Madagscar, Mvuu Wilderness Lodge in Liwonde National Park, Malawi and Erongo Wilderness Lodge in Namibia (all three are in incredible locations, have great birding, delicious food, spectacular rooms and outstanding service). The best in terms of location was Chez Arol on Madagascar's remote Masoala Peninsula, nestled between primary lowland rainforest and a deserted beach. Sichuan, China had the best and most interesting food, although breakfasts in Namibia and South Africa are second to none. Madagascar is far ahead in the worst service category (though the food is good), while the food was particularly unmemorable in Bhutan (though the service is excellent).
The best airport (in a class entirely of its own) was Singapore (free Playstation, movies and Internet, as well as comfortable places to rest). Singapore Airlines was the most impressive I flew this year. The worst airplane food was on Air Madagascar, showing absolutely no improvement from previous years. Apart from seafood, I count 16 different animals that I ate (though it was the various parts of the animals that I ate in China that were most interesting).
There are loads of good stories from the year--from crashing a car into a kudu in Namibia in January to going to a nightclub in Chengdu, China for my birthday in March to climbing a mountain in search of Boulder Chat in December in Malawi. But those I'll save for when I see you next.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Marvelous Masoala
I was lucky this year to end my two months in Madagascar with a trip to the Masoala Peninsula, probably my favorite place on the island. There are few places in the world where the trailhead for hiking in primary rainforest is a deserted beach (or, alternatively, you could start straight from the lodge!), but this is one of them. It is one of the most pristine areas of Madagascar, a huge island where over 80% of the native forests have been destroyed by humans. It was wonderful to see the huge trees, abundant frogs, and incredible bird and mammal life of Masoala.
Masoala, where the forest meets the beach.
Our lodge, Chez Arol, was nestled between a small village, primary rainforest of Masoala National Park, and a beautiful beach on the Bay of Antongil. We went snorkeling one day in a marine reserve three kilometers from the lodge, but sadly most of the coral was dead.
Our lodge, Chez Arol. They are beginning to grow pineapples, sugar cane, coconuts and bananas.
The village of Ambanizana was next to the lodge.
Without a doubt the birding highlight was watching a pair of Helmet Vangas (male, below) busily building a nest in a the fork of tree directly over a small river. This is undoubtedly one of the world's most remarkable looking birds, so having several hours to watch them at close range was certainly a treat.
My trip report with many more photos can be found in the tour reports section of Tropical Birding's website. Click on October 2008: Madagascar.
Masoala, where the forest meets the beach.Our lodge, Chez Arol, was nestled between a small village, primary rainforest of Masoala National Park, and a beautiful beach on the Bay of Antongil. We went snorkeling one day in a marine reserve three kilometers from the lodge, but sadly most of the coral was dead.
Our lodge, Chez Arol. They are beginning to grow pineapples, sugar cane, coconuts and bananas.
The village of Ambanizana was next to the lodge.Without a doubt the birding highlight was watching a pair of Helmet Vangas (male, below) busily building a nest in a the fork of tree directly over a small river. This is undoubtedly one of the world's most remarkable looking birds, so having several hours to watch them at close range was certainly a treat.
My trip report with many more photos can be found in the tour reports section of Tropical Birding's website. Click on October 2008: Madagascar.
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