10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2021

One in November 2018 included a one-day birding trip in the Drakensberg area, a mountain range in the border area between South Africa and Lesotho. Pretty pointless, I guess, if it wasn’t for the birds – though it seems some tourists take the same tour just to get the Lesotho stamp into their passport.

South Africa 241

South Africa Africa Lesotho Nigeria 241

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 4, 2014

And so, I went on the American Birding Association Safari to South Africa. That was easily fixed by adding a post-Safari trip to Eastern South Africa, led by dashing Rockjumper guide Clayton Burne, to my itinerary. I was not on one of those lucky groups, but I did get to see a Secretarybird on my Eastern South Africa trip.)

South Africa 254

South Africa Africa Leopards Penguins 254

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2012

Africa has more than its fair share of storks, with 8 of the world’s 19 species gracing the continent. Marabous occur throughout tropical and subtropical Africa from Zululand in northern South Africa right up to the arid Sahel region fringing the Sahara Desert, avoiding the closed canopy rainforest zones of central and west Africa.

Africa 244

Africa Tanzania South Africa Uganda 244

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 8, 2013

What a way to sum up what is undoubtedly one of the world’s greatest birding sites and certainly my favorite in southern Africa. Albeit currently a rugged 4×4-only road, Sani Pass is the most accessible route from KwaZulu-Natal into the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho. Image by Adam Riley.

Lesotho 175

Lesotho Africa Birds Rats 175

10,000 Birds

JUNE 3, 2015

But I have visited Guatemala, Lesotho and Zimbabwe to actually visit them and count them, even though I spent less time in them than I did Zurich. Perched high above the river were a number of birds of prey, including the one with the most evocative call of the African bush, the African Fish-eagle.

Botswana 162

Botswana Birds Lesotho Elephants 162

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2012

This image shows Sani Pass, a rough 4×4 track leading into the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. With this quote I have the pleasure of introducing my home province (state) for this month’s 10,000 Bird’s Africa Beat. They discovered Gurney’s Sugarbird during their time in South Africa. Image by Adam Riley. At 36,433 sq.

Mozambique 192

Mozambique South Africa Africa Collecting 192

10,000 Birds

MAY 31, 2011

I must be home-sick because last weekend I found myself browsing through my “SASOL Birds of Southern Africa&#. This ruled out some excellent species like Cape Eagle Owl, Violet Wood-hoopoe, African Finfoot and Half-collared Kingfisher and I was still left with 36 species. So I decided to impose a few rules.

South Africa 240

South Africa Africa Parrots Swaziland 240