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

OCTOBER 11, 2011

Nowhere else in Africa do the preconceived ideas of the continent really exist in such living detail; tall, red-robed Maasai herding their skinny cattle, endless grasslands studded with flat-topped Acacia trees and grazed by herds of zebras and wildebeest, and dramatic volcanic calderas brimming with big game and fierce predators!

Tanzania 224

Tanzania Africa Stud Leopards 224

10,000 Birds

APRIL 15, 2020

During our tenure there, we had exceptional views of Africa’s largest ( Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl ) and smallest ( African Scops Owl ) owls, the largest bird on the planet, not neglecting numerous hornbills, sunbirds and weavers. The first stop was along a narrow dirt track adjacent to some farming land. Greyish Eagle-Owl.

Kenya 238

Kenya Owls Hunters Ostriches 238

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 8, 2014

Early this September I made that pilgrimage planning to be there when Africa-bound vultures, buzzards and eagles are on the move. People asked me what target birds I had in mind, but really I had very few; I’m not a list-ticker and my goal was to experience the raptor migration. They were all exceptional to me.

Spain 171

Spain Ostriches Africa Canada 171

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2014

The new 48-genome analysis included only ostrich and tinamou DNA, so it doesn’t shed further light on paleognath interrelationships, but it does reinforce their distinctiveness from all other living birds. Ratites, Tinamous, and Fowl. Jarvis et al.

Family 279

Family Birds Parrots 2014 279