10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 19, 2023

Photos courtesy of Mosetlha Bush Camp A dusty-red road leads me through Marico bushveld deeper into the 750 square kilometers large wilderness of the Madikwe Game Reserve – the 4th largest reserve in South Africa, home to 350 bird and 66 mammal species, some 4 hours’ drive from Johannesburg.

South Africa 232

South Africa Africa Game Elephants 232

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 29, 2023

My British total was a mere 172 species – not bad, but not very good. Every one of my 171 species was a bird that I found myself. It keeps a monthly record of sightings, so I can tell you that it was in February that I recorded my highest monthly species total (106), while my lowest total was in August (39).

Estonia 236

Estonia Portugal Greece Barn Owls 236

10,000 Birds

APRIL 25, 2015

What kind of miscreant kicks a Barn Owl in mid-flight? It’s not quite Tippi Hedren–worthy, but birds swarming your living room is probably fair game for some NSFW language. Help them rack up 4,000 species in 24 hours on eBird!). And last but not least, get your owl snark on. Different, but the same?

Malta 189

Malta Barn Owls Cyprus Fowl 189

10,000 Birds

JUNE 5, 2012

The bird eluded me for nearly 20 years until I stumbled across one at Phinda Private Game Reserve , where I worked in northern KwaZulu-Natal. It was early afternoon and myself and a few of the other game rangers were out birding a productive fig forest close to Mkuze Game Reserve, our neighbor to the north of Phinda.

Owls 255

Owls Fish Botswana Barn Owls 255

10,000 Birds

JULY 11, 2013

A dusty-red road leads me through Marico bushveld deeper into the 750 square kilometers large wilderness of the Madikwe Game Reserve – the 4th largest reserve in South Africa, home to 350 bird and 66 mammal species, some 4 hours’ drive from Johannesburg. Barn Owl on a dry tree trunk and a… traffic jam!

Africa 200

Africa South Africa Elephants Rhinos 200