10,000 Birds

AUGUST 31, 2011

The highlight of the weekend was seeing a pair foraging on a beach, searching the sand and tide strands for various morsels like a turnstone, and approaching the dozing New Zealand Fur Seal without the slightest sign of fear. Red-crowned Parakeet foraging near a New Zealand Fur Seal. I’ll work on that.

Penguins 165

Penguins Parrots New Zealand Seals 165

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2022

Finally in 1799, the first visitors on this volcanic land were a group of French seal hunters who were after the fur seals that can be found hauled out on the beaches for fur and oil, which almost wiped out the local population of the species. About half of all breeding Wandering Albatross nest on the Prince Edward Islands.

South Africa 261

South Africa Mice Albatross Africa 261

10,000 Birds

APRIL 6, 2016

In the early morning out on the water there were plenty of Fluttering Shearwaters and Australasian Gannets, and close to a salmon farm we found New Zealand Fur Seals as well as Pied Shags, Little Shags and Spotted Shags (I can only assume that kiwis just like calling all cormorants shags because they are all five years old).

Charlotte 111

Charlotte New Zealand Seals Fur 111

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011

This is a good place to see the endangered and beautiful Yellowhead and the endemic Yellow-eyed Penguin. Along with the Northern Royal Albatrosses the peninsula also has a good population of Yellow-eyed Penguin, and you don’t have to get on a boat to see either! Yellow-eyed Penguin at Otago Peninsula.

New Zealand 157

New Zealand Penguins Sanctuary Birds 157

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2012

Here one is close to the scenically impressive Cape of Good Hope National Park as well as the Boulder’s Coastal Park, home to hundreds of breeding African Penguins. Here and there the occasional Cape Gannet can be seen plunge-diving in the distance, while Kelp Gulls in loose groups fly past on their way out to the trawling grounds.

Albatross 177

Albatross Penguins Dolphins Whales 177

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

Who can resist penguins and whales? The length of each bird species account varies, depending on whether the bird is native or a “visitor” (the book’s term for migrant) or vagrant, breeding or non breeding. South Georgia is home to the King Penguin, the second largest penguin in the world.

Georgia 172

Georgia Penguins Wildlife Whales 172

10,000 Birds

JULY 16, 2013

But there is one Cape bird that stands head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to character – the African Penguin. An African Penguin peers protectively around its fluffy chick. All it takes is a trip to Boulders Beach in Cape Town to get up close and personal with these comical penguins.

Penguins 206

Penguins South Africa Africa Sharks 206