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 222

South Africa Africa Lesotho Nigeria 222

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 8, 2013

Albeit currently a rugged 4×4-only road, Sani Pass is the most accessible route from KwaZulu-Natal into the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho. A family of endangered Wattled Cranes might be a highlight of the lower sections of the Sani Pass road, by Adam Riley. Photo by Adam Riley. A lovely male Cape Rock Thrush by Adam Riley .

Lesotho 164

Lesotho Africa Birds Rats 164

10,000 Birds

JUNE 3, 2015

But I do have rules about whether I can have said to have visited a country, ie does the country “count” which I have inherited from my family, particularly my Dad. 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.

Botswana 162

Botswana Birds Lesotho Elephants 162

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2012

Furthermore we have another very special stork-like bird, the regal Shoebill , previously known as the Whale-headed Stork but now placed in its own family. Sometimes they have to protect their catches from piratic African Fish Eagles who swoop down as soon as they that see a Saddle-bill has successfully caught a fish.

Africa 233

Africa Tanzania South Africa Uganda 233

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2012

This image shows Sani Pass, a rough 4×4 track leading into the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. The famous Verreaux family who made several expeditions into the province through the 1820’s and 1830’s procuring specimens for rich collectors. Sundevall named Wahlberg’s Eagle and Wahlberg’s Honeyguide in his memory.

Mozambique 182

Mozambique South Africa Africa Collecting 182

10,000 Birds

MAY 31, 2011

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. This was tough because this excluded species that occur in two countries within South Africa’s geographical area, Lesotho and Swaziland. This is what came up: 1.

South Africa 225

South Africa Africa Parrots Swaziland 225