10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2022

This is a cruise like no other, full of scientific lectures, over forty guides spread out on deck, bird-themed parties, and a lights-off mandate to protect birds at night. The marine protected area status was designated in 2013. The seal hunters accidentally introduced mice to Marion, as was the case for many islands around the world.

South Africa 264

South Africa Mice Albatross Africa 264

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 31, 2011

As I have explained before these islands are the best place for a lot of the birding here because they are more easily protected from introduced mammals which wreck such havoc on the wildlife here. Red-crowned Parakeet foraging near a New Zealand Fur Seal. So while we heard plenty of penguins, we never actually found any.

Penguins 165

Penguins Parrots New Zealand Seals 165

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011

Sadly the great gannet colonies during the July to October period to protect the birds, but if you head up to Boundary Stream you’ll find a good mix of lowland and mountain forest where active management is keeping forest birds going. Yellow-eyed Penguin at Otago Peninsula. A good place to see the enigmatic Kokako.

New Zealand 157

New Zealand Penguins Sanctuary Birds 157

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 136

Charlotte New Zealand Seals Fur 136

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.

Albatross 211

Albatross Penguins Dolphins Whales 211

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

The descriptions of the territory’s birds, seals, whales, introduced mammals, invertebrates, and plants are written within the framework of the conversationist, so it is more than a field guide, it is a record of endangered wildlife and the efforts being made to protect it. Who can resist penguins and whales?

Georgia 179

Georgia Penguins Wildlife Whales 179

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 245

Penguins South Africa Africa Sharks 245