Me in the Arfak Mountains:
West Papua.
I have just returned from West Papua; an amazing place with amazing birds. This trip brought me just over 7,000 species, in fact 7,006 species to be precise. I follow the IOC Taxonomy with only seen birds counted.
This year has been an amazing adventure with trips to South Australia; the wonderful month long WPO, cruising through some of the worlds most beautiful islands & seeing some of the worlds most wanted sea birds & island endemics. A short trip to Sichuan, which was excellent for the superb game birds seen, followed by two weeks in the forests of SE Brazil & then West Papua. I haven't mentioned the four months spent in South Africa seeing beautiful birds & some great mammal sightings. And finally a couple of trips to the UK to see family & friends.
What a year & it hasn't ended yet! The following birds, mammals & scenery are some of my highlights of the year, not all were new species for me but all were memorable in one way or another.
Kruger in January/February:
A close encounter!
A pair of Wild Dogs in the rain.
Wild Dog sightings are getting commoner.
African Finfoot
Didric Cuckoos courtship feeding.
Meeve's Starling
Sunset in Kruger National Park
Victoria: Australia:
Przewalski's Nuthatch
White-capped Redstart
Himalayan Rubythroat
The rare & localised Sooty Tit
Mrs Gould's Sunbird
Slaty Bunting, a real prize this one!
SE Brazil:
Blackish Rail
What a year & it hasn't ended yet! The following birds, mammals & scenery are some of my highlights of the year, not all were new species for me but all were memorable in one way or another.
Kruger in January/February:
Me at Letaba Camp.
A great way to start the year!
Sooty Falcon - a real rarity here.
Amur Falcon (male).
Barred Owlet.
Woodland Kingfisher - one of the real stars
of summer here.
Cape Barren Goose - a tick for me on this trip.
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
Wonderfully entertaining birds!
Long-billed Corella
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, quite a common bird
here, but still brilliant to see!
Australian King Parrot.
Turquoise Parrot, a restricted range endemic
which I had missed on a previous visit.
So very happy to see it this time.
Superb Parrot, which really is superb!
here, but still brilliant to see!
which I had missed on a previous visit.
So very happy to see it this time.
Superb Parrot, which really is superb!
Not a great photo, but any shot of Swift Parrot
is memorable!
Powerful Owl, what a beast!
Tawny Frogmouth.
Superb Lyrebird doing its display!
White-throated Treecreeper
This family of Australian Treecreepers
is a cracking one!
Crescent Honeyeater.
Olive Whistler, a tricky species to see.
Red-capped Robin.
Hard to see, never mind photograph!
Mallee Emu Wren.
Rufous Bristlebird, the easiest of this group to see.
One of the highlights of the year for me was
meeting these two guys: David & Arthur.
We had a lot of fun!
The totally bizarre Kagu.
Weird but wonderful!
Sichuan:This family of Australian Treecreepers
is a cracking one!
Mallee Emu Wren.
West Pacific Odyssey:
My home for the next month!
Black Petrel
Buller's Shearwater -
the most beautiful of this group?
Short-tailed Albatross
meeting these two guys: David & Arthur.
We had a lot of fun!
Beach Kingfisher.
Snow Partridge
White-eared Pheasant
Golden breasted Fulvetta
Mrs Gould's Sunbird
Tataupa Tinamou.
This is a rarely seen species.
This is a rarely seen species.
Dusky-legged Guan
Red & White Crake.
Views just don't get any better than this!
Red breasted Toucan
Saffron Toucanet
Helmeted Woodpecker, one of my most wanted
birds & it did not disappoint!
Brazilian Ruby
birds & it did not disappoint!
White-throated Hummingbird
Saw-billed Hermit
Variegated Antpitta, one of the many highlights
in the year!
Pin-tailed Manakin
Blue Mannakin
Spot-backed Antshrike
Variable Antshrike
Black-hooed Antwren, it doesn't get much rarer
than this!
Chestnut crowned Becard
Brazilian Tanager
Golden-chevroned Tanager
Red necked Tanager
Brazilian Tanager
Green Headed Tanager, common
but still one of the best!
Blue Dacnis
Green Honeycreeper
but still one of the best!
Clare & Rowan in South Africa: August.
At Skukuza Golf Course
In Kruger.
Me!
Not a bird, but this encounter with a Lion pride
was truly memorable.
Rowan & I saw in one day!
Rowan & Clare at God's Window.
Biak Scops Owl
Mountain Owlet Nightjar
Feline Owlet Nightjar
Numfor Paradise Kingfisher
Yellow billed Kingfisher
Black Sicklebill
Greater Ground Robin
Wilson's Bird of Paradise.
Often touted as the most beautiful bird
in the world!
This adult male displayed very nicely for me.
Magnificent Bird of Paradise
The display.
Singing
Then it turns around! Whow!
I was in London for a few days.
Still a very exciting city to visit.
Me & Rowan in the Wheatley Arms Hotel.
Rowan on Ikley Moor.
Rowan & Ceggy
That is a large piece girl!
Ceggy & me, joining in!
West Papua:
Spotted Whistling Duck.
Western Crowned Pigeon
Papuan Hawk Owl
in the world!
The display.
Still a very exciting city to visit.
I spent most of October in the UK, catching up on friends & family. The weather was very good for this time of year. I arrived at Nicci's but soon went north on the train to visit Rowan in Ikley. She has been there a while now & a have never visited here. I spent a lovely five days with her, seeing the sights & one day walking in the hills.
Scarborough YHA.
I stayed at two YHA's, both were excellent.
Looking south, towards Scarborough Castle.
Me in Wainwright's Bar!
A bit of Holy Grail for walkers.
The amazing Whitby Abbey.
The YHA is inside the Abbey.
I then went across to the coast walking part of the Cleveland Way between Scarborough & Whitby. I was fortunate to have beautiful weather & enjoyed some stunning vistas along the way.
I then spent a week with Martin & Amanda at their home in Beverley. It was good catching up on old times.
Drakensberg Rockjumper
Crowned Crane.
Denham's Bustard
Rob & Maarten talking it easy in the
Mountain Zebra National Park.
Cape Mountain Zebra
Black Rhino - one of my highlights of the year!
It was then time to head back to South Africa, where the year had begun. This time Rob & Maarten came with me for a month & we had a blast!
Spent Christmas & the New Year in Sabie Park with Rob & Cath. How different from last year when all the girls & me were together in Abu Dhabi!
Martin, Amanda & Antonia.
Birding at Pulfin Bog.
Count Manley & his followers!
Rowan & Nicci.
OK! We had a party!
Then it was back down south for the last day of the month! Rowan came down for a few days & we had a blast!
The Three Amigos on the Sabie River.
Maarten & Rob on the Tropic of Capricorn.
Little Bittern of the African race.
We enjoyed some great sightings in Kruger.
We enjoyed some great sightings in Kruger.
Hailstorm in late November!
It was amazing!
Getting up high in the Drakensberg.
Mountain Zebra National Park.
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