Top 5 birding sites per "continent"? (1 Viewer)

John Cantelo · Jan 3, 2008

Following comments about the new book "50 places to go birding before you die" - which is hopelessly biased towards American sites, how about generating our own list? To make it manageable I've made it 5 per "continent" - but I take a fairly flexible view on what consitutes a continent. Of course you don't have to nominate in every category and you can suggest your own categories! Off the top of my head I suggest:-
1 - North America
2 - South America
3 - Central America & Carribean
4 - Europe
5 - Asia (Non-tropical)
6 - Asia (Tropical)
7 - Africa
8 - Australia & NZ
9 - "Oceania"
10 - Antarctica

- still of a bit of a bias towards America & Europe with Africa being sold a bit short, but it's where the birders are & the only way I reckon you'd get 50 sites!

John

BobTag · Jan 3, 2008

Hi John,

What a great idea!

Especially as the editorial bias of the “50 places” book was embarrassing to say the least…

Based on my experiences, here are my nominations as a kick-off:

North America – Cape May (NJ)
The Salton Sea (CA)

Europe – Cley Marshes & the North Norfolk Coast (England)
The Isles of Scilly (England)
Speyside (Scotland)
Monfrague NP & surrounding steppe, Extremadura (Spain)
La Brenne (France)

Asia (non-tropical) – Eilat (Israel)
Mai Po (Hong Kong)

Asia (tropical) - Taman Negara (Peninsular Malaysia)

Oz & NZ - Kaikoura (NZ)
Stewart Island (NZ)

Cheers, BT

michaelboustead · Jan 3, 2008

I got "50 Places" for xmas, wouldn't disagree with John's comments.

Most experience in North America so I will limit myself. Places I would bird again and again.

Churchill, Manitoba
SE Arizona
Texas Hill Country
Grand Manan, NB(?). Grand Manan is simply my favorite place. Not the most lifers, just wonderful- it has whales too.

Mike

Blaumeise · Jan 3, 2008

I will nominate the St. Lucia Estuary in South Africa for the African category. Tons of waterfowl, birds of prey, every imaginable kingfisher etc.

John Cantelo · Jan 3, 2008

For reference I'm told there's already been a similar thread - http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=50083

... but I don't see why we should try again in the context of the book that's just been published!

John

chowchilla · Jan 4, 2008

I will nominate:

Africa: Kenyan Rift Valley, from experience Lakes Naivasha, Nakuru and Baringo were particularly amazing.

Tropical Asia: Malaysia - Fraser's Hill and 'The Gap'.

Central America and Caribbean:
Costa Rica - 1) Santa Elena/Monteverde;
2) Carara reserve.
3) Tapanti National Park.

Australasia: Home, er... I mean Cairns and Environs (I knew there was a reason I moved here...)

Robert / Seattle · Jan 4, 2008

For North America:
South Florida, SE Arizona, and environs around Brownsville, Texas.

For South America:
Columbia, where more species of birds occur than in any other country, worldwide.

For Africa:
The Okavango Delta in Northern Botswana.

For Australasia:
New Guinea.

And for Europe:
Britain, where the most talented birders in the world happen to reside.

Farnboro John · Jan 4, 2008

Europe:

Titchwell RSPB (or if we're going to do areas up to the size of say Yellowstone, the North Norfolk coast in general).

Mull & Ardnamurchan

The Bernese Oberland

Haven't been there, but Bialowiecza or Biebrza Forests in Poland sound fun.

Lesvos, though haven't been there either.

Africa

Etosha, Namibia

South Luangwa, Zambia

Mount Kenya area

2 haven't beens:

Madagascar

Okavango

South America

Falkland Islands

North America

Yosemite

Everglades

Three haven't been theres:

Denali

Pelee

Big Bend

Asia (my word, how do you do somewhere that big and diverse in five? Not been there yet, though I was born in Singapore)

Bharatpur

Thailand

Kamchatka

Nepal, if only for Monal

Bandavgarh

No idea about the rest.

John

John Cantelo · Jan 4, 2008

Robert / Seattle said:
And for Europe:
Britain, where the most talented birders in the world happen to reside.

Ah what a perceptive gentleman you are!

Interesting how people are opting for huge areas in some parts of the world - Florida and New Guinea for example - but relatively small sites (e.g. Titchwell) elsewhere. I think to count as a "site" you've got to be rather more prescriptive than a whole state or country!

I'll limit myself to Europe -

1 - Fair Isle - for the anything can turn up factor & seabirds
2 - Tarifa, Spain - for its raptor migration
3 - Hortobagy, Hungary - central European wetland
5 - Mount Ararat, Armenia - migration, high tops & snowcock!

John

Alan G · Jan 4, 2008

John Cantelo said:
Ah what a perceptive gentleman you are!

Interesting how people are opting for huge areas in some parts of the world - Florida and New Guinea for example - but relatively small sites (e.g. Titchwell) elsewhere. I think to count as a "site" you've got to be rather more prescriptive than a whole state or country!

I'll limit myself to Europe -

1 - Fair Isle - for the anything can turn up factor & seabirds
2 - Tarifa, Spain - for its raptor migration
3 - Hortobagy, Hungary - central European wetland
5 - Mount Ararat, Armenia - migration, high tops & snowcock!

John

What happened to number 4

Andrew Whitehouse · Jan 4, 2008

And I think Mount Ararat is in Turkey, despite being the national symbol of Armenia.

John Cantelo · Jan 4, 2008

What happened to No 4 is that I’m useless at editing my own copy!

I was thinking of ‘Cyprus’, but was doubtful as it broke my own rules as a site and is only dubiously part of Europe. I just forgot to add the extra site which I have now done

1 - Fair Isle - for the anything can turn up factor & seabirds
2 - Tarifa, Spain - for its raptor migration
3 - Hortobagy, Hungary - central European wetland
4 – Varanger, Norway – for a touch of the Arctic
5 - Mount Ararat, Armenia - migration, high tops & snowcock!

Andrew Whitehouse · Jan 4, 2008

Would that be Varanger in Norway?

Yours,

Mr geography pedant

John Cantelo · Jan 4, 2008

Andrew Whitehouse said:
And I think Mount Ararat is in Turkey, despite being the national symbol of Armenia.

Nigel Wheatley's "WWB in Birds of Europe & Russia" has it in Armenia - perhaps it straddles the border,

John

johnraven · Jan 4, 2008

Best places I've been to...

Europe:
1. Lesvos
2. Bialowieza forest
3. Titchwell-Cley North Norfolk coast
4. Scillies in October

Africa:
1. Bwindi impentrable forest, Uganda
2. Rift valley lakes, Kenya
3. Kruger NP, South Africa

Australia/NZ
1. Kaikoura seabird trip, NZ
2. Tiritiri Matangi island, NZ
3. Kakadu NP, NT, Australia
4. Atherton tablelands, QU, Australia

South America:
1. Amazonia down river from Coca, Ecuador
2. Mindo, Ecuador
3. Apa Apa Cloud Forest, Bolivia
4. Esteros del Ibera, Argentina
5. Mata Atlantica, e.g. REGUA, SE Brazil

Asia
1. Langtang Valley, Nepal
2. Perivar NP, Kerala, India
3. Royal Chitwan NP, Nepal

Central America
1. Monteverde, Costa Rica
2. La Selva biological reserve, Costa Rica
3. Palo Verde NP, Costa Rica
(I've only been to Costa Rica in CA!)

North America
1. Cape May in late September

Andrew Whitehouse · Jan 4, 2008

John Cantelo said:
Nigel Wheatley's "WWB in Birds of Europe & Russia" has it in Armenia - perhaps it straddles the border,

John

Not really:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Ararat

Twite · Jan 4, 2008

1. Donana, Spain.
2. Falsterbo, Sweden.
3. Danube Delta, Romania.
4. Lake Myvatn, Iceland.
5. Eilat, Israel. (I Know I know, but they sing in the Eurovision.)

I probably will be back later when I have changed my mind.

Twite.

johnraven · Jan 4, 2008

Andrew Whitehouse said:
Not really:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Ararat

You would be ill-advised to make too big a thing about this in Armenia, however.

Edward woodwood · Jan 4, 2008

fantastic birds and fantastic places - tried to keep it to 'sites' as much as possible

Asia
Er La Pass on the Tibetan Plateau
Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh
Sandakphu Trek in NE India
Koko Nor in Tibet
Bhutan

Tropical Asia
Taman Negara
Doi Inthanon summit (but i hear it's not so nice now)
Way Kanan (Sumatra)
Komodo Island
Ujung Kulon National Park on Java

South America
Rio de Las Piedras area
Tambopata
Macchu Pichu
Manu Road
Mindo or Podocarpus National Park in Ecuador

Australia is tricky as its so huge and often samey...
but birding around Ayres' Rock stands out
Fogg Dam
Kakadu National Park

Europe:
Monfrague National Park
Demirkazik, Turkey
Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga
Tagdilt track, Morocco
Bay of Biscay
and East Norfolk of course.

etc

Tim

Runaround · Jan 4, 2008

North America - in no particular order
1. Cape May, NJ
2. Point Pelee, Ont.
3. Rio Grand Valley, TX
4. Madera Canyon, AZ
5. Sanibel Island, FL

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