Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
You can get your own back, as we did in one NP. If you pass that car later when it's stopped, you can feign disappointment, and say "oh. It's just big mammals then?"
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Jo'burg to...... (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Larry Sweetland
- Start date
You can get your own back, as we did in one NP. If you pass that car later when it's stopped, you can feign disappointment, and say "oh. It's just big mammals then?"
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
I can't resist posting this one before our flight today.
This has bee a pretty unusual trip for us because we've been running two adventures concurrently. We always never really know how long the trip will last, as you don't know what might happen, but this time this was much more the case. We discovered within the first week of getting here, in early November while at Kruger, that Nicky is pregnant! B
B :king::gh: A tick for both of us. And Kev, if you read this before we see you don't you dare tell Bristol ahead of us! Obviously this has meant that tent living in the intense heat has been a different story to how it would usually be for us.
Bearing this in mind, I reckon we did pretty well to stick it out, and see the 642 species we did see, 471 of which were lifers.
This is also why seeing the other 90 odd birds I'd like to see before I'm 50 to get to that 5000 might be a bit more tricky! However, there is this: When we were in Cape Town we had a 4D scan. It was evident from the video that our little creation was holding his/her little fists up to his/her eyes, and twisting them round. It was almost as if this was a very early practise of using binoculars. Definitely a sign that, come July, we'll be hearing the words from the midwife “ Congratulations, it's a birder.”
I'm sure Ill have more to rant on about birding in SA/Namibia, and pics to post, when we get back. In the mean time here's that list of what we missed:-
We missed 9 species that occur in South Africa or Namibia that are endemic to the southern Africa subregion. These are:-
Orange River Francolin, Hartlaub's Francolin, Cape Clapper Lark, Melodious Lark, Barlow's Lark, Botha's Lark, Sclater's Lark, African Rock Pipit, Neergard's Sunbird
We also had 57 significant (to me) misses, of species who's normal range maps at least reach SA or Namibia, that are also found outside the southern Africa subregion. These are:-
White-backed Night Heron, Dwarf Bittern, Abdim's Stork, Western Banded Snake-Eagle, African Cuckoo-Hawk, Ovambo Sparrowhawk, Bat Hawk, Dickinson's Kestrel, Sooty Falcon, Coqui Francolin, Harlequin Quail, Striped Flufftail, White-winged Flufftail, Buff-spotted Flufftail, Caspian Plover, Three-banded Courser, Bronze-winged Courser, Black-winged Pratincole, African Skimmer, Antarctic Tern, Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, Grey-headed Parrot, Meyer's Parrot, Thick-billed Cuckoo, Black Coucal, African Grass Owl, Pel's Fishing Owl, African Barred Owlet, Swamp Nightjar, African Broadbill, Mangrove Kingfisher, Madagascar Bee-eater, Racket-tailed Roller, Green-backed Honeyguide, Flappet Lark, Grey-rumped Swallow, White-breasted Cuckoo-Shrike, Rufous-bellied Tit, Arnott's Chat, Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush, Greater Swamp Warbler, Stierling's Wren-Warbler, Luapala Cisticola, Chirping Cisticola, Wood Pipit, Buffy Pipit, Bushveld Pipit, Short-tailed Pipit, Rosy-throated Longclaw, Sharp-tailed Starling, Plain-backed Sunbird, Red-headed Quelea, Cuckoo Finch, Brown Firefinch, Cinderella Waxbill, Magpie Mannikin, Orange-winged Pytilia
Note that to see some of these you'll have to go to sites that we didn't visit, or come in the austral winter (when a pelagic trip would also be a good idea), and that some of them are pretty marginal really or just extremely hard to see!.
We also missed a few other birds that we didn't look too hard for as I'd seen them before, mostly palaearctic ones, eg Knot, Arctic Tern, River Warbler, Marsh Owl, Palm-nut Vulture, Small Buttonquail etc. So there's plenty out there!
This has bee a pretty unusual trip for us because we've been running two adventures concurrently. We always never really know how long the trip will last, as you don't know what might happen, but this time this was much more the case. We discovered within the first week of getting here, in early November while at Kruger, that Nicky is pregnant! B
B :king::gh: A tick for both of us. And Kev, if you read this before we see you don't you dare tell Bristol ahead of us! Obviously this has meant that tent living in the intense heat has been a different story to how it would usually be for us.Bearing this in mind, I reckon we did pretty well to stick it out, and see the 642 species we did see, 471 of which were lifers.
This is also why seeing the other 90 odd birds I'd like to see before I'm 50 to get to that 5000 might be a bit more tricky! However, there is this: When we were in Cape Town we had a 4D scan. It was evident from the video that our little creation was holding his/her little fists up to his/her eyes, and twisting them round. It was almost as if this was a very early practise of using binoculars. Definitely a sign that, come July, we'll be hearing the words from the midwife “ Congratulations, it's a birder.”
I'm sure Ill have more to rant on about birding in SA/Namibia, and pics to post, when we get back. In the mean time here's that list of what we missed:-
We missed 9 species that occur in South Africa or Namibia that are endemic to the southern Africa subregion. These are:-
Orange River Francolin, Hartlaub's Francolin, Cape Clapper Lark, Melodious Lark, Barlow's Lark, Botha's Lark, Sclater's Lark, African Rock Pipit, Neergard's Sunbird
We also had 57 significant (to me) misses, of species who's normal range maps at least reach SA or Namibia, that are also found outside the southern Africa subregion. These are:-
White-backed Night Heron, Dwarf Bittern, Abdim's Stork, Western Banded Snake-Eagle, African Cuckoo-Hawk, Ovambo Sparrowhawk, Bat Hawk, Dickinson's Kestrel, Sooty Falcon, Coqui Francolin, Harlequin Quail, Striped Flufftail, White-winged Flufftail, Buff-spotted Flufftail, Caspian Plover, Three-banded Courser, Bronze-winged Courser, Black-winged Pratincole, African Skimmer, Antarctic Tern, Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, Grey-headed Parrot, Meyer's Parrot, Thick-billed Cuckoo, Black Coucal, African Grass Owl, Pel's Fishing Owl, African Barred Owlet, Swamp Nightjar, African Broadbill, Mangrove Kingfisher, Madagascar Bee-eater, Racket-tailed Roller, Green-backed Honeyguide, Flappet Lark, Grey-rumped Swallow, White-breasted Cuckoo-Shrike, Rufous-bellied Tit, Arnott's Chat, Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush, Greater Swamp Warbler, Stierling's Wren-Warbler, Luapala Cisticola, Chirping Cisticola, Wood Pipit, Buffy Pipit, Bushveld Pipit, Short-tailed Pipit, Rosy-throated Longclaw, Sharp-tailed Starling, Plain-backed Sunbird, Red-headed Quelea, Cuckoo Finch, Brown Firefinch, Cinderella Waxbill, Magpie Mannikin, Orange-winged Pytilia
Note that to see some of these you'll have to go to sites that we didn't visit, or come in the austral winter (when a pelagic trip would also be a good idea), and that some of them are pretty marginal really or just extremely hard to see!.
We also missed a few other birds that we didn't look too hard for as I'd seen them before, mostly palaearctic ones, eg Knot, Arctic Tern, River Warbler, Marsh Owl, Palm-nut Vulture, Small Buttonquail etc. So there's plenty out there!
foresttwitcher
Virtually unknown member
Thanks for the report Larry, epic trip & great birds - I'll miss reading the updates now that its all over.
kevbainbridge1
Active member
Mum's the word! We won't tell Bristol I Promise, Wow we're over the moon for the both of you that's amazing news, can't wait to see youX
birdboybowley
Well-known member.....apparently so ;)
Now that your adventuring days are soon to be over, I shall let this comment pass without too much chagrin......
Selsey Birder
Well-known member
Hi Larry and Nicky,
Firstly massive congratulations (i agree cannot see how you will reach 5,000 before fifty now!).
Secondly I hope you had a safe flight home
Thirdly, as has been said above, thank you for an amazing report (not your first either) and I shall also miss the fantastic reports
Now lets turn to that list of missed birds.................okay i can only manage three of them and one of them you would have managed easily without the passport problems and the consequent inability to cross into Lesotho via the Sani Pass with Stuart.
During November 2011 (on Ads Bowley's recommendation) we spent an amazing day in his company, he was given a list of over 25 required birds by the two Swedish birders who accompanied us. He managed to get them all except for Cape Eagle Owl which had been calling in his garden the night before.
Anyway, one of the birds that proved more difficult and resulted in a two hour round trip from the Lesotho border was African Rock Pipit.
The other two are Abdim Stork and Flappet Lark, both of which we saw in the southern part of the Kruger during the latter half of that November.
We are going back again this year and will spend a fortnight in Kwazulu Natal, suffice to say we shall make good use of the notes included in your report. THANK YOU
Firstly massive congratulations (i agree cannot see how you will reach 5,000 before fifty now!).
Secondly I hope you had a safe flight home
Thirdly, as has been said above, thank you for an amazing report (not your first either) and I shall also miss the fantastic reports
Now lets turn to that list of missed birds.................okay i can only manage three of them and one of them you would have managed easily without the passport problems and the consequent inability to cross into Lesotho via the Sani Pass with Stuart.
During November 2011 (on Ads Bowley's recommendation) we spent an amazing day in his company, he was given a list of over 25 required birds by the two Swedish birders who accompanied us. He managed to get them all except for Cape Eagle Owl which had been calling in his garden the night before.
Anyway, one of the birds that proved more difficult and resulted in a two hour round trip from the Lesotho border was African Rock Pipit.
The other two are Abdim Stork and Flappet Lark, both of which we saw in the southern part of the Kruger during the latter half of that November.
We are going back again this year and will spend a fortnight in Kwazulu Natal, suffice to say we shall make good use of the notes included in your report. THANK YOU
At a quick count, I've got 56 of those missed ones, plus a whole bunch more from elsewhere in southern Africa :t:
... but given I've spent over two years down there, I reckon you did pretty good for a single trip.
Sling the baby in the backback, no hassle, just gets more expensive buying an additional air ticket!
Heartiest congratulations!!
Really a trifecta, a spectacular trip, wonderful reports and glad tidings. Babies travel very well, incidentally, at least in my limited experience.
Pretty snazzy trip totals as well. Peterson wound up with about 650 North American species on his life list, so 642 is not too shabby for a vacation.
As to 5000, why be hasty. That would leave less than half of the world's birds still to see and you surely would not want to run out....
Very much looking forward to the next installment of 'Travels with Wheatlands'.
Really a trifecta, a spectacular trip, wonderful reports and glad tidings. Babies travel very well, incidentally, at least in my limited experience.
Pretty snazzy trip totals as well. Peterson wound up with about 650 North American species on his life list, so 642 is not too shabby for a vacation.
As to 5000, why be hasty. That would leave less than half of the world's birds still to see and you surely would not want to run out....
Very much looking forward to the next installment of 'Travels with Wheatlands'.
Last edited:
^^ Bristol to Mothercare..?
Larry,
Many Congrats on the baby news, and thanks very much for another excellent trip report.
From a comment you made to Ads on here I thought you were going to finish off the trip in Madagascar - which would probably see you to 5k, but Im guessing Nicky shouldnt really be taking any anti-malarials?
Cheers,
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
Thanks for your lovely comments folks. Back in southern blighty, and really getting off on Woodpigeons, Black-headed Gulls, Jays, Magpies, and beautiful bare Oak and Birch trees while they're still a novelty!
As for this:
As for this:
I wouldn't bet too much on it!Now that your adventuring days are soon to be over......
birdboybowley
Well-known member.....apparently so ;)
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
Is Mothercare an international company then
?Gareth's other comment has reminded me of something I wanted to say. Before we arrived in SA, there were 4 things in particular that we worried might make a long trip to Southern Africa unsustainable for us, and send us home early.
1. We'd be victims of crime, maybe even violent crime
2. Malaria (we've never taken anti-malarials, and of course, once we got here and found out Nicky was pregnant, she wouldn't be able to take them anyway)
3. We'd need to camp almost everywhere to make it cheap enough for us, and this might not be safe or possible
4. We might not be able to find enough variety of vegetarian food.
If any of these reasons are the only things that are stopping you planning a trip to SA and Namibia, then all I can say is that that worked out all totally fine for us. In fact, I've just heard that although we had no point #1 issues in 5 months of going from Bristol to southern Africa, a friend of mine came to Bristol for one night during that time and had her van broken into and everything robbed.
We did find it a more challenging place than some in some ways, but not really for those reasons.
If you don't want to go because you're worried that you might see too many mindblowing birds and truly overwhelming mammals, then be worried. Be very worried.
Chlidonias
Well-known member
as if the baby would be doing anything other than practising binocular use!! I can imagine the list of possible names now. If she be a girl then Polly or Phoebe; if he be a boy then Martin or Jay. Or Alan Partridge.Larry Wheathland said:
viator
Well-known member
Larry an amazing report, congrats on the forthcoming arrival and of course the baby is getting ready to help you to 5000.
It takes a few years but my 7 year old gets as excited as me about new Pittas to the point of sitting happily for 2 hours late last week - and I mean until we had two Elegant Pitta 6 feet from us and he remembers 2 yrs worth of sitting quietly for his favourite type of birds in various locations!
It takes a few years but my 7 year old gets as excited as me about new Pittas to the point of sitting happily for 2 hours late last week - and I mean until we had two Elegant Pitta 6 feet from us and he remembers 2 yrs worth of sitting quietly for his favourite type of birds in various locations!
Robin would seem a good name, irrespective of actual gender. Plus it works just as well in North America as it does in Blighty.
Chlidonias
Well-known member
Eremomela is quite nice too, for a girl.
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
That's amazing! I was just thinking that. Or Shama. I did meet a father and son bird of prey studying team once, and the son had been named Merlin.
edenwatcher
Well-known member
Sue was pregnant with Andrew when we were in Costa Rica and the bump was christened Pittasoma!
Congrats Larry, travel is still possible with young children!
Another great report.
Rob
Congrats Larry, travel is still possible with young children!
Another great report.
Rob
