My new bird

Well, I thought that I was to breaf on my new bird. So a little more on that.

My Southern Africa list is now on 530. That's really well below the big guys. They are sitting in the 750 plus range. I'll get there - just wait a little.

My life list is sitting at 613. I have only really done a little birding outside of Southern Africa. I did grow up in Kenya, and sure I enjoyed birds, even watched them and learned about them. But I wasn't listing. To some people the concept of listing is wrong. To me it's my hobby and it's a lot of fun. My ethics are my own and it is really a question of what do you do (flushing, bird calls, spot lights, etc...) to get your bird that determines if your listing is good or not for the bird. In my experience it is a hobby where honesty is the most valued characteristic (in which other competitive endeavor does your word count 100% to your rank? What if Tom Gullick lied about one bird. Why would he bother traveling the world to see the other 8700 odd that he's seen when he has lied about one? You need to be honest or you just wouldn't want to do it. It's the nature of the hobby. But it's competative just the same. It's a challange - often with yourself. Even with other. Often with that one elusive or vagrant bird.

My new bird is the Benguela Long-billed Lark Certhilauda benguelensis. It's really great to get a new bird like that. Most new birds for me in Namibia is going to depend on where I travel and rare birds showing up at the right time, in the right place.

Share this post
• Digg • Stumble • Technorati • Facebook • Reddit • Subscribe •