2010 Top Blog Award

Register

GBT

STRUIK link

STRUIK

Newman's Birds of Southern Africa

Newman's Birds by Colour

 Basic Bird ID


Africa Birds&Birding

Africa Birds and Birding Magazine

Login Form






Lost Password?
No account yet? Register

Lynx

Lynx

Bushmans Kloof Link

Bushmans Kloof

Kushiyana Link

Kushiyana

Birding on The Berg

Birding On The Berg

Leica

Leica

CK Wildlife Photo

Bird Art

Bird Art by Helga McLeod

Bird Course

Free GBT Birding Course

loot.co.za

loot.co.za

Syndicate

Home
Precision birding PDF Print E-mail
Written by Johan van Rensburg   
Monday, 23 June 2008

At a certain stage in one’s “career” as a lister, one has to really zero in on a specific lifer species to find it. I think I have reached that stage as I find myself switch from "birder" "hunter", chasing that thrilling number 500. As the 2009 birding season went into serious winter hibernation, I found myself stranded on 456! I started to list my opportunities for the second half of 2009. And, hey, funny thing… there are some South African birds you have to (can) target specifically in winter! So, winter birding opportunities one must create… and I found myself taking a major birding trip in winter.

 

Instead of seeing upcoming birding outings as a nice chance to walk in the woods and list whichever birds happen to cross my path, I now thought of this birding trip with specific targets in mind – much more like planning a major event. Precision and detail are the keys!

 Palmnut vulture, lifer 14 seen at Mtinzini

This palmnut vulture was the result of good strategy and detailed planning - lifer #14 on the Natal leg of my birding trip  

 

All of a sudden I had very specific mission-oriented outings! Not that that sort of planning guarantees success – it does raise the ratio of success vs failure though.

31 new species added… man, winter is not so bad for birding after all! And I have a new strategy waiting come summertime…

» 2 Comments
1Comment
at Monday, 23 June 2008 21:52by Jay
LOL, Johan you got it bad....you can join Joel's support group :-p...and neh, moi jealous of the Palmnut sighting, Never!...ag ja I know, my nose is growing hehehe...
2Comment
at Wednesday, 25 June 2008 12:31by Laine
i AM SO GREEN right now with the Palmnut Vulture...oh wow!!
» Post Comment
Only registered users can write a comment.
Please login or register.
 
< Prev   Next >

Pick n Pay

Website by Info-Desk.co.za