South Africa Awaits

I really admire those birders who make the most of winter by braving the elements to track down seasonal rarities. Well actually it is equal parts admiration and bemusement. The continuing saga of the subspecific identities of the warblers in Sedgewick Park has been interesting to follow, but I don't have much to contribute to the subject.

Cape Rockjumper

So I know it will sound bourgeois, but we are taking a bite out of winter and departing for South Africa for three weeks of birding and travel.

I hope to get some good photos to post and some descriptions of the different habitats and localities. Birding the Afrotropic zone for the first time is very exciting as it represents a whole new vista in terms of new families of the birdlife present. Also, Southern Africa has a high rate of endemism, so there is diversity upon diversity.

We are not going on an organized tour, but rather will be renting a car and doing a mostly self-guided trip. There are some spots along the way where we will hire guides though. We begin in Kruger National Park in Eastern South Africa and will be travelling all the way to Cape Town in the southwest corner of the country; a 2000 km journey.