Photo above--- Clint Seymour in High Plains Birder.....................................
Birding abroad is fun and exciting but does have its difficulties, frustrations and even dangers. I ventured abroad for the first time in 1981. Back then there were few detailed guides on where to watch. We relied on previous reports written by trail blazers. We used such maps on various trips and becams trail blazers as we added new info to existing trip reports.
On one occasion in the 80s we were totally flummoxed by a map. We could not find the sand bank for blue cheeked bee eaters on the Euphrates. Nothing fitted. Eventually towards evening we realised that if we ignored the compass diagram on the hand drawn photo-copied map and turned the sheet upside down it all made sense. A quick drive down the other side of the main road and Bingo- BCBE on a road side wire.
:)
S
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Birding abroad gives you the chance to find new bird places. In Britain there are the odd corners but unless a new reserve is built or the sea encroaches somewhere it's unlikely you'll find one.
We were driving along a coast road in Turkey and decided to stop for a break. An old graveyard alongside a marsh on the north side of the road looked good so we parked and explored. We found crested lark, little bittern, rufous bush robin and masked shrike in about 20 mins- then an Eleonoras falcon flew north past us..... It wasnt an 'official' bird site at that time - it was afterwards:)
Birding abroad often introduces you to new habitats- One in particular- yes........ HOTEL GARDENS!
In many places ( egypt, Israel, south africa,Morocco, Kathmandu) the only green is the big trees around the hotel grounds. Birders often stay in locations on migration routes- Eilat, Sharm el shaikh, etc - and a walk around the garden pre brekky can be good . I can admit to sipping free hotel drinks on a lawn while watching Olive backed pipits, wire tailed swallow from my balcony, serin, scops owl, plain swift and many others.
Birds just see trees in a hotel complex as another habitat- a food rich one :)
Never miss an opportunity when abroad- had a puncture? While changing the wheel or waiting, check the fields around you. Roller!
Stuck for 20 mins at roadworks in Costa Rica? Look over that bridge up that roadside river - It's a Tiger Heron!
A guy I know was taking a No 2 ( comfort stop) while birding and lifted his bins- Yellow billed Cuckoo!
Tourist sites can often be good for birding. Often out of season. We once were the only car in a ski resort carpark in the middle of June. We saw the breeding Citril finches along the approach road:)
Up on the Grossglockner in Austria, the car park was full of Alpine Choughs and Snow Finches. I worked my way further up the valley on a good path from the coffee shops etc but was hit by a snow shower so I took shelter in an alpine hut, Alpine Accentors were breeding around it. When the snow stopped I birded back down and met my buddies back at the coffee shop. They'd got worried and reported me missing to mountain rescue - I wondered why I'd seen a load of guys with crampons walking past me as I came down :)
and sometimes the Hotel isn't 'quite' as expected...
I like the update 'S'. there would have been a time when a hotel like that would have been very welcome when we were hitching back in the 60's, the proper good old days.
Lot to learn
gaynorsl said: I like the update 'S'. there would have been a time when a hotel like that would have been very welcome when we were hitching back in the 60's, the proper good old days.
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can
If you look carefully - although the windows and roof are missing ( a fire previous year) the walls are OK; The new Hotel can be seen down the road in the distance
Wendy S said: I like the update 'S'. there would have been a time when a hotel like that would have been very welcome when we were hitching back in the 60's, the proper good old days.
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In the 80's I normally slept across the front seats of the car ! Turkey looked good like that :)