2016 and 2017 Bringing it up to date!

I'm still alive!!!

The irony of the last few years of having a blog, keeping up with posting regularly when at times I've had little to do or say, but now when I've got loads of interesting birding stories, photos etc. I've just not been finding the time to post on here! So sorry about that (if anyone's actually noticed I'd been away!) Please do come and follow me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AWBirder) Twitter/Instagram (AWBirder) to keep up to date on my birding adventures - and lots of photos etc!

I've still got to catch up here on so many things.... Back end of 2016 trips to New Zealand, Australia, Thailand. Then I've got to talk about my 2017 birding- the first 6 months! Where have they gone? So far in 2017 I've birded in (in order of occurrence).. Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka, UK!, Thailand (again), Costa Rica, UK, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, USA, Colombia (again), Peru, USA (again), UK (a rest), Iceland, and now I'm currently in Thailand (again)! The second half of the year is looking likely to be fairly busy too. More on that later...

Here's a summary in pics/links to trip reports for 2016/2017 - I'll add more here as and when I can!

Getting together a decent year list as well - currently 1,891 for 2017.

2016 

Australia - 2016 Trip Report: http://birdingecotours.com/trip-reports/australia

Plains Wanderer - a highlight on a great tour. visiting Tasmania, Queensland, Victoria and NSW.

Wandering Albatross - my first ever pelagic trip was insane - loads of Albatrosses! 

Blue-breasted Fairywren - a highlight of my SW Scouting trip ahead of 2017 trip.

New Zealand  - Trip Report still to come!

New Zealand Storm Petrel was the star bird of a day on the water!

Thailand - a bit of relaxing on the beach...

Nicobar Pigeon - a spectacular lifer as I was sunbathing on a beach!

2017

Sri Lanka - 2017 Trip Report: http://birdingecotours.com/trip-reports/sri-lanka

Serendib Scops Owl - enough said! 

U.K. - A fleeting visit to sort out a visa resulted in me seeing the Pine Bunting near my house that Chris found! Great find mate - thank you for the unexpected lifer!

Pine Bunting - a MEGA lifer just near my house during the only 4 days I was at home in the first 6 months of the year!

Thailand - 2017 Trip Report: http://birdingecotours.com/trip-reports/thailand 

Siberian Rubythroat - Never get tired of these!

Costa Rica - 2017 Trip Report http://birdingecotours.com/trip-reports/costa-rica 

A fantastic tour - 498 species in 12.5 days and then some personal birding for a bit afterwards

Gartered Trogon - this one showed very well outside his nest.

Colombia - report to come - but WOW fantastic country

Chestnut-crowned Antpitta - WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!

USA - Check out my blog post on the Birding Ecotours website here: http://birdingecotours.com/the-biggest-week-in-american-birding-may-2017/

Bald Ealge - two nesting pairs where I was birding most days was a nice sight.

Peru - Trip Report to come - ended up co-finding a very rare bird for Peru, Hudson's Black Tyrant, potentially the third record for the country and the first ever of a male - will post about this in more detail when I get some further information, but we were rather pleased with our find!

Diademed Sandpiper-Plover (phone-scoped) - Just one of the best waders on the planet!

Iceland - Check out my blog post on the Birding Ecotours website here: http://birdingecotours.com/iceland-23rd-30th-june-2017/

Harlequin Duck - cracking views of this male.

Red-necked Phalarope - one of many, many of these beautiful waders seen.

There's hundreds of photos from each of these countries on my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages with details on many of the sightings so please take a look there! When I get time I'll add more details on each of the above, and my upcoming 2017 trips (Thailand, Uganda, Australia, and West Papua). 

Cheers, Andy

Costa Rica March/April 2017?

Just thought I'd stick a quick post out about Costa Rica. For those that know me you'll know that Costa Rica has a big place in my heart. It was here that I got properly started in bird guiding and I've spent over two-years of my life there showing people the countries fabulous birds.

I may go on about Asia and Australia a lot, but it's undeniable that Costa Rica is one of THE top birding destinations in the world. It is a small country with a range of habitats, elevations and two coastlines, a good road network, good accommodation (managed specifically for birds and birders) and very friendly people. All of this means a lot of very cool birds in a relatively small area.

Birding Ecotours has got a GUARANTEED DEPARTURE going to Costa Rica next March! This is a special tour, not only will you have some amazing birds and wildlife during the tour, but by joining it you will be supporting the Neotropical Bird Club because the tour is an NBC Conservation Tour. The tour is going to be guided by Kevin Easley, one of the best local guides in the country. So why not join me and him there!

Tour information can be found here: Complete Costa Rica Tour. This tour involves two-legs. You can do both legs (c4 weeks), or you can just do either one of them (c2 weeks each). Both have been designed to connect with Costa Rica's finest and most-sought species, For any information about this tour please email: info@birdingecotours.co.za (or drop me a line!).

Some highlight birds are likely to include: Resplendent Quetzal (arguably the best-looking bird on the planet), Three-wattled Bellbird, Great Green Macaw, Scarlet Macaw, Snowy Cotinga, Lovely Cotinga, Turquoise Cotinga, Snowcap, Lesser Ground Cuckoo, White-throated Magpie-Jay, Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager, Coppery-headed Emerald, Baird's Trogon and a plethora of Hummingbirds, Furnarids, Flycatchers, Tanagers etc... A large trip list full of national and regional (Chiriqui) endemics can be expected.

Some target bird photos to whet your appetite!

Resplendent Quetzal (Kevin Easley via Birding Ecotours)

Snowcap (via Birding Ecotours)

Three-wattled Bellbird (Kevin Easley via Birding Ecotours)

Coppery-headed Emerald (via Birding Ecotours)

Unspotted Saw-whet Owl (via Birding Ecotours)

Wrenthrush (via Birding Ecotours)

Rufous-tailed Jacamar (via Birding Ecotours)

Blue-diademed Motmot (via Birding Ecotours)

Broab-billed Motmot (via Birding Ecotours)

Collared Trogon (via Birding Ecotours)

Lesser Ground-Cuckoo (via Birding Ecotours)

Red-capped Manakin (via Birding Ecotours)

Emerald Tanager (via Birding Ecotours)

Silver-throated Tanager (via Birding Ecotours)

Speckled Tanager (via Birding Ecotours)   

Costa Rica Birding Trip Report 2

Another re-edited birding trip report.

This report was just over two-weeks long and recorded over 500 species. It was a really enjoyable trip with some major avian highlights. Loads of resident birds and a number of Nearctic over-wintering migrants too.

Birding sites visited included Savegre, Golfito, Carara, Tarcol, Palo Verde, Monteverde, La Selva, Braulio Carillo, Rancho Naturalista.

  Costa Rica Birding Trip Report 2

Costa Rica Birding Trip Report 1

Another re-edited birding trip report.

I've spent about 2 years living in Costa Rica where I worked as a bird guide. I've also guided several bird tours around the country and this trip report was from a tour I guided back in 2004. It was a fairly gentle introduction to Costa Rica (very different from the next report I'll post) and included time on both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts as well as in the central mountains.

The tour recorded over 400 species including mainly highly sought national and regional endemics as well as a number of high quality birds such as Resplendent Quetzal and Scarlet Macaw. In addition to the birds some great animals were recorded including Howler Monkey and White-faced Capuchin Monkey in addition to some beautiful moths and butterflies.

  Costa Rica Birding Trip Report 1