10,000 Birds

JANUARY 12, 2024

On my 21-day Kenyan safaris we reckoned to find around 600 species of birds and around 60 mammals, both impressive totals. In 2023 I attempted to keep a year list of mammal encounters: the list barely exceeded 20 species, while it became complicated by seeing bats and voles that I was unable to name specifically.

Fur 182

Fur Otters Bulgaria Estonia 182

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 26, 2024

All the so-called grey geese – Greylag, Bean, White-front, Lesser White-front, Swan – look very much alike, and it takes experience to identify them by their calls and their shape and size. As the BTO notes, wild vagrants are usually found mixed in with Brent and Barnacle – both typical carrier species.

Bulgaria 130

Bulgaria Geese Romania Ukraine 130

10,000 Birds

APRIL 18, 2024

I would be fascinating to know how many species of birds it was pointed at during its time with me, but it must have been well over 1,000. It proved strong enough to take the many knocks and falls that a hard-used scope experiences during its lifetime. Dalmatian pelicans : digiscoping flying birds is a challenge.

Poland 194

Poland Estonia India Cyprus 194