2023 Birding Summary (Late Post)
Last year’s birding started with the most anticipated trip of my life, but a few work trips added little sprinkles of feathered friends to fluff out my life list. India In January, I traveled to Asia for the first time. I spent about 3 weeks in India on a tour with Rockjumper Birding. My priorities went something like this: tigers, gharial, Indian rhinoceros, birds. Luckily, we hit all the targets AND saw about 400 birds. It was a really great trip with a great group. But the tigers were, by far, the bird of the trip. I will die on this hill Hawaii In April, I was extraordinarily lucky to…
A Budapest Highlight: Faust Wine Cellar
If you enjoy wine, this atmospheric local shop provides a curated tasting of five wines from local Hungarian vineyards. The Wine Cellar Over on the other side of the river, in Buda, sits the Buda Castle. And also…. a Hilton hotel. But it’s an old building, with old traditional cellars. And in this Hilton, you’ll find the Faust Wine Cellar. It’s not a Hilton venture. It is a local business, operated by a local man who has operated this shop for many years. Although I accessed the store after entering a Hilton, the entrance (an old stairwell) was really atmospheric and felt completely authentic. (And by that, I don’t mean…
Finding Solitude in Banff National Park: The Skoki Valley
We planned a trip to see the Canadian Rockies. I’d never been to Banff, but it’s a popular spot. My first objective while planning this vacation was to find some time away from the maddening crowd. Objective achieved. Canadian National Parks How are Canadian parks different from US National Parks? In many ways they’re similar. Huge areas preserved primarily for nature-based recreation. A variety of campgrounds, lakes, and trails provided for people to get back to nature. But in Alberta parks, at least, there are entire towns within the Parks. Entire towns. Like Jasper. Banff. Waterton. Just sitting there providing all sorts of services, with pricetags ranging from not-cheap to…
Birding Tours: Finding the Best Guide for Your Travels
I always use the same birding tour company when planning a big trip. Why? Because they’re great. And also because I’m lazy. This technique can work for you too! But maybe not. Who am I to tell you how to live your life? Now get out there and bird, folks. But first, find a good bird guide! Decisions, Decisions Okay, look. There are loads of companies out there providing wildlife-oriented tours, especially of the feathered persuasion. Birding companies aren’t remotely rare. So I’m just going to tell you who I’ve used before (and recommend), and a tiny bit about why (when I feel like it). And, full disclosure, no tour…
A Paradise Paradox in Hawai’i
People recommend Hawaii for its beaches and coffee and volcanoes. And those might all be great reasons to go to a place, but I’ll put a word in here for these islands’ amazing diversity. This may not be a reason many go to Hawai’i – the average tourist is unlikely to witness much of the State’s remaining native biodiversity. Instead, this is a gentle encouragement to appreciate the unique wonders that flourish on isolated tropical islands. — Disclaimer: I went to Hawai’i, mostly for work-related responsibilities. This was probably a once-in-a-career meeting destination for me, and it means my itinerary was focused on wildlife conservation efforts rather than personal travel.…
Hey Tiger: Random Photographic Update
I am about to break every SEO rule by basically saying nothing and using zero keywords. I know, I’m blowing minds over here. But I never update… though I should. And I took a birding trip to India that I really do want to post about. I know I really should. Yet it takes me about a billion months to curate photos, so that’s my excuse for why updates never happen. With that in mind, I’m posting this photo now. Because it’s my site, and I can post useless content. That’s how the internet works! I present to you: A WILD TIGER. This handsome adult was spotted with his mate…