Final report from Africa

Peering out the window there’s a thin coating of snow and a wind chill of 21˚F – as you have probably guessed, I’m no longer in Africa. After my previous blog post two and a half weeks ago, fellow Ohio birding friend Brad Wilkinson joined me on a quick Cape to Kruger spree concluding in Johannesburg, where I boarded a flight back to the states…indefinitely. After an incredible two years living in Cape Town, South Africa, I’m now back in Ohio where I will be busy as the new Education and Outreach Specialist for the Black Swamp Bird Observatory along with several other projects.

I’ve learned that traveling and maintaining a blog concurrently is a difficult task. Preferring to blog about present day topics, I will regretfully delay concluding my write-ups on my four month backpacking trip until a further date and instead wrap up 2011 with some photos from my recent Cape to Kruger trip.

This shy African Penguin is part of a much larger colony at Boulder's Beach, Cape Town - one of only two populations on the mainland

While looking for endemic larks in the Agulhas Plains, the larks were not allowing close approach, however this African Pipit did

The national bird of South Africa, these Blue Cranes are common in the Agulhas Plains

Many great birds were found at Mkuze Game Reserve but the more widespread Lesser Masked-Weaver allowed the best photography

Countless mammals were recorded on the trip including Leopard, Spotted Hyenas, Sable Antelope and this White Rhino

Wakkerstroom is a must if you bird South Africa offering a lot of range-restricted species including Botha's and Rudd's Larks. However, the more common Long-tailed Widowbird is always a sight.

Eastern Long-billed Lark is also found around Wakkerstroom on rock-covered slopes

Kruger National Park is the size of Switzerland yet traffic jams still occur

The vulnerable Southern Ground Hornbill is the largest species of hornbill in the world weighing between 5-10lbs