These are fifty places chosen by birding experts around the world. Follow the link in the image to see the table of contents. Do you agree with their choices? I’m a bit surprised to see so many places in the USA on the list. Only 20 are not in the USA. And how did they manage to leave off the Pantanal in Brazil, Indonesia’s Arfak, Raja Ampat and Seram, India’s Bharatpur and Thattekad, Costa Rica’s Carara and La Selva, The Philippines………….just so many places! And only one entry is supposed to cover all of Peru and Brazil’s Amazonia? I think they should expand the book to 100 Places to Go Birding Before You Die and add these ones on!
A great pair of binoculars is essential to any birder. You need to be able to see the birds up close without actually GETTING up close! I spent a lot of time researching them and decided on the Nikon Monarch 8 x 42 as being the best quality I could afford and lightweight as I just can’t carry a larger pair together with my camera and lenses. I was just going through Amazon and noticed they are half price through one of their stores. There are a lot of specs on the page so please click on the image below to see all the details. I hope someone can take advantage of this sale!
J&R Music and Computer World Rebates:
Price Reflects $65 Instant Rebate thru 01/20/13
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High Reflective Silver Alloy Phase corrected prisms – helps eliminate the degradation of the image caused by different light phases reflecting in the binocular.
Fully Multicoated – all lens surfaces are multicoated with anti-reflective coatings
Polycarbonate Body – designed to be rugged and durable
Multi-click Turn and Slide Eyecups with generous eye relief – great for eyeglass wearers
Unmatched Warranty – 25 year No Fault repair or replace warranty
Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 5.1 x 3 inches ; 1.3 pounds
A few days ago, I wrote about the beautiful Rimatara Lorikeet and that the easiest way to see them is to travel to Atiu in the Cook Islands. I will save the “how to get to the Cook Islands on miles” for a separate post as there is a lot to cover just on Atiu. You have to start from Rarotonga (RAR) and pay for a ticket on Air Raro as they don’t have any frequent flyer alliances. It’s pretty much the same price year round though could go higher in peak travel periods.
There are only 3 flights a week from RAR but there are also weekly direct flights from Aitutaki so you can do a two island trip without having to return to Raro in between.
There is an excellent tourist information website about Atiu so I will link it here but would like to point out the following excerpt which is of great interest to eco-travelers.
The makatea is clad with jungle and riddled with caves. The dark of one cave, called Anataketake, is the home of the indigenous bird called the Kopeka. An excursion to this cave is conducted frequently and provides a real experience to nature lovers and bush walkers. There are many other caves and in fact you could spend a week exploring underground caves and find even more caves to explore. The raised central plateau is where we all live. It is cooler and breezier. Outside the central populated plateau are many nature walks through the lush tropical jungle. Being the land of the birds we also specialise in guided bird tours where Birdman George explains the fauna and flora on Atiu as well as Atiu’s part in the recovery programme for a back from the brink Rarotongan bird called the Kakerori and for the colourful and endangered Rimatara lorikeet called the kura.
BEST BIRDING GUIDE
There are a handful of small family run guest houses on Atiu but the one I prefer as a birder is Atiu Villas. The owner, Roger Malcolm and his wife Kura are very involved in the conservation project of the Rimatara Lorikeets and the birds can often be found on the lodge’s premises or in the banana plantation down the road. Roger can also book a tour with the island’s top birding guide Birdman George. Here is an interview I did with him a few years ago.
George is actively involved with monitoring the habits and breeding results of the Lorikeets so he always knows where they can be found, where their nests are and if there are any juveniles around. George has a regular full day tour he does which also takes in the Kopeka Cave and some island sights which is a great introduction to the island and it’s native flora and fauna. He is also happy to tailor a tour if you want to concentrate on the lorikeets. The first time we visited Atiu, we did the full day tour, the second time, we had him concentrate on the lorikeets and we got to see quite a few, including some very cute youngters! George doesn’t have a website or email but you can book him via Roger at Atiu Villas.
BEST LODGING FOR BIRDERS
Atiu Villas is a really charming lodge, well situated in lush tropical gardens and is the only accommodation in Atiu that has a swimming pool. Kura is a fantastic cook and makes delicious evening meals that you must book in advance. They have a special where by booking on-line you could qualify for either our early booking more than 12 weeks out) or late booking (within 7 days of arrival) discount. This can save you 15% or 40% of the cost of accommodation.
Atiu Villas
Atiu Villas Room
Atiu Villas Pool
But don’t just take my word for it, Atiu Villas gets rave reviews from everyone on Trip Advisor!
Some aspects of travel are just not as much fun as others. The one thing I absolutely HATE is checking bags. Some airlines will even charge a fee for this. And then you have to wait around at the destination for it to come out of the carousel–IF it comes out of the carousel! I just prefer to carry on my bag even if my free award ticket allows me to check a bag for free. This is the bag my husband and I have been using for the last 2 years and we both love them!
It’s amazing how much you can pack inside one of these Motherlodes! I can easily get my camera, lenses and usual clothing inside and have room left over for souvenirs! They are on sale now and come in 7 colours. I like the green one as it’s so easy to keep track of. It really makes things easy when we are hiking on a small footpath to get to a jungle lodge. They also have a laptop pouch in the back which is very well hidden from a potential thief as it sits between your back and the main section of the bag. It’s very versatile and converts from a bag with a handle to a backpack. I’ve always preferred backpacks and I don’t care if people stare at me in the lounge. When it comes to mobility, this bag just makes it so easy to escape the airport and deal with public transport at the destination. The dimensions (9 x 22 x 14 inches; 4.4 pounds) are designed to maximize your carry-on allowance and be as light as possible, no wheels to add weight, although they do make a similar product with wheels which you can see if you click on the link.
Since most flights also have a weight restriction with the carry-on, I use this bag in conjunction with a Scottevest and put the heavier items in the Scottevest. Once on the plane, I can easily put the Scottevest along with it’s contents in the Motherlode.
***Please note that this link gives me a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information about the Scottevest, please click on the links in this post or on the right side banner ad. I am happy to answer any questions you may have about these products as I use them in all our trips.
One of the most rewarding things you can do as an ecotourist is to volunteer with an organization that is studying wild birds. You get a much more in-depth experience than someone who can only visit for a few days, you will work with some of the world’s best conservationists and you get to do your share in helping to save the planet. What a great way to go Green!
When I do posts on ecolodges, I will also be mentioning any volunteer programs they may have. There are some great ones in Peru, Brazil and Costa Rica just to name a few.
Lonely Planet is currently offering their book “Volunteer – A Traveler’s Guide” for free as a pdf download. This book normally sells for $19.95 but if you use this link, you can download it for free! It is also available for free in the iBookstore – what a great way to pass time on a flight with no IFE (or with bad IFE)! I don’t know how long this will last so don’t delay, download it now!
I’ve been a traveler for many years. I first started as a budget backpacker in the 80’s and 90’s, then when I discovered the world of miles and points I upgraded myself to more of a flashpacker. My husband and I usually travel in business class for long haul these days and we stay in 4 and 5 star hotels at gateway cities before heading off to our eco-lodge in the rainforest. The one thing that hasn’t changed is the importance of traveling light. Many times, you will be transported to your lodge down a river in a small boat and they won’t have room for large suitcases. Also, most airlines have extra fees for checked bags. That is why we both now travel with only one carry-on and the most versatile travel gear on the planet – the Scottevest!
As birders, we have heavy camera gear, lenses, a laptop and guidebooks in addition to normal clothing. Many airlines have such a small carry-on allowance such as 5-7kg, we would be stuck having to check a bag and risk damage to our gear if we didn’t have the Scottevest to help us sneak the extra gear onboard. I usually put my netbook in the left pocket, some people put an iPad or a Kindle there. I have my iPhone in the top left pocket and documents in the pocket below. I may have an extra lens in the right pocket or a sandwich if the airline doesn’t serve food. My husband will have his pockets stuffed with birding guides, maps and any travel guidebooks. We are never asked to weigh our Scottevests on check in and security doesn’t care as long as we don’t have LAGs or other no-nos. They are very versatile for all weather conditions and have zip-off sleeves to turn a jacket into a vest.
Here we have an X-Ray view of both sides of a Scottevest so you can see exactly how much you can carry in one of these!
Scottevest has both a men’s and a women’s line with just about anything you could ask for-jackets, vests, pants, shorts, hats and many different travel accessories. So what could be better than traveling with a Scottevest? Getting 30% off on Cyber Monday! Click on any of the images to visit their website.
***Disclosure: I am a marketing affiliate of Scottevest and receive a commission on sales generated through my link. I wouldn’t be recommending this product if I didn’t use it myself and absolutely love it! Thank you for using my link!
The first thing you need to start your eco-adventure is the right destination. Since I especially want to see parrots in the wild, I need to know where they naturally occur. Most wild parrots will be in South America, Central America, Australia, Africa and Asia. They like warmer climates. You do see wild parrots in North America and Europe but these are generally escaped pet birds who somehow found each other and formed a flock.
So let’s say you have a Scarlet Macaw at home and you want to see his wild cousins. You have a lot of options, they can be seen in Peru, Brazil, Costa Rica and other countries in this area. I use a variety of resources to locate a parrot species. There is an excellent guide book called “Parrots of the World” by Joseph M. Forshaw which has maps and names localities you can use to plan a trip. Amazon.com has a Kindle version, but in the field where electricity may be limited or non-existant, you really need the actual book. Take a look at the sample pages and get familiar with the layout. Use the “search inside this book” function and type in “Scarlet Macaw”. It will show you a preview of page 178 which has the map of where this species is found. You will also find in the text the names of some of the places you can specifically visit in the localities section.
Does anyone have any specific birds they either have at home or would just like to see in the wild? Tell me in the comments!
