If you’ve read my reports about Western Australia, Tasmania and Queensland and wished you could see all these magnificent parrots in person, this will put you over the edge! I really want to go up north to see those Golden-shouldered Parrots!
You’ll see Eclectus Parrots worthy of a soap opera, cheeky Cockatoos, parrots from all over Australia – forests, the dry Outback, rainforests and those who frequent farms – much to the farmer’s consternation.
Enjoy the video!
Nothing beats a David Attenborough documentary to bring exotic birds up close and personal……………..except of course going there to see them in person! I did this in both West Papua and West Australia, but I can’t shoot video to save my soul so we are lucky Mr Attenborough does these amazing docos!
Australians click on the image to watch online.
Click here to view on Australia’s Channel 10.
If the link above expires or you can’t view Australian based videos, then try this link.
While this is an older production and doesn’t have the resolution and sharpness of modern videocameras, this documentary is still a valuable resource to anyone coming to Australia for birding. It’s 1:45 minutes long so take your time and enjoy!
I thought I would share this stunning video from National Geographic of a research expedition in the Okavango Delta. You can read the full story on their website.
The mission of the Okavango Wilderness Project is to secure the Okavango Delta and its vast untouched catchment in perpetuity. The film Okavango is a rallying point for the global community of stakeholders, government officials, researchers, activists, tourism operators, community members, conservationists and guides that support the protection of the Angolan catchment. Readers can help build up to our 8-week expedition over 1,000 miles down the length of the Okavango River in 2015 by sharing this epic, once-in-a-lifetime research and conservation expedition down the full length of the Okavango River through an abandoned wilderness into the Delta. — Steve Boyes.
PART 1
PART 2
This is pretty cool! I bet you didn’t know that wild parrots have names!
This story aired last night on Channel 7’s Sunday Night program. I am in total awe of this young lady’s bravery. What happened to her was horrible but she somehow found the courage to go back and testify against the kidnapers. Fiona and her friends were eco-tourists in Ecuador and it could have happened to anyone, they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. You can read the whole story and watch the video of the segment. You can also read the story of her traveling companion Katie Cox.
Since their ordeal, the FCO has updated its advice to inform travellers that there is a 20km exclusion zone in place along the entire northern-border with Colombia, which is under army control.
It states: ‘Guerrilla groups, narcotraffickers and criminal gangs are active in these areas and there is a risk of kidnapping and a high risk of crime.’
The Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve has one of the highest concentrations of flora and fauna in the world and is famed for its biodiversity.
The park grew in popularity in the 1990s and there are still eco lodges based around Laguna Grande, offering tours to visit rivers, lagoons and floated forests.
This doesn’t mean that all eco-tourism in Ecuador is unsafe, many thousands of people travel there safely each year. I do think it’s worth a reminder to check the local conditions before you visit an area and if you are going somewhere remote, use an established tour operator. It’s really a shame that this is happening in these areas which are rich in wildlife. The locals who are trying to earn a living from eco-tourism are losing out because of these guerilla groups. I hope they can restore peace and safety to this otherwise beautiful area.
Approximate area of kidnapping
This kidnapping took place near the Colombian border by a group called the Black Eagles.