Amazing South Africa

Wow. Just. Wow.

Peggy (@tui) and I loved our trip in South Africa, with Alvaro's Adventures and Rockjumper Tours. Keith Valentine + Alvaro Jaramillo (@alvarojaramillo) meant we had TWO world-class leaders, as well as two world-class human beings. The other participants were, to a person, interesting, patient and engaging. The trip as a total saw over 310 species of birds, over 30 mammals, and a host of other interesting beings. I am proud to say that I entered (as of today, when the bulk of the uploading has been completed) 1,114 entries here on iNaturalist, currently totaling 434 species. This is the best virtual tourbook I've ever assembled.

The quality - such as it is - of my IDs owes a lot to the remarkable iNat community of South Africa. thanks especially to @happyasacupcake , @tonyrebelo , @vynbos , @alanhorstmann , @jurga_li (not in SA but great on lichens), @alexanderr (herps, man! wow!), @colin25 , and others I am forgetting at the moment (I should have kept a list...). You were all gracious with this newbie to South Africa, and the fastest group of folks on bird subspecies I have ever encountered!

Much to my surprise, after only two weeks in South Africa - the country whose municipality of Cape Town smashed the competition in the City Nature Challenge - I made the leader board for number of observations, with 1, 114, good for 87th place (currently). Must return one day to retain my position!

While I presume everyone able to get to a journal post on iNaturalist would also know how to navigate my calendar, here's the day-by-day outline of our trip.

May 29 - https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/gyrrlfalcon/2019/5/29
May 30 - https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/gyrrlfalcon/2019/5/30 (Kirstenbosch day)
May 31 - https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/gyrrlfalcon/2019/5/31 (Cape of Good Hope day)
June 1 - https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/gyrrlfalcon/2019/6/1 (pelagic day)
June 2 - https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/gyrrlfalcon/2019/6/2 (Rockjumper to Strandfontain)
June 3 - https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/gyrrlfalcon/2019/6/3 (West Coast National Park)
June 4 - https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/gyrrlfalcon/2019/6/4 (Karoo)
June 5 - https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/gyrrlfalcon/2019/6/5 (Ceres to Cape Town)
June 6 - https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/gyrrlfalcon/2019/6/6 (transit to Zebra Hills)
June 7 - https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/gyrrlfalcon/2019/6/7 (first full Manyoni day)
June 8 - https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/gyrrlfalcon/2019/6/8 (second full Manyoni day)
June 9 - https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/gyrrlfalcon/2019/6/9 (Mkuzi day)
June 10 - https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/gyrrlfalcon/2019/6/10 (third full Manyoni day)
June 11 - https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/gyrrlfalcon/2019/6/11 (fourth full Manyoni day)
June 12 - https://www.inaturalist.org/calendar/gyrrlfalcon/2019/6/12 (Manyoni morning farewell to Durban)

It is entirely possible that I made some local iNaturalist converts while in South Africa...I do what I can!

Thanks again to everyone involved!

Jennifer

Julkaistu kesäkuu 20, 2019 05:46 IP. käyttäjältä gyrrlfalcon