2024-04-23 16:12
We have scoured the web to find the best birding events around South Africa. The Events Diary is a free service for Bird Clubs and conservation organizations in South Africa. If you would… Read More
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The Birding Life Blog - Stories From Our Birding Community
2024-04-01 18:47
We have scoured the web to find the best birding events around South Africa. The Events Diary is a free service for Bird Clubs and conservation organizations in South Africa. If you would li… Read More
2024-03-26 06:42
We have scoured the web to find the best birding events around South Africa. The Events Diary is a free service for Bird Clubs and conservation organizations in South Africa. If you would li… Read More
2024-03-25 11:28
The Plan
As my 16th birthday approaches, I got wind of my parents planning a surprise party. They had the details already sketched out – a Luau Party at a Tiki Bar and there was even… Read More
2024-03-17 16:17
To say that 2016 was a tough year would be a massive understatement. In many ways, all that I knew started to crumble and fall around me. I felt like I would drown under the floodwaters of p… Read More
2024-03-15 19:05
We are proud to announce our next African Young Birder of the Week. Over the next few weeks, the birders that we will be highlighting are our Birding Life Ambassadors. We are proud to have s… Read More
2024-03-14 06:49
The details of our homeward journey were somewhat sketchy, with much of our conversation dedicated to numerous 'What if we did this?' or 'What if we went here?' scenarios.
We efficiently pa… Read More
2024-03-13 11:30
As I've been preparing for a trip to an African country I've never visited before, I've been struck by how willing people are to share their knowledge. Many birders I've spoken to have offer… Read More
2024-03-12 19:17
We have scoured the web to find the best birding events around South Africa. The Events Diary is a free service for Bird Clubs and conservation organizations in South Africa. If you would li… Read More
2024-03-04 20:49
We have scoured the web to find the best birding events around South Africa. The Events Diary is a free service for Bird Clubs and conservation organizations in South Africa. If you would li… Read More
2024-03-01 10:12
The next leg of our incredible trip exploring the Garden Route led us to the Tsitsikamma National Park on New Year's Day. Departing from the enchanting forest cabin in Sedgefield, we eagerly… Read More
2024-02-27 10:50
A few weeks ago we spoke about the importance of venues to having a list of birds that have been seen at the location (read the post ,,here). We then saw the importance of highlighting the s… Read More
2024-02-26 18:12
We have scoured the web to find the best birding events around South Africa. The Events Diary is a free service for Bird Clubs and conservation organizations in South Africa. If you would li… Read More
2024-02-23 06:00
We are proud to announce our next African Young Birder of the Week.
This feature aims to showcase content from each featured birder, allowing us to celebrate young birding talent across th… Read More
2024-02-22 08:49
I was heading out the door, off to work, just like any other day. Just a normal Wednesday…but nature had other ideas. An unexpected surprise was waiting in my garden.
I took the last… Read More
2024-02-20 06:00
This is the second article that we are posting to help those in the accommodation and tourism industry better cater to the birding market.
Birding is one of the fastest-growing pastimes in… Read More
2024-02-19 14:00
In December 2023 I had the privilege of visiting Penwarn Farm Lodge for a time of birding. In December 2023, I visited Penwarn Farm Lodge for birdwatching. You can read more about my trip in… Read More
2024-02-19 05:00
We have scoured the web to find the best birding events around South Africa. The Events Diary is a free service for Bird Clubs and conservation organizations in South Africa. If you would li… Read More
2024-02-18 08:54
Less than two meters in front of you, the Jurassic-looking birds swoop in to feed. If it weren't for the glass, you would be able to reach out and touch them. There is something special abou… Read More
2024-02-14 08:51
A while ago, we started a series of short emails that we would send out to accommodation establishments to help them attract more birders to their venues. We have decided to make this inform… Read More
2024-02-13 06:00
The time had come to bid farewell to the Karoo, and we had prepared for an early departure the next morning. The drive out of Beaufort West, en-route to our next 'home,' was remarkably seren… Read More
2024-02-12 16:15
This week's newsletter is arriving a bit later than usual, but there's a good reason behind it.
Towards the end of 2023, a photo began circulating in some WhatsApp birding groups. The sender… Read More
2024-02-12 13:13
We have scoured the web to find the best birding events around South Africa. The Events Diary is a free service for Bird Clubs and conservation organizations in South Africa. If you would li… Read More
2024-02-10 07:00
You may have heard about birding from others or even seen people with birding stickers stopping to look at something other than the 'Big 5' at Kruger. So, are you ready to spread your wings… Read More
2024-02-09 16:30
We are proud to announce our next African Young Birder of the Week.
This feature aims to showcase content from each featured birder, allowing us to celebrate young birding talent across th… Read More
2024-02-07 11:33
The 66th Grammy Awards, hosted by our very own Trevor Noah, as always, had its share of 'viral' moments. Tracy Chapman's 'Fast Car' duet with Luke Combs set the internet abuzz, helping to pr… Read More
2024-02-05 14:16
We have scoured the web to find the best birding events around South Africa. The Events Diary is a free service for Bird Clubs and conservation organizations in South Africa. If you would li… Read More
2024-02-05 04:30
Day 1: A Golden Start at Golden GateAfter months of anticipation, the day had finally arrived. I was taking my wife and kid on a weekend trip to the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, one… Read More
2024-02-04 05:24
Although many birders are transitioning to bird apps, there are still many who enjoy holding a good paper field guide in their hands. We are spoiled for choice with field guides in South Afr… Read More
2024-02-03 07:00
As soon as you cross the cattle grid and close the rickety farm gate behind, a sense envelops you, signaling entry into a different world. From that moment on, each breath not only fills you… Read More
2024-02-02 15:50
We are proud to announce our next African Young Birder of the Week.
This feature aims to showcase content from each of the featured birders, allowing us to celebrate young birding talent a… Read More
2024-01-30 13:31
Season two of the SA20 cricket tournament is underway: packed stadiums, beer snakes, overpriced food, Mexican waves, and exciting cricket on the field. The tournament, with its star-studded… Read More
2024-01-29 08:55
"Pins," "the exact location of the bird," "the coordinates of the twitch"... or whatever you want to call it, is currently a hot topic in the Gauteng birding community.
Example of a pin
Fo… Read More
2024-01-26 13:00
We are proud to announce our next African Young Birder of the week for 2024.
This feature aims to showcase content from each of the featured birders, allowing us to celebrate young birding… Read More
2024-01-25 14:08
The beginning of a year marks the commencement of various Birdlasser challenges. These challenges allow birders to compete against each other, aiming to identify the most species within the… Read More
2024-01-24 07:43
There is something special about traveling to far-flung destinations in search of birds. I have some very special memories of sitting around a fire in the middle of the bush, listening to th… Read More
2024-01-23 06:00
With an early 3am start, we embarked on our road trip, leaving the urban bustle
behind. Dropping off to sleep again for a short while and waking as the sun painted
the sky with hues of pink… Read More
2024-01-22 13:24
With the rising costs of food at the moment, it can be quite expensive to always stop at restaurants and takeaways to get something to eat when out birding. Often, our birding adventures tak… Read More
2024-01-20 07:00
I am a proud member of my local bird club and often lead walks for the club. What I love about these walks is how I get to connect with a diverse group of people from different age groups an… Read More
2024-01-19 13:00
We are proud to announce our next African Young Birder of the week for 2024.
This feature aims to showcase content from each of the featured birders, allowing us to celebrate young birding… Read More
2024-01-18 07:24
Early in December, I found myself on a veranda overlooking the stunning Southern Drakensberg. The chilly weather was made a little bit warmer by the fantastic company and hot coffee. We muse… Read More
2024-01-16 14:46
The Swarovski AX Visio Binoculars are causing a stir in the world of birding right now. I have seen a wide range of posts on various social media platforms where birders have shared their op… Read More
2024-01-12 13:00
We are proud to announce our second African Young Birder of the week for 2024.
This feature aims to showcase content from each of the featured birders, allowing us to celebrate young birdi… Read More
2024-01-11 07:46
In the heart of the Southern Ocean, nestled amidst the icy embrace of Antarctica, lies Marion Island. This remote outpost, a jewel of South Africa's natural heritage,&nbs&hell…Read More
2024-01-08 18:34
The small town of Underberg is situated on the foothills of the Southern Drakensberg in KwaZulu-Natal.
For birders, the area presents many opportunities for sought-after species. Underberg… Read More
2024-01-05 10:15
We are proud to announce the first African Young Birder of the week for 2024.
The goal of this feature is to showcase content from each of the featured birders, allowing us to celebrate yo… Read More
2023-12-30 20:35
All birders know what a holiday in a different area means - it means chasing lifers! This December, Gabby and I came down to Umhlanga with my family, and even though I have been coming here… Read More
2023-12-22 15:17
'Little Brown Jobs' or 'LBJ's' as they are more commonly known, is a group of birds that gives many birders many identification headaches. Social media birding pages are filled with photos o… Read More
2023-12-21 15:10
Hello awesome people! It's been a while since my last blog article, and I am super excited to share a follow-up to one of my previous articles - the 12 Belated Birds of Christmas (read it ,h… Read More
2023-12-19 06:43
Last week, during my “matric vacation”, I decided to do two day visits to Golden Gate Highlands National Park.
Golden Gate is a wonderful national park situated 20 minutes from… Read More
2023-12-18 08:18
There are these unwritten laws of nature that govern birding. When you try to test and go against them, the unwritten laws always get the better of you.
An example of one of these rules is… Read More
2023-12-15 17:44
We've decided to migrate our "African Young Birder of the Week" feature to your website! This allows us to showcase more content from each featured birder, further celebrating young bir… Read More
2023-12-14 08:25
We don't know about you, but we hate arriving somewhere and realizing we've forgotten something essential.
To help you pack for both day trips and longer birding adventures, we've created a… Read More
2023-12-13 13:16
It's always special to see a flock of Cape Parrots feeding in the treetops. In fact, these endangered birds were even named the BirdLife South Africa Bird of the Year for 2023!&nbs&hell…Read More
2023-11-28 15:19
South Africa is a birder's paradise, boasting one of the richest and most diverse avian communities on the African continent. While it may not hold the record for the sheer number of species… Read More
2023-11-22 19:27
The lower south coast of KwaZulu-Natal, also known as the Hibiscus Coast is famed for its pristine blue flag beaches, subtropical vegetation, and laid back lifestyle. Kingfisher Lakeside Ret… Read More
2023-10-10 16:24
The panicked scuttle displayed the displeasure of my arrival.
The morning sun gently washed over the cool pale sands. The image that was painted would have overwhelmed even the finest arti… Read More
2023-10-09 09:10
Settling onto the game viewer I was excited to be heading out with the guides from Buffelsdrift Game Lodge on a morning of birding. After all the rain that has fallen in the area, the veld… Read More
2023-07-15 10:48
By Gabby Sykora and Luca Tomlinson
Embarking on a journey into the heart of the South African bush is always an unforgettable experience, an experience that eases one’s mind, body a… Read More
2023-05-16 12:08
I begrudgingly crawled out of my warm bed; the cold chill of the autumn morning urged me to climb back under the covers. I listened carefully…hoping for some rain…something to… Read More
2023-05-01 19:36
So another late start to the day, but after winning the battle with my comfortable bed, I got out and did some atlasing in the area. I decided to head southwards and focus on the area around… Read More
2023-04-22 16:34
After a busy few months with some significant changes taking place in my life, I decided to head out and do some atlasing in one of my local pentads. Over the last few years, I have made a c… Read More
2023-02-27 16:53
It's been a while since my last article, and I was debating on what to write about, when suddenly, inspiration struck! I would write about my birding experiences.
If you are still new to th… Read More
2023-02-20 16:34
My name is Gabby Sykora, a 14 year old aspiring photographer from Gauteng. My burning passion for wildlife photography & conservation was ignited by my parents, who share the same passio… Read More
2023-02-19 07:44
I have recently come back from a week long holiday to the Kruger Park, and in particular three nights staying at the Pafuri Border Camp in the extreme north of the park. It is called the bor… Read More
2023-02-10 17:04
So, admittedly this trip report is a long overdue…a day of amazing birding at the dream destination with a fantastic guide for the day.
Blessing Majoka and I headed up to Gauteng in… Read More
2023-01-30 18:43
2022 finally allowed us some relief from Covid restrictions and we were able to ‘spread our wings’ a little further as birders (pun intended). It almost felt unusual to be able t… Read More
2023-01-14 07:07
I have recently come back from a holiday to Mauritius. It is a well-known tourist destination, being an idyllic tropical island in the Indian Ocean. Many people say it has now become over co… Read More
2023-01-08 19:07
Well, it has been a week since we have entered a new year! I’m not sure about your social media feeds, but mine has been filled with the typical “#NewYearNewMe” posts &ndas&hell…Read More
2023-01-01 17:07
Like the curtains being pulled back at the end of a long day, so another year has ended.
The 1st of January.
A magical day that connects us to both our past and to our future.
A day to… Read More
2022-10-08 18:14
The clusters of small yellow figs on a tree offered an exciting feast for various species of birds. It was also an invitation for me to stop, pause, and enjoy.
Three trees in a park, closel… Read More
2022-10-05 17:12
This past weekend I spent birding at Seaforth Country Lodge, which is situated at the base of the infamous Sani Pass. I arrived on Friday evening, and had a quick walk around the trout dam w… Read More
2022-10-03 15:37
I decided that it was a good time to clean the mud of my birding adventures off the car.
The car wash is probably one of the last places that a nature lover wishes to be found.
The noise… Read More
2022-08-14 16:45
Every year the news filters through of a birder that has chosen to tackle some sort of ‘Big Year’ type challenge.
There have been the more extreme challenges such as Noah Stryc… Read More
2022-06-30 10:16
In 1907 the founder of The Scouts, Robert Baden-Powell, penned the famous motto of the group, ‘Be Prepared’. These two words should also be the motto of any serious birder.
Bir… Read More
2022-01-07 07:08
Birding or birdwatching is one of the fastest growing hobbies in the world. Almost daily we read of people that are starting to bird and are looking for advice on how to get started. We have… Read More
2022-01-04 08:55
This was a post that went out on in our newsletter during December (I guess it doesn't too much to figure that out). We got quite a few responses from the article so we thought we would shar… Read More
2021-12-22 11:41
The Birding Life Podcast has been up and running for almost 2 years now – what started as a lock-down project, has grown beyond what I could have ever imagined. I have been able to spe… Read More
2021-09-16 12:43
Nestled in the foothills of the Klein Swartberg, I found a little piece of birding paradise. You would not think that the Karoo, being semi arid and all, would offer much in terms of birdin… Read More
2021-07-09 14:07
Winding up the Swartberg Mountain between Oudtshoorn and Prince Albert is a Pass that can be hairy to drive. Make sure you have a driver that can navigate the narrow roads, unless you want t… Read More
2021-07-07 10:12
With my first cup of coffee for the morning in hand, I settled down with by binoculars and camera on the well-worn two-seater couch that I had placed near the glass doors overlooking my bird… Read More
2021-06-30 07:30
Recently, I had the privilege of birding with the Widdows family, helping to add a few birds to their year list. Birds, car troubles, mud, rain, and a lot of fun later, we had five new birds… Read More
2021-06-17 13:01
When one thinks of the highveld of Mpumalanga around the area of Middelburg, birding does not seem an option. The scatted coal mines, open maize fields and cold temperatures in winter do not… Read More
2021-06-11 12:07
Three members of The Birding Life recently had a wonderful overnight stay at Tala Game Reserve. Tala is situated in a rural area near Eston in KwaZulu Natal, making it a short 45 minute driv… Read More
2021-06-10 08:46
The disclaimer as I start this blog post is that this might not be the article that you would expect to read on a birding website.
This might also not be the kind of article that gets lots… Read More
2021-06-07 14:00
Review by Tyron Dall
Sofia’s Safari : The African Animal Alphabet Series
Kayleigh Huysamen
Step into the paradise of the Zululand bushveld and join young Sophia (8), her brother Asher… Read More
2021-05-25 15:18
When you meander through the Magoesbaskloof pass for the first time, your mind begins to run wild at the sight of the spectacular mountainous landscape that unfolds around you. What lies bey… Read More
2021-05-22 08:19
When the weather isn’t great for going out and birding – sometimes it’s a great excuse to curl up under a blanket with a cup of coffee and listen to some good music. If you… Read More
2021-05-20 17:37
Review by Adam Cruickshank
Faansie's Bird Book a fully fledged field guide for kids by Faansie Peacock
Pavo Publishing 2018
432 pages, paperbackFaansie Peacock is one of my personal favourit… Read More
2021-05-15 13:46
Birds, as well as every living creature fascinate me. This is about a day spent on a mountain pass, gaining data for a researchers social media platform, and having a heap load of fun!
Thos… Read More
2021-05-09 16:48
This is Part 2 of a two part article, to read part 1 https://www.thebirdinglife.com/post/magical-kruger-remembering-a-week-in-paradise-pt1-2
We decided to drive west from Satara on the dus… Read More
2021-05-05 07:13
Coastal forest, grasslands, beaches, estuaries and lush winding hills, are all the ‘ingredients’ that make a ‘rich buffet’ for any birder to explore and ‘feast… Read More
2021-05-02 17:28
In this two part article I am going to invite you to be a be a part of a trip where I visited a place that holds a special place in the hearts of so many South Africans. I am not going to at… Read More
2021-04-29 10:52
Review by Adam Cruickshank
Avian Architects: Quick ID Guide to Nests and Eggs of Southern African by Chris & Mathilde Stuart
Struik Nature 2021
40 pages, paperbackThe front cover of Chr… Read More
2020-10-03 16:31
In this guide, I will provide a step-by-step process on how to easily edit your bird photos in Lightroom to achieve vastly improved results from the original RAW images.
I would like to app… Read More
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