19 January 2024: Day 1, Fly to Johannesburg, South Africa — Street Scholar Southern Africa Birding Safari
Observe: The entire articles about this journey to Africa have been written weeks in the past based mostly on the tour itinerary. This morning I start my journey at Pittsburgh Worldwide Airport the place snow is accumulating 1-3 inches earlier than my flight leaves. The climate could alter how quickly I get to Africa.
In the present day I’m on my solution to Street Scholar’s Southern Africa Birding Safari: From Zimbabwe to Zambia & Past. The tour begins tomorrow in Johannesburg, South Africa however it’s going to take me 24 hours to get there.
Africa is big — greater than thrice the scale of the continental U.S. — so we’ll see solely a small a part of it. For a lot of the journey we’ll be contained in the purple circle (beneath) in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana. All 4 international locations meet at the one worldwide quadripoint on the planet, the 4 Corners of Africa.
After Johannesburg we’ll fly to Victoria Falls to start our regional tour of birding hotspots and nationwide parks in safari automobiles, by boat and infrequently on foot. Late January is the wet season and the peak of summer season with highs as a lot as 100°F and lows within the 60s.
We’re positive to see the Massive 5 mammals at Hwange and Chobe Nationwide Parks — elephant, lion, leopard, Cape buffalo and (possibly not) rhinoceros — plus assorted different critters on our travels. Right here a just some from my Want Record.
We’ll additionally see birds! As much as 400 species and practically all of them Life Birds. Most are distinctive to Africa. Some have migrated from Europe or Asia to spend the winter. I hope to see the endangered gray-crowned crane (Balearica regulorum), at high, and the birds on this slideshow beneath plus many extra.
Due to the 7-hour time zone distinction and the on-the-go birding schedule I’ve written all 15 days of articles prematurely. I’ll submit to Fb and X (Twitter) after I get an opportunity however I can’t assure it. When you don’t see me on social media, search for my newest posts right here on the weblog’s house web page.
For the following two+ weeks I’ll be largely off the grid.
(picture and maps from Wikimedia Commons and Street Scholar. Click on on the captions to see the originals.)
