2014 – What Lies Ahead This Year?

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Tara

Last year, I asked people to resolve to see at least one new bird habitat and showed you which ones I was planning to visit. I hope many of you accomplished this, enjoyed your trip and saw lots of beautiful, interesting birds! I got to all the ones I had planned on plus a few extra ones thanks to a US Airways special deal. So what do I have planned for this year?

BIRDING AUSTRALIA

In 2014, my birding travel will focus more on Australia. I am often asked why I don’t travel more domestically since I live in a country with 842 bird species, including over 50 parrots. The answer to that is that I have been focusing on long-haul destinations because I have been lucky enough to get in on some very lucrative miles & points earning opportunities. I’ve been able to afford travel to places that would normally be way out of reach. Since miles and points are prone to devaluations, I wanted to use these miles as effectively as possible, which basically means overseas travel.

Although I have put it off a few years, 2014 is my year to see more of the fantastic country I live in and see more of our native birds! We will be visiting 3 regions, southern Western Australia, Tasmania & outback Queensland.

February-March 2014 Tour

EDUCATION

The other thing I will be focusing on this year is education. I will be attending two major parrot conferences.

Parrots 2014 in Brisbane

Right in my home town, no travel required-for me anyways!

World Parrot Conference in Loro Parque. Tenerife

I used US Dividend Miles, United Miles & Iberia Avios to book award travel with some very interesting stopovers. But more about those later! For now, just get your travel booked to Tenerife (TFN) as flights there are limited! By the time we do this trip, US Airways will have left Star Alliance and joined One World so hopefully there will be no dramas with the trip!

THIS BLOG’S DIRECTION

I still need to start the India & Sri Lanka series from last month’s trip which should bring us up to date before the Australian trip. Of course this will be blogged about in depth as well. I still have some birding trips I did in the past that I haven’t blogged about so I will be getting those done as well. I will be doing more bird profiles with “how to” instructions for seeing the bird in the wild. I’ll also continue to keep you up to date with the miles & points world and keep you aware of any good deals that would help you create an amazing eco-tourism adventure. Eco-Lite Mini Trips will continue with some exotic ones and some closer to (some people’s) home.

What I won’t be doing (that other miles & points blogs do) is going into depth on credit cards & manufactured spending. I’ll let you know which credit cards can help you get that amazing trip in a reference page that will be updated for this year soon. You will also need to read FlyerTalk to make sure you get the best deal because don’t keep up with these deals on a daily basis so you will always have to do some checking yourself.

I don’t have any affiliate marketing deals with any credit cards. I do have the same referrals that any card-holder has for Australian Amex, USA SPG Amex, Chase Freedom & Chase Sapphire. These give me points if you let me send you an invitation, then you can wait for your own link and invite/refer your family members. If you are interested, post a comment here or Tweet me.

Manufactured spend can be a good source of miles and points but it’s not without a lot of risks so I prefer to direct people to FlyerTalk if that is their interest. I’m not much of a risk taker (with money) and I don’t want to recommend people do things I wouldn’t do myself to earn miles & points.

That about covers my plans for this year. What are yours? *

*If the human verification is giving you trouble, please Tweet me so I know about it.

Happy New Year!

Posted on January 1, 2014 by Tara

I hope everyone has a great 2014 and has many happy travel & birding adventures!

My Top Twenty-Five Bird Sightings Of 2013

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Tara

Following on from last year’s post in which I highlighted only parrot sightings, this year I have expanded to all bird species. There were just so many birds who made a major impression on me! I have also increased the number to 25 since we did 3 birding trips this year. I didn’t always get good shots so I will put my own photo when I got one. Some of them were pretty quick! They are being presented in chronological order.

1. Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) – seen at Nimbokrang & Waigeo, Indonesia; March 2013

2. Lesser Bird-of-paradise, (Paradisaea minor) – seen at Nimbokrang, Indonesia; March 2013

I couldn’t get a photo as he stayed in the trees so here’s one taken in Jurong Bird park, Singapore.

3. Victoria Crowned Pigeon (Goura victoria) – seen at Nimbokrang, Indonesia; March 2013

Victoria Crowned Pigeons, Nimbokrang

4. Western or Arfak Parotia (Parotia sefilata) – seen at Siyoubring, Indonesia, March 2013 I’ll never forget this feathered Lord of the Dance trying so hard to woo 3 aloof females!

One female Western Parotia comes in for a closer look while the male shows his best moves. There were a couple other females higher up in the branches.

5. Vogelkop Bowerbird (Amblyornis inornata) – seen at Siyoubring, Indonesia, March 2013

OK lady Bowerbirds, come and check out my awesome bower!

6. Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus) – seen near Nimbokrang and on Waigeo Island, Indonesia, March 2013

7. Wilson’s Bird-of-paradise, (Cicinnurus respublica) – seen on Waigeo Island, Indonesia in March 2013. This little guy played hard-to-get with the camera.

Wilson’s Bird-of-paradise, Cicinnurus respublica

8. Red Bird-of-paradise (Paradisaea rubra) – seen on Waigeo Island, Indonesia , March 2013.

Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea rubra), Waigeo- dancing in the trees

9. Red-lored Parrot (Amazona autumnalis) – seen at Crooked Tree, Belize, Tikal, Laguna del Lagarto, Carara, Soberania, August 2013. This was the first parrot we saw after arriving in Central America so I chose him to represent all the Amazon species seen all over Central America.

Red-lored Amazon or Red-lored Parrot (Amazona autumnalis)

10. Keel-billed Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus) – seen at Crooked Tree, Belize, Tikal, Selva Verde, Laguna del Lagarto, Soberania, August 2013

11. Great Green Macaw (Ara ambiguus) – seen at Selva Verde & Laguna del Lagarto, Costa Rica, August 2013

12. Golden-hooded Tanager (Tangara larvata) – seen at Laguna del Lagarto, Costa Rica, August 2013.

13. Brown-hooded Parrot (Pyrilia haematotis) – seen at Laguna del Lagarto, Costa Rica, August 2013.

14. Collared Araçari (Pteroglossus torquatus) – seen at Selva Verde, Laguna del Lagarto, Costa Rica, Soberania. August 2013.

15. Hummingbirds (all of them) – seen at Laguna del Lagarto, Monteverde, Savegre, Soberania. There is no way I can single out one species, they are all spectacular!

16. Chestnut-coloured Woodpecker (Celeus castaneus) – seen at Laguna del Lagarto, Costa Rica, August 2013

17. Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno) – seen at Monteverde (Curi Cancha) & Savegre. I will never forget both sightings of this stunning bird! The first one because I found him by myself and the 2nd one because there were several of them and they hung around a while so I could watch them.

18. Sulphur-winged Parakeet (Pyrrhura hoffmanni) – seen at Savegre, Costa Rica, August 2013

I haven’t started the India & Sri Lanka series yet, we only got back a few weeks ago and I have been playing catch-up. These birds will be covered first thing in the New Year. The photos are a sneak-peek!

19. Malabar Parakeet (Psittacula columboides) – seen in Coorg, India; Nov. 2013. This time there were only fleeting glimpses of a flock flying overhead so the photo is one I took in 2011 in Kerala.

20. White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) – seen at Kithulgala, Sri Lanka. Dec 2013.

21. Layard’s Parakeet (Psittacula calthropae) – seen at Kithulgala & Sinharaja, Sri Lanka. Dec 2013. They were swift flyers and refused to perch & pose.

22. Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot (Loriculus beryllinus) – seen at Kithulgala, Sri Lanka. Dec 2013. At least he posed, albeit with the sun behind him!

23. Alexandrine Parakeet – (Psittacula eupatria) – seen at Kithulgala & Sinharaja, Sri Lanka. Dec 2013.

24. Malabar Trogon (Harpactes fasciatus) – seen at Sinharaja, Sri Lanka. Dec 2013. He only let me get one shot before turning his back.

25. Sri Lanka Blue Magpie or Ceylon Magpie (Urocissa ornata) – seen at Sinharaja, Sri Lanka. Dec 2013.

I didn’t get a photo of them since they stayed in the trees so here’s one from Wikipedia.

2013: A Year Of Travel In Review

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Tara

In what I hope to make annual tradition (see last year), I will be doing a recap of both my personal travel in review and some important events that affected or changed how we use miles and points to facilitate our trips.

JANUARY

This is high season in Australia due to school holidays, not the time I like to be traveling. I did take the opportunity to do an app-o-rama and scored a few new travel credit cards and lots of miles & points. New cards: SPG Amex, Chase United Explorer, Citi AAdvantage Amex, Club Carlson Visa.

FEBRUARY

Towards the end of February, we left Brisbane for Bali enroute to West Papua. Several hotel chains started announcing devaluations.

MARCH

We spent 3 weeks in West Papua visiting Biak, Nimbokrang, the Arfaks & Waigeo before heading back to Bali for a few much needed days of visiting spas & Bali Bird Park.

APRIL & MAY

Quiet month catching the blog up on the trip.

JUNE

A chance to stock up on some hotel points that can be turned into airline miles at good rates.

JULY

My 2nd and final app-o-rama for the year. This time I got an Amex PRG (to convert to Flying Blue points for Africa), Chase Freedom, Chase Ink, Citi AAdvantage Mastercard. I tried for a Barclays Arrival card but was denied due to too many apps in a short time which is what they usually do in this situation.

AUGUST

We spent 3 weeks traveling around Central America, visiting Belize, Guatemala, Costa Rica & Panama.

SEPTEMBER

We arrived in the USA via Las Vegas, then stopped off in Maui & Waikiki enroute home to Brisbane.

OCTOBER

US Airways & Barclays announce a promo that gives a rebate on award travel. I scramble to bring forward a trip originally planned for 2015 to Southern India & Sri Lanka.

NOVEMBER

United Airlines announces massive devaluations. DOJ approves merger between US Airways & American Airlines. We head to India to visit birding hotspots in Coorg, Wayanad & Mudumalai.

DECEMBER

Merger closes between US & AA. We spend a few days birding in Sri Lanka.

Miles & Points Promo Reminders

Posted on December 29, 2013 by Tara

As 2013 draws to a close and people start to look forward to new adventures in 2014, here’s a quick reminder about some miles & points promos that will be ending soon.

ENDING 31 DEC

Avianca-Taca Lifemiles bonus

Pointshound LIMITED-TIME BONUS: Earn 50% more points or miles through January 1st!

Get 20% more Avios when you transfer (USA CARDS) Membership Rewards® points to your British Airways Executive Club account by December 31, 2013.

AAdvantage Shopping Portal 2,500 Holiday Bonus

MileagePlus Shopping Portal 2,500 Holiday Bonus

ENDING 31 JAN

La Quinta Facebook game-get free points. (My referral link to join game)

Last chance to book award tickets on United before price increases kick in. (not a promo, just a reminder)

Do Bird Calling Apps Harm Birds?

Posted on December 28, 2013 by Tara

Birding can be very rewarding or very frustrating. Some days you will see and hear birds easily, other days you just KNOW they are there but they just won’t come into view. In recent years, the popularity of bird call apps for smartphones can be a huge temptation. People can download actual bird songs and play them on a speaker hooked up to their smartphone to lure a bird closer so they can get that all important photograph. But just how much harm can we do with these apps?

Yesterday, I saw a link to this article on BBC come across my Facebook feed.

“Repeatedly playing a recording of birdsong or calls to encourage a bird to respond in order to see it or photograph it can divert a territorial bird from other important duties, such as feeding its young. It is selfish and shows no respect to the bird. People should never use playback to attract a species during its breeding season.”

While I do have a few bird song apps, I don’t have a speaker or amplifier of any kind and I have used these apps to remind me of what kind of bird song I am listening for. I have seen other birders using the apps with speakers to lure a bird closer in.

Further research turned up a few more articles. From Discovery.com:

“Just keep the volume low,” Dr. Hilary Wilson, a developer for the Chirp! app, told the BBC, although she admitted it is possible to misuse them. “We urge great caution — birdsong is simply a pleasant sound to human ears, but to birds it is a powerful means of communication.”

From Seattle Times:

While delightful to our ears, singing is serious for birds. Males pour their hearts out to impress the ladies. They trill to proclaim territory and keep other males away. Every strange song — whether from another bird or an iPhone — registers as a threat.

“That’s why it works,” said Sam Wasser, director of the University of Washington’s Center for Conservation Biology. “The male is going: ‘Oh, my god! There’s another bird in my territory.’ ” The trickery is most effective during breeding season.

When the sought-after bird pops out, birders can snap pictures and tick off a box on their life lists. But the consequences to the bird can include heart-pumping anxiety, exposure to predators and an undefended nest and mate.

“I’ve seen woodpeckers respond to playback from birders … and a sharp-shinned hawk comes and takes that bird out,” said Martyn Stewart, a Seattle-based wildlife recording expert.

From Time.com:

What if all the bird lovers out there clamoring to use their new technology were really driving birds mad? As new bird-calling technology, whether applications for your smartphone or recorded onto your iPod, lure birds to where you are for better viewing or photographing, they may also be messing with the brains of birds.

I’m the first one to admit how frustrating it can be to hear birds deep in the trees and want a closer look at them. But we need to respect THEIR needs. They may have a reason for staying deep in the trees such as chicks in a nest or hiding from predators. No birder should startle a bird into exposing itself if it doesn’t feel safe by pretending to be another bird.

This article reminded me of a time I was scuba diving in Tahiti with a guide. We approached pretty close to a remora fish on the reef. I was trying to get a photo and the fish was concentrating on me as a possible threat. All of a sudden, a moray eel darted out and grabbed the poor remora fish. I remember how upset I was, it was my fault that fish got eaten since he wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings. This is the last thing I would ever want to happen to a bird.

Rimatara Lorikeet (Vini kuhlii)

How would you feel if a baby bird mistook your app for its parents coming home to feed him…………………and he fell out of the nest? What about that woodpecker in the article who got snatched by a hawk? What if multiple uses of these apps cause birds to become so accustomed to the sounds that they ignore a real threat from a real bird?

Birding is fun. Birders contribute a lot to eco-tourism by supporting local economies. But please, lets keep the use of these apps for identification & familiarization purposes and the volume low. Let’s not put the beautiful birds we love in danger with misuse of bird call apps.

Chestnut-coloured Woodpecker (Celeus castaneus)

Posted on December 27, 2013 by Tara

The Chestnut-colored Woodpecker is one of the fanciest of the woodpeckers in Central America. It is a member of the genus Celeus, which is composed of numerous “chestnut” colored woodpeckers, all of which also have a characteristic “hammer-head” crest. The Chestnut-colored occurs farther north than any of its congeners, ranging from southern Mexico south to extreme northwestern Panama. Overall the bird is bright chestnut-brown. The crest is a paler light rufous-brown, the underparts and back have extensive black chevron-shaped scaling, it has a red “mustache” stripe, and the bill is light yellow.

It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama, so you will need a Central American award to get within their range. My best sightings were at Laguna del Lagarto Lodge in Costa Rica.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS BIRD

Wikipedia

Birdlife

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

VIDEO

Foraging and “woodpecking” for food.

Best Boxing Day Sales For Eco-Tourists

Posted on December 26, 2013 by Tara

If you are based in Australia, Wotif.com has a Boxing Day sale on flights. Bali, Fiji & Hawaii are RETURN fare prices! Ends 3 January.

Since many of those cheap fares will be carry on bags only, why not maximize your carry on capabilities with a Scottevest? If you don’t live in the USA, now is the time to enjoy 50% off international shipping until 31 Dec. Check the SALE tab as they have a new product discounted every day!

Finally, since you may want to read up on your destination, Lonely Planet is offering all ebooks on sale! Using ebooks instead of paper books is a very GREEN thing to do!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Posted on December 25, 2013 by Tara

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!

This Christmas greeting I got from Zoos Victoria was too cute not to share.

Christmas Tree Of Memories

Posted on December 24, 2013 by Tara

When you travel to such exotic places I have it’s hard to resist bringing a small piece of the visited country home. One of my favourite things to collect are Christmas tree ornaments. They are small, pack easily and don’t cost a lot! I’ve even been known to convert keychains into Christmas tree ornaments. Many of these were bought in local markets or gift shops attached to bird parks where the profits go towards conservation projects.

I never used to look forward to the holidays but now I do, knowing that every time I decorate the tree it will bring back fantastic memories of birds seen in the wild all over the world!