Dear Avi,

I'm glad the information was useful.

I'd like very much to come to India and the rest of the sub-continent in
the near future but know little about this wonderful part of the world.

What you might be able to help me with is some contacts or links to
birding or ethnobiological conferences/meetings etc in the area during
2008 - from the very positive responses we've had to the ERSG from India
it seems that there are many people there interested in this subject and
we might be able to expand on those contacts over the next year or so.

I look forward to any suggestions you might make.

Thanks again and best for the season.

Robert Gosford
ERSG moderator

Avi Sabavala wrote:
> Thanks Robert, for the useful info. Perhaps your next birding trip
> could be here in India if you have not already been or even if you
> have been. We have some excellent birding sites too!
> cheers
> Avi
>
> */Robert Gosford <robertgosford@...>/* wrote:
>
> Dear Avi,
>
> I would strongly encourage a trip to Kenya - I have no experience in
> Tanzania but by all accounts you can't go far wrong in east Africa -
> the birds are wonderful and readily accessible, there is a wide
> variety of local tour guides with flexible itineraries and there is a
> great variety of habitats.
>
> I can't recommend any particular individual guides or companies though
> I'd say that you could you drop a line to Nature Kenya - they should
> be able to point you in the right direction - the NK home page is at:
> http://www.naturekenya.org/. <http://www.naturekenya.org/.>
>
> There are a lot of similar groups throughout eastern Africa and you
> can get more information from birding-specific sites including
> FatBirder:http://www.fatbirder.com/ <http://www.fatbirder.com/>
> and Surfbirds:
> http://www.surfbirds.com/. <http://www.surfbirds.com/.>
>
> I haven't been to Tanzania but by all reports the birding and
> facilities are near to the standard in Kenya.
>
> I picked up a copy of "The Birds of East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania,
> Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi" by Terry Stevenson & John Fanshawe in Nairobi
> - as far as I know it is available from NBHS and Amazon.
>
> Cheers and best - enjoy your trip - I'm planning on being back there
> later next year.
>
> Robert Gosford
> ERSG moderator
> --- In Ethnoornithology@...
> <mailto:Ethnoornithology%40yahoogroups.co.uk>, "Avi Sabavala"
> <jodhpur58@...> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Robert,
> > found your account of the kenya visit very interesting.
> >
> > I would like to visit it in 2008. Can you let me know details of
> > people who can make the local arrangements. do you also think a
> trip
> > to neighbouring Tanzania would add to the charm of the trip
> > best wishes for the Chrismas & New year to all of you on the group
> >
> > Avi
> >
> >
> > --- In Ethnoornithology@...
> <mailto:Ethnoornithology%40yahoogroups.co.uk>, "Robert Gosford"
> > <robertgosford@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Dear all,
> > >
> > > Picking up where I left off from the previous message...my trip to
> > > Kenya was memorable for a number of reasons - it was my first
> trip
> > to
> > > Africa, it provided an opportunity to renew acquaintances with
> > > researchers and students from Kenya in their home country - rather
> > > than at conferences and meetings scattered across the globe -
> and I
> > > was looking forward to seeing how ethnoornithology 'worked' in a
> > > country generally considered to be economically poor but
> > biologically
> > > and culturally and linguistically rich.
> > >
> > > In all of these matters I was more than pleasantly surprised -
> > people
> > > in Kenya were friendly and welcoming, the climate in Nairobi was
> > > amenable - with warm days and cool nights in October (so different
> > > from Darwin in Australia where in October the days are hot and
> > humid
> > > and the nights only slightly less so).
> > >
> > > I arrived in Nairobi a week or so before the meeting so after a
> > day or
> > > so recovering from my long flights I was looking forward to
> > exploring
> > > the city and surrounds. On the Saturday morning I met up with
> Fleur
> > > Ng'weno, a veritable encyclopedia of things ornithological in
> Kenya
> > > and who runs the highly-recommended Wednesday morning bird walks
> > > around Nairobi city. She told me that we should head to Nairobi
> > > National Park, just a few miles from the city centre.
> > >
> > > I had no idea of what to expect but was absolutely stunned by the
> > > sheer variety of the birds and mammals we saw in a few short
> > hours -
> > > virtually in the shadow of Nairobi's high-rise buildings we saw
> > dozens
> > > of birds (all new to me) and a bewildering variety of ungulates,
> > > baboons, and a few of the 'big five' - all accompanied by Fleur's
> > > knowledgeable commentary.
> > >
> > > The next day we went to Lake Naivasha, a fresh-water lake in the
> > Rift
> > > Valley an hour or so's drive from Nairobi. We went with a group of
> > > students, tour-guides and others interested in birds and the
> mix of
> > > Acacia woodland (so familiar to me from the savannah country
> across
> > > northern Australia) and lake-side habitat delivered another
> > > bewildering variety of birds and mammals - the sight of a group
> > > (herd?) of hippos lolling around in the shallows a few metres off
> > > shore was unforgettable.
> > >
> > > Then down to the business I was in Kenya for - the 1st
> > > Ethnoornithology Conference for Kenya. I've been impressed for
> some
> > > time with the vigour and interest shown by Kenyan and east African
> > > researchers involved in ethnoornithology and was looking
> forward to
> > > meeting people I'd only heard or read of.
> > >
> > > The meeting - like the rest of Kenya - was impressive and
> exciting.
> > > About 50 people gathered for the conference and represented all
> > > sectors of ethnoornithological interests in the country - young
> > > students interested in the practical application of cultural bird
> > > knowledge to species and habitat conservation, senior researchers,
> > > including Dr. George Matute and Dr. Hussein Isak, birders and
> > > professional ornithologists from the National Museums of Kenya,
> > > international guests, including Dr John Fanshawe and Dr Leon
> Bennun
> > > from Birdlife International, local bird-guides (interested in
> > > incorporating traditional bird knowledge to value-add to their
> > work)
> > > and members of local support groups for the many Important Bird
> > Areas
> > > (IBAs) throughout the country.
> > >
> > > Mercy Njeri has prepared a comprehensive report of the conference
> > and
> > > I look forward to posting that on the ERSG site soon. I will also
> > look
> > > to post copies of the presentations to the conference and some
> > > photographs of participants.
> > >
> > > I can't stress the importance of this meeting enough - I believe
> > that
> > > it is important not only for the future of ethnoornithology in
> > Kenya
> > > and east Africa but it also serves as a model and example for
> > others
> > > interested in running similar conferences elsewhere - I'm sure
> that
> > > planning has started for the next one in the near future!
> > >
> > > That's all for now - must get the Xmas presents out, have
> breakfast
> > > and prepare for the day.
> > >
> > > Best to you all,
> > >
> > > Robert Gosford
> > >
> >
>
>
>
>
> Avi Sabavala
>
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