TO ACCESS INFORMATION ON BIRDING SITES USE THE WORLD REGION BUTTONS TO THE LEFT AND PICK THE COUNTRY YOU WANT.Past newsflash items and environmental issues and much more can be found under Other Items. To find sites in close geographical locations for a trip search by a county or a few counties that are intrinsicly linked. You can also search BSG by species.
BIRDING TOURS IN SPAIN, LAST FEW PLACES Mountain Walks
NEW VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY at Laguna Blanca, Paraguay, see Para la Tierra for more info. Also see write-up here on BSG.
Technology breakthrough, Riversimple, UK, to launch a hydrogen fuel cell production car with a difference.
Araripe Manakin (above) is one of the world's rarest birds and perhaps the one with the smallest world range of 1 square KM. It is found in the Caatinga of NE Brazil, and since it was only recently discovered has no formal protection (photo Andy Marshall 2007)
IRACAMBI: DIFFICULT SPECIES & IDENTIFICATION added 26.01.10
EVER CONSIDERED VOLUNTEERING FOR NATURE CONSERVATION?
IT IS EASY AND OFTEN FAR CHEAPER THAN A CONVENTIONAL HOLIDAY AND YOU GET TO MEET LOTS OF LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE AND TO STAY IN BEAUTIFUL SURROUNDINGS. THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNT LINK IS AN EXAMPLE OF A VERY POPULAR PLACE IN TROPICAL SOUTH AMERICA IRACAMBI, SE BRAZIL (Look at their website via the link on the account for ways of volunteering). Alternatively on BSG try WORLDWIDE LINKS: TRAVEL ADVICE, VOLUNTEERING & ACCOMMODATION
where there is a worldwide inventory of organisations to volunteer for, and lots of advice on getting there and cheaper places to stay.
For most volunteering projects you do not need to know anything about wildlife or be able to speak a foreign language, you do need enthusiasm and a willingness to learn at least a little. It may surprise you what skills are sought after in a volunteer, these can include: office skills, fundraising, language skills but also things such as building, plumbing, IT, photographic, guiding and mechanical skills. Many projects are in developing countries where these skills are in scarce supply or are too expensive for a small struggling NGO to pay for. Besides specific skills there are always activities which involve group work that do not require you to be skilled in the activity. This can include tree planting, trail maintenance, working with school children and many other tasks. So do not be put off by thinking you have nothing to offer, send in an email and include a CV or summary of who you are and what you do (you are unlikely to be refused but the NGO has to plan its timetable around who is available with which skills at what time) and wait and see if the dates offer suit.
Once there, tasks are often not demanding; they have to suit young and old, able and less able, but you can always do more if you want. There are always days off, and usually no problem taking an extra day or so to explore or shop. You should find it an amazingly rewarding thing to do and make many new friends.
Why not go see
SAMBURU'S BIRDS & ELEPHANTS with local guide Shailesh? Below are 2 of his recent photos.
All photos by BSG unless otherwise stated, in which case used by kind permission. Copyright of photos is owned by the photographer.
WEBSITE FOCUS
Thorne and Hatfield Moors Conservation Forum
Updated and better, look here for all the latest Thorne Moors vertebrate reports including birds and learn of the 3rd biggest invertebrate list in Britain! Also see HATFIELD MOORS BIRDING BLOG for the latest bird sightings.
BINOCULARFACE
Tristan's heroic adventures after plants and birds continue without me!
STOP DODO
Looking for a job to do with conservation and the environment, this website has one of the biggest listings for jobs worldwide.
WORLD INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION & ENVIRONMENT, WICE
An amazingly comprehensive institute covering all regions and issues in detail. An excellent easy to use website with world map.
Bumblebee Conservation Trust
The UK has 25 species of bumblebee but sadly 3 are already extinct. To protect the remaining threatened species we need to act quickly, but the good news is that YOU can help.
Para la Tierra NEW VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY at Laguna Blanca, Paraguay. Also see write-up here on BSG.
