Birding in Zimbabwe with Paul Cook

Birding in Zimbabwe with Paul Cook

Rollin into Juliusdale I took every wrong turn I could. Fresh into a new country, Zimbabwe, new roads for us everywhere, but soon the dusk brought us to our journeys end, Froggy Farm, a few kilometres out of Juliusdale.
Our host at Froggy Farm, eager botanist, agronomist, poet and birder – Terry Dawson, has known The Sardine’s Birding Editor, Paul Cook, leader of our current foray, for eaons.

Soon The Frenzy and I were lost in a cacophony of bird speak and Rhodesianisms, gestures and all.
Then the sound of an Wood Owl penetrated the stone walls of Terry’s magnificent hilltop dwelling. Even The Frenzy took note now and it wasn’t a second before the third testament – The Roberts Book, was on the table, open at the right page. The birders were eagerly trying to recruit The Frenzy to their ranks, and they were winning!
When on a game drive, one of my pet hates is coming across an eagerly parked solitary vehicle. Usually with 6 to 8 passengers, and each one engaged in a starting much with an invisible animal deep in the bush somewhere. I stare and scope excitedly only to realise they are birders!
But then it’s easy to notice how many different birds species abound. And each with their own distinct character and behaviours…
Determined. Thief. Romantic. Cuckolder. Weird. Crazy. Heralder. Protector. Devious. Pious. Faithful. Mischievous. Dogged. Annoying. Intelligent. Crafty…
Birds seem, as most animals, to possess a portion of the human id, in one form or another. And they use these developed traits for survival.

So it is with this revelation that we begin Paul Cooks tenure as editor and chief blogger of The Sardine Birding column.
The Birding column is sponsored by Yamaha Inhambane.