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Author: Starrynight

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Photographs and article are copyright of starrynight

Introduction

Below is a compilation of places the contributors had been, planning to go or dreaming to be. The guide / tour agencies stated were used by the contributors and found to be reliable. However, contributors bear no responsibilies on the information stated. Members are urged to do their own research and contact the related agencies for details and clarifications. Hope you guys enjoyed it. cheers

Wildlife and Bird Photography Calendar

One interesting website by David Middleton, a professional photographer who stated a calendar for wildlife / bird photography http://www.davidmiddletonphoto.com/newfrm.html

January

Hong Kong

Places: Mai Po Reserve (Nov-Mar)

Birds: Migrants – Waders, Raptors (Black Faced Spoonbills, Aquilas-Spotted, Steppe, Imperial, Pelicans, Red Necked Stint, Spoonbill Sandpiper)

Other information Website: http://www.wwf.org.hk/eng/maipo/ http://www.hkoutdoors.com/hong-kong-…o-birding.html

India

Places: Jim Corbett National Park, about 275kms north of New Delhi Chambal River, 70kms south of Agra Bund Barretta in Bharatpur Kaziranga National Park in Assam

Other information Besides birds, there also other wildlife that are great photographic subjects like the tigers

Guide / Tour Agent Mr Sharad Nature Safari India Pvt Ltd Email: info@naturesafariindia.com Website: www.naturesafariindia.com

Japan, Hokkaido

Birds: – Stellar’s Eagle It nests in northern Siberia and winters in Japan – Japanese Cranes Mating ritual in winter

Other information: Ryuhyo cruises are available from late January to March – to see Stellar’s Eagle

Website: http://www.camacdonald.com/birding/asiajapan.htm http://www.kushiro-kankou.or.jp/engl…anesecrane.htm

Thailand

Birds: – Migratory birds

Guide / Tour Agent: Mr Panuwat Sasirat Email : wildbirdtour@yahoo.com Website: www.wildbirdeco.net

February

India – As above Japan, Hokkaido – As above Thailand – As above

Hong Kong

Places: Mai Po Reserve(Nov-Mar), Tai Po kau (Feb-Apr)

Birds: Tai Po kau – Fork Tailed Sunbird, Orange Bellied Leafbird

Other information website: http://www.hkbws.org.hk/BirdingHongKong/inform/tpk.html

Malaysia, West

Places: Bukit Tinggi, Bukit Rengit, Fraser’s Hill

Birds:- Broadbills

March

Hong Kong

As above

In addition Mar-May (Po Toi) Migrants – Japanese Paradise(long tail), Blue and white FC, Ferruginous, Narcissus, Red-throated, Asian Brown, Grey-streaked, Grey-headed flycatchers.

• Asian Paradise was found at Maipo and Kowloon park
• Hainan Blue was found at Kowloon park

India

As above

Japan, Hokkaido

As above

Malaysia, West

As above

Thailand

As above

Singapore

Birds: – Baya Weavers – Black naped Terns – Little Terns

Other information: http://www.naturepixels.org

April

Hong Kong

Places: Tsim Bei Tsui, Maipo, Po Toi

Birds: Apr-May (Tsim Bei Tsui) – Pied KF nesting Apr-Jun (Maipo) – Black Winged Stilt nesting Apr-August (Maipo, Nearby sea) -Terns nesting :Roseate, Black Naped, Bridled Terns June-Aug: Passing – Caspian, Gull Billed, Aleutian, Greater Crested, Little, Common Terns

Other information: Website http://www.hkbws.org.hk/BirdingHongKong/inform/tbt.html http://www.hkbws.org.hk/BirdingHongKong/inform/pt.html

Malayasia, East

Places: Layang Layang Kinabatangan

Birds: Layang Layang – Terns Kinabatangan – Broadbills / Resident birds

Other information: Website: Layang layang http://www.tracc.org.my/Borneocoast/…pll_birds.html Kinabatangan http://www.wildasia.net/main.cfm?pag…stinationID=16
Guide / Tour Agent: Zainal Abidin Ja’afar & Asnih Etin (Kinabatangan) Email: asnih_etin@hotmail.com

Thailand

Birds:- Broadbills / Resident bird nesting

May

Malaysia, East

As above

Thailand

As above

China

Birds: Migratory birds. Places: Beidaihe and Happy Island

Birds: Migratory birds

Other information: Website http://www.drmartinwilliams.com/beid…daihe-hub.html http://wingsbirds.com/tours/view/155

Costa Rica

Birds: Resplendent Quetzel Nesting, Humming Birds

Other information: Best time is in dry season. However that will mean higher price as tourists swam to the area. 1st week of May is the beginning of wet season but still good for bird and wildlife photography. It is also a heaven for reptiles and frogs.
Guide / Tour Agent: Mr Gregory Basco Foto Verde Tours Website: www.fotoverdetours.com Email: greg@fotoverdetours.com Deep Green Photography Website: www.deepgreenphotography.com Email: gmbasco@deepgreenphotography.com

June

Thailand

Birds:- Pittas

July

Thailand

As above

Alaska

Places: Katmai National Park – For salmon spawning and bears.

Other information: http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/u…k/wild_den.htm

New Zealand

Birds: Wrybill, migratory and local birds

Other information: http://osnz.org.nz/links.htm

Guide / Tour Agent: Dr Brent Stephenson PhD (Ornithology) Website: http://www.eco-vista.com and http://www.wrybill-tours.com Email: brent@eco-vista.com or brent@wrybill-tours.com

August

Africa

Places: Masai mara, Baringo, Nakuru, Naivasha. Masai mara for the annual beest migration, Nakuru for the 2 million flamingoes

Guide / Tour Agent: Mr A Bhatt Kenia Tours and Safaris Ltd Web: http://www.keniatours.com Email: kenia@africaonline.co.ke

Alaska

Places: Denali National Park – wildlife

Other information: http://www.nps.gov/dena

September / October

Australia

Places:

• Northern Tropical Australia (includes Darwin and Northern NT, the Kimberley and Northern WA, Cairns and Northern Queensland).

Best time is the end of the dry, just before the wet. Aka September to November. This period is best because most of the waterholes are drying up and thus concentrating the birds in very large numbers in a few permament waterholes making finding the birds much easier. It is also the period when the migrants from the north are arriving. Best sites because of accessibility and infrastructure are: a. Darwin and around b. Cairns and around c. Broome (when Tiger starts flying there at the end of the year). Wynham and Kununurra are excellent places too but getting there would be a pain.

• Perth and SW Australia

Again the best time is towards the end of the year, when the parks are still filled with water. Once past into Jan and Feb, the ponds in the parks would have dried up or the water edge too far for practical shooting. Rottnest is best during the Osprey nesting season – Oct/Nov Penguin Island is best around Christmas (late Dec), when the Penguins are moulting

Other information: There is a book “Birding sites around Perth” by Ron Van Delft. This book is about Aus $20. It gives a good account of types of birds, the sites around Perth. This can be purchase online or at Birds Australia – Western Australian (approx 15mins drive from Perth City). Birds Australia – Western Australian Group 167 Perry Lakes Drive, Floreat WA 6014. Tel: (08) 93837749. Take note that their opening hours is 0930hr to 1230hr on weekdays only. At this centre, there are also numerous pamphlets (free!) on many bird sites.

Website: http://www.rottnestisland.com/en/default.htm http://www.birdswa.iinet.net.au/

New Zealand

As above In addition : Albatross, gulls, few Cormorants species nesting at Taiora Head (Dunedin)

November / December

Australia

As above

Hong Kong

As above

India

As above

Thailand

As above

Christmas Island

Red Crab season

Other information: http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/…mas/index.html http://www.christmas.net.au/parks/bi…mas_island.htm
Photographs and article are copyright of starrynight