Dear Russel ...
Greeting from the sunny early spring Denmark.
Many thanks for your message.
Good to hear you are home safely - I guess you've heard about
the recent abductions in Ethiopa?
I have turned your b-a messages back on
Yes, we heard about the abductions near the border to Eritrea.
But my wife Ebba and I had a great non-problem birding trip
in Ethiopia www.tourismethiopia.org
And during our route we also met some backpackers
but also birders from Australia.
Ebba and I arranged this private trip through Daniel Teklu,
13 Suns Tours www.13suns.com in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Everything went well and the service provided by 13 Suns
Tours was superb. The itinerary was well put together.
Yes, they know what they are doing. And took much care
about us. - So we had no problem.
We visited among other the Awash National Park, Rift Vally,
Wondo Genet, Bishangari ( by lake Langano), Bale Mountains
and Debrelibanos.
As you know I am a parrot freak, and we saw the target parrots :
Agapornis taranta - Black-winged Lovebird and Poicephalus
flavifrons - Yellow-fronted Parrot, as well as target animals :
Gelada baboons and Ethiopian Wolf, and a lost more of the
Ethiopian fauna. The birding was excellent. And also we met
ethnic groups and other people.
We used a 4WD Toyota landcruiser. The country is vast,
and there is a lot of driving in Ethiopia. We drived about
3.600 km in 12 days.
Our guide Meseret Fikru was also an excellent birder. He and
the driver Salomon had driven many birdwatchers around
Ethiopia, so they know the exact places to look for particular
species.
In Ethiopia the birds are not hunted, and as so most species
are easy to see.
Our next non-european parrot destination, in September 2007,
will be Brasil ... to visit the CRISTALINO - a brasilian eldorado
for Parrots ' and ' THE KINGDOM OF THE HYACINTH
MACAW ( Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus )'
In Cristalino we will meet our friend Vitória da Riva Carvalho and
the fantastic task she does for the Brasilian nature, and by this way
for the local people and the fauna in Brasil.
And in the Pantanal meet our other friend Neiva Maria Robaldo
and her task for the blue Hyacinth Macaw.
It is important to support these two unique fantastic women,
who do a great fight in a man dominated macho country ...
Brave fights to save a part of the nature ... !!!
I am looking forward to meet Vitória da Riva Carvalho and
about Neiva Maria Robaldo Guedes and be updated regarding
their fantastic work for the enviroment ... helping the people and
the fauna, incl. the parrots and other birds ...
I will by articles try to raise awareness about these two fantastic
people in Brasil.
Unfortunate I don't have the itinerary for my forthcomming
Parrot Watching Brasil, Sep. 07 in english, but so far in Danish.
If you want to see my danish edition of the itinerary and pictures
please visit www.alfatravel.dk select: Temarejser then select :
Natur/geografi and here you can find :
Papegøjeeventyr - Brasilien
and download trip informations ( 6915 Kb.)
Cristalino is a brasilian eldorado for Parrots. There about 570
birdspecies in Cristalino.
Cristalino Jungle Lodge and Floresta Amazônica Hotel is founded
and owned by Vitória da Riva Carvalho, who do a fantastic task
for the Brasilian nature, and by this way for the local people and
the fauna in Brasil.
From Alta Floresta we continue via Campo Grande to Pousada
Araraúna in the Pantanal, to visit THE KINGDOM OF THE
HYACINTH MACAW ( Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus ) and
explore the task of the Hyacinth Ara - Arara Azul - project, which
founder and leader is Neiva Maria Robaldo Guedes. - We will by
walking, 4w drive, riding horses and by boat monitor the Hyacinth
Macaws as well as their nests, etc. - There are about 650 birdspecies
in the Pantanal, as well as many other animals.
Vitória da Riva Carvalho and Neiva Maria Robaldo Guedes and
their teams do a fantastic work for the enviroment ... helping the
people and the fauna, incl. the parrots and other birds ... These
two women, who do a great fight in a man dominated macho
country ... Brave fights to save a part of the nature ... !!!
From the Pantanal we travel to Foz do Iguaçu, in the state of Paraná,
at the border of Brasil and Argentina. There are about 350 birdspecies
in the Iguaçu national park.
I am working for SAS - Scandinavian Airlines www.scandinavian.net
which together with Lufthansa is one of the founder of the global
Star Alliance www.staralliance.com
At my job in Copenhagen Airport I do have a lot of contacts with
the danish and european as well as the global business, political
and diplomat world - and several of these frequent travellers, who
are travelling via Copenhagen know about my interest for parrots
and other birds and therefore we do now and then talk about
parrots and other birds, and all who I talk with have had some
kind of experiences with birds.
Furthermore I do have professionel but also bird-leisure
contact with govermental and well as non-govermental
authorities and organisations related to the environment
and concervation - and by this way also a lot of nice
talk about parrots and other birds.
With a smile I say : " I am interested in two endangered species:
Parrots and Flight Passengers. - They both sometime shout and
bite, but you have to treat and handle them well and decent or else
they will disappear ...! "
I have a very weak spot, and that is PARROTS. I like parrots very
much and I do what I can in my humble way to support the
protections, being made to save the parrots from extinction.
Some people - even birders - can not understand that I am so
interested in parrots. - They think I am mad ... ! But I am glad,
I am mad ... !
The simple true is: I adore parrots ...!
Parrots are very demonstrative and sociable birds. Some parrots
have special mixture of fear of the unknown but also a tremendous
curiosity. - Every day they start their communication system as
they have so much to tell each other. - Some parrots love to
bicker and quarrel. - There are considerable difference between
individuals in their temperament. - Other are perfect gentlemen.
Some are naturally arrogant and utterly trusting and fearless.
Some are confident and extrovert willful and affectionate.
And in general they all like great fun, often they are comical
and playfull. This strong individuality is a part of the parrots
charme ... ! ( Mayby I should had married one ! )
So it is worrying that more and more parrot species may heading
toward extinction in the wild.
It is important to save the parrot, but we must not forget
to save - and encrease the group of - people, who wanted
to save the parrots ... ! - We must work to attract more
people to join the interest in Parrots ... !
I think it is important to support people in the developing countries
who struggle to make a living from low impact eco-tourism, but
also in reality do something for the environment, and in thay way
also for the fauna, and the birds, incl. parrots.
Apropos, in Ethiopia we saw the storks and other european birds on
their way from their african vaccation back to the Europe. - Looking
forward to their arrival.
Now I have to change dress and take care of some very big 'birds',
as the duty in the Copenhagen Airport is calling.
I wish you a nice day.
Many kind wishes,
Peter
---------------------
Peter H. Them, Dragor, Copenhagen, DK-Denmark
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www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
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