Simon Thomsett

Category: Raptor Expedition | Date: Sep 21 2009 | By: Laila Bahaa-el-din

It has been almost a year since I joined Simon Thomsett in Kenya to begin our African Raptor Expedition. Since then, we have spent extensive time in Kenya, assessing the current raptor situation. We also completed a successful trip to South Africa through Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia. Along the way, we not only did road counts, but took many photographs to use in magazine articles, books, blogs and other forms of media. Our goal was to raise awareness about birds of prey and, although there is still a long way to go, we feel we have managed to accomplish this on a certain scale.

From a personal point of view, this year was a huge learning experience. As a freshly graduated zoologist, I was given the opportunity to spend time with an expert on African wildlife. I met interesting people and saw some of nature’s greatest wonders. I got to use some of the best photographic equipment which would mean nothing if it wasn’t for the amazing animals we saw and photographed during the course of this year.

Sadly the time came when we had to end the expedition and I had to say goodbye to Africa. For now, I’m back in the world of office jobs and paying monthly bills, but also using my time to send off applications for PhDs and funding that will hopefully allow me to return to Africa to study the wildlife. That is the only world that makes sense to me. The current world economic situation being what it is, the grants will be few and the competition tough, but I hope this year I have just spent with Simon has established me as a strong candidate. I would like to thank Simon for giving me this opportunity and wish him well in his future endeavours.

I now return Simon’s blog to him, but leave you with a few photographs from this year.

Lappet-faced Vulture in the Mara (Kenya)

Red-necked Falcon in Etosha (Namibia)