2009... the highlights

Another year almost over. It is difficult to decide just what was my highlight of 2009. I was in so many places, often guiding others, sometimes on my own explorations. The woodpeckers in Brazil, particularly Campo Flicker, were right up there. Sure, it is not a difficult species to find down in its habitat but it was a bird that I have wanted to see for a long time. I am fascinated by those terrestrial woodies. Then there were the woodpeckers in Guyana, I must not forget those, especially the huge Crimson-crested and the near-endemic Blood-coloured. On the mammal front I also saw my number one target, a carnivore I have wanted to see since childhood, the Wolverine. In fact we saw several in Karelia, in eastern Finland. That was truly amazing, a life-time ambition fulfilled. And there was a memorable dawn when we saw a Wolverines, Brown Bears and a pack of Wolves all in the spaces of a few minutes. So, in the end, hard to choose, and there is no winner.... well, perhaps only myself. Happy New Year ! ... see you somewhere in 2010.