This One Doesn't Count

This isn't a real blog post and I don't plan on counting it even if I do happen to miss a day (and that could happen next week during Thanksgiving stuff), but I couldn't resist posting this link. National Geographic has a series of wild cams, live camera feeds from different parts of the world depending on the season. My favorite of the ones I've managed to catch is the Wildcam Africa, which centers on Pete's Pond in Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana. It's only on during the fall and early winter months due to weather. The pond is the only reliable source of water in the area during the dry season so it's a magnet for wildlife. I counted dozens of different species the last couple of years when I kept track of this and that wasn't even involving obsessive watching. The best times to watch are 4-8 p.m. EST, which is night viewing, and 12-4 a.m., which is early morning viewing. You'll see baboons, elephants (especially at night), all sorts of antelope species, and a few big cats. Right now I'm watching a spoonbill feed while helmeted guinea fowl (they are actually a wild species in Africa and not just domesticated) skittering about on the banks.

Even if you don't want to sit and watch, the audio is really nice with the constant chittering of crickets (or cricket-like insects) and small birds.