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Neusiedler See - Seewinkel National Park

So far. so good..

Located at the edge of the Alps and western fringe of the Pannonian lowlands, the Neusiedler See - Seewinkel National Park protects a biological border region of rich biodiversity. For thousands and thousands of migratory birds, the only steppe national park in Austria means one thing above all else: an essential stop off between their winter habitat and breeding ground.

The National Park in Burgenland covers an area of 9,673 hectares . Another 23,721 ha are protected on the Hungarian side.

30% meadows & pastures

27% lakes & pools

The Austrian section of the National Park was established in 1993 , recognised by the IUCN in 1994 and declared a world heritage site in 2001 .

Good to know

Extreme habitats can be found in the National Park in the salty , regularly dehydrating soda pools .

Natural Environment

The unique landscape of the Seewinkel.

Natural Environment Neusiedler See - Seewinkel

The Seewinkel combines elements of various types of landscape thanks to Alpine, Pannonian, Asian, Mediterranean and northern influences: large wetlands , grazing areas , meadows , dry grasslands , sand steppes and salt sites are situated directly next to one another here and are reminiscent of a kind of mosaic.

It’s bodies of water in particular that dominate the natural environment: in addition to the most westerly steppe lake in Europe, you can also find numerous soda pools in Seewinkel. They are unique to inland Europe and are considered rarities even when you compare to the rest of the world. Around 30 of these kinds of bodies of water can be found between the eastern bank of Lake Neusiedl and the Hanság.

The fauna of the Seewinkel is extraordinarily diverse.

Fauna of the Seewinkel

A variety of Alpine, Pannonian, Asian, Mediterranean and northern influences provide the Seewinkel with biodiversity that is almost ingenious. The list of animal inhabitants of the national park is just as long.

Its essential role in European-African bird migration and diverse biotopes also make the National Park territory a hotspot for birds: herons , spoonbills , waders , great bustards , plovers , sea eagles , greylag and white-fronted geese and bee-eaters are just some of the species that have been found here.

Thanks to area management, it is also possible to encounter old domestic animal breeds (such as Hungarian grey cattle , white donkeys and water buffalo ) in the conservation zone. In this way, the National Park succeeds in protecting both natural and cultural heritage at the same time.

The Kentish plover is linked to salty sites and therefore to coastal habitats. The ponds and alkaline areas of Neusiedler See - Seewinkel National Park are it’s only breeding ground in Austria, and as a result we are particularly committed to preserving these habitats. Kentish plovers can best be observed in the “Geiselsteller” region.

The fire-bellied toad can be found in clear, non-cloudy waters in the Seewinkel. The amphibians, which grow to a maximum height of five centimetres and are active day and night, can primarily be observed in the Zitzmannsdorfer meadows as well as at Lettengrube. Keeping the riverbank open through natural grazing plays a large role in the conservation of the species.

Greylag geese can be spotted in almost all areas of the National Park during spring. Breeding grounds at Lake Neusiedl contain over 1,500 breeding pairs – making them the largest in all of Austria.

The flora of the Seewinkel is rich in species.

Flora of the Seewinkel

With species such as the spiny restharrow, the green-winged orchid or the woodland sage, the protected area is home to many rare salt-tolerant plants (halophytes), dry grassland species and orchids . These have had to become “specialists” at adapting to the conditions of their habitat and at reacting sensitively to change.

With the distinctive reed belt of Lake Neusiedl, the protected area also has the second-largest contiguous reed population in Europe.

The sea aster covers the autumnal Seewinkel in a carpet of lilac flowers. The fact that it can tolerate more salt than most other native plants gives the species a decisive competitive advantage on soils that contain soda around the salt ponds. The endangered plant is an important, late source of food for insects.

The purple mullein is a highly endangered species of the Seewinkel. The fact that it is becoming increasingly rare can be attributed to the decline in semi-arid grasslands. Targeted grazing by herded herds of cattle ensures the preservation of their habitat in the Neusiedler See - Seewinkel National Park.

The green-winged orchid is the most common orchid species in the Neusiedler See - Seewinkel National Park. However, the frugal plant does not display its reddish-violet, pink or white flower every year because in some seasons it grows as a leaf rosette.

Enjoyable Downtime

Bird-watching, canoe trips, solar-powered boat tours or bike trips: the expanse of the Neusielder See - Seewinkel National Park can be experienced in many different ways.

Experience even more

Observation Tower at Sandeck

View over the mighty reed belt

The reconstructed watchtower at Illmitzer Sandeck provides a view over the mighty reed belt of the National Park nature reserve. As well as gazing at amazing views, visitors may also get the chance to spot some white donkeys. The breeding project, which is intended to protect this old breed of farm animal from extinction, also promotes sustainability of the biotope quality of the lake dam.

From the Lake Dam to the Stinkersee Lakes

Large salt ponds

It’s easy to drive into hell in the Seewinkel. This section of the National Park conservation zone (which is named “Hölle”, the German word for hell) is far-more inviting than its name suggests. With the large salt ponds of the Upper and Lower Stinkersee, it even includes a particularly gentle landscape with various opportunities for bird watching.

Great Bustards’ Courtship Display in Waasen-Hanság

Highlight for bird watchers

The courtship display of the great bustard is a real highlight for bird watchers. This takes place in the fen region of Waasen-Hanság from the beginning of April until the middle of May and can be observed very clearly from the heights on the Andau and Tadten side. The cockerels raise their white plumage during the courtship display, transforming them into something resembling a white shuttlecock.

The Best Start to Experiencing Nature

So far, so good: the range of information and visitor activities available at Neusiedler See - Seewinkel National Park is the perfect way for visitors to enjoy these special experiences of nature.

National Park Centre Illmitz

Information about flora and fauna of the Seewinkel

Located at the northern edge of the town of Illmitz, the National Park Centre provides information on the flora and fauna of the Seewinkel all year round. In addition to the exhibition, observation tower and events centre, the visitor facility also offers the opportunity to book excursions to the National Park area. The education centre located right next to the National Park Centre plays host to a number of school trips and exciting project experiences.

National Park Centre & Education Centre

Hauswiese, 7142 Illmitz Tel.: +43 (2175) 3442

[email protected]

Education Centre Illmitz

Exploring nature playfully

The educational centre, located directly next to the National Park Centre, is the first address for school excursions and exciting project days. It offers programmes for children and young people interested in nature. The participants explore the animal and plant world in a playful way and experience exciting adventures in Austria's only steppe national park!

Education Centre

Contact and Directions

Nationalpark Neusiedler See – Seewinkel

Supported by the Federal Government and the European Union .

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Safari v národnom parku Seewinkel, ako tip na výlet do Burgenlandu

Obsah článku:, safari v národnom parku seewinkel v rakúsku ako tip na výlet.

Milan Bez Mapy, travel bloger, ktorý od roku 2013 trhá Slovákov z kancelárskych stoličiek. Autor knihy Influencer a blogu Bez Mapy s takmer dvoma miliónmi prečítaniami ročne. Dvojnásobný víťaz Social Awards a v roku 2023 druhý najvplyvnejší influencer na Slovensku podľa Forbes.

Milan Bez Mapy

Safari v národnom parku Seewinkel? Popravde, sám som netušil, že v Rakúskom Burgenlande majú safari park. A to rovno vedľa národného parku Neusiedler see – Seewinkel. Práve safari v národnom parku Seewinkel je super spôsob, ako stráviť slnečnú nedeľu v prírode a ideálne sa naučiť niečo o zvieratách. Rakúsko má vlastné safari.

Safari v národnom parku Seewinkel v Rakúsku (Burgenland)

Naša sprievodkyňa z Denise Reiter zo St. Martins Therme & Lodge nám toho povedala viac, než dosť. Ako sa objednať na safari, ako prebieha a čo od neho očakávať si prečítaj v tomto článku. Safari som teda absolvoval so St. Martins Therme & Lodge, ktorého súčasťou je aj luxusný hotel s výhľadom na jazero. Recenziu na wellness v St. Martins Therme & Lodge si prečítajte tu.

Čo sa mi páčilo je, že podmienkou absolvovania prehliadky safari s odborným výkladom, dopravou, zabezpečením pitia a profesionálnych ďalekohľadov Swarovski, nie je ubytovanie v samotnom hoteli. Stačí prísť na recepciu a povedať, že máš záujem o návštevu safari parku s odborným sprievodcom.

Ak pôjdeš do safari parku na bicykli z Bratisky, sleduj cyklotrasy (nemceky: redweg). V Kitsee sa napoj na cyklotrasu, ktorá ťa odvezie priamo k Neziderskému jazeru smerom na Podersdorf am See. Okolo celého jazera vedie perfektne spravená cyklotrasa s názvom Neusiedler See Radweg o dĺžke 135 kilometrov. Jej časť ide aj cez Maďarsko. Choď smerom na juh a dostaneš sa až k národnému parku Seewinkel. Ak zabudneš odbočiť, celé obídenie jazera na bicykli trvá presne desať hodín. Jedine, že by si sa otočil. Lol.

EXTRA: Vybav si takzvanú „ NEUSIEDLER SEE CARD „, vďaka ktorej sa môžeš po jazere prepravovať na kompách s 50% zľavou. Kartu dostane zadarmo každý, kto sa ubytuje v jednom z partnerských hotelov aspoň na jednu noc. Zoznam všetkých hotelov nájdeš tu .

Pár faktov, ktoré som sa dozvedel počas návštevy safari v národnom parku Seewinkel

• Celý park je rozdelený na viacero zón, kde do niektorých jevstup úplne zakázaný aj pre rangerov. Ak tam chcú vstúpiť, musí to byť jedine za účelom odborného výskumu.
• Národný park Seewinkel patrí medzi pamiatky UNESCO a ide o chránené územie Natura2000.
• Časť národného parku Seewinkel leží aj na území Maďarska.
• Niektoré jazerá, ktoré sa v safari parku nachádzajú, sú slané . Keď neprší, úplne vyschnú a ostane po nich veľká biela plocha soli. Obvykle je to v letných mesiacoch. Naša sprievodkyňa, Denise Reiter, nám túto soľ z jazera dala ochutnať – som vďačný za to, že sa nepoužíva v kuchyni. Blé.
• Na safari môžeš ísť aj bez toho, aby si bol ubytovaný v St. Martins Therme & Lodge, stačí zájsť na recepciu hotela a povedať, že máš záujem o prehliadku.
• Zaujímavosťou je, že (hlavne vtáky) tu žijú v úplne voľnej prírode. Znamená to, že v rozličných častiach roka sú tu k videniu rozličné zvieratá. Môžeš sem prísť na jar, jeseň, v lete a pod., a vždy uvidíš niečo iné a nové.
• Je tiež možnosť rezervovania súkromnej prehliadky, ktorá stojí 120€ pre 2 osoby. Maximum je však osem osôb, kvôli kapacite auta.
• Ide o step a toto safari sa dá v pohode prejsť aj na vlastnom alebo prenajatom bicykli. Žiadne kopce.
• Celý národný park Seewinkel má úplne nepoškvrnenú prírodu a najviac je tu vidno mnoho druhov vtákov.

Ako som spomínal, nachádzajú sa tu slané jazerá, piesočné duny, mokrade a pastviny pre zvieratá. Ide o veľmi netradičné prostredie pre hornatú krajinu, akou je Rakúsko. Táto oblasť je už roky populárna aj medzi ornitológmi , ktorí sem chodia pozorovať vtáctvo. Nachádza sa tu vyše 350 druhov vtákov a medzi tie najznámejšie patria labute či sokol sťahovavý. Je super tam mať sprievodkyňu , bežne si vtáky vo voľnej prírode nevšímam a ak by mi Denise k tomu toho nepovedaľa toľko, asi by som si an nevšimol, že okolo mňa letí vzácny druh vtáka.

EXTRA: Národný park Seewinkel je v období od marca až do začiatku júna tranzitnou stanicou pre sťahovavé vtáky, ktoré prelietajú medzi Európou a Afrikou. Hniezdia tu veľmi vzácne druhy, ktoré môžeš pozorovať z rôznych posedov po celom parku. 

Moje tri tipy pre pohodlnú návštevu safari v Burgenlande

Na Safari som okrem Burgenlandu bol aj v Juhoafrickej republike v národnom parku Pilanesberg . Keďže to bolo vtedy moje prvé safari, spravil som hneď niekoľko chýb. Išiel som tam úplne nepripravený, čo bolo na úkor všetkého, čo som (ne)videl.

• Určite si zaobstaraj ďalekohľad . Ten je absolútnym kľúčom k úspešnej návšteve safari. Či už v Burgenlande, alebo hocikde inde na svete. My sme ho mali ako súčasť výbavy do safari.
• Neočakávaj, že uvidíš zvieratá z extrémnej blízkosti. Žijú tu vo voľnej prírode a aj keď sú na ľudí zvyknuté, stále si držia odstup. Na hladkanie či ťahanie za chvost zabudni úplne.
• Ideálny čas na návštevu safari je skoro ráno alebo poobede, hlavne v letnej sezóne, keď je horúco. Cez deň mnoho zvierat spí a relaxuje v tieni kríkov.

Návšteva národného safari parku Seewinkel bola pre mňa zaujímavá v tom zmysle, že som absolútne netušil, že aj Rakúsko má vlastný safari park. Keď mi niekto povie „safari“, predstavím si slony, žirafy a zebry.  To je ale iba jeden pohľad na to, čo safari znamená a to mi potvrdila aj Denise. Ak ťa ale zaujímajú rôzne druhy vtákov, či oslíkovia alebo byvoly, zastav sa v St. Martins Therme & Lodge na safari v národnom parku Seewinkel v Rakúsku. So sprievodcom je to zaujímavý spôsob, ako stráviť celý deň a načerpať veľa mrte infošiek.

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© 2013-2024 Šírenie obsahu iba s písomným povolením autora.

• #spolupráca

How to fix Instagram not loading on Safari in my Mac?

Instagram pages will not load on safari for my iMac. I've tried everything.

Restarted my computer

Erased my website data

Private browsing

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iMac 24″, macOS 13.0

Posted on Feb 28, 2024 9:37 AM

Posted on Feb 29, 2024 5:54 PM

I'm glad someone else is having this problem. For some reason a few days ago Instagram won't load my profile page or and other pages/searches, all I see is the home page. It would be good if I could find a solution. I've tried different browsers, removed cookies and re-booted my Mac all with no effect.

Loading page content

Page content loaded

Feb 29, 2024 5:54 PM in response to krysta1996_

Mar 3, 2024 4:46 PM in response to krysta1996_

I can see the IG page (not black) but when I click on a post, it will not open, then a colored line appears at the top of the page. This does not happen on Google Chrome.

What's up??

Mar 1, 2024 6:04 AM in response to iamlahila

Hi Yes, my issue is that I can see the main page of instagram but can not load my profile, search or see any reels. I've tried different browsers, Safari, Firefox, Duck Duck Go all did the same. Google Chrome was the only browser that fully worked for me, which whilst it works I'd prefer to stay with Safari.

Mar 3, 2024 8:32 PM in response to katharyn64

Has anyone found a solution?

Mar 2, 2024 2:14 PM in response to krysta1996_

It's a relief to know I'm not the only one. Have been going nuts the last 3 days trying all the prescribed fixes...nothing. I discovered it will work on Chrome, as someone else mentioned, but taking that extra step to use one app is not a long term solution.

Mar 3, 2024 6:43 AM in response to krysta1996_

Same problem here, noticed at about the same time several days ago. I can access the main Instagram home page in safari, but can't do a next step like looking at any stories, my profile, etc. - it just hangs. I tried everything (clear cache, restart mac, restart router, etc.). It works fine on the Brave browser.

I'm using Safari 15.6.1 on Mac OS Catalina v10.15.7 on a MacBook Pro 15" (mid 2012).

Mar 3, 2024 5:00 PM in response to nancyfromanderson

Yep, I'm getting that colored line too whenever I try to open my profile or someone's story, profile, or hashtag search.

Mar 3, 2024 9:57 PM in response to krysta1996_

I upgraded my OS, from Ventura to the current OS, Sonoma 14.3.1, and everything is now working perfectly. Odd to IG or anyone else hasn't mentioned the yet, as it would have eased some unneeded headaches.

Mar 1, 2024 5:44 AM in response to krysta1996_

Same. Only JUST happened in the last few days. ONLY safari. No issue in Firefox. This has happened before with Safari, randomly dropped off for maybe a week and then came back online. I can see main wall page with menus down the side and suggested etc, inbox is fine, but my profile doesn't show.. nor do any stories load via my mac. Actually, via my iphone the last three days has been problematic with stories too. And quite glitchy in business page backend in the "followers" "who liked your posts" "verified" tabs too. I bet there's more changes ahead that's glitching everything yet AGAIN. Yay.

Mar 2, 2024 2:29 PM in response to krysta1996_

Sometime between Feb. 23 & Feb 28 something happened. I was able to use IG no problem 2/23 then I was away for 5 days and upon return it was not working. Older Mac PowerBook running Catalina 10.15.7 and Safari 15.6.1. Very strange that there aren't more people asking about this. Was on the chat with Apple support yesterday but got disconnected when I rebooted routers. Cleared history, cache, checked network but nothing resolved the issue. iPhone is fine and newer MacBook Air is fine. Very annoying but I suppose first world problem so there's that.

Mar 4, 2024 6:52 AM in response to scorehead

Upgrading software is not an option on older Macs that are no longer supported.

Mar 2, 2024 10:58 AM in response to DAAkers

LITERALLY SAME!! In the past few days nothing loads. No stories no searches. So odd. Glad I found this. Maybe it’s a glitch and they’ll fix it soon.

Mar 3, 2024 8:29 PM in response to krysta1996_

I've had the same issue, as well, where all that I can see is the IG home page, but then NO other page or profile will open up. In addition, I'm not even able to forward a page (say, a recipe that I've seen) to anyone. Is there a fix or has IG even acknowledged this? It's been like this for a few days now. So frustrating.

Mar 12, 2024 9:06 AM in response to youarenot

Wow, yours is not old at all! C'mon Apple, fix Safari!

Mar 4, 2024 4:33 PM in response to krysta1996_

The exact same thing is happening to me. Started with not being able to see my page or anyone else’s, but could see scroll my feed. Now I can’t even do that. If I go to instagram using safari, it just loads a blank white page with a pink insta icon in the middle.

Africa Chevron

Zimbabwe Chevron

How African Bush Camps is Taking Safari Guiding to a Whole New Level

By Jesse Ashlock

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

On a wet January morning at Somalisa Camp , in Zimbabwe 's Hwange National Park, a tall, rangy paramedic named Elvis Tavengwa is instructing about three dozen bush guides on the finer points of first aid. “Come on,” he shouts at them, so animated he's almost hovering above the floor. “Your guest is in cardiac arrest. What are you going to do?” The guides, dressed in every imaginable shade of khaki and olive, look at one another, uncertain. “He's dying!” Elvis screams. “Chest compressions! I need chest compressions!” Several guides lurch forward to demonstrate on a dummy.

African Bush Camps founder Beks Ndlovu

Each January during the rainy season, African Bush Camps (ABC) , perhaps the continent's premier Black-owned safari company, closes all of its lodges in Zimbabwe, Zambia , and Botswana , and convenes its guides for a two-week retraining program, the most rigorous in the business. In addition to first aid, this gathering of the Zimbabwe guides will include refresher courses in shooting, tracking, stargazing, photography, and more. During my visit, in addition to Elvis's frantic pedagogy, I witness a workshop on the ABC values (authenticity, empowerment, conservation, collaboration, and care), a candid discussion among leadership about how to encourage more junior “learner” guides to take the steps to earn pro certification, and a team-building exercise during which the guides are given 20 pieces of spaghetti, 10 Band-Aids, a piece of string, and a marshmallow and charged with building a free-standing structure in under 20 minutes.

It's really not so different from a Western corporate retreat. Only instead of taking place in a suburban convention center, it's held in a delightfully classic, very remote tented camp in an acacia grove overlooking a water hole with a resident hippo. And as Elvis demonstrates the proper application of a tourniquet, things are happening out there. A waterbuck bounds by, the white circle on its rump bouncing up and down like a toilet seat that got stuck. Beks Ndlovu, the 47-year-old entrepreneur and former guide who founded ABC 18 years ago, summons me over to point out two lionesses prowling the ridgeline above an ancient dry riverbank.

Lazy lionesses block the vehicle of guide Mariet Mashonganyika

Suddenly, a pack of wild dogs flashes by in hot pursuit of an impala. “You never know what's going to happen,” Beks says as we run off to commandeer a Land Cruiser. We can't find the dogs, only kudu and yellow-billed hornbills. But we do bump into Calvet Nkomo, a veteran guide who has worked at Somalisa since 2013 and is said to know more than anyone about the life histories of the lions in the area. He informs us that the lionesses have made their way into the neighboring Acacia Camp . We exit the Land Cruiser and approach them by foot, watching from behind a fallen log as they loll about, take a few steps, then collapse to the ground again, too stuffed from a recent meal to move. It sure beats a morning coffee break in a drab lobby amid acres of wall-to-wall carpeting.

Beks, a native Zimbabwean, has known this swath of Hwange National Park for more than two decades, since he was guiding for the nearby Makolo Camp and used to sneak guests into the area. After two years of lobbying the Zimbabwean government, he secured the tender and opened Somalisa in 2006 with an emphasis on premium guiding. A few nights earlier, I'd heard Beks tell its origin story to a group of guests at Khwai Lediba, one of ABC's newest camps, on the edge of the Okavango Delta . “You know that thing they say?” he asked. “‘If you build it, they will come’? It isn't true.” But the success of his second camp, Linyanti , in Botswana, helped subsidize Somalisa, and today it is the flagship property of a company that employs around 650 people, including the 60 guides Beks refers to as the company's “superpower.” “We can have the best hideaway, the best design, the shiniest copper bars,” he tells them one morning. “But without you guys and your storytelling, we have nothing.”

Olivia Morelli

Caitlin Morton

Stacey Lastoe

Watchful leopards at Somalisa

Many of the guides tell me that these training programs, along with the ability to rotate among the ABC properties and learn new skills, are what brought them to ABC. “You work at various camps and you always hear about a certain company,” says Michael Tsoka, who came to Somalisa two years ago. “This was always where I wanted to work.” Paul Hobbs, an archaeologist who'd come to give a talk on the colorful history of Hwange National Park, says that ABC increasingly serves as an incubator for guides who go on to work for other outfitters. “Very few companies in this country understand how important retraining is,” he says, “and ABC has set the bar very high.”

In 2021, the company adopted a new mandate to cultivate women guides, in an industry that has long been resistant to them, through its foundation's new ABCF Female Guides program. Its goal is for a minimum of 25 percent of its guides to be women by 2030. During a subsequent stop on my trip at Thorntree River Lodge , near Victoria Falls in Zambia, I would meet one of ABCF's first students, Zita Hwambe. Many African men “believe that a woman's role is in the kitchen,” she says. “But they're warming up to us, because they know we're here to stay.”

A guide consults a birding handbook

Before I head to Thorntree, however, I go on a last sundowner with the Zimbabwe guides at Somalisa. From a hide, I watch, G&T in hand, as a pair of hyenas scamper past a water hole. It's probably the best happy hour I've ever been to. On our way back to camp, I tell Calvet about seeing the lionesses. He says that they were born to one of the daughters of Cecil, the famous lion who was shot by a trophy hunter just outside of Hwange in 2015, prompting an international outcry. After I process that, I remark on how lucky I felt to be there, with people who know so much about this beautiful land and its difficult history.

“Yes, you are,” he says, with the most serious expression he can muster. Then his face lights up in an enormous smile. “Yes, you are.”

African Bush Camps

Established: 2003

Areas of operation: Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Goals: No plastics on site by 2025; no plastics in the supply chain by 2030; 25% women guides by 2030

Next opening: Atzaró Okavango, Botswana

This article appeared in the April 2024 issue of  Condé Nast Traveler.  Subscribe to the magazine   here .

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How a Safari Trip Brought Me Back to My Late Grandmother

By Nick Remsen

My Zambian safari –with an outfitter called The Bushcamp Company , and my first such trip, anywhere–started on November 11, 2023. Before going, I’d been told by a few unrelated people that a safari can be “emotional” and “life-changing.” I was dismissive of these sentiments. I expected that safari would be memorable , but “emotional” seemed a bit… grand.

So, it wasn’t without some mild dissonance that, on day one, while standing in a golden-red river valley awash in reddish rainbow light, I felt kind of sad.

If my paternal grandmother (Anne, nicknamed Andy) had still been alive, November 11, 2023, would have been her 94th birthday. I think about her often, but especially so on every November 11. She and I were close. I was her first grandchild; eventually, she’d have six. Her work earlier in life had been in early childhood education, and she, sometimes to my own mother’s chagrin, applied this role to her grandmothering. She had strong opinions on how things should be and what her grandkids should learn, and the thing that stands out in my memory, foremost, was her love (and then my love) of nature. She emphasized a curiosity around it, and this was especially true of birds. She nurtured this shared interest, and she protected it.

She died over a decade ago, but even so, out there on the rift, as blush-pink birds called carmines dove to catch bees in the twilight, all I could think about was the two of us taking a golf cart down to the pond by her Florida house to look for herons and egrets and geese.

I told this backstory to Suzyo Zimba, my host for the trip and a senior guide for The Bushcamp Company, which is the leading operator in this part of Zambia. The area we were in is part of South Luangwa National Park , a 3,500-square-mile zone founded in 1972 that’s known for having some of the most concentrated game in all of Africa. The Bushcamp Company is one of the only groups with permission to function deep within the park itself. Which means, on days like my day one, you’re pretty much alone in the savannah—an isolation that’s conducive, all the more, to kicking up the emotions I’d rebuffed.

“Okay,” said Suzyo, mild-mannered. He stayed quiet for an extended pause, then: “We’ll look for birds, in honor of her. We’ll get to 94 species. We might even do it tomorrow. There are hundreds of bird species here.”

And so, the mission started. The entire trip became framed around birdwatching—birds in complement to the big game, which I appreciated seeing but that somehow took on a lesser urgency with this new purpose, and birds in complement to the wonderful, warm people of the Company. I put something about it on my Instagram feed, and it struck a chord—I received dozens of DMs asking after the progress of the 94, and how, for the people who knew my grandmother, “this felt very right.”

It’s difficult to convey the breadth and beauty and specialness of these birds in writing, but I’ll try with some, across the order in which they were spotted:

1: We saw a Pennant-Winged Nightjar, dashing between low scrub with long trails from both its wings, making the animal look like a stunt kite. Suzyo said it was a somewhat rare bird to begin with. We were off to an auspicious beginning.

By Leah Faye Cooper

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12 and 13: We saw a Bateleur and an African Fish Eagle, both perched high on branches scanning for prey. Both are striking raptors; the latter bird is depicted on Zambia’s flag.

23: We saw Ground Hornbills, which bounced along the mud, cooing eerily in the sunlight.

38: We saw a tawny-hued Pell’s Fishing Owl, blinking off disorientation as the noise of our Defender disrupted its calm. Suzyo told me it was highly unusual to see one in broad daylight in this setting. The most unusual of all the birds we’d see. The pseudo-spiritual side of me can’t help but think that this was my grandmother paying a visit and checking in as the search progressed. I know that can’t be true, but I like the thought.

70: We saw Marabou Storks standing grimly, way up in the trees, leaving no mystery as to their reputation for being nature’s undertakers (they have a gloomy, rattling, no-fuss way about them).

And number 94, three days in, arrived in the form of a nondescript bird called a Village Weaver.

I’d been worrying about what 94 would be, hoping originally that it would alight as something dramatic and endangered, a sign, maybe, that the momentousness of the search was valid. Yet the Village Weaver is plain—yellow and cute, but not super interesting. But, very quickly, it made sense: it reminded me of looking at finches, brown and boring, in their birdbath with my grandmother at her other home, on Long Island. She was just as happy to see them as any other animal that stopped by.

In writing this now, a few months later, it’s almost harder to recall spotting the lions or listening to the hippos at night than it is the fleeting, searing, peripheral instances otherwise: bright red beetles on the ground, their wings fuzzy with a velvet-like coat; 200-year-old African Ebony trees warping and wiggling in a pond-fed thicket; butterflies flitting with the wind through a firescape, like momentary ghosts in a field of singed bones.

I’d like to think my grandmother instilled this love of it all , not just the postcard stuff.

Back in Mfuwe, a town at the edge of South Luangwa, I visited a local school that The Bushcamp Company sometimes tours if guests are interested. There, they have a gallery of student artwork. The pieces are for sale.

Most of the artworks showed various illustrations of the game people travel great lengths to see. Only one, just one, featured a bird. It was a collage of melted beads and rather subdued–wine red and chestnut and black, by a student named Charles. I brought it back to my apartment in Miami, and it’s now in my kitchen. The species? The same that stood out in our goal, the unlikeliest of the 94: a Pell’s Fishing Owl.

Maybe my grandmother really was watching.

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