[Birdtalk] Visting Birding Dignitaries

[Bill Fenimore]

Greetings:  

I have always said that birding not only introduces you to nature and interesting birds but it can also bring you in contact with interesting people.  Yesterday, I had the pleasure to lead Hugo Gajus Scheltema and his entourage on a birding adventure in Northern Utah.  Gajus (as he asked to be called) is the Consul General of the Netherlands in New York.  He came to New York from Amman, Jordan where he served 4 years as Ambassador of the Netherlands.  

He contacted me to set up this birding trip with instructions to convert at least one of his party to birding.   We had a very fun trip, meeting Paul Higgins along the way.  Paul told us of a Bewick's Wren at Lady Finger on Antelope Island.  A Northern Mockingbird was in the same area.  We also found a catbird east of the spring at Fielding-Garr Ranch, along with California Quail.  The Great-horned Owlets were a trip delight for our party.

Gajus said that Great Salt Lake reminded him of the Dead Sea.  However, the bird life here was much richer, since nothing lives in the Dead Sea, he told me.  Gajus added 23 life birds (being a new birder in the US, many were life birds) and his enthusiasm for the birds was a delight.  He convinced me that Holland is a must stop for birding when I am in Europe next.

Regards,

Bill Fenimore
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