Sunday 22 February 2009

For Your Valued Information

Before I indulge in excessive blogging on my recent birding adventures, it would seem helpful to bring you up to date on my current situation and location. And as I always enjoy to hand a helping post, that is something I'll gladly and quickly do.

Last June, the big change I hinted towards before had actually come:

My family - which happily includes myself - has moved away from the Baltic to Southwestern Germany.

Away from the Baltic? Oh no!!!

Yes, terrifying, I know.
From the significant perspective (which is and always will be birding) this is sheer horror. I have moved from a place where I was able to see 270 or 280 species a year within an hour's driving distance from home to where that number will likely be closer to 120, possibly 150 if I am lucky and fuel prices will drop to a level we last had in the 1980s.

So, why did I do it?
Well, the reason is a new job down here and the reason for choosing that job, apart from personal things outside the scope of this blog, actually was ...

...

... better birding!

Not around home, wich is the small town (well, more of a village really in a heavily populated area) of Leimen just to the South of Heidelberg.
But my new job includes heaps and piles of traveling, basically and on average 2-3 days a week during the summer, throughout Germany, central Europe and possibly even all the way to central Asia, including for example Georgia and even Kazakhstan. Within the next years, maybe even this year, Africa might be included while Southeast Asia and Australia might also be future possibilities.

Very neat job.

So here I am now, in the south-west of Germany again, and the following days will provide you with small insights into the sometimes lousy but mostly boring birding that can be done around here.
It won't be too bad though, I hope, so take courage and visit again.

6 comments:

Owlman said...

Looks like you're back into the blogging swing. Sounds like the new job will be fascinating and the travelling will afford you with some great birding.

Jochen said...

Yes, Owlman, I am back for just a little bit of blogging...
The new job has already been rather nice, and I have seen a fair number of excellent birds here in Germany as well as the Carpathian mountains of Romania (a landscape of immense beauty). The problem is that my birding during those trips is job-related and I am not supposed/allowed to blog about it. I am sure I can get the permission from my boss but as the new guy I don't want to push my luck just yet.

Nate said...

I hope you let us know about all the fantastic birding you're going to be doing in central Asia instead of keeping it to yourself... : )

John B. said...

It's good to see that you are back blogging again.

Laurent said...

Good to see you back on the blogging planet, my friend. We hope to see some pictures from the "rebelator" soon....

Jochen said...

Thanks guys, it is very good to be back in the blogging world, if only for a little while until I have to interrupt the blogging again.
Your comments are very much appreciated!!