THE Biking Birder - Green and Carbon Birding Adventures Over the Years
Gary Prescott, The Biking Birder, is going to visit friends in October. Then the plan is to cycle for the whole of November, the south-west region of Rwanda. Fundraising for Acorns Children's Hospice and the Planet Birdsong charity. For Planet Birdsong, there is a link to the side on my blog page for you to take a look at the work they do in Rwanda and how you can help. Biking Birder IX - An African Adventure, Part 2. The Return to Rwanda.
In November last year, 2025, I went to Rwanda in order to cycle and bird and meet amazing people, who are involved in Nature and Bird Conservation.
In the north of Rwanda, near the Gorilla National Park, is the city of Musanze and there I met with three wonderful young birders who work for an organisation called the Rugezi Ornithology Center.
Three incredible young people whose love for birds and with a passion for involving young people in birding and habitat restoration projects, it was a privilege to not only to meet these intrepid, wonderful three but also interview them.
The first person interviewed was Niyonkuru Josiane, pictured above; a fabulous sunshine woman who tells her story, tells of the work carried out by the Rugezi ornithology Centre and of birding in Rwanda. I hope you enjoy the video.
Please like, comment and subscribe.
More interview videos will follow so please watch out for those.
On the right is Joseph Lionceau, a Rwandan Green Birding Megastar and in the middle can be seen Ian Gad Philipe Fidel. Their interviews will be posted asap.
Of course the over an hour long video of the interview was about Ponc & I's long rivalry over the European Big Green Big Year (BIGBY) competition, which has been so much fun, providing inspiration behind many of my Green Birding - Biking Birder adventures.
A full year BIGBY is a year when a birder tries to see as many bird species as possible without using any fossil fuel transport.
In the world maybe the best example of this was in 2014 when Dorian Anderson cycled around the USA, seeing 618 bird species.
Dorian's book is a truly inspirational read!
Ponc Feliu Latorre did a European BIGBY in 2024, an immense BIGBY; he saw 457 birds that year!
Take a look at Ponc's blog from that year, so phenomenally inspiration stuff.
2015 - a repeat of the 2010 whole year cycling tour of all the RSPB and W&WT nature reserves and centres.
2016 - an attempt at beating Ponc Feliu Latorre's European BIGBY record of 304 bird species seen.
2022 - another attempt at beating Ponc with, this time, a whole year of cycling and NO FERRIES! In fact not one bit of fossil fuel transport did I use that year. So becoming, to my knowledge only the second person in the world to do a PURE GREEN, no fossil fuel transport BIGBY; the other person being of course, Dorian Anderson.
Maybe you know of other Biking Birders. If you do, or if you do your birding by bike, then please comment below or message me on Facebook.
It would be fabulous to hear from you and to hear of your own biking birding adventures.
So Tickle My Feathers or, if you prefer David Lindo's motto . . .
Happy New Year to all you wonderful Sunshine People.
Now every week I hope to be able to show you a Green Birder from somewhere in this beautiful if troubled world.
First in this series is a remarkable young man, Joseph Lionceau of Rwanda.
Seeing a photograph of Joseph with his fellow African Green Birders, sitting on their bikes a few years ago, inspired me to want to go to Rwanda.
This I did last year, spending the whole of November there. More details about that Biking Birder adventure will be forthcoming but first let's meet Joseph.
Here is what he says about himself on eBird . . .
I'm Joseph Desire DUFITUMUKIZA(Lionceau), a keen Youth birder in Rwanda, interested in ornithology and passionate to participate development of conservation of wildlife, I started birding since 2013 in high School, late I get chance to attend various birding trainings for Local Advanced Bird Guide in Rwanda and Site Bird Guide in Kivu Belt Region along The Congo Nile Trail. I have inspired a lot for conservation and wildlife photography. I am Representative of Rwanda Youth Birders and facilitator of local clubs, Rugezi Birdwatching Club and MIPC Birding Club. Feel free to reach out me via WA: +250783772300, WeChat ID: JosephLionceau or djosephdesire@hotmail.com. and also you can follow me here https://www.facebook.com/JosephLionceaux?mibextid=ZbWKwL and https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephlionceau
It is so inspirational to see how other birders make a difference in different countries and how birding unifies us all.
Take a look at this fabulous website that details more of what is happening with birding in Rwanda . . .
Also to support ACORNS CHILDREN’S HOSPICE in the West
Midlands, United Kingdom, I am once more dedicating my Biking Birder VIII adventure to my
little brother Chris who so sadly died fifty years ago, October 31st.
There are links on the right hand side of this page, right underneath the amazing Patch Adams, for you please to give a donation to these two vital charities.
Arriving in Kigali at 7:00am, and after being kept at
Visa/Passport Control for some time because I didn’t have Mugisha’s phone
number. Mugisha is the CEO of an exemplary Wildlife Tour company that gives
visitors amazing wildlife encounter opportunities, including seeing Gorillas,
whilst engaging in community projects.
Check out Wildlife Tours – Rwanda via their website.
The videos and texts on their website are both fascinating and inspiring. A
superb wildlife tour company.
Having met Mugisha at departures, we were soon driving
towards his WILDLIFE TOURS – RWANDA offices. Suddenly, as we approached the
road where the offices were located, whilst Mugisha was driving along a
beautiful tree lined dual carriageway, Mugisha suddenly remembered that he had
asked the main Rwandan television company to interview me!
I had had no chance for a wash and shave. I had very little
sleep on the plane from Heathrow; my head rest on the screen on the seat in
front of me, whilst propped up on my hands.
The TV company crew were waiting for us as Mugisha drove up
onto the office’s courtyard!
Bike box found, safely stored in Mugisha’s office having arrived
over two weeks ago, I removed the bike and started to reassemble it. The TV
crew filmed me as I did so and then interviewed Mugisha.
Into the offices to meet the staff and for a conversation
over itinerary, aims and general questions.
The staff were fantastically friendly . . . thanks Kamikaze,
Stella, Jeremy, Jame and Ferdinan! . . . something I would get see from nearly
every Rwandan met, whether that be on the streets whilst walking safely around
all parts of Kigali, or when cycling along the intensely busy streets and
roads, or when at nature reserves and in villages. Rwandan people are the most
friendly, conversational, quick to smile and laugh people I have ever met!
Mugisha couldn’t have been more helpful. SIM card for
Rwanda, sorted. Cash from ATM, sported. Meal, a superb fish, chips, rice and
some sort of sauce, sorted.
We had driven to do these essentials into the heart of
Kigali, even driving past the famous Rwanda Hotel . . .
The roads were busy but wide and very well kept with
immaculate tarmac – NO POTHOLES. Hundreds of motorcycle taxis, masses of them. Cars
as well, of course and all seemed to be new.
In the road where we first parked up, at a small bank, there
were dozens of Rwandans who bustled amongst the cars and motorbikes.
Horrific to see but in a way so inspiring, a young woman walking,
well getting around speedily and with amazing skill, on her all fours. A
beautiful young woman with such a disability but with the will or the need to
conquer the obstacles. No one took any notice of her.
To a modern looking shopping mall for the meal, I wanted to
do some shopping myself but was aware that Mugisha would have other business
commitments. What a wonderful man to give his time to an almost complete
stranger. Thanks, Mugisha.
An apartment above the offices of WILDLIFE TOURS – RWANDA was
to be tonight’s accommodation for me, a superb large apartment with two
double-bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom and large lounge. Cost for the night was
60,000 Rwandan Francs. Might sound a lot, it converts to $40, around £34.
Brilliant.
Unpacking my two huge suitcases, both had carried around twenty-three
kilograms of stuff, and my eight kilogram rucksack, whilst adding it all to the
dozens of cuddly toys that had protected my bike when on transit in the bike
box, I eventually got down the steep hill down a narrow ginnel, to an area of
tall bamboo beside a reed-filled stream.
A team of yellow Hi-Viz jacketed workers were smashing rocks
and creating a pathway. Most of them were young women who worked with laughter,
especially when they gestured to me as I sat on a rock watching a pair of the
exquisite White-browed Robin Chats displaying to each other.
“Take our photograph,” the gestures suggested. I gestured
back No. I don’t photograph people but they seemed to insist and got together
in a group.
I lifted my camera and immediately it was like the Monty
Python sketch, the Olympic two hundred metre dash for people with no sense of
direction.
The ladies scattered, well, all except for one who stood and
smiled.
Into the bamboo and birds were everywhere . . .
Back to the apartment, eBird checklist to start my Rwandan
adventure, Three Lifers!
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