Georgia

Biogeographical crossroads can be counted on to produce two things: excellent birding and political strife. Georgia has been strategically important since year dot and has been invaded at regular intervals ever since. It is also a reasonably small country with an amazing array of habitats sitting on a major migration route. Today a Russian/American power-struggle is causing another round of death and destruction. Places I have visited and people I have met are currently within a war zone due to a couple of short-sighted superpowers squabbling over carbon reserves; carbon reserves which, if extracted and burnt as planned, will contribute to the ongoing suicide of everyone on this planet.


As of now, the fighting is taking place approximately 50 miles from Kazgebi, the best alpine birding in the Western Palearctic. If you haven't seen Caucasian Snowcock, you might be waiting awhile.

The timeline to trouble (or 'How to time birding trips to a geopolitical/biodiversity hotspot')

1991-92 South Ossetia scene of 'civil' war, an attempt to break away from newly independent Georgia;
Jan/Feb 2003 my first trip to Georgia, spent most of the time based in Poti counting waterfowl along the Black Sea coast;
May 2003 my second trip, birding in the Greater Caucasus and along the border with Azerbaijan (see Birding World Vol.17 No.6);
2004 Mikhail Saakashvili, Georgia's newly elected president, promises to recover 'lost' territories (South Ossetia, Abkhazia, etc.);
May 2006 my third trip, visited locations from the Azerbaijan border up into the Lesser Caucasus (see here);
2006 South Ossetians vote for independence in unofficial referendum;
Sep 2007 my fourth trip, again most 'field time' spent in the Lesser Caucasus, right up to the Turkish border (see here);
Apr 2008 Russia steps up involvement in Abkhazia and South Ossetia;
Jul 2008 Russia and Georgia accuse each other of military build-up;
Aug 2008 clashes between Georgian and South Ossetian separatists escalate;
7 Aug 2008 sides agree to ceasefire;
8 Aug 2008 heavy fighting erupts, Georgian forces advance on Tskhinvali, Russian armour crosses into South Ossetia, port at Poti bombed;
9 Aug 2008 Russian forces seemingly retake Tskhinvali, Gori bombed, Abkhazia kicks off...

Here's hoping everyone I've had the pleasure of birding/working with is keeping their heads down.