600 species
The original goal. A reason to get outside, learn and explore.
THE JOURNEY · JANUARY–DECEMBER 2022
An entire year.
Following the call.
A personal challenge to photograph 600 bird species became a year of discovery across Australia and its territories.
What is a Big Year?
A Big Year is a personal challenge to find as many bird species as possible within a defined area during one calendar year. My own challenge put photography at its heart: I wanted a photograph to accompany each species on my photographic tally.
By the end of 2022, I had seen 774 species and photographed 772. Those are the final totals in my account of the year; they describe my own journey rather than a claim to an independently verified record.
Less than six months
Reaching 600 opened the door to a much bigger adventure.
772 photographed
Every species a memory of the place, the search and the people who helped.
A CONTINENT OF CONTRASTS
Where the birds took me.
The tropical north
Torres Strait islands, Iron Range, Far North Queensland and Arnhem Land: rainforest, wetlands and rugged sandstone country.
The inland and west
Mount Isa, Alice Springs, Coober Pedy, the South Australian outback, the Nullarbor and southwest Western Australia.
Islands and ocean
Ashmore Reef, Christmas and Cocos Islands, Lord Howe, Norfolk Island, Tasmania, Macquarie Island and pelagic trips offshore.
THE PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD
Start with the encounters.
The gallery brings together a selection of my photographs. The complete dated species checklist has not yet been added to this edition.
Browse the photographs ↗