About
Seatherny Birding was founded by Tristan Silver – a biologist, avifaunal consultant, birder, photographer and content writer. Based in South Africa, this website aims to be a platform for sharing his stories from the field, travels, scientific articles, conservation issues, destinations, and bird photography library. He seeks to provide insight into his experiences, birds, and their habitats while inspiring people to celebrate and conserve Earth’s natural wonders, particularly in the avian form.
Tristan has had a passion for the outdoors for most of his life, having been taught basic biology and exposed to animals in their natural habitat from a very young age. He picked up a camera for the first time as an eleven-year-old boy in 2008, and the first birds that he photographed were a distant flock of African Green Pigeons on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast. Little did he know, this would be the beginning of a journey that has shaped his life.
His interest in the natural world led him to pursue an Honours degree in Biological Sciences, in which he focused on sensory ecology in frogs at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Having developed his birding skills over the past decade, he is now a passionate birder, and he is almost always found with a camera in hand, having always remembered his roots in photography that led him into the world of birding and exploring. He has traveled extensively throughout South Africa searching for birds, seeing over 675 species in the country. Additionally, he has traveled abroad through Italy and Bulgaria.
“Seatherny” means: “The serenity one feels when listening to the chirping of birds.” If you’re anything like Tristan, that sentence will resonate with you so much that it will send shivers down your spine. Hence, the reason why he chose such an unheard-of word was because it was derived from his love for natural sounds and, in particular, bird calls. He loves to encompass bird calls in different aspects of his life.
Birds may make up a large portion of his interests, but amphibians, reptiles, insects, as well as other fauna and flora also pique his interest. He uses photography to document his experiences while often putting effort into creating beautiful imagery. His photographs have appeared in the African Birdlife magazine, and he has won photography competitions.
The marine realm has also captivated him since he first entered the ocean with an eye for what lurks below the surface. Once he was old enough, he obtained a PADI Advanced Scuba Diving qualification and began diving on the many coral reefs situated off the magical east coast of South Africa and further afield in the stunning Red Sea off Hurghada in Egypt. He is the first to admit that the fascinating diversity of organisms found in underwater ecosystems, such as coral reefs, would compete with birds for his time if they were more accessible. Due to his love for the ocean and birds, it’s no surprise that his favourite birding type is pelagic birding. He finds watching pelagic birds gliding effortlessly over the ocean’s surface mesmerising.
Through Seatherny Birding, Tristan aims to share more than just a passion for birds; he hopes to open a window into the awe-inspiring natural world and the quiet magic of nature’s sounds. For Tristan, birding is more than a hobby – it’s a lifelong pursuit to celebrate Earth’s wonders and inspire others to protect them. As you explore this website, may you, too, find yourself captivated by the serenity of bird calls, the thrill of discovery, and the joy of connecting with nature in all its extraordinary forms.