In this paper (Hui et al. 2009. Ecol Appl 19(8): 2038-2048), we estimated a total of 2 billion birds in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, using eight different models based on the occupancy-abundance relationship and the scaling pattern of occupancy. I am glad that the editor eventually chose our work as the front cover (see the photo of a black shouldered kite on the left). The Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America also reported our work in a small article (Oct 2009, 494-495), with a photo of Southern Marsked Weaver as the front cover. This small article also includes photos of Malachite Sunbird, Cape Bunting and Acacia Pied Barbet. This is the first time that my bird photos have been published by professional journals. All 5 photos were taken during the study. The Kite was taken at Eagle Encounter, Spear; the Weaver, Sunbird and Barbet were from my garden at home. I know them so well that I can distinguish each individual of their family living in the trees around us. The Bunting was taken at Cape Point NP by pure luck (the bird perched 20cm away from my camero for a few seconds).