Tdgraves less big year 2018

[Tdgraves]

I have just seen the first great spotted woodpecker of the year in my garden and I got to thinking what kind of a year 2018 will be. I see that many Safaritalkers have not only started their big years, but are racing away already. I think that 2018 will be less big for me, after 4 years of year on year growth, particularly the 105 extra I got last year. This is because both of my safaris this year will be self-guided in South Africa (Kruger and Kgalagadi), so we are more restricted in the range available. We will also not visit our friends' country place, which has been good for birds not seen in the Kruger in the past. However, we are visiting Cape Town for the first time in years, so it will open up a few more of their birds. There is also a week in California, so you never know....

 

The big year will start in earnest next weekend with @Peter Connan in Marievale, so at least we should have some quality shots to begin.....

[PeterHG]

This sounds like quite a good year as far as plans go! I am looking forward to your contributions fro  Kruger and Kgalagadi and the Cape Town area can yield quite variety, too. Enjoy your start in Marievale, in the good company of Peter Connan!

[Dave Williams]

Some of us have been out in the cold and not wimped out!!!! What about all those over wintering geese in Norfolk or are you going to catch them later?

Anyway your travel plans look great and it's good to know you are going to join in again.

We are visiting Cape Town for the first time in mid-July, then heading to Kgalagadi  for a few nights before heading in to Namibia. When are you there?

[Tdgraves]

@Dave Williams some of us have day jobs! ? seriously though, the weather last week was terrible and I was planning to go out yesterday, but I have a bug ? so couldn’t

 

KTP will be September as a cost saving measure, so that we can go to Sri Lanka in January 2019

 

 

[Dave Williams]

I can recommend some places in Sri Lanka both to stay and to visit if you need help. I have written some blogs about the visits too. If you haven't been before it's a great destination!

[lmSA84]

@Tdgraves - I'm glad to hear it. I always enjoy your treads and it sounds like you'll be going to some great destinations. You'll certainly do better then me. I won't be going on any safaris this year but as a consolation prize my wife bought me a membership at the Natural History Museum. So if you see Dodo in my thread you'll know why.  

[Tdgraves]

1 hour ago, Dave Williams said:

I can recommend some places in Sri Lanka both to stay and to visit if you need help. I have written some blogs about the visits too. If you haven't been before it's a great destination!

 

Thanks @Dave Williams i’ll Pm you...

[xelas]

That sounds like a good locations for birding to me, @Tdgraves! Cape Town will give you waders and seabirds to the mix, hopefully the rain will finally come back to that part of South Africa. When you will be back from your first trip of 2018 I might be ready to post our trip report, with some recommendations regarding birding in and around Cape Town. Or just ask @Peter Connan when with him.

[Galana]

Good to see your proverbial hat in the ring again. Southern Africa will provide aboost esp with @Peter Connan alongside.

California may surprise. Some great wetland down near the border.

Good luck4 Like thisk with your quest.

[Tdgraves]

11 hours ago, Galana said:

 

California may surprise. Some great wetland down near the border.

 

Thanks @Galana we only have a week driving between LA and SF, but I hope to see some American birds....

[Tdgraves]

15 hours ago, lmSA84 said:

@Tdgraves - I'm glad to hear it. I always enjoy your treads and it sounds like you'll be going to some great destinations. You'll certainly do better then me. I won't be going on any safaris this year but as a consolation prize my wife bought me a membership at the Natural History Museum. So if you see Dodo in my thread you'll know why.  

 

Doesn’t sound much like a consolation prize to me @lmSA84 surely a lens would really make up for it....

[Tdgraves]

Now that the bug has finally gone and the sun has finally come out, I thought I'd go for a walk at the lakes today. I was feeling at a bit of a loose end, as we would normally fly to Joburg on a Thursday night, but due to flight availability, we are going tomorrow instead. I hadn't really thought that we had suffered a particularly wet winter, but i had completely underestimated this, as several of the paths were impassable, due to being under water and the rest were extremely muddy. I was therefore unable to get to the hide and so did not see much waterfowl, but I have a few to kick start the year.

 

RSPB Fen Drayton lakes, UK, 25/1/18

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 1000, f7.1, 1/1000

 

 

1) Great tit

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Fen Drayton lakes, UK, 25/1/18

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 250, f7.1, 1/500

 

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 320, f7.1, 1/800

 

 

2) Blue tit

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Fen Drayton lakes, UK, 25/1/18

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 800, f6.3, 1/400

 

 

3) European robin

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Fen Drayton lakes, UK, 25/1/18

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 1250, f7.1, 1/160, EV +2/3

 

 

4) Dunnock

 

should be able to get one with a complete beak before the end of the year....

[Tdgraves]

RSPB Fen Drayton lakes, UK, 25/1/18

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 500, f7.1, 1/2000, EV +1/3

 

 

5) Eurasian coot

[Tdgraves]

And the last for today, one I have never managed to get a good shot of, as they appear from nowhere when the cameras' settings are all wrong! Better than last years' effort though...

 

RSPB Fen Drayton lakes, UK, 25/1/18

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 320, f7.1, 1/1000

 

 

6) Western marsh harrier

[Galana]

A great start. I need five of those six myself.

Good to see the bug has gone and hope all goes well with the flight. Keep safe and bring some great photos back and not a little sunshine too.

[TonyQ]

Have a great trip. Good to see you off and running this year, and you bug has gone in time for you holiday 

[elefromoz]

@Tdgraves, I think your first 3 are just about my favourite "european birds", all so sweet. Good to be setting off healthy...

[Tdgraves]

Back from RSA and I have now had a chance to look at a few photos. We started our trip with a half day birding in Marievale with @Peter Connan both driving and providing brunch, long before Safari Pals was even invented!! I will start with the new ones, some of which we probably have seen before, but just not properly identified....

 

Marievale Bird Sanctuary, RSA, 28/1/18

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 160, f7.1, 1/400

 

 

7) Whiskered tern

[Tdgraves]

Marievale Bird Sanctuary, RSA, 28/1/18

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 320, f7.1, 1/4000, EV -1

 

 

8) Hottentot teal

[Tdgraves]

Marievale Bird Sanctuary, RSA, 28/1/18

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 320, f7.1, 1/800

 

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 320, f7.1, 1/640

 

 

9) Southern pochard

[Tdgraves]

Marievale Bird Sanctuary, RSA, 28/1/18

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 320, f7.1, 1/1600, EV +1/3

 

 

10) Cape shoveller

[Tdgraves]

Marievale Bird Sanctuary, RSA, 28/1/18

 

Canon 7D mark ii, 100-400 mark ii, ISO 500, f7.1, 1/400, EV -2/3

 

 

and I think these are also the same bird, seen later in the day at a different hide, but if anyone wants to let me know that I have seen another new type of warbler, please feel free to let me know!

 

 

 

11) Lesser swamp warbler