Birding on 3 continents

[xelas]

On the 3rd year of participating at Big Year, we will explore bird life on 3 different continents. We hope that birds will be cooperative, and that we all will enjoy in future days, weeks and months.

 

We have started on day 1 of New Year 2018, in southern part of South Africa; Hermanus, De Hoop, Wilderness, Karoo NP, Montague, Franschhoek and Cape Town were our main stops. I will post birds in the alphabetical order of their English names.

 

 

BY001 / SA001

Acacia Pied Barbet - Tricholaema leucomelas

 

Karoo NP / 05.01.2018

 

juvenile

Karoo NP / 06.01.2018

[xelas]

BY002 / SA002

African Darter - Anhinga rufa

 

 

Stanford - Kleinrivier / 01.01.2018

[Peter Connan]

Great start!

[TonyQ]

@xelas

I have been looking forward to this- excellent start!

[xelas]

There are a lot of birds with "African" in its names. Some are small (but deadly):

 

 

BY003 / SA003

African Dusky Flycatcher - Muscicapa adusta

 

Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden / 13.01.2018

 

[xelas]

There were not many eagles to be seen this time around. This one was taken from the boat. 

 

 

BY004 / SA004

African Fish Eagle - Haliaeetus vocifer

 

 

De Hoop / 02.01.2018

[xelas]

Another bird of prey; it has eluded us on our first visit to Strandfontein but not on our second one.

 

 

BY005 / SA005

African Marsh Harrier - Circus ranivorus

 

Strandfontein / 14.01.2018

 

Edited January 29, 2018 by xelas

[xelas]

BY006 / SA006

African Olive Pigeon - Columba arquatrix

 

Wilderness / 04.01.2018

Edited January 29, 2018 by xelas

[xelas]

The most "different" bird of them all ; but when young they do show some feathers.

 

 

BY007 / SA007

African Penguin - Spheniscus demersus

 

 

juvenile

Boulders Beach / 12.01.2018

Edited January 29, 2018 by xelas

[xelas]

Back to proper birds; this one lives on ground and have adequate colours to blend naturally

 

 

BY008 / SA008

African Pipit - Anthus cinnamomeus

 

Montagu / 08.01.2018

 

Edited January 29, 2018 by xelas

[xelas]

This one does not blend in easily .

 

 

BY009 / SA009

African Red-eyed Bulbul - Pycnonotus nigricans

 

Karoo NP / 06.01.2018

 

Edited January 29, 2018 by xelas

[xelas]

Warblers are, like Cisticolas, really difficult to ID. Luckily there are only 2 warblers in this area so hopefully I have properly ID them.

 

BY010 / SA010

African Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus baeticatus

 

Strandfontein / 11.01.2018

Edited January 29, 2018 by xelas

[xelas]

BY011 / SA011

African Snipe - Gallinago nigripennis

 

De Hoop / 02.01.2018

[xelas]

One more water bird, this one from the hide.

 

BY012 - SA012

African Spoonbill - Platalea alba

 

 

Wilderness / 04.01.2018

Edited January 29, 2018 by xelas

[xelas]

By using side, gravel roads we have had many opportunities to stop for birds, as traffic was slow there.

 

 

BY013 / SA013

African Stonechat - Saxicola torquatus

 

male

 

female

Rooisand / 10.01.2018

[xelas]

And last  African (in name) bird.

 

 

BY014 - SA014

African Swamphen - Porphyrio madagascariensis

 

Stanford - Kleinrivier / 01.01.2018

[elefromoz]

@xelas, really like that Spoonbill, Zvezdas photography (and your PP) really highlight the detail, interesting that their bills come in a range of colours around the world.

[Peter Connan]

Fish eagle! You lucky fish! Great shot of the takeoff.

[xelas]

5 hours ago, elefromoz said:

@xelas, really like that Spoonbill, Zvezdas photography (and your PP) really highlight the detail, interesting that their bills come in a range of colours around the world.

 

Thank you, @elefromoz! This year you will see many birds "up close and personal" as such is how Zvezda likes them, and I am only following her directions when cropping (if cropping is needed).

The Red-eyed Bulbul is no crop at all. African Marsh Harrier is both severe crop and 2 stops of overxposing. But what I am surprised is how good the quality came out at HighISO when the subject fills the frame; African Dusky Flycatcher was only minor crop but it surely does not show its ISO12800! I have left exif data intact.

Edited January 30, 2018 by xelas

[xelas]

4 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

Fish eagle! You lucky fish! Great shot of the takeoff.

 

There is another photo at immediate take-off moment, which I will include in our Trip Report, specially for you, Peter . Zvezda has worked hard to do as many BIF as possible. Slight change in settings helped her getting more keepers, but D7200 is no D500 with Group AF .

[xelas]

Ending with "African" but continuing with letter A.

 

 

BY015 / SA015

Agulhas Long-billed Lark - Certhilauda brevirostris

 

 

De Hoop / 01.01.2018

[xelas]

Not the best photo; I know people that could do much better PP on this tough to nail exposure bird.

 

 

BY016 / SA016

Amethyst Sunbird - Chalcomitra amethystina

 

De Hoop / 02.01.2018

 

[xelas]

This one will ruffle some feathers in the birders community; it should never flew that south. However, and not alone on this one, the facial signs are undoubtedly pointed in this direction:

 

 

BY017 / SA017

Ashy Flycatcher - Muscicapa caerulescens

 

Kirstenbosch / 13.01.2018

 

Edited January 30, 2018 by xelas

[xelas]

Moving on to letter B. There are two "B"s on this photo:

 

 

BY018 / SA018

Bar-throated Apalis - Apalis thoracica

 

De Hoop / 02.01.2018

 

[xelas]

And also on this one:

 

 

BY019 / SA019

Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica

 

Strandfontein / 11.01.2018