ZAKOUMA N.P. CHAD. 6-15TH FEBRUARY 2018.

[Kitsafari]

@Galana I've come to your updates on Zakouma so late. but lovely to see the birds again! I've always wondered what happens at camp when we all set out first thing in the morning, and your description said it all. I did wonder how that constant all-day honking from the cranes would test your patience! 

 

[Galana]

I have read this interesting report due to dear @Kitsafari

getting her spotted cats mixed up between   @Galago and @Galana  such is serendipity. Bushbaby or mature elephant mum of the same name?

However a very interesting read from 'both' contributors to a fascinating part of Africa which I greatly enjoyed from my armchair. Lovely photos and enjoyable narrative from both.

As a stranger t most of you I humbly offer two corrections.

#50 is not a Greyish (Mckinnon's) Eagle Owl  but our old friend the Milky or Verreaux's Giant Eagle Owl.

#70 has an alleged Red-billed Quelea but I have even money on it being a Village Indigo Bird in drag..

Thanks again for taking me along inadvertently and if @johnweir is still undecided where to go next may I suggest and strongly recommend Uganda where I shall be spending my 7th visit this December to this lovely country. Happy to help with arrangements if asked. Lots of new mammals sp and ssp for you and countless new birds.

[Kitsafari]

@Galana and @Galago - well it is the same spotted cat and almost same name except for the last two alphabets. other than that, plenty of differences!!

 

 

[Galago]

@johnweir Thank you, John, for the confirmation. Did he say anything about their apparent preference for fish as opposed to mammals, ie. is that a general characteristic of Suchus or just a reflection of the abundance of fish in that part of the Salamat river?

 

@Kitsafari Glad you liked the 'behind the scenes' report. A benefit of being unwell! And thank you for the 'introduction' to my near-namesake!

 

Hi @Galana nice to meet you. I see we even have very similar photographs! Thank you for the bird ID comments - always welcomed. Doesn't the Village Indigobird have a brownish bill, even in drag? And the owl is one we had multiple sightings of during the night drive. @KafueTyrone identified it as Greyish and certainly it was considerably smaller than Verreaux's and, also it didn't have the tell-tale pink eyelids. I've just checked the Borrow & Demey field guide and Verreaux's does not have distribution in Zakouma. That's not to say it doesn't exist there, of course, because the bird list is constantly being added to but, given the size and the eyelids, I'll go for Greyish! Hope to see a trip report on your Uganda visit!

[Galana]

Well I never did.

Nice to meet you too @Galago

Our 'avaturs' are very similar indeed. My lovely lady was watching us watching her at Lake Mburo in Uganda. a few years back now.

Thanks for correcting my correction to @johnweir 's #50. I just focussed on the pink eyelids  and was so darn sure it was Verreaux's. Now having read the small print it appears that Mckinnon's "greyish" has them too. Maybe I have only seen them with their eyes wide open and certainly shall look for them next time.

Turning to the lbj on your #70, the one above the firefinch, this is an odd one. Not a Quelea and possibly not an Indingo bird as whilst northern versions can have pink bills they should still have red legs! So as I only gave evens on that ID I will up the odds on Pin-tailed Whydah which fits better. Red-bill, boldly striped black and buff head AND greyish legs. How is that for a photofit?

 

I don't normally do TRs but will try and concoct one from Uganda just for you when I get back.

[Galago]

@Galana Bingo! You're absolutely right, Pin-tailed Whydah out of breeding plumage. Thank you. I should've realised that, having seen it many times in southern African locations, but these little finches really do mess with your ID skills when they're out of breeding, don't they?