Zvezda & Alex 4th time: Just birdin'

[xelas]

49 minutes ago, Galana said:

Congratulations on your second century and in taking the yellow jersey.

Your haul is very impressive.

 

Thanks, Fred! Not yet in the jellow jersey, but puffing heavily down the leader's neck !

[Dave Williams]

I can smell wet fur!!!

[xelas]

10 minutes ago, PeterHG said:

200 already! Congratulations and looking forward to even more!

 Thanks Peter! There will be more, but there will not be many more. Road to #300 will be uphill, long and steep, like the one to Mont Ventoux .

[xelas]

 

 

BY 202 / SA 157
Striated Heron - Butorides striata

 

 

 

 

Mkhuze Game Reserve, 4-Feb-2019

Edited April 12, 2019 by xelas

[xelas]

BY 203 / SA 158
African Stonechat - Saxiola torquatus

 

male

 

female

 

Royal Natal NP, 14-Feb-2019
 

[xelas]

BY 204 - SA 159
Familiar Chat - Emarginata familiaris
 

 

Imfolozi Park, 9-Feb-2019

 

 

 

Royal Natal NP, 14-Feb-2019
 

Edited April 12, 2019 by xelas

[pedro maia]

9 minutes ago, xelas said:

 Thanks Peter! There will be more, but there will not be many more. Road to #300 will be uphill, long and steep, like the one to Mont Ventoux .

 

I drove that road, I´m sure it will be easier for you to reach #300 than to cimb it on a bike .

[xelas]

BY 205 / SA 160
Ant-eating Chat - Myrmecocichla formicivora
 

 

Royal Natal NP, 15-Feb-2019
 

[xelas]

BY 206 / SA 161
Mocking Cliff Chat - Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris
 

male

 

female

 

Royal Natal NP, 14-Feb-2019
 

[xelas]

1 minute ago, pedro maia said:

 

I drove that road, I´m sure it will be easier for you to reach #300 than to cimb it on a bike .

 

A motorbike maybe?

[pedro maia]

3 minutes ago, xelas said:

 

A motorbike maybe?

 

Or a motorized scooter, very fashionable these days...

[Soukous]

On 3/29/2019 at 9:01 PM, xelas said:

 

This time around, I will post birds as they appear in theRoberts Bird Guide. I have bought this book as it was recommended by our bird guide in St.Lucia, and must say is better then the Sasol one.

 

 

The Roberts Guide definitely sets the benchmark, both as a book and as an app.

The SASOL book is still good, but the app is a long way inferior to Roberts and the birding app from HELM for East Africa is positively steam powered by comparison.

Why can't they all just look at the best one around and copy it?

[Soukous]

deleted content because I somehow duplicated my post

Edited April 12, 2019 by Soukous

[Soukous]

Wow! @xelas the standard you (2) are setting is very high. 

Edited April 12, 2019 by Soukous

[xelas]

15 minutes ago, Soukous said:

Wow! @xelas the standard you (2) are setting is very high. 

 

Thanks for encoraging words, Martin! Just trying to keep up with the best on Big Year! With quality and quantity. Both are very demanding tasks. BTW how is birding in your place, end of the year?

[Galana]

After the Camaroptera debacle I am very hesitant in drawing your attention to #202  but the distribution map and tail pattern are worth a close look.

[xelas]

3 hours ago, Galana said:

After the Camaroptera debacle I am very hesitant in drawing your attention to #202  but the distribution map and tail pattern are worth a close look.

 

I have had my second thoughts also, but dismissed them. Mine looks exactly like the one on this website: https://ebird.org/species/comred2 (under +2) or this one: http://www.birddb.co.uk/findpicture.php?common_name=Common Redstart&lang=gb .

 

Second thought: while Common Redstart is a vagrant bird, it would be much off where it is usually spotted in South Africa. Plus, the tail patter does looks different, more like the one of the Familiar Chat (outer tail feathers have black ends). Thus this bird will be replaced with one that has been hiding from me. I hope that there is where your comment was directing me??

 

I am pretty sure that a Common Redstart should be common enough to photograph one in Europe .

Edited April 12, 2019 by xelas

[michael-ibk]

Congratulations on #200 Alex and Zvezda, well done! And to think, when coming back, you were whining about probably having clicked less than 100 birds in SA.

[xelas]

4 minutes ago, michael-ibk said:

Congratulations on #200 Alex and Zvezda, well done! And to think, when coming back, you were whining about probably having clicked less than 100 birds in SA.

 

Must be that I have seriously underestimated Zvezda's sharp eyes and quick finger .

[michael-ibk]

You should know better by now not to ever underestimate divine Zvezda, I certainly don´t.

[Galana]

6 hours ago, xelas said:

I am pretty sure that a Common Redstart should be common enough to photograph one in Europe

I would think so.

Glad I got that one right. Distribution apart, the tail pattern of the Familiar is quite distinctive and you can see the rufous ear coverts in your photo too.

[xelas]

As tomorrow weekend starts, let me put on that yellow jersey, and give @Dave Williams a good cause to get his bicycle out of the garage .

 

 

BY 207 / SA 162

Pale Flycatcher - Melaenornis pallidus

 

 

Mkhuze Game Reserve, 3-Feb-2019

Edited April 12, 2019 by xelas

[xelas]

BY 208 / SA 163

Marico Flycatcher - Melaenornis mariquensis

 

juvenile

 

iSimangaliso Wetland Park, 8-Feb-2019

[xelas]

BY 209 / SA 164

Fiscal Flycatcher - Melaenornis silens

 

 

Royal Natal NP, 12-Feb-2019

[xelas]

BY 210 / SA 165

Spotted Flycatcher - Muscicapa striata

 

 

Mkhuze Game Reserve, 2-Feb-2019