B.Y. 2019. The Tortoise rules!

[Dave Williams]

367) White-headed Vulture

One of only two or three sightings of this rarity in the park.

7M3A4361_1 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

368)Bateleur

My new name for next year perhaps?

7M3A4325 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

369) Snow Bunting

 yes, Snow Bunting!

No, not in KNP but here in North Wales!

for fear the Hare is resurrected and has a new fire in his belly I decided I'd better get out and see if I could add a few birds locally!! This one was from yesterday.

Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[offshorebirder]

Great shot @Dave Williams - I know how hard it is to get close to them for a good photo.

[Dave Williams]

Just now, offshorebirder said:

Great shot @Dave Williams - I know how hard it is to get close to them for a good photo.

 

Thanks but I'm surprised you find it so. They are extremely confiding when we get them stopping over here in North Wales. You can sit down within 20 feet and wait for them to come closer.I think some of the species that spend much of their lives in the far north are so unused to people they don't see them as a threat. Lapland Bunting and Dotterel are two others we occasional get on migration that are just the same, they can walk around your feet. The Dotterel is known as Trip in welsh, because you are likely to trip over one before you see it!

[offshorebirder]

Weird @Dave Williams - down this way Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs are not so easy to get close to, except in inclement weather.   Then they will putter about at your feet.

 

[Kitsafari]

stunning shot of the beautiful apalis!

 

[Galana]

On 10/29/2019 at 8:33 PM, Galana said:

Breathe out a bit and block the overtaking.

To misquote Michael Caine "I only said breathe out!"

Now we are going to have to look up Aesop's "Eagle and the tortoise." It does not end well!

 

Some great photos there.

[Soukous]

More great additions Mr Williams. 
Kruger turned up many more than your initial comments would have had us believe. 

 

[xelas]

17 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

the Hare is resurrected and has a new fire in his belly

There is the fire but there was no luck. Tomorrow is another day. But fear me not, this is The Year Of The Tortoise !

[Dave Williams]

3 hours ago, Soukous said:

More great additions Mr Williams. 
Kruger turned up many more than your initial comments would have had us believe. 

 

 

That's only 87 new additions so far Martin...and the list will begin to slow down as we progress I'm pretty sure. I have discovered, correction ST members have discovered, a couple extra for me but my original target I'd set myself was 220 new birds which I thought should be achievable in a month but I'll be nowhere near that.

[Dave Williams]

43 minutes ago, xelas said:

There is the fire but there was no luck. Tomorrow is another day. But fear me not, this is The Year Of The Tortoise !

 

Whoever ends up in front it's added a bit of fun and that's all that matters Alex.

[Galana]

19 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

it's added a bit of fun and that's all that matters

Wholeheartedly agree.

[Dave Williams]

370) Helmeted Guineafowl

Seen all over KNP.

Helmeted Guineafowl by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

No score!!!   Long Billed Pipit.... or is it?

Could be a Long-billed Lark too!

Long-billed Pipit  Anthus similis. by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Edited November 3, 2019 by Dave Williams

[Galana]

You are a tease.

Don't Pipits all have light coloured outer tails?

[Dave Williams]

1 hour ago, Galana said:

You are a tease.

Don't Pipits all have light coloured outer tails?

 

@Galana Never thought of that Fred . Long -billed Lark then?

[Galana]

2 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Long -billed Lark then?

Don't think so. Distribution is wrong for all but Eastern. I have a feeling that it is Sabota.

[Dave Williams]

371) African Pipit

If at first you don't succeed....

African Pipit by Dave Williams, on Flickr

There again , could be another Sabota.

African Pipit  Anthus cinnamomeus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Edited November 3, 2019 by Dave Williams

[Dave Williams]

372) Common Buttonquail

Common Buttonquail by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

373)Golden-tailed Woodpecker

Olifants Rest Camp

Golden-tailed Woodpecker. by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

374)Pearl-spotted Owlet

Seen in a few rest camps.

Pearl-spotted Owlet by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

Wahlberg's Eagle !!!

Not sure what it is, best guess so far from @Galana. Ovambo Sparrowhawk. I would love it to be something else!!!

Bat Hawk impersonator! by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

Edited November 4, 2019 by Dave Williams

[Galana]

You are good to go with the African (Grassland) Pipit .

Just n case anyone should think I have 'lost it' with the "Bathawk" I would stress that I am looking at Dark Phase Ovambo in the  absence of any other fit.

Dave's photo shows the prey as a Bat just in case you think he has lost the plot too..

[Dave Williams]

I have another well travelled , well experienced birding pal and I sent him a copy of my shot of the unknown raptor.

He came back with this:-

 

 

I've pinned it down. Definitely NOT a Bat Hawk.

It's a juvenile dark phase Booted Eagle. (Aquila pennata).

 

Reasons-

1 Six "fingers" means eagle not buzzards.

2 Brown eye is what juv Booted's have (not yellow).

3 Yellow Gape means this is a very young bird just arrived from Europe.

4 Feathers on legs extend to feet, another eagle feature.

5 A square tail is typical of species'

6 rufous underparts is typical of juv dark phase Booted.

7 Cere yellow--correct

8 legs yellow--correct

9 "it is a bold dashing bird thru woods to catch prey".

10 bat looks like fruit bat so large and slow--easy for this to be caught by a Booted.

 

Anyone else agree..Booted Eagle would suit me very well!!