Galana's. Third big year.

[Galana]

@Dave Williams Dai bach, keen readers will note the use of the compulsive word "must' in the hares statement. Note he does not state the definite "will!" although I am sure he will do his utmost.

I am more practical. Whilst our target is 500 species for the trip I know that many of these will evade even the fastest camera in the west.

@Soukous should forget the "Dynamic duo" and even the "terrific trio". There is a 4th ST persona along so maybe the "Gang of Four" will be all too much?

 

Anyway. I am off to Zambia on Tuesday, currently resisting Ethiopian Airlines entreaties to bid for Cloud 9 seats, and I am hoping to notch up a decent score for 2019 before the year end. The advance news is good. One bird has even decided to start a nest in the bush next to my tent and another prospective 'lifer' is singing its heart out 100 metres away at the coming rains. I won't catch the leaders but I hope to make a few others sweat!

[Dave Williams]

In the weather we have here at the moment there is very little sweating going on!! Wonderful to see the sun again though even if it's minus something degrees. Hope your Zambia trip goes well, looking forward to seeing what you get!

 

[xelas]

Have a great journey, @Galana, and excellent birding! 

 

@Dave Williams my ambitions are always much higher than my end results . But it is always a joy to participate at the Big Year. So see you and The Tortoise also in the next year edition of ST Big Year!

[Galana]

Do Tortoise sweat? We shall find out.

Thanks for the good wishes.

Next year is  a Leap Year so you all have an extra day to score on. It is no coincidence the Uganda trip is in February and finishes on 29th? Maximum output!

[Kitsafari]

Have a good and c productive trip! 

 

If I can guess who the fourth ST person is on the Uganda trip,  I'm pretty sure she'll be an ace up your sleeves.  

 

[Galana]

Thanks @Kitsafari.

Yup. You guessed correctly. Good to know.

[Galana]

Greetings from a sunny and humid Zambia where we have been for a week now after a series of pleasant flights on Ethiopian Airlines. The highlights of the flight were nearly being arrested in Addis Ababa's new terminal for trying to photo White-collared Pigeons on the roof and on arrival in Lusaka being told that our Isle of Man Passports,despite being clearly printed as such were in fact UK ones and thus we had to pay $50 or be refused a Visa. This will be a cause of international incident upon our return. Gunboats have been launched for less.

We have had a great week up in Kafue where the rains are falling nicely so everywhere is green.The McBrides are a lovely couple and excellent and knowledgeable hosts.

 

We have already learned that the scientific term "low biomass distribution' actually means "there is bugger all there!"

 

Birding was excellent with two targets ticked off quickly.

Here are two photos to stimulate thought.

Does our guide Zac qualify for order of the Pith?

and a great example of the EBC tecnique.

 

Hmmmm. Looks like the EBC will have to wait for later when the Iffy Wiffy comes back.

 

Byee!

Edited December 12, 2019 by Galana
words

[xelas]

Sunny and humid is way better than rainy and humid, @Galana!

[Dave Williams]

Immediately thought of my run in with the police in The Gambia when I accidentally took a picture of one of them. At least I had an excuse, getting arrested for a pigeon I ask you!!!

Stay safe and enjoy the rest of the trip. The weather here is appalling!

[TonyQ]

@Galana the sacrifices made for the Big Year!

[Galana]

Thanks. Up early for a river trip on the Kafue.

 

Here is the EBC from earlier.

All birds large and small.

[Kitsafari]

Getting arrested for the sake of a pigeon isn't news, but refusing to recognise IoM passports on its own rights is unpardonable, surely?

 

But forgive me my utter ignorance - I wasn't aware that Isle of Man is not part of the UK. I certainly learned a lot of IoM as a result.....

 

Looking forward to reading more about your trip and of course the birds.......

 

[Galana]

9 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

refusing to recognise IoM passports on its own rights is unpardonable, surely?

Absolutely. I shall deal with this 'diplomatically' when I get home and if that fails will have to send a gunboat.

FYI. IOM is not and has never been part of United Kingdom. Has no seats in that large building on the Thames, had no part in that recent election and is not part of EU either.

Our Parliament (called "Tynwald" )is the oldest continuous Parliament in the world dating from 979AD. We 'beat' Faroes due to their older Parliament having temporarily stopped meeting during WW2 due to the occupation of Denmark.

 

Thanks for your vote of sympathy.

Due to Iffy wiffy I cannot post photos easily.

We loved McBrides in Kafue and have relocated down river by some 500km to within 5km of the confluence with the Zambezi to Gwabi River Lodge where the resident owner refers to us as his favourite guests. Due I fear to the fact that we are his only guests.

We have ventured out onto the mighty Zambezi and yesterday drove to look at Kariba dam and lake.

Tomorrow we head down river to 'camp' on an island near Mana Pools for the night which sounds fun.

Cannot get into LZNP cos it is too darn wet and closed.

Bird wise I have ticked off two targets, Half -collared Kingfisher and Black-backed Barbet.

The EBC in my first post was a Fiery-necked Nightjar fledgeling on a night drive.

It is nearly 'Mosi' time so must go.

 

[Galana]

Progress report from where the Wiffy is less iffy as we operate a jury rig involving a car battery and a metal Coathanger in a Baobab tree.

Getting distracted by all creatures with either 2, 4 or even no legs but the score is suffering still.

Even managed to get two of my favourite mammals in the same frame. Clue. Both beginning with "L" and neither is a lion.

Just enough amps to wish you all the merriest of Christmasses and a prosperous New Year.

More follows in due course.

Best

 

G

[Galana]

Test piece. Working on the connection.

Bad hair day in Zambia.

 

[Galana]

Wify is still iffy even having used cigarette paper foil for the dish.

So having gone into the park on Christmas morning I was joined by some cousins in singing a few carols.

A selfie of me in fine voice singing "While Shepherds watch their flocks by night!"

More when I get home.

[Kitsafari]

Loving your postcards from the bush!

[Galana]

On 12/26/2019 at 3:58 PM, Kitsafari said:

Loving your postcards from the bush!

Many thanks. It was an effort even to achieve that modest contact call.

However I got off the last of three planes, 5 flights, a couple of hours ago so at least I can start posting the results of our trip as soon as I transfer the files to this machine..

Sadly  the mammalian distractions continued unabated so the birding was rather 2nd place although I did score two lifers and 8 or more new birds on my Zambian list. I also saw and photographed two lifer mammals too.

I also learned a new scientific phrase used by ecologists and others.

"High diversity, low density" is evidently more accurately translated by us lay watchers as "There is bugger all there!" or so we found.

 

[Galana]

Right. Taking advantage of a lull in 'Domestics' there is time to start this final injection of my BY2019.

My 'system' is to number them in order of the first 'acceptable' image capture although I concede that "acceptable" may be quite a loose interpretation. If better images are obtained later then of course they get used so dates taken as shown on EXIF may wander the calendar a tad. This may cause the location to reflect a strange itinerary. I will make the odd reference to where we are in the text just to confuse or clarify the trip itself.

So having related our near arrest and diplomatic issues we get started.

Without more ado Ten as a batch to avoid either terminal boredom and/or time expired:-

 

An EBC for starters. They just would NOT show their heads. Trust me!

301. Brown-crowned Tchagra. Pioneer Camp, Lusaka. Nice place near airport.

 

302. African Thrush. Pioneer Camp. Lusaka.

 

303. Black-eyed Bulbul. Pioneer Camp. Saw lots but just saved some electrons.

 

304. Blue Waxbill. Pioneer Camp. Lusaka.

305. African Paradise Flycatcher.  Pioneer Camp. Lusaka. Rubbish shot but never seen again.

 

306. Southern Ground Hornbill. Kafue drive to McBrides Camp. They just would not come out to pose.

So later we nailed them in South Lunagwa.

The relocation to McBrides Camp was through Tsetse territory. Windows up, Air con on full blast.

But a very attractive bird made us risk a shot or too.

 

307. Arnott's Chat. Windows up. Kafue road. Hard enough to get these birds without the complications of glass.

 

We arrive at McBride's Camp on the bank of the Kafue river. Lovely isolated place and terrific hosts. Chris is a 'lion expert' and I don't use the term lightly. Read 'White Lions of Timbavati' and other books.

Delightful wife Charlotte does the Birds...

In the river bank in front of our tents were daily visitors/residents......

 

308. Spur-winged Goose. McBrides Camp, Kafue.

And ..

 

309. African Open-billed Stork. McBride's. I must have ignored them after the first image. Mea culpa. We saw lots later but sadly ignored them.  A major flaw in this numbers game.

Same for the last of this batch.

 

310. Grey Lourie. McBride's Camp, Kafue NP.

Again, much ignored later and I am afraid you may have to wait some time to get to more interesting images.

Til then It is off to the shops..

 

Oh I may as well 'treat' you to a product improvement of 201 (Namibia) with this one from South Luangwa.

201. Brown Snake Eagle. South Luangwa..

 

 

[PeterHG]

Great batch! That Arnott's Chat is a real beauty. I'm happy to see the 'Lourie' name still being used. Looking forward to more.

[Galana]

6 minutes ago, PeterHG said:

I'm happy to see the 'Lourie' name still being used

I just can't treat this as a Turaco and whilst Go away bird is still used for others it just does not work for this bird.

 

Whilst on, here is another 'improvement' on an earlier offering  from Scotland.

171. Osprey. Perched on a fallen stump in the Zambezi.

[Kitsafari]

awesome osprey. I've yet to see them so close - it's either high in the sky or far out in the seas!

[pedro maia]

I particularly like the brown snake eagle, also looking forward to see the cats.

[Galana]

Thanks. I am not sure about the cats mixing with birds.

On 12/23/2019 at 10:51 AM, Galana said:

Even managed to get two of my favourite mammals in the same frame. Clue. Both beginning with "L" and neither is a lion.

Remember this from a Postcard? Well the answer is on "Merry christmas" from @Dave Williams.

[TonyQ]

Excellent Osprey and Snake Eagle. I am looking forward to seeing the birds you get on this trip