TonyQ's Big Year: Number 4

[Kitsafari]

Congrats on 400! 

[Galana]

Congratulations on #400. Coming along nicely.

Nice Wattle-eye.

3 hours ago, TonyQ said:

@Galana thank you - I am pleased that a man of such exceptional observation skills noticed the alphabetic order

Hmmm. I might be slow on such things but I can still mess up your A-Z.

391 can stay under "C" for Chestnut, but it ain't no Sparrow. Close!

397. needs moving back quite a ways. IF I can believe my observational skills then that ain't 'Common' and it ain't no Scimitarbill. 

[TonyQ]

@Peter Connan @michael-ibk @Kitsafari4e3thank you

@Tdgraves thank you -can you remind me of yout Kenya itinerary? I am sure you will have a great time

 

@Galana Thank you again for looking closely

I think I can see 3 possibles with Chestnut in the name and a likely beak

Chestnut Weaver, Chestnut-headed Sparrow Lark and Chestnut-backed Sparrow Lark.

The Chestnut-headed doesn't appear to occur in the Selenkay/Amboseli region. The Chestnut Weaver has a darker bill and facial markings look different.

Looking at pictures in the book and on the internet, it looks more like Chestnut-backed Sparrow Lark, but some of those have a black belly, wheras my photo shows a white belly. 

So my best bet is an Immature Chestnut-backed Sparrow Lark (but I am very prepared to be corrected!)

 

Looking at the Common Scimitarbill - only a small number of birds have that type of curved bill. I think these are Scimitarbills or Wood-hoopoes.

In the photo, the beak is quite long and curved and it is black. The feet (just visible) are black. It has white on the wings and on the tail.

The Green Wood-hoopoe has red beak and feet (I have one coming up later). Juveniles have a short black bill I believe.

Black-billed Hoopoe doesn't occur in the Amboseli region

Common Scimitar-bill has black beak and black legs

Abyssinian Scimitar-bill (though you say not a Scimitarbill) - juvenile has long black bill, black feet, but no white on the wings or tail.

Violet Wood-hoopoe juvenile has black beak which straightish and fairly short. Body is sooty black. Doesn't seem to fit

So I am no further forward with this one!

 

Edited October 11, 2019 by TonyQ

[Tdgraves]

Tortolis camp, amboseli

elsa’s kopje, meru

Kicheche Bush

kicheche mara

3 nights each

And a day trip to Nairobi np at the end

[TonyQ]

@Tdgraves that sounds like a wonderful itinerary with a good selection of environments. Kicheche Bush is also a great camp. Meru is a lovely park. Amboseli will give a good number of birds

We were surprised how good Nairobi NP was, we really enjoyed spending a day there.

 

You will get a lot of birds!

[Galana]

3 hours ago, TonyQ said:

@Galana Thank you again for looking closely

Folks are going to think I am sitting here with a magnifying glass to my eye. Not true honest. Just that sometimes something rings a bell and causes a pause.

First of all, let me give you the Common Scimitarbill back with an apology. My first look had a shorter straight black bill which put me in mind of a juv Green Wood Hoopoe. With that magnifying glass I now see the bill is partly in shade and is clearly longer than it first looked.

The Sparrow is clearly a lark of some sort and I think it is a female Chestnut -headed Sparrow-lark. The red area around the eye is the rufous supercilium. S&F does have it as being in Amboseli area, just, but at a pinch it could be a female Fischer's which would account for the whiter belly. but don't take my word for it.

[TonyQ]

@Galana thank you. I do appreciate your magnifying glass - it encourages me to look more closeley and I amd learning which bits to look at!

I will keep the Scimitarbill and I will change the Chestnut Sparrow

so now this becomes

391.K44.   Chestnut -headed Sparrow-lark Eremopterix signatus

[TonyQ]

401.K57. Coqui Francolin  Francolinus coqui

Mara North Conservancy        11.09.2019

   

Mara North Conservancy        11.09.2019 

Mara North Conservancy        11.09.2019   

 I thought these were lovely little birds

Edited October 13, 2019 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

402.K58. (Buff-) Crested Bustard  Eupodotis ruficrista gindiana      

Selenkay Conservancy           06.09.2019

Selenkay Conservancy           07.09.2019

[TonyQ]

403.K59. Crested Francolin  Francolinus sephaena  

Selenkay Conservancy           05.09.2019

[TonyQ]

404.K60. Crowned Plover  Vanellus coronatus coronatus     

Nairobi National Park  04.09.2019

[TonyQ]

405.K61. Curlew Sandpiper  Calidris ferruginea        

Amboseli National Park           06.09.2019

[TonyQ]

406.K62. Eastern Pale Chanting Goshawk  Melierax poliopterus     

Selenkay Conservancy           06.09.2019

[TonyQ]

407.K63. Eastern Violet-Backed Sunbird  Anthreptes orientalis        

(M) Selenkay Conservancy           06.09.2019

(M) Selenkay Conservancy           06.09.2019

(F) Selenkay Conservancy           06.09.2019

I had to put in a couple of photos of the male just so that it is identifiable!

[TonyQ]

408.K64. Egyptian Goose  Alopochen aegytiacus

Amboseli National Park           06.09.2019

[TonyQ]

409.K65. Emerald-Spotted Wood Dove  Turtur chalcospilos 

Selenkay Conservancy           07.09.2019

Selenkay Conservancy           07.09.2019

[TonyQ]

410.K66. Fischer’s Sparrow-Lark  Eremopterix leucopareia  

(F) Amboseli National Park           06.09.2019

(M) Amboseli National Park           06.09.2019

[Galana]

1 hour ago, TonyQ said:

Eastern Pale Chanting Goshawk  Melierax poliopterus 

You can officially drop the 'Pale' now especially as it won't mess up your listing order. Pale now given to 'canorus' in the south.

Love it that you have Fisher's Sparrow-lark too.

[TonyQ]

@Galana  it is very difficult to keep track of the changing names!

Edited October 13, 2019 by TonyQ

[Zim Girl]

Well done on reaching 400 Tony, enjoying all the new additions.

[TonyQ]

411.K67. Fischer’s Starling   Spreo fischeri   

Selenkay Conservancy           06.09.2019

[TonyQ]

412.K68. Gabar Goshawk  Micronisus gabar aequatorius    

Nairobi National Park  04.09.2019

[TonyQ]

K69. Glossy Ibis  Plegadis falcinellus falcinellus        

Amboseli National Park           06.09.2019

[TonyQ]

413.K70. Golden-breasted Bunting  Emberiza flaviventris    

Mara Naboisho Conservancy  14.09.2019

[TonyQ]

414.K71. Goliath Heron  Ardea goliath          

Amboseli National Park           06.09.2019

Distant, heavy crop, middle-of the-day heat haze.....