Not a Big Year - Herman's SA trip Sept 2019

[Kitsafari]

Herman was on a solo trip to Timbavati and Johanessburg surroundings for both mammals and birdlife in September.  When I started our joint BY list, I considered myself the primary source so I included my solo trips, and our joint trips. Since he was on this trip on his own, and he's not really the primary author (hey) of our BY list, I won't be including this list in our joint BY count.

 

But I thought the rest of the BY-ers would be interested to see what species he obtained during his trip, and of course to share the list of birds he saw while on a very enjoyable outing with everyone's favourite South African safaripal @Peter Connan. 

 

I'll start with his outing to Rietvlei and Walter Sisulu with birding guide Ernest

 

African Darter

 

 

African Reed Warbler

 

African stonechat

 

female

 

male: 

Edited December 1, 2019 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

 

Forgot to mention this batch was from Rietvlei. 

 

Arrow-marked Babbler

 

 

 

Black Crake

 

 

Bokmakierie 

 

 

Cape Robin Chat

 

[Kitsafari]

a few additional Cape species

 

Cape Grassbird

 

Cape Longclaw

 

 

Cape Sparrow

 

 

 

Cape Wagtail

 

 

 

Cape White-eye

 

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

 

Crowned Lapwing

 

 

Fiscal Flycatcher

 

 

 

Fiscal shrike

 

 

Fork-tailed Drongo

 

 

 

Grassveld Pipit

 

[xelas]

@Kitsafari, congrats to Herman for great photos of very accommodating birds in good light ... but that is what South Africa has plenty to offer!

 

As for the main and the second shooter, Zvezda and me do not have such distinctive division for the posts in the Big Year, and you should include those new birds photographed by Herman also in your main Big Year thread.

 

@Peter Connan, he is a formidable person indeed, and a Safaripal par excellence.

[Peter Connan]

Beautiful shots so far! Herman had a good day at Rietvlei.I have not seen a Bokmakierie there for a long time!

 

I also think it should be part of your combined score though.

[TonyQ]

Excellent photos from Herman. He really has developed a lot as a bird photographer. Please pass on my congratulations to him

[PeterHG]

Excellent photography throughout!

[Kitsafari]

Grey go-away-bird 

 

 

 

Karoo Thrush

 

 

Kurricane Thrush

 

 

Little Sparrowhawk

 

 

 

Long-tailed widowbird

 

 

Olive Pigeon

 

 

[Kitsafari]

Red-eyed Dove

 

 

Red-winged Francolin

 

 

Reed Cormorant

 

 

Rufous-Naped Lark

 

 

Southern masked weaver

 

 

White-throated Swallow

 

[Kitsafari]

Timbavati : Severe strong winds hampered birdlife in Timbavati when Herman was there. In fact, the wind was so strong, it blew off his camera bag, or perhaps the bag bounced off the vehicle. It was never found, together with some SD cards and other parts, fortunately the cards were empty and the other parts replaceable. @Peter Connan was so kind to pass him one of his bags to keep his camera equipment for the flight home. 

 

 

Black-backed Puffback

 

Blue waxbill

 

 

Burchell's starling

 

 

Crested Barbet

 

 

Crowned Lapwing

 

[Kitsafari]

Double-banded sandgrouse

 

 

Fork-tailed Drongo

 

 

Gray go-away bird

 

Green-winged pytilia

 

 

Green wood hoopoe

[Kitsafari]

LBR

 

Long-tailed Shrike

 

Martial Eagle

 

Natal Spurfowl

 

Purple Roller

 

Red-billed Hornbill

 

 

Red-billed Oxpecker

[Kitsafari]

Red-billed Quelea

 

Red-crested Korhaan

 

Sabota Lark

 

Southern white-crowned Shrike

 

Tchara

 

Three-banded Plover

 

 

White-crested Helmeted Shrike

 

Yellow-billed Hornbill

[Kitsafari]

I forgot the birds from Walter Sisulu

 

African Black Duck

 

 

wattled Lapwing

 

Amthyst Sunbird

 

Bar-throated Apalis

 

 

 

Black Eagle

 

Cape Wagtail

 

Dark-capped Bulbul

 

Karoo Thrush

 

Klaas Cuckoo

 

Little Heron

 

Neddicky

 

Olive Pigeon

 

Orange-breasted Bushshrike

[Kitsafari]

Pied Kingfisher

 

Red-chested Cuckoo

 

Southern Boubou

 

Thick-billed weaver

 

White-bellied Sunbird

[Peter Connan]

Beautiful!

Edited January 5, 2020 by Peter Connan

[PeterHG]

Again, beautiful photos! I see I must keep Walter Sisulu in mind

[xelas]

Ahh, you've got lucky with the Black Eagle at Walter Sisulu! The number and the quality of other birds photographed there is excellent.

[Galana]

More superb quality.

[Kitsafari]

@Peter Connan @PeterHG @xelas @Galana  Herman sends his thanks for the compliments. 

 

He enjoyed thoroughly a day with Peter at Marievale. Quite a decent haul for a day at the spot, which he liked very much. 

We didn't realise there were such excellent birding spots so close to the airport 

 

 

African Darter

 

African Snipe

 

African Stonechat

 

African Swamphen

 

Black-crowned Night Heron

Edited January 12, 2020 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

 

Black-winged Kite

 

Black-winged Stilt

 

Burchell's Coucal

 

Cape Sparrow

 

Common Waxbill

 

Eurasian Moorhen

[Kitsafari]

Fulvous whistling Duck

 

Gray-hooded Gull

 

Great Crested Grebe

 

Hottentot Teal

 

Lesser Flamingo

 

Little Grebe

 

[Kitsafari]

Long-tailed Cormorant

 

Pied Avocet

 

Red-billed Duck

 

Red-eyed Dove

 

 

Hmm - we were't sure of the Ids of these LBJs so need your help with the IDs please! 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

Red-knobbed Coot

 

Spur-winged Goose

 

Squacco Heron

 

 

Striped Swallow