Michael´s Year

[michael-ibk]

530/EA201.) Violet-Backed aka Plum-Coloured Starling (Cinnyricinclus leucogaster) / Amethystglanzstar

 

Sandai, 10/12

 

[michael-ibk]

531/EA202.) Superb Starling (Lamprotornis superbus) / Dreifarben-Glanzstar

 

Lake Bogoria, 2/12

 

[michael-ibk]

532/EA203.) Rufous Sparrow (Passer rufocinctus) / Keniasperling

 

Mara Siria Camp, 28/11

 

[michael-ibk]

533/EA204.) Northern Grey-Headed Sparrow (Passer griseus) / Graukopfsperling

 

Kigali, 22/11

 

[michael-ibk]

534/EA205.) Yellow-Spotted Petronia (Petronia pyrgita) / Sahel-Steinsperling

 

Lake Bogoria, 2/12

 

[michael-ibk]

535/EA206.) Grey-Capped Social Weaver (Pesudonigrita arnaudi) / Marmorspätzling

 

Mara Bridge, 27/11

 

 

Also seen: White-Browed Sparrow-Weaver, especially common around Lake Baringo

 

[michael-ibk]

536/EA207.) White-Headed Buffalo-Weaver (Dinemellia dinemelli) / Starweber

 

Lake Baringo, 1/12. The bird member of the "Little Five". (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_five_game)

 

[michael-ibk]

537/EA208.) Village Weaver aka Spotted-backed Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus) / Dorfweber

 

Formerly also known as "Black-Headed Weaver" and still featured as such in "Birds of East Africa", the "current" Black-Headed Weaver used to be the Yellow-Backed Weaver.

 

A very common bird, here from Akagera, 19/11

 

[michael-ibk]

538/EA209.) Lesser Masked Weaver (Ploceus intermedius) / Cabanis-Weber

 

Very similar but has "creamy-white" eyes. Legs are blue not reddish. (Eyes, legs and throat are good id helpers with all these Weavers which are pretty similar.) Lake Bogoria, 2/12

 

 

(Probably) the female from Akagera - these are very tricky. Not all species are dimorphic.

 

[michael-ibk]

539/EA210.) Vitelline Masked Weaver (Ploceus vitellinus) / Maskenweber

 

Lake Bogoria, 2/12. Similar to Village Weaver but black face mask is only a very narrow band above the bill.

 

[michael-ibk]

540/EA211.) Speke´s Weaver (Ploceus spekei) / Somaliweber

 

Sandai, 4/12. Face mask similar to Vitelline but different eye colour.

 

 

The female:

 

[michael-ibk]

541/EA212.) Baglafecht Weaver (Ploceus baglafecht) / Baglafecht-Weber

 

The Ark, 7/12. The male of the reichenowi subspecies has a black eyemask but yellow crown:

 

 

The female´s head has much more black - here from the Triangle, 28/11:

 

[michael-ibk]

542/EA213.) Little Weaver (Ploceus luteolus) / Zwergweber

 

Lake Baringo, 1/12. The female, no pic of the male.

 

[michael-ibk]

543/EA214.) (Jackson´s) Golden-Backed Weaver (Ploceus jacksoni) / Jackson-Weber

 

Lake Baringo, 3/12. This male is moulting into breeding plumage. Red eyes like a Village Weaver but much more chestnut coloration below, also the back is plainer.

 

 

The female:

 

[michael-ibk]

544/EA215.) Black-Headed aka Yellow-Backed Weaver (Ploceus melanocephalus) / Schwarzkopfweber

 

Volcanoes, 24/11

 

[michael-ibk]

545/EA216.) (Holub´s) Golden Weaver (Ploceus xanthops) / Safranweber

 

The Aberdares, 6/12

 

[michael-ibk]

546/EA217.) Dark-Backed aka Forest Weaver (Ploceus bicolor) / Waldweber

 

Kakamega, 30/11

 

[michael-ibk]

547/EA218.) Brown-Capped Weaver (Ploceus insignis) / Braunkappenweber

 

Kakamega, 30/11

 

[michael-ibk]

548/EA219.) Vieillot´s Black Weaver (Ploceus nigerrimus) / Mohrenweber

 

Kakamega, 30/11

 

[michael-ibk]

549/EA220.) Red-Headed Weaver (Anaplectes rubriceps) / Scharlachweber

 

Mara Siria Camp, 29/11

 

 

The female:

 

[michael-ibk]

550/EA221.) Red-Headed Malimbe (Malimbus rubricollis) / Kletterweber

 

Kakamega, 30/11

 

[michael-ibk]

551/EA222.) Yellow Bishop aka Yellow-Rumped Widow (Euplectes capensis) / Samtweber

 

Sandai, 7/12. Moulting into breeding plumage here.

 

 

A more "classic" look from Volcanoes, 23/11

 

[michael-ibk]

552/EA223.) Red-Headed Bluebill (Spermophaga ruficapilla) / Rotkopf-Samenknacker

 

Kakamega, 1/12

 

[michael-ibk]

553/EA224.) Red-Cheeked Cordon-Bleu (Uraeginthus bengalus) / Schmetterlingsfink

 

A very common bird. Sandai, 4/12 - a couple in love.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

554/EA225.) Purple Grenadier (Uraeginthus ianthinogaster) / Veilchenastrild

 

Mara Siria Camp, 29/11