Michael´s Year

[michael-ibk]

388/EA59.) African Snipe (Gallinago nigripennis) / Afrikanische Bekassine

 

Solio, 4/12

 

[michael-ibk]

Also from this group: Black-Winged Stilt (Mara, common at Lake Bogoria), Blacksmith Lapwing (Solio), Crowned Lapwing (common in the Mara), Three-Banded Plover (a few scattered sightings), Ruff (only Lake Bogoria), Common Sandpiper (the Mara), Wood Sandpiper (Akagera and the Mara), Green Sandpiper (Aberdares), Little Stint (Lake Bogoria), Whiskered Tern (not a Wader but just included here for convenience - no Gulls or Terns on this trip).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Little Stint or Sanderling???)

 

[screentraveller]

The Spur-Winged Lapwing, I almost fell in love with the character portrait of this self-confident beauty.

The clarity of colour composition does the trick, I feel: beige-black-white-muted green

[TonyQ]

@@michael-ibk

Wonderful additions - I love the plover/lapwing additions. Really beautiful. You certainly had a very productive trip.

Racing towards the magic 400!

[Geoff]

Fantastic effort, some good pics amongst that bunch, So did you get to 400?

[michael-ibk]

389/EA60.) African Green Pigeon (Treron calva) / Rotgesicht-Grüntaube

 

Akagera NP, 21/11. Also seen in Kakamega.

 

[michael-ibk]

390/EA61.) Emerald-Spotted Wood-Dove (Turtur chalcospilos) / Bronzeflecktäubchen

 

Lake Baringo, 1/12.

 

 

We also saw a lot of Blue-Spotted Wood-Doves in Akagera, it was probably the most common bird there but I thought I would wait for a really good opportunity for this bird - of course that opportunity never came and I managed to not even take a record shot of the most abundant bird in that park!

[michael-ibk]

391/EA62.) Tambourine Dove (Turtur tampanistria) / Tamburintäubchen

 

Kakamega, 1/12

 

[michael-ibk]

392/EA63.) African Mourning Dove (Streptopelia decipiens) / Brillentaube

 

Lake Baringo, 3/12. Pure coincidence - did not realize this was a new species (rather thought Red-Eyed).

 

 

Others from this group:

 

 

Speckled aka Rock Pigeon. Very common, this one from Lake Baringo.

 

 

Namaqua Dove, from Lake Bogoria

 

 

Ring-Necked aka Cape Turtle Dove, common everywhere.

 

 

Red-Eyed Dove, also pretty common, this one from Sandai.

 

 

Laughing Dove, from Lake Bogoria

[michael-ibk]

393/EA64.) Brown aka Meyer´s Parrot (Poicephalus meyeri) / Goldbugpapagei

 

Solio, 9/12. Also saw them close to Akagera NP where I missed a really good shot because they were right next to the car but to the despair of my guide I just could not see them - until they flew.

 

[michael-ibk]

394/EA64.) Red-Fronted Parrot (Poicephalus gulielmi) / Kongopapagei

 

Aberdares, 8/12. First time I´ve seen one there.

 

[michael-ibk]

395/EA66.) White-Bellied Go-Away-Bird (Corythaixoides leucogaster) / Weißbauch-Lärmvogel

 

Lake Baringo, 2/12

 

[michael-ibk]

396/EA67.) Bare-Faced Go-Away-Bird (Corythaixoides personata) / Nacktkehl-Lärmvogel

 

Akagera NP, 21/11

 

Edited January 6, 2017 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

397/EA68.) Blue-Naped Mousebird (Urocolius macrourus) / Blaunacken-Mausvogel

 

Lake Baringo, 1/12. Also seen in Solio a couple of times.

 

 

Much more common was the Speckled Mousebird (here from Sandai):

 

[michael-ibk]

398/EA69.) Rwenzori Turaco (Tauraco johnstoni) / Ruwenzori-Turako

 

Volcanoes NP, 23/11. Unfortunately I did not have the big lens ready, this was on the way down from the Gorillas.

 

[michael-ibk]

399/EA70.) Hartlaub´s Turaco (Tauraco hartlaubi) / Seidenturako

 

Common in the Aberdares but hard to get, they are mostly high up in the canopy. 8/12.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

Aaaand - baddaboom! - yes, @@Geoff , I did! The question is can I catch @@xelas ...

 

400/EA71.) Great Blue Turaco (Corythaeola cristata) / Riesenturako

 

Kakamega, 30/11

 

Edited January 6, 2017 by michael-ibk

[Peter Connan]

Several of the birds on this page I have never even heard of! Great variety!

 

Well done on the 400.

Edited January 6, 2017 by Peter Connan

[TonyQ]

@@michael-ibk

Congratulations on 400 - a wonderful score (I almost wrote "total" but clearly not!). A great photo to get that magic score - a really beautiful bird.

[Tdgraves]

@@michael-ibk what a beauty to reach 400 with - congratulations!

[xelas]

@@michael-ibk

 

My sincere congratulations on reaching the famous 400, and I am sure you will get over 434, and more! You more then deserve the 2016 to be yours. Go, Michael, go!!

[screentraveller]

Isn't the Crested Tit a cutie??

I love every feather, even the ones I cannot even see.

[JohnR]

@@michael-ibk I think my favourite shots are of the touracos. Such beautiful solid colours.

[michael-ibk]

Thank you! @@JohnR , I love the Turacos as well, and the Great Blue was probably my main reason for wanting to go to Kakamega.

 

401/EA72.) Levaillant´s Cuckoo (Oxylophus levaillantii) / Streifenkuckuck

 

Akagera NP, 21/11

 

[michael-ibk]

402/EA73.) African Cuckoo (Cuculus gularis) / Afrikanischer Kuckuck

 

Akagera NP, 20/11. Possibly a European one, they are very hard to tell apart, but the African has more yellow in the bill.