Zvezda & Alex Big Year 2016 - first attempt

[xelas]

Oh dear, I need to revert my counting. Not only the Curlew Sandpiper (not being the one I claim it is) but also the Eurasian Curlew (already reported under Curlew) so my count is 305.

 

I think once over 200 birds, I should start organising my database by Latin names only. BTW, when in a bird guide book a bird is named like (Common) Greenshank or (Eurasian) Curlew, do you use both names or only the main name??

[Galana]

Hard to be pedantic but I tend to follow my head and rarely use 'common'. After all such a bird may not be common at all where you see it and 'common' in English English has a derogatory inference. We don't have Common Robin, Redshank, Bullfinch etc., so why Greenshank and Curlew? Germans don't. Grunschenkel und Rotschenkel. Grosser Brachvogel. who needs 'common"? Common Buzzard does creep in now and again.

Too many name changes lately for my liking!

Sincerely,

Common man!

[elefromoz]

@@xelas, beautiful Sri Lankan collection. It does look a bit gloomy closer to home but you got some lovely waders, even if the ID is especially tricky, I imagine it takes years to feel confident with them.

[Peter Connan]

Congratulations Alex and Zvezda! And then we still have South Africa coming up too!

[xelas]

Slipping deeper and deeper into the birder's world ! Now I have added latin names to our bird collection ... and have to "kick out" two entries:

 

page 9 - #140: Common Stonechat = Saxicola torquatus also known as African Stonechat, and reported as such on page 1 - #1

page 22 - #258: Pied Kingfisher = Ceryle rudis reported already on page 6 - #86

 

The counter is reset to 303.

[michael-ibk]

Common Stonechat and African Stonechat are mostly treated as two different species, the European one is Saxicola rubicola. (according to Wiki and also my European birdbook). I counted them both.

Edited November 16, 2016 by michael-ibk

[Galana]

Whist my books have Stonechat as torquata I agree with Michael that the African ssp. is generally regarded as a good species. I count it as such in my trips and think you should add it back to yours.

I should add that both my current Bird books for Europe don't use the term "Common" either (see post#501-502) so this helps.

Indeed only 3 species in my books use Common, Gull and Tern and for some reason Redpoll.

OK. Maybe I am overdue a new book but where is the incentive when the bloomin experts keep changing their minds? I know what I am looking at and so do you!

 

An African Stonechat is very common in Africa. Q.E.D.

Have fun. That is why we go birding!!

Edited November 16, 2016 by Galana

[xyz99]

 

The counter is reset to 303.

 

 

And that's a fantastic count! Plus, we know it will go even higher after the SA trip

Which begs the question...where are the pics? Can't wait to see them.

[xelas]

Thank you, @@michael-ibk and @@Galana ! It looks like I should buy the Collins Bird Guide earlier. The Stonechat on page 9 - #140 is described as (European) Stonechat - Saxiola rubicola while the book I have used at that time (Detlef Singer / Which Bird Is This?) has it as Saxiola torquata. Time to start using proper books, yes? So #140's good name is restored and he can get back into the counting, which is now at 304.

 

Speaking of birding books, I might ask this question already but here I go again: which book do you use? I am (will) use Collins for European birds, and Roberts (when I will get it) for South African (and Namibian) ones.

[xelas]

@@xyz99

 

That is indeed a fantastic count for a newbie birders like me and Zvezda. But 400 is even more fantastic number!! The photos from Kruger trip are in process of ID, I will start posting them probably this weekend.

[xelas]

While still having your attention (before all of you depart to your beautiful winter trips and leave me alone to fight with the birds and the books ) do help me with #88 - page 6 / Little Swamp Warbler ... because there is no bird in my book with such a name!!

It is a warbler, and its lack of any prominent supercilium ( ) and dark grey legs and the habitat tells me it could be Greater Swamp Warbler - Acrocephalus rufescens. On page 5 #86 there is a photo of Lesser Swamp Warbler, yet the #88 does look different to me. Any tips from the experts??

[Galana]

My two books are Collins Pocket guide (B&E) 1998 for European trips and home.

For Africa I use Fanshawes for East Africa (mainly) although it has to be said some of the illustrations are not as they should be. viz Reed/Swamp Warblers etc,

Further south etc., I have found Sinclair's "Birds south of the Sahara" my mainstay. I am not one to drag a library around due to weight restrictions. It has torquatus as Common but does describe rubicola too. That's when I enquire what time the bar opens!

 

Your #88 is lovely. Sinclair would suggest African Reed?Marsh Warbler or Lesser Swamp(Cape Reed). Fanshawe has nothing like it all.

 

I find a very useful photographic resource to be African Bird Club's Image base.http://www.africanbirdclub.org/afbid/ You have to register but it is simple to use.

 

You saw it. Pick a name!

Edited November 16, 2016 by Galana

[xyz99]

@@xyz99

 

That is indeed a fantastic count for a newbie birders like me and Zvezda. But 400 is even more fantastic number!! The photos from Kruger trip are in process of ID, I will start posting them probably this weekend.

 

The way you're going, 400 does not seem out of reach. And SA has lots of birds

[xelas]

A quick intermezzo only. Finished with hard work, browsing through 8000+ photos and selecting the candidates, and trying to ID them all (not 100% successful but happy with result). Now is time for "polishing" each photo, and yes, I can promise first photos within this week. Spoiler alert: @@xyz99 got it right, SA has lots of birds !

[PeterHG]

A quick intermezzo only. Finished with hard work, browsing through 8000+ photos and selecting the candidates, and trying to ID them all (not 100% successful but happy with result). Now is time for "polishing" each photo, and yes, I can promise first photos within this week. Spoiler alert: @@xyz99 got it right, SA has lots of birds !

Looking forward to them @@xelas! Only 8000, well, days must have dragged on then...

[xelas]

@@PeterHG , it looks like 8-9 k photos in two weeks are the norm for Zvezda! And when you are holding a cold beer or a glass of G&T or nice wine, you cannot hold a camera in the same time .

[Galana]

<And when you are holding a cold beer or a glass of G&T or nice wine, you cannot hold a camera in the same time.>

 

Of course you can. It is just that the results are not as good!

However that does make the selection process easier.

[xelas]

LOUIS TRICHARDT (MAKHADO) / 24.- 25. 10.2016

 

 

Finally ready to post our South Africa / Kruger NP birds collection. As always, please add your comments on my bird ID!

 

 

We have started our tour at the north-east part of the country, with a full day birding with birder Samson Mulaudzi http://www.birdingsoutpansberg-venda.co.za . Highly recommended, contact him if you will be in that vicinity, he also guides inside Kruger. Our first stop was at Roodewal Forest.

 

305. Ashy Flycatcher - Muscicapa caerulescens

 

 

 

306. Yellow-breasted Apalis - Apalis flavida

 

 

 

307. Africa (Blue-billed) Firefinch - Lagonosticta rubricata

 

 

 

308. Cape Batis - Batis capensis

 

 

 

 

309. Scally-throated Honeyguide - Indicator variegatus

 

 

 

310. Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird (Tinker Barbet) - Pogonilius chrysoconus

 

 

 

 

[xelas]

LOUIS TRICHARDT (MAKHADO) / 24.- 25. 10. 2016 (continued)

 

 

Next we stopped on a private macadamia plantation with a small dam/pond and a bird hide.

 

311. African Pygmy Goose - Nettapus auritius

 

female

 

male

 

 

312. Purple-crested Turaco - Tauraco porphyreolopha

 

 

 

313. African Green Pigeon - Treron calvus

 

 

 

314. Common Waxbill - Estrilda astrild

 

 

 

315. Amethyst Sunbird - Chalcomitra amethystina

 

 

[xelas]

LOUIS TRICHARDT (MAKHADO) / 24.- 25. 10. 2016 (continued)

 

 

Our third spotting location was a bit unusual; The Geese Dam (Vuwani) is the cattle watering place. With severe drought water level was low but birding was still good. All water birds here.

 

 

316. African Jacana - Actophilornis africanus

 

 

 

317. White-backed Duck - Thalassornis leuconotus

 

 

 

318. White-breasted Cormorant - Phalacrocorax lucidus

 

 

 

319. White-faced Whistling Duck - Dendrocygna viduata

 

[xelas]

LOUIS TRICHARDT (MAKHADO) / 24.- 25. 10. 2016 (continued)

 

 

For the highlight of the day Samson took us to a state forest plantation where he knew about a very special bird nesting. Sorry for not so good photos; while through binoculars birds looked splendid, the midday light must have played tricks to the sensor .

The second bird was a highlight for Samson; they move so quickly ...

 

320. Bat Hawk - Macheriamphus alcinus

 

juvenile in the nest

 

adult

 

 

321. Green Twinspot - Mandigoa nitidula

 

 

[xelas]

LOUIS TRICHARDT (MAKHADO) / 24.- 25. 10. 2016 (continued)

 

 

Our cabin was in the foothills above the town, a splendid area for birding. Mostly small birds though.

 

 

322. Southern Boubou - Laniarius ferrugineus

 

 

 

323. White-browed Scrub Robin - Cercotrichas leucophrys

 

 

 

324. Red-collared Widowbird - Euplectes ardens

 

female

 

male in transitional phase

 

 

Yellow-crowned Bishop was presented already, in its full breeding colours. Looking very much different when in its non-breeding outfit.

 

 

 

325. Greater Double-collared Sunbird - Cinnyris afer

 

 

 

[Galana]

Great start. Fantastic Green Twinspots that would have had me searching the books for a match.

[PeterHG]

Good to see your photos from the Africa trip @@xelas and they're a wonderful set! I’m glad your day with Samson Mulaudzi was as pleasant as our day-trip with him. He’s a great guy! Nice to see the familiar places like the pond with the bird hide. That’s where we also got the Pygmy Goose. Excellent picture, by the way.

The Bat Hawk and Green Twinspot are something really special! We only got distant views of the hawk. Looking forward to more!

Peter

[xelas]

@@Galana

Samson said they were quite young, but they do spot the spots!

 

@@PeterHG

I should mentioned above that Peter has recommended Samson to us. Great advice, Peter!