Alex & Zvezdana Big Year 2017

[Peter Connan]

Thank  you and merry Christmass to all the Strazars from all the Connans.

The Robin on the ice is beautiful!

[PeterHG]

And a Merry Christmas to you, Zvezda and Tanja, also from Jeannette!

 

[xelas]

No more birds from Europe/Slovenia this year, now we are at the mercy of South African ones . 

[Dave Williams]

I don't think you can fail to get a few Alex, how many remains to be seen. I went out today and got one!

Safe journey and good luck too!

Edited December 29, 2017 by Dave Williams

[xelas]

We tried our best effort yesterday, birding for 8 hours, how many are new will know only when back at home and with the book.

[Dave Williams]

@xelas   As you can see from my new avatar I'm prepared to accept defeat but I think there should be a time limit on claims for 2017. Like the Christmas decorations they should be put to bed by 11.59pm 6th of January.

 

[xelas]

Reasonable demand. What about setting the date at 25th of January?!  At least this date I know all too well .

[michael-ibk]

Well, I was given about a month or so last year, so Alex should have that too at least.

[Tdgraves]

@Dave Williams I think you are clutching at straws here - they spent an entire day birding in South Africa on New Year’s Eve. I think the hare will have it, even if you set 6/1/18 as the deadline!!!

[Dave Williams]

No clutching at straws, more an internet connection with a decent upload speed

[screentraveller]

Zvezda, you are perfectly right in your approach to taking photos, you tell stories. I can see the BEFORE and AFTER of the situation you snapped with your camera. Love Alex‘s photos as well.

[Galana]

On 04/01/2018 at 10:03 PM, michael-ibk said:

Well, I was given about a month or so last year, so Alex should have that too at least.

Whilst declaring an interest I do feel that some time overlap should be permitted. We DO need a decent connection and not everyone can finish a trip on the dot.

Sitting here at $$$per night in Windhoek with the first decent connection in a month I have 90+ to upload for 2017. May have to await my return home on or after the 10th.

 

A calendar month would be a clear cutoff date

whilst curtailing final EBC searches.

[lmSA84]

@xelas - congratulations on another fantastic BY! 

[Dave Williams]

Having conceded defeat I was of course pulling Alex's leg about the time limit and also guessed the internet connection would prove a problem which indeed it is!! 

[xelas]

More expensive rooms do came with a decent internet speed . Thank you all for thinking about us, we are having excellent birding holidays, and it looks like Franschhoek will be the only stop without going out early to chase birds . I will do my best to post the last two days ASAP, and will joing BY 2018 within end of January; our start will be as fast as the one of the rabbit at the dog races !! 

 

Coming soon to Big Year 2018:

Soaring High in the Sky

introducing Jackal Buzzard. 

 

 

 

Edited January 8, 2018 by xelas

[xelas]

It is time to wrap up our Big Year 2017. Last two days we have been birding in South Africa. Our first location was Stony Point Penguin Colony in Betty's Bay on 30/12/2017.

Obviously we have seen the most unusual bird of our BY 2017, in different stages of their life:

 

BY 361 / SA 001

African Penguin - Spheniscus demersus

 

youngster

 

juvenile

 

adult

 

Edited January 16, 2018 by xelas

[xelas]

Same location was also populated with this bird:

 

BY 362 / SA 002

Cape Cormorant - Phalacrocorax capensis

 

juvenile

 

adult

 

 

 

[xelas]

Same day in Hermanus, flying over the house we have stayed at:

 

BY 363 / SA 003

Yellow-billed Kite - Milvus parasitus

 

[Dave Williams]

@Game Warden can you lock this thread immediately!!!!!

[Dave Williams]

Otherwise I'm going to have to let this loose on the Hare. He was sat in the garden waiting for orders!!

[xelas]

@Dave Williams, ; and there is also 31st of December  ... but there is not only a fox on your side, but also those 40-50 extra birds ?!

[Dave Williams]

Unfortunately I might have accidentally hit the delete button on some of my shots otherwise there would be no contest

[Dave Williams]

I know what it's like sitting on photographic Death Row now.  Everyone loves a Tortoise.

 

Have pity....... LOCK THE THREAD!!!!!

[xelas]

Sunday, 31st December 2017 ... last day to collect as many new birds as possible. Before arriving I have contacted Hermanus Bird Club if any member might be available to show us around. No luck but kindly John has pointed us towards Rooisand Bird Hide. We were not early enough there, and sun was up with a vengeance so quality of photos suffered a lot. Bird hide is positioned close to the lagoon so usually there are plenty of waders and similar ... not this time as drought has moved the water far from the hide.

 

Along the approach road there were small birds feeding on bushes.

 

BY 364 / SA 04

Pin-tailled Whydah - Vidua macroura

 

 

BY 365 / SA 05

Southern Double-collared Sunbird - Cinnyris chalybeus (female)

 

 

BY 366 / SA 06

Cape Weaver - Ploceus capensis

 

female

 

male

 

 

BY 367 / SA 07

Cape Canary - Serinus canicollis

 

 

BY 368 / SA 08

Fiscal Flycatcher - Sigelus silens

 

 

 

 

 

[xelas]

At the actual bird hide location only one new bird, and even that one just to help our total numbers .

 

BY 369 / SA 09

Red-capped Lark - Calandrella cinerea

 

 

And on the way out two more hits.

 

BY 370 / SA 10

Lesser Grey Shrike - Lanius minor

 

 

BY 371 / SA 11

Jackal Buzzard - Buteo rufofuscus