Soukous Big Year 2017

[Soukous]

#144 African Goshawk (Accipiter tachiro)

South Luangwa, Zambia. Oct 2017

 

 

[Soukous]

#145 Jameson's Firefinch (Lagonosticta rhodopareia)

South Luangwa, Zambia. Oct 2017

 

 

 

or is it a Red Billed Firefinch (Lagonosticta senegala), this second photo makes me lean towards the Red Billed

 

 

 

 

 

Apologies for the quality but these firefinches are pretty small and the images are heavily cropped.

 

Edited November 7, 2017 by Soukous

[Galana]

4 hours ago, Soukous said:

so I'll tell you what I think they are and you can then tell me I'm wrong.

We can also tell you when your are 100% right. Spot on and you even got both in the one frame. The Holub's is a female but you knew that!!

A good collection from South Luangwa.

[Soukous]

#146  Emerald Spotted Wood Dove ( Turtur chalcospilos)

South Luangwa, Zambia. Oct 2017

 

[Soukous]

# 147 African Palm Swift (Cypsiurus parvus)

South Luangwa, Zambia. Oct 2017.

 

OK, so this is one of my EBC shots. They don't spend much time staying still, or low down.

 

[Soukous]

#148 Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)

South Luangwa, Zambia. Oct 2017

 

Edited November 8, 2017 by Soukous
ID corrected. Thanks @michael-ibk

[Soukous]

#149 Wattled Starling (Creatophora cinerea)

South Luangwa, Zambia. Oct 2017

 

[Soukous]

#150 Bronze Mannequin (Lonchura cucullata)

Lake Malawi, Malawi. Oct 2017

 

[michael-ibk]

I´m pretty sure your Marsh Sandpiper is a Wood Sandpiper.

[Soukous]

#151  Black Headed Heron (Ardea melanocephala)

Lake Malawi, Malawi. Oct 2017

 

 

[Soukous]

#152  Tambourine Dove (Turtur timpanistria)

Lake Malawi, Malawi. Oct 2017

 

[Soukous]

#153 Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Lake Malawi, Malawi. Oct 2017.

 

Jeez, these guys move fast.

 

 

 

[Soukous]

#154  Coppery Tailed Coucal (Centropus cupreicaudus)

Lake Malawi, Malawi. Oct 2017.

 

I spent ages trying to decide whether this was Coppery Tailed or Burchell's. In the end I opted for Coppery Tailed. 

 

[Soukous]

#155 Cardinal Woodpecker (Dendropicos fuscescens)

Lake Malawi, Malawi. Oct 2017

 

 

[Galana]

2 hours ago, Soukous said:

I spent ages trying to decide whether this was Coppery Tailed or Burchell's.

I can see why. Th distribution maps are no help either as mine says neither should be around Lake Malawi. If I HAD to toss a coin on the balance of probabilities  it would come down on Burchells but  I don't think it is! Well done!

Some nice pics in this batch. The two doves shine through.

[Soukous]

17 hours ago, Galana said:

I can see why. Th distribution maps are no help either as mine says neither should be around Lake Malawi. If I HAD to toss a coin on the balance of probabilities  it would come down on Burchells but  I don't think it is! Well done!

Some nice pics in this batch. The two doves shine through.

 

Thanks @Galana In the end it was the slightly heavier bill and the rump feathers that tipped me towards Coppery Tailed. Unfortunately Malawi seems to fall between the Southern Africa guides and the East Africa guides. 

[lmSA84]

@Soukous - great collection. How forested was the area where you took the photo of the Tambourine Dove? I've always thought of them as a deep forest bird so was surprised to see it on the shoreline. 

[Galana]

56 minutes ago, Soukous said:

and the rump feathers that tipped me towards Coppery Tailed.

That's what swings it for me too. The only distribution map that shows Malawi is "Sinclairs" and you need a magnifying glass for that.

Maybe that's why birds don't bother with them?

[Soukous]

1 hour ago, lmSA84 said:

@Soukous - great collection. How forested was the area where you took the photo of the Tambourine Dove? I've always thought of them as a deep forest bird so was surprised to see it on the shoreline. 

 

It wasn't really a forested area at all. It emerged onto the sand from a bamboo grove about 6 metres from the shoreline.

[Soukous]

#156 Grey Headed Gull - (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus)

 

Lake Malawi, Malawi. Oct 2017

 

[Soukous]

#157 Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)

Lake Malawi, Malawi. Oct 2017

 

[Soukous]

#158 Red Winged Starling  (onychognathus morio)

Lake Malawi, Malawi. Oct 2017

 

[Soukous]

#159 Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca)

Lake Malawi, Malawi. Oct 2017

 

 

[Soukous]

#160 Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)

Shire River, Majete NP, Malawi.  Nov 2017

 

[TonyQ]

A lovely Black Heron sequence!