PC's Better year

[Peter Connan]

On the 24th I went to Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens with Ernest Porter, with the intention of photographing the Verraux's Eagle's "aggression phase", being the period where the adults force the chick to go forth and fend for itself. In the process, they also teach it to fight.

 

Unfortunately, the weather had other plans, so we ended up taking a stroll through the garden and sitting in the hide for a while. However, any day at Wally's is better than a good day in the office.

 

I got this one sitting of the roof of the ticket office on the way in!

 

206) Red-winged Starling

 

Rooivlerkspreeu

Onychognathus morio

 

 

[Peter Connan]

And in the hide, a wonderful sighting of the Common Moorhen (already counted, No. 135, Post #222):

First time I have seen a chick, and to have been able to capture it being fed was special.

 

 

[Peter Connan]

207) African Paradise Flycatcher

 

Paradysvlieëvanger

Terpsiphone viridis

 

24 November, Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens, Roodepoort 

[Peter Connan]

One I somehow missed posting...

208) Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler

 

Bosveldtjeriktik

Parisoma subcaeruleum

 

 

24September, Kopjeskraal

[Peter Connan]

209) Pin-tailed Whydah

 

Koningrooibekkie

Vidua macroura

 

 

First bird with my new camera, a Nikon D500

 

5 December, in a friend's garden in Rooihuiskraal, a suburb of Centurion

[xelas]

Should we expect a lot of BIF in near future, @Peter Connan??

[Tdgraves]

An early Christmas present @Peter Connan ?

[Peter Connan]

@xelas, i do hope so.

 

@Tdgraves, that was not the intention, but it's probably the best christmass present I have gotten in several years...

[Dave Williams]

Nice addition to the camera bag! The D500 has to be the best crop body around at the moment looking at the specs,

[Peter Connan]

Thank you @Dave Williams. So far it seems like a much better birding camera, and is even surprisingly good at elevated ISO's, but the newer AF system is the star of the show.

[Peter Connan]

Somehow I am still struggling to get decent  shots of even the most common birds in my garden...

210) Dark-capped Bulbul

 

Swartoogtiptol

Pycnonotus tricolor

 

22 October, my garden, Kempton Park, Nikon D3

 

 

 

2 December, same place, Nikon D500

[Galana]

Great photo.

Even the best photographer armed with the fanciest camera known to science cannot make the bloody bird pose properly in the open in full light.

A black bird in a closed nest in a dark tree on a dark night will test the best.

[PeterHG]

1 hour ago, Galana said:

A black bird in a closed nest in a dark tree on a dark night will test the best.

I have plenty of those. I was just hesitant to include them in the count....

 

[Peter Connan]

Thanks @Galana

 

Right now I am deleting rubbish photos...

Edited December 11, 2017 by Peter Connan

[Peter Connan]

211) Sabota Lark

 

Sabotalewerik

Mirafra sabota

 

 

 

3 December, Rietvlei

 

Nikon D500.

[PeterHG]

 Very good picture again, @Peter Connan, like many you're showing us this year. I' just a little hesitant about Sabota Lark, I thought (mainly because of the bill) it looked perhaps more like a female Pin-tailed Whydah. But then, I'm no expert on larks by any means, so I might be totally wrong....;)

[Peter Connan]

I'll have another look @PeterHG, but this was definitely too large to be a pin-tailed Whydah.

 

Any other contenders?

[xelas]

That beak don't speak to me either, @Peter Connan. It is a seed-eater so look in that general direction. Hopefully @Galana will find an internet access available to help us steer in the right direction.

Edited December 12, 2017 by xelas

[xelas]

So, after consulting the book and the net, my (untrained) ID is Long-tailed Widowbird female.

[Peter Connan]

Looking around, I suspect this must be a Long-tailed Widowbird. 

 

Thanks for the help @PeterHG and @xelas.

 

Total comes down one, as long-tailed widow was bird no. 4, in post #4.

 

And @xelas beat me to the post...

Edited December 12, 2017 by Peter Connan

[xelas]

So sorry for this, Peter ; but happy to notice that I am improving as a birder !

[PeterHG]

Ah yes, that one is bigger. You're welcome @Peter Connan. Glad you sorted it out!

 

[Peter Connan]

Thanks to you guy's eagle eyes!

[Peter Connan]

Not great photos, but a favourite bird and the only bush-shrike I have seen this year.

 

211) Bokmakierie

 

Bokmakierie

Telophorus zeylonus

 

 

[elefromoz]

@Peter Connan, The Cuckoo photos are beautiful. Last time I said a chick was 'ugly", I got into trouble from @TonyQ, so I won't mention the Common Moorhen baby, good photo though.Well done on the 200 "mostly local" Birds.