Mfuwe's Year.

[Peter Connan]

Sorry to hear about your luggage.

 

Will wait patiently for your night-owl shot. Talking about that, Ernest Porter (an inspirational local bird photographer) is busy with a long-term project photographing Nightjars just at sunset. The result, when done right, looks like it was taken at dead of night. When last we spoke about it, he had been trying every evening for two months, and had one good shot to show for it! I admire dedication.

[Galana]

19 hours ago, Tdgraves said:

what on Earth have you done about that? Can’t imagine many accessible stores with the requisite supplies..

Well short of wishing the blighters good luck in their travails to locate it and return it to me there is not a lot I can do. There are rumours of a more than usual disrepetutable looking characters touring Kunene but the Army have discounted talk of an imminents refugee crisis.

I cannot commend any shops in Otjiwarango for clothes for refined gentryof a certain age.

It has not impeded on the birding that much. Thank heaven for few Pipits up here.

The big problem is which country list to place them on. NAM or Angola?

 

[Galana]

This may be the  last web thingy connection for now as we head south again tomorrow.

This list grows on nicely. I think 560 went to Olive/Madagascar BeeEater but won't know for sure.

Anyway with one target bird in the bag I can show why not to post the first that comes along.

Told by host that Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush were around but hard to get to pose for a decent shot I jumped at this  at breakfast on our first morningand fired off a few:-

 

And of course as our stay progressed birding from my balcony came good as always.....

 

Unnumbered as yet.

Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush.

 

All this posting on one bar of signal so if no Wiffy at next stop all the very best Season's Greetings to everyone. Unfortunately all my presents for you are iin the missing luggage!

[PeterHG]

Ah that beautiful Rufous-tailed Palm thrush ! Great picture and a must-have for me when I get there next month. Happy Christmas to you, too @Galana and a wonderful 2018! I’m looking  forward to your luggage turning up even more now...

[xelas]

Balcony birding is your forte, @Galana! No need for boots or hat . Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you!

[Galana]

Too much hot sun I fearr.

I woke up this morning 12 short of 600 and with tomorrow a travelling day I know the magic number is out of reach.

However a mornings sortie gained five new birds for the list AND permitted 'decent' photos for a change.

That will have to do I thought but after a nap I took a turn around the property and added another. Hmm.

Six down and six to go??Then either the hot sun or a post prandial messed up my eyes!

What is that blue thing in the Palm Tree? Indeed. Snatched a few pics as evidence I was not under the influence.

Owner came by and asked if i was looking for Hornbills? No thanks. I just want a witness to that bird there.

"Oh? The Ring necked South American Parrot?"  'Er, not really. The Blue Budgies!'

"Oh", sez he, "we also have a wild Parrot, this big!" (makes standard fishermans measure!!)

"Look, there it is!" I see not a Ring-necked Parrakeet but an Alexandrine if my ID is correct (red shoulders??)

OK.

What is it? I don't carry my Asia book to AFRICA!!

So if @xelas can have his darn ducks and @Tdgraves her doves I think I am on 596!

The photos WILL be posted when I get home or find  decent connection..

Until that time I wish all of you a great New Year and a productive BY2018.

[PeterHG]

This certainly looks like a female Alexandrine Parakeet. Are you sure you haven't taken the wrong exit somewhere ;)? Same wishes for you and you are exiting 2017 with a magnificent score!

[Galana]

40 minutes ago, PeterHG said:

Are you sure you haven't taken the wrong exit somewhere ;

No exit at all that I recall.Still in a Hi Luxe truck just north of the Swakop River.

BTW. Next month for you in NAM is day after tomorrow.

If you are heading to Kunene be aware that it has rained. Cindy Waxbills have 'dispersed' and access to Cave Chat site is 30km of Black Cotton soil.

Do our routes meet? Sossusvlei for me next.

[Dave Williams]

Amazing numbers and some amazing ticks too. Hope you hit the 600. 

[PeterHG]

3 hours ago, Galana said:

No exit at all that I recall.Still in a Hi Luxe truck just north of the Swakop River.

BTW. Next month for you in NAM is day after tomorrow.

If you are heading to Kunene be aware that it has rained. Cindy Waxbills have 'dispersed' and access to Cave Chat site is 30km of Black Cotton soil.

Do our routes meet? Sossusvlei for me next.

We’re only leaving the 23rd of January, so no chance of meeting I think. But still time for the waxbills to find their way back I hope. Enjoy your time there!

Edited December 30, 2017 by PeterHG

[xelas]

Alexandrine is a fair catch. I love my ducks. It was a busy last day and a fantastice entering into New Year, Gemma sends you her best wishes !

Tomorrow BY2018 starts full throttle!

[Galana]

Back in touch and happy New Year.

Some photos will now follow for the trip to justify number claimed.

Contact intermitent still but getting better.

Here goes.        

[Galana]

Back to the count with a whimper

501. Red-eyed Bulbul

Still painful connection.

Will do the rest from home

 

[Dave Williams]

Well done on an amazing 500 which I gather might be heading towards 600 by now!. You are missing out on some cold weather here so enjoy the warmth while you can!

[Galana]

@Dave Williams Thanks.

Score will be 590 plus minus a few pipits I think. Can't know until I check for duplicates.

Sadly I would have passed 600 with some birds seen since new year but there you go.

They were not even seen let alone photoed in 2017.

[lmSA84]

@Galana - early congratulations on a very impressive BY. Really enjoyed this given that I haven’t seen so many of the birds listed 

[Galana]

On 01/01/2018 at 0:57 AM, xelas said:

Gemma sends you her best wishes !

Reciprocated.

Now with a connection somewhat stronger that two paper clips and a piece of Silver Paper (Jolly well out to be at what this room is costing pppn.. BUT I have found my luggage. It's in Birmingham!

On a roll with On Line check in for tomorrow done I will try and upload a few more from 502 upwards to lessen the load from home.so here goes.

502. Pale or Mousecoloured Flycatcher. Otjiwarongo.

 

503. Queen or Shaft-tailed Whydah. Frans Indongo, Waterburg.

 

504. Temminck's Courser. Frans Indongo Farm. Waterburg.

 

505. Red-billed Francolin. Frans Indongo.

 

506. Red-backed Shrike. Frans Indongo. Waterburg.

 

507.  Black Cuckoo. Waterburg.

 

508. Black& White Cuckoo. (Jacobins) Waterburg.

 

509. Kalahari Scrub Robin. Frans Indongo. Waterburg.

510. Lesser Grey Shrike. Frans Indongo. Waterburg.

 

So far so good.More later.

 

Edited January 7, 2018 by Galana
amended enumerationt.

[Galana]

A few more for consideration and titillation.

511 Black-chested Prinia. Etosha NP. If I got points for effort this would count treble. It took ages to get him to come out.

 

512, Sabota Lark. Everywhere you looked.

.

[xelas]

19 hours ago, Galana said:

Sabota Lark. Everywhere you looked.

 

I know. Yet yours is a very photogenic specimen !

[Galana]

Now home, with all luggage, but have just discovered that much of my 'prep' work for quicker posting of the rest of these 2017 entries may not translate well to my home Computer so expect a 'slight' delay in final posts as I work around it.

[Dave Williams]

It will be interesting to compare your Namibia sightings as well as Alex's and in a short while Peter's too. All within a few weeks of our January 2017 visit.

How was the rainfall this time?

[Galana]

16 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

It will be interesting to compare your Namibia sightings

Indeed it will.

Rainfall for us was just a few heavy downpours at first in Etosha and Kunene. It put paid to our chances for Cinderellas and Angolan Chat but overall much the same. From my species checklist I 'scored' a reasonable 212, subject to review which is not too bad.

What was surprising was that many 'usual suspects' simply failed to show let alone be photographed. Who can go to Namibia and not see White-tailed shrike, Pririt Batis and the National bird, Crimson-breasted Shrike in four weeks? Me for one!!

Edited January 10, 2018 by Galana
correction

[Dave Williams]

I didn't see a White-tailed Shrike either.

 

[Galana]

OK. Local fog kept me on domestics so have grabbed time to catch up so off we go again.

First of all you may appreciate a note of our route as planned so as to orientate sightings as they are to be posted in the order seen (even though the photograph may be of a better quality taken later in the trip but prior to midnight on 31st December at Sesreim.)

We started at Windhoek of course and those posted already have been around Otjiwarongo at our first stop  at Frans Indongo.

 

Perhaps I should first take the opportunity to 'improve' some earlier posts with better images taken later to get me in the mood?

016. Martial Eagle. Etosha NP.

 

047. Yellow-bellied Greenbul. Kunene River Lodge. (Our furthest north, over the river lies Angola.)

 

247. Namaqua Dove. Etosha NP.

 

348. Lanner Falcon, Etosha NP.

 

389. Great White Pelican. Walvis Bay.

and

509. Kalahari Scrub Robin.  Okaukuejo , Etosha NP.

Next post we make progress.

Edited January 12, 2018 by Galana
location correction.

[Galana]

So off we go with the first batch:-

513. Groundscraper Thrush. Frans Indongo Lodge. Otjiwarongo.

 

514. Pale Chanting Goshawk. Waterburg Conservancy. Otjiwarongo.

 

515. Grey Lourie. Waterburg and Kunene River Lodge.

 

516. Cape Glossy Starling. Kunene Region and Waterburg.

 

517. Black-chested Snake Eagle. Waterburg. Adult and imm.

 

518. Dusky Lark. Waterburg.

 

519. Monotonous Lark. Etosha NP.

520. Fawn-coloured Lark.. Frans Indongo Lodge. Waterburg.

 

Stay tuned for more tomorrow.