Mfuwe's Year.

[Tdgraves]

Your buffy pipit looks more like a lark to me....

[xelas]

Maybe it is time to post the famous Indian Runner ?!

[Galana]

8 hours ago, Tdgraves said:

Your buffy pipit looks more like a lark to me..

Thanks for the idea but I don't see any crest or Lark like bill.

However, I have been back in both books to check and could be persauded that it may be Long-billed Pipit.

Distribution fits and it is described as " Larger than African Pipit with a longer bill, plainer face, less streaked breast and buff, not white, outer tail. Palest forms to the north west. Mainly found in open rocky hillsides and grassland but also on well grazed pasture.  (Well that covers most of Namibia apart from Caprivi!!) Frequently perches on trees (when present.)

IN Fanshawe's East Africa book he says "It is a warmer buff bird"

I could go with that as number 600.

 

@xelas I have no Indian Runners but can always fall back on these as 601 & 602.

Free winged and living wild in Swakopmond. There were about 12 budgies.

[xelas]

Why not, @Galana?! The green one is Alexandrine parakeet?? They are living free in Istanbul, if I would go there last year I would put them into Big Year. Have seen them also in Madrid.

Once over #600 anything counts !

[Galana]

And so with the objective achieved I think it time to call a halt to 2017. 602 will do me!

It has been great fun and I would like to thank all those other correspondents for their forbearance and good humour throughout the year.

It has been a worthwhile exercise in getting me out to find our local birds and I never thought I would see the day when I would chase a Hoodie Crow for a portrait.

If there is a downside it is the change of emphasis when on Safari. I am normally just a take it as it comes sort of person. Anything from Ellies to Ants and I am happy. However this year I found I was leaning out the window to grab shots, any shots, of every darn bird we came across. Never mind if it was up sun, down sun or there was no bloody sun at all. Get it done. EBC. Never mind those lovely wild dogs in full cry. Get that darn bird, the dogs will wait.

And again when the bird revealed itself to be a previous capture, lovely as it may have been, it was a disappointment. So New Year's Resolution.  Put more effort into the quality. So far so good.

 

So for all the lovely birds I unkindly "rejected" Heartfelt apologies and I can make amends.

Sorry. You DO count in the end.

 

I cannot mention everyone but for two lovely animals I met in Namibia who somehow reminded me of home:-

Thanks to you too. MY what big ears you have got!

 

See you over the page.

Edited January 22, 2018 by Galana
additional text.

[Peter Connan]

Well, what an incredible effort.

 

I do hope this record stands for a while, because I think it deserves it!

[Galana]

Thanks @Peter Connan. It has been quite a ride.

However all records are meat to be broken and no doubt this one will be sooner or later.

[Soukous]

what a phenomenal effort @Galana well done. I can't imagine myself getting anywhere close

[elefromoz]

@Galana, phew, what an effort, time to back-off a bit now and catch your breath. Oh and thanks too for #292, Barn Owl, never seen one before, now I'll recognise it when I do....

[TonyQ]

@Galana

A wonderful effort, I couldn't imagine such a score. I am really pleased you managed to achieve it.

[michael-ibk]

Congratulations, @Galana, a magnificent score, it will be very hard to top this. 600 is really cool!

[Galana]

@Soukous  @elefromoz @TonyQ & @michael-ibk

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement.

To restate (and correct the spelling) of what I said above "

On 1/23/2018 at 10:41 AM, Galana said:

However all records are meat to be broken

For 'meat' read 'meant' although on reflection meat could be appropriate with EBCs like that Barn Owl.

I will be more a tortoise this year as I promise to be more selective.

[xelas]

6 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

Congratulations, @Galana, a magnificent score, it will be very hard to top this. 600 is really cool!

 

It is an average of 200 per continet, thus visiting 3 continents ... or going to Ecuador might help .

Edited January 27, 2018 by xelas

[Galana]

40 minutes ago, xelas said:

It is an average of 200 per continet, thus visiting 3 continents

Not sure of the methodology of @xelas's idea.

A score of 600 from two continents is surely 300 per continent so adding the Americas should take you to 900 and India could be 1200. Go for it!

[xelas]

8 hours ago, Galana said:

A score of 600 from two continents is surely 300 per continent

 

That is true ... for proper birders like yourself. Amateurs like us don't score that high so need to visit more continents ... which by itself is not a bad thing !

[Galana]

2 hours ago, xelas said:

Amateurs like us don't score that high so need to visit more continents ..

I am not so sure @michael-ibk would agree. He was not far behind.

 

PS. Does this mean when I go to Ladakh my handicap goes up too?

[xelas]

2 hours ago, Galana said:

I am not so sure @michael-ibk would agree. He was not far behind.

 Who have ever mentioned Michael to be an amateur birder ?! His results speaks for him. But next time I should use "me" instead of "us" .

 

If using the golf terminology, your handicap would be 300 birds/continent, @Galana !

[Galana]

I am literally going to need quite a few 'birdies' then as my time in Asia is only 10 days. Not even a full round!!

[Dave Williams]

I haven't being paying enough attention to 2017 or I would have responded sooner.Fabulous effort and pleased you cracked the 600.

I must admit though I do share your sentiments that although it's a lot of fun it can be a distraction too. I went out with a couple of birders and a guide here in The Gambia a couple of days ago and whilst they were delighted with the 40 new species for the day I was secretly disappointed I had only managed any sort of image of 12. Chasing birds around the world can get kind of expensive too!

I set my target at 2018 B.Y. 500 and I'll stick with it unless that damn rabbit starts egging me on

[xelas]

On 31/01/2018 at 4:27 PM, Dave Williams said:

I set my target at 2018 B.Y. 500 and I'll stick with it unless that damn rabbit starts egging me on

 

So the targets are set for 2018! And the rabbit will skip all of the ebc shots ... if not an emergency 

[Galana]

Good luck to both the tortoise and the hare in 2018 and their 500 target.

Noting @xelas's commitment to 200 per continent I expect him to stick to that in his thread "birding on three continents!" What say you @Dave Williams?

Also pleased that you experience the same feel as I when birding. I came home today having seen Red-throated Divers, Eiders, Shags, Godwits, Ringed Plover, Razorbills, Peregrine, Raven and numerous smaller stuff but without a shot being fired I was a tad grumpy.

 

 

[xelas]

45 minutes ago, Galana said:

I was a tad grumpy.

 

I was also a tad grumpy today. Instead of enjoying all those birds with you I have had to shovel the wet snow out of my parking place .

[Peter Connan]

6 hours ago, xelas said:

 

I was also a tad grumpy today. Instead of enjoying all those birds with you I have had to shovel the wet snow out of my parking place .

 

Just 54 days to no more snow @xelas! At least for a week or so...

[Dave Williams]

17 hours ago, Galana said:

Good luck to both the tortoise and the hare in 2018 and their 500 target.

Noting @xelas's commitment to 200 per continent I expect him to stick to that in his thread "birding on three continents!" What say you @Dave Williams?

Also pleased that you experience the same feel as I when birding. I came home today having seen Red-throated Divers, Eiders, Shags, Godwits, Ringed Plover, Razorbills, Peregrine, Raven and numerous smaller stuff but without a shot being fired I was a tad grumpy.

 

 

 

I think @xelas will fail on 1 out of the 3. Europe!

He may well make the 600 though, in fact I'm sure he will.

[Galana]

20 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

will fail on 1 out of the 3. Europe!

So does that let me off the hook as "Europe" is one of my three too?

 

Et tu Dai?

Edited February 4, 2018 by Galana