Dave Williams's 2018 Big(Photo)Year!

[Dave Williams]

48) Black Heron

On a visit a few years ago I found the perfect place to watch the Umbrella Bird in action from a few feet away. I got some terrific views and some great shots  but then lost the lot when I accidentally deleted them last year. I was hoping to repeat the experience this time around.

The very first morning I found a good spot but the sun was against me and nothing I could do about it.

Black Heron  Egretta ardesiaca by Dave Williams, on Flickr

I got there early the next day with the sun supposedly behind me when it came up but it was a cloudy day and the light wasn't the best before it got busy with human traffic and the bird flew. Sadly it wasn't at that spot in subsequent visits!

Black Heron  Egretta ardesiaca by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Black Heron  Egretta ardesiaca by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[xelas]

First in The Umbrella Bird triptych is a wallhanger, @Dave Williams!

[elefromoz]

@Dave Williams, what a weird looking Bird the Bearded Barbet is. The female Beautiful Sunbird is very nice with her be-jewelled throat.  I will add Gambia and Senegal, along with Oman, to a growing list of places that I had no idea people were holidaying in. 

[Dave Williams]

49) Black-winged Red Bishop

A dull and uninteresting LBJ when in non breeding plumage. Catch them at the end of the year and they are quite spectacular!

Black-Winged Red Bishop  Euplectes hordeaceus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

50) Black-headed Heron.

Sometimes I see a Grey heron and wonder if it's a Black-headed one but when you see the real thing it's unmistakeable!

A single specimen(?) hung around a territory close to our hotel.

Black-headed Heron  Ardea melanocephala by Dave Williams, on Flickr

That Black head really stands out!

Black-Black-headed Heron  Ardea melanocephala Heron  Ardea melanocephala 12018-01-31 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Galana]

I don't see anything wrong with those Black Heron shots. I would be more than happy with them in the conditions.

Loved the Barbet too.

[TonyQ]

Lovely shots @Dave Williams

I am working on photos and will post the first ones soon - but I am not as quick as you

[Peter Connan]

Some really great shots and some fascinating and beautiful birds too!

[Dave Williams]

51) Black-winged Stilt

Kotu, local to our hotel

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and for @Galana

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus 32018-01-28 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Well, one foot anyway!

[Dave Williams]

52) Black-capped Babbler

Our hotel grounds!

Black-capped Babbler  Pellorneum capistratum by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

53) Blue-bellied Roller

Usually seen on the wires around Kotu at sunset

Blue-bellied Roller  Coracias cyanogaster by Dave Williams, on Flickr

It's usual daytime haunt wasn't too good for photos!

Blue-bellied Roller  Coracias cyanogaster by Dave Williams, on Flickr

So I think this one, despite on another artificial structure wins as it shows the vivid colours beautifully when back lit.

Blue-bellied Roller  Coracias cyanogaster by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

54)Blue-breasted Kingfisher.

After the Pied this was the most commonly seen Kingfisher numerically, well around Kotu Creek anyway.

The sit in the Mangrove branches waiting to pounce on their prey.

Blue-breasted Kingfisher Halcyon malimbica by Dave Williams, on Flickr

There was one though who came out in to the open and sat on an artificial perch in plain sight although a bit distant.

Blue-breasted Kingfisher Halcyon malimbica by Dave Williams, on Flickr

It would swoop down on an unsuspecting crab, the staple diet it seemed.

Blue-breasted Kingfisher Halcyon malimbica by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Then fly off to eat under the cover of the bushes.

Blue-breasted Kingfisher Halcyon malimbica by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

55)Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

Another species that favours the wires, particularly at sunset.

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and also one that remains active all day too.

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

I guess the flies like the heat too!

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Galana]

1 hour ago, Dave Williams said:

Well, one foot anyway!

Thanks for the thought.

Another great collection. Love the Roller.

[xelas]

The Roller is a beauty. Kingfishers with large bill loves crabs!

[Peter Connan]

Another compliment for the crab series and the beautiful roller.

[Dave Williams]

56) Booted Eagle

Out on a dusty track on my first guided outing it suddenly appeared from nowhere and pretty close to the ground. Must have been perched close by but unseen until it took off.

Booted Eagle    Aquila pennata by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

57) Broad-billed Roller

Seen locally around our hotel in Kotu they were more numerous than ever before. 

Broad-billed Roller   Eurystomus glaucurus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

They are under rated in terms of beauty too, or maybe that's just a subjective opinion. In flight they really do look very handsome indeed!

Broad-billed Roller   Eurystomus glaucurus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

58)Bronze Mannikin

Very common and seen in large mixed flocks with other seed eaters.

Bronze Mannikin Lonchura cucullata by Dave Williams, on Flickr

The female is a duller brown.

Bronze Mannikin Lonchura cucullata by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

59) Brown Babbler

Another common bird seen in small groups and appearing to favour scratching around the ground when foraging for food.

Brown Babbler  Turdoides plebejus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

This one was in the Senegambia Hotel gardens, hence the green grass!

Brown Babbler  Turdoides plebejus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

60) Brubru

Not one I managed a decent image of but it was still a first. Seen on my first guided trip inland to an unknown venue.

Brubru  Nilaus afer by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

61) Brown-backed Woodpecker

Another from the same track as the Brubru, and in fact in the same tree later. This is a tiny Woodpecker the size of a Sparrow, high up the tree so a big crop needed ! A lifer for me so i was delighted.

Brown-backed Woodpecker Dendropicos obsoletus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

[Dave Williams]

62)Cardinal Woodpecker

Another smallish woodpecker which looks very much like the Fine-spotted woodpecker at first appearance. Found in a tree near the Kartong Bird Ringing Centre, it had been caught and adorned with some bling.

Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens by Dave Williams, on Flickr

So had his other half.... or maybe they had exchanged vows and rings on another occasion!

Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

62) Caspian Tern

My favourite tern perhaps. Seen flying over Kotu Creek but never on the beach there, these shots were taken at Tanji.

Caspian Tern  Hydroprogne caspia by Dave Williams, on Flickr

The local bird guides call them Flying Carrots !

Caspian Tern  Hydroprogne caspia by Dave Williams, on Flickr

This one bathing was in the river at Kartong, again numerous in numbers.

Caspian Tern  Hydroprogne caspia by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

63) Cattle Egret

A very, very common bird often seen in hundreds which makes me smile when I think of the excitement one causes when spotted in the UK. I wouldn't bother going to "tick" one here and I actually only took 4 shots of one in TG too. Just trying to get the exposure right in bright sun is a challenge though!

Cattle Egret   Bubulcus ibis by Dave Williams, on Flickr