Dave Williams's 2018 Big(Photo)Year!

[Dave Williams]

117) Purple Glossy Starling.

Seen in the Senegambia hotel where they are numerous.

Purple Glossy Starling   Lamprotornis purpureus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

In the heat of the day seeking shade in the trees but sometimes using the taps to find a drink.

Purple Glossy Starling   Lamprotornis purpureus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

118) Purple Heron

The only one I saw, in the reed bed near the painted Snipe!

Purple Heron  Ardea purpurea by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

119) Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher

The only one I saw of these too, in a tree near to where the Owlet roosted in Kotu.

Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher   Terpsiphone rufiventer by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

120) Red-billed Firefinch

An abundant bird often in mixed finch flocks.

The male

Red-billed Firefinch  Lagonosticta senegala by Dave Williams, on Flickr

and female, both near Kotu Bridge.

Red-billed Firefinch  Lagonosticta senegala by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[TonyQ]

Excellent additions @Dave Williams

Well done with the Painted Snipe - we didn't see one. The owlet is also lovely

I think both show the advantage of spending more time at one place.

[xelas]

Like them all! The Painted Snipe series is excellent ... but how many other birds would you be able to see (and photograph) in those 2-3 hours ?

[Galana]

10 minutes ago, xelas said:

but how many other birds would you be able to see (and photograph) in those 2-3 hours ?

And thereby hangs the rub of this Game. Why are we there?

 

Excellent collection @Dave Williams as usual. Don't let chasing totals corrupt your integrity.

I love the PS Owlet and his friendly wink. After seeing lots of them I am convinced they are virtually bomb proof. Noises off just does not bother them.

Love the Red-bellied Paradise F too. I have seen them in Uganda but never managed a decent photo.

Helm hedges their bets on the Swamphen. They give it both names!!

[Dave Williams]

24 minutes ago, xelas said:

 ... but how many other birds would you be able to see (and photograph) in those 2-3 hours ?

 

@xelasThat's a good question Alex and it was a lot more than 2-3 hours but I guess I got one or two other species while I was at it too. Made a change to stay in one place for a good while too. Now thanks to @TonyQ I have pulled a couple of rabbits out of the bag ( and I can see another is no longer  too far ahead either )

[Dave Williams]

122) Red-eyed Dove

Out of one folder three species! 

The Red-eyed Dove has a big red eye patch.

Red-eyed Dove   Streptopelia semitorquata by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

and a dark band across the tail

Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Edited February 12, 2018 by Dave Williams

[Dave Williams]

123) Vinaceous Dove

As above has a collar but smaller and prettier.

Vinaceous Dove  Streptopelia vinacea by Dave Williams, on Flickr

 

[Dave Williams]

124) African Mourning Dove

Another collard dove, this time with a greyish head but no red eye patch

African Mourning Dove  Streptopelia decipiens by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

125)Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu

Only none had red cheeks! Very approachable totally unphased by humans.

 

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu   Uraeginthus bengalus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

126) Western Red-billed Hornbill

It appears there's a Northern and a Southern one too but as the Helm book states Western that is what I'm going for.

Western Red-billed Hornbill Tockus (erythrorhynchus)kempi by Dave Williams, on Flickr

They tended to fly on approach unless you visit the Senegambia Hotel where they actually approach you!

Western Red-billed Hornbill Tockus (erythrorhynchus)kempi by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Galana]

24 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

but no red eye patch

Hmmm. all the ones I have seen have the patch which contrasts with a yellow eye!

[Dave Williams]

1 minute ago, Galana said:

Hmmm. all the ones I have seen have the patch which contrasts with a yellow eye!

@GalanaLook at the white above the collar, not on the Red-eyed one in my book. Yellow to Pale Orange eye, the one on the wire is orange I think. I'm prepared to delete it from the numbers if we are not 100% ! 

[Dave Williams]

127) Rufus-crowned Roller

The only one I saw was on my first guided trip inland. It wouldn't tolerate any approach and knowing how close I got in Etosha I couldn't be bothered to try either!

Also known as a Purple Roller too.

Rufous-crowned Roller   Coracias naevius by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

128) Ring-necked Parakeet

They haven't reached North Wales yet but they have been sent not too far away. Very vocal and noisy but surprisingly difficult to see when they are in a tree as they are often so well camouflaged.

 

Ring-necked Parakeet   Psittacula krameri by Dave Williams, on Flickr

The female a bit more camouflaged still!

Ring-necked Parakeet   Psittacula krameri by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

129) Royal Tern

Apparently they have been separated from their American cousins now.

Royal Tern  Thalasseus albididorsalis by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Seen in numbers at Tanji and bathing at Kartong.

Royal Tern  Thalasseus albididorsalis by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

130) Common Ringed Plover

A common wader here in North Wales too even during the winter.These were numerous at Tanji beach.

 

Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Foraging very close and very approachable.

Common Ringed Plover  Charadrius hiaticula by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[lmSA84]

Add my name to the long list of people out of likes for the day and impressed with the Painted Snipe. Do you mind me asking roughly where you staked out? I don’t why but in my mind I always thought that they didn’t arrive till much later in the year. 

[TonyQ]

@Dave Williams

Re: your dove My book (Helm) says for Mourning Dove - "grey face and crown"  - which I think yours has

For the Red-eyed Dove -"Grey crown"

[Peter Connan]

At least two more candidates for the Supermodels thread Dave. Your patience really paid off with the Snipe, a species which I have been looking for for a while.

[Dave Williams]

@lmSA84  Not sure how familiar you are with Kotu !

 

The "official" bird guides viewing screen ( which is a bit of a joke as it's been allowed to decay totally) is accessed from a path that runs behind a high wall that goes from the entrance to the new Kunte Kinte beach bar complex to the Palm Beach hotel. There is a path made of rubber tyres filled with compressed mud that allow you to get to the hide when the area id flooded. I usually enter from the beach area, through the bungalows, out the entrance then turn left just after the bushes.

The other spot is behind the Badala Park hotel, go past the Badala front entrance then turn left, go straight past the track down to the Palm Beach ( which is useful to access the beach and Kunte Kinte Bar)  and when you get to the end of the wall on the left follow the path down to the pool. Great selection of water birds here.

[Dave Williams]

131) Sacred Ibis

I'd seen few but it was only on the last morning I sought them out to get a photo for my BY.

Sacred Ibis   Threskiornis aethiopicus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

Not the best of places , dried up rice fields.

Sacred Ibis   Threskiornis aethiopicus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

132)Sanderling

Another fairly common wader here in the UK. 

Sanderling   Calidris alba by Dave Williams, on Flickr

These were seen at Tanji.

Sanderling   Calidris alba by Dave Williams, on Flickr