PC's fifth attempt

[Dave Williams]

Single country collection building in to impressive numbers Peter.

[Peter Connan]

Thanks @Dave Williams

[Peter Connan]

134) Grey Heron

 

Bloureier

Ardea cinerea

 

 

17 February, Timbavati

[Peter Connan]

135) Common Greenshank

 

Groenpootruiter

Tringa nebularia

 

Arrivin at the dam, we saw a Blacksmith Lapwing chasing something. Very fast and manueverable. I snapped a couple of shots, hoping for the best.

17 February, Timbavati

[Peter Connan]

136) Eurasian Golden Oriole

 

Eurpoese Wielewaal

Oriolus oriolus

 

 

18 February, Timbavati

[Peter Connan]

137) Fork-tailed Drongo

 

Mikstertbyevanger

Dicrurus adsimilis

 

A very enigmatic and wide-spread bird, I have seen them on virtually every birding trip this year, but managed only a few half-decent portraits. Still looking for that great in-flight shot...

 

 1 January, Pilanesberg. D500 + 500 f4 @ 1/320, f4 and ISO5600

 

I am actually not sure about this one, it is either an immature Drongo or a Black Flycatcher...

15 February, Timbavati

 

 

25 March, on the road near Bela Bela

 

2 April, Audi camp, Maun

[Peter Connan]

138) Speckled Pigeon

 

Kransduif

Columba guinea

 

 

One of our prettier pigeons, and quite abundant where I live, but tricky to get a nice shot of as the irrisence is quite understated. This year I have not set up my hide and feeder...

 

21 March, at home.

 

[PeterHG]

What a great shot of 'our' Oriole, Peter! The flight shot of the Speckled Pigeon is very good too, of course and you managed to put some beautiful light on the all-black Drongo.

[Peter Connan]

Thank you very much @PeterHG

[Peter Connan]

139) Rock Dove

 

Tuinduif

Columba livia

 

 

 

21 March, my mother's house, Roodepoort

[elefromoz]

@Peter Connan, catching up and so many terrific Timbavati birds, is that African Hawk Eagle a Pair or Solo with a bit of tricky editing? Either way you have some beautiful IF Raptors. Lucky guy with the two Barn Owls, never seen one, let alone two at arms reach.

[Peter Connan]

Thank you very much @elefromoz

 

The hawk eagles were a pair. I can't edit like that, and even if I could, I probably wouldn't.

[Peter Connan]

140) Hadeda Ibis

 

Hadeda

Bostrychia hagedash

 

On my neighbor's roof, 21 March

 

 

Thamalekane River, Maun, 2 April

[Peter Connan]

141) Black Flycatcher

 

Swartvlieevanger

Melaenornis pammelaina

 

25 March, Bela bela

 

[Peter Connan]

142) Long-tailed Paradise-whydah

 

Gewone Paradysvink

Vidua paradisaea

 

 

 

25 March, Bela bela

[Peter Connan]

And now we start with Botswana. In no discernable order whatsoever:

 

143) Grey-backed Camaroptera

 

Grysrugkwekwevoel

Camaroptera brevicaudata

 

 

7 April, Seronga

[Peter Connan]

144) Black-chested Prinia

 

Swartbandlangstertjie

Prinia flavicans

 

 

29 March, Southern Botswana

[Peter Connan]

145) Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler

 

Bosveldtjeriktik

Parisoma subcaeruleum

 

 

 

29 March, Southern Botswana

[Soukous]

Chestnut Vented Tit Babbler - who gives these birds their names? Monty Python?

[Peter Connan]

A very good question @Soukous!

[Peter Connan]

146) Coppery-tailed Coucal

 

Grootvleiloerie

Centropus cupreicaudus

 

This was a wonderful sighting of a very confiding immature bird. But with Coucal's, it's quite difficult to ID the youngsters...

 

 

 

 

Khwai community area, 3 April.

[Peter Connan]

147) Green Wood-hoopoe

 

Rooibekkakelaar

Phoeniculus purpureus

 

These were nestig in the same tree that the red-billed Hornbills were nesting in. In fact, one could photograph both nests from the same vantage point.

 

It was also my first-ever attempt at using a flash (borrowed from @xelas) for bird photography.

Let's just say I need to learn a lot more about flash photography before I will get consistent results, but it does make the feathers stand out a lot better!

 

 

 

 

2 April, Audi Camp, Maun

[TonyQ]

Beautiful picture of very interesting behaviour. I would not have guessed you used flash- so a good sign.

I have never used flash for birds, perhaps I should consider it!

[Peter Connan]

Thank you very much @TonyQ

 

148) Meves's Starling

 

Grootglansspreeu

Lamprotornis mevesii

 

From Maun northward, these were probably the most often-seen birds.

 

 

@xelas and I got lucky on our afternoon drive in the Khwai, were we found a small flock having a bath in a puddle in the road.

 

 

 

 

Early April, Northern Botswana

[Peter Connan]

149) African Fisheagle

 

Visarend

Haliaeetus vocifer

 

 

3 April, Khwai River