Birding on 3 continents

[xelas]

10 minutes ago, Peter Connan said:

Beautiful shots, but you really nailed that Babbler Alex!

 

Lucky shot, Peter! I have only found at home that the background was that dramatic ! But thank you anyway .

[Dave Williams]

Quality images Alex. I can feel you breathing down my neck!

[xelas]

17 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

Quality images Alex. I can feel you breathing down my neck!

 

Sort of, Dave! And thank you on your kind words about the IQ; having used 300 mm + TC14 I was a little on the short side comparing to 200-500 zoom, and thus a bit more cropping is needed.

[TonyQ]

Great photos- the Spurfowl is beautiful.

[xelas]

35 minutes ago, TonyQ said:

Great photos- the Spurfowl is beautiful.

 Thanks, Tony! I did chased the poor girl for a while ...

[Galana]

Welcome back. I see the Hare is galloping along.

The river is the Thamalakane. I like the Babbler and the Spurfowl too.

I have misgivings about the length and curve of the "Collared Sunbird's" bill!

Looks like a White-bellied to my eye.

[xelas]

8 hours ago, Galana said:

Looks like a White-bellied to my eye.

 

I will correct the ID accordingly, @Galana; I have no doubts about your eye :

 

BY 266 / AF 212

White-bellied Sunbird - Cinnyris talatala

 

 

And thanks for the name of the river; I should look at the map ... As for the galloping, well, more like trying to keep the front runners within my eyesight .

Edited May 4, 2018 by xelas

[xelas]

After reuniting with the main group at Maun (they were unable to cross the pans) our next destination was Khwai river. This is true wilderness, the area is beautiful but the roads (or should I say tracks) were tough so not many opportunities to stop for birding. Yet the total count of birds and the variety was good, specially on approaching the Maghoto campsite.

 

 

BY 268 / AF 214

Green-backed (Striated) Heron - Butorides striata

Khwai, 03.04.2018

 

 

BY 269 / AF 215

White-faced Whistling Duck - Dendrocygna viduata

Khwai, 03.04.2018

 

 

BY 270 / AF 216

European Bee-eater - Merops apiaster

Khwai, 03.04.2018

[xelas]

Plenty of water around so also plenty of water birds.

 

 

BY 271 / AF 217

Common Sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos

Khwai, 03.04.2018

 

 

BY 272 / AF 218

African Pygmy Goose - Nettapus auritus

Khwai, 03.04.2018

 

 

BY 273 / AF 219

Knob-billed Duck - Sarkidiornis melanotos

Khwai, 03.04.2018

[xelas]

After setting-up the camp Peter and I did explore the area (not far because of all the water).

 

 

BY 274 / AF 220

Coppery-tailed Coucal - Centropus cupreicaudus

Khwai, 03.04.2018

 

 

BY 275 / AF 221

African Wattled Lapwing - Vanellus senegallus

Khwai, 03.04.2018

 

 

BY 276 / AF 222

Grey-headed Kingfisher - Halcyon leucocephala

Khwai, 03.04.2018

 

 

BY 277 / AF 223

Hooded Vulture - Necrosyrtes monachus

Khwai, 03.04.2018

 

 

BY 278 / AF 224

Red-billed Buffalo Weaver - Bubalornis niger

Khwai, 03.04.2018

 

 

 

 

[xelas]

Next morning we have had a surprise visit in the camp (more in the upcoming trip report). Yet there was time to get a few new birds also.

 

 

BY 279 / AF 225

Bateleur - Terathopius ecaudatus

 

juvenile

 

immature

Khwai, 04.04.2018

 

 

BY 280 / AF 226

Southern Ground-Hornbill - Bucorvus leadbeateri

Khwai, 04.04.2018

 

 

BY 281 / AF 227

Marabou Stork - Leptoptilos crumenifer

[xelas]

This one I am posting separately because I am not that sure my ID is correct.

 

 

BY 282 / AF 228

Gabar Goshawk - Micronisus gabar

 

juvenile

Khwai, 03.04.2018

 

[xelas]

Next two days were gruelling fight with mud crossing the Selinda Reserve. Not much options for taking any photos, and somehow birds were also somewhere else, or looking away from us mad/mud people.

 

 

BY 283 / AF 229

Meyer's Parrot - Poicephalus meyeri

 

 

Selinda, 05.04.2018

 

 

BY 284 / AF 230

Dark Chanting Goshawk - Melierax metabates

Selinda, 05.04.2018

 

 

Only once we have exited the Death Row Of Mud Pools we were greeted by this bird

 

BY 285 / AF 231

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill - Tockus leucomelas

 

Selinda, 05.04.2018

 

 

[xelas]

Next stop was a communal camp in the village of Seronga, on the banks of Okavango River. While Peter and others have had hands full with mechanical and other work, I was again able to browse the camp at will. Below photo was taken at 12.800 ISO !!

 

 

BY 286 / AF 232

Hartlaub's Babbler - Turdoides hartlaubii

Seronga, 05.04.2018

 

 

BY 287 / AF 233

Tropical Boubou - Laniarius aethiopicus

Seronga, 06.04.2018

 

 

[xelas]

On our full day the much anticipated activity: the mokoro boat trip on Okavango! It was very different to what I have expected from watching all those photos on the web, but nevertheless a great experience.

 

BY 288 / AF 234

Little Bee-eater - Merops pusillus

Seronga, 06.04.2018

 

 

BY 289 / AF 235

Western Banded Snake Eagle - Circaetus cinerascens

Seronga, 06.04.2018

 

 

BY 290 / AF 236

Woodland Kingfisher - Halcyon senegalensis

Seronga, 06.04.2018

 

 

[xelas]

More birds from the camp and its neighbourhood.

 

 

BY 291 / AF 237

African Green Pigeon - Treron calvus

Seronga, 06.04.2018

 

 

BY 292 / AF 238

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater - Merops persicus

Seronga, 06.04.2018

 

 

BY 293 / AF 239

Lesser Striped Swallow - Cecropis abyssinica

Seronga, 06.04.2018

 

 

BY 294 / AF 240

Dusky Indigobird - Vidua funerea

Seronga, 06.04.2018

 

 

BY 295 / AF 241

Grey-backed Camaroptera - Camaroptera brevicaudata

Seronga, 07.04.2018

Edited May 8, 2018 by xelas

[Tdgraves]

"like"

[Peter Connan]

More than just like!

 

I missed several more birds here, soem which I have never seen before, like the tropical Boubou. And as for the Snake-eagle, I only had an unidentifyable shot with the head turned directly away...

 

Great shots of the Indigobird and the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater!

[Galana]

More 'likes' from me.

2 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

I have never seen before, like the tropical Boubou.

@Peter Connan

  No loss there as I don't think @xelas  has either. At least not with this one:

3 hours ago, xelas said:

BY 287 / AF 233

Tropical Boubou - Laniarius aethiopicus

Swamp Boubou - Laniarius bicolour.

[lmSA84]

Please consider all your images liked. Particularly like the Pygmy Duck - still haven’t seen one 

[PeterHG]

Great additions @xelas, love your Goliath Heron ( well, among others, of course :))

[xelas]

12 minutes ago, Galana said:

More 'likes' from me.

@Peter Connan

  No loss there as I don't think @xelas  has either. At least not with this one:

Swamp Boubou - Laniarius bicolour.

 

This time I have to defend my ID. Tropical Boubou shows pink wash on flanks, while Swamp Boubou is pure white. I have photos of both, and I can see pink wash on the flanks of #287 ... subtle but there it is!

Edited May 8, 2018 by xelas

[xelas]

@Tdgraves, @Peter Connan, @Galana, @lmSA84 and @PeterHG ... thanks for all your likes and comments!

[Galana]

2 hours ago, xelas said:

This time I have to defend my ID.

That is of course your prerogative my friend.

However it would be unusual, to say the least, to find Tropical Boubou west of the Kwando/Linyati.

[xelas]

Based on distribution maps I have found on the internet, Dusky Indigobird should not be anywhere near to Okavango ... but my bird # 294 is undoubtedly (??) a Dusky Indigobird. 

So distribution maps, those pesky birds do not read them at all!

 

However, as I am considering @Galana to be an authority in this field, and as I have, am and will be using his expert advice in the field of bird ID, I am changing the ID accordingly:

 

BY 287 / AF 233

Swamp Boubou - Lanarius bicolour

Edited May 9, 2018 by xelas