Michael´s Third Year

[michael-ibk]

150/CH112.) Wooly-Necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus) / Wollhalsstorch

 

Haven´t seen this one very often in Africa. It´s a relatively common bird in Zakouma.

 

 

Edited May 21, 2018 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

151/CH113.) Marabou Stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer) / Marabu

 

Not a very popular bird but I have a certain fondness for them - they were the very first African animals I saw on my first Africa trip (in Arusha).

 

Edit: Posting from the gallery seems to work again, at least it does look normal on my Ipad. Phew! Have edited a couple of posts on the last page as well.

 

Edited May 21, 2018 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

152/CH114.) Western Violet-Backed Sunbird (Anthreptes longuemarei) / Violettmantel-Nektarvogel

 

Almost all Sunbirds were out of breeding plumage and hence an ID nightmare. Reasonably sure about this one, seen in camp.

 

[michael-ibk]

153/CH115.) Beautiful Sunbird (Cinnyris pulchellus) / Elfennektarvogel

 

I have dozens of Sunbirds pictures but as mentioned above all very drab looking. I´m pretty certain they are all the Beautiful one, at least I stopeed bothering about trying to be completely sure. This one was the only bird at least starting to try to look good for me.

 

[michael-ibk]

A post to make Galana proud of me:

 

154/CH116.) Wire-Tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii) / Rotkappenschwalbe

 

 

155/CH117.) Ethiopian Swallow (Hirundo aethiopica) / Fahlkehlschwalbe

 

 

156/CH118.) Little Swift (Apus affinis) / Haussegler

 

[michael-ibk]

157/CH119.) Spotted Thick-Knee (Burhinus capensis) / Kaptriel

158/CH120.) Senegal Thick-Knee (Burhinus senegalensis) / Senegaltriel

 

One nightdrive sighting only each of these normally not uncommon birds.

 

 

Edited May 21, 2018 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

159/CH121.) Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus) / Kappengeier

 

Two or three near a lion kill, a few in flight.

 

 

160/CH122.) White-Backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) / Weißrückengeier

 

As so often, by far the most numerous Vulture in the park.

 

 

161/CH123.) Lappet-Faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotos) / Ohrengeier

 

Only one single bird seen.

 

 

 

[TonyQ]

Lots more great additions from Zakouma!

[michael-ibk]

162/CH124.) White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) / Bachstelze

 

The first time I´ve seen this familiar bird in Africa. Another one due to pop up later again.

 

 

163/CH125.) Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) / Schafstelze

 

Birder´s delight - has any other bird as many subspecies as this one?

 

 

164/CH126.) Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) / Fitis

 

One more European on winter holiday.

 

[michael-ibk]

165/CH127.) Red-Cheeked Cordon Bleu (Uraeginthus bengalus) / Schmetterlingsastrild

 

Common as our Sparrows back home, but decidedly prettier.

 

[michael-ibk]

166/CH128.) Black-Rumped Waxbill (Estrilda troglodytes) / Grauastrild

 

One of allegedly four Waxbill species in the park but the only one we saw. Probably the most abundant bird after Quelea.

 

 

Edited May 21, 2018 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

167/CH129.) Speckle-Fronted Weaver (Sporopipes frontalis) / Schuppenkopfweber

 

Seen two minutes after landing in Zakouma, and probably for that reason I assumed they´d be common and only took one half-hearted safety shot. Of course I never saw one again.

 

 

168/CH130.) Red-Headed Weaver (Anaplectes rubriceps) / Scharlachweber

 

All Weavers were out of breeding plumage and therefore an ID nightmare for me (coming up in the next post). I´m reasonably sure about this one.

 

[michael-ibk]

169/131.) Black-Headed Weaver (Ploceus melanocephalus) / Schwarzkopfweber

 

Really only my best guess. The first two are from N´Djamena, the others from Tinga Camp. Note that they come with dark and bright eyes. I´ve been told that contrary to the book descriptions female and out of plumage males can have pale eyes. Not really sure they are all the same species, and really interested in other opinions, what do you all think?

 

Little Weaver, Vitelline Masked Weaver, "African Masked Weaver", Heuglin´s Masked Weaver, Village Weaver, Black-Headed Weaver are on the official park list. Orange Weaver, Spectacled Weaver, Compact Weaver, Baglafecth Weaver, Dark-Backed Weaver, Black-Necked Weaver occur at least close to Chad according to Birds of Africa South of the Sahara. Heuglin´s Weaver is a strong contender for me.

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

170/CH132.) Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) / Steinschmätzer

 

Almost a disappointment, would have preferred Black-Eared or Heuglin´s Wheatear which are on the park list and would have been new for me.

 

[michael-ibk]

171/CH133.) African Yellow White-Eye (Zosterops senegalensis) / Senegalbrillenvogel

 

One sighting in camp.

 

[michael-ibk]

172/CH134.) Common Whitethroat (Sylvia communis) / Dorngrasmücke

 

This so-called "common" bird is extremely scarce in Austria, I´ve never seen them here.

 

 

173/CH135.) Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca) / Klappergrasmücke

 

Little brother was not far away, also seen in camp, the same day, 15 minutes afterwards.

 

[michael-ibk]

174/CH136.) Sahel Paradise Whydah (Vidua orientalis) / Senegalwitwe

 

Another new bird for me - if it really is one (hart to tell with Whydahs), but that´s what I was told.

 

 

175/CH137.) Pin-Tailed Whydah (Vidua macroura) / Dominikanerwitwe

 

Far easier to identify, even out of breeding plumage.

 

[michael-ibk]

176/CH138.) Green Wood Hoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus) / Baumhopf

 

One distant sighting.

 

[michael-ibk]

177/CH139.) African Grey Woodpecker (Dendropicos goertae) / Graubrustspecht

 

A pair of them was in camp.

 

 

178/CH140.) Fine-Spotted Woodpecker (Campethera punctuligera) / Pünktchenspecht

 

I had first thought this was another Grey but when checking my photos I was delighted to see I had a different Woodpecker - and a new species.

 

 

And that concludes my Zakouma birds. In total I saw 162 species. For those interested the "photoless" birds were Lizard Buzzard, White-Breasted Cormorant, Fork-Tailed Drongo, Northern Shoveller, Intermediate Egret, Shikra, Goliath Heron, Black Scimitarbill, Hadada Ibis, African Jacana, Common Kestrel, Plain Nightjar, Rose-Ringed Parakeet, Meyer´s Parrot, Ruff, Beaudouin´s Snake Eagle, Bush Petronia, Chestnut-Backed Sparrowlark, Neumann´s Starling, Pygmy Sunbird, African Palm Swift and Yellow-Fronted Tinkerbird.

 

Time to return to Europe now. No more Africa this year , but Costa Rica just around the corner.

 

[TonyQ]

A fine selection from Zakouma and an excellent total.

Your weavers look like two different species to me. I only have The Gambia book and a very low level of expertise to go on however! The contrast between the pale eyes and the dark eyes is very striking.

My book shows Black-necked non breeding with pale eyes, and also Vitelline masked.

[Peter Connan]

Great tally from Zakouma!

[xelas]

Excellent birding for you in Zakouma, @michael-ibk ! I know you have collected a nice amount of European birds as well, looking forward to see them all. 

[Dave Williams]

Trying to catch up with everyone's postings. Some excellent birds on your BY Michael, also some very confusing ones for ID's. So many of the African ones look totally different when not in breeding plumage, a nightmare for me.

[michael-ibk]

Thanks, @TonyQ, @Peter Connan, @xelas and @Dave Williams!

 

Tony, another thanks for having a go at the Weavers. I´m really not sure, the birds in N´Djamena looked much browner than the ones in Zakouma, but then that could also just be the difficult light. Hm, Birds of Africa South of the Sahara shows Black-Necked Weavers with brown eyes but is not specific on non-breeding plumage. Vitelline Masked is supposed to have "dull red-brown eyes" when non-breeding according to the same book. I am also considering Northern Masked Weaver. Oddly, they have "African Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus) on the official park list. "Velatus" is the "Southern Masked Weaver, a bird of the Southern African countries, so I can only assume that it should really be "Ploceus taeniopterus", the Northern Masked Weaver. They are not shown to occur in Chad according to my book or xeno-canto though. This page shows a nice variety of the different Weaver species btw:

 

http://carolinabirds.org/HTML/Weaver.htm

[PeterHG]

Thanks for showing us your wonderful Africa collection. I'm sure you' ll treat us to quite a few good ones from Costa Rica, too!