Zim Girl's (very tiny) Big Year 2018

[Zim Girl]

Thanks everyone!!

 

At least every bird I see will be brand new 

[TonyQ]

Have a brilliant time in Madagascar- and we look forward to your trip report and your bird photos.

[Dave Williams]

Madagascar, yep, envious,very envious!

[Zim Girl]

Back from Madagascar!!

And while everyone is distracted by @michael-ibk's very long and rather wonderful list of Costa Rican birds I will slip in my extremely meagre list of Madagascan ones.  In my defence I will just say that when we booked this trip birds were not on the agenda in any way, and it seems we were a bit too early for a lot of them.  Also, (and I know this is a poor excuse given how stunning Michael's pics are in similar conditions), trying to take pictures of birds in dark rain forests with sparkly bits of light getting in the way is really tricky.

 

So here we go  -  honestly, don't expect too much!!

I have tried to include a bit more info than usual to make up for it.

 

90.  Madagascar Coucal (Centropus toulou)  Endemic to Madagascar and the Seychelles

This bird was sunbathing in the early morning sun in the grounds of our first lodge in the Andasibe area, Eastern Rainforest.

 

 

 

 

 

[xelas]

Why people are complaining about how bad the light was, and how difficult the photography was, and then they are posting stunning photos of birds drenched in sunlight ?!

 

Beautiful shot, @Zim Girl, looking forward to see them more from where this one came.

Edited October 8, 2018 by xelas

[Zim Girl]

91.  Chabert's Vanga  (Leptopterus chabert)  Madagascar Endemic

The Vangas - Vangidae, are one of the very well known endemic bird families in Madagascar, with great diversity in size, colour and beak shape. 

This is a particularly pretty one also found in the lodge grounds, Andasibe.

 

[Zim Girl]

7 minutes ago, xelas said:

Why people are complaining about how bad the light was, and how difficult the photography was, and then they are posting stunning photos of birds drenched in sunlight ?!

 

Beautiful shot, @Zim Girl, looking forward to see them more from where this one came.

 

Not in the rainforest proper yet, give it time

[Zim Girl]

92.  Madagascar White-eye (Zosterops maderaspatanus)  Endemic to Madagascar, Seychelles and the Comoros 

And last one from near the lodge.

 

 

[Zim Girl]

93.  Madagascar Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone mutata)  Endemic to Madagascar and the Comoros.

We saw these birds in all three of the NP's we visited. The male comes in both Rufous and Black & white colours.

 

Female

Male Black & white

Male Rufous

[Zim Girl]

94.  Velvet Asity (Philepitta castanea)  Madagascar Endemic

This is an Eastern Rainforest endemic.  This one is a male in non breeding plumage. The yellow edges to the feathers fade to black during breeding ad he develops a large bright green wattle above the eyes.

 

 

[xelas]

After these splendid birds, I can only imagine the one you will celebrate the #100 with!

[Zim Girl]

95.  Madagascan Wagtail  (Motacilla flaviventris)  Madagascar Endemic

Saw these everywhere, didn't realise at time they were endemic or could have got better picture.

 

 

[Zim Girl]

96.  Crested Drongo  (Dicrurus forficatus)  Endemic to Madagascar and the Comoros

Another one that is seen all over.  This one stayed still for me at the visitor centre to Analamazaotra NP.

 

 

 

[Zim Girl]

97.  Mascarene Martin  (Phedina borbonica)  Non endemic

We would see lots of these flying around early morning in Andasibe.

 

 

 

[Zim Girl]

98.  Madagascan Cuckoo  (Cuculus rochii)  Non endemic

This one was seen travelling the road to Mantadia NP, Andasibe area.

 

 

 

[Zim Girl]

99.  Madagascan Grebe  (Tachybaptus pelzelnii)  Madagascar Endemic - listed as Vulnerable.  The species is in decline and may only have around 3300 adults left. Habitat loss due to rice cultivation is one of it's main problems.

We saw this one with it's chicks on a small lake at Mantadia NP.

 

 

 

[xelas]

5 minutes ago, Zim Girl said:

The species is in decline and may only have around 3300 adults left

Make the count 3303 now!

Edited October 8, 2018 by xelas

[Zim Girl]

This list is roughly in order of when we saw the birds. However the next one is definitely not a candidate for number 100 so I have jumped this one up instead.

 

100.  Madagascar Pygmy-kingfisher  (Corythornis madagascariensis)  Madagascar Endemic

Our guide spotted this in front of us while we were coming down a very steep slope in Amber Mountain NP.  I took loads of pics from way back and then the guide just let me go in front slithering down to see how close I could get before it flew.  Very close as it happens, the last 2 pics are not cropped. It must have been watching something intently and when it did finally fly it almost flew right into me just veering off at the last moment.

 

 

 

 

 

[Zim Girl]

101.  Red-billed Teal  (Anas erythrorhyncha)  Non endemic

Same lake as the Grebe.

 

 

[xelas]

Congratulations on your first #100, @Zim Girl! Not only a Kingfisher, to celebrate it, but a Pygmy-Kingfisher! And not only a Pygmy-Kingfisher but a Madagascar Pygmy-Kingfisher, an endemic!! On top, almost touching distance!!!

[Zim Girl]

102.  Meller's Duck  (Anas melleri)  Madagascar Endemic   Listed as Endangered mainly due to extensive hunting and habitat loss.

Both our guides were very excited to see this duck. We waited for a while but it stayed at the far end of the lake (not surprisingly given the above).

 

 

 

[Zim Girl]

3 minutes ago, xelas said:

Congratulations on your first #100, @Zim Girl! Not only a Kingfisher, to celebrate it, but a Pygmy-Kingfisher! And not only a Pygmy-Kingfisher but a Madagascar Pygmy-Kingfisher, an endemic!! On top, almost touching distance!!!

 

Thank you Alex.

I know, it was almost my favourite bird sighting of the trip.

[Zim Girl]

103.  Spectacled Tetraka  (Xanthomixis zosterops)  Madagascar Endemic

Rainforest endemic seen in Mantadia NP.  Broken yellow eye circle with yellow line extending in front to form 'spectacles'.

 

 

 

[Zim Girl]

104.  Long-billed Bernieria/Tetraka  (Bernieria madagascariensis)  Madagascar Endemic

Also in Mantadia.  A bit similar but longer beak.

 

 

[Zim Girl]

105.  Madagascar Kingfisher  (Corythornis vintsioides)   Endemic to Madagascar and the Comoros

We saw this sitting on a canoe in the lake at our lodge in Andasibe.