Kit's Fledgling BY

[Kitsafari]

372: Martial Eagle, Ol Pejeta, Dec 12

 

 

[Kitsafari]

373: Grey-capped Social weavers, Lewa/Ol Pej Dec

 

374: Chestnut Sparrow, Ol Pejeta, Dec 12

 

[Kitsafari]

Just as I thought I had my numbers right, the scarlet-breasted sunbird threw in a spanner. I double counted that and the montagu's harrier at 325. So I'll add one more count to the numbers and continue with 

 

376: Red-winged lark, Ol Pejeta, Dec 13

 

377: Jackson's widowbird, Ol Pejeta, Dec 13

 

[Kitsafari]

378: Blue-naped Mousebird, Ol Pejeta, Dec 13

 

 

379: Wattled Starling, Ol Pejeta, Dec 14

 

[Kitsafari]

380: Brown Parrot, Ol Pejeta, Dec 14

 

 

381: Brimstone Canary, Ol Pejeta, Dec 14

 

[Kitsafari]

382: Red-capped Lark, Ol Pejeta, Dec 15

 

 

383: Yellow Wagtail, Ol Pejeta, Dec 15

[Kitsafari]

384: Kellitz Plover, Ol Pejeta, Dec 15

 

385: Crested Francolin, Lewa/Ol Pejeta

 

386: Purple Grenadier, Ol Pejeta, Dec 15

[Kitsafari]

387: Gabar Goshawk, Ol Pejeta, Dec 15

 

 

 

388: House Sparrow, kenya highway, Dec 15

 

 

Edited January 12, 2019 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

we saw at least 92 new species in the Lewa and Ol Pejeta areas, but I don't have photos of the others. In total, there were over 110 bird species in Lewa and over 60 in Ol Pejeta. quite  a nice haul.

 

It's been a blast, when I started, it didn't look like I could hit 100, then i thought no way I would reach 200, but birding and BY consumes a lot of time.I'm not sure if I'm so committed to another year. I'll end by 2018 with a video clip of this delightful little  species, the male of which made us laughed. Thank you ALL for the support and encouragement and help. I've enjoyed the community spirit and comradeship in the BY group. 

 

389: Orange-bellied parrot, Lewa, Dec 11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tdgraves]

@Kitsafari your brown parrot is a Meyer’s parrot

 

well done on an excellent total for your first BY. Are you really stopping now??!?

[Galana]

1 hour ago, Tdgraves said:

@Kitsafari your brown parrot is a Meyer’s parrot

True ! However "Brown Parrot " is what it is also known as in most Field guides sch as Fanshawe's.

A great finale @Kitsafariand it just shows what can be done. Almost 400. Can you find another 11 down in the barrel somewhere?

 

On this batch I must heap praise on your Pallid Harrier shot. Brilliant capture.

Two misnomers I think:

365. I think is Deiderick's cuckoo (juv) Look at the streaked throat. &

366 is sadly not a Wren-warbler. Don't know for certain what it is (yet) but the bill is reminiscent of a shrike or chat.

384. Misheard?  Kittlitz's Plover. After the german naturalist Heinrich von Kittlitz who 'found ' it in Egypt.

 

 

[TonyQ]

@Kitsafari I have really enjoyed your Kenya birds - and indeed your whole Big Year. What an amazing total in your first year.

Well done

[Dave Williams]

On 1/6/2019 at 10:29 AM, Kitsafari said:

 I still have more to put up as Herman and I took a last minute trip to central Kenya in mid-December 

 

Sounds incredible that anyone takes a "last minute" trip to Kenya but why not! 

You had some fabulous sightings and superb photography to go with it. Your first BY has indeed been fantastic.Will you continue? I hope so. I know the thought of trawling through hundreds of shots can be daunting but it doesn't just have to be about numbers, theme it in any way you want. What about just including new birds to your list? Whatever you decide I hope you continue with something, your threads have been a pleasure to share.

[PeterHG]

Many wonderful shots and sightings from your Kenya trip and what an impressive total! I join the others in hoping you will be present in the 2019 BY, too. I've really enjoyed looking at your contributions, many of them previously unknown to me and all the more interesting!

[michael-ibk]

A great score Kit, and a lot of excellent photos. I had to laugh about your Brimstone Canary, that one apparently really did not want to play.  I´m not convinced about your Jameson´s Firefinch, that one should have a black vent and the yellow eye-ring is too strong IMO.  I do agree that it´s quite time-consuming but don´t fool yourself - once you´re in this you are trapped forever. Looking forward to your next year, I have a feeling the two of us might have quite some overlap...

[Peter Connan]

Magnificent birds you saw in Kenya!

[Kitsafari]

Thank you @Tdgraves @Galana @PeterHG  @TonyQ  @Dave Williams @michael-ibk @Peter Connan

 

Dave, we booked and paid up 3 weeks before departure. In ST's terms (since ST-ers book like 1-2 years ahead!), that was as last minute as one can get. 

noted on the grey wren warbler, diederik's cuckoo and the firefinch. 

And yes, not misheard, but simply just mispelt - just as I did in your BY @Galana, spelling it as Kellitz instead of Kittlitz's again.

 

 

13 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

Looking forward to your next year, I have a feeling the two of us might have quite some overlap...

 

@michael-ibk with your sharp eyes and quick trigger hands, you will have a great advantage over me!

 

22 hours ago, Tdgraves said:

Are you really stopping now??!?

 

It's the after-effect of putting up the haul of a Kenyan list. I'm feeling exhausted. Dave's idea of doing only new birds or special birds may be a good idea; instead of chasing numbers, I suppose I could pick only clear sharp photos of birds and/or special birds. 

But as Michael says, I'm sure the obsession will just take over.... not (I hope). 

 

[Zim Girl]

Great Kenyan birds to finish with on what was a really impressive first Big Year.

[lmSA84]

@Kitsafari - congratulations on a fantastic BY! It’s been great to see something so different with all your SEA birds and it sounds like your birding has really come on. 

 

Whether you continue or not - thank you!