Zim Girl's 2nd Big Year 2019

[Zim Girl]

173.  (SA 65)  Malachite Sunbird

Swartberg  -  19/11/19

 

[Zim Girl]

Now for the last one I can definitely id from the estate. 

We saw other birds but they were duplicates of ones we had already seen like Cape weavers, hoopoes, pied and red-winged starling, Blue Cranes, Boubous and Common Fiscal etc.

 

174.  (SA 66)  Yellow Bishop

 

Swartberg  -  19/11/19

 

[Zim Girl]

Actually, I think I have just found another one.

 

175.  (SA 67)  Cape Robin-chat

Swartberg  -  17/11/19

 

[Zim Girl]

I have put the last of my unidentified birds on this thread

http://www.safaritalk.net/topic/20510-help-needed-with-sa-bird-ids-please/?tab=comments#comment-293815

 

The last few come from Swartberg, so @Soukous if you are around this is your patch

 

I will need all the ones I can get as what started life as a reasonable count (for me) is dwindling due to duplicates/females/juveniles etc

[TonyQ]

Some more great birds from SA, lovely to see the Cranes, really stunning birds

[Zim Girl]

This is the only bird of prey we saw close enough to photograph on the entire trip and we saw it along the road from Swartberg to Calitzdorp.

 

176.  (SA 68)  Pale Chanting Goshawk

Road to Calitzdorp  -  20/11/19 

[Zim Girl]

We spent our last night at a very nice guest house in Montagu called Klein Nektar, which we stole from @TonyQ's trip last year.  Thanks Tony, you were right it was absolutely lovely.

There is a colony of Sacred Ibis and various other birds at the Leiwater Dam in town.  It has a simple screened hide to sit and watch the birds from.  There is also a very nice walk from there following the river to Joubert Park where we spent a lot of time watching the red and yellow bishops in the reeds.

 

177.  (SA 69)  African Sacred Ibis

Leidam, Montagu  -  21/11/19

 

Edited December 17, 2019 by Zim Girl

[Zim Girl]

178.  (SA 70)  Cattle Egret

Leidam, Montagu  -  21/11/19

 

[Zim Girl]

NC (SA 71)  Little Egret.  Already in UK count

Leidam, Montagu  -  21/11/19

 

[Zim Girl]

179.  (SA 72)  African Black Duck

Leidam, Montagu  -  21/11/19

[Zim Girl]

180.  (SA 73)  Southern Double-collared Sunbird

Montagu  -  21/11/19

 

[Zim Girl]

181.  (SA 74)  Southern Red Bishop

 

Montagu  -  21/11/19

 

[Zim Girl]

That is it for SA birds for now unless anyone can help with id's on this thread  http://www.safaritalk.net/topic/20510-help-needed-with-sa-bird-ids-please/?tab=comments#comment-293815

 

 

It is surprising how quickly they add up and I was hoping they might help me over the 200 mark but looking unlikely now.  I still have a couple of weeks for the UK birds.  I got one at the weekend and we have a couple of others we are trying for, so we will see.

[PeterHG]

You bring back great memories of Montagu and the Leiwater Dam! A lovely area, indeed. Great pictures of the Red Bishops!

[pedro maia]

It was a pleasure to see your SA additions @Zim Girl.

[Peter Connan]

Some really nice shots!

[TonyQ]

Good to see the Leidam and Montagu were productive. Lovely photos

I am pleased you enjoyed Klein Nektar!

 

[Dave Williams]

With two already ticked off the list, you could be the third in 2020!!!! ( What's he on about you ask?)

Happy New Year and happy travelling in 2020.

[Zim Girl]

On 1/1/2020 at 11:02 AM, Dave Williams said:

With two already ticked off the list, you could be the third in 2020!!!! ( What's he on about you ask?)

Happy New Year and happy travelling in 2020.

Thank you Dave, and I might have an idea.

[Zim Girl]

So with a bit of help from @Peter Connan, @Dave Williams and especially @lmSA84, I have 4 more SA birds to add to my list.  Anybody disagree please let me know and I will happily amend.

 

182.  (SA 75)  Levaillant's Cisticola

Wilderness  -  16/11/19

[Zim Girl]

183.  (SA 76)  Neddicky

Swartberg  -  18/11/19

 

 

[Zim Girl]

184.  (SA 77)  African Pipit

Swartberg  -  18/11/19

 

[Zim Girl]

185.  (SA 78)  Familiar Chat

Swartberg  -  19/11/19

 

[Zim Girl]

So back to the UK birds. First a couple from way back at the beginning of the year, never did see them again.

 

This one is my contender for EBC of the year.  You will have to take my word for it's identity.

 

186.  (UK 112)  Merlin

Warton Bank, Lancashire  -  10/02/19

 

 

[Zim Girl]

187.  (UK 113)  Goldeneye

 

Glasson Dock, Lancashire  -  19/01/19