TonyQ's Big Year: Number 4

[TonyQ]

460.K126. Pied Crow  Corvus albus  

Nairobi National Park  04.09.2019

[Galana]

Some nice looking birds there.

[xelas]

Very nice looking birds, I will add!

[TonyQ]

@Galana @xelas thank you

 

K127. Pied Kingfisher  Ceryle rudis rudis      

Already seen in India

 

Mara North Conservancy        12.09.2019

[TonyQ]

461.K128. Pink-Breasted Lark  Mirafra poecilosterna

Selenkay Conservancy           05.09.2019

[TonyQ]

462.K129. Plain or African Sand Martin  Riparia paludicola ducis     

Masai Mara Reserve   10.09.2019

Mara Naboisho Conservancy  15.09.2019

[TonyQ]

463.K130. Plain-backed Pipit  Anthus leucophrys     

Mara Naboisho Conservancy  16.09.2019

[TonyQ]

464.K131. Purple Grenadier  Uraeginthus ianthinogaster     

Nairobi National Park  04.09.2019

Nairobi National Park  04.09.2019

Porini Amboseli camp 05.09.2019

[TonyQ]

465.K132. Purple Swamphen  Porphyrio porphyrio madagascariensis         

Nairobi National Park  04.09.2019

[TonyQ]

466.K133. Pygmy Batis  Batis perkeo

Selenkay Conservancy           07.09.2019

[TonyQ]

467.K134. Pygmy Falcon  Polihierax semitorquatus castanonotus   

(F) Selenkay Conservancy           07.09.2019

Mara Naboisho Conservancy  15.09.2019

(F above with M, grey back) Mara Naboisho Conservancy  15.09.2019

A delightful little bird

Edited October 26, 2019 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

468.K135. Red-Billed Firefinch  Lagonosticta senegala ruberrima    

Nairobi National Park  04.09.2019

Nairobi National Park  04.09.2019

[TonyQ]

469.K136. Red and Yellow Barbet  Trachyphonus erythrocephalus 

Amboseli National Park           06.09.2019

[TonyQ]

470.K137. Red-Billed Buffalo-Weaver  Bubalornis niger intermedius

Selenkay Conservancy           05.09.2019

[michael-ibk]

More great additions, particularly like the Batis, the Pygmy Falcon and the Barbet.

[PeterHG]

A really good set again! Beautiful Pygmy Falcon and that's quite a flight shot of the Sand Martin you pulled off!

[Dave Williams]

Some excellent images there. Sometimes the name of a bird makes you want to see one. Pygmy Falcon wouldn't disappoint , it's on my list.

[Galana]

Some lovely additions as you progress through the Alphabet.

Particularly like the Pygmies. Batis and Falcon.

[Kitsafari]

beautiful shots of the delightful pygmy falcon! 

 

 

[TonyQ]

@Kitsafari @Galana @Dave Williams @PeterHG @michael-ibk thank you. We really enjoyed seeing the Pygmy Falcon - and it really is tiny (about 20cm)

 

For my next 3 birds I am using a risky strategy as I will post three different (!) cisticolas next to each other. I find them very difficult to identify but thee three types are found in the areas listed. So here is my best shot......

 

471.K138. Rattling Cisticola  Cisticola chiniana         

Kicheche Mara Camp (Mara North)    09.09.2019

in front of our tent, Kicheche Mara Camp (Mara North)    09.09.2019

 

 

472.K139. Winding Cisticola  Cisticola galactotes     

Mara North Conservancy        12.09.2019

 

473.K140. Zitting Cisticola  Cisticola juncidis uropygialis      

Mara North Conservancy        09.09.2019

[michael-ibk]

Always an almost unsolvably riddle with Cisticolas. FWIW, I´m not quite happy with your Winding candidate, both rufous and blackish parts should be more obvious - it´s one of the more attractive Cisticolas. And it should not sit on a thorny branch since it´s more of a wetland bird. I´d go for Rattling again or Wailing. And the Zitting looks a bit too dark/grey on the wing. Maybe Pectoral-Patch? But only an (uneducated) guess your ID might well be the correct one.

[Dave Williams]

Brave indeed Tony. When you said three different ones I looked as far as the first two and thought it's the same birds...which it is as it happens. I then went to your third photo which is the second bird and my eyes lit up , I have a virtually identical bird in my collection from Kruger. I decided to abandon it as I couldn't figure what it was, maybe a juvenile with all that fluffy grit feathering on the back. Anyway, I was hopeful you'd nailed the ID only for Michael to say it's not a Winding.Hopefully someone will be able to say what it is.

I was also pleased with myself to see my Rattling looks like your too!!

 

LBJ's do my head in!!

 

[Galana]

Well we can at least be positive first. We all agree on #1 being a Rattler.

As @michael-ibk says the Winding is a wetland bird and 'galactotes' is called Rufous-winged in some books.

So what is it? If @Dave Williams says he has it in Kruger that will narrow the choices. Show us your's Dai! There is  a hint of a red wing panel which suggests another Rattler but I am non committal for the moment.

Fully committed on #3 not being a Zitter with that 'rufous' head. I could be persuaded that it is Stout nuchalis.

 

8 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

LBJ's do my head in!!

Join the club. When I first started with African birds I used to refuse to even look at Cisticolas and insist the driver moved on. Then they sort of grew on me and I like the challenge but prefer them in the feather and not as photos as live ones are a bit easier.

[TonyQ]

Well one out of three is not too bad

Thank you @Galana @Dave Williams and @michael-ibk

I will have a go and then move on! (otherwise, "That way madness lies" )

 

471.K138. Rattling Cisticola  Cisticola chiniana        This remains

472.K139.   Wailing doesn't really occur in this part of Kenya accordingto my book.So at the moment no identification.

473.K140. Stout Cisticola Cisticola robustus 

 

so a replacement.....

 

472.K139. Red-Billed Hornbill  Tockus erythrorhynchus erythrorhynchus     

Amboseli National Park           06.09.2019

Edited October 28, 2019 by TonyQ

[Galana]

42 minutes ago, TonyQ said:

(otherwise, "That way madness lies" )

Well you have come to the right place.

Don't give up on Wailing! In between shouting at my electrician and falling out with a holiday rental company I have pursued the other two.

One camp says Wailers have two races, north and south, which may be distinct species. The northern one would be Lynes's distinctus. Overall medium dark and dingy appearance. "S& F." Distribution map puts the Mara in play.

Under Lynes's, Sinclair says "darker brown upper parts, greyer on back than Rattling" and the location map agrees. Habitat. Rocky hillsides in grassland and Savannah.

I could go with that.

The Zitter has got me beat for now. The bright white undersides should give this one up easily but Winding, comes with only a dull rufous wing panel as haematocephalus in drier scrubby bush!

Sheesh. Rattling, Wailing, Winding and Zitting.  Why not some nice names such as White-tailed? We would know where we are then.