Michael´s Fourth Year

[michael-ibk]

415/G37.) Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) / Regenbrachvogel

 

A Palearctic migrant. Moving through Austria especially in spring but I haven´t seen one yet this year. Very similar to the Curlew but the bill is shorter and bolder head pattern. Pretty common on the coast. Photo from Loango NP.

 

 

-/G38.) Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) / Grünschenkel

 

ASIB, and here at home as well. A few birds in Loango.

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

416/G39.) Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) / Sichelstrandläufer

 

A pretty rare Palearctic migrant in Austria. A species I only "spotted" at home in front of the PC. Seen in Akanda NP.

 

 

-/G40.) Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) / Rotschenkel

 

A breeding bird here in Austria, I had much fun with them at the hide in Seewinkel in spring. A few flocks in Akanda NP.

 

 

-/G41.) Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) / Flussuferläufer

 

Seen regularly but not many of them. This indiviual at Loango Lodge.

 

[michael-ibk]

417/G42.) Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) / Raubseeschwalbe

 

The largest Tern. A few individuals along the Ogoué River. Even though they are found on all continents except Antarctica there are no accepted subspecies. In 2016, a nest of the Caspian tern was found in the Cape Krusenstern National Monument in northwestern Alaska, 1,000 miles further north than any previous sighting. This development was part of a general trend in Alaska of species moving to the north, a tendency ascribed to global warming.

 

 

-/G43.) Little Tern (Sternula albifrons) / Zwergseeschwalbe

 

From the other side of the size spectrum, one of the smallest Terns. Already seen in Portugal this year. A few birds on the Ogoué.

 

[michael-ibk]

418/G44.) Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) / Königsseeschwalbe

 

Common in the lagoon area of Loango NP. This is the subspecies albididorsalis, the other one (maximus) occurs in the Americas. Sometimes apparently treated as a separate species in its own right. A beautiful, graceful Tern I loved watching.

 

 

 

-/G45.) Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) / Flussseeschwalbe

 

I first took them for Damara Terns because I´m not used to see them in their non-breeding state. (Some still obtained their red bill, see third photo.) Well possible some birds were Damaras but I did not find any conclusive photos.

 

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

-/G46.) African Skimmer (Rynchops flavirostris) / Afrikanischer Scherenschnabel

 

ASIB, but only a distant lousy sighting there. Gabon was far more generous, Skimmers seem to be doing well on the Ogoué and in Loango. I was delighted to see so many of one of my favourite birds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

From one of my favourites to, uhm, some I´m slightly less keen on.

 

419/G47.) Blue-Spotted Wood Dove (Turtur afer) / Stahlflecktäubchen

 

Common but shy in woodland. This one from the Libreville area.

 

 

-/G48.) Red-Eyed Dove (Streptopelia semitorquata) / Halbmondtaube

 

A familiar Dove from all over Africa. Common everywhere.

 

 

420/G49.) Afep Pigeon (Columba unicincta) / Kongotaube

 

Only seen at Langoué Bai in Ivindo NP, very far away on the opposite side of the Bai. "Afep" is the word for a Pigeon in the Bulu language of Cameroon. A pure rainforest species of Central and Western Africa.

 

 

-/G50.) African Green Pigeon (Treron calvus) / Rotnasen-Grüntaube

 

ASIB. One bird in Lope, a small distant flock at the Albert Schweitzer hospital at Lambaréne.

 

 

Of course we also saw Feral Pigeons.

[michael-ibk]

421/G51.) Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus) / Graupapagei

 

Ah, what a delight to see this iconic rainforest species - in the wild, where it belongs. Sometimes seen flying over in the afternoon especially but marvellous sightings in Loango NP especially where they like to hang around in the garden of Loango Lodge. Current estimates for the global population are uncertain and range from 0.63 to 13 million birds. A population study published in 2015 found that the species had been ″virtually eliminated″ from Ghana with numbers declining 90 to 99% since 1992. In the Congo an estimated 15,000 are taken every year for the pet trade, from the eastern part of the country. The annual quota is 5,000. Between 1994 and 2003, over 359,000 grey parrots were traded on the international market. In October 2016, CITES extended the highest level of protection to Grey Parrots by listing the species under appendix 1, which bans global and domestic trade in the species

 

 

[michael-ibk]

422/G52.) Great Blue Turaco (Corythaeola cristata) / Riesenturako

 

Another magnificent rainforest species. A few seen flying over (like 1st picture, from Akaka) but all very shy and never posing. Fortunately one bird feeding high up in a tree at Loango Lodge did not notice me for a while and granted me a good view. The largest Turaco species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also saw a Green (or possibly Yellow-Billed) Turaco in Ivindo NP.

Edited September 6, 2019 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

423/G53.) Blue-Headed Coucal (Centropus monachus) / Mönchskuckuck

 

Seen in the Libreville area. I thought I had another Senegal here but both the birdbook and xeno-canto show this part of Gabon is well outside the range of Senegal Coucal. And the light really was too bad to show a blue shimmer. Furthermore the book says the two are so similar that the distribution of Blue-Headed is obscured due to its resemblance with Senegal. So I´m going with the more interesting species.

 

 

-/G54.) Senegal Coucal (Centropus senegalensis) / Spornkuckuck

 

ASIB. Seems to be the default Coucal further South in Loango.

 

 

Not much luck with Cuckoos. Heard Red-Chested´s "It-Will-Rain" song regularly, and I did see a Didric (or maybe Klaas´s) but was too slow.

[michael-ibk]

424/G55.) Mozambique aka Square-Tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus natalensis) / Welwitschnachtschwalbe

 

Two sightings in Loango. I stumbled upon the bird photographed on the beach by accident. Flushed it, and saw where it went down again - probably the only chance to find a bird with phantastic camouflage like that. The wing bar is distinctive, and it certainly did not have the long tail of the, uhm, Long-Tailed Nightjar.

 

 

Another important family skipped btw - no Owls in Gabon which was really a disappointment. Reading birding group reports I had been fairly sure we could find Pel´s and Vermiculated Fish Owl, Loango seems to be one of the best places for them, but was not to be. The others saw an unidentified Owl species in Ivindo but it bailed just when I arrived.

Edited September 6, 2019 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

425/G56.) Cassin´s Spinetail (Neafrapus cassini) / Cassinsegler

 

Common in the Akaka area of Loango NP. The bare shafts extending beyond the feather tips give Spinetails their name, just about visible here. John Cassin is another important ornithologist, many American birds are named after him (Kingbird, Vireo and others) but also from around the world. In 1842 he was selected as the honorary curator at the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, an unpaid position that he worked at diligently, cataloging and clarifying the institution's collection of more than 25,000 birds, at the time the largest such collection in the world. The name will pop up again before we are finished with Gabon.

 

 

426/G57.) Bates´s Swift (Apus batesi) / Mohrensegler

 

A very dark species. A few individuals seen in Lope. And to continue with the name game, George Latimer Bates was another American ornithologist. He lived in Cameroon for a while and wrote the Handbook of Birds of West Africa in 1930. Also boasts a Nighjar, a Paradise Flycatcher, a Sunbird and a Weaver.

 

 

427/G58.) Little Swift (Apus affinis) / Haussegler

 

On the beach in Libreville. Fond of humans, very partial to bridges and other man-made structures for nesting.

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2019 by michael-ibk

[Kitsafari]

wonderful additions. I'm taking notes.

[Dave Williams]

You have two of my top birding wish list there , the Finfoot and the Skimmer. Envious is an understatement!!! Well done on getting such excellent views too.

[PeterHG]

Really exciting Gabon collection!

[Galana]

Keep them coming @michael-ibk. Good to see through your lens what you have seen.

 

Your comment re Little Bittern....I saw my first in Uganda many years ago and was surprised to learn they also occurred in Europe later.Seen in The Gambia last year but never in Europe yet.

 

[Peter Connan]

Lovely photos of lovely species!

[michael-ibk]

428/G59.) African Pygmy Kingfisher (Ispidina picta) / Natalzwergfischer

 

Two sightings of this diminutive Kingfisher, one on the Ogoué river, one in the Akanda area. The book says it´s not usually around near water (since they are insectivorous) but the Gabon ones apparently don´t know that, both individuals were perching at the river´s edge and looking suspiciously like they were after fish.

 

 

-/G60.) Malachite Kingfisher (Corythornis cristatus) / Haubenzwergfischer

 

ASIB. Common in the Akanda area.

 

 

This one gave me a bit of a headache - it´s a juvenile Malachite:

 

 

No African Dwarf or White-Bellied Kingfishers which are Central/West African specials.

[michael-ibk]

429/G61.) Blue-Breasted Kingfisher (Halycon malimbica) / Zügelliest

 

One in the garden of Loango Lodge, one in Libreville at the edge of the Akanda mangroves. Very similar to a Woody but blacker back, more azure-blue (also on the head) and of course - the blue (not grey) breast are ID marks. Another one not around in classic safari areas.

 

 

-/G62.) Woodland Kingfisher (Halycon senegalensis) / Senegalliest

 

ASIB. Very, very common in Gabon. A familiar bird for all Southern Africa visitors, and who knows, maybe some of them were also our companions in the Okavango Delta - those are known to spend winter in Equatorial Africa.

 

[michael-ibk]

430/G63.) Shining-Blue Kingfisher (Alcedo quadribrachys) / Schillereisvogel

 

A couple of individuals in the Akanda area. The book says "rare to uncommon" but I think it would be hard to miss them here - although they are pretty shy, much harder to get than the Malachites for example. Mostly seen flashing across the water in straight KG mode.

 

[Peter Connan]

Beautiful Kingfisher selection!

[michael-ibk]

Not quite over yet, @Peter Connan!

 

431/G64.) Giant Kingfisher (Megaceryle maxima) / Riesenfischer

 

This used to be one of my most-wanted birds on safari, and it took me several trips to finally get a half-decent photo. Well, I should have gone to Gabon sooner. This species is incredibly common in the Akanda area, I´d say one every 500 m - not exagerating!

 

 

-/G65.) Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) / Graufischer

 

ASIB. No introduction needed for this one. Common like everywhere.

 

 

We missed the Chocolate-Backed Kingfisher, a bird I had really wanted to see. But that´s a rainforest species really hard to find, so I think one would have to make a dedicated effort for it.

Edited September 17, 2019 by michael-ibk

[TonyQ]

Wonderful additions from Gabon (look forward to the trip report!).

Lots of beautiful birds, I especially like the turaco, the pratincole, The skimmers and of course the kingfishers. Your total is very impressive already.

[xelas]

True beauties, these kingfishers! And masterfully photographed.

[Dave Williams]

Shining Blue Kingfisher....that's another near to the top of my wish list. Stop doing this to me Michael, I'm getting jealous!!

 

I agree with Alex et al, superb shots. 

[PeterHG]

What an absolutely beautiful set of Kingfishers you are showing us! All excellent photos, too. A giant Kingfisher every 500 metres, that's overdoing it a bit....;)