Michael´s Fourth Year

[lmSA84]

What a collection. I love seeing these birds from places I certainly haven't been and may never get to! 

[Kitsafari]

10 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

461/G98.) African Thrush (Turdus pelios) / Afrikadrossel

 

A very widespread bird, found from Senegal in the West to Eritrea in the East and Zambia in the South. Common around settlements.

 

 

 

 

I had been puzzling over this birdie!! thank you. 

[michael-ibk]

Again, skipping many pages in the book - no Wattle-Eyes (we saw some), Batis (one seen), Illadopsises or Tits. Gabon is also home to one of the most iconic forest birds - the Red-Headed Picarthes. But there´s no way you could stumble over this bird by chance, one has to go to specific places deep inside the rainforest to get them. Moving on to a familiar group now - Sunbirds! None in Botswana this year but quite a few in Gabon.

 

472/G111.) Blue-Throated Brown Sunbird (Cyanomitra oritis) / Braunrückennektarvogel

 

One female in Ivindo. Tricky ID and in the original post misIDed as a Bates´s Sunbird. Thanks to @inyathi and @Galana for getting this right, see discussion on page 25.

 

 

473/G112.) Olive Sunbird (Cyanomitra olivacea) / Olivnektarvogel

 

The slightly  larger version of Bates´s. Also in Ivindo, one of the most common forest species according to the book. Widespread, also found along the coastal forests from Kenya to Mozambique.

 

Edited October 4, 2019 by michael-ibk
Bird ID changed from Bates´s to Blue-Throated Brown Sunbird

[michael-ibk]

474/G113.) Collared Sunbird (Anthodiaeta collaris) / Halsband-Nektarvogel

 

One of the more familiar Sunbirds found in many safari areas. This is among the more common species we saw, and in pretty different habitats. Its adaptability probably is one of the key factors of the success of this bird.

 

 

A male from Ivindo.

 

 

A female from Libreville

Edited September 29, 2019 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

475/G114.) Violet-Tailed Sunbird (Anthreptes aurantius) / Violettschwanz-Nektarvogel

 

One female seen in Loango, classic ebc-shot. An uncommon and very localised bird, restricted to forests and thickets along rivers and mangroves.

 

 

Edited September 29, 2019 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

476/G115.) Reichenbach´s Sunbird (Anabathmis reichenbachii) / Reichenbachnektarvogel

 

Probably the Sunbird we saw the most, especially in the areas around Libreville.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

477/G116.) Green-Headed Sunbird (Cyanomitra verticalis) / Grünkopf-Nektarvogel

 

Surprisingly difficult to tell apart from a Reichenbach´s - Green and Blue might look different in a book, in the field the iridescent feathers often look pretty much the same. Also seen especially around Libreville, but given the similarity I´m actually not quite sure if a Sunbird was a Reichenbach´s or this one. The yellow lower abdomen is often not visible when they are fluttering around in the canopy.

 

 

 

A female - quite distinctive for a Sunbird.

 

Edited September 29, 2019 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

478/G117.) Carmelite Sunbird (Chalcomitra fuliginosa) / Rußglanzköpfchen

 

Best seen around Loango Lodge, but also around Libreville. Very restricted range, only occurring along a narrow band along the West Coast and a bit inland following the Congo river.

 

 

Male

 

 

Female

[michael-ibk]

479/G118.) Green-Throated Sunbird (Chalcomitra rubescens) / Grünkehl-Glanzköpfchen

 

Only seen in Lambarené in the garden of the Albert Schweitzer Museum. Kind of a puzzling bird for me, and I´m not quite sure about ID but I assume it´s between plumages.

 

[michael-ibk]

480/G119.) Copper Sunbird (Cinnyris cupreus) / Kupfernektarvogel

 

Only seen in Lope in the garden of the Hotel. The Copper Sunbird feeds on nectar that it sipps from selected flowers.

 

 

Male

 

 

Female

[michael-ibk]

481/G120.) Olive-Bellied Sunbird (Cinnyris chloropygius) / Olivbauch-Nektarvogel

 

Only one male seen outside Libreville. Found from Westernmost Kenya all the way to Senegal. Forages in the lower parts of the canopy, feeding on caterpillars, beetles, spiders, nectar, flowers and seeds. The male is territorial and will drive away members of its species as well as Tiny Sunbirds.

 

 

482/G121.) Tiny Sunbird (Cinnyris minullus) / Zwergnektarvogel

 

One bird seen in Ivindo. The miniature version of its Olive-Bellied cousin. Impossible to be 100 % sure about the ID because of the similarity but it was, well, tiny, and the habitat is a better match (mature forest).

 

 

Sunbirds over and out.

Edited September 29, 2019 by michael-ibk

[TonyQ]

@michael-ibk a fine selection of Sunbirds, and you are getting very close to 500!

[Peter Connan]

What a great collection of sunbirds!

[michael-ibk]

And again a pretty substantial blank in the book. No Shrikes (would have expected Mackinnon´s and hoped for some of the wonderfully colourful Bush-Shrikes), Puffbacks, Drongos or Boubous. Did see Oriole in the rainforest, they were parading right over my head but it was so dark in there that the camera would not even focus.

 

483/G122.) Splendid (Glossy) Starling (Lamprotornis splendidus) / Prachtglanzstar

 

The only Starling we saw, a couple in Lope, and a few more in Libreville. A remarkably pretty representative of the family.

 

 

And a few doubles from Botswana:

 

-/G123.) Northern Grey-Headed Sparrow (Passer griseus) / Graukopfsperling

 

Common around all settlements.

 

 

-/G124.) Yellow-Billed Oxpecker (Buphagus Africanus) / Gelbschnabelmadenhacker

 

Whereever there were Buffalos this familiar bird was around as well.

 

 

-/G125.) Pied Crow (Corvus albus) / Schildrabe

 

Only two or three sightings IIRC.

 

Edited September 29, 2019 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

484/G123.) Slender-Billed Weaver (Ploceus pelzelni) / Mönchsweber

 

The smallest classic Weaver species. Seen in Libreville, with quite unusual behaviour for a bird of that family - they were hopping around tables in a café waiting for scrabs, very Sparrow-like.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

485/G124.) Orange Weaver (Ploceus aurantius) / Königsweber

 

A few birds seen in Lope. A bird with an interesting range, there are a lot of areas where they occur but apparently all totally disjunct populations.

 

[michael-ibk]

486/G125.) Black-Necked Weaver (Ploceus nigricollis) / Kurzflügelweber

 

Mostly seen around Libreville. Not a Weaver living in huge colonies like many others of the family, occurring in pairs. Also around in Eastern Africa, not sure if I have ever seen it before.

 

 

I´m not quite sure about this one (seen in Libreville). The bright eyes are confusing and don´t befit the subspecies "Nigricollis" of DB-Weaver in Gabon.

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

487/G126.) Vieillot´s Black Weaver (Ploceus nigerrimus) / Vieillotweber

 

Two colonies seen around Libreville, both in lodge gardens.

 

 

 

-/G127.) Village Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus) / Dorfweber

 

As you can see Vieillot´s like to hang out with probably the best-known Weaver - ASIB. The most common Weaver we saw. This is the subspecies "bohndorffi", with more chestnut on breast.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

488/G127.) Yellow-Mantled Widowbird (Euplectes macroura) / Gelbschulterweber

 

One bird seen in Lope which was easy enough to ID - note the yellow shoulders.

 

 

But these ones from Boué confused me to no end - they look distinctive enough but nothing really seems to match. The consensus on birdnet and African Bird Club was they are probably YM-Widowbirds as well. I´m not convinced but can´t come up with a better choice.

 

 

 

489/G128.) Red-Headed Quelea (Quelea erythrops) / Rotkopfweber

 

Another one I´m submitting for an ebc-price. A much rarer bird than its gregarious Red-Headed cousin. Distributed widely (but patchily) over Subsaharan Africa.

 

Edited September 29, 2019 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

490/G129.) Orange-Cheeked Waxbill (Estrilda melpoda) / Orangewangenastrild

 

Seen a couple of times. Quite a striking Waxbill species (but then most are when seen at close distance). From Boué. Lives in small family parties or flocks of thirty of more individuals.

 

 

-/G130.) Common Waxbill (Estrilda astrild) / Wellenastrild

 

A few distant birds at Langoué Bai in Ivindo. ASIB.

 

 

491/G131.) Black-Headed Waxbill (Estrilda atricapilla) / Kappenastrild

 

Also at Langoué Bai. Very similar to the Black-Crowned Waxbill but a bit darker.

 

Edited September 29, 2019 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

492/G132.) Western Bluebill (Spermophaga haematina) / Rotbrust-Samenknacker

 

When studying the book before the trip this was one of those where I thought "I really need to see this bird." So I was pretty happy when one popped up while we were waiting for the ferry in Ivindo.

 

[michael-ibk]

493/G133.) Black-Bellied Seedcracker (Pyrenestes ostrinus) / Purpurastrild

 

Another one I was really happy to get in the bag. On one of my walks outside Libreville. Usually found near water says the book, and indeed spotted at a pond.

 

 

 

Male

 

 

Female

 

[michael-ibk]

494/G134.) Quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis) / Wachtelastrild

 

This used to be the Black-Chinned Quailfinch but three different Quailfinches were recently lumped into just one. Seen In Boué.

 

 

Male

 

 

Female

Edited September 29, 2019 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

495/G135.) Bronze Mannikin (Spermestes cucullata) / Kleinelsterchen

 

A very common bird, often around human settlements. There are two very similar species (B&W Mannikin, Magpie Mannikin), and I was pretty sure I had the B&W but could not find conclusive photos.

 

 

-/G136.) Pin-Tailed Whydah (Vidua macroura) / Dominikanerwitw

 

One in Boué, a few more on the way to Ivindo. ASIB.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

496/G137.) Black-Faced Canary (Crithagra capistrata) / Zügelgirlitz

 

A few birds in Boué, an insular population occurs in that area.

 

 

And with this bird the Gabon collection is concluded. 500 close but no cigar.