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Michael´s Fourth Year


michael-ibk

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Peter Connan
4 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

52/B15.) Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca) / Glockenreiher

 

Seen a couple of times in Chobe and Moremi. One was kind enough to entertain us with their hilarious "umbrella" shtick. The reasons for this hunting technique are still debated, ... and obscuring sudden movements by the bird.

 

 

Whoever said this has obviously never seen this bird in action...

 

Some great photos (particularly the second shot of the Rufous-bellied Heron, a bird I have never seen), wonderful sightings and I love the additional information you include. Thanks for making the additional effort!

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7 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

Whoever said this has obviously never seen this bird in action...

I would agree. To me it is the avian equivalent of us shielding our eyes to cut reflection to get a clearer view.

From underwater the view 'up' by the prey is mostly reflected light, try it next time you are swimming, and anyway the prey would still see the birds legs.

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great additions from Bots. looking forward to more. 

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Dave Williams

The Dwarf Bittern would have been an exceptional sight for me too, boy did you get a fabulous photo to go with it!

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Great start, and it will be interesting to compare the Birds of Southern Africa as they were seen/photographed at far south and far north.

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michael-ibk
On 4/14/2019 at 4:37 PM, Peter Connan said:

Whoever said this has obviously never seen this bird in action...

 

Very true Peter. When I read about that behaviour I had always thought they would do the umbrella and then stay that way motionless for a long time. So I was quite surprised to learn (a few years ago) how they actually do it, spread-umbrella-unspread-no-umbreally within seconds. Our guide described it as "n..ight a.nd .. day" and that´s really pretty much the time span of the whole act. Great fun to watch.

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Peter Connan

I too was very surprised at the speed the first time I saw it!

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michael-ibk

59/B22.) White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) / Weißstorch

 

Seen mainly in Savuti. I always enjoy seeing "my" locals far, far away in Africa. And it is quite possible birds from Seewinkel, probably Austria´s best birding place where they are abundant might end up in Botswana. Concerning migration it is well researched that Storks in Western Europe winter in West Africa (using Gibraltar as the passway) and Eastern Storks fly via the Arabian peninsula and move on to Eastern and Southern Africa. The "barrier" between the Eastern and Western population runs right through Austria, so birds from our West (Lake Constance) would never be seen in Bots. Actually the  "Western Stork" are more and more losing their love for Africa, they tend to stick around in Southern Spain these days.

 

1892798068_Botswana_861_Savuti_WhiteStork_(Weistorch).JPG.3b762782e8321a8d660f955cb7dcb442.JPG

 

60/B23.) Abdim´s Stork (Ciconia abdimii) / Abdimstorch

 

Mainly seen in Savuti, and also on the Maun airstrip. This is an intra-African migrant that breeds in the Sahel.

 

173004014_Botswana_1620_Savuti_AbdimsStork_(Abdimstorch).JPG.de9178593045c5fdf3bccf30dfdc975b.JPG

 

61/B24.) Woolly-Necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus) / Wollhalsstorch

 

Only two or three sightings of this bird, but we got a whole bunch of them on the way from Khwai to Moremi in a forest area. I suppose they were just stopping over there. Their movements are not very well understood, some birds in Southern Africa are stationary, others are migrants.

 

1066928604_Botswana_2478_Moremi_Wooly-NeckedStork_(Wollhalsstorch).JPG.6084d9dac172d0af6c9f6b53ce96f07e.JPG

 

62/B25.) Yellow-Billed Stork (Mycteria ibis) / Nimmersatt

 

A familiar bird from many safari areas, they are plentiful in Mana Pools for example. Not so in Bots, we had only two or three sightings. And I remember that was pretty much the same on my last Botswana trip in March 2014.

 

491843465_Botswana_3423_Moremi_Yellow-BilledStork_(Nimmersatt).JPG.41549071913ddd577a969973e5e1a4ba.JPG

Edited by michael-ibk
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Peter Connan

Lovely collection of Storks!

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michael-ibk

63/B26.) Saddle-Billed Stork (Ephippiorhyncchus senegalensis) / Sattelstorch

 

One of my favourite African birds, and they were delightfully common in Khwai and Moremi. This is the world´s tallest Stork. For some reason I think we saw mostly males (IDable by the black - not yellow - eyes). A long-lived bird, one specimen (in captivity) had a lifespan of 30 years.

 

1224751522_Botswana_2105_Khwai_Saddle-BilledStork_(Sattelstorch).JPG.fb7be60a8afdbf285daf77d502024f07.JPG

 

1903441961_Botswana_2120_Khwai_Saddle-BilledStork_(Sattelstorch).JPG.7fc69b0efdc50e4fe4abe80bce6c1b40.JPG

 

64/B27.) Marabou Stork (Leptoptiolos crumeniferus) / Marabu

 

Common in all areas except the Kalahari. Nobody´s favourite but (as I have often mentioned) I have a soft spot for them since it way my first African animal I saw. Their numbers are apparently rising, all the human settlements and garbage dumps are  coming to their favour - Marabous are not picky eaters.

 

337702662_Botswana_1932_Khwai_MarabouStork_(Marabu).JPG.30dd3f78c13ba8c97ca1e35a44bcc210.JPG

 

65/B28.) African Openbill (Anastomus lamelligerus) / Mohrenklaffschnabel

 

Common in Khwai, quite regular in Moremi. A food specialist, it feeds mainly on freshwater snails, using its peculiar bill to extract the snails from their shells.

 

151236085_Botswana_2137_Khwai_AfricanOpenbillStork_(Mohrenklaffschnabel).JPG.eff702cab86cb9e2e81dd1e51d6a6090.JPG

Edited by michael-ibk
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michael-ibk

66/B29.) Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) / Hammerkopf

 

Another familiar classic safari bird. Oddly, it took us a long while until we saw one, I remember saying several time "Where are the Hamerkops"? None in Chobe, none in Khwai, only in Moremi did we see some (not many). I guess safari guides must like them, because I´m sure every guest asks which animals creates those huge nests, and so guides have something to talk about. It is suggested that the huge size of the nest creates a buffered, warmer microclimate which favours larger clutches. Personally I think they are just show-offs, just like some people who need big houses. :P

 

Botswana_3479_Moremi_Hamerkop_(Hammerkopf).JPG.eb70506727375bf498f2dae6e0d4a20a.JPG

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michael-ibk

67/B30.) Little Grebe aka Dabchick (Tachybaptus ruficollis) / Zwergtaucher

 

Quite common in the Delta areas. A true colonialist, immediately accepts new dams, often within one year of construction. Their population is increasing, probably because of all the farm dams.

 

956884674_Botswana_2007_Khwai_LittleGrebe_(Zwergtaucher).JPG.988d8aacc7be38a9f07160faf9625130.JPG

 

 

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michael-ibk

68/B31.) White-Faced Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna viduata) / Witwenpfeifgans

 

Quite common in all the wetter areas. This Duck is also found in South America, I remember it from the Pantanal.

 

1133725074_Botswana_2942_Moremi_White-FacedWhistlingDuck_(Witwenpfeifgans).JPG.087afc0bac7392330b097302193e0ba5.JPG

 

69/B32.) White-Backed Duck (Thallasornis leuconotus) / Weißrückenpfeifgans

 

A lifer for me, very excited about it. This was the only sighting, on a boat drive in Moremi through the Delta. Clear water is not their thing, they like stands of emergent and floating plants.

 

591138459_Botswana_2896_Moremi_White-BackedDuck_(Weircken-Pfeifgans).JPG.dee5462da6b298b604a5cacef0bbe4d1.JPG

 

The White Back:

 

2046337107_Botswana_2882_Moremi_White-BackedDuck_(Weircken-Pfeifgans).JPG.fc1055500b88a090f2c0909940fc6d9e.JPG

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michael-ibk

70/B33.) African Pygmy Goose (Nettapus auritus) / Afrika-Zwerggans

 

Delightfully common in the Delta, even on the Thamalakane river in the middle of Maun. But even though it does not seem to mind human settlements around it is quite shy and flies off quickly when spotted. The smallest of Africa´s wildfowl - and the most beautiful one IMO.

 

11466511_Botswana_122_Kasane_AfricanPygmyGoose_(Afrikazwergente).JPG.7785a9d2d394422ea79702c8678fae4c.JPG

 

1614202836_Botswana_2951_Moremi_AfricanPygmyGoose_(Afrikazwergente).JPG.f076c08871d6829e4cb48aeeb377e3ea.JPG

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michael-ibk

71/B34.) Spur-Winged Goose (Plectropterus gambensis) / Sporngans

 

The largest Goose after the smallest one. Very common in all Delta areas. Although not threatened they have becombe more scarce in Botswana outside protected ares.

 

145900599_Botswana_2203_Khwai_Spur-WingedGoose_(Sporngans).JPG.a77fae6160e6b61a00404dd22f3c90ff.JPG

 

72/B35.) Knob-Billed Duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos) / Glanzente

 

Particularly numerous in Savuti. I have seen plenty of this bird before but never when they are in their very cool full-knob mode. I don´t think there´s a definite scientific answer what the knob´s purpose is, but I guess it must serve as an indicator of health or sexual maturity during the mating season. The dudes certainly look much more impressive knobbed out.

 

1453223601_Botswana_607_Knob-BilledDuck_(Glanzente).JPG.fba0c5a2122d5ea51bdc27cd09d78c07.JPG

 

73/B36.) Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) / Nilgans

 

Seen everywhere in good numbers except in the Kalahari. Shares the Cattle Egret´s fate, just too abundant to still be noticed. Expanding more and more in Europe.

 

1007959149_Botswana_836_Savuti_EgyptianGoose_(Nilgans).JPG.b98fa2ee696c15b7617a9368ffebae0c.JPG

 

 

 

 

Edited by michael-ibk
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michael-ibk

74/B37.) Red-Billed Teal (Anas erythrorhyncha) / Rotschnabelente

75/B38.) Hottentot Teal (Anas hottentota) / Hottentottenente

 

Both mainly seen in Savuti. It seems God ran out of ideas and just changed the colour scheme when creating these two species. I´m surprised they still haven´t renamed the Blue-Billed one (see how easy?) since the use of the term Hottentot is now deprecated and considered offensive - certainly even here in my country.

 

302589189_Botswana_1283_Savuti_Red-BilledTeal_(Rotschnabelente).JPG.35789936457fd127cdddd0ac85c67c08.JPG

 

1215939904_Botswana_1298_Savuti_HottentotTeal_(Hottentottenente).JPG.9d499de59457b4833647ea227f32a21b.JPG

 

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Lovely collection of storks n ducks, much of which we saw except the cute pygmy goose. That's interesting info about the eastern n western white storks !

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Alexander33

I’m thoroughly enjoying seeing these Botswana birds, Michael. The first shot of the saddle-billed stork with the frog in its mouth, especially, is really good.  

 

And I learned something new. I had thought that the jabiru was the biggest stork, but after delving into it, no. It’s only the biggest stork in the Americas. (Guess we have to concede one to the Old World  :) ).  

 

 

Edited by Alexander33
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Dave Williams

Great stuff Michael, keep them coming!

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michael-ibk
17 hours ago, Alexander33 said:

I’m thoroughly enjoying seeing these Botswana birds, Michael. 

 

@Alexander33

 

Glad to hear that, since you had to suffer badly through my clicking craze. 😏

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22 hours ago, Alexander33 said:

I’m thoroughly enjoying seeing these Botswana birds, Michael. The first shot of the saddle-billed stork with the frog in its mouth, especially, is really good.  

 

And I learned something new. I had thought that the jabiru was the biggest stork, but after delving into it, no. It’s only the biggest stork in the Americas. (Guess we have to concede one to the Old World  :) ).  

 

 

 

 

ahhh @Alexander33 have you caught a tiny tiny bit of the birding virus from @michael-ibk? that's the danger when you spend too much time with him...... I can certainly testify to that. 

:P:rolleyes:

 

ok back to Michael's excellent BY count.

Edited by Kitsafari
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8 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

It’s only the biggest stork in the Americas. (Guess we have to concede one to the Old World  :) ).  

Interesting. All three of my books have the Maribou as taller by 3" at 60" to the Saddle bill's 57". I guess the much maligned Maribou needs to take lessons in deportment and stop looking like a Churchwarden. :rolleyes:

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Peter Connan

You got really lovely shots of the Pygmy Michael! I agree, they are by far the prettiest duck around these parts.

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