Michael´s Fourth Year

[michael-ibk]

138/B101.) Double-Banded Sandgrouse (Pterocles bicinctus) / Nachtflughuhn

 

A few scattered sightings in Moremi. Principal seedeaters, like all Sandgrouses. Their dry diet forces them to visit water sources regularly.

 

 

139/B102.) Burchell´s Sandgrouse (Pterocles burchelli) / Fleckenflughuhn

 

The default Sandgrouse all through the trip. A familiar bird for all Kgalagadi visitors where they are seen in good numbers at the waterholes.

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

140/B103.) African Mourning aka Mourning Collared Dove (Streptopelia decipiens) / Brillentaube

 

Only one sighting in Xaxanaxa (Moremi). Likes to breed around settlements, camp sites and lodges.

 

 

141/B104.) Red-Eyed Dove (Streptopelia semitorquata) / Halbmondtaube

 

A very common species. This photo is from the wilderness of Savutu but they are equally at home in the cities, lots of them in Maun.

 

 

142/B105.) Cape Turtle Dove aka Ring-Necked Dove (Streptopelia capicola) / Gurrtaube

 

The definition of "abundant". The most tricky thing with this species is not to forget to take a photo, and I almost did. Luckily I snapped on in Savuti.

 

 

143/B106.) Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis) / Palmtaube

 

A few sightings in Savuti and also in  Maun.

 

 

144/B107.) Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis) / Kaptäubchen

 

I expected to see this familiar species in good numbers in the Kalahari but they were actually only two or three sightings.

 

 

There were also Feral Pigeons in the cities of course which I did not bother about. A surprising nemesis bird of the trip turned out to be the Emerald-Spotted Wood Dove. A fairly common species but  never managed to snatch a photo. They really seemed to taunt me, the worst was when I was relieving myself and one landed a few metres in front of me, apparently enjoying the knowledge that I could do nothing in my somewhat handicapped position. Bastard!

Edited April 28, 2019 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

145/B108.) African Green Pigeon (Treron calvus) / Rotnasen-Grüntaube.

 

A fantastic sighting in Moremi in the morning light, a whole flock enjoyed a fruiting fig tree. I don´t have a lot of love for Pigeons, but this species is an exception, it´s a marvellous looking bird. I have seen it before often enough but they are normally high up in the canopy, often in tricky light, so this was by far the best photo opportunity ever.

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

146/B109.) Meyer´s Parrot (Poicephalus meyeri) / Goldbugpapagei

 

The only Parrot we saw (there is a chance for Grey-Headed in Chobe). Another familiar species but as with the Green Pigeon this time we had exceptionally good sightings of this often not easy to shoot bird, probably because they are starting to breed in February.

 

[Tdgraves]

Love the parrot @michael-ibk

[Galana]

The pigeon is stunning in that light. So pleased you managed a few 'lifers' too.

Sad about the Emerald-spotted Wooddove. All this technology and we still can't go hands free on the basics.

Enjoying the narratives too.

[TonyQ]

The Lesser Jacana is a real beauty, and the second shot in particular is superb 

[Zim Girl]

Well done on the 100 Michael, lots of lovely new additions.

[Peter Connan]

All I can say is WOW!

 

[Dave Williams]

22 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

All I can say is WOW!

 

Yep!

[mvecht]

double wow!

[michael-ibk]

Thank you everybody.

 

147/B110.) Grey Go-Away-Bird (Corythaixoides concolor) / Graulärmvogel

 

Quite common, the only member of the Turaco family we saw. Not that there are many other around, but there is a chance of finding Schalow´s Turaco along the Chobe river. This bird here is one of four generally accepted subspecies, bechanuae.

 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2019 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

Not the most productive trip for the Cuckoo family. No less than 10 different species could potentially be seen but we found only two, and only in a very ebc-way.

 

148/B111.) African Cuckoo (Cuculus gularis) / Afrikanerkuckuck

 

Seen a couple of times in Moremi and Chobe. A shy bird, never allowing close approach, and  only seen quickly flying over - and away. Very similar to our European species but has a more pronounced yellow base to the bill.

 

 

149/B112.) Levaillant´s Cuckoo (Oxylophus levaillantii) / Kapkuckuck

 

Two sightings in Moremi, but also playing hard to get. A widespread species, found over most of Sub-Saharan Africa except the very South and the rainforest areas. Very similar to Jacobin´s Cuckoo but the stripes on throat and breast are an easy fieldmark.

 

[michael-ibk]

150/B113.) Coppery-Tailed Coucal (Centropus cupreicaudus) / Kupferschwanzkuckuck

 

Fairly common in the wetter areas like Chobe and Khwai. The largest Coucal, the glossy blue-black crown extends farther onto the mantle than in its Senegal cousin, the tail is more buff than black. Reaches the Southermost end of its distribution in Northern Botswana.

 

 

151/B114.) Senegal Coucal (Centropus senegalensis) / Spornkuckuck

 

At home in more arid areas, most birds were therefore seen in Savuti and drier parts of Moremi. Much less tied to water than other Coucals. Not a brood parasite, as far as I know none of the Coucals are.

 

[michael-ibk]

And again, my quest for Pel´s Fishing Owl failed. Apart from the three species presented we heard Scops Owl a lot but that bird is almost impossible to find. In the Kalahari we also had a Barn Owl in camp and saw it flying over.

 

152/B115.) Verreaux´s Eagle-Owl (Bubo lacteus) / Milchuhu

 

Two sightings of this huge Owl in Moremi. Jules Pierre Verreaux (24 August 1807 – 7 September 1873) was a French botanist and ornithologist and a professional collector of and trader in natural history specimens. Several species were named after this explorer who did some scary stuff to satisfy his curiosities: In 1830, while travelling in modern-day Botswana, Verreaux witnessed the burial of a Tswana warrior. Verreaux returned to the burial site under cover of night to dig up the African's body where he retrieved the skin, the skull and a few bones. Verreaux intended to ship the body back to France and so prepared and preserved the African warrior's corpse by using metal wire as a spine, wooden boards as shoulder blades and newspaper as a stuffing material. Then he shipped the body to Paris along with a batch of stuffed animals in crates. In 1831, the African’s body appeared in a showroom at No. 3, Rue Saint Fiacre. He was later known as Negro of Banyoles, and was returned and buried in Botswana.

 

 

153/B116.) Pearl-Spotted Owlet (Glaucidium perlatum) / Perlzwergkauz

 

Two sightings in Savuti.  The one depicted after sunset, thank you RAW for at least seeing anything here. A second bird perched nicely in a bush in daylight but flew away hard and fast when the car stopped. Oh well.

 

 

154/B117.) Spotted Eagle-Owl (Bubo africanus) / Fleckenuhu

 

One bird seen in the Kalahari. A widespread species, a disjunct population is found on the Arabian peninsula. A common bird for all Kgalagadi visitors where it is easily in the old trees along the roads.

 

[Galana]

Commiserations on the Pels. They will come one day.

A nice continuation of your trip and I look forward to more.

[michael-ibk]

No Nightjars this time (we must have seen some since we did have a night drive in Khwai, and were on our way to camp quite late often but no photo). And apparently I did not even try to bother with Swifts, only one (classic) species:

 

155/B118.) African Palm Swift (Cypsiurus parvus) / Palmensegler

 

One of the few birds which name makes perfect sense - if you see a good amount of palm trees this species cannot be too far, cause it is nesting there. Readily accepts alien fan palms as well, and is therefore often found in towns.

 

[michael-ibk]

156/B119.) Red-Faced Mousebird (Urocolius indicus) / Rotzügel-Mausvogel

 

Seen a couple of times in Savuti and the Kalahari. Unlike some of its cousins a quite shy species, and I failed in getting decent shots of them. Mousebirds are an endemic African familiy. It is the only bird order exclusively confined to our favourite continent. The mousebirds could be considered "living fossils" as the 6 species extant today are merely the survivors of a lineage that was massively more diverse in the early Paleogene and Miocene.

 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2019 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

Moving on to my favourite part of bird books, starting with Kingfishers.

 

157/B120.) Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) / Graufischer

 

Like everybody else I particularly love colourful birds.  So it´s somewhat contradictory that this basically monochrome species is one of my very favourites. There´s something very appealing about a clear and simple black-and-white design. Probably the most widespread Kingfisher, found all over Africa and tropical Asia.

 

 

 

158/B121.) Malachite Kingfisher (Alcedo cristata) / Haubenzwergfischer

 

The other side of the colour spectrum. Seen a couple of times in Khwai and Moremi but you really have to get extremely close to get somewhat meaningful photos of this little jewel. And no place better than the Chobe River to manage that.

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

159/B122.) Woodland Kingfisher (Halycon senegalensis) / Senegalliest

 

THE Botswana Kingfishers. One of the best parts about a Green Season safari to the Delta is the pleasure of being serenaded almost non-stop by its unmistakable call. I would have been very tempted to title my next report "Call of the Woodland Kingfisher" had @Hads not already snatched away that one in his recent excellent report.

 

 

Edited May 10, 2019 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

The other three Halycon species were not as cooperative as the Woodland.

 

160/B123.) Grey-Headed Kingfisher (Halycon leucocephala) / Graukopfliest

 

A familiar safari Woodpecker all over Africa, but just two sightings this time, both in Moremi. Formerly called the Chestnut-Bellied Kingfisher. A Green Season guest in Botswana. Two sighings in Moremi. This one is a young one, only starting to develop the chestnut belly.

 

 

161/B124.) Brown-Hooded Kingfisher (Halycon albiventris) / Braunkopfliest

 

One sighting in Chobe, one in Khwai. Both unfortunately very distant, so a heavy crop here.

 

 

162/B125.) Striped Kingfisher (Halycon chelicuti) / Streifenliest

 

One sighting in Moremi. Much less water-dependent than its cousins. I remember we even saw one of this birds in the Kgalagadi some years ago.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

163/B126.) Blue-Cheeked Bee-Eater (Merops persicus) / Blauwangenspint

 

Seen in Moremi and Khwai but best seen by far on the boat trips in Chobe. A Green Season visitor, this is actually a Palearctic breeder - but not one from Europe. It is migrating to Egypt and Central Asia mostly.

 

 

 

164/B127.) European Bee-Eater (Merops apiaster) / Bienenfresser

 

"My" Bee-Eater, and we will see it again in the count when we return to Europe. Several sightings in Savuti and Moremi but not as accommodating as the Blue-Cheeked.

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

165/B128.) Little Bee-Eater (Merops pusillus) / Zwergspint

 

Delightfully common throughout the trip, this photo was taken in Moremi. The word´s smallest Bee-Eater. The nest tunnel is often excavated into the ceiling of Aardvark burows.

 

 

166/B129.) Swallow-Tailed Bee-Eater (Merops hirundineus) / Schwalbenschwanzspint

 

The only Bee-Eater with a deeply-forked tail. Not an often seen species unless in the Kgalagadi where it seems to be the default representative of its family. Only seen in Savuti where it was most numerous along a certain stretch of the road - must have been an insect hotspot there to their liking.

 

[michael-ibk]

167/B130.) Lilac-Breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus) / Gabelracke

 

Very common throughout the trip.Once you have some photos in the bag you won´t stop for this one anymore. Probably the ultimate safari bird - colourful, bold and numerous, one of the species non-birders appreciate just as much.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

We did see a Racket-Tailed Roller in Moremi, a bird long on my most-wanted-list. But frustratingly it just dashed across the street, too quickly for a photo, and we were unable to locate it again. But there were others:

 

168/B131.) Purple Roller (Coracias naevius) / Strichelracke

 

Probably the least striking member of the Roller family but that´s only because it´s competing against such colourful rivals - it´s still a very attractive bird in its own right. Seen twice, in Khwai and on the road out of Maun.

 

 

169/B132.) European Roller (Coracias garrulus) / Blauracke

 

The Palearctic member of the club. One of the winners of climate change, its range is expanding in Europe. Not in Austria sadly, we have about 20 to 30 birds left in summer in our East but last year was the very first one without a single one breeding. So it has gone extinct as a breeding race here. A couple of them seen in Savuti and in drier parts of Moremi.

 

 

170/B133.) Broad-Billed Roller (Eurystomus glaucurus) / Zimtracke

 

The smallest of the family, only seen in Savuti. An intra-African migrant, only starting to arrive in the South in late September and leaving after the Green Season.