Mashatu Trip ID Thread

[pedro maia]

Starting this thread to ask for ID´s of some of the birds from this month trip to Mashatu, including some EBC´s, of course.

 

1 - An EBC of what looks like a kite, picture taken close to Polokwane in SA, my confusion is about the species that occur in Southern Africa, in the Mashatu species list booklet there is the Black-shouldered Kite, but according to wikipedia that bird only occurs in Australia, does the Black-winged Kite we have here occur in SA?

 

 

2 - This one was in Pont Drift Border Post, thought it might be some kind of finch but can´t ID it:

 

 

 

 

3 - This one was in the trees at Mashatu Tent Camp, I ran through the species list and couldn´t ID it:

 

 

TBC...

[Peter Connan]

1) The offical name has recently changed to Black-winged from Black-shouldered.

 

2) Not a finch but a weaver. Unfortunately I am not sure which one, perhaps Spectacled?

 

3) White-crested Helmet-shrike

Edited August 25, 2019 by Peter Connan

[michael-ibk]

1) Black-Winged Kite, and yes, the same bird you have in Portugal

2) A Weaver, not quite sure, Spectacled? Weavers in the area with bright eyes: Golden Weaver, Lesser Masked Weaver, Spectacled.

3) White-Crested Helmetshrike

Edited August 25, 2019 by michael-ibk
Ah, Peter was faster!

[wilddog]

At least you both agree. 

 

 

[mvecht]

@Peter Connan @michael-ibk  Pallid Harrier also occurs in that area.  Maybe it is the angle of the shot but the bird seems to have a very long tail and also the markings on the right wing looks more like Pallid Harrier to me. 

[michael-ibk]

@mvecht Possibly, but a bit early for a Pallid to be there? And to me eye and head shape suggest BW-Kite.

[pedro maia]

@Peter Connan@michael-ibk@mvechtthanks for the help, one is IDeed, the kite/pallid harrier isnt´t that important since I have both in my BY 

but of course would like to know which is it.

 

Do you guys think that the Weaver, if it´s a spectacled one, might be a female or a juvenile? Maybe @Galana and others may have a saying to.

 

4 - And this one, I checked and might be a female red-headed weaver, any opinions?

 

 

5 - Another one I can´t ID :

 

 

 

6 - A tough (or impossible) one, no more pictures, my only guess (probably wrong) is a juvenile Greater Honeyguide:

 

 

Disclaimer: I have better pictures from my trip (and also worst…).

[michael-ibk]

Might be (juv./female), or just a male not yet in its breeding state (starts in September for Spectacled). Agree with Red-Headed Weaver for the first one, and why not also for the third one? Definitely no Honeyguide. Really not sure about Nr. 2, sorry.

[Tdgraves]

Could no. 5 be a grey headed sparrow?

[michael-ibk]

I considered it but seems a bit too dark for it? And I don´t see any difference between the colours reg. wing and body. But maybe it´s just not visible on the photo.

[Peter Connan]

Agree with @michael-ibk and @Tdgraves, although it's very hard to be sure with the possible sparrow.

 

Pretty sure the raptor is a kite. I haven't seen any of the migrants yet.

[Galana]

Coming in late.

1-3. Agreed BW Kite (you can see the eyebrows) And WC Helmet Shrike.

I tried to click on #2 to enlarge but it links to a Red-headed Weaver. Having said that there is a look of RHead in that #2. Indeed I think all 3 are Red-headed Weavers now I have had a hard look. There is no weaver I can think of that matches. Not Spectacled or Lesser Masked and doubts about it being Golden.

That clear cut white belly and bill shape says Red-Headed to me.

4 is definitely RH Weaver and so I think is  #6.

5. Is almost certainly a Southern GH Sparrow but could be Petronia it is too hard to tell much from the photos.

[michael-ibk]

@Galana

 

I agree that I´m not quite happy with any of the three "Yellow" choices for the Weaver (as so often) but female RH Weavers have darkish eyes and the one in the photo clearly has not?

[pedro maia]

Also thanks to @Tdgraves and @Galana.

 

So from this batch I think the BW Kite, the WC Helmet Shrike and the Red-heade Weaver, at least for bird number 4 are ok, we can’t get a clear ID for number 2 and number 5, but this one is probably a grey headed sparrow, I have better pictures for that one I think.

[Galana]

2 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

I agree that I´m not quite happy with any of the three "Yellow" choices for the Weaver (as so often) but female RH Weavers have darkish eyes and the one in the photo clearly has not?

Hmm. I am having difficulty with seeing this 'light' eye in photos 2a,b,c but as I said I cannot enlarge the photos for some reason which are of course all of the same bird in the same bush.

If we rule out Holob's and Spectacled which 'it' is clearly not we are left with Lesser Masked OR Red Head.

Looking at 2a, the only side view, we get some firmly marked wing coverts very reminiscent of RH as is the 'sharp' bill shape. (see #4) What we don't get are pinkish legs and red bill which would have clinched it without doubt.

Given the leg colour Lesser Masked would get the vote IF those eyes are light.

 

[pedro maia]

41 minutes ago, Galana said:

Hmm. I am having difficulty with seeing this 'light' eye in photos 2a,b,c but as I said I cannot enlarge the photos for some reason which are of course all of the same bird in the same bush.

If we rule out Holob's and Spectacled which 'it' is clearly not we are left with Lesser Masked OR Red Head.

Looking at 2a, the only side view, we get some firmly marked wing coverts very reminiscent of RH as is the 'sharp' bill shape. (see #4) What we don't get are pinkish legs and red bill which would have clinched it without doubt.

Given the leg colour Lesser Masked would get the vote IF those eyes are light.

 

 

I think I may have a couple more shots of that bird, although I don’t know if they will help, and I probably can enlarge the bird in the pictures already posted.

[pedro maia]

Another view of the eye:

 

 

And another angle showing the legs:

 

 

 

[pedro maia]

Another batch to ask for help:

 

7 - This one was far away and I only have this photo, at first I thought it might be a Pale Chanting Goshawk but at least  the bill colour doesn´t seem to fit

 

 

8 - I don´t have a clue about this one, and I also don´t have a better picture:

 

 

9 - It may be stupid to try to ID a bird that gets it´s name from his breast colour with a picture from behind but I think it´s the only picture I have of this one, I think it´s a Cinnamon Breasted Bunting because it doesn´t have the white stripe in the back of the neck that the Golden Breasted has and it´s not a Lark-like Bunting, and these are the 3 bunting that occur in Mashatu, according to the species list (although this one was at Pont Drift Border Post:

 

 

Edited August 26, 2019 by pedro maia

[Tdgraves]

Difficult to id with the EBC like shots @pedro maia 

however, 3 looks like a white-browned robin chat

2 is a dove 

[michael-ibk]

1 - Difficult indeed, greyish accipiter with that tail pattern would suggest Ovambo Sparrowhawk.

2 - maybe Red-Eyed Dove but I don´t think it´s possible to safely ID this one

3 - agree with White-Browed Robin-Chat

[pedro maia]

1 hour ago, Tdgraves said:

Difficult to id with the EBC like shots @pedro maia 

however, 3 looks like a white-browned robin chat

2 is a dove 

 

I know, I´m just "cleaning" while running through my trip pictures and there´s always a chance that you guys make an ID of one of those EBC like shots, I think I only have a few of those left.

 

And you were spot on on the robin chat, I just found this picture almost from the same angle googling (that bird didn´t give me a chance of a second photo):

 

 

[pedro maia]

1 hour ago, michael-ibk said:

1 - Difficult indeed, greyish accipiter with that tail pattern would suggest Ovambo Sparrowhawk.

2 - maybe Red-Eyed Dove but I don´t think it´s possible to safely ID this one

3 - agree with White-Browed Robin-Chat

 

I know number one of this batch was going to be nearly imposible, their species list doesn´t include the ovambo sparrowhawk but it may not be totally accurate, they are supposed to have the little sparrowhawk and I checked some pictures before posting mine but didn´t reach a conclusion and the tail white marks seem to be a bit different.

[michael-ibk]

It´s certainly within range for that bird according to most distribution maps. I´m fairly confident we can safely exclude Little Sparrowhawk.

[pedro maia]

I just renumbered this batch to follow the previous sequence.

[Galana]

My first 'call' for the Accipiter was Ovambo and not Chanter. Reason Habitat and stance. Good to see as I read down the @michael-ibk formed the same impression. Def not Little Sparrowhawk due to tail markings.

Odds on certainty that the dove is Cape Turtle Dove purely based on numbers.

Of course the Bunting is not a Bunting at all and that's why the three at Mashatu don't fit. As you gain experience you will sub consciously decide on 'family' which then helps you home in on exact species. Buntings are only half the size of Robin Chats and their allies. Think Sparrow as opposed to Thrush.

It is as others have said a White-browed Robin Chat or Heuglin's Robin to some. One of Africa's best vocalists to wake up to each morning.

 

Rewind to the first batch. The light eye is apparent. Lesser Masked Weaver with little doubt.