GAME: name that bird!

[Galana]

7 hours ago, Tom Kellie said:

By any chance might your bird be Anthoscopus musculus?

I would say that that there is every chance. Less so for being a Mouse-colored Penduline-tit as being resident of an English speaking Ex colony (the photo was taken near Lake Baringo in Kenya) the little chap does insist on his full entitlement to that u in Colour. He feels that being such a little fellow he needs every letter he can handle to make his weight.

 

Good to see another player even if aided and abetted by an on line team. Welcome Tom.

Away you go. Your turn.

Edited February 28, 2021 by Galana
added text.

[Tom Kellie]

 

Photographed on 2 April, 2013, in the Giardini Pubblici de Venezia

 

It was the only time that I ever saw or photographed this species.

 

[Dave Williams]

We have two over wintering males in our garden at the moment!

It's a male Blackcap.

 

[Galana]

Nice portrait @Tom Kellie

Edited February 28, 2021 by Galana

[Dave Williams]

14 minutes ago, Galana said:

Dai bach. You could let the bloomin ink dry.

Just happened to look in!

 

[Tom Kellie]

~ @Dave Williams:

 

Yes, indeed!

 

Please offer a new bird from your extensive collection.

 

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

1 hour ago, Galana said:

Nice portrait @Tom Kellie

 

~ @Galana:

 

Thank you!

 

It's an image I'd long wanted to post.

 

There were Goldcrests flitting around on the tree trunk beneath the Blackcap.

 

Hidden gems of Venice.

 

Tom K.

[Dave Williams]

Here we go then, I don't expect this one to last long!

[Soukous]

neat photo. I'm thinking Bustard or Korhaan, but which one? Perhaps Denham's Bustard

Edited March 1, 2021 by Soukous

[Galana]

1 hour ago, Dave Williams said:

I don't expect this one to last long!

True. It would make a good subject for "Where was this photo taken".

One day I will sing you a verse or two from "The Lambton Woorm" by Bob and Alf Pearson.

"Wi its grit big goggle eyes!"

A mythical beaast but the description fits the enigmatic White-backed Night Heron.

And  I would guess the location as The Gambia river.

[Soukous]

Vegetation suggests you are more likely to be correct than I am. Well, that and a much better knowledge of birds. 

[Dave Williams]

Absolutely correct @Galana but I guess you know how much I love The Gambia and put 2+2 together! It's not a common bird by any means and being nocturnal makes it even more difficult to see but it's most common in Botswana I believe. That said here is a photo taken as dawn broke in Kruger NP. Full breeding plumage too! It was barely visible with the naked eye, the camera did all the work!

So, over to you Fred.

 

Edited March 1, 2021 by Dave Williams

[Galana]

3 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

not a common bird by any means

The book says that but goes on to say "easily overlooked!". Well if it's 'easily overlooked' how do they know? There may be hundreds of 'em in every Mangrove all looking neglected and sad.

I guessed Gambia as I saw a couple there in dense mangroves like your shot. I got one late at night on the Kunene but my camera was set to EBC.

Back soon with a suitable prospect.

[Galana]

Try this one.

 

[Tom Kellie]

~ @Galana:

 

Several former students had great fun with the image above.

 

With limited experience and sparse resources, they didn't expect to identify, but hoped to learn more.

 

Back and forth they tossed comments about seedeaters, grassquits, indigobirds, and grosbeaks.

 

The multi-hour chase was self-education conducted as play.

 

They went back and forth about beak shapes, foot and leg coloration, wing coverts and size.

 

As they tend to focus on image quality, with less interest in species identification, they finally went to bed, having enjoyed the social interaction.

 

*************************

 

Yours truly remained awake, looking at the image, vaguely recalling a long-ago sighting.

 

After sleep, this morning a possibility arose.

 

Could the bird you posted possibly be Crithagra burtoni, or Thick-billed Seedeater?

 

The olive-edged primaries were what finally nudged my thoughts toward that species. 

 

If I'm mistaken, whoever is more experienced with African birds will educate me...and the fun-loving young bird photographers in East Asia.

 

In any case, thank you for posting it. I learned much through the process of considering various species.

 

          Tom K.

[Galana]

3 hours ago, Tom Kellie said:

Yours truly remained awake,

A good thing when playing any game.

You, and/or your hardworking fun loving students, have scored gold once again.

It is indeed a Thick-billed Seedeater. The olive edge primaries do show up well do they not?

This was captured in the grounds of the lovely Nkuringo Safari Lodge in Bwindi, Uganda. Built and managed by my dear friends Rob, sadly no longer with us, and Lydia.

 

Well over to you again.

[Tom Kellie]

~ @Galana:

 

Well this is a pleasant surprise.

 

Thank you for the helpful explanation above.

 

The East Asian students will appreciate it as much as I do.

 

To work:  The image below is another species I observed and photographed only once.

 

         Tom K.

 

 

[Galana]

1 hour ago, Tom Kellie said:

The image below is another species I observed and photographed only once.

I don't have a team of eager former or current students to help or to entertain me.

Fortunately I know this bird very well from my travels in Tanzania.

One of the many birds whose description helps the ID. As I keep telling my 'birding students', look at the bird and think what you see. Hornbill with yellow bill?  Yellow-billed Hornbill. Barbet with White head? White-headed Barbet.

And so it is with your bird. Weaver with a rufous tail?

It has to be a Rufous-tailed Weaver.

Endemic to Tanzania but unmistakable..

[Tom Kellie]

~ @Galana:

 

Spot-on, as per usual! Thank you for the identification.

 

Your comment is apt. From several images I selected the one which showed the rufous tail plumage to best effect.

 

These two Histurgops ruficaudus, Rufous-tailed Weavers, were photographed in the early afternoon of 2 August, 2011.

 

They were loudly calling attention to themselves while perched in leafless bushes atop Lookout Hill, overlooking the Mara River and Tanzania, in Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve.

 

May your next post be another intriguing species.

 

                   Tom K.

 

[Galana]

10 hours ago, Tom Kellie said:

in Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve.

Double wow. You saw a Tanzanian endemic in Kenya! That is worth recording. I grabbed my "Stevenson & Fanshawe" and sure enough there is an 'x' on the distribution map (meaning a possible vagrant sighting) right about where you were stood.

 

I will be back soon with another but your record with my 'intriguing species' is very good.

[Galana]

OK. Here is something for those students and others to compete over.

Good luck with this.

[mvecht]

Looks like we are at altitude. Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris) ?

[Galana]

2 hours ago, mvecht said:

Looks like we are at altitude

Yes. Around 2400 metres I recall. I thought this one not being in Africa may either go immediately or last a while.

Seems it went quickly.

Over to you.

[Tom Kellie]

~ @Galana:

 

The Prunella collaris seems to be mildly puzzled by the deracinated blooming plant.

 

Yours truly looked at the image, wondering if the plant had been pulled up shortly before the bird's arrival.

 

Is there a multi-petalled white bloom in the center?

 

Both students and instructor liked the photo. Thank you.

 

             Tom K.

[mvecht]

At much lower altitude